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tapestry100 (306 KP) rated Meddling Kids: A Novel in Books
Jul 26, 2017
Ever wonder what happened to the Scooby Doo gang when they grew up? It wasn't exactly a question I ever thought I needed an answer to until Edgar Cantero decided he needed to give his unique twist on what that adulthood could have looked like. In his beautifully bizarre (bizarrely beautiful?) novel, Cantero introduces us to the Blyton Summer Detective Club, a group of 4 teenagers and their dog who spend their summer vacations solving mysteries in idyllic Blyton Hills. We're familiar with the team: there's Peter, the jock; Nate, the nerdy outsider; Andy, the tomboy; Kerri, the smart one; and Sean, the faithful Weimaraner. After their final case in the summer of 77, involving a masked fortune hunter trying to find the buried treasure of Deboën Mansion, the kids suddenly hang up their spy gear and retire from mystery solving.
Jump ahead thirteen years, and those same crime solving sleuths of young are now disillusioned 20-somethings trying to make their way thru life, not really understanding where their lives went wrong. Peter is dead (even tho Nate still talks to him), Nate is institutionalized (he talks to a dead guy, after all), Andy is a wanderer with a somewhat criminal past, and Kerri is a bartender in a seedy bar, who is also taking care of Tim, Sean's descendant. There was something about that last case, the one they all can't stop thinking about, that wasn't quite right, that is at the root of their problems. When Andy finally decides that enough is enough and they need to go back to Blyton Hills to face these demons and reopen that last case, the group gets together one last time to try to bring sense and closure to that final, haunting case.
Of course, it's not as easy as just a guy in a mask, and as they face down eco-villainous corporations, primordial monsters, ecological disasters, and something that defies description, they begin to come to terms with what has been haunting them over the years. This sounds wildly simplistic as I type it out, and I'm leaving it that way. It's not simplistic in the slightest, but the joy in this book is in the details and following along with the BSDC as they uncover one clue after the next, taking them on a whirlwind ride that makes you unable to put the book down until the very last page.
Much like his previous novel The Supernatural Enhancements (which I am a huge fan of as well), Cantero takes his time with the story, creating a slow build that eventually spirals into this wild adventure, making unexpected twists and turns in the narrative so you never really are sure that you know what's going on. His characters are exactly who they appear to be, rifs of the Scooby gang, but he doesn't make clichés of them. These characters are all their own and as individual as can be. Eagle-eyed readers will also notice fun callbacks to the Scooby cartoons.
So, if you're looking for something with a little mystery, a little horror, with some supernatural hijinx thrown in for fun, you can't go wrong with Meddling Kids. And if you like this, be sure to check out Cantero's The Supernatural Enhancements as well.
Jump ahead thirteen years, and those same crime solving sleuths of young are now disillusioned 20-somethings trying to make their way thru life, not really understanding where their lives went wrong. Peter is dead (even tho Nate still talks to him), Nate is institutionalized (he talks to a dead guy, after all), Andy is a wanderer with a somewhat criminal past, and Kerri is a bartender in a seedy bar, who is also taking care of Tim, Sean's descendant. There was something about that last case, the one they all can't stop thinking about, that wasn't quite right, that is at the root of their problems. When Andy finally decides that enough is enough and they need to go back to Blyton Hills to face these demons and reopen that last case, the group gets together one last time to try to bring sense and closure to that final, haunting case.
Of course, it's not as easy as just a guy in a mask, and as they face down eco-villainous corporations, primordial monsters, ecological disasters, and something that defies description, they begin to come to terms with what has been haunting them over the years. This sounds wildly simplistic as I type it out, and I'm leaving it that way. It's not simplistic in the slightest, but the joy in this book is in the details and following along with the BSDC as they uncover one clue after the next, taking them on a whirlwind ride that makes you unable to put the book down until the very last page.
Much like his previous novel The Supernatural Enhancements (which I am a huge fan of as well), Cantero takes his time with the story, creating a slow build that eventually spirals into this wild adventure, making unexpected twists and turns in the narrative so you never really are sure that you know what's going on. His characters are exactly who they appear to be, rifs of the Scooby gang, but he doesn't make clichés of them. These characters are all their own and as individual as can be. Eagle-eyed readers will also notice fun callbacks to the Scooby cartoons.
