Review: A Killing of Angels by Kate Rhodes

Title: A Killing of Angels (Alice Quentin, #2)
Author: Kate Rhodes
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Publication Date: 4th July 2013
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9781444738803
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4/5
Purchase: Amazon

At the height of a summer heatwave, a killer stalks the City of London.

The avenging angel leaves behind a scattering of feathers with each body - but why these victims? What were their sins?

Psychologist Alice Quentin only agrees to help out on the case because she owes Detective Don Burns a favour. But soon she finds herself deep in the toxic heart of the Square Mile - a place where money means more than life, and no one can be counted innocent.

A Killing of Angels is the second book in the Alice Quentin series but I have previously read the others in the series. You can see my review for the latest in the series, River of Souls here. This is a now a must read series for me, and one that I very highly recommend.

In A River of Souls a killer is stalking the Square Mile, killing bankers and leaving behind a mysterious calling card, becoming known as the Avenging Angel. Alice's expertise is called upon by the police to help them solve this quite mystifying case. Bankers are assumed to be a shady bunch, the majority of the public having a dislike for them but still, murder is murder and Alice must use her knowledge as a psychologist to somehow build a profile of the kind of person that could be carrying out these murders, the calling card giving off the air of somebody with great intelligence but the sometimes brutal manner of the murders giving the air that it is personal. Kate Rhodes writes in a way that certainly keeps you guessing, and has enough going on in the story to make sure the twists come when you least expect them. There's a brilliant atmospheric edge to Kate's stories, and I always love seeing London through her eyes because she completely brings it to life in her writing - warts and all.

Alice Quentin is such a brilliant character to read about. In A Killing of Angels she is still damaged from the previous case, and part of me wishes I could climb into the book and warn her about what's to come in the future, but then that would make the other two books pretty boring! Alice is reluctant to take on the case and once again help the police out, but the somewhat enigmatic - and this time around physically different - detective Don Burns is difficult for Alice to say no to and she soon finds herself having to juggle her job as a psychologist, her bipolar brother and her work for the police. It was interesting to see this almost less confident Alice, somebody who actually makes mistakes, but still as that person who will always go that extra mile for those that she cares about. I really enjoy witnessing crime and the way she goes about solving crime through Alice's eyes as a psychologist.

I think it can sometimes be difficult for an author to achieve that balance between the actual story of the book, and the continuing development of our main character with those scenes of normality but Alice Quentin is a character I actually care about and so those scenes where she's away from the case; with best friend Lola, her brother, or just at home by herself add real depth to the story itself because they really give the reader a greater understanding and a real sense of the type of person that Alice is, which ultimately serves to make sure we are with her every step of the way when things get tough or when she once again finds her life in danger.

A River of Souls doesn't disappoint, and I'm so glad that I have already read the other books in the series as having to wait to read the next after this one would have been torturous. If you are yet to discover this author or series than I recommend you do so straightaway.

4/5