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Lou Grande (148 KP) rated Hogg in Books
May 28, 2018
Please, please, please proceed with caution
HOGG was written in 1968, a few short months before the Stonewall Riots. Brimming with anger and pent up sexuality, HOGG is (by the author's admission) a pornographic novel for nobody. It's the kind of novel that's hard to describe as "good," even though it's masterfully constructed and hard-hitting. It's also disgusting on a deep, visceral level--multiple levels, actually.
The (mostly) nameless, voiceless narrator of HOGG is an underage boy of possibly mixed race who begins his narrative by immediately shifting focus from himself to Hogg, a character so vile that it's hard to write a PG description of him. His profession is that of a rape artist. He rapes specific women in exchange for cash and enjoys his work, though admittedly he prefers the company of men.
When the narrator and Hogg meet, it leads to a weekend of unspeakable violence and puke-worthy sex. Racism literally abounds; some characters are referred to just by an epithet, and some of their names are only revealed in police reports. HOGG, the novel, plays on our sense of pity--we want to feel bad for the narrator. It's easy to see him as a victim of society. But as the pages go on, it gets harder and harder as he becomes more than an active participant in the goings-on.
The word "love" is never mentioned in the 200+ page novel, but the reader can feel an approximation of it in the relationship between Hogg and the narrator--maybe. This makes the ending just that much more powerful, when the narrator speaks his only line of dialogue.
This is a very powerful book, whether you can find something redeemable in it or not. It's very much a product of its time, and furthermore, it SAYS something, which I think these so-called "extreme" horror authors could learn a thing about. HOGG is not just filth for the sake of filth, or violence for the sake of violence. When put in context, it's heart-breaking and vile at the same time. I don't know if another book has ever made me feel this way.
The (mostly) nameless, voiceless narrator of HOGG is an underage boy of possibly mixed race who begins his narrative by immediately shifting focus from himself to Hogg, a character so vile that it's hard to write a PG description of him. His profession is that of a rape artist. He rapes specific women in exchange for cash and enjoys his work, though admittedly he prefers the company of men.
When the narrator and Hogg meet, it leads to a weekend of unspeakable violence and puke-worthy sex. Racism literally abounds; some characters are referred to just by an epithet, and some of their names are only revealed in police reports. HOGG, the novel, plays on our sense of pity--we want to feel bad for the narrator. It's easy to see him as a victim of society. But as the pages go on, it gets harder and harder as he becomes more than an active participant in the goings-on.
The word "love" is never mentioned in the 200+ page novel, but the reader can feel an approximation of it in the relationship between Hogg and the narrator--maybe. This makes the ending just that much more powerful, when the narrator speaks his only line of dialogue.
This is a very powerful book, whether you can find something redeemable in it or not. It's very much a product of its time, and furthermore, it SAYS something, which I think these so-called "extreme" horror authors could learn a thing about. HOGG is not just filth for the sake of filth, or violence for the sake of violence. When put in context, it's heart-breaking and vile at the same time. I don't know if another book has ever made me feel this way.
Mike Wilder (20 KP) rated True Romance (1993) in Movies
May 30, 2018
I know people that hate this film, but I know far more that love it.
Contains spoilers, click to show
The film was written by Quentin Tarantino, and it really shows with the sharp dialogue and crazy plot. The film centres around Clarence (Christian Slater) who meets and marries Alabama (Patricia Arquette). After Clarence goes to get Alabama's belongings, through a series of mishaps, he ends up with suitcase of coke and they decide to sell it. This leads to a wild adventure involving drug dealers, police and movie executives.
The casting in this film is amazing with Hollywood greats turning up and each one adds something special to the film. But by far the best performance is by Brad Pitt as the roommate of Clarence's friend Dick. He is on screen for a total of about 5 minutes but steals every scene he is in. However every one of the characters in the film brings something special. The performances by Hollywood greats, including Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken and Gary Oldman all come so close to being over the top, but the incredible script and brilliant directing manage to hold back just enough to stop it going too far.
This film is a true masterpiece where everything just falls in to place. The film is not for the faint of heart though. There are very graphic scenes of violence. One particular scene involving a woman getting severely beaten. The perpetrator definitely gets his comeuppance though. While the violence is very graphic, as with most of Tarantino's films, it is very bloody but also portrayed in a realistic manor. This adds to the shock and also to bring you closer to the victims.
