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Smashbomb (4683 KP) created a post in Smashbomb Council
Dec 3, 2020
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Little Grave (Detective Amanda Steele #1) in Books
Jan 17, 2021
I admit I don't read a lot of American crime; I've nothing against it but I just happen to prefer my crime books to be set in the UK however, this one caught my eye and I thought I'd have a bit of a change and, overall, I was very satisfied.
The blurb, as you can see, is a long one and sets the scene very well for this solid start to a new series.
Amanda is a complex character and was difficult to get to like at first but this was understandable given what she has experienced; she did grow on me at the end as she started to work through her grief and the true Amanda came out however, I admit to nearly giving up on her but glad I didn't.
As the blurb says, Amanda is investigating the murder of the man who killed her husband and daughter but can she be objective and why is she getting threatening phone calls telling her to back off? She doesn't of course, otherwise there wouldn't be a book, but this is not a straightforward murder and does it have anything to do with the murder of the man's business partner and an exotic dancer or is it just a coincidence? The closer Amanda gets to finding out, the closer she gets to discovering the answers are closer to home than she could ever imagined.
The plot was great, the pace was good and the characters were explored just enough to wet your appetite to want to get to know them more, particularly Trent, but what I felt was really well explored was the grieving process that Amanda was experiencing. I really got a sense of her total desolation and how little things triggered memories of her dead loved ones and how this impacted on her every waking minute because, let's face it, if you had lost your entire reason for being, I'm sure you'd be the same.
Like I said at the beginning, this is a solid start to a new series and I am looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Many thanks to Bookoutre and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased review.
The blurb, as you can see, is a long one and sets the scene very well for this solid start to a new series.
Amanda is a complex character and was difficult to get to like at first but this was understandable given what she has experienced; she did grow on me at the end as she started to work through her grief and the true Amanda came out however, I admit to nearly giving up on her but glad I didn't.
As the blurb says, Amanda is investigating the murder of the man who killed her husband and daughter but can she be objective and why is she getting threatening phone calls telling her to back off? She doesn't of course, otherwise there wouldn't be a book, but this is not a straightforward murder and does it have anything to do with the murder of the man's business partner and an exotic dancer or is it just a coincidence? The closer Amanda gets to finding out, the closer she gets to discovering the answers are closer to home than she could ever imagined.
The plot was great, the pace was good and the characters were explored just enough to wet your appetite to want to get to know them more, particularly Trent, but what I felt was really well explored was the grieving process that Amanda was experiencing. I really got a sense of her total desolation and how little things triggered memories of her dead loved ones and how this impacted on her every waking minute because, let's face it, if you had lost your entire reason for being, I'm sure you'd be the same.
Like I said at the beginning, this is a solid start to a new series and I am looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Many thanks to Bookoutre and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased review.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Batman Begins (2005) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
In the dark of night, a young man’s life is about to be forever changed. Young Bruce Wayne, son of wealthy industrialist Dr. Thomas Wayne (Linus Roache), is about to be orphaned in a random act of street violence.
The act will forever scar the younger Wayne, and will install and fuel a dark fire to stop crime and corruption wherever they may be. Fast forward years later and Bruce (Christian Bale), is interned in and Asian prison as a result of his desire to stop crime and an unfortunate series of events that made him flee Gotham City to find himself. Hope arrives one day in the form of a visitor named Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson), who arranges not only to free Bruce, but to train him for his destiny.
High atop a rocky, snow-covered peak, Bruce undergoes rigorous physical and mental training to hone his body and mind into the ultimate tool to combat crime. As time passes, Bruce eventually is ready to go out into the world. That is until an unexpected situation arises that forces him to decide which path he wishes to select.
The aftermath of this decision has Bruce returning home to Gotham City, where he is again under the care of the trusted family servant Alfred (Michael Caine), who informs him that crime and corruption is rampant in Gotham because the crime leader Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson), has many members of the police force and judicial system under his influence.
