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Boldt & Matthews #1
Undercurrents
A serial killer is loose on the streets of Seattle. Driven by guilt and frustration, too exhausted to consider stopping, Detective Lou Boldt thinks he's finally got the break he needs to end the Cross Killer's twisted spree. But each new clue contradicts another. And each new corpse mocks Boldt's efforts.
435 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
215 people are currently reading
1421 people want to read
About the author
Ridley Pearson
170books2,061followersRidley Pearson is the author of more than fifty novels, including the New York Times bestseller Killer Weekend; the Lou Boldt crime series; and many books for young readers, including the award-winning children's novels Peter and the Starcatchers, Peter and the Shadow Thieves, and Peter and the Secret of Rundoon, which he cowrote with Dave Barry. Pearson lives with his wife and two daughters, dividing their time between Missouri and Idaho.
Also writes Chris Klick mysteries as .
Also writes Chris Klick mysteries as .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
February 21, 2019
Not bad really, but more of the same old stuff: serial killers with bizarre MO's, a city gripped by fear and an irate police bureaucracy demanding an immediate solution. And cute little female cops of course. Ho hum.
April 26, 2016
Undercurrents by Ridley Pearson is a 2014 RosettaBooks publication.
These days, if you want to read a thriller by Ridley Pearson, one must resort to combing through his blacklisted titles. Ridley has apparently been bitten by the YA/ children’s writing bug and has disappeared down the rabbit hole. I have been patiently waiting for a new thriller from this author, but it looks as though he is about to embark on yet another children’s book series. Sigh.
The good news is, a smattering of RP books can be found on the Kindle Lending Library, (and are also in the KU program, if you are a subscriber) which means I can now read books I missed the first time around, or re-read a few if desired.
Undercurrents in the first book in the Boldt and Matthews series, which was originally published in 1988. I vaguely remember reading this one, and a few of the details came back to me, as a I read along, but I had forgotten the bulk of the story, so it was like reading it for the first time.
Lou Boldt comes to the horrifying realization that the ‘Cross Killer� is still at large, and the bodies are piling up quickly. To complicate matters, Lou discovers his wife has been unfaithful, which offers him plenty of temptation to act on his attraction to the department psychologist, Daphne Matthews, and to top it all off, there is plenty in inner departmental strife, and the usual politics to cope with�. And they could also have a copycat killer in their midst.
This plot is a little complex, so it took me a little while to wade through the murky waters, if you will. Lou’s personal life is wrecked, and often times Lou is just not all that personable. He can be a little bit sexist to boot, and I found his attitude off putting a few times. He’s moody and unpredictable, but at times he has a few very raw epiphanies about himself that has him reconsidering his life and owning up to all his mistakes.
Daphne is also a bit complicated, and because I have read several books in this series, it seems as though her personality remains much the same throughout, which is a ‘go with the flow� type of attitude, but one that often puts up with Lou’s inability to stand on one side of the fence or the other, and so I sometimes wanted to scream at her, to show some kind of emotion, to throw down the gauntlet, or something... anything!
The plot, as I mentioned was complicated, and it very nearly spiraled out of control. I struggled a little with the book from time to time, as it moved too slowly for the most part, but then suddenly picked up steam in the last several chapters with some harrowing action, and a pretty tense showdown.
I know this series improves with time, so I will revisit it again soon. Either way, it was interesting to go back and re-read this old crime thriller. RP has a nice body of work under his belt with plenty of older titles to discover. I do wish he would throw us a bone every now and then and push out a good thriller again, but I do wish him much success with his children’s series and hope he is enjoying what he does, which is all that matters in the long run.
3.5 stars
These days, if you want to read a thriller by Ridley Pearson, one must resort to combing through his blacklisted titles. Ridley has apparently been bitten by the YA/ children’s writing bug and has disappeared down the rabbit hole. I have been patiently waiting for a new thriller from this author, but it looks as though he is about to embark on yet another children’s book series. Sigh.
The good news is, a smattering of RP books can be found on the Kindle Lending Library, (and are also in the KU program, if you are a subscriber) which means I can now read books I missed the first time around, or re-read a few if desired.
