Ben Packard is back ! A very close second to my favorite detective ever - Vera of course - and now he is digging for more information about the disappBen Packard is back ! A very close second to my favorite detective ever - Vera of course - and now he is digging for more information about the disappearance of his beloved brother. And he does this while also reviewing a botched murder investigation. It must be said that he has some time on his hands as he is being put on non-active during an internal affairs investigation about a courthouse shooting. Never a dull moment in Packard's life.
I thoroughly enjoyed the glimpses into Ben's childhood and the life of his brother and his friends and I feel a bit sad that this part will probably closed off in the next installments. But I do hope that his mother will be more involved in her son's life, as she really is hilarious.
The only thing that I felt was superfluous was the explanation of the main storyline crime. I don't like it when authors think their readers can't connect the dots themselves. The crime was quite simple and logical and when it came to and end, no further explanation was needed. But then again, those few pages didn't take away any of the enjoyment I had from the rest of the story.
Now of course, a small town like Sandy Lake could ever have only one villain like Emmett Burr (and I would absolutely recommend reading And There He Kept Her first), and so I am curious to see if Packard will stay there to deal with small criminal crooks, or if he will be moving to another setting to meet another psycho like Burr. I just can't wait to read the next installment.
A very heartfelt thank you from the bottom of my heart to NetGalley, Poisoned Penn Press and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review....more
Hauntingly beautiful, mesmerizing, harrowing and poetic. This is undoubtedly one of my favorite reads this year!
Where the storyline is relatively s Hauntingly beautiful, mesmerizing, harrowing and poetic. This is undoubtedly one of my favorite reads this year!
Where the storyline is relatively simple (young couple buys a fixer-upper that turns out to be a money pit), the undercurrents that flow through the book is pulling the reader in different directions. Is it the buildup to domestic abuse? Is it about a young woman who is slowly descending into madness? Are the neighbors just plain sociopaths, or is her husband a murderer? There are many interpretation possible, and none lead to the seemingly happy ending that is proposed by the author. What really happend is left to the imagination of the reader, and I must have a twisted mind, because I've rarely felt so uneasy and fearful by a fictional story. At a certain moment (right after the "accident"), I even had to stop reading to collect my thoughts, but I was strangely pulled back to the unusual, addictive prose.
And talking about the prose: yes it is unusual. The way we read Jemma's thoughts can feel irritating at first, but I quickly got used to it and it absolutely adds another layer of strangeness to this already nightmarish narrative. And at the same time it is poetic, lyrical, just perfect to render the bleak atmosphere of the Black Country setting and the uncanny cast of characters.
I can only strongly recommend this book, which is an absolute gem. Bravo !
My heartfelt thanks to NetGalley, Salt Publishing and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review....more
My first introduction in the serial killer genre was a short story in one of my mother's French women's magazines. The killer was active during full mMy first introduction in the serial killer genre was a short story in one of my mother's French women's magazines. The killer was active during full moon nights and he was following a strict geographical pattern in the streets of Paris. It wasn't that difficult for the handsome policeman to snare a trap knowing exactly where and when the perpetrator would strike again. And while my 14 year old self might have been in awe at the ingenuity of the police and the strangeness of the killer, 40 years later I would expect more from a detective story but I feel that Death Rites is still in in that rather predictable lane.
The (many!) characters are all flawed and unlikable, but especially Carla - our heroin. She is like that new colleague who knows it all because everything at the previous job was so much better. She has just arrived in the charming town of Jericho and as an archaeologist she manages to step on everyone's toes without ever taking a shovel in her hands.
At the end of the day, this book just wasn't what I had expected.
Thank you NetGalley, Canelo Crime and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review....more
The opening of the book is just perfect, it is setting the scene for the two main characters - Percy and Johnny - both from upper class New York in thThe opening of the book is just perfect, it is setting the scene for the two main characters - Percy and Johnny - both from upper class New York in the seventies. Then they arrive at Rhinebeck, their childhood home and unfortunately that is where the story becomes very slow. At first I was also apprehensive that it would become a boys will be boys story, but luckily it then takes a rather unexpected turn when the gothic influence kicks in.
