Pain

A killer who gets off on the pain she causes her victims. It’s a nightmare for forensic psychologist Alex Madison, whom the police have asked to find the sadistic killer. Alex is tormented because he understands all too well what the killer is feeling and thinking. Can he out his own disturbing thoughts out of mind long enough to track the killer? A woman who was molded and made into what she is by the very same people who warped Alex himself. I like a story with a conflicted hero, and Alex Madison is one of the most damaged protagonists I’ve ever encountered. You’ll be hooked

** spoiler alert ** A killer who not only doesn't feel any pain,but feeds off others pain is a new idea.
Drug experimenting on innocent people is not.
Especially not to Dr Alex Madison.
I enjoyed this far more than the first book,Alex is deeply flawed ,with a drug addiction going back years.
He also has an interesting future ahead of him I think going by hints dropped in this book.
The whole medical cover up and miracle drugs is always an interesting read.
Good pacing,decent characters,good banter,nice finale... but with questions still to answer.
This one ticks a lot of boxes.

Alex Madison, a forensic psychotherapist, has a new case along with Detective Laurie. It seems as if there may be serial killings within (especially the hospitals) London.

Brutal, painful murders continue to show up - Mia is hungry for the pain these persons can give her. You see, Mia does not feel pain. She knows this makes her an outcast, yet her "addiction" to inflicting more pain on those already in pain drives hard within her.

Will Mia be rescued from herself? And will Dr. Madison be able to unearth Mia's cause for obsession?

A wonderful story that I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters had real substance. The story, itself, can be a bit intense, but the scenes were depicted exceptionally well.

Now I need to read #1 of this series!!!

Great read!

Many Thanks to Amaon Publishing, UK , Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a super read.

A killer who does not feel pain but enjoys inflicting it makes for quite a sadistic read but a highly addictive one that leaves you racing to the end of the book

I loved this book the way the author made me actually feel sorry for both victims and perpetrator, seeing it from both sides. The very idea of being his victim was a frightening thought though. Great book, read it in 2 days x

This was the second in the Alex Madison series, a benzo addicted psychologist in the midst of a divorce, who side-jobs for the London police to help them develop profiles of offenders. I wasn't aware this was a series, and not having read the first book did not detract from enjoying this book.

Pain as an addiction? That's the premise behind the illegal experimentation premise of this novel. A sick serial killer is on the prowl and seems to be literally obtaining physical pleasure from the pain of others, and later herself. There were quite a few cringey gory moments in this book, riding the edge of gratuitously torturous, but adding to the overall tone of, honestly, yuck of the novel. A yuck gamble that paid off though, as this book was a wild ride of WTF right until the end. Great read.

After reading the first book in the series I was looking forward to reading this. It was a good storyline and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters are believable and likeable with some tense moments that just make you want to keep reading. I hope there is another instalment in this series. I recommend this book/series.

This was a definite couldn't put it down book, even when I did I was thinking about it. Alex is a troubled psychologist trying to help the police find someone who is murdering people in an horrific way I'm hospital, Alex tried to find her motive, the reader knows the motive as we see the story unfold from Mia who is causing these deaths, she seeks pain in others like an addiction as she can't feel her own pain. It becomes apparent there is more to this than her being sadistic, Alex tries to find the truth of the doctors who are responsible for this.
We see a lot of Alex's character, his relationship with his wife, daughter and his colleague. I hope to see more books in this series to see if Alex can save himself and find happiness

Finished the book in a few short sittings, because it is hard to put down - except for the last 10% or so. The story is told from the viewpoint of Alex himself, and a young woman named Mia who doesn't know or understand why she does what she does. She inflicts pain to people in a very gruesome way. If you cannot stand graphic descriptions of torture, don't read this. I just skipped over them because in the end, the victim is always dead. But who is the real victim here? Mia wasn't born this way. Slowly Alex tries to find the real story, more hindered than helped by the fact that the police wants them to help but don't believe what he is learning. More so, this whole story apparently has something to do with Alex' past, but we only learn that at the end of the book.
And that is why I gave this book 3 stars instead of 4; the pace is very high in the story and I think, after reading reviews of the first book in this series, the author did a much better job, but in the last part of the book there is a lot of talking and explaining and it feels a little rushed.
I'm actually looking forward to the next book in this series because I would like to follow this author's progress.

