3.5 stars. I liked this one a lot more than The Shadwell Shadows and The Christmas Demon, although it still doesn't quite match The Three Winter Terro3.5 stars. I liked this one a lot more than The Shadwell Shadows and The Christmas Demon, although it still doesn't quite match The Three Winter Terrors. If rated on the first half of the book alone, I'd have actually given this 4 stars - it's a shame the second half wasn't as strong.
(view spoiler)[I refer to the first and second half because, despite being one mystery in reality, it felt almost like two separate tales. The first half dealt with a tragic death at the hands of (apparently) yet another hideous beast on the moors of Devon and the curse striking once again upon the Baskervilles. The tension and suspense were utterly delicious, and while I somewhat guessed the mechanics behind the beast, it was still exciting to see the mystery play out. The only disappointment was that Watson was apparently so frightened that he refused to accompany Holmes and had to hear the recount secondhand.
The second half is where Holmes and Watson finds out that all is not resolved, and it's also where I felt like the mystery of the first half should have just been left well enough alone. There is sometimes such a thing as outstaying its welcome and dragging a good story on for too long. The villain, having failed to carry out the first part to its completion, decides on a more direct approach. What follows is a prolonged chase from one country to the next, which I found rather tiresome after a while. What was more disappointing was that the motivation behind the villain's crimes was actually fairly weak, once revealed - it was hard to understand how they could have felt strongly enough to plan such an elaborate stage for revenge with so little impetus.
All in all, this started very strong but ended with a whimper. (hide spoiler)]...more
There’s almost a feeling of a traditional country manor Christmas mystery about Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Demon - the icy winter vibe at the AThere’s almost a feeling of a traditional country manor Christmas mystery about Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Demon - the icy winter vibe at the Allerthorpe estate and the dubious Christmas cheer gave me fond flashbacks of Christie novels. With Sherlock Holmes on board, there are plenty of Christmas miracles to be had, and I enjoyed these heartwarming moments.
The mystery itself was not my favorite, however. There were some aspects that seemed unnecessarily convoluted, designed more for an eventual “Ha! Gotcha!” moment than actually making much logical sense. There was also precious little suspense, despite the titular “Christmas Demon” and a recent tragic suicide in the family providing ample potential for some creepy moments in the night. Instead, the focus was on monotonous interviews and repeated crime scene investigations as everyone (cast and reader) waits impatiently for Holmes to finally reveal all. ...more
I randomly picked up Sherlock Holmes and the Three Winter Terrors previously and enjoyed it so much that I was excited to start from the start of thisI randomly picked up Sherlock Holmes and the Three Winter Terrors previously and enjoyed it so much that I was excited to start from the start of this Lovegrove series properly… only to realize a third of the way in that the “first three books” actually comprise a separate Cthulhu trilogy and present a totally different beast to the more traditional mysteries in the Three Winter Terrors. Betrayed by the GR series format?
I’m not a Lovecraft appreciator and I’m not even particularly knowledgeable on that front, so admittedly I was already starting off on the wrong foot. Coupled with the gap between my expectations vs. reality, I found myself rather bored by the long, dragging exposition on the background of the Elder Gods. Watson’s descriptions droned on and on and it really took forever to even move past a retelling of Holmes and Watson’s first meeting, let alone reaching the heart of the mystery - which was tremendously thin. Despite the suspense-filled setup promising many terrors and grim happenings, there are really only two scenes that are somewhat gruesome. The rest was never-ending prose expanding on the spiritual and building a general sense of paranoia.
There’s also a sense of conflict between Holmes’ canonical emphasis on deductions based on fact vs. the inexplicable spiritual aspects of the Cthulhu universe. It was hard to get my head around the speed with which Holmes was converted to a belief in the spiritual, and it seemed even stranger that Watson was the one constantly having to advise common sense and keep Holmes from blundering into unsafe situations.
While an interesting concept, I don’t think I’m built to appreciate Lovecraftian horror, so I doubt I’ll pick up the remaining two books in the Cthulhu trilogy....more
Stumbled upon this one since it was included in my Audible membership and I’m glad I gave it a go! I’ve always been studious in avoiding modern spin-oStumbled upon this one since it was included in my Audible membership and I’m glad I gave it a go! I’ve always been studious in avoiding modern spin-offs of the classics; not only are they often mediocre, but the characters are frequently OOC. That wasn’t an issue here.
Better yet, the mysteries were actually very engaging and cleverly interconnected. The final of the three winter terrors, the case of the “Yukon Cannibal,” was particularly interesting and suspense-laden (though I wouldn’t recommend it for readers who have weak stomachs).
In terms of the narration, I also have no complaints - it was well read. I’m definitely looking forward to checking out more of the audiobooks in this series. ...more
This was surprisingly good; I really enjoyed it. I love that feeling when a book wins you over despite how skeptical you were initially, and To Die FoThis was surprisingly good; I really enjoyed it. I love that feeling when a book wins you over despite how skeptical you were initially, and To Die For did exactly that. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about how (to use the character's own words) "dumb blonde" Blair felt at the beginning; she rambled incessantly about her car, her business, her hair and outfits and her cheerleading past. But once I gave both Blair and the book a chance, I found both far more entertaining and likable than I'd thought they'd be.
