Ragdoll: A Novel

RAG DOLL By Daniel ColeMY REVIEW 4-STARS****I finished reading Daniel Cole's debut novel a couple of nights ago. The story line sounded like it was right up my alley, and after I validated that the reviews from readers were reliable I purchased this Kindle Book to experience the handiwork of a new author and what promised to be an original and fast-paced serial killer thriller with a larger-than-life protagonist at the center.I wasn't aware that Daniel Cole was British until I started reading the story, and trying to guess at the definitions of several "slang" words or expressions was trying at times. However, English slang aside, I became hooked on the story pretty much from page one.RAG DOLL is a fast paced thriller with interesting and believable characters that help to make this serial killer thriller stand out amidst the competition. The discovery of the macabre "rag doll" --- a gruesome Frankenstein "puppet" that is composed of body parts from six murder victims--- is both shocking and intriguing. The murder scene is truly revolting but when our protagonist Detective Fawkes ("Wolf") makes the observation of the pointing finger the whole experience feels just downright chilling.The author writes sensational lines for his fictional characters, and this enables the reader to experience a wide range of emotions as the story progresses. Cole is masterful at injecting dark humor and levity into an otherwise deadly serious mystery that has most of the cast chasing their tails. This novel at its heart feels like a "murder mystery", a crime that is composed of a puzzle for the police to solve. The clock is ticking for the six (6) people on the killer's "murder list" and the "good guys" prove to be powerless to stop the progression of more dead bodies. The "feints" and then the final twist at the end of the trail that led to the killer were especially satisfying for me.I am a big horror fan and the nod to pure evil, with a supernatural force summoned by a desperate and emotionally devastated detective, was both inspired and original. I was reminded of the cult classic PUMPKINHEAD, "Wolf" the broken man who traded more than he bargained for to summon a demon of vengeance. I liked the ending to this book, and I enjoyed the journey getting there.KUDOS for originality, character development, incredible dialogue which was laugh out loud funny at times despite the gravity of the situation---not to mention creating a novel that is not only a page-turner of the first order but memorable after the story has reached its surprising conclusion.

Whatever expectations I had for this book, Daniel Cole surpassed them. I bought this book on a whim because who isn't repulsed by the idea of a Ragdoll corpse. Just the detailed description of the corpse was enough to creep me out. This book has it all: the mystery of the killer, the wild guesses and behavioral analysis, the gore, the controversial detectives, and a storyline that gets under your skin.This book is addictive! All of our characters have quite the crooked moral compass. As I was reading Ragdoll, I was engrossed in the police procedures, oh and, kudos to the evil, manipulative media involved. I really loved that one. The plot is thick with complexity that caught me off guard. I love how gruesome and crazy the end revelation was. I wish I could say more but I can't because it would ruin the book for you. But it is twisted.I enjoyed the different characters although I'd have to say Edmunds is my favourite. He's the typical awkward but smart character, with a dangerous side.

A good story but got a bit confusing. For me it was a terrible ending

With a gruesome stitched-together corpse, many readers will probably expect Daniel Cole's Ragdoll to be filled to overflowing with gore. Surprisingly, it isn't. What it does have is a breakneck pace, a wonderfully convoluted plot, and an intense cast of characters. For a character-driven reader like myself, Cole's cast is what made the book. No, I couldn't solve the mystery ahead of time-- which is always a plus-- but the characters are what wouldn't let me go.The trainee Edmunds is brilliant at wading through mountains of information and digging up the facts that they need to solve the crime. In addition, he may be new in position, but he has the intestinal fortitude to stand up to his superiors when he feels that he is in the right. The entire team may be saddled with a pencil-pushing, media-hungry, wardrobe nightmare of a boss, but the detectives' immediate supervisor, Simmons, is a good man who gets right in the thick of the investigation with them and buckles down to do some of the grunt work. How often does that happen?Emily Baxter has a terrible temper, is an even worse driver, and secretly pines for Fawkes, who knows her flaws and has been known to cover for her when necessary. Fawkes himself goes spectacularly off the rails, and this makes him very unpredictable. With these two main characters, readers are never quite sure what's going to happen.Although the ending of Ragdoll unraveled a bit, I really enjoyed the story and the characters, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book, Hangman, which will be out at the end of July.

This was a pretty good book. I liked it, I didn't LOVE it. I kinda fell down the rabbit hole with John Hart ( I like his books too). But somehow I don't think I fell as far as he did. When authors recommend a book, it's always a gamble as authors are a tight group and very loyal to each other. I won this gamble (thank you Mr. Hart). I think your going to like this book, but maybe not as much as you think or as much as it was hyped to be. It's a good solid story with a plausible ending. I am however (minor spoiler ahead) getting very tired of central characters who are crazy, alcoholics, drug addicts, or good until they are evil. The last few books recommended to me lately have all played out this way. I think it's time for a new gimmick. This review is an OPINION. I review books because author's ask me to. I am a reader not a WRITER. Frankly, it's more work than I enjoy. Any grammar mistakes are my own and irrelevant. I am only the lowly reader. So if you dislike my reviews, write my English teacher. Read and review the book, not the reviewer.