Birdman

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional
Review: This book is one of the best that I have read in sometime. The Characters are believable and the story keeps you going. The writing is well done. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Good Read, just too stretched out
Review: The novel was good, just too stretched out. I enjoy reading long novels, because sometimes I just don't want the story to end. But in this case, I WANTED it to end. It was the type of book where the reader would be so frustrated with how slow the characters were moving someimes (I guess that's part of the suspense). The rawness of the narative was good, very disturbing and grafic. Lack of villain-character build also disappointed me, but besides that, it was a good entertaining read.

Rating:
Summary: Decidedly average
Review: This is not the worst book I've read through the years... but it's a far cry from the best. It's a well researched sick-in-the head murder story... but I never got sucked in. I never really felt the trauma of hoping the killer got caught... I wasn't particularly impressed with the writing either. It wasn't a bad time killer... but I read it for a friend (whose opinion was similar), and if it weren't for that, I could've stopped numerous times, and not lost sleep over how the book ended.

Rating:
Summary: BIRDMAN
Review: Excellent, very disturbing. Kept me up at night and such a twist to it too!! I highly recommend this but, read it on a weekend. Because you will not be able to sleep after reading it!!

Rating:
Summary: scary, real, delicious
Review: I loved this book. Its set in a contemporary environment, refreshingly in London, ( after so many set in NYC) and is pacy, fast, with twists that delight. It also tries to lay out what makes the killer the wierdo he is. This was my first foray into the genre. Most, with King the worst, scare me witless, and I just want to be entertained. This book does it, and does it beautifully, and I think it crosses the genres between horror and procedural police seemlessly. Hayder is good. Her characters are real, the relationship between the hero and his self centred martyr guilt tripping girlfriend is superb that gave me flashes of 'I've been there'. I wish I had written this. Buy it. Read it. This is a book not for the true horror reader but for those who want some weirdo stuff, but within a real world setting. Its more Ed McBain than Thomas Harris, but its better for it. Mo? This was delicious. Can we have more please?

Rating:
Summary: Excellent first book.
Review: I just finished this book, and, although the subject matter is distasteful,horrifying,gruesome and terrifying...it is so well written that I kept at it until the end.I'm glad I did.This new author,Mo Hayder, can proudly take her place with the best of 'em..Thomas Harris,watch out!! New blood(pardon the pun) on the horizon. It's a wild ride,on a road with many an unexpected turn. It will stay with you long after you finish it, I guarantee.I am eagerly awaiting her next book. Way to go, Mo!!

Rating:
Summary: An edge-of-your-seat first novel!
Review: I feel Mo Hayder has published a terrific debut novel! The twists and turns are everywhere! I can't wait to read her next book!

Rating:
Summary: What Not To Do With Your Pet Bird
Review: Three words: Sex, drugs, and violence. If you are looking for a book about the majesty of birds, someone caring about birds like the "birdman" of Alcatraz, or a story about man and Gods beautiful creation then you have just purchased, are buying, checking out, thinking about..the wrong book. Birdman is a frightening tale of sick lust that starts off slow for a while then like a roller coaster plummets you down and through a twisting ride of fright. I was hoping for more info regarding why the birds were so important. But it did keep me turning the pages.

Rating:
Summary: Disturbingly Good
Review: Ms. Hayder's first novel, Birdman, is an exceedingly well written yet highly disturbing book. I must admit that there isn't much new in this story and that most of it has appeared before in other novels: a hero dies, the girlfriend is in peril, just how many killers are there? On the other hand: it is written in a style which is quite refreshing, features a leading character who may be more flawed, psychologically, than the killer himself, and features graphic descriptions of the killer's acts which are so disturbing, that you keep on reading if only to see the killer get his in the end. The book is a fast read, and it was a nice change of pace to read a story which takes place in London. I think that the world of fiction has more than enough serial killers living in New York and Los Angeles. Overall I would recommend this book to enthusiasts of the genre, but I caution those who may be squeamish.

Rating:
Summary: A Shock to the System
Review: Well, I just read other reviews on this book - and my initial response is, why read a book that obviously isn't your cup of tea? Yes it is gory but that's this particular reader's preference. Sure it is ugly and I read to be shocked. And I was. I found it took me a little while to get into this book, hence my decision to give it 4 stars. However, once the author had grabbed my attention, she had it - I couldn't put the damn thing down! Halfway through, a major plot change happened and left me thinking "What the heck?" and I couldn't wait to finish it. I loved this book. I gave it to a friend of mine - and she too has the same opinion. If you want background and thorough reasoning to why killers kill - keep with true crime, if you want a great fast-paced interesting fiction story about killing, then this is it. I can't wait to read another of this author's works.