Realized I forgot to leave feedback on this book. Honestly don't remember what it was about. Trying to clear up my Netgalley

I usually love thrillers like this but couldn’t connect with this one for some reason, I found it a bit odd and didn’t think it really flowed that well

I loved this book. It was eerie and terrifying, and Margen has a real talent for getting under your skin. I love any book that involves serial killers, so this was a real winner for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me a free copy for a review!

This book was very 50/50. Some parts had strong suites while other parts of the book were just.. unnecessary.

I loved the two detectives, I loved how roles were slightly reversed; the female detective was the brutish/mysterious one while the male detective was the fun lighthearted one. (Also loved animals, haha how fun).

I think overall this needed one more edit, there were alot of things about that had me hooked, I loved that the female detective had to work on a case that challenges her beliefs and had her lifestyle flipped. I think character development is important but, I felt her character just...stayed flat. Never really grew, just felt she kept running around in circles thinking she's evolving.
Of course, she falls for her detective partner (boring and kind of a let down) (um also he's married and has kids?! But this is a whole different discussion).

I liked the idea of this book, this storyline did sort of seem like an episode on Criminal Minds but that's okay, maybe I'm overthinking.

I loved the gruesome parts, such as people's eyeballs being taken out and having a religious script in its place (seriously, creepy and cool) or parts where people's body's were being flayed open to display wings, all of the victims murders were pretty gnarly and I liked it!
But the way the detectives actually went about taking care of the case, was meh.

OVERALL: this was okay. That's all.
I don't know if I would recommend this, it was a good read but I did put this down MULTIPLE times and had to tell myself to finish the book .
*This book flashes between timelines as well and the parts where it flashes back, (in my opinion) are the weakest parts. Very unnecessary and I think that's what actually took away from the book rather than add to it.*

That's all for now my friends,

Until next time,
-Mr. Horror

To be very honest, I wasn’t a big fan of the book’s dedication, which was to police officers everywhere, but I suppose it’s exceptionally hard to find a thriller that doesn’t involve the police at all. They play quite a big role in this story as well, and the main character, Marti, is a homicide detective. The killer she and her partner are after is an interesting and sinister character, which makes the case particularly exciting.

The shorter chapters set in the past connect very well with those set in the present and really help set the mood (for murder). Sometimes I kind of wish they were longer, so that the connection would be made even more explicit, but I do realize that would have been too much, seeing as there is a lot going on in the present as it is. I interpreted those short chapters as vignettes, little moments captured to help capture the thematic essence of the novel and give us a taste of some of the brutality that went into the foundations of America. This violence still finds echoes in the melting pot that is the present-day nation, as the bodies displayed by the Wing-Maker amply show. It’s no coincidence that his hunting ground is Boston, which is portrayed in its many facets.

Related to the last point, another great strength of the novel are the various memorable characters that the detectives meet on the way – from cult leaders to fresh-faced teenagers to quirky shop assistants and everything in between. Showing the investigation process, the legwork, the conversations with all the weird people, the dead-ends, all that is truly fascinating and gives the novel realness and grit. An aspect that I also find worth mentioning is the conversation with the first victim’s family. Because they’re immigrants, the way the author chooses to portray them as very human rather than as a stereotype is, I think, super important, so that’s another thing I really enjoyed.

Marti is also quite likable and believable as a main character and her backstory and struggles are relatable, especially considering the kind of killer she’s facing.

Even months after reading the book I can vividly recollect the chilling crime scenes and some of the more gruesome aspects of the killer’s profile. The writing is really crisp and atmospheric, and the themes develop parallel to finding out more about the killer’s motivation. All in all, while it certainly can’t avoid some clichés that come with the genre, and while at times it may seem like there’s too much going on for one book, this is definitely an exciting and powerful read that I can honestly recommend.

I love serial killer thrillers, but this book was not for me. The story was sometimes confusing, and it should have been edited better. I did not read all the way through, since I lost interest in the story and the way it was told.

