Portraits Of The Dead

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.

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.

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.

This was freaky as hell! I was captured and seriously pulled into Master's world. We flip flop between Master and the cop. I love the view of hunter and hunted... I feel like my pulse pounds heavier and I get caught up more into it. Mr. Nicholl taps into a fear I've always had... heck, fears we all have about someone hiding in our closet. Right?!?! Keep it up Mr. Nicholl! Your books keep getting better and better!

I also listened to the audiobook and goodness, Jake Urray can tell a scary story! His voice is this lovely smooth accent that lulls you in and you're captivated by his words... his enunciation. It's terrifyingly perfect!

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.

WOWSERS…. firstly the cover of the book scared the bejesus out of me, thinking of Stephen's King's IT.... but braved it after reading the bio.....This is my first read by John Nicholl but I can say hand on (thumping heart after that read) that it certainly won’t be the last. This is the kinda book I dine on, from the get go you are pulled in, its fast paced and chilling to the core. The story follows 3 parts, that of Emma who has been kidnapped, Master with his sickening mind, cravings, fetishes that will leave you with your mouth hanging open and then there is DI Gravel. Can Gravel save Emma in time, will Emma please the Master enough to stay alive? Its sit on the edge of your seat finger nail biting stuff…. And whoah mamma…. That twist mid way through the book…. Did not foresee that, will say no more for fear of ruining it for anyone but you WILL KNOW what I mean when you come across it…. Those of you who love a psychological crime serial killer book with many twists and turns, THIS IS A MUST MUST READ.

Many thanks to John Nicholl, Bloodhound Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

From the very beginning, this book had me at the edge of my seat! Portraits of the Dead is a rollercoaster ride of fear, adrenaline and suspense. I found myself holding my breath while reading, almost afraid of what the next page contained. This is an intense thriller and will leave you breathless.

**Spoilers**

Emma is woken up to find a man in her room and before she can act, she is knocked out. She awakes in a dark room, afraid and disoriented. Suddenly a light flashes on and she sees she's in a windowless room with photographs of 5 other women, who bear a startling resemblance to her. A man's voice comes through the room and he tells her this is her home now. He is demanding and tortuous. He tortures her psychologically for a while...turning off the light and playing horrible recordings of his other victims screaming. Before she completely breaks down, he ends the torture for the time being and commands her to call him "master" from then on. She must obey his every whim, no matter how depraved or demeaning, or else he will kill her. She decides early on that she's going to fight with everything in her, even if that means playing along with his tortuous game.

Emma's mother goes to the police, hell bent on finding her daughter. An investigation ensues aand after 2 weeks of Emma missing, 5 bodies are discovered, horribly mutilated. The 5 women all look like Emma. They know his MO now and realize the same man who kidnapped her also killed these women. They will have to do everything they can to bring this killer to justice. The police are racing against the clock to bring Emma home before it's too late.

We find out the person who is the kidnapper/murderer is also a cannibal and there is quite a bit of talk about torture and rape. These parts of the book will be quite disturbing to some readers. So I'm adding this in as a warning, but it does help to describe the evil and psychopathy of the character.

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Bloodhound Books, John Nicholl (the author) for allowing me to have his ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Initially Emma and her captor didn’t completely enthrall me. I enjoyed the storyline though and it’s not too graphic if that concerns you.

Loved the two main police characters in this book. Reminded me of old fashioned policing.

The ending seemed a little rushed though there were a couple of unexpected twists thrown in too.

Look forward to reading the next book by John Nicholl.

ive read books by this author previously and was lucky enough to receive an arc in exchange for an honest review. it does not disappoint and is a fabulous read which i have told all my friends to download on publication day! the story is dark and twisted with an ending i hadn’t expected. definitely one to read this year.

many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy.

This is the first John Nicholl book i have read. It started off good, then got a bit odd at one point which i think even for me was a step to far. The ending was pretty short and snappy, i think i would have prefered a different one, however, it was a fitting end. I Will read more of his books.

☆°☆ARC provided ☆°☆

Portraits of the dead by John was a creepy horrific read that I loved. The author did an awesome job creating a story that kept me on my toes.

Okay, first of all can I just say that this cover freaked me the hell out? Well done, Mr. Nicholl!
This was a race against time thriller that was so creepy and edgy, it may not be for everyone, but man-oh-man was it for me! I LOVED it!!! And let me tell you, DI Gravel? Well, he was pretty damn amazing. I loved him as a character. Throw in a serial killer as horrifying and sadistic as the one in this book and I will run you over to get to it. Just kidding. I would never do that. :) But, this one really was this good.
It was scary. It was thrilling. It was dark and twisted. And...It. Was. Fabulous!

