A decent if slightly dated and obvious plot line except for the very last twist. Set in the 90's before the days of mobile phones and technology.
Personally I found the cover terrifying and it alone would put me off buying a hard copy of this book.

This was an outstanding read. I haven't read either of Nicholl's previous two books featuring down-to-earth, take no prisoners DI Gareth Gravel but plan to now as this was such a fabulous book. I hope the others prove to be as compelling - I have been assured by friends that they are! Also, a quick sentence about the cover art - wow, it's creepy and fits the synopsis perfectly.

From beginning to end 'Portraits of the Dead' held my interest and if you, like me, find disturbing, creepy and sadistic serial killer thrillers a joy to behold then give this one a go! I can't see how you could be disappointed. I found the pace to be impeccable te whole way through and there was plenty action too. DI Gravel is put on the case of an abducted girl and knowing that the killer has murdered five times before, he is in a race against the clock to save Emma from the same fate.

Nicholl's characterisation is great and you easily feel a connection to each character. There are also a few key twists including at the end which I didn't predict. Nicholl knows how to captivate you and pull you into the story from the first pages. His books are definitely not for the feint-hearted!

I have no hesitation in recommending this book especially for those who enjoy police procedurals and stories that centre around a serial killer. Impactful, deliciously dark and very sinister, this book is a winner and deserves the full five-stars.

Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this book from start to finish! A disturbing story of a deranged sadistic serial torturer/killer perfectly told at just the right pace. The bodies of five girls have been discovered and DI Gareth Gravel is back hunting his man before another kidnapped girl meets the same fate. It works fine as a stand-alone although I, for one, am itching to read this author's previous books as soon as possible. Highly recommended for those who enjoy a good police procedural with a deadly dark side.

The first thing that grabbed my attention was a fabulous yet creepy cover.. When I read the blurb and found it is a police procedural I wanted to read it. This is one of my favourite genres. The serial killer is a very sick puppy but he does believe he is too intelligent to ever be caught. Expect the unexpected with this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this continual aspect of the book which kept challenging what I thought was happening. The ending was not expected either. But I will be searching out more books by this author!

This is the first book I have read by this author, it is hard hitting, gripping and very dark. I loved it!!! will be looking John Nicholl up to see what other books I can read now

Described as “a gripping serial killer thriller” I had really high hopes for this book, sadly it didn't quite live up to expectations :-(

This is my favourite genre and I have read countless numbers of serial killer thrillers, some more memorable than others, and although this isn't one of the best it was still a good read and I will definitely be reading the rest in the series when they come out.

The characters were strong with a solid plot line and Gravel is the stand out guy and he will make a very followable DI. The bad guy was fairly easy to work out but i think that was intentional. The most memorable and standout part of this book has to be the ending! Without giving any spoilers and ruin it for potential readers the ending is a definite WTF moment!! It will be very interesting to find out what comes next for DI Gravel following on from that explosive ending.

If you want to read a fast-paced, creepy thriller with a nice twist ending, this is the right book for you. It might not be a stand out among other similar novels, but fans of the genre will not want to miss it.

Portraits of the Dead by John Nicholl is the first in the DI Gareth Gravel Series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bloodhound Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Note that this book was originally published in August 2016.

Series Background:
DI Gareth Gravel (Grav) has been with the West Wales Police force for over 20 years. Grav has recently lost his wife Heather to cancer, and his some of his bad habits are resurfacing. He has a rather gruff manner, smokes cigars, loves his sugar, and has really good investigative skills. He figures he could probably be a DCI, but he doesn’t always play well with others, and politics are not his forte. His partner is DS Clive Rankin.

My Synopsis:
When a prominent member of society reports her daughter missing, Grav figures the 19-year old probably just took a break from university. He is skeptical, but as his superiors want him taking lead on this case, he will follow their orders. He asks Rankin to assist, and sends him out to gather some information. But when five bodies of other young girls, with remarkably similar appearances to Emma, turn up, Grav knows he has to work fast. There is a serial killer on the loose, and Emma is next on the list.

But everyone underestimates Emma. She is being held in a small, sound-proofed room, and trying to appease the sadistic killer who insists he be called Master, tries to feed her body parts, and drugs her when he wants access to the room…and to her. But Emma is determined to stay alive. She will say and do anything she has to while she tries to hatch a plan.

Not everyone is going to survive.

My Opinions:
I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I always am when I find an author that is new to me, with a series on the go, and the first book so appealing!

The characters are deep enough that you feel a connection, which makes their actions and emotions more captivating. You are drawn into the story very quickly, and hesitate to put it down in case you miss something. It had the right amount of creepiness and gore, without going over the top. Nicholl is a talented author, and this book was action-packed and fast-paced. A perfect mystery with a few twists. Loved it!

I will definitely be exploring other novels by this author.