On the surface, Blair seems like the stereotypical fluffy, ditzy Southern belle, but she has far more common sense, business acumen and spine than one thinks. You know how many heroines in romantic suspense stories always walk straight into dangerous situations because they can't seem to listen to reason and stay safe? You won't get that with Blair - despite her frustration over Wyatt's demanding ways and her lack of freedom, she knows that she has to put up with it to keep herself alive, and thus follows his directions within reason. She also has one heck of a spine, managing to stay mostly upbeat despite the frightening things happening to her. One of the best things about Blair is how steadfast she remains in the face of Wyatt and all the temptation her represents; this is not a girl who'll melt into a puddle the minute she sees an attractive guy, that's for sure. She gives him a run for his money.
Our hero Wyatt, on the other hand... well, the jury's still out on this one. Every time I feel like I'd like to join Blair in strangling him because of how insensitive, demanding and "yes-means-no" he can be, he turns around and does something so heartbreakingly sweet for Blair that I'm won over again. For all his many, many flaws, and despite how unsatisfied I am regarding his reasoning for (view spoiler)[ghosting Blair all those years ago (hide spoiler)], Wyatt clearly adores Blair and would give his life to keep her safe. There's something to be said about the way he protects her, fears for her safety, tries desperately to keep her as close to him as possible and does everything from cooking for her to carrying her around the house while she's injured, bathing her, doing her hair and basically caving to her every request even if it exasperates him. So I guess ultimately the positives win over the negatives.
Together, Blair and Wyatt have electric chemistry, and their romance is really 80% of the life of the novel. The suspense/mystery here is toned down compared to many of Linda Howard's other novel and seems to serve mostly as a reason to keep Blair from running away from Wyatt, but when it's there, it's effective. The way it plays out probably won't satisfy everyone (it certainly didn't satisfy me), but since I was more invested in the romance than the suspense, this ended up being a very enjoyable read for me....more
A fun listen. Grover Gardiner does a great job delivering Andy Carpenter’s nonstop dry quips and Andy is an amusing lead with a self-deprecating senseA fun listen. Grover Gardiner does a great job delivering Andy Carpenter’s nonstop dry quips and Andy is an amusing lead with a self-deprecating sense of humor. The mystery started off strongly and suspense was built nicely, but the big finale could’ve been much more tightly written. Still, considering I jumped in 5 books into the series and had no context, it was a surprisingly entertaining introduction. ...more
3.5 stars. Overall an enjoyable novel that hooked me in parts and the romance between Jaclyn and Eric had me biting at the bit, wishing they’d just ge3.5 stars. Overall an enjoyable novel that hooked me in parts and the romance between Jaclyn and Eric had me biting at the bit, wishing they’d just get together already. The mystery portion was the one element that didn’t quite deliver, compared to some of the other heart-thumping thrillers that the author had delivered.
I really, really liked Jaclyn. That doesn’t happen all that often with the female protagonists of romance/romance thriller novels, but I really liked Jaclyn and felt her on a spiritual level. She’s calm, cool, level-headed and logical, not given to flights of fancy or an excess of emotion - this applies even in her tension-filled romance with Eric. She’s also very good at her job, observant and always professional, even in the face of awful clients. I do so hate watching otherwise sensible adult women act like silly teenagers the minute they see a hot guy, so Jaclyn’s consistently adult behavior was a breath of fresh air.
Eric is all right as far as the male love interest goes; he is rather the stereotypical “strong, manly and muscular” type. Unlike Jaclyn, he doesn’t always behave his best and honestly makes some poor judgements in terms of the way he chooses to approach Jaclyn, but he also provides some of the best humorous scenes due to his desperation for coffee.
I enjoyed seeing him and Jaclyn together, and was thoroughly rooting for them to work through their differences already so that they could stop being one breath away from a makeout session. My only complaint regarding the romance was that there wasn’t more of them actually together! Give me more, darn it.
Now onto that mystery/thriller. Was it a good concept, with considerable promise? YES. Here we have a completely fun-to-hate bridezilla, who was such a monster that she attracted the disgusted of every single person involved in her wedding. Heck, just one scene with Carrie Edwards was enough for me to want her dead. With so many potential suspects, including all the vendors at the scene and her personal acquaintances, the whodunnit should have been great fun, with plenty of red herrings and deep dark secrets revealed.
Instead, NO. (view spoiler)[What we had was THE most obvious and uninspired solution, where the one suspicious guy Jaclyn saw at the scene turned out to be exactly whodunnit. This is also the same suspect that Eric zeroed in on, almost right from the start. He predicted it, I predicted it (but didn’t want to believe it would be so boring and obvious).
I would say he’s the blandest murderer ever with the most basic reasons ever, except the reason he killed Carrie wasn’t even explained. We are left to assume, because while there was almost no “mystery” to it, the arrest was instead dragged out because there was no solid evidence. By the time it reached the end, we didn’t even have the satisfaction of seeing the criminals locked away or being provided with an explanation why.
