Tag: murdermystery

Sadie Review

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“Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water. But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meagre clues to find him. When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.”

This book was amazing! I read the whole book in one (1) day!

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The Big Four Review

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“Framed in the doorway of Poirot’s bedroom stood an uninvited guest, coated from head to foot in dust. The man’s gaunt face stared for a moment, then he swayed and fell. Who was he? Was he suffering from shock or just exhaustion? Above all, what was the significance of the figure 4, scribbled over and over again on a sheet of paper? Poirot finds himself plunged into a world of international intrigue, risking his life to uncover the truth about ‘Number Four’.”

So this book was a funny one for me and I go into a bit more detail in the actual post but despite the book containing loads of things I love; cat and mouse chase, settings all over the world, political intrigue, numerous murders. This book just didn’t resonate with me as much as I had hoped hence the average rating.

The Man in the Brown Suit Review

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  • Author: Agatha Christie
  • Series: Standalone
  • Genre: Murder Mystery
  • No. of pages: 381
  • Dates read: 12.07.19 – 16.07.19
  • Rating: 4 stars

And here is my other book I read on holiday! This was a really fun, more action-packed story that I read while soaking up the sun. Though being honest, I did read most of this on the plane back home but some of it was read by the pool.

Plot: Newly-orphaned Anne Beddingfield came to London expecting excitement. She didn’t expect to find it on the platform of Hyde Park Corner tube station. When a fellow passenger pitches onto the rails and is electrocuted, the ‘doctor’ on the scene seems intent on searching the victim rather than examining him . . . Armed with a single clue, Anne finds herself struggling to unmask a faceless killer known only as ‘The Colonel’ – while ‘The Colonel’ struggles to eliminate her . . .

First thing I want to say was I loved Anne’s character! I found her to be so relatable and I understood exactly where she was coming from when she dreamt of having a life full of exciting adventures and struggled with the mundanity of normal life. I thought she was smart, independent, adaptable and at times very funny. She was a joy to read.

It was good to see a female protagonist, especially at the time it was written, to go through such an action-packed adventure. I was actually shocked by how fun this plot was. I thought it was going to be a bulk-standard murder mystery and it was high-paced, high-stakes, action-packed and exciting. Far removed from my original idea and expectation.

I loved how you couldn’t really trust anyone in this story. Everyone is a suspect and everyone does something to make you suspect them. It was really fun not knowing who the murderer could be.

I felt that the plot was all over the place. I felt that the writing needed more structure. I found that with every new piece of information that was received or discovered, I became incredibly confused in where it fit within the mystery, followed by a massive info dump which would then confuse you even more. The writing didn’t help you formulate even a small idea of how that info worked in the narrative or changed the events of the mystery. I felt like I need a more structured monologue or conversation between characters discussing the mystery and how the new developments fit into it, just so I could get even a vague understanding on what was going on. I found myself hoping that it would all make sense in the end rather than working alongside the character to figure it out.

I also felt the romance was hit and miss depending on the couple. On one hand, you had a prospective couple that was given a lot of time to get to know each other and it made sense with them liking each other. Then, on the other hand, you had a prospective couple where out of no-where there’s a marriage proposal. It made no sense to me.

Overall, I really did enjoy the story but you could definitely tell this was one of Christie’s earlier works just by the messy plot structure and underdeveloped romance that didn’t make sense.

The next book I will be reviewing will be A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness.

The Secret of Chimneys Review

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  • Author: Agatha Christie
  • Series: Standalone
  • Genre: Murder Mystery/Political
  • No. of pages: 336
  • Dates read: 09.07.19 – 12.07.19
  • Rating: 5 stars

It felt so good to get back into another Christie novel. Like I said in my previous post, I love reading a murder mystery while soaking up the sun and that’s what I did. Yesterday, I came back from a great trip with my boyfriend and it felt good to kick back and relax a bit.

Plot: Little did Anthony Cade suspect that an errand for a friend would place him at the center of a deadly conspiracy. Drawn into a web of intrigue, he begins to realize that the simple favor has placed him in serious danger. As events unfold, the combined forces of Scotland Yard and the French Sûreté gradually converge on Chimneys, the great country estate that hides an amazing secret. . . .

This was my first political based novel and I thought I was going to find that side of the novel boring and just waiting for it to get back to the mystery but I found myself very early on thoroughly enjoying the more political side to the story. It felt like the stakes were higher when you added all the politics. It becomes so much more than the normal family matter or village matter. Like I’m used to.

