This one didn't have the outrageous irritants of the last couple, but it's not great that my exasperation with Max's whining about not being allowed gThis one didn't have the outrageous irritants of the last couple, but it's not great that my exasperation with Max's whining about not being allowed go on jumps *when she's pregnant* still leaves it in the 'better' category. Series is on warning, sadly....more
That's a very cranky rating, and would have been a star higher if this hadn't come after TEN BOOKS in the series. It's decidedly weaker than most of tThat's a very cranky rating, and would have been a star higher if this hadn't come after TEN BOOKS in the series. It's decidedly weaker than most of them just in terms of the slightly farcical mood of the ending, but that isn't what bugs me. I love the slowly deepening partnership between Bill and Lydia, with little doled-out promises of more (which Bill has wanted all along), and didn't mind the fact that glaciers have moved faster than they have. Didn't mind it too much. Most of the time. I didn't like the way Bill's drinking and general self-destructive behaviour seemed to be intensifying, but we also learned his back story over the course of a bunch of books, and Lydia was neither going to let him get away with too much NOR take over his need to learn to take care of himself. (I don't just mean not getting a concussion every other book or more, of course.)
But we've kept getting closer and closer, and all of Lydia's family except her mother have told her - with varying degrees of subtlety - that Bill is perfect for her (because he respects her professionally and every other way, not because he wants her) and we got really, really close at the end of the previous book, and then: SMACK. Another PI, cute, intelligent and CHINESE turns up and likes Lydia and Lydia/Bill goes back five steps (and her mother continues to be vicious about "the white baboon"), and honestly, it's just seems like a cheap trick when this guy is the third Chinese guy to be interested in Lydia, with some degree of reciprocation. The author has well and truly set up the cultural problems Bill and Lydia will face as a couple, and now it's time to commit and let us see them dealing with those problems.
The next book will be a Bill one, and I will read it, as those usually have more emotional depth, but after that I'm out unless the relationship stuff changes. The mysteries for the last couple have been great, but they'd have to be very special to make up for the disappointment of this one. ...more
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