Maxine (Booklover Catlady)'s Reviews > Follow The Leader

Another great book from the pen of Mel Sheratt. The second in the DS Allie Shenton series (I have yet to read the first!), this book was very entertaining with some surprising and unique aspects to the plot.

I read crime more than any other genre, and those that don't read crime tend to think it's all the same, but it's not, one crime book from another can be as different as chalk and cheese, some can be as boring as popping your giant bowl of popcorn one kernel at a time, even if a serial killer is in the book.

I like the character portrayal both the good and the bad guys in this book, there is some depth to them, I could easily picture these characters in an ongoing TV crime drama, there were also easy to remember, I hate reading a book when there are so many characters you forget who is who and what they do.

A man’s body is found on a canal towpath. In his pocket, a magnetic letter in the shape of an E. Days later, a second victim is found, this time with the letter V tucked into her clothing.

As the body count rises, the eerie, childlike clues point to a pattern that sends DS Allie Shenton and her colleagues into full alert.

The race is on. Allie and the team must work quickly to determine where the killer will strike next. The rules are simple but deadly—to catch the killer, they must follow the leader.

The plot is what makes this book great. It switches timelines from the younger years of the killer to the modern day, which gives us a strong background into why he/she is doing what they are (to some degree) or does it? Tricky bits in there.

It's not boring for a minute, it's got a strong steady and fast enough pace. I liked the way it delves into the impact of consequences, no matter how long term that actions can have on future events. It makes you think. The piecing together from the letters found on the body had me feel like I was playing hangman, trying to work out the final word.

It's not often I feel any sense of sadness or empathy for a serial killer but this one managed to stir that up in me at the fantastic ending to the book. Emotional moment for me reading the past/present blending there.

However I must say, I did not quite get the very last few pages involving DS Shenton in the last pages of the book. Mel, if you are reading this can you let me know the message that was meant to send?

A solid crime drama, pleasing to read, holds your interest and gives you enough space to try to solve the crime yourself. Nice one Mel, 4 stars from me.

Oh - one last thing, I had no idea this was book two in a series until I had finished it, which shows how well it reads also as a stand alone.

Thanks for my ARC copy of this novel from the author and publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.