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The Basement
New York City. With a population of almost nineteen million people, it's easy to remain anonymous even if you're a serial killer, torturing and murdering beautiful young women. The killer has another victim right now, locked in a basement somewhere in the city. For NYPD detectives Turner and Marcinko, it's their job to sift through those nineteen million and narrow their list to the one before it's too late. And they're sure they have the right man in their sights. Fusing alternating viewpoints with devastating precision, Leather's top-notch thriller dives deep into the mind of a demented killer as tension mounts immeasurably. Turner and Marcinko's prime suspect is screenwriter wannabe Marvin Waller. He is becoming increasingly frustrated by his lack of success and the cops think he might be channeling his anger into murder ? yet he doesn't seem to be at all concerned that they are hot on his trail. As Turner and Marcinko close in on Waller they have to wonder: is he the killer? And if he isn't ? who is? Only time will tell ? and time is one thing they do not have. An unrelenting vice-grip of suspense and fear, The Basement is the ultimate shocker with a shattering climax that will leave you battered, bruised, and broken.
135 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 22, 2010
443 people are currently reading
1262 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Leather
245 books1,528 followersStephen Leather was a journalist for more than ten years on newspapers such as The Times, the Daily Mail and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. His bestsellers have been translated into more than ten languages. He has also written for television shows such as London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. For much of 2011 his self-published eBooks - including The Bestseller, The Basement, Once Bitten and Dreamer's Cat - dominated the UK eBook bestseller lists and sold more than half a million copies. The Basement topped the Kindle charts in the UK and the US, and in total he has sold more than two million eBooks. His bestselling book The Chinaman was filmed as The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan and grossing more than $100 million.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
April 1, 2014
This book was suggested to me by a friend, and I admit that it really exceeded my expectations. A thriller/detective story, told from 2 different angles. I found the writing to be quickly engaging, and very easy to get from one scene, to another. This was certainly an interesting take on a serial killer, and the detectives trying to solve the mystery.
Recommended.
Recommended.
January 20, 2012
Book Description:
New York is a city full of strangers. For NYPD detectives Turner and Marcinko, none are harder to figure out than the serial killer on the loose torturing and killing young women. In fact, right now, somewhere in the city, a woman is being held captive in a basement and it is up to the detectives to find her and the killer—before it’s too late.
As pressure mounts on Turner and Marcinko, their prime suspect is screenwriter wannabe Marvin Waller. He is becoming increasingly frustrated by his lack of success and the cops think he might be channeling his anger into murder—but he doesn’t seem to be at all concerned that they are hot on his trail. As Turner and Marcinko close in on Waller they have to wonder: is he the killer? And if he isn’t—who is?
Fusing shifting viewpoints with a growing sense of dread and almost unbearable suspense, the UK’s thriller master Stephen Leather arrives on the shores of the United States with The Basement, his most terrifying work to date.
My Thoughts:
This is my first time reading a book by Stephen Leather. I have to say that the book was a rather unique rendering of the mind of a serial killer.
Marvin Waller is a screenwriter who the police suspect for a series of serial killings in New York City. Waller is a macabre, sarcastic, and narcissistic individual who hates everything and everyone. He is clearly a lunatic and this story chronicles his sociopathy. He hates being ignored and underestimated. Weller continuously taunts Marcinko (cliché good cop) and Turner (cliché bad cop) with his knowledge of the law and his rights.
Things I didn’t like:
I have to say that I did not like the subject matter of this story at all. It was such a bleak look at humanity. The Basement provides too much detail on how to commit murder for the average person. This book in the wrong hands could be a Dummies Guide to Serial Killing. I was appalled and disgusted and felt as if I needed a shower after I finished reading it.
Despite my opinions on the content, the story was well written which is why it has garnered 3.5 stars. I like suspense but this book just was not my cup of tea at all.
New York is a city full of strangers. For NYPD detectives Turner and Marcinko, none are harder to figure out than the serial killer on the loose torturing and killing young women. In fact, right now, somewhere in the city, a woman is being held captive in a basement and it is up to the detectives to find her and the killer—before it’s too late.
