Today is publication day for one of my most anticipated sequels of the year – I think a lot of my anticipated reads this year are sequels, which is handy because I LOVE a good series! Out today, THE BINDING ROOM by Nadine Matheson is a fabulous number 2 in her Detective Henley series.
I really enjoyed the storyline in this one. It follows on from THE JIGSAW MAN, with Henley and Ramouter investigating the death of a priest and the discovery of an injured man.
There’s lots of gore, not quite as much as the previous instalment though. Henley and Ramouter are both in therapy for what happened to them in TJM and they are both having trouble dealing with the trauma – Henley is having nightmares and panic attacks, whereas Ramouter is having trouble with flashbacks etc.
So alongside the murder of this priest, we’ve got a man discovered in a back room of the church and he is pretty much dead when found. Henley is reluctant to suspect exorcisms but that’s where the evidence in leading her.
Henley’s marriage is in trouble and there is the always present attraction between herself and Pellacia.
*The book deals with mental health, adultery, female leads, workplace hierarchy, racism, sexism, religion, friendships and families. It’s all pretty much covered in here.*
I’m almost certainly going to read it again.
Recommended for fans of thrillers, crime fiction and gory serial killer books 🙂
Goodreads synopsis
Detective Anjelica Henley confronts a series of ritualistic murders in this heart-pounding thriller about race, power and the corrupt institutions that threaten us, for fans of S.A. Cosby and Tami Hoag.
When Detective Anjelica Henley is called to investigate the murder of a popular preacher in his own church, she discovers a second victim, tortured and tied to a bed in an upstairs room. He is alive, but barely, and his body shows signs of a dark religious ritual.
With a revolving list of suspects and the media spotlight firmly on her, Henley is left with more questions than answers as she attempts to untangle both crimes. But when another body appears, the case takes on a new urgency. Unless she can apprehend the killer, the next victim may just be Henley herself.
Drawing on her experiences as a criminal attorney, Nadine Matheson deftly explores issues of race, class and justice through an action-packed story that will hold you captive until the last terrifying page.
*Thanks to the publisher for our gifted coy of this book in exchange for our honest opinion.*
The Beautiful Book Break 