Purged by Peter Laws

Purged by Peter Laws
Buy Purged by Peter Laws at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Crime
Reviewer: Aileen McKenzie
Summary: A fast paced thriller that combines the dark and light sides of human nature.
Buy? Maybe	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 350	Date: July 2017
Publisher: Allison & Busby
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 978-0749021450
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Former Minister Matt Hunter lost his faith a long time ago and is now a professor of sociology at university. When his wife is close to closing a new business deal in the village of Hobbs Hill the family decide to take a trip there for a few weeks to relax whilst the deal is finalised. Unbeknown to them, the close knit community is not as tranquil and Hunter comes across an old acquaintance he has not seen since his religious days and things become uncomfortable. When a local girl goes missing, Matt is pulled into the investigation after a picture of the missing girl is emailed to him. When a second woman is reported missing all the clues point to Hunter having something to do with the disappearances. It is now down to Hunter to face the past, clear his name and catch a killer who perversely thinks he is killing for the greater good.

This book really gave me the creeps and I found the subject an interesting premise for a crime fiction novel. Told in third person from different points of view the reader is given a chilling glimpse into the mind of a cold-blooded killer who has completely lost touch with reality. Some of the murder scenes were quite gruesome, so not for the faint hearted, but also quite emotional. The victims seemed so blissfully unaware it almost hurt.

The plot had been planned carefully however was predictable in parts. The reader is given an eclectic group of quirky characters, never knowing exactly who to trust and who to be suspicious of. The author set the scene well, and at parts I could almost imagine being alongside them in this rural twilight zone.

If you are looking for another version of The Da Vinci Code then this book is not for you. There are no ancient religious secrets waiting to be exposed; this a contemporary crime fiction novel where the lead investigator is not some burned out cop, but a family man with a highly interesting back story. Overall rating 3½ stars, Peter Laws has laid solid groundwork for a great, unique new series, and I can’t wait to read the next chapter in the Matt Hunter story. Thanks to the Peter Laws and The Bookbag for my advanced reader copy.

Similar reading: True Blue by David Baldacci

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You can read more book reviews or buy Purged by Peter Laws at Amazon.com.

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