The Kill List

The Kill List by David Archer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Spoiler Alert: This is Sam Prichard Mystery #5. Anything said may spoil Sam Prichard Mysteries 1-4. I think they are an endearing and entertaining set of mysteries that might be fun for anyone to read, so if you think you might enjoy these G rated books in the future, stop after the next two or three paragraphs until you've read books 1-4.

This review included the ebook and audiobook narrated by the most excellent Mikael Naramore who makes the audiobook exceptionally pleasing. I liked it. 3 stars. I recommend "The Kill List" and the previous 4 mysteries.

In a previous Sam Prichard review I called these novels "Gum Shoe Musicals". While this one retains this moniker, I may be changing the moniker to "Gum Shoe Country Musicals" or possibly - in the future to "Gum Shoe Gospel Musicals". Guessing the trend goes as I presume (possibly incorrectly).

I gave them this label as Sam Prichard is a private investigator, aka Gum Shoe, and David Archer has added links to his ebooks that play songs on his website. You can sing along with the lyrics in the ebook. If you have purchased the audiobook, there's nothing to click, where the lyrics are in the ebook, they actually play the song on the audiobook making it, at least in part, a "music audio file".


In an earlier mystery Sam joined a local band as a singer and song writer. As David Archer writes, he works in a song or two to work naturally with the story. It is kind of endearing as he dearly loves his family and writes music pleasing to his spouse, Indie. This mystery, however, he selected a song from his past that didn't flatter his wife. Not sure why he did that but there is a reaction to the song that fits in with the story.

That said, on to the story review. This one reminded me a bit of Criminal Minds's "unsubs" verses Sam Prichard P.I. Sam has unwillingly been drawn into a game by a serial murderer. He gives Sam a "Kill List" as a hint and challenges Sam to stop him. It isn't exactly Gum Shoe work, but this is a paramount public service.

Having read about some of Sam's exploits during his time as a Private Investigator this monster believes only Sam is good enough to catch him and permanently stop him. Either Sam will stop him or he will go on with his massive murder spree.

This one really is a cat and mouse game but always being dictated by the killer's rules. If that doesn't wet your reading appetite, so be it.

I would not call Sam Prichard mysteries "Christian Fiction". Up to this novel Sam's goodness is obvious, but there is no obvious religious narrative. This novel we get a full sermon, appropriately on Cain and Abel. Rather than causing folks to cringe from Christ, it is part of natural flow of the story. This scene is actually one of the key scenes providing the most moving drama in the novel.

With my affiliation with Christ, I am not reluctant to find joy in David Archer's bringing "church" into his Sam Prichard novels but I also want to assure mystery lovers who might shy from "church" to be at peace. There is no attempting to convert anyone, or is it overtly Christian as something like "This Present Darkness" by Frank Peretti ~ a brilliant piece of fantasy that links the unseen spiritual world with every day life in an exciting story. This isn't that.

My first couple exposures to David Archer's Sam Prichard series, I thought were indie-author amateurish. They aren't amateur. I suspect that it may sound like it due to Mikael Naramore's narration. They are expert enough and add some creative experimentation, like the musicals in both audio and ebooks.

I just dropped more money than I couldn't afford picking up books 6-8. If you haven't read any Sam Prichard Mysteries, I suggest you start with The Grave Man.

I read The Kill List in three sessions on Friday, April 12, Wednesday, April 17, and Tuesday, April 30, 2019. The audiobook is just shy of 5 hours.

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