Slow Slicing (DI Bliss, #7) By Tony J. Forder
Another outing for Bliss, Chandler and his wonderful team.
The first chapter opens with a delightfully disgusting torture from which the title is taken.
After a mild detour to pick up with Molly again, Bliss is called to a crime scene where a lump of engraved flesh has been found and has flagged to a case similar to his.
This leads to a joint task force across 3 areas and a breathtaking story, taking into account the horrific murder of a young woman over 20 years previously. There are lots of twists and turns and I wasn't sure who done it until the very end. A couple of genius little red herrings as well.
Something that really comes across for me in all of the Bliss books is the camaraderie amongst the team and the issues of promotion are addressed as well as personal issues and the individual characters. It gives it a more human edge and you feel like you know all of the characters within the team.
As always with Tony Forder the case is laid out in meticulous detail and you are always wondering if Bliss will get himself into trouble and whether he'll ever get his love life sorted.
These questions aren't answered and leave you to wonder even more about the future! 307 Book 7 in the DI Bliss series and this one is seriously dark and gruesome.
The slicing in the title is the Chinese torture of death by a thousand cuts. Enough said.
The first victim comes to the attention of the police when a piece of human flesh is found at an historic monument. This is just first of a number of pieces of flesh and body parts that will found in different locations around the country, from different victims.
With Bliss appointed in charge of the joint task force connections are made to a cold case from over 20 years ago.
Bliss continues his relationship with his DS, Chandler and the rest of his team and a love interest from an earlier book returns to his life.
This is an intriguing storyline and whilst the descriptions of the torture are quite disturbing it all comes together to make sense by the end of the book. As always it is well written and well thought out and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and will await the next episode eagerly. 307 Slow Slicing by Tony J. Forder
D.I. Bliss #7
Grim, gritty, gruesome, and grisly the opening scene was powerful, made me cringe, and wonder what type of warped mind could carry out the torture described. I wondered how the police would figure out the who, what, when, why and where and how long it would take for the tortured to die, be found or the case solved. Though dark the story rings true. Once again, I wondered how people who deal with homicides manage to sleep at night and live normal lives. That said…I couldn’t put this book down once I began reading and was almost relieved when it ended. At the end I wondered what direction Bliss would head in the future.
What I liked:
* D.I. Bliss: an older policeman with experience, wisdom, and his own way of getting results. He is a good leader that does what it takes even though sometimes it gets him into trouble. In some ways I get the feeling he is tired of the job but in others I see he is not fully burned out…or at least not quite yet.
* Chandler: Bliss’s work partner who seems to help ground him. She is younger and has a backstory of her own but is a powerful presence in Bliss’s life.
* Bliss’s team: work together well and are an interesting collection of people
* Wharburton and Fletcher: women higher up the police ladder than Bliss who seem to have cooler heads and behave wisely as they seem often to be trying to rein Bliss in.
* The police procedural aspects of the story
* The writing, plot, pacing and revelations as the story was told
* The interwoven elements and side stories related to leaks, newspapers, romances, etc
* Molly: a young girl from the previous book that I was able to catch up with
* The idea that Bliss might have a future with a happy ending that may include a romantic partner
* That there was a resolution to the case
* Knowing that there will be another D.I. Bliss book to look forward to
What I did not like:
* Knowing how twisted minds can become and the pain some are willing to bestow on others
* That D.I. Bliss keeps being in the hot seat despite the results he achieves
* Feeley: I get a sense this person is out to get D.I. Bliss and am not sure his focus on Bliss is rational
Did I enjoy this book? Hmm…tough one to read but I did enjoy it
Would I read more in the series? Yes, definitely!
Thank you to the author and BOTBS for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
307 I've become a huge fan of the DI Jimmy Bliss series and all I can say is ... if you've never been slowly sliced by Jimmy Bliss, you're missing out big time. Seriously though, Forder's devious mind really takes us to dark places in this one and certainly, Slow Slicing is one of his darkest books yet - and it's safe to say, I loved it.
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Forder has the ability to temper the dark and gruesomeness of these horrific crimes by playing on the well rounded dynamics of the team he has created to support Jimmy Bliss. The interchanges between Bliss and his DS Penny 'Pen' Chandler flow really well. They are humerous, empathetic and revealing.
I hope Bliss never changes, because I love that he always has his eye on justice at whatever personal cost to himself. Forder always takes us on a roller coaster of a ride through the investigation and the twists and turns of Slow Slicing kept me away from my own writing ... Damn You Tony Forder!
The fact that a contemporary crime links back to an unsolved murder from over twenty five years ago leaves us with a wealth of suspects and possibilities to explore and , as usual, Forder reveals the clues and tit bits of information at just the right moment.
I was convinced I had it all sussed and then .... another twist had me sitting up and taking note.
In many ways Forder's penmanship is a form of slow slicing in its own write (you see what I did there?) - as bit by bit, he slices away the readers suppositions in a deliciously slow torture all of his own making.
