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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated Echo Park (Harry Bosch, #12; Harry Bosch Universe, #15) in Books
Aug 2, 2020
Does the Confession Solve the Cold Case?
Since Harry Bosch joined the open unsolved squad of the LAPD, he has been actively working on one of his own unsolved cases, that of a young woman who vanished thirteen years earlier. He has a suspect, but it is just based on gut feeling. Then he gets a surprising call. A man who was recently arrested with dead bodies in his car has reached a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. He’s going to confess to several other crimes, including Bosch’s cold case. Is the confession credible?
I had missed Harry Bosch, so I was thrilled to be back in his presence when I picked up this book. He’s a fantastic character, and he comes to life once again in these pages. FBI agent Rachel Walling is also present, and I enjoyed their interactions. The rest of the characters, returning and new, are just as vivid. I knew to expect twists, but they still caught me off guard when I reached them. Yet each one was logical. This series has more sex, language, and violence than my normal cozies, but they are never gratuitously put into the book but used to tell the story. I definitely count myself among Michael Connelly’s fans, and I can’t wait until I find the time to visit Harry Bosch again.
I had missed Harry Bosch, so I was thrilled to be back in his presence when I picked up this book. He’s a fantastic character, and he comes to life once again in these pages. FBI agent Rachel Walling is also present, and I enjoyed their interactions. The rest of the characters, returning and new, are just as vivid. I knew to expect twists, but they still caught me off guard when I reached them. Yet each one was logical. This series has more sex, language, and violence than my normal cozies, but they are never gratuitously put into the book but used to tell the story. I definitely count myself among Michael Connelly’s fans, and I can’t wait until I find the time to visit Harry Bosch again.
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Unsolved Mysteries in TV
Jan 22, 2021 (Updated Jan 22, 2021)
It is a guilty secret of mine that when in the right mood I love to get a small fix of the unexplained or the macabre true crime documentary type thing. They tend to range from truly ridiculous to the mildly convincing, but tend not to have especially high production value. Netflix seem to know there is demand for it however, and every now and again there is a mini-series that can live in the same box as the more serious docs.
Making a Murderer was maybe the first to break through into the mainstream consciousness, some five years ago. I watched the first series of that with a morbid fascination, as did everyone else. The second season was interesting too, but lacked the cliffhanger drive of the first. Then there are three or four parters like the superlative Ted Bundy Tapes, which get to the point and don’t out stay their welcome. Unsolved Mysteries is sort of something in the middle.
The twist on this series is that these six stories are all active cases that remain unsolved by local police forces, and we are encouraged at the end of each one to call a hotline with any info that may lead to an arrest. This is a gimmick, of course, and I can’t imagine the calls and emails they have been getting! Those would make a better TV show than this actually is, for sure.
Each episode is an hour long, which in honesty is twice as long as it needs to be in half the cases. In fact, only two of the six captured my imagination enough to give me chills and want to know what happened. The other four were standard missing person stories that although “unsolved” were pretty mundane. As mundane as murder ever gets… which is a pitfall of watching this stuff… it all gets quite normalised and loses its power to disturb, as it should.
The first to interest me was the first up, the strange story of Rey Rivera, known as “the mystery on the rooftop”. The thing that got me was the hidden note taped to the back of his computer, that read like a coded message, and hinted at involvement with a secret society. That, combined with the fact that his fall to death was impossible, and that his boss put a gagging order on all his staff after the event. Whatever this guy had going on in his life it was weird! And his family knew not one thing about it…
The second was “House of Terror”, the story of a French aristocrat who secretly shot his entire family while they slept, carefully buried them under the back porch with immense care, left no other trace of evidence in the house, then disappeared forever into the mountains, seemingly creating a deliberate false trail on CCTV. What got me here was the calculation and calm of it all, combined with the mystery of not knowing his motive, other than the fact he may have been living a lie about how successful he was financially. Regardless, his actions were so cool and unpanicked, it was like watching something out of the Bourne Identity.