Suffice to say that the murder mystery turned out to be an incredible letdown. None of the many colourful suspects (the dressmaker, the veil maker, etc.) were really involved, nor did we even get to see them investigated and their underlying secrets revealed. (hide spoiler)] For a mystery that promised an excess of suspects, there was very little to it. It might be safer and more enjoyable to think of this as a romance novel with a coincidental murder investigation....more
YES! This was so much better than the second book - Eve does a lot of growing (thank the lord), the mystery is better thought out and Eve & Roarke's rYES! This was so much better than the second book - Eve does a lot of growing (thank the lord), the mystery is better thought out and Eve & Roarke's romance continues to warm the soul. I can't say I liked the continuous thrashing out of Eve's incredibly unpleasant past - trigger warnings abound in that respect - but personal distaste aside, I can accept that the character (and the series as a whole) needs to deal with that point in order to move past it, and thankfully the other positives thoroughly outweighed that for me.
On the whole, I almost felt like the author recognized the flaws of the previous books and tried to rectify much of them in this book. The most important development in Immortal in Death is Eve's character growth, and one that I fully appreciated given her annoying recession to bitchiness and denial in the last book. (God, that was annoying.) Finally being forced to face her past and accept that she now has Roarke and other close friends who love her and won't allow her to insist on battling alone is the biggest step for Eve. Not that she doesn't attempt to put up some resistance - and there were a few moments where I wanted to slap her upside the head because god woman, stop beating yourself up and see the forest for the trees! - but on the whole she's mellowed out considerably, thanks to Roarke and his ability to cut short her bullshit while forcing her to stop self-destructing. She's like a porcupine with blunted spines, less given to offending everyone around her at every turn and actually trying to learn some social skills. It's a massive improvement.
Roarke... is still a mystery. We learn a bit more about what made him who he is, but I still don't feel like I'll ever understand him. At this point, I've more or less accepted that Roarke was probably meant to be the picture of the Perfect Lover for Eve - considerate, loving, humorous, understanding, thoroughly devoted and absolutely stinking rich and not afraid to spend whatever necessary to make Eve happy. And hey, I'm not complaining. With an heroine as difficult to like as Eve Dallas, watching them establish a romance based on mutual respect and appreciation that also balances out their personal lives is lovely. Not at all realistic or believable, perhaps, but lovely all the same. I can't help but feel a little sorry for him, though, because it's obvious as day that Eve is a terrible girlfriend and Roarke is consistently the one having to be understanding and accepting.
I had complained about the veritable flood of rude and offensive individuals littering the previous book, and it seems the author read my mind on this front. Eve calming down finally allows her to start developing some genuine friendships outside of Mavis - now that she isn't busy sniping at Doctor Mira, Eve has time to realize that the woman can be a genuine friend, and the last case in Book 2 also won her a friend in Nadine. I enjoyed the return of Officer Peabody, with her dry sense of humour, and I hope she sticks around to be a steady support for Eve, too. And of course there's Feeney and the commander, who's had time to recognize that he was an absolute ass previously and is doing his level best to salvage the situation. Even the unnecessarily offensive Summerset dials his Jerk Meter back about 10%. Eventually. It made Immortal in Death a vastly less rage-inducing read.
The mystery was better thought out, with a less ridiculously obvious villain for once. I'm getting pretty tired of the ploy to cast someone close to Eve (or close to Eve's friends) as main suspect in order to force internal and relationship conflicts, though - this has happened in three books now, damnit. I was prepared for it to really go downhill this time with Mavis, but thankfully Eve's friend is more well-adjusted than either Roarke or her commander, thus significantly reducing the angst. Still, can we NOT have a return of this plot device in the next book? The tendency for the suspense and tension to fade towards the final stretch is once again present, but at this point it doesn't surprise me anymore. And really, it's a bit unbelievable that Eve Dallas is supposed to be one of the best homicide detectives out there when again and again she lets her personal involvement with suspects cloud her judgment - if this was real life, she'd have been taken off the case before she'd even begun, due to conflict of interest. Not to mention she's always one step behind the killer. Ultimately, I think the author's roots as a famous romance author rather than a thriller/mystery author shows; the romance between Eve and Roarke and their impending wedding interested me far more than the mystery, so I didn't particularly care by the time the case fizzled.
Vastly improved this book may be, but there's still a list of "NO!" that I feel obliged to address:
- Firstly, Eve's past. We all knew this was coming, in all its sickening detail, but I didn't like how it was so clearly set up for maximum shock factor. The author goes all out, shoving every single disgusting detail in the reader's face, forcing the character to first relive it in her memories and then describe it out loud in the most blunt and brutal way possible. It was horrifying enough that it could have just been laid out as it is; I didn't see why there was any need to hammer it home in such a way other than to trigger reader reactions, and in fact I ended up feeling disgusted at the way the scene was handled rather than sad or sympathetic towards Eve.
- Professionalism, what professionalism? For some reason, no one in this series seems to really understand what being a cop entails, not even those closest to Eve. Eve is constantly given hell, verbally abused and treated like a roach for trying to do her job and actually maintain an air of neutrality in her treatment of suspects... and she takes it lying down. WHY, for God's sake? It frustrates me no end that she can be as rude and offensive as the best of them, frequently jumping the gun (and jumping down people's throats) even though it's unnecessary, but the minute she actually has cause to defend herself? She's overcome with guilt and lets herself be pushed around. Ugh.
- Really, J.D. Robb, all that build-up about the wedding (dress fittings, hair styling, the works) and you don't even show us the actual wedding? That was all I was actually interested in by the end! At least show me Roarke's jaw hitting the floor when he sees Eve in that dress, if you were going to mention that ultimate reaction ad nauseum.
