“When Jake Boulder is asked by his PI friend to help investigate the vicious murder of Kira Niemeyer, he soon finds himself tracking a serial killer who selects his next victim in a most unusual manner.

As the body count rises, Boulder has to work with the police to identify the heinous killer before more lives are taken.

What ensues is a twisted game of cat and mouse, that only Boulder or the Watcher can survive.”

I am absolutely delighted to welcome you to my stop on the Watching the Bodies blog tour alongside the lovely Caroline over at Bits About Books.  Watching the Bodies is the first book in the new Jake Boulder series, is written by author Graham Smith and was published by Bloodhound Books on 25th April 2017.

Graham Smith is best known for his DI Harry Evans series set in Cumbria.  I have read a novella and the latest book in the series, I Know Your Secret featuring DI Evans.  Both of which I enjoyed so I was thrilled to be asked to join the blog tour and excited to make a start on this brand new series featuring expat Scot, Jake Boulder.

The first thing I should say is that this new series is nothing like Smith’s DI Evans series. I’m a huge fan of the ‘damaged detective’ (that includes Evans) and I love my police procedurals but this was something else altogether.  Something great.  Something refreshing and different.

I was expecting the story to be set close to home so was pleasantly surprised to find myself in Utah.  I have a bit of a penchant for crime stories set in America so this immediately appealed to me.  From then on things just got better and better.  This is a cracking serial killer thriller which doesn’t shy away from blood, guts and gore.  I absolutely loved the serial killer’s method of choosing his next victim along with his way of deciding how they were going to die.  As an avid crime reader it does sometimes get a little tiresome reading about the killer’s same, repetitive MO again and again.  You don’t get this with Watching the Bodies.  Each victim is disposed of in a different and unique way which I (because I’m a little strange) found fascinating.  I also like my serial killers to reach double figures in the victim count.

Jake Boulder is a very intriguing character and I want to read more.  He could be one of those aloof, very masculine characters who steals a few reader’s hearts but I, for one, am undecided at the moment.  Don’t get me wrong.  I really liked him.  I’m just not sure that I fell for his charms as some other readers may do.  Employed at one of the local bars as the doorman he’s a fighter who hasn’t forgotten his Scottish roots, despite living in the US for many years.  I loved that he’s still close and heavily influenced by his mother and her maternal concerns.  That relationship gave the story several lighter, more humorous moments which were appreciated.  I also loved the relationship between Boulder and Alfonse.  Alfonse is the owner of a PI company and Boulder’s best buddy.  He’s also the reason Boulder gets into the trouble he does.  Alfonse is a geek, a computer genius so his pairing with tough nut, Boulder seemed unlikely but it totally works.  I could read about these two all day long.

Would I recommend this book?  Most definitely.  It’s one of the best serial killer thrillers I have read in a LONG time.  I couldn’t stop turning the pages and devoured the book in two short days.  If this is what Graham Smith has in store for us with this new series then consider me hooked.  I can’t wait to read more!

Four and a half stars out of five.

I chose to read and review an eARC of Watching the Bodies.  The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Watching the Bodies by Graham Smith was published in the UK by Bloodhound Books on 25th April 2017 and is available in paperback and eBook formats | amazon.co.uk | amazon.com | Waterstones | Goodreads |

Graham Smith is married with a young son. A time served joiner he has built bridges, houses, dug drains and slated roofs to make ends meet. Since Christmas 2000 he has been manager of a busy hotel and wedding venue near Gretna Green, Scotland.

An avid fan of crime fiction since being given one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books at the age of eight, he has also been a regular reviewer and interviewer for the well-respected website Crimesquad.com since 2009

He is the author of four books featuring DI Harry Evans and the Cumbrian Major Crimes Team and one book, WATCHING THE BODIES in a new series featuring Utah doorman, Jake Boulder.

Author Links: | Facebook | Website | Twitter | Amazon UK |