Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Grove Press (2015), 416 pages
Description
"When a vagrant--the Walking Man--finds a dog wandering alone with a scrap of paper with the words "HELP US" attached to its collar, he's sure it's a desperate plea from someone in trouble and calls on Detective Inspector Jack Caffery to investigate. Caffery is reluctant to get involved--until the Walking Man promises new information regarding the childhood abduction of Caffery's brother in exchange for the detective's help tracking down the dog's owners. Caffery has no idea who or what he is searching for, but one thing he is sure of: it's a race against time. Meanwhile a wealthy local family is fighting for their lives, held hostage in their remote home. As their ordeal becomes increasingly bizarre and humiliating, the family begins to wonder: Is this really a random crime?" -- from publisher's web site.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member samarnold1975
Many people commented that Mo Hayder's last Jack Caffrey novel, Poppet was not as good as the rest. A fact that I denied continuously. Having just finished Wolf I was wrong. Wolf is a return to everything that is brilliant about Mo Hayder's, Jack Caffrey series and shows some of the others up.
The
The victims as always play a wonderful part in this book. I love the way Mo Hayder invites us to meet new characters in her villains and victims. Her depth of character development in this book are a credit to her and a defining factor in how good this book is.
If you have followed the series from the beginning, like I have, you will love this book. This book answers several questions that have been held over from previous novel and from the beginning of the Jack Caffrey series. I simply brilliant read.
The
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book is unique to others as this is not so much a police investigation as a private case for Jack Caffrey. None of the familiar characters appear except for Jack and the Walking Man are present. Initially I was disappointed that we would not see the continuation of the Jack and Flea relationship but as the book progresses it was so enthralling I forgot there were any characters missing at all. The victims as always play a wonderful part in this book. I love the way Mo Hayder invites us to meet new characters in her villains and victims. Her depth of character development in this book are a credit to her and a defining factor in how good this book is.
If you have followed the series from the beginning, like I have, you will love this book. This book answers several questions that have been held over from previous novel and from the beginning of the Jack Caffrey series. I simply brilliant read.
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LibraryThing member PJKennard
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?
When police arrive at the Anchor-Ferras' remote family home, they fear that a convicted killer is on the loose again and started another killing spree. But their nightmare is only just beginning, as they becomes hostages of men determined to take them to the brink
Meanwhile, DI Jack Caffrey is working on a cold case that is very personal to him, which will tie him to the Anchor-Ferras in ways he couldn't possibly imagine...
To be completely clear, this is a DARK crime thriller. Hayder has pulled no punches in describing the family's torment, ratcheting up the tension chapter by chapter. She has wisely pared the narrative down, switching almost exclusively between the remote house and Jack Caffrey's very personal journey. And what a frustrating journey it becomes, for Caffrey is the only one with any clues, but he is completely oblviouous to the crime taking place. This also helps raise the stakes: will he find out what's going on and will he be in time?
It is these questions that kept me going when the pace seemed to flag a little. While irrelevancies have been pared down to almost non-existence, the pace is deliberately slow and measured with everything carefully arranged. The end, when it comes, is worth the patience.
Those unfamiliar with Jack Caffrey may be wary of entering a range so far along, but I found that while he is sketched a little thinly at first and there are clearly nuances aimed at regular readers, these do not detract from the story and there appears to be nothing requiring any prior knowledge of stories or characters. However, it is clear that this is only part of his ongoing character arc.
In the end, I found this to be a measured, tense, thriller, which while unlikely to revisit, well worth the read.
When police arrive at the Anchor-Ferras' remote family home, they fear that a convicted killer is on the loose again and started another killing spree. But their nightmare is only just beginning, as they becomes hostages of men determined to take them to the brink
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of terror...Meanwhile, DI Jack Caffrey is working on a cold case that is very personal to him, which will tie him to the Anchor-Ferras in ways he couldn't possibly imagine...
To be completely clear, this is a DARK crime thriller. Hayder has pulled no punches in describing the family's torment, ratcheting up the tension chapter by chapter. She has wisely pared the narrative down, switching almost exclusively between the remote house and Jack Caffrey's very personal journey. And what a frustrating journey it becomes, for Caffrey is the only one with any clues, but he is completely oblviouous to the crime taking place. This also helps raise the stakes: will he find out what's going on and will he be in time?
It is these questions that kept me going when the pace seemed to flag a little. While irrelevancies have been pared down to almost non-existence, the pace is deliberately slow and measured with everything carefully arranged. The end, when it comes, is worth the patience.
