The Curator by MW Craven

Description from Amazon:

Nothing says Christmas like severed fingers

 

It’s December and a serial killer is leaving body parts all over Cumbria.

Called in to investigate, the National Crime Agency’s Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are faced with a case that makes no sense. Why were the victims killed in such different ways? Why is their only suspect denying what they can irrefutably prove but admitting to things they weren’t even aware of? And what could the cryptic message left at each scene - #BSC6 - possibly mean?

When a disgraced FBI agent gets in touch things take an even darker turn. Because she doesn’t think Poe is dealing with a serial killer at all; she thinks he’s dealing with someone far, far worse - a man who calls himself the Curator.

And if you think you know what’s happening, you’re exactly where he wants you to be...

 

Two things: yes, I’m still on the Craven train and have two more waiting to be read on my side table, and the second thing... what is going on with all these generic AI reviews at the moment? I’m seeing so many reviews about books I’ve read where nothing specific is actually said about the plot and things that should be mentioned are not. Or something like nail-biting suspense when it’s a romance. Or the favourite start: this book offers... it’s compelling... add layers of depth... and other such nonsense. You can tell it’s fancy but says nothing. Okay... rant over.

So... the curator. Bit of a nasty person this one. Again my gripe about this book is that you wouldn’t have figured it out as a reader, as Poe is privy to a secret conversation and things are added that are not clues for us. But it’s still a really good book. And the fact that it has a real-life connection is actually quite scary.

Once again we have Poe, Tilly, and a heavily pregnant Stephanie investigating a case of severed fingers and the clue of #BSC6. But it seems the person behind this may not have the motive they all assume. When a discredited former FBI agent tries to warn Poe, they realise that there is a possibility that someone is being hired to punish enemies. But the way it’s being done is bizarre as it seems to go in stages of violence. Cue a tiered worldwide challenge that goes from so-called harmless pranks to full-on murder where collateral damage is the norm.

This is definitely one where the ending is not expected, and Tilly, yet again, is genius with her deductions (she doesn’t play as big a role in this one but her offering about the car is a doozy). The element that Poe might either lose his house or have to spend money to restore it to a historical setting is also looming, so there are plenty of side plots to the story.

Another fabulous offering from the author and I am thoroughly enjoying Poe and Tilly’s ride.