CRIME REVIEW: The Echo Man - Richard Montinari

Release Date: 03/03/11

SYNOPSIS:

It is fall in Philadelphia and the mutilated body of a man is found in one of the poorest neighbourhoods of the city. The victim has been viciously tortured to death. It's the work of a sadistic mind in free fall. When homicide detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano investigate, they soon realise that their crime scene is linked to the past. Eight years ago, another body was found in the same place, in the same position, killed in the same manner. That case was never closed. Apart from their killer's unusual calling cards, the crime scene photos - past and present - are identical. As another brutalised body appears, then another, it becomes horrifyingly clear that someone is recreating unsolved murders from Philadelphia's past in the most sinister of ways. And the killer is closer than they think...


REVIEW:

Crime has never been so good as it has recently. Within this title you get scares, you get chills and above all else you get a tale that keeps the reader glued to the last page especially when you back it with some cracking backstory to reveal more about one of the principle protagonists. It’s well written, it’s definitely a title that has a great overall arc and its one that adds to the characters previous adventures in such a way that it keeps it moving at its own pace.

Finally add some great prose, a good sense of dialogue backed by believable characters and the reader really is in for a treat. Richard is back to form so please ignore The Devil’s Garden and turn straight to this title. A real faith restorer.

CRIME REVIEW: The Devil's Garden - Richard Montinari

Release Date: 19/08/10

BOOK BLURB:

Michael Roman is finally living the life he always dreamed of - he has a successful career, a beautiful wife and adorable twin daughters. But his idyllic life is about to come crashing down around him - because Michael is a man with a past. A rising star in the New York District Attorney's office and on the cusp of enormous success, Michael's perfect life begins to unravel when he finds himself the target of a depraved madman, a man who covets everything Michael has and will stop at nothing to take it all away. In a desperate fight to survive, Michael is forced to confront the dark secrets of his past in order to save his family. He must hunt down the psychopath who is targeting his family and, before it is too late, face the devil himself...


REVIEW:

Fan’s of Richard’s work will be sadly disappointed with this novel. It’s slow, the characters are more 2D than 3D, the description is pretty dire and to be honest the overall plot feels like its missing a hell of a lot. In fact, I’d even go so far as to wonder how this made it to publication when his Balzano and Byrne series is so much more vibrant. All in a novel that whilst it is a standalone, is one that I’d suggest that readers miss in order to concentrate on his more established work.