Review by kimoy13 -- The Trafficking Murders
Posted: 07 Mar 2021, 21:37
[i][Following is a volunteer review of "The Trafficking Murders" by Brian O'Hare.][/i]
[rwc=id472341-125]4 out of 4 stars.[/rwc][i]The Trafficking Murders[/i] by Brian O'Hare is an amazing fictional novel that brings to the fore the atrocities and brutal nature of human trafficking. The writing in this novel is exceptional and the descriptive tactics employed by O'Hare draw the reader into the very depths of the plot.
The novel focuses on two types of human trafficking which are seen to occur simultaneously throughout the novel. The first instance highlights the most common form of human trafficking whereby the victims are chained, beaten and simply treated as merchandise. Here, the reader sees how poverty and desperation can make persons vulnerable to human trafficking. In this scenario, a poor family is seen to trust a stranger with their daughter which may not be the wisest choice.
The second instance emphasizes the fact that anyone, regardless of status or education level, can become a victim of human trafficking. This scenario exposes the reader to the element of grooming whereby a person can be seduced into become a victim. I particularly like this part of the plot as it serves to open everyone's eyes to the fact that human trafficking does not apply only to poor and desperate persons. It can affect anyone. Victims are not always beaten and forced to work in slave-like conditions. In reality, victims may at times appear to be living in wealth when in fact their movements are restricted and they live in fear for their lives.
This novel serves to remind us that we all need to be more mindful of our surroundings and learn to spot the associated red flags of human trafficking.
O'Hare clearly did a lot of research before he wrote this novel. For example, he painstakingly gives details of full criminal investigations for serious offences such as murder and human trafficking. He does this to such an extent that a reader may very well think himself an expert in crime scene investigations after reading this novel. O'Hare also exposes the reader to autopsies and ensures that the correct medical terms are used. This is another win on his part.
I especially like the fact that although the novel explores different stories and characters, it pulls them all together in the end. Several important lessons are also taught in this novel. In my opinion, the main lesson is to not trust persons who are overly eager to help you or treat you. There is in fact the old adage: "Despise the free lunch." This novel proves the veracity of this statement.
I truly think that anyone who wants to learn about human trafficking will do well by reading this book in its entirety. It truly explains to a great extent what human trafficking really is and how one can easily become a victim of human trafficking.
This book is very well-edited as there is probably only one typographical error in this book. This factor makes it a very easy and enjoyable read. Persons of any religion can also enjoy it as no reference is made to any one religion in this book. It is to be noted however that some of the scenes are violent and even gruesome. As such, I will recommend that persons aged 16 years and older read it. Sensitive readers will also need to be mindful of this.
The only thing that I do not like in this book is its ending. I do not want to spoil it for the persons yet to read it, but I will say that the ending is a bit unrealistic. For this reason only, I will rate this book[b]3 out of 4 stars[/b] .
In spite of this minor weakness in the novel, I highly recommend it. It is not only exciting and lucid in its plot but also thought-provoking and engaging. A genius piece of writing by Brian O'Hare.
******
[i]The Trafficking Murders [/i]
View: [url=http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelves/book.php?id=472341]on Bookshelves[/url] | [amazon=B08KL3QMJB]on Amazon[/amazon]
[rwc=id472341-125]4 out of 4 stars.[/rwc]
The novel focuses on two types of human trafficking which are seen to occur simultaneously throughout the novel. The first instance highlights the most common form of human trafficking whereby the victims are chained, beaten and simply treated as merchandise. Here, the reader sees how poverty and desperation can make persons vulnerable to human trafficking. In this scenario, a poor family is seen to trust a stranger with their daughter which may not be the wisest choice.
The second instance emphasizes the fact that anyone, regardless of status or education level, can become a victim of human trafficking. This scenario exposes the reader to the element of grooming whereby a person can be seduced into become a victim. I particularly like this part of the plot as it serves to open everyone's eyes to the fact that human trafficking does not apply only to poor and desperate persons. It can affect anyone. Victims are not always beaten and forced to work in slave-like conditions. In reality, victims may at times appear to be living in wealth when in fact their movements are restricted and they live in fear for their lives.
This novel serves to remind us that we all need to be more mindful of our surroundings and learn to spot the associated red flags of human trafficking.
O'Hare clearly did a lot of research before he wrote this novel. For example, he painstakingly gives details of full criminal investigations for serious offences such as murder and human trafficking. He does this to such an extent that a reader may very well think himself an expert in crime scene investigations after reading this novel. O'Hare also exposes the reader to autopsies and ensures that the correct medical terms are used. This is another win on his part.
I especially like the fact that although the novel explores different stories and characters, it pulls them all together in the end. Several important lessons are also taught in this novel. In my opinion, the main lesson is to not trust persons who are overly eager to help you or treat you. There is in fact the old adage: "Despise the free lunch." This novel proves the veracity of this statement.
I truly think that anyone who wants to learn about human trafficking will do well by reading this book in its entirety. It truly explains to a great extent what human trafficking really is and how one can easily become a victim of human trafficking.
This book is very well-edited as there is probably only one typographical error in this book. This factor makes it a very easy and enjoyable read. Persons of any religion can also enjoy it as no reference is made to any one religion in this book. It is to be noted however that some of the scenes are violent and even gruesome. As such, I will recommend that persons aged 16 years and older read it. Sensitive readers will also need to be mindful of this.
The only thing that I do not like in this book is its ending. I do not want to spoil it for the persons yet to read it, but I will say that the ending is a bit unrealistic. For this reason only, I will rate this book
In spite of this minor weakness in the novel, I highly recommend it. It is not only exciting and lucid in its plot but also thought-provoking and engaging. A genius piece of writing by Brian O'Hare.
******
[i]The Trafficking Murders [/i]
View: [url=http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelves/book.php?id=472341]on Bookshelves[/url] | [amazon=B08KL3QMJB]on Amazon[/amazon]