All the stars from me. 307 https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
I love this author’s book and have read every release to date in the DI Bliss series so as soon as I saw that Tony had a new release, this book, Slow Slicing, the seventh book in the series, I knew without any doubt that I needed to get my hands on a copy and the wait for it to be released began…
I have to say that this was soooo worth the wait and I read the book within hours of it landing on my Kindle and I loved it, flew through the story and devoured EVERY page – it was a brilliant read!!
The book starts off fabulously and I knew I was not going to be able to put it down and nothing would stop me reading it in one sitting - mainly why I started it when my toddler daughter was in bed and husband was on nights!! I cracked out the chocolate and enjoyed every page – it was a deliciously dark crime thriller and the perfect read for me!
It is 5 stars from me for this one, I loved it, well developed story, thrilling plot, fabulous pace and superb characters – very highly recommended!! 307
I am still shaking my head - my word what a book!
Tony J Forder has always been one of my favourite authors and despite having read hundreds of books since it was published DEGREES OF DARKNESS always stayed with me and to be honest although I have loved every other book I didn't think it would ever get knocked off the top spot. Has SLOW SLICING managed it? Well for the time being they are sharing the podium.
I love Bliss he is struggling with Meniere's disease and relationship issues which are partly related to it but he carries on his quest to rid the area of as many bad guys as he can. Penny Chandler is his rock she is different to Bliss and the 2 different personalities come together to make an extremely effective partnership. The other members of the team also bring their own personalities and skills making for a very well functioning detective team. I feel honoured to have been along for the ride as these characters grow and develop book by book over the course of the series. Very skillfully created by a talented author.
The story is not for the feint hearted there is a lot of sadistic violence in the story but I think it has been well spread out and softened by the personal lives of the characters.
A murder many, many years ago that remains unsolved. The men suspected of the crime are still free, or they were. When body parts start showing up Bliss finds himself heading up a joint investigation with crimes spanning several areas. As the list of suspects is put together they are quickly crossed out when parts of their bodies turns up. But these people are not dead - yet.
A lot of twists and turns, bucketloads of adrenaline pumping suspense more twists and turns than a pretzel and so many dead ends and wrong turns it made me wonder who on earth could be carrying out the crimes especially when every suspect that still had and intact body has a cast iron alibi. But Bliss was never one to give up.
An absolutely brilliant read well worth the 5 golden stars. Thank you to the author and BOTBS Publicity for the advance copy. This is my unbiased review.
307 Wow, Tony Forder has done it again! 'Slow Slicing' is yet another superb book in his Bliss and Chandler series. It's a dark and disturbing read that delivers more twists than a bag of pretzels, and never fails to entertain. The characters are well drawn, the pacing is relentless and the story intriguing. I've said it before and I'll say it again - this author ranks in terms of talent with the very best of novelists. I wish I could award 'Slow Slicing' more than five stars, but hey ho, life's not perfect! Let's just say the five stars I'm giving this book are all supernovas. 307 Wow, well the author sure knows how to grab my attention with an opening like this one! I won’t go into any detail but if you are a lover of dark crime books, well this opening is the one for you.
There is something comforting about a book in a series. Yes I know it’s a detective series, but its the familiarity of the characters that we’ve gotten to know and love as well as the pleasure of the way the author writes them. I have to say how pleased I was that he brought Molly, even though briefly, into this one. If you have read the previous book in the series, like Bliss, this is a girl that steals her way into your heart. The parts with her in bring some lighthearted relief and I hope we see more of her in future books.
This is a dark and complex case, one which sees it becoming even more complicated as it turns into a joint task force effort. I felt for Bliss and his team as the pressure is mounting. The author manages to bring some humour as well as some heart warming moments with Bliss’ personal life. This just endeared him to me even more. He is stubborn, set in his ways and whilst he seems to rub some people up the wrong way, he can’t do any wrong in my eyes.
Slow Slicing is a harrowing but riveting read that I couldn’t wait to pick up at every opportunity given. Even when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. After how this one ends, I am already eager for the next book. Another well written and clever case that kept me on tenterhooks throughout.
My thanks to the author for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Merged review:
Wow, well the author sure knows how to grab my attention with an opening like this one! I won’t go into any detail but if you are a lover of dark crime books, well this opening is the one for you.
There is something comforting about a book in a series. Yes I know it’s a detective series, but its the familiarity of the characters that we’ve gotten to know and love as well as the pleasure of the way the author writes them. I have to say how pleased I was that he brought Molly, even though briefly, into this one. If you have read the previous book in the series, like Bliss, this is a girl that steals her way into your heart. The parts with her in bring some lighthearted relief and I hope we see more of her in future books.
This is a dark and complex case, one which sees it becoming even more complicated as it turns into a joint task force effort. I felt for Bliss and his team as the pressure is mounting. The author manages to bring some humour as well as some heart warming moments with Bliss’ personal life. This just endeared him to me even more. He is stubborn, set in his ways and whilst he seems to rub some people up the wrong way, he can’t do any wrong in my eyes.
