The Silent Man by David Fennell

 

A sadistic killer is on the loose in London. In the dead of night, he suffocates his victims by wrapping duct tape around their heads. DI Grace Archer and her team need to track down the killer before he claims any more victims.

The Silent Man by David Fennell is book 3 in the DI Grace Archer series. Fans of the series will enjoy this outing just as much as they did the previous two, however, the author certainly puts your emotions through the wringer this time around.

If all you are interested in is a serial killer thriller then The Silent Man will do the job but if you really want to see how the story-line has developed I implore you to read the previous two books in the series,  The Art Of Death and See No Evil, to gain a greater understanding of the dynamics.

The story picks up shortly after the second book in the series. During the night a killer enters the home of a father and his young son. The intruder immobilises the adult, wraps his head in duct tape and draws a face on the duct tape. The child is left unharmed. The police are puzzled, the only possible motive seems to be jealousy from his ex-wife's new boyfriend. When a second murder takes place under very similar circumstances the police realise they have a serial killer to contend with.

It's the mundane, everyday situations that quickly turn to terror that grip you at the beginning of the novel. It is frightening when you realise how easy it could be for someone to gain entry to your home. 

For me, however, the hunt for the serial killer is not the main part of the story. DI Grace Archer is still dealing with the vendetta against her and her family by Frankie White, the local crime lord. White was responsible for the death of Grace's father and now White blames Grace for the death of his grandson. 

No one close to Grace is safe from harm. There are some extremely tense moments. At one point I was so shocked and numb by the turn of events I wasn't sure if I could read on. I'm really not sure how it's possible to read while covering your eyes!

There are some lighter moments in the story. Trying to hide out from White and his gang leads to Grace staying in her partner's flat. This results in a group of old women becoming lookouts and bodyguards. Their actions and conversations will make you chuckle.

As the serial killer is tracked down there are some more tense moments and we gain an understanding of his motives. All the threads seem to be neatly tied up but author David Fennell can't resist one final gut-wrenching moment.

The Silent Man by David Fennell will be published on 31st August 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for a review copy.