Undercurrents in the first book in the Boldt and Matthews series, which was originally published in 1988. I vaguely remember reading this one, and a few of the details came back to me, as a I read along, but I had forgotten the bulk of the story, so it was like reading it for the first time.
Lou Boldt comes to the horrifying realization that the ‘Cross Killer� is still at large, and the bodies are piling up quickly. To complicate matters, Lou discovers his wife has been unfaithful, which offers him plenty of temptation to act on his attraction to the department psychologist, Daphne Matthews, and to top it all off, there is plenty in inner departmental strife, and the usual politics to cope with�. And they could also have a copycat killer in their midst.
This plot is a little complex, so it took me a little while to wade through the murky waters, if you will. Lou’s personal life is wrecked, and often times Lou is just not all that personable. He can be a little bit sexist to boot, and I found his attitude off putting a few times. He’s moody and unpredictable, but at times he has a few very raw epiphanies about himself that has him reconsidering his life and owning up to all his mistakes.
Daphne is also a bit complicated, and because I have read several books in this series, it seems as though her personality remains much the same throughout, which is a ‘go with the flow� type of attitude, but one that often puts up with Lou’s inability to stand on one side of the fence or the other, and so I sometimes wanted to scream at her, to show some kind of emotion, to throw down the gauntlet, or something... anything!
The plot, as I mentioned was complicated, and it very nearly spiraled out of control. I struggled a little with the book from time to time, as it moved too slowly for the most part, but then suddenly picked up steam in the last several chapters with some harrowing action, and a pretty tense showdown.
I know this series improves with time, so I will revisit it again soon. Either way, it was interesting to go back and re-read this old crime thriller. RP has a nice body of work under his belt with plenty of older titles to discover. I do wish he would throw us a bone every now and then and push out a good thriller again, but I do wish him much success with his children’s series and hope he is enjoying what he does, which is all that matters in the long run.
3.5 stars
June 15, 2011
VERY INTELLECTUAL
A complex plot blended with an intelligent whodunit. Detective Boldt with his remarks and questions forces the reader to participate and wonder all the time. Suitable for everyone who wish to think as part of the entertainment
A complex plot blended with an intelligent whodunit. Detective Boldt with his remarks and questions forces the reader to participate and wonder all the time. Suitable for everyone who wish to think as part of the entertainment
January 3, 2016
-"(1st of the Boldt/Matthews series)- A ghoulish series of murders of young women in the Seattle area has the city jittery with fear and the Seattle Homicide bureau exhaustively hunting down every wisp of a clue. Police Sergeant Lou Boldt, who heads up the investigation, has a special stake in finding the psychopathic murderer, dubbed the "Cross Killer" by the press. Boldt was involved in arresting a suspect in the case who was later gunned down in the courtroom, although now he appears to have been innocent of the crimes. The guilt from that death, the unraveling of his marriage and a new and disturbing twist to the escalating series of murders have Boldt totally obsessed., The new twist comes after a 10th body is found appearing to be the handiwork of the Cross Killer. To Boldt's fine-tuned eye, however, this latest murder may actually be the work of a copycat killeran imitation so good, in fact, that Boldt has the unnerving suspicion that this murderer may very well be somebody within the police department."
May 7, 2019
3 1/4 Stars
There were things I liked about this book - and things I didn't. (In fact, at one point I left it and read , which was fantastic!) Last night I finished Undercurrents. For the most part I liked the characters and found the plot to be interesting. I felt the sex scene was totally unnecessary but that's just my opinion. There was also some sexism, but maybe that was more common when the book was written, back in 1988? I will probably read the next in the series to see if I get hooked, or not. 😏
There were things I liked about this book - and things I didn't. (In fact, at one point I left it and read , which was fantastic!) Last night I finished Undercurrents. For the most part I liked the characters and found the plot to be interesting. I felt the sex scene was totally unnecessary but that's just my opinion. There was also some sexism, but maybe that was more common when the book was written, back in 1988? I will probably read the next in the series to see if I get hooked, or not. 😏
February 22, 2016
This was my first book by Ridley Pearson and it was an excellent read! Had my heart racing!! Ridley Pearson is one hell of a writer!!
October 2, 2011
Leave no stone unturned.