The Puritan is a very intriguing horror story about a serial killer. The two cops follow the clues left behind in order to hunt down the killer. The story has a lot of twists and turns. It's a real pager turner that is hard to put down once you start reading it.

A dark thriller that is reminiscent of Harris, Montari and various TV serial killer shows. I have read another crime thriller that had the killer carving angel wings into dead bodies and possibly even seen it in a TV/film so that wasn't especially novel. Nevertheless it was a good enough read to occupy the mind for a little while.

The Pvritan Plot

I thought The Pvritan’s plot was both unique and standard. Standard in the sense that it was a typical murder mystery with police detectives featuring as the main characters. Unique in that it used gruesome imagery for the murders, as well as a mix of both likely and unlikely murder victims. Usually the victims are either all likely victims or all unlikely victims. That there was a mix of these types was refreshing.

I was also impressed with the way Birgitte Märgen interspersed bits and pieces about the murderer through the story. She tries to give the reader a feel for the murderer and who he/she is without giving away who he/she is. It’s very interesting to get glimpses in to the mind of our killer.

Another thing I was impressed with plot-wise were the twists. Just when you think you might have something figured out, a curveball gets thrown at you. You’re suddenly not understanding what on earth is going on.

The Pvritan Characters

Detective Marti Zucco

I really like Marti. She’s dedicated to her job – perhaps a bit too dedicated. She has an aversion to birds that I would dearly love to know the full story behind and it is highly apparent in the story. She isn’t great with people, and it’s pretty obvious. Of course, she also has a tragic backstory to go along with her character. She works great with our next character in The Pvritan, her partner Neil Cavanaugh.

Detective Neil Cavanaugh

Neil is one of those characters you can’t help but love. He’s the complete opposite of Marti and it shows. He’s boisterous and great with people. But to be honest, he has his hands full with both his family and his partner. He’s a great character and the author was spot on to pair him with Marti.

My Analysis

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters, the plot twists, and the vibe it gave off in general. However, I did think that the ending was a bit abrupt. There was no epilogue or anything to give us an idea of what might have happened after the big show down. This was a bit disappointing.

One thing I have to say is that I really enjoyed the use of the Geneva Bible in the book. It was a refreshing thing as most books won’t incorporate anything like that. I love the original spellings of the words being used as well. While others might find it difficult to read, I had no issues.

I am also sincerely hoping that there will be more books with this pair of detectives. Marti and Neil work so well together and I’d love to see more books featuring them. Perhaps a second book that gives a clearer picture of what happened after the end of The Pvritan.

I gave this book four stars because it was a great book, however I felt there were a couple of things that could have been done better. If you’re a fan of murder mysteries with great twists and don’t mind a bit of gore, this book is for you.

This scary slow-burn has words that leap off the page and images that will haunt you.

Nothing is creepier than a string of murders that seem completely unrelated except for one tiny, religious, detail. Detectives Marti and Neil hunt down a killer, leaving no stone unturned, investigating Salvadoran gang members, high schoolers, and satanic cults. Torn back and forth between Boston’s Puritanical past and the dark reality of the present, a delicious tension builds, a psychological and spiritual nightmare. Following the clues, the detectives wade through psychic tips and false confessions. Tramping through graveyards leads to gruesome discoveries and dead ends. Close calls and near misses keep you on the edge of your seat while wicked suspense will drive you through until the bittersweet conclusion.

NetGalley and the author granted me access to an advanced copy of this title. The opinions are my own.

Murders don't come much more gruesome than the one that Boston detective Marti Zucco finds herself investigating, with her partner Neil Cavanaugh. A body is found hung in a tree on the Boston Common with his eyes dug out and his skin flayed to look like he has wings. He is heavily tattooed, and Kavanaugh is convinced that this is a gangland killing. Marti is not so sure and, when a second body is found, it becomes clear there is something much darker going on.

