★★★★� � A thriller that rises above the mundane, using unique perspectives, angles & guises to leave the reader feeling nothing but an age for more!
Fr★★★★� � A thriller that rises above the mundane, using unique perspectives, angles & guises to leave the reader feeling nothing but an age for more!
From its gut-punch opening—a man flung to his death by a city bus with a small white box in his pocket—to the very last page, The Fourth Monkey delivers a relentless, high-octane thriller that marries the procedural precision of Tremblay with the psychological disquiet of a book like Tender is the flesh. It is, in every sense, a masterclass in cerebration and carnage—where the cerebral and the savage intertwine, with fabulous results!
J.D. Barker introduces us to Detective Sam Porter, a Chicago Metro cop whose somewhat reluctant return from compassionate leave plunges him headlong into the final stages of a years-long hunt for a serial killer dubbed “The Fourth Monkey.� But this isn’t just any killer—this is Anson Bishop, a cunning & pernicious villain whose depravity is only matched by his philosophical bent & guile. Through a series of exquisitely written diary entries discovered on the corpse, Bishop’s origin story unfolds with such recondite brilliance and psychological heft that I found myself almost gamboling with anticipation each time the narrative shifted to another page of that chilling journal.
The dynamic between the local Metro Police and the encroaching FBI adds a terrific layer of enmity and bureaucratic tension. As egos and jurisdictions collide, the novel takes on additional stakes—elevating the story beyond the quotidian trappings of standard crime fare. There’s a particularly satisfying alacrity to Barker’s pacing, deftly shifting between multiple perspectives without ever losing cohesion or momentum.
What sets The Fourth Monkey apart from its genre peers, however, is Barker’s talent for marrying brutality with insight. His writing, while taut and muscular, also allows space for moral disquisition. What creates a monster? Nature or nurture? And is there, beneath Bishop’s calculated cruelty, the echo of a boy failed by society in unspeakable ways? These questions reverberate long after the final chapter closes—and the fact that this is only Book One of a trilogy.
As egos and jurisdictions collide, the novel takes on additional stakes—elevating the story from a typical chase to a taut chess match between institutions, each playing for control, recognition, and justice. The friction between the Metro team and the FBI never feels gratuitous—it deepens the narrative and provides fertile ground for tension and alacrity.
Porter is an excellent anchor—intelligent, wearied, morally conflicted—yet always compelling. But it’s Bishop’s voice that dominates the room. His diary entries are magnificently composed: simultaneously clinical and poetic, grotesque and philosophical. These pages are not only a window into the past but a mirror held up to the quotidian evils that pass unnoticed in our lives. Barker’s prose glints with intelligence and dread, walking a fine line between revelation and restraint.
There’s a genuine sense of artistry here—not just in the plot mechanics (which are impressively intricate) but in Barker’s willingness to let horror emerge from the ordinary. His use of atmosphere is subtle but unrelenting, building dread not with jump scares but with an ever-tightening vice of psychological pressure.
As the first of a trilogy, The Fourth Monkey sets the stage with aplomb. It ends with enough closure to satisfy but leaves the door ajar for the chaos yet to come. I’ll be moving on to book two with urgency—and a healthy sense of unease. Special mention to Ballerini & Winterton, whom made the audiobook every bit as engaging as the reading (this effort was 70 audio 30 hardcopy).
★★★★¾ (4.75/5) � This was such a fun, exciting & well layered novel that I think the genre has a new top-dog in Ben Koenig.
M.W. Craven delivers a tour★★★★¾ (4.75/5) � This was such a fun, exciting & well layered novel that I think the genre has a new top-dog in Ben Koenig.
M.W. Craven delivers a tour de force with Fearless, a standalone thriller that effortlessly cements his place among the greats of the crime genre. Known for his sharp prose and brilliant characters, Craven crafts a story that is as gritty as it is addictive, blending unrelenting tension with perfectly timed dry humor in a way few authors can match.
At the heart of the novel is Ben Koenig, a former US Marshal turned ghost, whose reputation precedes him as a relentless problem solver—if you can find him, that is. Koenig is a fascinating paradox: a man capable of cold, calculated violence, yet deeply principled and fiercely loyal to those he trusts. Beneath his hardened exterior lies a sharp mind, a weary soul, and a past that propels him forward even as it haunts him. It’s not just his physical prowess or strategic genius that make him compelling—it’s his humanity, his quiet moments of introspection, and the unspoken pain that fuels his relentless drive.
The plot moves like a runaway train, with breakneck pacing that had me tearing through chapters late into the night. Craven is a master of tension, seamlessly building suspense in every scene, whether it’s a heart-stopping showdown or a seemingly casual conversation with deadly undertones. The stakes are sky-high, and just when you think you have it all figured out, Craven pulls the rug out from under you with a twist that’s as shocking as it is satisfying.
What makes Fearless truly shine, though, is the razor-sharp humor woven into its gritty narrative. Koenig’s dry wit and deadpan observations provide a welcome counterbalance to the intense action, resulting in moments that made me laugh out loud even as my pulse raced. The humor never undercuts the stakes—it enhances them, offering a glimpse into Koenig’s psyche and the way he copes with the chaos around him.
If there’s one small critique, it’s that a couple of the supporting characters don’t quite match Koenig’s depth. Still, this is a minor flaw in an otherwise stellar novel.
Fearless is a masterclass in storytelling—a visceral, thrilling, and darkly funny ride that crime fiction fans won’t want to miss. M.W. Craven has outdone himself. Highly, highly recommended!
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