As a fellow author who hasn’t quite managed to publish and is knocking on the door of 40, the author of this book is quite inspiring! He started his publishing journey in his sixties! But, of course, age has nothing to do with anything, though there is nothing wrong with adding a little wisdom and experience to the pages!
About the Book
A geneticist murdered in Leeds.
A Counsellor dead at the foot of the stairs in her consulting rooms.
To DI Lee Wallace these are open and shut cases of a robbery gone wrong and an accident, so when his friend and criminal psychologist Chad Hilton returns to Yorkshire from a 3 month stay in a psychiatric clinic and tries to persuade him otherwise he thinks Chad has lost the plot.
And he has more pressing issues on his plate.
As the body count of murdered sex offenders released from prison rises, he’s under pressure from his boss, the press, and the public to get a result, and fast. But he has no CCTV, and no forensics. All he has to go on is an artist’s impression of a woman seen with the men.
A woman no-one seems to recognise.
Unable to convince the police, Chad goes it alone. But even he isn’t ready for what he discovers. Is the murderer on the loose in Leeds descended from one of the UK’s most notorious killers?
My Thoughts
Just this once, I agree that this third book in a series can be read as a standalone. But, as per my usual stance, I don’t know why you’d want to. As always, I’m a little mad I didn’t realize it was the third in a series. That is in no way a complaint against the lovely LBT peeps because I can guarantee they said it, and I missed it somehow. My little ADHD brain. Oops.
Anyway, I’ll have to go back and read the other two at some point. But this one really did, for once, do a good job of catching me up just enough to feel like I kind of knew what was going on but also so that I felt like those who’d read the books wouldn’t feel bored. As a fellow author and editor, I feel like that’s a hard task to accomplish, so great job!
Another hard task was done well – writing both the hero and the villain well. That juxtaposition is handled beautifully. And shows like Criminal Minds and Dexter show that we crave it! This particular book tackled some interesting issues, making it harder than usual to see the bad guy as a villain. I really enjoy stories like that. Giving the bad guys a human face and giving a reason for their crimes really gives dimension to the story and helps us understand that criminals are people, not monsters.
There were some parts that I felt could have used a little less description, but otherwise, it was a really compelling and interesting read!
I’m so grateful to the author and LBT for including me in this tour. I am definitely intrigued by Chad Hilton, so I’ll probably be back for more!
Who’s It For?
If you enjoy really gritty thrillers/crime books with criminal perspectives and imperfect heroes, this is a book for you! It has compelling storytelling and an interesting premise to keep you going. It explores the wrongs in the world, and it really challenges your thoughts about the world!
Content Warnings: Murder, Death, Sexual Abuse (including minors, off-page), Sexual Assault (off-page), Foster Care System, Abuse of Power, Serial Murder, Suicide, Mental Illness, Mental Illness Stigma, Adult Situations, Adult Language
About the Author
Following a successful business career spanning forty years and three continents, I put my love of crime thrillers on a more creative footing. I began writing in 2019 and worked with the Cornerstones Literary Agency Scouting programme under the mentorship of author Mark Leggatt and the watchful eye of McIllvanney nominee Neil Broadfoot. I self-published my first crime novel Best served Cold in 2022. In March 2023 I was accepted as a member of the Crime Writers Association.
Links
Amazon US: https://a.co/d/bel7M2l
Amazon UK: https://amzn.eu/d/fZG3nS4
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/224059709-a-portrait-of-evil
Author’s Website: http://www.gabrielgalletti.com/
Published by Amorina Carlton. Award-winning American author, Amorina Carlton, is currently working on her first novel. You can find more about her published work and works in progress on the home page. She also serves as the PR/Marketing Lead for Ravens and Roses Publishing, and reviews books, mostly by other indie authors, here and on Bookstagram.