When a young mother is found dead in her home with a mysterious symbol drawn on her body, DI Katie Rhodes is shaken to her core; it’s a perfect match to the birthmark she once saw on her old partner, Nathan Radley.
Formerly one of the best criminal psychologists on the police force, Nathan was renowned for getting deep into the minds of the murderers he hunted. But for the past year he has lived in isolation, terrified of losing control over his own dark desires…
Katie swore she’d never knock on Nathan’s door again, but when another woman’s body is found, she knows she doesn’t have a choice.
As the body count rises and the calling cards get increasingly personal, Katie and Nathan realise that someone very close to them is playing a dangerous game. Who can they trust, and how many more innocent lives will be taken before they can crack this disturbing riddle?
An absolutely nail-biting serial-killer thriller. Fans of The Girl in the Ice, or anything by Angela Marsons or Rachel Abbott will not want to miss this page-turning debut!
It's my absolute pleasure to be one of the hosts for the Dark Lies Blog Blitz today. My grateful thanks to Nick Hollin and Noelle from publishers, Bookouture for inviting me and for my ecopy of the novel.
Dark Lies is the first book in Nick Hollin's new Detective Rhodes and Radley series and I can tell you right now that once I've finished this review I'll be tapping my fingers waiting for book two. I love books that have a complex storyline and Dark Lies had me completely bewildered for a while. Despite not really being sure what was going on for some time I was unable to tear my eyes from the page, this is a truly compelling thriller.
The prologue to the book immediately lets us know that this is one seriously messed up killer; obviously murdering somebody in cold blood is a pretty big clue but this individual then poses his victims to become gruesome canvases and uses some very odd props - Beans Meanz Psycho...
Although Dark Lies is about the race to find and stop the serial killer, it's as much about the relationship between, and the secrets of DI Kate Rhodes and Nick Radley. Kate is clearly not in a good place, she is drinking too much, promiscuous and a mess, both inside and out. Once a driven and capable officer, something has happened and Kate hasn't just lost her edge - she's at risk of losing her job if she doesn't deliver soon. Meanwhile her old partner, criminal psychologist, Nathan has been living in isolation for almost a year, seemingly terrified of what he's capable of. It would appear that their last case together has seriously damaged them both but can they trust each other - and themselves - enough to work together again?
It's imperative they do because the killer, dubbed The Cartoonist by the media, is always one step ahead of them - and he seems to know their deepest, darkest secrets. Dark Lies is an unsettling book, made all the more creepy by the doubts Nick Hollin cleverly places in the mind of the reader. The race to find The Cartoonist becomes increasingly gripping but Nathan seems so psychologically damaged that it's hard to know whether Kate should rely on his insights at all. It is fascinating to see how he manages to get into the head of the killer but doing so feeds his own dark desires and could push him over the edge.
As I reached the thrilling conclusion of the book I was reminded of the sense of satisfaction I feel when untangling a particularly stubborn tangle of string or cables. At first I'm not sure how I'm ever going to straighten things out but then little by little the twists and turns reveal a path and eventually all makes sense. I absolutely loved this meandering approach to the book, as events from the past are at first hinted at then gradually exposed as the truth become clearer. Dark Lies is disturbing and macabre yet I never felt it was gratuitous. It examines the effect of criminal acts on victims, perpetrators and investigators and acknowledges that nobody escapes completely intact.
Dark Lies is a brilliant debut from Nick Hollin, the intricate plot is utterly engrossing and is complemented throughout by the superb depictions of the all the characters in the book, even the most minor. I was almost disappointed to reach the end because I'm desperate to read more of this addictive new series. Highly recommended.
*taps fingers*
Dark Lies is published by Bookouture and can be purchased here. Don't forget to check out the other stops on this blog blitz. Details are below.
About the Author
From bookbinder to gardener to forensic analyst, Nick has enjoyed an extremely varied working life. At home his interests are equally diverse, but nothing beats books. Collecting, reading, writing, they have always been a passion in one form or another. A graduate of Royal Holloway's Creative Writing Masters, he's fulfilling a long-held dream of being published and hopes to be at this for a good while yet. He lives in Cambridgeshire with his partner, young son and cat. Nick Hollin can be found on Twitter as @vonmaraus.
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