Adam Nicholls

Missing
Mason Black, Book 1
By: Adam Nicholls
Narrated by: Andrew Tell
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
This is a suspenseful serial killer, mostly of children. I normally don't like those but this is more suspense then then gross. High tension, good plot, interesting characters, and the unknown kept me on edge! Well done.
The narrator was wonderful keeping the tension high, making the voices just right- evil, innocent, angry, sad, etc. Wonderful performance!

It is my opinion that this is a "scrap book." It is parts and lines of other works. One liners from British novels, mixed with a confusing and too fast storyline. The characters seem to be chosen at random and plugged in at odd junctures. The setting is San Francisco, California, but it could be anywhere. In less than three chapters I detect something amiss here.

This is the first book(s) I've read by Adam Nicholls, and I'm completely hooked. I think I've found my second favorite author.

The first three books were a series and it was hard to put the book(s) down while reading it. The fourth book (a stand-alone novel) was not nearly as good as the first three. The fourth book started another PI series and so far it is great. Still hard to put the book down once I start reading.

Side note (part spoiler): I love how at the end of the seventh book, it show more introduced the main character from the first series I read. It was a great end to that series.

The rest of the 12 book series was pretty good as well. Nicholls is a pretty darn good author. I look forward to reading more from him. show less

Perhaps I'm being unfair with my less than stellar rating, but #1) I usually avoid stories where the (even fictional) plot involves cruelty and worse to children, which is what this one is about #2) I was able to put this book down, sometimes for days, which is not typical for me and #3) the plot drops us into the middle of the main character's life which obviously had quite a backstory, and there wasn't enough background for me to completely understand the 'why' of it all. It was almost show more like this was the second in the series, but it was the first.

On the upside, it was well edited - no huge grammar, word usage or spelling errors that stopped me in my tracks.

Doubt if I'll read any more in the series (sorry Mr. Nicholls) show less