Men kriminalkommissarie Jack Caffery tvivlar. Fler synbara självmord dyker upp, alla med kopplingar till Älvgrottorna, ett nästan bottenlöst system av översvämmade gruvor. Caffery börjar ana en skugglik, mystisk varelse, någon som håller sig gömd i mörkret och osedd kan ta sig in i folks hus.

Vid sidan av Caffery arbetar polisdykaren Flea Marley. Med sitt förflutnas trauman bakom sig har hon börjat undra om deras förhållande inte skulle kunna bli någonting mer än det yrkesmässiga. Men så upptäcker hon något som inte bara kommer henne obehagligt nära, det är så skrämmande att hennes liv aldrig kommer att bli detsamma.

Och den här gången kan ingen – inte ens Jack – hjälpa henne.

One of the best things when it comes to reading is discovering new authors. I have wanted to read Mo Hayder's Jack Caffery series for a long time and now I have finally read the book three in the series. And, Ritual is a pretty awesome book, with a compelling story and interesting main characters.

I instantly came to like both Jack and Flea and I enjoyed getting to know them both in this book. Jack, new in Briston , has come to the city looking for the Walking Man to ask him something. Flea has not recovered from losing her parents in an accident two years earlier and she is also looking after her younger brother who is depressed after the accident that took their parents life. I think the twist and turns in this story were really great, and I liked how the Jack and Flea's life become intertwined with each other. Both are two damaged people and have their own personal demons.

The African witchcraft theme that felt new and interesting and made the book deliciously dark and engrossing. I was curious to see who would be behind it all and I must admit that I was surprised that it did not turn out to be the one I came to suspect towards the end of the book. I felt the book did end with some loose threads (but since I now also have read the next book do I know that the next book will pick up directly after this book ends and address the loose threads).

I liked this book very much and I recommend it warmly!

I have no idea how to rate this book. On one hand, it was haunting, unbearably suspenseful and riveting.  On the other hand, it was was so disturbing that I nearly couldn't finish it.

 

The book's plot concerns children being raped and killed, and while not detailed, was graphic enough that the book was nearly intolerable.   Just too much for me.

 

So, I'll leave this unrated because although well written, I just can't bring myself rate it.

For years people had been telling me just how fantastic Mo Hayder's detectives are, so you might not be surprised to learn that my expectation for this novel were extremely high. Not just was I expecting an enjoyable detective, I expected one that would blow my mind. Unfortunately, but perhaps understandably, I was disappointed.

 

It starts when five bodies are discovered that seem to be murdered in some kind of ritual. They had a life bird sewn into their chest, hence the name Birdman of course. Jack Caffery and the rest of the teams sets out to try and catch the killer. Hopefully before he can strike again.

 

It could have been the translation I read (I'd won a Dutch copy of it), but I didn't really like the writing. I think it was supposed to be raw, but it annoyed me. There are a lot of jumps between different POVs and sometimes I was confused as to whose POV I was reading at a certain time. (Once again, this might be due to the translation). I could see the potential but it wasn't working for me. The story had a few issues as well. Besides not having any likeable characters at all, it's apparently okay for detectives to sleep with witnesses (even when they are not suspect, I still think that's not according to protocol, but no one seems to care). And people surviving against 1 in a billion odds, I've read that a time or two too many.

 

Though I could see what people like about the series, (and I know a lot of fans) it wasn't working for me. I read it because I started reading it (and because it was a gift) not because I wanted to, that's why it took me several months. Right now, I don't feel like continuing with the series, but perhaps someday I will...

 

Birdman is the first in the Jack Caffery series. Up to date six more novels have been published: The Treatment, Ritual, Skin, Gone, Poppet & Wolf.