This thriller really grabbed and held my attention. I ended up staying up until Midnight to finish the novel I started yesterday. I loved the flaws of the characters and seeing into their lives.

The serial killer was a demented person who was really brought to life. He was someone you wanted to see what he would do next, but didn't. That's a skill a lot of writers struggle with, while Mr. Nicholl didn't.

The only reason I gave it 4 stars was the ending. It left me just a bit dissatisfied. I really wanted the characters to squirm and be shown how wrong they were.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bloodhound Books for an advance copy of Portraits of the Dead, the first novel to feature DI Gareth "Grav" Gravel of the West Wales police.

When the goddaughter of West Wales' Chief Constable, Emma Jones, is kidnapped from her Cardiff flat Grav is instructed to find her. He, in turn, delegates the search for Emma to DS Clive Rankin while he deals with the five murdered young women found buried in the local woods until it appears that they might be linked.

I enjoyed Portraits of the Dead in parts as it is a good read with several unexpected twists. The novel is told from two distinct points of view with Emma and her kidnapper alternating with Grav and Clive. Initially the kidnapper's motives seem a bit clichéd, sex and control, but this is only the tip of the iceberg and I felt my eyes popping out of my head as I read one of the twists, re-reading it to make sure I'd understood! I must admit that I did not enjoy his interactions with Emma which seem repetitive and offensively gratuitous. In this case less would have been more. The investigative narrative is more to my taste. I enjoyed the banter between the characters and the sense that they were banging their heads against a brick wall. It makes a change to see an investigation that makes little progress. The novel, however, ends with a bang with some great twists and is well worth the journey. For that alone I have rated it at 4*.

Portraits of the Dead is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

I enjoyed this book a lot, I loved the storyline, that of a sadistic serial killer, who with the help of his mother, has successfully managed to Kidnapped and murdered 5 young girls. The story begins with the kidnapping of his 6th victim, a young University student by the name of Emma Jones. From the very first chapter I was gripped, I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough to find out what would happen next, I was gripped from the start. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I felt the ending was a bit of a let down, to me it seemed rushed, as if the author was in a hurry to Finish, I am left with a lot of unanswered questions. I hope there is a follow up to this book, as I really do think there are some things that need to be explained. A very enjoyable book, it’s definitely worth a read.

I just love John's books, he gets you into the storyline straight away. This is a fast paced twisty story and each chapter leaves you in suspense.

I like his style of writing and overall this book was brilliant and extremely well written I must admit, although the ending was different it was very well thought out.

I look forward to reading John's next masterpiece.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloodhound Books. I really enjoyed this book. It was a thoroughly gripping read and the protaganist was as creepy and as sadistic as they come. What a freak!! I felt the ending was very slightly rushed but that doesnt take too much away from the overall read. I have no hesitation in recommending this book. The cover is fantastically spine tingling.

What a delicious, creepy novel this was.
From the prologue on. It really sets the tone for this slow burning dark novel.
Emma a young, blonde student who is abducted and kept prisoner by an unidentified male who wears a clown's mask.
The abductor/ killer is revealed early on; but that is not the purpose of the book.
The author uses his skill as a writer to shape and form characters who live in your mind and sends shivers down your back and makes you invest in their story and his narrative.
His Di Grav is a throwback to another age. An unfit man, who eats,smokes and drinks more than is good for him. But he is filled with a desire to do the decent thing.
The abductor is a well drawn character who displays all the traits of the psychopath. No remorse, con conscience.
It is a book well worth investing in. It will be worth your effort.
John's writing is of a top quality standard. I urge you to read this book.
Thanks to the author, publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.

I had read White is the coldest colour so when I saw this book I was eager to get a copy and I was not disappointed, this was more of the gritty and descriptive writing that I loved. This made me look into the dark recesses of my bedroom and in the wardrobe before I slept, Emma's captor had been hiding in her room waiting for her to sleep and then abducted her and from that moment on her world changed to one of pain and uncertainty. When five bodies of young women are found DI Gravel realises that this is a serial killer and he needs to find Emma before it's too late but they don't really have a lot to go on and Gravel will stop at nothing to find her.
This is very gruesome in parts so if you are of a feint mind then be aware but I love the way John Nicholl writes and although I knew who the killer was it didn't spoil my view of the book and felt it was necessary to the plot. I can't wait to read more from him in the future and hope to meet up with DI Gravel again.
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An intense & dark psychological thriller that will make you shudder.