As pressure mounts on Turner and Marcinko, their prime suspect is screenwriter wannabe Marvin Waller. He is becoming increasingly frustrated by his lack of success and the cops think he might be channeling his anger into murder—but he doesn’t seem to be at all concerned that they are hot on his trail. As Turner and Marcinko close in on Waller they have to wonder: is he the killer? And if he isn’t—who is?
Fusing shifting viewpoints with a growing sense of dread and almost unbearable suspense, the UK’s thriller master Stephen Leather arrives on the shores of the United States with The Basement, his most terrifying work to date.
My Thoughts:
This is my first time reading a book by Stephen Leather. I have to say that the book was a rather unique rendering of the mind of a serial killer.
Marvin Waller is a screenwriter who the police suspect for a series of serial killings in New York City. Waller is a macabre, sarcastic, and narcissistic individual who hates everything and everyone. He is clearly a lunatic and this story chronicles his sociopathy. He hates being ignored and underestimated. Weller continuously taunts Marcinko (cliché good cop) and Turner (cliché bad cop) with his knowledge of the law and his rights.
Things I didn’t like:
I have to say that I did not like the way “the serial killer” manipulated and raped Sarah Hall (physically and emotionally). He debases her by making her touch herself for his pleasure. He gets her hopes up and convinces her that he will let her go knowing that he will kill her once he has had his fun. *Scary*Things I did like:
I did not like the way Weller used the “N” word when referring to Turner to further taunt him after breaking into his house. Weller’s opinion of blacks is so stereotypical that it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
I also did not like the way Weller manipulated the Turner situation so that he benefitted socially and financially from it. He had no problem destroying a man's life or that of his family. It was sickening.
Justice was truly poetic for good ole Weller in the end!The conclusion of the story was an interesting twist. You never would have guessed who the serial killer was which affirmed my opinion of just how bollixed this story truly was.
I have to say that I did not like the subject matter of this story at all. It was such a bleak look at humanity. The Basement provides too much detail on how to commit murder for the average person. This book in the wrong hands could be a Dummies Guide to Serial Killing. I was appalled and disgusted and felt as if I needed a shower after I finished reading it.
Despite my opinions on the content, the story was well written which is why it has garnered 3.5 stars. I like suspense but this book just was not my cup of tea at all.
February 6, 2011
Not even sure what I liked about this book. The killer's narrative was appropriately grim but compelling and, thank God, no overload of gore or nasty details. However, the deluded writer just irritated me. I'm aware that he was supposed to be smug and unlikeable but that didn't make him any easier to read about. He was pathetic to a whole other extreme and I could not have cared less about what happened to him. There was nothing well-rounded or charismatic about him, just a nasty character given us the dubious pleasure of his rambles. The twist confused the book - not because there was anything in particular in the novella that meant the killer couldn't have done what they did, but because it felt like it was a deliberate bolt-from-the-blue twist, a deliberate attempt at total deception, not built up to and completely lacking in any way to figure it out. However, you knew there a twist, it would probably be easy to guess because there were no other red herrings or reasonable suspects. I would have preferred the book to continue to give us some more of the killer's narrative because that was really the only part of the book I was interested in and I would have liked to have a "proper" ending, not just a cliffhanger twist.
December 10, 2022
This book has been sitting on my Kindle waiting to be read for ages. I'm not even sure how long, but I suspect I picked it up when I got my first Kindle - and I'm now on my third!
It's a very well written thriller / psychological suspense book with an ending that will kick you fairly and squarely in the unmentionables. It constantly flicks between our serial killer inflicting pain and humiliation on the poor victim in the eponymous basement, and our struggling / deluded / egotistical / weirdo wannabe screen writer in New York. Both scenarios develop at increasing pace and converge to the inevitable conclusion.
I suppose some American readers may find a few parts a bit off as this is obviously an American-set novel written by an English author, and some of the terminology and slang doesn't quite fit coming from American characters, but that's a minor criticism (and I'm English not American by the way, so I may even be wrong).
A really good read, I don't know why it has sat there gathering dust for so long!
It's a very well written thriller / psychological suspense book with an ending that will kick you fairly and squarely in the unmentionables. It constantly flicks between our serial killer inflicting pain and humiliation on the poor victim in the eponymous basement, and our struggling / deluded / egotistical / weirdo wannabe screen writer in New York. Both scenarios develop at increasing pace and converge to the inevitable conclusion.
