“The very best in the genre I have ever come across.” (5* Amazon reviewer)The last time DCI Jamie Carver let a would-be victim act as bait for a serial killer, it ended badly – VERY badly. Now they want him to do it again, only this time the ‘victim’, is a dominatrix. As if he hasn’t enough on his plate-A brutal killer poised to strike again Shadows of the past that still haunt his dreamsAn …
And that’s not counting the young girl whose life he’s trying to save from ruin, or the ambitious colleague scheming to bring him down.
As the kill-count mounts, signs point to a link with Carver’s first, ‘big case’, that of the notorious Escort Killer, Edmund Hart. But Hart died when he hung himself in prison, so how can that be?
This is just one of the mysteries Carver must solve in this gripping first outing for the detective who knows his reputation as, ‘The country’s foremost serial killer investigator’, is built on sand. And when the killer strikes at the heart of the investigation, Carver knows that if he is to protect those close to him, he must confront what he fears most – his own failings.
The first in the DCI Jamie Carver Series, and Book #1 of The Worshipper Trilogy, LAST GASP is a novel of murder, deception, sexual intrigue, and human weakness. It is a story about one man’s struggle to put the past behind him, and save those he loves.
“Jamie Carver is a mixture of genius, and emotional wreck…” (Verified Amazon Purchaser)
“A fabulous series starter… 5*.” (Verified Amazon Purchaser)
During a thirty-year police career, Liverpool born Robert F Barker worked in and around some of Northwest England’s grittiest towns and cities. As a senior detective, he led investigations into all kinds of major crime including, murder, armed robbery, serious sex crime and people/drug trafficking. Whilst commanding firearms and disorder incidents, he learned what it means to have to make life-and-death decisions in the heat of live operations. His stories are grounded in the reality of police work, but remain exciting, suspenseful, and with the sort of twists and turns crime-fiction readers love. LAST GASP is the first in a series of gritty crime thrillers featuring his resourceful but sometimes conflicted murder detective, Jamie Carver.
5* Praise for Robert F Barker’s books
”A gripping read about an exceptional detective and the complexities in his life”(Last Gasp)”Fabulous writer and solid knowledge of police procedures. Can’t wait for more from this writer” -Last Gasp
“A fantastic page turner with a hugely sinister and disturbing villain at its heart” -Family Reunion
“As exciting and ‘real’ as anything I have read in a police detective novel in a long time” – Family Reunion
“Well written and fast paced…. a great read for crime-thriller fans” – Final Breath
“Loved, loved, LOVED this book! Couldn’t put it down. Always left on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happened next!”(Last Gasp)
“A very well crafted mystery that keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat”(Final Breath)
“Jamie Carver is a mix of genius… and emotional wreck!” – Out Of Air
“So compelling and well written that I can’t wait to read the next in the series” (Final Breath)
“Brilliant rounding off of a stunning trilogy” (Out Of Air)
“Wish I could give this book ten stars. Had me hooked right from the start.” (Midnight’s Door)
“My preference for fiction is procedural crime thrillers… and I can say that these are the very best example of the genre that I have ever come across. More please as soon as you can!”(Out Of Air)
Get in at the beginning, then buckle up and sit tight. You’re in for a heck of a ride
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kind of book that grabs you early & keeps you invested in finishing so you can figure out what’s happening. Lots of plots & subplots to follow & fully written character roles. all in all a very well plotted story with a surprise ending I didn’t see coming.
Thoroughly enjoyed story and characters. Well-developed character descriptions, emotions, motives. Will be looking for more from this author.
As stated, this is a page turner and I could not stop reading. Throughout two thirds of the book, you wonder what is haunting ‘Jamie’ and even when you know, you are still captivated by what comes next. Just sad I cannot purchase the two remain books for my Nook. Will keep watching and reading. Definitely worth buying this book. Very much like Connelly and Patterson. Very gritty.
At times it seemed disjointed. It still was an OK read.
Different and entertaining
Am ready for more Jamie and Jana.
An English crime drama set in northwest England, the story revolves around the now-typical flawed hero, a police detective inspector investigating a series of high-profile S&M murders. Well written, well paced, good character interplay, integrated back story BUT the ending traveled many miles beyond credulity. In dire need of basic editing — misspellings and punctuation errors are rife — as though edited by a non-English-speaking computer program.
Loved this book. It got better as I read it until I couldn’t put it down! It was exciting to read, a real page turner! I wanted to keep reading just to find out what would happen next!
VERY creepy. I think if figured it out about 3/4 of the way through. Very Creepy and reminds us that there is REALLY Evil out there…………..and that deviants exist and turn into vile devils. Still gives me the chills.
After a start that felt slow, the story picked up speed, became highly engaging, and came to a powerful conclusion. I was grateful that the one mildly graphic scene near the beginning was brief–not my cup of tea. Despite that scene’s brevity and mildness, I was left feeling queasy. By the end, the book was an exciting read. I would, however, suggest some additional proof reading for typos, misspellings (long, flowing hair is a “mane,” not a “main,”) and omitted words, particularly toward the end.
The characters are unpredictable, which makes this book very twisted. It kept me intrigued throughout the book.
Ok book
good read
Couldnt get into the book
Didn’t see that coming….!
I couldn’t read this book fast enough. It was so good, I bought the follow-on book, Final Breath. I just needed to read more about Jamie and Jess and many of the other characters introduced in Last Gasp.
I don’t want to say anything more, fear of letting loose any spoilers. It’s that good!
The “bad guys” were clearly bad. Not real natural.
Own but unread
Well written – was trying to figure out ‘who done it’ and my premonition was correct – so good I tried to purchase the second book through the author’s website but it connected me to UK Amazon Kindle – don’t have an account with them.
This book was just OK. I can’t say anything bad about it, it just didn’t enthrall me.