Customer Reviews

Dead of Knight

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4 star:		(3)
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Author William Potter has penned one of the more realistic and dramatic crime thrillers I've read in a long time. Dead of Knight tells the story of the "Birthday Boy" serial killer who terrorizes the small town of Hanson, British Columbia. He has earned his name by brutally murdering his victims on their birthdays.

Potter renders true-to-life insights into small town and RCMP police procedures and politics. Dialogue is spot-on, breathing life into the many characters. Cop-speak is entirely realistic -- and appropriately loaded with expletives. (In my opinion, the cursing comes with the territory.)

While the cops beat the bushes for clues to the perp's identity and whereabouts, Potter leads the reader into the twisted mind of the psychotic killer, revealing the pathologies that made "Birthday Boy" the murderous menace he has become.

Editing is, for the most part, superb -- better than in typical NY Times Best Sellers. And Potter crafts the plot line with skill and artifice.

I don't want to give anything away. But suffice it to say that this book is well worth the price of admission.

I rate it a MUST HAVE for crime enthusiasts!

This psychological thriller was of special interest to me because a lot of the action centered around the area where I grew up, Vancouver and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. According to the cover blurb, Canadian author William R. Potter began this book in 2002, put the book on hold, and after completing other work, returned to Dead of Knight. I for one, am very glad he did.

A descriptive book, it takes place in the fictional town of Hanson in British Columbia. The book begins with a journey into the mind of a psychotic murderer, nick-named the Birthday Boy, because his victims were murdered on their birthdays. He sees himself as a hero; he is currently Tyro, training to become what he perceives to be a super hero who will be Damian Knight, Soldier of Justice. He believes he is on the same side as the law. The character is well-defined, as is the character of Jack Staal, the detective who becomes Knight's focused nemesis.

The story is also a police procedural that doesn't always follow procedure, often a sign of office politics versus either the very caring or the corrupt. Jack Staal is one of the caring, but he is fraught with demons of past cases. Some might call him flawed, others a hero. No matter, this is one man who is determined to stop Damian Knight, the psycho-serial killer with a mission. But what is the mission? How do the murders connect?

Jack and his group of allies on the police force must buck authority to bring in the "perp" as soon as possible, while the authorized group bungle and follow wrong leads, rumours abound. This is a very satisfying thriller, complete with background descriptions of what has led to this killing spree, internal strife in the police department, a vendetta against Jack Staal by Damian Knight when he thinks he is getting too close to solving who Damian Knight is, false leads, taunting hints left for Jack, death and injury. The methods of putting the pieces together is compelling. The plot was well thought out, played out with passion and resolve. A complex and taut story that kept my attention throughout. Written for mature readers.

Francis Campbell experienced bullying during his high school years that exceeded the extreme. The offenders became known as Vince's Girls, who all bestowed upon Francis horrendous cruelty. Now, at 30 years of age, Francis is cunningly taking out these assaulters and becomes known as the "Birthday Boy" serial killer. Detectives Jack Staal and Rachel Gooch take the initiative to capture this serial killer at great risks to their lives. Author William Potter has done a remarkable job of tracking every move they make to accomplish their goal. Who will prevail, Damian Knight or the law enforcers? Excellent thriller.

William R. Potter is the goods when it comes to Crime Thrillers. This story kicks off with a bang and never lets the reader down. Fluid prose and fast paced. I was awed by the writing of the terror the antagonist was carrying out and drawn deeply to the protagonist's will to catch the killer. 'Dead of Knight' is a thriller akin to the Silence of the Lambs Author, Thomas Harris. This novel fulfills. A 10 Star Read at the very least.

I could have easily read this riveting, compelling book in one go if it weren't for my personal time constraints. Still, I found myself to be reading into the wee hours of the morning because I simply could not put this book down. Fast-paced right up to the last chapter, the story leaves the reader hungry for more. The author writes a realistic, psychological cat and mouse thriller, rich in details and character foibles. The page-turning twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is a recommended read for anyone interested in Mystery, Thriller or Crime novels.

Book Title: Dead of Knight
Author: William R. Potter
Publisher: RealTime Publishing
ISBN: 9781849610261
Reviewed by Michele Tater for Review the Book

"There is a great streak of violence in every human being. If it is not channeled and understood, it will break out in war or in madness."
~Sam Peckinpah

The murderer is known by many names. He is called Tyro, a apprentice title, until he has killed more then his name is Damian Knight, soldier of justice, that passes judgment on the guilty. In the bar where he plays video games he is known as Retro, the police call him the Birthday Boy, but soon everyone will hear his true name. Jack Staal is a detective with the Hanson Police and has vowed to bring the killer in. "Dead of Knight" is told from the murderer's and the detective's perspective, which allows the reader to get a sense of both characters' personalities. Detective Staal is a veteran cop who is dealing with demons from a past case gone wrong and the killer is also trying to come to grips with a event from his past that has marked him for life.

"Dead of Knight" is set in British Columbia in a fictional town called Hanson where the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are enforcers of the law of the land. The book gives a "real" look at what it takes to solve crimes and that it is not done in an hour as seen on Television. DNA samples take weeks instead of minutes and the suspect is not caught in the last 15 minutes of the show. Suspect after suspect are questioned and ruled out, while the killer continues to murder.

