7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
"Revenge is a powerful motive.", July 15, 2007
Thirty-eight year old British crime novelist Matt Wells (who writes under the pseudonym Matt Stone) has a long list of worries: He has a stubborn case of writer's block, his ex-wife constantly criticizes him, and a mysterious correspondent is sending him some very disturbing emails. On the plus side, Matt has a devoted girlfriend who keeps him warm at night. In Paul Johnston's "The Death List," Wells is the first person narrator. He traces his steadily deteriorating emotional state as he changes from a depressed author whose career is stalled to the panic-stricken foil of a sadistic killer.
The villain, who calls himself WD (white devil), has Matt under close audio and video surveillance; WD has an uncanny ability to read Matt's mind and predict what Matt intends to do before he does it. What is WD's agenda? He has a "death list" of people whom he hates. These include, among others, a bank manager, a child-molesting priest, a nasty teacher, and a negligent physician. WD visits these individuals and informs them why they are about to die; he then brutally tortures and eviscerates them. How does Matt fit into this horrific scenario? Ostensibly, after WD sends Matt accounts of the killings, Matt is supposed to write them up in book form. Unfortunately, WD models his murders on those found in Matt's previously published novels. The killer also decides it might be fun to make a list of people who have wronged Matt (including extremely unkind critics) and pay them visits, as well. It is only a matter of time before tough and aggressive Inspector Karen Oaten and her assistant, Detective Sergeant John Turner, start to believe that Matt himself is behind all of this butchery.
"The Death List" has an intriguing premise and Matt Wells is a likeable hero who readily garners the reader's sympathy. It is painful to observe WD manipulating Matt, who has no choice but to go along with whatever this maniac tells him to do. WD reminds Matt that if he speaks to the police, he or a member of his family (even his beautiful eight-year-old daughter, Lucy) could be the next victim. The book has a literary angle, since seventeenth century Jacobean revenge tragedy (particularly the works of John Webster) is a recurring motif throughout the novel. In addition, Johnston satirizes the venal world of publishing and cleverly pokes fun at the public's low-brow literary tastes. Finally, the author ably explores the theme of revenge, and suggests that even mild-mannered and self-effacing men and women harbor a secret desire to get back at those who have wronged them.
Alas, as WD becomes more and more unhinged, the story begins to sink under its own weight. Johnston throws in a subplot about a murderous band of SAS men, and he hints at a budding romance between Matt and Inspector Oaten. After Matt finally decides to fight back and enlists the support of his former rugby buddies, the narrative goes from far-fetched to outlandish. What could have been a taut and terrifying thriller instead becomes an unfocused and poorly executed one that fails to live up to its initial promise.
Warning to sensitive readers: This novel contains scenes of explicit gore and stomach-churning violence.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Death List, July 11, 2007
I carry around a box of books to be read in the car and pulled this one out last week. The plot falls somewhat into the crazed fan genre immortalized by King's Misery. However, the author has added a novel plot with well fleshed out characters. Readers who enjoy literary references will enjoy the many discussions and attributions to John Webster. And, while the killings are quite spectacularly violent, they are thankfully described post mortem. I have difficulty with books written by authors who appear to relish horrifying scene by scene descriptions of despicable acts. This book was an unexpected pleasure. If you enjoy Harlen Coben, you should enjoy this book.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Excellent Read, October 27, 2008
this book is now one of my favorites, i recommend it to any reader who likes a mildly realistic, modern day, crime-thriller that doesn't skimp on the details of the grotesque crimes that are committed throughout the book.
i was never a big fiction reader but over the last few months i decided to dust off my library card and just walk around seeing anything catches my eye. it happened to be the library was closing in a few minutes and on my way out i saw the word DEATH in CAPS so i flipped thru a few pages and took it.
currently, i am reading Mr. Johnston's sequel to this book entitled "The Soul Collector" to put it in perspective, when i found out the soul collector was set to hit america May 2009 i ordered it on ebay from england.
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