Review by timd -- The Dark Web Murders by Brian O'Hare

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Tim Terry
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Review by timd -- The Dark Web Murders by Brian O'Hare

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[Following is a volunteer review of "The Dark Web Murders" by Brian O'Hare.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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The Dark Web Murders by Brian O’Hare is the forth book in the Inspector Sheehan series. Like the previous books, this book is full of police detective work and gruesome detail of murders committed. The story begins with a prologue about the death of a young man in the shower of a jail. How this relates to a story of multiple murders becomes clear much later in the plot.

The murderer is highly intelligent and cunning. The reason for his murders is not apparent, and the victims appear to be random. But the killer has his own reasons behind each murder. He posts his actions with these reasons on the internet. The shadow presence of a dark web behind the normal internet is revealed in the story. This creates a tense atmosphere as the Inspector and his team battle against time to locate the killer.

As the plot unravels, the identity of the murderer is kept hidden by multiple suspects. This makes it very difficult to guess the outcome of the story. The murderer is ruthless, but the victims are also far from innocent or pleasant characters. Enveloped in a dense aura of evil and sexual deprivation, the plot thickens and ends in a satisfyingly unexpected manner.

This is not a story filled with intense action. Rather the murders add to the horror. Small details, such as the use of strychnine to kill a dog, add sickening and chilling elements to the plot. Police procedure is described in detail. The interesting assembly of characters under the inspectors control, also adds to the entertainment of the plot. How these characters interact and work together under grim circumstances makes gripping reading. Elements of humour are sprinkled throughout the story, and add another dimension to the gloomy atmosphere.

The author has included a list of characters at the beginning of the book. This is very helpful as there are a great deal of characters in the story. A glossary of police ranks and terms is also very helpful.

Details of sexual deviance and of the actual murders are somewhat graphic. Therefore, this book is not recommended for sensitive readers. Lovers of thrillers and mystery will certainly appreciate this book. If you are looking for a lot of action, then this book is not for you. The story is complicated and detailed. This may not be enjoyable for some readers.

I liked the rich development of the characters. It was enjoyable to see how the author handled the reactions of these characters under different circumstances. I can state with confidence that there was not really anything that I did not like about the book. Possibly the gruesome details could be described as unpleasant. I believe that the author simply meant to be as realistic as possible.

The almost detached style of writing was pleasant to read. Descriptions of places and characters made absorbing reading. The atmosphere of the British landscape and environment is very evident in the writing. Characters who are suspects, are summed up beautifully, and it is fascinating to see how they develop in the story.

The editing of this book is highly professional, and I only picked up two errors. This is an engrossing mystery with lots of interesting facts to digest. I have awarded this book a rating of 4 stars out of 4.

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The Dark Web Murders
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