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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Deity in Books
Jul 1, 2021
The host of this book is Scott King, an online journalist that loves raking up old graves. 😀 He chooses a case and interviews six people, that tell the reader different perspectives of the same case. This time he investigates a very controversial celebrity, that died in the fire and was accused of many things, such as abuse against young girls. I love Scott King’s style, he does not judge, he shares the stories, allowing the reader to decide what they want to believe in. All the characters are pretty unexpected and very intriguing, I just love to see the story unravelling.
The narrative of this book is extremely addictive. Every perspective brings something different and new to the overall view of the case, that is why I simply could not put down this book. There are plenty of twists and turns and the whole story is shrouded in mystery and ghosts. For me, the story had some similarities to real celebrities and some of the allegations I have read in the past. The whole story sounds so realistic, that I actually wanted to google Zach Crystal in case he was real. 😀 The topics discussed in this book are child abuse, mental illness, wish to control, mystical creatures, fanaticism, religion, the life of rich and famous, family relations, and many more.
I loved the atmosphere of this novel, it is creepy and very intriguing. The writing style is impeccable as always. The chapters are pretty long, but they are so absorbing, that the pages just fly by. The ending of this novel was phenomenal, but I still have unanswered questions about the whole story… Even though this book is fifth in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. I can not wait for the next book, because this case was a really sensitive one, and I am very excited to see what Scott King will investigate next.
So, to conclude, this book has brilliant characters and a plot that always kept me guessing. I think this book was amazing, and I would recommend it to anyone. I hope you will like it as well. 🙂
The narrative of this book is extremely addictive. Every perspective brings something different and new to the overall view of the case, that is why I simply could not put down this book. There are plenty of twists and turns and the whole story is shrouded in mystery and ghosts. For me, the story had some similarities to real celebrities and some of the allegations I have read in the past. The whole story sounds so realistic, that I actually wanted to google Zach Crystal in case he was real. 😀 The topics discussed in this book are child abuse, mental illness, wish to control, mystical creatures, fanaticism, religion, the life of rich and famous, family relations, and many more.
I loved the atmosphere of this novel, it is creepy and very intriguing. The writing style is impeccable as always. The chapters are pretty long, but they are so absorbing, that the pages just fly by. The ending of this novel was phenomenal, but I still have unanswered questions about the whole story… Even though this book is fifth in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. I can not wait for the next book, because this case was a really sensitive one, and I am very excited to see what Scott King will investigate next.
So, to conclude, this book has brilliant characters and a plot that always kept me guessing. I think this book was amazing, and I would recommend it to anyone. I hope you will like it as well. 🙂
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Art of Hiding in Books
Sep 24, 2020
3.5 stars
The main character in this book was Nina, a mother of two boys and a wife of a wealthy businessman. After her husband’s unexpected death, she finds out, that she was living in a bubble, and her husband left them bankrupt. Kicked out of her beautiful home and with pennies in her pocket, she needs to find out the way to survive.
I really liked Nina as a protagonist in this novel. I really liked her strength and her relationship with her boys. She had huge changes to endure, but I think she handled the situation pretty great. This novel was mostly told from Nina’s perspective, sometimes throwing in other character’s thoughts. My least favourite was Nina’s older son, I do understand he is a teenage boy, but a little bit of understanding and common sense from his part would’ve saved Nina so much stress. :S But again, what do I know about kids.
The narrative of this book was very absorbing to me, I was very intrigued of where the life will take Nina and her boys. There was so much loss, that it was really heartbreaking to see them struggling so much. I really enjoyed the topics which author has discussed, such as family relationships; the differences between being poor and rich, and how it affects people; use of survival skills after they were subdued for a very long time, and many more. Even though the story was engrossing, some parts were pretty repetitive for me, and that made my interest drop until a turn or surprise came along.
This novel is very well written and the language used was very easy and pleasant to read. It has decent chapter length which was divided into smaller parts as well, so the book didn’t drag to me. The ending of this novel rounded this story pretty well and left me satisfied with the outcome. So, to conclude, I enjoyed this story, filled with life-changing events and pretty strong characters. I did admire Nina and her life journey, and I do recommend to give this book a try, it has great life lessons to offer.
The main character in this book was Nina, a mother of two boys and a wife of a wealthy businessman. After her husband’s unexpected death, she finds out, that she was living in a bubble, and her husband left them bankrupt. Kicked out of her beautiful home and with pennies in her pocket, she needs to find out the way to survive.
