The Hanged Man by Simon KernickMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Hugh Manning is on the run in fear for his life. Erstwhile accountant for high-octane criminals, he has become a hunted man. His crime bosses are killers and Manning has seen too much. He has skimmed off enough to provide him and his wife with a wealthy future, if only they can escape and flee the country…
Ray Mason is a cop who has a history of flying by the seat of his pants. A cop with a cavalier attitude. There are many references to previous events that saw him suspended. Events that occurred in ‘The Bone Field’ (1st in the series that I was not aware of). The remains of seven unidentified women have just been discovered at a remote location and Mason and fellow officer Dan Watts are determined to hunt down the killers. I often found myself at a disadvantage not having read The Bone Field, where this all began…
Mason and Watts need to locate the witness to these murders before the killers do. And Mason is in a relationship with PI Tina Boyd, herself a former policewoman, and she adds another dimension to the investigation…
The Hanged Man just about reads as a stand alone although I am certain that reading The Bone Field first would explain a great deal and fill in much useful background information. The quest to find Manning is fraught with danger at every turn, littered with bodies and tainted with betrayal.
This is a cracking read (even if, like me, you haven’t read #1). The last 100 pages or so are breathtaking. I had to finish the book and did so in the early hours. Pulse-racing, heart-stopping action led to a nail biting finish. Wow!
Simon Kernick has written a gem of a thriller and, given that ending, there must be a Bone Field #3 in the pipeline. I cannot wait!
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Some books are like that with me.
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