Customer Reviews

Eight in the Box

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

On the streets of Boston, one by one women are being murdered by a vicious serial killer- the Blood Bath Killer, who leaves nothing behind but a bathtub full of the victim's blood. The bodies of the victims are missing from the crime scene and the police are wondering whether the victims are still alive. The amount of blood in the tub leaves the police to assume the victims have been murdered and that the killer is keeping the bodies as trophies.

Angel Alves is newly promoted as a Homicide Detective but he must still prove himself to his boss, Sergeant Wayne Mooney. Alves is working the Blood Bath Killer case alongside Mooney, but he is also a husband and father and finds the unconventional work hours hard to juggle. Will Alves find the killer and make a name for himself as a top Homicide Detective?

Assistant DA Conrad Darget (or Connie to his friends) is working side by side with the police department hoping to find the serial killer. Connie is the district attorney that represents the office at all murder scenes so he has a privileged inside look at what is happening behind the scenes in the case. When he isn't at the murder scenes, Connie is prosecuting in court and teaching his fellow peers how to become a successful prosecutor.

Will the Boston Police Department be able to solve the Blood Bath Killer case and put an end to his murderous spree, or will things blow out of control when the killer decides to change his MO-and anyone could be his next victim?

Eight in the Box is an outstanding, suspenseful, thrilling, debut novel by Yessayan. The chapters are short, making for fast reading. The story is superbly plotted and there are numerous possibilities of whom the killer could be. Every character is nicely developed and shines through the pages of this book. The suspense is relentless and I couldn't put this book down. This is a truly fantastic thriller that I definitely recommend.

Raffi Yessayan is the former chief of the Gang Unit in the Suffolk County DA's Office. He has prosecuted many violent offenders and has lectured nationally on the issues of gangs, guns and crime prevention strategies. Currently he is in private practice as a criminal defense attorney in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Armchair Interviews says: A heart-stopping legal thriller that readers are sure to enjoy!

Being someone who does not normally read suspense novels, I found this book gripping, entertaining and very hard to put down. Each character is well portrayed so you feel as though you know them, and you just want to keep reading to find out what the murderer is going to do next, and how the police are going to try and catch him. Working in the law enforcement/criminal justice field in Boston, it's refreshing to read a book that is so true to the facts of life, from the court proceedings, to the police investigation. Raffi Yessayan did an incredible job with his research and his experience as a prosecutor definitely brought a real life feel to the book. I could hardly put down the book, and I am eagerly awaiting the arrival his next novel! Great job Raffi!!!

I couldn't put it down until I finished! As the characters develop and the suspense grows, you find yourself flip flopping over who the killer might be. The author has an extraordinary ability to make you feel as though you are watching it unfold in front of your eyes with vivid detail and dialogue. Excellent book if you enjoy gripping suspense novels! I highly recommend it.

The dialogue reads like a teeny bopper novel (think Sweet Valley High) and the plot was ridiculous. Do not waste your money; I'm sorry I did. Tons of other good crime drama novels (and writers)out there.

Some of the reviews here should probably announce that they contain "spoilers".

Suffice it to say that this was an entertaining, informative, suspenseful and fast-paced reading sojourn into a fictionalized serial crime spree set in Boston, Massachusetts. Anyone from greater Boston will particularly enjoy many colorful local references.

I disagree with one review here which takes strong exception to the ending. The ending may or may not satisfy a given reader. The enjoyment here is in the ongoing mystery as you plod through the progressive details leading (finally) to revelation of the killer's identity.

The day on which I purchased this book, I had just finished a four month stint on the Suffolk County Grand Jury in Boston, the author's very own former stomping ground. That being said, I was astounded at the realism portrayed in the book. Characters; police and prosecutor procedures; frustrations; unanswered questions; problems of an ongoing investigation;....they're all there!

I couldn't put this down as I second-guessed all the way through what I thought I knew.

Raffi Yessayan has done an excellent job in writing Eight in the Box, his debut novel. The plot is captivating from the beginning of the book all the way through the end. Mr. Yessayan demonstrates a keen understanding of different personality types, and gives his readers insights into the thoughts and motivations of the main characters. The descriptions of the work of the Boston police, detectives, and Asst. District Attorneys are vivid and the dialog is masterful. Mr. Yessayan's writing style is a delight: it is polished, straight-forward, and unique. I was not able to put this book down, and I look forward to Mr. Yessayan's next novel.

Not a dull moment from first time author Raffi Yessayan as he weaves a sit on the edge of your seat thriller that is a must read. Characters, plot and setting are intertwined to add twists and turns that surprise. Can't wait for the next offering from this talented author. This is one of those stay up to 3am and finish type books.

It is delightful to read a mystery which is NEW rather than retread. A twist at the end only adds to the treat. I will certainly look for the next effort by this author.

After watching one of my 10th grade boys reading this novel and unable to stop telling me about it, I had to read it myself!
WOW! Keeps you on the edge of your seat, to the last page, and thinking about it for weeks!

8 In The Box was written by Raffi Yessayan and published by Ballantine Books.
Newly appointed detective Angel Alves wants to prove his worth as a homicide detective on the streets of Boston. While juggling family and an over dedicated partner, Alves' world is about to get a lot more complicated and the women of Boston are about to become targets of a serial killer.
As 'The Bathtub Killer' begins collecting victims and apparently, keeping their bodies as souvenirs, Detective Alves and his partner are put on the case and the race is on to catch a lunatic. The clues in the case... missing women, no signs of forced entry and bathtubs full of the victim's blood.
This taut crime novel is a police procedural wrapped with thrilling suspense that puts the reader behind the crime scene tape right along with the cops and investigators. A tightly woven, intense storyline propels the characters along as they sprint one step behind a twisted psychopath. With an ending almost as twisted as its killer, 8 In The Box is the type of novel you won't want to put down until it has shared all of its secrets. Think you know who the killer is or how this one will end... Think again.
Yessayan pulls the reader along through every turn while he keeps you on the very edge of your seat, then blows your mind with an ending that hits you hard, fast and out of the blue. I am giving 8 In the Box a 4-star rating and recommending it to the not-so-faint of heart. Beware of The Bloodbath Killer and remember... trust nobody!

WebbWeaver Reviews