I LOVE a good serial killer thriller and the trilogy that this book is part of is one of the best that I’ve ever read. It is such a complex and compelling series throughout, now looking back in hindsight I realize just how freaking brilliant the author is, I’m seriously blown away with how clever the plotting is and how perfectly this whole series was set up from beginning to end.

I really don’t want to speak to the plot too much here, but don’t read this as a standalone, these books must be read in order and yes, they’re worth it! SO much has happened since the first 4MK book and if you jump in here, you’re just missing out on some truly amazing storytelling. I always say this in my reviews of these books, but these books are not for the faint hearted, they’re fearless and explore the truly dark depths of humanity. There are some really graphic and brutal scenes and a lot of it is terrifying. This IS a serial killer thriller though, it’s not pretty but it’s damn good. Between the bold story and the meticulous attention to detail, and the intensity that’s maintained throughout , I can’t say enough good things about this one. If you like serial killer thrillers this is an absolute must read. Normally I have complaints about the ending of a series but I seriously can’t find a flaw here, everything was wrapped up perfectly and there were so many twists and turns along the way, so absolutely nothing was done I order to take the easy way out. I’ll stop rambling and just say, read 👏 the 👏book 👏 PLEASE and come chat to me when you’re finished because I bet your mind will be just as blown as mine was!

The Sixth Wicked Child in three words: Clever, Meticulous and Tense

I need to take a few deep breaths after reading this one. My mind is still reeling from everything that happened in this book. I waited over a year to get the conclusion to this mind-bending mystery/thriller. I definitely was not disappointed!

My mind is blown! I thought I had at least a couple of the puzzle pieces worked out. How wrong I was. I might have as well thrown out everything I thought I knew going into this book. The twists and turns kept on coming, and they didn't stop until the very end. I couldn't read the words on the pages fast enough.

This conclusion to this series was absolute perfection! My heart was racing. My mind was working in overtime. My pulse was out of control. I didn't know what was up and what was down. I was excited and scared at the same time. At one point, I was afraid to finish the book because the ending was heading down a road I wasn't sure I could handle.

I can't seem to sing this book, or series, enough praises. This is one of the BEST series I have ever read. My mind will be stuck on it for a while. Someone needs to turn this series into a TV show. It would make the BEST show that could last for seasons upon seasons! Someone get on that, stat!

How is it even possible that this book is even better than the last? This was one the best books I've read all year. Go now and read The Fourth Monkey. Start your journey with Sam Porter. You'll be in for the ride of your life!

I can’t believe that this series is now over.

What a way to end an incredible series! This final installment was so intense that it had my heart racing from the first to the last page. The story begins with bodies showing up in public places. They are posed with the 4MK signature. This time, the words ‘Father Forgive Me’ are also prominently displayed around the bodies. Anson Bishop is the obvious villain in this series. However, this wasn’t so clear in this book. I found myself wondering who else he was working with. I knew it wouldn’t be someone easy to guess and yes, my jaw dropped at the reveal.

The Sixth Wicked Child was one twisty ride. It is narrated in two timelines which helped in connecting the dots. In the past timeline, readers get to follow the events that explain the current murders. We also get to understand the fascination that Bishop seems to have with Sam Porter. A lot of red herrings along the way had my thoughts running wild. Certain events around Porter almost gave me a headache.

The ending was bittersweet. It was satisfactory and everything wrapped up well with such a tense final scene. However, after all the adrenaline, the sadness came in. I wasn’t ready for this series to end. I knew it had to end but it was such an entertaining read and I would have wished for another book. All good things must come to an end though, right?

I can’t recommend the 4MK series enough. It is brilliant, chilling, captivating, twisty and overall, quite well-written. A real page-tuner! You have to read all 3 books in order but I assure you, the ride is totally worth it.

I can’t wait to see what else J.D. Barker comes up with. Well done, Mr. Barker and thank you for the brilliant series.

