Library of the Dead by Glenn Cooper

Library of the Dead by Glenn Cooper
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days

Pages - 410

Publisher - Arrow

Blurb from Goodreads

The most shocking secret in the history of mankind is about to be revealed...A murderer is on the loose on the streets of New York City: nicknamed the Doomsday Killer, he's claimed six victims in just two weeks, and the city is terrified. Even worse, the police are mystified: the victims have nothing in common, defying all profiling, and all that connects them is that each received a sick postcard in the mail before they died - a postcard that announced their date of death. In desperation, the FBI assigns the case to maverick agent Will Piper, once the most accomplished serial killing expert in the bureau's history, now on a dissolute spiral to retirement. Battling his own demons, Will is soon drawn back into a world he both loves and hates, determined to catch the killer whatever it takes. But his search takes him in a direction he could never have predicted, uncovering a shocking secret that has been closely guarded for centuries. A secret that once lay buried in an underground library beneath an 8th Century monastery, but which has now been unearthed - with deadly consequences. A select few defend the secret of the library with their lives - and as Will closes in on the truth, they are determined to stop him, at any cost...




My Review

We open in 2009 in New York City, someone is killing people and if not for the calling card the murders would not be linked, they are so different in their nature and victimology. Will Piper is called onto the case, a serial killer expert however he is a loose canon himself with many personal issues but he is the best hope the team has. With a timeline that jumps around, visiting a time period approximately 1200 years ago and back and forth to present day.

So a wee heads up, the detective and main character has a bit of an attitude on him and I think some folk may be offended by his interactions and thoughts towards his female partner. There is quite a bit of swearing throughout and one particularly harrowing scene with the brutal death of a baby. This is not a spoiler but I feel, knowing how some folk can't read certain acts of violence toward children or sexual aggression toward adults, a heads up is required as both happen.

The killer sends a postcard with a coffin and date to the victims and within a day or two of or on that date they die. Each in very different circumstances and each equally brutal, the police are baffled as to how the killer is doing this. The investigation begins and Will does his thing no matter who or what gets in his way. We get a look into Will's personal life as well as the police procedures although this isn't the heart of the book.

It is certainly different to any other serial killer books, I believe this is the first of a series and whilst I would read the others that follow I won't be rushing out to track them down. 3/5 for me this time it will be interesting to see what the future has in store next for Will Piper.

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