A Child's Wound

Okay, I have to start by being very clear. I read this book and reviewed it after being given an ebook copy by the author. I don't personally know the author other than through this website. I agreed to read and review the book because of the recent kerfluffle about other reviews on this site. What you are about to read is my honest opinion of this book (with hopefully a minimal amount of spoilers).....

A Child's Wound is a decent freshman effort by a new Canadian author. I guess it would best be classified as a thriller, but the thrills are lukewarm. It's not edge of your seat, but it's a solid read.

Tim, is a serial killer/rapist. He's the anti-hero of the story that almost makes you want to like him - if only he didn't rape women as a way to feel powerful and mask his feelings of inadequacy and helplessness. He likes to stalk his victims and get to 'know' them first. He has a gameplan he likes to follow. But while he is currently molding his latest victim, he's stalking the next, only there is something different about Christine.

Christine, is a homocide detective working on the Picasso serial killer case. The so-called Picasso killer, has earned his name by horrifically mutilating his victims and staging them like works of art. Christine and her partner, Jefferies, have been on the case for months but things are beginning to look like they might finally be getting a break. When a washed up FBI agent muscles his way on to the case, Christine is less than happy, but since she has no say in the matter, she makes the best of it. At least her social life is looking up, having literally bumped into Tim, who seems like a terrific guy, at her local coffeeshop.

While this book was interesting enough to keep me turning pages, it didn't give me that rollercoaster thrillride. There were definitely some parts where I just had to go huh? Why would he/she/they do that? The main thing I had problems with is that Tim's appeal, and his ability to get Simone to do the things she does, is not adequately explained. I was left to assume that Simone is damaged herself and twisted enough that Tim's 'attentions' appeal to her and the reason she is willing to go along with Tim is that she is a psychopath herself.

Kavanagh's writing style is easy to read, although some of the transitions from one POV to another or from scene to scene felt a little choppy. There were also some timeframe and procedural inconsistencies that while not a big deal, did sort of jump out at me. Neither 'complaint' is unexpected for a first time author, especially one that has not been published by a big name publisher and so probably didn't have the assistance of a detail-oriented editor.

Where I found this story the most lacking is that while there were two interesting sub-plots, neither was really developed to it's fullest potential. There was no real thrill of the hunt for the killer because you already know one, and the other is evident pretty quickly. This is not a police procedural, the focus is not Christine the cop, but rather Tim the psychopath. The actual investigation into either killer is really secondary. And, when the two sub-plots converge at the end, I have to say I found the ending and the decision made by Christine very disappointing and totally out of character for her. Towards the end, when a standoff between the two killers became apparent I was envisioning a much different ending.

Finally, some reviews have played up the sexual nature of the crimes in the book, but I feel that they are doing the book a disservice. Yes, the crimes are horrific, no rape is not sexy, and I don't believe that this is the author's goal. The scenes are not sensationalized and I have read more graphic descriptions of murder and rape reading JD Robb or JA Konrath.

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This book was full of twisted characters doing some pretty twisted things. It definitely held my interest!

Kavanagh does a great job of getting inside the killer's head and sharing that perspective with his readers. There is violence, sex, mystery, and suspense. Some good twists will keep you wondering and you might even find yourself rooting for the bad guy along the way. An entertaining and disturbing read!

I actually won this book in a Goodreads.com giveaway and was very excited to read it. The story was told from many perspectives including that of Tim, a serial killer, as well as Christine, the Police Officer on the case. It's interesting to see how they interact with each other and watch the growth of their relationship. Each of the characters were so intriguing and you even find yourself kind of liking Tim, despite his actions. The situations and characters were so likeable and I found myself flying through this book. Dwayne's writing style was wonderful and I definitely plan to read his next book: "Through a Child's Eyes" (according to his website). This book kept me wondering what would happen next and the ending was perfect. Not too "happy ending" or "from out of nowhere". Such a great read!

very good book! creepy, dark and yet somehow you find yourself being sucked in. I would strongly recommend this book,as a matter of fact I already have and am lending my copy to my brother.