A Time of Torment: A Charlie Parker Thriller

If you love dark and suspenseful mystery/thrillers with a dash of the supernatural and have not discovered John Connolly's signature character Charlie Parker, I urge you to jump into this series as soon as possible and, hopefully, in order of printing of the 15 or so novels. John Connolly is a master at his craft and is a true wordsmith with the ability to depict a gloomy atmosphere or a palpable sense of dread in just a few well turned words. I find his literary style to be similar to that of James Lee Burke, another of our living treasures. And Parker is a private detective who is unlike most others in that he died and was reborn with the ability to "see" and sense his murdered daughter who seems to watch over him. Along with Louis and Angel, his two closest allies, Parker seeks justice and retribution for those who have been touched by the absolute evil in some men and communities.In "A Time Of Torment", Parker is hired by Jerome Burnel, a former hero who may have been framed by a child porn charge which made him a pariah; furthermore, sensing his own impending death, he enlists Parker to find out who framed him and why. Parker and his pals soon discover a strong link to an isolated and forbidding mountain community known simply as "The Cut"; a community with an ancient evil past highlighted by crime and death and housing an entity known as the "Dead King". Soon Parker and team join with a local sheriff to investigate The Cut and its depraved leaders Oberon and Cassander. Knowing that kidnapped girls are secreted somewhere in The Cut, Parker's team goes on the offense to try saving the girls, find Burnel, and end the stranglehold that The Cut exerts on Plassey County."A Time Of Torment" is a fine addition to the lore of Charlie Parker but it is not a good starting point for someone unfamiliar with the series. My two quibbles revolve around the fact that Connolly occasionally rambles and stretches out the narrative a little too much and he has a tendency to reuse his villains more often than I would like. A comic book editor once said that good villains are hard to find which may explain why so few comic book villains ever truly die and, regretfully, Connolly seems to subscribe to the same notion.

Connolly keeps getting better. He has dropped some of his literary tics ("Yes, yes he did") and moves into the plot more deftly than when he began his Charlie Parker series. He has moved into the business of destroying municipalities. This is the third time Parker has disrupted or destroyed a community of evil weirdos. In this case, the villainous community is "the Cut," a stretch of a small West Virginia county that has been preying on outsiders for several centuries. When a person threatened by the Cut seeks Parker's help, he is promptly disappeared. Parker follows his trail to the West Virginia county, seeks the help of the local sheriff, and brings with him Louis and Angel, his criminal/moralistic sidekicks. The Cut has obtained a strange idol called the "Dead King," to whom it offers the bodies of people it captures. Connolly spends a fair amount of the book going back-and-forth between Parker, leaders of the Cut, the local sheriff, and the Cut's victims. If there is one thing of which Connolly is truly a master, it is at painting utterly disgusting villains, even though some of them are rather complex characters. Some may fid the supernatural elements in Connolly's writing, including in this book, somewhat superfluous -- subtract the Dead King, human sacrifice, other-worldly avatars and visions of the afterlife, and the plot would work just fine as a straight detective story. But I find this rather diverting, if only because it provides some relief from the hyper-violence that tends to fill Connolly's work. Recommended.

John Connolly writes novels that make me wish they would never end. His style is mesmerizing and can chill me to the bone. This one is no exception.As with any good series, if you haven’t read the earlier books, you will not fully appreciate this one. As this is the fourteenth (fifteenth if you count his novella) Charlie Parker novel, Connolly does not spend time recapping, which is a good thing.While this story includes Parker, and his sidekicks Angel and Louis, they are almost insignificant. The majority of the novel revolves around a group called the Cut, and Sheriff Henkel, who is determined to rid his county of this cult-like group..This novel, more than some of Connolly’s others, has a significant amount of supernatural elements. The beauty of Connolly’s writing is that he makes these elements not only believable, but made me wish some of it were true.Parker has two daughters. One who was killed, and one with special talents. So as not to give anything away, I will just say it is the sister’s interactions that make this novel unique.This one gets four stars. I usually give five for Connolly’s novels but Parker’s small role caused me to drop one. Hopefully, this is not a trend.

