At first, I wasn´t sure what to think of this thriller. The book is different from her other books I know so far, which means mainly her Night School books, and yet the style is undoubtedly C. J. Daugherty. Good, it takes you some pages to get into everything the author provides you. No matter if it is the main figure itself, the plot, or the story. But then …
Echo Killer*
by Christi DaughertyHarper McClain Series #1
Translation Inka Marter
Original Title The Echo Killing
Publisher rororo on October 23, 2018
Genre Thriller
Pages 442
Format Paperback
Source Publisher
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A woman in her mid-thirties, naked and stabbed on the kitchen floor – found by her 12-year-old daughter. When police reporter Harper McClain sees the scene, she has only one thought: The cruel scenario is identical to another murder. The one on her mother. For fifteen years she has been tormented by the idea that the killer is still at liberty. Now he seems to have struck again. There are no fingerprints, no DNA, no traces. Harper is determined to finally bring the truth to light. But that has its price. (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary)
Story
Harper has her very own way when it comes to doing her job. She doesn´t care about being nice and friendly. Or holding back her thoughts. When she hears that a murder has happened, she wants to be the first at the scene. Her fascination for killed people or a crime scene is almost morbid. Always the thought in mind, that her mother´s killer never got caught.
Style
The tone is solid, the plot kind of gripping, and the figures well thought through. It took me some time to get used to this kind of plot, though I could easily see the C.J. Daugherty writing-style.
Good, it isn´t a YA novel and for sure not with the plot her Night School books have, but still when you know the author´s work you are able to tell that this is from her as well. But I am not happy with the cliffhanger. Oh yes, you´ll get an answer to who the murder was in the new case, but the question Harper is asking herself for over ten years remains unsolved. I can only guess that this will become the central theme besides Harper´s daily work in this series and that it will be solved one day.
Characters
From the first moment, you can see that the main figure isn´t a woman who needs a man by her side to be able to go through life. Harper is sharp-witted, smart, and does often things that are close to the edge of illegality. Which causes her some trouble along the way. But she just can´t stop. When her instincts kick in, she has to do what she does to find the truth. A truth that sometimes isn´t what she thought she would find. Harper is often close to being disrespectful while talking with her editor. And she gets away with it. Her work speaks for herself and shows that she knows what she is doing, despite skipping rules sometimes. Her compulsion to find answers, to get facts to light is wonderful to watch.
Conclusion
Some questions I have are still not answered, and probably never will. Not sure if I like that thought. During reading somehow, the author got me. The more I read the more intense the feeling became, and I was eager to find out more. Harper´s way of handling things is quite fascinating, though I am not sure if I would have a colleague like her. But this is fiction and her behavior brings some action and tension to the thriller.
Happy reading
*This book was kindly provided to me by rororo in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.
*The book was published The Echo Killing by Minotaur Books on March 13, 2018
Christi Daugherty
Christi Daugherty/ C.J. Daugherty is an international bestselling author and former newspaper reporter and crime writer. Her Night School series has been translated into 22 languages and has been the number 1 bestselling young adult book in Germany, Poland, France, and Israel, topping charts in countries around the world. She lives in the south of England with her husband Jack Jewers and a menagerie of pets.
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The premise behind this is soooo good! Harper is incredibly engaging and I WANT to know more about her!
ReplyDeleteMe too. But it took me some pages, to get warm with her as mainfigure and to like her. Thanks for stopping by.
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