I enjoyed this book but felt the story was a bit rushed at the end.
Emma is taken from her bed one night and wakes up in a sealed room with a man’s voice welcoming her to her new home.
She is subjected to having to dance for this man in high heels and he drugs her then has sex with her.
We soon learn the identity of the man but the Police have no idea who he is.
Soon five other bodies turn up and the Police realise Emma could be the next victim.
The ending is a bit strange really and like I said, a bit rushed.
I’d give this book 3.5 stars.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Portraits of the Dead by John Nicholl is quite haunting and seriously freaked me out at times. But in the way that a true crime podcast or an episode of Law and Order: SVU would, ya know? The story focuses on a serial killer who has kidnapped a young 19-year-old girl and has her locked in some unknown room. He forces her to call him Master, plays tricks on her, abuses her mentally and physically, and sometimes dresses as a clown when he does so. SOLD.

The writing style of this book is so clear and easy to follow. I couldn’t believe how quickly I was turning the pages and how I barely looked up at all while reading. I read this in only two sittings because I literally could not put it down. I had to know just what twisted scheme, conversation, or action was going to take place between the serial killer and his recent victim. I had to know what the cops were going to uncover, if anything. And I had to see just how everything was going to unfold. Did the girl get abducted at random? What’s the motive? Did she know her abductor? There are all kinds of questions that raced through my mind on this one.

The serial killer/abductor, y’all! Seriously a twisted psychopath. He is not continuously disgusting and shocking, but the few moments that he does something of note like that will stick with me for quite some time. I can’t tell you how many people I mentioned one scene to and their reactions were all, “OMG! What kind of books do you READ?!” It’s true. I guess I may be a little messed up because I actually enjoyed how dark, dirty, and twisted a few scenes were (purely from an entertainment aspect! I am not in the game of emulating said psycho!)

This book also hits on a lot of my own personal fears, and some that I believe a lot of people have in common: feeling vulnerable in your own home, being abducted, clowns, bugs, physical and emotional abuse, the works. I think we can all connect with the victim and would strive to be like her if we were unknowingly slung into her situation.

I enjoyed the dialogue in this book quite a bit. I never had a hard time with believability or credibility. The author did a great job of having purposeful dialogue: not too wordy and flowery but at the same time quite informative and to the point.

Overall I am going to give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I found it exceedingly entertaining and haunting at the same time. Can’t wait to read more from John Nicholl if this is the kind of thing he writes about and if his style Is consistent book to book! Thank you to NetGalley and Bloohound Books for sending me this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is another excellent read, an extremely well written psychological thriller by an author whose books I have come to love. Pulled in from the start, held in a vice and not released until the very end, this book is not for the faint hearted. A massive 5* from me.

John Nicoll's book are certainly not for the faint hearted but once you start to read, they grip you and never let you go.
Portraits Of The Dead certainly will not disappoint.

3.5

"We don't see the monster behind the mask."

19 year old Emma is kidnapped and held like a slave in an impenetrable room. Her captor calls her Venus and she has to call him master and do as he likes. She is at the mercy of a ruthless killer who is watching her every move.
The investigations intensify when the bodies of 5 missing women are found in the woods. Is Emma going to be the 6th victim or is she going to see the daylight once again?

I have mixed feelings about this book. It started with a bang, but then slowed down and I didn’t like the ending one bit! It was rushed and nothing was resolved.
The investigators were drinking, chatting and joking more than investigating.
There were so many irrelevant conversations between the characters.
The abrupt change of the points of views in consecutive paragraphs was confusing.
The identity of the killer was pointlessly revealed almost at the beginning. If the reader soon learns who the culprit is and the victim is securely imprisoned, with no chance of escape, then why use a mask?
There were so many reasons the investigators could have suspected the murderer, but for some reason they chose to ignore them.
The killer was shown to be very intelligent and thorough but was making blunder after blunder and acting recklessly throughout the book.
Who was the anonymous caller about the bodies?

Initially I was sure this is going to be a 5 star read. Then it became 4 and at the end I am sorry to say 3.5.

Thanks to John Nicholl, Bloodhound books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for a copy of this book.

It is very creepy and even though the killer is revealed early on there are a few shocks along the way to keep you entertained.

The ending could have been expanded on - I thought it ended a bit too bluntly.

Would definitely read more by this author...............who knew Wales could be this creepy!

An intense & dark psychological thriller that will make you shudder.

Portraits of the Dead by John Nicholl starts off exceptionally creepy with 19 year old college student Emma Jones being abducted by a sadistic serial killer who awaited his perfect opportunity, hidden silent and unmoving in her wardrobe. I swear the scene was right out of my worst nightmares! What a way to hook you in!

Emma awakens naked, bruised and bloody, finding herself in a windowless room adorned with portraits of girls who look just like her and no way out. Emma finds herself at the mercy of her captor who thinks of her as his plaything. Unfortunately the "Master's" games are brutal, horrific and sadistic. I rather enjoyed the scenes between Emma and her depraved captor. Emma was described as an intelligent, hard-working girl and that was definitely apparent during her interactions with the Master. Although she was forced to degrade herself for his enjoyment time and time again, she was always thinking, trying to earn his trust to stay alive and ultimately find a way out.

