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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Shed No Tears in Books
Sep 23, 2020
The protagonist in this book is Cat Kinsella, and the story is told from her perspective. I really liked Cat in this novel, she is a strong, witty and very interesting character, who has quite a few secrets. The other characters chosen for this book are a different but interesting bunch as well because they all have something to offer to this story. I liked the way Cat was interacting with other people in this book, not only sharing the details from the investigation but her complicated personal life as well. I liked this balance. Due to the wide variety of people in this book, I did have to think sometimes, who is who, because there are many names to remember… 🙂
This book is police procedural, and Cat is sharing the details of her investigation. I really liked the way the victim’s (Holly Kemp) character uncovered during this investigation, every chapter brought something new and kept me longing to find out more. The topics discussed in this book are children in foster care, blackmail, couples and family relations, police work, etc. I found this book absorbing, but the narrative felt a little too slow, I would’ve liked a little more action. 😦 There are quite a few references from the previous books in the series, but as a first-time reader, I was able to understand what was going on. However, I would recommend reading the previous books first. If I read the books from the beginning, I think then I would’ve been able to understand and relate to the characters better.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this novel, the author has a sense of humour, and I really enjoyed her witty and sarcastic remarks during this book. 😀 The setting of this novel keeps changing, so the book doesn’t feel dull. The chapters have medium length, but the book was intriguing, so it did not drag for me. The ending was very unexpected and I really didn’t see it coming. 🙂
So, to conclude, it is a gripping police investigation, filled with a wide variety of different and absorbing characters as well as nicely balanced plot, where we have the chance to learn more about not only the investigative work but also about Cat and the people she loves.
This book is police procedural, and Cat is sharing the details of her investigation. I really liked the way the victim’s (Holly Kemp) character uncovered during this investigation, every chapter brought something new and kept me longing to find out more. The topics discussed in this book are children in foster care, blackmail, couples and family relations, police work, etc. I found this book absorbing, but the narrative felt a little too slow, I would’ve liked a little more action. 😦 There are quite a few references from the previous books in the series, but as a first-time reader, I was able to understand what was going on. However, I would recommend reading the previous books first. If I read the books from the beginning, I think then I would’ve been able to understand and relate to the characters better.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this novel, the author has a sense of humour, and I really enjoyed her witty and sarcastic remarks during this book. 😀 The setting of this novel keeps changing, so the book doesn’t feel dull. The chapters have medium length, but the book was intriguing, so it did not drag for me. The ending was very unexpected and I really didn’t see it coming. 🙂
So, to conclude, it is a gripping police investigation, filled with a wide variety of different and absorbing characters as well as nicely balanced plot, where we have the chance to learn more about not only the investigative work but also about Cat and the people she loves.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Long Call in Books
Sep 13, 2019
Well, this was an excellent police procedural; one of those mysteries that you get caught up in from the start. I'll be honest that I've never heard of Ann Cleeves or any of her previous series. That's clearly my loss, and I'm definitely interested in her other works now.
I won't go into too many details here and spoil the plot, but I'll say that this is a great read, filled with all the little details and nuances that you get from a strong writer. I was heartened from the beginning to find our protagonist, DI Venn, to be gay. You don't get a lot of that in the mystery world. His sexuality is a part of the book, but not the focus, and it was just really nice to read about a gay detective. Matthew is a fascinating character, who is grappling with facing members of the Barum Brethren, a religious sect that he grew up in, but of whom he is no longer a member. He is also a straight-laced policeman, and a strong leader who can admit his faults. It will be nice to follow him in a new series.
His team is interesting as well--quirky Jen and annoying Ross are the main two--and I hope they come along in the second book. Cleeves is quite adept at creating her characters, and all are easy to imagine. There's a wide cast of characters in this one, and plenty of suspects, but not so many as to get confused or lost. There's a main plotline (murdered man) and a secondary one--that may be related--and both are intriguing and keep you guessing. We learn things along with the team, as they investigate, which is always a favorite of mine. It's a small-town setting, and many folks are complicated, many have secrets, and it's difficult to work out which secret may have led to murder! (Though I'm proud that I had an inkling about some things!)
