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Washington Poe #6
The Mercy Chair
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin . . .
Washington Poe has a story to tell.
And he needs you to listen.
You'll hear how it started with the robber birds. Crows. Dozens of them. Enough for a murder . . .
He'll tell you about a man who was tied to a tree and stoned to death, a man who had tattooed himself with a code so obscure, even the gifted analyst Tilly Bradshaw struggled to break it. He'll tell you how the man's murder was connected to a tragedy that happened fifteen years earlier when a young girl massacred her entire family.
And finally, he'll tell you about the mercy chair. And why people would rather kill themselves than talk about it . . .
Poe hopes you've been paying attention. Because in this story, nothing is as it seems . . .
Washington Poe has a story to tell.
And he needs you to listen.
You'll hear how it started with the robber birds. Crows. Dozens of them. Enough for a murder . . .
He'll tell you about a man who was tied to a tree and stoned to death, a man who had tattooed himself with a code so obscure, even the gifted analyst Tilly Bradshaw struggled to break it. He'll tell you how the man's murder was connected to a tragedy that happened fifteen years earlier when a young girl massacred her entire family.
And finally, he'll tell you about the mercy chair. And why people would rather kill themselves than talk about it . . .
Poe hopes you've been paying attention. Because in this story, nothing is as it seems . . .
485 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2024
About the author
M.W. Craven
36 books2,008 followersM. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle, running away to join the army at the tender age of sixteen. He spent the next ten years travelling the world having fun, leaving in 1995 to complete a degree in social work with specialisms in criminology and substance misuse. Thirty-one years after leaving Cumbria, he returned to take up a probation officer position in Whitehaven, eventually working his way up to chief officer grade. Sixteen years later he took the plunge, accepted redundancy and became a full-time author. He now has entirely different motivations for trying to get inside the minds of criminals . . .
M. W. Craven is married and lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne. When he isn’t out with his springer spaniel, or talking nonsense in the pub, he can usually be found at punk gigs and writing festivals up and down the country.
M. W. Craven is married and lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne. When he isn’t out with his springer spaniel, or talking nonsense in the pub, he can usually be found at punk gigs and writing festivals up and down the country.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
June 9, 2024
It all starts with the robber birds, crows … a murder of them, oh and a badger at St Michaels Church, Shap to which Poe is summoned from his pint and Scotch Egg at the pub. Initially, it’s not his case but following a horrifying discovery at The Lightening Tree it now is and it will take an enormous toll. The body of Cornelius Green, leader of the Children of Job, a hardline religious group of zealots begins the darkest inquiry yet for Poe and Bradshaw. And, who exactly is Linus Jorgensen (aka Snoopy) who claims to be from the National Audit Office and dogging our intrepid pairs footsteps???
There are a mere handful of authors for whom I’d preorder a novel and stump up £11.49 for the ebook but MW Craven’s brilliant Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw of the National Crime Agency makes the cut!! I think this is now my favourite series and duo. I love them both. Tilly is a genius and I adore her unfiltered honesty. Poe says and does things we’d all love to do but don’t and he frequently makes me laugh! Linus/Snoopy adds a good dimension and more than a few quizzical looks. Estelle Doyle and DSU Nightingale are also good characters.
Here we have a multi layered novel - a religious hardline organisation, a family story which is far from pretty, Maths (Tilly amongst other cleverness), tattoos, The Mercy Chair and grit, grit and more grit. It’s not for the faint hearted that’s for sure but it’s utterly gripping. It’s twisted and twisty with sky high suspense and tension. It’s intense, disturbing noir and I think it’s got darker with each novel in the series. In this one, to understand what Poe goes through there’s only one way to tell it that works and it’s this way. He suffers here and we need to see how and why. He’s a tough guy but even he has his limits and he’s pushed to it in this case. I love the way MWC chooses to tell this story and how it plays out.
I confess to a panic at one point as I feared there wouldn’t be a 7th novel and begin to hatch a plan to track Mr Craven down and plead the case 😂 but fret not, there is one in the pipeline. I can’t wait and I’ll even spend £’s on it.
There are a mere handful of authors for whom I’d preorder a novel and stump up £11.49 for the ebook but MW Craven’s brilliant Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw of the National Crime Agency makes the cut!! I think this is now my favourite series and duo. I love them both. Tilly is a genius and I adore her unfiltered honesty. Poe says and does things we’d all love to do but don’t and he frequently makes me laugh! Linus/Snoopy adds a good dimension and more than a few quizzical looks. Estelle Doyle and DSU Nightingale are also good characters.
Here we have a multi layered novel - a religious hardline organisation, a family story which is far from pretty, Maths (Tilly amongst other cleverness), tattoos, The Mercy Chair and grit, grit and more grit. It’s not for the faint hearted that’s for sure but it’s utterly gripping. It’s twisted and twisty with sky high suspense and tension. It’s intense, disturbing noir and I think it’s got darker with each novel in the series. In this one, to understand what Poe goes through there’s only one way to tell it that works and it’s this way. He suffers here and we need to see how and why. He’s a tough guy but even he has his limits and he’s pushed to it in this case. I love the way MWC chooses to tell this story and how it plays out.
I confess to a panic at one point as I feared there wouldn’t be a 7th novel and begin to hatch a plan to track Mr Craven down and plead the case 😂 but fret not, there is one in the pipeline. I can’t wait and I’ll even spend £’s on it.
June 7, 2024
3.5.
It’s no secret that I love this series, and I adored every moment I spent with these beloved characters in The Mercy Chair. I burst out laughing at pretty much every interaction between Washington Poe and ‘Snoopy’. And whooped with joy over a happy reveal in Poe’s personal life (finger bones 😊). My heart went out to Poe for everything he went through (creepy crows) and the set up for this mystery, and its unique beginning, were cleverly executed. Ever though The Mercy Chair is no. 6 in a series, it can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend books 1-5.
The crime focused on very dark and bleak themes of religious fanaticism and indoctrination, cultism, hate crimes, and child abuse, likely triggering for some readers. Also, warnings for blood and gore. Have to say I wasn’t completely sold on the mystery plot, and my issues weren’t in regard to the trigger warnings, rather due to the fact that I saw a lot of the twists coming before they hit, and frankly it surprised me how long Poe took to click. And the one’s I didn’t guess weren’t really too my liking – as they’ve been overused in this genre. An intricate, tension-filled mystery for sure, just not my favourite. Not when compared to The Botanist and The Curator, my top faves.
I think this was more a case of “it’s me” who wasn’t a fan of the mystery, and I’m sure most will rate it higher. I read it over a day, and I always looked forward to picking it up, I just wish the plot had of “wowed me” more.
It’s no secret that I love this series, and I adored every moment I spent with these beloved characters in The Mercy Chair. I burst out laughing at pretty much every interaction between Washington Poe and ‘Snoopy’. And whooped with joy over a happy reveal in Poe’s personal life (finger bones 😊). My heart went out to Poe for everything he went through (creepy crows) and the set up for this mystery, and its unique beginning, were cleverly executed. Ever though The Mercy Chair is no. 6 in a series, it can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend books 1-5.
The crime focused on very dark and bleak themes of religious fanaticism and indoctrination, cultism, hate crimes, and child abuse, likely triggering for some readers. Also, warnings for blood and gore. Have to say I wasn’t completely sold on the mystery plot, and my issues weren’t in regard to the trigger warnings, rather due to the fact that I saw a lot of the twists coming before they hit, and frankly it surprised me how long Poe took to click. And the one’s I didn’t guess weren’t really too my liking – as they’ve been overused in this genre. An intricate, tension-filled mystery for sure, just not my favourite. Not when compared to The Botanist and The Curator, my top faves.
