I love this authors writing style. He writes an amazing thriller. The tension building is done so well. It was a bit gruesome at times.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I love reading creepy books, where there is more blood and bones than the average book. This book, and author, easily compares to the masters of creep and blood (Chris Carter comes to mind). Really enjoyed the book, will read more in future.

Book blurb…
You can't escape him.

He abducts lone joggers and forces them to run for their lives. When he catches them, he pulls out his blade...
Now he's locked away and will be in prison for years. They call him a psychopath, a murderer, the 'Woodcutter Killer'.

But what if you just found out you're supposed to call him father?

Praise for P.R. Black:
'I absolutely loved this heart-stopping, spine-tingling novel that had me completely and utterly gripped throughout' Amazon Reviewer.
'Cleverly written with some great shockers and I had no idea how it would end – I wasn't disappointed' Amazon Reviewer.
'This was a fast-paced murder thriller that kept me turning the pages late into the night. It was intelligent and slick' Amazon Reviewer.
'It's always something of a risk trying a new author, but I was really glad I did ... I did not see the plot twist coming, and it was very surprising' Amazon Reviewer.

My thoughts…
Total edge-of-your-seat reading. True suspense with hooks and clues in all the right places. Can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next. Well done!

This is my first read by P.R.Black and I have to say I will now be reading more as this book was one of the best thrillers I've read for a while! This book was an edge of the seat thriller, I couldn't put it down and I didn't want to I just wanted to keep reading!
The book follows Freya take on a journey to finding out who her Dad was and finding out the truth about him. She meets a lot of different characters on the way some whom will help her and some whom won't but who can she really trust?
The excitement and thrill runs throughout the book and keeps you engaged right up to the big twists at the end. I don't think its an ending anyone will suspect at all. It is one of those OMG endings, I really didn't see it coming!
If you love thrillers then this is one for you, highly recommend! One of the best I have read this year so far!! Hope you enjoyed my review and I will be interested to hear what others think of this book.

The pace of this story was good but I tended to get frustrated with the characters. The storyline at times was predictable. It did however have lots of twists and turns which held my interest.

Freya’s mother has just died and revealed who Freya’s father is - a serial killer. If that was me I’d be pissed off with my mother and father. What I wouldn’t be doing is rushing off to the jail to meet my killer dad and almost immediately thinking he isn’t guilty of the one murder he was found guilty of.
Freya decides to investigate her father’s case with blogger Glenn.
Freya, as the main protagonist, wasn’t very likeable but is gullible. I just can’t fathom why she is going about taking risks for a murderer who barely remembers her mother.
The body count goes up throughout the book as she and Glenn follow some bizarre clues.
Slowish at the start but speeds up in the second half. Lots of twists and turns before you discover what exactly is going on and whether her father is guilty or not.
3.5 Stars ⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.

What did I read? A killer who goes after lone joggers and makes them run for their lives? Unique plot point in a saturated field… check! What happens when you find out the killer is your father? What? Crazy!

This 8s the first book I've read by this author and it certainly won't be the last. It grabbed my attention from the start. I thought I had guessed the outcome but I was completely wrong.. A fast paced read with a clever plot.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Very suspenseful book. Freya isn't your typical heroine of a story, she's gritty, and doesn't really give a crap about what anyone thinks. Her mother's will finally revealed who her father is, a notorious cold- blooded serial killer. She's determined to learn more about him, and almost right away, took his words that he is innocent.

The book is more gruesome and creepier than my usual psychological domestic thriller, but I still enjoyed it.

Pretty good, lots of twists and turns. I changed my vote on who the villain was about 20 times. A pretty good gory but not too gory thriller. It somewhat dragged in places and I feel like could have been cut down a little bit, but still worth a read.

Thank you for providing me a copy of this book.
I run out of time so sorry I wasn't able to finish this.

P R Black is at his spine-chilling best with his terrifying new novel, The Runner.

A ruthless predator had been waiting in the shadows waiting for just the right moment to strike and abduct lone joggers. He would make them run for their lives but he would always catch them and pull out his blade and coldly and cruelly murder them. The Woodcut Killer’s reign of terror had come to an end when this heartless psychopath had been locked away in prison for murder. Justice had been done and The Woodcut Killer was behind bars no longer able to terrify anyone ever again…or was he?

Freya Bain got the shock of her life when her mother’s will was read out and she found out that her previously unknown father was very much alive – and a serial killer! Freya is flabbergasted that The Woodcut Killer is her biological father. When she visits him in prison, he protests his innocence and begs for her help to clear his name. As Freya finds herself drawn into the past, she begins her own investigation, but is she ready for what she is about to uncover? Was her father telling the truth? Or was he trying to pull the wool over her eyes?

When the body count starts piling up, Freya is shocked when she discovers that these victims were murdered using the same methods as The Woodcut Killer. Is there a copycat killer on the loose? Or is The Woodcut Killer back in action? Is her father innocent? And is Freya in danger of getting far too close to the truth?

