This was an enjoyable start to a new series. It is the Detective Inspectors first time in charge. He has a missing wife and psychological problems from defence forces. He is seeing a psychologist who also offers a profile of the killer. The relationship between these two will be interesting to see how it develops.
A shocking scene when the police are closing in for the final arrest. Stunning!!

A great start to a new series.
Detective Dan Lockhart is called to a house where a woman has been murdered in a particularly gruesome manner.
Soon more women are murdered so he calls on Dr Lexi Green to give her view on the killer.
Dan and Lexi work together with the team to try and understand what links the women but struggle to find the link.
I really liked Dan and can see this being a great series as we’ve learnt about his past and there’s definitely more to come about this.
I hope Lexi is in the next book too as her relationship with Dan has potential.
This is a gripping crime thriller that I’ve no hesitation in recommending.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Knock Knock by Chris Merritt is the first in the new Detectives Lockhart & Green series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
 

Series Background:   

DI Dan Lockhart is a detective in the Major Investigation Team (the Murder Squad).  He is still trying to come to terms with his wife's disappearance 10 years ago.  He has been seeing Psychologist Dr. Lexi Green, who is still trying to get over the loss of her brother.



My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

When the dead body of a woman is found in her home, Dan is called in, and for the first time, made Senior Investigative Officer (SIO) of the case.  One look at the body, and Dan is sure that this is not the first kill by this perpetrator.  He is sure that he has a serial killer on his hands.  The cable ties, the injury to the ring finger, the metal ball in the victim's throat....he's seen it before.  His boss disagrees.  Now Dan just has to link this rather wealthy woman to the sex worker who was tortured in an identical manner.  Dan calls in Lexi to see if she can help.

When Lexi's profile is dismissed by both Dan and his colleagues as being psychobabble, she only digs in her heels, especially when another woman's body is found.  Determined to prove her point, Lexi creates a fake "man" to access the websites where she is sure the killer is lurking.  She puts herself in terrible danger.

 

My Opinions:  

This was a great start to a new series.  This is the first book I have read by this author, but I found his writing to be very clear, and concise.   Even though the book is fairly long, it was a fast read, mostly due to the non-stop action.  Things moved along very well.

I love the fact that both main characters are trying to come to terms with a loss.  Both Lexi and Dan are strong characters, and both are likable.  Their relationship is building slowly, as they learn to trust each other.  The dynamic is good.

The books main theme is misogyny....an ingrained hatred of women.  The author tried to explain different reasons for this, but I'm not sure he was successful (could be just my female perspective shining through here).  It looks like he did a lot of research into these chat-rooms, etc, and that just scares me....

The plot was well-developed, and there were plenty of suspects to go around, which is a little scary when you think of the theme.

Anyway, I definitely enjoyed the direction this new series is headed, and I'm looking forward to more!

I found this a really slow starter. Once it got to about 50% in and we were hearing more from the killer, it really started to pick up the pace and I couldn’t put it down from then on.

I hadn’t guessed who the killer was (to be honest, I was way off) but I found the whole unmasking of the killer and who it was rather underwhelming.

This is the first in the new Detective Lockhart and Green series from Chris Merritt so we are just getting our first glimpse of the characters and back stories. I enjoyed the characters (although I did find them frustrating at times) and would read the next in the series to see how they and their sub stories develop as we see more of them.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Chris Merritt for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

A good start to a series. I thought that the story was a bit slow in places but overall it was a good read with an interesting plot.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This is a well done procedural for fans of the serial killer/forensic psychologist genre. Except it's not, exactly. DI Dan Lockhart has a lot of personal issues he's trying to work through with Dr Lexi Green, a whip smart psychologist. He pulls her into the hunt for the evil person we now know is a serial killer because of the unique way his victims are killed. Leave aside that this is completely inappropriate from both a law enforcement and theraputic standpoint and go with it. As this is the first book in the series, there's a good amount of world building for the characters- for example Lockhart is searching for his missing wife- both large and small. Some might argue a bit of this could be pared away to make a tauter read but I suspect the detail will be much appreciated in future outings. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This had me hooked. It's a fast moving book and there's never a dull moment. There's a large array of potential suspects and I found myself wrong footed several times. The main characters are portrayed realistically and feel relatable. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.

I love to come in to a series right at the start so I can get a feel for the characters, their backgrounds and personalities. This is a very strong start to the series with Dan Lockhart being called in as the SIO in the murder of Natasha Mayston who has been discovered murdered in her own home, a large steel ball forced down her throat rendering her unable to breath. He feels there are similarities to another recent murder however the team investigating that case have a man awaiting trial and Dan's superior officer won't give him permission to interview the suspect.