I think this was more a case of “it’s me” who wasn’t a fan of the mystery, and I’m sure most will rate it higher. I read it over a day, and I always looked forward to picking it up, I just wish the plot had of “wowed me” more.
June 16, 2024
I loved all five of the previous books in the Washington Poe series. The interactions between the gruff, sullen, dedicated Detective Poe and Tilly, an asocial genius highly skilled in mathematics and technology, added humour to the books with her naive, unfiltered comments. She lacks social skills and is oblivious to social cues. Their friendship and dependence on each other in crime investigations have grown throughout the series. Unfortunately, she is so busy searching the internet for clues to aid Poe in solving this intricate case that her presence is felt less. In the remote cottage, Poe lives with Estelle Doyle, the abrasive pathologist. Both women are highly supportive of Poe, along with his boss, DI Stephanie Flynn. He has almost no other friends. The book begins with Poe in a therapy session and distressed about nightmares of crows. He narrates a story leading up to his mental/emotional torment.
As Poe and Tilly become immersed in a complex new crime case, a man named Linus has been ordered to follow their investigation. Poe does not trust Linus and is suspicious of the reason for his presence. He is sarcastic toward him, calls him Snoopy, and treats him as his intern, giving him trivial jobs or escaping his presence.
Nothing is what it seems in this story, with twists, hidden clues, and motives. There is an intense narrative of dread and suspense, but I often felt manipulated and conscious of being tricked that I failed to be fully engaged as a reader.
The mystery begins with a heavily tattooed man who has been stoned to death and the investigation of a nearby cult. There seems to be a connection with a family massacre fifteen years earlier. I will not spoil this overly complicated plot by mentioning story details. It contains gore and torture, death of young people, prejudice against gays by religious fundamentalists, extreme cult beliefs, videos of despicable acts, mental health, incest, conversion therapy, and family dysfunction. What is a Mercy Chair, and how was it used?
This compelling book may be read as a stand-alone, but reading earlier books in the series will explain the strong and unlikely friendship between Poe and Tilly and how she became essential in helping solve crimes.
As Poe and Tilly become immersed in a complex new crime case, a man named Linus has been ordered to follow their investigation. Poe does not trust Linus and is suspicious of the reason for his presence. He is sarcastic toward him, calls him Snoopy, and treats him as his intern, giving him trivial jobs or escaping his presence.
Nothing is what it seems in this story, with twists, hidden clues, and motives. There is an intense narrative of dread and suspense, but I often felt manipulated and conscious of being tricked that I failed to be fully engaged as a reader.
The mystery begins with a heavily tattooed man who has been stoned to death and the investigation of a nearby cult. There seems to be a connection with a family massacre fifteen years earlier. I will not spoil this overly complicated plot by mentioning story details. It contains gore and torture, death of young people, prejudice against gays by religious fundamentalists, extreme cult beliefs, videos of despicable acts, mental health, incest, conversion therapy, and family dysfunction. What is a Mercy Chair, and how was it used?
This compelling book may be read as a stand-alone, but reading earlier books in the series will explain the strong and unlikely friendship between Poe and Tilly and how she became essential in helping solve crimes.
June 16, 2024
Returning for another chilling M.W. Craven thriller, I was not disappointed in the least. In the latest Washington Poe novel, the protagonist has been seeing a therapist for his nightmares, the foundation of which relates to a recent case. As Poe reveals more to his therapist, the reader discovers that the murder of a local religious leader opens new and gruesome pathways into the groups’s practices and their strict teachings. All the while, Poe and his team look for the killer, discovering just how backwards thinking this group seems to have been and the lengths to which they would go to get their way among followers. A chilling story that will leave the rest flipping pages well into the night, if only to learn more about the Mercy Chair! Craven does a formidable job here and proves his worth.
Washington Poe has a story to share, one that tells of the dark nightmares that he has been suffering over the last while. The symbolism of crows swiping around speaks to the darkness and murder that he has experienced. Engaging a therapist to better understand is struggles is only the first step. Poe recounts a recent case that could be the foundation of it all, its evil and horrid memories haunt him on a nightly basis.
Poe and his civilian liaison, Tilly Bradshaw, are called out when a man has been found tied to a tree, dead from horrible injuries. It seems as though the man has been stoned to death, as archaic as it sounds. When Poe and Bradshaw meet with a local bishop, they learn a little more about the man, who was part of a religious organisation, The Children of Job. This group, whose ultra-conservative views are seen by some as being a cult. They indoctrinate and try to teach the harsh realities of a Christian faith that is being diluted in the modern world. Their one major course—a secret to those who are not in the inner circle—is conversion therapy. While its application is frowned up, the Children of Job appear to have had some success.
While Poe and Bradshaw try to get to the bottom of things, they uncover a larger and more troubling conspiracy. This man was only the tip of the iceberg and his views were much worse than first thought, centred around a mercy chair, which serves a dark and punitive purpose. All this and the mystery of a young woman who disappeared in her teens and returned to massacre her entire family years later before she disappeared once again. As the truths that Poe and Bradshaw saw during this investigation pile up, there are things that cannot be unseen. Washington Poe has a strong constitution, but even this is more than he can handle. Craven spins a web and does not let the reader escape in this stunning thriller.
I have long enjoyed the the work of M.W. Craven, particularly his novels with Washington Poe. The series is as dark as it is addictive, with Craven pulling on many great storylines to keep the reader fully involved. Craven’s ability to develop a strong narrative foundation keeps the reader curious about what is to come. Building on the core narrative, Craven presents some stellar characters, some as helpful with the flow of the story, while others create the angst and painfulness needed to truly contrast the good versus evil aspects of the book. Craven does so effectively, while also promoting new depth for his protagonists.
Plot points emerge at every turn and keep the reader on their toes. To call this a dark piece would be a understatement, though nothing is surprising when it comes to Craven’s abilities. He goes out of his way to shock the reader, then adds new layers of discomfort to keep the story edgy and the readers guessing until the very end. I can only hope to find more of this in future Washington Poe stories, all of which have been well-crafted and held my attention with ease.
Kudos, Mr. Craven, for a story so full of twists that I am unsure which way is up any longer.
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July 29, 2024
The 6th book in the Washington Poe / Tilly Bradshaw series is yet another mesmerising thriller that is jam packed with as many confronting moments as there are amusing confrontations. I was hooked from the very first moment the world weary Poe began relating his sleep issues.
Washington Poe can’t sleep. He has nightmares about crows. He’s seeing a psychologist about the problem and starts talking about the case that’s the cause of his sleep problems. Ultimately, this harrowing case unfolds as Poe relates the details to the psychologist. We move from the doctor’s office back to the events as they unfold and this provides us with a little bit of foreshadowing before being filled in on what turns out to be a gut-wrenching case.
It all starts when a badger gets into a grave and uncovers a second body. Poe was at the local pub at the time and was called out to take a look.
A man is found tied to a tree, dead. He had been stoned to death. It turns out the man’s name is Cornelius Green and he was heavily tattooed with all sorts of religious icons. Washington Poe attends the scene and discovers the man was the founder of a religious group. Little does he know, though, that following up on this murder would have serious psychological consequences.
