REVIEW OF SAMPLER... Daniel coles previous book Ragdoll was one of the best book I have read in years, Hangman looks to be at least as memorable.
I enjoyed the returning character Emily Baxter. A shining light from the first book.
I look forward to completing the rest of the book.

This was a sample of a book to come. As such,it was quick to grab the reader's attention and to make you want more. The plot seems to be deep,based as it is in the USA as well as in the UK. It also involves some of the more sinister secret services. I look forward to the published book.

Ragdoll was my favourite crime novel of last year (and one of my favourite overall reads of the year!) so I was very excited to read this sampler.
From this short sample it seems as though this book is going to be another addictive read, and I can't wait to read the whole book when it's released.

I’m going to stick my neck out here and say that this is a better book than its predecessor Ragdoll. The plot is fast moving and complex, split between the UK and USA. It is gruesome and sad but also funny in places which sounds like an odd combination but it works a treat. I highly recommend this and I cannot wait to see what Daniel Cole brings us in book 3.

This was a sampler and boy, did it keep me hooked!

I've not read Ragdoll but it's now on my kindle - definitely want to read more! Engaging characters and interesting premise - can't wait to discover more!

I had access to the first 5 chapters of this novel. Here is my review on those chapters…
This is the second book in the Ragdoll series and I really wish I had read the first book ‘Ragdoll’ before this because from what I have read, author Daniel Cole is an amazing writer but also because Ragdoll is referenced a lot in these first 5 chapters and I think it would benefit readers of Hangman to have first read Ragdoll.

However without further ado let me review the chapters that I was lucky enough to gain early access to…

The prologue draws you in immediately and makes you really want to know what has brought Detective Chief Inspector Emily Baxter to her current position (Injured and being grilled by an FBI and a CIA officer about an FBI agents whereabouts)

Following on from the interview in the prologue we retreat to 5 weeks earlier. Baxter’s boss introduces her to two American agents, US Special Agents Elliot Curtis of the FBI and Damien Rouche of the CIA that she is informed she will be working with, both in the UK and in America. While this doesn’t go down well with the Baxter she complies and we begin our journey to find out what happens during these five weeks to bring about the events in the prologue.

I found these chapters to be enthralling and I like Emily Baxter who is a very quick witted, strong minded but untrusting character. The story seems incredibly strong and well written with well placed humorous moments within the thriller action which is fast paced and makes you excited to turn the page.

I am going to read Ragdoll and I eagerly anticipate the release of Hangman.
I give a solid 4 and a half stars to the parts of Hangman that I have been lucky enough to read.

When it looks like there's a copycat killer of the Ragdoll Murders, newly promoted Detective Chief Inspector Emily Baxter meets up with American Special Agents Rouche and Curtis. One body has the word “Puppet” and the other has “Bait” carved into it.
Can they find who's responsible before too many more bodies are found?
Although just the first five chapters of this new thriller, I have to say I can't wait to read the rest of it. Even for this short part of the story, its gets five stars. I received my copy via NetGalley. This is my honest and unbiased review

How do you solve a case when the murderers keep killing themselves???

This book is set eighteen months after the first book “Ragdoll”. DCI Emily Baxter is trying to get her life and career back on track when she is summoned to a meeting with the CIA and FBI where she is told of a new set of murders which could be linked to the Ragdoll case. She is then seconded to assist in this perplexing crime where two people are murdered together. One has ‘Bait’ etched on their body and the other ‘Puppet’. What is the reason for these murders and what if anything does it have to do with the Ragdoll Killer?

This book is thrilling, gory and funny in a dark, macabre way. The sarcasm of the main characters gives them a ‘real’ feel and is a light relief to a terrifying story.

Well written and thought out. The jumps between England and America work and the timelines seem to fit too.

My only complaint is the author had one of the characters ‘itch’ his face - well you can scratch his itch but not itch his scratch. This is, I am afraid, one of my pet hates.

All in all, it’s a good book and I will be reading his first book “Ragdoll”.

Shesat

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

I haven't read 'Ragdoll', the first book in this series but I still found the first five chapters of 'Hangman, an absorbing, easy read. The grisly, mysterious, quirky, thriller has an extensive body count, even in the early chapters. The killer or killers wants Detective Chief Inspector Emily Baxter to make the connection and draws her back into the killing zone.
 Flawed and secretive, Emily Baxter is hard on herself and others, especially her bosses but she values her colleagues, and they reciprocate.Written in manageable chapters, timed and dated, you feel part of the action, conflicts and decision making. If like me you are a fan of adrenaline-fuelled thrillers with an eccentric, forceful protagonist, take a deep breath and read ''Hangman, I'm sure the rest of the book will be as riveting as the sampler I've just read.
I received a sampler of the first five chapters from Trapeze Orion Publishing via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I just read the first 5 chapters of Hangman. Loved the tense chemistry between the characters, Lots of plots all playing out together. The scene is set for a full on thriller. Great writing bringing it all to life, The promise of a superb read. This is a new author for me but I see I have some catching up to do.