And given that final point, I do wonder where Robb will take the series from here on. There's plenty of life after marriage, certainly, but I have my fingers crossed she won't be one of the authors who'll force silly conflicts just to keep the relationship "developing." ...more
If you had asked me how I felt about Glory in Death at approximately the halfway mark, I would probably have launched into a disgusted rant of some leIf you had asked me how I felt about Glory in Death at approximately the halfway mark, I would probably have launched into a disgusted rant of some length. The second half of the book completely turned that around, thankfully - I had almost forgotten how tiresome the first half was by the time I reached the last page.
The main reason for this 180 degree change? Eve and her romantic relationship with Roarke. I certainly wouldn't have said I was particularly attached to their romance before, though I enjoyed their moments together, but the first half of the book showed me just how much BETTER the story is when they're happily in love and not behaving like immature children throwing tantrums. Actually, that's unfair to Roarke - it's just Eve who was being, quite frankly, an insufferable idiot in denial for the entire first half. On paper, it's not hard to understand why she had trouble throwing herself into the relationship or letting down her defenses - Eve carries enough emotional baggage and trauma for 20 people. However, when the heroine insists on being classless and rude and generally yelling at every single person who dares to care about her, it doesn't matter how logical it is - I lose all patience and sympathy, particularly when I was led to believe that she was starting to grow as a character by the end of the events in book #1 only to have her revert here.
Eve treats Roarke, Mira and Feeney terribly, she's mostly unable to be diplomatic or even sensitive with victims' families during interviews (crashing a private memorial service to interrogate grieving family members, one of whom was sedated? Really) and in this book, isn't even particularly good at her job. What kind of veteran homicide detective obsesses over a potential suspect to the point where she's determined to find evidence and motive where there is none? She misses details left, right and center, almost bringing about one more victim because of it.
Roarke did not behave with perfect maturity either - he can't expect her to just catch up to him emotionally when they've known each other for all of... what, a few months? - but honestly I could hardly blame him for reaching a point of frustration where it was all or nothing, since he couldn't even give her a gift without being yelled at. I was on his side the whole time, poor man. Never mind Eve not understanding why Roarke felt so deeply for her, I didn't understand what he saw in her, either. For his part, Roarke has been caring and devoted, respectful of her career, her quirks and her privacy, preferring to give rather than to take. He's almost too perfect, but you won't find me complaining there.
There was a marked improvement in the second half when Eve got over herself and stopped using the "offense is the best defense" strategy in her private life - unbelievable as it was that so many problems could be so quickly resolved, I really enjoyed their romance when they allowed themselves to just enjoy each other's company. Eve and Roarke work remarkably well together, too; it's too bad he's a civilian and it wouldn't be terribly good professional behaviour for her to bring him along, because the few scenes we got showed quite clearly what an amazing tag team they'd make during investigations. Is it too much to ask that we keep the cute going and dial down the future conflicts? Even more than the first book, I worry they're moving too fast.
The mystery remains interesting enough, though as before, the build-up was miles better than the resolution (which was a letdown). If there's one thing I really hope will be improved in book 3 though, it's the list of suspects and various individuals revolving around the investigation. Is it absolutely necessary to make all of them assholes? Just about everyone in this book except for Roarke, Mavis, Feeney and Doctor Mira were either complete assholes, unprofessional or both. ...more
In hindsight, I have no idea why I put off trying this series for so long. Naked in Death was a thrilling read with all the hallmarks of a top-notch rIn hindsight, I have no idea why I put off trying this series for so long. Naked in Death was a thrilling read with all the hallmarks of a top-notch romantic suspense novel - a murder mystery that you couldn't turn away from, an interesting and well-written (if not easily likable) heroine and a memorable romantic couple.
The mystery is, as a GR friend put it so well, all about sex and the exercising of power through the act. First one, then two and then three licensed companions were brutally murdered by a mysterious client, prompting a desperate bid by Lieutenant Eve Dallas to track him down before more women joined the first three. The threats to the safety and mental/emotional state of Eve herself made the mystery more personal - messages and graphic evidence delivered by the murderer himself, having her own abode invaded... it was heart-thumping stuff, worthy of the very best suspense thrillers.
I was completely hooked as I watched it all unfold, but unfortunately the last 20-30% or so dropped the ball a little at the same time as the mystery took a turn towards the particularly unpalatable. (view spoiler)[Yes, as Eve gets closer to nailing the murderer, it becomes apparent that the crimes were rooted in a disgusting history of incestuous child rape. Ugh. (hide spoiler)] It's certainly not for those weak of constitution; I feel a little ill just thinking about it again. Perhaps my disappointment in the resolution is due to the sudden change from we're-on-the-tail-of-a-serial-killer suspense to a very personal mystery - all the threat was so suddenly removed. Or it could be because the book ended right at the climax and we never saw how all the events were wrapped up. I didn't, at least, guess who the murderer was, though it was probably because it never occurred to me that the reality could be so sickening.
Eve Dallas is the type of heroine that perfectly strikes the balance between strong and fragile - she has enough personal demons to bring down a lesser woman, but Eve soldiers on, driven by her sense of justice and dedication to her work. She's an extremely competent, kickass woman, and I was right there with Roarke, in awe at some of her particularly awesome moments. But as someone still haunted by so many nightmares, Eve also had a tendency to be rude, shouty and defensive, unwilling to let anyone break down her walls and see just how fragile she was. It was understandable, but not an aspect I could like.
