Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed on 7/17/2019 + 1215 more book reviews

This is the first Connolly novel that I have read and I really enjoyed this very dark thriller. I had heard good things about the Charlie Parker series and finally read this one that I had received from a book trading site. Charlie Parker is a PI who gets drawn into a mystery involving a child psychiatrist named Daniel Clay, who has been missing for several years, when an ex-con named Merrick begins stalking the psychiatrist's daughter looking for answers. Clay was involved with a number of children who had been sexually abused and some think he may have been somehow involved in the abuse. Well Parker gets hired to stop Merrick from harassing the daughter and then gets drawn into the mystery of the missing Dr. Clay. This leads to some very unsavory history including a town that was founded in the wilderness of Maine that was a site of child abuse and the killing of some young infants. Then there are a group of men that abused children wearing bird masks to keep their identity secret. Merrick's daughter was one of the abused and he is seeking vengeance.

This novel really had me turning the pages. It was full of interesting characters including Parker's cohorts, Angel and Louis, a pair of toughs who are gay and help watch out after Parker. Then there is Merrick, a tough ex-con and hitman who Parker eventually feels needs justice. There is also a somewhat supernatural element to the story with Parker being haunted by the spirits of his first wife and daughter who were killed some years ago. Then there is the ominous Collector who seems to collect the souls of those who deserve a special hell. And who are the "hollow men" that seem to appear to Parker and others? Of course, this novel was told around a very disturbing story about child abuse but overall I would highly recommend it and will be reading more in this series.

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