While touring his father’s company, Bruce meets Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), who makes all manners of high-end experimental military weaponry and armor available to Bruce. Inspired, Bruce begins to craft his alter ego Batman, and takes to the nights to disrupt Falcone and the criminal activities in Gotham.
Unknown to Bruce/Batman, an evil villain known as the Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy), is plotting to destroy Gotham, and with Batman being wanted by the police as a vigilante his attempts to cleanse the city are hindered as Bruce/Batman must fight a war on different fronts.
For most films this would be more than enough plot to carry a summer action film, but for Batman Begins, it is only the setup as the depth of the story is surpassed only by the depth of the intensity and emotion of the film as this is not Tim Burton or Joel Schumacher’s campy takes on the tale of the Dark Knight.
Director Christopher Nolan takes the gloves off and shows that his triumphant work in “Memento” was not a fluke. He has crafted a complex, dark, and emotional film that is more of a drama than a comic book caper. Bale does a masterful job portraying the angst and anger of his character without ever being hammy or over the top. He portrays Wayne as a very normal, yet disturbed soul, who clearly has a method to his madness and is not a shallow once dimensional character. When Bruce is not out fighting crime, he is not above cracking jokes, squiring the ladies about town, and spending time with long time friend (and the one who got away) Rachael Dawes (Katie Holmes).
The film takes many twists and never gets sappy as far too many comic based films do. In fact, the intensity of the film keeps going up until the town literally explodes into frenzy of violence and chaos. Parents should note that this Batman is a very intense film filled with dark images and as such may be too intense for younger viewers as this is a film that is aimed towards a more mature audience.
As I sat through the films nearly two and a half hour running time, I was captivated as the film holds your attention throughout, and is filled with great performances and action. The chase scene with the new Batmobile is one of the best car chase sequences in recent memory and the action scenes move with a crisp and steady pacing. Bale, as I mentioned, does great work, but so do Neeson, Caine and Gary Oldman in a supporting role as Police Officer Gordon. They take supporting characters and infuse them with a touch of humanity that enables them to come across as real people rather than the thin constructs that are far too often passed on as characters in films of this type.
The only real quibble I had with the film, and it is very minor, would be that Holmes was not given a chance to show more to her character other than the duality of the damsel in distress and the passionate Assistant D.A. Her scenes with Bale seem to lack the spark and chemistry of someone who is supposed to have been a close friend of Bruce since they were children.
That being said, the mature nature and gripping and deep storyline, as well as the standout performances and action, make this film a true classic and rivals “Spider-Man” as the best and most faithful adaptation of a comic book.
The act will forever scar the younger Wayne, and will install and fuel a dark fire to stop crime and corruption wherever they may be. Fast forward years later and Bruce (Christian Bale), is interned in and Asian prison as a result of his desire to stop crime and an unfortunate series of events that made him flee Gotham City to find himself. Hope arrives one day in the form of a visitor named Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson), who arranges not only to free Bruce, but to train him for his destiny.
High atop a rocky, snow-covered peak, Bruce undergoes rigorous physical and mental training to hone his body and mind into the ultimate tool to combat crime. As time passes, Bruce eventually is ready to go out into the world. That is until an unexpected situation arises that forces him to decide which path he wishes to select.
The aftermath of this decision has Bruce returning home to Gotham City, where he is again under the care of the trusted family servant Alfred (Michael Caine), who informs him that crime and corruption is rampant in Gotham because the crime leader Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson), has many members of the police force and judicial system under his influence.
While touring his father’s company, Bruce meets Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), who makes all manners of high-end experimental military weaponry and armor available to Bruce. Inspired, Bruce begins to craft his alter ego Batman, and takes to the nights to disrupt Falcone and the criminal activities in Gotham.
Unknown to Bruce/Batman, an evil villain known as the Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy), is plotting to destroy Gotham, and with Batman being wanted by the police as a vigilante his attempts to cleanse the city are hindered as Bruce/Batman must fight a war on different fronts.