So, if you're looking for something with a little mystery, a little horror, with some supernatural hijinx thrown in for fun, you can't go wrong with Meddling Kids. And if you like this, be sure to check out Cantero's The Supernatural Enhancements as well.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Edge of Darkness (2010) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: Edge of Darkness starts when Craven (Gibson) get to spend his daughter Emma (Novakovic) only for an unknown gunman killing her on his doorstep, Craven being a homicide detective isn’t allowed to investigate the case for legal reasons, so he decides to go against the law in his search for the murderer.
The early signs make it looks like Craven himself was the target, but it soon comes to light that it might be Emma’s work for a government company run by Jack Bennett (Huston) that might have made her the target and the deeper he digs the more he learns about his daughter.
Thoughts on Edge of Darkness
Characters – Craven is a respect homicide detective, everyone in the force knows just how capable of solving a murder he can be, but when his own daughter is murdered, he starts to go against the law to figure out who and why she was murdered. He will not stop at anything to locate the truth and take out the people that murdered his daughter. Jedburgh is an English man that will help Craven fill in the gaps, while trying to keep him away from the answers, he has been hired to make sure the investment stays safe, without building up a body count. Jack Bennett runs the company that Emma works for, he knows how to answer questions to keep the press happy, while keeping the shady operations under wraps. Emma is the daughter that Craven is delighted to spend time with once again, only she gets murdered and it is her life before this meeting that we get to see her in.
Performances – Mel Gibson might well have had his problems in Hollywood, but when it comes to crime thrillers, he is in his element always shining in these roles without ever looking out of place, and demanding the screen whenever he steps on screen. Ray Winstone is great in his role, which only seems to be around for the calmer or criminal sides of the film. Danny Huston is an actor that can play a villain in his sleep and this is no different, he brings the smug figure to life here. Bojana Novakovic is great in her smaller role which doesn’t need to get much more screen time to add to the story.
Story – The story here follows a homicide detective that starts to investigate the murder of his daughter only to find himself in the middle of a much bigger conspiracy that puts his own life in danger. This story starts off looking like it is going to be a revenge like movie because of how the first murder happens only to become a big conspiracy movie that offers up plenty of miss-direction as we lead to the truth. Any story that can keep you guessing and let try to figure out the ending yourself is an entertaining watch, with the outcome not even needing to be spoon fed to us either. This might well be a remake of a television show, but it plays into the modern ideas and works with how the conspiracy could be relevant for today’s climate.
Crime/Mystery – The crime side of the film starts by just looking like a murder, it soon dives into cover ups, conspiracy and secret groups which shows how the government might go about trying to cover up a secret. The mystery in the film comes from just how the conspiracy keeps managing to unfold to expose more truth about what Emma was involved in.
Settings – The film uses the Boston setting to show how many crimes have been committed in this stricter state which does show us just how big of a conspiracy needs covering up.
Scene of the Movie – Riverside meeting.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It would have been nice to see more of Jedburgh.
Final Thoughts – This is a wonderfully intense crime thriller that does keep you guessing throughout the film, we get strong performance throughout and a story that has been modernized without looking out of place.
Overall: Hugely entertaining crime thriller.
The early signs make it looks like Craven himself was the target, but it soon comes to light that it might be Emma’s work for a government company run by Jack Bennett (Huston) that might have made her the target and the deeper he digs the more he learns about his daughter.
Thoughts on Edge of Darkness
Characters – Craven is a respect homicide detective, everyone in the force knows just how capable of solving a murder he can be, but when his own daughter is murdered, he starts to go against the law to figure out who and why she was murdered. He will not stop at anything to locate the truth and take out the people that murdered his daughter. Jedburgh is an English man that will help Craven fill in the gaps, while trying to keep him away from the answers, he has been hired to make sure the investment stays safe, without building up a body count. Jack Bennett runs the company that Emma works for, he knows how to answer questions to keep the press happy, while keeping the shady operations under wraps. Emma is the daughter that Craven is delighted to spend time with once again, only she gets murdered and it is her life before this meeting that we get to see her in.
Performances – Mel Gibson might well have had his problems in Hollywood, but when it comes to crime thrillers, he is in his element always shining in these roles without ever looking out of place, and demanding the screen whenever he steps on screen. Ray Winstone is great in his role, which only seems to be around for the calmer or criminal sides of the film. Danny Huston is an actor that can play a villain in his sleep and this is no different, he brings the smug figure to life here. Bojana Novakovic is great in her smaller role which doesn’t need to get much more screen time to add to the story.
