Book Review; Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough

Summary:
When a rotting torso is discovered in the vault of New Scotland Yard, it doesn’t take Dr Thomas Bond, Police Surgeon, long to realise that there is a second killer at work in the city where, only a few days before, Jack the Ripper brutally murdered two women in one night.

Though just as gruesome, this is the hand of a colder killer, one who lacks Jack’s emotion. And, as more headless and limbless torsos find their way into the Thames, Dr Bond becomes obsessed with finding the killer.

As his investigations lead him into an unholy alliance, he starts to wonder: is it a man who has brought mayhem to the streets of London, or a monster?

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Hiddin In

I had very little expectations of this book, other than knowing that people really liked Sarah Pinborough’s books. The synopsis of this book caught my eye – despite being a historical – because I have a weird fascination with Jack the Ripper. Add to that a paranormal/fantasy element and I was sure this would be a book I’d enjoy. And I was right. This book was compelling, riveting, and full of tension. It is full of descriptive and flowing writing that I really liked.

The Shadows

One of the best things about this book was the plot which was complex and full of interesting twists and turns. It, incidentally, took me a while to match up the dots due to there being a lot of different characters, names, and times thrown my way, but when I did, the story became even more intense and exciting. I loved the waiting in thie story. You knew what was going to happen but not when or how. This one really just drew me in and kept me until the very end. I also found the newspaper articles to be a fascinating touch.

Is Your

Alongside an elaborate plot, Sarah has deep, interested characters. I found Dr Bond to be a truly wonderful character to read about. I loved that he was shown as human with flaws and imperfections. I also loved that he was strong and weak at the same time and that the other characters noticed his changes. I found that all the characters, and as mentioned above there were a lot, were all so well defined. They all had distinct and interesting personalities that all fit with the gloomy atmosphere of the novel. On top of it all, I think the paranomal aspect was very creative and gripping.

Worst Nightmare

Mayhem is a very captivating novel that is full of mystery, tension, thrills and horror. It is riveting and intriguing and is a book that I truly enjoyed. There were a few things that confused me to begin with but I quickly got into the flow of it and ended up unable to put the book down. This book is dark, and has the potential to truly creep you out and that is yet another reason why I enjoyed it so much. The paranormal in this book bends reality extremely well. If you’re looking for a book that keeps you on your toes, then you should definitely read this book.