Very intriguing and was without a doubt a good read. Amazing world-building and interesting characters and insights to them.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Flame Tree Press and the author, Russell James, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Playing Card Killer in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. The premise of the storyline certainly sounded like a thriller of a read. Unfortunately, I found the storyline lagged in places though there was potential shown.
Not a book for me.

Brian Sheridan has been on medication for anxiety and ADHD for most of his young life. At the age of 20, he decides he's had enough of being drugged all the time. However, there are consequences.

First his girlfriend leaves him .. she's not willing to take care of him. Then the nightmares start. But are they really nightmares? He dreams of women being strangled ... he can see the women through the killer's eyes. Are they violent dreams ... or violent memories? He doesn't worry until he sees one of the victims on the television news.

He's goes to the police, which turns into a disaster. Now Brian is the number one suspect. So is he the killer? Or does he have a gift? And he can't forget about Mr. Jitters.

Detective Eric Weissbard thinks he has his man ... but does he? He's' starting to have second thoughts about the evidence .. and it points in an entirely different direction.

This is a psychological thriller mixed with a little paranormal, a little horror, and a dose of mental illness. There's lots of action, especially the further in to the book you get. It's in turn puzzling and horrifying.

Many thanks to the author / Flame Tree Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

THE PLAYING CARD KILLER is a supernatural, serial killer, thriller.
I was a little off kilter at the beginning of this one, but once the story kicks into full gear, and Detective Weissbard is introduced, we are off to the races.
Good characterizations, solid plot, and a perfect ending. I find that a hard combination to beat.
Russell James delivers another good one!
Recommended!

I really enjoyed this book. Is Brian having a complete breakdown or are his dreams really becoming a reality? Having an anxiety disorder myself I thought Russell handled Brian’s symptoms and withdrawals from the medications really well. Going cold turkey the way Brian did was never going to end well and the hallucinations proved that, you can understand then when the dreams started he found it hard to tell what was real and what was reality.

This is such an intriguing book and so very well done that its hard for me to say much without giving anything away. I did like the Detective Weissbard, loved the relationship between him and his wife, it added another layer of realness to it all. His determination to catch the killer and get one over on his arrogant sergeant pushed him in the right direction.

A really good thriller it will keep you intrigued.

This book had some good twists and turns, highly exciting and a good story. I liked the flow of the story. Character development was good and the book came to a good end. I would recommend

The Plying Card Killer
by Russell James

FLAME TREE PRESS

Brian's parents desperately wanted a child, unable to have there own, they adopted Brian.
After adopting Brian "a drug baby" they went on to give birth to their unexpected daughter.
It seemed they put him on the back burner, their daughter took center stage in their lives.
As a younge boy their answer to everything was putting Brian on a cocktail of anti-depressants, and other mood-altering drugs. They felt he should live his life.....NUMB
His companion Mr Jitters, whom he saw when the stress overwhelmed him, with his spider-like limbs, and a face of a skeleton. Just before Brian turns 21. he decides to go off his meds "cold turkey". Going through med withdrawals he starts having dreams of a woman's death, with a playing card left on her corpse. When Brian sees the news he is filled with fear...Is he the playing card killer?
Russell James' writing was very descriptive, making you feel like you were going through the drama and fear with Brian. The book "had me" by the second page. The premise of a good and a evil twin was smashing! If you have not read a book by this author, and love thrillers, it's time to discover this great writer, who pulls you in and has you wanting more after you have read the last page.

Thank you to Netgalley and FLAME TREE PRESS for there advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The bond between twins is a fascinating thing, and not all aspects of it can be explained by science. In this gripping thriller, Russell James explores what happens when a pair of twins start out disadvantaged - by a mother who drank and took drugs while they were in the womb - and are then adopted separately. One of them, Brian, is the protagonist of the book and unaware that he ever had a twin. When he developed severe anxiety as a child, his adoptive parents took him to get help, and he’s been on medication ever since, medication which comes with significant side effects. Choosing to stop taking it just before he turns 21, Brian starts having vivid dreams of murdered women, dreams which feel terrifyingly real.