Although "Dead of Knight" in not a true murder mystery since you know the killer, the reasons for his actions are not clear until later. It is still a psychological trip with road block around every corner. It gives a chilling outcome of what can happen to someone who was a product of bullying. The characters are realistic and interesting. I recommend this book to mystery buffs that are old enough to read detailed content regarding killing, sex and drug use.

"Dead of Knight" by William Potter is a thrilling and original mystery novel. The main character, Jack Staal, was introduced in Potter's exceptional collection "Lighting the Dark Side" in the short story, "Prominent Couple Slain." There, in the span of an average length short story, Potter provided readers enough information about Staal and his fictional hometown, Hanson, B.C., to leave us wanting more, and "Dead of Knight" certainly delivers.

A serial killer is on the loose, murdering women on their birthdays. The police slap the moniker "Birthday Boy" on him which only fuels his psychosis--he prefers "Soldier of Justice." How do we know this? Ah, because thanks to Potter, we get the story from two perspectives, Staal and the Soldier of Justice, cop and killer, cat and mouse.

This is a brave undertaking and not easy to pull off. Most mystery and thriller writers stick to the police procedural formula and simply demonize their serial killer as an evil "Other," a monster, without providing any real insight into their character or purpose.

Thomas Harris raised the bar long ago with Hannibal Lecter, The Tooth Fairy and Buffalo Bill and their complex relationships to agents Will Graham and Clarice Starling, and I think few writers have entered his arena out of fear of failure.

Potter takes on the challenge and succeeds with a fully satisfying, well rounded novel. It is both an exciting page turner and an equally effective insight into human nature and psychology.

Fans of the mystery genre and mainstream readers alike will enjoy this entertaining and thought provoking thriller. Potter's dialog is brisk and naturalistic and he does not shy away from the graphic verisimilitude necessary to create sufficient terror and repulsion within the reader toward his perpetrator.

Hanson, B.C. is a thoroughly believable fictional town that blends seamlessly into reality and Jack Staal is a multi-dimensional, sufficiently flawed character with plenty of his own inner demons to battle while hunting down his antagonist--the perfect ticket for a successful series. I look forward to reading more Jack Staal mysteries.

I highly recommend "Dead of Knight" and any fiction by William Potter.

George Wilhite
Author, "On the Verge of Madness"

"Dead of Knight" is an action packed mystery that will have your eyes glued to the pages. The author has done a great job of taking the reader into the minds of both the protagonist and the antagonist. The police are hot on the trail of a killer called the "birthday boy", but always seem to be one step behind. It is up to Jack Staal to pick up the trail and locate the killer before he can deliver his next surprise gift.

I like a good mystery, and William R. Potter has delivered. I am the type of reader who finds and author he likes and sticks with them. However, when my wife recommended this book I thought I would give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised. I look forward to reading more by Potter.

I was a little skeptical of reading this one. I was thinking "how can an author possibly make the whole serial killing thing interesting? it seems as though it has been done to death.

Can I just tell you how wrong I was and how happy I am that I did, in fact, read this one. Dead of Knight is perfecly creepy, scary and yep! thrilling.

I fell in love with this author's writing style and the pace of the book is just perfect. The base premise of killing girls on their birthday was actually quite innovative and made the book moving along swiftly with plot lines that I did not see coming.

I thought the characters were incredibly well developed and, I loved that the story was set in Canada, with enough "Canadian stuff" sprinkled throughout to make the book all that much more interesting to read.

Surprisinly, I also liked the cover - which is something I don't often say - as I find that many authors have no imagination when it comes to selecting the right type of cover.

As you can see, I loved this book - read it in two parts and it was one that I could not put down - which is always THE sign of a great read for me.

A serial killer is on the loose, terrorizing the unsuspecting citizens of rural Hanson, British Columbia. Dubbed the "Birthday Boy" by the media, the sadistic menace chooses to target only women on their birthdays. As his horrific crusade escalates, Birthday Boy soon falls square in the sights of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police - that is, only if Jack Staal doesn't get to him first. Anxious to solve what will surely prove to be the biggest case of his career, Staal strives to stay one step ahead of the Mounties in his pursuit to uncover the Birthday Boy's true identity and bring an end to his reign of terror...of course, that's only if he manages to avoid becoming the crazed killer's latest victim...

With taut, gripping action and a pulsing storyline, Dead Of Knight is a can't miss mystery thriller. The skillfully penned narrative from author William Potter shifts seamlessly from the perspective of cop to killer as the action unfolds, ensuring that readers stay on their toes with each fresh turn of the page. Furthermore, Potter masterfully maintains the suspense of his tale with a series of ingenious twists and turns along the way, treating the reader to a cleverly crafted whodunit with the capacity to befuddle even the most discerning of mystery buffs. As a result, Dead Of Knight succeeds brilliantly where many other offerings in the genre often fail, all without having to pander or overreach in order to do so.

Fast-paced and engaging, Dead Of Knight is an equally enlightening and entertaining read. Kudos to Potter for crafting such a compelling instant classic sure to be hailed for years to come.


Josee Morgan
Apex Reviews