Dear Ashley, Most of the book was really great but that ending was genuinely annoying. Kind regards Claude
Seriously folks. There a few things more annoyDear Ashley, Most of the book was really great but that ending was genuinely annoying. Kind regards Claude
Seriously folks. There a few things more annoying to me than an unsatisfying ending. Now sometimes there are cool endings that your are left shocked or mind-blown. This just felt unfinished. I was actually totally absorbed for most of the book so I will still give it 3 stars. The characters were interesting and although the whodunnit elements were well signposted, I still loved the twists and turns.
Whilst I didn't really enjoy the story itself I appreciated the in depth look at the life of a medical examiner and found that element to be quite intWhilst I didn't really enjoy the story itself I appreciated the in depth look at the life of a medical examiner and found that element to be quite interesting. I will probably pick up Judy's non-fiction book on her life as a medical examiner at some point but I won't be reading the rest of this series. The story felt a bit clunky, disjointed and flat in parts. Heaps of people loved it so it was a case of 'not for me'....more
What an excellent debut, Stacy! When girls start going missing in Baton Rouge, Chloe notices some similarities to a spate of abductions that terroriseWhat an excellent debut, Stacy! When girls start going missing in Baton Rouge, Chloe notices some similarities to a spate of abductions that terrorised her childhood town over a decade ago. However, it can't be the same killer because that man is her father and he is currently in prison. Some good red herrings in here and nice wee twists. I liked how Chloe was fragile and on edge as this created tension and made some of her actions questionable. The result was a growing sense of unease for readers and a degree of uncertainty about which characters were trustworthy. A great murder mystery and I look forward to reading this author's next novel. ...more
This was a pretty thrilling descent into child abductions and supposedly perfect crimes. When husband and wife crime writing duo are shocked to find tThis was a pretty thrilling descent into child abductions and supposedly perfect crimes. When husband and wife crime writing duo are shocked to find their son missing, all eyes turn to them and their previous claims of knowing how to get away with murder. There were a few stressful moments in this book and I had a few possible scenarios floating around in my head throughout. I didn't quite pick it so it was fun to see where Paul took us. A particular chilling moment was when one of the characters was explaining about the 'quiet people'. The neighbours you don't really notice and when the reporters and police interview them after a horrific crime they say 'they were such good polite neighbours and such quiet people that I would never suspect them of these terrible crimes'. Creepy. I also love that Paul is a kiwi writer and lots of his stories are set in Christchurch. He has won the Ngaio Marsh Award for crime fiction in the past. Definitely a New Zealand author worth reading if you like the crime/murder mystery genre.
This was a thrilling read and I was so absorbed in the story I lost track of my surroundings a number of times whilst reading this gripping novel. It This was a thrilling read and I was so absorbed in the story I lost track of my surroundings a number of times whilst reading this gripping novel. It jumps between characters and back and forth in time so you definitely need your head in the game for this one. It also covers some horrific content such as the physical and sexual abuse of a child so be warned. ...more
Another twisty and twisted story with DI Mack and PI Atticus. But that ending, Mark! You better be tippy typing book three right this very moment, gooAnother twisty and twisted story with DI Mack and PI Atticus. But that ending, Mark! You better be tippy typing book three right this very moment, good sir!...more
A good crime and legal drama with some interesting twists and really engaging characters. DCI Mackenzie Jones is investigating a mass shooting at a reA good crime and legal drama with some interesting twists and really engaging characters. DCI Mackenzie Jones is investigating a mass shooting at a remote farmhouse when her case becomes all the more challenging with the arrival of disgraced former colleague turned P.I., Atticus Priest. Whilst they are working on opposite sides of this case I can't wait to see them working together in the future as I think they have incredibly good chemistry. Priest is the kind of character I enjoy as he is at quite a low point in his life but isn't dark and brooding. Instead he is a quirky guy whose Asperger's syndrome and Sherlockian skills of deduction make him a complex and compelling character. I listened to book one and two back to back as I enjoyed this author's writing style, layered plot and fully developed characters....more