As I say, otherwise it is all pretty standard stuff, and nothing to write home about. But I will remember those two cases and be holding out for any new developments in them. I guess that’s all they want – enough intrigue to keep you hooked for more down the line. Of course, you are never quite sure how manipulative with the “truth” these things are? It seemed to be presented soberly and without a sensationalist angle, but you never know. Why do I watch them at all, that is the biggest mystery…
Making a Murderer was maybe the first to break through into the mainstream consciousness, some five years ago. I watched the first series of that with a morbid fascination, as did everyone else. The second season was interesting too, but lacked the cliffhanger drive of the first. Then there are three or four parters like the superlative Ted Bundy Tapes, which get to the point and don’t out stay their welcome. Unsolved Mysteries is sort of something in the middle.
The twist on this series is that these six stories are all active cases that remain unsolved by local police forces, and we are encouraged at the end of each one to call a hotline with any info that may lead to an arrest. This is a gimmick, of course, and I can’t imagine the calls and emails they have been getting! Those would make a better TV show than this actually is, for sure.
Each episode is an hour long, which in honesty is twice as long as it needs to be in half the cases. In fact, only two of the six captured my imagination enough to give me chills and want to know what happened. The other four were standard missing person stories that although “unsolved” were pretty mundane. As mundane as murder ever gets… which is a pitfall of watching this stuff… it all gets quite normalised and loses its power to disturb, as it should.
The first to interest me was the first up, the strange story of Rey Rivera, known as “the mystery on the rooftop”. The thing that got me was the hidden note taped to the back of his computer, that read like a coded message, and hinted at involvement with a secret society. That, combined with the fact that his fall to death was impossible, and that his boss put a gagging order on all his staff after the event. Whatever this guy had going on in his life it was weird! And his family knew not one thing about it…
The second was “House of Terror”, the story of a French aristocrat who secretly shot his entire family while they slept, carefully buried them under the back porch with immense care, left no other trace of evidence in the house, then disappeared forever into the mountains, seemingly creating a deliberate false trail on CCTV. What got me here was the calculation and calm of it all, combined with the mystery of not knowing his motive, other than the fact he may have been living a lie about how successful he was financially. Regardless, his actions were so cool and unpanicked, it was like watching something out of the Bourne Identity.
As I say, otherwise it is all pretty standard stuff, and nothing to write home about. But I will remember those two cases and be holding out for any new developments in them. I guess that’s all they want – enough intrigue to keep you hooked for more down the line. Of course, you are never quite sure how manipulative with the “truth” these things are? It seemed to be presented soberly and without a sensationalist angle, but you never know. Why do I watch them at all, that is the biggest mystery…
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated The Darkness in Books
Jun 5, 2019
The Darkness by Ragnar Jónasson is an exciting Icelandic crime story, that’s dark, moody and realistic in both setting and characterisation.
The moment Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir of the Reykjavik Police was rudely told to leave her job and take early retirement to make way for a younger replacement I knew I was going to love this book. From there on, I wanted her to succeed in anything she touched, if only to get her own back on her boss.
After negotiating whilst still in shock, the detective was told she could stay on, but only if she worked on one of the cold, unsolved cases during her final two weeks. The fact that her current cases and other work had already been distributed to other staff angered both me and Hulda!
Fortunately, Hulda kept her cool (much better than I did) and immediately decided which case to pick, since it was one she’d felt her colleague Alexander had never dealt with properly in the first place, but at the time she was not in the position to argue with him.
With two weeks in her position left she re-opened the cold case of the Russian girl and asylum seeker, Elena. eager to prove she didn’t kill herself by drowning but was murdered. And in the first 24 hours she knew more than what was put on Alexander’s original report. Go girl!
From here on, we follow Hulda’s investigation, in third person point of view, and we also hear the story of an unknown girl’s own narrative in first person.
Oh, how I loved Alexander’s reaction when he discovered Hulda looking into his closed case. If that’s not the sign of a guilty man then I don’t know what is! Brilliant!