For most films this would be more than enough plot to carry a summer action film, but for Batman Begins, it is only the setup as the depth of the story is surpassed only by the depth of the intensity and emotion of the film as this is not Tim Burton or Joel Schumacher’s campy takes on the tale of the Dark Knight.
Director Christopher Nolan takes the gloves off and shows that his triumphant work in “Memento” was not a fluke. He has crafted a complex, dark, and emotional film that is more of a drama than a comic book caper. Bale does a masterful job portraying the angst and anger of his character without ever being hammy or over the top. He portrays Wayne as a very normal, yet disturbed soul, who clearly has a method to his madness and is not a shallow once dimensional character. When Bruce is not out fighting crime, he is not above cracking jokes, squiring the ladies about town, and spending time with long time friend (and the one who got away) Rachael Dawes (Katie Holmes).
The film takes many twists and never gets sappy as far too many comic based films do. In fact, the intensity of the film keeps going up until the town literally explodes into frenzy of violence and chaos. Parents should note that this Batman is a very intense film filled with dark images and as such may be too intense for younger viewers as this is a film that is aimed towards a more mature audience.
As I sat through the films nearly two and a half hour running time, I was captivated as the film holds your attention throughout, and is filled with great performances and action. The chase scene with the new Batmobile is one of the best car chase sequences in recent memory and the action scenes move with a crisp and steady pacing. Bale, as I mentioned, does great work, but so do Neeson, Caine and Gary Oldman in a supporting role as Police Officer Gordon. They take supporting characters and infuse them with a touch of humanity that enables them to come across as real people rather than the thin constructs that are far too often passed on as characters in films of this type.
The only real quibble I had with the film, and it is very minor, would be that Holmes was not given a chance to show more to her character other than the duality of the damsel in distress and the passionate Assistant D.A. Her scenes with Bale seem to lack the spark and chemistry of someone who is supposed to have been a close friend of Bruce since they were children.
That being said, the mature nature and gripping and deep storyline, as well as the standout performances and action, make this film a true classic and rivals “Spider-Man” as the best and most faithful adaptation of a comic book.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Sinister (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Sinister is a movie that surprised me. I love scary movies, but most of the time it is the pure humor that I find in what people think is scary these days that makes me love them. I figured I would walk into this movie and leave in the same mood I always do. Laughing about how many people jumped in the theater because of what happened on screen. But, this time, I was one of those people. For the first time in over a decade I found a scary movie that downright creeped me out and made me jump. Not just once, more several times.
Sinister opens with old super-8 footage of a family of four being hung from a tree in a rather unique way. The movie is set in a small town in Pennsylvania where Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke; Training Day, Daybreakers) and his family (wife, daughter and son) are moving into a new house. Ellison is a true-crime writer, who hasn’t had a best-selling book in 10 years. His work in the true-crime field did not garner him any favor with the local law enforcement, and the Sheriff in particular would rather see him leave. Shortly, we realize that the house the Oswalt family has moved into the same house that the family in the opening scene lived in, this family is the basis for the book he is writing, and the house is also where they were murdered. This is unbeknownst to the family, except for Ellison himself.
Ellison finds a box in the addicts that is labeled home movies, and it contains several reels of super-8 footage. This footage helps him realize how and why the family from the opening scene were murdered, and their murders spanning from the late 60s to present day. Even more daunting, his discoveries as he moves forward in his investigation place his entire family in the path of a supernatural entity.
I am a firm believer that a film’s score can make or break a movie, despite how good the story is. Sinister did not fail in this department. With haunting melodies littered throughout the movie, and excellent timing by all punctuations, this film will definitely have you tense at exactly the right moments. The one bad thing I can say about this movie, and it was really more of a distraction than a bad thing, was Ethan Hawke’s voice. His voice seemed unnaturally deep compared to my experience with him in his previous roles, a thought which was echoed by many of my fellow critics in the theater. Overall, though, the movie was fantastic. With two interesting cameos in the movie, and a great little role for James Ransone (Inside Man, The Next Three Days), a relative known, and stellar acting from Ethan Hawke, this is a definite must see. Especially for date night, if you’re significant other is into scary movies that is.
