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A professor of psychoacoustics is found dead in his office. It appears to be a heart attack, until a second acoustician dies a few days later in similar circumstances.
Meanwhile, there’s an outbreak of mysterious illnesses on a council estate, and outbursts of unexplained violence in a city centre nightclub. Not to mention strange noises coming from the tunnels underneath Liverpool. Can it really be a coincidence that death metal band Total Depravity are back in the city, waging their own form of sonic warfare?
Detective Inspector Darren Swift is convinced there are connections. Still grieving his fiancé’s death and sworn to revenge, he is thrown back into action on the trail of a murderer with a terrifying and undetectable weapon.
But this case cannot be solved using conventional detective work, and D.I. Swift will need to put the rulebook aside and seek the occult expertise of Dr. Helen Hope and her unlikely sidekick, guitarist Mikko Kristensen.
A professor of psychoacoustics is found dead in his office. It appears to be a heart attack, until a second acoustician dies a few days later in similar circumstances.
Meanwhile, there’s an outbreak of mysterious illnesses on a council estate, and outbursts of unexplained violence in a city centre nightclub. Not to mention strange noises coming from the tunnels underneath Liverpool. Can it really be a coincidence that death metal band Total Depravity are back in the city, waging their own form of sonic warfare?
Detective Inspector Darren Swift is convinced there are connections. Still grieving his fiancé’s death and sworn to revenge, he is thrown back into action on the trail of a murderer with a terrifying and undetectable weapon.
But this case cannot be solved using conventional detective work, and D.I. Swift will need to put the rulebook aside and seek the occult expertise of Dr. Helen Hope and her unlikely sidekick, guitarist Mikko Kristensen.
- GenresSupernatural
221 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 3, 2019
7 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 30, 2019
Rating: 3.5 Stars
This is the third book in the Reprobation series and I did not read the first two books prior to reading Sound. I do feel that it is best to read the previous two books in order to fully appreciate this one.
The plot is an interesting one. The crime and supernatural aspects were ones that I enjoyed and I think that the story is well written. If I had read the first two of these books then I think I would have maybe realised that I am a bad fit for this book. The religious aspect is generally something that I do not like in a book and that would have likely put me off. Having said that, the plot is a really interesting one and is well conceived.
I really feel that for the right person, after reading the first two books, this could be a great read but it didn't work for me.
This is the third book in the Reprobation series and I did not read the first two books prior to reading Sound. I do feel that it is best to read the previous two books in order to fully appreciate this one.
The plot is an interesting one. The crime and supernatural aspects were ones that I enjoyed and I think that the story is well written. If I had read the first two of these books then I think I would have maybe realised that I am a bad fit for this book. The religious aspect is generally something that I do not like in a book and that would have likely put me off. Having said that, the plot is a really interesting one and is well conceived.
I really feel that for the right person, after reading the first two books, this could be a great read but it didn't work for me.
November 22, 2020
Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources and Catherine Fearns for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Sound is the third and final book in the Reprobation trilogy. Where Sound is part of a trilogy I do recommend reading book 2 Consuming Fire before reading this one because it'll help you better understand some things. You don't necessarily have to read book 1, Reprobation, to understand the last two books, but I recommend reading it anyways just because it's good.
I really enjoyed the plot of this book. I was, once again, intrigued by how the author was able to weave such an interesting, dark tale. I became so enthralled with Consuming Fire and Sound that I finished them both in under 24 hours. It was a really good end to a really good series.
If you are looking for a dark murder mystery that is far from average I'd recommend giving this one a try. Actually, I just recommend the whole series.
You can find this and all my other reviews at https://fourmoonreviews.blogspot.com
Sound is the third and final book in the Reprobation trilogy. Where Sound is part of a trilogy I do recommend reading book 2 Consuming Fire before reading this one because it'll help you better understand some things. You don't necessarily have to read book 1, Reprobation, to understand the last two books, but I recommend reading it anyways just because it's good.
I really enjoyed the plot of this book. I was, once again, intrigued by how the author was able to weave such an interesting, dark tale. I became so enthralled with Consuming Fire and Sound that I finished them both in under 24 hours. It was a really good end to a really good series.
If you are looking for a dark murder mystery that is far from average I'd recommend giving this one a try. Actually, I just recommend the whole series.
You can find this and all my other reviews at https://fourmoonreviews.blogspot.com
February 5, 2023
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'Sound' by Catherine Fearns.
Read and reviewed for Catherine Fearns, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform and Zooloo's Book Tours.
Publication date 30th July 2019.
This is the third book I have read by this author. It is also the third book in the 'Reprobation' series but can be read as a standalone. I have also read 'Reprobation' and 'Consuming Fire' which is the first book in the series which I would also highly recommend
I was originally drawn to this book by its fantastic eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. I am also a huge fan of Catherine Fearns and if this book is half as good as 'Reprobation' (the first book in this series) and 'Consuming Fire' (the second book in this series) it is guaranteed to be a page turner!!
This novel consists of 42 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to. medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Liverpool and Oxford, England 🏴 , UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited Liverpool several times so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise any places mentioned.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Dr Helen Hope and DI Darren Swift. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
LOVE, LOVE, ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS AMAZING EXPLOSIVE ENDING TO THIS ADDICTIVE SERIES!!! I AM JUST DEVASTATED IT'S COME TO AN END ALTHOUGH MY FINGERS ARE CROSSED THAT CATHERINE WILL WRITE MORE!!
Wow!!! This Book and whole series is fantastically written and had me hook, line and sinker from the first page of 'Reprobation' to the very last word in this book. The descriptions were so in depth and vivid that I could feel the sound waves and hear the music. The hair on my arms was standing on the ends and my heart was pounding throughout. The synopsis, title and cover were perfect for the storyline.
WELL, WELL, WELL, I absolutely LOVED the first and second book in this series 'Redemption' and 'Consuming Fire' and didn't think it could get any better than them so how the heck did you manage to beat those page turner's Catherine!!! I have absolutely loved reading this book and thus whole series has been absolutely unforgettable!! It is definitely one of those storylines filled with characters that will stay with the reader for a very long time!!! This book is an absolutely amazing addition to one of the series I have ever read and makes a fantastic ending (although preferably I don't want it to end at all) with the last pages really making the reader think what actually happened in each of the books!! What an absolutely unique page turner!!! This book is as unique as 'Reprobation and Consuming Fire', just as addictive and even more explosive!!! This book continues with the translations of the memoir/grimoire of the fire demon Adramelech that started in 'Consuming Fire'. Therefore, although you could physically read this book as a standalone I would highly recommend reading this book and the other two in order to make the most of this creepy, supernatural, psychological and explosive series!! I have been absolutely fascinated with these books and have loved reading about mythology, demonology, sound waves, so nice weapons and discovering so much new information!! I was constantly googling the demons mentioned and ended up looking into them more along with looking at images. The second book and this storyline mentions Collins de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal which is a book that lists demons and the first thing I did was add this book onto my wishlist. I just found all the information absolutely intriguing and I am looking forward to discovering more about Adramelech's, his consort Anamelech, more about sonic weapons and how they have been used and just so much more. The main storyline takes the reader on DI Darren Swift, Mikko Kristensen and Helen Hope's investigations into what happened to Professor Robin Nelson and Dr Ian Springer, how sound may be involved, what happens on Halloween, a meeting with ‘The Messiah’, the trial of Andrew Shepherd and so, so much more!! I was absolutely absorbed throughout this page turner. It is filled with tension, suspense, fire, demons, romance, occultism, demonology, music, blackmail and absolutely everything you could ever want in an explosive series!!! One of the most gripping unputdownable nerve wracking psychological thrillers 'I have EVER read and definitely one of the best book series!!! I absolutely loved the gothic aspects and the atmosphere of Liverpool and Oxford is just perfect for this amazing page turner!! You lady have one hell of a talent and I cannot wait to get hold of your previous and future books. The storyline is filled with shocks, suspense, humour, tension and so much more! There was so much going on and it was very fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Catherine's writing style and depth had me so engrossed that when I looked up it took me a moment to realise I was even reading!!
