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Gareth Worthington
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A Time For Monsters Kindle Edition

by Gareth Worthington (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 42 ratings
See all formats and editions
A Nordic thriller in the vein of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo meets Death Wish, in which a female serial killer, who only feels emotion when listening to music, is hell-bent on revenge and must outwit a disgraced detective determined to redeem himself if she is to complete her carefully orchestrated plan and cover up the ultimate secret.

ONLY A MONSTER CAN DO THE WRONG THINGS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS

Do you remember the first tape or CD you ever bought? Perhaps you waited for the local station to play the top forty songs on a Sunday so you could record your favorite band. Maybe you downloaded a certain track that reminded you of your wedding day or a graduation.

Reyna Blackburn remembers.

Every single song for every horrific event in her life. She remembers what song was playing on the radio the first time he hurt her. And she remembers what was playing through her headphones the first time she killed.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    280 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Vesuvian Books
  5. Publication date
    September 28, 2021
  6. File size
    3553 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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From the Publisher

A Time for Monsters
A Time for Monsters
A Time for Monsters

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Gareth Worthington delves into the mind of a female serial killer that is moved only by music as she tries to get away with murder. A tale of cat and mouse has the reader ask what she is trying to hide. An epic thriller and a fantastic read!" ~Tanya Roberts @bookswihtanya, CER at Indigo Books, Québec Canada


"Engaging, stomach twisting, breathtaking, heart breaking, mind bending! Worthington pushes you relentlessly down a path of redemption and off the rough edges of unpaid dues--wherever they are hiding. All the way throwing society's complicity in your face. Not only craftily written but intelligently crafted, he ensnares all your senses while keeping you guessing. A must read for fans of Nordic crime and lovers of twisting storylines." ~Dalilah Kőnig, bookseller at Orell Füssli, Switzerland


"A masterfully built story of abuse, pain, and possible redemption unfolds. Every twist and turn was unexpected and kept me wanting to know more. Can understanding the "Monsters" make you accept or condemn them? How Worthington made me actually love and understand a serial killer is beyond me." ~Erin E. Forys, Barnes and Noble, Williamsburg, VA


"A hell-raising revenge tale for fans of Gillian Flynn, Stieg Larsson, and Karin Slaughter that forces readers down a dark road with an unexpected twist." ~Bram Stoker Awards Nominee, Monique Snyman, South Africa

About the Author

Gareth Worthington holds a degree in marine biology, a PhD in Endocrinology, an executive MBA, is Board Certified in Medical Affairs, and currently works for the Pharmaceutical industry educating the World's doctors on new cancer therapies. Gareth is an authority in ancient history, has hand-tagged sharks in California, and trained in various martial arts, including Jeet Kune Do and Muay Thai at the EVOLVE MMA gym in Singapore and 2FIGHT in Switzerland. His work has won multiple awards, including Dragon Award Finalist and an IPPY award for Science Fiction. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers Association, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and the British Science Fiction Association. Born in England, Gareth has lived around the world from Asia, to Europe to the USA. Wherever he goes, he endeavors to continue his philanthropic work with various charities.
 

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08XQY1XVY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vesuvian Books (September 28, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 28, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3553 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 42 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Gareth Worthington

Gareth Worthington

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Gareth Worthington holds a degree in marine biology, a PhD in Endocrinology, an executive MBA, is Board Certified in Medical Affairs, and currently works for the Pharmaceutical industry educating the World's doctors on new cancer therapies.

Gareth is an authority in ancient history, has hand-tagged sharks in California, and trained in various martial arts, including Jeet Kune Do and Muay Thai at the EVOLVE MMA gym in Singapore and 2FIGHT Switzerland.

He is an award-winning author and member of the International Thriller Writers Association, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and the British Science Fiction Association.

Born in England, Gareth has lived around the world from Asia, to Europe to the USA. Wherever he goes, he endeavors to continue his philanthropic work with various charities.

