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Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated Hidden Agenda in Video Games
Jan 17, 2020
An unfortunate let down
Hidden agenda is a story about detective marney (katie Cassidy) who 5 years after capturing and arresting the infamous serial killer "the trapper killer" is thrown after the announcement that she may have arrested the wrong man...who is on death row with only 48 hours left...she has to be sure.
This game genuinely looked like a hit, with its dark, gritty tone, detective based story & quick time scenarios but was quickly derailed due to only being able to play by downloading a companion app and using a portable device (providing your device was able too - fyi old fire tabs don't 😕)
Once you have it, you will be prompted to add you name & choose a colour? As you can have friends join in too, but still need to if it's just you?
The story is incredibly short, even shorter if you make a wrong choice or are too slow to move your device pointer to a specific moving target, which from a I can assure you, can become rather infuriating.
Answering a phone call or video call WILL disrupt your game and you will be sent back to start all over.....Including adding your name and colour again.
Aside from that- great casting, great story, great graphics and this would make and absolutely fantastic live action movie.
This game genuinely looked like a hit, with its dark, gritty tone, detective based story & quick time scenarios but was quickly derailed due to only being able to play by downloading a companion app and using a portable device (providing your device was able too - fyi old fire tabs don't 😕)
Once you have it, you will be prompted to add you name & choose a colour? As you can have friends join in too, but still need to if it's just you?
The story is incredibly short, even shorter if you make a wrong choice or are too slow to move your device pointer to a specific moving target, which from a I can assure you, can become rather infuriating.
Answering a phone call or video call WILL disrupt your game and you will be sent back to start all over.....Including adding your name and colour again.
Aside from that- great casting, great story, great graphics and this would make and absolutely fantastic live action movie.
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.
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.
JT (287 KP) rated Summer of 84 (2018) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
The arrival of Stranger Things has given those old enough to remember the 80s a real sense of nostalgia; a retro throwback to a time when life was relatively uncomplicated. The film cobbles together another bunch of archetypal misfits who are convinced their sleepy suburb harbours a terrifying secret – that the kind hearted cop living next door is in fact a sadistic serial killer.
Davey (Graham Verchere) is bored and in need of something to spice up his univentful summer. When he starts to suspect that Wayne Mackey (Rich Sommer) is a serial killer, he enlists the help of his friends to piece together the evidence.
It’s not long before the group think that Davey is paranoid and start to cut him off, leaving Davey’s hot neighbour, whom he has a desperate teenage crush on, as the only person who might just believe him. Summer of 84 was always going to come up short to its Stranger Things cousin, but I really enjoyed it, the synth retro soundtrack coupled with a satisfying ending made it a great watch.
It makes no excuses for being thoroughly unoriginal but instead has fun, never taking itself too seriously. Each of the boys has a reason to be outside playing amatuer detective rather than in the confines of their unhappy homes. The final epilogue will leave an unhinged sense of fear in us all and it’s an ending which doesn’t follow the normal rules.
Davey (Graham Verchere) is bored and in need of something to spice up his univentful summer. When he starts to suspect that Wayne Mackey (Rich Sommer) is a serial killer, he enlists the help of his friends to piece together the evidence.
It’s not long before the group think that Davey is paranoid and start to cut him off, leaving Davey’s hot neighbour, whom he has a desperate teenage crush on, as the only person who might just believe him. Summer of 84 was always going to come up short to its Stranger Things cousin, but I really enjoyed it, the synth retro soundtrack coupled with a satisfying ending made it a great watch.
It makes no excuses for being thoroughly unoriginal but instead has fun, never taking itself too seriously. Each of the boys has a reason to be outside playing amatuer detective rather than in the confines of their unhappy homes. The final epilogue will leave an unhinged sense of fear in us all and it’s an ending which doesn’t follow the normal rules.
The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness and Murder
7.0
Rate It
Book
After his December 2003 arrest, registered nurse Charlie Cullen was quickly dubbed 'The Angel of...
