This review is a bittersweet one for me. In writing it, it means I have just read the final part in possibly the best crime thriller trilogy I’ve had the pleasure of reading. On the other hand it also means the end of the road for me with what has been an utterly gripping journey. The first two books piled mystery upon mystery, and were filled with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster.

Well I can confirm The Sixth Wicked Child is the twistiest, turniest book in this wonderful, dark trilogy. This book follows form with its predecessors – hopping around to tell the story in real time from the perspective of the various characters. The diaries make a reappearance chronicling the childhood of Anson Bishop. This time around we learn more about the past of Detective Sam Porter, a troubling past that may have serious implications for his freedom.

The situation for Porter deepens further with this third book, revealing some truly troubling events. But how much of this is true and how much is constructed by the evil mind of Anson Bishop? The murders continue to stack up but the perpetrator becomes even less distinct – spread out across state lines, staged in a way not entirely consistent with 4MK, and more evidence seems to point to someone else being the culprit all along.

Just when you think you are getting a handle on where the story is going, who the guilty party is Barker manages to keep the mysteries flowing. Right until the end the truth is cleverly shielded from view and even the finale leaves things in some degree of question. What an incredible read this book was, and what an incredible ride the whole series has been. It’s not often I wax lyrical about a book or a series of books, but the 4MK trilogy has been a joy to binge back to back, and it truly sated the darker corners of my mind.

I'm not sure why I started the 4MK trilogy, because it's not my normal reading material. However, once I started with book 1, I could not put them down. The conclusion to the trilogy, The Sixth Wicked Child, did not disappoint. It was nonstop action and guessing from start to finish. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I discovered that I was wrong. This was a fantastic action packed, sometimes cringeworthy, storyline that kept me on my toes.

Im a bit late in reading the final part of this trilogy but I got there in the end.

In the last installment we have many story arcs, a huge cast of characters and nearly non stop action throughout this book as the 4MK killer story is finally resolved.

I loved the first book. A bit mental and funny at the same time, I thought it was a breath of fresh air.
The second book I didnt enjoy really and found it really draggy and this one lies somewhere in between.

My head was in a spin here trying to keep track of all the characters and the numerous story arcs and red herrings. I found it too much. The book over complicated itself and I found it hard to keep track of who was who, never mind what was going on.

I did enjoy the back story of when Anson was a child and in the care home. There were parts of the book that were so well written and so enjoyable but then you jump to something completely different and you are thinking "who are these characters again"?

The ending tied up everything in a nice bow for the reader and too be honest I found it all a bit silly, leaving the author with an extended ending having to explain all the twists and turns and whys and why nots. The whole story was ambitious and complicated but I found it all a bit convoluted.

Despite the criticisms I enjoyed this one a lot more than the second but I cant help feeling that one book was enough for this series.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

What an end to Sam porter and anson bishop’s story. Had me guessing and doubting myself throughout. Thanks for the opportunity to read

Great thriller which I could not put down. Brilliant characters, and twists and turns. Highly recommend to others!

Wow, this is probably one of my favorite series! Definitely recommend! You have to read all 3 books in order. The author did a good job retelling the previous book but the plots are so complex, I'm so glad I read all the books back-to-back with no interruptions in between.

This may sound as a cliche, but this book was honestly an action-packed thriller that will keep you guessing throughout and biting your nails. Even up to the end, I didn't know who I was rooting for. The supposedly "good" cop Sam Porter, or the allegedly 4MK child-abused Anson Bishop. I finished the book and it's still a toss up about the ending, which made it perfect. My mind is still blown.

I have read other books from this author and so far I have loved all of them. J.D. Barker has definitely become on of my favorite authors.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hampton Creek Press and J.D. Barker for a copy of "The Sixth Wicked Child" in exchange of an honest review.

Excellent read, really taut and suspense filled. I give it 4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

So, for some reason NetGalley requires me to leave a rating and review on my own titles. Very odd. But if I don't, my overall feedback ratio appears inaccurately low.

