A TIME FOR MONSTERS is a dark story line that sets off all of the alarm bells yet manages to escape the scene everytime without leaving a trace of evidence. No clues to explain the heavy violence yet obviously part of an annual ritual to calm a raging heart that must kill. Every spring, she will kill 6 men in such a manner as to end the struggle that only music and violence can soothe. As the police face the upcoming spring season, they will double their efforts to find this killer, never suspecting a woman, before men starting dying again.

Fast paced and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

On the path of Arne Huakaas, once a well-liked policeman, but whom life's events have disgraced so much that he is now practically an alcoholic, strange corpses begin to appear. All of them men, killed with a single blow to the head, and with a bottle of spirits thrust into their skulls. No connection between them and no clues that the killer left at the crime scene. The investigation leads nowhere, until one day the policeman, on his way home and having had one beer too many, runs over a woman in the street and takes her to hospital. A novel in which the theme of violence in the family is strong, especially by men against their partners, and the trauma it causes in their children, while the violent men often leave behind ruined existences and make a new life elsewhere, with someone else. An important theme, then, for a rather well-written novel that is nevertheless shaky in places, as if the author had not taken care to make certain details solid and incontrovertible in order to support his theses.

A tale that is interesting, but somehow stopped short of resonating with the reader. One could not get in sync with the protagonist.

I enjoy Nordic authors and Gareth Worthington write this mystery in the tradition.

A woman serial killer has a plan to exact revenge against her enemies.

A detective who has been disgraced seeks to stop her.

Let the games begin

You like suspense? Well, here this book. I would highly recommend this one! I so glad I was granted a copy thank you!

“A Time for Monsters”
By: Gareth Worthington

Monsters Doing the Wrong Thing for the Right Reason?

Oslo detectives are on the hunt for a stealthy perpetrator whose typical ‘modus operandi’ is to stalk and kill at least six middle-aged men every Spring in Gareth Worthington’s Norwegian Noir, “ A Time for Monsters.”

With few clues to go on except that a large wooden outdoor gaming piece is used to bludgeon the victims and that a specialty Scandinavian aperitif bottle is typically part of the murder ritual, the police are desperate to find the serial killer before the next Easter murder cycle begins.

The victims of the murders are all middle-aged white men, a demographic that makes no sense to the police, as they continue to discern the common denominators of each crime.

What's really going on here? Why the vengeance on these men? Why only the annual seasonal killing sprees? What’s the symbology of the “King Klub” pieces and liqueur bottles? Are these brutal assaults being done by a man or by a woman? So many questions and so few facts.

“…Murder was a man’s game. Women got revenge in other ways. Sleeping with his best friend. Clearing out his bank account. Taking away his children. Women played emotional games…Occasionally, there might be an argument and a woman might lash out, but the physical damage was fleeting and the majority of men—at least the ones he’d encountered—never reported it. Too embarrassing. And this debacle? It was the work of a lunatic. Not a disgruntled housewife…”

“A Time for Monsters” is a psychological thriller that has multiple twists that you will never see coming. If you love intense, intelligent mysteries in the Nordic Noir genre like those written by two of my favorite authors, Jo Nesbo and Stieg Larsson, then you're sure to be a fan of multiple literary award winner, Gareth Worthington.

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The Book Maven’s Journal—Reviews for Word Connoisseurs

REVIEWER: J.Hunt
STAR RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“A Time for Monsters”
Author: Gareth Worthington
Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers |
Publication Date: 28 September 2021
Publisher: Vesuvian Books


With Sincerest Appreciation to NetGalley, Author Gareth Worthington and Publisher Vesuvian Books for Providing this Advance Reader’s Copy for Review.

I loved this mystery story. Do you love a good suspense? I think you will like this tale. Recommend to all friends and family!

Thank you #Netgalley for the advance reader copy of A Time For Monsters by Gareth Worthington in exchange for an honest review. This was a deep dark book with a new take on the serial killer. In my criminal justice classes we learned about female serial killers and how there might be so many more than we would ever guess because they have a different psyche than men. The ones caught tend to be more like Aileen Wornoss, the ones not caught are probably closer to Reyna. Very interesting story.

DNF @ 10%

Screams "NOTICE ME" far too much. Tries very hard to be edgy, and makes its attempts at being so obvious.

A hunt for a killer in the early Norway spring, a depressed cop looking for redemption and a brillant young woman looking to bury all her rage. Plus a twist you won't see coming. A perfect read!

