"Shadow Man" by Alan Drew is a suspenseful and entertaining thriller that I really enjoyed reading from start to finish.
Although not the sadistic, psychotic serial killer book some maybe expecting but still a very well written crime book that's as much a character driven story as a murder one. It has your typical mixed up and troubled serial killer, the actual murders as they happen, dead bodies, the chase to catch the killer before he strikes again and a detective who has his own deep, dark, long buried secret that suddenly starts to sadly expose itself.
I loved how we got straight into the serial killer's mind in the opening of the book and I enjoy reading books that have chapters dedicated to a killer and his/her thoughts. Due to this style of writing we were able to see the killer's past and what brought him/her to commit the murders, the actual murders themselves through their eyes and more importantly the truth of what went on during an unexplained death in the story.
The characters are very well developed, likeable and interesting. Detective Ben Wade, a solid, decent policeman, is carrying a painful dark secret that starts to raise its ugly head when sadly, it looks like what he's been trying to come to terms with over the years is still going on. At the same time he's trying to be a good father to his teenage daughter Emma and protect both her and his ex wife Rachel from the unknown killer.
I also liked forensic specialist Natasha, her kindness towards the dead was lovely of her personality and truly showed her true emotions towards her harrowing job, while at the same time you learnt her past and came to know her very well.
The author has also created a fabulous atmospheric setting of Southern California, which I found quite unique and with excellent literary writing, descriptive and creative narrative that was intriguing and entertaining, this is a really good book that I would have no hesitation in recommending.
Quite a slow burner but still keeping an acceptable pace, I'm truly pleased I've read this book and would be more than happy to read more by Alan Drew again.
4 stars
Although not the sadistic, psychotic serial killer book some maybe expecting but still a very well written crime book that's as much a character driven story as a murder one. It has your typical mixed up and troubled serial killer, the actual murders as they happen, dead bodies, the chase to catch the killer before he strikes again and a detective who has his own deep, dark, long buried secret that suddenly starts to sadly expose itself.
I loved how we got straight into the serial killer's mind in the opening of the book and I enjoy reading books that have chapters dedicated to a killer and his/her thoughts. Due to this style of writing we were able to see the killer's past and what brought him/her to commit the murders, the actual murders themselves through their eyes and more importantly the truth of what went on during an unexplained death in the story.
The characters are very well developed, likeable and interesting. Detective Ben Wade, a solid, decent policeman, is carrying a painful dark secret that starts to raise its ugly head when sadly, it looks like what he's been trying to come to terms with over the years is still going on. At the same time he's trying to be a good father to his teenage daughter Emma and protect both her and his ex wife Rachel from the unknown killer.
I also liked forensic specialist Natasha, her kindness towards the dead was lovely of her personality and truly showed her true emotions towards her harrowing job, while at the same time you learnt her past and came to know her very well.
The author has also created a fabulous atmospheric setting of Southern California, which I found quite unique and with excellent literary writing, descriptive and creative narrative that was intriguing and entertaining, this is a really good book that I would have no hesitation in recommending.
Quite a slow burner but still keeping an acceptable pace, I'm truly pleased I've read this book and would be more than happy to read more by Alan Drew again.
4 stars