Portraits of the Dead by John Nicholl starts off exceptionally creepy with 19 year old college student Emma Jones being abducted by a sadistic serial killer who awaited his perfect opportunity, hidden silent and unmoving in her wardrobe. I swear the scene was right out of my worst nightmares! What a way to hook you in!

Emma awakens naked, bruised and bloody, finding herself in a windowless room adorned with portraits of girls who look just like her and no way out. Emma finds herself at the mercy of her captor who thinks of her as his plaything. Unfortunately the "Master's" games are brutal, horrific and sadistic. I rather enjoyed the scenes between Emma and her depraved captor. Emma was described as an intelligent, hard-working girl and that was definitely apparent during her interactions with the Master. Although she was forced to degrade herself for his enjoyment time and time again, she was always thinking, trying to earn his trust to stay alive and ultimately find a way out.

DI Gareth Gravel and DS Clive Rankin are investigating Emma's disappearance and quickly begin to tie her case to the killing of five young women whose bodies are discovered scattered in the woods. Will they find Emma in time before she becomes number 6?

Honestly, I did figure out fairly quickly who the "Master" was and was ready to give the book 3 stars for various reasons. First, the relationship with the mother was twisted and creepy but I just didn't fully buy into it. Secondly, DS Clive Rankin - what the??? I can't say more without spoilers but that threw me and I was upset with how it ended.

So where did the 4 star rating come from? The ENDING! It totally changed my mind. It was not what I was expecting and it was such a GOOD surprise. I found myself cheering and feeling quite satisfied in that crazy "You Go Girl!" way.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for a copy of this book.

It is very creepy and even though the killer is revealed early on there are a few shocks along the way to keep you entertained.

The ending could have been expanded on - I thought it ended a bit too bluntly.

Would definitely read more by this author...............who knew Wales could be this creepy!

John Nicoll's book are certainly not for the faint hearted but once you start to read, they grip you and never let you go.
Portraits Of The Dead certainly will not disappoint.

This is another excellent read, an extremely well written psychological thriller by an author whose books I have come to love. Pulled in from the start, held in a vice and not released until the very end, this book is not for the faint hearted. A massive 5* from me.

Portraits of the Dead by John Nicholl is quite haunting and seriously freaked me out at times. But in the way that a true crime podcast or an episode of Law and Order: SVU would, ya know? The story focuses on a serial killer who has kidnapped a young 19-year-old girl and has her locked in some unknown room. He forces her to call him Master, plays tricks on her, abuses her mentally and physically, and sometimes dresses as a clown when he does so. SOLD.

The writing style of this book is so clear and easy to follow. I couldn’t believe how quickly I was turning the pages and how I barely looked up at all while reading. I read this in only two sittings because I literally could not put it down. I had to know just what twisted scheme, conversation, or action was going to take place between the serial killer and his recent victim. I had to know what the cops were going to uncover, if anything. And I had to see just how everything was going to unfold. Did the girl get abducted at random? What’s the motive? Did she know her abductor? There are all kinds of questions that raced through my mind on this one.

The serial killer/abductor, y’all! Seriously a twisted psychopath. He is not continuously disgusting and shocking, but the few moments that he does something of note like that will stick with me for quite some time. I can’t tell you how many people I mentioned one scene to and their reactions were all, “OMG! What kind of books do you READ?!” It’s true. I guess I may be a little messed up because I actually enjoyed how dark, dirty, and twisted a few scenes were (purely from an entertainment aspect! I am not in the game of emulating said psycho!)

This book also hits on a lot of my own personal fears, and some that I believe a lot of people have in common: feeling vulnerable in your own home, being abducted, clowns, bugs, physical and emotional abuse, the works. I think we can all connect with the victim and would strive to be like her if we were unknowingly slung into her situation.

I enjoyed the dialogue in this book quite a bit. I never had a hard time with believability or credibility. The author did a great job of having purposeful dialogue: not too wordy and flowery but at the same time quite informative and to the point.