Anthony was an amazing, charismatic main protagonist and I loved reading the story from his point of view. He just had a way with people that was so fun to watch, he commanded every scene he was in, regardless of how powerful the other individuals were. I also loved how care-free he was which allowed us to experience some incredibly exciting scenes play out due to his lack of worries.

I enjoyed all the twists and turns that came with this novel. But, the ending was a bit OTT, you have to slightly suspend your disbelief with this ending. I personally thought it was a lot of fun but I feel some readers might find it a bit too much and not as well thought through. To me, it was just really fun.

Obviously, this book was published in the very early 1920s, so there were a few xenophobic and racist undertones, and at times, blatant racist remarks. This was uncomfortable to read. This is a reflection, sadly, of the prejudices against people of colour at the time and it is hard to read.

I can’t say too much about this novel due to spoilers so this review is a quick one.

The next post will be about The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie. I also read this book while I was away and thoroughly enjoyed it. The post will be up very soon.

The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency Review

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  • Author: Alexander McCall Smith
  • Series: The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency #1
  • Genre: Mystery
  • No. of pages: 233
  • Dates read: 24.06.19 – 30.06.19
  • Rating: 4 stars

This was an impulse buy about 2 weeks ago in a charity shop. Mystery novels are my favourite kind of novels and when I saw a mystery novel with a Botswanian woman as the detective I could not not pick it up!

I am so happy I did!

Plot: Meet Mma Ramotswe, the endearing, engaging, simply irresistible proprietress of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, the first and only detective agency in Botswana. With persistent observation, gentle intuition, and a keen desire to help people with the problems of their lives, she solves mysteries great and small for friends and strangers alike.

Mma Ramotswe is an incredible character. She is tough, loving and incredibly intelligent. I loved her confidence and nerve. She is depicted as the definition of what makes Africa and in particularly Botswana great and I loved that image of this woman be the physical representation of not only her country but the entire continent. Reading the story from her POV was really enjoyable when you read something like Agatha Christie’s Poirot it’s always through the POV of his assistant or friend so we don’t see how Poirot figures things out and can be wowed at the end by his brilliance. With this book, I loved how we were piecing together the mystery alongside her! We found out all the vital information just as she did, you feel like you yourself are a private detective.

I really enjoyed the structure of this novel. The first couple of chapters starting off describing her childhood and the people she grew up with. All of this helped influence her brilliant mind and her love for solving a mystery. I also loved how while there was one over-arching mystery, filtered through the story were tiny cases that Mma Romatswe solved so it felt like more of a short story collection as some cases would only take up one chapter.

My main reservation though was that the author was a white man writing about the experiences of a black woman living in Africa. I understand that authors should be at liberty to write a variety of characters but Mma Ramotswe’s story was so raw and honest and heart-breaking I was worried with how it was going to be handled. Purely because the author would never be able to experience what life would be like for a woman living in rural Botswana and growing up there. I do feel it was done well and I never felt that the story was handled carelessly. But I can’t really decide of this was handled well as I myself am white and also will never experience what’s like to be someone like Mma Ramotswe.

That being said, I did really enjoy this book. I flew through it and I will definitely be picking up the sequel.

The next book I will be reviewing will be Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. I am reading this for the ONTD Reading Challenge for the month of July, the theme is ‘re-tellings’.

Resort to Murder Review

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  • Author: TP Fielden
  • Series: A Miss Dimont Mystery #2
  • Genre: Historical/Murder Mystery
  • No. of pages: 300
  • Dates read: 26.04.19 – 03.05.19
  • Ratings: 4 stars
  • Challenge: 2019 Sequels

Plot (as seen on Goodreads): With its pale, aquamarine waters and golden sands, the shoreline at Temple Regis was a sight to behold. But when an unidentifiable body is found there one morning, the most beautiful beach in Devon is turned into a crime scene. For Miss Dimont – ferocious defender of free speech, champion of the truth and ace newspaperwoman for The Riviera Express – this is a case of paramount interest, and the perfect introduction for her young new recruit Valentine Waterford. Even if their meddling is to the immense irritation of local copper Inspector Topham… Soon Miss Dimont and Valentine are deep in investigation – why can nobody identify the body, and why does Topham suspect murder? And when a second death occurs, can the two possibly be connected?

Another solid sequel that I have read this week. TP Fielden has been a pleasant surprise and I was not disappointed by his 2nd instalment.

First of all, my main positive about this book would be the introduction of a new main character, Valentine Waterford. He was a brilliant addition to the story and it felt good to have another set of eyes to view the story from.

I really enjoyed the structure of this story where we see the reporters cover 3 big stories. The stories were incredibly interesting and varied. I sadly can’t say much about the cases without spoiling the plot but it just worked so well and I preferred the structure of the investigation into both murders compared to how it was done in the first book.