This particular case is going to be unusual for a number of reasons, not least of which is that he has an annoying outsider on the team. Linus is apparently part of the audit team assigned to the unit and would be tagging along to get an understanding on how the officers operate during a case. Poe is deeply suspicious of Linus, sure that he’s a spook and he’s been sent to spy on them and it’s for this reason that he sets about making Linus’ life a nightmare.
With religious zealotry playing a significant role and Poe’s utter dismissal of anything religion related there’s an inevitable number of fireworks-type moments to enjoy. Tilly once again proves herself to be the most invaluable partner thanks to her ability to take the most puzzling scraps of information and turning them into rock solid leads.
As has become almost expected in this outstanding series, nothing should be taken at face value with a plot that is much more complex than it looks at first sight. Shocks, surprises, twists…call them what you like but Craven manages to hide the true nature of the murders that take place as well as the murderers extremely cagily.
I just love the direct talk from Poe. He’s rude, obnoxious, straightforward and takes no nonsense from anyone, is prepared to step on toes to get answers to his questions and will vigorously protect Tilly Bradshaw from any hint of danger. He also gets results and is an incredibly effective investigator.
His treatment of Linus is classic Poe, from the immediate nicknaming him Snoopy to treating him like an intern because he didn’t like him to completely excluding him from every conversation because he totally didn’t trust him. And rightfully so.
This is a dark thriller, there is no doubt, but it is also thoroughly entertaining and should be sought out by anyone who appreciates a fast paced, cleverly crafted mystery. Although it’s the sixth book of the series it can be enjoyed as a stand alone thriller, however you would be doing yourself a huge favour if you were to go back and read the earlier five books too.
Washington Poe can’t sleep. He has nightmares about crows. He’s seeing a psychologist about the problem and starts talking about the case that’s the cause of his sleep problems. Ultimately, this harrowing case unfolds as Poe relates the details to the psychologist. We move from the doctor’s office back to the events as they unfold and this provides us with a little bit of foreshadowing before being filled in on what turns out to be a gut-wrenching case.
It all starts when a badger gets into a grave and uncovers a second body. Poe was at the local pub at the time and was called out to take a look.
A man is found tied to a tree, dead. He had been stoned to death. It turns out the man’s name is Cornelius Green and he was heavily tattooed with all sorts of religious icons. Washington Poe attends the scene and discovers the man was the founder of a religious group. Little does he know, though, that following up on this murder would have serious psychological consequences.
This particular case is going to be unusual for a number of reasons, not least of which is that he has an annoying outsider on the team. Linus is apparently part of the audit team assigned to the unit and would be tagging along to get an understanding on how the officers operate during a case. Poe is deeply suspicious of Linus, sure that he’s a spook and he’s been sent to spy on them and it’s for this reason that he sets about making Linus’ life a nightmare.
With religious zealotry playing a significant role and Poe’s utter dismissal of anything religion related there’s an inevitable number of fireworks-type moments to enjoy. Tilly once again proves herself to be the most invaluable partner thanks to her ability to take the most puzzling scraps of information and turning them into rock solid leads.
As has become almost expected in this outstanding series, nothing should be taken at face value with a plot that is much more complex than it looks at first sight. Shocks, surprises, twists…call them what you like but Craven manages to hide the true nature of the murders that take place as well as the murderers extremely cagily.
I just love the direct talk from Poe. He’s rude, obnoxious, straightforward and takes no nonsense from anyone, is prepared to step on toes to get answers to his questions and will vigorously protect Tilly Bradshaw from any hint of danger. He also gets results and is an incredibly effective investigator.
His treatment of Linus is classic Poe, from the immediate nicknaming him Snoopy to treating him like an intern because he didn’t like him to completely excluding him from every conversation because he totally didn’t trust him. And rightfully so.
This is a dark thriller, there is no doubt, but it is also thoroughly entertaining and should be sought out by anyone who appreciates a fast paced, cleverly crafted mystery. Although it’s the sixth book of the series it can be enjoyed as a stand alone thriller, however you would be doing yourself a huge favour if you were to go back and read the earlier five books too.
May 15, 2024
WOW just WOW this is the 6th book in the wonderful Washington Poe series and they just keep getting better and better and this in my opinion is simply THE BEST so far.
So, a little backstory first. There are 6 books in the Washington Poe series starting with The Puppet Show (which was the winner of the CWA Gold Dagger in 2019), then Black Summer which The Sun called “A brutal and thrilling page-turner”, then book 3 is The Curator and Peter James said it was “dark, sharp and compelling”, followed by Dead Ground which was the winner of the prestigious CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award in 2022, and book 5 is The Botanist.
If you haven’t read any of the above the usual questions would be; can I read this as a standalone and the answer is YES. Should I read the series and the answer is YES. Would you recommend I start at Book 1 and read them in chronological order and the answer is YES OF COURSE WHAT KIND OF WEIRDO READS BOOKS OUT OF ORDER?
So I am going to review this without giving any spoilers away and in the hope that you know exactly who Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are.
The Mercy Chair is very different to the 5 previous books in the series. For a start the beginning of the book has an unexpected opening chapter which left me feeling oddly discombobulated, but the end of that chapter had me reeling and utterly hooked unable to put my kindle down.
The Mercy Chair follows Poe and Tilly in another unusual and horrific murder investigation and it would be remiss of me to not warn you that there are themes of child abuse, cults, homophobia and extreme views running throughout the storyline which are really, really, really dark and very disturbing.
Despite the darkness, there is some light from the wonderful banter between Poe and Tilly and watching their friendship grow and deepen still makes me warm and tingly inside.
I don’t really want to say more, except read the series, pre-order this book and be blown away but the sheer brilliance of this crime series.
5 HUGE STARS
So, a little backstory first. There are 6 books in the Washington Poe series starting with The Puppet Show (which was the winner of the CWA Gold Dagger in 2019), then Black Summer which The Sun called “A brutal and thrilling page-turner”, then book 3 is The Curator and Peter James said it was “dark, sharp and compelling”, followed by Dead Ground which was the winner of the prestigious CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award in 2022, and book 5 is The Botanist.
If you haven’t read any of the above the usual questions would be; can I read this as a standalone and the answer is YES. Should I read the series and the answer is YES. Would you recommend I start at Book 1 and read them in chronological order and the answer is YES OF COURSE WHAT KIND OF WEIRDO READS BOOKS OUT OF ORDER?
So I am going to review this without giving any spoilers away and in the hope that you know exactly who Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are.
The Mercy Chair is very different to the 5 previous books in the series. For a start the beginning of the book has an unexpected opening chapter which left me feeling oddly discombobulated, but the end of that chapter had me reeling and utterly hooked unable to put my kindle down.
The Mercy Chair follows Poe and Tilly in another unusual and horrific murder investigation and it would be remiss of me to not warn you that there are themes of child abuse, cults, homophobia and extreme views running throughout the storyline which are really, really, really dark and very disturbing.
Despite the darkness, there is some light from the wonderful banter between Poe and Tilly and watching their friendship grow and deepen still makes me warm and tingly inside.
I don’t really want to say more, except read the series, pre-order this book and be blown away but the sheer brilliance of this crime series.
5 HUGE STARS
June 23, 2024
Dark, twisted and very messed up! I love MW Crqven books so much. Tilly and Poe are such a brilliant team, their banter is hilarious. This case was really intense with so many twists. Not for the faint hearted at all!!
Can’t wait to see how the next book goes after that ending!! Another year to wait 😢
Can’t wait to see how the next book goes after that ending!! Another year to wait 😢
June 11, 2024
This series has been one of my all time favorites! This book was by far the darkest of the lot and at times the writing made me flinch, made me grimace with pain for what the characters were going through.
