The title for this very good debut novel comes from a movie... and describes exactly what is happening in this story. Or should be happening.
Main character Paul Czarcik reminded me a little of Harry Hole, one of my favorites in the genre 'unhappy persons'. Paul is so deeply unhappy you want to keep reading to find out why this is. In the mean time, you also want to keep reading because from the beginning, the killer is known to us and that Paul is going to catch him is obvious. But how and when?
Thomas Holgate will tell you how and when and he does it with flourish. I hope this is the start of an interesting series.

Many thanks to Netgally for this digital review copy.

Very graphic novel.
Characters and settings are very well written-you can visualize the settings and the scenery.
Fast paced novel-interesting and gripping.

Thanks Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC of the book.

This was such a wonderful debut. It had the perfect amount of suspense and kept me guessing the entire time.

Rain Will Come – Thomas Holgate

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review. This review will also publish to my blog, tropicaldelusions.blog on March 7th, 2020.

Detective Paul Czarcik is a member of the Illinois Bureau of Judicial Enforcement and pretty much does what he wants. A gruff, at times difficult individual, lacking many social graces, he dislikes most people, enjoys his alcohol and a line of cocaine every now and then, and he prefers to work alone. He frequently assists the Chicago PD with difficult cases and receives such a call at the start of this novel.

Upon arriving to the scene, he finds a deceased young woman who shows evidence of being beaten by a variety of different items, all which we left at the scene. Strangely enough, there is a dead chicken tied to her neck. Her husband is found dead in the next room, covered in cigarette burns and with his head missing. As Paul studies the scene, he’s certain the scene is staged, but something just doesn’t feel right. A quick input of data into the national crime database yields a link to another gruesome crime scene in Texas, the link being the knot that was used in both cases. In attempts to draw attention to the current case, the Chicago PD disguise one of their own and claim to have a suspect in custody.

Meanwhile, Daniel Langdon is sitting in a hotel room trying to determine the best way to dispose of the head that he has sitting behind him on the bed. Recently diagnosed with a glioblastoma – a brain tumor – he is trying to ward off a blinding headache and is ruminating about the changes that the tumor has wrought on his body, along with the to-be-expected behavioral changes. He has decided that he is not going to give in to his disease easily, and instead, he has some work to do while he still is able – seemingly avenging those who have suffered at the hands of others. As he’s watching the news, he learns of the lead Detective’s identity – and feels compelled to pay him a visit…thus beginning a game of hunter and hunted, good versus evil, etc. But is it really as simple as that???

This book was a great read! It’s not often that I find a book where I don’t particularly care for the ‘good guy’, but the dive into the psyches of the protagonist and antagonist made for a fast -paced story as Paul tries to get his man. Increasing the complexity even more was the unlikely character that randomly (or was it?) enters the picture with just the perfect evidence to assist Paul in his hunt. A fabulous mystery/police procedural full of gritty crime scenes, a nerve-wracking chase, and an ending that’ll have you scratching your head, and wondering what exactly the next scene would have been had the book not ended there…

I look forward to more – much more – from Mr. Holgate!!

Detective Paul Czarcik is with the Illinois Bureau of Judicial Enforcement. He’s a rouge cop, with plenty of demons and he is trying to stop a vigilante serial killer.

For the most part, Rain Will Come by Thomas Holgate, was well written. One of the things that I loved about the book was that it was set in Illinois, and I recognized or had been, to several of the places talked about in the beginning chapters. The characters were well developed and the form of punishments for the “evil” were quite inventive. It was also interesting to note, the detective and his serial killer were not that different from each other.

Having said all that, I grew weary of the repeated type of violence and excuses for one man to be Judge, Jury, and Executioner. It somehow rang false, even though the premise for the story could happen easily in real life. I wasn’t impressed with the “rush” that happened in Detective Czarcik brain whenever an idea would come at him. It came across gimmicky.

Even though I only gave it 3 stars, I do feel confident in recommending it if you enjoy detective novels.

Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read an advanced copy of this novel.

