book review hangman Daniel Cole

Fawkes and Baxter return in the rocket-paced follow-up to the global bestseller RAGDOLL

The new thriller from the bestselling author of RAGDOLL

A detective with no one to trust
A killer with nothing to lose

18 months after the ‘Ragdoll’ murders, a body is found hanging from Brooklyn Bridge, the word ‘BAIT’ carved into the chest.

In London a copycat killer strikes, branded with the word ‘PUPPET’, forcing DCI Emily Baxter into an uneasy partnership with the detectives on the case, Special Agents Rouche and Curtis.

Each time they trace a suspect, the killer is one step ahead. With the body count rising on both sides of the Atlantic, can they learn to trust each other and identify who is holding the strings before it is too late?

Duffy’s Book Review of Hangman

Ragdoll got under my skin and I fell a little bit in love with Fawkes. It was a smart, dark thriller which kept me on my toes. I was excited to read a review copy of the follow-up book, Hangman. But, did it stack up against Cole’s first bestseller Ragdoll?

For me, there was something missing in the second book from the first. It’s a smart plot, gruesome in places (how many different ways can you imagine someone untimely demise?), well written and brought in some new characters, so what was it that left me feeling a little ‘meh’ about this one? I can only put it down to the lack of Fawkes time and extra Baxter time. Detective Emily Baxter is completely unlikeable and she irritated me with her selfishness, particularly the treatment of her doormat of a boyfriend, and stupid decision making. I wasn’t rooting for her at all and much prefer the new characters Rouche and Curtis from across the Atlantic. Any book which has a strong detective female lead, such as Candice Fox’s Harriett Blue, usually becomes a favourite read, but there has to be something likeable and redeeming in any good main character regardless of their sex. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find either with Baxter.  This was a real shame as there is some solid writing here and it’s clear Daniel Cole has a talent for writing superb dark thrillers, I just think for a second book it would have been wise to stick with Fawkes and keep Baxter on the sidelines.

You don’t need to have read Ragdoll first, in fact, if you haven’t you may enjoy Hangman more.

I will definitely read book 3 in the series, as I do enjoy Cole’s writing style and I hope Fawkes makes a more prominent return!

2.5 from me

Buy both Ragdoll and Hangman here with free worldwide shipping!