goonerette's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
d_audy's review
5.0
This series is only getting better as it progresses. Not only is it excellent for its detailed historical reconstitution (with a few avowed cheats here and there) but it is above all else a really great mystery and adventure story, with a clever yet not-quite-flawless young protagonist who's absolutely endearing and easy to root for.
Where Mister Slaughter and the previous entries of this series truly shine is with the expanding gallery of secondary characters, colourful and truculent, who come to life on the page under the pen of an immensely talented story teller. Berry and her broadsheet owner grandfather, Hudson Greathouse, Lillehorn, Tom Bond, Zed, Walker, John Five, Mrs. Herrald, McCaggers, Polly Blossom.. they're all more fun to read about than the next. And then there are the villains, each more twisted, evil, vicious, unique than the other, and as colourful iconic and bigger than life than the Milady of Dumas, Moriarty, James Bond or Dick Tracy villains (if you like them full of ambiguity and shades of gray, this may not be the right series for you).
McCammon manages to tell a tale that feels both really old fashioned in some respect but is resolutely modern in other aspects of his approach. He recalls sometime the historical adventures novels of Alexandre Dumas, with a ounce of Conan Doyle (and even more Mark Frost's novels inspired by Sherlock Holmes) or the lush and descriptive southern prose of the best novels of a Robert Jordan (minus the epic fantasy setting, keeping just the 18th century world and way of life that was a major inspiration). But there's also all the plot twists and manner of more modern thrillers and mysteries, transposed to the past in a really successful way. And McCammon's career as an horror writer isn't completely left behind, with plenty of blood curdling murders, a good dose of chills and nail biting suspense.
For a series that started as a stand alone project (with a first novel that's excellent and now forms a sort of prologue to the series) McCammon managed to turn it in a gripping tale that so far gets more exciting and interesting with each entry, with a world and story arc that gets larger and larger, plenty of secrets, conspiracies and intrigue around all the action.
Where Mister Slaughter and the previous entries of this series truly shine is with the expanding gallery of secondary characters, colourful and truculent, who come to life on the page under the pen of an immensely talented story teller. Berry and her broadsheet owner grandfather, Hudson Greathouse, Lillehorn, Tom Bond, Zed, Walker, John Five, Mrs. Herrald, McCaggers, Polly Blossom.. they're all more fun to read about than the next. And then there are the villains, each more twisted, evil, vicious, unique than the other, and as colourful iconic and bigger than life than the Milady of Dumas, Moriarty, James Bond or Dick Tracy villains (if you like them full of ambiguity and shades of gray, this may not be the right series for you).
McCammon manages to tell a tale that feels both really old fashioned in some respect but is resolutely modern in other aspects of his approach. He recalls sometime the historical adventures novels of Alexandre Dumas, with a ounce of Conan Doyle (and even more Mark Frost's novels inspired by Sherlock Holmes) or the lush and descriptive southern prose of the best novels of a Robert Jordan (minus the epic fantasy setting, keeping just the 18th century world and way of life that was a major inspiration). But there's also all the plot twists and manner of more modern thrillers and mysteries, transposed to the past in a really successful way. And McCammon's career as an horror writer isn't completely left behind, with plenty of blood curdling murders, a good dose of chills and nail biting suspense.
For a series that started as a stand alone project (with a first novel that's excellent and now forms a sort of prologue to the series) McCammon managed to turn it in a gripping tale that so far gets more exciting and interesting with each entry, with a world and story arc that gets larger and larger, plenty of secrets, conspiracies and intrigue around all the action.
kieneun's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alice_horoshev's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Walker, Lark and sausages 💥
onetrackmind77's review
5.0
The third book in the Matthew Corbett series and I'm loving it. McCammon creates some fascinating characters here as everyone that crosses Matthew's path is interesting and brought to life on the page. I'm truly left wanting more from them, and hope they show up in the following books in the series. McCammon pulls no punches in crafting a despicably brutal villain with Tyranthus Slaughter, and I was surprised a few times with just how dark things went with him, which is exactly what I want from my bad guys. Although there were a couple of twists that were easy to see coming, I loved this story overall, and I'm looking forward to diving into the next book.
barbtrek's review
5.0
My favorite of the three Matthew Corbett books I've read. Couldn't put this down!
ceecee2021's review
5.0
Excellent! This is the 3rd book in the trilogy set in Colonial America. I wish I had read the others first, but I will go find them now. The first several pages slowly set the stage, but once the main plot gets going it is a page-turner! I was reading with my book-light in the middle of the night. There are some graphic scenes but most of the novel is more suspenseful than gory. The tone and the writing is very lyrical and sensory and made reading this a pleasure. Highly-recommended!
veronica87's review
4.0
Matthew Corbett and Hudson Greathouse are tasked with transporting a dangerous killer, whom readers caught a brief glimpse of in the last book, from the asylum where he's been housed to the docks in New York where he'll be shipped off to face English justice. It seems like an easy task but the prisoner, Mr. Slaughter - the title character, is "more cunning than insane" and he manages to set in motion a chain of horrific events. I've always had mixed emotions about Matthew as a MC and for the first third of the book I thought this story was going to permanently swing my opinion to the negative side as he seemed to be buying into his own positive press. While I admit that I've been itching to see Matthew served up with a piece of humble pie, I never thought so many people would have to pay the price for his hubris. This installment in the series is less a mystery, though there is a side mystery that presents itself towards the end, than it is a game of cat and mouse. Mr. Slaughter makes for a truly despicable villain and I was riveted as the events unfolded. Though I think Matthew was absolved of his actions/inactions a little too easily, and unbelievably quickly in one instance, it'll be interesting to see how Matthew moves forward and if he can so easily forgive himself. As far as things go in Matthew's personal life, I'd like to see a little more development in the Matthew/Berry relationship.
fbone's review
4.0
This book was different than the author's previous two in the series. More action adventure. Since the villain is introduced in the beginning there is very little actual "problem solving" needed for Corbett to do. While I would have enjoyed more detecting and investigating, this installment still was a great read. The ending has a big reveal that keeps us in suspense.
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