Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Title:       Dead Eyed [DCI Michael Lambert, book 1]
Author:   Matt Brolly
Rating:   ★★★
Availability: Amazon US | Amazon UK
*Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The first few pages alone chilled me so much I put off reading whenever it was daytime because I didn't want Dead Eyed to be the last thing on my mind before sleeping. If you're the type who tends to dream vividly, that's a good tip for you.

DCI Michael Lambert thought he’d closed his last case…

Yet when he’s passed a file detailing a particularly gruesome murder, Michael knows that this is no ordinary killer at work.

The removal of the victim’s eyes and the Latin inscription carved into the chest is the chilling calling-card of the ‘soul jacker’: a cold-blooded murderer who struck close to Michael once before, twenty-five years ago.

Now the long-buried case is being re-opened, and Michael is determined to use his inside knowledge to finally bring the killer to justice. But as the body count rises, Michael realises that his own links to the victims could mean that he is next on the killer’s list…

Dead Eyed had its hooks on me right from the start. I've even put off reading a book I've waited a whole year for just so I can finish this gritty thriller -- and I have no regrets! However, I did skip over some of the descriptions whenever a corpse was found because they'll be sure to visit me when I sleep.

Michael Lambert seemed knowledgeable and an excellent DCI but he lacked a little intensity for me. He kept holding back on the pressure, and he wasn't as intimidating as my other favorite police cops (James Patterson's Alex Cross comes to mind). Lambert's not in my top favorite police thriller characters, but the whole story itself is a saving grace.

I felt like I was figuring out the killer instead of just waiting for the end. I had my suspicions nearing the end, and I felt a slight triumph in getting it right. However, I wish there was more explanation why the killer did what he did as one of the things I dislike in thriller stories is insufficient reasoning/motive behind a killer's action.

But that being said, Matt Brolly's Michael Lambert series is off to a good start with Dead Eyed. I feel like Lambert would be a pretty interesting character to watch out for.



About the author

Following his law degree where he developed an interest in criminal law, Matt Brolly completed his Masters in Creative Writing at Glasgow University. He reads widely across all genres, and is currently working on the second in his Michael Lambert thriller series. Matt lives in London with his wife and their two young children. You can find out more about Matt at his website MattBrolly.co.uk or by following him on Twitter.



Cheers,