Congratulations to Adam Southward on a fantastic, imaginative, intriguing storyline. A compulsive page turner. A serial killer with a surprising agenda, which all comes to light as the story unfolds. A great read.

I thoroughly enjoyed that. Love the characters and the whole storyline. I feel I should of read book 1 first as there are references to a previous major case which would of added clarity.
That said I felt for Mia who was in her own way a functioning addict. As what happened to her comes to light and the powers-that-be start to close ranks, our erstwhile broken hero Dr Alex Madison is the only one who can help her.

A strange but somehow likeable murderer is at the centre of this marvellous book. Lots of strands are all pulled together at the closing of the book and it's a very interesting journey getting there.

I'm grateful to NetGalley for sending me this ARC to read and review. I've given a truthful description of my understanding of the novel. No incentive was given.

The premise behind this book is a new one on me. Pain is my addiction. A serial killer is at work in London and likes to work in hospitals. Once I started reading this book I could not stop. This serial killer cannot feel pain but is addicted to the pain of others. The police have no clues and have asked for the help of Alex Madison a forensic psychologist to find this sadistic killer. Alex is a very complex lady who has her own issues. Self confessed benzo addict who is going through a messy divorce. I must admit this is the first time I have felt empathy for a perpetrator. Brutal horrific murders, and tension and suspense which had me gripped. Now I need to read the first book in this series to find out more about Alex Madison. Almost five stars and highly recommended.
I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Adam Southward, and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

When provided this advanced copy of the book, I wanted to get the full reading experience, so I turned to the series debut for some context. Devouring and thoroughly enjoying that piece, I knew that Adam Southward would be an author I would be adding to my ongoing reading list, with his captivating plot and well-paced narrative. It has been a year since Dr. Alex Madison handled a major case from the Met. While that one did not turn out as well as he expected, he has returned to consult once again. This case is a little different, but just as baffling. CCTV footage shows someone sneaking into the A&E of a London hospital and inflicting a great deal of pain to a waiting patient, so much so that it leads to an excruciating death. It would seem that this is not the first case of such an attach around London hospitals, but no one is entirely clear who this person is or what their motive could be. On the flip side, the reader is introduced to Mia Anastos, a young woman who can feel no pain, but revels in seeing it inflicted on others. She hides in the shadows and professes that she is on a mission to seek revenge for her pain. Mia’s targeted victims are only the first step in this complex web, as Madison finds her name on a list that matches her description. While Mia evades capture, she is being controlled by a larger group with hopes of neutralsing Dr. Madison themselves. As the psychology of pain comes to the forefront, Madison has a personal life in tatters that requires his additional attention. A great second novel in the series that keeps the reader hooked until the final reveal, leaving them begging for more. Adam Southward has great control over the series and its characters, tapping into the psychological and opening new areas of interest to the reader. Recommended to those who love quick thrillers, particularly the reader who finds matters of the mind of interest.

I powered through the first novel, in hopes that it would hold my attention enough to want to get to this ARC in quick order. Mission accomplished, as Adam Southward is able to mix a well-crafted thriller with strong psychological themes to keep the reader curious throughout. Alex Madison remains an intriguing character, easily liked by the reader. He is on point when it comes to his private practice and work with the police, though some find his insights too hard to comprehend or off the wall, thereby dismissing him. In a personal life that is anything but in order, Madison is forced to wrestle with a dark secret of his own, while trying to track down where to turn next in this highly unusual case. His relationship with his daughter is addressed yet again, as is the strained connection to his ex-wife. Madison has a great deal of growth to go and one can hope Southward will keep readers informed as the series grows. Other characters help to augment the excitement in this book, both with the case and through subplots that Southward uses to cut the tension. One can hope there will be some repeat appearances, as Alex Madison seems to have clicked its some and clashed with others. Southward uses a quick narrative, permitting the reader to learn a great deal in short order. The pain them resonates throughout and kept me wondering as the narrative built-up to a big reveal. Southward has proven he can handle psychological thrillers and police procedurals that mesh together effectively. I cannot wait to see what else is to come for Southward and Dr. Alex Madison.