Despite this improvement, I felt that the book dragged a bit too much emphasizing the family relationships, the dinners and drinks, creating a lack of focus on the murder mystery itself. It would have benefited from some good editing and reducing the number of pages from a 500+ to a mere 300+
So all in all, an enjoyable story but too long to my liking.
A sincere thank you to NetGalley, Smith-Obolensky Media and the author for a copy in exchange for an honest review....more
A puzzling and atmospheric whodunnit set in a secluded coastal resort village during the Golden Age? Well count me in Sherlock !
First let me disclos A puzzling and atmospheric whodunnit set in a secluded coastal resort village during the Golden Age? Well count me in Sherlock !
First let me disclose that I didn't read the previous installments (shame on me !), but that didn't deter from thoroughly enjoying this finely crafted mystery. The characters are very well depicted, and the scene is masterfully set for a series of unfortunate events unfolding in a elegant manner - almost too close to the cozy genre for my taste. If I should find any fault, it is that the twist and turns seemed just a bit too constructed for the enjoyment of the reader, instead of being logically fit into the storyline. This was also confirmed at the end where you can find a list of hints and tips to find solve the mystery called "the Cluefinder". It is very tongue in cheek, and just good fun but I feel it isn't beneficial to the book as a whole.
So yes, it is absolutely very atmospheric, but it lacked a bit of intrigue for my taste.
A heartfelt thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Head of Zeus and Aries Book and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review....more
Kilkenny, an FBI analyst and Raisa, a forensic linguist are on a case involving a serial killer who is already in jail, waiting for his execution. Ki Kilkenny, an FBI analyst and Raisa, a forensic linguist are on a case involving a serial killer who is already in jail, waiting for his execution. Kilkenny's wife, Shay, had been dragged into the crosshairs of the killer, and the story is written from her point of view and that of Raisa's in two different timelines. I found that this worked very well, as it added an element of suspense and intrigue as we get to know all the individuals that Shay interacted with. And having not read the first installment, it also gave me a bit of backstory.
The author manages to give a new twisty spin on the old serial killer genre, but that comes with a price. The story is very engaging at first, but halfway it spirals into a convoluted web of personal relations and assumptions and guesses that are just too far fetched to be believable. At the end, everything is nicely explained and (too) wrapped up, but it just left me indifferent, as it just didn't add up. Also, for a book that is about a linguist, I expected a higher quality of writing.
All in all, it is an engaging and easy read even without having read the first book, and I really enjoyed the family dynamics of Shay. But as that part is wrapped up I don't think I would read the next installment as I didn't care very much about the Raisa and Kilkenny storyline.
Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review....more
I love the writing style of Janice Hallett. She has changed the epistolary genre and brought it to a exciting, modern format which works wonders for I love the writing style of Janice Hallett. She has changed the epistolary genre and brought it to a exciting, modern format which works wonders for this story. I won't go into details, as you have to go in blind to fully appreciate this story. However, I can say that it starts with the chats of a very divers group of art students who have enrolled in a new MA. The ambition is to bridge the world of arts and creativity with that of corporate image. And if I have one criticism, it is that the first quarter of the book reads like the internal notes of a project team - which it is of course - but for me personally it was too close to home. It made me feel like I was involved in yet another project at work in which I needed to be invested, which is also a compliment for the author for succeeding in making me feel this way.
But don't be fooled, because the story takes a few very sharp turns and becomes something else completely! People are everything but who they say they are, and almost everyone is fooled - including the reader.
I will never tire of Mrs. Hallett writing, and I will happily devour every book she writes. Hopefully, we won't have to wait too long for the next one.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback. ...more
Tony Thorne is a small town sergeant with a mundane day to day job, as nothing important happens in the close knit community of Wymere. When he was a Tony Thorne is a small town sergeant with a mundane day to day job, as nothing important happens in the close knit community of Wymere. When he was a young man however, his sweetheart Sophie Rose disappeared one evening and he was the last one to be seen with her. All the sad memories come back to him and the rest of the town, when a young kid disappears during the annual fete. This act opens up old wounds and there is a sense of urgency to find the child in the dark, cursed woods.