Roarke, on the other hand, is the typical romance novel alpha male in many ways - an Irish billionaire, he practically drips wealth and oozes confidence. Doesn't take no for an answer, will go to great (or any) lengths to get what he wants... and now he wants Eve. In other ways, though, he's also not quite the typical alpha male, in that despite some of his behaviour being obviously too pushy and "problematic," he also has the greatest respect for Eve's independence and career. Her guts is what attracted him in the first place and he understands that her work is a priority for her, enough to actually use all his considerable power and wealth to lend aid wherever possible. Now there's a guy that one could learn to love, particularly when you add in his considerable charm and general attractiveness; I can see why he appeals to so many.
I liked their romance - I liked them together and they have some great, surprisingly touching moments (Roarke and that button, the gifts of coffee; as a coffee enthusiast, that would've been the way to my heart, too). I do, however, wish that the development was drawn out a bit so that it was less insta-attraction. Like Eve said, they were moving too fast. With so many more books to go, I wonder how the author plans to circumvent this problem.
Not having had much exposure to classic gothic romantic suspense novels, I thought I'd try a few and Thunder Heights wasn't a bad choice - there's notNot having had much exposure to classic gothic romantic suspense novels, I thought I'd try a few and Thunder Heights wasn't a bad choice - there's nothing particularly new or different about the fairly standard story, but sprinkling of "dun dun dun" suspense and a light romance makes this a solid rainy-day comfort read.
It's the tried and true story - our young orphaned protagonist, Camilla King, is the recipient of a large inheritance from her estranged grandfather and travels to Thunder Heights to claim it, only to find herself faced with an extremely hostile environment. The story started off stronger than it ended and the suspense (and romance) mostly peters out after the midway point, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I liked Camilla for the most part (aside from some short flashes of silly obstinance), and seeing her struggle to win the approval of her jealous relatives and fight off a growing sense of threat made for an entertaining read. Unfortunately the mystery itself ended in a rather melodramatic and nonsensical manner; it was never quite clear whether the author was dropping red herrings or attempting to convince me that this is the true culprit, since the motivations made little sense.
And the romance wasn't particularly exciting - it was pretty abrupt and there was virtually no development as it hopped from heated arguments to passionate embraces and professions of love. I didn't even understand what she saw in Ross Granger; he certainly never improved in temperament throughout their acquaintance. Still, if one is looking for a reasonably satisfying comfort read with a dash of suspense and 'romance,' this is not a bad choice. ...more
As a light read with suspenseful tension throughout, The Moonspinners definitely works. Like another Mary Stewart novel, The Gabriel Hounds, it's alsoAs a light read with suspenseful tension throughout, The Moonspinners definitely works. Like another Mary Stewart novel, The Gabriel Hounds, it's also perfect for armchair travelling - Stewart has a way of writing the very atmosphere of exotic locales into her stories in the most wonderfully vivid way. Here, the countryside of Crete comes alive with flower-covered fields on the mountain side, clear waters of the sea, night fishing and a tiny and picturesque village - which makes the horrible human darkness lurking below the scenic beauty all that much more frightening.
The tension holds from the very point our heroine, Nicola Ferris, stumbles upon Mark Langley, a badly wounded young Englishman hiding in the mountains from his would-be murderers. Even though it's almost immediately apparent who the villains must be, given the limited number of characters we're introduced to (and Nicola herself figures it out just as quickly), it's the feeling that you never know quite for sure what exactly they did and how they did it that keeps the suspense going. It's too bad that, like The Gabriel Hounds, the tension here mounts to feverish heights by the climax but unfortunately fizzles out once the final action takes place in a rush of scattered and confusing details and ends with a rather flat wrap-up regarding the villains. All the strength lies in the lead-up - if you like strong finishes where villains are denounced and dealt with and everything satisfyingly wrapped up, you won't get it here.
Nicola is just the type of heroine that I like in these novels - she's an independent and intelligent young woman who has the ability to keep her head (at least on the exterior) even in the most unsettling occasions and is certainly no shrinking violet. Her tendency to throw herself entirely into potentially dangerous situations is what gets her involved in Mark's predicament in the first place, but she also has the forethought to get herself out of most of those scrapes. Mark is much harder to like - domineering and somewhat chauvinistic, which is again not surprising considering when this was written - and the real downside is that even the (view spoiler)[indomitable Nicola meets her match in Mark and gets quite girlish about having someone who'll "take care of everything." She seemed actually to enjoy Mark's habit of telling her what to do. (hide spoiler)] I'm by no means a feminist, but even I found that a little hard to stomach.
Not for that reason, but rather because the heroine and love interest spend most of the story apart, I hesitate at the "romantic" part of the romantic suspense label that she's known for, though - even considering the time these books were written in (not exactly the period to expect swoony, sweeping romances from), there was very little romance at all. They meet, they interact with little hint of romantic interest, and then... oh hey, it seems they're in love?
