Ragdoll

Publication Date: March 2017

Goodreads Description

A body is discovered with the dismembered parts of six victims stitched together like a puppet, nicknamed by the press as the 'ragdoll'. Assigned to the shocking case are Detective William 'Wolf' Fawkes, recently reinstated to the London Met, and his former partner Detective Emily Baxter. The 'Ragdoll Killer' taunts the police by releasing a list of names to the media, and the dates on which he intends to murder them. With six people to save, can Fawkes and Baxter catch a killer when the world is watching their every move?

My Review

This is a crime novel that started out its life as a screenplay but was never turned into a movie or TV series. It's filled with sick, and at the risk of sounding weird, innovative murders committed by one bad-ass serial killer. The characters are exceptionally well cast and I found so many of them really interesting, especially Detective William Fawkes aka Wolf, but also Baxter. Wolf is a complicated character with a history that one wouldn't expect of a top detective. He's calculating, extreme, unpredictable and violent, all of which make him exceptionally interesting. Baxter has an incredibly hard shell but is also very witty, and I loved her. She too is battling demons from her past that the reader learns about as the story progresses.

Even though this novel is fairly dark, there is a good level of humour throughout the book and I did find myself having a chuckle here and there. The dialogue is witty and realistic and the interaction between the characters is spot on and at times rather funny. I think the author did a really good job of pulling the reader into every scene.

The story opens with a scene from the Old Bailey, where a serial killer is on trial for the murder of 27 young prostitutes, all between the ages of fourteen and sixteen. Wolf, the detective that brought the serial killer down, is in attendance, and let's just say that the scene doesn't exactly end as one would expect. This chapter sets the scene for what is to take place four years later when Wolf and his protege Baxter are on the trail of another serial killer whose first 6 victims are found in parts, or more correctly, parts of them are found sewn together thereby creating a "ragdoll".

This is an exceptionally gripping and enthralling debut crime thriller. This book will appeal to readers who enjoy novels that are dark and twisted, who are able to appreciate the uniqueness of the "Ragdoll Killer" and his various murdering techniques. I, for one, love nothing better than a really good serial killer book and so this one was an instant hit for me. There isn't much not to like about this book. I really struggled with my star rating for this one and I was torn between 4 and 5 stars. I eventually decided on 4 stars for a couple of reasons. I did have a few lingering and unanswered questions at the end of the book. Also, and on a more technical note, I thought that there were a few "point of view" issues in the book. This is probably something that will largely go unnoticed but I did notice this issue here and there. But like I say, it's a technical issue and not anything I need to elaborate on.

So, from a great plot, to interesting characters, to a killer that I couldn't quite figure out and a lead character that intrigued me, this book is simply great and I have a suspicion that it's going to be a big hit in 2017.

My rating: * * * *

Many thanks to author Daniel Cole and Jonathan Ball publishers for my copy. It was my pleasure to read and review this book.