Story – The story here follows a homicide detective that starts to investigate the murder of his daughter only to find himself in the middle of a much bigger conspiracy that puts his own life in danger. This story starts off looking like it is going to be a revenge like movie because of how the first murder happens only to become a big conspiracy movie that offers up plenty of miss-direction as we lead to the truth. Any story that can keep you guessing and let try to figure out the ending yourself is an entertaining watch, with the outcome not even needing to be spoon fed to us either. This might well be a remake of a television show, but it plays into the modern ideas and works with how the conspiracy could be relevant for today’s climate.
Crime/Mystery – The crime side of the film starts by just looking like a murder, it soon dives into cover ups, conspiracy and secret groups which shows how the government might go about trying to cover up a secret. The mystery in the film comes from just how the conspiracy keeps managing to unfold to expose more truth about what Emma was involved in.
Settings – The film uses the Boston setting to show how many crimes have been committed in this stricter state which does show us just how big of a conspiracy needs covering up.
Scene of the Movie – Riverside meeting.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It would have been nice to see more of Jedburgh.
Final Thoughts – This is a wonderfully intense crime thriller that does keep you guessing throughout the film, we get strong performance throughout and a story that has been modernized without looking out of place.
Overall: Hugely entertaining crime thriller.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Timmy Failure: The Cat Stole My Pants in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
For fans of <i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</i> (Kinney, 2004) is a juvenile series by American author, Stephan Pastis, about a young boy who believes he is the world’s greatest detective. A series that is continually growing, the sixth <i>Timmy Failure </i>story is now available for fans and new readers. Subtitled <i>The Cat Stole My Pants</i>, Timmy Failure embarks on an adventure of mystery and crime solving whilst getting himself into all sorts of mischief.
Emulating both real and fictional detectives, Timmy has established his own agency, Failure, Inc., of which he is the sole employee after the flight of his (imaginary) ex-business partner, Total the polar bear, who is currently seeking political asylum in Cuba. Unfortunately, Timmy has been forced to join his mother and Doorman Dave on their honeymoon in Key West, Florida, along with Doorman Dave’s nephew, Emilio.
“Crime doesn’t take a holiday. Neither does greatness.” Determined to continue solving crimes, Timmy hires Emilio as an unpaid intern and sets off searching for crimes, greatly over exaggerating every little piece of “evidence” he finds. However, it soon appears that someone is out to get Timmy and he, along with Emilio, is determined to find out whom.
Timmy is a melodramatic, unconventional child with a large ego and is constantly getting told off. From annoying adults to having his pants stolen by a polydactyl cat – or so he claims – there is no end to the hilarious situations he causes.
The cat that stole Timmy’s pants only makes a brief appearance in the book, therefore the subtitle is more to attract the attention of young readers with its silliness rather than be suggestive of a certain storyline.
Despite his grand claims, Timmy is not a very good detective and a lot of his unsolved crimes have been invented by his overactive imagination. This adds to the humour because, although he seems like an intelligent child, his ideas are completely silly.
Adorned with childish drawings and diagrams, Timmy Failure narrates the story from his subjective point of view, inflating his successes and blaming any failure on poor Emilio. No one takes Timmy seriously, which is something many of the target readers may appreciate, although they should also understand how futile Timmy’s attempts are at being a detective.
The storyline is not particularly clear until the final chapters of the book. Up until that moment, the book is full of disastrous, imaginary detective endeavours that prove Timmy to be nothing more than an annoying, inventive boy.
Some of the language may be above children’s reading capabilities, however, the humour is directly on their level. Whereas an adult may not find the idea of a cat stealing someone’s pants amusing, a child would find that hysterical.
There is no reason to read the <i>Timmy Failure</i> books in order, so if you, like me, read book six first, there is no problem. The stories are particularly aimed at young boys and will hopefully encourage the demographic to start reading more. Whilst it may not be a great feat of literature, it is a good enough introduction to the world of books.
For fans of <i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</i> (Kinney, 2004) is a juvenile series by American author, Stephan Pastis, about a young boy who believes he is the world’s greatest detective. A series that is continually growing, the sixth <i>Timmy Failure </i>story is now available for fans and new readers. Subtitled <i>The Cat Stole My Pants</i>, Timmy Failure embarks on an adventure of mystery and crime solving whilst getting himself into all sorts of mischief.
