Search
Killer Look
Book
New York City is one of the fashion capitals of the world, well-known for its glamour and style. Yet...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Cruel Acts (Maeve Kerrigan #8) in Books
Sep 19, 2019
Once again, I find myself enthusing about one of Jane Casey's books starring the unparalleled partnership of Detectives Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent. This might be the 8th outing in this series, but it doesn't show and remains fresh and a riveting read from start to finish. I won't go into any of the plot as the blurb explains it well enough and to say more would give the game away but what I will advise is that you be prepared for twists and turns, tension and scenes of peril!
With fantastic characters, a gripping plot and enough back story so it can be read as a standalone, this is one not to be missed for all you fans of police-procedural/crime/suspense/thriller/etc/etc., lovers out there.
Thank you once again to the Publisher via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.
With fantastic characters, a gripping plot and enough back story so it can be read as a standalone, this is one not to be missed for all you fans of police-procedural/crime/suspense/thriller/etc/etc., lovers out there.
Thank you once again to the Publisher via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.
Dead Man's Grave (DS Max Craigie #1)
9.0
Rate It
Book
This grave can never be opened. The head of Scotland’s most powerful crime family is brutally...
Hard Sun
7.2
Rate It
TV Show
Jim Sturgess (One Day, The Way Back) and Agyness Deyn (Sunset Song) play detectives Charlie Hicks...
Drama Crime Science fiction
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2474 KP) rated Black List, White Death in Books
Mar 6, 2024
Two More Novellas with the Reds
The book features two novellas featuring cowboy detectives Old Red and Big Red. Up first, the two travel to the Arizona territory to try to find a list of names related to a murder that happened years before. Then, they go undercover at a tuberculosis sanitarium in Colorado where patients have died of unnatural causes. In between, we get a short story involving Big Red’s first solo case in which a package pickup goes wrong.
When you combine the three stories, you get a full-length book. And all three stories are filled with fun. I laughed multiple times while reading. But they are solid mysteries, and I’m always amazed at how Old Red pieces things together. As always, the brothers’ interactions are fun, and I really do enjoy spending time with them as they navigate cases in the 1890’s.
When you combine the three stories, you get a full-length book. And all three stories are filled with fun. I laughed multiple times while reading. But they are solid mysteries, and I’m always amazed at how Old Red pieces things together. As always, the brothers’ interactions are fun, and I really do enjoy spending time with them as they navigate cases in the 1890’s.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Mindhunter - Season 1 in TV
Oct 24, 2017 (Updated Oct 24, 2017)
Fantastic Performances (3 more)
Brilliant Script
Good Direction
Great Soundtrack
A Method In The Madness?
Mindhunter is a Netflix series set in the late 70's, that follows two FBI detectives as they embark to learn more about serial killers and why they do the things that they do. One of the detectives, Bill Tench, actually coins the phrase, 'serial killer,' at one point and the team do seem to be making progressive steps into understanding a disturbed psyche, even if some of the methods they use along the way are fairly questionable.
The series is produced by David Fincher, who also directs 4 episodes of this first season. If you are a fan of Fincher's other work, then this will be right up your street. It shares a lot of similarities with Se7en, The Social Network, Gone Girl, Panic Room and definitely Zodiac. The two main series stars, Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany are brilliant in their roles. You may recognise McCallany from Fight Club and Groff from Glee, but this show couldn't be a further departure from Glee if it tried, which makes Groff's already electric performance, even better.
McCallany plays Bill Tench, an older FBI agent who has a good few years of experience under his belt. Groff plays Holden Ford, a young maverick, who barges his way towards progress, regardless of who gets caught up in the collateral damage. The two work fantastically together and the chemistry between the two actors is one of the best things about this show. The supporting cast are also solid, with Hannah Gross standing out as Holden's girlfriend, as well as Anna Torv, who plays a doctor of psychology helping the two detectives analyse the data that they collect from interviews held with various serial killers. The serial killers featured throughout the show are also memorable, especially Jerry Brudos and Ed Kemper. Cameron Britton, who plays Kemper, gives a subtly terrifying performance and is exponentially engaging for every minute that he is onscreen.
