L.N. Costley’s A Parliament of Crows arrives with the promise of a dark, gripping mystery thriller: ritualistic murders, FBI involvement, small-town panic, and a killer with a theatrical flair. On paper, it sounds like the kind of story that should deliver tension and momentum. Unfortunately, despite a strong premise and an attention-grabbing blurb, the novel settles somewhere in the middling range for me—thus the three-star rating.

Through NetGalley I received an advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The city of George Iowa wasn’t known for much, but that all changed when the naked body of a headless woman was discovered tied to a cross in the middle of an Iowa cornfield with the numbers 317 branded into her chest. Local Police Chief Dale Morgan finds himself way in way over his head (pun intended) and he wasn’t afraid to admit it.

Special Agent Nathan Blackwood, of the FBI, is called into assist in the investigation. Given the ritualistic display, Blackwood surmises that the killer, who the media has dubbed the Scarecrow, is leaving a message for someone. But to who, and why are a mystery. But the most important question on everyone’s mind is how many more messages will he send.

Agent Blackwood finds himself immersed in a fast paced, ever unfolding investigation spanning three states and multiple jurisdictions. Will he be able to clip the Scarecrow’s wings before he can fly the coop, or will the killer leave more bodies in their wake that even a parliament of crows couldn’t eat?

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Opinion

From the outset, the book positions itself as a fast-paced, multi-state investigation, but in practice, the pacing is one of its biggest weaknesses. The narrative moves slowly, and not in a deliberate, suspense-building way. Instead, it often feels weighed down by scenes that neither deepen the mystery nor heighten tension. On top of that, the characters never quite evolve into the complex, engaging figures they need to be. Even with the author’s real-world law enforcement experience, the cast comes across as unusually flat and lacking depth.

One major issue that repeatedly pulled me out of the story is the jurisdiction oversight. Detective Todd continues investigating a missing woman’s case even after it crosses state lines—something we all know, even from shows like Criminal Minds, would instantly place it outside her authority. It’s odd that this isn’t acknowledged until the final chapters, and such a fundamental lapse is hard to ignore.

The similarities to Criminal Minds don’t stop there. The religious symbolism, the ritualistic staging, the stereotypical targeting of women from strip clubs—these elements feel heavily lifted from the show’s familiar formula. There’s nothing wrong with drawing inspiration, but here, the result feels derivative rather than fresh. The book doesn’t deliver much that hasn’t already been done elsewhere, and often more effectively.

And predictability is an ongoing problem. In fact, I figured out who the killer was within the first third of the book. For a mystery thriller that leans on psychological and ritualistic elements, that’s far too early. Once the reveal became obvious, the remaining chapters lost much of their intended suspense.

Still, the experience isn’t all negative. The cover design perfectly reflects the story’s eerie and rural atmosphere. The writing style is smooth and easy to follow, which made the roughly 200 pages quick to get through despite the shortcomings. Costley certainly has a readable voice.

What didn’t work for me at all was the attempted romantic or sexual tension between SSA Blackwood and Detective Todd. Not only did it feel unprofessional within the context of an active investigation, but the spark simply wasn’t there. Their connection felt forced, unnecessary, and ultimately out of place in a story that should have prioritized psychological depth and escalating tension.

Conclusion

Overall, A Parliament of Crows isn’t a bad book—it just doesn’t deliver on its promise of suspense or originality. With its predictable twists, slow pacing, and underdeveloped characters, it ends up as an okay but forgettable read. Fans of procedural crime stories might enjoy it, but those seeking something fresh or truly thrilling may walk away wanting more.

About L.N. Costley

L.N. Costley has been in Law Enforcement for over 20 years. He lives in Michigan with his wife. He is an avid reader of both Fantasy and Science Fiction, and has been so for the majority of his life, with authors such as R. A. Salvatore, Dean Koontz, and Kevin J. Anderson fueling my imagination. When not writing he enjoys knife and sword forging, wood working, and playing video games.

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