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Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
2017 | Drama, Mystery
Hard to see past the moustache
Nice-looking and competent new version of the Agatha Christie classic, made in the traditional all-star manner. A bit hard to be gripped by the actual murder-mystery plot, but maybe that's because the twist in this story is so famous it barely qualifies as such any more.

Often looks more like a commercial for a luxury railway touring holiday than an actual thriller, but I suppose the production values are part of the appeal of this sort of film. Ken Branagh is arguably just a little bit hammy as a version of Poirot who appears to have some form of ASD, but he has a certain moral authority. Probably won't rock your world but passes the time nicely enough.
  
The Accountant (2016)
The Accountant (2016)
2016 | Drama
9
7.5 (36 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Excellent subtle portrayal by Ben Affleck, autism played well (0 more)
Spoiler alert! Clunky plot twist, that's actually pretty obvious (0 more)
Autistic assassin, also an accountant
Contains spoilers, click to show
Excellent portrayal of autism, watch it a few times to pick up on it. A very good action adventure, fast paced, full of good scenes. A few clunky plot twists, but pretty obvious. Ben Affleck plays it well, either very well written or he researched autism, probably both. John Lithgow is great as usual. But as said clunky to bring the brothers together, as if the same contractor would coincidentally hire the same two estranged brothers, but it is obvious from early on. Yes an excellent action autistic assassination adventure, gets top marks for assonance. I highly recommend it.
  
40x40

Dean (6927 KP) rated Sharp Objects in TV

Aug 29, 2018  
Sharp Objects
Sharp Objects
2018 | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Amy Adams (0 more)
A great slow burner...
... But a shame about the ending! I did really enjoy this drama series. It has a great cast, cinematography and a gripping raw, brutal and haunting storyline. It's a very classy production. Definitely one that centres on character study, the murder mystery side almost taking a back seat. The only reason I can't give it a 9 or 10 the ending and final episode felt kinda rushed with a lot of unanswered questions. A twist that came out of nowhere. You have to watch until the end of the credits for a very quick summing up scene. After the pace of the first 7 episodes it was a slightly disappointing end to a great series.
  
HT
House. Tree. Person.
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I eagerly recommend Catriona McPherson’s “House. Tree. Person.” as an intriguing 4 star read.
                        
I do enjoy reading Catriona McPherson’s books based in the Galloway region and enjoy following the characters journey’s between the towns that my family spoke of during my childhood.

This book is a good paced thriller filled with so much suspense you just don’t know what the twist is until the very end (or at least I didn’t).

This book was an easy, yet engrossing, read and had me hooked early on. The author tells the backstory at the perfect pace to ensure the reader turns page after page.

Thanks to Catriona McPherson, Midnight Ink and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this engrossing suspense novel.
  
Origin
Origin
Dan Brown | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.3 (21 Ratings)
Book Rating
Learning new things (1 more)
Puzzles
Anti-climactic reveal (1 more)
Kinda lame
Same book, different name
I didn't hate it. The big reveal was a huge letdown for me, and IMHO, would not have caused a huge crisis for religious leaders. The killer was fairly obvious to me, also. That was super disappointing for me because I love a good twist, but this one didn't have it. Also, the whole mess with the royal family (aside from the touching scene at the end with the bishop) seemed kind of messy and superfluous.
Honestly, I haven't loved these last 2 Dan Brown books. The trivia and puzzles are great, and I love "accidentally" learning new things, but perhaps the same old, same old formula is wearing on me.
  
The 'Burbs (1989)
The 'Burbs (1989)
1989 | Comedy, Mystery, Thriller
7
7.4 (25 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Rather tense at times for a horror comedy. (4 more)
The three main characters.
Corey Feldman gives one of his better performances.
The villains are surprisingly creepy.
The ending.
Pretty crazy 80s comedy/horror about neighbor paranoia with a young Tom Hanks, Carrie Fisher, and Corey Feldman. That sounds like a recipe for success to me. This typical film usually involves kids or teens investigating due to paranoia, but here we have adults which adds a level of comedy to it in itself. Love how the ending pulls a twist and then twists back. As a first time viewer you have no fucking clue until the credits roll. And all he wanted to do was enjoy his vacation by relaxing at home. I can relate.
  
She Was The Quiet One
She Was The Quiet One
Michele Campbell | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
8
7.6 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
I really like a psychological thriller. And I am drawn to books like this. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The pace is just perfect and it holds your attention throughout. I loved most of the characters, although I felt at times that the wife's personality was a bit clouded - she seems like she should be an intelligent women, but then there are moments where that seems to fail her. I was very surprised at the end when it turns out that Heath was actually seeing more than one pupil - that I did not expect and loved that little twist. There were points when I actually wasn't sure who killed the sister - Cody, Heath, Mrs Darcy, the list goes on.
  
Pretty much the very definition of pulp fiction, this is the kind of story that you tend to forget as soon as you've read it! While also never confirmed within this (or, to the best of my knowledge, in any of the Hawk and Fisher books prior to 'Beyond the Blue Moon'), there are also some very broad hints dropped that these two characters are the same protaganists as in Simon Green's 'Blue Moon Rising' novel.

Essentially, these novels are crime novels with a magical twist - personally, I find done so much better by Terry Pratchett's Discworld series of books featuring the City Watch. That's not to say these should be avoided: just don't go in with too high an expectation and you won't be disappointed!
  
Genuine Fraud
Genuine Fraud
E. Lockhart | 2018 | Mystery, Young Adult (YA)
7
6.0 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
Okay twist (0 more)
Felt rushed (0 more)
Quick to read
I read this on holiday, in two sittings. Only because I had to get up from my first sitting to get a drink before burning up.

I felt that this was one of those YA novels that is very typical. We have the main character, someone who wants everything they can't have. We have the boyfriend of the friend, who she wants and who wants her, but neither can have.

But then, then we have the dead girl.

I don't know how I truly felt about this one, it definitely plays with your mind. It's a good start to psychological thrillers if that's a genre you want to explore more, but for me, it felt like a meh book.
  
Shattered Bonds (Jane Yellowrock #13)
Shattered Bonds (Jane Yellowrock #13)
Faith Hunter | 2019 | Horror, Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Characters (1 more)
Writing
very graphic descriptions (0 more)
So glad this book was published! I had thought Dark Queen was the last book but I'm so ecstatic to realize that I was wrong. I really admire authors whose characters can learn to change even if they have to take a few steps back they can still go forward and not start from scratch at each book. Jane definitely does this slowly and not always the best at it but she does. Faith Hunter does a fantastic job at continuity and, yes you HAVE to read the previous books because she interweaves important things from previous books into the narrative. And the twist I didn't see that coming. I can't wait for the next book.