I suppose some American readers may find a few parts a bit off as this is obviously an American-set novel written by an English author, and some of the terminology and slang doesn't quite fit coming from American characters, but that's a minor criticism (and I'm English not American by the way, so I may even be wrong).
A really good read, I don't know why it has sat there gathering dust for so long!
July 31, 2012
Horrible. The only good thing about this book is that it is short and it was over quickly. Plot was basic, but tried to be complex by introducing unoriginal screenplay ideas by the narrator, perhaps a ploy to confuse the reader? No character development. Very amateurish writing. Id be proud if friend or family member had written this, but it doesn't deserve an ISBN number.
December 13, 2011
what a twist at the end of this wow A must read.
May 1, 2014
At just over 100 pages this is a short story but superbly written. I used to watch a series on the BBC called Murder in Mind and when I was reading this book, the dark comedy aspects reminded me of the series. I was then reading about Stephen Leather and discovered that he actually wrote some of the episodes and also The Knock and The Stretch - need to check those out!
A serial killer is on the loose in New York, he's kidnapping secretaries, imprisoning them in his basement, raping them and then dismembering their bodies whilst recording it on camcorder. Meanwhile we hear the story of Marvin, a young scriptwriter who is desperate to get his work produced. We're also introduced to the two cops who are trying to solve the crime. A great twist at the end. Despite the topic of the book, the banter between Marvin and Turner made me chucked in a number of places.
A serial killer is on the loose in New York, he's kidnapping secretaries, imprisoning them in his basement, raping them and then dismembering their bodies whilst recording it on camcorder. Meanwhile we hear the story of Marvin, a young scriptwriter who is desperate to get his work produced. We're also introduced to the two cops who are trying to solve the crime. A great twist at the end. Despite the topic of the book, the banter between Marvin and Turner made me chucked in a number of places.
August 10, 2016
Really good story. I like the fact that it was not like most books these days: Bloated with hundreds of pages of "character development". This one said what it needed to say, then ended. By not including a bunch of unnecessary stuff, the author kept the story interesting, pacing tight, and ending was right on the money. I only wish more authors would follow his example.
May 25, 2018
Обратът в края не е по вкуса ми, но книгата си струва заради изключително отвратителния главен герой. xD Този "гений, пишещ невероятни сценарии" и аз бих го ступала с най-голямото удоволствие на света. Точно този тип хора, които много си знаят правата в Америка, така ми лазят по нервичките, ох...
Сценариите обаче пък бяха хубави...
Сценариите обаче пък бяха хубави...
March 7, 2016
I have to confess that when my own books began to climb the ranks on Amazon UK, my first thought upon looking at the other names up at the top was, "Who the heck is Stephen Leather?" It even sounded like a name I should know. Yet, I couldn't recall ever seeing his books before. So, I checked on Amazon.com. There he was, but not nearly as high up. WTF??? Now, I was exceedingly curious. Why the hell was this guy so popular in the UK, yet so little known outside that realm?
So, I took the only logical course of action. I downloaded a copy of one of his books, which in this case turned out to be THE BASEMENT, despite the slightly creepy cover with the steps leading down to the same, which evoked images somewhat reminiscent of SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.
But things aren't always as they appear. You can't judge a book by its cover. Because when I started to read this one, I was immediately hooked by the voice, which was funny. Yes, funny! See, it's written from the point of view of a guy named Marvin Waller who makes a few offhand observations about America and New York City, in particular. For instance, what a great place it is to kill people. Awesome! And how you can walk around anytime you like with a loaded gun stuck down your trousers. At this point, I'm dying. Um, of laughter. And, of course, you can get away with murder easy there. The secret is to blend.
But Marvin says he wouldn't really do any of these things. You see, Marvin is a writer. Or to be more precise, he's a screenwriter.
Now, Marvin does his screenwriting thing in a cramped little cubbyhole of an apartment with the bare minimum of furniture, because this is the way real writers do things. He is, of course, a stone genius who works on an old typewriter, because real writers work on typewriters, not computers. When Marvin isn't pounding the keys on his ancient typewriter, he's pacing the perimeter of his tiny apartment like a caged lion.
