For the listener or the viewer?

I suspect Adam Hamdy has already made sure that some of the big studios have a copy of this book - and what an easy transition to film it would be as it barely needs any conversion to a screenplay.

Actually it would be quite exciting on the big screen, probably more so than through my litte earphones. All a bit ridiculous. I have listened to a few other books of the same genre but have usually found them more exciting. The explanation was annoying as we had no way to guess.

I think this could have been improved using a different narrator. This one seemed to be doing an audition for the film! For every single part! Too much acting in the delivery of the dialogue - the text makes it very clear that someone is sobbing - so we don't need all the speech to be full of heart-felt sobs. Took away from the listen.

I would like to know why the author chooses to call some people by their surnames, and others by their first name. For the first half of the book it's very clearcut: women are only known by their first names, the men, even the central character, are masculine enough to be surname only...unless they're northern! Then it's just a random choice, very annoying though, we're not all army or male public school types!

One further comment: I suspect the knowledge the author has of the 'North' is nil! It seems that only empty fields and spaces exist. The 'northern' man he goes to see is so typecast, it's like something from the 50s. And he's even - wait for it - building a bloody dry stone wall!

Advice to author: travel around your country; remember and use the first names of your friends, relatives and contacts; either write a book OR a screenplay.

Advice to myself (having just re-read this review): try and be more positive about books you have chosen to continue listening to!!

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15 people found this helpful

Great until the end

This is an excellent story but I felt the end let it down massively. promised much more. I still enjoyed most of it.

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4 people found this helpful

What a cracker of a book!

Well. That was an experience of a listen. It was sixty chapters long but by the time I git to chapter nineteen I thought it was reaching a climax and should end soon! I couldn't believe it could go on any longer..... but boy was I wrong! The story turned in another direction and powered its way through another whole set of amazing adventures. It ended with a twist that was difficult to see coming and with a question mark over the two main characters that leave an opening for a follow on book. I must look out for it.

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4 people found this helpful

My most exciting listen

Really thrilling from the very first chapter and not a dull moment right to the end. Similar to the work of Simon Kernick. An inventive and creepy idea for a bad guy and main characters that you could really get behind. The first chapter was absolutely nail biting and although you know nothing about the first victim you're already invested.

Also possibly one of the best narrations I've ever heard. It doesn't seem possible that one reader could give an individual recognisable voice to such a huge cast of characters. There's a huge amount of dialogue between the male and female leads with British and American accents which are always spot on.

Looking forward to the next one.

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Good at first but seems to change half way through

The first two thirds of this was a very compelling tightly written thriller. However around two thirds of the way through, the pacing slows down, the setting changes entirely and new characters are suddenly introduced and the whole thing took a different turn.

stuck with it, and was pleasantly surprised at the satisfying ending; but the shift change in the middle rather took me out of the story and made it slower progress for someone who usually races through books like these.

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Very different to my usual choices...

... and it was an absolutely wild roller-coaster from start to finish. I discovered Adam Hamdy from a post-audiobook bonus when he interviewed Anthony Horowitz and thought I would check out his work. Really intricately plotted and bang up to date, it has the thrills of a "Bond" with none of the anachronisms. But - there were a few things that pulled me out of the narrative **spoiler alert** - the killer hangs his victims and makes it look like suicide but the police never look into where the victims got their rope from. Do you have a length of rope just hanging (pardon the pun) around your house? Where do you even buy rope strong enough to hold your body weight, apparently on a guilt-ridden whim? Let alone knowing how to properly tie a noose.
Also, at one point the killer has his hand smashed with a fire extinguisher but he's soon back about his murderous work in no time; pretty sure that would take some time to heal...?
My pedantry apart, a ripping thriller and I'll definitely be getting the sequel!

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Brilliant

Great story, well written and full of suspense. Expertly narrated with detailed characters and hidden plots

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Excellent narration and Engaging Story

Throughly enjoyed this book, well written, and with the brilliant narration I could really get to know the characters. Looking forward to finishing the trilogy!

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Intense!!

From the very beginning this book had my heart racing! I usually listen to audiobooks to help me sleep and found myself getting so scared for the main character that I was staying awake until the early hours!

Very strong plot throughout i just feel ever so slightly let down by the last hour.

Overall fantastic and would look for other books by the author.

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Interesting Twist

Very good story with an unpredictable twist (for me anyway).

Narrator was very good on the whole and did well with different accents but the amount of gulping he did when conveying distress or emotion was quite annoying. Not enough to knock a star off though so overall very enjoyable.

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