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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Murder on Devil’s Pond in Books
Jul 11, 2024
Murder of the Town Recluse
Hannah Solace has returned to her small town in Vermont to help her sister run a B&B. The only person she’s really reconnect with is Ezra Grayson, the town’s eighty-year-old recluse that most people want to see sell the house he’s lived in most of his life. Then Hannah finds his dead body on the pond that borders the B&B. When she finds herself on the suspect list, Hannah begins to investigate. Is his death related to a secret from the past? Or was one of his heirs, who are staying at the B&B, too impatient to inherit?
I’ll admit, it took me a couple of chapters to fully get pulled into this new world, but once it did, I was fully hooked. The mystery is complex with a variety of motives. I figured one thing out early, but the rest, including the killer, kept me guessing. The characters, including the suspects, grew more complex as I read as well. There are some relationships I’m looking forward to seeing explored further as the series goes along. The environmental themes are well done, and the recipe at the end sounds delicious. This book is a little more on the serious side for a cozy mystery, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. If you are looking for a new series you can dig into, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
I’ll admit, it took me a couple of chapters to fully get pulled into this new world, but once it did, I was fully hooked. The mystery is complex with a variety of motives. I figured one thing out early, but the rest, including the killer, kept me guessing. The characters, including the suspects, grew more complex as I read as well. There are some relationships I’m looking forward to seeing explored further as the series goes along. The environmental themes are well done, and the recipe at the end sounds delicious. This book is a little more on the serious side for a cozy mystery, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. If you are looking for a new series you can dig into, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
Murder at the Breakers
9.0
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For fans of HBO’s The Gilded Age, explore the dark side of the alluring world of America’s 19th...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Public Anchovy #1 in Books
Aug 2, 2024 (Updated Aug 2, 2024)
Who Made Their Enemy Sleep with the Fishes?
Delilah O’Leary is thrilled that she’s been asked to cater the posh fund raiser for the library since she needs events like this to help her restaurant get through the lean winter months. The event is being held at a remote mansion on the outskirts of the town. Unfortunately, the first big storm of the season is due in that night. Even worse, someone dies during the event, and the storm traps Delilah, Detective Capone, Delilah’s staff, and some of the guests, at the mansion. As it becomes clear that the death was a murder, Delilah begins to poke around. Are they trapped with a killer?
This is a mystery trope we don’t see very often any more, and I was a little concerned about the author pulling it off when I sat down to read it. I need not have worried. There was plenty here to keep me engaged and confused as we worked toward the logical climax. We do see most of the regulars (only one gets a cameo as a result of the set up), and it was nice to get updates on them. Meanwhile, the suspects kept me guessing. The atmosphere of the storm also added to the fun of the story. There are some recipes at the end, and the focus on creating a pizza with alternative ingredients. This is the best book in the series to date.
This is a mystery trope we don’t see very often any more, and I was a little concerned about the author pulling it off when I sat down to read it. I need not have worried. There was plenty here to keep me engaged and confused as we worked toward the logical climax. We do see most of the regulars (only one gets a cameo as a result of the set up), and it was nice to get updates on them. Meanwhile, the suspects kept me guessing. The atmosphere of the storm also added to the fun of the story. There are some recipes at the end, and the focus on creating a pizza with alternative ingredients. This is the best book in the series to date.
Hadley (567 KP) rated Stranger Things: Darkness on the Edge of Town in Books
Jul 17, 2019
Jim Hopper (1 more)
Serial killers and cults, oh my!
Too much attention to detail (1 more)
Using the same body language for every character
In 1977, New York City was a disaster; men were trying to return to a normal life after Vietnam ended, gangs were on every street corner, and a serial killer, by the name 'Son of Sam,' was on the loose. But for Detective Jim Hopper, New York was housing another serial killer just for him- - - a killer who is killing Vietnam war veterans, and leaving behind a psychic calling card, known as the Zener cards.
Adam Christopher is the chosen author to tell Stranger Things' fans about the most important homicide case that Jim Hopper ever worked on in the novel 'Darkness on the Edge of Town.' Fans may recall from season 2, when Eleven found a secret hatch in Hopper's cabin, it revealed boxes under the floor - one which was labeled 'New York.' This is that story.
The entire book is Hopper telling Eleven about his greatest homicide story from New York City. Readers get to meet new characters from Hopper's past, but the most memorable may be his partner in the Homicide Unit, Rosario Delgado (1977 was a time where Homicide Units didn't allow female detectives, and Delgado is one of the first of few that is allowed into the unit). Delgado, who is Cuban, but was raised in Queens, New York, has all the right attitude that wins over her partner, Hopper. The reader will realize that they are two-peas-in-a-pod.