Nonetheless, it's well worth the read and extremely enjoyable for the excitement and suspense as well as the lovely prose and descriptions of the Greek setting. Just don't expect an epic ending or more than a sprinkling of romance....more
3.5 stars. I felt a sudden curiosity regarding classic romantic suspense novels after seeing a brief mention of them in another book review; a couple 3.5 stars. I felt a sudden curiosity regarding classic romantic suspense novels after seeing a brief mention of them in another book review; a couple falling in love in the midst of great peril might be a complete cliche, but it can make a great comfort read. As an entry into the genre, The Gabriel Hounds was not a bad start at all - it could have used quite a bit more romance, but it was enjoyable all the same. There's something particularly lovely about the prose, dialogue and mannerisms of the times - dated, but nonetheless charming.
The aspect most worthy of recommendation is the atmospheric setting of Lebanon, which the author brought to life in painstaking detail. It lends the book a somewhat slow, sleepy feel in many parts, almost as if you were experiencing Christy Mansel's strangely unreal adventures for yourself. Admittedly, those looking for a faster-paced read with a greater sense of danger might find this too slow after a while; there are spurts of exciting action and nice, gradual suspense, but much of Christy's time at Dar Ibrahim involved exploring. The actual mystery itself was probably more exciting in the lead-up than the denouement, but by that stage I found myself more invested in our two leads and wasn't too bothered by it.
Christy Mansel and her second cousin Charles are likeable "young things" of the times - clearly brought up extremely privileged and not unaware that they're rich and a little spoilt, but that very self-awareness adds to their likeability. I particularly liked Christy, who has a great deal of spunk and fire in her personality and slightly reminded me of Agatha Christie's Tuppence (though with less of the sparkling intelligence and with considerably more money). It doesn't translate to actual physical ability to get herself out of scrapes, but she at least wouldn't go down without a fight. Her relationship with Charles is just the right kind of ambiguous - inseparable since childhood and with the comfortable, "best friends" style of banter to match, but often with semi-romantic undertones.
That friendly banter, while it makes for an entertaining read and feels authentic between childhood friends with a relationship bordering on something more, it also masks much of the (already limited) romance by forcing us to read between the lines. The fact that it takes awhile for Charles to join the adventure in earnest doesn't help, either. It's a real shame, since what we saw of Christy and Charles' relationship is cute; a stronger basis would have added a lot more to the story. Nevertheless, The Gabriel Hounds is enjoyable. Time to check out more Mary Stewart works!...more
The Buried Life is an interesting blend of steampunk and mystery, set in a post-apocalypse world. It's a combination of elements that really works forThe Buried Life is an interesting blend of steampunk and mystery, set in a post-apocalypse world. It's a combination of elements that really works for me, and the serial murders that masked an even greater mystery kept me riveted throughout most of the book. Yes, most of the book, and therein lies the problem: By the final third, it becomes quite obvious that there are a few issues here and there with the characterization, the realization of the mystery and the world-building that had snowballed by the end and kept me from feeling 100% satisfied with the result.
The underground world that we were introduced to at the outset was quite intriguing. We are told that a 'Catastrophe' occurred (although exactly what this Catastrophe involved is only hinted at towards the end), people fled underground and expanded their shelters into palaces carved out of rock. There's a marked divide between the upper echelons of society at the Vineyard and the poor living in the dirty, gritty and narrow streets of the factory areas. It's vividly described and caught my interest from the start, but I couldn't help but notice as the story progressed that I could have used some more knowledge of this place beyond the basic. It's populated by the Municipals (police), academics, councilors, the poorer working class... but aside from their jobs and the explained difference in status, we are told very little. We also have a curious mix of older and newer technology. Not finding out whether this is even a separate fantasy setting or a type of alternate history setting with links to our world until the end of the book left too much to the imagination.
The murder mystery at the center of the conflict is just the type of complication that I love in these stories. The novel opens with a darkly suggestive conversation between a council member and a historian... and that historian is soon found dead. He is followed by body after body, and they are all high-ranking people who reside in the Vineyard, but it isn't until a councilor is killed that the case takes a turn for the serious - killing a councilor is a taboo to end all taboos. Following the twists and turns of the case is just the sort of thing for murder mystery aficionados like me, but what becomes apparent towards the latter half of the book is that the "clues" that Malone and Sundar uncover throughout the story... aren't actually that useful. One after another, these clues:
1. Lead to dead ends because neither Malone nor Sundar have the clout to counter the powerful people who are behind the crimes committed in order to find out something substantial 2. Lead our detectives to something supposedly fruitful, but the reader is not privy to their thought processes and thus do not know the details 3. Reveal very minute details that barely shed much light on the conspiracy at hand
By the last third of the book, it was hard not to lose track of why Malone and Sundar were even bothering to chase down any particular leads. All the breaking into restricted buildings, masquerading as people they were not in order to gain access to records, etc. - none of it seemed to produce any fruitful results. Their process of investigation hardly described the experienced detectives that they were supposed to be. In fact, the only useful clues came from laundress Jane Lin, their contact in the Vineyard.
