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Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I only picked up <i>Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer</i> for two reasons: 1) Marie Antoinette is a serial killer. I <i>had</i> to see it. 2) I'm in need of a book that's less of a romance. Oh, and I need a break from all of the books out there that do before I blow a gasket. Really, it's for everyone's benefit.
This book is a fantastic break for me – it's <b>not a fluffy book set in Paris with a Paris romance</b> (though there <i>is</i> a sort-of Paris romance I'm totally peachy with), despite the fact Alender starts things off with a gruesome murder involving a head being chopped off by a ghost.
No, I did not actually enjoy reading a person getting her head chopped off by a flying broken mirror shard caused by a ghost. I might be a ninja and secretly evil, but I don't actually enjoy those kinds of things.
France's history in the late 18th century is quite intriguing – from helping the US with the American Revolution against the British and then entering their own Revolution against the monarchy a little over a decade later. Alender's book is <b>full of rich details involving French history and culture circulating the Revolution</b> (despite the fact some facts were liberated by Alender to fit the overall plot of the story) as Colette tours France with her classmates, questions her roots and her friendship with Hannah, and tries to figure out why she's seeing a Marie Antoinette lookalike everywhere.
<b>The amount of French the author uses throughout the book isn't overwhelming</b> – it's enough to keep the intrigue, but not enough where it'll be overly confusing and categorizing the book as a piece of French literature. Then again, it's probably helpful when 1) the main character isn't entirely proficient at French, and 2) the romance languages are so similar, I pretty much understand the basis of the conversations with my sliver understanding of Spanish and Italian.
On the overall basis of the book being well written, I had mixed feelings for Colette for awhile – she's both likable and not likable at the same time. She's not likable because <b>she just seems to have a very snobby attitude of sorts, tries too hard to fit in with the rich and wealthy at her private school, and spends her time being a doormat in the beginning of the book for fear of facing Hannah's wrath</b>. As the book goes on and everyone makes Colette questions her friendship with Hannah, Colette slowly becomes likable – someone who isn't snobby after all, and her ending with Hannah is quite fantastic. Of course, it does become a little obvious there's some sort of gap between their friendship (and growing) since Colette secretly rebels at times without Hannah's knowledge.
All in all, <i>Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer</i> is <b>a book about deception, loyalty, and how even the dead can come back for revenge to complete unfinished business before they can finally rest in peace.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-marie-antoinette-serial-killer-by-katie-alender/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
This book is a fantastic break for me – it's <b>not a fluffy book set in Paris with a Paris romance</b> (though there <i>is</i> a sort-of Paris romance I'm totally peachy with), despite the fact Alender starts things off with a gruesome murder involving a head being chopped off by a ghost.
No, I did not actually enjoy reading a person getting her head chopped off by a flying broken mirror shard caused by a ghost. I might be a ninja and secretly evil, but I don't actually enjoy those kinds of things.
France's history in the late 18th century is quite intriguing – from helping the US with the American Revolution against the British and then entering their own Revolution against the monarchy a little over a decade later. Alender's book is <b>full of rich details involving French history and culture circulating the Revolution</b> (despite the fact some facts were liberated by Alender to fit the overall plot of the story) as Colette tours France with her classmates, questions her roots and her friendship with Hannah, and tries to figure out why she's seeing a Marie Antoinette lookalike everywhere.
<b>The amount of French the author uses throughout the book isn't overwhelming</b> – it's enough to keep the intrigue, but not enough where it'll be overly confusing and categorizing the book as a piece of French literature. Then again, it's probably helpful when 1) the main character isn't entirely proficient at French, and 2) the romance languages are so similar, I pretty much understand the basis of the conversations with my sliver understanding of Spanish and Italian.