I didn't get to read the previous authors book Ragdoll but after reading a sample of his new book Hangman I would love to read that as well.
The book refers to the 1st book without giving anything away. It's about a women detective that previously helped to find and put a serial killer away behind bars. There has been a few new murders which seem to be linked to each other by various words being carved on the victims body. The detective has a secret that she doesn't want to get out as it will end her career. The 5 chapters that I was sent has left me wanting to read the rest of the book to see what happens. I would recommend this book.

Did not realise until it downloaded that it was a sampler. Look forward to the full book.

Having enjoyed, “Ragdoll,” I was curious to see whether Daniel Cole could come up with something as good for that difficult sequel. I am pleased to report that he has – this is an intelligent, well written thriller, with excellent characters, a fast moving plot, and a great dose of dark humour.

There are some characters from “Ragdoll,” who we meet again. Emily Baxter is now a Detective Chief Inspector, one of the youngest female chief inspector’s in the Metropolitan Police, but finding her new role challenging, while Alex Edmund has transferred to Fraud, in order to spend more time with his partner and baby daughter, but finding the department dull after homicide. Baxter finds herself joined up with Special Agent Damian Rouche (rhymes with ‘whoosh’ and Special Agent Elliot Curtis, after a bizarre murder, which echoes the Ragdoll case.

Both in the UK and the US, there are a string of bizarre murders, which echo each other. Baxter is sent to New York, in order to help investigate the crimes. Against protocol, she gives Edmund all the information and, before they know it, they are both deeply involved in the investigation. This is a really impressive second novel and Cole is writing what is sure to become an excellent series. I would be happy to read more books with Baxter as main character. I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

First things first, I haven't read Cole's previous work, Ragdoll. Having read the first five chapters of this one, it is clear that I definitely need to before reading more of this book. It doesn't really work as a standalone novel.

Looking at it as a thriller, regardless of what the reader needs to know, it is engaging. The events in chapter 4/5 make me want to read more, and there's a clear plot already defined.

There were some bits that puzzled me- Baxter is typing a letter then screws it up and throws it at the bin. I had no idea they were still using typewriters.Did the police budget not stretch to a computer in 2015?- and for a newcomer, the vast array of characters introduced with limited fanfare in the first 2 chapters is a little overwhelming. Again, this might improve upon reading Ragdoll, so I'm not best placed at the moment to comment.
I'd like to finish the book once I've read its precursor though!

Daniel Cole brings us the sequel to Ragdoll, and it is a surefire adrenaline ride with a phenomenal body count set in New York and London. It is blackly humorous and more than a little over the top bonkers, so providing you are prepared to suspend your disbelief, then this a thrill ride of an action packed read. DCI Emily Baxter is newly promoted and believed to be responsible for the apprehension of Lethaniel Masse, the Ragdoll killer, except she wasn't, Alex Edmunds, now working in Fraud is. She is burdened by the weight of her less than truthful account of what happened and her nightmare is exacerbated when Special Agents, Elliot Curtis and Damien Rouche want to interview Masse in Belmarsh Prison after a banker, William Fawkes, in a murder-suicide in NYC connects with the Ragdoll killings. Emily's fears of the truth emerging are laid to rest after Masse is killed in spectacular circumstances.

The NYC and London killings both have the killer scarred by the word killer and the victim with the word bait on their bodies. Baxter, the woman who is never without a scowl on her face, travels to NYC to help the FBI and NYPD track down the person responsible. With elements not welcoming her presence and determined to keep her from key evidence so that she is not seen to crack the case, Emily works with Rouche and Curtis, as they slowly becoming an tight knit team. Presented with horror after horror, the investigators rail at their inability to get closer to the truth. After a catastrophic failure to prevent a major terror attack which leaves multitudes dead, a traumatised Baxter returns to London. There are fears that a similar incident will occur here, and with the help of Rouche and Edmunds, Baxter works round the clock to prevent this as London goes on full alert.

The novel begins with Baxter being questioned about what happened in NYC and London, and yet again, as we discover what happened from start to finish, we see Baxter once again glosses over what actually happened. This is a blood drenched and macabre sequel to Ragdoll, full of tension, and utterly gripping, shot through with wit and humour. Baxter is a charismatic creation, a woman that sees the worst of humanity. Unsurprisingly she has huge trust issues, her relationship with her boyfriend, the lawyer Thomas, is fragile and she is only close to Edmunds. However, she inspires both trust and loyalty from those around her, such as Fin and Rouche, as well as Alex Edmunds. This is a brilliantly compelling read for those who are not put off by a huge body count and willing to overlook the OTT aspects of the story. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.

Another corker from Daniel Cole. I was very excited to get my hands on this book having loved Ragdoll (despite its gory nature)... and this book did not disappoint.
Although Wolf doesn’t really feature in this book, Emily is a fantastic protagonist with her sharp wit and mistrust of almost everyone.

