Monday 10 August 2020

Witness X by S.E. Moorhead - Book Review

Amanda Kennedy


A brief synopsis from the Goodreads page:

Fourteen years ago, the police caged a notorious serial killer who abducted and butchered two victims every February. He was safe behind bars. Wasn't he?
But then another body is discovered, and soon enough, the race is on to catch the real killer.

Neuropsychologist Kyra Sullivan fights to use a new technology that accesses the minds of the witnesses, working with the police to uncover the truth. Will Kyra discover the person behind the murders, and if so, at what cost? And how far will she go to ensure justice is served?

Much of the marketing describes Witness X as “Silence of the Lambs meets Blade Runner”, and while I agree should this excellent novel be translated to film, that is indeed how I would expect it to present. However, in it’s written form, I found that description rather misleading. Perhaps that is because this literary style is unlike anything else I’ve previously read..?

The setting is in the near future, where the brilliant mind of Kyra Sullivan has developed a machine which can access a person’s memories through a type of VR interaction. Having previously consulted with the police, she would prefer her invention to be used to tackle crime (especially in light of her sister’s murder, which caused her to leave the force), but her patron has other plans.

When the man who was convicted of her sister’s murder (and that of several other young women) escapes from prison, the pattern of serial killings begins again. Kyra begins to feel the effects of using her machine spill out from her subconscious mind, but the pressing need to locate and stop the killer forces her to make dangerous decisions.

I really enjoyed this book - it is fast-paced and the principle characters have human flaws which helped me as a reader to connect with their motivations and psyche. If this is a first novel for S.E. Moorhead, then it is a brilliant one, although I would be very happy should Moorhead choose to continue Kyra’s story in sequels or possibly a whole series. I for one feel she has many more adventures to attend!

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on August 10th, 2020.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

Witness X by S.E. Moorhead is available to buy from all good bookstores, and is often on special offer in Amazon’s Kindle store. I purchased when it was on offer for just 99p and found it to be way more valuable! 

Amanda Kennedy / Book Blogger, Writer & Editor

Amanda is a lifelong learner and book lover who lives in the North of England with her family and several cats. She writes book reviews, literary news and bookish articles here on All My Pretty Books.

To learn more about Amanda's own work, visit her personal website.

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