Mister Slaughter (The Matthew Corbett Series Book 3)
Reviews (391)
Matthew Corbett has me in his clutches
Ok, being a die-hard Robert McCammon fan, having devoured Swan Song (twice, and I bought the Kindle version to read again in light of the current political climate), Boys Life, Wolf's Hour, Stinger, Mine (I have a signed copy), and more recently, The Five and The Border, etc., etc., I was hesitant to read the first book in the Matthew Corbett series -- Speaks the Nightbird. But, it's a McCammon, so I bought it in paperback several years back. Then I looked at it. Thought about it. Put it in a box. Took it out of the box. Read the cover. I did this for years, with a certain amount of distaste - historical fiction? What's next? Bodice-buster gothic romance?! I just couldn't do it. Until a few months ago when I ran out of stuff to read in the house. So, I picked up the paperback, dusted it off, and entered Matthew Corbett's world. I haven't been out since. Mr. Slaughter is Matthew Corbett's third adventure. I enjoyed it immensely. The pace of the novel is breakneck and Mr. Slaughter's character (to whom we were introduced in Matthew Corbett's adventure number two, The Queen of Bedlam), is a spine tingling 1700's serial killer whose pure evilness rivals the hair-raising Hannibal Lecter. A warning, there is a lot of gruesomeness in this book. And the victims are innocent, which makes the horror all the more shocking and deplorable. I heartily recommend Mr. Slaughter, with a caveat – you really should read book numbers one and two first to understand the characters and storyline completely. For example, in Mr. Slaughter Matthew is having a crisis of conscience which evolved from something that took place in book number two. I am in the middle of The Providence Rider, book number four. Which is, by the way, also awesome... I’m not sure WHAT I’m going to do once I’ve read all of Matthew’s adventures. There should be a support group out there somewhere.
Unlike the main character
my disappointment convtinues to grow. I'd high hopes when I began the series, and was looking forward to the story's chief actor, young, sixteen years-old or so, Matthew Corbett maturing both physically and intellectually as the series progressed. Unfortunately, in the course of three novels, not only has he not grown in the in the least intellectually, he has actually regressed to the level of either a fairly bright nine year-old, or a far from bright tweny five-ish, young adult.
Wow!
I really enjoyed this book! The plot wasn't quite as unpredictable as some of the plots in the preceding novels, but the wordplay and character development was much stronger. I really just had a great time reading it! It was hard to put down, that's for sure! McCammon is very talented, and this was one of his better books - though I have yet to read a book penned by him that I haven't enjoyed. The title character was a sort of tribute to the Devil-Barber of Fleet Street, and its grisly scenes were well done. It brought me to tears, actually (dog lovers, beware!). I am excited to see where the series goes next!
Matthew Corbett and the Highwayman
MISTER SLAUGHTER is the third in the series of Matthew Corbett detective novels. Corbett lives in New York at the beginning of the 18th century and works for the London- and New York-based Herrald Agency, a small problem-solving business . In the current adventure, Matthew and senior partner Hudson Greathouse, are hired to transport Slaughter, a dangerous and likely deranged highwayman to New York for extradition back to England to answer for his crimes. Naturally, things go horribly wrong, Slaughter escapes, and Matthew must track him down in the wilds of the New York countryside and environs and recapture him. This novel is by far the bloodiest and most violent of the three. Slaughter is a clever monster who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, his freedom, leaving behind a trail of mayhem, gore and extreme physical and psychological violence. Matthew is aided in his hunt by two excellent supporting characters, a young London-educated Seneca indian brave and a very tough and resourceful young teenaged boy. There are a couple of ancillary mysteries and side plots to be negotiated along the way, some amusing and some that foreshadow events that will unfold in future novels. While MISTER SLAUGHTER surely is historical fiction, and there is a lot of history here, McCammon plays the history a little faster and looser with than he did in the first novel, and some might object to non-period speech styles, but this did not bother me at all, although I did take note of it. There is an afterward in which McCammon explains that after he wrote the first novel that needed to be set to coincide with the end of the witch hunting era, he decided that a New York of the 1730s was a more interesting setting for the remainder of the series than that of turn of the century. Not wanting to age Matthew into his 50s, he decided to take certain liberties with the times and places. I understand the decision, even if it does confuse a bit of the history. If I had to work up a criticism of the novel, I guess it would be that some of the events near the end are just a bit over the top, and Matthew's physical prowess seems at times just a bit too limited to go one on one with the giant and far more experienced killer, Slaughter. MISTER SLAUGHTER is the fastest paced of all the novels so far, and contains bits of intentional humor to offset the extreme horror that is all around whenever Slaughter is in the picture. While I do miss the supernatural horror that McCammon used to write (and in fact still does occasionally), his last half-dozen books or so, while more mainstream, are just as good (or better) and just as enjoyable as anything that he has written. I'll be ordering THE PROVIDENCE RIDER, the fourth and most recently published entry in the series, as soon as I post this review. Recommended. J.M. Tepper
Impressive
This book differed from the others in the series. Not as much "problem solving" but much more action. An unbelievable adventure. I just couldn't believe what our hero went through. That being said I really didn't like what happened to Lark and her family but especially to her. Why did the author have to subject her to rape? We know Slaughter is a psychopath but I felt that it was too much but more importantly it was unnecessary. Otherwise it was great
This series is addicting.
