The Psalm Killer

by Chris Petit

Book Overview

A novel of bristling power--equal parts political thriller, murder mystery, and psychological drama--The Psalm Killerplunges readers into the terrifying heart of the crisis in Northern Ireland. As... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679451269
• ISBN13: 9780679451266
• Release Date: March 1997
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
• Length: 437 Pages
• Weight: 1.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.6" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

one of the best thrillers for years

Forget about wasting your money on Hannibal, this is 20 times better. You actually begin to wonder if parts of this book could be true in relation to what has happened in Northern Ireland over the last 25 years. Highly recommended.

Petit is the best new author all round in my opinion.

This novel is a must read for anybody who likes to read about demonic murders and a killer investigation. Candlestick is the ultimate criminal and Cross is the poster child for a investigator. This book kept my spine stiff from page one all the way to the end. The killings are brutal, and the detail this man writes is the best. Hands down a must have novel. I also found it easy to understand certain things with the glossary that is behind the book, (whice I think some novels I read should have.) not only was this helpful, but it made the story much more realistic. I loved the book, and I plan to read it again soon. I have told many of my friends about it, and they should be reading it soon. At age 15 and a regular horror novel reader, this one is one of the best I have seen in a long time. Rock on, Chris Petit!!!!!!!!!

Gripping and gritty

As a thriller this gripped me. It's not simple, and the relationships between characters and shadowy undercover organisations ("good" and bad) is confusing at times, but it has the ring of reality (for Belfast) about it. It's tense, challenging and satisfying.

If you loathe Tom Clancy, read this book.

Before reading the book I was put-off by what seemed a rather tacky and opportunist way making commercial use of Northern Ireland to spice up a airport-book style serial killer or thriller yarn. Quite wrong. And gladly so, for the book was so very good. Stayed up all night to read it. Then read it again. Rather than opportunistic, the story traced links between the breakdown in individual sanity, family, government, and society - and how these all can exaccerbate each other. But it wasn't heavy-handed about it. I think the label of "crime fiction" does it a disservice. It is much better than the best of standard crime fiction, and has a quite different aim than such books. Actually it's much better than many books that get published under the more general, and theoretically higher quality, "contemporary fiction" label. The technical skills of narrative and character writing aren't 100% - when compared to leading fiction writers, that is. But the subject matter is one that such writers would probably never approach, certainly in this amount of (well written) factual detail. Couldn't put it down. Want to read everything he's written now.

An incredibly challenging and suspenseful mystery

A search for a strange and defiant killer in Northern Ireland leads a British Catholic detective into a labyrinth of calculated murders,violent reprisals,and government intrigue. Petit creates strong characters and has a richly descriptive prose style. The story concerns a hunt for a serial killer in Ireland; the search leads through plots and counter-plots in Northern Ireland's struggles. A glossary is included to help the reader with the numerous political and military groups. The ending is a little elusive- I would appreciate help from any reader