Lockhart's team include DS Maxine Smith, a single mom who is determined to prove her worth on the team. She goes above and beyond to follow her hunches - and doesn't always disclose these activities until after she's discovered evidence to back up her thoughts. Also on the team is relative newbie Mo Khan who is young, enthusiastic but still wet behind the ears. Lockhart needs to keep him in line or he could become a bit of a liability.

As is often the case, Lockhart has his own demons in his personal life and is seeking counselling to try to make sense of life without his wife who went missing one night and hasn't been seen or heard of since. He's been seeing Dr Lexi Green, an American psychologist in a professional capacity and despite struggling to adjust to sharing his inner thoughts on his personal life he respects her and comes to the conclusion that her input would be helpful in profiling the person responsible for his latest case at work. His team are less than supportive, many of them not holding much faith in psychological profiling and Lexi feels very much out of her depth as she presents her professional assessment of the type of personal capable of murdering Natasha. She ups her efforts in line with the rest of the team when another body turns up in identical circumstances only a matter of weeks later. She feels she has to prove the value of profiling to the cynical police team. But how can she get them to listen to her?

There are multiple persons of interest in the book and I felt very much part of the investigations as the different officers went about their lines of questioning, analysing each of the suspects and their alibis as events unfolded. This is not a fast paced thriller but a steady police investigation until the climax of the book when I found my heart racing very much faster as the pieces of the mystery suddenly clicked into place and one of the team suddenly found themselves next on the killer's hit list. Would the rest of the them work things out in time to foil the Throat Ripper's master plan?

The author has clearly spent considerable time researching a very unpleasant section of society who hold women in very low regard and are very vocal in their online chatrooms. It is scary to think such groups exist and not only with women as their target group. I will be very interested to see where Chris Merritt takes this series as I feel he will keep things very contemporary as to the types of crime this team will be investigating. Plus there is the personal side of Lockhart's story - and Maxine Smith has lots more to offer us yet as well. Both officers have proven that they will push boundaries to get results which always makes a series that bit more interesting from a reader's point of view. And will Lexi Green be figuring in any future cases? We will have to wait and see.

I am very much looking forward to the next instalment.

Knock Knock is the first instalment in Mr Merritt’s exciting new series featuring Detective Inspector Dan Lockhart, an ex-soldier with a missing wife and working as part of the Major Investigation Team (MIT) in Putney, and Doctor Lexi Green, an American psychologist living in London. Dan is called in to investigate when wealthy and successful Natasha Mayston is found tied up in her own home with a metallic ball thrust down her throat to choke her to death; she would’ve suffered an excruciating demise as she gasped for air. Dan believes she is the victim of a brutal serial killer who offed sex worker Kim Hardy a mere few months ago yet another man has been charged with her killing. Another mechanical suffocation, a sinister and unique modus operandi, takes place a few weeks after Natasha’s murder and then another body drops. Dan invites Lexi to help out with the case much to his team’s dissatisfaction as they need to identify and apprehend this twisted, disturbed killer before he strikes again.

This is a tense, exciting and superbly crafted police procedural and at over 400 pages it is admittedly slightly longer than usual but Merritt uses the extra pages to introduce and develop his characters far better than most other books in the genre. I loved the deliciously depraved and original MO of the serial killer and it made for refreshing reading. Also, the use of a psychologist to create a likely profile of the killer reminded me of shows like Criminal Minds and was nothing less than fascinating. There are some shocking twists in this dark tale and using such a topical issue, the incel community, as the reason for murder was inspired. Incels, or involuntary celibate, have been all over the news of late with their hatred of women and misogynistic views and that is what really drives this whole story. There is a decent amount of possible suspects and the author manages to keep you guessing, wrongly might I add, right until the heart-pounding and riveting conclusion. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

The first book in a new detective series, Knock Knock is a dark and thrilling police procedural. It is well written with an interesting plot and plenty of twists that built suspense and kept me guessing.

Lockhart and Green are both interesting characters and I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

The only negative is that some sections of the book were drawn out which slowed the pace of the book down, however it is well worth a read.

Recommended.

”Her frown of discomfort shifting to full-blown terror as she realised what was happening. The panic as her windpipe closed and the oxygen in her lungs started to run out. Then the light in her eyes fading as her brain slowly shut down. He’d never felt so potent. He had all that to look forward to again tonight. Except that, this time, it’d be so much more meaningful. Like the rest of her kind, this one was promiscuous, duplicitous, treacherous. She had to pay for what she’d done to him. For what they were doing to men everywhere”
Knock Knock is a grisly tale of a serial murderer who targets young women- however what does a sex worker, barrister, health professional , council woman and executive have in common that would result in their murder? With help from his psychologist, Lexi Green, DI Lockhart must unravel the mystery before the killer strikes again- all while trying to get to the bottom of his wife’s disappearance.

Personal thoughts:
I LOVED THIS BOOK! There were enough characters introduced so it was difficult to pinpoint the culprit while reading.