And that leads me to the main characters of The Buried Life. Despite what the synopsis describes, we have dual heroines: Inspector Liesl Malone and Jane Lin, the softly-spoken laundress with a will of iron who works for the rich who populate the Vineyard. The expectations that I had built from the synopsis was perhaps the first mistake when I came into this novel; I fully expected Malone to be the main character, and it didn't help that we began the story with a high-speed chase scene as she pursued a criminal in the factory backstreets on foot, toting a gun. She's AWESOME, and I was instantly hooked. What is she like as a person? What past secrets does she keep? Unfortunately, I realized that we wouldn't be finding out by the time I reached the last third - outside of her at work, which tells us nothing more beyond that she has no people skills and she's quietly badass with a tendency to break the rules, we know nothing. Instead, we spend more than half of the book following Jane. I confess that I found Jane far less interesting despite how much better we got to know her, her friends, her romantic interest and background. Perhaps if my expectations hadn't been so misdirected from the outset, I might have enjoyed Jane's story more, but as it is...
All in all, I enjoyed much of The Buried Life, but it lost me towards the end as events became increasingly confused and earlier expectations were dashed. I'll be checking out the second book of this series regardless to find out what happened to Malone and Jane after the momentous events at the end of this installment.
I received this ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Angry Robot!...more
Bronze Gods was a truly pleasant surprise; as much as I love steampunk, that cover was what I was really sold on... and lord knows I've been burnt oftBronze Gods was a truly pleasant surprise; as much as I love steampunk, that cover was what I was really sold on... and lord knows I've been burnt often enough by picking based on book covers. But darn did this turn out to be steampunk at its best, intricately woven with a riveting murder mystery, old magic and a strangely Victorian-inspired fantasy setting. Somehow, it just... works.
The world-building is truly superb and the fantasy and steampunk aspects lie at the very foundation of this story; this is certainly one novel where you can't complain of the "steampunk" label being a wasted. I've never been a fan of fae stories, but this is one where there the magic is as crucial to the characters' skill sets as it is to the murder mystery and explains the very social structure of Hy Breasil. I can get behind that.
The characters of Mikani and Ritsuko were the main highlights, of course; they're both interesting and extremely complex characters in their own right, but together they had a wonderful partnership and friendship based on mutual trust (not to mention enough romantic sparks to power one of these infernal devices). Throughout the book, their relationship transitions slowly from that of friendly co-workers to friends outside of work that have infinite potential to become something more - not that either of them are ready to admit the fact to themselves. I love a relationship where you can see all the reasons why they could work together (even if they don't) as well as the risks; the question is whether they are willing to take that step forward. Mikani doesn't have the best track record when it comes to romantic relationships, but as Ritsuko realizes as well, he clearly has far more depth than the mere rake. Ritsuko offers equal surprises beyond her perfectly neat and organized exterior, as Mikani discovers. Above all else, they're friends and partners who would protect each other at the cost of their own lives if necessary, and that ticks every box for me. If you're a fan of slow-burn romances, then this is for you.
The one weakness regarding the characters is Aurelia Wright, a dancer and rebellious House scion who will play a crucial role in the mystery. The problem, of course, is that we have no idea this is the case until at least midway through the novel. She essentially intrudes into the story a little earlier than that as a new POV character to add to Mikani and Ritsuko, leaving me more than a little confused and annoyed as to why we're suddenly following the viewpoint of the theatre choreographer that Mikani and Ritsuko interviewed. I liked her much better later, but I must admit her rambling, overly verbose and seemingly unrelated thoughts about her trust issues in her love life were a chore to read through at the beginning.
The mystery at the center of Bronze Gods is a real pageturner and one that is good enough to satisfy even long-time crime/mystery novel fans. It begins with one girl found murdered in the most horrific manner with a complicated device and quickly escalates into a growing body count. How are the murders linked and who will be the next victim? It's mystery at its best, and even better is how are carried along for the ride as Mikani and Ritsuko track down the killer - I do so hate it when the reader is kept from crucial clues. Here, we find out exactly what our detectives discover so that we can see the whole picture forming even as we also experience their frustration when they lack the crucial final pieces of the mystery (with time running out to boot). And, as with the best mysteries, your expectations are thwarted right when you think you've figured it all out. It's well and truly awesome.
I do have one question in regards Ritsuko's name. Her full name is Celeste Ritsuko and she's frequently addressed as Inspector Ritsuko or Miss Ritsuko, so... am I to understand that Ritsuko is her surname? That's a little unusual, to say the least.
Minor quibbles aside, Bronze Gods was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I'm eager to get my grubbly little hands on the second book; like the best series, this book wrapped up the core mystery but dangles enough of a carrot to tease an overarching issue. And of course, more Mikani and Ritsuko!...more
I received this ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Harlequin!
As a voracious reader of mystery novelI received this ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Harlequin!
As a voracious reader of mystery novels and a lover of history, any combination of the two is always going to be a winner with me. And when I found out that this one is penned by Jeannie Lin, who has charmed me time and time again with her intricate and poetic historical romances, I nearly jumped out of my seat in excitement. I'm ecstatic to say that The Lotus Palace certainly did not disappoint - suspense, an appealing cross-class romance and the vivid Tang background - this book had it all.
My favourite part of any Jeannie Lin novel will always be the sheer amount of rich historical detail that she weaves effortlessly into her stories; it transports the reader to small corners of Tang dynasty China and immerses them in their surroundings with remarkable subtlety. Her language is also lyrical and poetic; it perfectly conveys the strict Chinese social etiquette without sacrificing the flow of natural dialogue. It was therefore with heightened anticipation that I approached The Lotus Palace, which marks a shift in focus from the previous range of settings in Ms. Lin's Tang dynasty novels to the Pingkang li, the entertainment district of Chang'an. I had imagined an atmosphere much like Li Bai Shen's lively world, which I had caught a glimpse of in My Fair Concubine, but beneath the façade of beauty and culture at the Pingkang li lay a very complex web of individuals whose backgrounds are colourful but far from glamorous. It was all the more fascinating for its depth and the sophistry and elegant tea parties of the Lotus Palace made a great contrast with the seedy underbelly of the gambling houses and marketplaces.