Margen's account of Zucco's investigation is accompanied by flashbacks into the early days of Puritan settlement in New England. I never really got the point of these vignettes and kept waiting for her to draw some clear link between the flashbacks and Zucco's investigation, but that was tenuous at best, and all of these digressions could have been dispensed with with no harm to the plot.

Zucco was something of an annoying and contrary character, a supposedly hard-bitten detective who goes weak at the knees and has an attack of the vapours when a charismatic male suspect stares at her. Her presumed experience doesn't stop her from doing stupid things in interviews, nor from allowing her religious beliefs to cloud her judgment. I was also a bit irritated at a scene where Margen suddenly starts to render the Boston accent phonetically, something she does nowhere else. This was hard to read for a bit, and there did not seem to be any reason for it.

This is a crime novel that starts off with the promise of a deep, dark mystery, but fails to deliver through a combination of weak characters a disorganised and occasionally rushed plot line. Disappointing, overall.

I really enjoyed this book, plot was a good one and I enjoyed the hunt for the serial killer along with all the twists that came with it, read it in a few sittings and liked it a lot 😊

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I mean what’s not to like, it was a fast paced, gripping hunt for a serial killer!

Boston Detectives Marti Zucco and Neil Cavanaugh have their work cut out for them, a man’s body is found hanging from a tree in the Boston Commons carved and staged to look like a winged creature of sorts, it is only the beginning, as more bodies turn up staged in a similar way, Marti and Neil investigate the religious overtones of the staging and possible satanic cult involvement but can they unravel the complex clues that will lead them to the Wing-Maker?

I’ve read hundreds of thrillers/serial killers books and this was one was way up there! Hooked from the getgo, forgetting to breathe in places (always a good sign!), dark, thrilling, twists and turns, I certainly hope we see more of Marti & Neil.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley!

The cover of this book is simple but eye-catching.
The book kept my attention all along.
It was unique and well-written.


I'd definitely purchase a copy and check out other books by the author.

I rated The Pvritan by Birgitte Märgen 5 out of 5 stars. I received the e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Pvritan follows two detectives Marti and Neil as they track a killer who is branding victims and leaving them in very odd positions. The victims all come from different backgrounds of life and Marti and Neil work to figure out what they all have in common and what the end game is for the killer. Playing a part in all the murders is the Geneva Bible which the killer leaves as clues for the detectives. The chapters mainly stick with Marti and Neil’s investigation, however, at times it shifts to aspects of the killer as well as 1600s, Puritans and their crusade to punish sinners.
I found the novel to be a thrill ride from the very start. Marti and Neil were the perfect characters to feed off of each other with quick wit and fast paced dialogue. The description of the crime scenes wasn’t too overly violent but allowed the reader enough to picture what the detectives were stumbling upon each time they received the dreaded call.
I liked the twists and turns placed throughout the book and how it all came together at the end. There were twists even up to the last page which was even more intriguing and left me satisfied with what I read. There were a lot of red herrings strewn throughout the book which I appreciated because it wasn’t the type of crime novel that was predictable and easily solvable. It was a rollercoaster from the get go and I didn’t want to put this book down.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is into thriller crime novels that have a religious aspect and dabble into the world of cults as well.

This thriller was a book that made me wish I was on holiday, with nothing to do other than binging the entire thing in one go. I will be thinking about it for a while.

A man is found hanging from a tree, carved to look like a winged demon. As bodies start piling up, all mutilated to look like they have wings, Marti and her partner start looking for a serial killer, following a trail of odd biblical clues, hoping to find him before another victim turns up.

The descriptions of THE PVRITAN compare it to Mindhunter and Hannibal Lecter, and they mention Jo Nesbo as well, so I went in full of high hopes for this book. And while some descriptions were apt, the gruesomeness of the murder scenes held up, a lot of the book unfortunately fell flat for me.