I was so excited to get into this story, especially after reading a few of the reviews and that it was the start of a new series, I loved the premise of the therapist which is a fresh angle on a crime story. The killer is dark and twisted, but the most terrifying part is knowing that so many elements of the story are based on truth and real life, this story is so well researched and feels fresh and contemporary, I cannot wait to read more!

Gripping read. I was on the edge of my seat in anticipation. Do not let this one pass you by. It was stellar.

Great start to a series!
A serial killer is on the loose, and while he kills the same way each time, he never leaves a trace. Desperate for answers, Detective Lockhart seeks the help of his therapist in creating a profile of who the killer could be. The problem is no one believes her. Can they work together to find the man responsible before any more woman lose their lives, or will the killer catch up with them first?
Great plot, descriptive characters, and lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Knock knock is the first in a new detective series featuring Dan Lockhart and Lexie Green and I found it gripping from the get go. Be warned that you might find this impossible to put down once you start since this is pacy, well written and addictive.
Like all detective series, the backstories of the main characters are just as important as the crime element so the reader needs to be able to feel some connection, good or bad towards them in order to find a series appealing. Dan displays typical traits associated with fictional crime detectives. He’s tenacious and married to the job, in this case his physical strength is portrayed by the fact he swims in the Thames for exercise (either admirable or foolhardy whichever way you choose to look at it!) yet his vulnerable side is clearly on show. Suffering ptsd syndrome and hyper vigilance from his time on duty in Afghanistan he’s also dealing with personal loss due to the disappearance of his wife. I couldn’t help but draw similar parallels here with Peter James detective Roy Grace ( whose wife Sandy is missing for many years) especially as Dan’s relationship with his therapist Lexi Green looks as if it may develop romantically in future books ( Roy ends up romantically involved with pathologist Cleo in the Grace series). That’s no criticism by the way, simply an observation.
The action starts early on with the unusual death of a high flying wealthy career woman which Dan is sent to investigate. When he sees a possible connection between this murder and a similar one a few months ago the race is then on to determine whether this is the work of a serial killer and how to catch the perpetrator. Enter stage left Lexi Green who Dan believes could provide a much needed psychological profile of the culprit although at first she seems way out of depth.
The MO for this murder is particularly gruesome and chilling,making it quite difficult to read as a woman as the further into the plot line you go it’s obvious the murderer is a misogynist and has some seriously deep rooted issues concerning how they view women in general. The author has researched thoroughly the type of person who may commit such a crime and the reasons for doing so which opened my eyes to a type of attitude/behaviour that I was completely unaware of. Whilst the crime element of this novel is dark and disturbing, I wanted desperately to keep reading, making wild guesses as to who would be revealed as the killer. Quite a number of individuals are cleverly cast under suspicion, all with credible motives so these red herrings made it impossible for me to guess correctly!
Another character I really liked is Max, who with a long standing career in the force is a great addition to Dan’s team. She’s intuitive and is skeptical of the role Lexi plays in the investigation but unafraid to follow her hunches, for better or worse. I look forward to seeing her character develop in future books as I think she makes a great role model for older women.
I do think the novel does follow a well trodden formula in the type of character Dan is and the possible love interest in the guise of Lexi, as well as having a superior he may well clash with at a later date but that doesn’t bother me as a reader. I had a slight problem with the ending which was wrapped up rather easily but the fact I kept turning the pages, the adrenalin pumping,makes Knock Knock a compelling read for me and I highly recommend. I eagerly await the next book in the series which is due out in the summer.
My thanks to the publisher Bookouture and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

Ok Woah there! I was not expecting this when I read this book! This has to be the darkest that I have seen Chris go! Freaking hell! What a rollercoaster of a ride! I did not know where it was headed and so many times I changed my mind over who the killer was! He even has a name – The Throat Killer – believe me, it is not nice!

Luckily for us the reader, we only experience the murders once first hand. I for one am delighted by that because it is something out of one of my worst nightmare, along with being pecked to death by a Pterodactyl or a Zombie apocalypse as these can still happen, I have watched the movies! Anyhoo….so these murders, the deaths, are completely and utterly frightening. My teeth are set on edge just thinking of them and I feel like I am gasping for breath like the victims! (Or that could just be the cold I have at the time of writing this). I really do not want to know how Chris came up with this story and I had no warning to what would happen and I am left reeling!

I am intrigued by the introduction of Lockhart and Green, their dynamic swiftly moves from professional to seemingly something brewing in the future, although at the extremely tentative stage. Dan Lockhart getting treatment for his PTSD from being in the military and the sights he has seen. I did love the little phrases from military life, as the soldier boy tells me them and I am definitely going to start using the Julie Andrews one -read the book you will know what I mean! Lexi Green is the therapist he has been seeing and they are finally making headway. Then the case starts and she starts working with him on a professional capacity. On the side, like my favourite Zac Boateng, Lockhart is working on a different and very personal case, one that is haunting him and he can’t let go. I am curious to see where this will go and how long it might be before there is a resolution and a whole big storm coming his way!

