After reading and loving the first book in this series I was curious to see if this one would live up to my expectations, and I am glad it did. "The Fifth to Die" is a thrilling experience in a page-turning serialkiller-series with enough surprises and creepy scenes to keep the reader engaged. There were some parts of the story that dragged out a bit, but my overall impression was good. The story is well plotted and some humor balances out the darker parts. The reader also learns more about the characters from the "The Fourth Monkey".

If you love serialkillerthrillers, this is a must read.

Since The Fourth Monkey, the first book of this gripping series, kept me completely glued to the pages, I have been really looking forward to reading the sequel, THE FIFTH TO DIE, and once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down.

The book starts four months after the events of The Fourth Monkey and Chicago detective Sam Porter is still looking for Anson Bishop, aka 4MK (the Fourth Monkey Killer), even though the FBI has removed him from the case. In the meantime, there is another killer on the loose who is kidnapping and killing young girls while Anson Bishop wants his help in finding his mother.

Even though the novel is told from different points of views, from the detectives to the FBI, from the killer to the victims, and the reader seems to get a full view of the story, there are so many twists and surprises to keep you always on the edge of your seat. The chapters are short and almost each one of them ends with a shocking revelation or a twist that made me say “I’ll read just another chapter” and then I found myself reading another 100 pages.

The author created a cast of well-developed and multi-layered characters. Anson Bishop is very complex and we find out more about his troubled past. Sam Porter has also some secrets from the past and he is still helped by his team. I love the characters of Nash, Clair, and Kloz who have Sam’s back, even when he is forced to take a leave, and there were moments when they made me laugh with their quips and their irony. I also liked the character of FBI agent Poole and I am already looking forward to read more about this character.

THE FIFTH TO DIE is fast-paced, dark, intense, and chilling. The ending left me in complete shock and breathless and I can’t wait to read the third book of this brilliant and captivating series.

This is a phenomenal series! I can't wait for the next book. Great suspense. Highly recommend to fans of thrillers. Couldn't put it down.

Wow!

J D Barker has succeeded in producing a sequel to rival the first in the series featuring the notorious 4MK Killer. We are thrown straight into a police investigation and follow on from the events of The Fourth Monkey which are still haunting all involved, none more so than Detective Sam Porter.

This is definitely not a book you should read if you haven't already delved into the murky (but always interesting!) world of Anson Bishop (aka 4MK) so I would get acquainted with The Fourth Monkey right away as we really delve into the mind of the main man!

This was such an enjoyable book to read that I completely missed the clues that were scattered along the way (and I am sure there are many!) that I was completely blindsided when I had finished. I had to take a deep breath and try to calm my already shattered nerves. I won't really go into the storyline as this is something that needs to be read and discovered by the reader without hints on what to expect!

What an ending though.....I felt shattered. Fans are definitely left hanging and waiting for the next instalment....(I can't wait - I hope the author is writing fast!)

I have been on the edge of my seat waiting for this sequel to The Fourth Monkey, a book I enjoyed so much I pressed my copy on all of my family and friends, so I was delighted to receive a review copy from the publisher.

I will admit, for the first part of the book I was somewhat disappointed. With Bishop on the run, the FBI hot on his heels and the omission of the diary that was so critical to the first book in helping us understand the killer, The Fifth to Die for the first fifty pages or so felt like every other crime novel I've read this year - enjoyable but not spectacular to begin with.

However as the pace picked up and events began to unfold, I was completely and utterly hooked. The Fourth Monkey was always a hard act to follow, this sequel is fascinating, adding depth to the plot and characters I didn't think was possible. My only complaint now is waiting for the next one after THAT ending...

I loved J D Barker’s first novel, The Fourth Monkey, so couldn’t waitto read the follow-up, titled The Fifth to Die. I’m pleased to report that it steps up to the mark as being deliciously twisted, dark and entertaining!

We meet the characters from book 1, and various aspects of book 1 continue in this novel – I won’t go into detail so as not to spoil anything. If you haven’t read The Fourth Monkey then I’ll just say – stop right here and go back and read it now, you’ll be a bit (okay, a lot) confused if you don’t. At first it took me a while to remind myself how book 1 had left things, but from that point on I stormed through this novel.