That is perhaps one of Lou Boldt's trademarks when you prod your way throughout the book's 430+ pages. As a nearly-fortyish detective with a crumbling marriage and serial killings on the loose, your mind will be boggled in reading details, why Boldt will even bother keeping simple things as evidence. And then, Chekhov's Gun reckons.
I first encountered Undercurrents in one of St Martin Paperback's promotions in Silence of the Lambs. When I found the book, I picked it up, lusting after another mystery read. While it took me weeks to finish the book, it comes to me as the better, more superior one than Silence. One of the most obvious similarity between the two books was the mention of Quantico's Behavioral Analysis Unit, the lab that does the psychological profiling of the killers. However, I find Undercurrents a more engaging read, in that it fleshes out the psychotic and twisted element of the killers very well.
Lou Boldt is your normal, fallible detective- he's often mistaken for a lieutenant, is paired with a shitty partner, has a marriage on the rocks, and dotes on his jazz music. The novel starts with a shocker- when a perceived mass murderer was assasinated in the court room months ago, everyone thought the nightmare was over, not until the ritual begins again.
The prose is simple, filled with cop talk, but bogs you down with too much detail. However, as you read on, your immersion to Boldt's environment, his fellow cops, and his troubles with news blackout on mass media outlets makes you pour out your sympathy on him. As his work eats him up, so is his married life, and he goes on an affair. Tensions rises as clues pile up, and Pearson puts ballast on it by devising cleverly wrought lines, gradually incensed bits of dialogue, and emphasis.
I only had one trouble with reading the book. Pearson, isn't red a color? Why do you use SCARLET too much?!
Still, a recommended read. Believable, biting, and one heck of a thriller.
That is perhaps one of Lou Boldt's trademarks when you prod your way throughout the book's 430+ pages. As a nearly-fortyish detective with a crumbling marriage and serial killings on the loose, your mind will be boggled in reading details, why Boldt will even bother keeping simple things as evidence. And then, Chekhov's Gun reckons.
I first encountered Undercurrents in one of St Martin Paperback's promotions in Silence of the Lambs. When I found the book, I picked it up, lusting after another mystery read. While it took me weeks to finish the book, it comes to me as the better, more superior one than Silence. One of the most obvious similarity between the two books was the mention of Quantico's Behavioral Analysis Unit, the lab that does the psychological profiling of the killers. However, I find Undercurrents a more engaging read, in that it fleshes out the psychotic and twisted element of the killers very well.
Lou Boldt is your normal, fallible detective- he's often mistaken for a lieutenant, is paired with a shitty partner, has a marriage on the rocks, and dotes on his jazz music. The novel starts with a shocker- when a perceived mass murderer was assasinated in the court room months ago, everyone thought the nightmare was over, not until the ritual begins again.
The prose is simple, filled with cop talk, but bogs you down with too much detail. However, as you read on, your immersion to Boldt's environment, his fellow cops, and his troubles with news blackout on mass media outlets makes you pour out your sympathy on him. As his work eats him up, so is his married life, and he goes on an affair. Tensions rises as clues pile up, and Pearson puts ballast on it by devising cleverly wrought lines, gradually incensed bits of dialogue, and emphasis.
I only had one trouble with reading the book. Pearson, isn't red a color? Why do you use SCARLET too much?!
Still, a recommended read. Believable, biting, and one heck of a thriller.
August 1, 2018
I wanted to like this book. I was on vacation and this seemed like the perfect innocuous read while sitting on the deck. I tried something different this year in my approach to vacation reading. Instead of painstakingly researching what books I wanted to check out from the library, and putting them on hold at just the precise right moment, I decided to cast my fate to the wind and wait until I got to my destination. OK, OK, I had a Phil Rickman stuffed in my purse and I knew my husband had a collection of Fr. Brown mysteries a available if needed.
The local used book store didn't disappoint and I walked out with a stack of books, one which was Undercurrents. As a bookseller of 20 years I had rung up thousands of copies of this book, so, why not? This is why not, this book is paragraph after paragraph of nothing, just like this review. Let's get back to talking about me. Dawn Marie didn't like this book. Dawn Marie thought it was lame. I've decided to write like Ridley Pearson. Did you notice? Ridley Pearson has an obnoxious habit of referring to his main character by his first and last name, Lou Boldt. Lou Boldt, knew he had to act. Lou Boldt approached the sink. Lou Boldt washed his hands. Lou Boldt didn't use soap.
