The Killing Circle

by Andrew Pyper

Book Overview

From acclaimed, bestselling author Andrew Pyper, a suspenseful page-turner that explores the repercussions of that most dishonest of thefts: stealing another's story and calling it your own.

Patrick Rush, a former bright light at the National Star now demoted to the reality TV beat, is still recovering from his wife's death when he joins a writers' group in Toronto. His goal: to write the book he's always felt lived within him. Trouble is,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385663706
• ISBN13: 9780385663700
• Release Date: November 2010
• Publisher: Anchor Canada
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

EXCELLENT READ!

Every Labor Day, father (Patrick) and son (Sam) would go to the drive in to watch the last movie of the summer. Before they can settle down with their food and enjoy the movie however, Sam goes missing. It's the Sandman. This beginning to the book ties you in as you have a name of the person you are looking for. Who is this "Sandman"? Why does he want Sam? How does Patrick know it's the "Sandman"? We then get taken back to 4 years before and how it all began. Patrick, failed writer, joins a writing group known as the "Kensington Circle". It's a small group of wanna-be writers and none of them really holds his attention. Except for one. Angela. A shy, quiet woman who shares a haunting story called "The Sandman". Patrick is so mesmerized by her story he secretly records it. Patrick isn't the only one taken by the story, everyone in the group is enthralled. Then it so happens a serial killer emerges on the streets of Toronto, re-enacting the same scenes from Angela's story, Patrick (and other members of the group) is worried that there might be a serial killer in the writing group. However, once the group stops meeting, the killings stop. That is until somehow "The Sandman" story gets published and the killings start again. I don't want to give away too much of this book, as there are many twists and turns that will constantly keep you at the edge of your seat. This book is a gem. It has been a while that I have wanted to put everything on hold just to sit and read through the day. This is an easy read that yanks any of your ideas of who "The Sandman" is after every couple of pages. Excellently written.

Dark and mysterious . . .

The Killing Circle by Andrew Pyper is a great book. I am lucky to have stumbled across this book at the store because it is well worth the money and time. The engaging and entertaining plot is one of the best that I have read in quite a while. Pyper installs a sense of creepiness throughout the story . . . it kept me reading on to find out what in the world was going on. I felt that Pyper was very accurate in delivering a psychological toll that the main character would be going through with an intense story such as this. This book is for anyone who enjoys reading dark mystery/suspense. I will be reading more of Andrew Pyper.

I need to read more book by Mr. Pyper

On Labour Day, 2007, Patrick Rush at a drive-in movie with his son, Sam. It's been a tradition of theirs to always watch the last drive-in movie of the summer. While the movie plays, Patrick and Sam head over to the snack bar, Sam doesn't stay long, however, as he only picks what he wants then heads back to the car. Everything is normal, until Patrick returns to his car and notices that Sam isn't there. He searches for him and sees a shadowy figure taking his son away. Patrick knows who this person is. The Sandman. And he's out to get Patrick next. That was just the prologue, but wow, what a prologue. The instant I read it I was hooked. I wanted to know more about the Sandman and if Patrick would end up finding Sam. I just wanted more. But, the book goes back in time to 2003 and reveals Patrick's past, including his time with the Kensington Circle. Patrick, a man who is sick of his job and failed status as a novelist, decides to answer an ad in the paper to join a writing group, the Kensington Circle. He takes the last slot in the group, hoping that this might spark his creative juices and help him become a bestselling novelist. There, Patrick comes face to face with Angela. A shy, quiet woman who shares a haunting story called the Sandman. Patrick is instantly taken by this story, to the point that tends to record it when it's her turn to speak. Patrick isn't the only one taken by the story, everyone in the group also sit in awe as she reads her story. But when a serial killer emerges on the streets of Toronto, re-enacting the same scenes from Angela's story, Patrick is worried that there might be a serial killer in the writing group. However, once the group disbands the killings stop. I won't go into the rest of the story, but I loved how the character of Patrick goes from a likeable character that you root for, to a man obsessed, to a character that you root for, once again, but slightly pity. The journey of the character Patrick is a well-written one and even during the times when I felt disgusted by his actions, I still wanted to read more. The highlight of this book is Angela's story, Sandman that we as a reader get to enjoy as well. I almost wish that Andrew would release a book called the Sandman just so I can read more of it. I want to say that the Killing Circle is a great thriller, but it's so much more than that. It's a fantastic tale and I enjoyed every minute of reading it. I'm looking forward to reading more books by Andrew, hopefully they're as good as The Killing Circle.

A dark, chilling and haunting tale of ambition

Holidays like Valentine's Day bring special pain to thirty-something widower Patrick Rush. After the death of his wife Tamara, their four-year-old son Sam is all he has left. At work, his job as a critic and television feature writer at Toronto's National Star doesn't bring much fulfillment to his life. In fact, he turns bitter and envious from writing about other people's creative accomplishments. What Patrick really wants to do is unleash his own creativity and write his own story. One evening, after Sam is safely tucked in for the night, Patrick heads down to his basement office, which Tamara called "the Crypt," and makes a phone call that will change his life. He digs out a slip of paper and dials the number in a classified ad that offers an intensive workshop facilitated by Conrad White, an obscure poet and novelist. He tells the voice on the other end, "I want to write a book." The atmosphere of the writers' circle, which meets for five Tuesdays in the Kensington Market area of Toronto, is dark and mysterious. The circle is limited to Conrad and seven members --- Patrick, Petra, Len, Angela, Ivan, Evelyn and William --- who round out the odd assortment of people drawn together by their desire to share the stories of their lives. Yet Patrick, the published writer, seems to have nothing to share because there are some internal demons he doesn't want to unleash. Patrick is especially envious when he hears Angela read from her journal about the Sandman, who lurks in the shadows waiting to attack and destroy. While Patrick sits listening to Angela tell her story, he records her words. As weeks progress and circle members share their stories, the city of Toronto is plagued by a serial killer who is striking close to Patrick's home. Sam has nightmares about a man, "a bad man," in the house across the street. They sound eerily similar to events in Angela's story, and Patrick can't escape the feeling that his house is being watched and he is being stalked. After the circle has ended, the murders in his neighborhood stop. Several years later, Patrick has achieved success, fame and fortune. He also experiences a parent's worst nightmare when his beloved son is abducted. To find Sam, Patrick undertakes a journey to uncover the root of the evil that's been lurking in the background of their lives. THE KILLING CIRCLE is a dark, chilling and haunting tale of ambition, envy and the evil that lurks among us, complete with breathtaking twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the end. --- Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt

A Perfect Circle

Pyper's new novel is the most blood-chilling, mind-bending thriller that I've read in years. The plot's as intricate as frost patterns on a winter window - you never know who or what to believe, everyone seems capable of anything - and yet Pyper never loses control of the story. The twists and shocks come hurtling at you but never feel contrived, illogical or forced. Too exciting to put down. This book is just brilliant. Bill Loehfelm, author of Fresh Kills