Review by Alya17 -- The Dark Web Murders by Brian O'Hare

[Alya17]

[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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“Lurking just below the surface of the clear web—that is, the normal Internet—is a vast network of vile and corrupt activity called the Dark Net, or the Dark Web…” (O’Hare 2019, 738-9).

Brian O’Hare’s The Dark Web Murders is a crime thriller set in Ireland and is the fourth instalment of The Inspector Sheehan Mysteries. Inspector Jim Sheehan and his team are called to investigate a series of murders with the same modus operandi. The murders form the centrepiece of a blog on the notorious Dark Web.

Structurally, the book is divided by dates and times. It begins with a list of the characters and their accompanying traits, as well as a glossary of Northern Ireland police terms and acronyms. This information will be quite helpful to readers unfamiliar with Irish references. The author utilises several types of narration, with changes from third person limited to the omniscient narrator. Italics are also used throughout the book to give the reader insight into inner thoughts and to differentiate between the blogs.

I enjoyed the layout of the chapters and details immensely. The book includes daily information on the crimes and crime scenes, while some of the suspects are presented in such a way to allow the reader to play amateur detective. The murderer's full-length blogs are included, along with an article which appears in a local newspaper. The book, therefore, excels at making the reader feel that he or she is part of an unfolding case.

The characters are well developed, and the writing is eloquent. I was quite impressed with the variations in the writing and the quality of the dialogue, as well as the depth of the blog's philosophical arguments. This book is based on an intricate plot, which only worked because of the author’s exceptional writing.

While I strongly recommend this book to any fan of crime thrillers, there are a few exceptions. This is the fourth in the series, and there is mention of previous incidents. It is not entirely necessary to read the books in order, but it would certainly add context. Further, there are some details on sadomasochistic sexual encounters, discussions of paedophilia, mentions of torture and attempted rape. Therefore, I would not recommend this book to readers for whom the content may be traumatising, disturbing, or offensive. Even though none of the details are included for shock value, and the violence is not gratuitous or sensationalised.

This book is a fantastic read. It is one of the best crime thrillers I have read in a long time and deserves four out of four stars. It features excellent writing, an engaging plot, well-developed characters and a mix of narrative styles. There were only a few minor typographical errors, which do not detract from the overall enjoyment.

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The Dark Web Murders
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[Zenia_Sanchez023]

I've always been intrigued with the dark web, and I've seen lots of documentaries about it, but haven't gotten to reading a book about it yet. I will try to check on this book series. I'm not a big fan of crime thrillers, but the book sounds interesting. Thanks for your review!

[Alya17]

I've always been intrigued with the dark web, and I've seen lots of documentaries about it, but haven't gotten to reading a book about it yet. I will try to check on this book series. I'm not a big fan of crime thrillers, but the book sounds interesting. Thanks for your review!

It was actually quite good and I think you'll enjoy it, once you don't mind the graphic violence!