I absolutely loved this book!

I will admit to being a Hussey fan ever since being introduced to his work via 'Hideous Beauty' and have loved his YA fiction, including 'The Outrage', so I was excited to read this new character in an adult genre. I was not disappointed.

The web woven by Hussey's masterful storytelling is so intricate, so clever, that the inevitable twist, when it came, was not one I saw coming at all! This is masterful storytelling with well-crafted, and believable, characters which are slowly fleshed out with backstory, flashback, and really lovely detail. The setting of a Traveller fairground, and the sensory imagery that brings it to life was lovely to read and so interesting.

Scott Jericho is a character brought to life with all the human frailty you need to empathise with his imperfections, and his father as a character was someone I liked too.

I can't wait for the next one!

William Hussey writes a twisted crime mystery, featuring a complex gay traveller protagonist, a former CID police detective, in 31 year old Scott Jericho, who after a violent attack on a far right member of the the Knights of St George he was interviewing for the murder of the 3 Malinowski children. He ended up in prison, leaving the police unable to charge Lenny Kerrigan with the killings. Now free, having lost everything, he has nowhere left to go but back to his estranged traveller family, his father running the fairground. A haunted man, unable to escape his ghosts, he is drowning in a state of fug, addicted to prescription drugs, living in filth, unable to rouse himself, ignoring everyone and the world.

An oddly contrived meeting has Scott encountering a man he despises, a former Professor of History and paedophile, Ralph Campbell, who opens his eyes to recent grisly murders that echo a 150 year old traveller tragedy and legend, one that Scott has a direct family connection to. A bridge collapsed in Oxfordshire's Bradbury End, leading to the drowning of contortionist William 'Slip-Jointed' Jericho and other members of his 'freak show'. A cold blooded killer has killed 3 of his victims, emulating the Dog Faced Boy, the Electric Woman and the Fat Woman, and Scott is at long last pushed to join the land of the living, turning private detective in a race against time to prevent further murders. As Scott enlists the help of his former mentor, DI Pete Garris, he finds himself crossing paths with the love of his life, Harry Moorhouse, now working as a librarian.

Hussey writes a compulsive thriller with an engaging central character with moral gray areas, a talented detective who had an enviable arrest record with the police, his uncanny combination of instinct and intelligence earning him the reputation of the 'Fortune Teller'. However, he is abrasive and has issues when it comes to following up details, along with problems in controlling his temper that has the potential to slip into violence. This is a gripping and addictive crime read, although you will have to suspend your sense of disbelief on occasions, set amidst the exciting background of a close knit traveller community that looks after its own, living by its own rules and with its history of facing prejudice from the rest of society. A great read if you are looking for something different within the crime genre. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

An intriguing thriller with former DCI Scott Jericho. Recently released from prison and living back with in the folds of his Traveller family communityJericho has been trying to block out the ghosts of his last case that continue to haunt him to no avail. Intrigued, he is enticed into solving the strange and macabre murders linked to his ancestors by a wealthy disgraced ‘ Professor’.
This novel is utterly compelling from the start, inviting us into a snippet of the lives of the Traveller community and the deviant and disturbing minds of psychopaths and the power they possess to meet their macabre needs. Scott Jericho, although a rough diamond with a somewhat rougher past, is a likeable ‘detective’ who shows warmth and compassion to those closest to him that you cannot help yourself hoping he too finds the peace and contentment he desperately needs to banish the past.
Loved this thriller detective novel with plenty twists and turns that kept me gripped throughout and can’t wait to see where Jericho will lead us next.

What a book. Excellently written. You feel engulfed in Jericho's world. Character development is great. Likeable from the off. You won't be able to put this one down.

Firstly a huge thank you to Abi at Bonnier PR for sending me a proof copy of Killing Jericho.

I can’t remember where I first saw the talk of Killing Jericho by William Hussey but as soon as I saw the cover, I just knew it was a book I needed to read and I’m so glad I have!

And from the very opening pages I was hooked! Killing Jericho is an absolutely unique and ground-breaking crime thriller. Not only is our main protagonist, Scott Jericho, a Traveller but he is also Gay, plus he used to be in the Police! The latter 2 things do not sit well within the Traveler society, but William Hussey has managed to describe precisely the impact on Scott Jericho’s life, that this has had and how fabulous to read a crime thriller AND learn about a section of our society that often sees prejudices and misconceptions.