Those unfamiliar with Jack Caffrey may be wary of entering a range so far along, but I found that while he is sketched a little thinly at first and there are clearly nuances aimed at regular readers, these do not detract from the story and there appears to be nothing requiring any prior knowledge of stories or characters. However, it is clear that this is only part of his ongoing character arc.
In the end, I found this to be a measured, tense, thriller, which while unlikely to revisit, well worth the read.
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LibraryThing member Twink
I've said it before and I'll say it again - Mo Hayder scares the bejesus out of me.
I've been hooked on her Detective Inspector Jack Caffery series from Birdman, the first book. Wolf is the seventh book. I literally could. not. put. it. down. Every available minute for two days was spent on the
Hayder masterfully preys upon our fears. Are we truly safe in our homes? Will our past come back to haunt us in ways we can't imagine? Can we ever really put a rational explanation to everything?
"When you're so scared that you'd do anything, anything at all, then we'll tell you what we want..."
I always stop to appreciate the covers of Hayder's book before I turn the first page. There's always a detail that hints at the dark story within. This time it's that splash of red on a picture of a bucolic country home. That - and the flies.
The Turrets is home to the Anchor-Ferrers family. The nearby grounds were home to a horrific crime fourteen years ago. When two policeman come to the door the family is fearful that the killer has been released from prison without their knowing - and that he's back in the neighbourhood.
A homeless man known to Jack as The Walking Man, finds a small dog with a cryptic 'help us' note tucked in his collar. Walking Man promises Jack information if he'll take the note seriously and look for the owners. Jack has been searching for answers to his brother's death for decades. In each book, a clue or a thread is exposed, leading Jack just a little bit closer to the resolution he seeks. In Wolf, Hayder gets us as close as we've ever been. I've loved the Jack Caffery character from the beginning. He's an enigma - flawed, fearless and full of secrets, but a dedicated cop - who plays by his own rules.
Hayder slowly and deliciously builds the tension - it is what might happen that has the reader metaphorically covering their eyes with a pillow. And just when we think we can look - she changes course, taking the narrative in frightening directions I didn't see coming. Hayder's plotting is terrifyingly brilliant. And the ending was perfectly disturbing. Hayder plumbs the depths of the human psyche in both her characters and her crimes. (Gentle readers, this one may not be for you.)
Wolf could be read as a stand alone. But to really come to appreciate this series, I would start with Birdman. Wolf is an absolutely and highly recommended read. Just make sure you lock the doors and turn on the lights. This is one of the best crime fiction series out there.
I've been hooked on her Detective Inspector Jack Caffery series from Birdman, the first book. Wolf is the seventh book. I literally could. not. put. it. down. Every available minute for two days was spent on the
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edge of my seat.Hayder masterfully preys upon our fears. Are we truly safe in our homes? Will our past come back to haunt us in ways we can't imagine? Can we ever really put a rational explanation to everything?
"When you're so scared that you'd do anything, anything at all, then we'll tell you what we want..."
I always stop to appreciate the covers of Hayder's book before I turn the first page. There's always a detail that hints at the dark story within. This time it's that splash of red on a picture of a bucolic country home. That - and the flies.
The Turrets is home to the Anchor-Ferrers family. The nearby grounds were home to a horrific crime fourteen years ago. When two policeman come to the door the family is fearful that the killer has been released from prison without their knowing - and that he's back in the neighbourhood.
A homeless man known to Jack as The Walking Man, finds a small dog with a cryptic 'help us' note tucked in his collar. Walking Man promises Jack information if he'll take the note seriously and look for the owners. Jack has been searching for answers to his brother's death for decades. In each book, a clue or a thread is exposed, leading Jack just a little bit closer to the resolution he seeks. In Wolf, Hayder gets us as close as we've ever been. I've loved the Jack Caffery character from the beginning. He's an enigma - flawed, fearless and full of secrets, but a dedicated cop - who plays by his own rules.
Hayder slowly and deliciously builds the tension - it is what might happen that has the reader metaphorically covering their eyes with a pillow. And just when we think we can look - she changes course, taking the narrative in frightening directions I didn't see coming. Hayder's plotting is terrifyingly brilliant. And the ending was perfectly disturbing. Hayder plumbs the depths of the human psyche in both her characters and her crimes. (Gentle readers, this one may not be for you.)
Wolf could be read as a stand alone. But to really come to appreciate this series, I would start with Birdman. Wolf is an absolutely and highly recommended read. Just make sure you lock the doors and turn on the lights. This is one of the best crime fiction series out there.