Overall I am going to give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I found it exceedingly entertaining and haunting at the same time. Can’t wait to read more from John Nicholl if this is the kind of thing he writes about and if his style Is consistent book to book! Thank you to NetGalley and Bloohound Books for sending me this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this book but felt the story was a bit rushed at the end.
Emma is taken from her bed one night and wakes up in a sealed room with a man’s voice welcoming her to her new home.
She is subjected to having to dance for this man in high heels and he drugs her then has sex with her.
We soon learn the identity of the man but the Police have no idea who he is.
Soon five other bodies turn up and the Police realise Emma could be the next victim.
The ending is a bit strange really and like I said, a bit rushed.
I’d give this book 3.5 stars.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Portraits of the Dead by John Nicholl is the first in the DI Gareth Gravel Series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bloodhound Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Note that this book was originally published in August 2016.

Series Background:
DI Gareth Gravel (Grav) has been with the West Wales Police force for over 20 years. Grav has recently lost his wife Heather to cancer, and his some of his bad habits are resurfacing. He has a rather gruff manner, smokes cigars, loves his sugar, and has really good investigative skills. He figures he could probably be a DCI, but he doesn’t always play well with others, and politics are not his forte. His partner is DS Clive Rankin.

My Synopsis:
When a prominent member of society reports her daughter missing, Grav figures the 19-year old probably just took a break from university. He is skeptical, but as his superiors want him taking lead on this case, he will follow their orders. He asks Rankin to assist, and sends him out to gather some information. But when five bodies of other young girls, with remarkably similar appearances to Emma, turn up, Grav knows he has to work fast. There is a serial killer on the loose, and Emma is next on the list.

But everyone underestimates Emma. She is being held in a small, sound-proofed room, and trying to appease the sadistic killer who insists he be called Master, tries to feed her body parts, and drugs her when he wants access to the room…and to her. But Emma is determined to stay alive. She will say and do anything she has to while she tries to hatch a plan.

Not everyone is going to survive.

My Opinions:
I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I always am when I find an author that is new to me, with a series on the go, and the first book so appealing!

The characters are deep enough that you feel a connection, which makes their actions and emotions more captivating. You are drawn into the story very quickly, and hesitate to put it down in case you miss something. It had the right amount of creepiness and gore, without going over the top. Nicholl is a talented author, and this book was action-packed and fast-paced. A perfect mystery with a few twists. Loved it!

I will definitely be exploring other novels by this author.

This is the first book I have read by this author, it is hard hitting, gripping and very dark. I loved it!!! will be looking John Nicholl up to see what other books I can read now

The first thing that grabbed my attention was a fabulous yet creepy cover.. When I read the blurb and found it is a police procedural I wanted to read it. This is one of my favourite genres. The serial killer is a very sick puppy but he does believe he is too intelligent to ever be caught. Expect the unexpected with this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this continual aspect of the book which kept challenging what I thought was happening. The ending was not expected either. But I will be searching out more books by this author!

This was an outstanding read. I haven't read either of Nicholl's previous two books featuring down-to-earth, take no prisoners DI Gareth Gravel but plan to now as this was such a fabulous book. I hope the others prove to be as compelling - I have been assured by friends that they are! Also, a quick sentence about the cover art - wow, it's creepy and fits the synopsis perfectly.

From beginning to end 'Portraits of the Dead' held my interest and if you, like me, find disturbing, creepy and sadistic serial killer thrillers a joy to behold then give this one a go! I can't see how you could be disappointed. I found the pace to be impeccable te whole way through and there was plenty action too. DI Gravel is put on the case of an abducted girl and knowing that the killer has murdered five times before, he is in a race against the clock to save Emma from the same fate.

Nicholl's characterisation is great and you easily feel a connection to each character. There are also a few key twists including at the end which I didn't predict. Nicholl knows how to captivate you and pull you into the story from the first pages. His books are definitely not for the feint-hearted!

I have no hesitation in recommending this book especially for those who enjoy police procedurals and stories that centre around a serial killer. Impactful, deliciously dark and very sinister, this book is a winner and deserves the full five-stars.

Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this book from start to finish! A disturbing story of a deranged sadistic serial torturer/killer perfectly told at just the right pace. The bodies of five girls have been discovered and DI Gareth Gravel is back hunting his man before another kidnapped girl meets the same fate. It works fine as a stand-alone although I, for one, am itching to read this author's previous books as soon as possible. Highly recommended for those who enjoy a good police procedural with a deadly dark side.

I always wondered how an author can entice a reader into his imaginative world, now I can see it, the cover for Portraits of the Dead is the start, emanating suspense, thrilling intentions and the call to turn the pages, smacking of full on chills, chills and more chills.