Edgy, graphic, and raw. This narrative has the typical underpinning of a police-procedural but Holgate offers his own gritty writing style that is certain to stake a claim in this genre. The main character, Detective Paul Czarcik, is an absolute train wreck that the reader cannot pull their eyes away from. Watching him try to pull it together enough to try to outwit a serial killer is wildly entertaining. Love. This. Book. 5 stars

Thank you to #NetGalley for this ARC of #RainWillCome, which I voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Serial killers are not usually depicted as doers of good deeds. This novel does just that. That requires a lot of suspension of disbelief. I could not accept that as a reason for mass murder. The detective who solves the murders is not a likable character. Strung out on coke, inhaling packs of cigarettes and bottles of bourbon, he is quite an unsavory character. There is not much to praise in this jumble of mayhem and maiming. A rather dark noir thriller that was best left unread.

Thanks to net gallery for the early read.
Hooked from the beginning!! Slow beginning, but picks up to be fast paced. Read in a single sitting. Holgate’s debut novel is a rather good one. In fact it’s one of the better novels I’ve read this year. I can't wait to read more by this author in the future.

I enjoyed this book! I would go between a 3 and a 3.5 rating.
It is an interesting and engaging cat and mouse game between Detective Paul Czarcik and a serial killer.
The author doesn't hesitate to give us insight into the serial killer's mind and motives which I liked. So to know both the main characters makes you think and question your own moral compass.
I liked the paciness of the book. I was, however, hoping for a slightly more thrilling end. So I was a tad disappointed that there wasn't a better twist to the story.
But still, it's worth a read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A thrilling debut from Thomas Holgate. The mind games played by the serial killer with the flawed detective is interesting and keeps you hooked till the end with their cat and mouse chase. Every killing in this book is made to question the readers' moral compass. Can we justify something as monstrous as this? Is this a game of evil against evil or is it justice well-served in a twisted way? The book makes ourselves ask these questions and leaves us with understanding the human need for fair-play. This was equally gripping in its writing and the plot was very interesting to work through. I definitely recommend it to all the Thriller Junkies out there. Don't miss this book. A satisfying gruesome thriller.

Rain Will Come Thomas Holgate

Sometimes a character is so well written, and is that “off-the-wall”, I can associate them with a real person or a character I’ve seen on TV. This is one of those books

Detective Paul Czarick reminded me of Rigs from the Lethal Weapon TV series. He is a man who breaks rules, does what he likes, and is fuelled by nicotine, caffeine, and Columbian marching powder, turning to bourbon when he wants to relax.

Czarick works for the unpopular Illinois Bureau of Justice, and thanks to the fact that he solved a very high profile case, he is benefitting from a certain amount of immunity within the Bureau, and in this case he uses it to its full advantage.

Daniel is a killer, he’s a revenge killer, and he has a plan. Czarick picks up one of his murders and starts to connect the dots and links his case to another murder.

As Czarick becomes aware of the killer, Daniel becomes aware of the cop, and so the game begins.

A game of cat-and-mouse that stretches the length of the states. Every time Czarick gets close Daniel surprises him.

For some, there are lucky escapes, for others there is a terrible death that is somehow linked to something they have done in the past.

This is a simple plot, but a cracking story. It is as much a psychological thriller as it is a police story.

A great read

This was a well written novel with a straight forward timeline and clearly delineated good guys and bad guys. The pacing was excellent and the characters stayed true to their established personas.

Personally I had a hard time with the less-than-legal (and downright illegal) habits of our hero. To me that was a real detriment in the enjoyment of the story. It posed a juxtaposition in the morality of his personification.

All in all it was a most enjoyable read. I’ll look forward to more novels by Holgate.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas and Mercer, in exchange for an honest review.

I'm sorry to say, this book wasn't my cup of tea. It was very fast past but a little too much for me. Lots of gory details about the bodies and the torture scenes.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview Rain WIll Come by Thomas Holgate.
I do like police and crime books, but quite frankly, I look for something different to get me hooked. This is good - you have a cop who is less than perfect going after a serial killer.
This is a solid procedural - and it has alot of good dialoge. I did find myself skimming some parts - I would leave alot of the relationship stuff out of this book because it didn't fit too much or develop the character more.
3 stars.

Gruesome scenes, back-and-forth between a troubled police detective and a serial killer. A fast pace and a little bit of romance thrown in. The romance could have been left out, wasn't really necessary and not really sure what I feel about it yet.
This debut novel from Thomas Holgate is well worth your time to read if you like police detectives like Harry Bosch or Jack Caffrey. The book flowed at a nice pace and the 2 point of views throughout the story were nicely done.... Just stay away if you don't like your descriptions too graphic.