Quickly, the story gets into the first case the two have together: the Zener card serial killer; here, we learn that there were two previous victims, both murdered the same way: stabbed five times with the wounds joining together to form a five-pointed star. Throughout the book, the story goes back and forth between 1977 and the present, where Eleven asks questions about the story, and also, Hopper questioning himself as to whether he should continue to tell Eleven the story.
But soon, we meet a very important man named Leroy Washington - a gang member who wants protection in exchange for the information that he holds- this leads Hopper to our villain: a cult leader who goes by the name Saint John. This villain believes that Satan is going to rise and destroy New York City.
Backtracking a little before, Hopper and Delgado are taken off the case of the Zener card murders, introducing readers to Special Agent Gallup. Gallup states that the third victim, Jacob Hoeler, was also a Special Agent, so the case is turned over to Federal Agents. "What you don't know, Detective, is that Jacob Hoeler is one of ours- - - Special Agent Jacob Hoeler. He was working on assignment, and the fact that he was killed in the course of his duties is of primary concern to my department. Therefore, we need to be sure that a most thorough investigation is carried out. In order to ensure that happens, we will be taking the case in-house. " Hopper, along with Delgado, refuse to let the case go, and secretly continue to work on it. But, as they dig deeper into the evidence and crime scenes, the two realize the murder case is a part of something much bigger - - - a cult that is armed with vehicles and weapons, ready to take over New York City for their leader, Saint John.
Readers get to see the story from both Hopper's and Delgado's point of view, which readers may question how Hopper knows Delgado's side of the story, but quickly to react, Eleven asks this very question for us: " 'Fair point,' said Hopper. 'But we - - - I mean, Delgado and me- - - we pieced it all together afterward. We had to interview everyone we could, and we put it all into a big official report. Actually, it took way longer to write that thing up than we spent on the investigation itself. We were even flown down to D.C. to present it to a bunch of anonymous suits in some federal building. They grilled us pretty well, too, although I ever found out who they all were. ' He grinned. ' Kinda sums the whole thing up, really.' " Even so, without Delgado's point of view, the story wouldn't have turned out as well as it did.
Hopper's obsession with cracking this case lands him in the center of it- - - he is recruited, not by choice, to the task force that is trying to top Saint John's big plan to destroy New York City. Leroy Washington, the informant from before, is Hopper's wing man for the mission, because Washington turns out to be a recruiting officer for the cult. Hopper is to pretend that he is a new recruit, and that he is an ex-cop, who just happened to 'murder' two people the night before. Hopper infiltrating the cult is one of the most exciting parts of the book, but the sequence of these scenes are much too short, leaving this reader disappointed.
Unfortunately, by this time, Delgado has become somewhat of a secondary character. She still works the case, being in the-know of Hopper going undercover, but we see little else of Delgado's character being developed. This is a missed opportunity indeed.
Although I enjoyed Christopher bringing Hopper's backstory to light, the writer is so detail oriented in his writing, that it bogged down much of the flow in the story. The reader is told things in almost every scene that come to nothing, and just seem to waste the reader's time. You may also find that the author uses the same words or physical actions to describe emotions for every single character (such as neck rolling to show stress), which gets old very quickly.
With that said, and only a few inconsistencies here and there, the book was very good. The story takes off pretty quickly and doesn't seem to slow down. The scenery descriptions put the reader right there with our favorite Hawkins Police Chief, Jim Hopper, but the best part about this book is that you don't have to be a Stranger Things' fan to enjoy it; anyone who enjoys Crime Fiction would love this story. Highly recommend!
Adam Christopher is the chosen author to tell Stranger Things' fans about the most important homicide case that Jim Hopper ever worked on in the novel 'Darkness on the Edge of Town.' Fans may recall from season 2, when Eleven found a secret hatch in Hopper's cabin, it revealed boxes under the floor - one which was labeled 'New York.' This is that story.
The entire book is Hopper telling Eleven about his greatest homicide story from New York City. Readers get to meet new characters from Hopper's past, but the most memorable may be his partner in the Homicide Unit, Rosario Delgado (1977 was a time where Homicide Units didn't allow female detectives, and Delgado is one of the first of few that is allowed into the unit). Delgado, who is Cuban, but was raised in Queens, New York, has all the right attitude that wins over her partner, Hopper. The reader will realize that they are two-peas-in-a-pod.
Quickly, the story gets into the first case the two have together: the Zener card serial killer; here, we learn that there were two previous victims, both murdered the same way: stabbed five times with the wounds joining together to form a five-pointed star. Throughout the book, the story goes back and forth between 1977 and the present, where Eleven asks questions about the story, and also, Hopper questioning himself as to whether he should continue to tell Eleven the story.
But soon, we meet a very important man named Leroy Washington - a gang member who wants protection in exchange for the information that he holds- this leads Hopper to our villain: a cult leader who goes by the name Saint John. This villain believes that Satan is going to rise and destroy New York City.