The first part is what gripped me. Two disappearances - 18 years apart -there needs to be a connection, and it is up to Thorne to solve the current case and prove his innocence in the first one. And I think that would have been a splendid book. But unfortunately, in the second half the book turns to the gore horror genre, with a trip into zombieland and not in a good way I'm afraid. I feel that it was superfluous and that the book would have benefited from keeping with the first storyline only. I usually like a good horror story, but I think I was taken aback as it wasn't what I expected after reading the first part.
I would recommend this book to readers who like unforeseen plot twists with a taste of gory horror.
Thank you Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review....more
I picked up this book just because I lived many years in Brussels, not very far from the actual Place Brugmann and I was interested in reading about I picked up this book just because I lived many years in Brussels, not very far from the actual Place Brugmann and I was interested in reading about the people who lived there just a 40-something years before me, during the most horrible time of our modern history. I went in with low expectations, curious about how the author would capture our very complicated capital where language and cultures have been colliding for centuries, but which also proved to be a breeding ground for great artists with a penchant for the whimsical, the fantastic, the absurd. And I must say that the author has succeeded brilliantly in capturing this multi-leveled dichotomy that forms the small, strange country I live in.
Then the book took my by surprise to another personal level, as two of my aunts were in the Resistance, brave woman like Masha, who were mere links in a long chain set up to send messages and soldiers over the enemy lines; my grandfather being arrested and questioned about the whereabouts of his daughters. It made my family stories told to me when I was still a child come to life through lifelike and endearing characters like François and Charlotte.
The inhabitants of the building form a microcosm of all the people that still live here today. We all know the gossiping old hag, the seemingly innocuous but heroic father, the easily triggered young bloods, and the artists whose insights and search for beauty and form will always capture the best of the human condition even during the most horrifying moments in time. Also, it is a stark reminder of how fragile civilization is, and how quickly humans can evolve from merely enjoying life to commit unspeakable acts to just survive or protect their loved ones.
I feel the author has delivered a tour de force on all levels: the captivating storytelling, the layered compassionate and horrible characters, the complicated backgrounds and the inclusion of surrealism and magical-realism that very much define that particular time. Place Brugmann will be a book that will linger for a long time, its characters too lifelike to be quickly forgotten.
A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley, Grove Atlantic and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Inspired by a short story in You Like It Darker, I returned to an old companion from my youth. It was very interesting to re-read this short story wriInspired by a short story in You Like It Darker, I returned to an old companion from my youth. It was very interesting to re-read this short story written in 1919, but yet feels very contemporary. The eerie atmosphere combined with a hint of sci-fi still feels very modern, even more than a century later. I see how this has inspired the short story "The Dreamers" and I would recommend to read it after the story by Stephen King....more
My absolute favorite of this collection is "Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream". I was really glad that it was longer - almost a novella - as I relished everyMy absolute favorite of this collection is "Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream". I was really glad that it was longer - almost a novella - as I relished every sentence of it. The plot was so well crafted, I went to sleep thinking about it and explaining it to my husband - which is always the sign of a good plot !
I also liked the eerie atmosphere of the shorter stories, not necessarily dark per se, until you let it sink in and realize how dark they truly are.
The only reason I choose to give 4 stars is because I wasn't enthralled by "Rattlesnakes". I liked the flashbacks to Cujo and the references to Duma Key, but I didn't like the storytelling of the two little boys, which seems repetitive to the point of annoyance and I must admit that I skipped a few pages there.
But all in all it is an excellent book, and certainly the perfect summer read !
I was directly charmed by the introduction, where Milne describes his ground rules for a good mystery. I Well by Jove, what an amusing read this was !
I was directly charmed by the introduction, where Milne describes his ground rules for a good mystery. I couldn't have agreed more. No focus on romance, a preference for an amateur detective over a professional police investigator and giving the detective no more knowledge than the average reader. I loved the man immediately.
Then the proper book starts and it is very clever and witty, with little hints towards the self-declared rules. If I would have to define one fault, it would be that the second half stalled a bit, but then towards the ends the pace picks up again and it delivers a very satisfying resolution. I would absolutely recommend it to readers who like a good locked room mystery, set in a grand house in the 1920's.