To read the entire review, see: http://thebookgrrl.blogspot.com/2011/...
So, I took the only logical course of action. I downloaded a copy of one of his books, which in this case turned out to be THE BASEMENT, despite the slightly creepy cover with the steps leading down to the same, which evoked images somewhat reminiscent of SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.
But things aren't always as they appear. You can't judge a book by its cover. Because when I started to read this one, I was immediately hooked by the voice, which was funny. Yes, funny! See, it's written from the point of view of a guy named Marvin Waller who makes a few offhand observations about America and New York City, in particular. For instance, what a great place it is to kill people. Awesome! And how you can walk around anytime you like with a loaded gun stuck down your trousers. At this point, I'm dying. Um, of laughter. And, of course, you can get away with murder easy there. The secret is to blend.
But Marvin says he wouldn't really do any of these things. You see, Marvin is a writer. Or to be more precise, he's a screenwriter.
Now, Marvin does his screenwriting thing in a cramped little cubbyhole of an apartment with the bare minimum of furniture, because this is the way real writers do things. He is, of course, a stone genius who works on an old typewriter, because real writers work on typewriters, not computers. When Marvin isn't pounding the keys on his ancient typewriter, he's pacing the perimeter of his tiny apartment like a caged lion.
To read the entire review, see: http://thebookgrrl.blogspot.com/2011/...
November 27, 2011
Marvin Waller is an aspiring screen writer. He is trying to get his work seen by the stars but it is hard. In fact, the police have been called due to Marvin’s unorthodox pan handling of getting his work into the star’s hands.
Detective Sergeant Turner and Detective Marcinko come to visit Marvin to warn him to quit visiting buildings and just send his work via mail like everyone else. Detective Turner and Marcinko sense something is not right with Marvin. What dark secret is Marvin hiding?
There are some books that sound better than they actually are. The Basement is one of those books. After I finished reading this book or I should say sort of read this book as I skimmed through most of it, I had to ask myself “Why did I just waste my time with this book?” I was not interested in anyone. The story jumped around a lot like it was unfinished.
The only sections I really read were the ones involving the killer and victim. I wanted to learn the reason why the killer took the women; otherwise, I had no interest in how the detectives stopped the killer. The ending was the surprise twist that I did not see coming. Do not spend your money or time on this book.
Detective Sergeant Turner and Detective Marcinko come to visit Marvin to warn him to quit visiting buildings and just send his work via mail like everyone else. Detective Turner and Marcinko sense something is not right with Marvin. What dark secret is Marvin hiding?
There are some books that sound better than they actually are. The Basement is one of those books. After I finished reading this book or I should say sort of read this book as I skimmed through most of it, I had to ask myself “Why did I just waste my time with this book?” I was not interested in anyone. The story jumped around a lot like it was unfinished.
The only sections I really read were the ones involving the killer and victim. I wanted to learn the reason why the killer took the women; otherwise, I had no interest in how the detectives stopped the killer. The ending was the surprise twist that I did not see coming. Do not spend your money or time on this book.
September 9, 2011
As lurid as it is deceptive, ‘The basement’ is a classic thriller with a twist I couldn’t predict. Think Tarantula by Thierry Jonquest but on a more humane level (if I can say that) in terms of victimised suffering and complete resignation from self. Protagonist and prime suspect Marvin Waller is a screen writer with delusions of grandeur who harbours serious resentment towards secretaires of all professions. Unfortunately for him, in New York, attractive secretaries are being kidnapped, tortured and murdered and the police have identified Waller as more than a person of interest. Full of cat and mouse style banter, Waller and the detectives go back and forth, first mincing words before progressing to unethical forms of interrogation. What makes ‘The basement’ so good is the multi POV running concurrently throughout the novel like two worlds waiting to collide - oh when they do, the effect is nothing short of stimulating – 5 stars.
October 27, 2011
The book contains two viewpoints. Marvin Waller is a young writer whose part is written in first person. Much of his narration is spent telling us about his various screenplays. To me, this was like reading a synopsis of other books, many of which were more interesting than the actual events of the character's story. Marvin is a strange guy but we never really get to know him beyond his odd fixation with stalking actors and movie producers.
