Customer Reviews

The Soul Collector

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You know when you have been hanging out just waiting for the sequel to a great movie, then you actually pay money to see it and you walk away so annoyed due to the mediocrity of the film (eg Terminator 3, Star Wars prequels, Indiana Jones Kingdom of the Crystal Skull etc). Well this book evokes those same feelings. The Death List which is this book's predecessor was brilliant. The Soul Collector however is one of the most disappointing books I've ever wasted money on. None of the magic of the first novel is there, the edge of your seat thrill ride, the graphic murder scenes of villains getting their comeuppance. None of that exists here, instead we've just got a stupid story of Matt solving word puzzles in an effort to stop murders, and the stupid thing is even when he is told these people will die anyway he still tries to solve the puzzles.

Boring is an understatement for this book, if you haven't read the Death List you would have no attachment whatsoever to the characters of Matt or his rugby league buddies. Basic plot of this one is Dave the SAS league teammate is murdered in his house as Matt and his teammates arrive to save him. They decided not to let onto the police, which include Matt's girlfriend, the info they know but are determined to track down his killer themselves who they assume is Matt's ex girlfriend and sister of the killer from the Death List. Give this one a miss or at the very least check it out from your local library for free before spending money on it!

Crime writer and weekly columnist Matt Wells knows how lucky he is to have survived his encounter several years ago in London with the serial killer White Devil (see THE DEATH LIST); he even was dating the sister Sara Robbins of the deadly brilliant predator. Though the White Devil is no more, he still fears an avenging Sara even though his lover Detective Chief Investigator Karen Oaten, who once suspected he was the White Devil, swears Sara is no threat.

However, history sort of repeats it self when a renowned mystery writer is murdered; and Matt receives a message explaining that he can save the life of the next intended victim if he solves a word puzzle quick enough. As the death count rises along with the cryptic notes from the SOUL COLLECTOR, Matt knows once again he must face the devil without blinking.

This is as gripping a thriller as its predecessor. The Soul Collector is diabolical and methodical working through a death list that shakes Matt to the core. He feels like a murder magnet but knows what he must do even if Karen pleads with him to let the police handle it. Graphic and gruesomely grim, Paul Johnson writes an electrifying serial killer sequel even if predators sending taunting clues have become overused by the sub-genre.

Harriet Klausner