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Charlie Parker #2
Το Δέντρο Του Θανάτου
Αρχική έκδοση
Μη μπορώντας ακόμη να ξεπεράσει την άγρια σφαγή της γυναίκας και της κόρης του, ο Τσάρλι Πάρκερ έχει αποτραβηχτεί στα μέρη της νιότης του, στο χειμωνιάτικο Μέιν.
Αλλά η επιστροφή του εκεί ξυπνά τα φαντάσματα του παρελθόντος, αναγκάζοντάς τον να λάβει μέρος στο κυνήγι ενός δολοφόνου που σκότωσε μια νεαρή γυναίκα και το αγοράκι της.
Καθώς οι νεκροί πληθαίνουν, γίνεται φανερό ότι και κάποιος άλλος βρίσκεται στα ίχνη του φονιά. Κάποιος που δείχνει να ξέρει τον Τσάρλι τόσο καλά όσο και τον ίδιο του τον εαυτό. Και η απάντηση σ' αυτό το αίνιγμα βρίσκεται τριάντα χρόνια πίσω στο παρελθόν. Σ' ένα δέντρο που από τα κλαδιά του κρέμονται μακάβριοι καρποί και στις βίαιες απαρχές του θρύλου ενός ασύλληπτου φονιά: του τέρατος που ακούει στο όνομα Κέιλεμπ Κάιλ...
Ευφυές, ατμοσφαιρικό, τρομακτικό και απολύτως συναρπαστικό, το Δέντρο του Θανάτου είναι το δεύτερο μυθιστόρημα του Τζον Κόνολι με ήρωα τον Τσάρλι Πάρκερ.
Μη μπορώντας ακόμη να ξεπεράσει την άγρια σφαγή της γυναίκας και της κόρης του, ο Τσάρλι Πάρκερ έχει αποτραβηχτεί στα μέρη της νιότης του, στο χειμωνιάτικο Μέιν.
Αλλά η επιστροφή του εκεί ξυπνά τα φαντάσματα του παρελθόντος, αναγκάζοντάς τον να λάβει μέρος στο κυνήγι ενός δολοφόνου που σκότωσε μια νεαρή γυναίκα και το αγοράκι της.
Καθώς οι νεκροί πληθαίνουν, γίνεται φανερό ότι και κάποιος άλλος βρίσκεται στα ίχνη του φονιά. Κάποιος που δείχνει να ξέρει τον Τσάρλι τόσο καλά όσο και τον ίδιο του τον εαυτό. Και η απάντηση σ' αυτό το αίνιγμα βρίσκεται τριάντα χρόνια πίσω στο παρελθόν. Σ' ένα δέντρο που από τα κλαδιά του κρέμονται μακάβριοι καρποί και στις βίαιες απαρχές του θρύλου ενός ασύλληπτου φονιά: του τέρατος που ακούει στο όνομα Κέιλεμπ Κάιλ...
Ευφυές, ατμοσφαιρικό, τρομακτικό και απολύτως συναρπαστικό, το Δέντρο του Θανάτου είναι το δεύτερο μυθιστόρημα του Τζον Κόνολι με ήρωα τον Τσάρλι Πάρκερ.
448 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 26, 2000
2,171 people are currently reading
5,632 people want to read
About the author
John Connolly
210books7,702followersJohn Connolly was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and has, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a dogsbody at Harrods department store in London. He studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which he continues to contribute.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 898 reviews
March 30, 2020
“Two violent occurrences, taking place almost simultaneously one winter’s night, bound together by a single dark thread that lost itself in tangled memories of distant, brutal acts.� This quote sums up a complicated and gruesome plot.
While I have been trying to entertain myself with lighter reads, they weren’t getting the job done. So I made the decision to catch up on one of my favorite dark and brutally violent series instead!
As always with this series, the plot is complex, the writing is superb, and the characters are endearing. Charlie, Angel, and Louis lighten the mood. These familiar characters brought me comfort, and Angel and Louis had me laughing out loud (love them)!
While I have been trying to entertain myself with lighter reads, they weren’t getting the job done. So I made the decision to catch up on one of my favorite dark and brutally violent series instead!
As always with this series, the plot is complex, the writing is superb, and the characters are endearing. Charlie, Angel, and Louis lighten the mood. These familiar characters brought me comfort, and Angel and Louis had me laughing out loud (love them)!
November 18, 2018
In Charlie Parker’s debut, Every Dead Thing, John Connolly introduced a protagonist who had already fallen from grace; a New York City police detective, he was getting drunk in a bar as his wife and young daughter were being brutally murdered. With absolutely no progress made on the case in the months that follow, he falls further, as evidenced in part by his resignation. Only in taking on a different case privately do details emerge that lead to the dead-of-night serial killer that took his family. In the process Parker manages to alienate or push away what friends and colleagues he has left.
Dark Hollow finds Charlie Parker having abandoned the New York of his recent past for the Maine of his youth, living in emotional solitude. Asked by a family friend to try and collect at least some of the alimony money owed by her ex-husband, Parker’s brief confrontation with the man and the subsequent murder of the woman and her two-year old boy promptly involve him in the case, a case that contains threads as diverse as a long dormant local serial killer and low level mobsters out of Boston (which is only 2 to 3 hours away, depending on traffic around Boston and the severity of the weather as you travel north). Their presence allows for considerably more action than in the previous novel. That is not to say the atmospheric scenes that Connolly excels at creating are absent. To the contrary, the grisly (and graphically described) nature of the local crimes insures plenty of darkness to be uncovered from beneath the snow-white landscape.
Parker does have two friends left: an ex-thief and a semi-retired hired killer. Both men are tough, fearless, and are lovers. But not clichés. This is the case with everyone we meet, including Charlie Parker himself; they are all fully-rounded characters. Perhaps that’s why these two in particular, people from the other side of the law, are the only ones who could comprehend what Parker went through during his fall and ensuing climb back. They deal themselves into his situation when word of some of what is happening filters down to New York. They are needed, particularly when dealing with open gunplay. It leaves Parker free to oppose a more sinister evil.
As with the first novel, there is a latent supernatural quality woven into the subtext. In short, Charlie Parker sees dead people. Maybe. Or maybe they are only dreams, remnants of the self-inflicted torture that resulted from the loss of his family. The latter seems more likely as these “ghost� seem to haunt him without providing any kind of help in terms of knowledge or information. And there is certainly nothing supernatural about the solution and the villains hunted are very, very real. So even if the ghosts in question turn out to be “real� as well--and from what I’ve heard about future additions to the series, the supernatural aspect becomes more prominent--in this particular story they can (and should) be accepted as elements of character and atmosphere. It will leave you more open to an engrossing experience.
Dark Hollow finds Charlie Parker having abandoned the New York of his recent past for the Maine of his youth, living in emotional solitude. Asked by a family friend to try and collect at least some of the alimony money owed by her ex-husband, Parker’s brief confrontation with the man and the subsequent murder of the woman and her two-year old boy promptly involve him in the case, a case that contains threads as diverse as a long dormant local serial killer and low level mobsters out of Boston (which is only 2 to 3 hours away, depending on traffic around Boston and the severity of the weather as you travel north). Their presence allows for considerably more action than in the previous novel. That is not to say the atmospheric scenes that Connolly excels at creating are absent. To the contrary, the grisly (and graphically described) nature of the local crimes insures plenty of darkness to be uncovered from beneath the snow-white landscape.
Parker does have two friends left: an ex-thief and a semi-retired hired killer. Both men are tough, fearless, and are lovers. But not clichés. This is the case with everyone we meet, including Charlie Parker himself; they are all fully-rounded characters. Perhaps that’s why these two in particular, people from the other side of the law, are the only ones who could comprehend what Parker went through during his fall and ensuing climb back. They deal themselves into his situation when word of some of what is happening filters down to New York. They are needed, particularly when dealing with open gunplay. It leaves Parker free to oppose a more sinister evil.
As with the first novel, there is a latent supernatural quality woven into the subtext. In short, Charlie Parker sees dead people. Maybe. Or maybe they are only dreams, remnants of the self-inflicted torture that resulted from the loss of his family. The latter seems more likely as these “ghost� seem to haunt him without providing any kind of help in terms of knowledge or information. And there is certainly nothing supernatural about the solution and the villains hunted are very, very real. So even if the ghosts in question turn out to be “real� as well--and from what I’ve heard about future additions to the series, the supernatural aspect becomes more prominent--in this particular story they can (and should) be accepted as elements of character and atmosphere. It will leave you more open to an engrossing experience.
November 10, 2016
I ordered this from the library with ambivalence; though I enjoy Connolly's writing, I didn't find the first book of the Charlie Parker series particularly enjoyable (body count was a little high for me). However, book 8, The Lovers, was engrossing and well done, so I thought it was worth finding out more about Parker's timeline. Also, his Samuel Jackson series is excellent. I found a rather solid mystery-thriller, peppered with the descriptive passages I've come to love.
The plot centers around Parker doing a pity-favor for a old childhood acquaintance. She'd like child support from her husband Billy Purdue so she can take their son and head out of state. Billy thinks he's gonna make good if his latest plan works: only trouble is that it means stealing from a desperate mob boss. Billy and the money disappear, Rita and her son are killed, and everyone's on the hunt for the money. Parker is ready to let it go when the ghosts of the dead start haunting him. As he works to find Billy, Parker runs into a local horror legend and the case that haunted his grandfather back in his policing days. Like good friends do, Angel and Louis come to keep an eye on Parker's exposed back.
That's the rough set-up, frequently peppered with conflict. The body count is high: about 2/3 through when I realized we were in double digits of witnessed deaths, not counting stories about people who have been killed (seriously--it was easily in the 20s). I'm unsure why many of these were necessary to the story, as they don't particularly bring added suspense. The mob plotline seemed a little bit... I don't know. Extraneous? Dated? Passe as a villain, although Parker certainly recognizes that's why they've become so desperate. On the more positive side of the body count, Connolly he doesn't seem as absorbed in the details of the deaths as in the first book, which made them easier to tolerate or skim over. And why skim over? Because tucked into the thriller is a clever mystery, even if I did figure it out, as well as Connolly's engaging writing. There are beautiful passages of description creating both the love for the Maine area and the acceptance of its old and bloody history.