I cannot praise this film enough. It is one of the greats that has been overlooked by many including Hollywood. Almost all of the performances are worthy of Oscar nomination, as with the script. But this film was overlooked by all the major awards.
If you are a fan of Tarantino films, or films with a good cast and great story give this film a try. I know people that hate this film, but I know far more that love it.
The casting in this film is amazing with Hollywood greats turning up and each one adds something special to the film. But by far the best performance is by Brad Pitt as the roommate of Clarence's friend Dick. He is on screen for a total of about 5 minutes but steals every scene he is in. However every one of the characters in the film brings something special. The performances by Hollywood greats, including Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken and Gary Oldman all come so close to being over the top, but the incredible script and brilliant directing manage to hold back just enough to stop it going too far.
This film is a true masterpiece where everything just falls in to place. The film is not for the faint of heart though. There are very graphic scenes of violence. One particular scene involving a woman getting severely beaten. The perpetrator definitely gets his comeuppance though. While the violence is very graphic, as with most of Tarantino's films, it is very bloody but also portrayed in a realistic manor. This adds to the shock and also to bring you closer to the victims.
I cannot praise this film enough. It is one of the greats that has been overlooked by many including Hollywood. Almost all of the performances are worthy of Oscar nomination, as with the script. But this film was overlooked by all the major awards.
If you are a fan of Tarantino films, or films with a good cast and great story give this film a try. I know people that hate this film, but I know far more that love it.
Isabel Smith (34 KP) rated The Liar's Girl in Books
Jun 28, 2018
What if the person you loved wasn't who you thought they were?
Alison Smith is living the dream. Not only are she and her best friend Liz excited about their freshman year at the prestigious St. John’s College in Dublin, Ireland; Alison has also met someone…he could even be the one. From the instant she meets Will in a night club, sparks fly between them and they become that couple – the one that’s constantly attached at the hip, madly in love, and whose future shines so bright.
In a terrible turn of events, however, everything comes crashing down. First some fellow female classmates start disappearing. Then, they’re found washed up along Dublin’s Grand Canal. It is clear that a serial killer is on the prowl. Alison is dealt a jagged double whammy after Liz is identified as the Canal Killer’s latest victim and Will is identified as the Canal Killer himself. Absolutely shell-shocked, Alison leaves her home behind and moves to the Netherlands, enrolls in a new college, and starts life anew so to speak.
As the ten-year anniversary of the Canal Killer’s vicious spree approaches, a new string of victims is found in the Grand Canal in the exact same fashion as before. Could it be a copycat killer? Could Will, now in prison, be working with a partner on the outside? Or is it possible that the Garda (aka the Irish police force) could have captured the wrong guy all those years ago?
I loved reading this book! Author Catherine Ryan Howard did a superb job of making Alison’s story both heartbreaking and redemptive, thrilling and enlightening. What she goes through with Will both as a freshman and ten years later is shocking yet entirely believable. She is a heroine you want to get behind and cheer for as she seeks to find the truth about the Canal Killer’s identity, her feelings for Will, and the connection between the past and present crimes. Fans of Patricia Cornwell’s whodunit mysteries will enjoy the suspense, strong female lead, and detective skills offered up by Howard’s The Liar’s Girl.
In a terrible turn of events, however, everything comes crashing down. First some fellow female classmates start disappearing. Then, they’re found washed up along Dublin’s Grand Canal. It is clear that a serial killer is on the prowl. Alison is dealt a jagged double whammy after Liz is identified as the Canal Killer’s latest victim and Will is identified as the Canal Killer himself. Absolutely shell-shocked, Alison leaves her home behind and moves to the Netherlands, enrolls in a new college, and starts life anew so to speak.
As the ten-year anniversary of the Canal Killer’s vicious spree approaches, a new string of victims is found in the Grand Canal in the exact same fashion as before. Could it be a copycat killer? Could Will, now in prison, be working with a partner on the outside? Or is it possible that the Garda (aka the Irish police force) could have captured the wrong guy all those years ago?
