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danleland's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty good. I did not realize this was a series. I might go back and read some of the earlier ones.
mamashark32's review against another edition
2.0
I found this book lacking. It never really took off for me and I kept waiting for the storyline to take some interesting twist our turn. It was too predictable and mundane.
tobyyy's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, while I'm still enjoying the Eve Duncan books, I think I'm getting to a point where I've read too many of them in too short a time. They're getting repetitive -- well, let me clarify. The plots are not getting repetitive, but the brief retelling of who Bonnie is respective to Eve and Joe, who Jane is, etc., is irritating because it's reiterated every book. While I appreciate this for the readers who haven't started the series from book 1 and continued on up, it's just... well, irritating to me. Ha.
And, as I've mentioned before re: prior books by Johansen, I'm tired of the whole "sex is hot" thing that is mentioned every time whenever sex happens in books. Also, the whole "her face wasn't really pretty, but it was distinct and unusual and this drew everyone's attention to her." (Not word for word, obviously.) I'm not entirely sure that I understand that description (which is not just used for Eve, but also Jane, and usually any side characters -- aside from Catherine Ling, who appears in later books). Eh. *shrug*
But again, this book kept me on the edge of my seat until I finished it. I guess I'm just getting tired of some of the repeated things that Johansen does -- some for her readers' benefit (like the brief summary of who Bonnie is, etc.), but some of it just seems stupid. Maybe it's time I took a break from these books for a little while...
And, as I've mentioned before re: prior books by Johansen, I'm tired of the whole "sex is hot" thing that is mentioned every time whenever sex happens in books. Also, the whole "her face wasn't really pretty, but it was distinct and unusual and this drew everyone's attention to her." (Not word for word, obviously.) I'm not entirely sure that I understand that description (which is not just used for Eve, but also Jane, and usually any side characters -- aside from Catherine Ling, who appears in later books). Eh. *shrug*
But again, this book kept me on the edge of my seat until I finished it. I guess I'm just getting tired of some of the repeated things that Johansen does -- some for her readers' benefit (like the brief summary of who Bonnie is, etc.), but some of it just seems stupid. Maybe it's time I took a break from these books for a little while...
tiredcat's review against another edition
3.0
It was entertaining but it didn't have the same passion as some of her books. I still have about 4 more books to read to catch up in this series and this book didn't turn me away from that. I just hope they have that little extra something that the first books of this series possessed.
alsudik's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
lorraine19's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Constant intensity, character conflicts, action, and examination of personality. This book was so entertaining and emotional. Loved having a strong female character that, while expressing emotions, was a badass and stepped outside the gender roles when needed. The focus on the dark parts of the human psyche was fascinating. It leaves you wanting more, but I am by no means disappointed with how it ends.
My only complaint is that the main antagonist could have been a little more rounded. The main characters were so deep and complex, it would have been cool to see that reflected in the villain - even just a little. He was disappointingly flat by comparison and adding in a few more scenes with him would have added to the story I think. But either way, still an amazing book and definitely recommend.
My only complaint is that the main antagonist could have been a little more rounded. The main characters were so deep and complex, it would have been cool to see that reflected in the villain - even just a little. He was disappointingly flat by comparison and adding in a few more scenes with him would have added to the story I think. But either way, still an amazing book and definitely recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, and Murder
Moderate: Rape, Pedophilia, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Alcohol, Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Infidelity
Missing children, relationship conflict, drug/weapon traffickingweaselweader's review against another edition
4.0
Duncan's obsession over her missing daughter is put to good use in "Stalemate"!
Eve Duncan, one of the world's best known forensic sculptors, specializes in the recreation of facial features from skulls. Having lost her beloved daughter, Bonnie, to abduction and murder and having suffered the anguish of never having found the body, her passion is helping parents in a similar situation. She reconstructs heads and faces and confirms the identification of skeletal remains so that grieving parents can find closure and move on with their lives.
When she receives a call from Luis Montalvo, a sleazy but powerful smuggler of illegal armaments and drugs in South America, asking for help with the identification of a skull, her first inclination is to tell him to push off; that she simply isn't inclined, at any price, to help someone who enriches himself by doing so much harm in the world.
But, in exchange for her forensic reconstruction of this skull, Montalvo promises to put all of his wealth, all his manpower and all of his underworld contacts into an effort to find Duncan's daughter's body and to identify her killer. This is a lure that Duncan is helpless to resist and she finds herself quickly on the way to South America even though she doubts Montalvo will keep his word. Duncan is quite certain that she'll find herself in an unmarked grave after she completes the task.
I've read a couple of other Johansen novels in which I found Eve Duncan's angst and never-ending obsession with the disappearance of her daughter to be tiresome. But Stalemate avoids this problem entirely. It's a topnotch thriller that keeps the excitement meter pushed to the stops for the entire novel. Instead of allowing Duncan's angst to become tedious, Johansen has cleverly used it to allow Duncan's complex character to grow and develop and to add depth and details to the story of her stormy relationship with former FBI agent Joe Quinn. Best of all, she allows Duncan to experience an almost irresistible attraction to Montalvo, a man who at the same time represents everything that repulses her.
But that infernal ending (that's not nice, Ms Johansen!) ... it's a cliff-hanger that almost guarantees you'll be off to the bookstore to purchase Quicksand. You'll want to find out where this whole thing with Montalvo and Duncan is going to end!
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
Eve Duncan, one of the world's best known forensic sculptors, specializes in the recreation of facial features from skulls. Having lost her beloved daughter, Bonnie, to abduction and murder and having suffered the anguish of never having found the body, her passion is helping parents in a similar situation. She reconstructs heads and faces and confirms the identification of skeletal remains so that grieving parents can find closure and move on with their lives.
When she receives a call from Luis Montalvo, a sleazy but powerful smuggler of illegal armaments and drugs in South America, asking for help with the identification of a skull, her first inclination is to tell him to push off; that she simply isn't inclined, at any price, to help someone who enriches himself by doing so much harm in the world.
But, in exchange for her forensic reconstruction of this skull, Montalvo promises to put all of his wealth, all his manpower and all of his underworld contacts into an effort to find Duncan's daughter's body and to identify her killer. This is a lure that Duncan is helpless to resist and she finds herself quickly on the way to South America even though she doubts Montalvo will keep his word. Duncan is quite certain that she'll find herself in an unmarked grave after she completes the task.
I've read a couple of other Johansen novels in which I found Eve Duncan's angst and never-ending obsession with the disappearance of her daughter to be tiresome. But Stalemate avoids this problem entirely. It's a topnotch thriller that keeps the excitement meter pushed to the stops for the entire novel. Instead of allowing Duncan's angst to become tedious, Johansen has cleverly used it to allow Duncan's complex character to grow and develop and to add depth and details to the story of her stormy relationship with former FBI agent Joe Quinn. Best of all, she allows Duncan to experience an almost irresistible attraction to Montalvo, a man who at the same time represents everything that repulses her.
But that infernal ending (that's not nice, Ms Johansen!) ... it's a cliff-hanger that almost guarantees you'll be off to the bookstore to purchase Quicksand. You'll want to find out where this whole thing with Montalvo and Duncan is going to end!
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss