Review by ArriettyClock -- The Dark Web Murders

[ArriettyClock]

[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 novel The Dark Web Murders by Brian O'Hare is a gripping crime thriller about a murderer who targeted victims that were seemingly ordinary… but not all is as it seems. Have these people done terrible things in their life to deserve their gruesome deaths, or is this the work of a madman? It’s up to Inspector Sheehan and his seasoned team to try and discover the truth. Can they work out the identity of the killer before more people die?

This story is a gripping novel from start to finish without any boring or slow sections, however it’s not too fast-paced that it is confusing. A character dies in each of the first two chapters, which is intriguing and acts as a huge hook for the reader, pulling them in to the story. There aren’t actually any main characters until the third chapter, which further grips the reader. It was also interesting that further in the novel you get an insight into the murderer’s perspective via the online blogs, which are in first person, as if written by the murderer.

There’s a handy list of characters and glossary at the start of the novel, which helps with the large amount of characters (both police and suspects). Although I didn’t use this, it was good to know it was there. There are lots of potential suspects, most of whom have a motive, just as a real police inquiry would have. Information relevant to the inquiry is explained to the reader through group discussions within the police team or from professionals explaining detailed evidence to police.

The story was interesting, with surprising twists throughout and a shocking reveal that no reader could have guessed! I certainly had no idea about the identity of the murderer until it was revealed. This was explained in detail by Inspector Sheehan once the reveal was made. When the motive was uncovered it actually cleverly relates to the very start of the novel, which seemed irrelevant, and links in a way that enlightens the reader to why the first chapter was included.

I would give this novel four out of four stars . It was gripping, beautifully written with descriptive detail and contained a shocking ending. I wouldn’t advise this novel for any people who would be negatively affected by graphic violence and sexual crimes. The crimes and violence are described in detail so this might be upsetting for some readers. There are themes of fetishes, violence, pornography and pedophilia.

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The Dark Web Murders
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