In addition, when Hulda’s two weeks on the case were reduced to only one day by her angry boss, I raced through this book as if reading it faster would help her solve the case even quicker!
Hulda is one of my favourite ‘older’ characters, who has been through a lot, with secrets of her own, and I rooted for her throughout this story. She’s a courageous, hardworking and down-to-earth character who has faced a lot of prejudice during her career in the police force just for being a woman. The fact that Ragnar Jónasson has clearly emphasised this point right up to her last few days on the job, makes the sucker-punch of an ending even harder to deal with.
I loved every minute of this book, and even the sad, disappointing, yet shocking and annoying ending cannot sway me from awarding this book five stars. Confession Time; Want to know something else? I only picked this book up to have a brief look, with the thought of getting to it soon. But once I picked it up I couldn’t put the bloody thing back down again…
The moment Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir of the Reykjavik Police was rudely told to leave her job and take early retirement to make way for a younger replacement I knew I was going to love this book. From there on, I wanted her to succeed in anything she touched, if only to get her own back on her boss.
After negotiating whilst still in shock, the detective was told she could stay on, but only if she worked on one of the cold, unsolved cases during her final two weeks. The fact that her current cases and other work had already been distributed to other staff angered both me and Hulda!
Fortunately, Hulda kept her cool (much better than I did) and immediately decided which case to pick, since it was one she’d felt her colleague Alexander had never dealt with properly in the first place, but at the time she was not in the position to argue with him.
With two weeks in her position left she re-opened the cold case of the Russian girl and asylum seeker, Elena. eager to prove she didn’t kill herself by drowning but was murdered. And in the first 24 hours she knew more than what was put on Alexander’s original report. Go girl!
From here on, we follow Hulda’s investigation, in third person point of view, and we also hear the story of an unknown girl’s own narrative in first person.
Oh, how I loved Alexander’s reaction when he discovered Hulda looking into his closed case. If that’s not the sign of a guilty man then I don’t know what is! Brilliant!
In addition, when Hulda’s two weeks on the case were reduced to only one day by her angry boss, I raced through this book as if reading it faster would help her solve the case even quicker!
Hulda is one of my favourite ‘older’ characters, who has been through a lot, with secrets of her own, and I rooted for her throughout this story. She’s a courageous, hardworking and down-to-earth character who has faced a lot of prejudice during her career in the police force just for being a woman. The fact that Ragnar Jónasson has clearly emphasised this point right up to her last few days on the job, makes the sucker-punch of an ending even harder to deal with.
I loved every minute of this book, and even the sad, disappointing, yet shocking and annoying ending cannot sway me from awarding this book five stars. Confession Time; Want to know something else? I only picked this book up to have a brief look, with the thought of getting to it soon. But once I picked it up I couldn’t put the bloody thing back down again…
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated A Means to an End in Books
Sep 13, 2019
Cold Case Detective Lauren Riley is back on the job after being stabbed in the line of duty. She and her partner, Shane Reese, find themselves investigating a body dumped in the woods in the exact same site as a victim from one of Lauren's previous cases. She quickly recognizes the tie to David Spencer, a clever kid whom Lauren helped get off on a murder charge while she was working as a Private Investigator. Once he was acquitted, Lauren realized he was a cold-blooded psychopath, and she's been haunted by it (and him) ever since. Lauren is put on a Task Force investigating the killing--and the unsolved murders of two cops--but she quickly realizes she may be the only one who can stop David, for once and for all.
I really like the character of Lauren Riley--she's a tough yet vulnerable cop who knows her stuff, and I've been following her since the beginning of this series. This book tied up some things, but left others hanging, and I have to admit, I hope there is a book four out there? I also have to say, to prove my devotion to Lauren, my ARC copy had issues with the "f"s in the book (e.g. Sheriff = Sheri; office = offce; files = les, etc.) and none of the text messages were in there, and I still read it, because I needed to know what was happening to Lauren. A final copy will be fine--just pointing out how much I care about these characters!
