A great suspense that just when you think you have figured it all out throws you down another rabbit hole!
Definitely recommended reading! ( )

I had a hard time liking the main character in this book because he was such an ass. He kept making stupid decisions, which made it hard to root for him. This was difficult because I really wanted to find out how the mystery unfolded. I was able to get past my distaste for John and really enjoy the story.

It was well written and kept you interested the entire time. The ending was well done and you only mildly suspect something suspicious about the client in the beginning. I was glad that the mystery was solved and that John seems to be getting his act together. This book is for suspense/mystery lovers and is a solid title to add to you "to read" pile. I would recommend this book, if you can get past the ass of a lawyer :)
( )

Serial Killer mysteries are my favorite type of thrillers. I've said this again and again. And it still holds true.

And what's even better? When there are two different killers, and another person who's arrested for the murder (who by the way, has not commited it).

And that's what happens in The Company of Demons. It's full of action, murders, encounter with serial killers, courtroom drama, a lot of bad and good characters, and a whole lot of goosebumps.

Overall, it was an exciting read, and I'm looking forward to reading some mellow YA, or maybe a rom-com Manga. Because, The Company of Demons was intense. So totally in keeping with the title. ( )

I'll start with a positive: The writing is good, with moments that shine with promise.

But I didn't like the book.

This story is written in first person, from John Coleman's perspective. His character is not the least bit likable. He's a womanizer, a cheat, a drunk, and he's a pro at shirking responsibility. He has an excuse for all of this and more. He treats his wife like crap and, despite proclamations of love, is never around for his daughter. The worst part, perhaps, is that it doesn't feel like the author's intention was to create such a jerk of a character, but more like we're supposed to feel some compassion for this loser.

The female characters are ridiculous. John's wife Cathy is little more than a squawking mouthpiece. Jennifer is the stereotypical male fantasy, and John's blindness to her manipulation is maddening.

Then we have the plot, or plots, which lack focus. The story is all over the place. What is supposed to be the main plot actually ends about midway through the book. This weirdly early climactic scene didn't move me at all, because the main character elicits no sympathy for his situation. The subplot then takes over, which is way too obvious from the start. Mostly, this story is about John's bad decisions, his indecision, his cheating, his drinking, and his incessant justification for his behavior.

*I received an ebook copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.* ( )

This was an interesting debut by Attorney Michael Jordan. It alternates between fact and fiction; it's very cleverly done.
Back in the 40's, there was a serial killer dubbed "The Torso Murderer" who left a string of bodies brutally slain around the Cleveland area. He even alluded the famous Elliot Ness; this is fact.
A generation later another serial killer "The butcher" enters the scene with the same M.O. as the earlier "Torso Murderer".
This murderer, "The Butcher" strikes Cleveland and it almost destroys John Coleman as a young teenager. His father happened to be the lead detective on the case.
Fast forward to an almost sixty-year-old man, attorney John Coleman who finds himself face to face with what could only be "The Butcher" or a copycat killer that sends John's already unstable life into a tailspin. He's still struggling with "The Butcher" did to his family years ago.
It doesn't get any easier when he is present when it looks like "Butcher" or a copycat murder has struck again when the body is found in the dumpster behind his favorite neighborhood bar. The body they learn turns out to be one of his casual drinking buddies, Oyster. This hits John hard, he's already on the edge of an implosion; his marriage is shaky, his drinking is out of control and he's financially strapped.
It gets worse when Oyster's beautiful daughter, Jennifer Browning approaches John to help settle her father's estate. He’s hesitant at first but he really needs the business, it shouldn’t be that big a deal but he was shocked when he learns of the sizable estate. He had no clue that his buddy who he only knew as Oyster, a nickname that was given to him because of his gelatinous eyes had that kind of money! He finds himself drawn to Ms. Browning, she's s widow, whose only other living family member is her drug-addicted brother who she claims she’s not in contact with. Her brother is already making waves regarding his father’s estate.
John is finding it harder to resist the temptation that Ms. Browning is sending his way; he's full of Irish Catholic guilt, but nothing seems to help him as he self-destructs.
As the body count rises he also finds himself drawn to the crime scenes; his obsession doesn't go unnoticed by the authorities. John eventually finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time not only once but several times which has taken a severe toll his marriage, it's compromised his longtime friendship with the lead detective who is working these cases as well. Between all these missteps plus the tempestuous Ms. Browning, how could it not cost the already self-destructive John everything he cares about?
This is no-doubt a thriller, one that has a lot of twists and turns. The flawed character of John Coleman is one that is not that uncommon. Mr. Jordan does a suburb job in weaving this thriller together, from the pain that John suffered as a young teenager due "The Butcher" who terrorized his father. To the damage that the very same or copycat killer is costing him now as an adult. Could history be repeating itself? There are several flawed characters in this novel. They are quite believable and play a major part in pulling this thriller together.
It has an explosive ending that took me by surprise that’s for sure. It does contain some graphic violence, but nothing a thriller fan couldn't handle.

Disclosure: I received this e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion, the opinion I expressed above are my own. ( )