Backtracking a little before, Hopper and Delgado are taken off the case of the Zener card murders, introducing readers to Special Agent Gallup. Gallup states that the third victim, Jacob Hoeler, was also a Special Agent, so the case is turned over to Federal Agents. "What you don't know, Detective, is that Jacob Hoeler is one of ours- - - Special Agent Jacob Hoeler. He was working on assignment, and the fact that he was killed in the course of his duties is of primary concern to my department. Therefore, we need to be sure that a most thorough investigation is carried out. In order to ensure that happens, we will be taking the case in-house. " Hopper, along with Delgado, refuse to let the case go, and secretly continue to work on it. But, as they dig deeper into the evidence and crime scenes, the two realize the murder case is a part of something much bigger - - - a cult that is armed with vehicles and weapons, ready to take over New York City for their leader, Saint John.
Readers get to see the story from both Hopper's and Delgado's point of view, which readers may question how Hopper knows Delgado's side of the story, but quickly to react, Eleven asks this very question for us: " 'Fair point,' said Hopper. 'But we - - - I mean, Delgado and me- - - we pieced it all together afterward. We had to interview everyone we could, and we put it all into a big official report. Actually, it took way longer to write that thing up than we spent on the investigation itself. We were even flown down to D.C. to present it to a bunch of anonymous suits in some federal building. They grilled us pretty well, too, although I ever found out who they all were. ' He grinned. ' Kinda sums the whole thing up, really.' " Even so, without Delgado's point of view, the story wouldn't have turned out as well as it did.
Hopper's obsession with cracking this case lands him in the center of it- - - he is recruited, not by choice, to the task force that is trying to top Saint John's big plan to destroy New York City. Leroy Washington, the informant from before, is Hopper's wing man for the mission, because Washington turns out to be a recruiting officer for the cult. Hopper is to pretend that he is a new recruit, and that he is an ex-cop, who just happened to 'murder' two people the night before. Hopper infiltrating the cult is one of the most exciting parts of the book, but the sequence of these scenes are much too short, leaving this reader disappointed.
Unfortunately, by this time, Delgado has become somewhat of a secondary character. She still works the case, being in the-know of Hopper going undercover, but we see little else of Delgado's character being developed. This is a missed opportunity indeed.
Although I enjoyed Christopher bringing Hopper's backstory to light, the writer is so detail oriented in his writing, that it bogged down much of the flow in the story. The reader is told things in almost every scene that come to nothing, and just seem to waste the reader's time. You may also find that the author uses the same words or physical actions to describe emotions for every single character (such as neck rolling to show stress), which gets old very quickly.
With that said, and only a few inconsistencies here and there, the book was very good. The story takes off pretty quickly and doesn't seem to slow down. The scenery descriptions put the reader right there with our favorite Hawkins Police Chief, Jim Hopper, but the best part about this book is that you don't have to be a Stranger Things' fan to enjoy it; anyone who enjoys Crime Fiction would love this story. Highly recommend!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Answers Are In The Forest (The Answers Series Book One) in Books
May 6, 2019
An Interesting Mystery Horror
I'm a big fan of ghost stories and haunted houses, so when I heard about The Answers Are In The Forest by Katie Kaleski, I knew it was a book I had to read. Luckily, it was a good read.
I went into The Answers Are In The Forest thinking this would be more of a haunted house/ghost story, and while there are ghosts, it's not a spooky ghost story. This is more of a horror mystery than a ghost story. Local children ranging in age from 8 through 15 have been murdered. They use dead rabbits as vessels for their spirits to talk to Gabby, the main character. Gabby feels compelled to solve the mystery of who the killer is. However, this puts Gabby in grave danger. I will say that the plot has been done before in other books, but The Answers Are In The Forest still makes for an interesting read. I didn't predict who the actual killer was at all. Even those I thought were guilty turned out to be innocent. Sometimes the plot felt a bit confusing, but I was able to figure it out easily enough after reading a bit more. There is a bit of a cliff hangar at the end of the book, but this is to be expected as it's part of a new series. For those that aren't big into series, I think this book could do alright as a standalone.
All the characters felt like real life people. There were times when Gabby felt a bit spoiled, but she is a teen, and we've all had moments like that. I did admire her tenacity to find out what happened to the murdered children no matter the danger to herself. I found Gabby's mom to be annoying. This wasn't because she was written poorly, but I just didn't like how uninterested she was in what was going on with Gabby especially when Gabby ended up in the hospital. Gabby's mom started out being somewhat caring, but she seemed to just become uninterested as the book progressed. My favorite character was Rusck. I just loved how caring and loyal Rusck seemed to be. I also admired his determination.
The pacing for The Answers Are In The Forest was done well for the most part. There were a few times that it did go too quickly, and I found myself wondering what had just happened. However, it would slow down to a good pace quickly enough, and I was able to enjoy reading it again.
Trigger warnings include profanity, violence (sometimes fairly graphic), and murder (both children, adult, and animal).