Clear your schedule before you start as I read this in one sitting as I could not put it down!! I was absolutely hooked!! I would absolutely love to see this turned into a movie!!!! This is a fantastic addition in and explosive ending in an absolutely addictive series. I could go on and on writing about this absolute MUST READ but I really should wrap this up soon before it turns into a mega essay!! I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Catherine for all the amazing information. The fact that you have done your research shines through the pages and I cannot wait to do more myself. It is one of my pet hates when an author doesn't do enough research on their book topic which ends up in a book littered in mistakes but you will not have to worry about that in this series!! I loved the multiple narrators and and I just couldn't do 'just one more chapter' and ended up devouring it in a few hours.
Clear your schedules before even looking at the first page as you will not be able to put this book down!!!!
I was completely invested in both the storyline and the characters who I was looking forward to meeting again after the fantastic first book Reprobation. Each of the characters have their own unique personalities and I felt differently about each of them. I absolutely love Sister Helen Hope who is definitely NOT your typical nun. She is also a university teacher teaching Eschatology which absolutely fascinated me. I had to look up quite a lot of words throughout this book but reading on kindle made this easy! I also enjoyed learning so many new things!! I love that Helen has left The Sisters Of Grace and you can see is so much happier now and free to do more of what she wants such as singing while still worshipping in her own way. I was absolutely landed that Mikko Kristensen and his band Total Depravity make a return to Liverpool in this book as I missed them in 'Consuming Fire' . Helen teamed up with guitarist Mikko in 'Reprobation' and talk about chalk and cheese!! Helen was a calvinist nun when they originally met and Mikko is the guitarist in the metal band 'Total Depravity' who swore every other word. The fact that they were complete opposites made their relationship all the more intriguing and watching their characters develop and bond was fascinating for me. They made an absolutely brilliant team, despite of or maybe because of their differences and I was laughing so much at times I had tears running down my face. The other main characters are DI Darren Swift and DC Colette Quinn who also don't have much in common but worked perfectly together. I enjoyed getting to know more about Darren in this book and watching their character development continuing to grow. These characters and more make a fantastic team and I am ABSOLUTELY gutted to have to say goodbye. They really have made a huge impression on me and will stay with me for a very long time. If you've not read any of this series then what are you waiting for? Pick up your copy of 'Reprobation' now and discover some of the most amazing storylines and characters you'll ever meet!!
This book has got to be in my top 5 books of all time and considering I have read hundreds and hundred that is one hell of an achievement!! This series is also in my top 3 so a HUGE WELL DONE Catherine and here's to your next success 🥂
Congratulations Catherine on a true page turner! It is intriguing, gripping, atmospheric, gothic, addictive and everything I could ever ask for in a page turning book and series!!
Overall an absolutely heart racing, gothic, thought provoking, suspense and tension filled addictive and explosive ending in an absolutely must read series!!!
Genres covered in this novel include Urban, Horror Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Mythology, Genetic Engineering Fiction, Occultism, Crime Fiction, Crime Thriller, Thriller, Psychological Fiction, Occult Horror, Psychological Thriller, Supernatural, Gothic Fiction, Horror, British Detective Stories and Urban Fantasy amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as to anyone looking for an unputdownable series that is guaranteed to have you glued to the pages!!
219 pages.
This book is just £2.99 in kindle for the full series (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#Sound #Reprobation #CatherineFearns #ZooLoosBookTours #NorthodoxPress #CreateSpaceIndependentPublishingPlatform #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour #Goodreads #NetGalley #Amazon #AmazonKindle #Bookstagram #Bookblogger #KindleUnlimited
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Review for 'Sound' by Catherine Fearns.
Read and reviewed for Catherine Fearns, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform and Zooloo's Book Tours.
Publication date 30th July 2019.
This is the third book I have read by this author. It is also the third book in the 'Reprobation' series but can be read as a standalone. I have also read 'Reprobation' and 'Consuming Fire' which is the first book in the series which I would also highly recommend
I was originally drawn to this book by its fantastic eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. I am also a huge fan of Catherine Fearns and if this book is half as good as 'Reprobation' (the first book in this series) and 'Consuming Fire' (the second book in this series) it is guaranteed to be a page turner!!
This novel consists of 42 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to. medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Liverpool and Oxford, England 🏴 , UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited Liverpool several times so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise any places mentioned.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Dr Helen Hope and DI Darren Swift. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
LOVE, LOVE, ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS AMAZING EXPLOSIVE ENDING TO THIS ADDICTIVE SERIES!!! I AM JUST DEVASTATED IT'S COME TO AN END ALTHOUGH MY FINGERS ARE CROSSED THAT CATHERINE WILL WRITE MORE!!
Wow!!! This Book and whole series is fantastically written and had me hook, line and sinker from the first page of 'Reprobation' to the very last word in this book. The descriptions were so in depth and vivid that I could feel the sound waves and hear the music. The hair on my arms was standing on the ends and my heart was pounding throughout. The synopsis, title and cover were perfect for the storyline.
WELL, WELL, WELL, I absolutely LOVED the first and second book in this series 'Redemption' and 'Consuming Fire' and didn't think it could get any better than them so how the heck did you manage to beat those page turner's Catherine!!! I have absolutely loved reading this book and thus whole series has been absolutely unforgettable!! It is definitely one of those storylines filled with characters that will stay with the reader for a very long time!!! This book is an absolutely amazing addition to one of the series I have ever read and makes a fantastic ending (although preferably I don't want it to end at all) with the last pages really making the reader think what actually happened in each of the books!! What an absolutely unique page turner!!! This book is as unique as 'Reprobation and Consuming Fire', just as addictive and even more explosive!!! This book continues with the translations of the memoir/grimoire of the fire demon Adramelech that started in 'Consuming Fire'. Therefore, although you could physically read this book as a standalone I would highly recommend reading this book and the other two in order to make the most of this creepy, supernatural, psychological and explosive series!! I have been absolutely fascinated with these books and have loved reading about mythology, demonology, sound waves, so nice weapons and discovering so much new information!! I was constantly googling the demons mentioned and ended up looking into them more along with looking at images. The second book and this storyline mentions Collins de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal which is a book that lists demons and the first thing I did was add this book onto my wishlist. I just found all the information absolutely intriguing and I am looking forward to discovering more about Adramelech's, his consort Anamelech, more about sonic weapons and how they have been used and just so much more. The main storyline takes the reader on DI Darren Swift, Mikko Kristensen and Helen Hope's investigations into what happened to Professor Robin Nelson and Dr Ian Springer, how sound may be involved, what happens on Halloween, a meeting with ‘The Messiah’, the trial of Andrew Shepherd and so, so much more!! I was absolutely absorbed throughout this page turner. It is filled with tension, suspense, fire, demons, romance, occultism, demonology, music, blackmail and absolutely everything you could ever want in an explosive series!!! One of the most gripping unputdownable nerve wracking psychological thrillers 'I have EVER read and definitely one of the best book series!!! I absolutely loved the gothic aspects and the atmosphere of Liverpool and Oxford is just perfect for this amazing page turner!! You lady have one hell of a talent and I cannot wait to get hold of your previous and future books. The storyline is filled with shocks, suspense, humour, tension and so much more! There was so much going on and it was very fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Catherine's writing style and depth had me so engrossed that when I looked up it took me a moment to realise I was even reading!!