The two main characters of Yue Ying and Bai Huang were equally fascinating. Yue Ying is clever, practical and emminently sensible despite her lack of education and background, providing the perfect counter to Bai Huang's idealistic romanticisms. I was immediately impressed upon our introduction to Yue Ying's marred appearance - rarely do I read about female characters whose physical appearances defy the accepted norm. Bai Huang, in turn, is also far more than his 花花公子 (playboy/flower prince) persona would suggest, but he was nevertheless the immature and starry-eyed one in the relationship. I must admit I adored this reversal; a romantic hero and a practical heroine! The secondary characters were also well-developed and some particularly so. Mingyu, of course, is a complex character and one that I look forward to reading more about; Wei-wei, Bai Huang's sister, was an absolute delight, and Wu Kaifeng promises to be a great tortured hero.
The road to romance was a difficult one - surprisingly even more difficult than Fei Long and Yan Ling's in My Fair Concubine, considering in their case Yan Ling was to be sent away as a heqin bride while Yue Ying was at least firmly rooted in Chang'an. I loved how Jeannie Lin dealt with the complications of family obligations and class differences, which are so very Chinese.
If I must comment on any weaknesses, it would be a relatively minor one in the development of the mystery. After we were acquainted with the setting in the first third of the book and had become suitably invested in the characters' well-being, the entrance of the murder mystery served to heighten suspense and force Yue Ying and Bai Huang into each other's company, despite Yue Ying's better judgment. This worked to a certain extent, but when their romance quite literally heated up, their growing attraction moved front and center and any progress on the mystery front was largely sacrificed. In fact, if not for Mingyu's central role in the mystery, it would have been easy to forget the mystery altogether. Its resolution was made even more anti-climatic (view spoiler)[once Mingyu was removed as a suspect (hide spoiler)]; at that point Yue Ying and Bai Huang no longer had reason to be personally affected by the outcome and the roadblocks that stood in the way of their future together had become far more interesting.
Nevertheless, the greatest part of the mystery was the introduction of Wu Kaifeng, whom I will thoroughly enjoy getting to know better in the upcoming sequel, The Jade Temptress. And that is really the best thing about Jeannie Lin's stories - the announcement and release of every book is exciting in itself because I know that she will always bring new characters from varying backgrounds and vivid historical settings that make the reading of each of her books a novel one. The naive princess and foreign soldier of Butterfly Swords, the jaded courtesan and general of The Dragon and the Pearl, the proud and dutiful young lord and the intelligent and strong-minded tea girl of My Fair Concubine and now the romantic scholar and maidservant in The Lotus Palace... I can't wait to see what story Jeannie Lin will grace us with next....more
2.5 stars. This is my second Miss Silver book (after The Case Is Closed) and it unfortunately paled in comparison to the previous one.
Where The Case i2.5 stars. This is my second Miss Silver book (after The Case Is Closed) and it unfortunately paled in comparison to the previous one.
Where The Case is Closed lacked some of the suspense and feeling of very real danger that was present in Lonesome Road, it had an absolutely delightful heroine in Hilary Carew and her lovely romance with Henry Cunningham. Rachel Treherne, on the other hand, is equally central to the events of Lonesome Road (we see more of her than Miss Silver, in fact), but shares none of Hilary's spunk, good humour and sheer common sense in nasty situations. It makes for an infinitely more tiresome read when the heroine is morose and seemingly detached from those around her. On top of that, Rachel is so stubborn and devoid of sense that midway through the novel, I found myself wondering whether Miss Silver would be better off leaving Rachel alone so that she could be murdered - then she'll see the error of her ways. The bottom line is that Rachel steadfastedly refused to consider her relatives potential murderers (because it would make her feel bad, despite the overwhelming proof), insisted on not calling the police and would not address the other members of the house either - but then asked Miss Silver to help her and find out the truth of the matter. Needless to say, I couldn't find it in me to feel much sympathy for such a blockheaded heroine and her romance with (view spoiler)[Gale Brandon (hide spoiler)] was under-developed and not particularly moving. And unless I'd missed something, we were never told whether he was the same man who had saved her from the lift by tearing her muslin dress, did we? There seemed to be so many loose ends in this novel and I still couldn't get a clear picture of the majority of the supporting characters by the time I turned the last page.
On the upside, I loved the little ways in which Lonesome Road was connected to The Case is Closed - I wasn't aware of how fond I was of Hilary Carew and her story until a few passing mentions by Rachel and Miss Silver told me how she was doing after the events of the previous novel and I was genuinely happy for her. (view spoiler)[Hilary, married to Henry Cunningham (although that was never in doubt) and about to have a baby! How adorable. (hide spoiler)]
Miss Silver also made more of a mark in this story than she previously had; I still know little about the woman besides the bare facts (former school marm, likes to knit and coughs a lot), but I have hopes that I'll eventually find out what makes her tick....more
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