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Posted by Grete, on July 16th, 2010  With Maura Isles missing, a burned car with four bodies and the local police insisting nothing more sinister was going on than an accident, Detective Jane Rizzoli refuses to accept the evidence that her friend could be dead.
A wrong turn in the snow led Maura and her companions to Kingdom Come, a place of questions and mystery. A town abandoned, seemingly in an instant and no evidence of the occupants other than a few unsettling clues.
Will Rizzoli find her friend alive and uncover the truth behind Kingdom Come?
It was great to see a new ‘Rizzoli and Isles’ book. I’ve definitely enjoyed the re-releasing of Gerritsen’s romantic thrillers but she creates something very special when she gets these two characters together. Their shared history makes them very good friends and I love how that closeness was portrayed when Jane Rizzoli realised her friend was in trouble, possibly dead. Two such different personalities yet they work very well together.
As to the story, well I read the whole book in one day and couldn’t put it down. It was gripping, absorbing, emotional and kept me on the edge of my seat hoping that things were not how they seemed. After the initial build up, the shocks kept on coming in Gerritsen’s usual style yet they were all natural progressions, nothing forced or out of line with what I thought the characters would do.
The pace worked really well, starting at an easy flow then increasing until I had to take breaks to have a reality check before diving back in again. The twist at the end was outstanding and I was completely oblivious to it until it arrived, although I did have the sense that all was not right, I just couldn’t put my finger on why.
It’s always hard to know how much to say without spoiling it for others but there were a few moments that really got to me, and I’m sure you will know exactly what I mean when you read The Killing Place for yourself.
And you really need to, it’s a good one!
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Posted by tony, on June 11th, 2010  Is it worth reviewing books which are 23 years old I wonder? In the age of Wikipedia and Amazon is it possible to add anything new with another review of a book written before the Facebook generation were even born? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I’m going to review Knots and Crosses (Ian Rankin) anyway because it’s a fine read and you should all buy it.
Knots and Crosses is the first of the Rebus novels, but it is not the first Rebus book I read (that was The Naming of the Dead last year). So in some respects, while Rebus was new to Rankin as he wrote the book, to me he was more like a friend I’d met before and wanted to know more about.
John Rebus, at the start of our story, is a Detective Sergeant in the Lothian and Borders Police force, living and working in Edinburgh. He has a troubled past, although the details initially are fuzzy we learn he was in the Army and the SAS before suffering a nervous breakdown of some sort, and eventually joining the Police. His ex-wife lives with his young daughter, while his brother carries on their father’s profession of hypnotist.
A serial killer is lose in Edinburgh and Rebus is assigned to the case along with a large number of other officers. Young girls are being abducted and killed, and it’s a race to the end to stop the killer before they manage to complete their dastardly plan.
To complicate matters, John’s brother is involved in something he shouldn’t be, Rebus himself is getting cryptic messages delivered and a reporter is sniffing about for a corrupt police story that might be the end of Rebus’ career.
Knots and Crosses is pretty short, certainly compared to some of the later Rebus novels, and while worth reading it does have some flaws. I’m not sure we should expect anything else in the early stages of an authors work and it’s clear the flaws didn’t stop this book being well read and well loved, nor did they stop Rankin’s career taking off.
The pace is sometimes a little clumsy, with gaps where I would have liked more detail and too much detail in sections where we needed some more speed. The underlying plot is a bit overcomplicated, but that’s an issue of personal taste and I’m sure some people loved the drama it brings. What really sets this book apart and makes it worth reading is Rebus. He’s utterly compelling even in the first book. Not only is he compelling but for the most part he’s impressively real in texture. His interactions with the other characters are always engaging, and the dialog is entertaining and solid.
It’s easy to get emotionally attached to the characters, and that helps with the rising tension towards the end of the story. Some characters are a little cliche and probably don’t get the attention they deserve, but overall, the story is engaging, the writing compelling and the conclusion satisfying.
Well worth a read, at the very least because it’ll give you a good grounding in the Rebus character, which you’ll need when you pick up the much better later books in the series. Better than average despite being a very early novel from Rankin.