Cold War Command: The Dramatic Story of a Nuclear Submariner
Book
The part played in the Cold War by the Royal Navy's submarines still retains a great degree of...
In Defense of Moral Luck: Why Luck Often Affects Praiseworthiness and Blameworthiness
Book
The problem of moral luck is that there is a contradiction in our common sense ideas about moral...
The Sleeping Warrior
Book
Libby Butler's life is a mess. Her career as a solicitor in a prestigious London law firm is going...
Devil Said Bang
Book
The fourth eagerly awaited Sandman Slim novel from Richard Kadrey While ruling the denizens of...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated The Brim Reaper in Books
Jul 9, 2020
Book Brimming with Clues and Fun
Perpetually unemployed Samantha Kidd has agreed to help her friend Eddie with a fashion exhibit at the local museum featuring vintage Hollywood costumes. However, when the shipments of hats at the center of the exhibit arrive, the boxes are empty. Then Samantha and Eddie find a dead body in the museum. After calling the police, Samantha fully intends to walk away from the case and focus on a job she’s taken working for her boyfriend, Nick, as he launches his own shoe design studio. However, she can’t just walk away. As her attention continues to be divided, will she be able to balance her new job and her relationship with finding a killer?
This is another delightful mystery. The plot is strong, with plenty of suspects, clues, and events to keep us engaged until Samantha finds the killer. I’m really like Samantha and the rest of the regular characters. The suspects aren’t quite as well developed, but that’s more due to lack of page time than anything else, and they are still strong enough to make us care about the outcome. There are a few minor timeline issues and typos; I wish the book had gotten the final edit it needed. While this isn’t a laugh a page mystery, there are some fun scenes and phrases that made me grin if not laugh out loud. Overall, this is another diverting mystery.
This is another delightful mystery. The plot is strong, with plenty of suspects, clues, and events to keep us engaged until Samantha finds the killer. I’m really like Samantha and the rest of the regular characters. The suspects aren’t quite as well developed, but that’s more due to lack of page time than anything else, and they are still strong enough to make us care about the outcome. There are a few minor timeline issues and typos; I wish the book had gotten the final edit it needed. While this isn’t a laugh a page mystery, there are some fun scenes and phrases that made me grin if not laugh out loud. Overall, this is another diverting mystery.
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer in TV
Apr 8, 2021
And finally, the most recent addition, from January this year, another 4 parter that is over and done in 3 hours, which plays like a long movie when watched as intended in one sitting. The case of the Night Stalker is another well documented case most people will have at least heard of. If, like me, you knew nothing of the crimes, motives and man behind it up front, then this is a jaw dropping addition to the genre that serves as a slice of history that has a strong sense of place and time, and how a community could be terrorised over a period knowing a killer was at large in their neighbourhood.
The point of difference here is mostly hearing the case explained from the direct point of view of the detectives at the centre of the manhunt. It seems that a killer so indiscriminate in choosing his victims, and so random in how he killed them, is very difficult to catch. With no distinct modus operandi – it seemed like a real demon was on the loose, satisfying his dark needs on a whim. An excruciating thought! And the truth of the man behind it is even more disturbing in reality. As with Bundy, this one is compelling because of the cult of personality and media involvement. Almost a little short if anything, but probably the main model for dozens more shows like it in coming years. 4 x 45 mins, the perfect binge package.
The point of difference here is mostly hearing the case explained from the direct point of view of the detectives at the centre of the manhunt. It seems that a killer so indiscriminate in choosing his victims, and so random in how he killed them, is very difficult to catch. With no distinct modus operandi – it seemed like a real demon was on the loose, satisfying his dark needs on a whim. An excruciating thought! And the truth of the man behind it is even more disturbing in reality. As with Bundy, this one is compelling because of the cult of personality and media involvement. Almost a little short if anything, but probably the main model for dozens more shows like it in coming years. 4 x 45 mins, the perfect binge package.