I loved reading this book! Author Catherine Ryan Howard did a superb job of making Alison’s story both heartbreaking and redemptive, thrilling and enlightening. What she goes through with Will both as a freshman and ten years later is shocking yet entirely believable. She is a heroine you want to get behind and cheer for as she seeks to find the truth about the Canal Killer’s identity, her feelings for Will, and the connection between the past and present crimes. Fans of Patricia Cornwell’s whodunit mysteries will enjoy the suspense, strong female lead, and detective skills offered up by Howard’s The Liar’s Girl.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Blue Room (2014) in Movies
Sep 24, 2018
Not Bad
Two lovers involved in an affair explore the possibilities of murder.
Acting: 10
Top to bottom the acting is absolutely magnificent. Each actor/actress excels in their role and gets you completely wrapped up in the story. There is so much intrigue and passion to convey in a story like this and this stellar group didn’t disappoint.
Beginning: 10
A steamy beginning introduces the characters and gives you a taste of what you can expect from the film. Again, this story succeeds by intriguing you from one moment to the next. The tone is set from jump, capturing your attention with the intro to the lovers and a police case we have yet to uncover.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 6
This is where the story loses me a bit. You can tell things are bubbling up behind the scenes, but I always had the strangest feeling that I was in for a let down. There wasn’t as much implosion as I was hoping for or that should come with a story of this magnitude. This man’s world is falling apart, yet it felt like the movie went through the paces for me at times.
Genre: 9
I think this scoring might be more of a result of not as many strong films in the genre. I classify this as an erotic drama or a drama centered around sexuality. It’s not a genre I’m well-versed in, but I will say that it’s one of the best I’ve seen considering the strong cast and overall appeal.
Memorability: 9
Pace: 5
Plot: 5
Resolution: 1
Shoddy and predictable. This film deserved better. Perhaps if it had gotten better, The Blue Room would have moved from decent to great. Seriously, it made the entire movie feel like a waste of time due to a lack of payoff. I don’t know what I expected…but it wasn’t this.
Overall: 75
While the film definitely gets a lot of things right with solid acting and beautiful shots that stand out in your brain, it lacks the proper punch to get it over the hump of mediocrity. While I would watch it again, The Blue Room won’t go down as one of my favorites.
Acting: 10
Top to bottom the acting is absolutely magnificent. Each actor/actress excels in their role and gets you completely wrapped up in the story. There is so much intrigue and passion to convey in a story like this and this stellar group didn’t disappoint.
Beginning: 10
A steamy beginning introduces the characters and gives you a taste of what you can expect from the film. Again, this story succeeds by intriguing you from one moment to the next. The tone is set from jump, capturing your attention with the intro to the lovers and a police case we have yet to uncover.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 6
This is where the story loses me a bit. You can tell things are bubbling up behind the scenes, but I always had the strangest feeling that I was in for a let down. There wasn’t as much implosion as I was hoping for or that should come with a story of this magnitude. This man’s world is falling apart, yet it felt like the movie went through the paces for me at times.
Genre: 9
I think this scoring might be more of a result of not as many strong films in the genre. I classify this as an erotic drama or a drama centered around sexuality. It’s not a genre I’m well-versed in, but I will say that it’s one of the best I’ve seen considering the strong cast and overall appeal.
Memorability: 9
Pace: 5
Plot: 5
Resolution: 1
Shoddy and predictable. This film deserved better. Perhaps if it had gotten better, The Blue Room would have moved from decent to great. Seriously, it made the entire movie feel like a waste of time due to a lack of payoff. I don’t know what I expected…but it wasn’t this.
Overall: 75
While the film definitely gets a lot of things right with solid acting and beautiful shots that stand out in your brain, it lacks the proper punch to get it over the hump of mediocrity. While I would watch it again, The Blue Room won’t go down as one of my favorites.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated The Deep End in Books
Aug 14, 2019
I’m glad I Jumped into this Series
Ellison Russell is devoted to her teenage daughter, Grace, and her art. She and her husband are still living together, but that is only because they have decided to wait to get divorced until Grace is out of the house. Part of Ellison’s routine is a swim at dawn in the country club’s pool. On this particular June morning in 1974, she swims into a dead body in the pool. Worse yet, when the police arrive and pull the body out of the pool, she recognizes the victim as Madeline Harper, her husband’s mistress. Ellison knows that she makes a pretty compelling suspect in the woman’s murder, as does her husband. She knows she is innocent and she believes that her husband may be an adulterer, but he isn’t a killer. However, the fact that he’s suddenly left town for parts unknown doesn’t make him appear innocent. Can Ellison figure out what really happened to Madeline?
