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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2506 KP) rated Cat Killer (Mirage Mysteries #1) in Books

Mar 9, 2018

When a car bomb explodes killing Cat DuBois, Phoenix police detective Joe Rodriguez has his list of suspects, including Cat’s boss, traveling evangelist Persis Magen. However, a second incident makes him question who is the killer and who are potential targets. Can he figure it out before someone else dies?

I first read this mystery 20 plus years ago, and it was fun to revisit these characters. I did remember the killer, but reading it now, the villain’s identity does seem a little obvious early on. The characters are strong, and I enjoyed getting to meet them again. By the end, I was easily able to remember who they all were, even given the large number we meet early on. This is a Christian mystery, which adds to the book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/02/book-review-cat-killer-by-sandy-dengler.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.

Kudos

ClareR (6106 KP) rated The Dark Lake in Books

Sep 5, 2018

The Dark Lake

Sarah Bailey | 2017 | Mystery, Thriller

7.3

(4 Ratings)

Book Rating

One to watch for.

A debut thriller that really kept me on the edge of my seat. Rosalind Ryan, a local Drama and English teacher, is found dead in the lake at a local nature reserve. Gemma Woodstock, a local Detective Sergeant, is put on the case. Except Gemma has a history with Rosalind, and she has a lot of other personal baggage.
I enjoyed this. They're all very human characters with lots of faults, sometimes unpleasant ones: but I liked that. I liked that the murderer wasn't at all obvious (to me, anyway!) and had me guessing right up to the end, and the whole reason for the murder was a shock, and at the same time, understandable.
I will keep an eye out for future novels by this author, particularly in this series. I really do think that she'll be one to watch out for in the future.

Kudos

Awix (3310 KP) rated Knives Out (2019) in Movies

Nov 28, 2019

Knives Out (2019)

2019 | Comedy, Crime, Drama

8.3

(84 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Bravura Agatha Christie pastiche from Rian Johnson. A successful writer turns up dead in suspicious circumstances, and a renowned private detective finds himself retained to investigate the situation. There are various unpleasant and scheming relatives and an implausibly convoluted plot unfolds before the denouement: the film is almost self-consciously modern in many ways, but hits all the right beats for a whodunnit in the classic style.

It mainly manages this thanks to Johnson's mastery of tone - this is a sly, playful movie, full of big performances as comically grotesque characters. Daniel Craig is clearly having rather too much fun as the Poirot-proxy and I can imagine him wanting to play this fellow again once he's finished with that other well-known role of his. An impressive performance from Ana de Armas as well. Pure entertainment, superbly done: lots and lots of fun.