In The Fifth To Die we’re met with multiple murders needing to be solved, with the ever-present threat of Anson Bishop, who is still on the run from police, lurking in the background and keeping Sam Porter occupied. I think Sam’s a great character, and the rest of his team are brilliantly entertaining in the way they work with him and eachother. Anson Bishop is also verey entertaining – in a different way! There are plenty of humorous moments peppered among the fast-paced action and odd events, which keeps the book’s crimes from being too horrifying. For me, the balance is just right and there are of course some surprises along the way too, all of which makes for an addictive thriller which is just as brilliant as the first in the 4MK series. The ending is bound to divide people, but I loved it, and it made me even more excited to read book three – I hope the series has many more to come!

Major cliffhanger (UGH!) but I loved this book! So many twists and turns. So much that I didn't see coming. So very disturbing.
I need the next book - and some answers! - ASAP.

Well Mr J.D.Barker you certainly know how to write !!!! This really was magnificent from start to finish the pace just never let up and it was one hell of a thrilling ride going from person to person each chapter and never really knowing just what fiendish twist was going to be sprung upon you next. I loved The Fourth Monkey I didn't think this one could better it but it did and what an ending!!! So now we have to wait for the next and let's hope its not to going to be too long as I for one am desperate to know what's going to happen. Thrilling and full of detail, brilliant writing and totally gripping I loved it. Well recommended and 5 great big stars, my thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the chance to read the ARC it was amazing.

This series is something else! And I mean that in the best way possible! It is an addictive, crazy, riveting roller-coaster ride. I read The Fourth Monkey when it first came out and have been looking forward to the sequel ever since. The series features one of the most twisted, vile serial killers. Anison Bishop not only kills but he also likes to torture the families of his victims. This he does by sending them body parts, an ear, a tongue and an eye. Twisted, right?

In this story, young girls go missing and their bodies turn up in ways that leave the cops with more questions than answers. In addition, the killer is not just targeting the girls. The MO is quite different from Bishop’s usual style so the cops are puzzled. They don’t know whether they are still trailing Bishop or a new serial killer.

Like in the first book, the story is narrated through alternating POVs. Nash and Porter are still lead investigators but they are not really working together. There are other investigators whose narrations I enjoyed. These include, Clair, Poole and Kloz. There are a few chapters narrated by the girls. Their harrowing ordeals show just how depraved the Unsub is. However, I still couldn’t guess why they were being taken. Like in the first book, there are diary entries. I just love these parts of the story. Not sure what that says about me,haha but I do love reading the psychopaths’ POVs. It is interesting to see how their minds work and the motivations behind their actions. The pacing of the story was even, fast and thrilling from the first to the last page. It was perfect!

The author did a great job with this story; it is very well well-plotted, brilliantly narrated and absolutely enthralling. The different narrations soon come together in an explosive ending. The final chapters are shorter with twists coming in fast. I think my jaw dropped and stayed that way to the last page. The story ends with a massive cliff hanger. Needless to say, I can’t wait for the third book!

I read The Fourth Monkey and loved it. As I said at the end of my review that I would like to read the sequel immediately, I was surprised to discover that the author and Netgalley offered me an eARC of it. So I was able to start reading when I had just finished the previous novel.

And I must admit that I'm surprised, because this sequel is even better than the first book. The author planned very well his series. We feel like travelling in an elevator to more and more horrifying floors.

Here, Bishop (aka 4MK) joins someone he's known for a long time, but we don't know if we should pity or hate him. In any case, as a result of several brain surgeries, he has serious mental problems. And when we discover why he had these surgeries, we're even more shocked.

In fact, throughout the novel, we go from one frightful discovery to another, even more horrible.

I encourage all readers of psychological thrillers or detective stories to read this novel. Even readers of horror novels will get their money's worth. It won't disappoint them.

So I give it 5 big stars.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for this copy before editing of this excellent novel.

4.25/5 stars for J.D. Barker's "The Fifth to Die".

