The Curator by M.W. Craven

The Curator by M.W. Craven
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

It’s Christmas and a serial killer is leaving displayed body parts all over Cumbria. A strange message is left at each scene: #BSC6

Called in to investigate, the National Crime Agency’s Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are faced with a case that makes no sense. Why were some victims anaesthetized, while others died in appalling agony? Why is their only suspect denying what they can irrefutably prove but admitting to things they weren’t even aware of? And why did the victims all take the same two weeks off work three years earlier?

And when a disgraced FBI agent gets in touch things take an even darker turn. Because she doesn’t think Poe is dealing with a serial killer at all; she thinks he’s dealing with someone far, far worse – a man who calls himself the Curator.

And nothing will ever be the same again . . .

It’s Christmas, but when what appears to be a serial killer leaves a pair of severed fingers from three victims all over Cumbria Washington Poe, Tilly and their team are called in to try and work out what’s really going on. And while their boss, Stephanie Flynn is heavily pregnant and refusing to start her maternity leave, there are more than a few things on each of their minds. Can Poe and Tilly figure out who is behind everything before their time runs out?

I have been greatly enjoying this series but found this to be a particularly strong addition. While I don’t feel it necessary to have read both the previous books to thoroughly enjoy this third outing, I must admit I feel I enjoyed the deeper emotional connection I had knowing about Poe, Tilly and Flynn’s previous cases and shared working history. I believe I would have still thoroughly enjoyed this story had I picked it up alone – but I’m glad I’ve read the previous two and can strongly recommend them as well.

I also absolutely loved how about halfway through the book the entire plot was pretty much thrown on its head. I thought the author wrote this part exceptionally well as it fundamentally changed the whole plotline without making Poe or any of the police officers seem like idiots. I can’t recall reading a book previously where such a massive twist occurred without much forewarning and wasn’t due to severe ineptitude on the detective’s part, so I really thought this was an excellent twist and made the second half of the book even more intense to my mind.

While many British police procedurals have a slow and steady pace – as this one does also – I absolutely feel there is a steady ramping up of the intensity and I admit I had to stay up past my bedtime (on a work night too!) to read the last 10% of the story because I simply couldn’t put it down and go to sleep, I needed to know how it all unfolded.

An excellent book and a brilliant series, one I am happily and thoroughly addicted to.