Kudos, Mr. Southward, for another great ‘single day’ read. I am eagerly awaiting your next literary idea, but will be as patient as I must.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of pain by Adam Southward. This book with people dying in hospital helpless to stop it is one of my worst nightmares so when I read the plot for this book I was almost to freaked out to request it but i did and I’m sure glad I did. It freaked me out but was such a good suspenseful book.

This is the Second book with Forensic Psychologist Dr Alex Madison. But it can be read as a stand alone novel. There appears to be a serial killer on the loose but not in the streets, it seems the killer is within the hospitals in London. This is a gripping book you just keep to want to read that next chapter and before you know it finished. The story is told through Alex’s viewpoint.

Alex is trying to help the police find the killer, he needs to understand what is motivating this person to kill the way she does. But Alex himself is a troubled soul addicted to Benzo’s, divorce. The police have CCTV footage showing a person sneaking into the A&E department of a London hospital and torturing a patient who is already suffering pain, but the torture continues until the patient is dead. Alex is trying to find the motive behind the killings. Why? This isn’t the first case in a London hospital.

Mia Anastos doesn’t feel pain, so she wants to inflict pain on people who are already in a lot of pain. Brutal painful murders are cropping up. She doesn’t even know why she does what she does. She hides in the shadows and claims she is on a mission to seek revenge for her pain. It’s an addiction.

At times this can be quite a gory book, with some graphic torture which leads to death. Not for the faint hearted. This is not what I would call a cosy read.

A fast paced novel a brilliant thriller that really holds your attention. Alex is a relatable character with human flaws, the relationship with his daughter. I think there is more to learn about Alex and as the series progresses, it will be interesting to see how he grows. There are other characters within the story and the plot, that keeps the tension growing throughout. I am going to have to read the first book now to get to learn more about Alex Madison.

Thank you to #netgalley and #ThomasandMercerpublishers for an eARC in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

Interesting read. A killer who gets off on other people’s pain. There is a lot happening in this book and everything is fast paced and well written.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Being a therapist myself, I love reading characters like Alex Madison who are exceptional at their job but have a slightly chaotic personal life! Added to this is the intriguing premise of a sadistic killer who feeds off other people’s pain. Alex is asked to consult by the MET as CCTV shows a woman inflicting so much pain on a waiting patient that she dies a terrible death. This is not the first case in London hospitals and so begins an exciting and intelligent thriller that was hard to put down.

We are also introduced to Mia. A killer who can’t feel pain but feeds off inflicting it on others. I became addicted to the twists and turns as she evades capture. It soon becomes clear there’s an even bigger mystery here. Who are the shadowy organisation that is assisting Mia and why are they so keen on targeting Madison himself?

This is the second book in the series and I can’t wait to read the first one, although I don’t think it was necessary to read it before this one. Despite being No2 in a series it does stand alone. Southward manages to pack so much information into his narrative and keeps the tension building. There are other characters and subplots to give some relief from the pace. There is Madison’s difficult relationships with his daughter and his estranged wife to start with and I would be interested to see how that develops in future books. Madison seems to split opinion in his professional life with some loving his insights while others see his opinions as out there or off the wall.

I couldn’t leave this book alone until the final reveal and the tension doesn’t let up till then. Southward has shown he is adept at handling psychological themes and police procedure in this novel and now I can’t wait for the next one.

Alex Madison #2

Alex Madison is a forensic psychotherapist. He is working on a new case alongside Detective Laurie. He is trying to help the police to find out who is murdering the patients in hospital. Mia does ot feel pain ut like to inflict it in others who are already suffering. It quickly becomes clear that there is much more to this. Alex has his own problems. He's currently going through a messy divorce along with a few other things.

Once again, I did not know this book was part of a series. Although there are references to the first book, it doesn't put you off enjoying this story. I've never heard of people who like to inflict more pain being an addiction before. There are some gory and nd stomach churning descriptive moments. The pace is fast and it help my attention from the beginning. The story is told from Alex perspective. The tension builds throughout the story. I don't k ow how I missed the first book in this series, but I will need to read it before I read anymore in this promising series.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and the author Adam Southward for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ooh, it seems I have an unpopular opinion regarding this one! Please keep in mind that Southward has clearly done something right to conjure all of these shining reviews, so my little black sheep opinion (which isn't really all that negative, anyway) should be taken with a grain of salt.