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Posted by Grete, on January 27th, 2010  One night, seven years ago Beth Denison’s life changed when she was savagely attacked. The man responsible went to jail for a different crime and Beth worked hard to create a new life for herself and her daughter. Now he’s out and sending mutilated dolls to Beth as a warning that he’s coming for her. Former FBI Agent Neil Sheridan was involved in a related case seven years ago and consults for the FBI and the Police when a string of murders turn up and all seem connected to Beth Denison in some way. Neil is determined to find out what hold the killer has over Beth and unexpectedly finds something he never thought he would again. The chance of a new life and some peace. First though, he has to keep Beth safe from the hands of a demented killer who wants to hear her scream.
It’s been a while since I read a good crime book, having lately been absorbed by paranormal romance and fantasy. It’s the first time I’ve read anything by Kate Brady and having just finished One Scream Away, it will certainly not be the last. Her writing is very smooth and easy to read, even the little bits of back-history that were inserted didn’t jerk me out of the story. Some parts of the book were extremely harrowing and if I didn’t already find collectible porcelain dolls creepy, I certainly would now!
The pace built up gradually until it was rushing along and carrying me me breathlessly with it, and I really couldn’t see what the outcome would be. I thought the plot was extremely clever, several layers going on at once until they were slowly stripped away to a single one by the end. Empathy with the main characters of Neil and Beth built the same way as the pace of the book. I didn’t really feel much for them at the start but by the end I loved them and really cared about what happened. Even minor but key characters I didn’t come to know that well tugged at my heart in certain scenes.
Nailbitingly tense in the extreme.
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Posted by Grete, on November 18th, 2009  Violet Natalie Lindstrom is desperate to keep her daughter out of the clutches of the Violet Corps but because of their interference with any gainful employment, she is struggling to make ends meet. When a job offer lands in her lap that would pay enough to keep her going for quite some time, she is suspicious that it seems too good to be true. Can she afford to turn it down though? The job is simple, travel to Peru and channel the spirit of a long dead Conquistador to find out where he stashed the stolen treasures of the Incas. A simple job that could cost Natalie her life.
In Golden Blood has a slightly different feel to it than the previous two books. Still just as good, but an added flavour of treasure hunting thrown in to an already powerful mix. It’s good to see Natalie’s experiences are changing her, making her more mature but still the same gentle person she has always been. I felt this book was more tense than the others and was equally as gripping. I was never sure what the ultimate outcome would be and I had no choice but to keep reading, fearing but hoping at the same time, an odd mix of emotions. There were a few scenes that made me want to cry and I can only put it down to Stephen Woodworth’s ability to write emotional and engaging books that are very easy to read, without skimping on detail, characterisation or imagination. When I read the first book in the series, I thought it would be a trilogy but am happy to say there is another one to come. I am looking forwards to that very much.
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Posted by Grete, on November 17th, 2009  Six years have passed since Natalie stopped the Violet Killer with Dan. Sickened by the violence she resigns from the Violet Corps, and to make ends meet takes any freelance job she can get. Not easy when the Corps try to block any employment to try and force her to come back. They also want to get their hands on the one legacy Dan left. Their daughter. When a killer is going to walk free due to the false testimony of a corrupt Violet, Natalie feels she has to try and prove how he did it. The one thing she doesn’t bank on is something dark from her Mother’s history.
I still found the premise of Violets as unique and exciting as I did in the first book, Through Violet Eyes. The character of Natalie continues to appeal with her strength, quiet dignity and determination. The love for her daughter and the fierce protectiveness she has for her is compelling and touching, especially when you know what Natalie herself went through as a child.
The book was skillfully written, causing pangs of sorrow everytime Dan appears. As I mentioned in the first book’s review, the mix of urban fantasy and crime is just brilliant and I would be hard pressed to choose which genre it would fit into. The pace of this book was just right, progressing with enough speed to keep me interested, but not so fast that I had to keep reading back to catch something. The plot was complex enough to keep me glued to the pages, trying to guess what was going to happen. I absolutely loved what he did with the ending, didn’t see that coming at all. Highly recommended for anyone who likes a good solid thrilling read.
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Posted by Grete, on November 11th, 2009  One female body in the morgue, another high profile millionairess missing and a possible connection to a Hollywood actor rumoured to have unsavoury sexual practices. Kay Scarpetta while working pro bono for the New York’s Chief Medical Examiner is working on the case when she is asked to make one of her semi-regular appearances on a TV show. While being bombarded by the presenter with questions about the case of Hannah Starr, which she can’t discuss, she gets an unsettling call live on air from a former psychiatric patient of Benton’s. A mysterious package turns up at her apartment that could be a bomb, and Kay realises this case is getting personal and that Lucy has a hidden connection with the missing Hannah.