Gareth is represented by Renee Fountain and Italia Gandolfo at Gandolfo Helin Fountain Literary, New York.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
42 global ratings
A dark twisted noir thriller
4 Stars
A dark twisted noir thriller
“A Time For Monsters” is a dark, twisted noir thriller that will slowly creep on and shock you.The highlight of the tale for me was Rey. What’s interesting about the book, in general, is that you really cannot root for the characters because of their actions. Yet, I gravitated to Rey because the author toggled between her past and present. You get to see how she became who she is in the present day. From her childhood of witnessing the side-effects of chemo to her marriage with Michael, I thought the author portrayed Rey compellingly. Similarly, Arne is also gripping, and I wondered how the paths would cross for these two.The author also does a beautiful job of setting the dark landscape of this Nordic thriller. The pacing is a bit of a slow burn, but I did not mind it because I thought it fit well with the theme. Moreover, I enjoyed how the author incorporated CSI elements into the investigation. It gave it a different touch—some shocking moments had me at the edge of my seat, like when Arne faces a threat in front of him or tries to find the King Kubb Killer. The author gradually ups the pace leading to a gripping climax. I was impressed at how he executed the story overall.However, I must admit the book was too ‘raw’ for me at times. Although this added to the tale’s authenticity, some scenes are pretty detailed and graphic for my taste and made these gritty scenes difficult.Nevertheless, overall, “A Time For Monsters” was disturbing, twisted, and intriguing. The book is perfect for reading if you are a fan of the Millennium series.
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Top reviews from the United States

Book Ronin
5.0 out of 5 stars A bold, unflinching dissection of the nature of good and evil.
Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2021
Verified Purchase
A perilous exploration into the nature of good and evil - and everything in-between - this book caught me totally off guard. Tight prose, well-crafted characters, and plot twists that will wring you dry make this page turner the surprise thriller of the year. See, there's a thing with readers - we want to love the characters in the stories we read. This fascination goes all the way back to old tales of Once Upon A Time... But what when the characters are SO FLAWED, so human, that they're difficult to like? Even when all of their sins make them that much more real to us? Now THAT creates fresh sensations with character that we're not used to - and in this case - it's incredible. Gareth Worthington has done an outstanding job with his newest thriller - a white knuckler that boldly explores the ripple like effects of trauma and abuse and begs us to ask ourselves "Are we all really as good as we think we are?" 5 Stars.
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Michelle Titherington VanDaley
3.0 out of 5 stars Dark with A Twist
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2023
A Time for Monsters was a dark thriller with a nice twist at the end. I really liked the mystery/thriller part of the story but for me the characters fell flat. I did not connect with them and the depth just wasn't there for me. I still enjoyed the overall story
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Lauren
4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasantly surprised
Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2021
ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“A Time for Monsters” is a thriller in which the reader follows along as a female serial killer, Rey, seeks to complete her reign of terror. Rey’s childhood full of domestic violence is slowly unraveled, including the soundtrack of her life that keeps propelling Rey forward. Music is how Rey feels her way through the world, and her vigilante killings are how she excises her past. Standing in her way is Detective Huakaas, who isn’t the most likeable police officer. Through a twist of circumstance, the two leads are thrown together, leading to a fast-paced game of cat-and-mouse. However, as the story progresses, Rey seems to be unravelling. Is she starting the slip as she approaches the finale of her killing spree? The twisting novel will keep you guessing until the very end.