Marti, the lead female detective, was the most unlikely cop I’ve ever encountered in a detective novel. There are scenes where she gets spat on by a prisoner, and she does nothing. Another scene, she turns to find a man masturbating behind her in a library, and all she does is look away. Find me a cop that would just ignore these issues. Find me a real life woman who would encounter a man like that, and turn around and try to ignore it. At the bare minimum, they’re going to stand up and leave immediately. This made the whole book feel incredibly unrealistic to me, having someone react in such unexpected ways.
She’s also the most judgemental character I’ve come across in a long time, and a lot of the judgement made the read uncomfortable. Marti was squeamish about odd things - such as embarrassed about sex dolls, and seeing violence. Having this inner dialogue with a character who can’t handle the things around her made you question whether she was competent or capable. To walk around with a character who couldn’t handle anything thrown in her path. She kink shames sex stores, which felt out of place and unnecessary. There’s some really sarcastic and stereotyping sections on tattoos, and comments about someone hanging out at comic shops being a trademark incel. So much judgement that had nothing to do with actively trying to solve a case, instead we’re stuck reading the point of view of a woman who would never have made it as a detective, and somehow judges her way to solving things.

So much focus goes in to Marti and her unnecessary thoughts, that the dialogue ends up feeling stilted, and the twists are predictable. The most unpredictable things in this mystery novel are the shocking thoughts that Marti has, and I don’t think they’re meant to be.

Another minor complaint I had with the book, was a brief description of someone throwing up the horns, rocking out - it’s described as lifting their thumb, index, and ring finger. I just have some questions about that descriptions, because I have to wonder if the author has ever seen any hold their hand that way, it’s the most unnatural feeling in world to use your ring finger.

Unfortunately, based entirely on the lead characters personality, this ended up being a book I just didn’t work with. Having such an unrealistic and unlikeable main character made it hard to get excited to see them solve murders, and you really have no care if they succeed or even live. It created a disconnect for me that I just couldn’t overcome. I’m sure other readers can focus more on the crimes and get into the book, but Marti ruined the book for me.

4.5 stars.
THE PVRITAN has everything I love in a mystery - fast paced, dark, and gruesome, with a serial killer antagonist, and a smart female lead to boot. Marti and her partner Neil are detectives on the trail of a serial killer with religious overtones to his killings, that may be tied to a Satanic cult and the Salem Witch trials... or maybe not. My only complaints were the flashbacks could have been integrated into the present action a little more smoothly, and the end, while exciting and fulfilling, seemed abrupt. I tried a few times to scroll on in my Kindle before I realized that that was, in fact, that. I really hope that we will see more Marti and Neil featured in a sequel/series of books.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Independent Book Publishers Association for the opportunity to read THE PVRITAN in return for my honest opinion.

It's difficult to believe when I am rating it two stars, but this book was actually a wonderful written book and I was ruined for the thriller genre afterwards for a while.
Now, if I was enjoying this so much, why would I only rate it so low?
Reason 1: This book promised "Mindhunter meets Hannibal Lecter". There was... nothing of that kind? When a book claims a comparion with Hannibal Lecter I should be expecting at least a morally grey villain or a cannibal, right? I got neither of that sort, so there goes one of the five stars I wanted to rate this book so much.
Reason 2: If you write about Satanism, please do your research and do it properly. That goes for any topic, though, but in this specific case, it's satanism. It started out well in the portrayal, but it turned sour very fast. Sad, really sad. I had such high hopes, but that's why this isn't a four star rating
Reason 3: The ending. Not the ending itself, but the literal way how the book ended, because I can't get rid of the feeling there was missing something. It ended too finished to be a cliffhanger, but it feels as if there was a page or two missing from my copy. Annoying, because I don't know how to find out whether or not I missed something.

And thus is how an amazing book, a book I really loved, that kept me engaged, that was well written, had great characters and an intruiging plot went from five to two. I grives me to do this, but what other choice do I have?
I received a free copy by Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Detective Marti Zucco and her partner, Neil Cavanaugh, are called to the scene of a body in Boston Commons which has been mutilated and staged. As more bodies are found they realize they are looking for a serial killer. Fast paced page turner. Only complaint is the abrupt ending, I kept looking for the next chapter.