If you are an author or publisher seeking a review/blurb from me, please note I only provide those on the books I enjoy and read cover-to-cover. If I don't give you one, it doesn't mean there was a problem with the book, it simply means the book wasn't for me.

Unfortunately I had to purchase a new Kindle device and could no longer access this book. I will come back and review if I read this in the future.

As always, J.D. Barker did not disappoint. The Sixth Wicked Child was nail biting, teeth clenching, epic writing. I could not put it down.

The final book in the 4M series. I have mixed feelings on this one. The first part of it was long winded (I guess that's a good term for it), but I didn't want to stop reading it as it is the last one. Finally, I figure, 70% done, I didn't want to put it down. The last 30% of the book is why I am giving it 4 🌟.

That last 30% was a whirlwind of activity. I was on the edge of my seat wondering how it was going to turn out. I was shocked at the ending and kind of sad that it was all over.

Was it really wrong what they did? I don't know. I like to think so, but then I have to wonder what would I have done. Sex trafficking is a big thing now. Thousands of children, as well as adults, go missing every day. Families not knowing what has happened to their loved ones. It's even sadder to think of the ones in the foster care system that have no one.

These books are for a mature audience, as they deal with some heavy issues. I do recommend the series. The other two are great. This one is too, if you can get thru the first 70% or so.

Thanks to Netgalley for the Kindle version of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I read and didn’t love the first book in the series. I reviewed it here - http://schizanthusnerd.com/2019/11/14/the-fourth-monkey/

I haven’t wanted to continue the series. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book.

A great conclusion to a fantastic trilogy! You will need to read the first two books to make sense of the third and final book. "The Sixth Wicked Child" picks up where the 2nd book left off.
This book will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about the 4MK serial killer! While this is a bit of a thick novel the action and suspense will keep you interested throughout.
This is one of those series where the whole thing is so very well constructed and will have you turning page after page. J.D. Barker knows how to weave a story and I look forward to reading more of his books.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have read the first part of "4MK Killer" "The Fourth Monkey" by J D Barker three years back. That time, I have received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. But later on, I missed applying for the second part's "The Fifth to Die" review copy. During the lockdown, I found that a half-year back, I have applied and have received a review copy of "The Sixth Wicked Child". But I couldn't read that last part without reading the 2nd part. So I took the help of Storytel, there I found 2nd part as an audiobook. And finally, I read the 3rd part on Kindle Unlimited. I took 3 different sources for 3 parts: Netgalley, Storytel, and Kindle Unlimited.

When I read the first part, I was under impression that the 4MK killer was a serial killer like the Dexter series central character. Somehow author has changed that impression in the 2nd part. The 2nd part shows a completely different pattern of a serial killer, it also introduces a new character apart from Anson Bishop. Along with this new character, Anson spread chaos. At the same time, Sam Porter came under FBI radar. The FBI takes over the case from Sam's team and strictly forbade Sam to interfere. But Sam goes against the FBI's wishes and went ahead. By the end of the second part, we came to know about know things turn out completely different. The third part started with the FBI and metro team doubting Sam also behind the 4MK murders. Along with tracking Anson and Sam, Central hospital is supposedly infected with the SARS virus. How will special agent Poole and Sam will sort out things, is the climax for readers. Throughout the series, Anson's diary has provided equal suspense factor.

The book is written in a very peculiar style, Barker reveals the only fraction of information at a time, leaving rest for future endeavors. This style keeps suspense and thrill intact. The complete series is more than 1600 pages, but I never felt reading so many pages, instead, I felt traveling the journey. Even when I applied for the first part's review copy, it was written that screening rights for the series are sold, but I haven't heard about the production of the same yet. I request to whichever party has got the rights, please work on the series, it would be a great show.

The choice of the word is easy to apprehend and to facilitate smooth gliding through the story. I suggest the book is strictly for the 15+ age group, due to violence.


