Review: The Art of Death by David Fennell

The Art of Death by David Fennell

The Art of Death – David Fennell (Zaffre, $32.99)

reviewed by Louise Ward, Wardini Books

DCI Grace Archer is about to start a new job, filling the boots of the bloke she investigated and found to be a bent copper. This isn't going to make her popular with some of her new crew, and that turns out to be the least of her problems on day one.

Called to a public disturbance outside an art gallery, Archer and her new offsider DS Harry Quinn encounter an exhibition set to go viral – perspex containers displaying effigies of people in attitudes of supplication, entitled The Forsaken.

Archer recognises one of the figures as a homeless man she's had dealings with and bam ... we have a serial killer.

The Art of Death sets a rollicking pace that never slows down. We have Archer's perspective, and that of the killer, all narrated in the present tense keeping us immersed in the action.

Archer has many facets and many issues: her father, also a police officer, was murdered by gangsters, her grandad is suffering from dementia, she is the survivor of childhood trauma, and her boyfriend is pretty rubbish.

The killer has a specific agenda. As far as he is concerned, he's making art, and his boxes of dead people should be appreciated as such.

We know from his narrative that he has identified more victims, and can see from the psychological aspects of the plotting how easy it is for him to manipulate, find weakness and exploit it, contacting targets though social media and dating apps.

The Art of Death is a breathless read, a keep you up at night page turner.

I have a few questions about logistics and character motivation but David Fennell left me no time to worry about them and by the time I'd finished the book I didn't care.

I'm just looking forward to reading the further adventures of Archer and Quinn.