If you, like me, are a sucker for crackling, well crafted historical fiction, this is the series for you. Strongly drawn male AND female characters. A hero who uses his mind because he's no great shakes with sword, pistol or fists, but is as brave and stalwart a hero as anyone you will meet via Kindle or the printed page, Matthew Corbett embodies the best virtues of what we would like to see in ourselves; intelligence, integrity, loyalty and the ability to learn from his mistakes. My only worry is that Corbett takes such a beatings from bad guys, bears, and even officers of the law that he'll be in a wheelchair sipping his meals through straws by Book Six or Seven.
Corbett rides again!
Mister Slaughter by Robert McCammon December 7 to December 23, 2014 Third book in the Matthew Corbett Series Recommended by internet friends This is the third book and story in this wonderful series set in the early 1700s here in America...of course at that time we were still part of the United Kingdom. Matthew considered himself English. From my point of view, he was quit the British snob in many way. However he is a likeable well written character. He is only growing up, but he is learning more about what he is able to do when it is necessary. The Matthew Corbett series is part of the Historical Fiction genre. We learn much about the dangerous settling of some of our best known cities, early Indian and Colonist interaction, hospitality towards strangers, early 18th century travel and much more. However, for me this story could also be considered part of the horror genre. I say this because of the many horrible killings that took place in this book. I would imagine for some these bloody horrible deaths would be more blood and guts than they are willing to read about. For me the whole story was worth the discomfort of these bloody and senseless murders carried out by Mister Slaughter. We see Matthew's character develop and mature as he sets out to save the day! I enjoyed this book very much and would recommend it to most. 5 stars.
Great colonial history action/mystery series
Just finished Robert McCammon's Mister Slaughter, a murder mystery set in the early 1700s in Manhattan (and the Carolinas and some other locales). Murder mystery is not quite accurate, although there is quite a bit of murder and mystery. This is the 3rd book in a series about Matthew Corbett, one time law clerk and solver of puzzles. I found about this series from Adam-Troy Castro, who mentioned that the second book had the best swordfight he'd ever read. The sword fight and the barroom brawl and the other fights and action scenes all are very good but again the books aren't primarily action any more than they are primarily mysteries. Mostly they are excellent historical fiction. McCammon makes the time and place come alive. You can feel the mud squish under your boots reading these books. Highly recommended.
WOW!
This is the third book I have read in the Matthew Corbett series and they just keep getting better and better. Interestingly enough, at the conclusion of this book, not previous books, the author discusses historical accuracy and how difficult that is to achieve. I am not sure why he chose to do this unless it is because of some negative comments he has received. Well, the author clearly states that his books are "historical fiction" not historical fact or textbooks. I have been a fan of history for many years, although I prefer 19th century American history to that of the 18th century. I think this author does a pretty good job with the history of the time. I was surprised to learn that this author has a reputation as an author of horror books. I had not heard of him until recently. Well, there is indeed some horror in this series, albeit not of the Stephen King type, but enough to make these books keep you up late at night. I will definitely read the other books in this series. Time to download another one now!
McCammon makes you live it!
I cannot remember the last time I followed an author with as much interest as I have followed R. McCammon. I have not read his early works, and am a little afraid to do so, but my unwillingness is waning. Meeting Matthew Corbett for the first time when he was traveling as a Clerk to the town who had a supposed witch in custody, I thought he was a wimpy side character, but it wasn't long before I was rooting for him and was excited to learn he was, in fact, the main protagonist. He is presented in the three books I've read thus far with all his weaknesses and foibles, which endears him to me. The goriness of the stories is unimaginable, but it's not far-fetched considering the time we're in and the people we're dealing with. The genuineness of the place, the environs, the smells, the sounds is incredible. I hear, smell, see what McCammon describes. He totally draws me in to this time and place. I can't wait to see what Matthew does next.
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