"'I'm sorry,' I said, the words so small that they were quickly lost in the enormity of what he was facing."
Parker continues to evolve emotionally as he faces the one-year anniversary of his family's death. Connolly avoids wallowing in angst and starts to take it to the next step. Angel and Louis play significant roles, and part of the enjoyment in the story is the dynamic between them and Parker. There are moments where they each open up about their own darkness to Parker, and I absolutely got the sense of connection and of friendship between a trio who have started to morph into avenging angels.
Overall, it's worth my time to continue checking it out, although my problems with the genre mean it isn't one I'll devour back to back.
The plot centers around Parker doing a pity-favor for a old childhood acquaintance. She'd like child support from her husband Billy Purdue so she can take their son and head out of state. Billy thinks he's gonna make good if his latest plan works: only trouble is that it means stealing from a desperate mob boss. Billy and the money disappear, Rita and her son are killed, and everyone's on the hunt for the money. Parker is ready to let it go when the ghosts of the dead start haunting him. As he works to find Billy, Parker runs into a local horror legend and the case that haunted his grandfather back in his policing days. Like good friends do, Angel and Louis come to keep an eye on Parker's exposed back.
That's the rough set-up, frequently peppered with conflict. The body count is high: about 2/3 through when I realized we were in double digits of witnessed deaths, not counting stories about people who have been killed (seriously--it was easily in the 20s). I'm unsure why many of these were necessary to the story, as they don't particularly bring added suspense. The mob plotline seemed a little bit... I don't know. Extraneous? Dated? Passe as a villain, although Parker certainly recognizes that's why they've become so desperate. On the more positive side of the body count, Connolly he doesn't seem as absorbed in the details of the deaths as in the first book, which made them easier to tolerate or skim over. And why skim over? Because tucked into the thriller is a clever mystery, even if I did figure it out, as well as Connolly's engaging writing. There are beautiful passages of description creating both the love for the Maine area and the acceptance of its old and bloody history.
"'I'm sorry,' I said, the words so small that they were quickly lost in the enormity of what he was facing."
Parker continues to evolve emotionally as he faces the one-year anniversary of his family's death. Connolly avoids wallowing in angst and starts to take it to the next step. Angel and Louis play significant roles, and part of the enjoyment in the story is the dynamic between them and Parker. There are moments where they each open up about their own darkness to Parker, and I absolutely got the sense of connection and of friendship between a trio who have started to morph into avenging angels.
Overall, it's worth my time to continue checking it out, although my problems with the genre mean it isn't one I'll devour back to back.
December 14, 2021
Vaaaaaale, amigos “pesaos�, admito que el libro está bien.
Las 4 estrellas que le pongo son justitas, eso sí. Os ilustro del por qué.
Muy positivo: trama brillante, con una urdimbre de muchas hebras aparentemente inconexas que confluyen con maestría. Lo mejor del libro, para mí.
Positivo: secundarios de lujo en algún caso. Como son Ángel (ladrón) y Louis (sicario-asesino), pareja gay dispar pero muy compenetrada y que proporcionan alguno de los mejores diálogos del libro.
Normal: El personaje de Charlie Parker. Ni fu ni fa. Con sus traumas añadidos y su personalidad no se si de héroe o de villano de gatillo fácil. A pesar de todos los pensamientos que le pasan por la cabeza no he conseguido empatizar con él, para nada.
Tb normal el villano de la historia. Que sí, que nos lo adorna mucho pero que no se lo cree ni el Tato: viejo, viejo, pero lo que hace es de atleta treintañero.
Tb normalitos los secundarios salvo esos dos que he mencionado.
Malo: La narrativa cuando se pone a contarnos como, por ejemplo, va al sitio X y nos mete dos párrafos diciendo cada calle por la que pasa y las tiendas que hay a los lados. O las ciudades del entorno. O los bosques. ¡Coño!, que ni vivo en Maine ni me interesan esos detalles.
Lo hace muchas veces y me sacaba de quicio.
Pá matarlo: La puta manía que tiene los autores de meternos 100.000 referencias al libro anterior, a hechos y personajes que salieron en él. ¿Qué pasa, que debo tener memoria de elefante sólo para tu saga? Pues no, mira, leo de todo y no tengo tu saga, sus personajes y sus hechos en la cabeza. A ver cuando meten un prólogo inicial.
En este libro hay constantes referencias de esas y me cabreaba cantidad.
Otra para matarlo: la trama está liada pero de repente, voila!, el Charlie este habla con una señora mayor y luego con un vejete que le cuentan vida y milagros del misterio (y creo recordar que en el primero vi algo parecido). Eso es un punto negro en la, por lo demás, muy buena trama.
Resumen: me gusta pero no me emociona. Cargaré el siguiente en el Kindle, pero con la cantidad de recomendaciones apetitosas que me metéis a la saca las amistades no sé yo cuándo tocará leerlo.
Las 4 estrellas que le pongo son justitas, eso sí. Os ilustro del por qué.
Muy positivo: trama brillante, con una urdimbre de muchas hebras aparentemente inconexas que confluyen con maestría. Lo mejor del libro, para mí.
Positivo: secundarios de lujo en algún caso. Como son Ángel (ladrón) y Louis (sicario-asesino), pareja gay dispar pero muy compenetrada y que proporcionan alguno de los mejores diálogos del libro.
Normal: El personaje de Charlie Parker. Ni fu ni fa. Con sus traumas añadidos y su personalidad no se si de héroe o de villano de gatillo fácil. A pesar de todos los pensamientos que le pasan por la cabeza no he conseguido empatizar con él, para nada.
Tb normal el villano de la historia. Que sí, que nos lo adorna mucho pero que no se lo cree ni el Tato: viejo, viejo, pero lo que hace es de atleta treintañero.
Tb normalitos los secundarios salvo esos dos que he mencionado.
Malo: La narrativa cuando se pone a contarnos como, por ejemplo, va al sitio X y nos mete dos párrafos diciendo cada calle por la que pasa y las tiendas que hay a los lados. O las ciudades del entorno. O los bosques. ¡Coño!, que ni vivo en Maine ni me interesan esos detalles.
Lo hace muchas veces y me sacaba de quicio.
Pá matarlo: La puta manía que tiene los autores de meternos 100.000 referencias al libro anterior, a hechos y personajes que salieron en él. ¿Qué pasa, que debo tener memoria de elefante sólo para tu saga? Pues no, mira, leo de todo y no tengo tu saga, sus personajes y sus hechos en la cabeza. A ver cuando meten un prólogo inicial.
En este libro hay constantes referencias de esas y me cabreaba cantidad.
Otra para matarlo: la trama está liada pero de repente, voila!, el Charlie este habla con una señora mayor y luego con un vejete que le cuentan vida y milagros del misterio (y creo recordar que en el primero vi algo parecido). Eso es un punto negro en la, por lo demás, muy buena trama.
Resumen: me gusta pero no me emociona. Cargaré el siguiente en el Kindle, pero con la cantidad de recomendaciones apetitosas que me metéis a la saca las amistades no sé yo cuándo tocará leerlo.
October 5, 2019
WOW!! I have to give this 5 STARS!
Thanks Terry and Latasha for a great buddy read and continuing on with this series. I'm so excited to read the next book in this series!
Dark Hollow is the 2nd book in the Charlie Parker series and it's much better then the first.
Maybe I have an emotional connection to Charlie, Louis and Angel now? That could be one point but I think it's more then that.
Dark Hollow takes all the great things from the 1st book, Every Dead Thing and gives it a purpose and direction to how the rest of the series will go. All of the possibilities for
Honestly, I'm just so excited to read more of this series and follow the adventures and life struggle that Charlie Parker goes through. He's a fantastic character that's neither white or black. He's a grey character and makes decisions that a morally sound person might not make, but he's not evil either. He fights for the victims that have met evil and gives these victims peace. I really love ambiguous characters!
Dark Hollow starts with a young woman and child being murdered by an unknown killer. Billy Purdue is at the middle of this death since he's the ex-husband and father of the woman and child. The hunt for Billy Purdue and the questions of his past become the main focal point in this book.
Dark Hollow has many avenues going at the same time all involving Billy Purdue from a botched FBI raid, mob money and past secrets.
And in the middle of it all is a monster named Caleb Kyle and whether this is really a urban legend in the northern untamed forest of Maine or something far worse.
This was just fantastic!! I can't wait to continue on with the series.
One more thing, John Connolly's writing is just so well done. It's desciptive, unsettling and makes you feel the pain of the victims.
At the end of this book, my eyes teared up. Well done sir!
Thanks Terry and Latasha for a great buddy read and continuing on with this series. I'm so excited to read the next book in this series!
Dark Hollow is the 2nd book in the Charlie Parker series and it's much better then the first.
Maybe I have an emotional connection to Charlie, Louis and Angel now? That could be one point but I think it's more then that.
Dark Hollow takes all the great things from the 1st book, Every Dead Thing and gives it a purpose and direction to how the rest of the series will go. All of the possibilities for
Honestly, I'm just so excited to read more of this series and follow the adventures and life struggle that Charlie Parker goes through. He's a fantastic character that's neither white or black. He's a grey character and makes decisions that a morally sound person might not make, but he's not evil either. He fights for the victims that have met evil and gives these victims peace. I really love ambiguous characters!
Dark Hollow starts with a young woman and child being murdered by an unknown killer. Billy Purdue is at the middle of this death since he's the ex-husband and father of the woman and child. The hunt for Billy Purdue and the questions of his past become the main focal point in this book.
Dark Hollow has many avenues going at the same time all involving Billy Purdue from a botched FBI raid, mob money and past secrets.
And in the middle of it all is a monster named Caleb Kyle and whether this is really a urban legend in the northern untamed forest of Maine or something far worse.
This was just fantastic!! I can't wait to continue on with the series.
One more thing, John Connolly's writing is just so well done. It's desciptive, unsettling and makes you feel the pain of the victims.
At the end of this book, my eyes teared up. Well done sir!
July 31, 2014
every book starts out as a three-star book for me. I am hopeful but realistic. I treat books like I treat people. am I prepared to "like" - i.e. 3 stars - a person right off the bat? well yeah, why not. but am I prepared to "really like" - 4 stars - a person, automatically? I don't think so, let's get to know each other first.