This was an incredibly complex story with a huge cast of characters. They came with their own motivations and understandings or versions of the truth.This was an incredibly complex story with a huge cast of characters. They came with their own motivations and understandings or versions of the truth. When a twenty year old case is reopened after the identification of remains from the 9/11 terrorist attack we are thrown right into a supposedly open and shut cold case with a gripping story build up and fantastic writing. There was so much going on that I had a few 'wait, what now?' moments throughout but as the stories began to weave together I was hooked. This is not a light read because of the number of stories you have to keep track of but it is well worth the effort. ...more
An anonymous witness delivers some convenient evidence used to convict a supposed killer but DS Zoe Mayer's instincts lead her to believe that the casAn anonymous witness delivers some convenient evidence used to convict a supposed killer but DS Zoe Mayer's instincts lead her to believe that the case is too clean and too cut and dried. A deeper delve into other similar cases has her wondering if she is dealing with serial killer. A good story line with characters I could get behind. An enjoyable murder mystery. ...more
A quick and compelling police procedural that has a man with a twisted mind gouging eyes out of his victims heads. I really enjoyed how short3.5 Stars
A quick and compelling police procedural that has a man with a twisted mind gouging eyes out of his victims heads. I really enjoyed how short this was as it was all action and no fillers to plump up the story i.e. drag it out. The plot is very simple and it isn't subtle. There are no clever revelations and the cast are your straight forward 'damaged villain whose mother was awful' and 'damaged female cop struggling to move on from a tragedy and balance motherhood and work.' Nothing fresh or original but pretty entertaining nonetheless. A good start to a series that I will look to continue reading.
"A system has been forced on us that is not interested in balance. A legal system transplanted here from 20,000 miles away. A set of laws that exist n"A system has been forced on us that is not interested in balance. A legal system transplanted here from 20,000 miles away. A set of laws that exist not to provide equality and recompense and honour and balance, but to ensure one side flourishes and the other is kept in the gutter. This we have accepted, like lambs."
"The time of the lamb is over."
Chills. Literal chills. This is a sensational novel that explores the impact of colonisation on Māori. We look through the eyes of a killer as they seek to restore balance for past wrongs by exacting brutal and bloody revenge. Set in modern day Auckland, New Zealand, we follow Detective Senior Sergeant Hana Westerman as she grapples with a modern day murder case that has links to atrocities in New Zealand's dark and blood soaked colonial past. This novel is powerful. I had so many moments where I gasped in shock only to then feel utterly devastated that these horrific experiences are not the stuff of fiction but are examples of everyday injustices suffered by Māori at the hands of a system that has not adequately addressed the long term negative impacts of colonisation, and the inequity that still exists in our country. This is probably the first novel I have read that truly examines and provides insight in to what it is like to be Māori in a system designed to keep power out of their hands. I thought the use of Te Reo throughout added to the authenticity of this story. An incredibly gripping murder mystery that will sit with me for a very long time. A must read.
A good follow up to book one. This one had me scratching my head wondering how everything was going to come together. I enjoyed this second outing witA good follow up to book one. This one had me scratching my head wondering how everything was going to come together. I enjoyed this second outing with Detective Sergeant Norman Norman and Detective Inspector Sarah Southwell as they fight to get some respect and credibility in the face of harsh criticism from their peers in other precincts. I'm not sure if there will be any more in this series but I think I will part ways as I have a number of police procedural series on the go....more
A nice twisty thriller with plenty of suspects that all seem to alibi out. Being the holidays I had the luxury of listening to this in one sitting. I A nice twisty thriller with plenty of suspects that all seem to alibi out. Being the holidays I had the luxury of listening to this in one sitting. I have to say the audiobook was hugely entertaining because my mind was constantly darting back to sitting with my then 4 year old son and 3 year old daughter as they sat watching the exploits of naughty Norman as he got himself into one pickle after another in Pontypandy. The narrator sounds exactly like any number of the characters from Fireman Sam (UK version). So I was constantly grinning even though the detectives were seriously examining bodies and crime scenes. I loved the mix of old and new guard in this police station rumoured to be where all the 'useless' cops are shipped off to. Detective Sergeant Norman Norman (not a typo) and Detective Inspector Sarah Southwell were engaging main characters and I can see some of the side characters have potential to have really interesting storylines in the future. I will definitely be following through this series as I love a good redemption story....more
Another brilliantly complex and layered mystery from Fiona Cummins!
