Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (790)

Content

Hazel (2934 KP) rated Signature Kill (Frank Behr #4) in Books

Jan 5, 2020

Gritty, dark atmospheric and suspenseful

This is another book that has been on my "to be read" list since 2015 and I have finally got round to reading it and so pleased I did as I really enjoyed it. Although this is book 4 in the Frank Behr series, I haven't read any of the others and I admit that it would probably be better to read the others in order to get some clarity and background to Frank but having said that, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of this book so will say it works well as a standalone.

This is a pretty disturbing story written from Frank's perspective and that of the killer; this I think was genius in that it gave Frank a strong voice and made him come alive but it also did the same for the killer which was chilling and oddly satisfying but perfect for this book.

The writing style was excellent and easy to read; the suspense and action scenes were described perfectly and all the characters were well developed and authentic.

This is a gritty, dark, atmospheric and suspenseful read that I found gripping and very difficult to put down; I will certainly read more of this series and from this author but hopefully won't delay it so long next time.

Thank you to RandomHouseUK / Transworld Publishers via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.

Kudos

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Raven Black in Books

Mar 18, 2021

Raven Black

Ann Cleeves | 2015 | Contemporary, Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Mystery

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

An atmospheric and intriguing mystery

This is the eighteenth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!

Magnus Tait, a longtime resident of Shetland, was suspected a while ago in the disappearance of an eleven-year-old girl. Magnus lives alone now and is seen as "different." When his neighbor Fran Hunter stumbles across the body of another girl, teenager Catherine Ross, Magnus is the immediate suspect again. But DI Jimmy Perez isn't so sure. Working with a team from "the outside," he must try to solve Catherine's killing in this tiny and sheltered place.

I read Cleeves' book The Long Call a bit ago and really enjoyed it, so figured reading Raven Black was a great idea for my "R" book. I'm glad I did. This seems like the start of a great series, and I've already nabbed the next book. Raven features an intriguing story that kept me guessing the entire time--something that's rare and always appreciated. The setting is atmospheric, making you feel as if you're part of the Shetland countryside. I quite liked Jimmy Perez and the cast of Shetland folks.

Overall, I can see this shaping up to be a series I'll quite enjoy. I'm a sucker for an interesting mysteries with a strong lead. 4 stars.

Kudos

Sarah Thompson (2 KP) rated The Great Alone in Books

Feb 1, 2018

The Great Alone

Kristin Hannah | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance

8.5

(13 Ratings)

Book Rating

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced reader copy of this book for a test read campaign. The storyline built slowly and steadily, with atmospheric descriptions of the harshness of life in Alaska but I found it was slightly repetitive in the first half of the book. The descriptions of the wilderness of Alaska and the light nights and the dark were wonderfully evocative. The storyline then suddenly snowballed in the second half and I was unable to put it down but I felt that the author was rushing to The End as if she had a deadline to meet. It could perhaps have benefited from having a longer page count!