Felt like I'd already read it

The first podcast I ever listened to was Evil Has a Name, detailing the crimes and protracted attempt to catch the Golden State Killer. It was an excellent podcast, but knowing so much about that case really took the shine off this book for me. The details of the crimes are barely fictional. I found myself googling "Is the Nothing Man based on the Golden State Killer" about a third of the way through, and the fact that it is made a lot of sense of why so much was familiar. I really wish I could have listened naive to that case, because I think the concept of this book is so different to the average crime novel and the crimes would have held much more horror, suspense and disbelief without having heard them before. The author still had to build a rich inner life of the characters, as the majority of the book takes place inside their heads, exploring the feelings, recollections and motivations of the two main characters - Eve and Jim.

Nonetheless, the performances were good and it was an enjoyable listen. If it isn't a case you're familiar with, then I think the novelty of the format will be a really refreshing difference to standard crime fiction. But if it is, prepare yourself to recognise a lot of it already.

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Hooked from word one

Honestly enjoyed this throughout! Both narrators were fantastic and kept me gripped! Will deffinetly recomend.

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Good read, story told from an unusual perspective.

The subject matter is one which has been the subject of many books but here it is told from a very unusual perspective

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A book within a book

What a great read and such a fresh concept. The narrators really brought the characters to life, and as the story is set in Ireland the accents were spot on. Eve was the only member of her family to survive The Nothing Man serial killer. Having grown up she writes a novel about her experiences and the killer as a means of trying to solve the mystery of who he is. Excerpts from her book form part of the storyline and I really enjoyed this format. I definite ‘keep you up all night book’! Highly recommended.

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Best book in ages

Loved this book, I couldn't wait to get back to it. It was a bit scary too. The narrators did a fabulous job.

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loved it

The story had me gripped. The female narrator's style is a bit like listening to a news reader, and at times it's irritating. The ending is a little predictable, you see it coming long before the end of the book, but still a very enjoyable listen.

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Failed to hold attention

I struggled to get into this book. It simply did not hold my attention. The graphic descriptions of the crimes were plausible but the overall story just did not excite me as a thriller. I may have been influenced by the irritating female narrator. The lilting voice was simply not in keeping with a thriller/crime novel. Couldn’t wait to finish it so I could start listening to my next audible.

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Gripping

I don’t usually do crime novels, so perhaps this felt like a new story and approach to me, but I thought it was excellent.

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Great novel wrong narrator accent

Unlike some others, I thought the female narrator's performance was fine. The only problem is she has an obvious Belfast accent (from Belfast, University in Dublin I understand) so totally unsuitable for the character who is from Cork and worked in Dublin. The book is excellent based on a clever concept and beautifully executed. Information is withheld from the reader but that is part of the plot so forgiveable. I devoured the book as fast as possible to get to the end.

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Terrible female narrator

The story is good but spoiled by the female narrator, it is unnerving because it felt like I was being read a children's story at school. However, I did finish the book and enjoyed the plot, particularly the male parts.

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