I really liked Nina as a protagonist in this novel. I really liked her strength and her relationship with her boys. She had huge changes to endure, but I think she handled the situation pretty great. This novel was mostly told from Nina’s perspective, sometimes throwing in other character’s thoughts. My least favourite was Nina’s older son, I do understand he is a teenage boy, but a little bit of understanding and common sense from his part would’ve saved Nina so much stress. :S But again, what do I know about kids.
The narrative of this book was very absorbing to me, I was very intrigued of where the life will take Nina and her boys. There was so much loss, that it was really heartbreaking to see them struggling so much. I really enjoyed the topics which author has discussed, such as family relationships; the differences between being poor and rich, and how it affects people; use of survival skills after they were subdued for a very long time, and many more. Even though the story was engrossing, some parts were pretty repetitive for me, and that made my interest drop until a turn or surprise came along.
This novel is very well written and the language used was very easy and pleasant to read. It has decent chapter length which was divided into smaller parts as well, so the book didn’t drag to me. The ending of this novel rounded this story pretty well and left me satisfied with the outcome. So, to conclude, I enjoyed this story, filled with life-changing events and pretty strong characters. I did admire Nina and her life journey, and I do recommend to give this book a try, it has great life lessons to offer.
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An heiress forced to choose a husband by her next birthday. A former selkie bent on revenge. Can...
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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Codename Villanelle (Killing Eve #1) in Books
Aug 3, 2020
<a href="https://amzn.to/2Wi7amb">Wishlist</a>; | <a
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3346735674">Codename Villanelle</a> - ★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3350743338">No Tomorrow</a> - To Be Read
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Book-Review-Banner-62.png"/>;
<b><i>Codename Villanelle is a book I listened to. I don’t often listen to audiobooks, but I wanted to read this book, and I didn’t own a physical copy.</i></b>
The reason I wanted to read this book is because I heard there is a TV series coming, featuring Sandra Oh from Grey’s Anatomy. I loved Sandra as Christina, and I knew I was going to love her as Eve. The TV Series is a hit, and I love it, but this is not why we’re here. We are here to talk about the books. On this occasion, the first book in the series.
<b><i>Villanelle is one of the world’s best assassins.</i></b>
She is a psychopath who loves her luxurious lifestyle and loves playing mind games. She is hired by a powerful group called the Twelve, and she is tasked to murder rich and influential people.
<b><i>Eve Polastri is a former MI6 operative.</i></b>
She is hired to find and capture or kill this assassin. Eve, who has a quiet life with her husband Nico and enjoys the peace, accepts the mission. However, little does she know, everything is about to change.
The chase is an exciting one and we never know what will happen next.
Honestly, I had troubles with the audiobook. The pronunciation of everything in Russian, French and Italian was a complete miss, and it annoyed me. Names, food, places, cities - it was all said incorrectly. I know for some people this is a minor issue. However, for me, it took away the joy throughout the whole book.
Apart from this, the first book of the series is a great introduction to both Eve and Villanelle. We find out more about their personalities and characters. We follow Villanelle in a few of her assassinations, and we follow Eve in some of her investigations. I think this book focused more on VIllanelle, featuring her childhood and training days as well. The presentation of their feelings and insights was immaculate. I loved their relationship forming, even without them meeting each other. There is tension, there are clues, and there is the play of destiny to always end up chasing each other.
<b><i>The writing was good and the pace was fast, which led to a very fast adventure. Also, the ending was intriguing, and it definitely leaves space for the second book to come in and explain a few things.</i></b>
I am looking forward to continuing this series and reading the second book - No Tomorrow. I recommend Codename Villanelle to everyone that loves action, assassination, murder, spy themes and psychological thrillers.
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3346735674">Codename Villanelle</a> - ★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3350743338">No Tomorrow</a> - To Be Read
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Book-Review-Banner-62.png"/>;
<b><i>Codename Villanelle is a book I listened to. I don’t often listen to audiobooks, but I wanted to read this book, and I didn’t own a physical copy.</i></b>
The reason I wanted to read this book is because I heard there is a TV series coming, featuring Sandra Oh from Grey’s Anatomy. I loved Sandra as Christina, and I knew I was going to love her as Eve. The TV Series is a hit, and I love it, but this is not why we’re here. We are here to talk about the books. On this occasion, the first book in the series.
