Michael Woodrow is the guy no one wants to see. He’s the one that comes in to help companies economize by cutting out people’s jobs. He is gorgeous though. If he didn’t have such a heartless job… and he didn’t like killing women, he might be quite a catch.

FLAWLESS

That’s how women describe Michael Woodrow. He’s an irresistibly handsome corporate hatchet man, trimming costs by axing employees. He also likes to kill women. Gripping suspense that is a thriller of a ride - any more to come from this author please?

Really good book, great storyline. Would definately recommend it. It's a book that stays with you long after your finished it.

FLAWLESS by TOM KAKONIS 5 stars

Best book I have read for ages

This is a hidden gem of a book,
Tom Kakonis has written a book for everybody who loves a good thriller.

We meet Michael Woodrow. He is a character who everyone likes, he is a successful consultant who accesses failing businesses, where he can hire but mostly fires..
He lives with his father Norman who has just been released from prison after serving 18 years for killing Michael's mother.
But Michael harbours a dark secret - he is a serial killer. He likes to kill women.
But then Michael falls in love with Lizbeth who is his new neighbour. What impact will that have on Michael's secret life?

Over the course of the story, we learn about Michael's past, and find out what makes him choose certain types of women, and what had turned him into a serial killer, and how his relationship confuses him about what road his life will take. Can he stop the killings or is the love of the kill so overwhelming that he can't stop. He realizes that a Private Investigator by the name of Victor Flam is poking his nose into places which makes Michael very very worried. Is Victor going to find anything incriminating leading to Michael or is Michael living on borrowed time?

The story is told by both Norman and Michael, which was a bit much at times, but overall it worked.
The character of Michael draws you in from the first time you see him, and even though he is a serial killer, he is still a likable character, so the author gets a pat on the back from me for this.
I think that the story is one which isn't too far-fetched, but it is definitely chilling. and because it is about a serial killer it is graphic in parts.
I was drawn into the story from the beginning, and I really needed to find out what happened next. And Michael's character was so likable, even though he had a dislike/hatred for women and he was a serial killer. Not someone who you can take to meet your grandmother.

It's difficult to go into the story without giving it away, so this is really just the bare bones.
Just one problem to me was the language, the use of slang, it gets a bit too much in places, but it didn't detract from the overall story, and it is mostly Victor Flam who is guilty of it.. And Norman got a bit annoying. He was a professor before killing his wife, and he wants to share his knowledge on everything and he definitely does that. When he is stuck on a certain subject Norman goes on, but that is just his character and it isn't out of place.

If you like thrillers which are gory but has a strong .story line, this is for you.
I loved this book which is why I gave it 5 stars even with the few little problems I covered. It is the best thriller I have read for a long time

Hatchet man - in more ways than one...

1. Michael Woodrow works as a consultant, assessing failing businesses and recommending deadweight and dross to get rid of - a hatchet man. He is very handsome and very troubled.

2. His father, Norman, lives with him, after serving 18 years for killing Michael's mother.

3. Lizabeth moves into the neighborhood and catches the eyes of both men.

Add Victor, slimy private investigator, to the mix and the story is starting to look like a train wreck about to happen.

I appreciated the story building in this tale, the author's use of language. Norman pontificates a bit too much but it fits his character. He used to be a professor and just loves to share his knowledge - of everything.

This is a tale of a serial killer so be aware there are some disturbing scenes. But, to me, the most disturbing took place in a restaurant and had nothing to do with the serial killer. Ewww...

I'm glad I read this story although I can't say I "liked" it. It was dark and thought-provoking and the ending was just right.

NOTE: I received a free advance copy of this book from Brash Books, via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

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Amy Inholt http://bittenbybooks.com Established 2008

I liked this writing, but I kept feeling like I was reading a Dexter novel...which isn't necessarily a bad thing!

Have to state I spent so much time looking up word definitions in the built in dictionary on my e-reader it became a distraction to the story. Regretfully due to my age (I think) I will not remember any of those definitions. The story could have been condensed if there were not so many discussions with the voices in the minds of the two main characters. Perhaps we all have those voices in our minds but I am rather sure they are meant to stay in our mind and not vocalized or written down. But if the objective of the story was to point out the emotional conflicts within the minds of disturbed and regressive individuals perhaps it was an overall successful undertaking. Just too many deviations from the plot for my taste but four stars for sure for the overall telling of the tale.