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LibraryThing member Beamis12
Hayder takes your worst nightmares, translates them into words and sets them down on a page. Grisly, gritty and oh so dark, but her character Inspector Caffery is a character that I am drawn to. He is haunted by his brothers death when they were young, convinced he was taken by the pedophile that
The case in this book will find Caffrey solving a horrible crime on his own, with a side deal made with the Walking man. The case itself, has many twists and turns, revelations that shock, and a resolution as
horrible as the crime itself. In other words, this is Hayder true to form, doing what she does best. Giving human faces to our deepest fears.
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lived very close to them, and he has never stopped looking for his body or information on what happened to him. The walking man is another great character, with a difficult sorrow of his own.The case in this book will find Caffrey solving a horrible crime on his own, with a side deal made with the Walking man. The case itself, has many twists and turns, revelations that shock, and a resolution as
horrible as the crime itself. In other words, this is Hayder true to form, doing what she does best. Giving human faces to our deepest fears.
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LibraryThing member bibliobeck
Another great read from Mo Hayder. Her novels are consistently tense and gripping and I positively galloped through this book. As with Hayder's other books, there are some disturbingly vivid descriptions of crime, but no one can deny her writing is gutsy and pulls the reader along at a breakneck
This was an interesting read as for the majority of the time, Jack Caffrey is peripheral to the main content. The story is based on a home invasion of family stuck deep in rural Somerset and just out of reach of a decent phone signal. Victims of an apparently nasty burglary, the pulse is raised as we come to realise that all is not as it seems. There are horrible reminders of a previous murder and the characters aren't quite as they seem. There is a real sting in the tail of this story as it twists and turns towards the finale. Fans of Hayder will not be disappointed.
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speed.This was an interesting read as for the majority of the time, Jack Caffrey is peripheral to the main content. The story is based on a home invasion of family stuck deep in rural Somerset and just out of reach of a decent phone signal. Victims of an apparently nasty burglary, the pulse is raised as we come to realise that all is not as it seems. There are horrible reminders of a previous murder and the characters aren't quite as they seem. There is a real sting in the tail of this story as it twists and turns towards the finale. Fans of Hayder will not be disappointed.
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LibraryThing member kylenapoli
Absolutely back to form after the little wobble on -Poppet- (though the perpetrator wasn't much of a mystery -- maybe I should give up hoping for that after several years of reading in this genre?). I could keep going with this series indefinitely, but I hope the character of Jack Caffery finds a
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bit more peace instead. Show Less
LibraryThing member niaomiya
Mo Hayder does it again with this gripping thriller. I am a big fan of thrillers. What I really love about Hayder is that her thrillers are always just a little bit different from your typical thriller. Hayder is skilled at infusing an extra dash of psychologically disturbing elements, such that I
The book has two plot threads. First, it is a story about the Anchor-Ferrars family's ordeal at being held hostage in their own home. Second, it is a story about Detective Jack Caffrey and his anguished search for answers regarding his missing brother. It is a true "aha!" moment when the reader realizes where these two plot threads intersect. And it is fascinating to see how the two threads come closer and closer together as the book progresses. In typical Hayder fashion, there is a plot twist in the end, but every element of the book is so skillfully handled that, even as you gasp when you reach the twist, you nod knowingly because everything you just read supported the twist. Hayder's twists are never just thrown in for shock factor; she weaves all the supporting facts so well that you wonder how she was able to keep you in the dark while subtlely revealing so much. Such writing talent!
The reason I did not give this book 5 stars is that, while I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, it wasn't to the point where I felt it was so good I couldn't put it down. I'm not sure why I wasn't completely sucked in - it may simply be a factor of the British English, for which I the American had to occasionally pause to interpret.
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alternate between eagerly devouring the book to find out what happens next, and cringing from the almost unbearable psychological pain of reading further. Hayder is supremely talented at making her thrillers not just thrilling but very, very creepy. And "Wolf" was creepy indeed.The book has two plot threads. First, it is a story about the Anchor-Ferrars family's ordeal at being held hostage in their own home. Second, it is a story about Detective Jack Caffrey and his anguished search for answers regarding his missing brother. It is a true "aha!" moment when the reader realizes where these two plot threads intersect. And it is fascinating to see how the two threads come closer and closer together as the book progresses. In typical Hayder fashion, there is a plot twist in the end, but every element of the book is so skillfully handled that, even as you gasp when you reach the twist, you nod knowingly because everything you just read supported the twist. Hayder's twists are never just thrown in for shock factor; she weaves all the supporting facts so well that you wonder how she was able to keep you in the dark while subtlely revealing so much. Such writing talent!