On the overall basis of the book being well written, I had mixed feelings for Colette for awhile – she's both likable and not likable at the same time. She's not likable because <b>she just seems to have a very snobby attitude of sorts, tries too hard to fit in with the rich and wealthy at her private school, and spends her time being a doormat in the beginning of the book for fear of facing Hannah's wrath</b>. As the book goes on and everyone makes Colette questions her friendship with Hannah, Colette slowly becomes likable – someone who isn't snobby after all, and her ending with Hannah is quite fantastic. Of course, it does become a little obvious there's some sort of gap between their friendship (and growing) since Colette secretly rebels at times without Hannah's knowledge.
All in all, <i>Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer</i> is <b>a book about deception, loyalty, and how even the dead can come back for revenge to complete unfinished business before they can finally rest in peace.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-marie-antoinette-serial-killer-by-katie-alender/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Freaky (2021) in Movies
Apr 24, 2021
More body-switching horror mixed with a bit of comedy. Vince Vaughn was definitely the pull on this for me.
Millie's high school life is derailed when she switches places with a serial killer called The Butcher. She has 24 hours to work out how to switch back or she'll be trapped as a wanted criminal for the rest of her life.
This one... surprised me. I was hoping for an average slasher sort of film, all killer bit of filler, but I actually quite enjoyed the ride on Freaky.
Body swapping isn't a new idea, Big did it, 13 Going On 30, Chucky... sort of. It's a comforting sort of base that gives you room for fun, and in this instance, serial killer and teenage girl was a pretty good combo.
One thing to beware of is that this film is very gory. The beginning starts off as your typical teen horror and moves into the slasher part quite quickly. It's over the top in that ridiculous way that takes away some of the horror factor, and that's how I like these sorts of movies.
When it comes to the acting we get a collection of typical teens, there was nothing that seemed out of place. Solid acting to the expected stereotypes and it absolutely didn't rock the boat.
Vince Vaughn as our menacing murderer was quite terrifying for the moments we saw him in that role. But of course he spent most of the film as Millie. On this point my brain automatically went to the Jack Black comparison in the Jumanji films. His rendition of a teenage girl was great, and Vaughn's was just okay. While both of these roles were over the top, Vaughn's performance was "almost but not quite" and didn't sit right in Freaky.
The flip side of this was Kathryn Newton as Millie. As actual Millie I can't really remember anything about the performance, but as The Butcher there was a definite nutter vibe terminating from her. I'm not sure how they worked on the characters, for Newton the only real guidance was "psycho killer", and I think that left room for a little leeway on this side of the swap.
I was pleased that they took things into consideration during the swap. The struggle of adapting to the bodies was clear and continually there, it wasn't forgotten for the sake of getting on with the story. Millie possessed by The Butcher has a great interaction with another character, and this point is a big focus and heavy on the anxiety to watch because you're caught between a rock and a hard place about what you want the outcome to be.
There is one part of the movie that really weirded me out, I'm sure you'll be able to identify it too so I won't spoil it here. But it didn't feel necessary, it achieved nothing, and felt like it was inserted to get a reaction out of the viewer... exactly as it has here.
Freaky has a good balance between thriller, horror and comedy, and despite the imbalance in the acting/characters I found it to be a great watch. The foreknowledge of the general outcome of a body swap film (because let's face it, we all know how they end) leaves you the time to enjoy the nuttiness of everything else.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/04/freaky-movie-review.html
Millie's high school life is derailed when she switches places with a serial killer called The Butcher. She has 24 hours to work out how to switch back or she'll be trapped as a wanted criminal for the rest of her life.
This one... surprised me. I was hoping for an average slasher sort of film, all killer bit of filler, but I actually quite enjoyed the ride on Freaky.
Body swapping isn't a new idea, Big did it, 13 Going On 30, Chucky... sort of. It's a comforting sort of base that gives you room for fun, and in this instance, serial killer and teenage girl was a pretty good combo.
One thing to beware of is that this film is very gory. The beginning starts off as your typical teen horror and moves into the slasher part quite quickly. It's over the top in that ridiculous way that takes away some of the horror factor, and that's how I like these sorts of movies.