Dark Hollow is a solid 3 star book. I liked it. haunted former police detective Charlie Parker is embroiled in his second crime mystery, this time involving an array of repulsive villains including a pair of repulsive hitmen, a repulsive serial killer, and a repulsive mafia guy. also involved is a repulsive sheriff who holds a grudge against Parker and a repulsive man-on-the-run who is at the center of the mystery. quite a repulsive cast! but the novel itself is not repulsive, for several reasons.
item 1: Connolly excels at creating atmosphere. the first book in this series captured various parts of the Southern U.S. perfectly. the atmosphere was rich and intensely flavored. the same goes for this novel, where we are placed in the cold and eerie backwoods of Maine. Connelly is absolutely top-notch when it comes to conveying how a place really feels. it may be his primary strength.
item 2: our protagonist's closest friends - a thief and an assassin who are also lovers - are as delightful as they were in the first book. I would like to open up a delightful bed & breakfast with this delightful duo, one that caters to snooty rich types. the thief can steal their pretty jewels and the assassin can kill the ones that particularly annoy us. what a pleasant life we'd lead!
item 3: our haunted hero Charlie Parker is not just layered, sympathetic, and genuinely interesting... he is literally haunted. so there's that. Like! Parker is a modern noir hero: moody and occasionally violent, thoughtful and surprisingly kind, and he really respects women. what's not to like?
unfortunately Connolly throws too much into this intriguing mix. there are way too many repulsive villains and the result is a book that felt a bit weighed down with all of its various plot threads, which of course have to come together in the end. also, Parker's romances are a bit eye-rolling at times.
so Dark Hollow is quite enjoyable but it has flaws that annoyed me. 3 stars. I liked it, but I'm not going to marry it. I'm not sure I'd even date it. but hey, we can go out for drinks or something.
Dark Hollow is a solid 3 star book. I liked it. haunted former police detective Charlie Parker is embroiled in his second crime mystery, this time involving an array of repulsive villains including a pair of repulsive hitmen, a repulsive serial killer, and a repulsive mafia guy. also involved is a repulsive sheriff who holds a grudge against Parker and a repulsive man-on-the-run who is at the center of the mystery. quite a repulsive cast! but the novel itself is not repulsive, for several reasons.
item 1: Connolly excels at creating atmosphere. the first book in this series captured various parts of the Southern U.S. perfectly. the atmosphere was rich and intensely flavored. the same goes for this novel, where we are placed in the cold and eerie backwoods of Maine. Connelly is absolutely top-notch when it comes to conveying how a place really feels. it may be his primary strength.
item 2: our protagonist's closest friends - a thief and an assassin who are also lovers - are as delightful as they were in the first book. I would like to open up a delightful bed & breakfast with this delightful duo, one that caters to snooty rich types. the thief can steal their pretty jewels and the assassin can kill the ones that particularly annoy us. what a pleasant life we'd lead!
item 3: our haunted hero Charlie Parker is not just layered, sympathetic, and genuinely interesting... he is literally haunted. so there's that. Like! Parker is a modern noir hero: moody and occasionally violent, thoughtful and surprisingly kind, and he really respects women. what's not to like?
unfortunately Connolly throws too much into this intriguing mix. there are way too many repulsive villains and the result is a book that felt a bit weighed down with all of its various plot threads, which of course have to come together in the end. also, Parker's romances are a bit eye-rolling at times.
so Dark Hollow is quite enjoyable but it has flaws that annoyed me. 3 stars. I liked it, but I'm not going to marry it. I'm not sure I'd even date it. but hey, we can go out for drinks or something.
October 9, 2021
4/5 Estrellas
A punto de cumplirse 1 año de la muerte de su esposa y su hija (1ª entrega de la serie), Parker se encuentra de vuelta en Maine, de donde provienen sus orígenes familiares.
Dedicado a pequeños encargos de detective privado/matón a sueldo (no se sabe muy bien), se ve envuelto en una especie de cónclave de asesinos en serie, en el que un enfrentamiento entre bandas mafiosas, acaba con la desaparición de una buena cantidad de dinero. La recuperación de la pasta no solo desencadena el enfrentamiento entra las mafias, sino que atrae como moscas a la miel a oscuros asesinos ávidos de dinero fácil y despierta un terrible secreto, oculto durante años y que quedó sin resolver.
Este secreto involucra a Parker directamente, ya que en su día fue investigado por su abuelo, también policía, a quien marcó de por vida, y además está relacionado con uno de sus clientes más conflictivos y violentos.
La situación se complica, los muertos se acumulan (niños y mujeres en su mayoría), y claman en sueños la ayuda de Parker que, con su extraña percepción extrasensorial, no es capaz de sustraerse a estas peticiones de socorro, mientras el oscuro poder que sembró el terror en tiempos de su abuelo, sale de su letargo y ataca con todo su poder, acudiendo a la llamada de la sangre.
Bueno, muy bueno, el único pero que le pongo, es que quizá involucra a demasiados elementos de muerte y destrucción, creo que crea un escenario demasiado complejo, que crea confusión entre los secundarios y el oscuro protagonista, que poco poco va tomando forma de manera magistral a lo largo del libro. También hay demasiadas situaciones al límite donde Parker debería haberla palmado unas pocas de veces, pero siempre se salva claro, con cicatrices (de todo tipo), pero se salva. La participación de la pareja Angel y Louis, también está cogida con pinzas. Por todo ello 4 estrellas, muy disfrutables.
A seguir con el siguiente.
A punto de cumplirse 1 año de la muerte de su esposa y su hija (1ª entrega de la serie), Parker se encuentra de vuelta en Maine, de donde provienen sus orígenes familiares.
Dedicado a pequeños encargos de detective privado/matón a sueldo (no se sabe muy bien), se ve envuelto en una especie de cónclave de asesinos en serie, en el que un enfrentamiento entre bandas mafiosas, acaba con la desaparición de una buena cantidad de dinero. La recuperación de la pasta no solo desencadena el enfrentamiento entra las mafias, sino que atrae como moscas a la miel a oscuros asesinos ávidos de dinero fácil y despierta un terrible secreto, oculto durante años y que quedó sin resolver.
Este secreto involucra a Parker directamente, ya que en su día fue investigado por su abuelo, también policía, a quien marcó de por vida, y además está relacionado con uno de sus clientes más conflictivos y violentos.
La situación se complica, los muertos se acumulan (niños y mujeres en su mayoría), y claman en sueños la ayuda de Parker que, con su extraña percepción extrasensorial, no es capaz de sustraerse a estas peticiones de socorro, mientras el oscuro poder que sembró el terror en tiempos de su abuelo, sale de su letargo y ataca con todo su poder, acudiendo a la llamada de la sangre.
Bueno, muy bueno, el único pero que le pongo, es que quizá involucra a demasiados elementos de muerte y destrucción, creo que crea un escenario demasiado complejo, que crea confusión entre los secundarios y el oscuro protagonista, que poco poco va tomando forma de manera magistral a lo largo del libro. También hay demasiadas situaciones al límite donde Parker debería haberla palmado unas pocas de veces, pero siempre se salva claro, con cicatrices (de todo tipo), pero se salva. La participación de la pareja Angel y Louis, también está cogida con pinzas. Por todo ello 4 estrellas, muy disfrutables.
A seguir con el siguiente.
May 17, 2023
I have enjoyed the Charlies Parker series for some time but did miss some of the earlier books. So, I decided to go back and read the ones I missed. is the second book in the series and it was excellent. A woman asks Charlie to get money owed to her by a dead-beat dad. Sadly, she and her child are murdered and Billy, the father, is the chief suspect.
Charlie Parker is such a great character. He is flawed and suffers tremendous grief over the murder of his wife and daughter. He is on a mission to find the killer and ultimately finds his way into the backwoods of Maine where a killer preys.
With the other books, this book has a supernatural element. It is done nicely and really works for me.
John Connolly is a gifted writer and I look forward to reading more of the books in this series!
Read more of my reviews at
Charlie Parker is such a great character. He is flawed and suffers tremendous grief over the murder of his wife and daughter. He is on a mission to find the killer and ultimately finds his way into the backwoods of Maine where a killer preys.
With the other books, this book has a supernatural element. It is done nicely and really works for me.
John Connolly is a gifted writer and I look forward to reading more of the books in this series!
Read more of my reviews at
November 6, 2017
It's hard to describe how much I am enjoying this series. I have had several mediocre to bad reads lately, and these last two books by this author have been a dark, refreshing wind. The main character, Charlie Parker, continues to develop and grow. By beginning with the horror introduced in the first book, the author is able to create psychological parallels and foundations that build both plot platforms interpersonally and through the horrific events that seem to gravitate toward the protagonist.
There is no doubt that the author is a master of dark psychology. Limiting the perspective to first person increases the suspense and draws the reader further into the plot by creating sympathy for what is becoming an increasingly violent character. Part of what fuels the story is that there seem to be several plot running simultaneously, yet as they weave into one resolution with the common denominator- Charlie Parker.
It's hard not to like Charlie, but it is equally hard to imagine anyone wanting to be in his life. Part of the tension in the story comes from knowing that anyone close to him could die in a horrible manner at any moment- as a matter of fact,they often do.
I would rate this five and a half stars if I could.
There is no doubt that the author is a master of dark psychology. Limiting the perspective to first person increases the suspense and draws the reader further into the plot by creating sympathy for what is becoming an increasingly violent character. Part of what fuels the story is that there seem to be several plot running simultaneously, yet as they weave into one resolution with the common denominator- Charlie Parker.
It's hard not to like Charlie, but it is equally hard to imagine anyone wanting to be in his life. Part of the tension in the story comes from knowing that anyone close to him could die in a horrible manner at any moment- as a matter of fact,they often do.
I would rate this five and a half stars if I could.
January 29, 2021
"In the old house, the past hung in the air like motes of dust waiting to be illuminated by the sharp rays of memory."
Charlie Parker, almost a year after the murder of his family, is trying to find peace. He has returned to Maine where he spent his youth and has moved into his Grandfathers old house in Scarborough with the intention of doing it up. Unfortunately he doesn't get very much done as before long he is drawn into the hunt for the killer of another mother and child. The obvious suspect is the woman's violent estranged husband.