When real women start turning up dead in situations which exactly match his visions, Brian wonders if he’s genuinely insane, if he could even be a killer. The truth is far more sinister, and he can’t even begin to believe it’s true until he’s kidnapped… by his own evil twin who wants Brian to join him in a killing spree!

I really felt for Brian, battling his own internal demons as well as external pressures. Though his life hadn’t by any means been easy, he still had a strong moral compass and the will to do whatever he had to in order to stop his psychotic brother. Although at first the narrative feels a little disjointed, it’s an accurate representation of Brian’s mental state as he went cold turkey on his medication, and I felt it helped me really get into his perspective. As the story goes on, it gets more thrilling and faster paced, until by the final confrontation I was reading on the edge of my seat.

An excellent thriller with an intriguing premise, I’m giving this one five stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley.

I was delighted to be asked on the tour for this one, as Flame Tree Press are fast proving themselves to be one of my favourite houses, pumping out pure quality. This one did not disappoint.
The Playing Card Killer explores many different elements but is ultimately a crime thriller. Our protagonist Brian, has come of the medication he has been on since youth and is tormented with dreams in which people are being strangled. Then these bodies start appearing in real life, and we are left wondering, WTF is going on!!

I thought that the plot was paced very well, while not fast paced the whole way through, it slowed down at just the right moments. The addition of viewpoints from the long-suffering Detective Weissbard were a thoroughly enjoyable segue, and I would love to see more from this character in the future.
While The Playing Card Killer took a little while to really "grip" me, by the time I got to page 50 I was completely hooked. I couldn't get enough of the characters, and was on tenter hooks from that point on. The closing sections were read well into the night, leaving me with what is often referred to as a "book hangover" the next day. At least I can't get pulled over by the traffic police for one of those.... I think.
Overall, this is a KILLER read (I'll get my coat). If serial killers / crime with a hint of supernatural are your thing - then this one is definitely for you!

Well, I have to say that I enjoyed every minute of this cracking crime/thriller!

I loved that, straight-away, Russell James introduces Brian Sheridan, who is currently on medication for anxiety-related problems. Brian decides to stop taking his medication as he thinks that he is living life through fog and haze which he hates. As a result, he is tormented by dreams of women being strangled, then left with a playing card tucked in their corpse. When he sees an apparent victim on the news, dead, Brian fears he may be the unwitting killer. Detective Eric Weissbard thinks the same thing and starts to build a case to get Brian convicted. But there's so much more to these murders…

Brian discovers that he has a brother, Tyler, with a penchant for murder. Tyler is willing to frame Brian for the crimes unless Brian wants to join Team Playing Card Killer. 

Russell James’ sympathetic portrayal of the immensely likeable Brian was wonderful to read as his neuroses and delusions were laid bare and there was no hidden side to him. Brian is a troubled young man with an adoptive family with whom he barely has any sort of relationship. His girlfriend, Daniela, by contrast, is confident, and self -assured and she delivers Brian an ultimatum - either he continues with his medication or she will leave him.

I also liked Russell James’ fantastic character portrayal of Detective Weissbard who is talented, analytical and operates mostly and very successfully on gut instinct. However, he is disrespected by his colleagues and is assigned to chasing all the non-eventful leads and red herrings. That is until a jittery young guy arrives at the station, claiming to have detailed knowledge of the investigation that hasn't been revealed.

For me, THE PLAYING CARD KILLER explores some freaky imaginings and is full of creepy vibes. It's a fantastic thriller that surprised me with a mystery that borders on a grim horror novel. I was never quite sure exactly how far off the rails Brian had gone or where the author was going next with this disturbing but exciting story. The suspense was so great that I was on the edge of my seat because I was so absorbed with Brian and Detective Weissbard.

THE PLAYING CARD KILLER held my interest from start to finish and the way in which Russell James brought everything to a conclusion was just fabulous. I loved it and it has left me eager to read more from this author. I would recommend THE PLAYING CARD KILLER to anyone who likes this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, Flame Tree Press and Russell James for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.