Overall a must-read for thriller lovers. I will give 5 out 5 to the series and all the books.

I needed to go back to read the earlier books in this series. This was one of those cases when the story is rich and complicated enough to deserve to reread the first two.

The Fourth Monkey, the Fifth to Die, and the Sixth Wicked Child actually closes the series definitively.

This is a brilliant series, well written and well crafted.

Amazing read in the series. JD Barker sure knows how to write them! I was very impressed and the book kept me glued from beginning to the end.

Well written and interesting trilogy.

Captivating, inovating, moving, good pace, strong characters, well developed storyline.

You start reading and don't want to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of the book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

****Barker Nicely Wraps Up His Trilogy In A Little White Box Secured With Black String

The Sixth Wicked Child, despite some flaws, succeeds in effectively fulfilling readers desire for an exciting, page-turning, surprise-filled, all-questions answered conclusion to Barker’s 4MK trilogy. If you’ve read the first two books in this trilogy (which is mandatory in order to understand and enjoy this book), I think you’ll appreciate and agree with my saying that in The Sixth Wicked Child Barker nicely wraps up his trilogy “in a little white box secured with black string.”

If you have invested your time in reading The Fourth Monkey and The Fifth To Do, there is no way you should hesitate about reading The Sixth Wicked Child. However, you should be aware that, in my opinion, it is not a book without some flaws — flaws that resulted in my deducting one star from my overall rating (which actually would have been 1 1/2 stars if the rating system allowed). These flaws are as follows:

...Perhaps due to Barker’s desire to pack in so much information about its many characters along with its many plot twists, I found the book tended to be longer than I would have preferred. I found this “extra” information tended, at times, to slow down the pace. For me, a little “less” would have resulted in “more” intensity and tension.

...Due to the book’s large cast of characters and the story regularly jumping back and forth between time periods, I sometimes felt that my head was spinning and that I needed a scorecard to keep track of everyone and how they are intertwined.

...While the plot and its conclusion keeps you guessing until the very last page, I at times, felt overly manipulated, and at other times felt that some of what occurred bordered on being implausible.

Having now read the three books in Barker’s trilogy, I am already looking forward to reading some of his stand-alone thrillers.

#The Sixth Wicked Child #Net Galley

Phew, what an amazing conclusion to this fantastic trilogy! A word of warning though: don't attempt this book until you've read the previous two. Not only are they excellent, they need to be read to fully understand the story from the beginning. The series is fast-paced, exhilarating, suspenseful and edgy. I quite simply loved it!

The Sixth Wicked Child continues from where The Fifth to Die ended. It cleverly turns everything you thought you knew about the 4MK serial killer on its head. At over 600 pages long it's a lengthy novel but at no point does the story drag or feel bogged down.

Loose ends are nicely tied up and the entire book — in fact the entire trilogy — is skilfully constructed and totally unputdownable. I cannot praise or rate this accomplished series highly enough. It was fabulous!

Hampton Creek Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Sixth Wicked Child. I chose to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

In this riveting conclusion to the 4MK series, readers finally learn all of the truths surrounding Sam Porter and Anson Bishop. The intricate web that the killer weaves ensnares, not only Sam, but the rest of the detectives and the FBI officials on the case. Is this the end of Detective Sam Porter's career? Is the chaos that has ensued a ploy by a dangerous man to take control and destroy many lives in the process?

I did find The Sixth Wicked Child to be a bit drawn out, but I respect the fact that the author has left no stones unturned. Even the smallest pebble of an idea is explained and the conclusion is a clear ending to a thrilling series. The first book in the series is still my favorite, but The Sixth Wicked Child is a close second. The author shows how easily it is for certain individuals to manipulate a situation to their own advantage. Twisted, but with a realistic bent, The Sixth Wicked Child is a great police procedural thriller. Those new to the series should definitely start at the beginning with The Fourth Monkey. I recommend the entirety of the 4MK books and look forward to reading more by author J.D. Barker in the future.