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    The Hundredth Man
    The Hundredth Man
    The Hundredth Man
    Ebook362 pages6 hours

    The Hundredth Man

    By J. A. Kerley

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    A darkly compelling serial-killer novel introducing the next big name in psychological thrillers and, in Carson Ryder, a fascinating and complex protagonist set for many books to come.

    A body is found in the sweating heat of an Alabama night; headless, words inked on the skin. Detective Carson Ryder is good at this sort of thing – crazies and freaks. To his eyes it is no crime of passion, and when another mutilated victim turns up his suspicions are confirmed. This is not the work of a ‘normal’ murderer, but that of a serial killer, a psychopath.

    Famous for solving a series of crimes the year before, Carson Ryder has experience with psychopaths. But he had help with that case – strange help, from a past Ryder is trying to forget.

    Now he needs it again.

    When the truth finally begins to dawn, it shines on an evil so twisted, so dangerous, it could destroy everything that he cares about…

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins UK
    Release dateMay 10, 2012
    ISBN9780007346400
    Author

    J. A. Kerley

    Jack Kerley worked in advertising and teaching before becoming a full-time novelist. He lives in Newport, Kentucky, but also spends a good deal of time in Southern Alabama, the setting for his Carson Ryder series, starting with 'The Hundredth Man'. He is married with two children.

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    Reviews for The Hundredth Man

    4/5

    31 ratings10 reviews

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    • 4/5
      A reasonable start to the series which is quite enjoyable but is just missing something, it does build pace as the book goes on and builds great tension towards the end of the book. I like the central characters in the book. Hopefully just a faltering start with his first book, having read a later book in the series I know these get better, so I will be continuing with the series. 3.5 stars.
    • 4/5
      For a first novel that sails in heavily charted waters (James Ellroy's L.A. Confidential and Nelson DeMille's alternating first-and-third person viewpoints come to mind), The Hundredth Man is surprisingly fresh and effective. That's because it does all the little things so well: humorous dialogue, insomnia-inducing suspense, multifaceted characters, and a tightly structured plot that navigates twists and turns a-plenty without veering off the rails.The only part that didn't work for me is a critical physical resemblance that's necessary to understanding the killer's motive but unknowable to the reader until revealed. All in all, though, this was a great read, and I'm looking forward to Carson Ryder's (and his evil alter ego Jeremy's) next adventures.-Kevin Joseph, author of "The Champion Maker"
    • 1/5
      I have read this book about 3 times simply because I forgot I read it. That is very unusual for me. I keep blanking out on this book. When I reach the same place in the book where I think "Why on earth did I bother", it hits me that I have read this before.

      I can honestly say the plot is unmemorable. The dialogue is unmemorable. The writing is unmemorable. I only keep it around to remind myself I did read it so I don't pick up another copy at Goodwill or a booksale.

      Can I tell you anything about the book right now except the fact that I've read it and don't want to waste money buying it again if I throw out the 3rd copy I bought? Nope. So I think we can safely say, it was bad.
    • 4/5
      Pretty good for a first novel, with some fresh characters and decent plot. I liked the character building and the story was fairly suspenseful. I will be interested to see how the series build as I come across the books, but I probably will not actively hunt for them.
    • 4/5
      Young Mobile Police Detective, Carson Ryder is a rare man who searches the dark places to find the necessary answers. He and his partner, Harry Nautilus are ordered to the scene when a headless body is found in a park in southwest Mobile.Both men are part of the newly formed Psychpathological Sociopathological Investagative Team, called PSIT and referred to by other cops in a more colorful phrase.Capt. Terrence Squill is an ambitious autocrat. When he views the body in the park, he dismisses it as a homosexual meeting that ended in murder.A second, decapitated body is found and where Squill was highly skeptical about the unit, he is ordered to incorporate it in his investigation team. Resenting their presence, he does as little as possible to assist them.There is an interesting subplot as Ryder goes out of his way to help a character who is an alcoholic. The author does an excellent job describing the horrors ot that disease.Another element in the story revolves around Ryder's brother who is locked up in a mental institution. He takes an interest in Ryder's case and seems to have the ability to give Ryder insights into the killer's reasoning and identity. This be-play reminded me of Hanibal Lecter.The narrative is packed with unpredictable action and the characters are both interesting and appealing. Ryder is a compassionate and engaging lead character.The story is a great reading experience.
    • 3/5
      It's disappointing when the actual investigation and hunt for a bloody serial killer is the least interesting part of a crime thriller. Kerley spends much of his time building the central character and his relationships with his co-workers, friends and family. The actual plot at times seems almost secondary, and where this approach may well be suited to a book within a series, in a standalone novel (or in this case the first in a series) then it can make for quite arduous reading. The main detective isn't particularly interesting either, however the political infighting within the police department is sharp and entertaining, offering an insight in to what Kerley is capable of. Overall, The Hundreth Man offers little fresh content, although there are definitely green shoots for the future.
    • 3/5
      Before I read "the hundredth man" I had read a few others of the books in this series and kept wondering, how the personal story of Carson and his brother started. This, and not the actual plot was the interesting part of this book for me. I like series, where one encounters the same characters time and again, but often I read a book without realizing, that it is one of a series and I missed the beginning of the story.I liked the book enough to read others in this series.
    • 4/5
      The Hundredth Man introduces the reader to Carson Ryder, a Mobile, Alabama homicide detective and one of two detectives assigned to the Psychopathological and Sociopathological Investigative Team, or PSIT. PSIT is a unit created to investigate freakish homicides. The other half of the team is Harry Nautilus, a more experienced detective. When a killer begins to leave headless corpses around the Mobile area, it seems to be exactly the situation for which PSIT was brought into existence. However, the team is kept on the sidelines by an egotistical police captain who never makes a move without checking to see what the political consequences will be. As Ryder and Nautilus surreptitiously investigate the killings, they soon discover that the trail of bodies seems to lead to an unexpected place.

      Ryder is an attractive character who lives in a house on stilts over the marshy salt waters outside the city. He also has a softer side. He has a psychopathic brother with multiple personalities. Jeremy, who resides in a secure unit within a mental institution, has special intuitive qualities and some unique insight into the PSIT cases. His ability to understand the workings of the depraved mind can be of tremendous benefit to Ryder. There is, however, a terrible price that Ryder must pay. I would read more in this series for this character alone.

      This was a very interesting book and I understand the later ones are even better so I've already picked up the second book in the series.
    • 5/5
      Someone in Mobile is murdering people. Happens all the time. Not so much with the decapitation. And really not so much with the writing on the bodies. This seems to be a case for the newly-formed psychological investigation unit, made up of Ryder Carson and Harry Nautilus. Of course, there are political issues involved there, which make for some real interesting plot twists and oh, the red herrings! I absolutely did not see the identity of Mr. Cutter coming. I was very impressed.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed Kerley's writing style and characters. I love a good crime/detective novel, and Kerley sucked me into the world of Mobile, AL instantly. I genuinely like the characters of Carson and Harry, and was left guessing whodunnit until the end. This book addresses my obsession with things like Criminal Minds and I will be reading more Jack Kerley!

    Book preview

    The Hundredth Man - J. A. Kerley

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