Rain Will Come is a unique twist on a cat and mouse story. The narrative switches between Czarcik, a hardened Chicago detective with numerous vices, and the killer, who continues to elude being caught.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this eARC!

I was enthralled by this novel. I couldn’t put it down. The duality of the detective and the killer make for a thrilling read from start to finish. Rain Will Come is noir meets the movie Heat in a fantastic way.

I will warn those with queasy stomachs that this may not be the novel for you. The depictions of violence are very gritty and graphic.

I’d definitely recommend this book to those who love crime noir. I’d discuss more detail, but then I’d spoil the book, so I’ll just leave it at this: read the book!

The cat and mouse genre requires delicate calibration to work. If a reader is going to have two opposing forces driving a book’s narrative, it is often better to know one intimately and the other only in passing. Ran Will Come, the pseudonymous debut of screenwriter Thomas Holgate, gives near equal footing to its leads. It’s a bold move, and it pays off in places and confounds in others.

After preternaturally intuitive cop Detective Paul Czarcik investigates a double homicide, he makes a connection with a torture murder scene across the country. Going off book, Czarcik searches for the “rush” that comes from knowing precisely where a serial killer is going to be next but not knowing whether he can stop him.

Rain Will Come opens with a scene emblematic of the lead character: Czarcik likes the platonic company of escorts and is more than partial to cocaine. He is otherwise a misanthrope, and he prefers to work from home. This establishes the character well, although one wonders how well he is paid if he is able to afford $500 escorts on an almost daily basis.
As the book progresses, Holgate loses some of the laser focus that defined his character in the outset; while a case is integral to a detective novel, much of the work’s success relies upon how willing a reader is to spend time with its protagonist. The pro-activeness engaged in early scenes seems suddenly to be swapped for a narrative leading by the nose, and Czarcik suffers from it.

The reader knows from chapter two what the killer’s motive is, and his identity from chapter four; from our perspective, there’s no mystery to be solved, only justice to be meted out. We know almost all there is to know about this killer almost immediately, and his actions are deliberately telegraphed. Holgate makes multiple ballsy moves in the developmental stage of the novel but not all of those balls stay suspended mid-air; the killer’s case study is significantly weaker than Czarcik’s and laying out the entirety of his plan so early on plays havoc with the suspense.

Holgate writes with a firm grasp of what is expected of the genre, repeatedly pointing out the difference between movies and the “reality” of Czarcik’s investigation. The adherence to a general realism (albeit one with reference to legitimate psychic powers and a literal gut reaction to key information) is welcome, but somewhat undone when one character says to another “we’re not so different, you and I,” a phrase that needs to be banned from all storytelling in perpetuity.

Chapters are structured dynamically, with Holgate able to pivot between character viewpoints mid-scene without compromising flow or integrity. The multiple viewpoints help to establish that Holgate's own narrative voice isn’t quite as cynical as Czarcik, who is often pointedly rude for the sake of it. Paradoxically the killer is written as a bit of a weenie, but he is afforded the dignity of mostly logical motivation — even if he should have kept some of it to himself.

Rain Will Come reveals too much of itself too soon, and thinks that its final development is surprising rather than the inevitability that it turns out to be, but Czarcik is a strong enough character to ride again. Whether Holgate has already written him into a corner remains to be seen.

I love a good mystery thriller, and this one did not disappoint!
Told in alternating points of view between Paul, the flawed investigator from the Bureau of Judicial Enforcement, and the serial killer, I plowed through it in one day - just couldn't put it down.
The more I learned about the killer, I found myself almost empathizing with him and his cause, which was in itself, a very interesting twist. I liked the twist at the end too!
I can't wait to read more by Thomas Holgate - this was a fantastic debut and if you are mystery reader you will definitely want to check this quick read out.

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.

Rain Will Come provides an alternative twist on cat & mouse, detective vs serial killer. The relationship which builds between the two really stands out and a few chance (or not so chance) encounters in-between gives a quick thrill.

Detective Czarcik a man with many vices, makes it his mission to bring down a new serial killer, the difficult part about the case - is the killer in the wrong? Both men are at the end of their lives, one literally and one figuratively, and determined to complete their final tasks.

Oddly, my favourite character was the killer, Daniel. Holgate did a very good job explaining the justifications of Daniels crime and you feel yourself almost cheering him on in hope that he will succeed.

This uncomplicated, easy read would be a perfect holiday book. With a mix of love and crime the book should appeal to many.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.