In the end, this was a really strong mystery. It quietly keeps you guessing and invested in the story. The characters are excellent, and I'm just so heartened to find a gay lead! It's thoughtful and smart, without any gimmicks. Definitely recommend. 4+ stars.
I won't go into too many details here and spoil the plot, but I'll say that this is a great read, filled with all the little details and nuances that you get from a strong writer. I was heartened from the beginning to find our protagonist, DI Venn, to be gay. You don't get a lot of that in the mystery world. His sexuality is a part of the book, but not the focus, and it was just really nice to read about a gay detective. Matthew is a fascinating character, who is grappling with facing members of the Barum Brethren, a religious sect that he grew up in, but of whom he is no longer a member. He is also a straight-laced policeman, and a strong leader who can admit his faults. It will be nice to follow him in a new series.
His team is interesting as well--quirky Jen and annoying Ross are the main two--and I hope they come along in the second book. Cleeves is quite adept at creating her characters, and all are easy to imagine. There's a wide cast of characters in this one, and plenty of suspects, but not so many as to get confused or lost. There's a main plotline (murdered man) and a secondary one--that may be related--and both are intriguing and keep you guessing. We learn things along with the team, as they investigate, which is always a favorite of mine. It's a small-town setting, and many folks are complicated, many have secrets, and it's difficult to work out which secret may have led to murder! (Though I'm proud that I had an inkling about some things!)
In the end, this was a really strong mystery. It quietly keeps you guessing and invested in the story. The characters are excellent, and I'm just so heartened to find a gay lead! It's thoughtful and smart, without any gimmicks. Definitely recommend. 4+ stars.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated I'm Travelling Alone in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I read this novel as my BookBum Club book for November! Check out this page to find out more about my very own Book Club!
I had heard so many great things about this novel from family and online, it’s got a great average rating on Goodreads, so I thought I was going to really love it, unfortunately it didn’t do much for me. For me, this was nothing more than your standard police procedural, a sub-genre in crime that I’m not a huge fan of.
What drew me to this one other than the recommendations was the title. I really like how striking and eerie it is! This, obviously, lead me to read the synopsis and I definitely thought the plot was a unique one in a genre that’s so heavily populated. The storyline, in the end, didn’t live completely up to my expectations, but it was a great twisty and turny story. I did have my suspicions about the killer from quite early on, which turned out to be correct, so for that reason I can’t personally see why so many people are stunned by the conclusion. However, I didn’t have any theory as to why the killer was doing what they were doing so it was interesting to find out!
I liked the characters in this one, but sometimes they felt a little clunky and unbelievable, which might be down to translation issues or regional differences… I mean, do Norwegian people really wink at each other during every conversation? There was a lot of winking going on!
Personally, I felt more connected to Holger Munch in this one than I did with Mia Kruger. I understood her position in life, but sometimes I was sick of hearing how sorry for herself she felt. I really do hate the cliche police officer in these kinds of books and she really fit the part perfectly.
The writing for this one was good, but like I said earlier, maybe some of the thrill of it was lost in translation because I never got that heart-racing feeling I usually do with books about catching a killer. Some of the nail-biting conversations happening felt rushed and all bunched together at the end of a chapter which, for me, ruined any kind of atmosphere it was meant to have.
I seem to be swimming in a sea of mediocre books at the moment, and it sucks! I wish I had liked this one way more… my dad and nan will be disappointed when they see my review.
I had heard so many great things about this novel from family and online, it’s got a great average rating on Goodreads, so I thought I was going to really love it, unfortunately it didn’t do much for me. For me, this was nothing more than your standard police procedural, a sub-genre in crime that I’m not a huge fan of.
What drew me to this one other than the recommendations was the title. I really like how striking and eerie it is! This, obviously, lead me to read the synopsis and I definitely thought the plot was a unique one in a genre that’s so heavily populated. The storyline, in the end, didn’t live completely up to my expectations, but it was a great twisty and turny story. I did have my suspicions about the killer from quite early on, which turned out to be correct, so for that reason I can’t personally see why so many people are stunned by the conclusion. However, I didn’t have any theory as to why the killer was doing what they were doing so it was interesting to find out!