P R Black’s books should come with a warning: they should not be read last thing at night because they will give readers nightmares. A master of terror and suspense who knows how to bring to life his readers’ darkest fears on the page, P R Black’s The Runner is a creepy and chilling read full of twist after twist that will leave readers with their jaws on the floor.

Dark, scary and disturbing, P R Black’s The Runner is an eerie thriller that will have readers hiding behind the sofa and checking that they’ve double-locked all the doors and windows.

“You can’t escape him”

If I tell you that I felt furious and annoyed almost the entire time whilst reading this book, then you may think that contradicts my next statement: I loved it! It’s only a very skilled author who can elicit such a strong emotional response and still keep me glued to the pages despite my better judgement!

The action saw me hitting the ground running with little chance to draw breath and prepare myself. The pace of the storyline was intense, fast and furious, never letting up until that very final twist, which I have to say, I never saw coming. The ending was probably about what I had expected and never quite closed the door with that final definitive ‘click’ on events. My personal fourth criteria for what makes a good thriller, is that as the main protagonist, you can’t be dead and I think that Freya might have only just made this by the skin of her teeth and some very fast thinking on her feet, which is more than just about everyone else managed!

Early on in the story, the governor of the prison tells an apprehensive Freya, that her visit to meet her father isn’t going to be like The Silence Of The Lambs, although that is exactly what their various meetings and interactions did put me in mind of. I found myself comparing the gullibility and naivety of Freya to that of Clarice Starling, with Gareth Solomon AKA ‘The Woodcutter’, portraying a rather less sophisticatedly moulded, but nonetheless psychopathically scheming, Hannibal Lecter. Pure coincidence, or was that the tiny seed planted in my mind by some skilful writing and left there to germinate?

I was more than open to cutting Freya a bit of slack, as until the recent death of her mother, she never even knew the identity of her father until just a few weeks prior to their first meeting. I was then totally amazed that she came away from her first prison visit, already convinced he is not guilty of the one and only murder he has been convicted of and she is out to help prove his innocence, despite the fact she remains open to the suggestion that so many of the other murders almost definitely bear the hallmark of his handiwork, although the bodies have never been found and the evidence against him is circumstantial at best.

That Gareth’s murder conviction is open to challenge, can be of no doubt, as the amount of police corruption and press interference and harassment, are up to their usual high, real life standards! (present company excepted of course, Pat) However, all that said, I personally struggle on a daily basis to assimilate the role of a defence lawyer, who, convinced beyond all doubt of a client’s guilt, will still defend them to the hilt and fight for their innocence and release, on a mere technicality. Definitely not a job I could do and I might even struggle with calling it a profession, hence my instant dislike of Gareth’s lawyer, Cheryl Levison, although I am convinced that she quite liked the idea of the two of them getting together on his release, as there seemed something almost feral in her demeanour, despite her sophisticated appearance!

This gripping, disturbing, multi-layered storyline was almost claustrophobically rich in atmosphere and full of dread and menace. Pat knew just how and when to ratchet up the tension another notch, as if my already jangling nerves needed anything else to worry about, or any more bodies to uncover. The story may not have been perfectly fluid and the ‘joins’ seamless, however the desperate intensity and complete confidence of the crisp, no nonsense writing style, combined with the total authority about the direction in which he was leading me, as the reader, more than made up for any minor discrepancies and left me emotionally drained and on the edge of my seat, as the body count rose exponentially and in the most gruesome of fashions.

The disparate cast of characters created by the author, really had me wanting to turn my back on them all and walk away at times, so dislikeable and disagreeable were they. I stood no chance of, nor I have to admit had, any inclination to relate and engage with, or invest in them. The more closely they were developed and defined, the worse they seemed to get. Pat ably used some strong descriptive, narrative and dialogue, with which to highlight their complete lack of moral strength and fortitude, and to be perfectly honest, I was rather pleased that most of them ended up dead and definitely by foul means, rather than fair! The only people who exuded any possibility of hope and redemption, were Freya herself and Glenn, her online investigative whizz, co-conspirator and possible new personal partner. Even they were often totally cringeworthy though, with Glenn constantly exuding an air of pained despair and defeat and Freya, who has convinced herself that her father’s compulsive need for death and destruction, has somehow manifested itself in her and possible future generations.

I really wanted to award this one the full 5 stars, which it definitely deserved for the stress, tension and fear factors. However there was just something which held me back to 4 stars and unable to fully commit, although I can’t quite put my finger on what it was! But don’t take my word for it – you really need to read this one for yourself – but not alone – and with the lights on!

Favorite Quotes:

Glenn ate crisps the way a squirrel might; his hands moved so fast you had to slow the film down a little to see them, and his jaws clashed in rapid-fire.

Another man was with them, with a high, receding hairline, glasses and a tweed jacket. He had a pinkish hue to his face, as if he’d recently shed his skin. Freya could only categorise his appearance as that of a teacher who frightened you.