But there is another possibility - his grandfather (a policeman) was haunted by a shocking series of unsolved murders in the area, the perpetrator was meant to be the monster known as Caleb Kyle. As the decades past Kyle sank into the mythology of Dark Hollow only to be resurrected by tired mothers as the bogey man used to scare errant children. "Caleb Kyle, Caleb Kyle, when you see him run a mile"
Far to the north an elderly lady, from a nursing home, is found wandering in the snowy woods saying she has seen Caleb Kyle...
The follow-up to the first book in the Charlie Parker series was absolutely brilliant, i'm loving these characters and can't wait to get the third book; Mr. Connolly you're a damn fine author!
Charlie Parker, almost a year after the murder of his family, is trying to find peace. He has returned to Maine where he spent his youth and has moved into his Grandfathers old house in Scarborough with the intention of doing it up. Unfortunately he doesn't get very much done as before long he is drawn into the hunt for the killer of another mother and child. The obvious suspect is the woman's violent estranged husband.
But there is another possibility - his grandfather (a policeman) was haunted by a shocking series of unsolved murders in the area, the perpetrator was meant to be the monster known as Caleb Kyle. As the decades past Kyle sank into the mythology of Dark Hollow only to be resurrected by tired mothers as the bogey man used to scare errant children. "Caleb Kyle, Caleb Kyle, when you see him run a mile"
Far to the north an elderly lady, from a nursing home, is found wandering in the snowy woods saying she has seen Caleb Kyle...
The follow-up to the first book in the Charlie Parker series was absolutely brilliant, i'm loving these characters and can't wait to get the third book; Mr. Connolly you're a damn fine author!
October 25, 2015
'There are people whose eyes you must avoid, whose attention you must not draw to yourself.'
So the second book in the Charlie Parker series, and my reread mission continues. Hired by a woman to get child support from her ex-husband, Charlie joins a lengthy queue of people searching for Billy Purdue and the alleged funds he's suddenly come into. Pretty soon Rita Purdue and her son are dead, there are mobsters, hitmen and all sorts running round being naughty and Charlie has to wade through it all with a little help from Angel and Louis.
His old boss Walter Cole's daughter comes to visit and then goes missing, everything leads back to Dark Hollow and a chapter of Charlie Parker's history. His Grandfather back in the day, was haunted by a series of deaths, missing women. A killer that was never caught, sure enough someone went down for it but he never believed they'd caught the right man.
'In the old house, the past hung in the air like motes of dust waiting to be illuminated by the sharp rays of memory.'
There's some top quality creepy bad guys in Dark Hollow, aside from the usual nasty mafia mobsters, there's Abel and Stritch (or Lurch and Uncle Fester as I fondly remember them).
Stritch is a completely disturbing individual and his meeting with Charlie is top draw.
'The smile didn’t flicker, but his eyes were now dead.
“I understand,� he said, and again there was that terrible sibilance in his voice.
“I don’t think you can be of help to me after all.�
“‘Don’t let me see you again,� I said.
He nodded to himself. “Oh, you won’t see me,� he replied, and this time the threat was explicit.'
Stritch is small fry compared to a man, a ghost who even has a little ditty sung about him to frighten the children.
‘Caleb Kyle, Caleb Kyle,� he intones, repeating the words of the children’s rhyme, the fire casting shadows on his face. ‘If you see him, run a mile.�
But this was from the time of his grandfather, surely this monster was long dead. The man who everyone said tore those woman apart and left them hanging from a tree.
‘I’m not overfond of coincidences. They’re God’s way of telling you that you’re not seeing the big picture.�
Of course the good guys and all those not so good guys, meet up for various picnic and brunch activities. A few knives, the odd firearm and cucumber sandwiches with a few beers, can't go wrong. You know the score, multiple plot lines, fascinating and terrifying characters, delightful prose, the odd bit of humour all make for a tremendous read and series. The supernatural aspect is just starting to peek over the covers, readying to jump out and expand the already massive list of points that have you eagerly awaiting the next release.
My reread or listen to, are the audios narrated by Jeff Harding who gives voice to Charlie Parker and the gang, quite brilliantly in fact and there are just way too many quotes to include in a review and actually include some opinion (Paul shut the fuck up, you’re boring me), next up is The Killing Kind.
A 4.5* rating rounded up for the audio.
Also posted at
So the second book in the Charlie Parker series, and my reread mission continues. Hired by a woman to get child support from her ex-husband, Charlie joins a lengthy queue of people searching for Billy Purdue and the alleged funds he's suddenly come into. Pretty soon Rita Purdue and her son are dead, there are mobsters, hitmen and all sorts running round being naughty and Charlie has to wade through it all with a little help from Angel and Louis.
His old boss Walter Cole's daughter comes to visit and then goes missing, everything leads back to Dark Hollow and a chapter of Charlie Parker's history. His Grandfather back in the day, was haunted by a series of deaths, missing women. A killer that was never caught, sure enough someone went down for it but he never believed they'd caught the right man.
'In the old house, the past hung in the air like motes of dust waiting to be illuminated by the sharp rays of memory.'
There's some top quality creepy bad guys in Dark Hollow, aside from the usual nasty mafia mobsters, there's Abel and Stritch (or Lurch and Uncle Fester as I fondly remember them).
Stritch is a completely disturbing individual and his meeting with Charlie is top draw.
'The smile didn’t flicker, but his eyes were now dead.
“I understand,� he said, and again there was that terrible sibilance in his voice.
“I don’t think you can be of help to me after all.�
“‘Don’t let me see you again,� I said.
He nodded to himself. “Oh, you won’t see me,� he replied, and this time the threat was explicit.'
Stritch is small fry compared to a man, a ghost who even has a little ditty sung about him to frighten the children.
‘Caleb Kyle, Caleb Kyle,� he intones, repeating the words of the children’s rhyme, the fire casting shadows on his face. ‘If you see him, run a mile.�
But this was from the time of his grandfather, surely this monster was long dead. The man who everyone said tore those woman apart and left them hanging from a tree.
‘I’m not overfond of coincidences. They’re God’s way of telling you that you’re not seeing the big picture.�
Of course the good guys and all those not so good guys, meet up for various picnic and brunch activities. A few knives, the odd firearm and cucumber sandwiches with a few beers, can't go wrong. You know the score, multiple plot lines, fascinating and terrifying characters, delightful prose, the odd bit of humour all make for a tremendous read and series. The supernatural aspect is just starting to peek over the covers, readying to jump out and expand the already massive list of points that have you eagerly awaiting the next release.
My reread or listen to, are the audios narrated by Jeff Harding who gives voice to Charlie Parker and the gang, quite brilliantly in fact and there are just way too many quotes to include in a review and actually include some opinion (Paul shut the fuck up, you’re boring me), next up is The Killing Kind.
A 4.5* rating rounded up for the audio.
Also posted at
January 3, 2019
The success of appears to have energized John Connolly, because here he writes with a confidence and clarity that other authors take a lifetime to achieve. If ever.
A particularly vivid experience, this. You can taste, smell and breathe this book. The opening words, "I dream dark dreams" set the tone of the novel. It is indeed the stuff of dreams. Terrifying dreams.
The plot involves the hunt for a serial killer, as with 's The Traveling Man. You'll have to decide for yourself which is the most terrifying between the aforementioned and Dark Hollow's Caleb Kyle. John Connolly weaves an intricate tapestry and this book is a joy to read, once again. You'll be forgiven if you're reminded of 's Odd Thomas once in a while.
Highly, highly recommended.
A particularly vivid experience, this. You can taste, smell and breathe this book. The opening words, "I dream dark dreams" set the tone of the novel. It is indeed the stuff of dreams. Terrifying dreams.
The plot involves the hunt for a serial killer, as with 's The Traveling Man. You'll have to decide for yourself which is the most terrifying between the aforementioned and Dark Hollow's Caleb Kyle. John Connolly weaves an intricate tapestry and this book is a joy to read, once again. You'll be forgiven if you're reminded of 's Odd Thomas once in a while.
Highly, highly recommended.
December 11, 2021
FANTASTICO!! No sé porque no seguí leyendo esta serie (bueno sí lo sé, tengo tantas lecturas pendientes...) me encanta como escribe este escritor.
La trama es fantástica, te vas introduciendo en los paisajes y lugares por donde transcurre, sientes el frio de esos lugares nevados.
# 15. Un libro de tu genero favorito Reto literario 2021.
# 40. Un libro de tu categoría favorita de los anteriores PopSugar Reading Challenge. Esta categoría del 2018 (3. El siguiente libro de una serie que ya has comenzado). Reto popsugar 2021
La trama es fantástica, te vas introduciendo en los paisajes y lugares por donde transcurre, sientes el frio de esos lugares nevados.
# 15. Un libro de tu genero favorito Reto literario 2021.
# 40. Un libro de tu categoría favorita de los anteriores PopSugar Reading Challenge. Esta categoría del 2018 (3. El siguiente libro de una serie que ya has comenzado). Reto popsugar 2021
June 23, 2019
I don't read many thrillers. In fact, my entire repertoire of thrillers before this book consisted of Silence of the Lambs and the first Charlie Parker. I only read a thriller when the mood strikes me Or when my uncle steals my e-reader, gets me a copy and hits me over the head with the e-reader)
He really is that weird.
In "Dark Hollow", two seemingly unrelated events that happen in one night pave the road for serial killers, suicides and sickening murders. Ex-detective Charlie Parker takes on a case which entwines with his past and present; a case whose suspects could ruin the futures of many. I enjoy the novel for its complexity - there are dozens of people involved, three serial killers and a husband at large after his wife and child are killed. If you would like to escape your run-of-the-mill whodunnit, this is the book for you.
The best characters in this book are a gay couple, Louis and Angel, who provide the novel with some of its most lighthearted moments as well as some of its most thought-provoking.
"Suffering isn't enough, Bird," said Angel softly. "So he's suffered, big fuckin' deal. Get in line with the rest of us suckers. It's not enough to suffer, and you know that. What matters is that you understand that others suffer, and some of them suffer worse than you could ever do. The nature of compassion isn't coming to terms with your own suffering and applying it to others; it's knowing the other folks around you suffer and, no matter what happens to you, no matter how lucky or unlucky you are, they keep suffering. And if you can do something about that, then you do it, and you do it without whining or waving your own fuckin' cross for the world to see. You do it because it's the right thing to do."