Emulating both real and fictional detectives, Timmy has established his own agency, Failure, Inc., of which he is the sole employee after the flight of his (imaginary) ex-business partner, Total the polar bear, who is currently seeking political asylum in Cuba. Unfortunately, Timmy has been forced to join his mother and Doorman Dave on their honeymoon in Key West, Florida, along with Doorman Dave’s nephew, Emilio.
“Crime doesn’t take a holiday. Neither does greatness.” Determined to continue solving crimes, Timmy hires Emilio as an unpaid intern and sets off searching for crimes, greatly over exaggerating every little piece of “evidence” he finds. However, it soon appears that someone is out to get Timmy and he, along with Emilio, is determined to find out whom.
Timmy is a melodramatic, unconventional child with a large ego and is constantly getting told off. From annoying adults to having his pants stolen by a polydactyl cat – or so he claims – there is no end to the hilarious situations he causes.
The cat that stole Timmy’s pants only makes a brief appearance in the book, therefore the subtitle is more to attract the attention of young readers with its silliness rather than be suggestive of a certain storyline.
Despite his grand claims, Timmy is not a very good detective and a lot of his unsolved crimes have been invented by his overactive imagination. This adds to the humour because, although he seems like an intelligent child, his ideas are completely silly.
Adorned with childish drawings and diagrams, Timmy Failure narrates the story from his subjective point of view, inflating his successes and blaming any failure on poor Emilio. No one takes Timmy seriously, which is something many of the target readers may appreciate, although they should also understand how futile Timmy’s attempts are at being a detective.
The storyline is not particularly clear until the final chapters of the book. Up until that moment, the book is full of disastrous, imaginary detective endeavours that prove Timmy to be nothing more than an annoying, inventive boy.
Some of the language may be above children’s reading capabilities, however, the humour is directly on their level. Whereas an adult may not find the idea of a cat stealing someone’s pants amusing, a child would find that hysterical.
There is no reason to read the <i>Timmy Failure</i> books in order, so if you, like me, read book six first, there is no problem. The stories are particularly aimed at young boys and will hopefully encourage the demographic to start reading more. Whilst it may not be a great feat of literature, it is a good enough introduction to the world of books.
Elizabeth (1521 KP) rated Izombie: Volume 1: Dead to the World in Books
Apr 24, 2019
I read this because I enjoy the show, but other than the crime solving and brain eating induced images, the two have next to nothing in common. That's not to say that the comic isn't any good, just not quite what I expected.
The comic is set in a small town where Gwendolyn "Gwen" Dylan, the main character (not Olivia "Liv" Moore), has an antiquated job, that makes no sense in this day and age. As if that wasn't different enough, I was certainly surprised by the presence of so many other supernatural creatures (ghosts, were-terriers {not to be confused with werewolves}, and vampires). Although, the explanation of the different types of supernaturals was well thought out and plausible, as plausible as the existence of supernaturals can be.
For all of it's differences, I must say that the resemblance between Gwen and the actress playing Olivia on the show, is spot on. This is really the only thing that kept grounding me to the fact that the two were related as I read.
I think that the biggest hurdle will be the lack of some of my favorite characters from the show, like Ravi and Major. I 'm thinking that Major might have been loosely, and I mean VERY loosely, based on Horatio, but I really hope not and that he (or someone a lot closer to his character) shows up later in the series.
With all of that being said, I will continue to read and hope I can further dissociate the two in order to enjoy the comic more, as it has potential as a very different type of zombie story.
The comic is set in a small town where Gwendolyn "Gwen" Dylan, the main character (not Olivia "Liv" Moore), has an antiquated job, that makes no sense in this day and age. As if that wasn't different enough, I was certainly surprised by the presence of so many other supernatural creatures (ghosts, were-terriers {not to be confused with werewolves}, and vampires). Although, the explanation of the different types of supernaturals was well thought out and plausible, as plausible as the existence of supernaturals can be.
For all of it's differences, I must say that the resemblance between Gwen and the actress playing Olivia on the show, is spot on. This is really the only thing that kept grounding me to the fact that the two were related as I read.
I think that the biggest hurdle will be the lack of some of my favorite characters from the show, like Ravi and Major. I 'm thinking that Major might have been loosely, and I mean VERY loosely, based on Horatio, but I really hope not and that he (or someone a lot closer to his character) shows up later in the series.
