Blog Tour: M.W. Craven's The Curator, Book Review

THE CURATOR by M. W. CRAVEN
Published by Little Brown on 4th June 2020.
Hardback (£14.95)
Ebook (£9.99) and Audio.

The Crime Warp is delighted to be on the blog tour for M.W. Craven's The Curator, with a review of one of my favourite reads of the year so far and has featured as one of my Guilty Pleasures over on my Author Website for the month of May.
But First ...

Here's a little bit about the author ...

A brand-new voice in British crime fiction, M. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle. He joined the armyat sixteen, leaving a decade later to complete a social work degree and spent seventeen years as a probation officer in Cumbria, rising to the rank of assistant chief officer. The first in the Washington Poe series, The Puppet Show, won the 2019 CWA Gold Dagger, has sold in numerous foreign territories and has been optioned for TV by Studio Lambert. M. W. Craven has been shortlisted for the Goldsboro Glass Bell Award and an Amazon Reader Award. He is also the author of the Avison Fluke novels, Born in a Burial Ground (shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger) and Body Breaker. The second in the Washington Poe series, Black Summer was published in June 2019.

What do others think about The Curator?

‘Intelligent. Sophisticated. Intriguing. Poe and Bradshaw are a memorable duo no crime fiction fan should miss. Mike Craven is an impressive crime writer. The Curator demonstrates why.’ Mari Hannah

‘Craven more than deserved the CWA Gold Dagger for The Puppet Show, and this novel is just as dazzling!' Holly Watt, 2019 CWA Silver Dagger winner.

So, how did Craven manage to keep us all hooked for this, the third in the Tilly and Poe series?

Well, here's the Blurb to whet your appetite

A serial killer is leaving displayed body parts all over Cumbria. A strange message is left at each scene: #BSC6

Called in to investigate, the National Crime Agency's Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are faced with a case that makes no sense. Why were some victims anaesthetized, while others died in appalling agony? Why is their only suspect denying what they can irrefutably prove but admitting to things they weren't even aware of? And why did the victims all take the same two weeks off work three years earlier? And when a disgraced FBI agent gets in touch things take an even darker turn. Because she doesn't think Poe is dealing with a serial killer at all; she thinks he's dealing with someone far, far worse - a man who calls himself the Curator. And nothing will ever be the same again . . .

My Thoughts

Oh, my giddy aunt - this is a stonker. Poe and Tilly are my absolute favourite crime busting duo and I can't describe how much I loved this book. From the laugh out loud moments to the tense edge of your seat moments, to the dogged investigative moments, to the beautiful scenic moments, Craven's mastery is apparent. The plotting is fantastic - and as for that ending - well - hold on to your breeches - it's a whammy.

I don't know how much time Craven spends researching the 'Tillyisms', but, hats off to him - they certainly make her character so beautifully three dimesional as well as completely appealing. I always have a bit of a bet with myself about which Tillyism is my favourite - without spoiling it for others, I finally decided on the 'leaking' references. Read the book to find out what I mean. You'll be rolling on the floor, I'm sure.

The concept of The Curator, based on real life events, is brilliantly executed and all the more chilling becauise it isn't immediately apparant what is going on. It's also a cautionary tale about how easily the human psyche can be messed with. I found myself, genuinely perplexed as to who The Curator was and, although all the clues were there, I have to say that until the end, I was flummoxed. Of course Tilly and Poe get five stars - as does The Curator

Here's the rest of the books in the series.