A multifaceted tale with red herrings and blind alleys that will leave the reader wishing there were more pages to turn after they're through...and there will be.
A multifaceted tale with red herrings and blind alleys that will leave the reader wishing there were more pages to turn after they're through...and there will be.
Crime, Mystery & detective (general), Thrillers (general)
Paul Saxon, the level-headed commander of an elite serial killer detection squad and his loyal partner Detective Sergeant Guy "Nosey" Parker are sent to the village of Sewel Mill, near Brighton on the south coast of England to catch a devious killer who has mastered the ability to commit murder without leaving forensic evidence.
Several men are murdered and just when Saxon believes a pattern is emerging, the killer changes his strategy, which is almost unheard of with serial killers. He starts to play games with Saxon, sending him riddles to unravel with the expectation he won't. When Saxon proves a worthy adversary, the killer turns the tables on Saxon threatening those close to him. Saxon, continually struggling to come to terms with the murder of his father and stressed by his recent separation from his wife, starts to think the unthinkable - the only way to catch the killer is unthinkable...let him kill again. With no solid leads to go on, what else can he do? This is a multifaceted tale with red herrings and blind alleys that will leave the reader wishing there were more pages to turn after they're through...and there will be.
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'A gripping and atmospheric crime novel that won't leave your fingernails intact.' ~ Nigel Farndale, best-selling author
There are several levels to crime thriller reading that resonate with the reader. One that is often overlooked is the companionship, or the bond that develops between the author and the reader as the narrative unfolds. The intercourse between the two is ever new, exciting and immediate as the reader embarks on the literary journey. The reader knows that the author has sacrificed lifestyle gratifications that immediately surround him so that he might commune with distant and unknown minds through his words. The extremely multi-talented Stuart Davies in his debut novel Saxon is one such author. He has begun a formidable legacy for his primary character Paul Saxon that absolutely enthralls. With an impressive and enviable mastery of detail the gory bits are dark, chilling and psychologically thrilling. He straddles the line between the police procedural and the killer’s twisted mind-set expertly. While reading it, the tempo was rapid but I wanted to slow it down, I wanted to make it last longer, to envelope fully the experience of discovering the brilliant mind of the author. In short Saxon is genius. From the start you know where the author/reader relationship is taking you and when the climax arrives - it does not disappoint – you will reap the rewards. So read it and reap. ~ Tom Reilly, author