From the cover to the initial first pages, the characters, the plot, to the last gasp of the final few pages, John Nicholl held my attention tight with the intention of not letting my mind wander from the words until I devoured the all consuming End.

One thing I haven’t noted but will now is the tagline on the cover ‘The greater the evil, the deadlier the game……‘ a jolt of electrifying energy sears itself through my very core reading and seeing this one deadly statement, the bait that John has dangled has created a point of no return and so the book begins…

Lets look at Portraits of the Dead and what we can expect from John Nicholls standalone serial killer thriller, how dark did John go…..oh John went real dark. Emma a student snatched from her bed, no witnesses, no evidence, captured by a killer who has a tally of five women, gone, erased, removed from this world.

Will Emma be his victim……

Emma has a small part to play in the whole scheme of things, even though not always at the front of our minds, the dark depravity inflicted by the killer sits sullenly at the fore front, heavy and laden with horrific scenes. John tapped into the cold insatiable appetite I have for the grisly and macabre plotlines, ensuring I read on, to follow Detective Inspector Gravel as he looks to unlock the secrets to determine Emma’s future and that of the serial killer.

What I will say about Portraits of the Dead is that it’s certainly a mixed bag, part psychological thriller, part police procedural and a whole lot of Darkness, Depravity and Downright Horrifying scenes, but boy did I love it. I’m for more but will you join me……

My thanks go to Bloodhound Books, John Nicholl and Sarah Hardy for an advanced readers copy of Portraits of the Dead in exchange for my honest opinion whilst reading and reviewing for the Blog Blitz.

Portraits of the dead is one of the creepiest books I have read in a long time and I mean that in the good way!

Portrait's of the dead pulls the reader in from the start into the creepy world of the serial killer and doesn't let go to the very last line.

This book allows the reader to see into the serial killer mind and why he feels he can torture innocent girls. The part with the things in the food will haunt me for the rest of my days!

The reader will feel empathy for Emma and be kept at the end of their seat hoping that Emma can be saved in time by DI Gravel.

This is the first John Nicholl book I have read but it definitely will not be my last! I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a creepy psychological thriller.

*ARC recieved from publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I absolutely loved this book! A twisted serial killer thriller.
Emma is locked in a room, she is scared but is doing her best to stay strong and survive.
The story is told from different perspectives and I liked how we know who the culprit is pretty early on. So the story includes his thoughts and what he's doing while Emma is locked up.
A brilliant read for fans of thrillers.

I didn’t really help myself when I was sat in bed at 2 o’clock in the morning with my Ovaltine and a thought of I will just read for a while before I go to sleep because OMG! I wanted to sleep in my wardrobe just so no-one else could hide in there after I had read the first chapter. Damn this man. John Nicholl had done it again with me in the very first chapter, he is good, no he is brilliant at getting me right at the very first couple of hundred words. There was only one thing for it. It was going to be a long night! I was going in.
Now if you thought IT was scary for the kids in it, then double the scare factor here for adults because this is one mean son of a psycho that got into my head. For a lot of young women it was already too late, five of their portraits hung on the wall in this sound proof room but there was plenty room for more to be added and for Emma she was just at the start of her horrific ordeal. Oh wow there is being frightened and there is wakening up to discover slowly the horrendous things that have been done to you. Could this man be called human? I read every new discovery with my hand over my mouth. John Nicholl is very graphic with his descriptions and does put you there in amongst the worst of it.
It wasn’t going to be the first appearance for DI Gareth Gravel and DS Clive Rankin in John Nicholl’s novels but the disappearance of a 19-year-old student wasn’t causing a great deal of concern with either of them except for the fact that the girl’s mother was a personal friend of someone high up the chain of command. The two detectives play a much bigger role in this book than previous ones. They were frustrating at times, all part of their characters in the story but at times I wanted to batter them. It is very early on that you discover who the bad guy is which does add to the way I viewed how the case was handled.
There are so many shocks in this story that I really was left speechless. So much I just didn’t see happening. John Nicholl is definitely a man with very dark thoughts. Super read! Bring it on Mr. Nicholl! I am camped out in my wardrobe and waiting.

This was a fast-paced, disturbing read. The events were relatively predictable until the ending, but that didn't take away from this engrossing story. Felt sort of like a written version of The Poughkeepsie Tapes. This was my first read by John Nicholl and I'll be checking out his other works.

