THE MURDERER'S SON a gripping crime thriller full of twists (JACKMAN & EVANS Book 1)

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Let me preface my review with the fact that this is my first ever reading of a police procedural crime story, which is not my particular cup of tea. But, the psychological thriller storyline is intriguing, so I decided to “cowgirl up” and read it. The mystery was decent, but coincidences were everywhere - the expert who just happened to have studied the murderer that the suspect was obsessed it, who was actually the murderer himself and was also obsessed with Evans, who he tried to murder. Plus all the incompetence from seemingly everyone, that was still somehow able to be salvaged at the end. And at least three people, in three separate situations, venturing somewhere alone, despite knowing there is a serial killer on the loose! Three people, two of whom are cops!

It also prompted intense discussion on social media about a legal system that offers relative leniency to parents who kill their offspring. Murder is usually a capital offence in Iran but people who kill their children face a maximum of 10 years in jail. The novel is well paced, it doesn't get dull, and even if you find out the who done it, you keep reading until the end. During the court hearing, Akbar told Hamshahri reporters he had no regrets. “I don’t regret what I did with the cooperation of my wife. They were corrupted and I thank God.” Andrew took to the witness stand during Cooper’s trial in 2011, appearing as a prosecution witness, and gave damning evidence against his father. As a result I believe that Andrew can quite legitimately be considered as one of John Cooper's victims.

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This is a mystery with a different point of view. Through twists and turns we eventually discover the truth. (Although I guessed it earlier, it didn’t spoil the book at all.) Whatever happened at that time it left a scar on Andrew, which I suspect can't ever be mended properly. A young man who is the son of a serial killer confessing to the murder of a young woman in her kitchen. The police don’t believe him and release him. When another young woman is found dead, things take a turn. Was the young man telling the truth? Soon, one of their own is in danger. After being taken into custody, the couple confessed they had also killed their son-in-law 10 years previously, and their daughter three years ago, in the same way. Some of the discussion of the case on social media focused on why the couple’s disappearance had not prompted an investigation. This is a tough review to write. I won’t get into the story as the publicity blurb above outlines the plot. Instead, I’ll try to explain why this wasn’t for me.

I loved how the parallels to the past were used a lot in this case. You have the elusive and murderous Francois Thayer, who Daniel believes to a stage of obsessiveness is his mother. You see the loose threads of her killer spree running so close to the present day you wonder if it is the same killer. Is Daniel copying the past? In the royal palace at Forres, Banquo paces and thinks about the coronation of Macbeth and the prophecies of the weird sisters. The witches foretold that Macbeth would be king and that Banquo’s line would eventually sit on the throne. If the first prophecy came true, Banquo thinks, feeling the stirring of ambition, why not the second? Macbeth enters, attired as king. He is followed by Lady Macbeth, now his queen, and the court. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth ask Banquo to attend the feast they will host that night. Banquo accepts their invitation and says that he plans to go for a ride on his horse for the afternoon. Macbeth mentions that they should discuss the problem of Malcolm and Donalbain. The brothers have fled from Scotland and may be plotting against his crown.I really liked what Joy Ellis did with the female character of Marie, she looks like any woman you can meet on the street, unlike other female detectives I came across lately, Marie has exceptionally normal eyes and hair color, she is a biker and a devoted friend, tough and vulnerable, has high morals and that's what makes you like her very much. Police found human remains, including two hands, and used fingerprints to identify the victim. They then went to the house of Khorramdin’s parents.

According to the programme - which features Andrew at length, gaining insight into the most private aspects of his life - he changed his name because Cooper chose 'Adrian'.Whilst we have the duo on the hunt for the “real” murderer we have a subplot which I really enjoyed and wanted more exposure involved Zane Pruitt and Kevin Stoner. I have to say Stoner was my favourite character (ok Orac is a very close second) in the book and what he endured at the hands of Pruitt made me so angry! I hope he gets more book time; you see Stoner goes from hiding who is, to accepting who he is, I do love me a bit of character growth like that! The story itself is immediately engaging and twists and turns leaving me guessing without groaning in exasperation at the ridiculousness of it all which has happened a few times recently. Ellis has a bright approach to her writing which moves the story on at a very enjoyable pace while allowing her characters to grow depth and colour. Poor Daniel Kinder has turned himself into the police confessing to a brutal murder. The only problem is, the police don't think he did it. Daniel is convinced he is the son of vicious murderess, Francis Thayer, and as her tainted blood runs through his veins, he has inherited a propensity to kill. Unfortunately he also suffers fugue states and has no idea what he does during these episodes so he thinks, obviously, he murders women. Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Robert Bryndza, Mel Sherratt, Angela Marsons, Colin Dexter, or Ruth Rendell.

First, this author has some serious writing skills. It’s well paced, has good flow & a real sense of place. It simply comes down to a matter of taste & what you enjoy reading.

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Notes: Mask Wars was later re-published as Crime on the Fens. Shadowbreaker was re-titled Shadow Over the Fens. If You Like Joy Ellis Books, You’ll Love… I read this book over a year ago and wrote the review but it didn't make it onto Good reads at the time, so here it is. This was a very solid and enjoyable police procedural with solid, likeable characters, a new series for Joy Ellis. As a murder mystery thriller crime novel, The Murderer’s Son, presents multiple suspects, and you may or may not guess who the killer(s) is before the end of the book. Joy Ellis expertly provides plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing and second-guessing yourself. Either way, you won’t be completely sure until Ellis reveals all near the end of the story.