Book Review Eye Contact by Fergus McNeill

Eye Contact by Fergus McNeill

 

 

Fed up with your boring old bog standard serial killer?  Then pick up Eye contact by Fergus McNeill for a new take on the genre.

Eye Contact is the debut novel by Fergus McNeill, although in my opinion, he writes with the maturity of a more experienced writer, based in Bristol and the surrounding area. This debut novel is a thriller with a unique slant. 

Rob Naysmith is a serial killer whose Modus Operandi is based on a game to which  only he knows the rules.  His victims are chosen by selecting a specific time.  After this time, the first person to make eye contact with him becomes his victim.  He then gives his target 24 hours grace before he begins to hunt them.  In the world of serial killers this is a unique method of selection and Naysmith further compounds this by varying his killing method depending on the victim’s circumstances.  He proceeds with impunity until DI Harland, following the killing of a young woman in Severn, realises that the killer has left a ‘token ‘from his previous victim on the current victim.   Thus the hunt for a serial killer commences and the battle between Naysmith and his nemesis Harland begins.

McNeill has created two very convincing main characters.  The serial killer Naysmith has an interesting back story which McNeill skilfully interjects throughout the novel.  The main police protagonist Harland is recently bereaved and has anger management issues.  All of this is portrayed sensitively and realistically. 

For those of you who want a bit of a change from the bog standard police procedural this is most definitely for you and even if you don’t want a change this book is well worth the read.  I was glued to the page from the beginning and recommend this 100 per cent.