As per usual, Fielden did a great job at describing the town of Temple Regis, giving life to the town and making it feel as if Temple Regis itself was a character within the story. An omnipotent being watching the drama unfold before it. 

Two of my main stumbling blocks with this book is that first of all it took some time for the narrative to really get going. The first 100 pages while easy to read were not that exciting, once you get past the 100 pages mark the story really starts to kick and that’s when you get invested. It was a bit disappointing that you had to wait for 100 pages to get there.

My other bugbear was the characterisation of Ursula, the leader of the Sisters of Reason feminist group. I felt she was only included to play the angry, ugly feminist and she was a one-dimensional character. I understand the point that was meant to be made about the fringe feminist group and the fight for gender equality at that time. Some great points were raised, I just feel that making the leader a more masculine woman and subsequently writing her as an unlikable individual who everyone dislikes or is intimidated with no redeeming qualities was not subtle and could have been written better.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd Review

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  • Author: Agatha Christie
  • Series: Hercule Poirot #4
  • Genre: Murder Mystery
  • No of pages: 304
  • Dates read: 01.04.19 – 04.04.19
  • Rating: 4.5 stars
  • Challenge: 2019 Sequels

There is not much I can say about this book without giving away Christie’s pure genius. So this won’t be that indepth of a review.

The first thing I would say after reading Sophie Hannah’s interpretation of Poirot, in The Monogram Murders, it makes you understand what it was about Christie’s Poirot that is unmatched and can’t be replicated no matter how hard we try. He is a great balance of knowing he is smarter than everyone else but also being humble about it. Being stern but compassionate. This balance is what makes Poirot great! It was great to dive back into the original Poirot.

I loved how everyone was framed as a suspect leaving the reader rather confused and no closer to who the actual murderer is. This also gets dragged out through a lot of the book so as you see the pages get smaller and smaller and you are reaching the end of the novel you are still wondering who it could be.

I really enjoyed the character Caroline Sheppard. I loved her ability to just gossip and not care about the consequences. While this isn’t a trait I would promote, it was very intriguing to read especially her nonchalance over causing trouble in her village. She is the person we would all be when something shocking happens, trying to know every little detail and discussing it with our friends.

One of the things I would say is that the writing is pretty basic, it was not the most exciting writing I have ever read. Thankfully, the plot makes up for the writing as the plot is incredibly masterful, so Christie can get away with the average writing style.

The next book I will be reviewing will be The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North. This book has been on my TBR list for so long and I am so happy I can finally get to this book.

The Monogram Murders Review

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  • Author: Sophie Hannah
  • Series: New Hercule Poirot Mysteries #1
  • Genre: Murder Mystery
  • No. of pages: 388
  • Date Read: 12.02.19 – 15.02.19
  • Rating: 3.5 stars

This was a book I was really excited for. I was really interested to see what my opinions would be on Hannah’s version of Poirot. I have only read 4 Poirot books but I have watched multiple episodes of the TV show starring David Suchet. I feel that Suchet’s portrayal is the most accurate portrayal of Poirot so I went in with that performance in mind.

PLOT:  Hercule Poirot’s quiet supper in a London coffee house is interrupted when a young woman confides to him that she is about to be murdered. She is terrified but begs Poirot not to find and punish her killer. Once she is dead, she insists, justice will have been done. Later that night, Poirot learns that three guests at a fashionable London hotel have been murdered and a cufflink has been placed in each one’s mouth. Could there be a connection with the frightened woman? While Poirot struggles to put together the bizarre pieces of the puzzle, the murderer prepares another hotel bedroom for a fourth victim. In the hands of internationally bestselling author Sophie Hannah, Poirot plunges into a mystery set in 1920s London – a diabolically clever puzzle that can only be solved by the talented Belgian detective and his ‘little grey cells’. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

POSITIVES

The plot was really interesting. I really enjoy serial killers stories and when I read the synopsis of this story I had to just pick it up. What I loved about the plot is how intricate it was. I can’t say too much as I am trying to keep this spoiler free and with murder mysteries, you can’t say too much or it will ruin the novel. Let’s just say its a very detailed plot with a lot of interestings factors raised.

The big reveal at the end was really satisfying. This is probably the first murder mystery where I had no idea who it could be. Normally, I would think as I read about who it could be but with this book I consumed it so fast I didn’t have to think about who the murderer could be. When I found out the who, how, why I thought it was done really well. All I will say is it was a very Agatha Christie ending, so if you love her kind of reveals you will love this one.

