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lousnewchapter's review against another edition
4.0
Amelia White sells advertising space for the local newspaper but dreams of being a journalist then one day on her way to work she stumbles across a dead body around the corner from her home. Her biggest scoop yet, then another victim appears and another....Now she's determined on uncovering the truth and finding out who the liar is.
TW: child abuse, domestic violence, murder, alcohol and drug abuse, suicide.
This was my first Lesley Pearse novel and certainly won't be the last! She has a way of intertwining family drama and mystery harmoniously. It's set in 1970s London and you can tell the author really did her research here, I felt like I was being plonked right in the middle of the era with the flower power of the 60s fading away, power cuts, continual strikes, the fashions, music, Vietnam War and more. Our female protagonist is strong yet also vulnerable. Pearse really has a talent for writing strong, independent and badass female leads so can't wait to read her other books!!
Okay now let's talk about the mystery. It was a little bit of a slow burn in the first half but then in the last 150 pages or so it all went down and I predicted the ending a little but I just couldn't put it down! I was so attached to the story and the characters I needed to know how it all turned out, there was so much suspense. It really gave me Jack the Ripper serial killer vibes as I was reading (until I got to the end and all was revealed
TW: child abuse, domestic violence, murder, alcohol and drug abuse, suicide.
This was my first Lesley Pearse novel and certainly won't be the last! She has a way of intertwining family drama and mystery harmoniously. It's set in 1970s London and you can tell the author really did her research here, I felt like I was being plonked right in the middle of the era with the flower power of the 60s fading away, power cuts, continual strikes, the fashions, music, Vietnam War and more. Our female protagonist is strong yet also vulnerable. Pearse really has a talent for writing strong, independent and badass female leads so can't wait to read her other books!!
Okay now let's talk about the mystery. It was a little bit of a slow burn in the first half but then in the last 150 pages or so it all went down and I predicted the ending a little but I just couldn't put it down! I was so attached to the story and the characters I needed to know how it all turned out, there was so much suspense. It really gave me Jack the Ripper serial killer vibes as I was reading (until I got to the end and all was revealed
lisaar91's review against another edition
4.0
I adore Lesley Pearse. She’s my absolutely favourite.
I have been enjoying her new books, they’re good, likeable characters, involving plots. But I just don’t think they’re as good as her older books (mostly the ones with names in the title)
I have been enjoying her new books, they’re good, likeable characters, involving plots. But I just don’t think they’re as good as her older books (mostly the ones with names in the title)
ash_readss's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This was a good murder mystery but I definitely wouldn’t call it a thriller. I was intrigued about who the killer was and liked the idea of an aspiring journalist trying to solve the case but it was a bit more of a romance than a thriller.
dar_juc's review
3.0
An enjoyable if not predictable story. The main character Amelia is a bit too pathetic and sweet for my taste, …. I’m also not sure how many physical assaults you can put in one book before it borders on the ridiculous.
Enjoyable enough but not a book that will stay with me.
Enjoyable enough but not a book that will stay with me.
cv_xo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
lisam0183_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Another good page turner from Lesley Pearse. Amelia White works in advertising for a newspaper, but then turns journalist/sleuth after she discovers a body and then 2 more are found after. However, is she putting her own life in danger?
So, I thought I had this sussed from the very begining and was seeing how it was going to pan out. Then Lesley added in a huge plot twist that I didn't see coming.
I liked Amelia's character, although she was a bit too trusting at times. I was quite worried for her on a few occasions, which made me keep turning the pages.
So, I thought I had this sussed from the very begining and was seeing how it was going to pan out. Then Lesley added in a huge plot twist that I didn't see coming.
I liked Amelia's character, although she was a bit too trusting at times. I was quite worried for her on a few occasions, which made me keep turning the pages.
lydialane0103's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
jeniffer's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5
This is not normally a genre I go for but I enjoyed this. I predicted some of it and was right about some things and pleasantly wrong about others. I'm not sure how I feel about the end of the book. Why must all female characters end up with someone? Why is that always their fairytale ending? Also, the last bit felt shoehorned in. I wanted the book to be just about the crime but the end seemed to also want to round of the entire main character's life including her past. The character's past seemed like it needed more development within the book. Almost an entire book could be written about it and her working through that but it felt out of place at the end. I don't think the book needed as a conclusive end as it gave us.
This is not normally a genre I go for but I enjoyed this. I predicted some of it and was right about some things and pleasantly wrong about others. I'm not sure how I feel about the end of the book. Why must all female characters end up with someone? Why is that always their fairytale ending? Also, the last bit felt shoehorned in. I wanted the book to be just about the crime but the end seemed to also want to round of the entire main character's life including her past. The character's past seemed like it needed more development within the book. Almost an entire book could be written about it and her working through that but it felt out of place at the end. I don't think the book needed as a conclusive end as it gave us.