Slow Slicing is a harrowing but riveting read that I couldn’t wait to pick up at every opportunity given. Even when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. After how this one ends, I am already eager for the next book. Another well written and clever case that kept me on tenterhooks throughout. 307 Slow Slicing is the seventh instalment in this bestselling series, featuring DI Jimmy Bliss and DS Penny Chandler and is the darkest and most disturbing episode to date. Slow Slicing is the Western translation of Lingchi, the drawn-out Chinese method of torture execution in which slices of flesh are systematically removed from the body of the condemned. It was the executioner's task to make as many cuts as possible without killing the victim and making them suffer as much as possible before their demise.
After a graphic, bloody and brutal opening chapter where we hear about Lingchi being used against a victim, the police begin to discover body parts and pieces of flesh turning up at different locations; three parts at first with one being in DI Jimmy Bliss's jurisdiction in Peterborough — it was discovered wrapped in a plastic bag inside the fireplace of the cathedral. A Joint Task Force is created, with Jimmy at the helm, to help pool resources and share information with police across the counties where the other parts have been found. The second piece was uncovered at West Kennet Long Barrow historical site, and given that one piece was white and one black it's safe to say they have either an emerging or re-emerging serial killer on their hands. After delving deeper it is believed that this case is linked to a twenty-six-year-old gangland cold case which was similar in nature. With very little evidence or clues to point them in the right direction, investigators have their work cut out trying to stop another gruesome discovery from appearing.
This is a riveting, compulsive and exhilarating thriller but is certainly not for the faint-hearted as Forder doesn't shy away from making the action blood-soaked, gory and deliciously depraved from the beginning with the opening chapter being full of sadism and a stomach-churning sense of excitement. I struggle to comprehend why Forder isn't as lauded as the big names in the genre because his superb plotting, extensive character development, and effortlessly flowing, highly readable style are magnificent and a force to be reckoned with. I found the dynamic between colleagues believable and interesting with each having a defined role to play and wisdom to share. It's a complex story but it never becomes confusing and the perfectly placed and plotted twists and turns and expert use of misdirection all play a large role in blowing you away. I also enjoyed the fact that we got to see Molly again which brought out a softer and more compassionate and caring side to Bliss. A real page-turner and a must-read for all crime connoisseurs. Many thanks to BOTBS for an ARC. 307 The most gruesome murders I’ve ever heard about.
DI Jimmy Bliss has taken some leave to visit Molly now living with a perfect foster family in Torquay. Seeing her so happy, relaxed and trauma-free is a massive relief for him.
Unfortunately, their reunion is cut short when Bliss receives a call from DI Pete Conway who he worked within the Serious and Organised Crime Agency. He’s now a Superintendent in Wiltshire, and his team have picked up a peculiar case, tourists had found a bag of flesh and skin inside the West Kennet Long Barrow. Nine days before Bliss’ team had started investigating a plastic bag containing a chunk of flesh and skin slices discovered at the Knights’ Chamber above the gateway to the Bishop’s Palace at the Peterborough Palace. Both pieces of flesh had inscriptions sliced into them. No sooner has Bliss returned to his team in Peterborough after inspecting the Long Barrow site when he receives another call – this time from DI Max Riseborough from the City of London police. This time there’s a hand.
It’s agreed that Jimmy Bliss and his team will lead the investigation into the three finds, working closely with Wiltshire and London. The discovery of the hand and its inscription finally make sense – they referred back to a case in 1994. The murder of Geraldine Price was brutal. The similarity is the flesh carved and skin findings. Geraldine Price had suffered some of the most brutal injuries any of the police had ever witnessed. Her killer/s had never been found. The teams in Peterborough, Wiltshire and London realise that they have a short window to find the killer before he/she strikes again.
Tony Forder has absolutely nailed it with this novel. The plot is so bizarre, unique and fast that I had to give up a day to read because I couldn’t bear to leave the book before I discovered who and how the killer had operated. Most disturbing for me; no traces of the victims who will die under the most excruciating pain and suffering.
I’ve loved this series from Book 1. I love the team and the comradery they have. I love that Jimmy Bliss is such a maverick and will get his killer whichever way he can even if it means infuriating his bosses. I love that each case is entirely unique. I still think that this would translate into the most brilliant TV series, and I sincerely hope that someone with imagination reads them and agrees.
Tony Forder, I say this every time I finish one of your books – you are a brilliant author, and I look forward to the next book in the series. Bravo Tony – bravo! Outstanding!
Rony
Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.
307
WHEN DEATH BECOMES THE KINDEST CUT OF ALL
When slices of flesh and body parts are discovered in different areas of the country, DI Bliss and his team are tasked with running the operation. After Bliss realises the victims have been subjected to a specific form of torture, it leads him to a cold case involving the brutal and bloody murder of a woman in London twenty-six years earlier.
As the team discover links between their victims, the murdered woman, and gangland crime, they begin a dangerous investigation into both the past and the present. But Bliss is stumped, unable to decide if the current spate of mutilations are acts of revenge or the result of ageing criminals seeking to hide their despicable actions. Following a leak to the media, Bliss’s reaction may have dire consequences.
With the hunt for the victims at fever point, Bliss uncovers evidence steering him in the direction of one particular individual. The only problem being, his prime suspect is the one person it cannot possibly be. When Bliss orders a sting operation, the astonishing truth is revealed. And that’s when things really start to go wrong… Slow Slicing (DI Bliss, #7)