Not only a Scandinoir thriller but one featuring a female serial killer. The statistical unicorn of all killer. Well, sure. I was game to check that out.
Mind you, it stands to mention this Scandinavian thriller is written from a far, which is…well, it’s different. Superficially, it’s similar enough, same gloomy weather, same thematical and sunsettingly early darkness. But then you begin to notice subtle difference and then the differences begin to seem less subtle. There’s just something off tonally. I’ve been trying to come up with the word to put on it and vulgar showed up. But that isn’t quite right. There’s something, though, a more in your face approach than the Scandinavians are known for.
Even if the author managed to get the tone and the spareness of narrative right, there’s still a distinctly Anglo angle to the storytelling. Mind you, it fits, since the killer here is a Brit. She’s just doing all her murdering in Norway.
And yes, this novel really, really, really tries to be give the readers the next Lisbeth Salander and in that it fails dramatically, doing itself a disservice by setting the bar so unrealistically high. It’s an aspirational, but a deceiving comparison. Don’t go in expecting girls with tattoos. Not all women determines to punish violent men are created equally.
The novel utilizes the split narrative/timeline thing so many thrillers do, so you get the semipresent day police procedural pursuit and the dramatic past recollections of the making of the killer. Predictably enough, this woman has been abused from a young age, a product of a demonic father and a passive mother. Growing up that way has shaped our protagonist first into a surprisingly productive member of society and then into a fairly prolific murderer of abusive men.
A pretty straight forward psychological trajectory…until the end where it begins to twist and turn some.
After her is a Norwegian detective, a worn out by life and looking it 50some year old xenophobe, heavy smoker and an all around bitter man. Once upon a time Oslo was a city he loved, now he can barely recognize it. The foreigners. The violence. And now this…a practically unheard of female serial killer.
The two meet under less than pleasant circumstances involving reckless driving and proceed to sort of tango with or around each other. Neither are quite willing to let go until they are done.
So kind of a mixed bag here. Mostly good or at least very, very decent read for thriller fans. But…not that original. Not that plausible. Not that credible. Jiji, for one, is a very credulity straining character. And also, the two main leads are not that likable. Granted, they don’t have to be, if they are rendered well in all their complexity, but it seems that both characters are written just slightly south of properly engaging. You can almost, but not quite conceive of emotionally investing in them. They are almost baked all the way through, but the bottoms are saggy. And, if the Great British Bake Off has taught us one thing, it’s that the bottoms cannot be soggy.
Maybe the sogginess is due to the terrible Norwegian weather. But still…
So there you have it…a reasonably entertaining Scandinavian style serial killer thriller, intriguing in its own way and a pleasantly quick read. Don’t go in expecting much and you’ll be all right. Right in time for monsters. Thanks Netgalley.

I wish to thank NetGalley and XpressoBookTours for the No Time For Monsters Arc. This was a dark and brutal thriller with an intriguing premise and some shocking twists. It addresses major issues of domestic violence, assault, and abuse on the premise that they cause lingering emotional damage.

The story involves a long-standing 'cat and mouse' contest between Rey and a damaged and disgraced police detective. There is in-depth development of Rey's traumatic background. This contributed to her becoming a serial killer of abusive men in their 50s. She would also lash out with deadly force to younger men she felt threatening. She is a highly intelligent woman with some unique schemes to avoid capture by the police. I disliked both main characters and some in supporting roles and regret that this prevented me from becoming emotionally drawn into the story.

The plot moves smoothly back and forth between the present and the past, and the locations are the USA, England, and mainly Oslo, Norway. I believe that many lovers of Nordic Noir will find this a thrilling, compelling read. I was invested in the story by comparisons with the writings of Stieg Larsson. His Lisbet Salander is one of my favourite female characters, unlike Rey, whom I disliked. I did not find redemption or closure within this story but felt it left room for a sequel that I would be interested in reading.

This is not just a book about a female serial killer, nor is it just a book about a burnt out police detective whose spark for justice has been extinguished. This is a story about domestic violence, the victims it leaves behind and the witnesses to such cruelty, (usually young children), from those who are suppose to love and protect them. Even the police are not immune to these vicious crimes that tend to hide in the shadows.