I’ve enjoyed the earlier books by Patricia Cornwell for a long time, but I have to say the last few have been a bit hit and miss. The previous book, Scarpetta, was really good so I had high hopes for The Scarpetta Factor, thinking Cornwell had found her way again. She usually has a talent for writing a good story and keeping you on the edge of your seat but sadly I really struggled with it and felt the first half of the book was just lacklustre and going through the motions. On the plus side, the plot was interesting and it was good to catch up with much loved characters again. On the minus side, the book could have been half the size and still managed to get everything in that it needed. It wasn’t really until the second half when it became remotely engaging and felt like you were reading a Scarpetta book. The last third is when it really takes off, the pace rising enough to keep you interested and feel the tension that is such a trademark. Having said all that, if another book should be released, I will still read it because when Patricia Cornwell is on form, she’s very, very good.
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Posted by Grete, on October 25th, 2009  A usual day in the Burg for Stephanie Plum, finding a body in Morelli’s basement, taking care of the teenager of a missing woman who seems to be connected with the body and then there is the missing nine million dollars who everyone wants to find. Only everyone thinks it’s buried somewhere on Morelli’s property and wants to find it… including Grandma Mazur. Throw in working for Ranger on a security detail for an ageing singer, Stephanie is up to her eyeballs in trouble and the eye twitch is out in full force.
I’m not sure if this book was better than they have been recently or if having a bit of a break from the series and reading other stuff allowed the magic to return. Either way, it was a really good read with all the usual suspects leading to a funny, frantic story with all of Stephanie’s charm and haplessness in full force. Joe and Ranger were as macho and funny as ever and I love their interactions, even by proxy through Stephanie. Although Ranger didn’t feature that much, he was his usual hot self when he was around. Joe just had me laughing at every turn, as he deals with the fallout of the missing money rumours, Stephanie’s ability to find corpses and also her working with Ranger. I think if his blood pressure goes up any more, he might pop!
I don’t know how Janet Evanovich comes up with all the situations she gets Stephanie into but they are hysterical. The blue dye moment was just inspired and had me laughing every time it came up. I also can’t wait to see where Lula’s cornering of Tank takes them, definitely an explosion waiting to happen.
Fearless Fourteen is a great addition to the series and highly recommended if you want to head back to the Burg and Stephanie Plum.
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Posted by Grete, on October 2nd, 2009  Temperance Brennan, a leading forensic anthropologist has her abilities called into question when an anonymous tip suggests she missed or deliberately hid evidence. The case was routine but high profile, of a skeleton presumed to be a missing heiress. Still dividing her time between Quebec and Charlotte, she tries to go about business as usual but as more corpses that could be linked turn up, she starts questioning herself as mistakes she has no recollection of start being revealed. Is she losing her mind or is something more sinister at play. Can Tempe save her reputation and solve the puzzle before she loses more than that, even her life.
I’ve enjoyed Kathy Reichs’ work for a long time, even before the Bones TV series started (which I also love). I like that while the character of Temperance Brennan is present and she is also a leading forensic anthropologist, that’s where the similarity ends. You can enjoy them both as separate entities with no confusion as to why Tempe would do something in the series, yet behave completely differently in the books. They are entirely separate.
206 Bones draws you straight in with Temperance in a situation that is quite shocking. Then it returns to normal day to day life and you assume it was either in the past or yet to come. As the plot progresses, you get more glimpses of that situation and as they start getting closer to the current timeline, it has you on the edge of your seat, waiting to see what the next glimpse will be. It was cleverly written and keeps you reading (and for me way up past my bedtime as I couldn’t put it down).
The character of Temperance is always well written and you get a good sense of who she is as a woman and a forensic anthropologist. The technical information is always impeccable and you can only put that down to Kathy Reichs’ own career and knowledge giving her the ability to explain the jargon and procedures in easily understood terms. The one thing I do find difficult and it’s not really a bad thing but the amount of French/Quebecois throws me a little but I can’t actually see any way round that since it is set in Quebec a large amount of time. She does take time to translate as part of the story which helps, but it still jerks me out of the story sometimes. Since that is my only mild complaint, I think 206 Bones is a great addition to the series and was a really good read.
