Secrets of a Serial Killer Review

This book was fantastic! It was fast paced and so difficult to put down. I loved the multiple narratives, and appreciate when the author starts each chapter with who is speaking. I loved Thomas! I found the climax to be a nail biter and I couldn’t stop reading. I hadn’t heard of this one at all until I saw it available on Netgalley and in so glad because it was really good.

SYNOPSIS:

A serial killer has been terrorising Lancaster for decades, longer than should ever have been possible. The police are baffled, eluded at every turn by the killer whose victims span generations. Speculation is rife among the true crime forums; is someone passing on their gruesome trade?

Every local mother's worst nightmare has become Helen Summerton's reality; he’s taken her daughter, Zoe. As the clock runs down so do her chances of survival. Can Helen unearth the secrets of the killer before it’s too late?

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars.

As you all may know by now, I’m a fan of books with serial killers, mental asylums and psychopaths (creepy, I know). Therefore, when I bumped into this book on NetGalley I couldn’t help but request it immediately. The plot sounded quite interesting and I was curious to discover where the story would have gone.
I think the first part of the novel was the slowest one because we are introduced to all the characters and all the points of view (which were definitely too many). Then, the POVs mingled together and it all became more interesting and easier to follow.
Walker’s book provides us with a lot of twists and I quite enjoyed all of them. Anyway, there were some things that I didn’t appreciate a lot.
However, one thing that really stand out was definitely the ending and I liked it a lot!

I have recently somewhat gone away from thrillers. I have read so many that I am able to predict the ending. Most thrillers lately have fallen short and left me unimpressed.
Not this one. It. Is. Creepy! I really was wanting a legitimately creepy thriller and oh wow, this is it. It is so creepy that it messed me up! I could not read close to bedtime and I had to hurry and finish because it was so scary.
A notorious serial killer is imprisoned at a mental hospital. It is rumored that he had a protege but no evidence was ever found to support it. Back then, the institutions were doing a lot of experimental procedures and they were not happy places. Helen is an architect hired to take the old asylum and make it into apartments. Then, her daughter goes missing.
It will shock you. It will scare you. It will keep you up at night. You have been warned, this will get under your skin, and not in a good way! I initially loved the creepiness but it ended up being too much. I could not wait to be done with this book and I think I’m done with thrillers for awhile.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is a twisted take of serial murder and torture. Told from various perspectives, POV, follow the killer, the victim and the family and friends as they seek answers and a missing daughter. I found it too graphic to continue and complete. Suspenseful, well written; it will appeal to those less sensitive to violence.

Whilst this is a clever plot it just doesn't work for me; too many characters/voices and no real answers or conclusions.

This is a great debut novel.
At first there’s quite a few stories all happening at once but bear with it, as it all makes sense in the end.
Zoe is kidnapped whilst on a night out with friends and her Mum is sure something bad has happened to her.
She comes across a true crime blog and learns of a serial killer who was prolific in the area and people think someone is copying his methods of killing.
We get to see the articles and obviously know Mr X has got Zoe, but can her mum and the Police find her before it’s too late?
There’s also two children who stumble upon the killer’s lair and soon their lives are in danger too.
This is a punchy first novel and I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

To be fair this book didn’t grip me. I loved the concept of the story when I read the blurb. However, the storyline didn’t grip me and I ended up giving up on the book. If a book doesn’t grab me in the first few chapters, then unfortunately I find it difficult to continue. I got to about 25%.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc in return for an honest review

While out with her boyfriend one night, seventeen year old Zoe's drink gets spiked and she is captured by a crazy man. There seems to be a link to the girls who are missing in Lancaster and the closed down mental health asylum. A patient who had died in the asylum had been a serial killer and he had shared his secrets with on how to become a great serial killer without getting caught.

The story is told from multiple points of view which at times was a little confusing. There is also several subplots which made it hard to follow in places. the pace is slow but the ending felt a bit rushed. There's an eerie gothic vibe to and a character that's very creepy. The parts on the dark web are especially creepy. There is some really good characters and the eerie setting is well described. This is a decent debut novel.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and the author Rosie Walker for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rosie Walker, you had me at abandoned mental hospital! Bravo for such a remarkably entertaining debut novel. The plot was fast moving and held all of the tension, offense, and crazy twists that readers come to expect from this genre. The storyline begged to be character driven, however, it seemed that there were too many subplots within the narrative to really nail down adequate characterization for this. In turn, some of the cast felt disconnected to the reader and left the conclusion a bit anticlimactic. 3 stars.

I enjoyed this read for the most part. It started very well and I was hooked from very early on. The pace dropped though, I felt and I did lose interest a little. The plot became more difficult to follow and the characters didn't deepen or evoke empathy as the story line progressed. I did like the ending though. I found it quite thrilling and thought it was a very fitting and well written ending to this thriller. I enjoyed it for the most part and would recommend.

Young women have been disappearing for decades. Now it's Zoe's turn. Her mother Helen is on a desperate search for her. What could of happened to her, who has taken her?
Thomas and his cousin are out looking for an old caravan. Not only do they find it, but also a lot of trouble. Hearing Zoes scream the same night they find the van, they decide to go back the next night. They enter the old mental facility close to the van and discover what will turn into a night of bell.

I felt like this one started out really strong, and had a good middle, but then I didn't know what was going on, and the ending fell completely flat. It was worth the read to find out the ending, but I did find it a little boring. I would still read stories by the author.

A great debut serial killer novel that I found hard to put down. After an initially slow and unsure start, I soon found myself getting drawn in and devoured the whole book in less than 24 hours. I found the plot progressed well and there were some great characters. All in all, a very enjoyable book. Thank you to NetGalley, One More Chapter and the author for the chance to review.

