Review by Anarchel -- The Dark Web Murders by Brian O'Hare

[Anarchel]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Dark Web Murders" by Brian O'Hare.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Dark Web Murders by Brian O’Hare is a mystery thriller in which Inspector Sheehan, our main protagonist, tries to catch a serial killer. This murderer is unique because he boasts about and details his crimes in a blog on the Dark Web. The blog reveals that he is vicious, calculated, and narcissistic, but it also inadvertently reveals clues as to the killer’s identity. Sheehan must use his famous instincts and intellect to identify the killer before his last and most devious murder.

I rate The Dark Web Murders 4 stars out of 4. I was engrossed in this novel from the very first paragraph. The prologue was a dynamic scene that was vividly portrayed and beautifully written. The words continued to flow easily from there right until the last paragraph of the novel. I am a big fan of crime and mystery shows/movies and this novel read just like a movie. I was able to visualize every character, every suspect interview, every murder. Although some scenes played out much longer than others, the plot progressed smoothly and at a good pace.

Other positive aspects of the novel include its full character list and list of abbreviated terms before the story begins. Because the novel contains very many characters, O’Hare listed all characters for the reader’s reference, which I could see being quite useful to lots of readers. I would add a recommendation here that, because The Dark Web Murders contains many characters and plot developments, it should not be read if you are tired, sleepy or otherwise not mentally alert. Another plus was the inclusion at the beginning of each chapter the precise time setting in which the events occurred. Many novels develop stories in unknown time frames so it was appreciated and, I believe, is likely to be appreciated by others.

Despite my high rating, there were two things I saw as negatives. Firstly, there were many uncommon words in the novel, both in the narrative and dialogue portions. As a result, I had to constantly refer to the dictionary for clarification, which took me out of the story, even if only momentarily. Secondly, the last chapter, which contained the resolution to Sheehan’s hunt for the murderer, was a complete letdown. The investigative team needed one last piece of information to seal the murderer’s fate, but the manner in which they aimed to obtain that information seemed quite amateur compared to the rest of the novel’s excellence.

I would like to recommend The Dark Web Murders by Brian O’Hare to absolutely everyone who reads. It’s an exciting and engaging piece of literature that delivers as a crime and mystery novel. However, because it has at least 3 F words and some unsavory references, I would recommend it to persons 13 years and older.

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The Dark Web Murders
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[thaservices1]

Great review. I am not a huge crime novel fan but this sounds very interesting. A huge cast of characters is appealing.