<b><i>Villanelle is one of the world’s best assassins.</i></b>
She is a psychopath who loves her luxurious lifestyle and loves playing mind games. She is hired by a powerful group called the Twelve, and she is tasked to murder rich and influential people.
<b><i>Eve Polastri is a former MI6 operative.</i></b>
She is hired to find and capture or kill this assassin. Eve, who has a quiet life with her husband Nico and enjoys the peace, accepts the mission. However, little does she know, everything is about to change.
The chase is an exciting one and we never know what will happen next.
Honestly, I had troubles with the audiobook. The pronunciation of everything in Russian, French and Italian was a complete miss, and it annoyed me. Names, food, places, cities - it was all said incorrectly. I know for some people this is a minor issue. However, for me, it took away the joy throughout the whole book.
Apart from this, the first book of the series is a great introduction to both Eve and Villanelle. We find out more about their personalities and characters. We follow Villanelle in a few of her assassinations, and we follow Eve in some of her investigations. I think this book focused more on VIllanelle, featuring her childhood and training days as well. The presentation of their feelings and insights was immaculate. I loved their relationship forming, even without them meeting each other. There is tension, there are clues, and there is the play of destiny to always end up chasing each other.
<b><i>The writing was good and the pace was fast, which led to a very fast adventure. Also, the ending was intriguing, and it definitely leaves space for the second book to come in and explain a few things.</i></b>
I am looking forward to continuing this series and reading the second book - No Tomorrow. I recommend Codename Villanelle to everyone that loves action, assassination, murder, spy themes and psychological thrillers.
The Winter Mystery
10.0
Rate It
Book
THE WINTER MYSTERY by Faith Martin Discover a new series of whodunits by million-selling author...
Contemporary Fiction Crime Mystery Whodunit
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Let The Dead Keep Their Secrets in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Let The DEAD Keep Their Secrets by Rosemary Simpson brings to life New York City during the 1880s in a historical mystery. It is rich in the culture of the time with a riveting Colombo type crime. Readers know who has done it and seek clues with the characters to find the proof.
The plot opens with New York opera singer Claire Buchanan calling on the investigative services of Prudence MacKenzie and her partner, Geoffrey Hunter. Claire shows up at their door begging them to find out exactly how her twin sister, Catherine, and newborn daughter died, believing it was not from natural causes. Catherine’s husband, Aaron Sorenson, is a scoundrel and appears to be marrying women, getting them pregnant, and then having baby and mother die in childbirth. Prudence and Geoffrey find that childbirth can be dangerous to one’s health as they realize that Sorenson’s current wife may also be in danger. His motive, both the late wife and the current wife would inherit a substantial estate, which will go to him upon their death. Sorensen seems to always be in need of money to pay mounting gambling debts. As the tension mounts the investigative team is putting themselves at risk in attempting to expose the murder-for-inheritance scheme.
The author noted, “Catherine was emotionally abused. Women during that time period did not have much choice. In the Gilded Age in New York women were still property of their husbands. They were very limited to what their husbands wanted.”
One of the important clues is a photograph of the late mother and child. Simpson weaves into the story a Victorian Era custom, post-mortem photography. During these scenes readers learn of the spiritualists who believe “about the possibility of capturing an image of the soul leaving a body at the moment of death.” It was during this time that Claire senses something from her twin sister. The author commented, “During my research, I read how twins separated by birth and raised by different families still have the same likes and dislikes and can sense how each other feels.”
Through the characters people learn of the Gilded Age era, with a fascinating description of the homes, the period clothing, and the city of New York. Unlike many women of the time, Prudence is very unconventional, desiring to take the bar exam and become a litigator. For now, she is content to be an amateur sleuth to her partner, ex-Pinkerton agent Geoffrey Hunter, as she learns on the job. “I wrote Prudence being raised by a widowed father who looked at her as a replacement for a son. He did not make an exception for her being a girl and made sure she had a very well developed sharp legal mind. She is determined to make her own way even though she inherited wealth. I read that the Pinkerton Agency hired a lady detective during the Civil War and knew I wanted to make my heroine an investigator who is constantly challenged by Geoffrey.”