In the end the writing is phenomenal and deserves every accolade.
Start this series with “The Puppet Show.”
In the end the writing is phenomenal and deserves every accolade.
Start this series with “The Puppet Show.”
June 24, 2024
All the things that I liked in the early books of this series seem to me to be missing from this latest instalment.
Despite all the claims that Poe is a great detective, there is very little detective work in this story. All the information came to them from diaries, confessions, and videos. With the exception of one piece of clever work from Tilly, everything else was stumbled upon.
Washington Poe is getting harder to like - unecessarily obnoxious and argumentative. Maybe we were meant to find his treatment of Linus amusing; I just found it childish. Poe and Tilly declare Linus to be an idiot because he thinks it would be a good idea for specialists to determine if a wall is a supporting one before Poe takes a sledgehammer to it. Personally, I'm with Linus on this one! If a member of my staff behaved like Poe, he'd be disciplined.
The plots of these books are always far-fetched, but this one felt slow and laboured to me. There was a lot of telling and very little showing. This wasn't helped by the narrative device of Poe telling his story to a therapist, which led to repetition and undermined any feeling of jeopardy. It also led to lots of ever more ridiculous "da da daa" moments at the end of every chapter. And the ending was ludicrous.
But the worst thing was the sidelining of Tilly. She was barely in this book, and when she was it was just to say a stock phrase designed to embarrass Poe. Gone was the interesting and touching development of her relationship with Poe. There was no character development for anyone, and the result was a strangely uninvolving story that I struggled to finish.
I had my doubts about the last book, the Botanist, but hoped this would be a return to form. Sadly this feels instead like the parting of the ways.
Despite all the claims that Poe is a great detective, there is very little detective work in this story. All the information came to them from diaries, confessions, and videos. With the exception of one piece of clever work from Tilly, everything else was stumbled upon.
Washington Poe is getting harder to like - unecessarily obnoxious and argumentative. Maybe we were meant to find his treatment of Linus amusing; I just found it childish. Poe and Tilly declare Linus to be an idiot because he thinks it would be a good idea for specialists to determine if a wall is a supporting one before Poe takes a sledgehammer to it. Personally, I'm with Linus on this one! If a member of my staff behaved like Poe, he'd be disciplined.
The plots of these books are always far-fetched, but this one felt slow and laboured to me. There was a lot of telling and very little showing. This wasn't helped by the narrative device of Poe telling his story to a therapist, which led to repetition and undermined any feeling of jeopardy. It also led to lots of ever more ridiculous "da da daa" moments at the end of every chapter. And the ending was ludicrous.
But the worst thing was the sidelining of Tilly. She was barely in this book, and when she was it was just to say a stock phrase designed to embarrass Poe. Gone was the interesting and touching development of her relationship with Poe. There was no character development for anyone, and the result was a strangely uninvolving story that I struggled to finish.
I had my doubts about the last book, the Botanist, but hoped this would be a return to form. Sadly this feels instead like the parting of the ways.
May 24, 2024
Huge thanks to the wonderfully generous Beth a Little Brown for so kindly sending me a copy of The Mercy Chair, to be able to review any books prior to their release is a massive privilege but to make it one by Mr Craven is beyond words! Beth you Rock! 🥰
So as I always do I had it sat on my bookshelf whilst I finished the book I was currently reading, but The Mercy Chair was calling to me the whole time! 🤣..and it’s like you really want to read it but you don’t because you know you won’t want it to end!
The Mercy Chair, is book 6 in the superb crime thriller series, and if you haven’t read the first 5 where have you been!!
So once I turned the first page as always with Mike Cravens’s Washington Poe & Tilly Bradshaw stories, I was hooked and utterly gripped to the storyline!
Now I really do not want to be a spoilsport so I am not going to give to any thing of the story, but what I will say is this one is DARK! Probably the darkest Mike’s written in the series, but it is so cleverly interspersed with moments of laugh out loud humour and lighter moments, that it works SO well!
I adore Poe’s sarcastic edge and in The Mercy Chair, I was absolutely roaring with laughter at a lot of his conversations, his utter contempt for fools and all things modern really does make him such a fabulous character, and one of my favourite detectives of all time.
And then of course you have Tilly, she’s more intelligent than an intelligent thing would be if it was intelligent and also blooming lovely! And in this book she made me cry and feel for her so much! That’s it I’m saying no more!
The plot and storyline is of course packed full of twists and turns ( one of which I sort of guessed but a lot if didn’t ) there’s nuggets to keep you going and make you think the whole way through the book, and the ending is a right cliffhanger and made me want to read book 7 immediately!!
Of course this is a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read and goes immediately into my top 5 books of the year, it’s slick, it’s darn clever and it’s another bookbanger from the legend that is M.W Craven!
So as I always do I had it sat on my bookshelf whilst I finished the book I was currently reading, but The Mercy Chair was calling to me the whole time! 🤣..and it’s like you really want to read it but you don’t because you know you won’t want it to end!
The Mercy Chair, is book 6 in the superb crime thriller series, and if you haven’t read the first 5 where have you been!!
So once I turned the first page as always with Mike Cravens’s Washington Poe & Tilly Bradshaw stories, I was hooked and utterly gripped to the storyline!
Now I really do not want to be a spoilsport so I am not going to give to any thing of the story, but what I will say is this one is DARK! Probably the darkest Mike’s written in the series, but it is so cleverly interspersed with moments of laugh out loud humour and lighter moments, that it works SO well!
I adore Poe’s sarcastic edge and in The Mercy Chair, I was absolutely roaring with laughter at a lot of his conversations, his utter contempt for fools and all things modern really does make him such a fabulous character, and one of my favourite detectives of all time.
And then of course you have Tilly, she’s more intelligent than an intelligent thing would be if it was intelligent and also blooming lovely! And in this book she made me cry and feel for her so much! That’s it I’m saying no more!
The plot and storyline is of course packed full of twists and turns ( one of which I sort of guessed but a lot if didn’t ) there’s nuggets to keep you going and make you think the whole way through the book, and the ending is a right cliffhanger and made me want to read book 7 immediately!!
Of course this is a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read and goes immediately into my top 5 books of the year, it’s slick, it’s darn clever and it’s another bookbanger from the legend that is M.W Craven!
June 16, 2024
My rating: 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Never disappoints- Loved it!!
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin…
Washington Poe has a story to tell. And he needs you to listen. You’ll hear how it started with the robber birds. Crows. Dozens of them.
Enough for a murder… He’ll tell you about a man who was tied to a tree and stoned to death, a man who had tattooed himself with a code so obscure, even gifted analyst Tilly Bradshaw struggled to break it.
He’ll tell you how the man’s murder was connected to a tragedy that happened fifteen years earlier when a young girl massacred her entire family.
And finally, he’ll tell you about the mercy chair. And why people would rather kill themselves than talk about it…. Poe hopes you’ve been paying attention. Because in this story nothing is as it seems…
Well here we are again, another Poe and Tilly novel and another 5 stars. I began my last review wondering if that book would be the one that wasn’t a five stars… and I began this one thinking the same. But thankfully that is just not happening.
You could read this as a standalone, but I don’t see the appeal, the whole series is so fantastic that you would be missing out in my opinion. You would be missing the glorious backstory of Poe and Tilly’s friendship, how Poe and Doyle got together and the set up of how this story came to be…. No I wouldn’t start at book 6 but, if needs must then I have no doubt you will enjoy it.
