The Four Monkey Killer has terrorized the city of Chicago for over five years. When his body is found, the police realise he was on his way to deliver a final message. Could his victim still be alive and awaiting rescue?
Detective Sam Porter is the lead investigator on the 4MK task force and he knows even in death the killer is far from finished. Discovering a diary in the pocket of the body, Sam delves into the dark mind behind the dark murders he has followed for half a decade, hoping the answers may be found in the past.
Can Sam put his personal problems aside to discover the Four Monkey Killer’s latest victim, or will 4MK still manage to outwit the police from beyond the grave?
WOW! Considering I went into this book with a somewhat low expectation I was absolutely blown away, this is an exceptionally clever and well written story. I was hooked from the first chapter which, unusually, sees the death of the serial killer. I did find myself thinking ‘well, if he’s dead that makes it fairly straightforward’, how wrong I was! Barker guides the reader through this story skilfully, allowing you to believe you’re on the right path before throwing in a blind-siding twist.
The childhood writings of 4MK are chilling, as he describes his horrifying upbringing in a calm and almost emotionless way, providing an interesting insight into the mind of a killer. Barker never held back, throughout the details and descriptions were graphic and, at times, gory. In a weird way, the conclusion left me feeling rather affable towards the killer, which is not something I am used to feeling when reading such a sinister psychological thriller. I thought the last page presented an intriguing, and almost rational, side to 4MK.
Dark, dirty and downright gritty, this was a clear five star read! For those of you who have the stomach for it, pre-order it now! For the more feint-hearted amongst you, pre-order it now and read it through the gaps in your fingers. This is a book not to be missed!
** Thank you to HQ, via NetGalley, for this ARC **