Overall, The Answers Are In The Forest is an interesting read although the plot has been done before. The characters are interesting enough and the plot flows well for the most part. I would recommend The Answers Are In The Forest by Katie Kaleski to those aged 15+. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series!
--
(A special thank you to YA Bound Book Tours for providing me with an eBook of The Answers Are In The Forest by Katie Kaleski in exchance for an honest and unbiased review.)
I went into The Answers Are In The Forest thinking this would be more of a haunted house/ghost story, and while there are ghosts, it's not a spooky ghost story. This is more of a horror mystery than a ghost story. Local children ranging in age from 8 through 15 have been murdered. They use dead rabbits as vessels for their spirits to talk to Gabby, the main character. Gabby feels compelled to solve the mystery of who the killer is. However, this puts Gabby in grave danger. I will say that the plot has been done before in other books, but The Answers Are In The Forest still makes for an interesting read. I didn't predict who the actual killer was at all. Even those I thought were guilty turned out to be innocent. Sometimes the plot felt a bit confusing, but I was able to figure it out easily enough after reading a bit more. There is a bit of a cliff hangar at the end of the book, but this is to be expected as it's part of a new series. For those that aren't big into series, I think this book could do alright as a standalone.
All the characters felt like real life people. There were times when Gabby felt a bit spoiled, but she is a teen, and we've all had moments like that. I did admire her tenacity to find out what happened to the murdered children no matter the danger to herself. I found Gabby's mom to be annoying. This wasn't because she was written poorly, but I just didn't like how uninterested she was in what was going on with Gabby especially when Gabby ended up in the hospital. Gabby's mom started out being somewhat caring, but she seemed to just become uninterested as the book progressed. My favorite character was Rusck. I just loved how caring and loyal Rusck seemed to be. I also admired his determination.
The pacing for The Answers Are In The Forest was done well for the most part. There were a few times that it did go too quickly, and I found myself wondering what had just happened. However, it would slow down to a good pace quickly enough, and I was able to enjoy reading it again.
Trigger warnings include profanity, violence (sometimes fairly graphic), and murder (both children, adult, and animal).
Overall, The Answers Are In The Forest is an interesting read although the plot has been done before. The characters are interesting enough and the plot flows well for the most part. I would recommend The Answers Are In The Forest by Katie Kaleski to those aged 15+. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series!
--
(A special thank you to YA Bound Book Tours for providing me with an eBook of The Answers Are In The Forest by Katie Kaleski in exchance for an honest and unbiased review.)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Secret Place in Books
Feb 13, 2018
The fifth installment in Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series reintroduces some familiar faces, notably Holly Mackey, Frank Mackey, and Stephen Moran from French's [b:Faithful Place|7093952|Faithful Place (Dublin Murder Squad, #3)|Tana French|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1291165900s/7093952.jpg|7350661]. Detective Moran is toiling away in Cold Cases, dreaming of joining the Murder Squad, when Holly shows up. She holds in her hand a card reading "I know who killed him," featuring a photo of Chris Harper, a handsome boy from a private school who was killed a year ago. Suddenly, Stephen finds himself inserted into the middle of St. Kilda's School, Holly's private all-girls' school, the neighborhood school to Chris', and the place where his body was found. Stephen joins up with the Murder Squad's Detective Antoinette Conway, one of the original leads on Chris' case, to find out what happened. But Stephen quickly realizes that Antoinette isn't a popular figure in the Squad, and that the girls of St. Kilda's are a tight-knit, complicated bunch whose interconnected relationships present Conway and Moran many obstacles in finding Chris' killer. Can they find the killer before the girls close ranks for good?
This was a typical Tana French mystery in many ways. This novel is compelling, as always, featuring thoughtful and reflective characters and a detailed, well-plotted mystery. The story is told in alternating chapters by Stephen (in the present-day) and then flashes back to various sections told by the girls of St. Kilda's, who are telling bits of the story leading up to Chris' death. It's an excellent technique because Stephen's portion covers basically 24 hours, as he and Antoinette rush to solve the crime before the girls can cover their tracks once and for all. But by going into the past, French effectively builds suspense and allows us to meet the various teens in her tale (about eight in all, which is a lot at times).
Overall, she does an good job of capturing teen culture: particularly, I'm sure, the culture of British teens in boarding school (shockingly, something I'm not too familiar with). While the descriptions of the girls gets a little tedious (a lot of blond, straightened hair), their personalities are clear and develop easily over the course of the novel. The commentary on the bonds of teen friendship is excellent. For me, Stephen wasn't one of my all-time favorite French protagonists, but I enjoyed the dynamic between him and Conway and how the window into their lives is basically less than 24 hours.
