Book Review: The Storykiller by Humfrey Hunter

I enjoyed this one – although maybe that’s a strange way to talk about a book with so many horrifying secrets revealed throughout… The concept of a story killer wasn’t new to me; neither was that of dirty little secrets. I worked in politics and government (from both the for- and not-for-profit sides of the street) for over a decade and am well aware that no one is as squeaky clean as they seem – especially in government and business. Still, I found the layer upon layer upon layer of evil deeds revealed by the end to be a bit overwhelming… But the idea of Jack Winter’s job – being the guy who makes sure things stay out of the news – was no surprise to me, but was rather a pleasant reminder of the power of words in both the positive and negative (as in, words that are NOT said) sense.

I must admit that there were a few points where the story dragged on for me. It builds very nicely, with an intriguing opening and a clear progression that established the main characters well and grabbed my attention. As the secrets started trickling out, that attention was further peaked. But somewhere in the latter middle, when the secrets started really piling up – and increasing in intensity – I started to get a little apprehensive and to feel like it was a bit much… And by the end, well, I was pretty well flabbergasted. Still, it was an enjoyable, if slightly horrifying, ride that felt all too possible, even if not always entirely probable.

There are two memorable quotes I find myself compelled to share. They are VERY different, to say the least, and struck me as notable for widely disparate reasons. The first is, I think, on of the most marvelous encapsulations of London weather I have ever read. The second, well, it made me cringe – right up until I thought it through and began to laugh at its originality and sheer cheek…

…there is a simple reason why England is the birthplace of modern democracy – the weather is all the oppression an Englishman can bear.

The two heavies stood on the other side of the road like a pair of severed testicles.

With sentences like that, how can you not be intrigued?

The author mentions that there will be another book in what looks to become a series. I can see the concept of Jack Winter becoming a serial; he is an interesting character, albeit somewhat stereotypical, although after the way this book ended it is hard to imagine him continuing to purvey his skills in London. Still, I’d pick up another book to read more about his daughter (who I suspect has the potential to serve as a clever twist if her role in the story increased) and his oddly frenemy-like relationships with his mix of reporter friends…

My review copy was provided via NetGalley.