There's no doubt Southward is a talented author and the plot is super unique, but I felt like it could've been shorter. Is that really just me? I'm generally a pretty fast reader, yet it took me nearly a month to finish this book. A month! I enjoyed reading it when I got around to it, but as soon as I put it down I'd just.. forget to pick it back up again. When I'd finally remember, I'd be sitting there expecting the ending to come up since it felt like I'd been reading it for aaages, only to see I'm just halfway through.

The story brings up a really interesting moral dilemma which I haven't really thought of before. Should we punish somebody who continues to do something they know is wrong, or treat the factors that made them more inclined to do those wrong things? Both? It was cool to see how different characters interpreted it and how they came to their own conclusions, especially given their differing experiences with addiction and whatnot.

Overall, it was an okay read, but I won't be continuing on with the series. I do recommend you give it a try if you find the synopsis interesting, though!

I liked this one better than the first one. Alex is an ok protagonist I thought he seemed more competent in this one. It was a little too graphic for me.

Pain
By Adam Southward

Reading this book took me longer than I expected, For personal reasons, Not because of the book.
I guess I should start with a warning for overly sensitive people out there. As the title may suggest, if you are sensitive to violence then you may not want to read this book.
Now for the rest of us…. I hope my review doesn't seem too generalized, I don't want to give away too much of the story.
The story is a bit of a twist on medical experiments. A twist that I wouldn't have thought of but after reading the book seems like it could be a feasible result to fiddling with the human body.
I liked Mia, one of the main characters in the story. Her struggle with not knowing who she was or why she was doing the things she did was real and heartbreaking. In spite of her horrific actions, I wanted her to triumph.
Alex, one of the other main characters. He is a well-written character. I could relate to his struggles with the loss of his family and the reason for it. I didn't like him, though. As a “person” he seemed to week and dependant to be a hero but that could be what makes the story good. Maybe he is a realistic view of what real heroes look like.
Now the storyline between Alex and his ex-wife and child is good. The struggle to continue and find a healthy way to interact was real and true in my experience but I found most of the other characters lacking in development. Detective Laurie had a good start and I think I would have liked her if she was given a bit more. Detective Hartley just seemed like background noise as well as Alex's friend. He kind of seemed like he was added as an afterthought.
I was a bit disappointed when I reached the end of the big event and suddenly found myself at the epilogue with only a vague explanation of what had happened. It seemed like a rushed ending until I realized it was open to a second book…
All in all, I enjoyed reading this book. Adam Southward is a gifted writer and I look forward to a second book.

Pain is a fantastic thriller and I would read more by this author. I will buy this book as a gift. Well written and interesting characters.

My first book by this author and oh boy it was a ride. Hard to put down, but the constant re explaining dragged for me.

Fantastic follow up to Trance, superbly written once again from Adam Southward. Genuinely excited to read the next novel from a brilliant writer.

A sadistic serial killer who likes to inflict pain but cannot feel any and female to boost! That had me hooked from the start!
"Part of Mia's brain objected, screaming at her to stop, but the more primal part, the part that was damaged, was in full control."

A young woman is going around London killing people in hospitals in very gruesome and cruel ways. She is very clever in how she goes about doing it and forensic psychologist Dr Alex Madison is brought in to try and figure it out. Why is she doing this? Just for the fun of it or are there more to these horrific killings?

I liked the storyline and found it a quick and easy read. Alex is also an ordinary person with his own problems and it gives more flesh to the story. This is the second book in the series and I will definitely look out for more books by this author.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #AmazonpublishingUK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was quite the roller coaster ride for me! The bizarre action that never let up! Great psychological thriller with some horrifying actions that left my jaw on the floor. It just didn’t let up. Fasten you’re seatbelts for this one.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

this was a really interesting read, I liked how different it was from other mystery novels. The characters were great and I really enjoyed reading this.

I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would definately recommend this book.

Really well written, interesting psychological forensic thriller. Good pace, well told well developed storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I recommend it!

Such an engaging medical thriller. I read a lot of this genre and this story was very original. The characters are likeable and the plot was well paced. Macabre at times which made my inner horror fan happy. Highly recommend!

Pain by Adam Southward is the second book in the Alex Madison Series.

A killer intoxicated by pain. Should Alex Madison stop her—or save her?