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infi85's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
slavicsongbird's review against another edition
4.0
Oh my god Mr. McBride, wrap up your endings! They happen so fast and we never get to know about the aftermath. The books are longer than a lot of detective or mystery novels but I wouldn't mind like 2 pages more just to find out what happens after. Like, does the movie get made? How is the former inspector? Small details but important ones!
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
5.0
Look, let's just admit that I'm a huge fan of this series and get it over and done with. Love DI Steel, love her glorious over the topness, love McRae's constant sooking and all being put upon. Love the madness of the world in which they have to try to operate as functioning police members, love the supporting cast, love the gallows humour. Love the whole damn thing. Even love those that don't quite live up to the other books in the series (and let's face it - we're talking bees d's worth of not living up to that which came before).
I'll therefore plead to some lacking in objectivity.
CLOSE TO THE BONE has the requisite things going pear-shaped left right and centre - with cases piling up at the door refusing to maintain an orderly line. Including McRae balancing a personal life that almost, in the last book, accidentally veered towards normal, committed and stable. Meanwhile Steele is behaving like everyone's worst nightmare caricature. Even more-so in this book as she's dragged kicking, screaming, bitching and moaning into "Management". I even, for a very brief period in my life, found myself interested in the outcome of a wildly popular paranormal novel, but only because it looks like some nutcase is basing a series of murders on scenarios from that book.
But, more importantly, underneath the lunacy and the caricature there are little ripples in the reality. Sure Steel is considerably more over the top in the book than she's been in others. Maybe because the idea of Management scares her more than babies, shared parenthood and responsibility. Okay so McRae seems to be playing a slightly straighter bat on the one hand, and yet, maybe this settling down thing has some complications that he's not being completely up front about.
With MacBride there's often been that thing in the undercurrent, that hint of the reality underneath the gallows humour and that glimpse behind the mask that's intriguing. That and the over the top nature of the characters as a coping mechanism for what they must deal with on a day to day basis. Sure in this book some of those elements are stretched out to the point where you can actually see through the elastic. Don't care. Loved it.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/close-bone-stuart-macbride
I'll therefore plead to some lacking in objectivity.
CLOSE TO THE BONE has the requisite things going pear-shaped left right and centre - with cases piling up at the door refusing to maintain an orderly line. Including McRae balancing a personal life that almost, in the last book, accidentally veered towards normal, committed and stable. Meanwhile Steele is behaving like everyone's worst nightmare caricature. Even more-so in this book as she's dragged kicking, screaming, bitching and moaning into "Management". I even, for a very brief period in my life, found myself interested in the outcome of a wildly popular paranormal novel, but only because it looks like some nutcase is basing a series of murders on scenarios from that book.
But, more importantly, underneath the lunacy and the caricature there are little ripples in the reality. Sure Steel is considerably more over the top in the book than she's been in others. Maybe because the idea of Management scares her more than babies, shared parenthood and responsibility. Okay so McRae seems to be playing a slightly straighter bat on the one hand, and yet, maybe this settling down thing has some complications that he's not being completely up front about.
With MacBride there's often been that thing in the undercurrent, that hint of the reality underneath the gallows humour and that glimpse behind the mask that's intriguing. That and the over the top nature of the characters as a coping mechanism for what they must deal with on a day to day basis. Sure in this book some of those elements are stretched out to the point where you can actually see through the elastic. Don't care. Loved it.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/close-bone-stuart-macbride
xonicolaxox's review against another edition
4.0
This was the first novel I had read in the Logan McRae series and on the whole, I enjoyed it. Acting DI McRae is a very likeable character with both he and his colleagues being written extremely well by the author. It feels like they are written as real people with actions and characteristics I would not normally expect in a book. I would, however, recommend that this series is one best read in order and not out of sequence. I had to google the characters to get a bit of basic background about each of them before I was able to submerge myself fully in their stories. Overall, the plot of this book was exciting and unique, and I would definitely read more of this series.
shantti's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
laurapf's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
dbevvers63's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
abbienk's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
balthazarlawson's review against another edition
4.0
Another great read about Logan McRae, now an acting DI. At least he wasn't shot or stabbed in this one. Though he isn't really the innocent sort of copper he would like to be and treads a very thin line between right and wrong. This is perhaps not as gory as previous novels but is still violent.
Stuart MacBride has the habit of including three way conversations in novels and at times they can be so very frustrating. This book includes them in they are more than annoying. Having a conversation on the phone while listening to the radio and trying to take it all in. It can be so easy to get lost at times and don't really add to the story.
Well worth a read.
Stuart MacBride has the habit of including three way conversations in novels and at times they can be so very frustrating. This book includes them in they are more than annoying. Having a conversation on the phone while listening to the radio and trying to take it all in. It can be so easy to get lost at times and don't really add to the story.
Well worth a read.