58. Skin by Mo Hayder

Skin by Mo Hayder (US) - (Canada)
Jack Caffery Thriller, #4

Pages: 380 pages
Ages: 18+
Finished: Mar. 29, 2010
First Published: 2009 UK (Jan. 2010 US, Apr. 2010 Can)
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: thriller
Rating: 4/5

First sentence:

Human skin is an organ.

Acquired: Received a copy from the publisher.

Reason for Reading: Next in the series and Mo Hayder is my favourite author in the world! (at the moment)

Summary: A suicide is found and everything points to case closed, though the ex-husband does show concern that things don't seem right. When another suicide with the same MO shows up Jack Caffery asks to be put on the case as he has found some connections between the two. At the same time celebrity rich girl, Misty Kitson, has simply vanished and police diver Flea Marley has been called in to search a few lakes and a quarry. Flea and Jack do not work together in this novel, they are off on their own this time. Jack's case takes him to a very strange human being and a sick prolific serial killer while Flea is hit out of the blue by a family problem that she must deal with and it is something that will change her life forever.

Comments: First off the mystery story was quite good, it did lack Hayder's trademark gruesomeness and weirdness which I've come to expect but still a strange enough case to be worthy of Hayder's talent. Flea's story, however, is the one that gets the reader's blood thumping. Not exactly a mystery as we learn the facts as quickly as Flea does but more pure thriller. What Hayder has done in this book is examine her main characters personalities and moral boundaries. From earlier books we know what Jack is capable of, but he has shown determinedly to prove himself the better man he knows he can be. Flea we've only seen from one side, this novel tests her boundaries and between them both Mo Hayder has created two very unique main character detectives for a police procedural series. Are they likable? "Can" they be likable? What does it say about the reader if he does like them? Personally, I did not like Jack the first time I met him in "Birdman" but I grew to like him quite quickly. At this time I do still like both Flea and Jack but with caveats and I must see what the next book brings before I make any final decisions. But whether I like them or not as persons, I love them as the unique, distinct detective team in Hayder's twisted thrillers with plots that no one else could write.