When it comes to the acting we get a collection of typical teens, there was nothing that seemed out of place. Solid acting to the expected stereotypes and it absolutely didn't rock the boat.
Vince Vaughn as our menacing murderer was quite terrifying for the moments we saw him in that role. But of course he spent most of the film as Millie. On this point my brain automatically went to the Jack Black comparison in the Jumanji films. His rendition of a teenage girl was great, and Vaughn's was just okay. While both of these roles were over the top, Vaughn's performance was "almost but not quite" and didn't sit right in Freaky.
The flip side of this was Kathryn Newton as Millie. As actual Millie I can't really remember anything about the performance, but as The Butcher there was a definite nutter vibe terminating from her. I'm not sure how they worked on the characters, for Newton the only real guidance was "psycho killer", and I think that left room for a little leeway on this side of the swap.
I was pleased that they took things into consideration during the swap. The struggle of adapting to the bodies was clear and continually there, it wasn't forgotten for the sake of getting on with the story. Millie possessed by The Butcher has a great interaction with another character, and this point is a big focus and heavy on the anxiety to watch because you're caught between a rock and a hard place about what you want the outcome to be.
There is one part of the movie that really weirded me out, I'm sure you'll be able to identify it too so I won't spoil it here. But it didn't feel necessary, it achieved nothing, and felt like it was inserted to get a reaction out of the viewer... exactly as it has here.
Freaky has a good balance between thriller, horror and comedy, and despite the imbalance in the acting/characters I found it to be a great watch. The foreknowledge of the general outcome of a body swap film (because let's face it, we all know how they end) leaves you the time to enjoy the nuttiness of everything else.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/04/freaky-movie-review.html
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
First off, I want to thank the authors for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review; please be reassured that receiving this book for free in no way influenced my review in any way.
What a fantastic read that was!
Excellent characters, brilliant and unique story line, gripping and full of suspense what more can you ask for? Well, throw in a serial killer and a deadly flu virus and you have Silent Fear! But thats not all the Morcans write in a way that immerses you into the story so that you become absorbed into the lives of the characters and the dire situation they have found themselves in through no fault of their own.
I have to admit that it was quite daunting to find my Kindle copy was 708 pages long!! Thats one heck of a beast, however, you quickly forget that as you are swept along from chapter to chapter with ease picking up the subtle clues dropped along the way that you dont initially recognise as being clues until the excellent twist at the end when all is revealed.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good whodunnit or mystery or thriller or serial killer story or actually, anyone who loves reading a great book and I would urge you to check out the Morcans other works some of which I have been lucky enough to have also read- see my blog for the links - <a href="https://readingstuffnthings.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/silent-fear-by-lance-james-morcan.html">Reading Stuff 'n' Things</a>.
What a fantastic read that was!
Excellent characters, brilliant and unique story line, gripping and full of suspense what more can you ask for? Well, throw in a serial killer and a deadly flu virus and you have Silent Fear! But thats not all the Morcans write in a way that immerses you into the story so that you become absorbed into the lives of the characters and the dire situation they have found themselves in through no fault of their own.
I have to admit that it was quite daunting to find my Kindle copy was 708 pages long!! Thats one heck of a beast, however, you quickly forget that as you are swept along from chapter to chapter with ease picking up the subtle clues dropped along the way that you dont initially recognise as being clues until the excellent twist at the end when all is revealed.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good whodunnit or mystery or thriller or serial killer story or actually, anyone who loves reading a great book and I would urge you to check out the Morcans other works some of which I have been lucky enough to have also read- see my blog for the links - <a href="https://readingstuffnthings.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/silent-fear-by-lance-james-morcan.html">Reading Stuff 'n' Things</a>.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated From the Shadows in Books
May 22, 2019
A stunning, atmospheric police procedural set against the grit of Inverness and the raw beauty of the Scottish Highlands, this is the first book in the DI Monica Kennedy series.