Let me start off by saying - do NOT read this without reading Barker's first book in this series ("The Fourth Monkey"). It will be confusing and overwhelming without having that background, and even with having read it, it is still a fair amount to take in from the beginning - the main reason I didn't give it a full 5 stars.

That being said.. I really, really enjoyed this book. I thought the first book in this series was one of the best books I've read in 2018, and had virtually no complaints about it. It's often hard for a second book in a series to live up to the first, but this comes close - it's a good, good read.

"The Fifth to Die" picks up where the first book left off, following Sam Porter, the lead detective in a serial killer case known as the Fourth Monkey Killer (4MK). Porter works with his team - and now the FBI - trying to track the 4MK as he takes more victims and much more is at stake. New characters are brought into play, as are new villains - and it's a twisty tale. There's not a lot else I can say about the plot - in part because it's a complex web, and in part because saying too much would lead to massive spoilers. What I can say is that this book was intriguing, suspenseful , and made me critically think right along with Porter, which I always enjoy. Barker has done a truly fantastic job of creating some suspenseful thrillers that are different from the traditional psychological thriller market that is quickly becoming saturated. These books stand out from the rest and are really special.

Looking forward to round three in this series with great anticipation, and in the meantime - wholeheartedly recommend both this & The Fourth to Die!

Special thanks to Net Galley & publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read The Fourth Monkey in February 2017 and it was one of the best books I’d read in a while, so I couldn’t wait to read the next book in the 4MK series.

Even though the feds are officially looking for Anson Bishop, the Four Monkey Killer, Detective Porter continues to work on the case at home which gets him suspended. He’s ordered to leave the case alone but he’s unable to, especially when he has a chance to find Bishop’s mother.

At the same time that Porter is on his quest, his team continues to work on another serial killer case. Or is it the same case?

After reading The Fourth Monkey, I should have known to expect twists but again I was surprised at every turn! I won’t give anything away but I was happy that many questions were answered (maybe, you’re never sure when it’s a J.D. Barker book) but there are still questions that I need answered!

The Fifth to Die could be read as a stand alone but I absolutely recommend reading The Fourth Monkey first. In fact, when the next book in the series comes out, I’m hoping I can find the time to read the first two again because I know there are things that I didn’t catch.

J.D Barker has become a favorite author!

JD Barker is back with The Fifth to Die, sequel to The Fourth Monkey (4MK). This is another brilliant novel in the series. Be warned in advance: there is a cliffhanger to this one…. I need the third (and possibly final??? ) book now! I really like Detective Porter and Bishop is just frightening and now we see where he gets it from: His mother!

I would say you could read The Fifth to Die before 4MK, but I would not recommend it at all! You would see what’s going on as this novel goes into the past some, BUT you would miss so many of the details and you NEED to know 4MK’s gruesome background! You will not understand the brutality or how extreme of a sociopath Bishop is without reading 4MK.

There is quite the punch of activities that occur in a short amount of time in Fifth. We have multiple POVs and more than one bad guy. The mystery with what is going on with the girls keeps you reading wondering what will happen next. And thank you JD Barker for totally freaking me out by the overdose one character dies of: I am currently taking that medication!!

Bishop is fast becoming a favorite serial killer of mine and I look forward to see what Barker brings us next in this series. I just hope it isn’t too long!

The reason I rated The Fifth to Die 4.5 stars (rounded up to five for Goodreads, Amazon, Netgalley, etc) was that I personally wanted more of Bishop in the novel. His presence wasn’t as high in this one as I wanted. BUT we do get another frightening serial killer! JD Barker, how do you come up with these characters in your mind?????

Special thanks to the publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and JD Barker for my arc copies!

Last year, I read the first book in the 4MK Thriller series, The Fourth Monkey, and I loved it.  When I saw that the second book was about to be released, I requested it to review right away.  This is a stellar second book in a series.  I loved every, single page!  J.D. Barker has a way to transport the reader right into the story.   I was yelling out loud while reading this book, which made for some funny looks from my husband.  I would realize that I had my hands covering my head while I was reading at work.  I loved every second of this book. 

I am so glad that there will be a third book to this series and I will definitely read anything Barker writes.