With all of that being said, I will continue to read and hope I can further dissociate the two in order to enjoy the comic more, as it has potential as a very different type of zombie story.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2611 KP) rated Murder at Mallowan Hall in Books
Jan 22, 2025 (Updated Jan 22, 2025)
Murder in Agatha Christie’s Library
Agatha Christie and her second husband, Max Mallowan, are throwing a house party when an unexpected guest arrives in the middle of a summer storm. The man says he is a reporter who has an interview lined up with the famous author. While Agatha doesn’t remember it, she instructs Phyllida Bright, her housekeeper, to set him up in one of the guest rooms, at least for tonight. But the next morning, Phyllida finds the man dead in the library. She doesn’t think the police are up to solving the crime, so she jumps in to find a few clues for them. But who was the victim? And who would want to kill him?
Fans of Agatha Christie will get a kick out of the wink and nods in the set up. But everyone will be hooked on this mystery, which had the clues and red herrings well layered to keep me guessing until the ending. While we got to know Phyllida and a few other characters well, I did feel like we got too much of her thoughts, which slowed things down and kept us from getting to know the suspects better. Only a handful of scenes were told from someone other than Phyllida’s point of view, but when it happened, it always made sense. And one of those scenes was absolutely perfect that way. While current events don’t play a big part in this 1930’s set book, it does give us a clear picture of what life was like for servants during that time. I’m hoping to get to the next book soon.
Fans of Agatha Christie will get a kick out of the wink and nods in the set up. But everyone will be hooked on this mystery, which had the clues and red herrings well layered to keep me guessing until the ending. While we got to know Phyllida and a few other characters well, I did feel like we got too much of her thoughts, which slowed things down and kept us from getting to know the suspects better. Only a handful of scenes were told from someone other than Phyllida’s point of view, but when it happened, it always made sense. And one of those scenes was absolutely perfect that way. While current events don’t play a big part in this 1930’s set book, it does give us a clear picture of what life was like for servants during that time. I’m hoping to get to the next book soon.
Murder in an English Glade
8.0
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Set in a charming English village just after WWI, Jessica Ellicott’s winning series returns to the...
Lindsay (1812 KP) rated Blood of the Dragonfly (The Moccasin Hollow Mystery Series) in Books
Apr 10, 2021
Blood of the dragonfly is book five of this series. It continues the series of crime-fighting and solving murders now in the backyard of to ex seals. If you are into mysteries and murder, this series is a good one for you.
Though I would suggest that you be wary that there are death scenes and some nasty words for some readers. This book is for adults, and I recommend maybe ages 16 to 17 years old and up. However, that is up to the parents and their choice to read this book or series. This series has different ratings for content for each book.
There seem to be quite a few twists and turns throughout the book. It all starts when Craige decides to help his buddy MacGerald get home from PDK airport. It seems to start up with a mysterious shadow that he thinks he spots. Someone somehow comes alive after being dead?
You will go for a ride and hit some bumps along the way. It starts heating up when Spinner decides to come for a visit at Moccasin Hollow. Will they find out who started the fire? Who is this mystery woman that shows up out of nowhere? Who messed with MacGerarald's investigation? Who wants them all dead? What does the dragonfly have to do with it at all?
Suppose you are into thrillers and suspense and mystery. This book and series is a good one to pick up and read. I have rated this book 4.5 stars (Moons). It seems to have puzzles and clues to have you guessing until the end. What did I know more about how Corpsewood Manor was the target or a little more detail about what was going on to set fire to Corpsewood?
Though I would suggest that you be wary that there are death scenes and some nasty words for some readers. This book is for adults, and I recommend maybe ages 16 to 17 years old and up. However, that is up to the parents and their choice to read this book or series. This series has different ratings for content for each book.
There seem to be quite a few twists and turns throughout the book. It all starts when Craige decides to help his buddy MacGerald get home from PDK airport. It seems to start up with a mysterious shadow that he thinks he spots. Someone somehow comes alive after being dead?
You will go for a ride and hit some bumps along the way. It starts heating up when Spinner decides to come for a visit at Moccasin Hollow. Will they find out who started the fire? Who is this mystery woman that shows up out of nowhere? Who messed with MacGerarald's investigation? Who wants them all dead? What does the dragonfly have to do with it at all?
Suppose you are into thrillers and suspense and mystery. This book and series is a good one to pick up and read. I have rated this book 4.5 stars (Moons). It seems to have puzzles and clues to have you guessing until the end. What did I know more about how Corpsewood Manor was the target or a little more detail about what was going on to set fire to Corpsewood?