I will warn you (as the author does in the authors note) this is the darkest Poe novel yet. It gets into it… and it gets really deep and dark and at times you might want to look away. You might think that you know where this is going and you have it all figured out - I know I did. BUT you won’t, not really. M.W Craven really smashed it out of the park with the twists and the turns and the things I absolutely did not see coming.
One of my favourite storyline’s in a thriller fiction is a cult story, this has a cult. It has family annihilation, it has lies and deceit and it has a very personal Poe story interspersed throughout. I will be very honest, I shed a number of tears on this one - you may not think this has a happy ending I know I was left feeling a bit … well out of sorts.
Was this perfect - no of course not but it was everything I wanted and much more. You might think it went a bit over the top and I thought that myself at times as well but the author brought every weird and wild facet of this story back and twisted it together to make sense. It was violent though so watch you TWs.
I love this series and I will never stop singing its praises - for all you Poe and Tilly fans - crack your knuckles, grab your copy and say goodbye to 24 to 48 hours because you will not want to put this down.
Now, here I sit, waiting impatiently for the 7th book in the series and I know its going to be at least a year before I get it…
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin…
Washington Poe has a story to tell. And he needs you to listen. You’ll hear how it started with the robber birds. Crows. Dozens of them.
Enough for a murder… He’ll tell you about a man who was tied to a tree and stoned to death, a man who had tattooed himself with a code so obscure, even gifted analyst Tilly Bradshaw struggled to break it.
He’ll tell you how the man’s murder was connected to a tragedy that happened fifteen years earlier when a young girl massacred her entire family.
And finally, he’ll tell you about the mercy chair. And why people would rather kill themselves than talk about it…. Poe hopes you’ve been paying attention. Because in this story nothing is as it seems…
Well here we are again, another Poe and Tilly novel and another 5 stars. I began my last review wondering if that book would be the one that wasn’t a five stars… and I began this one thinking the same. But thankfully that is just not happening.
You could read this as a standalone, but I don’t see the appeal, the whole series is so fantastic that you would be missing out in my opinion. You would be missing the glorious backstory of Poe and Tilly’s friendship, how Poe and Doyle got together and the set up of how this story came to be…. No I wouldn’t start at book 6 but, if needs must then I have no doubt you will enjoy it.
I will warn you (as the author does in the authors note) this is the darkest Poe novel yet. It gets into it… and it gets really deep and dark and at times you might want to look away. You might think that you know where this is going and you have it all figured out - I know I did. BUT you won’t, not really. M.W Craven really smashed it out of the park with the twists and the turns and the things I absolutely did not see coming.
One of my favourite storyline’s in a thriller fiction is a cult story, this has a cult. It has family annihilation, it has lies and deceit and it has a very personal Poe story interspersed throughout. I will be very honest, I shed a number of tears on this one - you may not think this has a happy ending I know I was left feeling a bit … well out of sorts.
Was this perfect - no of course not but it was everything I wanted and much more. You might think it went a bit over the top and I thought that myself at times as well but the author brought every weird and wild facet of this story back and twisted it together to make sense. It was violent though so watch you TWs.
I love this series and I will never stop singing its praises - for all you Poe and Tilly fans - crack your knuckles, grab your copy and say goodbye to 24 to 48 hours because you will not want to put this down.
Now, here I sit, waiting impatiently for the 7th book in the series and I know its going to be at least a year before I get it…
July 30, 2024
Ok so his name is Poe, has a dog named Edgar and having nightmares with crows in it? The Crow is Edgar Allan Poe dark poetic collection. When is Dupin joining the investigation?
No seriously wow! How very current! The Children of Job’s agenda is the same as the majority of the politically right Supreme Court in the United States and the ultra right republicans in the States. The Children of Job is rightly described as a cult.
I usually write reviews while I read the book and I had a whole paragraph about why it was unnecessary to incorporate Dr. Lang in the book but then Craven did what he does best, misdirection and a wonderful ending.
These characters are so familiar and real that you end up finishing their sentences, you want to read the next book because is the closest thing to visit or call a friend. A one of a kind series!
No seriously wow! How very current! The Children of Job’s agenda is the same as the majority of the politically right Supreme Court in the United States and the ultra right republicans in the States. The Children of Job is rightly described as a cult.
I usually write reviews while I read the book and I had a whole paragraph about why it was unnecessary to incorporate Dr. Lang in the book but then Craven did what he does best, misdirection and a wonderful ending.
These characters are so familiar and real that you end up finishing their sentences, you want to read the next book because is the closest thing to visit or call a friend. A one of a kind series!
June 29, 2024
I think this is the best in the Poe & Tilly series. Can’t wait for the next book.
June 19, 2024
This is a really hard review to write. I am a die-hard Poe and Tilly fan. I adore Cravens writing, and the first 5 books are my holy grail books.
Sadly, this did not live up to the previous books in the series for me.
I missed the comradery between Poe and Tilly, it was lacking in appearances from Estelle and Flynn, I found their was very little police work throughout the story and the heavy religious talk for the first 150 pages made it a slog to read.
The writing is brilliant as always. Craven is exceptionally well researched.
The ending twists felt too over the top, and the storytelling through the 'Dr' was not my favourite way to discover the story.
It pains me to write such negative things. I am sure for many, it will be an excellent read. It just didn't fit for me.
Sadly, this did not live up to the previous books in the series for me.
I missed the comradery between Poe and Tilly, it was lacking in appearances from Estelle and Flynn, I found their was very little police work throughout the story and the heavy religious talk for the first 150 pages made it a slog to read.
The writing is brilliant as always. Craven is exceptionally well researched.
The ending twists felt too over the top, and the storytelling through the 'Dr' was not my favourite way to discover the story.
It pains me to write such negative things. I am sure for many, it will be an excellent read. It just didn't fit for me.
June 21, 2024
I wanted to love this book. I really did. I just found it too far fetched and Poe's attitude to Snoopy so unlikely for a professional. I loved the others in the series particularly the last one and will keep going but this one really didn't work as well.
June 15, 2024
I was conflicted when it came to reading. It is a well told tale full of twists and turns but lacked the warmth and humour of previous Poe books.
June 14, 2024
Not the best of the seties.
It's ok, not the best of the series. Not enough of Tillys exceptionally brilliant mind. It felt flat and too easy to figure out this time. I love this series but was so disappointed having waited so long for this book. I'm hoping there is a next one and it's back to the format that worked so well in previous five books.
It's ok, not the best of the series. Not enough of Tillys exceptionally brilliant mind. It felt flat and too easy to figure out this time. I love this series but was so disappointed having waited so long for this book. I'm hoping there is a next one and it's back to the format that worked so well in previous five books.
May 30, 2024
There’s a man in therapy.
I don’t think I’m going to be able to review The Mercy Chair. I’m sitting here stunned, trying to process what I’ve just read. The Mercy Chair is a magnificent crime thriller and really, all that there is to say is ‘Buy the book.’ Although The Mercy Chair can be read as a compelling stand alone with sufficient back story to Poe and Bradshaw uncovered by the presence of Linus, I’d urge readers to start from the beginning of the series, so that the emotional impact has all the more power. There are too many books published for me to bother with a series normally, but M.W. Craven’s Washington Poe books are ones I’d never miss. I have absurdly high expectations of the series and the multi-layered The Mercy Chair is, I think, the best yet.