The serial killer's part is written in the rare second person, which I didn't like. I felt like I was being told what to think and feel, rather than experiencing the events and emotions of the character. This part of the story contains graphic sexually-based scenes and might be difficult for some readers to get through.
This is a short novel, with only 127 pages. The pace is quick but it's lacking character and plot development.
The serial killer's part is written in the rare second person, which I didn't like. I felt like I was being told what to think and feel, rather than experiencing the events and emotions of the character. This part of the story contains graphic sexually-based scenes and might be difficult for some readers to get through.
This is a short novel, with only 127 pages. The pace is quick but it's lacking character and plot development.
August 7, 2021
I only read this because it was top of the kindle best sellers are was very reasonably priced. But what a purchase, loved the book and instantly bought more of his work to read.
A well plotted novel and a really enjoyable read.
An early Stephen Leather novel that remains possibly my favourite novel by this author.
A well plotted novel and a really enjoyable read.
An early Stephen Leather novel that remains possibly my favourite novel by this author.
March 9, 2022
New York is a city full of strangers with secrets that they don't want anyone to discover. For NYPD detectives Ed Turner and Lisa Marcinko, navigating the masses around them has never been more difficult than it is right now, as they race to unmask the serial killer kidnapping young women off the street, their bodies never found after disturbing videos of torture are delivered to the precinct. All they have to go on is that somewhere in the city, Sarah Hall is being held captive and her time is running out. Their prime suspect, Marvin Waller, is an amateur screenwriter with a bad attitude and a God complex, who all but perfectly fits the profile of the serial killer they are looking for. Angry at the world for his lack of success, Turner and Marcinko begin to wonder if he is channeling that frustration by murdering these women, but his attitude towards these accusations are nonchalant and dismissive, and he seems much more interested in toying with their emotions than answering any serious questions. But if, as he claims, he is not who they're looking for, then what have they missed?
Clever and surprisingly engaging, I read this in a single sitting and enjoyed every moment of it! Though I did find the ending to be a little abrupt, given the short page count I still found it to have the desired effect. Leather achieves a tense burst of energy through well written characters and a timely changing POV between Waller and the unnamed serial killer, each section nudging the story on just that little bit further until I reached my lightbulb moment and figured out what was going on, and I felt satisfied in the reveal.
This is not a new concept and the reveal is nothing shocking, but Leather does it well and manages to create a creeping sense of dread in his writing as well as playing on our preconceptions of what sort of person someone must be in order to commit atrocities, regardless of how much or little information we actually have. There is nothing too graphic included, although some scenes do allude to physical and sexual violence, as well as mental manipulation and violent threats so as always with these genres I would advise checking content warnings.
Overall a surprisingly enjoyable read. I picked this out of my never-ending kindle list on a whim and will now gladly keep an eye out for more of Leather's work.
Clever and surprisingly engaging, I read this in a single sitting and enjoyed every moment of it! Though I did find the ending to be a little abrupt, given the short page count I still found it to have the desired effect. Leather achieves a tense burst of energy through well written characters and a timely changing POV between Waller and the unnamed serial killer, each section nudging the story on just that little bit further until I reached my lightbulb moment and figured out what was going on, and I felt satisfied in the reveal.
This is not a new concept and the reveal is nothing shocking, but Leather does it well and manages to create a creeping sense of dread in his writing as well as playing on our preconceptions of what sort of person someone must be in order to commit atrocities, regardless of how much or little information we actually have. There is nothing too graphic included, although some scenes do allude to physical and sexual violence, as well as mental manipulation and violent threats so as always with these genres I would advise checking content warnings.
Overall a surprisingly enjoyable read. I picked this out of my never-ending kindle list on a whim and will now gladly keep an eye out for more of Leather's work.
February 10, 2018
In a City of 19 million people it's easy to be anonymous even if your a serial killer.
He has a victim locked up in a basement apartment somewhere in the city. For NYPD
detectives Turner and Marcinko it's their job to sift through the 19 million people and
find him. Turner and Marcinkos prime suspect is screenwriter wannabe Marvin Walker.