Ross (3284 KP) rated Blindspot - Season 4 in TV
Jun 28, 2019
Gone are the puzzles. Now just a brain-deadening copy of 24
Blindspot started with such a strong premise - a woman found with no memory and covered in tattoos and each tattoo turning out to be a puzzle which leads the FBI to solve a crime or stop a terrorist attack. As with so many TV shows, however, the original premise of strong, isolated episodes was gradually eroded in favour of an over-arching larger plot.
Here we have that same issue, while the season 3 villain has been ousted, lo and behold a new one has cropped up to take his place. This relegates the show to be something of a low quality reboot of 24 as the team struggle with conspiracy, terrorism, underworld shenanigans and corruption to try and stop the eventual attack.
However, the producers seem to have set the number of episodes in advance and then struggled to fill the 22 episode series with quality output. So instead we get a number of rejected 24 scripts hashed out with implausible solving of tattoo puzzles that generally add nothing to the overall series. So many times, the team seem to have been staring at a puzzle for months, only to suddenly realise that if they convert the numbers to letters, turn those into chemical symbols, add up their periodic table entries and divide that by the square root of the number of bananas produced per annum in the Caribbean and lo and behold it gives the password to a Hotmail account of an international terrorist who literally just landed in the country. Almost every episode has one of these mind-farts where so much is just shat out the screen in lazy exposition. The writers should have abandoned the tattoo nonsense a long time ago as tired and exhausted.
Here we have that same issue, while the season 3 villain has been ousted, lo and behold a new one has cropped up to take his place. This relegates the show to be something of a low quality reboot of 24 as the team struggle with conspiracy, terrorism, underworld shenanigans and corruption to try and stop the eventual attack.
However, the producers seem to have set the number of episodes in advance and then struggled to fill the 22 episode series with quality output. So instead we get a number of rejected 24 scripts hashed out with implausible solving of tattoo puzzles that generally add nothing to the overall series. So many times, the team seem to have been staring at a puzzle for months, only to suddenly realise that if they convert the numbers to letters, turn those into chemical symbols, add up their periodic table entries and divide that by the square root of the number of bananas produced per annum in the Caribbean and lo and behold it gives the password to a Hotmail account of an international terrorist who literally just landed in the country. Almost every episode has one of these mind-farts where so much is just shat out the screen in lazy exposition. The writers should have abandoned the tattoo nonsense a long time ago as tired and exhausted.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Bury Them Deep (Inspector McLean #10) in Books
Feb 16, 2020
Engrossing
I have said this before and I will say it again ... once more, this is a treat for crime fiction, with a hint of "other", lovers the world over ... Mr Oswald has provided yet another gripping story.
DCI Tony McLean is a Detective Chief Inspector and, as such, should not be on the front line of policing however, he just can't help himself particularly when a trusted colleague, Anya Renfrew, goes missing under suspicious circumstances. Is this connected to a massive multi-agency enquiry that is just about to get underway and which is so hush-hush, that most people involved don't know the full story? Was she just unfortunate to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or is this connected to numerous missing persons cases that have remained unsolved for many years? When it transpires why Anya was where she was when she disappeared and her address is not where she actually lives, the mystery deepens.
It's clear that Tony is at his happiest when in the thick of things rather than sitting at his desk reading reports and directing operations and this theme is strong throughout the book. Mr Oswald is able to effortlessly portray the enthusiasm and passion Tony has for investigating and solving the apparently unsolvable crimes whilst trying to appease the top brass and having a life outside of the Police. This ability brings Tony to life and makes him believable and "human".
It's not just Tony who is brought to life, this book is littered with excellent characters ... Grumpy Bob, Norman Bates, Gav, Bobby, Professor Harriet Turner, etc., etc., etc. Ex Detective Superintendent Grace Ramsey was a particular favourite of mine who is described as "a slim, middleaged woman in a severe dark suit with a face like licking piss off a nettle" ... that one line caused a laugh-out-loud moment and conjured up an image that has stuck with me and one that captures a few people I know!! I will definitely be using that one in the future 😎
The opening chapter had me hooked and wondering what the heck it would have to do with a crime in the 21st century however, the subtly of how this was woven and developed into the story was excellent and had me thinking that it isn't something that's beyond what is possible in these times unfortunately.