Nicholl delivers on his promise! This book is utterly chilling, totally creepy, and an adept study in suspense and the macabre.

Wow, John Nicholl has done it again, he has written another disturbing and brutal book that chilled me to the bone. Portraits of the Dead is as creepy as the cover suggests, it was sheer brilliance! This is the third book of John’s that I’ve read over the past few months and it had me hooked from the very first page.

Emma is a student at Cardiff university when she is abducted in the middle of the night by someone hiding in her wardrobe. Yikes. Next thing she knows she is being held in a room by some unknown person. DI Gravel is assigned the case and when other young women start turning up dead he knows he has a serial killer on his hands. Will Emma be found in time? Who is the killer?

We first met DI Gravel in White is the Coldest Colour but with this book being more about the investigation it was good to get to know him as a character more. I loved how the book was part police procedural, part sadistic psychological thriller, it was an excellent mix. John’s writing was as brilliant as ever, he drew me in right from the start and didn’t let me go until that final word.

I loved how John revealed the killer to the reader but left the police in the dark, I was almost screaming at my kindle, come on DI Gravel, you can figure it out! Bloody brilliant John. I devoured this book quickly, it goes along at a steady pace and after each chapter you just have to keep reading.

Portraits of the Dead is a dark, disturbing, brutal serial killer thriller written in a gripping way that I’ve grown to love with John’s books. The killer is sadistic and it was just brilliant. John I must say you are quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.

This has to be one of John’s darkest stories yet! It actually gave me a nightmare. Legit. Parts of this story are so dark, gruesome and intense. A story that will have you on the edge of your seat and biting your finger nails. A brilliant cover too, even if I am petrified of clowns.

Portraits of the Dead is a fast paced, easy to read and terrifying thriller! This has to be one of the most twisted serial killers I’ve read about it. I felt so sorry for Emma! Will the team find her before its too late? Chilling. 5 stars. Highly recommend…

One to read with the light on and not alone in the dark before bed!

Gripping from the opening line, ‘Emily didn’t know how long he hid…’ sinister or what?? For those who like their crime fiction to be dark and gruesome look no further than John Nicholl. I previously read White is the Coldest Colour so I knew this author didn’t shy away from the nastier aspects of crime and in this book he pulled no punches. With a truly sadistic killer at large DI Gravel has his work cut out and with very few clues, the future looks bleak for Chloe, the latest victim.
DI Gravel (known as Grav) features in several of Nicholls books, although of the ones I have read, they read very much as standalone crime fiction. That said I liked the familiarity of the lead investigator, an old school cop who says it as it is and his sidekick DS Rankin. This book follows two threads – the investigation into the missing girl and the experience of the victim at the hands of the depraved killer.
Told in the third person this is a well written story where the reader knows more than the characters as events unfold. With some shockers along the way this was hard core crime at its best. A relatively quick read and most definitely a page turner, I appreciate the fact that Nicholls doesn’t gloss over the grittier aspects of murder. This was particularly evident in this book in relation to Chloe, whose situation was nothing short of horrendous.
Definitely an author whose work I will look out for, with a background in Police and Social Work, John Nicholls, I suspect has seen the darker side of humanity and draws on this in his writing, which is gripping, disturbing and highly readable!

Great fast paced novel which had me hooked from the very beginning. Enjoyed getting to know the characters and will search for more of john’s books.

This book begins with 19 year old Emma being abducted and held captive by a serial killer. So who is this mystery masked man keeping her a prisoner and will Emna figure out a way to escape?
I really enjoyed this book and the writing style was easy to read and kept me intrigued. This was one creepiest, yet realistic thrillers I've read in awhile and I would definitely recommend.

"If heaven can be a place on earth, then so can hell."

When 19-year-old Emma Jones wakes in a windowless cell, she knows that her hell has just begun. Kidnapped from her bedroom in the middle of the night, she's held prisoner by a man who speaks to her through an intercom and hides behind a clown mask. Pictures on the walls show 5 other girls that look just like her. The man glories in sadistic torture and murder -- will she be next?

Detective Inspector Gareth Gravel and DS Clive Rankin of West Wales Police catch the case when the mother of a missing girl comes into the station. Shortly afterwards, the bodies of 5 unidientified young women are discovered in nearby Caerystwyth Wood. The hunt for a serial killer begins.