We have a small cast here, but do get some new blood, mainly in the form of the task force gents. Two, of course, suspect Lauren for the cop killings that happened in the second novel, but one, Jack Nolan, seems to be a good guy. Poor Lauren, she can't catch a break. I would mention that this book will make more sense if you've read the first two. Redmond explains things, but the backstory is easier to comprehend (and those first two books are good). Still, don't let that scare you away from this one.
These cases are personal for Lauren, and I found some of this book stressful, as I care about her and Reese, and I was worried about them both! If you're less invested, you may not be as concerned. No matter what, it's an interesting book--we think we know our suspect (David), but we're never quite sure, and there's a lot of angst and intrigue in trying to track him down. I always enjoy how the city of Buffalo is almost another character in these books, and it's very clear that Redmond knows her police procedures.
"She'd been waging a one-person war against him, and she was losing. She had to take this further before anyone else got hurt."
Overall, I definitely recommend this one, especially if you've read the earlier books, enjoy a good police procedural, or are on the hunt for a strong female protagonist. Redmond's stories are always interesting and sure to suck you in. 4 stars.
I really like the character of Lauren Riley--she's a tough yet vulnerable cop who knows her stuff, and I've been following her since the beginning of this series. This book tied up some things, but left others hanging, and I have to admit, I hope there is a book four out there? I also have to say, to prove my devotion to Lauren, my ARC copy had issues with the "f"s in the book (e.g. Sheriff = Sheri; office = offce; files = les, etc.) and none of the text messages were in there, and I still read it, because I needed to know what was happening to Lauren. A final copy will be fine--just pointing out how much I care about these characters!
We have a small cast here, but do get some new blood, mainly in the form of the task force gents. Two, of course, suspect Lauren for the cop killings that happened in the second novel, but one, Jack Nolan, seems to be a good guy. Poor Lauren, she can't catch a break. I would mention that this book will make more sense if you've read the first two. Redmond explains things, but the backstory is easier to comprehend (and those first two books are good). Still, don't let that scare you away from this one.
These cases are personal for Lauren, and I found some of this book stressful, as I care about her and Reese, and I was worried about them both! If you're less invested, you may not be as concerned. No matter what, it's an interesting book--we think we know our suspect (David), but we're never quite sure, and there's a lot of angst and intrigue in trying to track him down. I always enjoy how the city of Buffalo is almost another character in these books, and it's very clear that Redmond knows her police procedures.
"She'd been waging a one-person war against him, and she was losing. She had to take this further before anyone else got hurt."
Overall, I definitely recommend this one, especially if you've read the earlier books, enjoy a good police procedural, or are on the hunt for a strong female protagonist. Redmond's stories are always interesting and sure to suck you in. 4 stars.
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Conversations With A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes in TV
Mar 3, 2020
The third of these was the most powerful for me. It was Confessions of a killer: the Ted Bundy tapes. I mean… I had no idea. His name was in my imagination somewhere as a candidate for pure evil, but I had no notion of the level of media hype and drama behind and before this. Which is why I recommend this absolutely comprehensive 4 part series as the best in this dubious category I have yet to see.
With the benefit of at least some hindsight, we can see in this case the epitome of such terms as “serial killer” and “sociopath”. Looking at it in pure terms of an idea worthy of dramatic exploration, then this is it! And, interestingly, to this date, besides the Zac Efron misfire, it is a story beyond worthy of correct telling, the basis of which should be the real footage. Because nothing is more bizarre than the real man and what he not only attempted to do, but actually did.
Take the basic idea that one individual is capable of murdering 30 plus women and girls over a period of two decades… then accept that he systematically went back to the corpses and committed acts of necropholia and decapitation without ever skipping a beat in what he perceived as his true persona as a competent lawyer in his own right, and you have the stuff of true nightmare. Add to that the fact that he escaped custody twice, and defended himself in court to such a charming extent that the judge himself admitted an affinity with him, and you have the recipe for something that transcends fact and becomes myth. Don’t believe me? Watch for yourself.