The mystery portion was a little less enjoyable for me than some of French's other novels and a bit of a let down at the end, but it was still a great read. One of my favorite things about French's books is how they easily transport you into another world while reading--you find yourself lost in the characters and their world--and this one was no exception. 3.5 strong stars. I'm looking forward to her next novel, which is supposed to feature Conway again.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
This was a typical Tana French mystery in many ways. This novel is compelling, as always, featuring thoughtful and reflective characters and a detailed, well-plotted mystery. The story is told in alternating chapters by Stephen (in the present-day) and then flashes back to various sections told by the girls of St. Kilda's, who are telling bits of the story leading up to Chris' death. It's an excellent technique because Stephen's portion covers basically 24 hours, as he and Antoinette rush to solve the crime before the girls can cover their tracks once and for all. But by going into the past, French effectively builds suspense and allows us to meet the various teens in her tale (about eight in all, which is a lot at times).
Overall, she does an good job of capturing teen culture: particularly, I'm sure, the culture of British teens in boarding school (shockingly, something I'm not too familiar with). While the descriptions of the girls gets a little tedious (a lot of blond, straightened hair), their personalities are clear and develop easily over the course of the novel. The commentary on the bonds of teen friendship is excellent. For me, Stephen wasn't one of my all-time favorite French protagonists, but I enjoyed the dynamic between him and Conway and how the window into their lives is basically less than 24 hours.
The mystery portion was a little less enjoyable for me than some of French's other novels and a bit of a let down at the end, but it was still a great read. One of my favorite things about French's books is how they easily transport you into another world while reading--you find yourself lost in the characters and their world--and this one was no exception. 3.5 strong stars. I'm looking forward to her next novel, which is supposed to feature Conway again.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
Darren (1599 KP) rated Acts Of Vengeance (2017) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Acts of Vengeance starts as fast-talking defence lawyer Frank (Banderas) misses his daughter’s talent show, that same night his wife Sue (Serafini) and daughter Olivia (Blankenship) are killed, with the police struggling to come up with the answers to who was behind it.
Frank teaches himself how to fight and defend himself as he continues to investigate the murders, being joined by a nurse Alma (Vega), he learns about the corruption coming from the streets, setting out to end the problem once and for all, while under a vow of silence.
Thoughts on Acts of Vengeance
Characters – Frank was a fast-talking defence lawyer, he made a career out of getting criminals off, this only put his personal life on the back burner though, leaving him to not be around when his wife and daughter are murdered. Taking a vow of silence, Frank decides to train and investigate the crime to seek the vengeance he requires to move on with his life. Strode is the one cop that offers Frank any advice while he searches for the truth. Alma is a nurse that has found herself under the fingers of a ruthless gang that want her to do work, she choses to help Frank when he becomes injured. While the end of the film does give the motivation for the killer, that does offer the question of who is in the right for the most part.
Performances – Antonio Banderas in the leading role is the strongest part of the film, we know he can handle himself in a fight, making this easy for him to deliver on. The supporting cast do struggle to make the impact which would be required, which only disappoints with the talent we have on show.
Story – The film follows a man that loses his wife and child, forcing him to go on a one man mission to learn the truth and taking on crime after making his career from defending criminals. When it comes to stories, this is the simplest kind, which is needed for action, when we get the reveal to who the killer was, it does make perfect sense, it is just the building up to this moment that is a waste, with endless amounts of time spend talking about the number of words a person say in a day.
Action – The action is mostly the training before Frank gets into his fights, each fight is in a different location which the fighting seemingly being easy to shoot style never too difficult to pull off.
Settings – The film is set in one city which sees just how different parts of the city can be the corrupt.
Scene of the Movie – Killer’s motivation.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The talking about using too many words.
Final Thoughts – This is just another basic action movie, it offers little new material for the genre and if we are honest is nothing more than a late night movie.
Overall: Late Night action film.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/04/01/abc-film-challenge-action-a-acts-of-vengeance-2017/
Frank teaches himself how to fight and defend himself as he continues to investigate the murders, being joined by a nurse Alma (Vega), he learns about the corruption coming from the streets, setting out to end the problem once and for all, while under a vow of silence.
Thoughts on Acts of Vengeance
Characters – Frank was a fast-talking defence lawyer, he made a career out of getting criminals off, this only put his personal life on the back burner though, leaving him to not be around when his wife and daughter are murdered. Taking a vow of silence, Frank decides to train and investigate the crime to seek the vengeance he requires to move on with his life. Strode is the one cop that offers Frank any advice while he searches for the truth. Alma is a nurse that has found herself under the fingers of a ruthless gang that want her to do work, she choses to help Frank when he becomes injured. While the end of the film does give the motivation for the killer, that does offer the question of who is in the right for the most part.
Performances – Antonio Banderas in the leading role is the strongest part of the film, we know he can handle himself in a fight, making this easy for him to deliver on. The supporting cast do struggle to make the impact which would be required, which only disappoints with the talent we have on show.
