The Mercy Chair

Washington Poe, Book 6

De: M. W. Craven

Narrado por: John Banks

'Mesmerising, macabre and magnificent. The Mercy Chair is truly terrifying, laugh-out-loud funny, and impossibly clever. Poe and Tilly are unstoppable' Chris Whitaker

'Washington Poe is a brilliant creation, from one of the finest and most inventive crime writers of today' Peter James

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Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin . . .

Washington Poe has a story to tell.

And he needs you to listen.

You'll hear how it started with the robber birds. Crows. Dozens of them. Enough for a murder . . .

He'll tell you about a man who was tied to a tree and stoned to death, a man who had tattooed himself with a code so obscure, even the gifted analyst Tilly Bradshaw struggled to break it. He'll tell you how the man's murder was connected to a tragedy that happened fifteen years earlier when a young girl massacred her entire family.

And finally, he'll tell you about the mercy chair. And why people would rather kill themselves than talk about it . . .

Poe hopes you've been paying attention. Because in this story, nothing is as it seems . . .

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'Craven renders the darkness of the human condition with immense skill, ratcheting the tension to a nails-on-chalkboard pitch. Don't turn out the lights.' Vaseem Khan

©2024 M. W. Craven (P)2024 Hachette Audio UK

Solid twist

Love the narrator as always. There was a very good twist, in fact a few good ones. Not my favorite in terms of the recurring characters story line but still very much worth the listen.

Good

Excellent narration as usual. I didn’t enjoy the story as much as the previous ones but it’s still a good listen. Good twist- didn’t see it coming.

How does someone come up with plot twists upon plot twists

That was some incredible novel, when you think it’s wrapped up, another plot twist, then again, and again. Wow!!!

Twisty!

I LOVE Poe and Bradshaw. This story was excellent with a dark and twisty plot. It keeps you guessing until the end. Great characters and a fast pace. Excellent!

Dark, Gritty and Brilliant!

It's very rare that I dare not multitask when listening to a story, for fear of missing a clue. This was one of those times. This novel is dark, gritty and brilliantly written. There are so many twists and turns that I couldn't put it down. It was a brilliant read/listen. John Banks' narration was superb. I'm going to remember this story for a long time.

Gut Wrenching

The author manages to illicit such a visceral reaction to his words that he manages to make one want to vomit, then smile, then cry & then shake your head in utter confusion a few chapters on. It is a brilliant & vivid story that begs the question. Does religious fundamentalism attract the insane or do the insane create religious fundamentalism. It is an intense story that is difficult to listen to at times but makes you think hard & deeply. A brilliant story. It is award worthy writing. The narrator needs kudos for the heartfelt reading of a heartbreaking story. Superb!

Wow!

Almost too many twists but in the end they made it a fun read. (padding)

Twisty

Where to start. The plot had so many twists and turns was like riding a roller coaster. And trying to guess the ending was hopeless. It was the biggest twist of all. And the least believable. For me, any good mystery must have some grounding in reality. This one didn't. It just ran off the rails and kept going. Still, I'll look for the next one and hope that Poe, Tilly and the rest of the crew find their way home again.

Last time I pre-order

What a total dog's dinner of a book. The last hour is the only thing that saved it from being a 1 or 2 star book. First, Tilly is almost missing completely, and her character is essential to the books. Second, where Poe had been a brusque, take no nonsense kind of guy in previous books, in this one he comes across as a petulant jerk, and is totally off-putting. Third, internal inconsistencies. In one ten minute scene the doctor says: 1. I won't let you tell me what happened because it would cause too much damage; 2. you can tell me what happened if you want to; 3. I won't force you to tell me what happened; 4. only by telling me what happened and remembering it without reliving will you recover. Huh?! But most of all, it's just an ugly, ugly book with ugly people doing ugly things. It makes me feel like I need a long, long shower.