Reviews

Lokvogel by Henny van Gulik, Ann Cleeves

gabmc's review against another edition

4.0

I really enjoyed this first book in the Vera Stanhope series. The first half of the book sets the scene. We meet three women: Racheal, Anne and Grace, sharing a small cottage as they do a survey to see what a proposed new quarry will do to the land. Racheal is the team leader and her expertise is birds, Anne is a botanist and Grace focuses on small mammals. The three women are very different and the first part of the book explores their lives and their reasons for doing the survey. When Racheal first arrives at the cottage she is horrified to discover the body of her neighbour, Bella, who has apparently committed suicide. Racheal finds Bella's death very puzzling and can't believe that she would have taken her own life. As the book develops though we realise that maybe Racheal didn't know Bella as well as she thought she did. It is only when another death occurs that Vera enters the story. I 'know' her personality from watching the TV show the book is based on and it was great to get to know her better in book form. Vera certainly has a very unconventional investigative style, which sometimes involved her telling the characters what I thought was too much about the case. As they body count continues to increase, the women wonder who is safe and who is at risk.

beccamonster44's review against another edition

2.0

After reading the Shetland Island series I was really excited to try this one out but unfortunately it was not for me. The characters were not very compelling or at all likable and the story was so forgettable that every time I picked it up after a reading break I forgot what was happening. I made myself push through only to get to an ending that was not satisfying in the least. I don’t think I’ll be continuing this series.

pannapark's review against another edition

2.0

Well I finished The Crow Trap in the end, partly because after the character of Vera Stanhope (inspector) was introduced the pace picked up a little. For my taste there were too many unlikeable characters swirling in a morass of damaged interpersonal relationships; absent, obsessed &/or alcoholic fathers, sibling rivalry &/or manipulation, suicidal mothers and others. I also felt that Vera’s character was a bit of an attempt at a female version of Inspectors Frost (R. D. Wingfield), Daziel (Reginald Hill) or even more recently Lamb (Mick Herron) and the character didn’t quite come off. Was I just too distracted by the many references to Vera’s drinking, father, solitary nature, bare legs, sandals and mud spattered feet?!

trippalli's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A curious mystery. My favorite character was murdered so that derailed me quite a bit but I wanted to find out what happened to the environmental study, the egg collectors, the mine, the proposed quarry. I'm not really sure, a handful of loose ends, the murders seemed sadly happenstance and the psychotic nature of a few characters treating others with a lack of humanity disturbed me.

It was well written but brought me distress without purpose or learning so I wouldn't recommend even though I'm rating it highly for the interesting characters, good writing, and mystery..too many loose ends. Maybe I missed some details. Left feeling meh. I listened to it on audio book and re listened to the end 3 times and I'm still uncertain.

decretaro's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

leenie606's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

vegchef19's review against another edition

dark mysterious

4.0

romanici's review against another edition

4.0

audiobook; intricate story about several connecting murders; introduces DI Vera Stanhope; will do next in series in book form - too many details for audiobook

sandygx260's review against another edition

3.0

This proved to be quite an odd read. It felt like Cleeves disliked her characters... they certainly seemed to be a disagreeable cast of characters.

Still, I am willing to give this series another shot.

sarahfett's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No

4.0