I have sporadically read the Carson Ryder series on and off for some time and finally got around to catching up with this book 13 in the series. Sadly, I was left feeling a little deflated by the time I completed it. Carson is called to a murder where a card with his name on it has been left at the scene. He doesn't know the woman so his partner Harry takes the lead so there is no effect on evidence or conflict on interest. At the same time another murder is linked in Phoenix so Carson decides to use his vacation time and fly out there. Whilst there he works alongside Detective Tasha Novarro to work on the case.


The story itself seemed average by comparison to some of his other books. I cannot even put my finger on exactly why, it just didn't have the same feel as his other earlier books. I struggled through the book but didn't feel the same excitement when reading a Ryder book and for some reason it felt like a chore. I am certainly a fan of Kerley's previous books but but sadly this one just didn't hit the mark for me so it's a pass I'm afraid.

J A Kerley is probably my favourite writer and I have bought every single one of his books. This book continues on the Carson Ryder series but you can definitely read this as a standalone novel.
The plot was very clever and a usual the characters are fantastic.
Highly recommend

Since stumbling over the THE HUNDREDTH MAN by JA Kerley (the first novel starring Carson Ryder and Kerley's debut) in an Auckland bookshop many years ago, I've thoroughly enjoyed this series.

Kerley is an excellent storyteller who nicely balances exciting plotlines with interesting characters and a good sense of place. His novels are consistently good, This, the thirteenth novel in a really, really good (and possibly rather underrated) series is another good solid read without perhaps hitting the heights of the earlier books.

Fanstastic novel. I always enjoy Carson Ryder and this novel didn’t disappoint at all. Great characterisation and a number of twists throughout to keep the reader guessing.

This is already the 13th book in the Carson Ryder series, and luckily 13 is a lucky number with this book - it is even better than each and every book preceding it. I've been a long time fan of Carson Ryder and was once again not disappointed. Highly recommended!!

I was sent this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. I found the change of venue to Arizona to be engaging, adding a new landscape and new characters. Carson is drawn into the Arizona case when two mental health professionals are murdered in Florida and his name is found in their records. A third psychologist in Phoenix has also been murdered, and they all seem to be centered around a group of teenagers who were in therapy together. Kerley does a great job serving up small bits of red herring to keep the reader guessing. Highly recommended.

Oh dear! Jack Kerley is an author who's books I would buy without reading the blurb and no matter what the cost, however, this last offering was truly under par.
I love the character of Carson Ryder, but he sort of took a back seat in this book and wasn't up to his usual genius standard in crime fighting..
The setting was alien to me, revolving around the native American community, and simple things like pronunciation of names and foods became a struggle throughout the book. It took me absolutely ages to finish and I felt like abandoning it several times.
I hope the next book is back to the original format and includes more from Jeremy, who in my opinion makes the books what they are along with Carson.
This is the first of Kerley's books I haven't raved about to my friends or written a great review for. Disappointing and boring. Sorry.

I’m not sure whether the author intended to make a very specific character so annoying that he would be unforgettable, but it made the reading experience almost painful.

The other theory is, and I hope this isn’t true, that it was an attempt to make the character appear more hip and like the youth of today.

No one walks around saying ‘hashtag’ this and ‘hashtag’ that every ten seconds, especially not the young people of today. I felt it was detrimental to the story and the reading experience in general.

Unfortunately Carson’s brother doesn’t make an appearance in this book, which is a shame because their dynamic is an interesting element of this series.

The killer is apparent quite early on, so the thrill isn’t about finding the killer, it is more about chasing him while he is always ten steps ahead.

Whilst the characters of Carson, Harry and Tasha are memorable and have an interesting dynamic, the tone of the premise is brought down by the dialogue between the killer and everyone else.

Oh, I do love a bit of Carson. As usual, J A Kerley packs a punch and doesn't let you down. Great read.

Fantastic Carson Ryder as always!!! Well written, gripping and thoroughly disturbingly thrilling. A Fantastic wild ride of a read!

Another great read - love the series, love Carson Ryder! It didn’t disappoint and I cannot wait for the next book!

Awesome, it's been a while Mr Kerley, but it was worth the wait. Hunter was marvellous as always!

Another cracking instalment in the series. Great cast of characters, including old favourites and some new additions too! Really enjoyed the plot for this one, didn’t see any of the reveals coming! Such a great series!

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins Uk for an advance copy of The Death File, the thirteenth novel to feature Detective Carson Ryder of the Florida Centre for Law Enforcement.

Carson is called to the scene of a murdered psychologist because the Miami Dade Police have found a card with his name on it. He doesn't know her but is intrigued so his partner, Harry Nautilus, takes the lead to keep him involved but away from any charge of conflict of interest. When the murder is linked to a similar one in Phoenix Carson takes vacation time and flies there to work with Detective Tasha Novarro.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Death File. I have been reading this series from the beginning and always look forward to my annual date with Carson so I am happy to report that it is another compelling read with great characters and a twisting plot I defy anyone to guess. The only thing missing is Carson's brother Jeremy, the serial killer, who always adds another dimension.

I found the plot fascinating. It moves along at a fast clip and Mr Kerley manages to weld various disparate elements into a cohesive whole while keeping the reader guessing. The actual murderer is no secret as Carson and Harry identify him early on but the why, how he knows to be one step ahead and the possibility of a puppet master are the intriguing parts.

The characterisation is good. I love the Carson and Harry show but as Carson is on his own in Phoenix there isn't as much of their humorous banter as usual but Carson does manage to land a new girlfriend (nothing new there!) and Harry is as smooth as usual. I like the fact that they are smart, dedicated detectives with no obvious hangups. Tasha Navarro is another smart detective so it's a pity she won't be hanging around. I particularly liked the portrayal of the murderer which seems realistic and believable.

The Death File is a great read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

I’ve read lots of the Carson Ryder series and I enjoyed this one just as much as the others. Well written and characters I really love. Great.