The 4MK series is probably the best serial killer/psychopath series I have read in the last years. I devoured the books, there is no other way to describe it. I started and couldn’t stop. The Sixth Wicked Child is the last book in this series and I was anxious where the finale would lead us. If it could be as good as all the big and little things leading up to this, a big finale. When I got the book I didn’t start immediately, didn’t want a good thing to end and a little bit afraid I might not like the ending. And then I had to see how everything I believed knowing got twisted and turned around. Evidence was now pointing in new directions, witnesses couldn’t remember and Sam Porter was sitting in an interrogation rum at Metro. What was happening? Sam Porter is a good guy, right? I confess, I had to put the book down a couple of times. It became tense, too tense to keep going. I needing to take a breath, got some air and prepare me to go on with this amazingly written story. Bur nothing could have prepare me for the actual ending. Brilliant, heart breaking, disturbing. In the end this trilogy proved to be so much more then a book about a psychopath serial killer. It’s a story about a child growing up with unfit parents, falling into the hands of the wrong kind of people and doing all to get away from that. There is corruption, human trafficking and you have to look very hard to find someone with good intentions. If you haven’t started with this series you absolutely must, you would missing out on something great.

*4.5 stars rounded up. Buckle up for the exciting conclusion of the 4MK trilogy! If you are new to the series, I would recommend reading them all back-to-back. I read the first two books in that manner back in July of 2018 and then had to wait for over a year before this final book became available. The plot is complicated and I found I had a little trouble at first getting back up to speed on the details. But with J.D.'s help with small reminders in the plot, most of them did eventually come back to me.

Sam Porter is the Chicago detective who has been working the 4MK serial killer case with his team. Back in the day, while working for the Charleston, SC PD, he was shot in the head and has lost parts of his memory. Anson Bishop, the main suspect and mastermind criminal, enjoys messing with Sam's head. Details keep cropping up in the case that seem to show that Sam is somehow involved with these murders. FBI agent Frank Poole has been working alongside the Chicago police and has both men in custody, recording their version of the story. Can Poole spot the liar or are they both too good to reveal themselves? Meanwhile, more victims are found--is there a partner out there still at work?

Anson's backstory is told in journal entries and Sam is being allowed to pour over them. They detail horrifying abuses in the foster care system, but even that info is suspect. Did Sam hire Paul Upchurch, Anson's friend, to write them to muddy the waters?

Meanwhile, several people are hospitalized over fears of contact with a deadly virus that Bishop may have released, including two of Sam's team: Clare and Kloz, while Nash is still working the case but beginning to feel ill himself. Was this a test run and will Bishop release more of the deadly virus on the city if he gets the chance?

I defy you to figure out what is happening here before the exciting conclusion. The author commented that his wife had to put up with Post-it notes all over the house while he was writing, so that he could keep the details straight. As a reader, I needed them too! A convoluted but exciting plot with a satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend this trilogy.

I was so happy to receive an arc of this thriller from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks to the author and publisher!

This is the last in the 4MK trilogy and I am oh so sad to be saying goodbye to the brilliant cast of characters, especially Porter but mainly Ansom Bishop.
I tried to read this slowly, not wanting it to end, knowing that the author leaves clues scattered around that are so easily missed, but once I started I couldn't stop. A number of nights I had to keep reading into the wee hours and I didn't sleep well after reading this book.
The good news is, I can go back and re-read them all, this time with a different perspective because I know that unpredictable, amazing ending that I could never have guessed. I can try and find all the hidden clues and basically, I'm not ready to say goodbye so I'm not going to.
You must start these books in order, start with The Fourth Monkey and end with The Sixth Wicked Child. I won't talk about the brilliant plot with all its incredible twists and turns, I'm afraid I might give something away. Start this knowing nothing, you'll be blown away. The author's writing is special too, this is not just a plot-driven book, it has deep, believable characters and beautiful writing.
I will add that sprinkled throughout the books are excerpts from Bishops diary's and these, I believe, are a touch of genius. They add an extra depth to an already outstanding novel.
These books are complex, scary, thrilling and totally absorbing. A must-read, I can't stress that enough.
And I cried at the end and not just because I'd finished the book.

The Sixth Wicked Child by J.D. Barker. Furiously fast paced, action packed, twisted, convoluted, elusive, unpredictable; there are so many words to describe this last book in the MK4 trilogy.. What a finish!! Very highly recommended.