The performances are helped with a brilliant script. The dialogue is snappy and effective, causing as many existential questions as it does unorthodox observations. Fincher's direction, is of course, fantastic and the other directors who work on this show also do a good job. The soundtrack to the show is sometimes antithetic to what is going on in the storyline, but it is always effective and never distracting. The shot composition and cinematography was also on point in each episode, with some really effective imagery being implemented throughout.
Overall, this is a brilliantly made, psychological drama. The writing is of a very high standard and the performances are excellent all around. If you are a fan of serial killer stories or anything David Fincher has worked on before, this will be for you. The characters are all interesting and deep and although they may do some questionable things, I can't wait to see where this endeavour takes them next.
The series is produced by David Fincher, who also directs 4 episodes of this first season. If you are a fan of Fincher's other work, then this will be right up your street. It shares a lot of similarities with Se7en, The Social Network, Gone Girl, Panic Room and definitely Zodiac. The two main series stars, Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany are brilliant in their roles. You may recognise McCallany from Fight Club and Groff from Glee, but this show couldn't be a further departure from Glee if it tried, which makes Groff's already electric performance, even better.
McCallany plays Bill Tench, an older FBI agent who has a good few years of experience under his belt. Groff plays Holden Ford, a young maverick, who barges his way towards progress, regardless of who gets caught up in the collateral damage. The two work fantastically together and the chemistry between the two actors is one of the best things about this show. The supporting cast are also solid, with Hannah Gross standing out as Holden's girlfriend, as well as Anna Torv, who plays a doctor of psychology helping the two detectives analyse the data that they collect from interviews held with various serial killers. The serial killers featured throughout the show are also memorable, especially Jerry Brudos and Ed Kemper. Cameron Britton, who plays Kemper, gives a subtly terrifying performance and is exponentially engaging for every minute that he is onscreen.
The performances are helped with a brilliant script. The dialogue is snappy and effective, causing as many existential questions as it does unorthodox observations. Fincher's direction, is of course, fantastic and the other directors who work on this show also do a good job. The soundtrack to the show is sometimes antithetic to what is going on in the storyline, but it is always effective and never distracting. The shot composition and cinematography was also on point in each episode, with some really effective imagery being implemented throughout.
Overall, this is a brilliantly made, psychological drama. The writing is of a very high standard and the performances are excellent all around. If you are a fan of serial killer stories or anything David Fincher has worked on before, this will be for you. The characters are all interesting and deep and although they may do some questionable things, I can't wait to see where this endeavour takes them next.
Lindsay (1793 KP) rated The Black Midnight (True Crime #7) in Books
Aug 4, 2020
If you are a history lover and enjoy England, you will enjoy this book. Well, you will get a bit of a tour of London. Though we start in Austin, Texas. We are introduced to every strong Pinkerton detective and her partner. We seem to have unsolved murders in Texas. But our detectives seem to be quite busy otherwise while chasing down a killer.
Will Annie and her partner Isaiah solve the murders in Austin and London? Will they find the killer that is killing women in their beds in Austin and the connection with the killing in London? The queen seems to want her great-granddaughter to look into them with her friend from Texas.
The pages will make you want to read until the last page. You will be on your toes and turning or sliding your pages up reading until the end. Is the killer Jack the Ripper, or is it someone else? You will be trying to guess and figure out along with the Pinkerton detectives in their investigations.
I felt like I was investigating along with them trying to find the killer of the mysterious deaths. You do get pulled into experience the London along the way. Who or What is the Black Midnight? Is the Midnight Assassin the same person as The Black Midnight or Jack the Ripper?
All fans of historical fiction and crime will love this book and the series. It had me wanting more. It is in does go into details about investigations but not a lot into the deaths of killings. This is good in that way. What does the Prince want with his daughter? Why is he trying to bring his daughter home? Who is Annie Walters? Will she give herself away? What up with Cameron Blake and his reporting. Some entertaining story plots are going on. We go on as adventure with this one.
Will Annie and her partner Isaiah solve the murders in Austin and London? Will they find the killer that is killing women in their beds in Austin and the connection with the killing in London? The queen seems to want her great-granddaughter to look into them with her friend from Texas.