The reason I did not give this book 5 stars is that, while I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, it wasn't to the point where I felt it was so good I couldn't put it down. I'm not sure why I wasn't completely sucked in - it may simply be a factor of the British English, for which I the American had to occasionally pause to interpret.
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LibraryThing member ginahill
I'm a voracious reader and usually select books that have been well reviewed by the New York Times or the Washington Post or ones written by authors I follow no matter how they're reviewed. Years ago I read Mo Hayder's "Birdman"; it made no lasting impression on me. The same cannot be said of Ms.
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Hayder's "Wolf." The book moves at a fever-pitch pace, with every moment of relief to be snatched away by a gasp of surprise. I enjoy thrillers, but this one is more haunting, even in its sweet moments, than any other I've read, and I've read plenty. I plan to add Ms. Hayder to my list of favorites simply because of the roller-coaster ride that is "Wolf." Show Less
LibraryThing member danhammang
This is a great read, genuine plot twists, believable characters, nice attention to detail. I chose it because it was a runner-up to King's Mr. Mercedes for the 2015 Edgar, the only author on the shortlist I hadn't read before. I thought Wolf a better read than Mr. Mercedes. Hope I didn't ruin
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earlier books in the series by reading this one first. Show Less
LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
A terrible murder that happened years ago has left its mark on the Anchor-Ferrers family. Hugo Frink, seventeen-year- former boyfriend of Lucia Anchor-Ferrers is out in the woods with his new girlfriend when they are attacked and killed in a horrific way. The murderer, Minnet Kable, was captured
Meanwhile Detective Inspector Jack Caffery is still investigating the disappearance of his older brother Ewan, when they were young boys. He has just heard that someone connected to the case has recently died in Holloway prison. She was his last hope in solving the case and finding Ewan. But, she left a will, and it seems to reveal a final clue. To find out more, he needs to make a deal with the character called the ‘Walking Man’. He says will only help if Jack finds the true owners of a lost dog called Bear, that he's recently found. Those of you who have read the Hayder books before will recognize the Walking Man and what he's looking for as he walks throughout the countryside.
Not for the faint of heart, this novel is a dark, impeccably-plotted thriller that will hook readers from the first page and won’t let them go. Mo Hayder ratchets up the terror with all of the taut suspense and terrifying twists that have kept her fans on the edge of their seats for years. I don't recommend reading this series out of order. There are too many connecting threads to make it enjoyable unless you've read the others.
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and locked up. Now fourteen years later, Oliver, Matilda, Lucia, and their dog Bear, arrive at their country house, and discover something strung up in the trees in their garden. Has Minnet been released and has he killed again? Soon afterward, two police officers turn up to ask about the murder of a woman in a nearby cottage, and to ask the family if they’ve seen anything. The family take the opportunity to show the two policemen what they’ve found. However, the policemen are imposters and once they’ve earned the trust of the family, they tie them up, and rob them. But that’s only the beginning of the nightmare.Meanwhile Detective Inspector Jack Caffery is still investigating the disappearance of his older brother Ewan, when they were young boys. He has just heard that someone connected to the case has recently died in Holloway prison. She was his last hope in solving the case and finding Ewan. But, she left a will, and it seems to reveal a final clue. To find out more, he needs to make a deal with the character called the ‘Walking Man’. He says will only help if Jack finds the true owners of a lost dog called Bear, that he's recently found. Those of you who have read the Hayder books before will recognize the Walking Man and what he's looking for as he walks throughout the countryside.
Not for the faint of heart, this novel is a dark, impeccably-plotted thriller that will hook readers from the first page and won’t let them go. Mo Hayder ratchets up the terror with all of the taut suspense and terrifying twists that have kept her fans on the edge of their seats for years. I don't recommend reading this series out of order. There are too many connecting threads to make it enjoyable unless you've read the others.
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LibraryThing member Carol420
What's It About?
A bone-chilling novel about a family held hostage in their country home. When a vagrant—the Walking Man, a recurring character in Hayder’s fiction—finds a dog wandering alone with a scrap of paper with the words “HELP US” attached to its collar. He’s sure it’s a
What Did I Think?
I believe if this had been the first book that I had read in Jack Caffery series it more than likely would have received less stars...but because I knew how well it would pick up...I hung in there and wasn't at all disappointed. This author is a master at ratcheting up tension slowly throughout a book to the point that it demands to be finished. Some will find this one a bit depressing and the characters dark...but what characters she has created in the two that held the family hostage. The ending was shocking and so over the top even for Mo Hayder. You will never in a million years see it coming.