The police procedural part of this book is adequate. It could keep a story going well enough it's just when Pearson tries to write interpersonal dialogue that it all goes to hell. Lou Boldt knows about hell. Lou Boldt doesn't converse in a normal fashion.
If you just want to be entertained for a bit watch any of the mystery TV shows available and then turn it off and walk away. It will be much more satisfying than Undercurrents. Lou Boldt would want it that way.
The local used book store didn't disappoint and I walked out with a stack of books, one which was Undercurrents. As a bookseller of 20 years I had rung up thousands of copies of this book, so, why not? This is why not, this book is paragraph after paragraph of nothing, just like this review. Let's get back to talking about me. Dawn Marie didn't like this book. Dawn Marie thought it was lame. I've decided to write like Ridley Pearson. Did you notice? Ridley Pearson has an obnoxious habit of referring to his main character by his first and last name, Lou Boldt. Lou Boldt, knew he had to act. Lou Boldt approached the sink. Lou Boldt washed his hands. Lou Boldt didn't use soap.
The police procedural part of this book is adequate. It could keep a story going well enough it's just when Pearson tries to write interpersonal dialogue that it all goes to hell. Lou Boldt knows about hell. Lou Boldt doesn't converse in a normal fashion.
If you just want to be entertained for a bit watch any of the mystery TV shows available and then turn it off and walk away. It will be much more satisfying than Undercurrents. Lou Boldt would want it that way.
March 16, 2015
Another Ridley Pearson series...this one features a hard-boiled Seattle homicide dick...Lou Boldt is a jazz-piano playing, milk drinking & flawed detective seeking a serial killer and maybe some copycats...a real page-turner as time is not on the team's side...good read!
May 12, 2013
""He sipped his wine. He felt pleasantly light-headed. "I'm lonely, Daffy." His face tightened. "I've isolated myself. Being a cop used to be one thing I did. Now it's all I seem to have. It's all I've left myself with. I've isolated myself but good. Being a cop is like a terminal disease or something: it consumes you, entirely, slowly but surely. I've allowed it to take everything out of my life. And I've suddenly reached the stage where I resent that.""
Lou Boldt is a sergeant with the Seattle Police. A suspect he arrested for the serial ritual murders of young women around Greenlake was shot dead by a grieving father before his trial could complete, but most believed the right man, Jergensen, had received justice. Boldt wasn't certain, plus he still felt some guilt over Jergensen's premature murder before his guilt was established. Now, with another ritually murdered woman's body discovered, he knew the wrong man had been arrested.
But the reopened case isn't Boldt's only problem. Instead of returning to his house, he gets himself a hotel room. His wife is at the house, and since he discovered she is seeing someone else, he doesn't want to go home.
In my opinion, this wasn't a great police procedural read, but it was a good effort. Like most 'first in the series', it's clumsily written. At this point, Boldt talks too much and bores me. Many characters are introduced that I think will be recurring, but no one is memorable so far.
Lou Boldt is a sergeant with the Seattle Police. A suspect he arrested for the serial ritual murders of young women around Greenlake was shot dead by a grieving father before his trial could complete, but most believed the right man, Jergensen, had received justice. Boldt wasn't certain, plus he still felt some guilt over Jergensen's premature murder before his guilt was established. Now, with another ritually murdered woman's body discovered, he knew the wrong man had been arrested.
But the reopened case isn't Boldt's only problem. Instead of returning to his house, he gets himself a hotel room. His wife is at the house, and since he discovered she is seeing someone else, he doesn't want to go home.
In my opinion, this wasn't a great police procedural read, but it was a good effort. Like most 'first in the series', it's clumsily written. At this point, Boldt talks too much and bores me. Many characters are introduced that I think will be recurring, but no one is memorable so far.
June 10, 2022
It was a good story. Will invest in book #2. Wasn't totally wow'd but ok.
June 11, 2019
Serial killer raising hell in Seattle. Anna and Jill, be very careful. He chooses his victims by the porn videos they rent. Please, please cut back on that.