He is becoming frustrated by his lack of success and the cops think he might be channeling
his anger to murder. Yet he doesn't seem to be at all concerned that they are hot on his
trail. as Turner and Marcinko close in on Walker they have to wonder is he the killer and
if he isn't-who is? Time will tell and this they don't have. This killer loves to dominate
and he turns this woman quickly into his slave. He also is very intelligent and has more tricks
than the best trial lawyers. This book is a short story only 127 pages and if you are squamish
I would stay away from it. But if you want to read about someone who knows how to dominate
read it. I myself found it interesting and gave it a 4.
He has a victim locked up in a basement apartment somewhere in the city. For NYPD
detectives Turner and Marcinko it's their job to sift through the 19 million people and
find him. Turner and Marcinkos prime suspect is screenwriter wannabe Marvin Walker.
He is becoming frustrated by his lack of success and the cops think he might be channeling
his anger to murder. Yet he doesn't seem to be at all concerned that they are hot on his
trail. as Turner and Marcinko close in on Walker they have to wonder is he the killer and
if he isn't-who is? Time will tell and this they don't have. This killer loves to dominate
and he turns this woman quickly into his slave. He also is very intelligent and has more tricks
than the best trial lawyers. This book is a short story only 127 pages and if you are squamish
I would stay away from it. But if you want to read about someone who knows how to dominate
read it. I myself found it interesting and gave it a 4.
June 2, 2019
Средна хубост, двама детективи от Ню Йорк са по петите на предполагаем сериен убиец - богат наследник и неуспял сценарист... Повествованието се води в така ненавистното ми сегашно време, което май-май харесвам единствено при Ървин Уелш и Реймънд Чандлър... Краят, макар и очакван, имаше една хубава врътка, поради което оценката се качва на 4
May 31, 2017
Wow what a brilliant read and l did not see what was coming at all. A book I will definitely be recommending to others
August 25, 2023
ABSOLUTI GENIALI, MILU VARONI GALVENO PLOT TWISTS IR ACTUALLY INSANE loti daudz ko liek aizdomāties par to kāda veida cilvekus mēs uzskatam par draudigiem.
January 13, 2022
A different read - not bad.
January 8, 2024
Very good book! I liked the parallel of two narratives running at the same time. Defo a page turner as I finished it in one day lol
Just when you think you’ve got everything sussed out bam! Wicked twist just at the end. Would highly recommend
Just when you think you’ve got everything sussed out bam! Wicked twist just at the end. Would highly recommend
May 27, 2020
Didn't see that ending coming! Great little read.
November 13, 2010
It's been about 36 hours since I finished this novel. It took me that long to get the images out of my head to be able to put my feelings into words. This book is a disturbing look into the mind of a self-absorbed wanna-be writer. He writes the best movie scripts in the world but they are never produced because they can never get into the hands of the right people. He hangs around outside the apartments of producers, directors, and actors to put the scripts directly into their hands but is always thwarted by someone (in his mind). Then women begin to disappear and he is, of course, the prime suspect. The author puts you directly into the heads of both the writer and the serial rapist-murderer. You see the twisted thinking that they both have and wonder if the writer really is the murderer. The ending came as a shock to me. I did not see that coming and that is what makes a good thriller. The only thing that kept me from giving this a 5 star review is the editing. I feel as though if a book is taking place in America, with Americans as the characters, the words should be spelled as they are in America and things should be called what they are in America (for example - driver's license as opposed to driving licence). It would just take a little research. This tends to distract me a bit from the story. But other than that, this is a book that made me think about the sick and twisted people in the world and how you wouldn't necessarily realize who they were when you met them. Now I hope I can get a good night's sleep tonight. But then....
July 30, 2016
I've just finished Stephen leather's 'THE BASEMENT'. This is the kind of book that starts drawing you in when you feel you may not want to. It has a touch of Stephen King about it, and simply emphasises the fact that Stephen Leather is an exceptional talent. Most thriller readers will have read of a poor victim, usually female who has been kindapped and strapped to a bed for the kidnapper's pleasure and subsequent murder, but we usually know who the kidnapper is, and how his or her mind works. With the basement we have the kidnapped victim of a serial killer. But running parallel to the story is the first person account of a wannabe script writer who has never had his work accepted by the film makers, blames everybody else for not understanding how brilliant he is, and is always jumping from one idea to another. In their search for the latest, possible victim of the serial killer, the FBI have come up with a profile that matches that of our seriouly deranged scriptwriter, and it is the quest of a good cop, bad cop pair of NYPD detectives to nail the killer's hide. You think you know the answers but Leather will lead you up the garden path by the nose and you know that you won't be able to put the book down even if you wanted to. This isn't a long thriller, but probably one of his best.
