The Slaughter Man

By: Tony Parsons

Narrated by: Colin Mace

Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's Summary

On New Year’s Day, a wealthy family is found slaughtered inside their exclusive gated community in north London, their youngest child stolen away. The murder weapon is a gun for stunning cattle, leading Detective Max Wolfe to a dusty corner of Scotland Yard’s Black Museum devoted to a killer who thirty years ago was known as the Slaughter Man. But the Slaughter Man is now old and dying. Can he really be back in the game?

©2015 Tony Parsons (P)2015 W F Howes Ltd

Critic Reviews

"Spectacular! Tense and human, fast and authentic." (Lee Child on The Murder Bag)

"A relentless plot, evocative prose and compelling portraits of the characters, good and evil, conspire to make this a must read." (Jeffrey Deaver on The Murder Bag)

Extreme gore, torture, and abuse

Extreme violence and sexual abuse of women and children, plus detailed descriptions of torture -- and a likable little girl and adorable dog thrown in as palate cleansers between the scenes of gore. To me, this is just lazy, uninteresting writing driven by the easy shock "value" of ultraviolence. I like a bit of gore as much as anyone, but in small doses it can be more interesting and more shocking than lots and lots of goriness. The unknown and the unspoken can be way more terrifying. For example, see the movie "The Conversation" and the witty, character- and plot-driven crime novels of Adrian McKinty and Patricia Highsmith.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Disappointing.

I can't understand how a great story would be muddied with silly police tactics over and over.
Why ruin what should have been a good thriller with inept drama that no one in their right mind would do, especially detectives. Not even Harry Bosch would do attempt this stuff. And he pushes reality, mind. Not defies it,

When in history did four cops walk into a crowd of hundreds of people who loath the sight of them, ready to kill all cops if they can with the slightest provocation..when would the senior officer of MET and senior offices walk in with no back up and arrest a poor bloke with the IQ of a tennis ball for a complicated multiple murder massacre? Never ... Only in this ridiculous yarn. When would four cops set upon like that get up and walk away from it? Never

Why why why, it is such a good bloody plot! It had everything going for it, pull this book. Republish without all the stupid confrontations made by these top investigators. They wouldn't do it, they'd be suspended the first time, and charged the second time for endangering life, causing death and paralysing a cop. They would be fired. They would be charged.

But no...on it goes to crazier unbelievable exploits, beyond the pale! Then a normal reader groans. It's defies reality. You push us too far.

I have no choice, I want my money back. I want very much to have really enjoyed the book. God knows the plot is dazzling!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Good but slightly disappointment

The beginning of the book was so riveting and ferocious I almost did not get past the new years eve massacre. If you have an aversion to blood those killing are gruesome. I live in Detroit, Michigan. I watch in utter disbelief with the British police/detective stories, Luther, when they walk into hostile situations with nothing but their hands in their pockets.

I know the gun control laws are different but…I am just saying. So it was incredulous that Wolf and company walked into a hostile environment, with their hands in their pockets and that righteous, I am the law attitude. That blew me away. They did not get any sympathy from me. Actually, I was glad since they were so stupid to do it.

If you remove that difference in procedures, based on what side of the Atlantic you live, there were enough twist and turns to keep me engrossed in the book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

An Improvement

The author has made improvements in the second book of the series and manages to elevate the book to average. The biggest improvement is in the plot: it is much tighter and flows at a better pace. The narrator continues to be the main attraction, and saves the book from mediocrity. The relationship between the main character and his daughter is also a highlight. Sadly, I don't think the book rises above average because of several ridiculous points. Is it necessary to have a cop killed or seriously disabled in each book? Why doesn't the author spend a little time on developing a few more strong characters instead of dropping numerous flimsy characters in just for killing targets? The protagonist also is almost killed in a riot, stabbed in the abdomen, beaten senseless, and buried alive; the sequence of trauma the hero tolerates without any real physical side effects is simply silly. The author could have created a greater emotional impact by cutting back on the action and inserting more realism. The overall experience is like watching "The Fast and The Furious": lots of action with minimal emotional complexity.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Wonderful!

Nuanced, touching and suspenseful - I loved the writing and the narrator is wonderful. I highly recommend this. The father daughter relationship was resonant and finely detailed.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Can't wait for the next one.......

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I only got this the other day and have already told everyone how good it is.
If you liked the Murder Bag (I loved it) for sure you will need to read this one.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Max of course. But the policeman that maintains the Black Museum is also a great character.

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

Colin Mace has become my favorite narrator. When he tells this story and The Murder Bag I get to where I wish the book was much longer. I stayed up for most of the night because of the narrator but Tony Parsons writes a great book so he had good material.