Set in Tampa, Florida, THE PLAYING CARD KILLER is a twisty psychological thriller with a murder mystery entwined plus elements of the Paranormal. Poor Brian, adopted young, has always since early childhood suffered with anxiety disorders. Put on a court-appointed therapy and medication regime at thirteen, he is nearly twenty now. He has a decent, if unexciting, job, a new girlfriend, and an apartment. He also has occasional dinners with his adoptive family, which is enough to give even a person with anxiety disorder trouble. But Brian's real trouble begins when he decides to give up the medications, which make him fuzzy and out of touch. Then the nightmares start; then the daytime hallucinations; then the real trouble, as he has nightmares of being a horrible killer. Worse yet, he's targeted as the Playing Card Killer. Brian doesn't know what to think, and for quite a while, the reader is puzzled too because the real cause is something seldom, if ever, occurring. Plenty of twists and thrills in this mystery!

The Playing Card Killer, Flame Tree Press’ latest release from the prolific Russell James, is a solid and engaging serial killer thriller with a supernatural twist.

Brian Sheridan suffers from a spate of mental disorders, including chronic anxiety and depression. He’s given up on the court-ordered therapy he’s been sentenced to until his 21st birthday, just a few weeks away, and has flushed the prescriptions that keep his head straight right down the toilet. Tormented by Mister Jitters, the hallucinatory form of his anxiety given shape, Brian begins seeing other, stranger things. His sleep is plagued by nightmares of women being murdered, strangled to death by a red velvet rope, a single playing card left with their bodies. This happens night after night, and then he sees the news reports. These are not merely dreams. He’s witnessing the murders through the eyes of a serial killer. Or…he could be the killer himself…

If you struggle from anxiety, I suspect you might find Sheridan pretty relatable. He just wants to be normal, but battles his mental health conditions on a daily basis. Being riddled with anxiety, his mind racing a million miles an hour from ADHD, is the normal state of affairs for him. Being on a number of prescriptions meant to balance him out makes him feel strange, slower, irregular — in short, the complete opposite of what they’re meant to do. Quitting the pills is easy, even if going cold turkey is a disastrous approach with some quite unexpected outcomes.

James does a wonderful job making Sheridan a sympathetic character, but also one who is highly unreliable. We’re never quite sure what direction the author might spin this story toward, or how far off the rails Sheridan may have gone. Given the number of mental health problems Sheridan presents, it’s entirely plausible that he could be the killer, just as the police suspect, or that being so heavily medicated dampened the natural higher-order powers of his brain that make him supernaturally gifted. That we spend much of the first half of the book guessing which way James will go kept me on my toes, looking for clues.

The downside is that The Playing Card Killer is ultimately a pretty standard serial killer story and James heavily relies on the tropes of this particular subgenre, which makes this read feel overly familiar. It hits all the expected beats, almost exactly right when you expect them to. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel or do anything particularly original or cunning with the material, it is an entertaining enough read overall, one that reminded me a bit of Dean Koontz during the latter years of his heyday (minus the cloyingly saccharine dog worship, thankfully).

Without spoiling anything, I will say that I was satisfied with the plot surrounding the serial killer even if I didn’t particularly care for the psychopath’s personality. For my tastes, he was too much of a frat-boy, but I did appreciate the way his good mood could stop on a dime and morph into something far more sinister. It’s clear there’s a lot of mental damage surrounding him, and James did a spectacular job of making me cringe during one particular instance of a captive’s torture late in the book. It may be a bit of a riff on the movie version of Misery, but was no less potent despite its familiarity.

Speaking of familiarity, I suspect that Spanish serial killer Alfredo Galán was influential on James during this story’s development. Galán, too, was known for his playing card signature, and like Brian he, too, worked as a security guard and suffered from anxiety and neurosis. That’s about where the similarities end I think, but it’s interesting to see some of the similarities and differences between the real-life Playing Card Killer and this highly fictionalized copycat killer.