November 4, 2008
Mystery/Thriller. I'm rereading these Lou Boldt mysteries -- in order this time -- so I can catch up on the newer ones. This was way more emo than I remembered, but full of good procedural detective stuff -- walking crime scenes, finding clues, talking to witnesses. The character stuff is less good. Lou's kind of a pig when it comes to women, and the book has some weird narrative problems at times (it's in 3rd person Lou Boldt, except for about six random sentences). It also has a cheesy metaphorical sex scene that I could have done without. The mystery involves a serial killer nicknamed the Cross Killer and attendant copycat.
Three stars for the detective stuff, and the vague hope that these characters get more sympathetic as the series goes on.
Three stars for the detective stuff, and the vague hope that these characters get more sympathetic as the series goes on.
October 5, 2008
I always love to read books set in a place I have lived or visited. This is a great detective story based in Seattle, my current residence. This story had just the right amount of suspense and was very well written. A great book if you are looking for something light and hard to put down.
June 4, 2010
This is a avery good read by Ridley Person, and a Lou Boldt main character with Daphne Matthews. It is a complex but enjoyable run through events.
J. Robert Ewbank, author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"
J. Robert Ewbank, author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"
November 24, 2018
3.5 stars. I think I would've given this 4 stars if most everyone wasn't exhausted and disheveled for the whole book. Also the antagonism and jealousy between lead detective Sgt Lou Boldt and administrative Sgt Kramer seemed petty. The story was a complex murder investigation with interesting details of Boldt's personal life.
With-reservations:
language, violence, murder, betrayal, sexual situation
With-reservations:
language, violence, murder, betrayal, sexual situation
July 22, 2023
This is a 4 star police procedural with good suspenseful scenes towards the end. But I give it 3 stars because:
Boldt, however, is annoying. A depressed detective who downs milk and Tums the way others down whiskey. This is just one of the repetitive elements.
The dialog (and Boldt’s internal monologues) is poorly done and the characters are stereotypes. Boldt’s attitudes are misogynistic and stupid at times, though he does come to see his flaws eventually.
Written in the late 1980s and contains 1980s inappropriate depictions and attitudes toward women and homosexuals. Also plays up FBI psychological profiling which was big then but has also lost credit over the years.
I think I will read the second in the series to see if Pierson improves.
Boldt, however, is annoying. A depressed detective who downs milk and Tums the way others down whiskey. This is just one of the repetitive elements.
The dialog (and Boldt’s internal monologues) is poorly done and the characters are stereotypes. Boldt’s attitudes are misogynistic and stupid at times, though he does come to see his flaws eventually.
Written in the late 1980s and contains 1980s inappropriate depictions and attitudes toward women and homosexuals. Also plays up FBI psychological profiling which was big then but has also lost credit over the years.
I think I will read the second in the series to see if Pierson improves.
December 16, 2017
This is another one available in the Kindle Unlimited library reissued from a while ago - late 70s or early 80s - and that shows in the attitudes to women and sexual assault, as well as the lack of cell phones or computerised data.
It felt quite claustrophobic - the lead detective can't think of anything else except catching his killer; he has problems in his private life, an ulcer, his boss is complaining about his dishevelled appearance and he can't sleep. But he can't deal with any of it until he's got his man, and you're dragged along with him, wincing as he's drinking yet another cup of horrible coffee.
Because it is quite dated, I couldn't really get into it completely - it felt a bit like watching a film from the 40s or 50s with Barbara Stanwyck or Humphrey Bogart- stylish and smartly made etc but not really applicable to my life.
It felt quite claustrophobic - the lead detective can't think of anything else except catching his killer; he has problems in his private life, an ulcer, his boss is complaining about his dishevelled appearance and he can't sleep. But he can't deal with any of it until he's got his man, and you're dragged along with him, wincing as he's drinking yet another cup of horrible coffee.
Because it is quite dated, I couldn't really get into it completely - it felt a bit like watching a film from the 40s or 50s with Barbara Stanwyck or Humphrey Bogart- stylish and smartly made etc but not really applicable to my life.
November 12, 2019
This is my first read of a Ridley Pearson novel, but it will not be my last. He created some believable characters with realistic motivations.