The Fifth to Die by J. D. Barker Oh wow, what a final chapter and ending. Write fast, Mr. Barker, waiting for the conclusion!!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This is an awesome book! The murder mystery was very interesting. I liked the last chapter. I really want to read the next book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

Let me start by saying I loved The Fourth Monkey. It was an easy 5 star review for me so I was very much looking forward to the long awaited sequel The Fifth To Die. While I enjoyed it overall I found it a bit of a let down compared to the first outing.

We take up more or less where the first book left off. Sam is still obsessed by the 4MK killer and wants to do all he can to catch him. The FBI have since stepped in though and Sam and his team are taken off the case. When Sam continues to pursue the case on police time he finds himself suspended from his job and goes off grid to continue his pursuit of the 4MK killer.

Meanwhile his team are investigating the disappearance and murder of a teenage girl. Her body turns up mysteriously in a frozen lake. The lake has been frozen the last few weeks but she only died in the last few days. Shes also wearing the clothes of another girl that also goes missing and ends up murdered.

Hears where the book ran into a few problems for me. There was a hell of a lot going on. So much so that the character development suffers a lot. I read The Fourth Monkey over a year ago and I sort of wish I re-read it before starting this one as there is so much reference back to it and I would really need a refresher course to remember it all.

There are numerous story lines going on here. Two different police ones, two from two killers and some narrative from the past as well. It chops and changes between these different stories to move everything along but I found this all a bit jarring and frustrating. I dont mind this device at all in a novel but more so when its a dual story line, which can be extremely effective. With the very thin character development I found it all a little confusing at times and a killer for the pacing of the book. This book felt a lot longer than it actually was.

We are left with a cliff hanger and will for sure get at least one more addition to this series. I hope the author returns to a more slimline and pacier story like he did so brilliantly in the first. This just felt like it had too many ideas and story arcs that were all crammed into one novel and it suffered for it.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and J.D. Barker for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Last year, I read and absolutely loved The Fourth Monkey, which was this first book in this series. It left off with the door wide open for a sequel, so I was really eager and excited to see where the next installment took us! While I liked The Fifth to Die, I didn’t love it the same way I loved The Fourth Monkey.

There were quite a few POVs in this book, and the chapters alternated between them sporadically, which was interesting sometimes, but othertimes made it a little tricky following 3-4 storylines and remembering which character I was reading at any given chapter. On top of that, I felt like the book felt really long, and there were parts in the middle that I started losing interest. That said, I absolutely loved the beginning and end, but I felt like the middle got a little redundant in some parts.

What I did like was how everything tied together in the end. I won’t give anything away, but by the end of the book, the reader understands who all of the new players in this book are, and how they fit together, and I think that will set everything up well for the final installment. The one thing I didn’t love about that is that there was one storyline in the first book that I loved, that was sort of undone with this book, but it’s hard to get into details without spoiling anything!

I also love Barker’s writing style. He keeps the audience capitvated, and both books in the series were very smartly done, and were well thought out. There were so many little things that all tied together (with both books) that I felt like the story was so well planned out, and I really enjoyed that.

All in all, I have high hopes for the final book in the series, and I can’t wait to see how the story plays out. I ended up rating this one 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 stars. I’d like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for my copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review.

Detective Porter and his team have been pulled from looking for Anson Bishop, The Four Monkey Killer by the feds. Then a girl missing three weeks is found under frozen waters of Jackson Park Lagoon, and she is identified as Ella Reyonds. But she is wearing the clothes of another missing girl. This has the Chicago Police stumped as the other girl has only been missing two days and the lagoon froze months earlier. Porter isn't giving on his hunt for the 4MK, and gets suspended by his captain. That leaves Clair and Nash to look for the new killer. Porter continues his hunt and ends up in New Orleans. Things get wild and wicked there! You have to read the book to get the ending....fair warning, it's something you won't expect!!!!!
I reviewed a copy of this book from Booklover Catlady Publicity.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Suspense galore to keep you guessing. A great read. The only problems that I had were that in some places it tends to be a bit long-winded and the cliffhanger. I absolutely hate cliffhangers and that's what dropped it from a five star review to a four. Not sure if I'll read the next book in this series because it also may end with a cliffhanger.