Bad People Feels Like an Awesome True Crime Tale
Whenever I am lurking my local library or book store for something to read I often find myself gravitating towards either a riveting mystery or a moody horror tale. So when someone like Craig Wallwork finds a way to combine the two as he does in his book Bad People, I am naturally intrigued. As it would happen, this novel delivered exactly what I wanted out of a good read. Bad People is a fast-paced thriller which will keep you guessing combined with visceral terror that readers will find shocking.
A small village in England finds itself in the increasing grip of fear as a number of children have gone missing. While in the midst of investigating the disappearances, DC(??) Tom Nolan is assigned to escort around famed author Alex Palmer who is hoping to gleam inspiration for his new book from the case. Things reach fever pitch, when not only does another child go missing but Palmer is kidnapped as well. The writer finds himself at the mercy of a merciless mad man who has a deep connection to a known figure in the community. With the clock ticking even faster against him, Nolan takes a chance on this case which could lead to answers nobody expected.
The strength in Craig Wallwork’s storytelling comes from the fact that he writes Bad People as a true police procedural. Technical jargon is casually thrown around and leads are followed with clinical precision just as in a true life criminal investigation. Though it may throw some readers off as they have to look up law enforcement terms while reading the book, it grounds the story solidly in the real world. Which is what makes it that much more terrifying when the horrors Wallwork crafted makes it’s presence known. The villain in this book, is perfectly written with a terrifying distorted view on reality. To him, Palmer was kidnapped with a special purpose as a sort of deified figure destined to behold the madness which he is about to reveal. In fact, all of the characters you find in Bad People are perfectly realized as rounded and believable people, including the two protagonists in Alex and Nolan. The first act of the story focuses on Palmer and builds him as a fish-out-of-water in a small town and his arrogance not winning him much favor. But once he is kidnapped, Nolan becomes the focus the rest of the way as a man who after years of investigating may finally be close to finally closing the biggest case of his career as a new series of clues bust open for him.
The flow of Bad People is definitely a slow burn, but given the revelations and jaw-dropping moments we receive as things start to heat up this will probably be happily overlooked by impatient readers. Even in the slower portions of the book there is a tangible dread lingering you cannot help but feel. While you may feel accomplished as you experience a few “ah-ha!” moments along the way it all leads to an ending which will leave you floored.
You can find Craig’s website HERE
You can purchase the book yourself HERE
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