Broken Angels

This is the first of this author's books that I have read so cannot compare to the previous two, although I have since bought them on the strength of this one.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is one of the best crime novels I have read in a while, it was one of those that I didn't want to put down. The writing style is easy going and very readable, one of those books where you just keep reading another chapter because you don't want to put it down and they're fairly short anyway. And then you just read another. And another. And so on, it didn't take me long to read at all.
The story is gripping, and interesting, and I can't wait to get started on the earlier ones.

A quick but gripping read (0/0 people found this helpful)

Due to the pace of the story it's a book that you find hard to put down, I found this to be a very enjoyable read my first of this author, I shall be looking forward to reading more by this author.

Enjoyable (0/0 people found this helpful)

This is the third book of his I've read, and actually for me the one I enjoyed the most. I've found The Rosary Girls and The Skin Gods a little too simplistic and obvious for my liking, although I couldn't put them down. To me, this book differs in that, although formulaic stuff, it is formulaic stuff that works better. Although this book is never going to win any prizes for literature it's a more intelligent read than the previous two. And wins extra bonus points for not being so damned obvious - at least this time the author throws in a good selection of random people that could possibly be the killer, rather than the single- mentioned character that 'lo and behold' commits the crime.

If you're planning a holiday and need something to read on the plane, beach, train etc then this is a good choice.

Evil Stalks the Streets!! (8/11 people found this helpful)

Richard Montanari was born in Cleveland, Ohio. As a young man Richard travelled Europe extensively and lived for a time in London, before returning to work in the family construction business. Five years and a few damaged thumbs later, he decided that writing may be a less painful occupation. He has now written several very successful suspense novels.

I enjoyed Skin Gods, one of the author's previous books immensely, but of course it does not always follow that subsequent books live up to the same expectations and some of the reviews when the hardback version came out were less than complimentary. This is fact just goes to show that one man's meat is another man's poison etc. etc. because I enjoyed the book very much. It also shows how difficult it is to give a balanced review.

There can be no doubt that Richard Montanari writes very well. His characters are not only believable but in certain cases likeable as well. The author also knows how to add the chill factor to his novels and to build up the suspense until it is difficult for the reader to put the book down at any given point.

The book is a vehicle for the reintroduction of Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano, detectives from the Philadelphia homicide department.. They are called to a body on the riverbank. A body that has not only been strangled but also mutilated. At first this is thought to be a case of random violence, the sort that happens in any major city. But then it happens again . . . and again . . . and again.

What at first appeared to be random attacks, soon become something far more sinister and it rapidly becomes apparent that there is method in the killer's madness. The killer obviously has some kind of perverted plan in their unstable mind, but will Byrne and Balzano be able to catch them before the killer spirals out of control.

Broken Angels (4/4 people found this helpful)

This is the 3rd in Montanari's Byrne and Balzano series and is what I found to be the weakest of the trilogy.
Richard Montanari is a skilled storyteller, he has created highly likeable and readable characters and effortlessly keeps the pages turning, however after reading the first two in the series I know he is certainly capable of better. Unfortunately the two lead characters Jessica Balzano and Richard Byrne don't seem to progress very much, their private lives seem to be put on hold for this book and it is more focused on police procedure, while also entertaining i felt it's lack of character progression was sorely missed.
As usual Montanari keeps the reader guessing as to who the killer is right up to the final pages, he really seems to have a knack for this as is evident in his first two books of the series.
I shall certainly continue with the series although I found this to be a bit of a letdown after the high calibre of the first 2.

Richard Montanari

Reader Reviews:

Brilliant (0/0 people found this helpful)

A quick but gripping read (0/0 people found this helpful)

Enjoyable (0/0 people found this helpful)

Evil Stalks the Streets!! (8/11 people found this helpful)

Broken Angels (4/4 people found this helpful)

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