The Collector by John Maher – Review & Blog Tour

AN ACTION-PACKED THRILLER INVOLVING A FORENSIC LINGUIST

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Collector by John Maher.

WHAT IS THE BOOK ABOUT

They say human life is the most precious thing. The Collector doesn’t agree.

When world renowned archaeologist Philip Carlton suddenly and unexpectedly commits suicide, the police are called to investigate. Heading up the investigation is Detective Lucy O’Hara, a Forensic Linguist – and she immediately sees something is wrong with the suicide note. In her gut, she knows this was cold-blooded murder.

Battling skeptical superiors and the Irish establishment, Lucy digs for the truth and begins to uncover a shadowy trade in ancient artifacts led by a mysterious figure known only as ‘The Collector’.

As Lucy works to uncover his identity, she soon realizes she is up against a ruthless mastermind who is systematically eliminating anyone who might lead her to him. But Lucy won’t give up and soon The Collector turns his attention to her…

The Collector – the first in a gripping new series featuring Detective Lucy O’Hara.

The Collector by John Maher Blog Tour banner

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

WHO ARE THE PLAYERS?

Philip Carlton – world-renowned archaeologist who unexpectedly commits suicide.

Joyce Carlton – Philip’s sister

David Carlton – Philip’s brother

The Carltons were six siblings; Philip is survived by Joyce and David. The other three died before Philip.

Lucy O’Hara – our protagonist, the lead investigator in this case.

Anna Crowley, Dennis, Brosnahan, Gerry Sullivan – Lucy’s colleagues helping her in the investigation.

Superintendent Reese – Lucy’s senior in the force.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THE COLLECTOR BY JOHN MAHER

The intriguing blurb, the haunting book cover, and the fact that the protagonist, Lucy O’Hara, is a forensic linguist drew me to The Collector by John Maher. I am glad I picked up this book, or else I would have missed a good thriller.

The Collector has an intriguing opening chapter that hooked my attention from page 1. We are shown right at the beginning, how Carlton dies. The police also accept the staged scene, except Lucy. Her instincts tell her otherwise, and she trusts her instincts. She is also aided by her superb linguistic skills to decipher there is something wrong with the suicide note.

You need to read the book to find out how she guesses that.

Lucy is a gutsy woman determined to bring justice to the victim, despite initial resistance from her patronizing superiors. She doggedly pursues her line of the investigation, despite zero initial evidence. I liked how she respects her fellow officers and quickly establishes rapport with them which is reciprocated by her colleagues.

The Collector turned out to be a taut thriller due to its fast-paced writing and smoothly flowing prose. I was suspecting another person to be the murderer, but the revelation of the killer’s identity at the end shocked me. I, honestly, was not expecting the twist at all which is a testament to Maher’s writing prowess.

Reading The Collector was a novel experience since this is the first time I have seen a forensic linguist in action. The book is a police procedural, but I also got to see how Lucy used her skills as a forensic linguist to clutch onto that minor clue which everybody had missed.

We also get to see flashes of Lucy’s past, explaining her reticence towards having a busy social life. Her love for her family is evident, which is made all the more acute due to her past.

Make no mistake; Lucy O’Hara is just not brains, but a killer combination of both brains and brawn.

Moreover, I also enjoyed the scenic descriptions of Wicklow.

The Collector by John Maher is perfect for anyone looking for a good thriller-cum-police procedural involving a forensic linguist.

The Collector by John Maher

AUTHOR’S BIO:

John Maher has published five novels and a collection of short stories. He has won national awards for radio play and short story with RTE in Ireland. His novel, The Luck Penny, was shortlisted for debut novel on BBC Radio 5.

A former teacher and lecturer, he holds a Phd from the School of Oriental and African Studies (London). He lives in a small Irish village, between the Atlantic and the Irish Sea, from which he steals away, from time to time, to visit the world outside the island.
 
THE COLLECTOR will be his first novel published with Inkubator Books .

Social Media:
Website: http://johnmaherwriter.com/

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/387vb5n

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2VtLuEv

Amazon India – https://amzn.to/2Chowt6

Publishing Information:
Published by Inkubator Books on 5th July 2020

LET’S CHAT

Have you read The Collector? What are your thoughts on it?

If you have not read this book, do you plan to read it? Let me know in the comments section below.

A big thanks to the author, publisher, and Emma Welton of Damp Pebbles Blog Tours for my copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion on the book at all. I opted to provide an honest review on my blog.

Disclaimer – The Amazon India link is an affiliate link, meaning if you buy from this link, I will get a very small commission at no extra cost to you. Summary copied from Goodreads.

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