Sinister opens with old super-8 footage of a family of four being hung from a tree in a rather unique way. The movie is set in a small town in Pennsylvania where Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke; Training Day, Daybreakers) and his family (wife, daughter and son) are moving into a new house. Ellison is a true-crime writer, who hasn’t had a best-selling book in 10 years. His work in the true-crime field did not garner him any favor with the local law enforcement, and the Sheriff in particular would rather see him leave. Shortly, we realize that the house the Oswalt family has moved into the same house that the family in the opening scene lived in, this family is the basis for the book he is writing, and the house is also where they were murdered. This is unbeknownst to the family, except for Ellison himself.
Ellison finds a box in the addicts that is labeled home movies, and it contains several reels of super-8 footage. This footage helps him realize how and why the family from the opening scene were murdered, and their murders spanning from the late 60s to present day. Even more daunting, his discoveries as he moves forward in his investigation place his entire family in the path of a supernatural entity.
I am a firm believer that a film’s score can make or break a movie, despite how good the story is. Sinister did not fail in this department. With haunting melodies littered throughout the movie, and excellent timing by all punctuations, this film will definitely have you tense at exactly the right moments. The one bad thing I can say about this movie, and it was really more of a distraction than a bad thing, was Ethan Hawke’s voice. His voice seemed unnaturally deep compared to my experience with him in his previous roles, a thought which was echoed by many of my fellow critics in the theater. Overall, though, the movie was fantastic. With two interesting cameos in the movie, and a great little role for James Ransone (Inside Man, The Next Three Days), a relative known, and stellar acting from Ethan Hawke, this is a definite must see. Especially for date night, if you’re significant other is into scary movies that is.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated Trust No One in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Jerry Grey is currently living in an elder care facility and suffering from Alzheimer's Disease, which would be bad enough except that he is convinced that he murdered a girl many years ago and is continually trying to confess to it. The problem with that though, is that he was a best-selling crime novelist and the murder to which he keeps confessing mirrors a plot point from one of his books, so no one believes him. Maybe they're right, and it's just the disease making him think that he did kill her, but evidence keeps appearing that makes him think that it's true, and that somehow he is continuing to commit murders. Or someone is trying to trick him into believing he is. Luckily, he had been keeping a journal of his life with Alzheimer's which should help to make sense of everything. Now if he could just remember where he put it. The first half of this book was perhaps a little light on suspense, and instead seemed to deal with the horror of Alzheimer's and dementia in and of themselves, which are quite frightening. Once the twists start coming however, things move at a breakneck pace, and there are plenty of surprising developments to be had. Aside from a few slightly weak moments, this is one hell of a story and a pretty great suspense yarn for the Halloween season.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Secret Admirer (Detective Natalie Ward Book 6) in Books
Apr 2, 2020
6th book in the series. Read the other 1st. Worth it.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
The Secret Admirer is the 6th book in Carol Wyer's Detective Natalie Ward series. I enjoyed books 1 - 4 and was surprised to learn I had missed the 5th, The Blossom Twins. I read it before beginning this and I am so glad I did.
Detective Natalie Ward is immediately thrust into a case after she returns to work. A student is found dead from an acid attack. As Ward has learned, everyone has secrets. Now, she has to uncover the secrets surrounding Gemma and her murder.
All of the books in the series focus on a crime and the police team's interactions with each other and with their home life. This book continues the storyline well. Ward's family, the team and their families continue to be a large presence in the story.
Often, I will say you could start the series with the current book but you would not understand the characters as well. This is true here but Wyer brings the characters to life in such a way it feels she is writing about real people. I strongly encourage you to read the whole series and start at the beginning. You will be in for a great read.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 4/2/2020.
The Secret Admirer is the 6th book in Carol Wyer's Detective Natalie Ward series. I enjoyed books 1 - 4 and was surprised to learn I had missed the 5th, The Blossom Twins. I read it before beginning this and I am so glad I did.