Story – The film follows a man that loses his wife and child, forcing him to go on a one man mission to learn the truth and taking on crime after making his career from defending criminals. When it comes to stories, this is the simplest kind, which is needed for action, when we get the reveal to who the killer was, it does make perfect sense, it is just the building up to this moment that is a waste, with endless amounts of time spend talking about the number of words a person say in a day.
Action – The action is mostly the training before Frank gets into his fights, each fight is in a different location which the fighting seemingly being easy to shoot style never too difficult to pull off.
Settings – The film is set in one city which sees just how different parts of the city can be the corrupt.
Scene of the Movie – Killer’s motivation.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The talking about using too many words.
Final Thoughts – This is just another basic action movie, it offers little new material for the genre and if we are honest is nothing more than a late night movie.
Overall: Late Night action film.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/04/01/abc-film-challenge-action-a-acts-of-vengeance-2017/
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Stone Circle (Ruth Galloway, #11) in Books
Jun 21, 2019
When DCI Nelson receives the letter, he's immediately transported back to twenty years ago, when young Lucy Downey went missing and the first letters began. Then, to ten years later, when they found the bones in the Saltmarsh. It was then that Ruth first came in to Nelson's life, when she was called to examine the bones. While the bones weren't related to Lucy, she also took a look at the letters. And, of course, became entwined in Nelson's life. During that time, another child died, and the killer drowned on the marshes. The letter writer, Erik Anderssen, Ruth's mentor, also died that night too. Now, Ruth is assisting with a new dig in the Saltmarsh in a stone circle--one with ties to Erik. While digging, they find recent bones believed to belong to Margaret Lacey, who went missing in 1981 at the age of twelve. As the the investigation into Margaret's case begins, it looks like it has ties to Nelson's earlier cases--the letters, the bones, the missing kids, and more. But that killer is dead--right?
"'He's back,' says Clough. 'Bollocks,' says Nelson. 'He's dead.'"
The wonderful Elly Griffiths brings us back to her first Ruth Galloway book, The Crossing Places in this, her eleventh Ruth story. Yet, the tale feels as fresh and intriguing as ever. I just love the Ruth Galloway series--the tone of these books is unlike almost any other. Ruth seems real to me by now, like an old friend, and don't even get me started on Nelson, our beloved, sarcastic, DCI. Griffiths has an amazing ability to characterize Ruth and Nelson (and the whole crew) and capture their own distinct voices. Her books are at turns funny, familiar, and sometimes heartbreaking as Ruth and Nelson try to navigate their own relationship--and the other relationships that may or may not keep them apart. Michelle, Nelson's wife, has her baby in this one (cliffhanger resolved), and there is progress made on other personal fronts as well.
It almost seems like icing on the cake that we are treated to an enjoyable mystery along with our lovely characters and just overall familiarity. I found the case in this one to be engrossing, especially with the ties back to the earlier book. (I highly recommend reading this series from the beginning--it's the best way to catch all the little nuances and bits of humor, but the book will stand alone.) Margaret's disappearance is interesting--and her story brings a whole new cast of characters, several of whom entwine with our usual suspects.
All in all, as always, another winner from Griffiths. I could read her books constantly, and I love Ruth and Nelson (and Kate, Ruth's seven-year-old) so dearly! They truly seem real to me. If you've been reading this series from book #1, you'll enjoy the usual humor (oh Nelson) and returning to our cast of characters. If you like a good mystery (with some archaeological flavor sprinkled in), you won't be disappointed either. 4.5 stars.
"'He's back,' says Clough. 'Bollocks,' says Nelson. 'He's dead.'"
The wonderful Elly Griffiths brings us back to her first Ruth Galloway book, The Crossing Places in this, her eleventh Ruth story. Yet, the tale feels as fresh and intriguing as ever. I just love the Ruth Galloway series--the tone of these books is unlike almost any other. Ruth seems real to me by now, like an old friend, and don't even get me started on Nelson, our beloved, sarcastic, DCI. Griffiths has an amazing ability to characterize Ruth and Nelson (and the whole crew) and capture their own distinct voices. Her books are at turns funny, familiar, and sometimes heartbreaking as Ruth and Nelson try to navigate their own relationship--and the other relationships that may or may not keep them apart. Michelle, Nelson's wife, has her baby in this one (cliffhanger resolved), and there is progress made on other personal fronts as well.
It almost seems like icing on the cake that we are treated to an enjoyable mystery along with our lovely characters and just overall familiarity. I found the case in this one to be engrossing, especially with the ties back to the earlier book. (I highly recommend reading this series from the beginning--it's the best way to catch all the little nuances and bits of humor, but the book will stand alone.) Margaret's disappearance is interesting--and her story brings a whole new cast of characters, several of whom entwine with our usual suspects.