A great story, fast-paced and absorbing. There’s a couple of graphic scenes that made me squirm but other than that it’s a sheer delight to read. Never thought a book of this type would be funny and amusing but therein lies the author’s talent.

As an honorary Londoner and a frequent commuter this book did make me a squirm a little! be warned that’s it’s so descriptive in places that you can feel you’re there in the moment as you race against the clock with Baxter and co.

Highly recommended 5 🌟

Wow where do you start with this book, the action was relentless, and the author has the most sick mind in the ways the murder victims die.The action takes place both in the UK and USA and I really liked the banter and interaction between the 3 main characters, there was humour and sadness, and the peripheral characters were solid as well. This was fast paced there were lots of references to the first book but this can still be read as a stand alone book, although I guess it would be better to read the books in order.No spoilers from me, but this is well worth a read be warned about the gruesome murders but it is relevant to the story .Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC.

A body is discovered on the other side of the Atlantic with startling similarities to the Ragdoll murders. DCI Emily Baxter is called upon to investigate with FBI Agent Elliot Curtis and Damien Rouche of the CIA. The body has been strung up and the word 'BAIT' carved into its chest. As the investigation intensifies, another body is found, also carved with 'BAIT'. The nearby corpse of the killer is carved with 'PUPPET'. Baxter, Curtis and Rouche must work out how the victims are selected and just who the puppeteer is; the person pulling the strings.

This book was an incredible read. I really didn't think it would come anywhere close to its predecessor, Ragdoll, but how wrong was I! The characters were brought to life with such outstanding clarity that they literally leapt off every page. DCI Baxter was one tough lady who, despite trust issues and many faults, was sassy, loyal and dedicated to her job above and beyond the call of duty.

I thought the entire book was imaginative, creative and original from beginning to end. It was gritty, brutal, gory, real and pumping with adrenaline. The imagery and ingenuity was fantastic - the excellent scene inside the church is one that will stay with me for a very long time.

I'd love to say this book would make a fantastic movie but more often than not, movies disappoint. Let me put it bluntly - the book did not. If you get the opportunity to read Hangman, grab it with both hands! I enjoyed it so much I could burst with pleasure :)

Hangman is the second novel of Daniel Cole’s trilogy about the Ragdoll murders. His first novel, the original ‘Ragdoll’, left me with a lot of anticipation in the end and I was quite eager to see how the story would continue but I’m afraid the plotline didn’t pick up where it left off and the focus in this novel is really on Baxter who teams up with detective Rouche and Curtis in this novel while she also still manages to get assistance from Edmunds on the side (poor Edmunds helps out in his own private time). Baxter has been promoted to Chief Inspector and thrown into an international inquiry to assist the FBI and CIA when they are facing their own Ragdoll murders, which takes her from London to New York. Meanwhile new murders commence in London once again as well.

Hangman is everything Ragdoll was but more. It was more gruesome, it was more (way more) spectacular, it was bigger, it was bolder, it was more complex and with a much higher body count.

I really liked the new team surrounding Baxter and I even think I liked the team’s interactions more than the murder inquiry here for most of the story. Ragdoll was perhaps a bit easier to follow than Hangman as well. Rouche (pronounced like whoosh) was very likeable and the brilliant opening scene where Baxter is being interviewed had me fearing the worst already for what was about to happen. The hunt for the killer wasn’t as much about finding out who was responsible but more their efforts for capturing him without going under themselves. In the final and third part of the novel I was almost breaking a sweat as the situation became increasingly dangerous when they try to infiltrate and get closer to the killer. Mr. Cole doesn’t hold back at all and it already felt like a movie. Seven will get some competition soon ;-).

This was a good follow-up for Ragdoll – even though that remains my favorite for reasons I can’t really point out other than that this one is perhaps just a little bit more chaotic to read with everything that is happening in both countries – and I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next one in the series!

Hangman is the 2nd in Ragdoll Murders series. I must confess I have not read the first one. If I had I would have known more of the background story of the Ragdoll Murders and Wolf.
After a body is found on hanging from Brooklyn Bridge, with the word Bait carved into his chest and which has a similarity to the Ragdoll Murders. FBI Special agent Curtis and CIA Special Agent Rouche visit DCI Emily Baxter in London to consult over the murder.
The story continues with DCI Emily Baxter going back and forth from London to New York as more bodies turn up either with BAIT or PUPPET ETCHED in their chests and the severity of these crimes escalate. But all is not rosy. She has been asked to help solve these crimes but, Curtis and Rouche are keeping things from her and things come apparent, when Curtis is killed in action.
This is a gruesome story, but action packed, with many twists and turns that will keep you hooked throughout. I really enjoyed this but, I am disappointed I didn’t read the first one in this series before I read this. As, I would understand the storyline a bit better. I liked how the Author described each character and we found out a little of each other’s background. 4.5 stars from me.