I liked the characters in this one, but sometimes they felt a little clunky and unbelievable, which might be down to translation issues or regional differences… I mean, do Norwegian people really wink at each other during every conversation? There was a lot of winking going on!
Personally, I felt more connected to Holger Munch in this one than I did with Mia Kruger. I understood her position in life, but sometimes I was sick of hearing how sorry for herself she felt. I really do hate the cliche police officer in these kinds of books and she really fit the part perfectly.
The writing for this one was good, but like I said earlier, maybe some of the thrill of it was lost in translation because I never got that heart-racing feeling I usually do with books about catching a killer. Some of the nail-biting conversations happening felt rushed and all bunched together at the end of a chapter which, for me, ruined any kind of atmosphere it was meant to have.
I seem to be swimming in a sea of mediocre books at the moment, and it sucks! I wish I had liked this one way more… my dad and nan will be disappointed when they see my review.
Softer Than You Think
Utterly bonkers attempt at combining an apocalyptic thriller with gritty police procedural; the preposterousness of the plot combined with the fact that it always takes itself Very, Very Seriously results in what's essentially a hilarious unintentional comedy.
So, what's it about? Well, a pair of London coppers (cockney geezer and troubled waif) stumble upon a USB stick containing the government's advance planning for the end of the world, which is due in about five years. Quite what form this planning takes is a little unclear, as it neglects to mention just what form the apocalypse is going to take (which if nothing else allows the show a nice big revelation at the end of the season). Geezer and Waif must try to get the truth out there while fending off government agents who want them dead!
Except, it's not really about that: news of the impending catastrophe, whatever it is, lures various nutters out of the woodwork to start committing grisly murders, and - wouldn't you know it - whenever Geezer and Waif get a spare moment from being hunted by the government, they have to go around catching them By Any Means Necessary! (At one point Geezer contemplates waterboarding an innocent man who's not being cooperative enough.)
Except, it's not just about that, either, for Geezer and Waif have the most implausibly complicated back-stories known to man, involving an extramarital fling, a secure unit, an internal affairs investigation, the murder of Geezer's old partner, a secret deal, and Waif's homicidal grown-up son (who seems to be nearly as old as she is).
All of this stuff bangs together in the most grisly and unlikely fashion, with a general tone of overwrought existential misery (every one of the duo's cases either features a moment where they literally start beating each other up with collapsible truncheons, or one where they sit down together and wail 'What's the point of any of this? We're all going to be dead in five years anyway!').
The sheer ridiculousness of Hard Sun makes it quite watchable in a stick-it-on-in-the-background-while-you're-doing-something else kind of way; every time you find yourself saying 'This can't possibly get any sillier' the show comes right back and proves you wrong. The makers of the show are clearly hoping for a full five year run, counting down to the actual apocalypse itself, although clearly the format is in for a big retool somewhere along the line. Fingers crossed this finds the devoted global audience such a potential cult camp classic deserves.
So, what's it about? Well, a pair of London coppers (cockney geezer and troubled waif) stumble upon a USB stick containing the government's advance planning for the end of the world, which is due in about five years. Quite what form this planning takes is a little unclear, as it neglects to mention just what form the apocalypse is going to take (which if nothing else allows the show a nice big revelation at the end of the season). Geezer and Waif must try to get the truth out there while fending off government agents who want them dead!
Except, it's not really about that: news of the impending catastrophe, whatever it is, lures various nutters out of the woodwork to start committing grisly murders, and - wouldn't you know it - whenever Geezer and Waif get a spare moment from being hunted by the government, they have to go around catching them By Any Means Necessary! (At one point Geezer contemplates waterboarding an innocent man who's not being cooperative enough.)
Except, it's not just about that, either, for Geezer and Waif have the most implausibly complicated back-stories known to man, involving an extramarital fling, a secure unit, an internal affairs investigation, the murder of Geezer's old partner, a secret deal, and Waif's homicidal grown-up son (who seems to be nearly as old as she is).
