The Mercy Chair by M W Craven

The Mercy Chair by M.W. Craven
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days

Pages - 485

Publisher - Constable

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin . . .

Washington Poe has a story to tell.

And he needs you to listen.

You'll hear how it started with the robber birds. Crows. Dozens of them. Enough for a murder . . .

He'll tell you about a man who was tied to a tree and stoned to death, a man who had tattooed himself with a code so obscure, even the gifted analyst Tilly Bradshaw struggled to break it. He'll tell you how the man's murder was connected to a tragedy that happened fifteen years earlier when a young girl massacred her entire family.

And finally, he'll tell you about the mercy chair. And why people would rather kill themselves than talk about it . . .
Poe hopes you've been paying attention. Because in this story, nothing is as it seems . . .



My Review

Book six in the Tilly and Poe series, we open with Poe talking to a mental health professional after he has had a traumatic case. Whilst Poe takes us back to before, during and after the incident, in between reliving it and back and forth to the doctors office. A religious fanatic/leader is found murdered, tied to a tree and stoned to death. Poe has to figure out who targeted him and why kill him in such a way. Someone new is assigned to the team and following Poe and co as they delve into the case, Poe is untrusting as is his way and actually quite funny (and rude) to the new guy.

I love Tilly and Poe, no secret at all they are polar opposites and work so so well together. Now on the case they have to look into the past and the dead mans community/followers - secrets, shady behaviours galore so walls flung up at every corner.

Some of the backstory and things Poe discovers is pretty shocking, hate filled, bile, horrific like I can't go into it without spoilers but absolutely shocking hate/violence/torture/homophobia. As usual Craven is really good at weaving a twisty tale but prepared to be angry/outraged. 4/5 from me this time, not sure where Craven is going to take the story next but we look forward to it!

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After You Die by Eva Dolan

After You Die by Eva Dolan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time Taken to Read - 2 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Random House UK

Blurb from Goodreads

A gas leak leads to the discovery of two bodies—a mother and her severely disabled teenage daughter—in the third installment in Eva Dolan's gripping series following two detectives from the Hate Crimes Unit. Was the target of the killer the mother or daughter?

Dawn Prentice was already known to the Peterborough Hate Crimes Unit. The previous summer she had logged a number of calls detailing the harassment she and her severely disabled teenage daughter were undergoing. Now she is dead, stabbed to death, while Holly Prentice has been left to starve upstairs. DS Ferreira, only recently back serving on the force after being severely injured in the line of duty, had met with Dawn that summer. Was she negligent in not taking Dawn’s accusations more seriously? Did the murderer even know that Holly was helpless upstairs while her mother bled to death? While Ferreira battles her demons, determined to prove she's up to the frontline, DI Zigic is drawn into conflict with an official seemingly resolved to hide the truth about one of his main suspects. Can either officer unpick the truth about mother and daughter, and bring their killer to justice?



My Review

This is the third in a series of DI Zigic & DS Ferreira, you can get by without reading the earlier books and I wasn't a huge fan of the first book, I hadn't read the second one. This book features the same detectives although this book, for me, has a different and stronger tone. Dawn Prentice is found murdered in her house, her disabled child is also found dead. The list of suspects is headed by Dawn's ex husband, as the list grows Dawn's male visitors come to light as well and some threats aimed at both Dawn and her daughter. Whilst both detectives have personal lives and issues to deal with, the case is their main focus and catching their killer. With only one potential witness, Zigic needs to barter through red tape and politics to try and find the truth and get justice.

I really liked this book, I think the hard hitting aspects of it and sadly the fact that these kind of hate crimes exist really pull the reader is because of the realism entwined in the story. Not only do we have murder, promiscuity, disability and personal issues being dealt with, the book also examines euthanasia. A young disabled child wanted to end her life and shared her thoughts via an online blog and received threats, abuse and hate as a result, as did her parents. Some readers may find this hard to read however I feel it was handled well and added depth to the story.

There are many suspects, the pace is well set, Dawn & her daughter need justice and the detectives won't stop until they get it. I will be tracking down the second book in this series I missed and I look forward to the next, 4/5 for me this time.

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