DI Gareth Gravel and DS Clive Rankin are investigating Emma's disappearance and quickly begin to tie her case to the killing of five young women whose bodies are discovered scattered in the woods. Will they find Emma in time before she becomes number 6?

Honestly, I did figure out fairly quickly who the "Master" was and was ready to give the book 3 stars for various reasons. First, the relationship with the mother was twisted and creepy but I just didn't fully buy into it. Secondly, DS Clive Rankin - what the??? I can't say more without spoilers but that threw me and I was upset with how it ended.

So where did the 4 star rating come from? The ENDING! It totally changed my mind. It was not what I was expecting and it was such a GOOD surprise. I found myself cheering and feeling quite satisfied in that crazy "You Go Girl!" way.

This is a case of zero to sixty. I read book two before I read this book. That book was the "sixty" and this one was sadly the "zero". I was drawn to this book for the cover and the author. The cover is one of the best I have seen in a long time. It is super creepy. Since I had read book two and absolutely loved that book.

What surprised me about this one is that I was not feeling the characters or the storyline. The story moved really slowly without much happening. I commented that Mr. Nicholl is great as it is not about the story but the characters. He allows the characters to shine. They didn't really shine for me. Yet, because this is the first book; it seems that the bugs were worked out in the second one that I raved about.

What a delicious, creepy novel this was.
From the prologue on. It really sets the tone for this slow burning dark novel.
Emma a young, blonde student who is abducted and kept prisoner by an unidentified male who wears a clown's mask.
The abductor/ killer is revealed early on; but that is not the purpose of the book.
The author uses his skill as a writer to shape and form characters who live in your mind and sends shivers down your back and makes you invest in their story and his narrative.
His Di Grav is a throwback to another age. An unfit man, who eats,smokes and drinks more than is good for him. But he is filled with a desire to do the decent thing.
The abductor is a well drawn character who displays all the traits of the psychopath. No remorse, con conscience.
It is a book well worth investing in. It will be worth your effort.
John's writing is of a top quality standard. I urge you to read this book.
Thanks to the author, publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.

I had read White is the coldest colour so when I saw this book I was eager to get a copy and I was not disappointed, this was more of the gritty and descriptive writing that I loved. This made me look into the dark recesses of my bedroom and in the wardrobe before I slept, Emma's captor had been hiding in her room waiting for her to sleep and then abducted her and from that moment on her world changed to one of pain and uncertainty. When five bodies of young women are found DI Gravel realises that this is a serial killer and he needs to find Emma before it's too late but they don't really have a lot to go on and Gravel will stop at nothing to find her.
This is very gruesome in parts so if you are of a feint mind then be aware but I love the way John Nicholl writes and although I knew who the killer was it didn't spoil my view of the book and felt it was necessary to the plot. I can't wait to read more from him in the future and hope to meet up with DI Gravel again.
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Thank you to Netgalley and Bloodhound Books. I really enjoyed this book. It was a thoroughly gripping read and the protaganist was as creepy and as sadistic as they come. What a freak!! I felt the ending was very slightly rushed but that doesnt take too much away from the overall read. I have no hesitation in recommending this book. The cover is fantastically spine tingling.

Thank you NetGalley, John Nicholls, and Bloodhound books for the free ebok in exchange for an honest review.

When nineteen-year-old Emma wakes up after being abducted, she finds herself alone in a nice room naked and panics. She’s alone in a concrete box with no windows or doors that she can see and her face is covered in blood. Where is she? Then to make matters worse, she spots the video camera watching her every move and a man comes through the speakers and tells her to call him “master” or else. DI Gravel and his team must find the sick serial killer who buried five other female bodies after he was done torturing them.

The first chapter of this book had me hooked, but then I found the first bit after that was a little slow for my liking. The book ramps up though and you start meeting the mysterious and creepy characters of this novel. I enjoyed both the Gravel and Rankin characters and how they worked together to solve the crime. I also enjoyed how some of the chapters were written by the killer or people close to him and how they view both the police and Emma.

I found this novel didn’t dig too much into the procedure side of the case and not a whole lot about the many moving part of an investigation, which is actually a nice change for this type of novel. I did find the last 15% very creepy and more graphic than the rest of the book. I was a bit saddened by events in the ending, but overall I loved it. It was such a different ending and one where it seemed like the killer finally got what he deserved. This is definitely a darker fiction, but if that’s what you enjoy, then you will definitely love this book! This is my first novel but John Nicholl, but I will definitely be trying more of his novels.

I enjoyed this book a lot, I loved the storyline, that of a sadistic serial killer, who with the help of his mother, has successfully managed to Kidnapped and murdered 5 young girls. The story begins with the kidnapping of his 6th victim, a young University student by the name of Emma Jones. From the very first chapter I was gripped, I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough to find out what would happen next, I was gripped from the start. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I felt the ending was a bit of a let down, to me it seemed rushed, as if the author was in a hurry to Finish, I am left with a lot of unanswered questions. I hope there is a follow up to this book, as I really do think there are some things that need to be explained. A very enjoyable book, it’s definitely worth a read.