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 early fall read. Look for it in September 2021.

I loved the premise of this book with the memories and feelings driven by how certain songs make you feel. I can very much relate to how music can have an impact on memories good and bad alike. Rey is our main protagonist and she is a tortured soul, she has grown up rough and been abused and seen horrific acts of violence her whole life. So it is no wonder she is pretty much a mess, although wicked smart, and smart enough to know she wants to get away from that life.

Her past haunts her no matter how much older she gets, how successful she is or whether she finds 'happiness' or not. Music is the only constant in her life and she is never far away from her playlist with a song for every mood and a memory for every song.

Having said all that Rey is very unlikeable just like all the characters, for me this doesn't matter - this kind of storyline is going to bring out the worst of the worst of people. I did find that event though I could follow the jumping from current to past events quite well and actually enjoyed it I think there were some times when there was too much information on certain things and some things left a little flat.

I found myself sucked into the story though and I thought the writing was great and flowed really well but for me there was something lacking in the general story leaving me feel a bit flat and wanting just a bit more. Fair warning to readers this is not a feel good story, nor should it be it addresses some really major abuse and domestic violence issues, which the author completely nails.

Overall if I could I would give this one 3.5 stars, lost half a star for that little something that was missing.

Thank you to Versuvian Books, the author and NetGalley for this advance reader copy for my honest review.

A Time For Monsters is an incredibly dark and depraved story of a woman’s path to rid the world of abusive men by violent means. Gareth Worthington kicks off the narrative without wasting any time as readers are introduced to the main character, Reyna Blackburn, who in the first chapter is coolly admiring her handiwork of murdering an abusive husband at a crime scene. The grim introduction sets the darkly sinister vibe of the thriller. Soon enough, a weary detective is put on the hunt for Reyna who is known as The King Klubb Killer for bludgeoning the victims with a Kubb piece. What would have been a simple obstacle for Reyna to avoid turns personal when she learns about the detective’s dark past, setting her on a collision course from which she may not escape as unscathed as she had planned.

Worthington masterfully paces the story to smoothly explore both the past and the present for Reyna without losing momentum. It took me less than 12 hours to finish the book. A highly laudable component of the narrative is Worthington’s unfiltered exposition of the inexplicable torment that feels horrifyingly grounded in the current world with regards to domestic abuse. This insight helps with understanding the necessity of Reyna’s motivations and actions, giving you a front row seat into the mind of a killer. The flashbacks are just as essential for the nerve-wracking twists and turns as the author slowly unravels the entire plan that Reyna had concocted before setting on her path for retribution, never revealing enough to give away the full picture prematurely. The result is a highly satisfying albeit saddening resolution.

Nordic crime thrillers have a flair for the noir theme where characters are deeply flawed and broken which adds to the unpredictability of what the characters might do. The cloudy and chilly setting of Oslo is perfect for a narrative as grim as A Time For Monsters. I didn’t know what to expect going in, but I can definitely testify that this is a bonafide unique serial killer story, one where you root more for the killer than the cops for a change. A must-read, hands down!


Review posted, with blurb image, on : https://www.bestthrillerbooks.com/kashif-hussain/a-time-for-monsters-by-gareth-worthington

A riveting story inspired by true events. The kills are graphic and the atmosphere is chilling. Terrific cat and mouse revenge tale with an end you won't see coming. Highly recommend.

** spoiler alert ** This book goes from Norway to England to the U.S. and is tied to songs that influence what Reyna Blackburn (Rey) does. It goes back and forth in planning what she and her girlfriend Jiji do to throw off the police. You don't know that until the book has almost is done. Our policeman is Arne Huakaas who has been working on the King Kubb Murders for over a year and his partner is Bjorn Huus. They get their big brake when Arne drives home in Bjorn's car and hits Rey while she scanning her songs and he takes her to the hospital. She escapes and beats up a doctor when she leaves. Rey and Jiji make a pact where they are going to murder men who abuse their wives leading up to murdering her father and let Jiji take the blame. Arne abused his wife and Rey knows this. Read the book you won't be surprised how it turns out. Gareth does an outstanding job of creating the mystery and how Rey goes through three husbands to end up with the best only to see Arne back at her home (in England) when the deed is done.