This book promised a bit more than it eventually delivered. I read it without the controversial first chapter (it was tacked on the end with a disclaimer), which I didn't like. I think it's actually quite a different book without that highly personal, emotive, torture-porn first chapter.

The image of the basement will stay with me, but the ending/resolution of the story is already fading from my mind. I found it a little... Boring? I know it was full of action but a lot of crime novels end with a clever/thoughtful twist or reveal. This was not one of them.

Also felt a little ridiculous that the deaths just wouldn't stop - maybe two or three conspirators with more genuine mystery would have read better.

I did rattle through this book quite quickly, I felt it painted a good picture of McLean (although I felt his interactions with women could have been fleshed out a little, especially more background on his tragic past, but I imagine that is saved for later books), and did have a number of interesting characters. It just petered out with a whimper rather than any real gripping conclusion.