Book Review: Laws of Depravity by Eriq La Salle

About the Book

30 years. 36 priests butchered. His bloodiest masterpiece is yet to come.

Laws of Depravity follows two NYPD detectives and an FBI agent as they race to catch a serial killer before he completes his last cycle of kills and disappears forever.

Clerical transgressions at the heart of Spotlight meets the visceral horror of Thomas Harris’s Red Dragon, for a gritty, dark story about of how some of the most trusted members of society fail. The Laws of Depravity raises eye-opening questions about faith when the lines between good and evil have blurred beyond recognition.

My Review

This is a really fabulous dark and twisty story about revenge and punishment and hypocrisy – and, of course, serial killing… The characterizations were phenomenal here. From good guy to bad, La Salle did a fantastic job painting highly evocative pictures of his characters and their motivations. The story moved along at an aggressive pace that perfectly suited the tale. And I don’t know if it’s just me, but I am an exceptional fan of authors who read their own books.

No one knows the story better than the author so no one besides the author knows quite how to punch the right moments in narration, even when it’s not immediately obviousthat certain moments are critical. And when the author also happens to be an extraordinarily talented actor, that ability to emphasize and downplay at just the right moments is only highlighted. La Salle is a phenomenal narrator, building on the strong storytelling with an equally strong and passionate narration.

It’s a horrifying story and there is a lot of graphic and gruesome violence, but it was told so well and with such heart and genuine emotion that I did not mind despite not normally preferring my tales quite so gory. The prequel story at the end of the audiobook brought me to tears quite literally, and the combination of the two books definitely has me seeking out the next in the series. I can only hope that La Salle will narrate this one as well, because while I am happy to read the book, his voice acting definitely added a depth and breadth to the characters that I would happily seek out again.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.