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

[leareiler]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Dark Web Murders" by Brian O'Hare.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Chief Detective Inspector Jim Sheehan is tasked with finding a connection between multiple brutal killings, who is behind those crimes, and discovering why a group of rich and successful people who have nothing in common but their status were all at a party together the night the first murder occurred. On top of that, a mystery blogger on the dark web is keeping a blog detailing those same murders, confessing that they have committed those killings and why.

What I enjoy most about mystery novels are the race to solve the mystery and all the pieces falling into place, and The Dark Web Murders by Brian O’Hare delivered those things exceptionally well. The killings, though gory and not for weak stomachs, are well described and realistic. The plot unraveled at just the right pace, with the detective team discovering more facts about the murders at just the right times. There are multiple levels to this story that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, and O’Hare does a great job at finding a way to link them all together.

Jim Sheehan, the story’s protagonist, is a very likeable character and could become something of a legend in the literary world. He is intelligent and skillful without his prowess being unrealistic. Although Sheehan was a great character, there were others that were forgettable and the amount of characters in the novel did not help make the others easier to remember. There is a list of the characters at the beginning of the novel to help readers know who is who, but I still had trouble remembering certain characters and was left confused multiple times throughout the story.

The murderer, known on their blog as Nemein, on the other hand, is a fascinating character. The blog in its entirety is a great addition to the story and is a unique idea on O’Hare’s part. The blog posts do get fairly boring at times and can read like a philosophy textbook. I found myself dreading to read the posts after a while because they drag on, but they are essential to the story and are very in character for the murderer. Nemein was very entertaining to get to know, they believed what they were doing was justified and their off-line presence in the novel was just as entertaining, and I was shocked once their identity was revealed.

All in all, I give The Dark Web Murders four out of four stars. I enjoyed the story, and despite the blog posts dragging on and the confusing amount of characters, the story was exceptionally written and the mystery was entertaining to follow. I also found very few mistakes and the novel appeared professionally edited. I do strongly recommend this book as the story was well written, the plot well thought through, and the ending was both shocking and nicely wrapped up. I found myself comparing it to Robert Galbraith’s The Cuckoo’s Calling, so if you enjoy that author and their works, or the mystery genre in general, I believe you will enjoy this novel, but be prepared for some gory and intense graphics and scenes.

******
The Dark Web Murders
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[JKO]

I wonder if Inspector Sheenan uncovers the mystery behind the murders. I think I love the storyline. I look forward to reading. Excellent review!

[NDeMeer]

Although I gave the book 3 out of 4 stars, I agree with your assessment that this is a very nice storyline! Really enjoyed the plot and the climax, and Nemein as killer was very intriguing. All in all an entertaining book. Thanks for the great review!