Clear your schedule before you start as I read this in one sitting as I could not put it down!! I was absolutely hooked!! I would absolutely love to see this turned into a movie!!!! This is a fantastic addition in and explosive ending in an absolutely addictive series. I could go on and on writing about this absolute MUST READ but I really should wrap this up soon before it turns into a mega essay!! I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Catherine for all the amazing information. The fact that you have done your research shines through the pages and I cannot wait to do more myself. It is one of my pet hates when an author doesn't do enough research on their book topic which ends up in a book littered in mistakes but you will not have to worry about that in this series!! I loved the multiple narrators and and I just couldn't do 'just one more chapter' and ended up devouring it in a few hours.
Clear your schedules before even looking at the first page as you will not be able to put this book down!!!!
I was completely invested in both the storyline and the characters who I was looking forward to meeting again after the fantastic first book Reprobation. Each of the characters have their own unique personalities and I felt differently about each of them. I absolutely love Sister Helen Hope who is definitely NOT your typical nun. She is also a university teacher teaching Eschatology which absolutely fascinated me. I had to look up quite a lot of words throughout this book but reading on kindle made this easy! I also enjoyed learning so many new things!! I love that Helen has left The Sisters Of Grace and you can see is so much happier now and free to do more of what she wants such as singing while still worshipping in her own way. I was absolutely landed that Mikko Kristensen and his band Total Depravity make a return to Liverpool in this book as I missed them in 'Consuming Fire' . Helen teamed up with guitarist Mikko in 'Reprobation' and talk about chalk and cheese!! Helen was a calvinist nun when they originally met and Mikko is the guitarist in the metal band 'Total Depravity' who swore every other word. The fact that they were complete opposites made their relationship all the more intriguing and watching their characters develop and bond was fascinating for me. They made an absolutely brilliant team, despite of or maybe because of their differences and I was laughing so much at times I had tears running down my face. The other main characters are DI Darren Swift and DC Colette Quinn who also don't have much in common but worked perfectly together. I enjoyed getting to know more about Darren in this book and watching their character development continuing to grow. These characters and more make a fantastic team and I am ABSOLUTELY gutted to have to say goodbye. They really have made a huge impression on me and will stay with me for a very long time. If you've not read any of this series then what are you waiting for? Pick up your copy of 'Reprobation' now and discover some of the most amazing storylines and characters you'll ever meet!!
This book has got to be in my top 5 books of all time and considering I have read hundreds and hundred that is one hell of an achievement!! This series is also in my top 3 so a HUGE WELL DONE Catherine and here's to your next success 🥂
Congratulations Catherine on a true page turner! It is intriguing, gripping, atmospheric, gothic, addictive and everything I could ever ask for in a page turning book and series!!
Overall an absolutely heart racing, gothic, thought provoking, suspense and tension filled addictive and explosive ending in an absolutely must read series!!!
Genres covered in this novel include Urban, Horror Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Mythology, Genetic Engineering Fiction, Occultism, Crime Fiction, Crime Thriller, Thriller, Psychological Fiction, Occult Horror, Psychological Thriller, Supernatural, Gothic Fiction, Horror, British Detective Stories and Urban Fantasy amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as to anyone looking for an unputdownable series that is guaranteed to have you glued to the pages!!
219 pages.
This book is just £2.99 in kindle for the full series (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#Sound #Reprobation #CatherineFearns #ZooLoosBookTours #NorthodoxPress #CreateSpaceIndependentPublishingPlatform #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour #Goodreads #NetGalley #Amazon #AmazonKindle #Bookstagram #Bookblogger #KindleUnlimited
@Sound @Reprobation @CatherineFearns @ZooLoosBT @ZooloosBookTours @NorthodoxPress @CreateSpaceIndependentPublishingPlatform @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 @Goodreads @Amazon @AmazonKindle @Bookstagram @BookBlogger @KindleUnlimited
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September 30, 2019
This is #3 in the Reprobation series by Catherine Fearns. It can be read as a stand-alone. But I am a fan and have read the previous books, so may be a little biased.
This begins with a Professor, who has synesthesia, so sees sounds as colours and has found a new frequency being transmitted. He has been warned off and then he dies in an unusual way. He was troubled by something and had arranged to send information to the police.
DI Darren Swift is still grieving the death of his fiancé, Matt during events in the previous book, but is at work and needing something to investigate again. With his colleague, DC Colette Quinn they are looking into this case while awaiting the start of a big trial. Again they are joined by Helen Hope, the ex-nun and now partner to guitarist Mike to uncover the mystery.
They find the USB left for them by the professor and find the word Napier…is this relating to the Napier Estate. What is causing the illnesses on the estate?
And so the story begins…..there are weapons of sound, death metal bands, the mysterious Adramelech and books with human skin bindings, religion, more murder and even a peacock!.
Just what is Shawn Forrest up to ? And are Justine and her baby in more danger?
Creepy, gripping and totally entertaining from start to the rather menacing end. Brilliant….I’m already waiting for Book #4.
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
This begins with a Professor, who has synesthesia, so sees sounds as colours and has found a new frequency being transmitted. He has been warned off and then he dies in an unusual way. He was troubled by something and had arranged to send information to the police.
DI Darren Swift is still grieving the death of his fiancé, Matt during events in the previous book, but is at work and needing something to investigate again. With his colleague, DC Colette Quinn they are looking into this case while awaiting the start of a big trial. Again they are joined by Helen Hope, the ex-nun and now partner to guitarist Mike to uncover the mystery.
They find the USB left for them by the professor and find the word Napier…is this relating to the Napier Estate. What is causing the illnesses on the estate?
And so the story begins…..there are weapons of sound, death metal bands, the mysterious Adramelech and books with human skin bindings, religion, more murder and even a peacock!.
Just what is Shawn Forrest up to ? And are Justine and her baby in more danger?
Creepy, gripping and totally entertaining from start to the rather menacing end. Brilliant….I’m already waiting for Book #4.
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
August 14, 2020
Not only is this a terrifyingly awesome read, but I learnt lots about psychoacoustics and i-dosing (Fearns also had me looking up the existence of a brown note). This is the third novel featuring DI Swift and is set in Liverpool against the backdrop of an impending trial, but where there are unexplained illnesses occurring on a local housing estate. This book reads perfectly as a stand-alone as any reference to past events is succinctly explained. This was a gruesome read at times and the description of the crowd waiting for The Messiah at a secret Vox Inferi gig filled me with chills along with the image of the grimoire (spellbook). There is lots of lovely, detailed description in the whistle-stop tour of Oxford plus romance in the form of the unlikely relationship between ex-nun Helen and Mikko, a guitarist from a Norwegian death metal band. There’s lots of humour too; with Craig the enthusiastic assistant at Mersey Acoustics and the scene with Anders putting on his make-up for the Vox Inferi concert. Who would have thought The Messiah wouldn’t allow alcohol in his forest! The story has a great twisted ending which did not disappoint. I will never again look at mesmerising starlings or bats in the same light.
October 2, 2019
This was a Murder mystery, pure and simple, at its core. The author Catherine Fearns has chosen a unique weapon, THE SOUND. It was so fascinating to read the way the author had used one of the senses to kill the victims with her writing.
The air in the city was hanging, a SOUND was plaguing the minds of the people. For some like the professors, it caused death unknown and with head splattered. In a certain part of town people were falling sick. Addiction was seen in clubs to SOUND. The professor had recorded a sound which seemed like it was being played backward. I remembered the rumors surrounding Hotel California by The Eagles, which was said to be the song for calling Satan.
DI Darren Swift was the lead investigator. The old team was back, for me, they were all new. I loved the camaraderie between the lead of the metal band Mikko Kristensen and the former nun turned occult specialist Dr. Helen Hope. The race to get to the murderer was ticking away like a sound bomb.
My first book by this author, and I was blown away by the uniqueness of the writing. The characters were someone I would have never put together but they melded beautifully. The author made them work. There was a genuine caring between them. Having not read the previous two books, I liked that the characters welcomed me, I didn't feel alienated.