Thank you to the publisher,JD Barker, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

I've had to take a few moments to restore my normal respiratory rate after finishing this amazing thriller. I've done absolutely nothing all day but race through the pages, each chapter ending in such a way as to taunt me with the potential for upcoming revelations and new information. Let me say that this was a most fitting conclusion to one of the best trilogies I can remember. If it's true that this is going to be a film or a miniseries, I promise I'll be one of the first in line for a ticket!

There is no way I can possibly give a better synopsis than the one described on this page without giving away spoilers or trying to pretend that I can reduce the totality of this incredible story down to a few descriptive paragraphs. There are so many characters and so much going on within the narrative that, not only do you need to have read the other two books prior to starting this one, you also practically need a flowchart or a whiteboard next to you! The plotting was truly masterful and this is a very complicated tale. Most of the time, I had no clue what I believed and for once, I had no idea how this was all going to come out in the end. Usually I have no problem finding the red herrings and anticipating the twists, but, hey - -J.D. Barker, you caught me napping!

The characters described within this trilogy are so well-drawn that they seem real. The words that come out of their mouths make you first believe one thing, and then the doubts creep in. Whose lines can you trust? What's real and what is not. The horrendous experiences of the foster children and the huge net of law enforcement trying to figure out if Detective Sam Porter is on the level. And is Anson Bishop telling the truth? What about that diary? The different viewpoints and the flip back and forth in time add to the suspense and tension as new details come to light. There are so many names to try to remember and track, but in the hands of the author, it all comes together. This is a serial killer novel that you won't soon forget. The ending blew me away.

So, if you want to read a series that begs to be read back to back, then lock your doors, turn off your phone and prepare for a wild ride on the very dark side. I had to wait between each book and I think I would have enjoyed this even more had I read them one after the other. Lucky folks out there who can do just that! Highly recommended. I think I'm going to give this trilogy a 4.5 star rating.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for the e-book ARC to read and. Review.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC. Like the Fourth Monkey and Fifth to Die, the Sixth Wicked Child does an excellent job building and maintaining suspense. Well written, engaging, and did not disappoint!

If I could give this 500 stars I would!

You know that feeling when you've just gotten off an exhilarating rollercoaster ride, and you look over at the person you shared it with, and you immediately start gushing about the twists and turns, the unexpected, and your favorite parts? Well that was me... I was so excited when I finished this book. Immediately I was searching for someone to discuss it with, over here like... "Ohhh... Oh my Gosh! I just can't... Did that just happen?" My poor husband, if you could have seen the look on his face. You have to understand, the man is not a reader, bless his heart though, he listened to every word. Of course, I didn't stop there, the next day at work, I was still thinking about what J.D. Barker had done to me with this finale, and I set out to find others to discuss it with. Needless to say, this was one rollercoaster ride that I wanted everyone to know about!

This is a trilogy, and as such, you MUST start with The Fourth Monkey, so if you're reading this review and you haven't started this series, then I suggest you stop what you're doing, including stop reading this review, and go purchase, or head to your nearest library and pick up a copy of The Fourth Monkey and get started... NOW!

Okay, where was I? Forget everything you thought you knew about Anson Bishop and Detective Sam Porter, prepare to have your mind BLOWN. I can't tell you how many times I had to pause to just appreciate how great J.D. Barker truly is at what he does. He really has a way of setting the reader up with so much anticipation and once you think he's leading you in the correct direction, guess again! I've never seen such twists delivered so deliciously! I won't give you details as to what happens with the conclusion of our beloved 4MK series... that's right... you heard me... NOTHING! But, know this, YOU! WILL! NOT! BE! DISAPPOINTED!

This will FORVER be my favorite series. Well, that is unless J.D. Barker decides to give us something that is even better. Even still, I don't think I'll ever forget the emotional rollercoaster I took when reading this series. This has been an incredible journey with J.D. Barker, and I cannot thank him enough for creating this brilliant series.

I'd also like to thank NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for allowing me the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my review! I wish I could have done a better job, but truthfully, I'm still at a loss for words... well, the right words.

