Nicholl's has done it again. I was gripped by the first page getting into Emma's story. It is a fast-moving suspenseful book. Nicholl is a great storyteller. He has the ability the show the reader everything so that they can visualize. I cringed at certain moments because it was very gritty and dark. This novel can easily be read in one sitting just like his other novel. Once you start reading you don't want to stop.

John Nicholl has excelled again.. I think John's writing just gets better and better and this book had me riveted all through the night until the very last word. Whether you have read John's previous great books or not, it doesn't matter - you will want this one on your to-read list!

The book is set in Wales, around the beautiful city of Cardiff that I have had the pleasure to visit and without giving too much away the book gives us a thrilling, chilling plot of a serial killer with unhealthy needs and fetishes, twisted and damaged with a fixation on young woman who all have his signature "look". As with all great serial killer books I loved the fact that John lets us get into the mind and life of the killer as well as in the mind and world of his current abductee and "plaything". She is NOT a fortunate young woman.

The pace is great, you are right into the meaty good stuff from page one and it doesn't stop from there. No boring bits here people! The book has the added elements of us viewing the story from the police perspective as their hunt for the killer is well underway in South Wales. There are plenty of characters to both love and hate in this novel, all well developed and not overly-complex to connect with and picture. You might as well be watching a great movie or TV drama, it's clear, dramatic and exciting fiction.

It would be a spoiler but there is one character that I particularly felt was well-written and very cleverly done in this book. I wonder if you can guess who I mean when you get around to reading it. The character is central to the entire plot so I can't share, sorry to tease! I really just loved the plot overall and whilst I guessed a few things reasonably early in the book (the killer's real identity was one of them) I was not expecting THAT ENDING. It was excellent, really exciting and somewhat left me speechless.

The book is not overly graphic for those of you who might be afraid to enjoy it that are squeamish, it's emotionally charged and I have to say there is one particular scene where I felt John really did go to the "dark side" with the imagery and the writing and I cringed and nearly turned my head. I am pretty thick-skinned with dark fiction, gory crime, horror books so that says a lot. I must admit I would like to see something in future from John with more of that extreme end of things, I think that would really float my boat (sick I know!).

The story is compelling and lovers of both crime fiction and psychological thrillers will enjoy this book as it's a mixed blend in my opinion. Five huge stars from me and I predict this book will be very popular, if not THE most popular of all of John's great books. He is an author that just keeps giving the public what they want and I can't wait for the next book.

I felt very blessed to be able to read an advance copy of this book pre-publication thanks to Bloodhound Books.

Emma doesn't know where she is. Emma doesn't know who took her. Emma doesn't know why she was chosen. Emma does know she's scared, she's in pain, and he's never going to let her go ... at least not alive. He calls her Venus 6. He orders her to call him Master. And he wonders .. is she the one?

DI Gareth Gravel and DS Clive Rankin are investigating Emma's disappearance. At first glance, she looks like a 19-year-old college student, most likely traipsing out yonder with a boyfriend. But Emma's mother is absolutely insistent that her daughter would never do that.

Gravel practices due diligence and speaks to Emma's housemates and discovers that she had had a stalker of sorts. An old bearded, gray-haired man had seemed to be following her. Rankin takes on the university and her professors. No one knows anything, no one has seen anything out of the norm.

But then 5 bodies are found in various stages of decomp. All are missing parts of their bodies and when finally identified, they all resemble the missing Emma.

And so begins the hunt for one of the most sadistic, brutal, cold-blooded killers I've had the pleasure of reading. The author's pen has brought this human monster to life... a monster that we hope is only fiction.

This is an extremely well written psychological thriller. After reading this author's first two books, I expected nothing else. The characters are drawn with fine precision. The storyline is such that the reader cannot put the book down until the very end.

About half way through the book is quite a twist ... one I certainly never saw coming. The ending is quite intriguing, a cliff hanger of sorts. Normally I do not care much for cliff hangers, but this one has whetted my appetite for the follow-up book.

Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books / Netgalley for the advanced copy of this riveting book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Fair warning – if you worry about things under the bed or inside your closet, this may not be the book for you. Emma had no idea she was being watched in the privacy of her own room, but she was, by someone looking through the wardrobe beside her bed. Now, she’s been taken by the same serial killer who has already killed five young women. Her only hope is DI Gravel, who’s racing against time to save her before it’s to late. Scary and intense

Thankyou to NetGalley, Bloodhound Books and John Nicholl for the opportunity to read an ARC of Portraits Of The Dead.
I thought the storyline was well thought out and easy to follow. I was able to work out who the killer was early on in the book, but it certainly didn't take away from the plot. I look forward to reading more books from this author.

Not cooking tonight, will have to be a takeaway. I have just received the latest from John Nicholl.
The true Master of The Dark. I have read all of his books and I loved this one as much as the others.
The subject matter is very dark. I have spent the last four hours in this book, only coming up for air when needs must and to replenish my coffee cup.
This book is hard hitting, very gritty and I loved it!!!!
If I could I would award this book six stars. Excellent read.
I would like to thank the author John Nicholl,Bloodhound books and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.