Muir Recovers His Equilibrium!

This is a really decent series. It has good characters, an excellent narrator in David Monteath, beautifully grisly plots and exciting action. Within the last two books though I think T.F.Muir has struggled to get the balance quite right. I enjoyed “The Meating Room” but it really did go into gore overload and then with “Blood Torment” he strayed a little too far in the opposite direction and it all felt a little staid to me. With “Killing Connection” I think that Muir has got himself firmly back into the groove and the balance is just right.

There’s a good action-packed conclusion and certain aspects of the plot will make you wince. One very early clue in particular has a real “bite” to it and will have most people crossing their legs in contemplation. So it is hard-hitting without being the over the top gore fest that we saw in “The Meating Room” and with a good balance of action and character-driven story lines to improve on the slower “Blood Torment”. The police procedural aspects remain impressive.

It will be no great surprise that those character story lines naturally don’t make things easier for our heroes. Gilchrist struggles with family relationships and a difficult new boss but it’s Jessie that you will end up shedding a tear with. This is another strength of the series, the female characters are very strong, given prominent parts and in Jessie we have a real star who makes the series every bit as much as Gilchrist himself.

In short if you got through the previous two books but were perhaps having doubts I think this one will salve most of them and prove ultimately satisfying.

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40 people found this helpful

Back on track

I have now listened to, and enjoyed all the books in the series. This is far better than the last two books with the Meating Room being quite gory.

The story got and kept my attention from the start full of twists, mystery and action.

This time Gilchrist has a new woman boss(Smiler) and once again as in most of the female characters in Muir's books she is very abrasive. Needless to say as with his previous boss (now thankfully retired) Smiler gives him a very hard time, and I thought here we go again but
surprisingly she comes good in the end and seems to appreciates that despite his maverick ways Gilchrist is an asset.

Jessie's character is progressing she's going from strength to strength and you begin to understand her and sympathise with her plight, a deaf son and disreputable family.

Another excellent narration by David Monteath. Thoroughly recommended.

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5 people found this helpful

Another great story in this series

As with the previous instalments the narration was top class, story good and characters believable. Looking forward to the next one now!

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5 people found this helpful

Gilchrist nearly axed .

Another good and page turning DCI Gilchrist story. Continuous action with twist and turns in the story . I have now read / listened to all these books of life with Gilchrist in the Fife constabulary and can only highly recommend them .

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3 people found this helpful

Good story spoilt by too much bad language

Good story kept me listening, but excessive use of bad language made me cringe. I accept that low life uses this, but we got the message well before the f word came to an end. Won't listen to any other books by this author

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3 people found this helpful

A decent procedural

What did you like most about The Killing Connection?

The story was good. Far fetched (maybe) but well put together

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I just can't believe that the protagonist (the DCI) seems incapable of either taking some decent shoes in hs car - or alternatively learning from the last few times and taking seem more robust/suitable shoes with him. His boss is a little bit of a stereotype as well - coming good at the last moment having apparently screwed everything up to date. He is also a little too fond of suddenly reflecting that he has missed something obvious.

What does David Monteath bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Its is a sense of place and amosphere

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The child/young man who has to be told he has not listening

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed it despite flaws.

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3 people found this helpful

Predictable

This series is a little formulaic - no real surprises in the plot or characters. But an easy listen.

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2 people found this helpful

Great series

Haven’t listened to these in order but intend to go back to the beginning as they are really a good listen and the narrator is very good

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2 people found this helpful

Most Enjoyable

I much enjoyed the writing style and plot of this, my third book in the series. It works as a standalone book but I would have preferred to have heard the books in order so I could have followed the storyline of the series.

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Very Good

I like this series and I enjoyed this book very much. The plot was interesting and well paced and the narration was excellent. It was one of those books that you don't want to finish because you are enjoying it too much.

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2 people found this helpful