Puts Montanari in the premier league
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This is an author who is getting better and better. Following on from The Rosary Girls, Skin Gods and Broken Angels, Play Dead again features Philadelphia homicide detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano.
This latest novel features another twisted killer who delights in playing games and setting puzzles. The central theme connecting his murders is deliciously evil and Montanari is skilled at weaving all the strands of the novel together into a cohesive, just-one-more-chapter thriller. You can't help but like the central characters and care about what happens to them. Here there are hints of developments in Byrne's personal life, but these never get in the way of the central storyline.
Definitely one of the best crime novels I've read this year. Richard Montanari cements his status as a 'must-read' author.
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Play Dead - Richard Montanari
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Detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano are called to a scene where a dead girl is found in a glass display case. Then a phone call is received which appears at first to help them in their investigations but in fact sends them on a hunt and is the beginning of a deadly killer's psychological warped game.
This is a story that takes you into the mind of a twisted killer. There is realistic characterisaion - the relationship between the 2 detectives is so natural - there isn't a word wasted and the dialogue is sharp.
The plot has an energy that never flags and contains unforeseeable twists. There is also a strong sense of place in that the setting is so well described that you feel you are in and know Philadelphia.
Montanari is going from strength to strength - he must be one of the best crime/thriller writers about at the moment.
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A very imaginative read..
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Richard has proven once again, he is a master at making your mind go wild with images of what he's writing. Magic, Mayhem and Mischief!, brilliant.
If you have not read Richards other novels, do so!
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Better than the rest
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I've read all the books in this Byrne/Balzano series so far. Although I found them all good enough to keep reading there were aspects in all of them before this one that were cliched and repetitive and prevented the excellent characterisation and atmospheric locations fully delivering for the reader. But Mr Montanari worked it out, this latest book is a truly great read, I highly recommend it
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