We meet Scott while he is living in a trailer at his dad’s Travelling fairground. There has never been a Traveller Detective in fiction until now, and in Scott Jericho, we have an amazing main character, he is damaged by his past but has the rare skill of being able to read people with aplomb, he is a complex but ultimately loveable character, I’ve fallen for him from this, the first book in an (i hope long!) series!

The plot and storyline are also superb, I’m not going to give too much away. Still, it revolves around some seemingly unconnected killings, that seem to be connected to a century-old fairground legend. there is a marvellous array of characters, which really makes Killing Jericho a vibrant and lively novel, but the theme running through, death and murder, is almost gothic in its intensity.

Killing Jericho needs to be on every crime fiction fans list, it is written extremely well by William Hussey, you can feel his love and passion for his people (the son of a travelling showman himself) and it is an important book within the travelling community and also the LGQBT+ community, and I really hope that Killing Jericho wins prizes and gets the recognition that is so deserved.

I’m almost welling up writing this because I really cannot explain how much I adore Killing Jericho, I’ve read many crime fiction books, but this one is a real GEM, and I feel honoured to be able to review it! I was gripped from the first page, and the plot is excellent, culminating in a hugely surprising ending (which I did not see coming!)

I am left bereft now I’ve finished Killing Jericho! I hope we don’t have to wait too long for book two! A stunning and masterful read from a hugely talented author.

Absolutely fabulous unique bookbanger 5-star read from me.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Enjoyed this first crime book by William Hussey. The setting was unique and interesting, the characterisation of the main character good. Other characters were a little more over the top, but it didn’t take away from the story telling. Pacing was good and the main plot twist a definite surprise. Would read another book by this author.

What a book , never read a book like this , great book with loads of twists and turns ,loved the plot with with fair ground ,kept me wanting to know what was going to happen ,definitely a author to look out for as I think they will be books to follow this.

Absolutely brilliant, a must read for 2023. I was hooked from the first page. Killing Jericho keeps you gripped throughout, it was unbelieveably difficult to put down. Beautifully written and can't wait for more. Can't wait to buy a signed physical copy when it comes out!

The premise of this book is very intriguing and, man, is it well written in parts, but I am sorry... in the end, the story falls apart like a stack of cards.

I was so invested in Scott Jericho's story, a disgraced, former police officer, now private detective with a traveler's upbringing. I wanted him to reconnect with his old love interest. I wanted him to be taken back by the police. I wanted him to have more interactions with his childhood bestie. I wanted to know why people were killed based on an old traveler's story about a collapsing bridge. I wanted a lot of things, but most of all a satisfying ending.

But, for me at least, the book didn't stick the landing. The resolution to this story felt very much like a drunken, hour-of-the-wolf idea, the author should have chucked. Instead, he ran with it, destroying what could otherwise have been a very entertaining read. I am sorry, but it was really underwhelming.

And please, can this stupid trope of other character's noticing a supposed darkness in the main character and remarking upon it, die already? SHOW, DON'T TELL.

I am still thankful for the advance copy. I just wish the ending would have been different.

Tension Fuelled, Pacy…
A disgraced detective, a battle for justice. Scott Jericho seeks solace with his former fairground family but when a series of fairground related killings emerge, Jericho knows that there are more to come. The trouble is that he may well be on the killers list himself. Smart and edgy, tension fuelled and pacy - this serial killer chiller, where the twists come thick and fast, has a genuine mystery at its’ heart and a credible and well crafted cast of characters in a convincing setting.

Killing Jericho introduces us to former detective Scott Jericho. Who has just been released from prison, hence the former detective. I'll be honest I applaud Jericho for what he did, the other person deserved it.

I adored Jericho as a character, he has many flaws and is walking on a tightrope of life. He depends on pills to see him through the day, he seeks solace in the company of whatever man takes his fancy. Jericho definitely doesn't wear rose tinted glasses. But what he does have is a brilliant intuitive mind.

The plot revolves around a traveller legend when a bridge collapsed and members of the Jericho Travelling Fair met their maker. Now, their are bodies popping up slaughtered and there is a distinct similarity to the deaths of the travellers.

Jericho excels in using his talents to unpick the mystery. The deaths involved are quite gruesome, they gave me Chris Carter vibes in the sense that they are just plain outrageous. This is how I like my murders in books though.

A fantastic story, gruesome deaths, brilliant characters.

Good read, kept me guessing till the end. Couldn't wait to get stuck in and finish it. I'd recommend this read.