This grisly, dark thriller is immediately absorbing and tense. Though the identity of the killer is shared early, the narrative shifting between points of view, the reader is kept glued to the pages as the story progresses. Part police procedural, but with more emphasis on other disturbing action, it is difficult to put aside the book so I had to read it all in a single sitting. I must say I was rather upset by the climax and conclusion; it was unsettling and unexpected. The ending is abrupt in some ways.

I've read one other book in the DI Gravel series (unfortunately out of order) but will be starting the 3rd book, A COLD COLD HEART, immediately. Good stuff if you like serial killer chiller thrillers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Gosh..........Portraits Of The Dead by John Nicholl what a fantastic book this was.

Emma a University student who is 19, wakes up alone in a room, and has with no idea where she is or how she got there!?!
Shortly after she wakes up, a voice comes through an intercom in the room and tells her to do everything he says. He changes her name to Venus 6 and she has to call him "Master" If she does not do what he tells her to do, he will kill her, just like he’s killed others in the past.
Emma, then searches the windowless room in the dark, trying to find a way out but only finds black and white portraits of barely dressed girls stuck onto the walls............strangely, they all look like her.
She also notices in a corner of the room theres a video camera and its pointed right at her.........
Is he watching her every move???? Is he watching her now?
Who is he???
Emma recognises his voice but where has she heard it before???

DI Gravel is called in to work and finds himself working on a new case of the disappearance of Emma. Then, 5 bodies of young women who each resemble Emma are unearthed. DI Gravel knows he needs to work hard to catch this sadistic killer before he kills again.

Can DI Gravel find the Emma before its too late?

I only found this author by accident and WoW what a writer John Nicholl's is. I just love the way he writes, the way he makes you a part of this book. It's creepy, dark and very disturbing that will make you have goose bump's. Its a fast read and OMG what a brilliant cover to this book. So, No reading this book at night!!!
Once I started to read this book I could not put it down and will keep you on the edge of your seat and up all night!.
The ending to Portraits Of The Dead is 10/10 book with a Perfect ending.

I Highly recommend and a must read book with a brilliant twist! especially if you want a book that will have you looking over your shoulders.

5☆ A Must Read! That gave me Goose Bumps!!!! This will be a author I will stalk now for his books.

Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC. and John Nicholl for writing a fantastic book.

Reviews on Good read and Amazon UK.

Fab plot, descriptions and story. The characters were so lifelike and real. Definitely recommend this book to many,

"Emma didn’t know how long he hid in the large Victorian wardrobe to the side of her single bed. She didn’t know how long he peered between the two heavy oak doors, and watched, as she slowly drifted into fitful sleep. She didn’t know what time he pushed the doors open and crept towards her in the darkness of the night."

Portaits of the Dead is compelling from the outset, as we read of Emma's terror at waking in an unfamiliar bed, naked and covered in bruises, having been taken hostage by a man demanding to be called 'Master', who tells her that from that point onwards, she'll be called 'Venus.'

“Disappoint me one too many times and the last sound you hear will be your own screams.”

Determined to survive Master's attempts to break her, Emma plays her captor's twisted game(s). Perhaps if she doesn't disappoint, he'll be nice to her and won't torture her; maybe she'll even earn a little of his trust and be able to find a way to escape? And so begins the battle of wits between Emma and her captor. She doesn't want to end up like the five girls who previously inhabited her cell, their portraits mounted on the wall staring down at her serving as a stark reminder that if she doesn't do as Master commands, another 'Venus' will take her place.

Meanwhile, Emma's mother goes to the police station to report her daughter as a missing person. Initially sceptical - afterall, Emma's a college student; maybe she stayed the night with friends and didn't tell her housemates? - DI Gravel grudgingly agrees to investigate. But when the bodies of women bearing a striking resemblence to Emma are discovered, DI Gravel and DS Rankin quickly realise they have a serial killer on their hands and it becomes a race against time to locate Emma before she joins the bodies in the morgue.

The captor's identity is revealed early on, although I suspect several readers will figure out who he is before the author's revelation. That doesn't detract from the enjoyment this novel brings, though, as John Nicholl still has one or two surprises up his literary sleeves and when they come, they're glorious.

Billed as being the first in the DI Gravel series, I would've liked to see him feature a little more in the police-procedural side of this novel. That said, the bulk of the book's mental tug-of-war between Emma and Master is superbly done and makes for addictive reading.

Originally published in 2016 and soon to be re-released by Bloodhound Books, Portraits of the Dead is a solid psychological thriller that I have no hesitation in recommending.