Darren was interesting, he had lost his fiancé, yet pulled himself together to investigate. Hope and Mikko did their bits to help him get to the murderer.
I knew about ultrasound waves used in medicine, it was fun to read about sound being used as a weapon to kill. There had been studies going on decades ago that sound waves caused unknown nose bleeds. So I liked how the author went a step further and created an aura of darkness where SOUND was the only thing striking the people. Absolute enthralling!!
The air in the city was hanging, a SOUND was plaguing the minds of the people. For some like the professors, it caused death unknown and with head splattered. In a certain part of town people were falling sick. Addiction was seen in clubs to SOUND. The professor had recorded a sound which seemed like it was being played backward. I remembered the rumors surrounding Hotel California by The Eagles, which was said to be the song for calling Satan.
DI Darren Swift was the lead investigator. The old team was back, for me, they were all new. I loved the camaraderie between the lead of the metal band Mikko Kristensen and the former nun turned occult specialist Dr. Helen Hope. The race to get to the murderer was ticking away like a sound bomb.
My first book by this author, and I was blown away by the uniqueness of the writing. The characters were someone I would have never put together but they melded beautifully. The author made them work. There was a genuine caring between them. Having not read the previous two books, I liked that the characters welcomed me, I didn't feel alienated.
Darren was interesting, he had lost his fiancé, yet pulled himself together to investigate. Hope and Mikko did their bits to help him get to the murderer.
I knew about ultrasound waves used in medicine, it was fun to read about sound being used as a weapon to kill. There had been studies going on decades ago that sound waves caused unknown nose bleeds. So I liked how the author went a step further and created an aura of darkness where SOUND was the only thing striking the people. Absolute enthralling!!
February 23, 2020
Fact or fiction
This is the third book in this short series and the best as far as I'm concerned , as it answers most of my questions it's one of those books you don't want to put down as you really need to know what's going to happen next as it's only three books it would be brilliant to take on holiday then you could digest all three one after another .The author must have put in a lot of research as a lot of references are true, Calvinism is a Christian practice set down by John Calvin, and Psychoacoustics is the study of sound perception and audiology .It would be good if someone with the time and know-how could go through the story and find out what was fact and fiction ,or is it all fact . Now that would be another story
This is the third book in this short series and the best as far as I'm concerned , as it answers most of my questions it's one of those books you don't want to put down as you really need to know what's going to happen next as it's only three books it would be brilliant to take on holiday then you could digest all three one after another .The author must have put in a lot of research as a lot of references are true, Calvinism is a Christian practice set down by John Calvin, and Psychoacoustics is the study of sound perception and audiology .It would be good if someone with the time and know-how could go through the story and find out what was fact and fiction ,or is it all fact . Now that would be another story
August 23, 2019
Sound is the third book in the reprobation series each tying together a criminal investigation in Liverpool with some more esoteric effects linked to magic or religion. These books are an extremely metal read, they link religion, music, magic, demons and crime seamlessly. They have characters that develop throughout the series and that you end up caring deeply about. The plots all intertwine so they are best read in order but I would advise reading them all anyway as they are a real treat of a book. Catherine fearns is one to watch :)
January 28, 2023
This story begins three months after book two where Matt was tragically lost and Darren now holds Shawn Forrest responsible, determined to bring him to account as the shadow of Adramelech still looms large. Pyschoacoustician Professor Robin Neilson has a condition called synaesthesia where he sees all noise as colours and shapes but is he getting paranoid or is this new humming a sign of something sinister coming to the city of Liverpool where doctors are seeing unusually high levels of sickness? Was it a sound that caused him to have a heart attack whilst trying to hide in the safety of his soundproofed room at the university? When DI Darren Swift and DC Colette Quinn attend the scene of his death, they spot an envelope containing a usb stick addressed to the police and immediately Darren is thinking there is more to this death than meets the eye. The memory stick contains a sound clip, a dreadful cacophony of noise which Darren plays to Total Depravity lead singer Mikko Kristensen who is back in Liverpool to give evidence at the Shepherd trial spawned by book one in this series. He wonders if Mikko will recognise some sort of heavy metal music in it but the truth is stranger – backwards recordings containing subliminal messages talking about Napier, the council estate where everyone is getting ill. The official line there is methane gas and an anonymous benefactor has offered to rehouse all five hundred households but it stinks of council corruption and no one does something for nothing, right? Darren visits Dr Helen Hope who is staying with Mikko while he records his new album, and learns about a band called Vox Inferi fronted by The Messiah, a man in the north of England who runs a satanic cult and who is obsessed with sound and its power. A man who makes Mikko look like Madonna. Then a colleague of Neilson who had worked on sonic weaponry and had been spotted arguing with him is also found dead. To the police it looks like a shooting but Darren is dubious and the post mortem bears out his theory. What had the two men been involved in? Once again Darren, Mikko and Helen team up to investigate the rational and the irrational. Some people, including the Deaconess Margaret at Helen’s old convent are saying these strange noises being heard all over the city are the sound of the apocalypse coming – and they might just be right. Is the end nigh?
Helen, Darren and his team of detectives are all great characters but my favourite has to be Mikko, a man who hides his intelligence and shyness under a mask of make-up and death metal music. All three books in this series provide plenty of food for thought and display the huge extent of research that has gone into each one, and due to the continuing storylines I would recommend reading them in order. I am definitely looking forward to book four which is due out soon. 5*
Helen, Darren and his team of detectives are all great characters but my favourite has to be Mikko, a man who hides his intelligence and shyness under a mask of make-up and death metal music. All three books in this series provide plenty of food for thought and display the huge extent of research that has gone into each one, and due to the continuing storylines I would recommend reading them in order. I am definitely looking forward to book four which is due out soon. 5*
November 18, 2020
This was definitely the most complex of the three novels in the series. While continuing from where Consuming Fire left off, this book also included a new investigation and the trials from the first book. It did feel pretty busy at times, but it didn't feel overwhelming to me.
Mikko comes back to help Helen and Darren investigate the most recent deaths happening in Liverpool. This time, we also get to see more of the band, which I really liked. It actually felt like more characters from previous books were focused on even the slightest bit more. I think this really helped to connect to more of them. New characters, such as The Messiah, are also introduced.
The identify of one person was revealed in the previous book, but for a large chunk of this one, I thought I'd misunderstood the scene. It wasn't until the very end that I realized exactly what was happening with them. Even without this, there were several twists in the book that were shocking.
Probably one of my favorite parts of the entire book were the connections and references to the religious aspects and Elizabeth, Shepard's baby. I thought this was a really cool detail, and I'm glad I noticed it.
Some of the characters introduced were rarely, if ever, mentioned again, which was a little confusing. Otherwise, I really liked this installment. Honestly, it was probably my favorite of the three books. The epilogue did hurt a bit, but I also support it. If Catherine writes another book in this series, I'll definitely be grabbing it when it releases, along with any other book she releases most likely.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Catherine Fearns and Rachel's Random Resources. This did not influence my opinion in any way.
Mikko comes back to help Helen and Darren investigate the most recent deaths happening in Liverpool. This time, we also get to see more of the band, which I really liked. It actually felt like more characters from previous books were focused on even the slightest bit more. I think this really helped to connect to more of them. New characters, such as The Messiah, are also introduced.
The identify of one person was revealed in the previous book, but for a large chunk of this one, I thought I'd misunderstood the scene. It wasn't until the very end that I realized exactly what was happening with them. Even without this, there were several twists in the book that were shocking.
Probably one of my favorite parts of the entire book were the connections and references to the religious aspects and Elizabeth, Shepard's baby. I thought this was a really cool detail, and I'm glad I noticed it.