I’ve been hearing about this series for years, but I kept putting off starting it. I wish I’d read it sooner. The plot starts out right away and gives us plenty of action and twists along the way. I never saw the solution coming until Ellison figured it out either. The main characters are all strong and help pull us into the world, although I do wish that we had a little more context for some of the supporting players. I was also bothered by Ellison’s love life; it just felt inappropriate for this book. I’m sure in future books I will be fine with what is set up here. The subject matter does stray to the edges of cozies, but I thought how things were handled here was fine and it didn’t bother me. I greatly enjoyed the humor in the book, mostly coming from Ellison’s narration on things. Yet it is perfectly balances with some of the more serious elements of the plot. I can see why this series has so many fans, and I’m already one of them. Now, to find time to visit Ellison again.
I’ve been hearing about this series for years, but I kept putting off starting it. I wish I’d read it sooner. The plot starts out right away and gives us plenty of action and twists along the way. I never saw the solution coming until Ellison figured it out either. The main characters are all strong and help pull us into the world, although I do wish that we had a little more context for some of the supporting players. I was also bothered by Ellison’s love life; it just felt inappropriate for this book. I’m sure in future books I will be fine with what is set up here. The subject matter does stray to the edges of cozies, but I thought how things were handled here was fine and it didn’t bother me. I greatly enjoyed the humor in the book, mostly coming from Ellison’s narration on things. Yet it is perfectly balances with some of the more serious elements of the plot. I can see why this series has so many fans, and I’m already one of them. Now, to find time to visit Ellison again.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated the Xbox One version of The Evil Within in Video Games
Oct 30, 2019
Psychological Within
Contains spoilers, click to show
The Evil Within- is a fantasic horrorfying, thrilling, psychological terrorfying, scary game. That was published by Bethesa. Yes that Bethesa who did Skyrim and Fallout. So lets talk about it...
The game centers on protagonist Sebastian Castellanos as he is pulled through a distorted world full of nightmarish locations and horrid creatures. Played in a third-person perspective, players battle disfigured nightmare-like enemies, including bosses, using guns and melee weapons, and progress through the levels, avoiding traps, using stealth, and finding collectables.
Sebastian Castellanos, the protagonist, needs to make use of the environment and things he may find in order to survive. The game world can transform during scripted events and as a result of player actions, altering locations and creating new paths or teleporting the player to new areas.
Players have a safe house called 'Safe Haven' that can be accessed during scripted events and by finding mirrors. The safe house is a mental hospital and has several accessible areas such as a save point, an upgrade room (where the player may upgrade Sebastian's skills), and the safe room where keys are used to open storage safes which contain useful items such as green gel and ammunition. These keys are collected by finding and breaking 'Madonna' statues hidden throughout the game's levels. There is a nurse called Tatiana who greets Sebastian when he teleports to the safe house.
Lets talk about the plot/story:
While investigating the scene of a gruesome mass murder at Beacon Mental Hospital, Krimson City police detective Sebastian Castellanos (Anson Mount), his partner Joseph Oda (Yuri Lowenthal), and Junior Detective Juli Kidman (Jennifer Carpenter) find themselves suddenly thrown into an unreal world, after hearing a high-pitched noise.
Their are two DLC and their are called The Assigment and The Consequence. Which I havent played yet.
The player unlocks several bonuses for completing the game. Extra weapons, character models and bios, 'AKUMU' difficulty (the game's hardest difficulty level), and New Game+ are some of the unlocks.
It is a must play game, it will twist and turn your mind until the end credits.
Lastly shout out to @LeftSideCut for getting the hints/clue to this review correct.
The game centers on protagonist Sebastian Castellanos as he is pulled through a distorted world full of nightmarish locations and horrid creatures. Played in a third-person perspective, players battle disfigured nightmare-like enemies, including bosses, using guns and melee weapons, and progress through the levels, avoiding traps, using stealth, and finding collectables.
Sebastian Castellanos, the protagonist, needs to make use of the environment and things he may find in order to survive. The game world can transform during scripted events and as a result of player actions, altering locations and creating new paths or teleporting the player to new areas.
