‘When Darkness Falls’ by Kathleen Harryman

My Review (4 stars out of 5)

In the historic city of York, a dangerous and blood-thirsty serial killer is on the loose. Unfortunately for the police, evidence is thin on the ground, the killer’s modus operandi often varies, and the choice of victims refuses to conform to any logical pattern. However, it seems one person is central to the killings – Tracy Bennett and her shop-assistant friends have no idea the link to the murders is right on their doorstep. Who will the ferocious predator pick next, and will anyone realise the truth before it’s too late?

This is the first book I’ve read by Kathleen Harryman. Written from the point of view of the killer, it makes an interesting change from the usual police-versus-villain cat-and-mouse murder-mystery. As we learn more about the murderer, the author treats us to an exclusive view of the slayings, with lots of torturous and bloody detail – detail that might be a bit too much to take for some readers. Having said that, aside from eyewatering descriptions of the murders, the scenes in between – with Tracy and her friends – are less interesting and (I thought) slowed the pace of the story. Nevertheless, this is a great read that kept me wondering who would be next for the killer’s knife and if the carnage would ever end.

Blood and gore in large helpings.

Back to the Blog