Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I was very disappointed with this book. At first I was very excited to order the book due to the reviews on line (which is why I continue to review - to give readers a true outlook on a book)
This book is staged in Britain and it is very difficult to ascertain what they are talking about in the book unless you ARE british OR you have lived in Britain; because of this, I believe that you just can't get thru this book - you get held up trying to figure out what they are talking about.
Rating: 
Summary: Silence Without the Genius
Review: I bought this book without realizing that it was being billed as the newest 'Silence of the Lambs' wannabe, and that turned out to be fortunate. I consider that work a great display of talent and a great serial killer tale. 'Birdman' is a good story, but it is no 'Silence.' Had I been expecting one this would have been a considerably different review. It is a shame that modern publishers do not trust a book to make it on its own merits, and thus set up readers for unnecessary disappointments.'Birdman' is set in London, and opens with the discovery of the corpses of five women, each surgically modified, made up, and provided with an 'artificial' heart. These grim, ugly victims become the custody of one Detective Inspector Jack Caffery, as he tries to understand and track down their killer. Jack has his own problems, a relationship he doesn't seem to be able to extract himself from and a compulsive need to seek revenge on the man who killed his brother when they were children. Jack finds himself in conflict with the prejudices of his new department as well as a deviant criminal mind. His fellow officers have little patience with profiling techniques and are quick to settle for anyone who appears to have had the opportunity. But Jack knows the murderer is no simple pimp or drug dealer. This dark mind defies both the intellect and the stomach in its insatiable quest for sexual partners among the dead. The killer, who seeks his victims among London's ladies of the night, doesn't play and kill, but prefers his victims dead first - a necrophile. The narration expands to include the story of the killer as well as the activities of DI Caffery. This approach does give the reader some insight into what is an unusual form of psychopath and even builds some sense of sympathy. This is, however, my least favorite plot device. Especially when its use gives away too much of the plot, which turns this from an interesting forensic and procedural puzzle into a suspense story where most of the tension comes from waiting for Caffery discovers what the reader already knows. Thus, an otherwise well-written story is reduced to a violent chase tale. For some reason this has happened a lot in my recent reading. My observation is that one out of twenty authors can manage shifting viewpoints without losing some control of the story. Mo Hayder does better than many, but is eventually overmastered by it. I have come to think that editors do not believe that a reader will enjoy a book if he or she has to go more than 200 pages without knowing who is the murderer. But even with that fault this is a very enjoyable if extremely graphic story, with good characters and some very surprising twists. By all means read it if you want a good serial killer tale.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining
Review: A very entertaining read. The first third was a little slow and too many insubstantial characters were introduced at once. However, the remainder increased in pace and depth as the story unfolds. The subplots are as interesting as the main plot as they deepen the main character and allow the reader to realize the character's internal conflicts. Some of the medical references seem dated (for the time period and location) and the police department acronyms were slightly confusing at first. However, this does not seem to distract from the story which captivates to the end.
Highly recommended and looking forward to the next one.
Rating:
Summary: A Definite Pageturner
Review: Mo Hayder has definately gotten off to a good start as a writer. Birdman kept me up late at night reading page after page, dying(hah) to know what would happen next. Hayder does a good job of tying together different plot structures without making the book cumbersome for the reader or confusing. For those that say that the book was too gory, I'm sorry but there's nothing pallitable about murder(s). Cant wait for her next one to arrive.
Rating:
Summary: From someone who does this for a living...
Review: I was fully entranced by the book. In fact, many of my fellow officers who picked it up found it almost impossible to put down. Hayder has an extreme talent for taking that thing most suspensful, and drawing it out, forcing you to crave more and more. I look forward to the next books, as do many of the people I work with.
Rating:
Summary: Birdman
Review: This was a page turner from start to finish. And just when you thought they would catch the crook...they missed. You want them to find the clues that you see, that they are missing before someone else dies. The cop in this book, has his own problems to start with....which gives one a since of hope.... or does it? You will have to read this book. It does get graphic and gruesome,but it was worth the read. And when you finsih, you'll pray that no one like that really exists. For Mo Hayders first book....it was great! Looking forward to the next one!
Rating: 
Summary: slow start, but strong ending
Review: At first I had the impression of this being another ho-hum detective book with a marginally interesting serial killer on the loose, baffling police, etc., etc. and for the most part, it is. This book, based on the first 75% of it, deserves 2 stars, but after that, it got interesting. The main story didn't interest me that much up to the last quarter, but there's a side story with the main character, his brother, and the neighbor that really did, just freakish. There's also another smaller side story with Caffery (main character) and his current girlfriend that's just whoa, get counsiling. With these side stories Hayder really develops the main character, you understand him. It's then that I started liking the book, and the plot twist that I have to say I liked too. But mostly I read it for Caffery's character than what was going to happen to the 'bad guy'. In general, a good book, just took too long to get there.
Rating:
Summary: good, gory, and routine.
Review: A routine story of troubled cop who gets the bad guy for the murders. Having said that it was a very interesting read which holds the reader to the end. The research into the medical and forensics was impressive. I have read many books along a similar vein but none with as much authentic gore; I was impressed. My main observation is: I looked inside the rear cover and saw a photo of a very pretty lady (the author). I found it very diffult to accept the amount of filth and gore came from the mind of such a pretty lady. Looks can be deceptive. If you like murder mistories and graphic gore then this is the book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Glad I stuck with it!!!
Review: I purchased this book after reading the synopsis on the back and it sounded like a good read. While it did get off to a slow start, (introducing way too many characters at once!!!) I did stick with it because I thought I should give it a chance. I'm glad I did!!! It was a little gory and graphic but I expected that-I was repulsed a few times but all in all, I definitely recommend this book-not for the squeamish, though!!!
Rating:
Summary: Desgusting and graphic but other than that an average read.
Review: Probably the most desgusting book i ever read.The book kind of dragged on a bit and really wasnt that exciting but if you have nothin better to do sit down and read this book and see how raunchy it is.
| 
