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Hazel (2934 KP) rated Child Behind The Wall in Books

Sep 19, 2020  
Child Behind The Wall
Child Behind The Wall
Steve Parker | 2020 | Crime, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hard-hitting and gripping
Never having read anything by this author before let alone any of the others in this series, I took a punt based on the blurb and I certainly wasn't disappointed and I was absolutely hooked from page 1.

On his website, Mr Parker describes "My style of writing is hard-hitting, fast-paced, violent and carry moral messages that you might have to dig a bit deeper for. I try not to use more words than is necessary although more than a few of them are of the swearing variety. Hey! People swear. And they swear a ******* lot in my world. I will unashamedly tackle issues where some writers fear to tread." I would say this is a pretty accurate reflection - this book is not for the feint-hearted; it contains bad language and graphic scenes which leave nothing to the imagination so be warned!

This is a fast-paced, action packed read from the first to the last page with twists and turns and shocks along the way. The characters are an interesting and eclectic bunch with the 2 main protagonists of Paterson and Clocks being, what I would describe, an acquired taste - Mr Parker advises that they are based loosely on characters he has known throughout his 20 year career in the Police ... all I can say is that if I knew Clocks in particular, I would have probably disliked him intensely on first impression however, I can see a very loyal friend who would do anything for you plus there is definitely a troubled softie in there. Having said that, I still found him annoying!

The main plot is hard-hitting and totally gripping - there is some humour interspersed throughout which did provide some much needed lighter moments. The sub-plots are intriguing and an interesting insight into the politics within the various echelons within the Police; these, I assume, are linked to previous cases covered in earlier books in the series. Like I said, I haven't read any of the others but didn't find this too confusing but I do think I was missing the backstory somewhat which probably impacted on my overall enjoyment of the story as a whole but this is my fault rather than the fault of the author.

This is a no-holds-barred, gritty thriller that I would recommend to any who enjoy the harsher stories dealing with horrific crimes but, as I have said, it does contain gruesome details of crimes against children so if this isn't your preference, then I wouldn't go there but you will be missing out on a really excellent book.

Many thanks go to Joffe Books via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
  
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Spine Chillers: Krampus in Books

Dec 31, 2018  
Spine Chillers: Krampus
Spine Chillers: Krampus
Nancy Gray | 2018 | Children, Fiction & Poetry, Horror
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Interesting second half (0 more)
Slow pacing for the first half (0 more)
Just an Okay Read
When I heard about Krampus by Nancy Gray, it sounded like something I would love to read especially since I loved her other novel, Empty Eyes, so much. Unfortunately, Krampus was just an alright read.

The plot for Krampus is based on the central European folklore about a horned half goat, half demon who punishes naughty children during the Christmas season. Nancy Gray does a great job at sticking with the folklore in her book. Although this is a middle grade book, I felt like this would be better for upper middle grade since the subject matter is a bit more scary than Nancy Gray's previous scary novels. There are a few decent plot twists throughout Krampus. The world building is done very well, and at times, I felt like I was right there with Nick, living every moment, both good and bad, with him. Krampus is a short read which is perfect for middle schoolers who may not have the attention span for a longer book.

I had a hard time caring about the characters in Krampus at first, but about halfway through, I found myself worried about what would happen to Nick and wanting everything to turn out alright for him. I especially loved the character of Gretel/Greta. I found her to be the most interesting in the book even if she wasn't in the novel very much. I just loved her no-nonsense, straightforward attitude. I would love to read a Spine Chiller's novel about Greta. That's how much I loved her! The character of the Krampus was done very well, and as I've said before, the Krampus in this novel is very much like the one in folklore.

The pacing is what lets this book down the most in my opinion. During the first half of Krampus, the pacing is a bit all over the place although mostly it's just a bit slow. I found myself growing bored with Krampus and wondering if I should just give up. The action takes a long time to make an appearance, and I kept wondering when something major would happen. Since this is a short novel, I decided to persevere. I'm glad that I kept on reading because the second half is where the pacing picks up, and I found myself immersed in the book. I couldn't wait to learn what Nick's fate would be and what would become of the Krampus. The second half of this book definitely held my attention to the point where I stayed up a little later just to finish it so I could get closure.

Trigger warnings for Krampus include demons, monsters, violence, scary themes, one profanity, bullying, and death. Basically, this is a very dark book.

Overall, Krampus was just an alright read. I felt like it was much darker than the previous Nancy Gray book I had read. The plot is interesting enough, but the pacing during the first half is what makes Krampus just an okay read. However, I would definitely recommend Krampus by Nancy Gray to those aged 13+. The second half of this book makes it worthwhile.
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(A special thanks to Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with an eBook of Spine Chillers:Krampus by Nancy Gray in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)