Do I agree with these cases being shown as entertainment? No, I don’t. Essentially. Because they are rarely told from the victim’s point of view. We have a fascination with an unsolved mystery and grim death that is undeniably curious. The cult of personality pervades, and we should be wary of why we get involved with this stuff. As addictive TV it is undeniably going to continue. Please be careful of the line between understanding and entertainment. God forbid I would give these shows a rating, as if it were a thing worthy of encouragement. It is the most undeniable yet horrific side effect of our media growth imaginable. Watch at your peril. But watch discerningly with interest.
With the benefit of at least some hindsight, we can see in this case the epitome of such terms as “serial killer” and “sociopath”. Looking at it in pure terms of an idea worthy of dramatic exploration, then this is it! And, interestingly, to this date, besides the Zac Efron misfire, it is a story beyond worthy of correct telling, the basis of which should be the real footage. Because nothing is more bizarre than the real man and what he not only attempted to do, but actually did.
Take the basic idea that one individual is capable of murdering 30 plus women and girls over a period of two decades… then accept that he systematically went back to the corpses and committed acts of necropholia and decapitation without ever skipping a beat in what he perceived as his true persona as a competent lawyer in his own right, and you have the stuff of true nightmare. Add to that the fact that he escaped custody twice, and defended himself in court to such a charming extent that the judge himself admitted an affinity with him, and you have the recipe for something that transcends fact and becomes myth. Don’t believe me? Watch for yourself.
Do I agree with these cases being shown as entertainment? No, I don’t. Essentially. Because they are rarely told from the victim’s point of view. We have a fascination with an unsolved mystery and grim death that is undeniably curious. The cult of personality pervades, and we should be wary of why we get involved with this stuff. As addictive TV it is undeniably going to continue. Please be careful of the line between understanding and entertainment. God forbid I would give these shows a rating, as if it were a thing worthy of encouragement. It is the most undeniable yet horrific side effect of our media growth imaginable. Watch at your peril. But watch discerningly with interest.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Bury Them Deep (Inspector McLean #10) in Books
Feb 16, 2020
Engrossing
I have said this before and I will say it again ... once more, this is a treat for crime fiction, with a hint of "other", lovers the world over ... Mr Oswald has provided yet another gripping story.
DCI Tony McLean is a Detective Chief Inspector and, as such, should not be on the front line of policing however, he just can't help himself particularly when a trusted colleague, Anya Renfrew, goes missing under suspicious circumstances. Is this connected to a massive multi-agency enquiry that is just about to get underway and which is so hush-hush, that most people involved don't know the full story? Was she just unfortunate to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or is this connected to numerous missing persons cases that have remained unsolved for many years? When it transpires why Anya was where she was when she disappeared and her address is not where she actually lives, the mystery deepens.
It's clear that Tony is at his happiest when in the thick of things rather than sitting at his desk reading reports and directing operations and this theme is strong throughout the book. Mr Oswald is able to effortlessly portray the enthusiasm and passion Tony has for investigating and solving the apparently unsolvable crimes whilst trying to appease the top brass and having a life outside of the Police. This ability brings Tony to life and makes him believable and "human".
It's not just Tony who is brought to life, this book is littered with excellent characters ... Grumpy Bob, Norman Bates, Gav, Bobby, Professor Harriet Turner, etc., etc., etc. Ex Detective Superintendent Grace Ramsey was a particular favourite of mine who is described as "a slim, middleaged woman in a severe dark suit with a face like licking piss off a nettle" ... that one line caused a laugh-out-loud moment and conjured up an image that has stuck with me and one that captures a few people I know!! I will definitely be using that one in the future 😎
The opening chapter had me hooked and wondering what the heck it would have to do with a crime in the 21st century however, the subtly of how this was woven and developed into the story was excellent and had me thinking that it isn't something that's beyond what is possible in these times unfortunately.
