Death Pact
Available on July 2, 2024 • 240 pages
Ratings1
Average rating5
15
Ratings1
Average rating5
This standalone sees two brothers saved from a cult as children, now grown up to become two very different adults. Both are being pursued by a serial killer hell bent on sacrificing them for their divine purpose . . .
All angels are not goodness and light. In fact . . . they're some of the most murderous creatures you'll ever come across
Former detective Nate Freeman just wants to be left alone as he recovers from the case that ended his career two years ago. As a child, he and his brother Will were saved from a religious fanatic compound in the US and brought to the UK. Now, as an adult, Nate has no idea where Will, or any of the other surviving 'Children of Hamor' are, until they suddenly start turning up dead – minus some skin . . .
When his old boss DCI Openshaw asks him to assist in finding the serial killer who is hell bent on collecting the symbols so brutally branded onto the children's backs in the name of Berith – the Fallen Angel – Nate finds himself conflicted. As one of 'the promised' Nate is in mortal danger, and as the case builds momentum Will becomes the prime suspect. It's an intense race against time for Nate to uncover the identity of the 'angelic' serial killer and save his own skin in the process!
Reviews with the most likes.
Gruesome Crime Horror/ Thriller Starts With A Bang. Seriously, the start of this book feels like Hilton read Jeff Guinn's Waco, because it truly feels like Hilton took Guinn's hyper realistic descriptions of what actually went down there to scaffold his own fictional version.
Which is actually a *phenomenal* way to begin this particular tale.
The rest of the tale then flashes forward a bit and crosses the "pond", becoming a UK based police/ crime tale featuring some particularly horrific murders that fans of Thomas Harris' Hannibal Lecter trilogy or Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's Pendergast series will absolutely enjoy. The pacing of the investigation is solid, and the way the various characters meld together is done quite well.
Surprises late are well executed, and by the end you're going to be questioning if this is meant to be a series starter afterall...
Overall truly a great crime story excellently told, and a solid change of pace from Hilton's Grey and Villere thrillers in particular in that while the action is equally intense, the criminals here feel so much more decidedly dark and truly evil. Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.