Birdman: Featuring Jack Caffrey, star of BBC’s Wolf series.

If I had to mark Mo Hayder on her plots and writing, I’d give her four stars. This is the second of her books I’ve read, the other being Hanging Hill, which had a brilliant twist at the end. It’s a dreadful shame that Mo feels the need to include in her novels the most horrifying, violent, graphic and sick scenes of animal cruelty, rape and torture. I’ve read thousands of books in my life, many of which have been superb crime thrillers, and a skilful author will captivate the reader with the plot and the power of language alone. Only a weak writer needs to draw people in with gratuitous gore, which is not to most people’s taste. If Mo Hayder tones down the gore and graphic violence, I will read her books, but I can’t quite see that happening, as clearly there’s an appetite for this kind of horrific escapism in pulp fiction. And I believe many, like me, cannot read scenes of animal cruelty. Plenty of superior alternatives to Mo Hayder.

Mo Hayder is a crime writer that has always been on my radar but I can't remember having read her before. I decided to start at the beginning of her DI Jack Caffery series with Birdman. Like all good literary detectives, Caffery has a troubled. When he was young, his brother was abducted and never found, so Jack lives in the same house, his parents house, so that is any evidence, or his brother comes back, he'll be there for him. Plus, the suspect in the case still lives next door and Caffery wants him to know that he's watching and waiting.In the meantime, 5 women have been found ritualistically killed with a bird placed in the centre of their chest and Caffery needs to find the man responsible before he takes more lives. Now this plotline is is as gripping, graphic and exciting as any superior crime novel I have read. It alone is enough the cost of this book, but the storyline regarding Caffery's brother is fascinating. Jack's relationship with the neighbour and the mind games going on are quite something.Hugely enjoyable and definitely recommended.

Graphic but very well written. A page turner. Sad to say I only recently discovered this author. Also sad is the fact that she passed away last year. A great shame. Very well written and detailed. An author who clearly thoroughly researched the details of procedure. Graphic yes, but reflective of the real world. The reviews warn of the graphic nature of her stories so if you have no stomach for them don't read them and then bitch about it. Go read a Barbara Cartland novel.

This is a first instalment in Hayder's Jack Caffery series and what an opening it is! Haunted by his past Jack is on the hunt for a serial killer with a truly twisted mind. The murders are gruesome and descriptions are graphic. There is no place for the faint-hearted in the world of Mo Hayder's fiction. The killer's signature as the name suggests is a bird...and that is all I will say not wanting to give away any spoilers.I found this to be a very decent crime thriller. Mo Hayder's books are said to be authentic based on her association with police forces and I must agree. Jack Caffery strikes me as a very realistic detective; the type of guy who could easily exist out there in the real world. He might be troubled but he is a no-nonsense type of a guy and I could not help but like him. The characters are well developed. There are some good twists and turns in this disturbing, bloody and well-written thriller.The only criticism I have is that the story seemed to have dragged a little at times. This might be because often the author reveals the twists to a reader first and then it takes a couple of chapters for her detectives to play catch up. It made this book lacking the quality of 'being impossible to put down' which I welcome with any book of course yet particularly thrillers. But other than that: great! 4.5 stars from me. I will definitely read more from that author.

I read this book in a day. Couldnt put it down - read it in the car, on my break, in the evening. The story is fast paced, breath-takingly good and unrelenting. The best thing about the book is it doenst spend endless pages on descriptive nonsense which bogs down a lot of thrillers. Mo is always moving the story forward with some very credible characters.However - the last third is truly horrifying. Too much violence and terror for my liking and although i am an avid crime reader, i did feel my stomach turning towards the end. In fact after finishing the book, i wondered whether i would buy another, simply b/c i did find the details over the top - some things you should leave to the imagination! The details of the rapes / murders veered into the uncomfortable. Having said that, the pace and twists are extraordinary; it is impossible to predict.All in all one of the best thrillers ive read (and one of the few to to finish in one day) but i have not give 5 stars only due to the fact that it leaves nothing to the imagination and did leave a slightly sour taste in the mouth. Probably will read another Mo Hayder, but i hope its a little toned down. With some amazing story telling skills, that level of violence surely isnt needed!