Coffee and Wander Book Reviews: [Book Tour- Review] A Time for Monsters by Gareth Worthington [GIVEAWAY]

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08XQY1XVY
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vesuvian Books (September 28, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 28, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English

Praise for A TIME FOR MONSTERS

"Gareth Worthington delves into the mind of a female serial killer that is moved only by music as she tries to get away with murder. A tale of cat and mouse has the reader ask what she is trying to hide. An epic thriller and a fantastic read!" —Tanya Roberts @bookswihtanya, CER at Indigo Books, Québec Canada

"Engaging, stomach twisting, breathtaking, heart breaking, mind bending! Worthington pushes you relentlessly down a path of redemption and off the rough edges of unpaid dues--wherever they are hiding. All the way throwing society's complicity in your face. Not only craftily written but intelligently crafted, he ensnares all your senses while keeping you guessing. A must read for fans of Nordic crime and lovers of twisting storylines." —Dalilah Kőnig, bookseller at Orell Füssli, Switzerland

"A masterfully built story of abuse, pain, and possible redemption unfolds. Every twist and turn was unexpected and kept me wanting to know more. Can understanding the "Monsters" make you accept or condemn them? How Worthington made me actually love and understand a serial killer is beyond me." —Erin E. Forys, Barnes and Noble, Williamsburg, VA

"A hell-raising revenge tale for fans of Gillian Flynn, Stieg Larsson, and Karin Slaughter that forces readers down a dark road with an unexpected twist." —Bram Stoker Awards Nominee, Monique Snyman

A Nordic thriller in the vein of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo meets Death Wish, in which a female serial killer, who only feels emotion when listening to music, is hell-bent on revenge and must outwit a disgraced detective determined to redeem himself if she is to complete her carefully orchestrated plan and cover up the ultimate secret.

ONLY A MONSTER CAN DO THE WRONG THINGS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS

Do you remember the first tape or CD you ever bought? Perhaps you waited for the local station to play the top forty songs on a Sunday so you could record your favorite band. Maybe you downloaded a certain track that reminded you of your wedding day or a graduation.

Reyna Blackburn remembers.

Every single song for every horrific event in her life. She remembers what song was playing on the radio the first time he hurt her. And she remembers what was playing through her headphones the first time she killed.

I've read a lot of suspense/mystery novels recently, and I have to say that this one was very unique. From the start, we are given a point of view from the serial killer. But, the killer is a she and she's bald? Throughout the story, the viewpoint shifts from Reyna to the detective. It also shifts from Reyna's childhood back to present day, 2016. Reyna is a British woman with a past and Detective Arne Huakaas is a detective with a lot of baggage. Together, they play a cat and mouse game till the very end.

There is a lot of mentions of domestic violence in this book, so please check your triggers. Reyna Blackburn is a vigilante serial killer, and she only targets a select group of men. It was so interesting to read from a killers POV, especially one that knows what they're doing. I was more interested in the present day chapters, but I understood why the past chapters were needed. Also, there are twists and turns within the past POV chapters that I never saw coming. I was rooting for Reyna from the start even though she was the serial killer. Don't come for me, I felt like she had legitimate reasons. I wanted her to have her own happily ever after. Unfortunately, the ending is very open ended, so who knows who really won in the end.

Overall, I was captivated by this suspense novel. There are so many unexpected twists that it keeps you ensnared within it's pages from beginning to end. I would recommend this to any fan of suspense. It's unique and bewitching.

Thank you to the Jean Book Nerd Tours for providing a copy of this book. These opinions are my own, and were not influenced in any way. I was not obligated to provide a review.

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Photo Content from Gareth Worthington

Gareth Worthington holds a degree in marine biology, a PhD in Endocrinology, an executive MBA, is Board Certified in Medical Affairs, and currently works for the Pharmaceutical industry.

Gareth is an authority in ancient history, has hand-tagged sharks in California, and trained in various martial arts, including Jeet Kune Do and Muay Thai at the EVOLVE MMA gym in Singapore and 2FIGHT in Switzerland. His work has won multiple awards, including Dragon Award Finalist and an IPPY award for Science Fiction.

He is a member of the International Thriller Writers Association, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and the British Science Fiction Association.

Born in England, Gareth has lived around the world from Asia, to Europe to the USA. Wherever he goes, he endeavors to continue his philanthropic work with various charities.

Gareth is represented by Gandolfo Helin Fountain Literary Agency, NYC, USA.