The Killing Room

A Balzano & Byrne Novel

By: Richard Montanari

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Nothing will ever be the same again....

In the heart of Philadelphia's badlands, homicide detectives Byrne and Balzano are called out to a particularly chilling crime scene. Once the pillar of the neighborhood, an abandoned church has become a killing room. At first it looks like a random act of violence. But then a second body is found, and a third. Each crime scene more disturbing than the last, each murder more brutal. And it soon becomes horrifyingly clear that a cold, calculating, and terrifyingly precise mind is at work. With very few leads and a mastermind who always seems to be one step ahead, Byrne and Balzano are faced with challenges they could never have imagined as they race against time to hunt down their killer before it's too late....

©2012 Richard Montanari (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

Balzano and Byrne at their best!

Oh my! It's hard to put into words what a fabulous book this was. Maybe the best of the series so far! I loved the extra insight into Kevin Byrne's psyche - a complicated but incredibly genuine human being. And Scott Brick just nails this performance. Honestly, I will read almost ANYTHING if Scott is the performer! Keep 'em coming Mr Montanari!

Gripping

Scott Brick once again is enthralling. I really enjoyed the storyline and the performance made it even more engrossing.

A dark and mystical suspense mystery

The Killing Room is Book 6 in the 9 novel police procedural Detectives Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne series by Richard Montanori. The novels are set in Philadelphia. The release in audio this week of The Killing Room means the entire series is now available in audio format. The only other novel in the Balzano and Byrne series I have listened to is Book 8 titled The Doll Maker which I rated 5 stars.

I have no issue with dark, psychological thrillers; indeed, I listen to many. However, I did not especially like The Killing Room even though the story is compelling at times. The mysticism, which is central to the story, in overbearing. Outstanding narration by Scott Brick is much better than the story deserves.

Another excellent police procedural

Richard Montanari has crafted another excellent police procedural in the Balzano & Byrne series. Plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. Scott Brick gives another stellar performance bringing it all to life. I highly recommend this audiobook.

Byrne and Balzano book #6 - Finally!!

This book starts off with Detective Jessica Balzano getting a phone call saying "One God. Seven churches. You will find the first of the dead at Amber and Cumberland”. She thinks it's some kind of a hoax but has to investigate. When she arrives with Kevin Byrne they discover a man bound with barbed wire. Very shortly after, he dies.
Kevin is now a big brother to a preteen (Gabriel) boy with no family. In an attempt to keep him free from the gangs responsible for his brother's death Byrne is recorded holding a gun to the forehead of the gang leader.
The antagonist's identity is pretty clear from the beginning. Her abusive upbringing and eventual escape with a traveling evangelical ministry and her rape and pregnancy by the minister leave her with warped religious beliefs. The murders are all being committed in abandoned churches, again with very distorted reasoning.
The story is not to figure out who it is but how it's solved. It's the workings of the Philadelphia PD and the machinations of a disturbed mind fitting together like puzzle pieces.
I really enjoy Montanari's writing style. His books move along at a fast pace, his characters are very believable and fleshed out. You get a total picture of them both working and not and their inner thoughts and fears.
Scott Brick does an outstanding job narrating (as always).i HIGHLY RECOMMENDED this book.
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Thank You.

More insight into Kevin Byrne.

It was interesting to hear what makes Detective Kevin Byrne tick. He has been a man of mystery in this series. One finds character development delightful. We know quite a bit about Detective Jessica Balzano which also was very good writing.

The story line of this novel extremely well thought out. The use of the Book of Revelation, the epistles to the churches, was genius. When one first heard Revelation being used one feared another treatment to Beast searching. It was a suprise that character was not mentioned. Refreshing relief. The villan was another creepy and tragic person. One can sypathize with a villan without excusing the behavior. Not everyone with a bad childhood ends up a serial killer. We would really be in a fix if they did.

Well done Richard Montanari. Wonderful performance Scott Brick.

Complete suspense

This was a whodunnit of whodunnits. It definitely kept me in suspense and I didnt want to turn my phone off for the night. most nights, I didnt go to sleep until midnight