Players have a safe house called 'Safe Haven' that can be accessed during scripted events and by finding mirrors. The safe house is a mental hospital and has several accessible areas such as a save point, an upgrade room (where the player may upgrade Sebastian's skills), and the safe room where keys are used to open storage safes which contain useful items such as green gel and ammunition. These keys are collected by finding and breaking 'Madonna' statues hidden throughout the game's levels. There is a nurse called Tatiana who greets Sebastian when he teleports to the safe house.
Lets talk about the plot/story:
While investigating the scene of a gruesome mass murder at Beacon Mental Hospital, Krimson City police detective Sebastian Castellanos (Anson Mount), his partner Joseph Oda (Yuri Lowenthal), and Junior Detective Juli Kidman (Jennifer Carpenter) find themselves suddenly thrown into an unreal world, after hearing a high-pitched noise.
Their are two DLC and their are called The Assigment and The Consequence. Which I havent played yet.
The player unlocks several bonuses for completing the game. Extra weapons, character models and bios, 'AKUMU' difficulty (the game's hardest difficulty level), and New Game+ are some of the unlocks.
It is a must play game, it will twist and turn your mind until the end credits.
Lastly shout out to @LeftSideCut for getting the hints/clue to this review correct.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Family Upstairs in Books
Oct 24, 2019
Twenty-five years ago, a tragedy occurred at the large house at 16 Cheyne Walk. When the police arrived, they found three dead adults, an apparent suicide note, and, upstairs, a healthy ten-month-old baby. The neighbors spoke of other children who lived in the house, but there was no trace of them. The house is left in trust, and twenty-five years later, Libby Jones receives the letter she's been waiting for. In it, she learns about her birth parents and that she's inherited their home on Cheyne Walk: making her an instant millionaire. But others have been waiting for this day for years, too, and now Libby is about to learn more about her past and what happened so long ago at Cheyne Walk.
"Now she owns a house in Chelsea and the proportions of her existence have been blown apart."
In typical Lisa Jewell fashion, The Family Upstairs is a dark and twisted story of family secrets, and betrayal. It's told from the perspective of Libby, who inherits the house; Lucy, a mother in France struggling to find shelter and safety for herself and her two children; and Henry, who tells his story from the past, when he lived at Cheyne Walk.
As their three stories intertwine, we learn more about the horrors that happened at the house all those years ago, and how exactly Libby, Lucy, and Henry are tied together. It's an enthralling story and not easy to put down. It's dark, with plenty of twists and turns, and it certainly kept me guessing. There's lots of wondering who is who, and lots of awful things that happen to people. There were a lot of surprises at every turn. I was drawn to Libby, along with Lucy and her children, even if I sometimes wasn't sure if everyone was making the right decisions.
I was really into this book until the end, where the vagueness of the ending disappointed me a bit. But it's still an interesting thriller, no matter what: lots to keep you entertained, tons of dark and twisted bits, and plenty that kept me wondering right up to the end. 4 stars.
"Now she owns a house in Chelsea and the proportions of her existence have been blown apart."
In typical Lisa Jewell fashion, The Family Upstairs is a dark and twisted story of family secrets, and betrayal. It's told from the perspective of Libby, who inherits the house; Lucy, a mother in France struggling to find shelter and safety for herself and her two children; and Henry, who tells his story from the past, when he lived at Cheyne Walk.
As their three stories intertwine, we learn more about the horrors that happened at the house all those years ago, and how exactly Libby, Lucy, and Henry are tied together. It's an enthralling story and not easy to put down. It's dark, with plenty of twists and turns, and it certainly kept me guessing. There's lots of wondering who is who, and lots of awful things that happen to people. There were a lot of surprises at every turn. I was drawn to Libby, along with Lucy and her children, even if I sometimes wasn't sure if everyone was making the right decisions.
I was really into this book until the end, where the vagueness of the ending disappointed me a bit. But it's still an interesting thriller, no matter what: lots to keep you entertained, tons of dark and twisted bits, and plenty that kept me wondering right up to the end. 4 stars.
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Paris Mysteries in Books
Dec 27, 2019
Crime fiction stripped bare - all tell
"Show, don't tell" is the mantra of many authors. It means give the reader the information so they can decipher the plot at their own pace, with various tidbits of information scattered throughout a book. It doesn't mean long rambling sections of exposition.