Detective Natalie Ward is immediately thrust into a case after she returns to work. A student is found dead from an acid attack. As Ward has learned, everyone has secrets. Now, she has to uncover the secrets surrounding Gemma and her murder.
All of the books in the series focus on a crime and the police team's interactions with each other and with their home life. This book continues the storyline well. Ward's family, the team and their families continue to be a large presence in the story.
Often, I will say you could start the series with the current book but you would not understand the characters as well. This is true here but Wyer brings the characters to life in such a way it feels she is writing about real people. I strongly encourage you to read the whole series and start at the beginning. You will be in for a great read.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 4/2/2020.
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated The Red Ribbon (True Colors #8) in Books
Feb 23, 2021
While this is not my first time reading a book by Pepper Basham it is one of my favorites! She combined two of my favorite things in one book (Mystery + Sweet Romance) and did it in a thoroughly enjoyable way. The True Colors crime series by Barbour has been one of my most looked forward to installments over this past year, each author bringing a different writing style and creativity to the table.
The Red Ribbon had great character build-ups, sweet moments, and mystery on every page. Ava and Jeremiah were an interesting couple that kept me engaged swept up in the story with them. The story itself was well written and a great mystery; I am glad Pepper Basham chose to write about this mystery as I had not heard of it before. I think because the story was based in her backyard that Pepper Basham was able to bring a lot of realism and vivid descriptions to town life, the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the character's actions. Fans of mysteries need to put this on their TBR pile as it will give them a very interesting story to read!
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the great characters, the intriguing mystery, and for the well-developed storyline that pulled me in and would not let go.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
The Red Ribbon had great character build-ups, sweet moments, and mystery on every page. Ava and Jeremiah were an interesting couple that kept me engaged swept up in the story with them. The story itself was well written and a great mystery; I am glad Pepper Basham chose to write about this mystery as I had not heard of it before. I think because the story was based in her backyard that Pepper Basham was able to bring a lot of realism and vivid descriptions to town life, the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the character's actions. Fans of mysteries need to put this on their TBR pile as it will give them a very interesting story to read!
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the great characters, the intriguing mystery, and for the well-developed storyline that pulled me in and would not let go.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Jean-Pierre Gorin recommended The Honeymoon Killers (1970) in Movies (curated)
Merissa (11805 KP) rated Tortured With Love The True Crime Romance of the Lonely Hearts Killers in Books
Sep 24, 2020
Tortured with Love is the sad yet horrible story of how a children's nurse gives up everything she has and becomes a killer, all for love.
Ray was married but his wife and children were in Spain. Martha was divorced with two children and felt old. Her life changed when her friend signed her up for a correspondence dating agency and Ray wrote to her. He was already scamming women at this point and Martha was next in line.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Martha Beck was an innocent. No, I think she knew perfectly well what she was doing. It's just her love and infatuation with Ray was too much and she would do anything for him.
I thoroughly enjoyed every word of this book. Written in such a way as to be educational and informative, it was such a gripping story I read it in one sitting. The thing I love about J.T. Hunter's books is he doesn't just go for the 'glory' story. Instead, every book I have read by him has been thoroughly researched, giving the reader more information about whichever subject he is talking about. This one is no different.
A fantastic True Crime read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Ray was married but his wife and children were in Spain. Martha was divorced with two children and felt old. Her life changed when her friend signed her up for a correspondence dating agency and Ray wrote to her. He was already scamming women at this point and Martha was next in line.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Martha Beck was an innocent. No, I think she knew perfectly well what she was doing. It's just her love and infatuation with Ray was too much and she would do anything for him.
I thoroughly enjoyed every word of this book. Written in such a way as to be educational and informative, it was such a gripping story I read it in one sitting. The thing I love about J.T. Hunter's books is he doesn't just go for the 'glory' story. Instead, every book I have read by him has been thoroughly researched, giving the reader more information about whichever subject he is talking about. This one is no different.
A fantastic True Crime read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Smashbomb (4683 KP) Dec 7, 2020
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) Dec 7, 2020