All in all, as always, another winner from Griffiths. I could read her books constantly, and I love Ruth and Nelson (and Kate, Ruth's seven-year-old) so dearly! They truly seem real to me. If you've been reading this series from book #1, you'll enjoy the usual humor (oh Nelson) and returning to our cast of characters. If you like a good mystery (with some archaeological flavor sprinkled in), you won't be disappointed either. 4.5 stars.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) in Movies
Nov 6, 2019
Good (enough) conclusion to the Franchise
After a few attempts at resurrecting this franchise, James Cameron has (wisely) decided to bury the franchise with one last TERMINATOR film starring the original Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. TERMINATOR: DARK FATE is a direct sequel to T2: JUDGEMENT DAY (or so says Producer/Writer Cameron) as it ignores the 3rd and 4th movies in this series (as well as the television show THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES).
And that is a wise move as it simplifies things and just lets us get on to what a Terminator movie does best - fantastic action sequences, state of the art CGI, a killer robot that will stop at nothing to accomplish it's mission, and a plucky hero or 2 to battle said killer robot.
Oh...did I mention that they recruit a Terminator to help them stop the Terminator?
And it all works well...enough. Set in this year (2019), TERMINATOR: DARK FATE tells the tale of what happens next after Sarah and John Connor stopped Judgement Day in the 2nd Terminator film. A deadly - even more dangerous - Terminator (version 9!) returns to 2019 to kill a single woman (Natalie Reyes). This time she is helped by an augmented human from the future (Mackenzie Davis) and...Sarah Connor! Returning to this film, all buffed up and aging, is a craggy voiced Linda Hamilton as Sarah, who brings an adequate amount of world-weary, "been there, done that" attitude to the proceedings that pretty much carry the first half of the film.
And...just as the film was beginning to sag in the middle, along comes Arnold.
Playing an aging Terminator (which is explained, well enough, in the plot), Arnold plays the Terminator (who has been living with humans for over 20 years) with a wink in his eye and a sense of humor about him. Yep...this is a Terminator with a funny bone. And - I'll be darned - it works! Thanks to the performance of Mr. Schwarzenegger. He knows exactly what kind of film he is in and brings the right amount of energy, muscle and humor to the proceedings. He pretty much carries this film on his broad shoulders for the 2nd half - and he carries it with ease.
Credit Director Tim Miller (DEADPOOL) for keeping things light, simple and moving along crisply. He, too, understands the type of film he is making (and the audience that will go see this type of film) so he keeps the dialogue light and snappy, the plot at it's simplest and the action as high as he can go - blowing things up at a moment's notice. It's not sublte art by any stretch of the imagination, but it is art - in a way - and art that he does well.
If this is the last Terminator film (and I hope it is), then it is going out on a high (enough) note. I was surprisingly entertained (and not preached to) and, I think that is all I could have hoped for in a Terminator flick.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And that is a wise move as it simplifies things and just lets us get on to what a Terminator movie does best - fantastic action sequences, state of the art CGI, a killer robot that will stop at nothing to accomplish it's mission, and a plucky hero or 2 to battle said killer robot.
Oh...did I mention that they recruit a Terminator to help them stop the Terminator?
And it all works well...enough. Set in this year (2019), TERMINATOR: DARK FATE tells the tale of what happens next after Sarah and John Connor stopped Judgement Day in the 2nd Terminator film. A deadly - even more dangerous - Terminator (version 9!) returns to 2019 to kill a single woman (Natalie Reyes). This time she is helped by an augmented human from the future (Mackenzie Davis) and...Sarah Connor! Returning to this film, all buffed up and aging, is a craggy voiced Linda Hamilton as Sarah, who brings an adequate amount of world-weary, "been there, done that" attitude to the proceedings that pretty much carry the first half of the film.
And...just as the film was beginning to sag in the middle, along comes Arnold.
Playing an aging Terminator (which is explained, well enough, in the plot), Arnold plays the Terminator (who has been living with humans for over 20 years) with a wink in his eye and a sense of humor about him. Yep...this is a Terminator with a funny bone. And - I'll be darned - it works! Thanks to the performance of Mr. Schwarzenegger. He knows exactly what kind of film he is in and brings the right amount of energy, muscle and humor to the proceedings. He pretty much carries this film on his broad shoulders for the 2nd half - and he carries it with ease.
Credit Director Tim Miller (DEADPOOL) for keeping things light, simple and moving along crisply. He, too, understands the type of film he is making (and the audience that will go see this type of film) so he keeps the dialogue light and snappy, the plot at it's simplest and the action as high as he can go - blowing things up at a moment's notice. It's not sublte art by any stretch of the imagination, but it is art - in a way - and art that he does well.
If this is the last Terminator film (and I hope it is), then it is going out on a high (enough) note. I was surprisingly entertained (and not preached to) and, I think that is all I could have hoped for in a Terminator flick.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Freaky (2021) in Movies
Jul 3, 2021
No, not like the Disney version
Some B-movies really pack a much bigger punch than you would expect. "Nobody" is a perfect recent example. But movie karma needs to be balanced with something. Ladies and gentlemen - "Freaky"!
