Catechism
Nick Ballard Book 1
by Anthony Steven
Malfunctioning psychic, Nick Ballard, must answer this question if he hopes to halt a string of seemingly unrelated murders in which he shares the horrific fates of the victims. An unstoppable killer is targeting him for reasons he doesn’t comprehend, and Nick is powerless as he is tortured over and over again.
He must solve the riddle of his own past and discover why the ability that made him into a tv star is now a curse.
Nick enlists the help of sceptical DCI, Kate Garvey, to help him hunt down a remorseless, implacable killer, as the body count rises and the final death comes ever closer.
Momma Says: 3 stars⭐⭐⭐
Catechism introduces Nick Ballard who is not your typical psychic - not that the word psychic conjures up anything remotely typical. I suppose it would be better to say that Nick is unlike any psychic I've seen on TV or read in a book. Psychic gift, or curse, aside, Nick is not without his problems. He's one of those flawed characters that you find yourself liking and rooting for even while not liking their choices. As far as flawed characters go, I have to say that the author does them very well, and they feel real. They aren't perfect by any means, which goes a long way toward making them relatable.
When I read the blurb for this one, I expected a thriller, but the story has the tone and pacing of a procedural more than a thriller, which surprised me given the premise. Procedural, crime drama, thriller - whatever you want to call it, the story and characters are interesting and I wanted to see how it all played out. So, in the end, I would've preferred a faster pace, maybe a better-defined tension, but the book was still worth the read as is.
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