4 Nov 2014

SKIN RIVER.


SKIN RIVER by STEVEN SIDOR.

SOURCE: Given to me by a member of my reader's group.

BACK COVER BLURB: He prowls the forest ...
Goatskinner kills without conscience, prowling the frozen forest for human prey. He revels in the chase, savours the visceral thrill of the cut and thrust. His victims are women, nearly always left in scattered pieces that briefly quiet his screaming hunger. Hidden behind a friendly facade, his depravity eludes those around him. But always, his hunger grows.

Looking for his quarry ...
In a sleepy backwoods town, Buddy Bayes inhabits a darkness all his own. On the run from the Chicago mob, he sought refuge as proprietor of a simple tavern. But then a series of gruesome killings puts him dead center within the authorities' attention, and Bayes finds himself locked inside Goatskinner's twisted world.

And killing with no mercy ...
Suddenly, Buddy's past catches up to him with the force of a hollow-point slug, as he's caught between the suspicious police and the unforgiving mob. His only way out? Find the killer and settle scores all around. But when Buddy comes face-to-face with Goatskinner, the encounter will leave them both shattered to the core.

FIRST SENTENCE {Chapter 1}: Flashlight beams play in the dark spaces between the trees as the search party fans out.

MEMORABLE MOMENT {Page 161}: Through lazy green willows, the figure retreats, and by layers, like a diver fathoming an emerald sea, he becomes obscure, a simple shadow, then he is gone.

MY THOUGHTS: This may well be a first novel for the author but with its stereotypical characters and a plot that doesn't stray far from a formula that most fans of crime thrillers are familiar with its hardly cutting edge stuff.

Alas not written in a style I particularly enjoyed. As a reader who likes red herrings I was disappointed that the who-dun-it was revealed to us so early on. That the book almost felt like two novellas joined together. Something that may have worked if it wasn't for the fact that the book was a relatively short read of just over 250 pages and had frequent flashbacks.


11 comments:

Kelly said...

This sounds rather gory. I'm guessing it's more of a "police procedural" rather than a murder mystery?

Yes, it sounds rather typical and I already have enough of those in my TBR pile, so I'll pass on this.

Sherry Ellis said...

That books sounds totally creepy!

Felicity Grace Terry said...

Whilst I suppose how gory a book is or in this case isn't is down to personal taste I can honestly say that I didn't find it overly gory. As for creepy? I'm not at all sure I'd describe it as creepy as much as at times dark.

Suko said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this one, Tracy. Goatskinner sounds like a dark and depraved character.

Literary Feline said...

I am sorry this one didn't work for you, Tracy. It sounded like it was an interesting premise.

Chrys Fey said...

That title gave me chills.

Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews said...

Hi Tracy,

This book sounds almost as dark and intense as 'Noise' which featured in my MM post this week.

I quite liked the sound of some of the authors other books as well, however I was a bit put off investigating any further, when his website appears in what looks like Chinese and there were some very dubious words appearing on his Goodreads profile.

I think that under the circumstances, I'll pass on this one and wish you better luck with whatever you decide to read next.

Yvonne

Stephanie Faris said...

Do you ever read Harlan Coben? I LOVE his books. I'm not even a fan of crime thrillers but his somehow pull me in...except for the series he wrote about the sports detective guy. Those seem kind of cliched, like this one...

Stephanie@Fairday's Blog said...

Sorry you didn't enjoy this one more. It sounds scary to me! :)

Melliane said...

Oh I'm sorry it wasn't for you... I'm not sure it's for me either. I think I'll pass.

Brian Joseph said...

The one thing that I cannot forgive in a book is a lack of originality.

Cliches and formulas really do turn me off.

I think that this one would not be for me.