That being said, I'm glad my uncle hit me over the head and I hope he does it again. Connolly uses a style that is a lot like the stereotypical detective novel (She trailed into my office, her long legs...) but there is an underlying uniqueness to his writing.
"Dark Hollow" is a seamless combination of detective work with the hint of the supernatural, all held together by a string of beautiful writing and relatable dialogue.
He really is that weird.
In "Dark Hollow", two seemingly unrelated events that happen in one night pave the road for serial killers, suicides and sickening murders. Ex-detective Charlie Parker takes on a case which entwines with his past and present; a case whose suspects could ruin the futures of many. I enjoy the novel for its complexity - there are dozens of people involved, three serial killers and a husband at large after his wife and child are killed. If you would like to escape your run-of-the-mill whodunnit, this is the book for you.
The best characters in this book are a gay couple, Louis and Angel, who provide the novel with some of its most lighthearted moments as well as some of its most thought-provoking.
"Suffering isn't enough, Bird," said Angel softly. "So he's suffered, big fuckin' deal. Get in line with the rest of us suckers. It's not enough to suffer, and you know that. What matters is that you understand that others suffer, and some of them suffer worse than you could ever do. The nature of compassion isn't coming to terms with your own suffering and applying it to others; it's knowing the other folks around you suffer and, no matter what happens to you, no matter how lucky or unlucky you are, they keep suffering. And if you can do something about that, then you do it, and you do it without whining or waving your own fuckin' cross for the world to see. You do it because it's the right thing to do."
That being said, I'm glad my uncle hit me over the head and I hope he does it again. Connolly uses a style that is a lot like the stereotypical detective novel (She trailed into my office, her long legs...) but there is an underlying uniqueness to his writing.
"Dark Hollow" is a seamless combination of detective work with the hint of the supernatural, all held together by a string of beautiful writing and relatable dialogue.
August 28, 2019
Dark.
To describe a book entitled Dark Hollow by decidedly dark fiction writer John Connolly and starring the most definitely dark protagonist Charlie “Bird� Parker seems a bit redundant, but that’s the feeling left after having read Dark Hollow � that it is dark.
Parker is dark because he is still haunted by the brutal slayings of his wife and child, as described in the equally dark first novel in the series, Connolly’s dark 1999 novel � which does not contain the word dark, but does mention “dead� and except for a certain lively band usually means dark also. Bird has travelled north (alluded to dark origins in the text) to get away from dark New York and the dark goings on there. To little avail, up in cold dark Maine, trouble finds him again � this time in the dark tale of a dark serial killer who provided a dark history for Parker’s DEAD grandfather.
Dark is the skin color of the most compelling and enjoyable character in this second novel, Parker’s friend Louis. Besides being of African descent, Louis is also an assassin (a dark trade). Connolly may have introduced Louis and his lover Angel into the series for something akin to comic relief, but Louis is a showstopper, scene stealer and deal breaker by virtue of his dark and DEADLY martial abilities. If I were casting an actor in this role, I would select the dark and handsome British actor Delroy Lindo.
So a good book, action packed, enjoyable, page turning and � dark.
To describe a book entitled Dark Hollow by decidedly dark fiction writer John Connolly and starring the most definitely dark protagonist Charlie “Bird� Parker seems a bit redundant, but that’s the feeling left after having read Dark Hollow � that it is dark.
Parker is dark because he is still haunted by the brutal slayings of his wife and child, as described in the equally dark first novel in the series, Connolly’s dark 1999 novel � which does not contain the word dark, but does mention “dead� and except for a certain lively band usually means dark also. Bird has travelled north (alluded to dark origins in the text) to get away from dark New York and the dark goings on there. To little avail, up in cold dark Maine, trouble finds him again � this time in the dark tale of a dark serial killer who provided a dark history for Parker’s DEAD grandfather.
Dark is the skin color of the most compelling and enjoyable character in this second novel, Parker’s friend Louis. Besides being of African descent, Louis is also an assassin (a dark trade). Connolly may have introduced Louis and his lover Angel into the series for something akin to comic relief, but Louis is a showstopper, scene stealer and deal breaker by virtue of his dark and DEADLY martial abilities. If I were casting an actor in this role, I would select the dark and handsome British actor Delroy Lindo.
So a good book, action packed, enjoyable, page turning and � dark.
May 4, 2016
I met Charlie Parker for the first time last year, when I read John Connolly’s first book in the Charlie Parker series, Every Dead Thing. To say I fell in love with him is a mere expression of the tip of an iceberg with regard to my feelings for Charlie Parker; they go definitely deeper than mere love for a fictional character. He is not your usual hero, all swashbuckling and saving damsels in distresses while showing he has no fears or that such events are just a part of his life. Oh no, he is dark, really dark and he is gritty, not to mention totally morose and is also capable of violence and is not ashamed to admit it. I have to take a minute to explain here that his violence is not against innocent people but it is to save innocents from those who are out to victimize them or kill them. However, the very fact that one is capable of violence can and often does put people off. I guess I am not one of them because I accept that each and every one of us has a kernel of violence lurking way below all that sophistication and polished veneer that we show to the world. In any case, whatever be the reason, I love Charlie Parker, and therefore entered his world again with absolute joy and I have to say that I wasn’t disappointed at all.
John Connolly is definitely one of my favourite authors now, especially when it comes to writing dark crime. His absolute grasp over the plot, his characters, their emotions and all the gore that goes with such books is simply amazing. He is an author who delves deep, really deep into the human psyche and brings out both the best as well as the worst that is possible by the human mind. Blood and gore do not frighten him and neither does depravity. He actually embraces it and ensures that his characters embrace it as well, to the extent that it is real and not fiction anymore. He brings it alive in his books and his characters do not remain fictional characters but real life ones, experiencing these events in real time, and you as a reader are in for the ride with them. Oh what a ride it is, full of dark twists, deep emotions, suspenseful moments and at the end, a not so neat ending, although it definitely answers all your questions.
No character of Connolly’s is straight or rather depicted in black and white, but they are all imbued with different shades. Passion runs high in these books and you are caught up in that passion, so much so that you aren’t a mere spectator but someone actually living the incidents with those characters. Be it the hero or the villain, you are taken into the deep recesses of their minds to such an extent that you don’t really love or hate them but actually understand them. The dark tones that are present in the world building is also present in the depiction and even the growth of the characters. Charlie Parker is vulnerable at his best and is often besieged with such fears and doubts that he wouldn’t really make a great hero and yet it is for these vulnerabilities and doubts that you end up loving him and rooting for him.
In terms of plot, the author balances the very thin line between right and wrong with aplomb. Charlie’s best friends are ex criminals or even currently wanted because they do take up hits for monetary gains. When looking at it from a rigid point of view, one would say that this is wrong. And yet throughout the book Angel and Louis steal your heart with their sense of loyalty and protection for Charlie. The depth of that relationship, while not explored explicitly, is nevertheless strong for you to accept and relish it. Each book in the series reveals different sides of their characters and it is interesting how the author has developed them. Their interactions are full of fun and mirth, which gives you a chuckle or two, even when it is a really tense moment. This is not to say that the author has made tense moments funny or outright hilarious but it is his strength that he has managed to bring in two different elements without making it feel contrived or out of place.
The action sequences throughout the book were excellent, except perhaps towards the end, where it had a slight Hollywood touch to it. However, it did not take away any enjoyment I had from the book but it did make me reduce a star. Another problem I had with the book was the ending, it happened way too neatly for my taste. Moreover, it was too clean and somehow the dark tones that were present throughout the book disappeared. There was a certain ambiguity as well to the end, which I quite liked, but would have preferred it to be less neatly tied up than it was. Or maybe I should say that after such a wonderfully dark tone, the end was pretty tame, which kind of made me sad.
Despite these small disappointments, I truly enjoyed the book and will definitely be reading more of this series as I truly love Charlie Parker. While I gear up to read the next book, why don’t you give the first one a try, am sure you will enjoy it, especially if you enjoy crime thrillers with a dark overtone.
John Connolly is definitely one of my favourite authors now, especially when it comes to writing dark crime. His absolute grasp over the plot, his characters, their emotions and all the gore that goes with such books is simply amazing. He is an author who delves deep, really deep into the human psyche and brings out both the best as well as the worst that is possible by the human mind. Blood and gore do not frighten him and neither does depravity. He actually embraces it and ensures that his characters embrace it as well, to the extent that it is real and not fiction anymore. He brings it alive in his books and his characters do not remain fictional characters but real life ones, experiencing these events in real time, and you as a reader are in for the ride with them. Oh what a ride it is, full of dark twists, deep emotions, suspenseful moments and at the end, a not so neat ending, although it definitely answers all your questions.
No character of Connolly’s is straight or rather depicted in black and white, but they are all imbued with different shades. Passion runs high in these books and you are caught up in that passion, so much so that you aren’t a mere spectator but someone actually living the incidents with those characters. Be it the hero or the villain, you are taken into the deep recesses of their minds to such an extent that you don’t really love or hate them but actually understand them. The dark tones that are present in the world building is also present in the depiction and even the growth of the characters. Charlie Parker is vulnerable at his best and is often besieged with such fears and doubts that he wouldn’t really make a great hero and yet it is for these vulnerabilities and doubts that you end up loving him and rooting for him.
In terms of plot, the author balances the very thin line between right and wrong with aplomb. Charlie’s best friends are ex criminals or even currently wanted because they do take up hits for monetary gains. When looking at it from a rigid point of view, one would say that this is wrong. And yet throughout the book Angel and Louis steal your heart with their sense of loyalty and protection for Charlie. The depth of that relationship, while not explored explicitly, is nevertheless strong for you to accept and relish it. Each book in the series reveals different sides of their characters and it is interesting how the author has developed them. Their interactions are full of fun and mirth, which gives you a chuckle or two, even when it is a really tense moment. This is not to say that the author has made tense moments funny or outright hilarious but it is his strength that he has managed to bring in two different elements without making it feel contrived or out of place.
The action sequences throughout the book were excellent, except perhaps towards the end, where it had a slight Hollywood touch to it. However, it did not take away any enjoyment I had from the book but it did make me reduce a star. Another problem I had with the book was the ending, it happened way too neatly for my taste. Moreover, it was too clean and somehow the dark tones that were present throughout the book disappeared. There was a certain ambiguity as well to the end, which I quite liked, but would have preferred it to be less neatly tied up than it was. Or maybe I should say that after such a wonderfully dark tone, the end was pretty tame, which kind of made me sad.