Some of the characters introduced were rarely, if ever, mentioned again, which was a little confusing. Otherwise, I really liked this installment. Honestly, it was probably my favorite of the three books. The epilogue did hurt a bit, but I also support it. If Catherine writes another book in this series, I'll definitely be grabbing it when it releases, along with any other book she releases most likely.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Catherine Fearns and Rachel's Random Resources. This did not influence my opinion in any way.
November 18, 2020
Wow! Despite the fact that in my opinion two of the books were stronger, the best trilogy I've read for some time.
Each featuring a different crime, its fair to say each of the three books could be read as a standalone novel (at a push) but, their plots loosely intertwining, you really don't want to miss a moment of the journey these amazing characters find themselves on; books that really should be read from the beginning.
iven that the author does characters with a difference so well, I shouldn't really have been surprised that Sound features a professor in psychoacoustics (who it just so happens has synesthesi) who on discovering a new frequency is being transmitted dies a somewhat horrible death.
Could it be that this in any way connects the unexplained illnesses that are felling the residents of the Napier housing estate, the eerie sounds being heard beneath the tunnels of Liverpool and the masses who, zombie like, feel compelled to head towards the city's nightclubs? And could it be that criminal-turned-businessman-turned-all round good guy, Shawn Forrest, is behind it all?
Like the other books in the series featuring criminality, religion, mythology, psychology and the occult, we see the team; Helen Mikko (yay!) and Matt back together again, only this time Total Depravity aren't the most, hmm, depraved metal band to feature ...
Meet Vox Inferi, a black metal band who, headed by The Messiah, only performs live in locations that are kept secret to all but a few of their fans.
With the reading of every sentence and the turning of every page books I came closer to finishing; its hardly any wonder that at the same time I wanted to keep reading them I didn't want to read at all.
Copyright ... Felicity Grace Terry @ Pen and Paper
Disclaimer ... With thanks to Rachel for organising the tour but most of all with thanks to Catherine Fearnes herself for such great a great trilogy, I only hope that with Sound we never hear of Helen, Mikko and Matt again, no financial compensation was asked for nor given
Each featuring a different crime, its fair to say each of the three books could be read as a standalone novel (at a push) but, their plots loosely intertwining, you really don't want to miss a moment of the journey these amazing characters find themselves on; books that really should be read from the beginning.
iven that the author does characters with a difference so well, I shouldn't really have been surprised that Sound features a professor in psychoacoustics (who it just so happens has synesthesi) who on discovering a new frequency is being transmitted dies a somewhat horrible death.
Could it be that this in any way connects the unexplained illnesses that are felling the residents of the Napier housing estate, the eerie sounds being heard beneath the tunnels of Liverpool and the masses who, zombie like, feel compelled to head towards the city's nightclubs? And could it be that criminal-turned-businessman-turned-all round good guy, Shawn Forrest, is behind it all?
Like the other books in the series featuring criminality, religion, mythology, psychology and the occult, we see the team; Helen Mikko (yay!) and Matt back together again, only this time Total Depravity aren't the most, hmm, depraved metal band to feature ...
Meet Vox Inferi, a black metal band who, headed by The Messiah, only performs live in locations that are kept secret to all but a few of their fans.
With the reading of every sentence and the turning of every page books I came closer to finishing; its hardly any wonder that at the same time I wanted to keep reading them I didn't want to read at all.
Copyright ... Felicity Grace Terry @ Pen and Paper
Disclaimer ... With thanks to Rachel for organising the tour but most of all with thanks to Catherine Fearnes herself for such great a great trilogy, I only hope that with Sound we never hear of Helen, Mikko and Matt again, no financial compensation was asked for nor given
February 3, 2023
This book picks up so seamlessly from where book two in the series ends that I felt like I was still reading the same book. This book did something that isn't always easy which is provide a fresh storyline whilst also having the storylines from previous books running in the background but still ever present. It is something that I haven't seen in many books but it worked really well in this one.
It is of course well written with a compelling and original storyline that left me breathless at times. The characters are well developed and I have come to really care about them as the series has unfolded.
I loved it and I cannot wait to read more by this author.
It is of course well written with a compelling and original storyline that left me breathless at times. The characters are well developed and I have come to really care about them as the series has unfolded.
I loved it and I cannot wait to read more by this author.
March 23, 2020
Awesome!
A great bunch of eccentric characters wrapped up in a psychological thriller. Darren and Helen make a great team and I hope they have many more cases to work on together. As a matter of fact, I'm ready for book 4 now!
A great bunch of eccentric characters wrapped up in a psychological thriller. Darren and Helen make a great team and I hope they have many more cases to work on together. As a matter of fact, I'm ready for book 4 now!
November 21, 2020
Sounds picks up after the explosive events of Consuming Fire. A professor who researched sound is found dead and shortly after another dead body is found. The professor leaves behind a USB containing a very strange sounds leads DI Darren Swift to the Napier Council Estate where the residents have befallen a mysterious illness. Next up is a violent disorder at a nightclub and some very strange sounds coming from the tunnels of Liverpool. These sounds seems to be having a strange and profound impact on the residents of Liverpool. Is Liverpool haunted? Can sound really kill a person?
Familiar characters are back including Dr Helen Hope, Mikko Kristensen and members of the criminal underworld and their family members. It was nice to see Mikko back especially as he wasn’t featured in the last book.
The storyline in Sound is something I’ve never read before. Unique and fascinating. In addition the storylines from Reprobation and Consuming Fire continue to run like a thread in the background and perfectly tie in with the storyline in Sound.
It’s important to say that these aren’t really stand alone books and will need to be read in order as the storyline from the first book continues throughout the series as do the characters. On the whole as far as trilogies go this has become one of my new favourites. It’ll be one I’ll revisit and recommend to a few friends who I know will enjoy this genre.
Sound is the perfect ending to a truly original, creative and outstanding trilogy.
I received a gifted copy of this book for an honest review.
Familiar characters are back including Dr Helen Hope, Mikko Kristensen and members of the criminal underworld and their family members. It was nice to see Mikko back especially as he wasn’t featured in the last book.
The storyline in Sound is something I’ve never read before. Unique and fascinating. In addition the storylines from Reprobation and Consuming Fire continue to run like a thread in the background and perfectly tie in with the storyline in Sound.
It’s important to say that these aren’t really stand alone books and will need to be read in order as the storyline from the first book continues throughout the series as do the characters. On the whole as far as trilogies go this has become one of my new favourites. It’ll be one I’ll revisit and recommend to a few friends who I know will enjoy this genre.
Sound is the perfect ending to a truly original, creative and outstanding trilogy.
I received a gifted copy of this book for an honest review.
November 20, 2020
3.5- This is the final book in a trilogy and I have been lucky enough to read all three. I enjoyed the first two and equally enjoyed this one!
We still had the familiar characters of Dr Helen Hope the nun and the detective Darren Swift, and also the other members of the police force. We are also introduced to some new characters who this plot centres around.
I loved that this book brought things together and thought the plot was very well written as it was in the earlier two books.
This one is based around a mysterious illness on a counsel estate, strange going’s on in nightclubs and eerie sounds coming from the tunnels underneath the city. As with the other books there are religious and scientific aspects that are central to the plot, but despite not being much into either, this did not cause a problem for me. There was also a bit of a supernatural element to this one. I actually learned a lot from this book that I didn’t have a clue about before!
I think this book like the others was very well written with a very detailed plot which is full of twists and turns and definitely not a slow burn. Would recommend for any mystery or thriller lovers!
We still had the familiar characters of Dr Helen Hope the nun and the detective Darren Swift, and also the other members of the police force. We are also introduced to some new characters who this plot centres around.
I loved that this book brought things together and thought the plot was very well written as it was in the earlier two books.
