Here we have the fourth instalment in Portman’s psychopathic serial killer series – ‘Emergence’, and it’s honestly more of the same insanely well-written, laugh-out-loud dark comedy and utterly entertaining high-quality storytelling that we’ve come to expect from these books. Our principal protagonist (the charismatic antihero) Horatio Robinson (although he’s started going by his father’s name – Devereux – is now two years older from where the last instalment – ‘Cognizance’ (2024) – had left off.

So, what’ve we got with this new instalment? Well, Horatio’s that little older, and with this advancement in age has come perhaps a tad more confidence, arrogance and barely suppressed bubbling resentment. In fact, Horatio’s patience has thinned considerably, to the point where he’s constantly a gnat’s bollock away from the next minor meltdown. Ok, so let’s be honest, he never suffered fools gladly, but damn, this guy has absolutely zero patience or time for even the most minor inconvenience now.

Of course, as with the other novels in the series, a big part of the book’s comical entertainment is with Horatio’s thoughts and inner dialogue. That colourful inner monologue that accompanies his every thought and action. A zero-patience internal voice, that’s constantly quipping, jesting and mocking, in some of the most comical ways.

Those causing young Horatio issue in his life, have shifted slightly. We’re back again in the concrete jungle of London, in the vicinity of the very same high-rise apartment block where Bad Dog plummeted to his death in the previous book. The C-Crew gang are again causing Horatio issues – but now with a new gang boss Horatio’s named ‘Somali Pennywise’ (on account of the similarities the Somalian gang member has with Pennywise from the 2017 film remake of Stephen King’s ‘IT’ (1986)).

We also have a bit of trouble from our old pal – Rat – who was the main issue Horatio had to contend with in the last book. Rat’s now incarcerated, so the threat he poses to Horatio is more from afar. Indeed, the main focus of the book’s plot is instead around Somali Pennywise and his beak-nosed girlfriend who Horatio names Persian Mien (on account of her elongated, bridged nose resembling Persia).

Because the C-Crew now heavily suspect Horatio for having involvement with their previous gang boss’ death, the green tracksuit clad thugs are now after his blood. What’s more, these concrete jungle scum don’t give two shits about who they need to intimidate, bully or threaten in order to get to Horatio. Ergo, we have the C-Crew turning up and ransacking Horatio’s new sixth form college, causing further problems for our favourite psychopath!

However, what’s perhaps the most surprising aspect within the book when compared with the previous instalments, is the depths of grisliness that Portman plummets into, at the point whereby Horatio finally gets to enact his own revenge. Oh yeah, these books starting to get dark alright! Properly Dahmer dark…if you know what I mean?!

Anyway, the fun and hilarity we have in this new instalment is up there with some of the best we’ve seen in these books. Horatio’s really coming into his own now. His confidence is at an all-time high. The buffer between his inner monologue and how he presents himself to the outside world is blurring more and more. This is revealed to us in the reactions of the general public. His sudden outbursts of laughter or anger making people change carriage on the train or cross the road when on the street.

Horatio Devereux is now beginning to step into the shoes of adulthood. And with this milestone comes a shit-tonne of pent-up anger, frustration, and a deeply embedded desire to murder, murder and murder again! Goddamn do I love these entertainingly twisted books!

The novel runs for a total of 152 pages.