Tuesday 27 March 2018

Abel's Revenge by Ross Greenwood



The Blurb:

This is a story about a city. As with all others, it’s a place of violence. There are murderers, and they live among us.
This is also a tale about a couple — sometimes friends, occasionally lovers, but always partners. Dan and Olivia are fighting modern battles; the ones parents have over a lack of money, time or peace. 
An escalating serial killer terrifies the streets and homes. The body count rises as their relationship crumbles. Society reveals its dark side, and no one is safe. Dan and Olivia experience this first-hand as danger closes in. 
Will Abel's reign of terror ever end?
Who will live, and who will die? 

My Review:

This book didn't grab me as I thought it would. It is told from various perspectives, but mainly Dan, his partner Olivia and Abel, a killer terrifying a city.

I really enjoyed Abel's chapters (and would have liked more of them), and those from other minor characters, but, for me, the chapters from Dan and Olivia's points of view broke the rising tension (and I would have liked less of them). That said, Dan and Olivia's characters are well fleshed out and their struggling relationship is well described. I found Dan quite annoying though! Abel remained mysterious through most of the book. I also enjoyed the descriptions of a city in chaos and freefall, caused by the fear of Abel, as more and more crimes are attributed to him, regardless of whether he has committed them or not.

For me, this book was saved by the ending. The action increased and then there was a surprise twist that I just didn't see coming, and it helped explain some of the earlier story.

There is potential for a follow up book, and I would certainly be interested to read it, if that was the case, to see how  things develop.

You can purchase Abel's Revenge here:



And in all good bookshops!

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