The plot is sensationally good. With trademark short, pacy chapters, a real sense of place, witty dialogue and numerous cliff hangers and twists, M.W. Craven builds and builds the tension so that the story is enthralling and mesmerising. This is one of those stories that genuinely removes all free will from the reader. Certainly it’s a police thriller, but it has the added mystery of what Linus is there for, as well as Poe’s condition and how that came to be, making it all the more absorbing. Even given the breaks I needed to recover my equilibrium at what I was reading, I consumed The Mercy Chair over two days because I could not put it down. Meals, conversations – indeed, all normal life – were put on hold until I’d finished it. I’m not going to say anything further about the plot as I don’t want inadvertently to reveal anything, except to say that I don’t think I’ve ever been more successfully manipulated by a writer and I was certainly listening carefully! I thought the narrative was outstanding. I am, however, outraged and aghast too and desperate for the another book, but you need to read The Mercy Chair to find out why, and why I cried!
It’s also quite difficult to say too much about themes in The Mercy Chair because they are so intricately connected to the plot. There’s family, loyalty, relationships, religion, extremism, mental health, sexuality and so much more here. Each aspect is incorporated with mature understanding and is written about vividly, terrifyingly and convincingly. The Mercy Chair reverberates through the reader’s mind.
As in the other fabulous books in the series, the relationship between Washington Poe and other characters, especially Tilly Bradshaw, is riveting. I love the way Poe has evolved as a person over the series as a result of his interaction with Tilly and Estelle and yet he is still absolutely the curmudgeonly, tenacious Poe we expect, admire and love. I find it hard to accept that Poe is a fictional character and not a real person because he is so realistically depicted. Tilly, too, is simply wonderful and although in this story she is less present than Poe, her importance in forwarding the story, introducing light relief and adding emotional depth cannot be exaggerated.
I am fully aware I’ve said nothing tangible about The Mercy Chair. When you’ve read it for yourself, and read it you must, you’ll see why I say it is going straight on my list of books of the year for 2024. Often brutal, surprisingly sensitive, totally brilliant and utterly captivating, The Mercy Chair must not be missed. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I thought it was fabulous.
I don’t think I’m going to be able to review The Mercy Chair. I’m sitting here stunned, trying to process what I’ve just read. The Mercy Chair is a magnificent crime thriller and really, all that there is to say is ‘Buy the book.’ Although The Mercy Chair can be read as a compelling stand alone with sufficient back story to Poe and Bradshaw uncovered by the presence of Linus, I’d urge readers to start from the beginning of the series, so that the emotional impact has all the more power. There are too many books published for me to bother with a series normally, but M.W. Craven’s Washington Poe books are ones I’d never miss. I have absurdly high expectations of the series and the multi-layered The Mercy Chair is, I think, the best yet.
The plot is sensationally good. With trademark short, pacy chapters, a real sense of place, witty dialogue and numerous cliff hangers and twists, M.W. Craven builds and builds the tension so that the story is enthralling and mesmerising. This is one of those stories that genuinely removes all free will from the reader. Certainly it’s a police thriller, but it has the added mystery of what Linus is there for, as well as Poe’s condition and how that came to be, making it all the more absorbing. Even given the breaks I needed to recover my equilibrium at what I was reading, I consumed The Mercy Chair over two days because I could not put it down. Meals, conversations – indeed, all normal life – were put on hold until I’d finished it. I’m not going to say anything further about the plot as I don’t want inadvertently to reveal anything, except to say that I don’t think I’ve ever been more successfully manipulated by a writer and I was certainly listening carefully! I thought the narrative was outstanding. I am, however, outraged and aghast too and desperate for the another book, but you need to read The Mercy Chair to find out why, and why I cried!
It’s also quite difficult to say too much about themes in The Mercy Chair because they are so intricately connected to the plot. There’s family, loyalty, relationships, religion, extremism, mental health, sexuality and so much more here. Each aspect is incorporated with mature understanding and is written about vividly, terrifyingly and convincingly. The Mercy Chair reverberates through the reader’s mind.
As in the other fabulous books in the series, the relationship between Washington Poe and other characters, especially Tilly Bradshaw, is riveting. I love the way Poe has evolved as a person over the series as a result of his interaction with Tilly and Estelle and yet he is still absolutely the curmudgeonly, tenacious Poe we expect, admire and love. I find it hard to accept that Poe is a fictional character and not a real person because he is so realistically depicted. Tilly, too, is simply wonderful and although in this story she is less present than Poe, her importance in forwarding the story, introducing light relief and adding emotional depth cannot be exaggerated.
I am fully aware I’ve said nothing tangible about The Mercy Chair. When you’ve read it for yourself, and read it you must, you’ll see why I say it is going straight on my list of books of the year for 2024. Often brutal, surprisingly sensitive, totally brilliant and utterly captivating, The Mercy Chair must not be missed. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I thought it was fabulous.
July 8, 2024
Oh, my giddy Aunt The Mercy Chair without a doubt is the darkest book in the series yet! Mike Craven is a brilliant storyteller, but this time round and from the off it’s got a very different vibe. The story comes straight from ‘the horse’s mouth ‘ or in this case Poe’s. As he shares his story, an overwhelming sense of unease grows. OMG, does Poe have a story to tell as the themes explored are disturbing, to say the least! I kept wondering why the book is told from Poe’s POV? But as the story progresses, the reason for this becomes clear. If you are as clever or have a mind that’s as twisted as Mike Craven, you may work out some of the subtle but perfectly placed clues within the story.
So not to spoil the read I will keep it simple. Poe and Tilly are investigating a disturbing murder, which leads them to a religious commune and from there on in the plot takes an alarming turn. It’s not only the story that’s told differently, it’s Poe himself in The Mercy Chair. We see a different side to him, a side that will trouble regular readers of this series. The fantastic Tilly continues to entertain with her unfiltered comments. This humour is much needed as it gives the reader time to catch their breath between the more disturbing and intense moments. Mike Craven, without a doubt, is a master of manipulation and misdirection, just as I thought I had it all worked out he threw in the mother of all twists. As for the ending, what a shocker! I am really excited about the next book in the series and can’t wait to see what he has in store for Poe and Tilly next. Definitely one of my top reads this year.
You can follow me at
Blog: https://thebookreviewcafe.wordpress.com/
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So not to spoil the read I will keep it simple. Poe and Tilly are investigating a disturbing murder, which leads them to a religious commune and from there on in the plot takes an alarming turn. It’s not only the story that’s told differently, it’s Poe himself in The Mercy Chair. We see a different side to him, a side that will trouble regular readers of this series. The fantastic Tilly continues to entertain with her unfiltered comments. This humour is much needed as it gives the reader time to catch their breath between the more disturbing and intense moments. Mike Craven, without a doubt, is a master of manipulation and misdirection, just as I thought I had it all worked out he threw in the mother of all twists. As for the ending, what a shocker! I am really excited about the next book in the series and can’t wait to see what he has in store for Poe and Tilly next. Definitely one of my top reads this year.
You can follow me at
Blog: https://thebookreviewcafe.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebookrevi...
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@reviewcafe
June 24, 2024
5⭐️ This series just keeps getting better and better. I absolutely adore Poe & Tilly's friendship. This series is definitely one of my most favourite thriller read this year and I look forward to Book 7 which I really hope we don't have to wait too long.
July 16, 2024
Brilliantly dark
June 9, 2024
Book: the mercy chair
Author: M W Craven
Rating: 3.5 stars 🌟
OK. I'm a huge huge fan of Craven's, I shout so loud about the tilly and poe series, but this one just wasn't for me and I was really sad that didn't love it 😢
I feel there was hardly any poe and Tilly banter, their usual wit together and actually trying to solve the mystery, I felt it lacked a lot of depth between them and found that Poe cannot carry the story alone.