Positives:
- If you are into your "teen slasher" movies, then this is more of the same and features some innovative ways to dispatch the victims. One is certainly no way to treat a fine wine!
- Vince Vaughn has fun mincing around as his alter-ego and Kathryn Newton (soon to be in the next "Ant-Man" movie) is personable enough as the cutie-cum-serial-killer.
- It's always good to see Ferris-actor Alan Ruck on the big screen. Here, he actually plays two parts in the film. (This joke (C) One Mann's Movies.)
Negatives:
- It's flagged as "comedy/horror" but failed to meet my personal 6-laugh test. It's just not funny enough to pass muster unless, that is, you view crude dialogue as "funny". And the dialogue does get ickily crude at some points. For example, when evil-Millie ends up alone with three jocks, there's a line of misogynist dialogue (that I won't repeat) but which sets the level.
- As a Blumhouse production, the horror is ultra-gory which will put off many viewers lacking a strong stomach. But because of the associated black comedy, the horror isn't remotely tense or scary. This might be why the film only got a UK-15 certificate. But my personal view is that, with the violence and the offensive dialogue, the BBFC under called this one, and it should have been an 18.
- There's a lot of schmaltz layered on regarding the relationship between Millie and her mum (Katie Finneran, channelling a Laura Dern look). A store cubicle exchange between Finneran and Vaughn is particularly stomach-churning.
- The movie leaves logic at the door many times. A formulaic post-finale ending assumes a superhero ability to shrug off bullets.
Summary Thoughts on "Freaky": The 'body-swap idea has gone through dozens of movie versions, with Disney's "Freaky Friday" the most well known: it's actually had two outings, once in 1976 with a young Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris and again in 2003 with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie-Lee Curtis. (The latter is a firm Mann-family favourite).
This new version tries a serial-killer twist on the story, which is a good idea. But the movie fails to execute well on the concept. The director is Christopher Landon who did the "Happy Death Day" movies. This is in a similar vein. So teens who enjoyed those flicks might get a fun Saturday night out with this. But, for me, this fell between the stools of comedy and horror and is instantly forgettable.
(For the full graphical review, please check out One Mann's Movies on the web here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/07/03/freaky-no-its-not-remotely-like-the-disney-version/. One Mann's Movies is also on Facebook and Tiktok (@onemannsmovies). Thanks.)
Positives:
- If you are into your "teen slasher" movies, then this is more of the same and features some innovative ways to dispatch the victims. One is certainly no way to treat a fine wine!
- Vince Vaughn has fun mincing around as his alter-ego and Kathryn Newton (soon to be in the next "Ant-Man" movie) is personable enough as the cutie-cum-serial-killer.
- It's always good to see Ferris-actor Alan Ruck on the big screen. Here, he actually plays two parts in the film. (This joke (C) One Mann's Movies.)
Negatives:
- It's flagged as "comedy/horror" but failed to meet my personal 6-laugh test. It's just not funny enough to pass muster unless, that is, you view crude dialogue as "funny". And the dialogue does get ickily crude at some points. For example, when evil-Millie ends up alone with three jocks, there's a line of misogynist dialogue (that I won't repeat) but which sets the level.
- As a Blumhouse production, the horror is ultra-gory which will put off many viewers lacking a strong stomach. But because of the associated black comedy, the horror isn't remotely tense or scary. This might be why the film only got a UK-15 certificate. But my personal view is that, with the violence and the offensive dialogue, the BBFC under called this one, and it should have been an 18.
- There's a lot of schmaltz layered on regarding the relationship between Millie and her mum (Katie Finneran, channelling a Laura Dern look). A store cubicle exchange between Finneran and Vaughn is particularly stomach-churning.
- The movie leaves logic at the door many times. A formulaic post-finale ending assumes a superhero ability to shrug off bullets.
Summary Thoughts on "Freaky": The 'body-swap idea has gone through dozens of movie versions, with Disney's "Freaky Friday" the most well known: it's actually had two outings, once in 1976 with a young Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris and again in 2003 with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie-Lee Curtis. (The latter is a firm Mann-family favourite).
This new version tries a serial-killer twist on the story, which is a good idea. But the movie fails to execute well on the concept. The director is Christopher Landon who did the "Happy Death Day" movies. This is in a similar vein. So teens who enjoyed those flicks might get a fun Saturday night out with this. But, for me, this fell between the stools of comedy and horror and is instantly forgettable.
(For the full graphical review, please check out One Mann's Movies on the web here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/07/03/freaky-no-its-not-remotely-like-the-disney-version/. One Mann's Movies is also on Facebook and Tiktok (@onemannsmovies). Thanks.)