This phrase was clearly coined after Poe's demise, as he doesn't seem to have ever heard it.
Yes, he is undoubtedly the first and most important writer of detective/crime fiction. This by no means suggests it is any good.
The three stories are really just a setting out of a mysterious crime with some facts/suspicions, with a lengthy monologue where C August Dupin solves the mystery. That's it. No suspense. No character development. No real scene setting. Just a slightly puzzling crime followed by a smartarse giving the solution.
The main thing to take away from these three Poe stories is that the police and detectives used to be rubbish and looked for the wrong evidence, or were sidetracked by what they wanted to see. There are many crimes and stories with apparently impossible solutions which can't seem to be unravelled. This idea absolutely was the genesis of the rich and varied crime genre we have today. The idea that a strange set of circumstances can arise where an apparently normal crime can be committed but with the evidence so obscure and tangled that unravelling it would take a genius.
Sadly, Poe didn't put the story around the bare bones of these crimes. So all we have is three exam questions with a know-it-all giving the answer, with no charm, no suspense, no thrilling conclusion. One of them barely even concludes the murderer, just spends an age picking holes in the logic applied by various newspapers in trying to document the crime.
I might be interested in reading a retelling of these stories (except the one where a letter has simply gone missing and is found my looking somewhere obvious), where someone actually weaves a narrative around the bare bones.
I appreciate Poe's efforts because of what followed, but not for what they themselves are.
This phrase was clearly coined after Poe's demise, as he doesn't seem to have ever heard it.
Yes, he is undoubtedly the first and most important writer of detective/crime fiction. This by no means suggests it is any good.
The three stories are really just a setting out of a mysterious crime with some facts/suspicions, with a lengthy monologue where C August Dupin solves the mystery. That's it. No suspense. No character development. No real scene setting. Just a slightly puzzling crime followed by a smartarse giving the solution.
The main thing to take away from these three Poe stories is that the police and detectives used to be rubbish and looked for the wrong evidence, or were sidetracked by what they wanted to see. There are many crimes and stories with apparently impossible solutions which can't seem to be unravelled. This idea absolutely was the genesis of the rich and varied crime genre we have today. The idea that a strange set of circumstances can arise where an apparently normal crime can be committed but with the evidence so obscure and tangled that unravelling it would take a genius.
Sadly, Poe didn't put the story around the bare bones of these crimes. So all we have is three exam questions with a know-it-all giving the answer, with no charm, no suspense, no thrilling conclusion. One of them barely even concludes the murderer, just spends an age picking holes in the logic applied by various newspapers in trying to document the crime.
I might be interested in reading a retelling of these stories (except the one where a letter has simply gone missing and is found my looking somewhere obvious), where someone actually weaves a narrative around the bare bones.
I appreciate Poe's efforts because of what followed, but not for what they themselves are.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Apple Cider Slaying in Books
Nov 3, 2019
Death of a Neighbor Complicates Winnie’s Plans
The apple orchard that Winnie Montgomery calls home, along with her Granny, is having financial issues, and she is looking for ideas to save it. The idea she is most excited about is turning a barn on the property into a cider shop. She just needs a loan from the bank to be able to do the renovations. However, the meeting with the loan officers doesn’t turn out well when they find the body of Nadine during their tour of the facilities. The police are looking at Granny as their prime suspect since she and Nadine fought on a regular basis. With Granny’s freedom and the fate of the family orchard on the line, can Winnie figure out what really happened?
I always pick up the debut in a new series with hopes for a great read. I had more of a mixed reaction to this book. The plot was uneven, with what should have been sub-plots taking over for pages at a time and leaving me wondering when we’d get back to the mystery. The mystery was driven more by events than Winnie uncovering clues, but those events did draw me into the book, especially since I had come to care for the characters. I loved Winnie, Granny, and the rest of the cast. This was really driven home to me in the second half when an event made me gasp and read a little longer than I had intended that day. The timeline was fuzzy, which always bugs me. However, the book is set during the beginning of the Christmas season, and I loved how that season added to the coziness of the book. The four recipes at the end sound delicious, and yes, one of them is for cider. Julie Anne Lindsey also writes under the names Jacqueline Frost and Bree Baker, and I know she has a large fan base under all of those names. While I find this book uneven, I think this fantastic case of new characters will draw in many readers to this series.
