You know those books that have been sitting on your to-read list for ages, but you just never seem to find the time to read them? I’ve got plenty of crime novels like that, and one of my goals during this period of self-isolation is to tackle a couple of them. First on my list: Mo Hayder’s BIRDMAN, a serial killer thriller that I’ve had my eye on for years. Compared to the work of Thomas Harris, Mo Hayder’s BIRDMAN promises a gritty, psychologically complex reading experience—and boy, does it deliver. BIRDMAN is an excellent piece of crime writing: a detailed procedural, a masterfully-crafted thriller, and an arresting deep-dive into the psychology of a twisted criminal. Blending the classic British procedural with the blood and guts of a terrifying serial killer thriller, BIRDMAN casts an enticing and chilling spell over the reader. The premise is simple: a newly-appointed detective finds himself in over his head, chasing down a killer with a penchant for not just kidnapping and murdering young women, but mutilating them, too. What Hayder does with this premise is far from ordinary. Moving from the police department to the underbelly of London to the personal lives of its characters, BIRDMAN puts readers up close and personal with the cruelties—big and small—that people inflict on one another. Not every scene in this book is dripping with blood and guts, but the scenes that are violent are violent enough to put you off your next meal. Hayder’s writing is methodical and precise, and layer by layer, she paints a vivid picture of a deeply damaged individual and the truly horrific atrocities he commits on women unlucky enough to cross his path. BIRDMAN is not a book for the faint of heart, but readers in the market for a deeply twisted crime novel will find it an irresistible ride.