Mutilated is the second 'stand alone' novel in this dark, gritty, British Crime Thriller trilogy. A mix of psychological chills combined with murder, mystery and mayhem, containing fascinating characters and an intricate plot - with plenty of twists and turns.
In brief:
A serial killer challenges forensic psychiatrist, Doctor Colin Powers, to solve several cold case mutilation murders, while DI Jack Carver investigates a newly dismembered victim…
Is it a coincidence?
Can a criminal psychopath somehow be involved - despite having been incarcerated for two decades?
And where is Doc’s lover, who disappeared months before..?
*
No 'Look Inside' feature available yet? Here's a brief teaser from the opening scene of Mutilated:
Gerald had seen all manner of horrors in his long life, some terrible things still buried in the murky depths of his memory, brought out for inspection only on rare occasions these days. He never discussed his time in Kenya, serving the British Empire as its post-war sphere of influence waned and the locals fought bloody battles for their independence. He had been a good military man, fresh out of school, had followed orders, that was all.
Yes, he had helped intern the dissidents, had ‘disciplined’ the worst of them, had ‘re-educated’ the Mau Mau thugs, castrating the men with fire and pincers. Had pierced some eardrums with a screwdriver. Had done rather more than merely witness dark-skinned limbs being hacked from screaming adult males…
But he knew he was a decent man at heart, a good soldier, a patriot, a caring grandfather, a kindly old soul — one who had no desire to rekindle those memories right here, right now.
Yet, as he turned back at Smudge’s bidding, finally closing in on the hideous object to satisfy his own curiosity at his dog’s behest, he felt his heart start to canter wildly and his breath shuddered a hoarse rasp from his throat. At first he doubted his own failing eyesight, but as he placed his hand on the pallid breast, he knew he was not mistaken.
It was no mannequin, no tailor’s dummy.
His fingers flew away at the touch of cool flesh and he realised he was staring at a dismembered body, desecrated and ruined beyond recognition, but definitely human. Of that, there was no doubt in Gerald’s now fevered mind.
But his brain still scrambled to make some sense of what he was seeing, demanding to know who had placed these remains here, just a few metres from the footpath, the route of his and Smudge’s regular pre-dawn walk. He immediately concluded that this was no coincidence — the disfigured body had been placed here, for him to find.
As the discovery catapulted his mind back to his long dormant past, conjuring in his mind’s eye a world of screaming madness, of suffering and torment, he cursed the person who had done this to him.
Then, worse, much worse, was the sudden realisation that the thing seemed to be moving...
*
From the back cover:
A sadistic killer sends a disturbing letter to Broadmoor hospital for the criminally insane, challenging forensic psychiatrist, Doctor Colin Powers, to investigate several unsolved mutilation murders committed over the last decade.
That same morning, DI Jack Carver is appointed lead detective when a dismembered victim is found hanging from a tree on Clapham Common in south London.
Neither Doc nor Jack believe in coincidences…
What has this psychopath, nicknamed ‘The Surgeon’ by Jack’s team, got to do with Doc’s past, and how can one of Broadmoor’s most vicious patients be involved - despite being locked up for over twenty years?
And more importantly to Doc, where is his lover, Judy Finch, who went missing several months before?
*
The dark, spine-chilling first book in this series, Remorseless, has been described by independent 5 star reviewers as 'British crime thriller writing at its best', 'Right up there with James Patterson and Stephen King', and '...up there with Stuart MacBride and Val McDermid'.
In brief:
A serial killer challenges forensic psychiatrist, Doctor Colin Powers, to solve several cold case mutilation murders, while DI Jack Carver investigates a newly dismembered victim…
Is it a coincidence?
Can a criminal psychopath somehow be involved - despite having been incarcerated for two decades?
And where is Doc’s lover, who disappeared months before..?
*
No 'Look Inside' feature available yet? Here's a brief teaser from the opening scene of Mutilated:
Gerald had seen all manner of horrors in his long life, some terrible things still buried in the murky depths of his memory, brought out for inspection only on rare occasions these days. He never discussed his time in Kenya, serving the British Empire as its post-war sphere of influence waned and the locals fought bloody battles for their independence. He had been a good military man, fresh out of school, had followed orders, that was all.
Yes, he had helped intern the dissidents, had ‘disciplined’ the worst of them, had ‘re-educated’ the Mau Mau thugs, castrating the men with fire and pincers. Had pierced some eardrums with a screwdriver. Had done rather more than merely witness dark-skinned limbs being hacked from screaming adult males…
But he knew he was a decent man at heart, a good soldier, a patriot, a caring grandfather, a kindly old soul — one who had no desire to rekindle those memories right here, right now.
Yet, as he turned back at Smudge’s bidding, finally closing in on the hideous object to satisfy his own curiosity at his dog’s behest, he felt his heart start to canter wildly and his breath shuddered a hoarse rasp from his throat. At first he doubted his own failing eyesight, but as he placed his hand on the pallid breast, he knew he was not mistaken.
It was no mannequin, no tailor’s dummy.
His fingers flew away at the touch of cool flesh and he realised he was staring at a dismembered body, desecrated and ruined beyond recognition, but definitely human. Of that, there was no doubt in Gerald’s now fevered mind.
But his brain still scrambled to make some sense of what he was seeing, demanding to know who had placed these remains here, just a few metres from the footpath, the route of his and Smudge’s regular pre-dawn walk. He immediately concluded that this was no coincidence — the disfigured body had been placed here, for him to find.
As the discovery catapulted his mind back to his long dormant past, conjuring in his mind’s eye a world of screaming madness, of suffering and torment, he cursed the person who had done this to him.
Then, worse, much worse, was the sudden realisation that the thing seemed to be moving...
*
From the back cover:
A sadistic killer sends a disturbing letter to Broadmoor hospital for the criminally insane, challenging forensic psychiatrist, Doctor Colin Powers, to investigate several unsolved mutilation murders committed over the last decade.
That same morning, DI Jack Carver is appointed lead detective when a dismembered victim is found hanging from a tree on Clapham Common in south London.
Neither Doc nor Jack believe in coincidences…
What has this psychopath, nicknamed ‘The Surgeon’ by Jack’s team, got to do with Doc’s past, and how can one of Broadmoor’s most vicious patients be involved - despite being locked up for over twenty years?
And more importantly to Doc, where is his lover, Judy Finch, who went missing several months before?
*
The dark, spine-chilling first book in this series, Remorseless, has been described by independent 5 star reviewers as 'British crime thriller writing at its best', 'Right up there with James Patterson and Stephen King', and '...up there with Stuart MacBride and Val McDermid'.