Any additional comments?

I have really enjoyed both of Tony's books. Thanks

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Fine sequel to "The Murder Bag"

Very good series developing here, with multifaceted central character and solid writing. Keeping an eye on Tony Parsons - I expect even better things to come from him. Well worth the credit.

3 of 5 people found this review helpful

Good one

Great narration and another in a series I truly enjoy. Looking forward to the next.

The most ridiculous book I've ever plowed through.

Would you try another book from Tony Parsons and/or Colin Mace?

Not by this author! When I read the first book in this series, I thought I might be onto a new series in my go to genre. It was awful! The title character should have died repeatedly. Sorry, it was just awful.

What was most disappointing about Tony Parsons’s story?

The ridiculous way the police approached the "bad guys." So unrealistic. Everything in their approach shouted please kill me, and the title character should have died over and over from the incredible description of his wounds. I couldn't keep my eyes out of the top of my head.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Colin Mace?

Narrator not much an issue, but I would cast Simon Prebbles in every narrator role.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Kind of eye rolling disgust.

Any additional comments?

Sorry.

FANTASTIC!! 🤗

I have listened to the entire series before writing any of the reviews. This is a series I'll listen to again in a year or two. The narration is fantastic! Colin Mace has a wide range of voices and can handle male, female and child voices. He has great tone, pitch and emotional expression, bringing the characters to life. He makes a good series great.

I would compare this series to the writing of Robert Galbraith, John Verdon and the Will Trent series by Karen Slaughter. The books are not action pack thrillers, but solid detective/ mystery books.

The Slaughter Man had some unique ideas when you consider most murder mystery formulas are so similar. I actually learned some ways in which Britain varies from the USA when it comes to policing. I found these insights very interesting.

At times the characters make some questionably moves, but hey it is fiction after all. There are some areas where the story moves a bit tad but usually not for long. Of the 4 books, The Slaughter Man, almost ties for my favorite, book 3 The Hanging Club. All of the books in the Max Wolf series are worth a credit so give it a try if you like the genre.

Brilliant!

Many places this book is hard to listen to, it's deep, scary, shocking, and some of the violence is quite graphic, the research the writer has done is incredible

Don't expect a light-hearted, they all lived happily ever after thriller, it's not that

Listened to 40 books this year and this ranks number 2

15 of 15 people found this review helpful

Great

Interesting- well read and left me hanging on every word. Can't wait for the next in this series- if only to hear about Scout and Stan!!!

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Second outing for Max Wolfe

Another enjoyable story from Tony Parsons.

Max Wolfe's team investigate the brutal murders of a family with what seems to be an ideal life style.

Through a series of unfolding events they track the murders down.. or do they?

I enjoyed this book and wait to see how the character develops in future additions to this series.

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

Riveting

A book you will not want to switch off. The story builds and draws you in. Narration spot on.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

Gripping from the outset

This was a great, twisted and sinister whodunit. The cockney narration added flavour.

I found the playback speed was hard to fix. I think that the original recording has been sped up. You can only halve the speed in the app, which was then too slow.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Good story - just a few issues with the procedures

I do like Tony Parson, I do like his characters and don't get me wrong, it's a good story but every now and then I found myself saying, what? what? what policemen would charge in there on his own? What detective would take a key clue off to show a witness before bagging tagging and printing it? I'm not a big fan of police procedurals, but there are limits. Perhaps just a bit more of an edit before publishing?

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Absolutely loved it!

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

Yes - gripping, great narration, great story. Loved it more than the Murder Bag. This is one I will read again.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Fabulous & heart wrenching

I loved this book. I loved it honesty and its tackling of some hard hitting topics. It's tough, it's truthful and its totally gripping. I love Max Wolf. I hope to see him again. He's tough & gentle, intuitive & kind. I love his relationship with his small daughter. Read it, you'll not be disappointed.

8 of 10 people found this review helpful

brilliant!!!

I am a great fan of Tony Parsons.
great book! I hope there is another.
The story is say and very dark but brilliant. well written.
Hope there will be more books just as fab.
Thank you

8 of 10 people found this review helpful

Loved it!

This is the second DI Max Wolfe book which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Love the narrator he seems to get the character spot on.
This is unashamedly good v bad a good detective story perhaps not for the faint hearted.
A well to do family are slaughtered in their home and the only survivor a young child is abducted.
Thereafter DI Wolfe is on the case. We are gradually learning wee snippets of his personal life and it leaves you wanting more.
Love this series - next one please.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful