Review by derialist -- The Trafficking Murders

[derialist]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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In The Trafficking Murders, Brian O' Hare tells a heart-wrenching story about young people searching for opportunities to improve themselves and better their families. Unbeknown to them, these marvelous opportunities—answered prayers to some of them— quickly turns to be a fight for survival in the hands of human traffickers and sex traffickers.

Lin Hui, a drop-dead gorgeous Chinese student, is enrolled at Queens University, and she leads a lavish lifestyle that many can only admire, but she is distraught. She decides to cut ties with the job that supports her lifestyle. However, there is no easy way out once enrolled. She comes to learn about the death of her friend, who had first made that choice. Lin finds herself a fugitive running from her employer.

Alina Balauru isn't from a well-to-do family. Her parents are only small farmers, and things haven't been easy for farmers. Forces have been conspiring to cause the farmers to sell their portions of land. One day, help presents itself in Alina's family when a thirsty man stops by her home asking for water. Before the man departs, he informs them that he knows some people who can help their daughter secure a bright future with a good job and education. Join Lin and Alina in a captivating narration of escaping the throes of sexual slavery—one of the greatest depravities of man.

One of the things that I loved about the book was how the author gave me access to the characters' emotional state. The shift of Alina's mood from hope to worry felt very real, especially when she realized that she and some other girls would be traveling on a steamer ship in what appeared to be a cargo bay—something didn't feel right about it. Lin's paranoia leaves her unable to trust anyone, constantly changing hotels to avoid being found and never turning the lights on even when it's dark, and she needs to see something. It was hard not to empathize with them.

The investigative theme of the book was also well done. DCI Jim Sheehan leads the team in investigating the death of the murdered student to capture the masterminds of human trafficking and sexual slavery. Sheehan is like a dog with a bone. He's always thinking about the crime and coming up with theories about what might have happened, and I enjoyed seeing him working his mind. The book had so many twists and turns; I would think that I've figured out who the mastermind was only to be wrong more than once. All in all, it was very entertaining.

I didn't find anything that I disliked about the book. It does include the use of expletives, but they were occasional. It is well-written because I didn't find any errors inside it. Due to the subject matter, I recommend it for adults only. Therefore, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. If you like an investigative story that will move you to tears, be sure to read this one. You will love it!

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The Trafficking Murders
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[Excel 2021]

Human trafficking is a major issue that doesn't want to go away. But I'm happy authors like Brian just won't stop talking about it. Great job on a nice review

[Kirsi Cultrera]

Human trafficking is a serious matter and it is causing so much pain and suffering around the world. It is good that there are people who talk about this topic. This book is very interesting. Especially diving into the character’s emotions in a relatable way is not an easy job, but sounds like the author has succeeded.

Thanks for your insightful review!

[MsH2k]

O’Hare seems to tackle these tough topics well; human trafficking is such a dark and demeaning trade. I hope Lin and Alina make a successful escape.
Thank you for your thorough review!

[Mtibza eM]

Thank you for sharing this review. I have read and so enjoyed this book that I rated it 4 out 4 stars, too.

[Amynwankwo_]

I enjoyed this book so much. It is definitely worth the read!