She let herself in, turned on every light, screamed aloud before she hurled open each and every cupboard, poked underneath the bed with a broom handle and was particularly vicious with every pair of curtains before she was satisfied that she was absolutely, positively alone.

My Review:

This one was quite a bit outside of my comfort zone for creepiness and the crimes depicted were cringe-worthy, gruesome, and disquieting, I worry about having those images in my head. P.R. Black is one twisted mamma jamma and his neighbors should be cautious and quietly tiptoe past as with the snap of the fingers he could easily plot clever vengeance on anyone who disturbs his contemplations, knocks over his bins, or allows their dog to piddle on his plants.

The writing was strikingly descriptive and pulled strong and haunting visuals that often left me shuddering, but I am a bit of a wimp. I will seek out lighter fare for my next read in order to catch my breath and flush out residual tension and adrenaline. The storylines were busy and itchy, and relentlessly poked and prodded my curiosity while also causing my stomach to churn. I often found my teeth clenched and shoulders in my ears yet I was intrigued and much liked the Woodcutter’s victims, I was hopelessly ensnared. Mr. Black has mad skills.

This is a slow paced psychological thriller, with multiple characters and a killer that will hunt you to your dreams. Are you ready to run?
I’ll admit that I struggled a little with this book, not because it was not twisted or interesting but because I didn’t feel connected with the main character, Freya Bain. She seemed too soluble for my taste. Let me be honest, if my mum ever told me that my father was a serial killer, I would never go to prison to meet him, even less believe him to be innocent. Maybe I am too cautious or not trustworthy enough, but I struggled to believe that the man that was in prison for being “Woodcutter Killer” was innocent, too many red flags to trust any worth that came out from his mouth… But this is what the author wants, they show you how a sweet young woman wanting to find her missing father believes anything that a presumed killer is saying, even believing his innocence.
The book is well plotted and has different characters that will make the story complete; the blogger addicted to the case, the crazy writer who wants the exclusive book, the amazing lawyer that believes in his client innocence and of course, the retired police officer that is ready to do anything to keep the “killer” in jail. And then we have Freya, she is so innocent in her father’s hands that is ready to believe anything he says, even following the mysterious clues that someone is leaving for her. That’s why you start to believe that the man in prison is the killer, how is it possible that the missing victims are appearing? Who is contacting Freya?
The book puts you in a complicated position, what to believe, the innocence or the guiltiness of Gareth Solomon?
You’ll have to decide… for now, just read “The Runner”!

The Runner is the fourth standalone book by P R Black and is a fast-paced thriller. A serial killer who kidnaps his victims and literally makes them run for their lives, is in jail convicted of only a single murder. A young woman’s mother dies and part of her inheritance is to finally learn the truth of who is her father. Freya Bain sets out to discover who her father really is but more evil is unleashed. More bodies are discovered and the truth of the perpetrator of these bloody murders gets even more confusing. The high-level mounting tension and the wonderful characters make for a terrific, scary, not-to-be-read at night adventure. Spoiler alert: the conclusion is not for the faint of heart. An absolute stunner of a page turner with a four-star rating. With thanks to Aria & Aries and the author for an uncorrected proof copy for review purposes.

This is powerful psychological suspense with authentic characters and a compelling investigation that is addictive reading. Freya finds out her previously unknown father is in prison and possibly a notorious killer. She is determined to discover the truth. What follows is a true-crime investigation with two unlikely detectives and some grisly discoveries. Some of the descriptions are graphic but are integral to the twisty plot and impactful ending.

I received a copy of this book from Aria Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Dark and twisted this book will leave you with a chill. It’s very well done and the story is unusual yet enjoyable. You find yourself getting invested in how it all plays out for the characters.

This book will take you on one hell of a ride that was nail biting, horror like and will have you on the edge of your seat throughout!

Freya learns that her biological father is actually a serial killer called the ‘Woodcutter Killer’ but despite knowing all this she still wants to visit him in prison and get to know him. From that first meeting the book is non stop as Freya suddenly begins her own investigation as to who the real killer is as her dad proclaims his innocence.

The investigative parts were brilliant, giving the reader small clues here and there whilst also providing some very tense moments when Freya starts finding notes left for her and gruesome discoveries.

Throughout the story there are chapters from the ‘killers’ point of view as he carries out these brutal acts of violence. These were so chilling to read and really increased that fear factor. The descriptions at times felt like I was reading a horror as they were pretty graphic in detail.

Everything felt so real within this book. The dialogue between characters was really easy flowing and captured each personality perfectly. It was full of hints throughout that will have you constantly guessing as to what or who is behind it all – I’m pleased to say I didn’t guess at all.

The ending was absolutely fantastic with the author not giving anything away until the very last moment and continuing to deliver twist after twist. I was thoroughly satisfied with the ending as when I’m reading thrillers I want something to happen that will completely shock me and this did just that.

Overall if you like your thrillers on the slight horror side, filled with jaw dropping twists and edge of your seat moments then I highly recommend this!