Despite these small disappointments, I truly enjoyed the book and will definitely be reading more of this series as I truly love Charlie Parker. While I gear up to read the next book, why don’t you give the first one a try, am sure you will enjoy it, especially if you enjoy crime thrillers with a dark overtone.
December 20, 2024
This was an old evil, and old evil has a way of permeating bloodlines and tainting those who played no part in its genesis: the young, the innocent, the vulnerable, the defenseless. It turns life to death and glass to mirrors, creating an image of itself in everything that it touches.
The great Charlie Parker re-read continues with Dark Hollow, and boy but this one was determined to live up to the name. If these earlier books didn't hold such great nostalgia value for me, I'd be sorely tempted to skip to the later books (as with all worthwhile series, each book contains threads of earlier foundations but can be read as a standalone without suffering). That, and the sheer quality of the positively lyrical writing just keep pulling me back in.
I'm really not exaggerating the darkness in this one. We kick things off with the murder of a young woman and her young son, segue into a Mafia plot that increases the body count dramatically, and ends with the kind of that inspired the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Oh, and for those who need a warning about animal deaths - . I need a warning about animal deaths, so it should absolutely be a sign of just how good the rest of this book is that it still gets four stars.
Louis and Angel continue to delight - they're much less labelled in this second book, though still firmly an interracial couple of hitmen, and from memory the most stable relationship of the series. The writing positively sings - John Connolly might show us ugly, ugly things, but they're made in the kind of writing that paints pictures in your head and sings with soul and positively outrageous talent. It's as though the lacemakers of Chantilly decided to recreate the black paintings of Francisco Goya.
In short, if you like your criminals and killers ruthless, your heroes tortured but soulful, and surrounding settings and characters that will stay with you for years, this series should work for you.
The great Charlie Parker re-read continues with Dark Hollow, and boy but this one was determined to live up to the name. If these earlier books didn't hold such great nostalgia value for me, I'd be sorely tempted to skip to the later books (as with all worthwhile series, each book contains threads of earlier foundations but can be read as a standalone without suffering). That, and the sheer quality of the positively lyrical writing just keep pulling me back in.
I'm really not exaggerating the darkness in this one. We kick things off with the murder of a young woman and her young son, segue into a Mafia plot that increases the body count dramatically, and ends with the kind of that inspired the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Oh, and for those who need a warning about animal deaths - . I need a warning about animal deaths, so it should absolutely be a sign of just how good the rest of this book is that it still gets four stars.
Louis and Angel continue to delight - they're much less labelled in this second book, though still firmly an interracial couple of hitmen, and from memory the most stable relationship of the series. The writing positively sings - John Connolly might show us ugly, ugly things, but they're made in the kind of writing that paints pictures in your head and sings with soul and positively outrageous talent. It's as though the lacemakers of Chantilly decided to recreate the black paintings of Francisco Goya.
In short, if you like your criminals and killers ruthless, your heroes tortured but soulful, and surrounding settings and characters that will stay with you for years, this series should work for you.
November 14, 2019
Δεύτερη ανάγνωση και η άποψή μου παραμένει η ίδια...
Νομίζω πως ο John Connolly θα με καταστρέψει για όλα τα υπόλοιπα αστυνομικά βιβλία! Εξαιρετικός στον τρόπο που περιγράφει τα μέρη, αλλά και στη μεθοδολογία που χρησιμοποιεί όταν σκιαγραφεί χαρακτήρες.
Αυτό που μου αρέσει ιδιαίτερα είναι πως μέσα στις αστυνομικές ιστορίες, βάζει ένα μεταφυσικό στοιχείο, το οποίο όμως φαίνεται οικείο στον αναγνώστη, καθώς βασίζεται πάνω σε μεταφυσικές σκέψεις που έχουμε όλοι μας (π. χ μία ανατριχίλα όταν προαισθανόμαστε πως κάτι δεν πάει καλά ή η αίσθηση της παρουσίας ενός αγαπημένου προσώπου που έχει πεθάνει). Φυσικά το επεκτείνει, αλλά και πάλι είναι κάτι που μπορεί να το δεχτεί ο αναγνώστης αδιαμαρτύρητα.
Ο Τσάρλι Πάρκερ, είναι ευφυής και αυτό μπορούμε εύκολα να το διαπιστώσουμε από τον τρόπο με τον οποίο επεξεργάζεται και αναλύει τα δεδομένα που έχει. Στα πολύ θετικά του βιβλίου είναι και η παρουσία εξαιρετικών δευτεραγωνιστών που προσφέρουν το δικό τους λιθαράκι στην ιστορία.
Η πλοκή είναι άκρως ενδιαφέρουσα και μέχρι την τελευταία σελίδα δημιουργεί αγωνία στον αναγνώστη. Πολύ επιτυχημένη είναι η επιλογή τοποθεσίας, αφού η ερημιά που επικρατεί σε εκείνα τα μέρη, είναι κατάλληλη για να δείξει ένα μεγάλο μέρος της ιστορίας τόσο απόκοσμο όσο πρέπει.
Νομίζω πως ο John Connolly θα με καταστρέψει για όλα τα υπόλοιπα αστυνομικά βιβλία! Εξαιρετικός στον τρόπο που περιγράφει τα μέρη, αλλά και στη μεθοδολογία που χρησιμοποιεί όταν σκιαγραφεί χαρακτήρες.
Αυτό που μου αρέσει ιδιαίτερα είναι πως μέσα στις αστυνομικές ιστορίες, βάζει ένα μεταφυσικό στοιχείο, το οποίο όμως φαίνεται οικείο στον αναγνώστη, καθώς βασίζεται πάνω σε μεταφυσικές σκέψεις που έχουμε όλοι μας (π. χ μία ανατριχίλα όταν προαισθανόμαστε πως κάτι δεν πάει καλά ή η αίσθηση της παρουσίας ενός αγαπημένου προσώπου που έχει πεθάνει). Φυσικά το επεκτείνει, αλλά και πάλι είναι κάτι που μπορεί να το δεχτεί ο αναγνώστης αδιαμαρτύρητα.
Ο Τσάρλι Πάρκερ, είναι ευφυής και αυτό μπορούμε εύκολα να το διαπιστώσουμε από τον τρόπο με τον οποίο επεξεργάζεται και αναλύει τα δεδομένα που έχει. Στα πολύ θετικά του βιβλίου είναι και η παρουσία εξαιρετικών δευτεραγωνιστών που προσφέρουν το δικό τους λιθαράκι στην ιστορία.
Η πλοκή είναι άκρως ενδιαφέρουσα και μέχρι την τελευταία σελίδα δημιουργεί αγωνία στον αναγνώστη. Πολύ επιτυχημένη είναι η επιλογή τοποθεσίας, αφού η ερημιά που επικρατεί σε εκείνα τα μέρη, είναι κατάλληλη για να δείξει ένα μεγάλο μέρος της ιστορίας τόσο απόκοσμο όσο πρέπει.
September 4, 2021
4.5 estrellas que voy a dejar en 4 porque según Labijose aún me queda el mejor de la saga.
Segundo libro de la saga de Charlie "Bird" Parker y en el que se nos muestra un Bird muy humano, con el sufrimiento del recuerdo de su familia a flor de piel, un sufrimiento que no va a decaer ni un solo instante a lo largo de todo el relato.
El libro transcurre mayormente en el estado de Maine, con sus grandes y densos bosques donde uno puede perderse durante días e incluso años sin toparse con otra alma humana. Un ambiente oscuro y frío, en sintonía con el mundo paranormal que rodea a nuestro investigador, quien se verá rodeado por una serie de muertes inconexas que marcan el punto de partida de lo que se convertirá en un maratón de defunciones que dejan a uno angustiado.
Aunque se trata de novela policíaca, ésta deja espacio para que John Connolly introduzca ciertas pinceladas paranormales que no quitan realismo a lo que uno está leyendo. Creo que es un libro redondo, con acción a granel, investigación y ambientación muy cuidada y con personajes creíbles. Si he de quedarme con alguno de los personajes, sin duda lo haría con lo secundarois, Louis y Ángel, quienes con sus comentarios y presencia alegran a uno cada página.
Lo único que no me ha gustado es que cierto personaje secundario, Walter Cole, aunque aparece poco, prácticamente es un folio en blanco, carente de personalidad.
Muy buen libro, me ha tenido despierto hasta las 2 de la mañana, pues no podía dormirme hasta haberlo acabado. Ahora, a por el siguiente.
Segundo libro de la saga de Charlie "Bird" Parker y en el que se nos muestra un Bird muy humano, con el sufrimiento del recuerdo de su familia a flor de piel, un sufrimiento que no va a decaer ni un solo instante a lo largo de todo el relato.
El libro transcurre mayormente en el estado de Maine, con sus grandes y densos bosques donde uno puede perderse durante días e incluso años sin toparse con otra alma humana. Un ambiente oscuro y frío, en sintonía con el mundo paranormal que rodea a nuestro investigador, quien se verá rodeado por una serie de muertes inconexas que marcan el punto de partida de lo que se convertirá en un maratón de defunciones que dejan a uno angustiado.
Aunque se trata de novela policíaca, ésta deja espacio para que John Connolly introduzca ciertas pinceladas paranormales que no quitan realismo a lo que uno está leyendo. Creo que es un libro redondo, con acción a granel, investigación y ambientación muy cuidada y con personajes creíbles. Si he de quedarme con alguno de los personajes, sin duda lo haría con lo secundarois, Louis y Ángel, quienes con sus comentarios y presencia alegran a uno cada página.
Lo único que no me ha gustado es que cierto personaje secundario, Walter Cole, aunque aparece poco, prácticamente es un folio en blanco, carente de personalidad.
Muy buen libro, me ha tenido despierto hasta las 2 de la mañana, pues no podía dormirme hasta haberlo acabado. Ahora, a por el siguiente.
August 21, 2018
A slight adding to my original review from 2012 when I was just discovering the writings of John Connolly and his Charlie Parker series. Having read the whole series by now (with high expectations of the next installments) this rereading which is only interesting in a series of books you are are really invested in them.
