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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
This one felt a little contrived, as if the author was forcing Quarry to do some silly mistakes that only an amateur would dare make.
Overall decent, but not as good as the Hard Case books. I recommend it as it is a lite and easy read.
Overall decent, but not as good as the Hard Case books. I recommend it as it is a lite and easy read.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Five stars for the patented Collins hard-boiled tone.
Four stars for the set-up, which takes the reader to an isolated ski lodge where Quarry horns in on six people who are making a porno film.
Two stars for the over-the-top, implausible ending.
Overall, three.
Four stars for the set-up, which takes the reader to an isolated ski lodge where Quarry horns in on six people who are making a porno film.
Two stars for the over-the-top, implausible ending.
Overall, three.
In an effort to score a quick payday, Quarry locates the target of another hitman with the idea of hiring himself out to stop the killer. Only the intended victim is a porno producer. When Quarry ends up snowed in on the set of a porno and people start dying, is it the work of the hitman Quarry is trying to stop or a psychopath?
The Good: The plot of being snowed in wasn't new, since cozy British mysteries have been using that for about a century, but being snowed in on the set of a porno movie was pretty novel. Quarry does what he does best in Quarry's Cut, namely kill people. His unlikely friendship with Wilma at the beginning fleshed out his character a bit.
The Bad: The writing lacks the seasoning of the Hard Case Quarry books, not surprising since these were done early in Collins career. One thing that really bugged me was that Quarry does stupid things that seem against his character because the plot hinged upon them.
The Ugly: My edition from Perfect Crime books is riddled with typos. I'm not exaggerating when I say there must have been a typo every four pages. If you're charging fourteen bucks for a book that's less than 180 pages long, at least have someone proofread that damn thing before you send it to the printers. That seriously impaired my enjoyment.
I was on the fence about what to rate this one. It was right on the line between being just okay and actually liking it. The typos were what pushed it down to two stars.
The Good: The plot of being snowed in wasn't new, since cozy British mysteries have been using that for about a century, but being snowed in on the set of a porno movie was pretty novel. Quarry does what he does best in Quarry's Cut, namely kill people. His unlikely friendship with Wilma at the beginning fleshed out his character a bit.
The Bad: The writing lacks the seasoning of the Hard Case Quarry books, not surprising since these were done early in Collins career. One thing that really bugged me was that Quarry does stupid things that seem against his character because the plot hinged upon them.
Spoiler
For one thing, he let Turner live even though he knew Turner was probably going to come gunning for him later. The other thing was even more irksome. Quarry goes through the effort of switching bedrooms with Castile so he can have a confrontation with the killer when he comes for Castile, then proceeds to have sex with Janet in that very bedroom. Quarry mentions looking over his shoulder during the act. How about not having sex with her when there's a killer in the house, you asshole!The Ugly: My edition from Perfect Crime books is riddled with typos. I'm not exaggerating when I say there must have been a typo every four pages. If you're charging fourteen bucks for a book that's less than 180 pages long, at least have someone proofread that damn thing before you send it to the printers. That seriously impaired my enjoyment.
I was on the fence about what to rate this one. It was right on the line between being just okay and actually liking it. The typos were what pushed it down to two stars.
It's Quarry. Poorly-aged comfort food from a bygone era. Incredibly wrong, straight forward pulp as usual. Nothing too new or exciting. But its an easy read.
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Another great addition to the series... it actually might be my favourite so far.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The last of the original four Quarry novels is probably my favorite. It's funny: I don't like locked room mysteries but I like locked room mysteries written by people who don't normally write them. Also, Collins displays an intricate grasp of the 70s porn era. It's a little homo/biphobic for my tastes but if that does not stop you, it's a good book in a good series.