The pages will make you want to read until the last page. You will be on your toes and turning or sliding your pages up reading until the end. Is the killer Jack the Ripper, or is it someone else? You will be trying to guess and figure out along with the Pinkerton detectives in their investigations.
I felt like I was investigating along with them trying to find the killer of the mysterious deaths. You do get pulled into experience the London along the way. Who or What is the Black Midnight? Is the Midnight Assassin the same person as The Black Midnight or Jack the Ripper?
All fans of historical fiction and crime will love this book and the series. It had me wanting more. It is in does go into details about investigations but not a lot into the deaths of killings. This is good in that way. What does the Prince want with his daughter? Why is he trying to bring his daughter home? Who is Annie Walters? Will she give herself away? What up with Cameron Blake and his reporting. Some entertaining story plots are going on. We go on as adventure with this one.
Alex (10 KP) rated Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective - Thames Murders in Tabletop Games
May 2, 2019
Sherlock Holmes-
This game leads you through the twists and turns of a Sherlock Holmes. Murder mystery. You start each case reading an introduction which out lines a mystery. Then you control the investigation deciding what locations to visit. As you find clues or red herrings, you must decide why you have all the pieces of the puzzle. Then comes the best part. Once you have decided what happened you open the question envelope what you know or don't and how many locations you visited will determine your score. Then finally Sherlock himself will tell you how he solved the case makinging you grone as you can't believe you missed on clue or another.
This game is a great gateway for non gamers and a brilliant way to spend an afternoon or evening.
10 mysteries in the box 20+ hours for your money. A group of 4-5 players. But it's a great game for 1 or more amateur detectives.
This game is a great gateway for non gamers and a brilliant way to spend an afternoon or evening.
10 mysteries in the box 20+ hours for your money. A group of 4-5 players. But it's a great game for 1 or more amateur detectives.
Awix (3310 KP) rated War on Everyone (2017) in Movies
Mar 6, 2018
Slightly baffling deadpan black comedy parody of American cop thrillers (probably - it's hard to be sure). A pair of incredibly corrupt New Mexico detectives discover previously unsuspected reserves of decency and honesty as they encounter a ruthless gang of thieves.
One of those movies which seems to be trying ridiculously hard to go over the top, but with an absolutely straight face: the main characters aren't just corrupt, they're absurdly corrupt, and the plot at times seems to be intentionally provocative and also absurd (the story relocates all the way to Iceland at one point, but only for about five minutes). It's so in-your-face extreme in some of its attitudes and jokes that it's quite hard to engage with as a story for much of the time. But McDonagh is too good a director to make an entirely bad movie and there are some impressive moments and sequences along the way. But still a strange and difficult-to-figure-out movie.
One of those movies which seems to be trying ridiculously hard to go over the top, but with an absolutely straight face: the main characters aren't just corrupt, they're absurdly corrupt, and the plot at times seems to be intentionally provocative and also absurd (the story relocates all the way to Iceland at one point, but only for about five minutes). It's so in-your-face extreme in some of its attitudes and jokes that it's quite hard to engage with as a story for much of the time. But McDonagh is too good a director to make an entirely bad movie and there are some impressive moments and sequences along the way. But still a strange and difficult-to-figure-out movie.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2474 KP) rated Murder on Astor Place (Gaslight Mystery, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Midwife Sarah Brandt is returning to visit a mother and newborn when she learns there has been a death at the home. A boarder was strangled during the night, and it turns out this is the younger sister of someone she knew years ago. Determined to see justice done, Sarah teams up with the very reluctant Frank Malloy, the detective assigned to the case, to find the killer.
This book really does feature two detectives as both Sarah and Frank are active contributers to seeing justice done. The hopping back and forth between them only enhances the story and gives us more twists. All the characters are strong as well, and I truly liked spending time with them, especially the leads. I did feel the climax was over the top, but that is my only complaint with this mystery.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/06/book-review-murder-on-astor-place-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This book really does feature two detectives as both Sarah and Frank are active contributers to seeing justice done. The hopping back and forth between them only enhances the story and gives us more twists. All the characters are strong as well, and I truly liked spending time with them, especially the leads. I did feel the climax was over the top, but that is my only complaint with this mystery.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/06/book-review-murder-on-astor-place-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.