The Soul Killer (DI Barton #2) by Ross Greenwood
Genre: Crime fiction, Police Procedural, Crime thriller
Read: 3rd October 2020
Published: 7th May 2020
★★★★ 4 stars
DESCRIPTION:
A murder made to look like suicide. Another that appears an accident.
DI Barton investigates the tragedies that have shattered a family’s lives, but without obvious leads the case goes nowhere. Then, when the remains of a body are found, everything points to one suspect.
Barton and his team move quickly, and once the killer is behind bars, they can all breathe a sigh of relief. But death still lurks in the shadows, and no one's soul is safe. Not even those of the detectives…
How do you stop a killer that believes life is a rehearsal for eternity, and their future is worth more than your own…?
MY REVIEW:
Repent in this life...rejoice in the next...
Having not read the first in the DI Barton series I wasn't sure what to expect from THE SOUL KILLER by Ross Greenwood. But I needn't have worried because, while readers are fully kept up to speed from the previous book, what I got was a police procedural of a different kind. We get perspectives from both DI Barton and the killer, making THE SOUL KILLER an edge of your seat crime thriller.
The story opens with the first several chapters from the killer's perspective as he details his unpleasant childhood and abusive delusional mother whose overt religious views simply confused him as a child. As the story progresses, these views are later twisted to rationalise his bloodlust for killing all who stood in his way. The reader can almost feel sorry for him for the childhood he had that shaped the man he became.
As the years progress up to the present day, we meet the woman he believes to be his soul mate. For him, nothing will stand in his way. But he feels her slipping away and he must put a stop to that. After all, they are destined to be together - in the here and now, and in the afterlife. His biggest obstacle is her father who is already dying of lung cancer and had but weeks to live. Maybe the illness has become too much and he can no longer bear to live in such pain. Maybe taking his own life is the answer. Be the master of your own fate, so to speak.
But when his twin daughters - one of which is the killer's girlfriend Claudia - arrive on Christmas morning to find their father hanging from the banister, they immediately suspect foul play. Their father would never have killed himself. But after careful examination and the post mortem, all evidence is consistent with suicide.
Then there is sister's husband, Malcolm. He too has always hated Claudia's boyfriend. And while the sisters grieve together, he and Claudia remain apart no doubt with Malcolm adding his two cents worth. He'll have to go as well. So is it just by pure coincidence he happens upon Malcolm along the dark bike path late one night after a few bevvies with the lads. A sneer here, a snide remark there...and POW! Malcolm falls down the embankment and into the river. Of course he considered helping him, especially after Malcolm's cries pleading "I can't swim!" but no...he will only continue to come between him and Claudia. He has to go.
Naturally, he assumes Claudia will be on the phone to him and he will rush to her side to comfort her. So why is it everything seems to be against him? Even as a child, he didn't stand a chance. But as an adult, he's played it a lot cleverer...and still, it doesn't seem to be good enough. So when his neighbour continues to play music at full volume consistently every day, he's had enough. And he loses control...and makes a mistake...
Then there is DI John Barton. Still reeling after the snow killers case that claimed one of their own, Barton is now burying his good mate Ginger. Along with his team DS Zander, DS Strange, DCs Whitlam and Malik and a couple of new members, Barton heads up the Major Crimes squad under the watchful eye of new DCI Cox. On Christmas morning, they are called to a suicide soon followed by the disappearance of the man's son-in-law a few weeks later. It seems bad luck appears to be following this family.
But it's not until the discovery of human skeletal remains are found in a compost heap of an allotment, that the team begin to sink their teeth into what is clearly a murder. But the bodycount doesn't stop there...and the team begin to wonder if they have a very cleaver serial killer on their hands.
Told from the killer's and Barton's alternating perspectives, THE SOUL KILLER is an exceptional read. There is no real mystery as to who the killer is although the reader doesn't discover his actual identity until about halfway through. And you wonder, so where to go from here? Well, there is plenty more to come on this rollercoaster ride that is sure to give you whiplash as Barton and the team chase down leads and follow up enquiries in the hope that the "soul killer" doesn't get the chance to outsmart them.
I love DI Barton and his family. It makes a refreshing change that he is a stable family man as well as senior investigating officer instead of being the stereotypical boozed up divorced detective. The banter and camaraderie of the team makes for a lively lot.
Although THE SOUL KILLER is the second in the series, it does read easily as a standalone. As well as having enough recap to keep the reader informed as to what went on before. I haven't read "The Snow Killer" but no doubt starting from the beginning is always advisable when reading a series but again, this does suffice as a standalone.
The finale, when it comes, was unexpected. Because given then build up, I had expected something entirely different. But it was still a satisfying conclusion.
A unique style in crime thrillers, THE SOUL KILLER is perfect for fans of gritty fast paced police procedurals that give you something extra, like Stuart MacBride, Val McDermid, Ian Rankin and Angela Marsons.
I would like to thank #RossGreenwood, #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #TheSoulKiller in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Ross was born in 1973 in Peterborough where he lived until he was 20, attending The King's School in the city. He then began a rather nomadic existence, living and working all over the country and various parts of the world.
Ross found himself returning to Peterborough many times over the years, usually when things had gone wrong. It was on one of these occasions that he met his partner about 100 metres from his back door whilst walking a dog. Two children swiftly followed and they were married in 2018. He is still a little stunned by the pace of it now.
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