Unfortunately the whole religious aspect is just not for me, I found myself not engaging with it as I have no feeling with religion so found it hard to connect 😕
I also didn't enjoy the therapy sessions, I feel like they went on too long and I just didn't care it 🙃
Buuuut saying all this, I loved the short chapters and love his writing always! I will always support Cravens work as I believe he is a fantastic crime Author, just Unfortunately for me this was just not the one, I really wished I loved it 😢 💔
Sorry 🥺
Author: M W Craven
Rating: 3.5 stars 🌟
OK. I'm a huge huge fan of Craven's, I shout so loud about the tilly and poe series, but this one just wasn't for me and I was really sad that didn't love it 😢
I feel there was hardly any poe and Tilly banter, their usual wit together and actually trying to solve the mystery, I felt it lacked a lot of depth between them and found that Poe cannot carry the story alone.
Unfortunately the whole religious aspect is just not for me, I found myself not engaging with it as I have no feeling with religion so found it hard to connect 😕
I also didn't enjoy the therapy sessions, I feel like they went on too long and I just didn't care it 🙃
Buuuut saying all this, I loved the short chapters and love his writing always! I will always support Cravens work as I believe he is a fantastic crime Author, just Unfortunately for me this was just not the one, I really wished I loved it 😢 💔
Sorry 🥺
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2024
The Mercy Chair begins with a man visiting his therapist, telling her of his terrible nightmares about crows, and how nothing will rid his sleep of them. He proceeds to tell her why he's haunted by them and the full story that brought him to her for therapy in the first place and why anyone listening to this story needs to pay attention, as it's about to get very dark, very quickly and life for some will never be the same again...
This latest story, book six in the Washington Poe series, brings Poe and Tilly back together with a very dark tale of a murder that relates back to something that happened fifteen years earlier involving, for want of a better phrase, a religious cult. During their investigations they are joined by Linus Jorgensen, an auditor that has been drafted in to help them, but Poe immediately questions his motives for being there and gives him the nickname Snoopy, constantly keeping an eye on him because he definitely doesn’t trust him, and rightly so. The premise of this tale is very cleverly written as a story within a story and Craven weaves this together so intricately, involving some very delicate subjects, and slowly through the book strips away the layers to reveal what happened. As always, I loved the relationship between Poe and Tilly, the brusque demeanour of the burly detective and the raw naivety of the very loyal Bradshaw who, in amongst all the darkness of this thriller, brought some much needed humour to the table and never failed to make me smile, with her unfiltered comments. I love how we have started to see a softer side to Poe, while he still stays true to fighting for what is right and gaining justice for those that have been wronged. The story is full of surprises and the twists just keep on coming in this fast paced read with short chapters, just as I like them. I’ve loved all of this series but this one is the best so far, I can’t wait for book seven!
I’d like to thank Little, Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.
This latest story, book six in the Washington Poe series, brings Poe and Tilly back together with a very dark tale of a murder that relates back to something that happened fifteen years earlier involving, for want of a better phrase, a religious cult. During their investigations they are joined by Linus Jorgensen, an auditor that has been drafted in to help them, but Poe immediately questions his motives for being there and gives him the nickname Snoopy, constantly keeping an eye on him because he definitely doesn’t trust him, and rightly so. The premise of this tale is very cleverly written as a story within a story and Craven weaves this together so intricately, involving some very delicate subjects, and slowly through the book strips away the layers to reveal what happened. As always, I loved the relationship between Poe and Tilly, the brusque demeanour of the burly detective and the raw naivety of the very loyal Bradshaw who, in amongst all the darkness of this thriller, brought some much needed humour to the table and never failed to make me smile, with her unfiltered comments. I love how we have started to see a softer side to Poe, while he still stays true to fighting for what is right and gaining justice for those that have been wronged. The story is full of surprises and the twists just keep on coming in this fast paced read with short chapters, just as I like them. I’ve loved all of this series but this one is the best so far, I can’t wait for book seven!
I’d like to thank Little, Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.
July 9, 2024
Drastic drop in standards
I shouldn’t really be writing this review as I had ceased to care what happened to whom and why long before the end.
In contrast to previous books in the series this one is simply very unpleasant and it was very difficult to engage with the characters at all. Poe and Tilly are a brilliant invention who work really well together, but the other characters seemed to get lost in a haze of identity confusion.
I just hope that the next book returns to previous high standards.
I shouldn’t really be writing this review as I had ceased to care what happened to whom and why long before the end.
In contrast to previous books in the series this one is simply very unpleasant and it was very difficult to engage with the characters at all. Poe and Tilly are a brilliant invention who work really well together, but the other characters seemed to get lost in a haze of identity confusion.
I just hope that the next book returns to previous high standards.
Read
July 4, 2024M. W. Craven tem o Dom de me prender às páginas que escreve.
Ainda não li nenhuma das suas outras séries por receio de, por comparação, não corresponderem às expectativas, mas tenciono fazê-lo brevemente.
Não me canso de referir que a Tilly e o Poe são uma das minhas duplas favoritas da actualidade.
Considero que o autor se superou (o que pensava ser impossível) com "The Mercy Chair". Até ao momento só o #4 da série não me conquistou a 100% pelo tema abordado, mas os protagonistas, com a sua interacção, inteligência, lealdade, moral, compensaram tudo o resto.
Referi anteriormente que o #5 ("The Botanist") se tinha tornado no meu favorito da série. Agora tenho que actualizar e elevar ainda mais a fasquia: "The Mercy Chair" passou a ser o meu favorito.
(Nunca mais chega 2025 para poder ler o #7).
Craven tem uma forma de narrar a história, de me fazer ir saltando para trás e para a frente numa linha temporal por ele estabelecida, de ir fornecendo informações a seu bel-prazer, que me cativa da primeira à última página.
Este enredo, os desenvolvimentos e reviravoltas, os pormenores macabros/violentos, tudo em torno dos personagens, o sentido de humor com que alguma situações são narradas, o desespero, raiva, angústia, tristeza que senti em algumas passagens...
Excelência. Qualidade.
É uma pena que aparentemente tenham decidido deixar de publicar esta série em Português (na minha humilde opinião, volto a referir) e que as Editoras optem por publicar thrillers "instantâneos": misturam-se os ingredientes, mudam-se o nome dos protagonistas e uns pormenores aqui e ali só para alterar um pouco o resultado final e voilá: mais um sucesso de vendas.
Não estou, com este comentário, a tentar diminuir nem menosprezar outras obras e outros autores da actualidade. Também os leio.
Esta é, simplesmente, a humilde opinião de uma leitora que adora uma boa história e sente que, se não continuasse algumas séries em inglês, estaria a perder muito.
"The Mercy Chair" constará na minha lista de Melhores Leituras do Ano.
Junho 2024
Ainda não li nenhuma das suas outras séries por receio de, por comparação, não corresponderem às expectativas, mas tenciono fazê-lo brevemente.
Não me canso de referir que a Tilly e o Poe são uma das minhas duplas favoritas da actualidade.
Considero que o autor se superou (o que pensava ser impossível) com "The Mercy Chair". Até ao momento só o #4 da série não me conquistou a 100% pelo tema abordado, mas os protagonistas, com a sua interacção, inteligência, lealdade, moral, compensaram tudo o resto.