June 6, 2011
This is the first of its sort for me. I watch a lot of CSI and Criminal Minds but I never read a book such a Crime/Thriller. It did not take me very long to get into this book within a day I was already 50% through on my Kindle and I completed it within 3 days, which for me is unheard of as it usually takes me 2 weeks to read a book I enjoy. The book was also a bargain on Amazon for only 49p.
The books itself is based on a struggling writer in New York trying to get his work noticed. In the News it’s about a missing lady at the hands of the recent serial killer. Its about two detectives closing in on the a suspect which is the struggling writer. But the ending isn’t how I had imagined it. I won’t give it away as it would be pointless to a future reader. Lets just say I didn’t see that coming.
I also really like the way the book was set up we the basement stories in bold and the writer’s account in normal writing. I think this was a great touch.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have already told my friends to read this. I won’t think twice about reading another Stephen Leather book. It kept me gripped the whole way.
The books itself is based on a struggling writer in New York trying to get his work noticed. In the News it’s about a missing lady at the hands of the recent serial killer. Its about two detectives closing in on the a suspect which is the struggling writer. But the ending isn’t how I had imagined it. I won’t give it away as it would be pointless to a future reader. Lets just say I didn’t see that coming.
I also really like the way the book was set up we the basement stories in bold and the writer’s account in normal writing. I think this was a great touch.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have already told my friends to read this. I won’t think twice about reading another Stephen Leather book. It kept me gripped the whole way.
August 10, 2011
I picked this up as an impulse purchase after reading one of the author's full-length novels, and I'm glad I did. The Basement is a novelette and can be finished in a day. An interesting and disturbing look into the mind of a serial killer, The protagonist is very flawed with darkness lurking just below the surface. As the story progresses, the author does a great job of dropping bread crumbs to make us think we've figured it out until he yanks the rug out from under us at the very end. Most of the violence is left to the reader's imagination and not explicitly written, so it's nothing that made me uncomfortable from a gore standpoint; it's peering into the darkness of the character's soul that draws you in.
December 25, 2018
I hate giving bad reviews. I always think about the work that must have gone into writing a book and I take my hat off to anyone who attempts it. However, The Basement was a frustrating read. It was predictable and repetitive, so much so I had to keep checking I was in the right place. The main character was so annoying I think I would've slapped him myself and Turner was not believable in the slightest. I do like the fact that the killer was a woman (nice twist) but I had guessed that way before the end - which felt like it was rushed. I was left with many questions but even if there was a follow up, I don't think I'd bother to read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2017
9/85, 4 stars ****
Well, what can I say? I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it would have been a 5-star but for the ending. Which just ... ended. I loved how the whole book was snappy and to the point, I liked how it was told from 2 viewpoints, but I DO think the author could have spent just a little bit longer on the ending!
Looking at the reviews it has received, it's obviously a 'marmite' book ;) but I loved it and, on the whole, I just don't understand why this author has to self-publish at all. Especially when you consider some of rubbish publishing houses are guilty of throwing at us at times!
Well, what can I say? I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it would have been a 5-star but for the ending. Which just ... ended. I loved how the whole book was snappy and to the point, I liked how it was told from 2 viewpoints, but I DO think the author could have spent just a little bit longer on the ending!
Looking at the reviews it has received, it's obviously a 'marmite' book ;) but I loved it and, on the whole, I just don't understand why this author has to self-publish at all. Especially when you consider some of rubbish publishing houses are guilty of throwing at us at times!
January 15, 2012
okay, so first off this is not a book for everyone. in fact, had it not been on special at amazon for $.99 i may have never picked it up myself. it is grisly, somewhat gory and very tense (think 'silence of the lambs'). not something you want to read before bedtime. i thought it would be a good treadmill book and it was. only i couldn't stop reading after my treadmill time was done. i HAD to finish it to find out what happened. lucky me, i was pleasantly surprised by the fab ending. what a book. i'm exhausted!
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