Thank you NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the opportunity to read this little gem....more
Kate is back on a case with her trusted partner Tristan, to try to solve a cold case which may be linked to her nemesis Peter ConWhat a thrill ride !
Kate is back on a case with her trusted partner Tristan, to try to solve a cold case which may be linked to her nemesis Peter Conway. The case develops into a chase for the killer and I kept being wrong footed all the time - and how I love that! Is it one of the old serial killers? Or is it one of the youths? Or is it closer to home? It's a whirlwind of possibilities and Robert Bryndza manages to weave a perfect tapestry of characters and plot with central London as a backdrop. It felt like a good old classic whodunnit, but with a modern twist to it.
I really think that the concept of having PI's doing the investigation is such an added value to the genre, as it cuts away all the police politics and the title and ego boosting that I so often see in police procedurals. As PI's, Kate and Tristan have the ability to cut to the chase (literally) without all that hassle that drowns down the traditional police investigations and it makes for a much more enjoyable and fast paced read.
I was glued to the pages, the short chapters making it even more addictive and I now will have to catch up on several much needed tasks that I have been neglecting just to finish this nail biting story.
A very big thank you to NetGalley, Raven Street Publishing and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this splendid ARC, in exchange for an honest review....more
After 14 year old Laika goes missing, her mother and sister don't know how to continue living normally as there is this huge hole that has been smasheAfter 14 year old Laika goes missing, her mother and sister don't know how to continue living normally as there is this huge hole that has been smashed into their life. Willa, her older sister goes to live at a boarding school to evade the press and it is there that she meets Robyn, who will become her best friend. Now don't be misguided by the mention of a missing girl, as this book isn't a thriller. First it dissects what happens to a broken family, and the influence of the press and the public. Then we get a taste of different settings, different families who all are somehow related to the disappeared Laika. There is the family life of Robyn, so different of that of Willa, the old neighbor who is slowly losing her memories, the life of Robyn and Cat in their messy but warm house. It feels like all characters are connected like being on a train, and we get glimpses of their life through each carriage.
Not only is it very interesting, and somehow reminiscent of Reservoir 13, but it is also very beautifully written. Especially the depictions of Robyn's childhood home were very heartfelt and warming. The point of view is sometimes very raw, and then sometimes distant and somehow adrift and dreamlike. I loved the writing style and I found it astonishing that it is the author's debut. If there is one small point of critique, it would be about a plothole, or maybe more precisely a incredible coincidence that I just don't see realistically happening. But it is easily forgiven, as it is a small issue in an otherwise very exquisite book. If you are looking for a beautifully written account of different family dynamics, grief and its repercussions, and human condition in general, I would gladly recommend this author.
Thank you NetGalley, Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review....more
I absolutely loved this new addition to the series.
Vera is back and she is thriving, masterful at solving a strange death and disappearance. She showsI absolutely loved this new addition to the series.
Vera is back and she is thriving, masterful at solving a strange death and disappearance. She shows empathy for those struggling and she's ruthless for the wicked. The story is engaging but also a stark warning about the dangers of commercializing basic societal needs like shelters and childcare.
Rosie is the new addition to the team and I thoroughly disliked her, but I guess that was the point. The Vera series is one of those that can transport you to the desolate shores of England and it makes me wish I had a small cottage on the countryside ... ow boy there I go again... so well, yeah basically escapism at its finest!
We are introduced to four childhood friends, who bonded during their stay at a boarding school for the elite. And then we rejoin them when they are i We are introduced to four childhood friends, who bonded during their stay at a boarding school for the elite. And then we rejoin them when they are in their twenties, trying to craft some kind of life within the boundaries set by their respective families. Needless to say that it doesn't work out for neither of them, as their formative years are in an environment ruled by cruelty and an enormous disparity between the wealthy and the poor.
Vietnam in the 1920's was exploited by the French and they hold the whole population, including the elite in their power. In this social fabric, no-one is safe from the horrors of abuse, torture or death and it makes a extremely bleak read. Although very well written (and hence the four stars), I found it very difficult to read on at times. Difficulties turn into despair, bringing out the worst in people and there isn't a moment of hope or relief, only a struggle for survival, both for the poor and the rich. For those opulent days, they are not. There is only fear for one's life in a setting where no-one can fulfill any potential.
