An intelligent, compelling thriller
The 50/50 Killer by Steve Mosby, Orion, pp288, ISBN-13: 978-0752881577
Steve Mosby hit the headlines in 2003 when his debut novel, The Third Person, was launched as part of Orion's, Britain's leading publisher of contemporary crime fiction, international New Blood series. Love, danger and death are central motifs in Mosby's works and he often draws inspiration from his own ideas and personal experiences. In his new novel, The 50/50 Killer, Mosby combines the horror and crime genres yet steers away from the usual crime fiction formula in this scary and entertaining drama.
The 50/50 Killer follows the investigation of a serial killer, known as the 50/50 killer, who stalks and carefully studies his victims who are always couples. He then kidnaps the respective couple and tortures them with the problems and secrets within their relationship through a night in which they must then decide who of them is to be killed. The killer is a merciless sadist who, dressed as the devil, subjects his victims to a night of gruesome torture and manipulation.
In the story, young and ambitious detective Mark Nelson has just been assigned to the murder-team run by the legendary John Mercer, whose colleague was murdered when close to the arrest of the 50/50 killer two years back. Mercer's team encounters many obstacles in the search for the psychopathic killer and his latest victim and Mosby interweaves the stories of Nelson and Mercer with the ongoing crimes.
The novel is divided into four parts. Each begins with an extract from Mercer's best-selling crime book, Damage Done, which is based on his years of experience in hunting down killers. At the beginning of each chapter the reader is given the date and time in relation to dawn, which is when the killer plans to kill his next victim. In this way, the novel is presented as sections of time rather than chapters. As the book moves on, it becomes a race against time and adds to the sense of urgency. The action takes place over just 24 hours where something happens in every chapter. Moreover, a different character narrates each chapter and this helps us to see every protagonist's point of view.
We view most of the book through Nelson, whose chapters are the only ones written in the first person. An interesting aspect is that the reader is never told in which city the story takes place. The lack of identifiable setting adds to the distressing nature of the story and creates a mysterious background to the pervading mood of the novel. The 50/50 Killer is recommended for readers who like the fast pace and frequent action of a good crime thriller.
This tense psychological thriller bids us to examine the many dimensions of human emotions and relationships. Mosby creates a world in which the very nature of love and loyalty is tested. We say that we would never live without someone we love and would die for them, but would we? Emotions of failure also play a powerful part.
Mosby skilfully draws together a complex and, to a certain extent, fragmented story in which a mental and emotional conflict exists between several of the characters. The drama is fuelled by intense emotion and brutal violence in a dark, uninviting world. The character of Mercer also reflects the journey into despair of a man who is seeking answers and the main element of fear runs throughout the story.
The 50/50 Killer has an original plot with several twists yet the ending is sad and perhaps disappointing as not everything is tied up. The descriptive prose flows easily and keeps the reader's attention because it is both plot and character-driven. The chapters are fairly short and their endings waver between tension and an anticipation of what is to come. The graphic violence and vividly portrayed characters also give the novel its strength.
What makes The 50/50 Killer a desirable read is the fact that Mosby does not only attach weight to the interpretation and analysis of evidence to finding the psychopath but also to action. Still, the isolated location, the masked killer, the unconventional weapons used, the level of gore and the lone survivor provide us with key elements of the slasher genre. Nevertheless, the less human, more monstrous title character, the multiple streams of consciousness and the unpredictable plot will certainly kick the novel's appeal into high gear.
• Ms Montanaro is a postgraduate student at the University of Edinburgh. She is researching for a PhD on Psychoanalysis and British Surrealism.
A review copy of this title was supplied by Arco - Allied Retail & Commercial Co. Ltd.
The 50/50 Killer follows the investigation of a serial killer, known as the 50/50 killer, who stalks and carefully studies his victims who are always couples. He then kidnaps the respective couple and tortures them with the problems and secrets within their relationship through a night in which they must then decide who of them is to be killed. The killer is a merciless sadist who, dressed as the devil, subjects his victims to a night of gruesome torture and manipulation.
In the story, young and ambitious detective Mark Nelson has just been assigned to the murder-team run by the legendary John Mercer, whose colleague was murdered when close to the arrest of the 50/50 killer two years back. Mercer's team encounters many obstacles in the search for the psychopathic killer and his latest victim and Mosby interweaves the stories of Nelson and Mercer with the ongoing crimes.
The novel is divided into four parts. Each begins with an extract from Mercer's best-selling crime book, Damage Done, which is based on his years of experience in hunting down killers. At the beginning of each chapter the reader is given the date and time in relation to dawn, which is when the killer plans to kill his next victim. In this way, the novel is presented as sections of time rather than chapters. As the book moves on, it becomes a race against time and adds to the sense of urgency. The action takes place over just 24 hours where something happens in every chapter. Moreover, a different character narrates each chapter and this helps us to see every protagonist's point of view.
We view most of the book through Nelson, whose chapters are the only ones written in the first person. An interesting aspect is that the reader is never told in which city the story takes place. The lack of identifiable setting adds to the distressing nature of the story and creates a mysterious background to the pervading mood of the novel. The 50/50 Killer is recommended for readers who like the fast pace and frequent action of a good crime thriller.
This tense psychological thriller bids us to examine the many dimensions of human emotions and relationships. Mosby creates a world in which the very nature of love and loyalty is tested. We say that we would never live without someone we love and would die for them, but would we? Emotions of failure also play a powerful part.
Mosby skilfully draws together a complex and, to a certain extent, fragmented story in which a mental and emotional conflict exists between several of the characters. The drama is fuelled by intense emotion and brutal violence in a dark, uninviting world. The character of Mercer also reflects the journey into despair of a man who is seeking answers and the main element of fear runs throughout the story.
The 50/50 Killer has an original plot with several twists yet the ending is sad and perhaps disappointing as not everything is tied up. The descriptive prose flows easily and keeps the reader's attention because it is both plot and character-driven. The chapters are fairly short and their endings waver between tension and an anticipation of what is to come. The graphic violence and vividly portrayed characters also give the novel its strength.
What makes The 50/50 Killer a desirable read is the fact that Mosby does not only attach weight to the interpretation and analysis of evidence to finding the psychopath but also to action. Still, the isolated location, the masked killer, the unconventional weapons used, the level of gore and the lone survivor provide us with key elements of the slasher genre. Nevertheless, the less human, more monstrous title character, the multiple streams of consciousness and the unpredictable plot will certainly kick the novel's appeal into high gear.
• Ms Montanaro is a postgraduate student at the University of Edinburgh. She is researching for a PhD on Psychoanalysis and British Surrealism.
A review copy of this title was supplied by Arco - Allied Retail & Commercial Co. Ltd.