One thing to note and something I liked, is that you could pick this up as your first Kathy Reichs book and still be entertained, as the little snippets of the major characters histories that are in the story are also explained easily and without having to resort to long recaps.
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Posted by Grete, on July 15th, 2009  On a stormy night in Atlanta, Georgia, a naked woman stumbles into the road and is hit by a passing car. It’s clear her injuries aren’t all from the accident and at the hospital, Dr Sara Linton examines her and is horrified to find evidence of brutal torture. Agents Will Trent and Faith Mitchell from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) are assigned the case, with the local police being unhappy and obstructive. On a search of the area, they are shocked to find another body in a nearby tree. When other women go missing, matching the profile of the first victims, they realise they have a serial killer on their hands and it becomes a race against time to find them before they can be subjected to the same horrific brutality as the first victims.
I was both sad and excited when I started Genesis. It was great to meet Sara Linton again but I did have some reservations. After Sara’s tragic loss, would she still be the same compassioniate, sweet natured and feisty woman we used to know and love? I loved that GBI Agents Will Trent and Faith Mitchell were teamed up in this book as well, two characters who I enjoy very much. Your heart can’t help but go out to Will and you love Faith and get exasperated by her in equal measure. They make a formidable threesome, and while they weren’t strictly working with Sara on the case, she was the doctor caring for ‘Anna’ so had a lot of input and admits she missed working cases as she did when she was the M.E. in Grant County. I’ve missed that side of Sara too.
I have to admit that after Skin Privilege, I wondered if Karin Slaughter had shot herself in the foot. Even though it was a fantastic book, it was a brave and risky move to kill off one of her major and much loved characters. I wondered if we would ever see Sara Linton again, so when I heard Genesis was being released I was ready to reserve judgement and see what would be made of it.
I should have trusted that Karin Slaughter knew what she was doing and has again produced a brilliant book with strong characters all with their own inner demons, fighting against the depths of human depravity. With flair, a clean and crisp writing style that is so easy to read, and a plot that keeps you turning the page, hoping that they will all make it through, the book delivers an exciting read.
The only negative thing I have to say about Genesis is the ending felt a little flat but I’m going to trust Karin Slaughter this time and hope it leads into another book because I really would like to see Sara Linton, Will Trent and Faith Mitchell in the same book again, they make for an explosive mix.
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Posted by Grete, on July 6th, 2009  The Violets – rare people born with violet eyes who can channel and communicate with the dead, allowing them to occupy their bodies for a brief time. Fully documented and scientifically proven, they are often used in court to allow a victim or deceased criminal to speak, allow a dead composer to continue his work, an artist to continue painting. Unfortunately someone is now killing them and FBI agent Dan Atwater is assigned the case. Paired with Violet Natalie Lindstrom, they are in a race against time to uncover who wants such vengeance against the Violets and to stop any more from dying.
I really wasn’t sure what to think of it when I started this book, I read both crime and urban fantasy and I wasn’t quite sure if this would work and in all honesty it’s the best blending of crime and urban fantasy I’ve ever seen. For fans of crime novels, this would be a good introduction to urban fantasy and vice versa. To fans of both already, this would be a rare treat.
The writing is very smooth, easy to read and the plot has just enough twists to keep you turning the pages, needing to know what happens next. The pace of the story unfolding was just right, each revelation furthering the plot, keeping you on your toes and guessing.
The characters were outstanding. I loved the two main ones, Natalie and Dan, they were very easy to empathise with and you come to care about them a great deal. You get glimpses into their pasts but without being bludgeoned over the head with it or it repeatedly getting in the way of them doing what they need to.
Something I found unique is that some of the dead characters were as entertaining as the living and you come to like some of them just as much, even though you get to meet them briefly. Also getting an insight into what comes after in the world of the Violets was interesting, especially their fear of it.
I think Stephen Woodworth has really created something special with this novel and there are two more books to come. I can’t wait!
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Very young children eat their books, literally devouring their contents. This is one reason for the scarcity of first editions of Alice in Wonderland and other favorites of the nursery.
Rosenbach, A. S. W.
About BookThing! BookThing! is a website where Grete can indulge her passion for books. There are reviews covering a range of genres (paranormal romance, crime, fantasy, romantic comedy), bibliographies for selected authors, features and sometimes the odd free book giveaway!
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