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traceymlee's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
poedogruns's review against another edition
4.0
What drew me into this novel was the complexity of the characters, especially after the cookie cutter perfection of the characters in my last James Patterson reading. Life is messy, but these guys faced it with intellect and a glass of wine. Being wrapped up in the storyline was serenely peaceful for me, because whatever drama was thrown out, the characters dealt with it in quiet confidence. And the true motive of the murder seemed justified in my opinion. I liked this novel a lot. [return][return]The only drawback I found were the young, beautiful love interests who, of course, could not resist hooking up with much older fellows double their age. It is fiction, so I will suspend my skepticism.
si0bhan's review against another edition
4.0
I’m up to date with the Enzo Files – here is to hoping that we get the last two mysteries at some point in the foreseeable future!
Whilst the Enzo Files are not my favourite work by Peter May, I do thoroughly enjoy them. Each book offers up another interesting criminal story, with the understory of Enzo’s life developing. I admit that at times I grow annoyed with the soap opera of his life, but as a whole I love to watch his development as a character – along with the development of side characters.
With this one, we have another great story. Things are nicely woven together to create another great mystery that keeps you interested until the end (even if you are not second guessing because, as with the other books in the series, we don’t quite reach the point where you question all the motives).
That being said, there were some issues with this book. Editing issues, I should point out. There were inconsistencies that should have been noticed during the editing stage, which prevented me from enjoying the book as much as I would have liked to. I would have found the story much more engaging had I not been frowning at how information was contradicting what had been written in prior chapters.
Nevertheless, it was a fun addition to the series and I want to see how things end for Enzo and company.
Whilst the Enzo Files are not my favourite work by Peter May, I do thoroughly enjoy them. Each book offers up another interesting criminal story, with the understory of Enzo’s life developing. I admit that at times I grow annoyed with the soap opera of his life, but as a whole I love to watch his development as a character – along with the development of side characters.
With this one, we have another great story. Things are nicely woven together to create another great mystery that keeps you interested until the end (even if you are not second guessing because, as with the other books in the series, we don’t quite reach the point where you question all the motives).
That being said, there were some issues with this book. Editing issues, I should point out. There were inconsistencies that should have been noticed during the editing stage, which prevented me from enjoying the book as much as I would have liked to. I would have found the story much more engaging had I not been frowning at how information was contradicting what had been written in prior chapters.
Nevertheless, it was a fun addition to the series and I want to see how things end for Enzo and company.
ericwelch's review against another edition
4.0
We have dog detectives, cat detectives, recipe mysteries, vampire sleuths, etc. Most of these I ignore. At least a university professor who is a forensic science expert and works on cold cases makes sense.
Enzo MacLeod, is investigating the cold case murder of Marc Fraysse, a three star restaurant chef, who owned a place so famous that reservations were required six months in advance. Discovered by the local flic, Dominique, who, Enzo discovers to his delight, cleans up spectacularly out of uniform. (Some of these fall-spring relationships, I find disconcerting. The idea of dating someone younger than my daughter is weird.) Speaking of daughters, we learn relatively early that Enzo has sent his daughter to work incognito at the restaurant and he soon learns (mostly through her flirting with Phillippe) that Marc had been having an affair with Anne, the wife of the sous chef. After his death the restaurant was taken over by Marc’s brother, Gus. Rumors had been circulating that Marc was about to lose his third star. It seems a restaurant critic had it in for Marc.
Enzo enlists his daughter to help gather some undercover inside information and soon discovers that Marc problems way beyond those of a restaurateur in fear of losing a star. He was losing millions at the track. A multitude of other motives begin to surface as Enzo explores Marc’s relationship with his wife and brother, Gus, from whom he had been estranged for many years before Marc achieved his third star. Familial discord is a theme that inflicts both the Fraysse and MacLeod families and the parallels between the two seemed a bit too coincidental if not irrelevant.
May clearly loves haute cuisine which he describes in loving detail as well as the French countryside. I’m not a an oenophile so I suspect I didn't appreciate the effete (if not absurd) descriptions of wines. Nevertheless, they elicited an unintended chuckle. Well written with an ingenious plot; I’ll add some some of the earlier Enzo titles to my reading list. I knocked off a star because the forensic science seemed to take a back seat to cuisine.
I received a free copy of this book as an advanced reader copy. That it was free affected my judgment not a whit.
Enzo MacLeod, is investigating the cold case murder of Marc Fraysse, a three star restaurant chef, who owned a place so famous that reservations were required six months in advance. Discovered by the local flic, Dominique, who, Enzo discovers to his delight, cleans up spectacularly out of uniform. (Some of these fall-spring relationships, I find disconcerting. The idea of dating someone younger than my daughter is weird.) Speaking of daughters, we learn relatively early that Enzo has sent his daughter to work incognito at the restaurant and he soon learns (mostly through her flirting with Phillippe) that Marc had been having an affair with Anne, the wife of the sous chef. After his death the restaurant was taken over by Marc’s brother, Gus. Rumors had been circulating that Marc was about to lose his third star. It seems a restaurant critic had it in for Marc.
Enzo enlists his daughter to help gather some undercover inside information and soon discovers that Marc problems way beyond those of a restaurateur in fear of losing a star. He was losing millions at the track. A multitude of other motives begin to surface as Enzo explores Marc’s relationship with his wife and brother, Gus, from whom he had been estranged for many years before Marc achieved his third star. Familial discord is a theme that inflicts both the Fraysse and MacLeod families and the parallels between the two seemed a bit too coincidental if not irrelevant.
May clearly loves haute cuisine which he describes in loving detail as well as the French countryside. I’m not a an oenophile so I suspect I didn't appreciate the effete (if not absurd) descriptions of wines. Nevertheless, they elicited an unintended chuckle. Well written with an ingenious plot; I’ll add some some of the earlier Enzo titles to my reading list. I knocked off a star because the forensic science seemed to take a back seat to cuisine.
I received a free copy of this book as an advanced reader copy. That it was free affected my judgment not a whit.
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