Now this book, according to Goodreads, is 416 pages and by 36-42% we already have 3 murders on our laps. I did wonder how we would see the rest of the book and if it would drag. Let me tell you it doesn’t. We watch the team of Lockhart, Khan, Smith and Berry work the clues over a long length of time, it appears to take a few months to solve this. We have very little information and no DNA, the killer obviously didn’t want to be too helpful. Every step of the way we get new evidence and it leads us off down another path but as this was not a rushed job it made the investigation feel so realistic and not a Hollywood 2 day fix. The dead ends and the frustrations were palpable not only for the detectives but us the reader. How could someone be doing this and leave us no clues to their identity! Made my head hurt!

Near the end of the book, I was shouting a lot! Shouting at Lexi, shouting at Dan, shouting at whoever I thought to be the killer. Hands up I didn’t guess it, I was being a copy cat and following the police and their suspects. Wrong wrong wrong. Chris completely bamboozled me!

Not going to lie, I was completely apprehensive reading a new series as I am so invested in Zac and I was not sure how I would get on with the new team. But I jumped in and I must admit I like them. Lockhart in charge for the first time, nervous with whether he can do the job, making mistakes riling his peers but determined to get the job done. Max Smith, living a life with a “deformity”, losing respect for her boss but her anger drives her to do out of hours surveillance. Mo Khan a new recruit, a bit of a player but he completely has your back. Lucy Berry and probably my favourite, shy family woman but she leads the way with her victim strategy and looks at every angle. I look forward to working the next case with them and the naive, sweet but intelligent Lexi Green.

Stepping out of a strong series to write something different was a risk that paid off and well that cameo made me squeal.

Despite all of this, I am walking away from this book rattled. That epilogue left me with more goosebumps than I wanted.

All I will say is that this chapter is not over yet. (Do you feel the goosebumps yet?)

An enjoyable read. I had suspicions of several characters but not the one who was finally revealed as the culprit. The detective was a likeable character with his own problems as well as the intricacies of the case, I hope in future books he gets closer to solving the problem of his missing wife, this also stops him getting closer to Lexi although there is a mutual attraction.

Lately I have been reading books where doorbells (or knocking on doors) play a key part. Things I have learned from reading those books: DO NOT ANSWER YOU DOOR LATE AT NIGHT. Easy as that folks. That package being delivered, if you don't remember ordering it...THEN YOU DIDN'T...don't open the door. Nothing good can come of it. Whew!

Detective Dan Lockhart is called in to investigate a recent murder of a woman killed in her home. Tied to a chair, scratches on her ring finger and a metal ball jammed down her throat... this murder is very similar to another murder which occurred months earlier. It won’t be the last murder either. What do the victims have in common? Are the murders connected? Why and how were these women picked?

Believing he has a serial killer on his hands, he calls in a psychologist with forensic experience, Dr Lexi Green to provide insight into the mind of the killer. Another piece of advice, if you call someone in for their expert opinion - LISTEN TO THAT OPINION. Seriously, taking advice and not answering the door would have avoided a lot of horrible things.

This is the first book in what is to become the Lockhart and Green book series. The two characters are both interesting. Merritt has me intrigued with both. I look forward to reading more installments in this series and look forward to character development. I also enjoyed the secondary police characters as well. I found this book to be enjoyable, but I did find some sections to be long winded and wanted to skim through them. They slowed the book down a little for me. I had a couple of theories about the identity of the killer and was WRONG. Which was nice because I enjoyed being surprised.

A solid start to a new series and I look forward to reading the next installment.
**I'm teetering between a 3 and 3.5 stars for this book.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have read and enjoyed Merritt's 1st 3 books.......his Zac Boateng/Kat Jones trilogy.....especially his outstanding debut called "Bring Her Back" and was eager to read this 1st book in a new series and it was also very good.

Detective Dan Lockhart attends a grisly scene in an upscale London home where a woman has been choked to death by a metal ball crammed down her throat. Soon, connections are made to a similar murder a few months ago and it's not long before another woman dies a similar death, so the reader knows a serial monster is on the loose. Unable to get any traction, Lockhart enlists the help of his own personal psychologist, Dr.Lexi Green to try and get a profile that can help unlock the vicious mind of this killer. However Lexi is so driven in this task that she is unable to see just how close the danger really is.

The author did a great job of fully forming every character.......and seemingly making almost every one of them a suspect. A very good 1st book in this series and I look forward to #2. Thanks to Net Galley, Chris Merritt and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I’m afraid to say that this didn’t grip me as I had hoped, so it was a DNF from me. This is the type of genre I would read, but for some reason I just couldn’t get into it. Maybe I will try again another time.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.