This one is based around a mysterious illness on a counsel estate, strange going’s on in nightclubs and eerie sounds coming from the tunnels underneath the city. As with the other books there are religious and scientific aspects that are central to the plot, but despite not being much into either, this did not cause a problem for me. There was also a bit of a supernatural element to this one. I actually learned a lot from this book that I didn’t have a clue about before!
I think this book like the others was very well written with a very detailed plot which is full of twists and turns and definitely not a slow burn. Would recommend for any mystery or thriller lovers!
October 9, 2019
*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources blog tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
There’s something strange in the air in Liverpool.
People are falling mysteriously sick on the Napier housing estate, with no obvious cause. People are packing out Lumina nightclub and yet there’s something very wrong when they dance. It is all bothering D.I. Darren Swift, who finds himself permanently on edge and uneasy, whilst also trying to deal with the loss of his fiancé and his conviction that criminal-turned-businessman, Shawn Forrest, is to blame. These real but vaguely-defined troubles fade into background noise however, as two cases take centre stage in the detective’s life: the court case for a series of murders that culminated in the kidnapping of his now-friend Dr Helen Hope; and the strange and unexplained deaths of local acoustic experts.
This book is the third in the Reprobation series (following Reprobation and Consuming Fire) and there are lots of references and connections to plots and characters from the previous books. That said, I do think this can be read as a standalone too, as I had not read books 1 and 2, yet still managed to easily pick up what I needed to know as this plot played out.
Catherine Fearns expertly balances the tone of the book between paranormal or occult horror and mundanely-explainable police mystery, to create a sinister murder story with many clever layers to it. The reader can almost choose the explanation that most suits them, as the author weaves between the fantastical and plausible, leaving her options open.
Obviously the main theme here is ‘sound’ and the book is infused with it. Noises, sounds and auditory events sing, hum and screech on every page. I found myself fascinated by the concepts presented and hyper-aware of all of the background noises of my own urban life that I normally tune out automatically: traffic hum, passing planes, squabbling gulls, a distant alarm, washing machine, television and the neighbour’s dog barking. I became unnervingly conscious of the persistence of such input and how very terrifying it would be if that was turned against us, by nature (synaesthesia) or by design.
Sounds is a well-written, gripping police-procedural mystery with engaging characters and a creepy sub-story. Definitely a series to watch for occult crime fans!
On the Napier housing estate, there is a sense of intangible yet profound unease. There has been for weeks, perhaps months. There’s a bad vibe here. Even the least paranoid amongst the residents can no longer deny it, can no longer avoid the possibility that they are going mad. There’s something in the air, or the water, or the ground. Too many people are sick, the doctor’s surgery can’t cope with the array of illnesses, it doesn’t make sense. People avoid silence, because the silence is not a real silence. There’s a hum, an almost – almost – imperceptible ringing in their ears, like tinnitus. It’s definitely he mobile phone mast that overlooks the estate. Or it’s definitely the nearby windfarm, that white noise that carries across the waves. Or it’s the train from that new underground station nearby making the earth vibrate. Or there’s poison in the ground, chemicals in the water, coal dust in the air. As paranoia sets in, the possibilities are endless.
– Catherine Fearns, Sound
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
There’s something strange in the air in Liverpool.
People are falling mysteriously sick on the Napier housing estate, with no obvious cause. People are packing out Lumina nightclub and yet there’s something very wrong when they dance. It is all bothering D.I. Darren Swift, who finds himself permanently on edge and uneasy, whilst also trying to deal with the loss of his fiancé and his conviction that criminal-turned-businessman, Shawn Forrest, is to blame. These real but vaguely-defined troubles fade into background noise however, as two cases take centre stage in the detective’s life: the court case for a series of murders that culminated in the kidnapping of his now-friend Dr Helen Hope; and the strange and unexplained deaths of local acoustic experts.
This book is the third in the Reprobation series (following Reprobation and Consuming Fire) and there are lots of references and connections to plots and characters from the previous books. That said, I do think this can be read as a standalone too, as I had not read books 1 and 2, yet still managed to easily pick up what I needed to know as this plot played out.
Catherine Fearns expertly balances the tone of the book between paranormal or occult horror and mundanely-explainable police mystery, to create a sinister murder story with many clever layers to it. The reader can almost choose the explanation that most suits them, as the author weaves between the fantastical and plausible, leaving her options open.
Obviously the main theme here is ‘sound’ and the book is infused with it. Noises, sounds and auditory events sing, hum and screech on every page. I found myself fascinated by the concepts presented and hyper-aware of all of the background noises of my own urban life that I normally tune out automatically: traffic hum, passing planes, squabbling gulls, a distant alarm, washing machine, television and the neighbour’s dog barking. I became unnervingly conscious of the persistence of such input and how very terrifying it would be if that was turned against us, by nature (synaesthesia) or by design.
Sounds is a well-written, gripping police-procedural mystery with engaging characters and a creepy sub-story. Definitely a series to watch for occult crime fans!
On the Napier housing estate, there is a sense of intangible yet profound unease. There has been for weeks, perhaps months. There’s a bad vibe here. Even the least paranoid amongst the residents can no longer deny it, can no longer avoid the possibility that they are going mad. There’s something in the air, or the water, or the ground. Too many people are sick, the doctor’s surgery can’t cope with the array of illnesses, it doesn’t make sense. People avoid silence, because the silence is not a real silence. There’s a hum, an almost – almost – imperceptible ringing in their ears, like tinnitus. It’s definitely he mobile phone mast that overlooks the estate. Or it’s definitely the nearby windfarm, that white noise that carries across the waves. Or it’s the train from that new underground station nearby making the earth vibrate. Or there’s poison in the ground, chemicals in the water, coal dust in the air. As paranoia sets in, the possibilities are endless.
– Catherine Fearns, Sound
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
July 29, 2023
Review
Mikko is back! But in all seriousness Sound is the third novel by Catherine Fearns and I have to say I think it is my favourite so far. At the start of Sound I was a little confused it starts with a professor of psychoacoustics found dead in his office of an apparent heart attack. Nothing too bad there. Until another acoustician dies in similar circumstances. In what does appear to be unrelated there is an outbreak of mysterious illnesses on a council estate, outbursts of violence in a city centre nightclub and strange noises coming from the tunnels underneath Liverpool. And guess whose back in town? Total Depravity the death metal band. Detective Inspector Darren Swift is convinced there is a connection. Despite still being grieving from his fiancé’s death and the revenge he seeks, he is thrown back into action. Soon Swift releases that conventional detective work will not be enough so Swift needs to throw out the rulebook and seek the occult expertise of Dr Helen Hope and Mikko Kristensen.
Once again Fearns delivers a character driven story with depth, grit and a lot of enjoyment. I want to say I enjoyed the banter between Swift, Helen, Mikko and the other members of Total Depravity in this one. Of course I loved the supernatural and crime aspects as well but it was this that really stuck out to me. It was so interesting to see how each of the trio brought their own expertise as well to the table and helped solve the case.
The story itself is fast paced, well researched and kept me hooked throughout. I honestly wasn’t sure what the outcome would be. The writing once again is easy to follow but beautiful and I enjoyed once again the inclusion of religion, science and supernatural. Fearns does not disappoint with her research and turning that research into something engaging, gripping but most of all believable. I would definitely recommend to fans of horror, supernatural thrillers or crime thrillers and if like me you are a fan of all three this is one you won’t want to miss.