I always pick up the debut in a new series with hopes for a great read. I had more of a mixed reaction to this book. The plot was uneven, with what should have been sub-plots taking over for pages at a time and leaving me wondering when we’d get back to the mystery. The mystery was driven more by events than Winnie uncovering clues, but those events did draw me into the book, especially since I had come to care for the characters. I loved Winnie, Granny, and the rest of the cast. This was really driven home to me in the second half when an event made me gasp and read a little longer than I had intended that day. The timeline was fuzzy, which always bugs me. However, the book is set during the beginning of the Christmas season, and I loved how that season added to the coziness of the book. The four recipes at the end sound delicious, and yes, one of them is for cider. Julie Anne Lindsey also writes under the names Jacqueline Frost and Bree Baker, and I know she has a large fan base under all of those names. While I find this book uneven, I think this fantastic case of new characters will draw in many readers to this series.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Murder in the City of Liberty (A Van Buren and DeLuca Mystery #2) in Books
Nov 4, 2019
Hamish DeLuca and Regina “Reggie” Van Buren have a new case—and this one brings the war in Europe dangerously close to home.
Determined to make a life for herself, Regina “Reggie” Van Buren bid goodbye to fine china and the man her parents expected her to marry and escaped to Boston. What she never expected to discover was that an unknown talent for sleuthing would develop into a business partnership with the handsome, yet shy, Hamish DeLuca.
Their latest case arrives when Errol Parker, the leading base stealer in the Boston farm leagues, hires Hamish and Reggie to investigate what the Boston police shove off as a series of harmless pranks. Errol believes these are hate crimes linked to the outbreak of war in Europe, and he’s afraid for his life. Hamish and Reggie quickly find themselves in the midst of an escalating series of crimes that seem to link Boston to Hamish’s hometown of Toronto.
When an act of violence hits too close to home, Hamish is driven to a decision that may sever him from Reggie forever . . . even more than her engagement to wealthy architect Vaughan Vanderlaan.
My Thoughts: I had a hard time starting into the book but as the reader gets further along in the storyline, it becomes a very interesting read. This is a second book in the series, and I do recommend to the readers that they read the first book "Murder at the Flamingo" to help get to know the main characters a little better. A murder mystery with a little romance as Hamish has to deal with his feelings toward Reggie, being friends and co-workers for two years. This novel takes place in the 1940's pre-war era, with the main character Hamish trying to get past his relationship with a shady cousin.
It was interesting to learn a little about Boston; especially the housing situation during that era. The writer has an enjoyable style of writing that brings the characters to life for the reader. This is a good book for those who love mysteries.
Determined to make a life for herself, Regina “Reggie” Van Buren bid goodbye to fine china and the man her parents expected her to marry and escaped to Boston. What she never expected to discover was that an unknown talent for sleuthing would develop into a business partnership with the handsome, yet shy, Hamish DeLuca.
Their latest case arrives when Errol Parker, the leading base stealer in the Boston farm leagues, hires Hamish and Reggie to investigate what the Boston police shove off as a series of harmless pranks. Errol believes these are hate crimes linked to the outbreak of war in Europe, and he’s afraid for his life. Hamish and Reggie quickly find themselves in the midst of an escalating series of crimes that seem to link Boston to Hamish’s hometown of Toronto.
When an act of violence hits too close to home, Hamish is driven to a decision that may sever him from Reggie forever . . . even more than her engagement to wealthy architect Vaughan Vanderlaan.
My Thoughts: I had a hard time starting into the book but as the reader gets further along in the storyline, it becomes a very interesting read. This is a second book in the series, and I do recommend to the readers that they read the first book "Murder at the Flamingo" to help get to know the main characters a little better. A murder mystery with a little romance as Hamish has to deal with his feelings toward Reggie, being friends and co-workers for two years. This novel takes place in the 1940's pre-war era, with the main character Hamish trying to get past his relationship with a shady cousin.
It was interesting to learn a little about Boston; especially the housing situation during that era. The writer has an enjoyable style of writing that brings the characters to life for the reader. This is a good book for those who love mysteries.