This book is so creepy from when you to start and doesn't finish being creepy until the finil page. It's tense, taughting and keeps your attention until you finally get to the last page, intense and disturbing, exactly what I love ❤️ in a book! Will be reviewing and using for a challenge in Chapter Chatter Pub!

5☆ A Must Read! Got under My Skin!

Portraits of the Dead is a creepy, dark, sadistic psychological crime thriller. The Book Cover was enough to creep the hell out of me.

I'm a big fan of John Nicholls so when I was given the opportunity to read this one I jumped at the chance.

Right from the start I was hooked.
When a stranger comes out of your closet during the night and beats you up, abducts you, then watches your every move via cameras I was completely and utterly freaked out!

He refers to Emily as Venus Six.
She is his 6th young women he takes great pleasure in telling her by displaying their pictures round her sound proofed prison!
What has happened to the others?
He demands she calls him Master!
Who is this crazy sadistic torturer?
Why has he picked Emily?

Detective Inspector Gareth Gravel, or Grav is the DI investigating the cases. But can he find Emily before it's too late?

I was so drawn into this chilling, very dark thriller I was reading till the early hours desperate to know what would happen next.

John has this way of making you feel uncomfortable but you just can't help needing to keep reading.
Just by looking at the Cover I knew it was going to be dark and it was bloomin brilliant.

If you enjoy dark, sadistic serial killing psychological thrillers that literally get under your skin, then you definitely need to read Portraits of the Dead.

Thank you to Bloodhound books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

All of John’s books are excellent reads, this one included. Always held my attention, great story, characters, job well done

This book was a tense, creepy and disturbing read from start to finish! Brilliant if thats what you are looking for!!

I am a massive fan of this author’s work and I was delighted to see that this book had been released – I loved the blurb and that suits the book perfectly!!

This book was great, I loved the build up and I was completely immersed in the story right from the first few pages – it held my attention and didn’t let me go until right at the end. It has some great characters and I loved their interaction as the story progressed. I did guess who I thought was responsible and when it was confirmed it didn’t put me off reading at all and I was eager to see how the story would unfold and the ending was excellent!!

4.5 stars from this one for me, rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon – cannot wait to see what he releases next!!

Emma Jones wakes in the night to a strange man in her room. At first she thinks it’s just a dream but she learns quickly that he is quite real. The next time she wakes she is badly beaten in a locked room with a video camera and pictures of other girls that look like her. A voice tells her she is Venus Six and it is clear that she is not his first victim.

DI Gravel is approached by Anne Jones saying that her daughter is missing. At first he doesn’t really think much about it until he realizes that she is not the first disappearance, Emma is the sixth missing girl. This killer has struck and already killed five other woman. It’s up to Grav and DS Clive Rankin to stop the Master before Emma becomes the sixth victim.

I read A Mind to Kill, book two in this series and couldn’t wait to catch up on what I missed. This is a great, dark thriller in which you learn who the killer is but you don’t realize what kind of sicko you are going to be messing with. Grav and Clive are a great pair and work together really well and are on a race against time. But I have to say the story with Emma and the Master caught my attention more. I guess I’m just one of those people.

Of course the ending was a complete shock. Talk about thrown me for a loop, I was NOT expecting that. I’m glad that I have read the second book in this series. But I hope book three will be out soon. I can’t wait to read more on Grav, Clive, and the next serious messed up sicko John Nicholl can come up with.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

Oh where to start, this book was phenomenal. At times the dark depraved nature of the perpetrator was hard to stomach, but I am so glad I persevered. There were twists galore and I held my breath on more than one occasion wondering what would happen next. A thoroughly good read and I will be reading more by this author.

My Review: 5/5

This this the third book I’ve read by John Nicholl and it certainly won’t be my last.

From the first page I was immediately hooked to this serial killer thriller. Emma wakes to find herself in a windowless, steel door room…completely alone. Soon she is introduced to the scariest terror: her abductor.

The story is chilling and describes the fears perfectly of probably every woman. The author paints the terrifying scenario with the utmost description and realism that I felt I was in the room with Emma. Mr. Nicholl has a way of inventing ‘bad guys’ that is horrifying! He doesn’t pull punches, and is raw and intense.

Although I loved the book, it is not for the weak of heart. It is descriptive and graphic taking you places that are unimaginable. But that is what I absolutely love about this book and the author. Like I mentioned above, John Nicholl is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read his next masterpiece!!