This is an engrossing read and one in which I was completely drawn into and enjoyed immensely from start to finish and, once again, I am thankful to Headline and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
DCI Tony McLean is a Detective Chief Inspector and, as such, should not be on the front line of policing however, he just can't help himself particularly when a trusted colleague, Anya Renfrew, goes missing under suspicious circumstances. Is this connected to a massive multi-agency enquiry that is just about to get underway and which is so hush-hush, that most people involved don't know the full story? Was she just unfortunate to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or is this connected to numerous missing persons cases that have remained unsolved for many years? When it transpires why Anya was where she was when she disappeared and her address is not where she actually lives, the mystery deepens.
It's clear that Tony is at his happiest when in the thick of things rather than sitting at his desk reading reports and directing operations and this theme is strong throughout the book. Mr Oswald is able to effortlessly portray the enthusiasm and passion Tony has for investigating and solving the apparently unsolvable crimes whilst trying to appease the top brass and having a life outside of the Police. This ability brings Tony to life and makes him believable and "human".
It's not just Tony who is brought to life, this book is littered with excellent characters ... Grumpy Bob, Norman Bates, Gav, Bobby, Professor Harriet Turner, etc., etc., etc. Ex Detective Superintendent Grace Ramsey was a particular favourite of mine who is described as "a slim, middleaged woman in a severe dark suit with a face like licking piss off a nettle" ... that one line caused a laugh-out-loud moment and conjured up an image that has stuck with me and one that captures a few people I know!! I will definitely be using that one in the future 😎
The opening chapter had me hooked and wondering what the heck it would have to do with a crime in the 21st century however, the subtly of how this was woven and developed into the story was excellent and had me thinking that it isn't something that's beyond what is possible in these times unfortunately.
This is an engrossing read and one in which I was completely drawn into and enjoyed immensely from start to finish and, once again, I am thankful to Headline and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated 36 Hours in Books
Feb 4, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
36 Hours by B. J. Woster is a thrilling crime book fro the reader who doesn't want to deal with all the legal stuff. Yes, readers follow the police search but the author has omitted writing a lengthy book about a trial.
Christian Price is a serial killer, though that is not his real name and no one has realized the deaths are all connected. Yet. Christian is not killing because he likes to kill, no, he does this because he feels he has to. In his opinion, many local police forces are incompetent or lack the drive to solve missing person cases and Christian has decided to motivate them. He does this by kidnapping a woman and called it into the police to find her within a limited amount of time or else she dies. The first one usually doses. He then continues this pattern with another woman, usually not going past three victims is one area, until the police are successful after which he moves to a different city. Things are a little bit different in Atlanta though.
Brooke Madison is terrified of parking garages, especially after her friend and co-worker Sandra McIntyre was abducted from the garage and later killed. Brooke and Sandra had both been taking self-defense classes together but it doesn't appear to help. Sadly Brooke discovers first hand how easy it was for Sandra to be abducted when it happens to her as well. Now she is trapped in a Wearhouse somewhere, the next in line in a series of experiments to jump-start the police’s interest again, Will they find her before the time is up or will Christian take yet another victim?
It would appear that the author did their homework because the book made sense. While I would have liked more details on a few things I prefer this approach compared to those who just guess and come up with situations that would never possibly work. In this case, I believe the author found a nice balance. Multiple time limits take place during this book and I was expecting just one well-detailed one. Also, the back of the book mentions how Christian suffered a tragedy that was unsolved by police and that is why he does this. The defining tragedy gets very little recognition when it is a big piece of backstory.
Young adults will enjoy this book the most. It has very little in the lines of gore or inappropriate content. Overall it is a nice mid-grade crime/mystery book. It is great for those that want a decent book without it being super long. I rate this book 2 out of 4. It was not what I was expecting. While it was a good read, the content spanned over a much longer time than what the book leads readers to believe. Also, the lack of diving into Christian’s backstory was disappointing at best.
