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Eye Contact (DI Harland #1)

by Fergus McNeill (Goodreads Author)

3.38 of 5 stars 3.38 · rating details · 8 ratings · 2 reviews

If you look him in the eye, you're dead.

From the outside, Robert Naysmith is a successful businessman, handsome and charming. But for years he's been playing a deadly game.

He doesn't choose his victims. Each is selected at random - the first person to make eye contact after he begins 'the game' will not have long to live. Their fate is sealed.

When the body of a young woma...more

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published September 13th 2012 by Hodder & Stoughton

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Nov 12, 2012 Vicky rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller, read-in-2012, favourites, for-review

Originally reviewed at: http://www.booksbiscuitsandtea.co.uk/...

Eye Contact, Fergus McNeill’s debut novel has been on my wishlist ever since I first saw it on the publisher’s website. What intrigued me about this story is the fact that there’s no motive behind these murders. It’s all just a game. And even before I started reading the book, I started wondering: how do you track down someone who has no reason to kill and whose victims have no connection to each other whatsoever? As a huge crime fa...more Originally reviewed at: http://www.booksbiscuitsandtea.co.uk/...

Eye Contact, Fergus McNeill’s debut novel has been on my wishlist ever since I first saw it on the publisher’s website. What intrigued me about this story is the fact that there’s no motive behind these murders. It’s all just a game. And even before I started reading the book, I started wondering: how do you track down someone who has no reason to kill and whose victims have no connection to each other whatsoever? As a huge crime fan I’ve read many books from the same genre but never have I encountered one where the killer’s only motive is the adrenalin rush, that strive for power and I was quite curious to see what would happen next and how the events would unfold. I had really high hopes for this one and I’m glad to say that McNeill didn’t disappoint. McNeill’s writing, unique plot and his ability to describe what’s going on in both the killer’s and his hunter’s head are equally engaging from the very beginning and I found it very difficult to put this book down.

I loved the way McNeill dealt with narration. A third person narrator tells the story of both the murderer and the police inspector in a way that the first part of each section tells the killer’s side of the events and the second half deals with the investigation process. It’s interesting how, even though it’s not the killer himself who tells us his side of story, we get to know what goes on in his mind before he decides to strike again and chooses his next victim. While he’s a totally ordinary guy with a normal job on the outside, his thoughts are that of a madman. The character I loved the most, however, was the policeman who’s working on Naysmith’s case – DI Graham Harland. Harland is still trying to come to terms with the loss of his wife and he’s quite a lonely, sad and depressed figure. I loved how much he’s changed by the end of the story and his relationship with his colleague Mendel and I hope it’s not the last we see of the two of them.

When I first saw this book I thought it would be a lot bloodier and more cruel than it actually is which was definitely a pleasant surprise. McNeill doesn’t really go into details about the victims and the forensics’ work like many thrillers and mysteries do – it rather focuses on how the police are trying to find a motive behind all this and find a link between these murders. Don’t get me wrong, it’s terrifying all the same. I had nightmares of being followed for two days straight after reading it and I’m not likely to forget this story anytime soon. But if you’re looking for the next Hercule Poirot, this one’s not for you. There’s no snooping around examining the scene of the crime, questioning suspects and witnesses and collecting evidence – that’s the point: there are no witnesses and there is no evidence. Naysmith is an incredibly clever and thorough guy whose attacks are carefully planned beforehand. He makes sure that there will be no witnesses and he doesn’t leave anything behind, not even a footprint. Which makes this book all the better: you just want to know how the police would find someone who’s as guarded as he is or what would be his downfall.

McNeill keeps you in the dark until the very end and you’ve no idea what’s about to happen. Even thirty or forty pages before the end you just don’t know if it’s ever going to end or if Rob Naysmith is going to get away with it. I loved this book from start to finish and I would definitely recommend it for anyone who likes suspense and mysteries. Eye Contact will keep you on the edge of your seat all along and keep you guessing till the very end. It’s a heart-pounding debut novel you don’t want to miss!(less)

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Nov 16, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime, own

DI Harland is a somewhat unhinged detective, who isn't great at his job, but he is lucky. Basically, the perfect template for Saturday night ITV. In Eye Contact he is trying to track down a serial killer that selects targets at random. The killer, Robert Naysmith, has a back-story that eventually unfolds to (at least partially) explain why he is playing "the game". He is written as quite a likeable character with multiple personalities. DI Graham Harland, however, just bumbles through the case a...more

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May 19, 2013 Nigel rated it 2 of 5 stars

May 18, 2013 Julia Attwood rated it 4 of 5 stars

Apr 28, 2013 Hanna is currently reading it

May 07, 2013 Emily (Em) marked it as scheduled-to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, us2012, police

Mar 11, 2013 Katie marked it as to-read

Mar 03, 2013 Elihu marked it as to-purchase

Feb 14, 2013 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Feb 06, 2013 Diane Read marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Feb 05, 2013 Rosina marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Feb 05, 2013 Ann Kristin marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Jan 08, 2013 Naomi marked it as to-read

Dec 28, 2012 Carrie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Dec 26, 2012 Filipa marked it as wishlist-english · review of another edition

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Nov 13, 2012 Mike Gabor rated it 3 of 5 stars

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Shelves: crime-suspense, british-uk

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Recommended to Pragya by: Vicky

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About Fergus McNeill

Fergus McNeill has been creating computer games since the early eighties, when he started writing interactive fiction titles. Over the following years he became well-known in the industry, both for his own content, and his adaptations of other authors’ material, including working with Terry Pratchett to create the first Discworld game.
Moving from interactive fiction to interactive movie adaptation...more

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Eye Contact (DI Harland #1)

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