The Playing Card Killer is a perfectly serviceable supernatural thriller, and James’ story was lively enough to keep me turning the pages even if I wasn’t particularly surprised by the various twists and turns the story took. It’s a solid bit of escapism, and this detour to Tampa, FL provided some welcome imaginings of sun and heat during a potent blast of Arctic cold in my region.

Well, I can only say that I enjoyed every page of this!

You have a solid mix of serial killer thriller with a bit of supernatural influence.

Our characters are damaged, but so engaging – even the one you love to hate.

And I’m happy to say that the author surprised me both with what was really going on and with a terrific ending!

Very happy to have read this one.

ARC provided via Net Galley

During withdrawal from anti-anxiety medication, Brian is plagued by dreams of women strangled to death and left with a playing card on their corpse. This premise hooked me right away as I've struggled with anxiety and medication withdrawals myself, and also love a good read about a serial killer!

The book was slow (and quite boring) at the start as it gathered its bearings, but it soon picked up and the simple writing style worked really well. Brian also got more likeable but I wish he was a little bit more fleshed out - we never learn much about his actual personality/interests. Russell James is great at writing fact paced action too, although there are moments where it dips.

I found it interesting when the POV of Detective Weissbard was added as I hadn't read the more detailed blurb so I didn't know this was going to happen. I grew to like the detective a lot and really enjoyed seeing things from his point of view. It made me want to either read or watch more crime/mystery stuff, especially as I don't often read that genre.

I wouldn't say no to reading another book by James in the future if another premise sells me.

I’ve enjoyed many of Russell James’ books and The Playing Card Killer is amongst my favorites. The Curse of the Viper King and Q Island also make my favorites list. From action/adventure to an apocalypse, and now a crime thriller, Russell James keeps writing great books and telling engaging stories. I liked The Playing Card Killer from the start as Brian Sheridan ‘sees’ his first vision of the killings. Crimes that he later finds himself tangled in and struggling to keep clear of blame.
This character was easy to like as he tries to get off his meds and live a more normal life. Russell does a bang-up job creating a character filled to the max with anxiety. As the visions and killings continue we are introduced to another fine character, Detective Weissbard. A hard-working cop trying to do the right thing while working against every obstacle thrown at him. I really liked this guy straight away, the outsider and former NYPD officer now working at the Tampa Police Department. The other side of the coin includes an excellent antagonist. One that was downright creepy and as psychopathic as can be. The Playing Card Killer is a great crime thriller with a cleaver plot and well written characters. If you love thrillers and crime fiction I’d recommend giving this one a read.

I need to read more from this author. His breakneck pacing and character development are amazing and the twist in this one is fun as you see it develop. Going to find more from Mr. James to read!

Extremely disappointing.

I really struggled to read this.

Very little happens in the first few chapters, the story starts with a person looking at packs of playing cards and there is an unnecessary amount of description. Then comes a young man on medications for ADHD / anxiety talking to his girlfriend about wanting to stop his medications. The writing was very flowery and cliched, the characters came across as generic and one-dimensional.

Would not recommend, I just found it boring.

This is such a good premise, a man with mental illness goes off his meds and suffers incredibly vivid hallucinations, his girlfriend leaves him and then people start dying.....is he connected/involved?

The writing is fast paced and it’s an ok read. However, I found it too haphazard in places to be a strong recommendation. I’d definitely read more from this author as, the elements that were good, were very good.

Thanks to Netgalley, Flame Tree Press and the author for the opportunity to preview this book in exchange for my honest review.

Serial killers and mental illiness? I'm in! This novel was a new offering from Flame Tree Press and I grabbed it, even setting aside other books that I was reading to jump in.

I wish the writing lived up to my expectations. The story itself was ok; but the writing was somewhat uneven. For those who haven't read many serial killer novels, you're sure to find this an enjoyable read.

First book I have read by this author it had a very good plot and had a lot of suspense in it would highly recommend it