Considering this is Rosie Walker’s debut novel, I will admit that I was impressed!!! In my opinion, this had everything it needed to be a success. Parts of the story were very realistic, and as a girl, I can confirm that these things do happen, which is why you can never be too careful. The story kept me interested throughout the whole book & definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. I wish the ending gave us a little more clarity, but besides that, I really enjoyed it!

"Humans are divided into predators and prey. We decide which role to take."

This one started out really great and I loved the creepy setting of an abandoned asylum. I did, however, find parts to be kind of repetitive and the characters to be a tad one-dimensional. The blog portions seemed a little haphazard and I don't know if the value they added was truly worth it. There are also a multitude of POVs - this was a bit confusing at the beginning as I was not quite sure who was who and how the story lines were connected. At the same time, it was suspenseful trying to figure out those connections. I LOVED reading the chapters from the POV of the killer! Gives you such a creepy feel and an insight into their twisted thought process and how they justify the actions they take. There were definitely a couple twists that I didn't see coming, too. The general ending was a bit predictable and left a little to be desired. But one part about the ending... gosh!

{Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.}

Thank you SO much, Rosie Walker and Netgalley for my {partner} copy of this compulsively addictive novel!

Oh you know, just another day and another serial killer novel 🤣 I knew from the moment I spotted this book cover AND title that I needed it in my hands immediately. I have an unhealthy obsession with graphic and gory books, and this one absolutely checked the boxes. I don't know what fascinates me more ... the thrill of the hunt or the potential of someone saving the day. One of my favorite things about the book was getting a small glimpse into the mind of the serial killer and especially LOVED when chapters were narrated by him. But plot twist ... he didn't act alone and you'll be astonished by who he chooses as his accomplice!

This book was a solid 4 for me ... had a lot of really good elements and some that just didn't hit the mark. I will say this is a book I COULDN'T PUT DOWN because it was fast paced, heart stopping and a little queasy in parts. My biggest hiccup (and the one real reason I wouldn't have rated it higher) was the characters. The reader was thrown into the plot and little background was given before the kidnapping took place. Once Zoe went missing, we heard very little from her best friend AND her boyfriend, who were both present the night she was taken and did little to protect her from an unsafe situation. It's like they disappeared off the face of the earth and only popped in when felt necessary. And don't get me started with her parents! While Zoe was 17 and had a tendency to act out or "spend too much time with friends," I feel like they didn't worry about her whereabouts until WAY later than they should have. I am a mother ... and knowing my instincts, I would have 100% thought something was wrong out of the gate. I totally give Walker creativity points on who actually saves the day, but I won't spoil the plot for anyone.

I definitely enjoyed this ... and I think a lot of my followers who have a similar interest in this genre will too. With a bit more character building and a more solid and satisfying end, I would would be hard pressed not to rank this higher. I am wondering if there will be a sequel ... seems like a lot of questions left unanswered!

Thank you One More Chapter, Harper Collins UK, author Rosie Walker, and NetGallery for giving me an advanced E-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! This book had an amazing beginning! I loved how the author was able to set up the story line by having the main characters' povs as the chapters. The way the author included a blogger about serial killers as well as the comments and reactions to the blog articles was very original and creative. The story had a good pacing and had a great build up for the introduction of the serial killer, but around 50% of the book, I started to get lost with all the different characters and their connections or underdeveloped roles within the story. As a reader, I am okay with books that have lots of character just as long as the characters have a purpose within the plot. The idea of a generational serial killer was absolutely creepy and drew me into the story, but he was not really made into an original serial killer, but seemed to fit into the common mold. Towards the end of the book, the pacing of the book slowed down due to the story having too many characters with little to no real purpose in the book, the constant switching of perspectives, sometimes right in the middle of the action. Overall, I believed this book had good sections sprinkled throughout the book, but this was a three star read for me. I would have liked more character development, even pacing, and a more defined conclusion. I would recommend this book to people who like books about serial killers. I will look for more books by this author in the future!

Creepy fantastic thriller. Dark story of a serial killer who has been killing with an accomplice for years without coming close to being caught. Operating out of an abandoned former mental asylum, this duo is especially menacing as one is employed as a guard and the other is a former patient. When Zoe goes missing after a night out with friends her family is understandably in a panic, especially her father who is a retired police officer and her mother who is working with a team to remodel the asylum for the NHS. Excellent psychological thriller that is impossible to put down. Scary and fascinating as told from several points of view. Highly recommended.

This was an interesting read. Some good themes and it was definitely tense at points especially that chase scene! A few things it lacked for me was background, the whole 'blog entries' didnt really add anything to the story for me, i liked how the author tried to include mixed media but i didnt feel like it worked too well for a thriller. Some of the characters felt so unnecessary and a bit filler mainly Thomas and Maggie. I would have much preferred the story if Zoe was trying to escape on her own, having literal children apparently hoist a 17 year old out of a window whilst semi conscious and then carry her through the woods felt a little far fetched. The McVitie storyline felt rushed and i would have liked some of the history behind that, maybe alternative past and present chapters would have been insightful. A bit more of Alexanders past was needed too, i would have liked to feel some conflicting feelings for him but not knowing what he had to endure with his mother and the asylum and it only being slightly hinted at was a but of a let down. Overall it was a good read, the writing style flowed nicely and it was fast paced.

There is a serial killer who has been working in town for a long time.

A woman goes missing in the serial killers territory.

A mother discovers that her daughter is missing.

Two children attempt to embark on an adventure.

This is a multiple point of view story. I really enjoyed the narrative choices made for this book. When the story begins, the reader is unaware of how the narrators are connected, but that changes as the story progresses.

This is a thrilling novel! I think that a couple of the red-herrings could have been explored more, and the ending was a bit unsatisfying.