The Teacher (DS IMogen Gray) by Katerina Diamond
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Mystery
Read: 9th May 2018
Goodreads
Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon
★★★ 3.5 stars
“WARNING: Most definitely *not* for the faint-hearted!”
You're not wrong! Luckily, I have a strong stomach and the graphic content doesn't faze me. In fact, I find myself trying to picture the actual scene. But seriously, if blood and torture and human entrails leave you a little peaky then this book definitely isn't for you.
It begins with the teacher/headmaster at an all-boys school, moving on with each chapter to someone else or another scene, with each chapter titled "The something" - whatever was applicable to that chapter. Sometimes I had to look for the meaning of the title, it was often not obvious. I did find some of the chapters lengthy (of which I am not a fan as I have pointed out in other reviews) and very wordy. It seems not a lot of dialogue is shared in this book but more description. I did find the book slow moving and confusing as I wasn't sure how each chapter (or murder) tied together - it all seemed so random. But about a quarter of the way through I began to see it tie together...not sure how at first, but I could see it beginning to at least.
The killer is not known for most of the book but about halfway through it does become a tad obvious who it is, but they aren't what I would call a psychopath. A psychopath doesn't have the ability to feel empathy or remorse, is often charming, antisocial and isn't able to love. Seeing the killer as a person in the book, I wouldn't call them a psychopath, because they don't really tick those boxes. But in any case, the killer is certainly someone different - you find yourself empathising with them and feeling sorry for them. Hence the reason behind the murders...graphic as they are.
I'm not sure what I expected of this book but it wasn't this. It is somewhat different. It even ends differently - not what you'd actually expect. I didn't mind the book, but there was still something about it that didn't grab me - though I can't put my finger on it. Still, it is a good read if you can bear the graphic torture content.
You're not wrong! Luckily, I have a strong stomach and the graphic content doesn't faze me. In fact, I find myself trying to picture the actual scene. But seriously, if blood and torture and human entrails leave you a little peaky then this book definitely isn't for you.
It begins with the teacher/headmaster at an all-boys school, moving on with each chapter to someone else or another scene, with each chapter titled "The something" - whatever was applicable to that chapter. Sometimes I had to look for the meaning of the title, it was often not obvious. I did find some of the chapters lengthy (of which I am not a fan as I have pointed out in other reviews) and very wordy. It seems not a lot of dialogue is shared in this book but more description. I did find the book slow moving and confusing as I wasn't sure how each chapter (or murder) tied together - it all seemed so random. But about a quarter of the way through I began to see it tie together...not sure how at first, but I could see it beginning to at least.
The killer is not known for most of the book but about halfway through it does become a tad obvious who it is, but they aren't what I would call a psychopath. A psychopath doesn't have the ability to feel empathy or remorse, is often charming, antisocial and isn't able to love. Seeing the killer as a person in the book, I wouldn't call them a psychopath, because they don't really tick those boxes. But in any case, the killer is certainly someone different - you find yourself empathising with them and feeling sorry for them. Hence the reason behind the murders...graphic as they are.
I'm not sure what I expected of this book but it wasn't this. It is somewhat different. It even ends differently - not what you'd actually expect. I didn't mind the book, but there was still something about it that didn't grab me - though I can't put my finger on it. Still, it is a good read if you can bear the graphic torture content.
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