The second novel written By mr. Connelly in which Louis & Angel play a bigger part and also it seems that organised crime takes a vacation in Maine due to the amount of nearly two million dollars that was stolen in a transaction between two parties by a third party. And they come not visiting in the nice touristy part of Maine but back into the woods where also the answer of a family mystery and the answers of an old murder mystery are waiting for Mr. Parker . Who got caught up in a family matter that ends with some dead people, when kindly asked to keep his nose out of the matter Charlie does not want to do that and some Maffia types end up with some serious annoyance with that answer.
When his former police partners daughter disappears in the same area there is nothing that can stop Charlie and his friends from looking. And who is this mystical figure called Caleb and what is his interest in all this murder and mayhem.
Once more Mr. C seems to be able to balance a thriller with a dark subject matter with the brilliantly funny and well written dialogue/ It actually takes the edge of some of the darkness. This second novel in the Charlie Parker series does deliver excitement galore. A book that was hard to lie down and catch some sleep.
After two novels it seems I am getting somewhat addicted to the writing of mr. Connelly.
The second novel written By mr. Connelly in which Louis & Angel play a bigger part and also it seems that organised crime takes a vacation in Maine due to the amount of nearly two million dollars that was stolen in a transaction between two parties by a third party. And they come not visiting in the nice touristy part of Maine but back into the woods where also the answer of a family mystery and the answers of an old murder mystery are waiting for Mr. Parker . Who got caught up in a family matter that ends with some dead people, when kindly asked to keep his nose out of the matter Charlie does not want to do that and some Maffia types end up with some serious annoyance with that answer.
When his former police partners daughter disappears in the same area there is nothing that can stop Charlie and his friends from looking. And who is this mystical figure called Caleb and what is his interest in all this murder and mayhem.
Once more Mr. C seems to be able to balance a thriller with a dark subject matter with the brilliantly funny and well written dialogue/ It actually takes the edge of some of the darkness. This second novel in the Charlie Parker series does deliver excitement galore. A book that was hard to lie down and catch some sleep.
After two novels it seems I am getting somewhat addicted to the writing of mr. Connelly.
November 9, 2015
‘Dark Hollow� is SO exciting I couldn't stop reading it until I literally couldn’t focus on the page when my body demanded I go to sleep NOW! I cursed my physical weakness�..
After my morning coffee (without which the dementia which may attack me at any moment is once again held off), I finished the novel and now I am sated with satisfaction.
John Connolly’s writing style reminds me of John Sanford and James Lee Burke; however, since Connolly includes a strong element of supernatural ghost visitations, people who love hard and graphic detective mysteries might be passing up on the Charlie “Bird� Parker series. My recommendation is, DON’T! It is a terrific series!
Parker is retired from the New York Police Department, and he appears to be reminiscing about when he was a 35-years-old starting his career as a private detective. In both of the books I’ve read so far, there is a paragraph, quickly passed by, which has given me the impression Parker is writing about a case for the same purpose similar to that when Dr. Watson wrote about Sherlock Holmes� adventures for the local newspaper. However, after that brief mention, Parker continues in first person and present voice to tell the story.
In the first novel of the series, Parker’s wife and child were murdered. Parker can’t forgive himself about their deaths because he was an alcoholic NYPD cop at the time, and while his wife was being cut up by a serial killer, Parker was in the nearest bar. In that book, Parker finds his mission: Avenging Angel. He has since crossed the line of legally-recognized killings, even if he feels fully justified under the code of miserable ex-alcoholic ex-cop detective protecting himself and his friends. His new code of justice has brought him the best friends an avenging angel can have: two ex-cons, one an assassin, Louis, and the other a breaking-and-entering-thief, Angel.
Parker’s family’s history, specifically, that of his grandfather, as well as his guilty need to find justice for those who have been cruelly robbed of their lives by ‘bad� criminals (Charlie no longer feels all criminality is bad), forces him to return to his roots in the small Maine towns of Scarborough and Dark Hollow. Parker did not intend to dig up his past, but when trying to solve several current cases, a young mother who wants her child support, stolen mob money, and personal threats from dangerous strangers, they surprisingly link up to a name which has haunted his grandfather.
Parker’s grandfather, who has recently died and who owned a house in Scarborough, now Charlie’s, was haunted by a police case which was not solved in his opinion, although the police believed the case was closed. Five girls who had disappeared over many months were discovered hanging from a tree in various states of decomposition by the grandfather, who had been given a clue to where they would be found by a man in a bar. When Charlie was a child, his grandfather had told Charlie that he thought the man in the bar was Caleb Kyle, a name that came up when the grandfather had asked around if anyone knew a man of that description like the one who had told Parker’s grandfather of where the girls might be found. The police never followed up on the grandfather’s story because they believed another man guilty of the crimes.
After Charlie decides to continue digging up what many many many involved parties want to keep buried, mayhem and misery follow�
Happiness is a warm gun?
The book’s plot is convoluted and it reminds me of my knitting stash, full of various yarns and project leftovers which somehow become all tangled up and horribly intertwined. There are a lot of old murders, and new murders, which at first are only linked by the fact Parker is trying to solve them. He keeps discovering names from one case are also attached to another case, then another case, which leads him into riling up several small Maine communities and police departments.
Oh that Charlie!
There be structural problems, but, oh well. I suspect John Connolly will get it perfect.
After my morning coffee (without which the dementia which may attack me at any moment is once again held off), I finished the novel and now I am sated with satisfaction.
John Connolly’s writing style reminds me of John Sanford and James Lee Burke; however, since Connolly includes a strong element of supernatural ghost visitations, people who love hard and graphic detective mysteries might be passing up on the Charlie “Bird� Parker series. My recommendation is, DON’T! It is a terrific series!
Parker is retired from the New York Police Department, and he appears to be reminiscing about when he was a 35-years-old starting his career as a private detective. In both of the books I’ve read so far, there is a paragraph, quickly passed by, which has given me the impression Parker is writing about a case for the same purpose similar to that when Dr. Watson wrote about Sherlock Holmes� adventures for the local newspaper. However, after that brief mention, Parker continues in first person and present voice to tell the story.
In the first novel of the series, Parker’s wife and child were murdered. Parker can’t forgive himself about their deaths because he was an alcoholic NYPD cop at the time, and while his wife was being cut up by a serial killer, Parker was in the nearest bar. In that book, Parker finds his mission: Avenging Angel. He has since crossed the line of legally-recognized killings, even if he feels fully justified under the code of miserable ex-alcoholic ex-cop detective protecting himself and his friends. His new code of justice has brought him the best friends an avenging angel can have: two ex-cons, one an assassin, Louis, and the other a breaking-and-entering-thief, Angel.
Parker’s family’s history, specifically, that of his grandfather, as well as his guilty need to find justice for those who have been cruelly robbed of their lives by ‘bad� criminals (Charlie no longer feels all criminality is bad), forces him to return to his roots in the small Maine towns of Scarborough and Dark Hollow. Parker did not intend to dig up his past, but when trying to solve several current cases, a young mother who wants her child support, stolen mob money, and personal threats from dangerous strangers, they surprisingly link up to a name which has haunted his grandfather.
Parker’s grandfather, who has recently died and who owned a house in Scarborough, now Charlie’s, was haunted by a police case which was not solved in his opinion, although the police believed the case was closed. Five girls who had disappeared over many months were discovered hanging from a tree in various states of decomposition by the grandfather, who had been given a clue to where they would be found by a man in a bar. When Charlie was a child, his grandfather had told Charlie that he thought the man in the bar was Caleb Kyle, a name that came up when the grandfather had asked around if anyone knew a man of that description like the one who had told Parker’s grandfather of where the girls might be found. The police never followed up on the grandfather’s story because they believed another man guilty of the crimes.
After Charlie decides to continue digging up what many many many involved parties want to keep buried, mayhem and misery follow�
Happiness is a warm gun?
The book’s plot is convoluted and it reminds me of my knitting stash, full of various yarns and project leftovers which somehow become all tangled up and horribly intertwined. There are a lot of old murders, and new murders, which at first are only linked by the fact Parker is trying to solve them. He keeps discovering names from one case are also attached to another case, then another case, which leads him into riling up several small Maine communities and police departments.
Oh that Charlie!
There be structural problems, but, oh well. I suspect John Connolly will get it perfect.
December 6, 2021
In the second of Connolly’s 19 Charlie Parker novels, he delivers a thriller set in the wooded expanses of Maine, at the edge of the country, in the far north where there is but a bit or wilderness left. Parker, often called Bird by his buddies such as Louis and Angel, is a former NYPD detective who is wracked with endless guilt for being in a bar when his wife and daughter were butchered. He tracked the killer down to the bayou and ended his killing spree, but that did not bring his family back, did not even the score, and did not mend his heart. If anything, it blackened his soul and left him wondering just how far out to the dark side he had ventured and whether he was little more than an avenging angel.
This particular thriller starts with several seemingly unrelated threads, but as Parker often notes he does not believe in coincidences. There has been a gun battle in the woods and an elderly woman has fled a sanitarium only to kill herself for no earthly reason other than she is scared to death. Parker’s part though and his entry into the dizzy world of this novel is that he does a favor by looking up Rita’s deadbeat ex-husband at his rundown trailer in the woods and asks for the child support he owes. Little makes much sense for awhile and some readers might just loose their place in the scheme of things, but they are exhorted to stay with it because as mobsters and serial killers start appearing, Parker is drawn deeper and deeper into a morass from which he may not emerge.
Parker is not your normal private eye. He is haunted by pain and his waking nightmares he cannot put away. This novel takes Parker back to his roots and his formative years and the mistakes he made as a younger man. There is an entire history to be unearthed that takes him back many years.
Often steeped in poetic descriptions, this novel is a top-notch thriller, and a well-put together sequel to the first novel in the series. Despite the action-packed finish, the reader is left to ponder the questions about what it means to face off with evil and how much good men and women have to bend to deal with what comes out of the gateways of hell and what it does to them to deal with evil.
This particular thriller starts with several seemingly unrelated threads, but as Parker often notes he does not believe in coincidences. There has been a gun battle in the woods and an elderly woman has fled a sanitarium only to kill herself for no earthly reason other than she is scared to death. Parker’s part though and his entry into the dizzy world of this novel is that he does a favor by looking up Rita’s deadbeat ex-husband at his rundown trailer in the woods and asks for the child support he owes. Little makes much sense for awhile and some readers might just loose their place in the scheme of things, but they are exhorted to stay with it because as mobsters and serial killers start appearing, Parker is drawn deeper and deeper into a morass from which he may not emerge.
