‘Broken Angels’ by Graham Masterton

Published in Hardback by Head of Zeus,
29 Aug 2013.

ISBN: 978-1781851180 

The author of this book is notonly a crime writer but also a horror writer, and I have to say it shows.  Someone is slaying the holy fathers (I use the term ironically) of Cork in the worst kind of sadistic manner, most of which Graham Masterton describes in graphic and truly horrific terms.  As the story develops, it isn't hard to guess why these men are being killed, nor can one feel much sympathy for them, despite the fact that they always claimed that their vile crimes were perpetrated against young orphan boys for the greater glory of God. 

Set against this is the tender love story developing between Katie Maguire, the investigating police officer, and her lover, who wants her to leave Ireland and move  to California with him.  Whether she will or not, he himself has to go. She is an entirely sympathetic character, and the reader fully partakes of her dilemma: to remain in her own country, where she has family and a prestigious job, or to follow her heart.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and shall definitely be looking out for more of Masterton's crime novels.

------

Reviewer: Susan Moody

Graham Masterton. was born in Edinburgh in 1946. His grandfather was Thomas Thorne Baker, the eminent scientist who invented DayGlo and was the first man to transmit news photographs by wireless. After training as a newspaper reporter, Graham went on to edit the new British menis magazine Mayfair, where he encouraged William Burroughs to develop a series of scientific and philosophical articles which eventually became Burroughsi novel The Wild Boys. At the age of 24, Graham was appointed executive editor of both Penthouse and Penthouse Forum magazines. At this time he started to write a bestselling series of sex 'how-to' books including How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed which has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. His latest, Wild Sex For New Lovers is published by Penguin Putnam in January, 2001. He is a regular contributor to Cosmopolitan, Menis Health, Woman, Womanis Own and other mass-market self-improvement magazines. He lives in Surrey. His wife and agent Wiescka died on 27 April 2011, aged 65. He has just finished writing a black thriller featuring Irelandis only female detective superintendent, Katie Maguire, set in the Cork underworld; and a dark fantasy, Jessicais Angel, about a girlis search for five supposedly-dead children.

http://www.grahammasterton.co.uk/

Susan Moody was born in Oxford is the principal nom de plume  of Susan Elizabeth Donaldson, née Horwood, a British novelist best known for her suspense novels. She is a former Chairman of the Crime Writer's Association, served as World President of the International Association of Crime Writers, and was elected to the prestigious Detection Club. Susan Moody has given numerous courses on writing crime fiction and continues to teach creative writing in England, France, Australia, the USA and Denmark.  In addition to her many stand alone books, Susan has written two series, on featuring PI Penny Wanawake (seven books) and a series of six books featuring bridge player Cassie Swan.