A bone-chilling novel about a family held hostage in their country home. When a vagrant—the Walking Man, a recurring character in Hayder’s fiction—finds a dog wandering alone with a scrap of paper with the words “HELP US” attached to its collar. He’s sure it’s a
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desperate plea from someone in trouble and calls on Detective Inspector Jack Caffery to investigate. Caffery is reluctant to get involved—until the Walking Man promises in exchange new information regarding the childhood disappearance of Caffery’s brother. Meanwhile, the Anchor-Ferrers, a wealthy local family, are fighting for their lives in their remote home ten miles away. As their ordeal becomes increasingly bizarre and humiliating, the family begins to wonder: is this really a random crime, or have they been chosen for a reason?What Did I Think?
I believe if this had been the first book that I had read in Jack Caffery series it more than likely would have received less stars...but because I knew how well it would pick up...I hung in there and wasn't at all disappointed. This author is a master at ratcheting up tension slowly throughout a book to the point that it demands to be finished. Some will find this one a bit depressing and the characters dark...but what characters she has created in the two that held the family hostage. The ending was shocking and so over the top even for Mo Hayder. You will never in a million years see it coming.
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LibraryThing member judithrs
Wolf. Mo Hayder. 2014. It has been several years since I have read Hayder. Her books so dark, violent, disturbing, and creepy that I space them out. This one is too. A family is held hostage in their own country home by two sick characters who gained entrance by pretending to be policemen. While
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they terrify the family, Detective Inspector Jack Caffrey broods over the disappearance of his brother years ago. The Walking Man, a homeless guy who always seems to turn up when Jack needs him, comes upon a dog with part of a note attached to his collar. Jack begins to investigate and discovers the hostage situation. Suspenseful and especially frightening since the readers know what the ghouls have planned for the family Show Less
LibraryThing member readingover50
This book is a home invasion nightmare with several twists and turns. The scenes inside the house ramped up the tension. The scenes with Jack doing police work were slow by comparison. A good addition to the series.
LibraryThing member HenriMoreaux
Wolf is the 7th book in the Jack Caffery and as of 2020, the latest as well, written in 2014 with Hayder seeming to have taken an break from writing.
Whilst I'm pleased to say this was on par with, and a little better than Poppet, and much better than Ritual/Skin & Gone but still not up to the
Overall, it's a decent book, there's enough background there that you could easily read it as a stand alone book if desired without missing out on much, you might even enjoy it more if you haven't read Birdman & The Treatment as you won't know what you're missing out on in terms of the horroresque themes they had.
There's a pretty big twist towards the end of this one that reframes a lot of the earlier events in a more sinister light and it does make for an enjoyable read.
Whilst I'm pleased to say this was on par with, and a little better than Poppet, and much better than Ritual/Skin & Gone but still not up to the
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excellent standard that the series began with in Birdman & The Treatment. Overall, it's a decent book, there's enough background there that you could easily read it as a stand alone book if desired without missing out on much, you might even enjoy it more if you haven't read Birdman & The Treatment as you won't know what you're missing out on in terms of the horroresque themes they had.
There's a pretty big twist towards the end of this one that reframes a lot of the earlier events in a more sinister light and it does make for an enjoyable read.
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LibraryThing member runner56
The last Jack Caffery book written in 2014 and since then not a word has been heard from the author? There are certain trends that run through this series that add a little sparkle the first being the walking man. A type of reclusive wealthy vagrant, permanently moving around the lowlands of
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Somerset, and in Wolf he befriends a small dog with the words “help us” around his collar. Caffery becomes involved but only if in return the walking man can help trace his younger brother Ewan who vanished aged 9 never to be seen again. The other rather odd feature is the appearance yet again of human entrails which Mz Hayder appears to have a fixation with. A wealthy scientist, his wife and daughter are being held hostage the motive behind the kidnapping is unclear but may have a connection to the production of a smart torpedo able to seek out and destroy with precise accuracy. A somewhat disappointing read, the series looking a little tired and certainly lacking the sparkle that police diver Flea Marley contributed to earlier books…..Come back Mo and revive Jack and Flea! Show Less
Awards
Edgar Award (Nominee — Novel — 2015)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Mystery — 2015)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — Fiction — 2014)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2014-04-01
Physical description
416 p.; 8.2 inches
ISBN
0802123864 / 9780802123862