Referi anteriormente que o #5 ("The Botanist") se tinha tornado no meu favorito da série. Agora tenho que actualizar e elevar ainda mais a fasquia: "The Mercy Chair" passou a ser o meu favorito.
(Nunca mais chega 2025 para poder ler o #7).
Craven tem uma forma de narrar a história, de me fazer ir saltando para trás e para a frente numa linha temporal por ele estabelecida, de ir fornecendo informações a seu bel-prazer, que me cativa da primeira à última página.
Este enredo, os desenvolvimentos e reviravoltas, os pormenores macabros/violentos, tudo em torno dos personagens, o sentido de humor com que alguma situações são narradas, o desespero, raiva, angústia, tristeza que senti em algumas passagens...
Excelência. Qualidade.
É uma pena que aparentemente tenham decidido deixar de publicar esta série em Português (na minha humilde opinião, volto a referir) e que as Editoras optem por publicar thrillers "instantâneos": misturam-se os ingredientes, mudam-se o nome dos protagonistas e uns pormenores aqui e ali só para alterar um pouco o resultado final e voilá: mais um sucesso de vendas.
Não estou, com este comentário, a tentar diminuir nem menosprezar outras obras e outros autores da actualidade. Também os leio.
Esta é, simplesmente, a humilde opinião de uma leitora que adora uma boa história e sente que, se não continuasse algumas séries em inglês, estaria a perder muito.
"The Mercy Chair" constará na minha lista de Melhores Leituras do Ano.
Junho 2024
June 26, 2024
It’s no secret that this series is one of my absolute favorite procedurals; there hasn’t been a book I didn’t enjoy, largely thanks to Tilly and her endearing relationship with Poe.
This book started with a bang. The first few chapters were incredibly intriguing, and as the story progressed, I understood why reviews described it as the darkest installment yet. The case centers around a despicable man who led a cult and whose death is connected to a family’s tragedy years ago. The book tackles tough issues such as religion, conversion therapy, torture, and toxic family dynamics.
I deeply enjoyed the change in structure. This time, Poe narrates the story, providing some great moments and adding a fresh dynamic that suited the story well. This narrative shift was perhaps what I loved most about the book; the author did something different and succeeded brilliantly.
While I can’t say the case was my favorite or that it was my favorite Poe book to date, I must admit that just when I thought there weren’t enough surprises and the case seemed straightforward, the author introduced a couple of plot twists that turned it into a deeply smart and creative read.
I agree with some comments that there wasn’t enough Tilly in the latter part of the book. I missed her terribly. And yes, some decisions at the end made me sad, but I understand they will be addressed in the next installment. I trust the author will, as always, make our time worth it with another great mystery from our favorite duo.
This book started with a bang. The first few chapters were incredibly intriguing, and as the story progressed, I understood why reviews described it as the darkest installment yet. The case centers around a despicable man who led a cult and whose death is connected to a family’s tragedy years ago. The book tackles tough issues such as religion, conversion therapy, torture, and toxic family dynamics.
I deeply enjoyed the change in structure. This time, Poe narrates the story, providing some great moments and adding a fresh dynamic that suited the story well. This narrative shift was perhaps what I loved most about the book; the author did something different and succeeded brilliantly.
While I can’t say the case was my favorite or that it was my favorite Poe book to date, I must admit that just when I thought there weren’t enough surprises and the case seemed straightforward, the author introduced a couple of plot twists that turned it into a deeply smart and creative read.
I agree with some comments that there wasn’t enough Tilly in the latter part of the book. I missed her terribly. And yes, some decisions at the end made me sad, but I understand they will be addressed in the next installment. I trust the author will, as always, make our time worth it with another great mystery from our favorite duo.
June 10, 2024
5 stars.
Christmas and my birthday came early this year as the latest books from two of my favourite detective series of all time were released on the same day (this is one of them, the other being Chris Carter's) and I couldn't wait to dive right in.
This one starts off on a slightly different tone to others in the series, with the investigation being told as . I quite liked this as, just as Craven discusses in the author interview at the back of the book, brings out a different side to Poe that I quite enjoyed seeing. His interactions with Tilly are as brilliant as always, and I loved the additional angles of Him and Doyle as well as him and Snoopy.
The structure is also used so cleverly!! I never would have expected .
I'm fairly sure I spotted a logic flaw with the resolution, but it was not enough to knock this off being another 5*. Has left me very curious as to how . Oh well, it'll be a year to find out I guess!
Christmas and my birthday came early this year as the latest books from two of my favourite detective series of all time were released on the same day (this is one of them, the other being Chris Carter's) and I couldn't wait to dive right in.
This one starts off on a slightly different tone to others in the series, with the investigation being told as . I quite liked this as, just as Craven discusses in the author interview at the back of the book, brings out a different side to Poe that I quite enjoyed seeing. His interactions with Tilly are as brilliant as always, and I loved the additional angles of Him and Doyle as well as him and Snoopy.
The structure is also used so cleverly!! I never would have expected .
I'm fairly sure I spotted a logic flaw with the resolution, but it was not enough to knock this off being another 5*. Has left me very curious as to how . Oh well, it'll be a year to find out I guess!
June 13, 2024
As coincidence has it , it is two years ago today that I finished reading the previous book in this series. I knew then that I would have to wait this long for the next.
A sign of a good writer perhaps because as soon as I started to read, I remembered the main characters.
The plot this time is definitely darker than before and the violence, that has always been a feature, has also been turned up a notch or two. Usually this would have been enough to mark a book down for me but somehow the author keeps it on the right side of acceptable - albeit only just.
In his acknowledgements Craven makes early mention of his agent and their work to get the light and dark into balance. I think that they got it just right to produce a book that I found an exciting page turner with twist after twist as the story unraveled.
May be what made the book so difficult to put down was the constant switching between the dark side and the humour of the banter between Poe and Tilly, her unguarded honesty and his acerbic observations.
I see that the next is due in 2025 so not as long to wait this time. Not that I will need any encouragement to read it but something at the end of the authors notes is intiguing.
A sign of a good writer perhaps because as soon as I started to read, I remembered the main characters.
The plot this time is definitely darker than before and the violence, that has always been a feature, has also been turned up a notch or two. Usually this would have been enough to mark a book down for me but somehow the author keeps it on the right side of acceptable - albeit only just.
In his acknowledgements Craven makes early mention of his agent and their work to get the light and dark into balance. I think that they got it just right to produce a book that I found an exciting page turner with twist after twist as the story unraveled.
May be what made the book so difficult to put down was the constant switching between the dark side and the humour of the banter between Poe and Tilly, her unguarded honesty and his acerbic observations.
I see that the next is due in 2025 so not as long to wait this time. Not that I will need any encouragement to read it but something at the end of the authors notes is intiguing.
July 26, 2024
Poe has a story to tell and you need to listen and pay attention. You’ll hear about a religious cult, about how Tilly struggles to break a code, a family tragedy and then the mercy chair. This is a story that will leave its mark on you and Poe.
Wow! One of the darkest Poe and Tilly novels so far, but it delivers on all levels. The standard of these novels nothing but exceptional and I absolutely love them. I was having heart palpitations at the end, when I thought the series was going to end, but there’s plenty more to come. Phew!
Wow! One of the darkest Poe and Tilly novels so far, but it delivers on all levels. The standard of these novels nothing but exceptional and I absolutely love them. I was having heart palpitations at the end, when I thought the series was going to end, but there’s plenty more to come. Phew!
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