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Christian Price is a serial killer, though that is not his real name and no one has realized the deaths are all connected. Yet. Christian is not killing because he likes to kill, no, he does this because he feels he has to. In his opinion, many local police forces are incompetent or lack the drive to solve missing person cases and Christian has decided to motivate them. He does this by kidnapping a woman and called it into the police to find her within a limited amount of time or else she dies. The first one usually doses. He then continues this pattern with another woman, usually not going past three victims is one area, until the police are successful after which he moves to a different city. Things are a little bit different in Atlanta though.
Brooke Madison is terrified of parking garages, especially after her friend and co-worker Sandra McIntyre was abducted from the garage and later killed. Brooke and Sandra had both been taking self-defense classes together but it doesn't appear to help. Sadly Brooke discovers first hand how easy it was for Sandra to be abducted when it happens to her as well. Now she is trapped in a Wearhouse somewhere, the next in line in a series of experiments to jump-start the police’s interest again, Will they find her before the time is up or will Christian take yet another victim?
It would appear that the author did their homework because the book made sense. While I would have liked more details on a few things I prefer this approach compared to those who just guess and come up with situations that would never possibly work. In this case, I believe the author found a nice balance. Multiple time limits take place during this book and I was expecting just one well-detailed one. Also, the back of the book mentions how Christian suffered a tragedy that was unsolved by police and that is why he does this. The defining tragedy gets very little recognition when it is a big piece of backstory.
Young adults will enjoy this book the most. It has very little in the lines of gore or inappropriate content. Overall it is a nice mid-grade crime/mystery book. It is great for those that want a decent book without it being super long. I rate this book 2 out of 4. It was not what I was expecting. While it was a good read, the content spanned over a much longer time than what the book leads readers to believe. Also, the lack of diving into Christian’s backstory was disappointing at best.
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Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated Ghost Stories (2018) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
For years, mankind has pondered over the existence of ghosts, demons and the paranormal. Many have claimed to have experienced it firsthand, while others dedicate their lives and careers to debunking those experiences. It seems to be a question that no one has been able to answer or prove one way or the other, and this fear of the unknown has been the basis of a number of popular horror stories.
Based on the stage play of the same name, ‘Ghost Stories’ follows skeptic Professor Phillip Goodman’s (Nyman) investigation of three unsolved cases, each one detailing a different haunting. After meeting with his idol and fellow skeptic Charles Cameron, and feeling deflated when he begins to question his lifelong skepticism, Goodman meets with former night watchman Tony Matthews (Whitehouse), teenager Simon Rifkind (Lawther), and businessman Mike Priddle (Freeman) to learn about their firsthand experiences with the supernatural. The film is split into three segments, allowing each character to explain their case through the use of flashbacks where we get to see exactly what happened to the characters.
Throughout these flashbacks, Nyman and Dyson have utilised a number of popular horror techniques that will make you jump out of your seat, or hide behind your hands. There’s a serious feeling of unease throughout the entire film, and you have no idea what’s going to happen next. Even as an avid fan of the genre, I found myself genuinely terrified during a large portion of the film. ‘Ghost Stories’ knows exactly how to pace a horror film, and how to leave an audience uncomfortable yet unable to look away from the screen. Whilst the jump scare is inevitable, the film doesn’t overuse these and instead finds ways to build tension and fear, which actually heightens the experience because you find yourself trying to predict when something’s going to pop out at you. It leaves you on edge for the entire ninety minutes, which in my mind, is exactly what a horror film should do.
The stories told by each of the men are gripping, and the actors all do exceptional jobs of portraying their characters. Each of the men interviewed by Goodman are very different in their class backgrounds, beliefs and personalities, but are united in their adamancy that they did experience hauntings and that they left them completely shaken up afterwards. This reinforces the idea that the supernatural can target anyone, and leave anyone feeling helpless. Particular praise has to be given to Alex Lawther; after seeing him in season 3 of ‘Black Mirror’ I had high hopes, and he delivered. He’s certainly one to watch and I look forward to seeing what he gets up to next.
