Broken Angels: Kate Maguire Book 2

By: Graham Masterton

Narrated by: Caroline Lennon

Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

One cold spring morning in County Cork, two fishermen find a bundle of rags floating in the Blackwater River. It is the bloated body of Father Heaney. His hands and feet are bound, and his neck bears the marks of garrotting wire. Worse still, he has been castrated.

When a second priest is found murdered, his body bruised and beaten and the same savage wound hidden beneath his soutane, Detective Inspector Katie Maguire finds evidence of a sinister cover-up at St Joseph's Orphanage. But the Catholic diocese still wields considerable power here, and the Garda are under pressure to close the case.

Katie has to work alone if she is to catch the killer in time - but first she must shatter a wall of silence that for decades has hidden a terrible secret. A secret that is beyond belief...

©2012 Graham Masterton (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Huge backstory fail

I downloaded this book immediately after completing book one of this series. The first of this series was so good, different and fast paced that I was eager to move on to book two but by chapter 3 huge story flaws forced me to return to book one to locate info on Katie’s backstory. After re-hearing book one, chapter 11, and verifying that Katie came from a family of 7 children with 6 BROTHERS I must now return book two and quit this author.
Book two fails by first making mention of a live character that definitively died in book one. Putting this aside I continued listening but was shocked when Katie mentions her SISTER whose name is the same as the last victim in book one. Katie then gives backstory noting that she comes from a family of 7 children “ALL GIRLS.” Finally, Even the physical description of Katie differs from book 1 to book 2.
Fails this large make this author, editor & publisher unreliable. So so disappointing.

Good, but not as good as Book 1

Gripping, exciting story, but not as "unputdownable" as book 1. A bit odd as a character who died in book 1 was mentioned in book 2?? Be warned - torture scenes are graphic, and the sex scenes leave nothing to the imagination

Beware Graphic torture!

I did enjoy the second Katie Maguire book but the torture goes into explicit detail which I found unnecessary. Good story to listen to and the narrator is very good as well

Gripping if somewhat gruesome

I have to say that Caroline Lennon is a first class narrator. She captures the characters really well and her comic timing is perfect giving me some laugh out loud moments which balances the gruesomeness.

Had to skip the lengthy torture scenes

Masterton seems to take real pleasure in writing excruciating scenes of torture. I'm not usually squeamish, but I couldn't listen to these. Since I'd just returned one of his books for the same reason, I was embarrassed to return another book so soon, so I fast-forwarded through those parts (many and long). The rest of the book was pretty good although the supposedly wonderful American boyfriend of the protagonist was whiney and tedious. The performer does a little better with American men than women (see review of White Bones), but still not entirely convincing; she's good on the Irish voices and the background narration. Masterton can write well, but he can also be careless. Some passages are remarkable for the repetition of words.

Really enjoyed this second Kate Maguire book!

On to the third one! I wish there were at least 10 books in this series!

Porn and violence again!.

What would have made Broken Angels: Kate Maguire Book 2 better?

TONE DOWN the torture scenes and the sexual scenes, I don't need to share the feelings of a a vulnerable young woman being slowly and horribly tortured in minute detail. The sexual scenes are almost clinical certainly NOT sensual or romantic

What other book might you compare Broken Angels: Kate Maguire Book 2 to and why?

I would have to look under the S and M category.

Which character – as performed by Caroline Lennon – was your favorite?

Kate Magiore

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

It is well written with clearly defined characters. Good background and without the S&M
a good book.

Any additional comments?

I bought the first book in this series and was so impressed by the strong writing and characters that I bought the second "Broken Angels" I did this in the belief that such a good author would not make the same mistakes twice. I was wrong.

I am returning the second one, first bad choice was mine, the second bad choice is Audible's

I thought this book was excellent!

Would you consider the audio edition of Broken Angels: Kate Maguire Book 2 to be better than the print version?

This story is gripping and very timely. I truly enjoyed listening. Narrator did an excellent job.

What did you like best about this story?

Interesting to consider that this or something similar may have happened to impoverished orphans in institutions years ago, well, not that long ago.
Stories about the Catholic clergy, the secrecy, the cover-ups, are very timely.
The fact that it takes place in Ireland, where so many are Catholic, was very interesting and made it more believable.

What does Caroline Lennon bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Narrator did a credible job of both Irish and American accents.

Can't Walt for More

This series is fantastic. I have enjoyed listening to the first two novels and am anxiously awaiting the third. Caroline Lennon is my favourite female narrator by far.

