The Murder List by Jackie Kabler
Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense
Read: 1st June 2022
Amazon
Published: 31st May 2022
★★★★ 4 stars
DESCRIPTION:
When Mary receives a blank diary as a present, she thinks nothing of it. Until she opens the diary, and sees it’s not blank after all…
1st January MURDER LISA, OXFORD
1st February MURDER JANE, BIRMINGHAM
1st March MURDER DAVID, CARDIFF
1st April MURDER MARY, CHELTENHAM
Is this some kind of sick joke? But…it’s the end of January now. And a woman named Lisa was murdered in Oxford on 1st January.
Does that mean there really is a killer out there, planning to commit a new murder on the first of each month? And is the Mary due to be killed on 1st April her?
The clock is ticking for Mary to uncover the truth, before she becomes the next victim on the killer’s list…
MY THOUGHTS:
This is my third thriller by Jackie Kabler and I was both excited and intrigued by the premise. A killer forewarning his victim? What an interesting read this could be!
Freelance crime writer Mary Ellis receives a blank diary as a gift just days before Christmas and thinks nothing more of it. Until six weeks later she's clearing a bunch of random items including a couple of unwanted gifts to send to charity. She picks up the expensive leather-bound diary and flicks through the pages...and realises it's not blank after all.
1st January - MURDER Lisa, Oxford
1st February - MURDER Jane, Birminghams
1st March - MURDER David, Cardiff
1st April - MURDER Mary, Cheltenham
Is this some kind of sick joke? It's already the end of January which means the first murder must have already occurred and the second one is now just days away. And then she recalls the body of a young barrister in Oxford found, her murder still unsolved. Was her name Lisa?
Mary knows immediately that she must inform the police and let them take charge of the diary and investigation. But as each month draws to a close, Mary begins to feel anxious knowing what is in store but not knowing exactly who the next victim will be...not until the call comes through or news hits the press.
And then Mary receives a threatening letter, naming her as the fourth victim, thus calling her Family Liaison Officer in a frantic panic. So why forewarn Mary of her impending murder when the other three are just random mystery names? How can the police possibly track down the actual intended victim before they become a victim?
Throughout this reign of terror, Mary has confided in her closest friend and housemate Pete, although the police have asked her to swear him to the utmost secrecy. But when people begin to find out her intentions, Mary starts to wonder who can she truly trust?
And as February ticks over into March, April looms closer. The clock is ticking...and time is almost running out. Can Mary and the police uncover the killer before claiming Mary has the final victim?
A fast-paced thriller, THE MURDER LIST was indeed a different concept and an intriguing one to say the least. There are many red herrings, false leads and twists that it will make your head spin. Then about halfway through comes the biggest shock of all! I did NOT see that coming...and then I began to look at the mystery differently. Did this reveal have something to do with what is really going on? Or is just another red herring? But the twists didn't stop. I had about four suspects at one stage, as I slowly eliminated them one by one...to be replaced by yet another latecomer to the mix. I was almost convinced of three of them of possible involvement when another fourth made me stop and wonder. Making me realise, I really had no clue at all. lol
Predominantly narrated in the first person by Mary herself, THE MURDER LIST also takes in the investigation from each of the local constabularies of each region. It was interesting to watch them hammer it out together and factor in key points whilst dismissing others. And it became quite clear that the police had no clue either. By the end, Mary was almost a quivering wreck from anxiety over the looming attack whilst everyone else was left scratching their heads...myself included.
THE MURDER LIST is a fun and entertaining read. I loved the underlying theme that began in the prologue and was always just a whisker away from the rest of the story. I knew it had to be important but I wasn't sure how it factored in. I wasn't entirely impressed with who the villain turned out to be and even less impressed with their motive behind the murders. My own theory was far more impressive...but to share that would be to reveal spoilers.
I really enjoyed THE MURDER LIST, though admittedly not as must as "The Perfect Couple" or "The Happy Family" - both of which I loved. Still it was an entertaining read and a good solid thriller. Perfect for fans of thrillers with a little procedural and a lot of twists to make for a fun-filled ride.
I would like to thank #JackieKabler, #Netgalley, #OneMoreChapter and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheMurderList in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
A former news reporter, she spent more than nine years with GMTV as a roving correspondent and newsreader, covering some of the biggest stories of the decade including President Clinton’s impeachment trial, the Asian tsunami, the Kosovo crisis, famine in Ethiopia, the Athens Olympics, the Soham murders and the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
Jackie left GMTV to work as a freelance broadcaster in 2008. She became a regular presenter of the ITV national morning news and a reporter across ITN’s news programmes including News at Ten; a reporter and presenter on the BBC’s Midlands Today programme; presenter of property show Selfbuilder TV on Sky’s Information TV channel; and guested as a TV gardening expert. Her work also appeared on the BBC’s News Channel and on CNN.
She also worked as a media trainer and in media simulation – in particular with the armed forces – and produced, wrote and presented corporate and promotional films.
In January 2013 Jackie joined the UK’s biggest shopping channel, QVC, as a presenter.
A former newspaper reporter, she has also worked as a reporter and presenter for Channel TV, ITV West, Central TV, Five News and Setanta Sports News.
Jackie is also an internationally bestselling crime writer, author of the Cora Baxter Mysteries, a series of humorous murder mysteries set in a television room, and of psychological thrillers Am I Guilty? and The Perfect Couple. The Happy Family is her sixth book.
Jackie lives in Gloucestershire with her husband.
Social Media links:
No comments:
Post a Comment