This book was the perfect end to this story!! I loved the characters and the way they were all tied together by the past. It kept you guessing all the way to the end on who 4MK was. And even when you thought you figured it all out you were surprised again! I am sad that the case has come to a close!!

The Sixth Wicked Child by J.D.Barker

My biggest regret is that I started reading this book despite it being the last in a trilogy. The plot blew my mind away as I tried to piece together what would have transpired in the first two books – The Fourth Monkey and The Fifth To Die. For first timers I advise you to read the previous books in order to enjoy the series more.

Nevertheless the book was nothing short of an exhilarating roller coaster ride with never ending twists and turns and nail biting thrills.

A young homeless girl is horrified to discover the body of a dead woman, covered in salt, kneeling with a sign in front of her stating Father Forgive Me, three small boxes in front of her, and forehead in which has been carved 'I am evil'. This sparks a series of events and the investigation led by FBI Agent Poole assisted by Detectives Nash and Porter is as bewildering as ever.

To add to the chaos, the prolific master serial killer, and the antagonist Anson Bishop returns and turns himself in, claiming he is an innocent man being framed, once again baffling the minds of the investigators and readers.
Interspersed with excerpts from Bishop’s diaries about his childhood the narrative is dark, agonizing and gripping. His actions are almost justified and a lot of loose ends are tied in the process.

The book is an intense, dark, engaging story of child abuse, betrayal, vengeance and justice. Just when we think we are approaching the end, Barker reveals another jaw dropping twist till it explodes into an unbelievable climax. Well crafted plots with excellent character development are the high points of the novel and is a must read for all thriller lovers.
My thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.

This is the final book in a trilogy that I enjoyed. My understanding is that it’s going to be made into a movie for the big screen and a mini-series for the little one. Barker is adept at having just about every chapter of the series be a mini cliffhanger. He changes the points of view from chapter to chapter, so either a cop or the serial killer will be in a perilous situation and you might have to wait a few chapters to pick up on that thread, which keeps up the suspense.

In this book, I didn’t know who to trust anymore. While I still enjoyed it as I did the first two books, the amount of people killed was ridiculous. Barker gave a good reason for the killer or killers to have a vendetta against the people who were murdered, but the amount of bodies who were tortured and killed was a little out of control.

This is a fun series. The first two books had cliffhangers of endings as Detective Sam Porter couldn’t capture the Four Monkey Killer, but now that the series is complete, you can read them back to back to get to the conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley, J.D. Barker and Hampton Creek Press for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

For Detective Sam Porter, the words “Father, forgive me” brings back long buried memories that he would rather keep buried. For Bishop, these words connect his childhood to the present as he unleashes a truth hidden for ages. These three words are found written on a piece of cardboard next to different murder victims in different areas linking them all to one killer. Metro and the FBI find themselves in trouble – a hospital locked down with officers inside, a rogue cop, and corruption at the highest level. When Bishop turns himself in after being the main suspect in the 4MK killings, he tells a story that turns everything upside down and will change everyone lives who is involved.

I was sad to find out that this was the end of this series because I really have been enjoying the hunt for 4MK with the team of detectives and I loved the craftiness of the author in keeping our interest in these last three novels. I found that it had been so long since that last novel that I needed a little refresher to get into this novel, so you definitely can’t start with this one. I found this one a little more confusing because there were more characters and I had to try to figure out where they stood. I did enjoy how much action there was in this novel and I enjoyed how many little twists are scattered throughout the novel. This was a super crafty ending to the series and I loved it! I was shocked by the ending, but I expected nothing less!

Out August 27!

Very satisfied with the ending of this trilogy and how it all came together, now I just wish there were more books including Sam Porter. Look forward to reading more from JD Barker :)

Wow, wow, wow, now that was a grand finale! What a book, what an ending.
I have to say I was sceptical whether this final book of the 4MK series will manage to round up the brilliant Fourth Monkey and The Fifth to Die. I was afraid that the closure will not be perfect ...But it was. I won´t write about the ingenious plot of The Sixth Wicked Child. Or about all the unpredictable twists and who-the-hell-done-it and what-the-heck-is-happening moments. Or about the amazing precision in building the characters. Or about the unique bonds between them. Or about the ending. Oh yes, the ending. I won´t write about any of these things, because you have to experience it yourself. But I can say that Barker did it again. He shocked me, amazed me and left me speechless, my brain exploding after this wild ride. I´m sad to say goodbye to Porter, Bishop, Nash and others. But looking forward to another Barker thriller masterpiece.

