Natasha Mayston wasn’t expecting anyone to knock on her door so late at night. And she has no idea that the face staring back at her is the last one she’ll ever see… scratches on Natasha’s wedding finger, Dan already knows what he will find if he looks in her mouth – the metal ball which choked her to death. He knows Natasha isn’t the killer’s first victim and is certain that he will strike again.
Months earlier, Kim Hardy was found in the same position in a run-down hotel across the city – an identical silver ball in her throat. But Kim’s murderer was caught and sent to prison – did they arrest the wrong man? And what connects the two victims? Fearing that he’s dealing with a psychopathic serial killer, Dan calls in psychologist Dr Lexi Green to help him to get into the perpetrator’s mind. Tough and smart, Lexi will stop at nothing to hunt down the man responsible for the deaths.
Then, another body is discovered, just as Lexi finds a clue online leading to the killer. Dan’s team aren’t convinced, but in pushing Lexi away from the investigation, they force her to dig further into the case on her own. Convinced that she’s on to something, she puts herself in unthinkable danger… but can Dan piece together the clues and identify the killer before it’s too late?
Fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Cara Hunter will love this thrilling new series from Chris Merritt. From an explosive start to a heart-stopping finale, you will not want to put this book down!
What readers are saying about Knock Knock:
‘Oh wow… I am a huge fan of this author’s work… These are the books that I love!… This book is just great, greater, the greatest!’ B for Bookreview, 5 stars
‘Loved the book. It’s edge of your seat reading.’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Had me hooked from the first chapter.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Oh, this was good, very, very good… I was blown away… It’s one hell of a good thriller.’ Goodreads reviewer
‘I fell into this story and finished it in two days… A must read.’ Two Girls and a Book Obsession, 5 stars
‘My heart was in my mouth… I loved it.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘My heart beating so fast! It had me in shock. Every page, every chapter was a page turner.’ Goodreads reviewer
‘What a roller coaster!… Like OMG!… It’s so good.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Excellent and original.’ Book by Bindu
‘Merritt ties this story up perfectly and satisfyingly.’ Word Nerds, 5 stars
‘Tense and chilling with so many twist and turns… I found it hard to put down.’ NetGalley reviewer
‘I literally couldn’t put it down.’ Book Lover, 5 stars
‘A fast-paced thriller with a jaw-dropping finale.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 starsmore
With intentions to only read a chapter or two I soon found myself engrossed in this page-turner.
Knock Knock has all the ingredients of a top crime thriller: superbly drawn main characters, married with a scary, toe-curling killer, a cracking plot and plenty of suspects and… dash it! I didn’t guess the murderer!
I was fascinated by the online manosphere world from which the killer draws inspiration for his murders and also by the world of the psychologist, in the case Lexi Green who uses all her skills to ascertain who is behind the crimes.
It is clear Chris Merritt has done a huge amount of research for this book. Everything feels ‘real’. Even descriptions of Lockhart’s unrelenting swimming routine in the Thames left me wondering if the author had actually tried it out himself.
Minor characters, Smith, Khan and Berry, are well-developed and likeable, and of course, there is unmistakeable physical attraction between lead character, Lockhart and psychologist Green, which we hope will develop further yet know it can’t until Lockhart finds out what has happened to his wife.
In brief, this is a book you won’t easily forget and will leave you eager for the next in the series.
Detective Dan Lockhart is called to investigate when a woman is found murdered in her home. He’s surprised to see that the scene is similar to another murder that took place months ago. But that murderer was caught and sent to prison.
Lockhart wonders if they put an innocent man away. And what connects the two victims? Fearing he has a psychopathic serial killer on his hands, he calls in Dr. Lexi Green to help put a profile together. Tough and smart, Lexi will stop at nothing to hunt down the man responsible for the deaths.
Then a third body is discovered. Lexi has found a clue that she feels will lead to the killer, but Dan’s team isn’t too sure. Fearing that they are pushing her away from the investigation, she puts herself out there as bait.
This is the suspenseful beginning of a crime fiction series. I love getting in on the ground floor of a new series, reading the characters backstories, finding those little gems that make a good series even better.
The characters are finely drawn, fully fleshed out, and their investigation is realistic, police procedural is credible. This is an action filled page turner with twists and turns that lead to a most unexpected conclusion.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
This is the first book that I have read by this author and it is the first book in a new detective series. I would classify it as a combination of mystery, suspense and police procedural. Detective Dan Lockhart is called to investigate a murder in a high-class London neighborhood. He immediately recognizes that Natasha Mayston was killed in the same way as Kim Hardy months before. Now he has to find out if the wrong man is in prison or if there is a copycat killer on the loose. He asks psychologist Lexi Green for help getting into the killer’s mind. The two of them are flawed characters with a background that compels them to find the killer before he kills more. For the most part, I enjoyed the story, but I must say that there were sections that I skimmed quickly because they seemed repetitive or unnecessarily wordy. The good news is that I enjoyed the twists and the ending with the reveal of the murderer was a total surprise to me. I liked all of the characters and was rooting for them to follow the clues before the killer struck again. I found out some of their backstory and that did make the story more enjoyable to me. Fans of the mystery and suspense genre will enjoy this book, but I think the police procedural parts were a little ho-hum and lengthy.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
What a great way to kick off a new series! I loved the introduction to the two main characters, and their interactions were natural. I thought the teamwork of the investigation was realistic and well-researched. What made this book stand out was deep dive into the killer’s world. It was fascinating and creepy, which added depth to the story. If this is any indication of what’s to come, I can’t wait to read more of this series. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks. Huge thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.
KNOCK KNOCK by Chris Merritt is the first book in the Detective Lockhart and Green police procedural series. It is also my first book by this author. Detective Inspector Dan Lockhart is a member of a Major Investigation Team (MIT) in London that focuses on murder investigations. On his person time, he is also seeing a psychologist, Dr. Lexi Green to help him deal with several issues including the disappearance of his wife and PTSD related to his military time. When he gets his first assignment as Senior Investigation Officer, the death seems very similar to a case three months ago. As the deaths mount up, Dan brings in Lexi to consult on the case.
Not only do Dan and Lexi’s characters feel compelling, you understand their distinct flaws and virtues. While both have clear and similar goals, the path there is not the same and provides both internal and external conflicts. Their motivations seem believable. Key secondary characters are also well-rounded and enhanced the story. The plot twists and turns keep the reader guessing and there are plenty of suspects.
The title was intriguing and a meaningful representation to the storyline. The prose was well-written, absorbing, and steadily paced. The plot was engrossing, interesting, well-researched, shocking, and ominous.
Overall, this was a well-written British police procedural. I was immediately drawn into the story and the ending was dramatic. I am looking forward to this author’s next book in this series and I also want to read his Detective Zac Boateng series.
Thanks to Bookouture and Chris Merritt for an ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.