Sixteen-year-old Robert arrives home late. Without a word to his dad, he goes up to his bedroom. Robert is never seen alive again.
A body is soon found on the coast of the Scottish Highlands. Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy stands by the victim in this starkly beautiful and remote landscape. Instinct tells her the case wont begin and end with this one death.
Meanwhile, Inverness-based social worker Michael Bach is worried about one of his clients whose last correspondence was a single ambiguous text message; Nichol Morgan has been missing for seven days.
As Monica is faced with catching a murderer who has been meticulously watching and waiting, Michael keeps searching for Nichol, desperate to find him before the killer claims another victim.
From the Shadows is the first book in the Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy series by G R Halliday and it is a promising start to what will hopefully be one a successful and long running police procedural series.
The story is set in the Scottish Highlands and uses its' setting well to add atmosphere to the book.
I really enjoyed the story and the twists and turns of the plot.
It's quite a dark story but I liked that and wasn't sure who the killer was until close to the end.
I was thoroughly engrossed whilst reading the book and could not put it down.
Definitely recommended.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Vintage for a copy of this book.
Sixteen-year-old Robert arrives home late. Without a word to his dad, he goes up to his bedroom. Robert is never seen alive again.
A body is soon found on the coast of the Scottish Highlands. Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy stands by the victim in this starkly beautiful and remote landscape. Instinct tells her the case wont begin and end with this one death.
Meanwhile, Inverness-based social worker Michael Bach is worried about one of his clients whose last correspondence was a single ambiguous text message; Nichol Morgan has been missing for seven days.
As Monica is faced with catching a murderer who has been meticulously watching and waiting, Michael keeps searching for Nichol, desperate to find him before the killer claims another victim.
From the Shadows is the first book in the Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy series by G R Halliday and it is a promising start to what will hopefully be one a successful and long running police procedural series.
The story is set in the Scottish Highlands and uses its' setting well to add atmosphere to the book.
I really enjoyed the story and the twists and turns of the plot.
It's quite a dark story but I liked that and wasn't sure who the killer was until close to the end.
I was thoroughly engrossed whilst reading the book and could not put it down.
Definitely recommended.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Vintage for a copy of this book.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Nothing to Lose (Ziba MacKenzie, #2) in Books
May 22, 2019
Hes looking for his next victim. She looks just like his last.
Primrose Hill, London. Offender Profiler Ziba MacKenzie arrives at the scene of a gruesome murder with a disturbing sense of déjà vu. Nine days earlier, another womans body was found: same location, same MO, same physical appearance. For the police, its clear a new serial killer is on the loose. But for Ziba, its even more sinisterbecause the victims look just like her.
Ziba has been the focus of a killers interest before, and knows that if she gets too close again this case could be her last. Still, shes not one to play by the rulesespecially when her secret investigation into her husbands murder begins to attract unwanted attention.
With someone watching her every step, can Ziba uncover what connects the two victims before she becomes one herself?
This the second novel of Ziba MacKenzie and a novel I highly recommend.
Ziba Mackenzie is a freelance profiler who is called in when a woman is murder who resemble her what shocking a early murder of a different woman resemble her to.
I thoroughly enjoyed Nothing to Lose which is an exciting thriller with two strong plot lines.
I found it a gripping read from start to finish.
The characters were believable and well developed, as well as the story.
The plot in this book was really good. It was very cleverly thought out and had me guessing right up to the end.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of Nothing to Lose.
Primrose Hill, London. Offender Profiler Ziba MacKenzie arrives at the scene of a gruesome murder with a disturbing sense of déjà vu. Nine days earlier, another womans body was found: same location, same MO, same physical appearance. For the police, its clear a new serial killer is on the loose. But for Ziba, its even more sinisterbecause the victims look just like her.