Although it is a difficult read through the hopelessness of every character, I still wanted to continue reading as I found the style very compelling and the general setting of 1920 Cochincina and its diverse characters very well crafted. As a whole, the book was completely different than I expected, not only through its bleakness, but also the lack of a real mystery. For me the book is a period piece and all about character development and immersion in another time and place. The murder is more a vehicle to carry the plot, than a true mystery in the classic sense.
A sincere thanks to NetGalley, Atlantic Monthly Press and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review....more
Charlie Donlea has been a hit or miss author for me, and this book has both as the first half gripped me by the throat but I felt the second half fellCharlie Donlea has been a hit or miss author for me, and this book has both as the first half gripped me by the throat but I felt the second half fell rather flat. We are introduced to Sloan who studies to be a pathologist and for one of her assignments, she submits her DNA to an ancestry website, which is the start of a frenetic search for the truth about what happened to her biological parents. This part of the story was riveting, original and engaging. The dual timeline worked perfectly to give us insights of what happened when Sloan was a baby and how the actions of thirty years ago still had repercussions today. It also was a perfect setting for some escapism. Who wouldn't want to find out that their birth family are a dynasty with their own vineyard, right?
But halfway, the characters and their observations and feelings make way for an action packed thrill ride, complete with a somersault over the top ending. Sloan, who is a doctor already, suddenly needs things explained to her as if she were a five years old, and the descriptions of her working out become repetitive. I could most certainly see this book become a good movie, as it has that visual narrative about it.
Will I read the next book by this author? Absolutely, because he has proven over and over again that he is a great storyteller. I just hope that he will take the time to finish it with as much gusto as some of his previous books.
Thank you NetGalley, Kensington Books and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, it is much appreciated !...more
This is the story of Bea and her sister Ulrika; two children who mourn the loss of their mother who died while giving birth to Bea. It is this void t This is the story of Bea and her sister Ulrika; two children who mourn the loss of their mother who died while giving birth to Bea. It is this void that is at the center of their lives around which all their hopes and aspirations revolve. The remote island somewhere in Scandinavia is ruled by a patriarchy which used to burn witches at the stake, when women were deemed to become too powerful. In the wake of these women, Bea and Ulrika search their way in life using their mother's notebook as their guide in the natural world that surrounds them.
The prose is excellent, and the style very reminiscent of early magic-realistic works, but leaning more towards hallucinatory realism as reality and dreamlike states of both Bea and Ulrika mingle and flow into each other. I loved how the consciousness of both girls seems to expand to create multitudes and then they come back together as one again, as in sync with the tides and seasons of the island.
Within this beautifully crafted world, the author manages to depict characters that are hard to grasp. Certainly not one-dimensional, both exactly drawn and ephemeral at the same time. The girl's father Silas is a good example; as the pastor of the island he is capable of saying the right things to keep his god fearing flock in check but gives his girls all the freedom they want; he loves them but cannot show it to them; he is tormented by the loss of his wife but cannot speak about her. And all the characters in the book are detailed and layered like this.
It is a tour de force that the author managed to capture so much narrative, atmosphere and beauty in so few pages. If anything that would be my only point of critique: this book could have gone on for many more chapters as every page is just a delight to read.
Bravo !
I wish to express a sincere thank you to NetGalley, Grove Atlantic and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review....more
I've started reading Salem's Cipher after I thoroughly enjoyed Litani by the same author. I didn't know it was an earlier book that is now re-publish I've started reading Salem's Cipher after I thoroughly enjoyed Litani by the same author. I didn't know it was an earlier book that is now re-published and unfortunately, it shows that it is an earlier work.
I found that the writing is really good, engaging and with lifelike dialogue. But you have to suspend all disbelief in order to get engaged in the story, and you have to do it again and again in every chapter. If you are willing to do that, then you have a spinning tale that takes you across the States three times, without much sleep for neither the character or the reader.
I'm glad that it is very noticeable that Jess Lourey has become a much better writer in her later books, but I wouldn't recommend this one unfortunately.
I wish to express a sincere thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review....more
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