HADES by Candice Fox

Hades by Candice Fox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION: A dark, compelling and original thriller that will have you spellbound from its atmospheric opening pages to its shocking climax. Hades is the debut of a stunning new talent in crime fiction.

Hades Archer, the man they call the Lord of the Underworld, surrounds himself with the things others leave behind. Their trash becomes the twisted sculptures that line his junkyard. The bodies they want disposed of become his problem for a fee. Then one night a man arrives on his doorstep, clutching a small bundle that he wants 'lost'. And Hades makes a decision that will change everything...

Twenty years later, homicide detective Frank Bennett feels like the luckiest man on the force when he meets his new partner, the dark and beautiful Eden Archer. But there's something strange about Eden and her brother, Eric. Something he can't quite put his finger on. When the two detectives are called to the scene of an attempted drowning, they find a traumatised victim telling a story that's hard to believe - until the divers start bringing up bodies.

Frank is now on the hunt for a very different kind of serial killer: one who offers the sick and dying hope at murderous cost. At first, his partner's sharp instincts come in handy. Soon, he's wondering if she's as dangerous as the man they hunt.

MY REVIEW: I thought this book had great potential that was never realised. It was very disjointed with all of the varying time changes and perspectives that seemed to occur without much structure. It all felt a bit familiar having seen the Dexter TV series — as others have noted. It was ok but I was glad to get to the rather abrupt ending. In my opinion, the story could have had more depth of character development and a slower, richer narrative arc to the climax. It will be interesting to see how this author develops. But this one doesn’t really inspire me to read the next in the series. All a bit superficial and done before.

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