This is an engrossing read and one in which I was completely drawn into and enjoyed immensely from start to finish and, once again, I am thankful to Headline and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
DCI Tony McLean is a Detective Chief Inspector and, as such, should not be on the front line of policing however, he just can't help himself particularly when a trusted colleague, Anya Renfrew, goes missing under suspicious circumstances. Is this connected to a massive multi-agency enquiry that is just about to get underway and which is so hush-hush, that most people involved don't know the full story? Was she just unfortunate to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or is this connected to numerous missing persons cases that have remained unsolved for many years? When it transpires why Anya was where she was when she disappeared and her address is not where she actually lives, the mystery deepens.
It's clear that Tony is at his happiest when in the thick of things rather than sitting at his desk reading reports and directing operations and this theme is strong throughout the book. Mr Oswald is able to effortlessly portray the enthusiasm and passion Tony has for investigating and solving the apparently unsolvable crimes whilst trying to appease the top brass and having a life outside of the Police. This ability brings Tony to life and makes him believable and "human".
It's not just Tony who is brought to life, this book is littered with excellent characters ... Grumpy Bob, Norman Bates, Gav, Bobby, Professor Harriet Turner, etc., etc., etc. Ex Detective Superintendent Grace Ramsey was a particular favourite of mine who is described as "a slim, middleaged woman in a severe dark suit with a face like licking piss off a nettle" ... that one line caused a laugh-out-loud moment and conjured up an image that has stuck with me and one that captures a few people I know!! I will definitely be using that one in the future 😎
The opening chapter had me hooked and wondering what the heck it would have to do with a crime in the 21st century however, the subtly of how this was woven and developed into the story was excellent and had me thinking that it isn't something that's beyond what is possible in these times unfortunately.
This is an engrossing read and one in which I was completely drawn into and enjoyed immensely from start to finish and, once again, I am thankful to Headline and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Debbiereadsbook (1788 KP) rated Inspired By Murder in Books
Sep 18, 2018
a good book, just not one for me.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my coy of this book.
Jumping straight in here, cos this may not make sense but I'll do my best!
Ordinarily, I LOVE getting into the minds of the bad guys. LOVE it, because it happens so rarely. I love being able to follow their twisted convoluted thinking (sometimes, anyway!) and actually being able to follow just WHY they do their thing.
Ordinarily.
But here? Not so much. I don't know if it is the subject matter, or just the way the author tells her tales (first one I've read of this author) or maybe just Eric himself. I dunno. I just didn't (and this is going to sound like I need some serious help!) connect very well with Eric!
He is an aspiring author, but needs the perfect crime. So, why not commit one to get it right?? So he does! He has it all planned out, and carries it off, and then the police start asking questions about his secretary? He is a little thrown off but pulls himself together enough to get justice for her, even if it isn't correct.
Stephenson, the detective in charge of solving the murders of a New York Times best selling romance author and his wife, knows Eric did it, he just has to give him enough rope.
But Eric has some tricks up his sleeve, and some secrets in his closet that throw the whole thing wide open, world wide open! And I DID like that! The man was three steps ahead of Stephenson every step of the way, and Cole pulls a blinder of a plot twist I did not see coming!
I did like the way the story unfolds, the way Eric unravels (sorta) I just don't think THIS particular book did very much for me.
So
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Jumping straight in here, cos this may not make sense but I'll do my best!
Ordinarily, I LOVE getting into the minds of the bad guys. LOVE it, because it happens so rarely. I love being able to follow their twisted convoluted thinking (sometimes, anyway!) and actually being able to follow just WHY they do their thing.
Ordinarily.
But here? Not so much. I don't know if it is the subject matter, or just the way the author tells her tales (first one I've read of this author) or maybe just Eric himself. I dunno. I just didn't (and this is going to sound like I need some serious help!) connect very well with Eric!
He is an aspiring author, but needs the perfect crime. So, why not commit one to get it right?? So he does! He has it all planned out, and carries it off, and then the police start asking questions about his secretary? He is a little thrown off but pulls himself together enough to get justice for her, even if it isn't correct.
Stephenson, the detective in charge of solving the murders of a New York Times best selling romance author and his wife, knows Eric did it, he just has to give him enough rope.
But Eric has some tricks up his sleeve, and some secrets in his closet that throw the whole thing wide open, world wide open! And I DID like that! The man was three steps ahead of Stephenson every step of the way, and Cole pulls a blinder of a plot twist I did not see coming!
I did like the way the story unfolds, the way Eric unravels (sorta) I just don't think THIS particular book did very much for me.
So
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**