It takes a while to settle into this one with its 3.5 Stars easily rounded up to 4!
Another brilliantly complex and layered mystery from Fiona Cummins!
It takes a while to settle into this one with its multi POV initially making for some confusing reading. However, once the voices crystallised for me then the foreboding sense of menace and chills set in. Suspension of disbelief is required because of the crazy collection of characters that 'happen' to be residing within this small zip code. A serial killer nick-named 'The Dollmaker' has been terrorising the neighbourhood and DC Wildeve Stanton and DCI Clive 'Mac' Mackie don't seem to be making any headway with the case. Disaster strikes for the police when one of their own is murdered and immediately the case becomes personal. With so many twisted characters and slippery turns I was genuinely unsure how things would unfold. A gritty murder mystery!...more
Another good police procedural from this author. My only gripe is that the criminals are a bit dumb. I like my criminal masterminds considerably smartAnother good police procedural from this author. My only gripe is that the criminals are a bit dumb. I like my criminal masterminds considerably smarter and a darn sight more cunning. It meant that there was less 'detecting' and more following the bread crumbs...or a better description was that Craigie and company were following slices of bread cut into arrow shapes leading to Laurel and Hardy. That aside, an entertaining read.
An impressive debut for this Australian author. I thought the case was incredibly intriguing and Detective Emelia Hart was a great narrator. 3.5 Stars
An impressive debut for this Australian author. I thought the case was incredibly intriguing and Detective Emelia Hart was a great narrator. I can't say too much but I wish Nina had gone in a different direction with how the case broke. It felt a bit sad and anticlimactic given the shocking nature of the revelation. A good novel that highlighted the devastating issue of (view spoiler)[domestic violence and sexual abuse of girls and women. (hide spoiler)]
UPDATE 01/08/2023 - Pretty chilling storyline...see what I did there? Enjoyable reread.
Bodies hidden inside snowmen? That's next level.
Another great bUPDATE 01/08/2023 - Pretty chilling storyline...see what I did there? Enjoyable reread.
Bodies hidden inside snowmen? That's next level.
Another great book in this series. I love the Monkeewrench crew and sadly they didn't feature as heavily in this one. What I do love about this series is they introduce so many new characters who also get to take centre stage for large parts of the story. You see different types of police officers, detectives, sheriffs etc from different parts of the country so everything always feel fresh and interesting. On to book 5!
This is a great police procedural thriller that sees DS Max Craigie at war with a well known local crime family. After being relati3.5 rounded up to 4
This is a great police procedural thriller that sees DS Max Craigie at war with a well known local crime family. After being relatively new to this genre and having read a lot of police procedurals lately I am starting to notice what works and doesn't work for me. I prefer when the main characters have a bit of depth and potential for development or growth, as opposed to the cookie cutter donut eating police detective who behaves the same way but has a new bad person to put behind bars each book. I also like the actual police type investigation stuff to happen on-page such as crime scene descriptions and investigations etc. Actual detective work where the Reader gets to see the clues/evidence unfold and not just be told about it after the fact. This book hits both of these preferences. However, where it falls a little bit short (but does not affect my overall enjoyment) is on the character development of the criminals. It was like Laurel and Hardy were the heads of the crime family. While reading this I was reminded of an American police story that made it to NZ newspaper reports about 20 years ago. The US police were casually pursuing a criminal on the run in a stolen vehicle. They were fairly casual in their pursuit because the buffoon was indicating 3 seconds in advance before changing lanes or making turns thereby making him easy to follow. I prefer intelligent, polished, charismatic, calculating criminals with vicious under tones. Not the obvious big beefcake bruiser types. I still really enjoyed this and will continue on with the series. I am thoroughly enjoying getting to read beyond YA fiction but also think a lot of these crime novels would be enjoyed by senior high school students too, but they need to read the content warnings.
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