Stella > Books: adult‎ (10)

Unai Lopez de Ayala might have survived a gunshot on the head and managed to catch one of the most notorious serial killers of his time in the previou

Unai Lopez de Ayala might have survived a gunshot on the head and managed to catch one of the most notorious serial killers of his time in the previous book, but things have not turned out as he hoped. He struggles with communication, as the wound on his head left him unable to put his thoughts into words. On top of that, his boss and woman he loves, Deputy Superintendent Alba Díaz de Salvatierra tells him she is pregnant.

In the meantime, the body of a brutally murdered woman is discovered hung upside down on a mountain top and Inspector Estibaliz Gauna believes her best friend and partner is the most suited person for the job. But the face of that woman is not unfamiliar to Unai. Shadows from the summer of 1972 come to haunt the detective and place more obstacles to an already bleak investigation.

One of the things I loved most about this book was the transitions between past and present. I loved how the details painted a very clear picture of the character dynamics in the past and how contradictory they were with the present.

Once again, I found the balance between character and plot development to be excellent. Saenz has a gift for developing her characters while pushing the story forward without delays, lengthy descriptions and exaggerations, which I think is one of the best qualities a writer can possess.

For the entire 437 pages, I analyzed, expected and investigated along with Unai, all in hopes to find the killer before the protagonist. The twists and turns made me second guess everything. I sat comfortably in my theories for a page or two, only to have them proven wrong again and again. The last 100 pages really did a number on me.

One thing I would have loved this book to have is a longer final battle, like in the previous one. Although it was frustrating -and I mean that in the best way possible- to read who was the killer and how they were captured, that one on one scene for me needed something more to make this a 5star read. Yet that was still nothing short of a rollercoaster. My emotions ranged from the excitement of catching the killer, to the sadness brought by the final revelations, to the relief in the end. All of that in a mere 20 pages.

I am very pleased with how this book ended and I am thrilled to visit our characters one last time in the third and final installment of the series, The Lords Of Time!

thriller mystery ravens reviews ravens bookish blog spoiler free 2021 review

Our main character is Unai, a detective specializing in profiling that goes by the nickname 'Kraken'. As a protagonist, I must say I was pleasantly su

Our main character is Unai, a detective specializing in profiling that goes by the nickname 'Kraken'. As a protagonist, I must say I was pleasantly surprised by how complex and well-written he is. From a young age, Unai was obsessed with this particular investigation, collecting any piece of information he could find in the media and never miss any updates on the news. Now that the murders reoccured, he finds himself in the most peculiar of situations. He is excited to be able to participate in the investigation and fairly certain he will be the one to put an end to this tragedy once and for all. On the other hand, the very nature of the situation slowly cracks his confidence and manages to let fear take over in the most inconvenient times. What made me particularly interested in him is the journey he embarks on in this book. I won't go into detail but by the end of this book, it feels like he has matured and grown to acknowledge his weaknesses. Also, his past plays an important role in the story, making the challenges he faces seem greater and more difficult to get through.

The plot itself is masterfully weaved from past and present alike. Some chapters take place in 1969, following a young doctor who recently settled in the town with his family. It took me a while to understand who these characters from the past were connected to the present story but it was so worth the wait. The devil hides in the details and if one pays attention, I can guarantee you will be more than satisfied once the mysteries start to unveil. As for the chapters taking place in the present, I love how the twists and turns always keep our detective one step behind the murderer. It gets the adrenaline going and yes, I cursed a couple of times.

The story, due to the nature of the crimes, relies heavily on the culture and history of Vitoria. It is a perfect opportunity for history nerds to discover more about the Celts and their descendants, the rituals and symbolisms. It drives the story forward in the most fun way possible while picking your interest in traditions long forgotten. The author's writing style allows her to convey images and sound vividly, avoiding long paragraphs filled with nothing but meaningless descriptions.

If you are looking for an action-packed book, complex characters, and atmospheric settings, I highly recommend this read!