The fifth To Die by J. D. Barker

Author : J. D. Barker
Title : The Fifth To Die
Published : 2018
Publisher : HQ
Pages : 544
Genre : Crime Fiction

     In the midst of one of the worst winters Chicago has seen in years, the body of missing teenager Ella Reynolds is discovered under the surface of a frozen lake. She's been missing for three weeks... the lake froze over three months ago. Detective Sam Porter and his team are brought in to investigate but it's not long before another girl goes missing. The press believes the serial killer, Anson Bishop, has struck again but Porter knows differently. The deaths are too different, there's a new killer on the loose. Porter however is distracted. He's still haunted by Bishop and his victims, even after the FBI have removed him from the case. His only leads: a picture of a female prisoner and a note from Bishop: `Help me find my mother. I think it's time she and I talked.

     This is the second time I have come to this author, the first was his book The Fourth Monkey. It was a book I loved so much, It brought together all the elements that to me are essentials in a great serial killer novel. It was a  nasty little dark story that not only splashed blood across the page but built a solid mystery to solve and an adversary up there with the like of Hannibal Lecter.  So when I found out the followup was out I raced to get a copy and see what our two great foes would be up to next. 

     For Porter, it's business as usual, Killers to hunt and victims to avenge. Having read the previous book was already well established with the mythos of this world, but nonetheless, the author does give enough to help catch up the uninitiated. While this time Porter is after a different kind of monster it all feels familiar enough without rehashing old turf. He allows his characters to spread their wings a little more and in doing so we get to see a new kind of dark mind. With that said the events of the previous book are never too far from our minds. Bishop is not about to let our hero lie easy. In a bizarre twist, Bishop needs Porter's help and who is going to refuse a mad killers request. I love the heroes and villains Barker creates for his world they are a beautiful blend of realism which on occasion slip into the grandiose.  For me I like my serial killers to be highly intelligent and also stark raving mad. While the bare very little resemblance to there real world counterparts it does make for some damn fine reading. 

     With The Fifth To Die Barker's writing has clear moving up, while the original was a great book this one feels a little more refined. It moves with a great purpose as we hunt down two killers both intent of finishing there work. I must admit with this one there is a little less blood being splashed around but that doesn't make it any less creepy to get into the minds of these killers.  He also mages to keep two consecutive storylines going without either of the faltering. For me, I feel this is a feat in and of its own. They both add a great deal to the book, With this new killer we get a well built and thought out antagonist to pit our hero against. These two are easily a match for each other and as porter will find out He isn't about to go down without a fight. The dark motives of our killer will all become apparent and they make for some disturbing reading. As for Bishop, the author moves his villain own from the events of his previous work. I thought I had learned a great deal about him in the first book. But here we get to see more of what happened in the intervening years before he started his killing spree and when Porter came into his life. He is a killer I have yet to get bored with and I hope will bring so much more to this series. 

     Once again  Barker delivered to me a well thought out book that brings twists and turns aplenty as he weaves his story around the mean streets of Chicago. For me, the style and themes of the book blend seamlessly into a great blockbuster of a book. This series should be on any great crime readers to be read list.