It's stunning to think how many years i've spent with Charlie Parker, more than most other literary creations, and he's certainly much closer to my heart than any other detective. Every Dead Thing was one of the first crime novels I ever read and still sits in my top 5. I recommend it without reservation to anyone who can take the very dark themes it explores.In this instalment we see Parker transformed, his very essence revitalised and ever so dangerous. For once it feels like the effect he has on the reader is truly reflected within the story, people SEE him and they know he is an agent of change. Whether for good or ill depends solely on the actions of that individual, they will be judged first on this earth, and as ever in these novels, these people deserve it. Connolly again proves his ability to delve into the dark and degenerate, yet another small town in America sin deep in depravity and death. The cleanup is enthusiastically assisted by Louis and Angel, with a few other surprises, all the gang are here and it feels like home.On to A Game of Ghosts...

My Thoughts:Listening to this book, I got reminded again why I like to listen to Jeff Harding. I like the way he make the characters come alive with the voices he gives each character. It adds a certain flavour to the story that I wouldn't have had, had I just read the book without the audiobook format. Kudos to the narrator!It is also pleasing to read of Angel and Louis again. And of Jennifer and Sam too! It is like meeting long lost friends again... It gives one that fuzzy feeling! Looking forward to reading about these beloved characters again next year when the next book in the series comes out. :)Of all the Charlie Parker books, this one, I believe have the most solid plot. John Connolly was firing on all cylinders when he wrote this book! Such that I am looking forward to reading the next book to see how the news media is handling the news of the bad guys' apprehension. In particular, how the media is portraying Jerome Burnel this time. Now that the truth has been exposed. Did Jerome Burnel got what he hired Charlie Parker for, at last? A federal bust this big is sure to get cover, not only by the local papers, but also by the national ones. It would be interesting to see.Another thing that I hope that the next book will clarify is whether Shakey lived or not! It wasn't very clear to me whether Lucius killed him or not. And I wanted him to survive! He's a tough old gun who had survived a lot and now that his life seems to be getting better at last, I didn't want him to die!Ok, so I am a die-hard fan! It is still true that this book is fantastic read!Empirical Evaluation:Story telling quality = 4.5Character development = 5Story itself = 5Writing Style = 5Ending = 5World building = 5Cover art = 4Pace = (13 hrs & 58 mins)Plot = 5Narration = 5Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Why 5 stars ? Easy........... a well told story that blends elements of the supernatural, horror and crime. Add to those elements, well drawn (and quite frankly, believable ) characters and throw in a sense of foreboding and suspense that just keeps on building and you have a classic 5 star read. In some ways, I think that Mr Connolly has entered Stephen King territory (is it a coincidence that the evil entity in the book is called the 'Dead King' ??). There are several grisly deaths and in the final quarter of the book the suspense is racked up to a degree where it was very difficult to put the book down.Obviously, Mr Connolly has based his story around the rise of the 'cult' and also certain factual events that took place not just in the USA but in Europe also. Finally, I can't be the only one to say that the whole Charlie Parker series would make an excellent series of films (ie like the 'Bosch' series of books written by Michael Connelly). Over to you Amazon Prime !

Never fails and just finished the book... I kept trying to prolong reading it and take my time but it's simply impossible...I've been obsessed since day one of Every Dead Thing... Many, many years ago at the beginning of Charlie Parker, Angel and the ruthless yet glorious intriguingly Louis....I still have no idea why it is I relate so closely to these characters only to say I feel at peace with them and always have.If the characters I speak of may disturb you, which in many cases they may, I won't apologise as I only speak the truthof what it is I feel...The fact that now we are at a stage of change and growth scares me yet excites me in a weird preserve way that only enforces my beliefs in what it is in that strange bizarre way I can relate (despite my misspent chequered youth and past as a young wrong person myself) so profoundly to them...

I love the Charles Parker series. This novel is very good. It is about a place called the Cut - a place you shouldn’t go near. But Charlie and his friends will. I love the way the relationships in this series have developed and I love the way his two daughters appear when Charlie Parker needs them. The story is dark and there is the usual supernatural element. Everyone should read the the whole series - you will enjoy them!