I loved the variety of female characters in this story. All the women in this story vary in some way or another. I never felt I was reading a carbon-copy of your basic 1930’s woman. They were all interesting and, like with all mysteries, had something to hide. I really enjoyed reading about incredibly layered female characters, I would have to say my favourite character was Margarent Ernst.

I enjoyed the POV of Edward Catchpool, I think he was a good choice as the main character. As someone who likes to try and figure out who the murderer could be it is advantageous to have someone straight-forward thinking like Catchpool explaining the story rather than Poirot so you can think of all the ways the murders could have happened. If you read the story through Poirot’s mind it’s not just as fun becasue you would already know the awnsers.

NEGATIVES

To be honest, I didn’t particularly care for Hannah’s version of Poirot sadly I found him to be rude and unlikable which was disappointing. Sadly, I found him to be condescending and lacking the warmth I am so used to. Overall, the portrayal was fine it was similar to Christie’s version but there were just certain elements that put me off him.

Hannah gave some unnecessary backstory to Catchpool that, if removed from the story, wouldn’t affect the progression of the plot. I didn’t really see the point in adding this character points in. They weren’t expanded enough in the story to really warrant being used at all. This may come into play for later novels as a recurring theme we see with this character but I am not so sure. It came across as points that were meant to be important for the characters development but just weren’t explained or given any detail. It just seems unnecessary.

As mentioned before, I really like the intricate and detailed plot but when it came to the big reveal at the end, it felt like there was a lack of structure in how Hannah was going to explain the motive and how the victims were killed. The explanation was a bit all over the place which led to alot of confusion.

The next book I will be reviewing is The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. The highly awaited sequel that has me feeling all the feelings.

The Murder on the Links Review

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  • Author: Agatha Christie
  • Series: Hercule Poirot (Book 2 of 41)
  • Genre: Murder Mystery, Crime
  • Date Read: Nov 25th -3rd Dec 2018
  • Rating: 5 stars

“You may know all about cigarettes and match ends, Monsieur Giraud, but I, Hercule Poirot, know the mind of man.”

– Hercule Poirot

I am a massive fan of Agatha Christie’s work that being said I have only read 4 of her books, including this one. I have mainly consumed her work through TV and film and only now as I am older have I started to read her books instead of watching the mystery unfold on the screen.

Plot: Poirot gets sent an urgent letter by a man called Mr Paul Renauld upon urgent matters he would tell him about upon his arrival but when Poirot arrives to France per Mr Renauld’s request he finds that he is too late. Mr Renauld is already dead! With a mysterious past and the rumour of affairs, Poirot finds himself in a truly complicated case.

The characters were incredibly fleshed out which I really appreciated as my first thought was they were going to be walking stereotypes. My personal favourites were Poriot himself and Giraud, the French detective bought in to solve the case. These two characters are complete polar opposites to each other. Poirot is more calculating and takes his time while Giraud was like a puppy on a scent and was boisterous in his approach, overlooking certain elements. Poirot’s dialogue was perfection throughout the whole novel especially in the scenes between him and Giraud. I loved the scenes where they butted heads and had differing opinions.

Hastings as a character was quite infuriating especially near to the end of the novel, he was naïve and at times just plain stupid. I had moments where I wanted to shout at him because he was clearly making mistakes and had a constant lack of judgement. But as a narrator I loved him. This novel wouldn’t have worked if it was Poirot as the narrator or a random member of the accused party. We got to be as close to Poirot’s brain as possible but because Hastings didn’t fully understand certain elements of the case or what Poirot is saying as a reader we aren’t given all the information like we would be if Poirot was the narrator.

The plot was incredible. I can’t put into words how intricate and complex it was, just when you thought it was all sorted another twist or turn or point to consider was thrown into the mix and you are never fully settled until the last page. I was kept on my toes throughout the entire book. Christie has a really good ability to hand you loads of vital information but without revealing the core question which is, “Who killed Mr Renauld?” And that’s what kept me going as I was still waiting for this key question to be awnsered.

The plot is the main driving force on this book, the writing is average I was astounded by the writing style and you don’t need to be as the plot is so smart you forget about the writing and are waiting for the next big moment or reveal.

One part where I wasn’t sure if I liked or hated it was halfway through the book Poirot and Hastings just summarise points made in the last couple of chapters. This was good from a wrap-up point because if I was confused by anything it was explained but also felt slightly out of place to the rest of the narrative. But I can’t pinpoint my thoughts on it.

 I loved the book for keeping me on my toes throughout the it’s entirety and being utterly unique. I don’t think anyone can match Christie’s work, I cannot wait to read more.

Next book: The Magician’s Nephew – C.S. Lewis