Ziba has been the focus of a killers interest before, and knows that if she gets too close again this case could be her last. Still, shes not one to play by the rulesespecially when her secret investigation into her husbands murder begins to attract unwanted attention.
With someone watching her every step, can Ziba uncover what connects the two victims before she becomes one herself?
This the second novel of Ziba MacKenzie and a novel I highly recommend.
Ziba Mackenzie is a freelance profiler who is called in when a woman is murder who resemble her what shocking a early murder of a different woman resemble her to.
I thoroughly enjoyed Nothing to Lose which is an exciting thriller with two strong plot lines.
I found it a gripping read from start to finish.
The characters were believable and well developed, as well as the story.
The plot in this book was really good. It was very cleverly thought out and had me guessing right up to the end.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of Nothing to Lose.
Kaz (232 KP) rated An Unwanted Guest in Books
Jun 16, 2019
A fun 'Whodunnit'
This is the first book I had read by Shari Lapena and I was surprised to find out this was her third book, because it feels like a first novel.
I enjoyed the element of trying to work out who the killer was. However, I did have a problem with several elements within this book.
Firstly, the dialogue at the beginning, is awful. You could tell that Lapena was trying to introduce each character using dialogue, but what she succeeded in doing, was creating forced, unnatural conversation. This does improve throughout the book though.
Secondly for me, there were too many characters. At times, I got confused about who was who and had to keep referring to the beginning, to figure that out. I don't think that the characters were distinctive enough.
I also found some of the decisions of the characters to be implausible and, things which seemed obvious to do, took nearly 200 pages for the characters to figure out.
The ending for me was a bit weak. It felt like Shari Lapena wasn't exactly sure who the killer was herself. So as the book went on, the plot started to unravel. However, I did enjoy the little twist at the end.
Judging by all of the criticisms I have about this novel, you would think that I hated it. However, despite it's many flaws, I quite enjoyed it.
I might re-read 'An Unwanted Guest', but I have no intention of reading any more of Shari Lapena's books in the future.
I enjoyed the element of trying to work out who the killer was. However, I did have a problem with several elements within this book.
Firstly, the dialogue at the beginning, is awful. You could tell that Lapena was trying to introduce each character using dialogue, but what she succeeded in doing, was creating forced, unnatural conversation. This does improve throughout the book though.
Secondly for me, there were too many characters. At times, I got confused about who was who and had to keep referring to the beginning, to figure that out. I don't think that the characters were distinctive enough.
I also found some of the decisions of the characters to be implausible and, things which seemed obvious to do, took nearly 200 pages for the characters to figure out.
The ending for me was a bit weak. It felt like Shari Lapena wasn't exactly sure who the killer was herself. So as the book went on, the plot started to unravel. However, I did enjoy the little twist at the end.
Judging by all of the criticisms I have about this novel, you would think that I hated it. However, despite it's many flaws, I quite enjoyed it.
I might re-read 'An Unwanted Guest', but I have no intention of reading any more of Shari Lapena's books in the future.
Katie Guinn (34 KP) rated My Husband's Wife in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Lily Macdonald is a young, newly married lawyer, determined to make a fresh start and leave her secrets in the past. But her first murder case, representing a convicted killer named Joe, will threaten her happy future.
*sigh* I’m getting really burned out on “domestic thrillers,” guys. The kind that center around husbands and wives with secrets and strained relationships, that focus on the minutiae of everyday life than on any real action. The kind that likes to tout themselves as “the next Gone Girl.” Give me a good suspenseful serial killer novel, with a twisty plot and an actual likable main character!
That’s one of my biggest problems with these sorts of books, every character is just so hard to like that it’s difficult to connect with anyone or really feel invested in the story. Lily and Ed Macdonald are two people who honestly shouldn’t have married in the first place; they barely knew each other and neither of them knows how to communicate unless it’s in the form of an argument. Their nine-year-old neighbor, Carla, gains some sympathy at first as she copes with bullies and the feeling of being “different,” Unfortunately, when the story picks up more than a dozen years later, Carla hasn’t changed very much. She still thinks and acts like a child, turning out to be, in my opinion, the least likable character in the book. A note to all the thriller authors out there: it’s not a crime to write characters that people like.
