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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
An enjoyable story. I felt less engrossed by it than by the first in the series though I can't put my finger on why.
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The second book in the Manchester based series of the adventures of private eye Kate Brannigan, this one sees her solve two property related crimes - one where entire conservatories go missing, and the second a classic land-sold-twice scam. The plots are interesting enough, but McDermid does go a LOT into the details, which did detract just a bit from the overall reading experience. The whole book is a fun weekend read, and nothing heavier than that. Considering the fact that this is one of McDermid's earlier novels (and having read many of her later ones), it's clear how much she's progressed.
I reread this as it had been more than 10 years since I read it. Back then McDermid was my favourite author so I was worried I would now (being far more critical than formerly) ruin it for myself. I needn't have worried. It was long enough ago so that I didn't remember too much. As to the quality of the book- I am sure it had flaws but I was having too much fun to notice them. Kate Brannigan is a feisty, witty, brave protagonist and is surrounded by a support network that manage to respect and mock her in just the right proportions. There is a lively plot full of twists, near-misses, action, sarcasm and far too much Chinese food. In other words it is one of those private-eye stories that is always a good read, especially when the private eye is a woman
Brannigan manages to balance a case for a real paying client (who her bossy secretary has a most unprofessional interest in) as well as do a job on the side for one of her best friends. The "bad guys" from the stories look likely to kill her and Kate really wants to go back to her latest computer game (civilization since it was the 90s but I had some cringe factor there). Missing floppy disks (yes that long ago) a corpse who ends up being someone other than the obvious candidate and a Veronica Mars worthy scene (on p244) later Brannigan has all the answers. It's not really been a puzzle for the reader but it has been a rollicking ride with enough twists and lively dialogue to satisfy.
I still like McDermid's other detective Lindsay Gordon even better...and I still don't like McDermid's gorier stories. But this is good clean fun (with some yucky details at the corpse). Also as far as love-interests go Richard is satisfactory (though rather Kate than me).
Brannigan manages to balance a case for a real paying client (who her bossy secretary has a most unprofessional interest in) as well as do a job on the side for one of her best friends. The "bad guys" from the stories look likely to kill her and Kate really wants to go back to her latest computer game (civilization since it was the 90s but I had some cringe factor there). Missing floppy disks (yes that long ago) a corpse who ends up being someone other than the obvious candidate and a Veronica Mars worthy scene (on p244) later Brannigan has all the answers. It's not really been a puzzle for the reader but it has been a rollicking ride with enough twists and lively dialogue to satisfy.
I still like McDermid's other detective Lindsay Gordon even better...and I still don't like McDermid's gorier stories. But this is good clean fun (with some yucky details at the corpse). Also as far as love-interests go Richard is satisfactory (though rather Kate than me).
mysterious
fast-paced
A British author—I had read a later book (Crack Down) in the series a year or two ago and been dissatisfied. Now, I can’t see why.
The narrator is a P.I. Named Kate who is partner in a two-person firm specializing in white-collar crime investigations. She has a rock journalist for a boyfriend—one of those couples where he is the softer, more passive partner. This case could be described as The Case of the Missing Conservatories—but it develops into far more. I liked the bits and pieces of British culture/life—almost like being there.
[2020 note: I have been very sorry to see this author drop this series (after 5 or 6 books) for others.]
The narrator is a P.I. Named Kate who is partner in a two-person firm specializing in white-collar crime investigations. She has a rock journalist for a boyfriend—one of those couples where he is the softer, more passive partner. This case could be described as The Case of the Missing Conservatories—but it develops into far more. I liked the bits and pieces of British culture/life—almost like being there.
[2020 note: I have been very sorry to see this author drop this series (after 5 or 6 books) for others.]
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
mysterious
tense
fast-paced