Search - The Death List

London based, writer's constipation suffering, crime novelist Matt Wells doesn't consider himself important enough to protect his privacy and begins corresponding with a devoted fan who contacted him using his webpage.
He soon learns that the person who's writing him is a lunatic, who seems to stalk him and even knows his real last name which Matt always kept private.
When the villain threatens to spill the innocent blood of Matt's family and friends he makes pretty clear that he wants Matt's cooperation to put into detailed words how the murders happened. He's clear enough about the conditions, leaving the gutted body of Matt's daughter Lucy's neighbors dog on the girls bed.

Matt doesn't see a way out of this situation and cooperates but soon stands up against the so called White Devil when he begins killing people who've wronged Matt's writing skills.

Detective Chief Inspector Karen Oates learns of crime novelist Matt Stone who's fictional killings have been used for real killings in the latest, most gruesome murders in London. She has doubts in Matt even when he begins hiding from the police, but her gut tells her, this man isn't capable of killing people.

Hiding his family and friends Matt seeks out a few to help him out to find the White Devil and put an end to this situation.

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I was surprised to learn that Paul Johnston isn't new to writing because I thought The Death List has to be the first book of a new writer: average writing, not a very complex plot, no deepness in characters etc. . However, the authors webpage reveals he's written quite a few books so far and is about the publish his second Matt Wells novel, The Soul Catcher, basically a continuation of the first novel The Death List.

For me as an avid reader this book couldn't keep my standard in many ways so I will pass on the second novel.