I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. I’m a big fan of thrillers, and my interest was piqued by some of the comparisons between this novel and a few of my favorites. The characters were well sketched out, and between the two leads, I found myself cheering for Rey. As the past catches up with the present, a fuller picture of Rey emerges, including what fully motivates her. Detective Huakaas’ past and philosophical leanings don’t make him especially likeable, and as Rey seems to begin to slip and the Detective Huakaas draws nearing, I kept rooting for the serial killer to prevail. The twisting final ¼ of the book held some great surprises that filled in some of the blanks of the earlier novel, as well as some blanks I didn’t realize were missing. In the end, the finale of the book was apropos, leaving me satisfied.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. A great premise with fast-paced writing had me tear through this novel in a day. If you’re into thrillers, this is a good bet. There are obvious themes of domestic violence which may be triggering for a few readers. However, I think this is a good choice for most readers, even if they are just entering the thriller genre.
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The Librarian
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Nordic thriller
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2021
Verified Purchase
Excellent Nordic thriller set between the UK and Oslo. Worthington keeps the pace tense as we follow two broken characters on a cat-and-mouse chase to stop a female serial killer. While neither character is exceptionally likeable, they're real and flawed, which is something I enjoy reading in fiction. The mystery of the backstory unfolds with scenes of the past eloquently woven through. No one could possibly guess the twist, and the end leaves the story open in a way that it can continue. Hopefully it does!
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langleyd
5.0 out of 5 stars a dark twisting rage will set her music on fire
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2023
A TIME FOR MONSTERS is a dark story line that sets off all of the alarm bells yet manages to escape the scene everytime without leaving a trace of evidence. No clues to explain the heavy violence yet obviously part of an annual ritual to calm a raging heart that must kill. Every spring, she will kill 6 men in such a manner as to end the struggle that only music and violence can soothe. As the police face the upcoming spring season, they will double their efforts to find this killer, never suspecting a woman, before men starting dying again.
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Carolyn
3.0 out of 5 stars A dark thriller with shocking twists
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2021
I wish to thank NetGalley and XpressoBookTours for the No Time For Monsters Arc. This was a dark and brutal thriller with an intriguing premise and some shocking twists. It addresses major issues of domestic violence, assault, and abuse on the premise that they cause lingering emotional damage.

The story involves a long-standing 'cat and mouse' contest between Rey and a damaged and disgraced police detective. There is in-depth development of Rey's traumatic background. This contributed to her becoming a serial killer of abusive men in their 50s. She would also lash out with deadly force to younger men she felt threatening. She is a highly intelligent woman with some unique schemes to avoid capture by the police. I disliked both main characters and some in supporting roles and regret that this prevented me from becoming emotionally drawn into the story.

The plot moves smoothly back and forth between the present and the past, and the locations are the USA, England, and mainly Oslo, Norway. I believe that many lovers of Nordic Noir will find this a thrilling, compelling read. I was invested in the story by comparisons with the writings of Stieg Larsson. His Lisbet Salander is one of my favourite female characters, unlike Rey, whom I disliked. I did not find redemption or closure within this story but felt it left room for a sequel that I would be interested in reading.
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Top reviews from other countries

J. Lynch
5.0 out of 5 stars Nordic Noir at its finest!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 28, 2021
Verified Purchase
Dark, thrilling, raw, and quite literally unputdownable. A Time For Monsters takes you on a journey through time, one that is etched in the kind of unbearable pain you daren't dream about nor wish to endure. Our main protagonist is one part villain, one part victim, someone you should detest, but because of Worthington's writing style and descriptions of Rey of her past and her present, for me, I couldn't hate her. I empathized with her in many ways. I wanted to reach into the pages of the book and console her, tell her that her existence was worth more than the crimes she committed. Yet, even though she was in quite literal terms a cold-blooded killer, I prayed for her escape, her actually getting away with murder.

I love the cat-and-mouse story with Arne Huakasss, a detective in Oslo, who's downtrodden and perhaps a little more broken than Rey. I particularly loved the setting in Norway--the iciness of the landscape and the cold hard exterior of Rey made it a more vivid reading experience.

Huge praise for Gareth Worthingon. Quite possibly his best work to date.

This was a well-written, well-developed, and well-executed novel. I highly recommend this to any lover of dark Nordic thrillers. Don't miss out on this one!
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Lagoon
2.0 out of 5 stars Unappealing.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 29, 2021
Verified Purchase
Rey had a rotten childhood. Now, as an adult, she is meting out some retribution. I didn’t like Rey as a character. Not because of her actions necessarily, I just didn’t connect with her. There isn’t much of a story here. That, and the lack of characterisation made this a lacklustre read for me.

There is a twist and it’s clever; albeit highly unrealistic.
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