Here we have the third book in the story of teenaged psychopath, Horatio Robinson. I have to admit, prior to reading this instalment, I’d assumed the ‘Emergence’ series was going to be a trilogy. It’s not. I can confirm that by the open ending we’re left with, as well as the declaration on the last page “To be continued in 2025”.

So, what have we got with this third instalment? Well, to be honest, it’s basically more of the same. And I mean that in an entirely positive way. We have the same razor-sharp wit, the same calibre of fast-paced, padding-free writing, the same degree of high-quality character driven narrative. It’s essentially more of the very same stuff we’ve loved reading so far in the series.

We’re also back on good old British terra firma now. Back in London, as we were in ‘Emergence’ (2023). With that we essentially have two parallel running plot narratives – that of Rat’s mission to reap revenge on Horatio for murdering Rat’s best friend, alongside a second plot narrative involving the escalating hostility Horatio is receiving from the Daggerz gang, especially Dalton and his older brother Darragh, who head up this thuggish urban gang.

Behind this the novel also has an incredibly compelling plot driver – Horatio becoming the victim for once in his young life. Yeah, that’s right, Horatio is now on the receiving end, and he doesn’t like it one bit. In fact, throughout the entirety of the novel, we have Horatio fantasying about enacting his revenge on all those who he sees having wronged him.

It would be fair to say the whole novel is very much in the comfort zone of the series as a whole. It plays firmly with all the plot devices and escalating character interactions we’re familiar with seeing within these books. Essentially, the novel is absolutely playing to the strengths embedded within the previous books. Capitalising on the crème de la crème of the very essence that’s behind the ‘Emergence’ series.

We also have a return to that whole coming-of-age vibe again. Horatio is learning more about his dark history. He’s developing and quite subtly evolving. With this alongside unearthed links to his deceased father, Dyson Devereux, from the original ‘Necropolis’ trilogy, begin to play more of a pivotal role. As a reminder – it really is best to have read the ‘Necropolis’ trilogy before embarking upon this series.

The whole gang dispute, between the Daggerz and the C-Crew, with Horatio stuck in the middle, makes for an interesting and entertaining new dynamic. We actually start to see the first slithers of vulnerability in Horatio. His confident and charismatic exterior shaken. Nevertheless, the deathly cold killer within him is unaffected. In fact, it’s now urged on. And together with discovering a deeper connection with his father, Horatio is now fully embracing the empathyless, cold and calculated heart of a serial killer.

This book is another solid addition to this incredibly entertaining black comedy series. Portman has well and truly invested us in his characters now. And in ‘Cognizance’ Portman has encapsulated the very essence of the series, starting Horatio down a pathway which will undoubtedly lead us somewhere far darker.

Another superb addition to the series from this highly underrated author.

The novel runs for a total of 164 pages.