‘Ghost Stories’ is incredibly British in nature, mixing the right amount of dry humour and satire into what is an utterly terrifying experience overall. Other critics have said it’s the best British horror film in years, and I couldn’t agree more. It’s an incredibly gripping story that has a lot of twists and turns, and tugs at all of your heartstrings. Alongside the characters, I went through a number of emotions and felt fully invested in their lives. These are all characters that feel familiar, they’re your average human, which throws realism into the mix. Being able to identify with characters in a horror film makes your fear 100 times worse.
This film is best experienced with as little context as possible, if you walk into it completely blind, I believe you’ll get maximum enjoyment out of it. The trailers have done a great job at keeping it as vague as possible, which was a bonus. There’s nothing worse than trailers giving everything away in a few seconds. ‘Ghost Stories’ does have a twist ending, but I thought this was done brilliantly and I personally was unable to predict it. Nyman and Dyson have put so much effort into crafting an intense, thrilling, mysterious story and it’s seriously paid off. I’m now hoping ‘Ghost Stories’ will be returning to the stage soon, because I’ll be first in line for a ticket!
https://jumpcutonline.co.uk/ghost-stories/
Based on the stage play of the same name, ‘Ghost Stories’ follows skeptic Professor Phillip Goodman’s (Nyman) investigation of three unsolved cases, each one detailing a different haunting. After meeting with his idol and fellow skeptic Charles Cameron, and feeling deflated when he begins to question his lifelong skepticism, Goodman meets with former night watchman Tony Matthews (Whitehouse), teenager Simon Rifkind (Lawther), and businessman Mike Priddle (Freeman) to learn about their firsthand experiences with the supernatural. The film is split into three segments, allowing each character to explain their case through the use of flashbacks where we get to see exactly what happened to the characters.
Throughout these flashbacks, Nyman and Dyson have utilised a number of popular horror techniques that will make you jump out of your seat, or hide behind your hands. There’s a serious feeling of unease throughout the entire film, and you have no idea what’s going to happen next. Even as an avid fan of the genre, I found myself genuinely terrified during a large portion of the film. ‘Ghost Stories’ knows exactly how to pace a horror film, and how to leave an audience uncomfortable yet unable to look away from the screen. Whilst the jump scare is inevitable, the film doesn’t overuse these and instead finds ways to build tension and fear, which actually heightens the experience because you find yourself trying to predict when something’s going to pop out at you. It leaves you on edge for the entire ninety minutes, which in my mind, is exactly what a horror film should do.
The stories told by each of the men are gripping, and the actors all do exceptional jobs of portraying their characters. Each of the men interviewed by Goodman are very different in their class backgrounds, beliefs and personalities, but are united in their adamancy that they did experience hauntings and that they left them completely shaken up afterwards. This reinforces the idea that the supernatural can target anyone, and leave anyone feeling helpless. Particular praise has to be given to Alex Lawther; after seeing him in season 3 of ‘Black Mirror’ I had high hopes, and he delivered. He’s certainly one to watch and I look forward to seeing what he gets up to next.
‘Ghost Stories’ is incredibly British in nature, mixing the right amount of dry humour and satire into what is an utterly terrifying experience overall. Other critics have said it’s the best British horror film in years, and I couldn’t agree more. It’s an incredibly gripping story that has a lot of twists and turns, and tugs at all of your heartstrings. Alongside the characters, I went through a number of emotions and felt fully invested in their lives. These are all characters that feel familiar, they’re your average human, which throws realism into the mix. Being able to identify with characters in a horror film makes your fear 100 times worse.
This film is best experienced with as little context as possible, if you walk into it completely blind, I believe you’ll get maximum enjoyment out of it. The trailers have done a great job at keeping it as vague as possible, which was a bonus. There’s nothing worse than trailers giving everything away in a few seconds. ‘Ghost Stories’ does have a twist ending, but I thought this was done brilliantly and I personally was unable to predict it. Nyman and Dyson have put so much effort into crafting an intense, thrilling, mysterious story and it’s seriously paid off. I’m now hoping ‘Ghost Stories’ will be returning to the stage soon, because I’ll be first in line for a ticket!
https://jumpcutonline.co.uk/ghost-stories/