There is a serial killer on the loose in Seattle. The press calls him the Cross Killer because the killer carves a cross on the bodies. The novel deals with the investigation and trying to catch this elusive killer, while at the same time trying to deal with a leak within the department. Also there seems to be a copy-cat killer operating at the same time.
The forensics and the day to day investigative details were realistic and well written. I recommend this one!
There is a serial killer on the loose in Seattle. The press calls him the Cross Killer because the killer carves a cross on the bodies. The novel deals with the investigation and trying to catch this elusive killer, while at the same time trying to deal with a leak within the department. Also there seems to be a copy-cat killer operating at the same time.
The forensics and the day to day investigative details were realistic and well written. I recommend this one!
November 18, 2018
When the narrative stuck to the main focus of the book, a police procedural, it was fantastic. But several times the flow of the story was interrupted by awkward and forced withdrawals into the tortured mind of the main character, Lou Boldt. Anytime he sees a child, he daydreams about how he wishes he had a child. It isn't done well. It is simply distracting. The same can be said about his regrets about his failing marriage. Yes, I'd love to get to know the character more, but do it in a way that is natural and interesting.
April 19, 2023
Started as a three star story but finished stronger....
Last quarter of the book was four stars so overall I'll give it 3.5 stars. Started slow and stayed slow. That is not saying the story wasn't interesting, it was. But it wasn't compelling.
Typical procedural with a decent twist.
Last quarter of the book was four stars so overall I'll give it 3.5 stars. Started slow and stayed slow. That is not saying the story wasn't interesting, it was. But it wasn't compelling.
Typical procedural with a decent twist.
June 16, 2024
Lou Boldt and the Seattle police hunt a serial killer, though their job is complicated by a copy-cat killer. The police procedural aspect of the book is well-done; the complicated relationships aspect is okay. After the detective work, the chase at the end of the book feels like a gratuitous addition put there solely to pandering to action fans. I think the book would have been better without it.
November 29, 2024
So many mistakes
This was a good story but it was marred by misspellings and other mistakes in continuity and words left out. This is an accomplished author supported by a publisher so there should be no excuse for the failures of editing. Self-published authors have a few excuses when their work is not well edited. But I say there are no excuses in this case.
This was a good story but it was marred by misspellings and other mistakes in continuity and words left out. This is an accomplished author supported by a publisher so there should be no excuse for the failures of editing. Self-published authors have a few excuses when their work is not well edited. But I say there are no excuses in this case.
December 13, 2024
Cool as hell! A very classic cop thriller complete with a moody atmosphere and plenty of drama. I don’t usually reach for crime thrillers, but I’m happy I took a chance on this one. My only qualm is that it lingered a bit too much on Boldt’s romantic/sexual misadventures—the constant inner monologue about how every woman he met was sexy in some way was a bit distracting.
October 9, 2017
really maybe a 2.5 . first book in the series for Boldt/Matthews, this did not fit together well for me in the end. Not really believable in how it was tied together. Interesting pairing with the detective and psychologist. Not sure that I will try the next title. quick read. hohum
January 10, 2019
This police procedural had just the right mix of character development and police business. I grew to like the main detective gradually, as if he were an acquaintance who became a friend. The plot was multi-faceted enough to keep me interested. I want to read additional books in this series.
August 9, 2019
There were some ok parts in this mystery, but the attitudes towards women were annoying. However, what was really annoying was the way the main character handled the end part - he just did everything wrong. 2.5 stars.
October 12, 2020
Excellent #1 of this Boldt/Matthew's series. Very similar to other detective series but its thrilling, suspenseful and hard to put down. Well worth reading- looking forward to #2. First time reading Ridley Pearson- I was impressed.
April 30, 2023
I always like to read novels that are set in my stomping grounds. Undercurrents is an intelligently written crime novel that takes place in Seattle, about a serial killer and a copycat. The characters are engaging and the science is believable.
December 22, 2023
Rereading the Boldt series starting at the beginning.
Great detailed police procedural with believable characters... even the horrifying one(s).
Reminiscing and looking forward to the rest of the series.
Great detailed police procedural with believable characters... even the horrifying one(s).
Reminiscing and looking forward to the rest of the series.
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