I was really looking forward to this book, having seen such a lot of hype about it and the premise sounding so interesting, but I left it a little disappointed. The set-up for the mystery is certainly ideal for anyone who enjoys 'complex' serial killer fiction, like Se7en or the Hannibal Lecter franchise. However, for me, this was a book that was still stuck in that age when it feels like mysteries have moved on. There was a lot of focus on outdated 'profiling' techniques, and both the detectives of the story have the kind of cop superpowers (Holmesian deduction techniques and photographic memory) that make it difficult for the reader to play along on an even footing. Despite this, the mystery didn't feel too complicated to solve. The result was somewhat underwhelming and I wasn't a massive fan of the denouement.

Jericho himself is an interesting main character with a colourful background and a chip on his shoulder. There's some quite cosy romance in the subplot, which is sweet, but for me was distracting from the main story -- especially as the love interest kept being positioned as a potential killer. I did enjoy the family dynamics and the main character's struggles to reconcile who he had become with the expectations of the people around him.

A very original idea for a detective story.
I really enjoyed it and though these could easily turn into a series. Great writing.

This book is SO GOOD!!!
I loved the setting, I loved all the characters, the flawed (and completely human) personality of Scott Jericho, the freak show element of the murders! Just everything about it.
All the dialogue was realistic (something that bothers me a lot with thrillers).

This is a thriller, a whodunnit that reads much deeper. I really enjoyed all the different threads coming today….and crucially, I didn’t guess whodunnit!!!!

A lead character can make or break a book, and here, he definitely makes it.
So much baggage, a drug addiction, and an I threshing home life.
I really liked Scott Jericho.
The story is a little bit sinister, throwing all sorts of threads together , that at times I just didn't think they'd work.
They did.
It was a fast and furious race to the end, and I was left a big stunned by the whole thing.
I hadn't seen the big picture coming at all.
I look forward to meeting the Jericho clan again.



I've added a link to the book under authors other name, as currently no listing for William Hussey.

I was intruiged by the blurb and this book did not dissapoint.

The novel intertwines the travelling community and their history with a grotesque number of killings. Throughout, the reader is continually left thinking the culprit is within grasp before another curveball is thrown in.

The main character has the beginnings of being one of the genres most distinctive and the complex relationships within his life make for some thought provoking reading.

The 'twist' initially left me feeling deflated until the very end ... so much potential for this aspect of the story.

Whilst reading allows us to bend the realms of reality to an extent I am usually put off by plots which go beyond that. However, despite personal experience making me question the main characters circumstances this unique plot and its masterful writing overshadows any doubts.

Also, I prefer reading to watching the screen but this would make an amazing feature length film ! (Although please author write a follow up soon)

It's hard to put into words how good this book is, but I will do my best.
Having just finished it I am a little speechless. I have had several late nights because, "just one more chapter" and several OMG out loud moments because it scared me, shocked me or, in most cases, both.
I have read many a good thriller over the years and enjoyed them all but reading Killing Jericho feels special, like witnessing the birth of something fresh, new and really quite wonderful. I can't wait to see where William takes Jericho and this series (he's promised me there is more to come).

Having read Hussey's YA novels (and loved them a alot) it was interested to read his take on the thriller genre. It is dark, disturbing and violent. Jericho as a character is flawed, a bit of a mess but also absolutley loveable and relatable. He's an ex con and ex cop from a travelling background. He reminded me a lot of my favourite anti hero John Constantine from DC Comics, the tone is similar in its darkness with both men perfect in their imperfectness (is that a word? It is now).

The plot is totally original, moves quick and flows well always leaving you wanting more and it is hard to put down. The descriptions of the environments place you right in the scenesèl, its so vivid at times it's scary. You won't see the twists and turns coming and the climax is something quite spectacular.

Jack Reacher. Sara Linton. Will Trent. Roy Grace. Temp Brennan and now Scott Jericho. Your new favourite literary hero is here!

Preorder Killing Jericho today, you won't regret it.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc.

I didn’t know what to expect coming into this and had not heard of the author before, but was presently surprised. A really good thriller about a disgraced former detective who must hunt down a serial killer based his murders on an old fairground legend. With a great twist ending.

A wonderfully evocative novel from the very opening lines.

This book draws you into an increasingly dark world with twists at every turn. Every character in this book feels like a living breathing person and locations are so vividly drawn you can really picture them.

This book is a blockbuster first entry into a new series and I can’t wait to see how this complex cast of characters develops.

The world the author has created is detailed, vibrant and has a convincingly rich history behind it. It certainly has a promising future.