Thomas White (1)

Fine debut novel, the prologue is excellent but the first few chapters following suffer from over-writing (maybe underediting). This notwithstanding, White quickly finds his feet and leads us assuredly through his grisly tale of an imaginative serial killer with a list of targets.
Starting off his work quite methodically the killer finds he has only a short time to check all the names off his list, this plot point, which serves to ramp up the suspense factor, is handled confidently and shows White to be a writer of considerable promise.

The SF setting is used more in a cultural (gosh what a melting pot we are!) rather than a geographic sense which was a disappointment however White does use that diversity to some effect, he handles dialog well, and clearly has a good knowledge of different cultures.
The two main characters, Homicide Inspector Yao and police volunteer Strachan, are well drawn, other characters are handled reasonably well with the exception of three caricatures (a police officer, a prison warden and a hospital administrator). These last three were little more than generic rednecks with job titles: a lazy approach considering the care taken with other characters.

Not a bloody novel by any means, but there is some horror here, the pacing only a flags a little at the end of the second third of the novel but picks up after that and ends with a thoroughly satisfying finale.
Recommended for fans of the serial killer genre. A writer to watch.

(Guess I missed the Early Review copies :))… (meer)

The prologue will give you nightmares. (Do you know what sort of sound human vertebrae make when they give way under pressure?) Other sections of the book made me want to cover my eyes and read through my fingers. The killer in Thomas White’s The Book of Matthew would give Hannibal Lecter a run for his money. This is not a book for readers with weak stomachs or those prone to nightmares. Not a lot of outright gore — I’ve certainly read bloodier books — but the sort of enlightened cruelty that makes you double-check the locks before turning in for the night. Not that locks would save you.

Read my full review at When Falls the Coliseum.… (meer)