I gave this one three stars because while the writing and plotting was decent, it’s ultimately a forgettable novel. Also, it’s no Gone Girl.
*sigh* I’m getting really burned out on “domestic thrillers,” guys. The kind that center around husbands and wives with secrets and strained relationships, that focus on the minutiae of everyday life than on any real action. The kind that likes to tout themselves as “the next Gone Girl.” Give me a good suspenseful serial killer novel, with a twisty plot and an actual likable main character!
That’s one of my biggest problems with these sorts of books, every character is just so hard to like that it’s difficult to connect with anyone or really feel invested in the story. Lily and Ed Macdonald are two people who honestly shouldn’t have married in the first place; they barely knew each other and neither of them knows how to communicate unless it’s in the form of an argument. Their nine-year-old neighbor, Carla, gains some sympathy at first as she copes with bullies and the feeling of being “different,” Unfortunately, when the story picks up more than a dozen years later, Carla hasn’t changed very much. She still thinks and acts like a child, turning out to be, in my opinion, the least likable character in the book. A note to all the thriller authors out there: it’s not a crime to write characters that people like.
I gave this one three stars because while the writing and plotting was decent, it’s ultimately a forgettable novel. Also, it’s no Gone Girl.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2173 KP) rated Til Death Do Us Party (A Liv And Di In Dixie Mystery #4) in Books
Sep 28, 2018
That's Not an Elvis Tribute Artist. That's a Corpse!
Liv, Di, and much of Liv's family is heading to Vegas for Liv's mother's wedding to Earl. They are excited to meet up with Liv's cousin, Little Junior, who is trying to become an Elvis impersonator, but in the meantime is driving a cab in the city. The wedding is supposed to take place in the Burning Love Wedding Chapel, but before the bride and groom can even get to "I Do," the Elvis impersonator who is supposed to be marrying them drops dead. When the police decide it was murder, they begin looking at Liv's cousin as the killer. Even though Liv is far from home, can she still figure out who the killer really is?
I have found the pacing in the series to be off, and this book continues the trend as the murder comes late in the book. We get some set up before that happens, but there is plenty of time spent with some sub-plots early in the book as well. The mystery, when it starts, is strong, providing some fun suspects and surprises before we reach the logical ending. The sub-plots partially allow us to check in with folks back in Dixie, Tennessee, so I'm not complaining too much. Having said that, the sub plot involving Liv's best friend Di and her boyfriend drove me crazy since both of them were behaving stupidly. This book is best for fans of the series since they will fully appreciate some of what happens here. And they will really enjoy this trip.
I have found the pacing in the series to be off, and this book continues the trend as the murder comes late in the book. We get some set up before that happens, but there is plenty of time spent with some sub-plots early in the book as well. The mystery, when it starts, is strong, providing some fun suspects and surprises before we reach the logical ending. The sub-plots partially allow us to check in with folks back in Dixie, Tennessee, so I'm not complaining too much. Having said that, the sub plot involving Liv's best friend Di and her boyfriend drove me crazy since both of them were behaving stupidly. This book is best for fans of the series since they will fully appreciate some of what happens here. And they will really enjoy this trip.
ClareR (5686 KP) rated The Scribe in Books
Jul 8, 2019
I’ve vacillated between 5 and 6/10, and decided on 6.
I liked this novel about a serial killer who murders female lawyers and butchers them in a most unusual way. It kept me guessing at the identity of the killer until the end, and threw some red herrings in along the way.
What I wasn’t so keen on, was the way in which DCI Jake Carver was portrayed: not very quick on the uptake, relying heavily on the brains of Madeline Kramer who went to the Bloomsbury Academy of Law with the victims. I have no problems with Maddy being involved with solving the crimes, but at the expense of Carvers ability - not so keen.