Thank you to J.D. Barker, Hampton Creek Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

First, I must advise you that you really need to read the first 2 books before you attempt to read this. As there is one hell of a back story (and they are both extremely good books), and they set this one up brilliantly. However, although you really need to read first 2 before this one, this is Mr Barkers journey and he is the one doing the driving. You may not be heading for the destination you thought you were.

As before this the planning is exemplary and the story moves along at an addictive pace, not particularly fast but certainly not slow, with twists and turns keeping up the suspense and tension.

The diary entries continue the back stories, and a serial killer who is highly intelligent, always at least one step ahead of the police, a detective with a past he can't quite remember. The killer clearly has a plan, but what is it? In addition to this who can you trust when everything and everyone you thought you could trust is turned upside down? We continue to learn more and more about each characters past and the various connections. It is all very addictive.

A brilliant end to a brilliant series. The author manages to wrap up the loose ends and explain why everything happened. This series has been a real rollercoaster of a ride, with likeable/relatable characters (even the killer) and an ingenious plotline, with so many twists and turns. But unlike some stories that have twist after twist, you are still able to follow it.

Cannot recommend this enough.

Oh. My. GOODNESS.
I couldn't put this book down- I HAD to find out what in Hades was going on. There were twists I never saw coming in a million years. And that ending!!!
The conclusion to the 4MK trilogy was everything I could've asked for and more. The suspense literally kept me up at night and I had to read one more chapter, then another, then another. When I finished the book, I had to take a solid hour just to sit and process.
Would I read the series again? Absolutely- I've already started. Do I recommend it? Yep. Did I enjoy it? Every gruesome minute.

This book completes the 4MK trilogy. This means that you really have to read the first two for this to make complete sense. It's a very convoluted series, I even re-scanned the previous books as a refresher before starting this one, and really won't make sense when taken individually, or read out of order. Also, if you haven't read the previous books, please don't read on, this review might contain spoilers from those books.
This book takes us back to the beginning. To the Finicky House for Wayward Children where Anson Bishop spent his formative years after losing his own family in a fire. We also go back to Sam Porter's early days as a cop. The former in the form of journals, the latter in flashback. These provide vital background to what is going on in the present.
As with previous books, there is a high body count. The majority of which are all very similar and, indeed, familiar. We also have a he-said-she-said situation between Porter and Bishop, both fingering the other as the real 4MK. The pendulum swinging towards Porter as the evidence start to mount. And, with the ever worrying threat of the SARS virus imminent, it all becomes a race against time to get to the truth to not only stop the killing but also to bring the right person (people) to justice and end this once and for all.
Oh my goodness. I thought the second part of this trilogy was convoluted, well... this was nothing compared with what happens within this conclusion. I completely gave up trying to work it all out as I was thrown this way and that by the author so much that my head nearly exploded with it all. I decided that the best course of action was to sit back, strap in and just enjoy the ride. Which I did - very much so. So much so that, even though I had things I really had to get done, they all fell by the wayside as I was desperate to get to the end. To find out what in the heck was the truth. And, boy, what a truth. One of the most intricately and well plotted overall stories I have read in a while - and I read a LOT! I need to re-read the whole thing too, with the benefit of hindsight!
And then, just when you think it's all over... oh my days.
I really can't say enough about how good this trilogy is. I finished this one off just after finishing the Ragdoll trilogy and I was blown away by the ending to that one too which is also worth a look if you enjoyed this. I really feel blessed with all these cracking books around today.
All in all, if you've read and enjoyed the first two, you need to read this to complete the story and I promise it will not disappoint. If you haven't read them yet then, why are you still here? I told you to go read them first!
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.