Parker is not your normal private eye. He is haunted by pain and his waking nightmares he cannot put away. This novel takes Parker back to his roots and his formative years and the mistakes he made as a younger man. There is an entire history to be unearthed that takes him back many years.
Often steeped in poetic descriptions, this novel is a top-notch thriller, and a well-put together sequel to the first novel in the series. Despite the action-packed finish, the reader is left to ponder the questions about what it means to face off with evil and how much good men and women have to bend to deal with what comes out of the gateways of hell and what it does to them to deal with evil.
January 18, 2021
Όταν έχεις στα χέρια σου ένα βιβλίο του Connolly, πριν ξεκινήσεις να το διαβάζεις θα πρέπει να χεις πάρει άδεια από τη δουλειά, να χεις διώξει το σύζυγο στη μάνα του και να χεις κατεβάσει τα τηλέφωνα! Ααα μην ξεχάσω να φτιάξεις και μια κανάτα καφέ γιατί δεν θα θες να αφήσεις το βιβλίο απ τα χέρια σου! ΚΑΤΑΠΛΗΚΤΙΚΟ!!!
April 9, 2024
The second book in the Charlie Parker series and I was impressed! This book really didn’t take me long to read because I just couldn’t put it down.
Although not as gruesome as the first this book still packed and almighty punch I loved the plot of this book and all its twists and turns. With each book I love Charlie a little more.
Two completely unrelated events happen within this book that you think � well they can’t surely be connected but just wait and see. John Connolly has managed to write with such brilliant description but keep all the clarity the reader needs to make sense of every sentence and it’s really a job well done.
I felt about the city as I felt about the house in Scarborough : it was a place where the past was alive in the present, where a man could find a place for himself as long as he understood the fact that he was a link in the chain, for a man cut off from his past was a man adrift in the present."
"Maybe this is common to all those who lose someone whom they have loved deeply. Making contact with another potential partner, another lover, becomes an act of reconstruction, a building not only of a relationship but also of oneself."
"who wore her makeup so thick that you could have carved your initials into her face without drawing blood."
This is only the second book I have ever read of John Connolly and I can say there will be plenty more on the horizon. Someone from work actually recommended this series and I am trying to put down the re-reads and try out new authors and genres in 2021 and I am happy with this decision so far.
This book really didn’t feel 400/500 pages long as John Connolly manager to squeeze such brilliance into this book. It feels so original too, I didn’t see the ending coming which is an absolute bonus.
Although not as gruesome as the first this book still packed and almighty punch I loved the plot of this book and all its twists and turns. With each book I love Charlie a little more.
Two completely unrelated events happen within this book that you think � well they can’t surely be connected but just wait and see. John Connolly has managed to write with such brilliant description but keep all the clarity the reader needs to make sense of every sentence and it’s really a job well done.
I felt about the city as I felt about the house in Scarborough : it was a place where the past was alive in the present, where a man could find a place for himself as long as he understood the fact that he was a link in the chain, for a man cut off from his past was a man adrift in the present."
"Maybe this is common to all those who lose someone whom they have loved deeply. Making contact with another potential partner, another lover, becomes an act of reconstruction, a building not only of a relationship but also of oneself."
"who wore her makeup so thick that you could have carved your initials into her face without drawing blood."
This is only the second book I have ever read of John Connolly and I can say there will be plenty more on the horizon. Someone from work actually recommended this series and I am trying to put down the re-reads and try out new authors and genres in 2021 and I am happy with this decision so far.
This book really didn’t feel 400/500 pages long as John Connolly manager to squeeze such brilliance into this book. It feels so original too, I didn’t see the ending coming which is an absolute bonus.
May 20, 2013
Alucinante. Para que a nadie se le ocurra denigrar al género policial/novela negra. No es que sea una experta en la materia, pero la fantástica forma en la que Connolly logra espantarte, horrorizarte, hacerte reír en voz alta y obligarte a estrujar tu cerebro, en la misma continuidad argumental es incomparable. Sin cortes abruptos, ni pozos literarios ni agujeros en la historia. Al final, si no lográs dar con el "asesino" es porque su autor claramente es más inteligente que todos nosotros, simples mortales, no por falta de datos previos ni porque se le haya ocurrido cuando terminaba de escribirla. "Bird" Parker es un protagonista intenso como pocos, con el que te aliás sin dudarlo, adoptando su causa como propia. Y el contrapunto que entabla con los personajes secundarios ayuda, cual bálsamo, a atravesar las partes más duras de la novela. Tengo un listado de libros pendientes, de temáticas y autores que admiro o que me han recomendado. Lo siento, Parker se ha convertido en una droga que no puedo dejar.
March 2, 2019
Superb writing in this character-driven psychological thriller series. Charlie Parker is a man of intense loyalty and passion. In "Dark Hollow," Parker is still processing his grief over the loss of his wife and daughter nearly one year before and trying to make some semblance of a life for himself in the aftermath.
One strange death occurs almost simultaneously with a mass killing with marks of the mob clearly associated with it, neither of which have anything to do with Parker or anyone he knows, yet he finds himself embroiled in the who, why and how of it all when he does a favor for a friend of his.
Parker's sense of justice was revealed to readers in the first of this series, "Every Dead Thing," where his sense of right and wrong and the need to avenge the deaths of his wife and daughter demonstrated to just what lengths he would go to balance the scale.
Intense is the word that comes to mind when I think of John Connolly's writing.
One strange death occurs almost simultaneously with a mass killing with marks of the mob clearly associated with it, neither of which have anything to do with Parker or anyone he knows, yet he finds himself embroiled in the who, why and how of it all when he does a favor for a friend of his.
Parker's sense of justice was revealed to readers in the first of this series, "Every Dead Thing," where his sense of right and wrong and the need to avenge the deaths of his wife and daughter demonstrated to just what lengths he would go to balance the scale.
Intense is the word that comes to mind when I think of John Connolly's writing.
January 20, 2014
Dark Hollow is Book 2 of John Connolly's Charlie Parker series. If possible, I enjoyed this one even more so than EVERY DEAD THING. We learn more about Charlie, and watch how he grows from his emotional upstart to a man who just believes that it is his role to protect the innocents around him. This novel seemed to develop in terms of plot even more rapidly that its predecessor, and I loved the return of Charlie's loyal, enigmatic friends Lewis and Angel.
Book 3, THE KILLING KIND is rising on my TBR pile!!! :)
Highly recommended.
Book 3, THE KILLING KIND is rising on my TBR pile!!! :)
Highly recommended.
October 6, 2019
Great follow up to Every Dead Thing. These books are dark and complex but are so good it's hard to put them down.
October 24, 2024
There's probably nothing more enjoyable (except for maybe sex, chocolate, and winning the lottery) than discovering a new favorite author.
John Connolly is one of my new favorites. His long-running detective series featuring his brooding, anguished private eye Charlie "Bird" Parker (not to be confused with the jazz musician) is one of those series that has quickly gained a following of devoted fans, but his name is still not as recognizable as, say, John Sandford or James Lee Burke. And it should be, because Connolly is good. Damn good.
"Dark Hollow" is the second novel to feature Charlie Parker. (I have been reading them out of order, which is unlike me, but part of it is due to the fact that some of Connolly's early books are, I think, out of print, so I've had to buy used copies from Amazon...)
In the first book, apparently, Parker's wife and daughter were brutally murdered at the hands of a serial killer, which he subsequently caught, with the help of a backwoods sorceress, who also inadvertently instilled him with the supernatural ability to see things that no one else can see. (I'm piecing all of this together from context and references dropped in the second book, so I'm not completely sure if it's accurate.) This "gift" enables him to see the ghosts and demons that are all around us. It's not a gift that Parker wants. Still, it does occasionally help him to figure out things that a normal private eye wouldn't.
The plot of "Dark Hollow" is elaborate and convoluted, so I won't even bother to break it down, except to say that it involves a deadbeat dad falsely accused of murdering his ex-wife and child, a sociopathic mafia kingpin who is also looking for the deadbeat dad for late payments on a loan, and a killer who has stalked the backwoods of Maine for what appears to be nearly a century. The suspense will drive you crazy.
Fans of Thomas Harris, James Lee Burke, and Stephen King should give Connolly a try if they haven't already.
John Connolly is one of my new favorites. His long-running detective series featuring his brooding, anguished private eye Charlie "Bird" Parker (not to be confused with the jazz musician) is one of those series that has quickly gained a following of devoted fans, but his name is still not as recognizable as, say, John Sandford or James Lee Burke. And it should be, because Connolly is good. Damn good.
"Dark Hollow" is the second novel to feature Charlie Parker. (I have been reading them out of order, which is unlike me, but part of it is due to the fact that some of Connolly's early books are, I think, out of print, so I've had to buy used copies from Amazon...)
In the first book, apparently, Parker's wife and daughter were brutally murdered at the hands of a serial killer, which he subsequently caught, with the help of a backwoods sorceress, who also inadvertently instilled him with the supernatural ability to see things that no one else can see. (I'm piecing all of this together from context and references dropped in the second book, so I'm not completely sure if it's accurate.) This "gift" enables him to see the ghosts and demons that are all around us. It's not a gift that Parker wants. Still, it does occasionally help him to figure out things that a normal private eye wouldn't.
The plot of "Dark Hollow" is elaborate and convoluted, so I won't even bother to break it down, except to say that it involves a deadbeat dad falsely accused of murdering his ex-wife and child, a sociopathic mafia kingpin who is also looking for the deadbeat dad for late payments on a loan, and a killer who has stalked the backwoods of Maine for what appears to be nearly a century. The suspense will drive you crazy.
Fans of Thomas Harris, James Lee Burke, and Stephen King should give Connolly a try if they haven't already.
October 7, 2019
Great second book to this series. And a great mystery all the way to the end. I love being surprised by a good twist ending, and this one pulled that off for me. I’m impressed with this author’s smooth writing style and ability to be just descriptive enough to give you that feeling you’re there. Also, such great characters! I feel like I know these guys and can feel their feelings. I’m hopeful this series continues to impress. 5.0/5.0 thrilling stars!
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