The Curator – M W Craven (Washington Poe Book 3)

It’s Christmas and a serial killer is leaving displayed body parts all over Cumbria. A strange message is left at each scene: #BSC6

Called in to investigate, the National Crime Agency’s Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are faced with a case that makes no sense.

Why were some victims anaesthetized, while others died in appalling agony? Why is their only suspect denying what they can irrefutably prove but admitting to things they weren’t even aware of? And why did the victims all take the same two weeks off work three years earlier?

And when a disgraced FBI agent gets in touch things take an even darker turn. Because she doesn’t think Poe is dealing with a serial killer at all; she thinks he’s dealing with someone far, far worse – a man who calls himself the Curator.

And nothing will ever be the same again . . .

Book Info: Print length: 398 pages. Publisher: Constable. Publication date: 4 June 2020

About the Author:  M. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle, running away to join the army at the tender age of sixteen. He spent the next ten years travelling the world having fun, leaving in 1995 to complete a degree in social work with specialisms in criminology and substance misuse. Thirty-one years after leaving Cumbria, he returned to take up a probation officer position in Whitehaven, eventually working his way up to chief officer grade. Sixteen years later he took the plunge, accepted redundancy and became a full-time author. He now has entirely different motivations for trying to get inside the minds of criminals . . .

M. W. Craven is married and lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne. When he isn’t out with his springer spaniel, or talking nonsense in the pub, he can usually be found at punk gigs and writing festivals up and down the country.

My Review:

This is the third book in this clever crime thriller series and is being published in July 2020.  I was fortunately enough to receive an early proof copy from Netgalley and started it immediately after finishing book two Black Summer (see my review here).

The Curator sees Washington Poe and Matilda Bradshaw from the National Crime Agency team up again to crack another grisly and complex murder investigation.  Over a period of a few days 3 sets of fingers have been found in different locations all with the hashtag #BSC6  inscribed close by.  With 3 unknown victims, Poe is struggling after suffering with “man-flu” and Tilly is out of her comfort zone trying to track down the link and the killer before a 4th victim is found.

Another highly entertaining and fast paced thriller with grisly murders, a wonderfully mismatched duo and a clever but complex crime to solve.  Can’t wait to read book 4.