The hero and heroine also have flaws. The author uses events that happened during the Gilded Age paralleling them with what is happening today. Simpson explained, “Geoffrey has left his southern roots, abandoning his culture and family. He has a lot of contradictions. Prudence must struggle with her addiction to the drug laudanum. She was given it by her family doctor to help her cope with her father’s passing and then her fiancé’s death. She overcame the reliance on laudanum but not without a terrible struggle and the knowledge that she would never be entirely free of it. I parallel it with the opioid epidemic today. People became accidental addicts because they were given the drugs legally to cope with physical and emotional pain.”
The antagonist, Simpson has no redeeming qualities. He is a cold and calculating thief, a swindler, and bigamist who victimizes rich women. “I wanted to write an absolute villain. He is unscrupulous, uncaring with no conscience. He had every vile habit known. I do not write cozy mysteries, but historical noirs. My bad guys are really, really bad who cause awful things to happen.”
The author definitely had done her homework. “I want to feel I live in this world for awhile and to get the reader to feel that also. I read the New York Times Archives and fall into the rhythm of the language used, how they spoke, wrote and thought. It puts me in the mindset of the character I am writing about.” With her detailed descriptions and gripping story Simpson has also drawn the reader into the time period through an exciting and action-packed mystery.
The plot opens with New York opera singer Claire Buchanan calling on the investigative services of Prudence MacKenzie and her partner, Geoffrey Hunter. Claire shows up at their door begging them to find out exactly how her twin sister, Catherine, and newborn daughter died, believing it was not from natural causes. Catherine’s husband, Aaron Sorenson, is a scoundrel and appears to be marrying women, getting them pregnant, and then having baby and mother die in childbirth. Prudence and Geoffrey find that childbirth can be dangerous to one’s health as they realize that Sorenson’s current wife may also be in danger. His motive, both the late wife and the current wife would inherit a substantial estate, which will go to him upon their death. Sorensen seems to always be in need of money to pay mounting gambling debts. As the tension mounts the investigative team is putting themselves at risk in attempting to expose the murder-for-inheritance scheme.
The author noted, “Catherine was emotionally abused. Women during that time period did not have much choice. In the Gilded Age in New York women were still property of their husbands. They were very limited to what their husbands wanted.”
One of the important clues is a photograph of the late mother and child. Simpson weaves into the story a Victorian Era custom, post-mortem photography. During these scenes readers learn of the spiritualists who believe “about the possibility of capturing an image of the soul leaving a body at the moment of death.” It was during this time that Claire senses something from her twin sister. The author commented, “During my research, I read how twins separated by birth and raised by different families still have the same likes and dislikes and can sense how each other feels.”
Through the characters people learn of the Gilded Age era, with a fascinating description of the homes, the period clothing, and the city of New York. Unlike many women of the time, Prudence is very unconventional, desiring to take the bar exam and become a litigator. For now, she is content to be an amateur sleuth to her partner, ex-Pinkerton agent Geoffrey Hunter, as she learns on the job. “I wrote Prudence being raised by a widowed father who looked at her as a replacement for a son. He did not make an exception for her being a girl and made sure she had a very well developed sharp legal mind. She is determined to make her own way even though she inherited wealth. I read that the Pinkerton Agency hired a lady detective during the Civil War and knew I wanted to make my heroine an investigator who is constantly challenged by Geoffrey.”
The hero and heroine also have flaws. The author uses events that happened during the Gilded Age paralleling them with what is happening today. Simpson explained, “Geoffrey has left his southern roots, abandoning his culture and family. He has a lot of contradictions. Prudence must struggle with her addiction to the drug laudanum. She was given it by her family doctor to help her cope with her father’s passing and then her fiancé’s death. She overcame the reliance on laudanum but not without a terrible struggle and the knowledge that she would never be entirely free of it. I parallel it with the opioid epidemic today. People became accidental addicts because they were given the drugs legally to cope with physical and emotional pain.”
The antagonist, Simpson has no redeeming qualities. He is a cold and calculating thief, a swindler, and bigamist who victimizes rich women. “I wanted to write an absolute villain. He is unscrupulous, uncaring with no conscience. He had every vile habit known. I do not write cozy mysteries, but historical noirs. My bad guys are really, really bad who cause awful things to happen.”
The author definitely had done her homework. “I want to feel I live in this world for awhile and to get the reader to feel that also. I read the New York Times Archives and fall into the rhythm of the language used, how they spoke, wrote and thought. It puts me in the mindset of the character I am writing about.” With her detailed descriptions and gripping story Simpson has also drawn the reader into the time period through an exciting and action-packed mystery.