I do feel that the story was rushed, but this may have been an effect of the serialisation on The Pigeonhole (the book was split into 10 parts over 10 days). If I’d had the actual book, I would have read it in 2 or 3 sittings.
What I didn’t like at all was the general bitchiness of the female characters towards one another. Frankly, the murdered women deserved their grisly ends. Are women who work in high profile jobs in the City really like this? If they are, I’m glad I don’t work there!
In conclusion, this is a fun, quick read, a bit irreverent in places (women in their 60’s are referred to as elderly - err, I have friends in their late 50s, and they’re anything BUT elderly!), but good for a debut novel. I wish the author good luck with her next book, and many thanks to The Pigeonhole for choosing another great book.
I liked this novel about a serial killer who murders female lawyers and butchers them in a most unusual way. It kept me guessing at the identity of the killer until the end, and threw some red herrings in along the way.
What I wasn’t so keen on, was the way in which DCI Jake Carver was portrayed: not very quick on the uptake, relying heavily on the brains of Madeline Kramer who went to the Bloomsbury Academy of Law with the victims. I have no problems with Maddy being involved with solving the crimes, but at the expense of Carvers ability - not so keen.
I do feel that the story was rushed, but this may have been an effect of the serialisation on The Pigeonhole (the book was split into 10 parts over 10 days). If I’d had the actual book, I would have read it in 2 or 3 sittings.
What I didn’t like at all was the general bitchiness of the female characters towards one another. Frankly, the murdered women deserved their grisly ends. Are women who work in high profile jobs in the City really like this? If they are, I’m glad I don’t work there!
In conclusion, this is a fun, quick read, a bit irreverent in places (women in their 60’s are referred to as elderly - err, I have friends in their late 50s, and they’re anything BUT elderly!), but good for a debut novel. I wish the author good luck with her next book, and many thanks to The Pigeonhole for choosing another great book.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2173 KP) rated Raiders of the Lost Bark in Books
Dec 4, 2019
Glamping with Dogs…and a Killer
Over the last few months, Mel has been the victim of Addison Rae. Addison is trying to become the premier gourmet pet chef in Laguna Beach, and she is using old letters from Mel’s mother to get Mel to make introductions. Addison’s latest gig is as the chef at a camping trip for dog owners and their pets, and Mel intends to get the letters over the course of the trip. However, before she can, Addison turns up dead. Mel knows she makes a great suspect, but can she find the really killer before her mother’s secret, and her motive, is exposed?
The books in this series are always fun, and this book is no exception. The mystery starts well and moves quickly as we get more suspects and motives to sort through before Mel finally figures things out. The dogs’ antics are always entertaining. The people can tend to be more caricature than full character here, but it works for the series and provides us with some laughs. Mel is real and helps ground things. Mel’s assistant Betty is also along for the ride in this book. She’s a hoot, but we get a bit too much of her here, and I grew tired of some of her antics at times. The brooch that Mel is feuding over with her cousin Caro continues to make things challenging here, and I’m anxious to find out what happens next in that saga. Readers who have pets will be interested in the two recipes at the end of the book. Pack your bags because this is a glamping trip not to miss.
The books in this series are always fun, and this book is no exception. The mystery starts well and moves quickly as we get more suspects and motives to sort through before Mel finally figures things out. The dogs’ antics are always entertaining. The people can tend to be more caricature than full character here, but it works for the series and provides us with some laughs. Mel is real and helps ground things. Mel’s assistant Betty is also along for the ride in this book. She’s a hoot, but we get a bit too much of her here, and I grew tired of some of her antics at times. The brooch that Mel is feuding over with her cousin Caro continues to make things challenging here, and I’m anxious to find out what happens next in that saga. Readers who have pets will be interested in the two recipes at the end of the book. Pack your bags because this is a glamping trip not to miss.