Creepy Imagination that makes it hard to put down!

Kate Maquire continues her story in this book and its great to travel with her as she solves another confounding mystery. Graham Masterons imagination is definately gory and most definately in parts gross but at the same time I wanted to know what and who were behind those masks. The effort that he puts into every death is truly amazing and horrifying and the next death worse than the last it can make the jaw drop in horror!

Topical plot with grisly scenes

Interesting storyline with rather too much detail of retribution.excellent performance..mesmerising voice..overall an interesting experience with tension and anticipation...

What they took could not be returned.

The Catholic church is the next victim come victimizer in this story. The church has exposed itself to these fictional treatment by having concealed, lied and protected the guilty, and now are an easy target, for the worst kind of fictional retribution; again the emphasis is on truly explicit scenes that are presented in detail, nothing is suggested, you get the full on gore and on the other hand you are also given explisit sessuality with exquisite clinical detailed that if not titillating is at least very descriptive.

So if you are easily offended I would not enter Masterton territory, he is very good at setting up a stories within stories and creating likeable characters to follow and nasty ones to move and link the plot, there is some stretching of credulity but it is forgivable because in the end it keeps you interested.

Not for everyone but very good R rated entertainment that keeps you interested with a very good heroine.

Caroline Lennon is a fantastic reader, she acts every scene and her accents are such a complement to the story, she has made this books come alive and nearly impossible to stop listening.

Too near the Truth

If you could sum up Broken Angels: Kate Maguire Book 2 in three words, what would they be?

So very real

What other book might you compare Broken Angels: Kate Maguire Book 2 to, and why?

Kate Maguire Book 1. This is a fascinating seriesand one feels one is there

Have you listened to any of Caroline Lennon’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No. Her performance was excellent and her ability to separate the charaters was great.

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

The last few words

Any additional comments?

At times I thought I must have strayed into an Edgar Alan Poe story- it was so terrifying but one had to listen all the way through. It is so topical and one finds that one believes it has happened in real life

Gripping and Gruesome

What made the experience of listening to Broken Angels: Kate Maguire Book 2 the most enjoyable?

Great narration, and a storyline that kept me gripped to the end.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Broken Angels: Kate Maguire Book 2?

Unfortunately I think it will be the graphically described torture that will stay with me, although it was the likeable characters and sense of humour that made the book so enjoyable.

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

Her Irish accent.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

A good listen. Some of the gruesome bits were a little too grisly for my taste.

Woe betide you Catholic Priests for your sins

If you could sum up Broken Angels: Kate Maguire Book 2 in three words, what would they be?

Exciting, tense, gruesome

What did you like best about this story?

It was such a brave account about what so many, that have been at the mercy of Catholic Church education and other facilities in Ireland, must feel and how they might fantasise what they might do if they go the chance. This story is taking it all the way to the bitter gruesome end, a little far fetched, but the imagination is captivating.

Which character – as performed by Caroline Lennon – was your favourite?

Katie MaGuire of course, but all of the Characters she captures so well.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Horror at times, as you are supposed to with this storyline, and sometimes impatience because the scenes with Katie and John were too descriptive and long winded for me at times.

Any additional comments?

I love Graham Masterson's innovative story lines, the intermingling of plots and provocations too. Although, perhaps a little too imaginative for little old Ireland, our serial killers are not usually so sensational.

he smashed it again

love the silky tones of Caroline Lennon and Katie McGuire sounds like she is a sexy lady. home run Mr Masterton

Great listen

Really enjoyed it' can't wait for the next book in the series I'm going to take at least two to Jamaica with me sun sea and a brilliant book. Narrator is excellent the Irish accent is good one very convincing. Brilliant series 5 stars

Graphic

I kept having to leave this book it seemed to drag on.
The gory bits are very graphic and the sex scenes not particularly necessary

Good story but....

Really keeps you listening excellent story. But I always think that it’s a weak author who resorts to too much gore or sex.

A good start but a real let down.

I heard an interview with this writer so decided to buy however I think his work was badly written, levels of detail regarding descriptions of torture were overly detailed and the characters blurred with lack of personality. I felt dialogue was 'stage Irish' and yet missed the uniqueness of the setting. It's a kind of adult version of an Enid Blyton book.. I was playing in the car returning from long journey and my husband heard last hour or so and asked was it a comedy.
Again I'd say concept interesting but it got repetitive and then meandered through to the end.