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#BookReview #Sound #CatherineFearns #ZooLooBookTours #Ad #SupernaturalThriller #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #BookHoader #FantasticRead #BookDragon #BookShark #BookReader #Bookstagram #BookNerd #BookReader #BookLover #BooksBooksBooks #BookAddict #Book
Mikko is back! But in all seriousness Sound is the third novel by Catherine Fearns and I have to say I think it is my favourite so far. At the start of Sound I was a little confused it starts with a professor of psychoacoustics found dead in his office of an apparent heart attack. Nothing too bad there. Until another acoustician dies in similar circumstances. In what does appear to be unrelated there is an outbreak of mysterious illnesses on a council estate, outbursts of violence in a city centre nightclub and strange noises coming from the tunnels underneath Liverpool. And guess whose back in town? Total Depravity the death metal band. Detective Inspector Darren Swift is convinced there is a connection. Despite still being grieving from his fiancé’s death and the revenge he seeks, he is thrown back into action. Soon Swift releases that conventional detective work will not be enough so Swift needs to throw out the rulebook and seek the occult expertise of Dr Helen Hope and Mikko Kristensen.
Once again Fearns delivers a character driven story with depth, grit and a lot of enjoyment. I want to say I enjoyed the banter between Swift, Helen, Mikko and the other members of Total Depravity in this one. Of course I loved the supernatural and crime aspects as well but it was this that really stuck out to me. It was so interesting to see how each of the trio brought their own expertise as well to the table and helped solve the case.
The story itself is fast paced, well researched and kept me hooked throughout. I honestly wasn’t sure what the outcome would be. The writing once again is easy to follow but beautiful and I enjoyed once again the inclusion of religion, science and supernatural. Fearns does not disappoint with her research and turning that research into something engaging, gripping but most of all believable. I would definitely recommend to fans of horror, supernatural thrillers or crime thrillers and if like me you are a fan of all three this is one you won’t want to miss.
Hashtags
#BookReview #Sound #CatherineFearns #ZooLooBookTours #Ad #SupernaturalThriller #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #BookHoader #FantasticRead #BookDragon #BookShark #BookReader #Bookstagram #BookNerd #BookReader #BookLover #BooksBooksBooks #BookAddict #Book
November 7, 2019
https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/2019...
You may have noticed that the other two reviews were already on GoodReads but not this one, it’s being written here first. Wooo, celebrate.
This continues much where we left off with Darren. He’s been on leave after the crushing ending to ‘Consuming Fire’ and the events that seem too weird to be true continue to happen.
However this has nothing more to do with fire and everything to do with sound.
There’s a new case, two murders both staff, lecturers/experts in acoustics, one in psychoacoustics and also has synesthesia.
[I will say it was so interesting to have a character with synesthesia, it’s something we talked about a bit in Uni as part of the music program but I only knew of one person who had it, so that already caught my interest.]
The excitement I had in knowing Mikko was back was like a kid on Christmas, he is my favorite but also I love the chemistry between Mikko and Helen. This also means the band was back too, and it’s great.
The tension building from the last two books is palpable, it was coming off the page and making me sit hunched over in earnest as I read.
There’s another metal band, though, different sub-genre than our lovable gang, and they were such a cool part of the book, their concert definitely left me with some atmospheric chills.
There was a twist that I DID NOT see coming and I was SHOOK by it haha, like I can’t believe it happened, it was intricately weaved in from book one and I still had no inkling it was going to happen.
Forest was in this again and as horrible as he was, I was happy and satisfied with his ending but I’ll keep the spoilers to myself. This also has left a lot of questions though at the end of this book, wondering what will happen to my favorite trio next. Helen and Mikko especially, as I will go down with that ship.
Darren seems to be engaging in something that could prove to be a crazy awesome thread to continue on.
Another success by Fearns, and possibly my favorite of the three! Thank you to Fearns for providing me a copy of the book, and in exchange I’ve given my honest review.
You may have noticed that the other two reviews were already on GoodReads but not this one, it’s being written here first. Wooo, celebrate.
This continues much where we left off with Darren. He’s been on leave after the crushing ending to ‘Consuming Fire’ and the events that seem too weird to be true continue to happen.
However this has nothing more to do with fire and everything to do with sound.
There’s a new case, two murders both staff, lecturers/experts in acoustics, one in psychoacoustics and also has synesthesia.
[I will say it was so interesting to have a character with synesthesia, it’s something we talked about a bit in Uni as part of the music program but I only knew of one person who had it, so that already caught my interest.]
The excitement I had in knowing Mikko was back was like a kid on Christmas, he is my favorite but also I love the chemistry between Mikko and Helen. This also means the band was back too, and it’s great.
The tension building from the last two books is palpable, it was coming off the page and making me sit hunched over in earnest as I read.
There’s another metal band, though, different sub-genre than our lovable gang, and they were such a cool part of the book, their concert definitely left me with some atmospheric chills.
There was a twist that I DID NOT see coming and I was SHOOK by it haha, like I can’t believe it happened, it was intricately weaved in from book one and I still had no inkling it was going to happen.
Forest was in this again and as horrible as he was, I was happy and satisfied with his ending but I’ll keep the spoilers to myself. This also has left a lot of questions though at the end of this book, wondering what will happen to my favorite trio next. Helen and Mikko especially, as I will go down with that ship.
Darren seems to be engaging in something that could prove to be a crazy awesome thread to continue on.
Another success by Fearns, and possibly my favorite of the three! Thank you to Fearns for providing me a copy of the book, and in exchange I’ve given my honest review.
October 18, 2019
So much to love here. Chapter one starts off with a bang, so to speak, and the enthralling story really doesn't let up from there. All our old friends from books one and two are back in full force, with a more ever-interwoven story than before. With the two previous installments under her (denim and leather, skull-studded) belt, Sound reads with Fearns' most polished writing to date. Fast-paced, yet still pondering and profound, I recommend picking up this unique Indie series.
Theme wise, Sound is the most physical, material, and corporeal of the series. The subtle yet unmistaken impact of sound on the human body and its psyche is the unseen protagonist/villain lurking around every corner. Some exploit it to do great harm, but others use it to further fulfill their lives.
Not to be overlooked Fearns' clearly does her homework before writing her books, and on a variety of topics, ranging from mythology and religion to physics and medicine. Moreover, the mastery of knowledge about metal, Christianity, and the city of Liverpool reads as someone who has grown up and lived as an insider/local for years. It's always fun to come across instances of fiction that leave you thinking "who else could even write this book".
There's plenty in here for non metalheads, but one of my favorite moments was a death metal band, an ex-nun, and a police officer chatting about extreme black metal act Vox Inferi. Some see it as truly genius, some as nonsense, and some simultaneously as both. The scene is set against the backdrop of someone who "should be intimidating" sitting around playing video games, casually adding bits of conversation here and there about Satansim and such. The moment so simply the appeal and value of extreme art in our world and its place in our culture.
Sound (the full series, really) well balances erudite writing with amusing, blunt bastardizations of the ideas and quick-hitting (louder and faster) chapters. So if there ever is a book four, maybe we can expect some grindcore or powerviolence.
Theme wise, Sound is the most physical, material, and corporeal of the series. The subtle yet unmistaken impact of sound on the human body and its psyche is the unseen protagonist/villain lurking around every corner. Some exploit it to do great harm, but others use it to further fulfill their lives.
Not to be overlooked Fearns' clearly does her homework before writing her books, and on a variety of topics, ranging from mythology and religion to physics and medicine. Moreover, the mastery of knowledge about metal, Christianity, and the city of Liverpool reads as someone who has grown up and lived as an insider/local for years. It's always fun to come across instances of fiction that leave you thinking "who else could even write this book".
There's plenty in here for non metalheads, but one of my favorite moments was a death metal band, an ex-nun, and a police officer chatting about extreme black metal act Vox Inferi. Some see it as truly genius, some as nonsense, and some simultaneously as both. The scene is set against the backdrop of someone who "should be intimidating" sitting around playing video games, casually adding bits of conversation here and there about Satansim and such. The moment so simply the appeal and value of extreme art in our world and its place in our culture.
Sound (the full series, really) well balances erudite writing with amusing, blunt bastardizations of the ideas and quick-hitting (louder and faster) chapters. So if there ever is a book four, maybe we can expect some grindcore or powerviolence.