All of this stuff bangs together in the most grisly and unlikely fashion, with a general tone of overwrought existential misery (every one of the duo's cases either features a moment where they literally start beating each other up with collapsible truncheons, or one where they sit down together and wail 'What's the point of any of this? We're all going to be dead in five years anyway!').
The sheer ridiculousness of Hard Sun makes it quite watchable in a stick-it-on-in-the-background-while-you're-doing-something else kind of way; every time you find yourself saying 'This can't possibly get any sillier' the show comes right back and proves you wrong. The makers of the show are clearly hoping for a full five year run, counting down to the actual apocalypse itself, although clearly the format is in for a big retool somewhere along the line. Fingers crossed this finds the devoted global audience such a potential cult camp classic deserves.
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Vanishing Season in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Ellery Hathaway is the only female police officer in Woodbury, Massachusetts. She's also the only one on the force who believes Woodbury has a serial killer--one who is picking off people every July. Ellery was once Abby Hathaway, who was kidnapped at fourteen in a very famous case: she was the seventeenth victim of serial killer Francis Coben. And the only one who lived. Now Ellery is convinced these people in Woodbury--who are going missing around her birthday--are tied to her own incident. So she calls the only person she can think of: Reed Markham, the FBI agent who rescued her from the Coben's closet all those years ago. But Reed is battling his own issues. While Ellery's case--and the subsequent book he wrote--made him famous, he's on forced leave after messing up an investigation, and his wife has kicked him out. His most famous moment revolves around Ellery, but did he truly save her? And now they both are about to be sucked back into the case.
Wow, what an excellent start to a series! I loved this book and was drawn immediately to Ellery ("Ellie") and Reed! They are a dynamic duo, with a truly complicated history, and this was a compelling page-turner from the beginning. Schaffhausen has an easy writing style that brings Ellie and Reed to life (along with Ellie's awesome hound dog "Bump"), and I sped through the book in a couple of hours.
"Ellie knew 'touched' could mean gifted or insane. Maybe she was both. But she wasn't wrong, and if anyone out there was ever going to believe her, it was Reed Markham. Because he'd been touched once too."
The story is a dynamic one, tying back to Ellie's original kidnapping, but working in present-day disappearances in the town where she's escaped. Ellie is desperately trying to start over: no one on her police force knows about her old life. (This is the one thing that seems a little crazy--how did that background check fly? And how does she get so far along in these new cases without spilling the beans?)
Still, I'm willing to overlook it, because this is a captivating dark read that keeps you guessing. I figured out a few things here and there, but it in no way diminished my interest. The dynamics between Ellie and Reed are sizzling, and the twists and turns exciting. I love a good mystery/police procedural, and this one did not disappoint. It's deep and creepy, with a powerful lead female character, and I cannot wait to read the next two books! (I finished this book three days ago, and I'm already in the middle of the third book, just to illustrate how much I enjoy this series!) 4 stars.
Wow, what an excellent start to a series! I loved this book and was drawn immediately to Ellery ("Ellie") and Reed! They are a dynamic duo, with a truly complicated history, and this was a compelling page-turner from the beginning. Schaffhausen has an easy writing style that brings Ellie and Reed to life (along with Ellie's awesome hound dog "Bump"), and I sped through the book in a couple of hours.
"Ellie knew 'touched' could mean gifted or insane. Maybe she was both. But she wasn't wrong, and if anyone out there was ever going to believe her, it was Reed Markham. Because he'd been touched once too."
The story is a dynamic one, tying back to Ellie's original kidnapping, but working in present-day disappearances in the town where she's escaped. Ellie is desperately trying to start over: no one on her police force knows about her old life. (This is the one thing that seems a little crazy--how did that background check fly? And how does she get so far along in these new cases without spilling the beans?)
Still, I'm willing to overlook it, because this is a captivating dark read that keeps you guessing. I figured out a few things here and there, but it in no way diminished my interest. The dynamics between Ellie and Reed are sizzling, and the twists and turns exciting. I love a good mystery/police procedural, and this one did not disappoint. It's deep and creepy, with a powerful lead female character, and I cannot wait to read the next two books! (I finished this book three days ago, and I'm already in the middle of the third book, just to illustrate how much I enjoy this series!) 4 stars.
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