Product Description

A terrifying new serial-killer thriller featuring Carson Ryder, hero of the bestselling The Hundredth Man. Thirty years after his death, Marsden Hexcamp's 'Art of the Final Moment' remains as sought after as ever. But this is no ordinary collection. Hexcamp's portfolio was completed with the aid of a devoted band of acolytes -- and half a dozen victims, each of whom was slowly tortured to death so that their final agonies could be distilled into art. When tiny scraps of Hexcamp's 'art' begin appearing at murder scenes alongside gruesomely displayed corpses, Detective Carson Ryder and his partner Harry Nautilus must go back three decades in search of answers. Meanwhile an auction has been announced and the death collectors are gathering. These wealthy connoisseurs of serial-killer memorabilia will pay millions to acquire Hexcamp's art -- unless Carson and Harry can beat them in their quest for the anti-grail.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #554 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 528 pages

Review
Praise for The Death Collectors: 'A fascinating and frightening take on the genre' Independent on Sunday 'Kerley who writes like a house on fire, has a boundless and truly ghastly imagination that'll keep you awake long after you turn the last page' Kirkus Praise for The Hundredth Man: 'A superb debut novel. A headless torso, the heat-soaked Alabama nights, a detective with a secret. Fantastic' Sunday Express 'A chilling journey into a pitch-black mind' Michael Marshall 'A sturdy hero with a clearcut mission and a setting that holds possibilities for fresh adventure. Kerley writes in a thrusting style that pushes the action from crime scene to autopsy table!' The New York Times Book Review 'Kerley jacks up the tension effectively, building to an all-stops-out climax. The plot is a treasure chest of interlocked pieces' Booklist (starred review) Praise for the Hundredth Man: 'A serial killer with a difference: smartly written' Kirkus

Michael Marshall (Author, 'The Straw Men')
‘A chilling journey into a pitch-black mind’

About the Author
Jack Kerley worked in advertising and teaching before becoming a full-time novelist. He lives in Newport, Kentucky, but also spends a good deal of time in Southern Alabama, the setting for The Hundredth Man. He is married with two children.

Customer Reviews

Good but nothing more
I enjoyed Kerley's first novel and was curious to see how he would follow it up. The Death Collectors comes across as a fairly standard crime book, never really scratching more than the surface or plunging into deep dark corners like it's predessesor.
Carson and Nautilus continue to entertain and solidify their foundations as likeable characters, however the introduction of Danbury as a third partner all just seems a bit unnecessary. It feels the Kerley's attemt to create a plucky and fiesty female character slightly backfires as she comes across as just rather annoying.
The plot, although entertaining somehow feels rather diluted and slightly unfulfilling.
A good read but somehow falls just short of the mark.

Good follow-up to The Hundredth Man
Jack Kerley is not one of the best known crime writers, but on the evidence of his first two books, has enough original material to establish himself in the genre. The Hundredth Man was a good debut, and The Death Collectors is the second case for Carson Ryder and Harry Nautilus. The lead character, Ryder, is entertaining yet sensitive.

This is quite a complex plot, harking back to a series of murders committed a few decades earlier, and prominently featuring collectors of serial killer 'memorabilia'. The addition of the character Danbury is not entirely welcome, but fortunately this does not grate to the extent of putting one off the book altogether. If you can stick with it, The Death Collectors is a good story and worth a read.

The Death Collectors
Having read The Hundreth Man, Kerley's first novel, could'nt wait to read the follow on. I wasn't disapointed, absolutley brilliant. Great characters,gripping story, cant wait for Carson and Harry's next case. Loved his style of writing very descriptive. Highly recommended!