October 15, 2019
I devoured this book. It pulled me in from the first page and wouldn’t let me go until the end.
I love Ms. Fearns books and find that they make me think and ponder on the subjects and the content of her books. While they are centered around religion they are not books about religion, but about the world around us and how most people ignore what is around them. I found the quote below to be true and eye opening.
“Nowadays we are afraid of silence. We need the constant buzz of television, music, chatter. But I say to you today, do not be afraid of silence, for it is only when we are silent that we can be close to God. Is it any wonder that deaf children were once thought of as angels? For their ears are unsullied by the corrupt sounds of this Earth?”
A story of a detective searching for something to make him feel alive again, a retired nun who teaches theology at a local college, and her love for metal music, and a Swedish metal band that all seem to somehow come together to solve such terrible crimes. They are each from such different worlds, yet they all work so well together.
I really enjoyed reading this book and give it a 5-star review. I highly recommend it to readers who are looking for a story that’s a bit different, but enjoy police procedural, crime, and psychological thrillers. If you are interested in any of these genres, then you really should pick up Sound by Catherine Fearns, but you need to read Reprobation and Consuming Fire first.
I love Ms. Fearns books and find that they make me think and ponder on the subjects and the content of her books. While they are centered around religion they are not books about religion, but about the world around us and how most people ignore what is around them. I found the quote below to be true and eye opening.
“Nowadays we are afraid of silence. We need the constant buzz of television, music, chatter. But I say to you today, do not be afraid of silence, for it is only when we are silent that we can be close to God. Is it any wonder that deaf children were once thought of as angels? For their ears are unsullied by the corrupt sounds of this Earth?”
A story of a detective searching for something to make him feel alive again, a retired nun who teaches theology at a local college, and her love for metal music, and a Swedish metal band that all seem to somehow come together to solve such terrible crimes. They are each from such different worlds, yet they all work so well together.
I really enjoyed reading this book and give it a 5-star review. I highly recommend it to readers who are looking for a story that’s a bit different, but enjoy police procedural, crime, and psychological thrillers. If you are interested in any of these genres, then you really should pick up Sound by Catherine Fearns, but you need to read Reprobation and Consuming Fire first.
October 4, 2019
I’m a Catherine Fearns fan, so when the blog tour for Sound came up, I immediately jumped in! This is the third book in The Reprobation Series, but it reads fine as a standalone. I do think reading the rest of the series gives you some better insight though.
I am having trouble explaining how much I absolutely love this novel. From Chapter One, this novel starts off fast-paced and didn’t let up for the entire novel. Catherine Fearns’ writing is polished and enthralling. She knows when to give details and when to withhold them to keep her readers engaged.
Sound is a really intriguing novel with a unique theme. An interesting concept that sound and its impact on the body. I love the research that clearly went into this novel. It’s clear Catherine Fearns drew from mythology, religion, medicine and physics. Using this research, plus her metalhead knowledge, she has created a really unique murder mystery that I just couldn’t put down.
I highly recommend Sound. This is a full 5 stars, and worthy of being read! I suggest checking out the entire series as it is a more satisfying journey. I’ll be watching for more from Catherine Fearns!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
I am having trouble explaining how much I absolutely love this novel. From Chapter One, this novel starts off fast-paced and didn’t let up for the entire novel. Catherine Fearns’ writing is polished and enthralling. She knows when to give details and when to withhold them to keep her readers engaged.
Sound is a really intriguing novel with a unique theme. An interesting concept that sound and its impact on the body. I love the research that clearly went into this novel. It’s clear Catherine Fearns drew from mythology, religion, medicine and physics. Using this research, plus her metalhead knowledge, she has created a really unique murder mystery that I just couldn’t put down.
I highly recommend Sound. This is a full 5 stars, and worthy of being read! I suggest checking out the entire series as it is a more satisfying journey. I’ll be watching for more from Catherine Fearns!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
November 11, 2023
My Thoughts: I am genuinely sad that this trilogy is over, I have loved it so much!
The third book saw the return of all our favourite characters including Mikko and his band, Knut had a bigger part to play this time.. he was their way into see the Messiah!
This one is based on psychoacoustics and the things it does to the body that we have no idea about, I found it fascinating!
This book as with the others has an undercurrent of religion and mythology that had me utterly gripped as it’s not something I have any prior knowledge of, it was done in a really subtle way and was interwoven within the story.
I found this book a lot more gruesome than the others with more intricate details of the victims which really showed Catherine’s development and confidence as an author.
I absolutely loved this series, it’s one that I wouldn’t necessarily have picked up on my own but what a gem I would’ve missed out on if I hadn’t.
Will really miss this off bunch of friends & will secretly keep everything crossed that we see them again in the future.
The third book saw the return of all our favourite characters including Mikko and his band, Knut had a bigger part to play this time.. he was their way into see the Messiah!
This one is based on psychoacoustics and the things it does to the body that we have no idea about, I found it fascinating!
This book as with the others has an undercurrent of religion and mythology that had me utterly gripped as it’s not something I have any prior knowledge of, it was done in a really subtle way and was interwoven within the story.
I found this book a lot more gruesome than the others with more intricate details of the victims which really showed Catherine’s development and confidence as an author.
I absolutely loved this series, it’s one that I wouldn’t necessarily have picked up on my own but what a gem I would’ve missed out on if I hadn’t.
Will really miss this off bunch of friends & will secretly keep everything crossed that we see them again in the future.
October 8, 2019
4.5 stars
This is the third in the Reprobation series and it’s a good idea to read the first two. A couple of people from the university’s department of psychoacoustics have been found dead and it appears that sound waves have been weaponised. There’s also some dodgy dealing on an estate where people have been falling sick. DI Darren Swift has his work cut out. Characters from the earlier books are back; musician Mikko and the ex nun Dr Helen Hope are there to help. The pace is fast and the story has a tension throughout that makes it hard to put down. The only downside for me was the sudden ending. There’s obviously more coming and it fell a little flat. A very imaginative series.
This is the third in the Reprobation series and it’s a good idea to read the first two. A couple of people from the university’s department of psychoacoustics have been found dead and it appears that sound waves have been weaponised. There’s also some dodgy dealing on an estate where people have been falling sick. DI Darren Swift has his work cut out. Characters from the earlier books are back; musician Mikko and the ex nun Dr Helen Hope are there to help. The pace is fast and the story has a tension throughout that makes it hard to put down. The only downside for me was the sudden ending. There’s obviously more coming and it fell a little flat. A very imaginative series.
November 8, 2019
From great to greater and now the greatest of all three
This series of book is just brilliant! Book #3 not only features more Total Depravity and Helen, it also introduces Vox Inferi. A seriously innovative black metal band from north England, that never records and only performs live in unheard sequences and locations too. Plot wise, we finally get some answers and I cannot wait to see what happens to all the characters next, as there may be book #4 in the series, but the series could also end now. I love how Liverpool is being described, both architecturally and culturally, including football and lifestyle. Well done Catherine, one hell of a book, THANK YOU.
This series of book is just brilliant! Book #3 not only features more Total Depravity and Helen, it also introduces Vox Inferi. A seriously innovative black metal band from north England, that never records and only performs live in unheard sequences and locations too. Plot wise, we finally get some answers and I cannot wait to see what happens to all the characters next, as there may be book #4 in the series, but the series could also end now. I love how Liverpool is being described, both architecturally and culturally, including football and lifestyle. Well done Catherine, one hell of a book, THANK YOU.
October 1, 2019
A great read!
November 14, 2019
A satisfying conclusion to the Reprobation series - though almost certainly not the last we'll hear of Darren and Helen (I hope).
May 8, 2023
I was hooked from the very first page. The author's descriptions are vivid and the story is full of surprises.
June 16, 2023
This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! The characters were well-developed and the plot kept me guessing until the very end.
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