If you loved They Never Learn by Layne Fargo and are craving a thriller with female serial killer as a protagonist, pick this book! Thank you Vesuvian books via Netgalley for the e-arc.

A Time for Monsters is a mix of nordic noir and a psychological thriller that is bound to give its readers a good cat-and-mouse chasing story. Its dark and deadly MC will leave you rooting for her and cursing her at the same time because you cannot stop yourself from supporting the cop who is chasing our killer. This book put me in a weird situation and I liked it. I haven’t read books from Gareth Washington before, but I impressed and I honestly think this is a well developed crime fiction!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Reyna Blackburn had a horrible childhood and from the start of the book, we know what she is doing, getting revenge on violent husbands. She is killing year after year and the police cannot catch her, strange. Her behavior is strange too, didn't like her much.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good serial killer story. Especially when it is a vigilante story. This book drew me in from the start. I like that it moves back and forth between past and present because it gives a better understand of why.

Would definitely recommend!

I want to thank NetGalley for a free copy in exchange of my honest review.

I feel this book has such a flat and slow pace, I was close do DNF it. We spend a lot of time on Rey’s childhood, a very brutal one. So many trigger warnings, I did not liked it.

The book is not a thriller or a mystery cause we already know who the killer is. I did not like the fact that the author switched between the first and last name of a character, very confusing.

The characters are unlikeable, the detective is very sexist and I hated him.
There was a twist at the end which was kinda ok, but that’s all.
Too slow for me, and to disturbing.

It was an okay read. I didn't like any of the characters which made the book harder to get into. There wasn't much of a mystery in the book and I guessed the plot twist.
I was not satisfied with the ending and I hope there will be a sequel.

So we have an aging detective. He knows he wasn't always the best person and he continues to mourn the family he lost through his own misdeeds. Then we have the female vigilante who is killing abusive men. She had an abusive childhood that she thinks her killing spree will help her move past it. Both characters are set up to be the villan of the story. The question for the reader becomes which one to root for. Both characters are well developed with their flaws apparent, both incredibly human. The pace of the book kept me turning page after page, long past my bedtime. And the writing is such that the reader somehow wants both of them to come out successful in the end. That desire aside, I was a tad disappointed in the ending. I felt like the author wasn't completely sure where to leave it and ended up leaving it in an unfinished manner. Otherwise, it was a truly enjoyable read.

This book was fantastic. It reminds me of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which is a favorite of mine. I was quickly drawn into the story, and felt that the characters were well developed. I also enjoyed all the song references, because I am a music lover. There were some songs mentioned that I will be looking up. I definitely plan to read more from this author. I have a new favorite! Yay!

ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“A Time for Monsters” is a thriller in which the reader follows along as a female serial killer, Rey, seeks to complete her reign of terror. Rey’s childhood full of domestic violence is slowly unraveled, including the soundtrack of her life that keeps propelling Rey forward. Music is how Rey feels her way through the world, and her vigilante killings are how she excises her past. Standing in her way is Detective Huakaas, who isn’t the most likeable police officer. Through a twist of circumstance, the two leads are thrown together, leading to a fast-paced game of cat-and-mouse. However, as the story progresses, Rey seems to be unravelling. Is she starting the slip as she approaches the finale of her killing spree? The twisting novel will keep you guessing until the very end.

I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. I’m a big fan of thrillers, and my interest was piqued by some of the comparisons between this novel and a few of my favorites. The characters were well sketched out, and between the two leads, I found myself cheering for Rey. As the past catches up with the present, a fuller picture of Rey emerges, including what fully motivates her. Detective Huakaas’ past and philosophical leanings don’t make him especially likeable, and as Rey seems to begin to slip and the Detective Huakaas draws nearing, I kept rooting for the serial killer to prevail. The twisting final ¼ of the book held some great surprises that filled in some of the blanks of the earlier novel, as well as some blanks I didn’t realize were missing. In the end, the finale of the book was apropos, leaving me satisfied.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. A great premise with fast-paced writing had me tear through this novel in a day. If you’re into thrillers, this is a good bet. There are obvious themes of domestic violence which may be triggering for a few readers. However, I think this is a good choice for most readers, even if they are just entering the thriller genre.

Vengeful abuse victim villain eludes disgraced, cynical, homicide detective anti-hero over a period of Easters in tranquil Oslo, Norway, overrun every Eastertide by eager tourists. "Pasekrim," the Norwegian celebration of crime fiction over the Easter season, attracts natives and visitors alike. But it's also now become the stage for a viciously sadistic killer who targets only certain males and possesses a predilection--an obsession--with music and memories.