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3.02 AVERAGE
3.02 AVERAGE
You should've seen the gushy draft opening I wrote for this review before properly beginning this ARC that I was so excited to receive.
Even at 88%, I was going to say that the solid character-work made up for the relatively obvious puzzle solution. The culprit was so obvious to me at 70% that I thought it must be a red herring. Not only was it not a red herring but our sleuths believed the fall-guy was guilty for 3 months until a flash of divine inspiration, 3 months in which the culprit remained a fixture of the sleuths' landscape.
However, what eradicated my goodwill towards this book is that, after crafting wonderfully complex heroes and a nuanced secondary villain, Vine entirely cops out on the culprit's motive. Worse yet, for me, it's exactly the same cop-out motive as the Charity Shop Detective Agency. Now, I hated Boland's characters, so there I was in sympathy with the killer. Here, it feels like Vine should have committed to the culprit being a psychopath or monomaniac but, instead, we get this paper-thin justification that the characters treat as rock-solid.
What annoys me most about Vine and Boland framing intergenerational wealth inequality is that they aren't Boomers expressing their own fear. They are white cis Gen X men who assume that Gen Z's hatred for old people is so well established that their audience will accept it without question. As someone only 5 years older than the culprit, the resentment I and my peers have for old people rattling around in houses that are too big for them doesn't translate into animosity towards individual pensioners. We wish that "an Englishman's home is his castle" was less true and old people would look at housing as a social asset, not their personal property. There's a lot of steps to get from that to murder and neither of these books bother examining the intermediate steps.
I was inclined to continue with the series as and when because I like the characters and there's decent representation of disability due to the vagaries of life, rather than born that way. However, I really don't buy where the character relationships leave off and the disability representation is repetitive and shallow.
*~*
By the way, with regard to landscape, Vine is trying very hard to check off places you've heard of: Sidmouth, Topsham, Exmoor, Exeter and even a tor on the edge of Dartmoor. But it feels like a tourist's checklist of Devon, there's no sense of affection for these places. For example, why do the characters go to a fictional Indian restaurant in Budleigh Salterton (last home of Hilary Mantel, which isn't mentioned), when there's a perfectly good Indian restaurant in Sidmouth (I've eaten there)? The only thing we're told about this Indian restaurant is that the car park is superior to the food, so why did the characters leave the town they all live in to meet there, except it lets him tick off another recognisable Devon place name?
I haven't lived in Devon since I graduated from Exeter University almost 12 years ago and have only visited Sidmouth twice for the week-long folk festival and I've got more anecdotes about these locations than characters who have lived there all their lives.
Even at 88%, I was going to say that the solid character-work made up for the relatively obvious puzzle solution. The culprit was so obvious to me at 70% that I thought it must be a red herring. Not only was it not a red herring but our sleuths believed the fall-guy was guilty for 3 months until a flash of divine inspiration, 3 months in which the culprit remained a fixture of the sleuths' landscape.
However, what eradicated my goodwill towards this book is that, after crafting wonderfully complex heroes and a nuanced secondary villain, Vine entirely cops out on the culprit's motive. Worse yet, for me, it's exactly the same cop-out motive as the Charity Shop Detective Agency. Now, I hated Boland's characters, so there I was in sympathy with the killer. Here, it feels like Vine should have committed to the culprit being a psychopath or monomaniac but, instead, we get this paper-thin justification that the characters treat as rock-solid.
I was inclined to continue with the series as and when because I like the characters and there's decent representation of disability due to the vagaries of life, rather than born that way. However, I really don't buy where the character relationships leave off and the disability representation is repetitive and shallow.
*~*
By the way, with regard to landscape, Vine is trying very hard to check off places you've heard of: Sidmouth, Topsham, Exmoor, Exeter and even a tor on the edge of Dartmoor. But it feels like a tourist's checklist of Devon, there's no sense of affection for these places. For example, why do the characters go to a fictional Indian restaurant in Budleigh Salterton (last home of Hilary Mantel, which isn't mentioned), when there's a perfectly good Indian restaurant in Sidmouth (I've eaten there)? The only thing we're told about this Indian restaurant is that the car park is superior to the food, so why did the characters leave the town they all live in to meet there, except it lets him tick off another recognisable Devon place name?
I haven't lived in Devon since I graduated from Exeter University almost 12 years ago and have only visited Sidmouth twice for the week-long folk festival and I've got more anecdotes about these locations than characters who have lived there all their lives.
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was an enjoyable story that held my attention until the end. The characters were unique and well-developed, and there were many funny and tense moments in equal measure. The revelation of who killed Edward's son came as a complete surprise to me, but the person responsible for the death of Stevie's grandmother was incredibly obvious from page one, which detracted a lot of my interest from the story.
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5*
Celebrity novels are always a bit of a risk but this one started very strongly (though I did guess the twist) and then settled into a slower burn as we met the characters and then the pace picked up ag in around the middle of the book. I found the plot interesting and clever. The Devon setting is well described and I particularly loved Edward's house on the edge of an eroding cliff! The three main characters are all likeable and realistic., and I es ecially liked Edward and really felt for him. There is a lot of heartbreaking sadness in the book but also some humour to balance things.
Jeremy Vine did a great job narrating his book.
Celebrity novels are always a bit of a risk but this one started very strongly (though I did guess the twist) and then settled into a slower burn as we met the characters and then the pace picked up ag in around the middle of the book. I found the plot interesting and clever. The Devon setting is well described and I particularly loved Edward's house on the edge of an eroding cliff! The three main characters are all likeable and realistic., and I es ecially liked Edward and really felt for him. There is a lot of heartbreaking sadness in the book but also some humour to balance things.
Jeremy Vine did a great job narrating his book.
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:
No
Unable to cope after a devastating tragedy and having been subsequently let go from his job, late night radio talk show host Edward Temmis is trying to move on. He then meets Stevie, whose grandmother, a devoted listener, died in a suspicious fire last year, which the pair starts investigating, discovering Stevie's grandmother wasn't the only one of his listeners who was targeted.
I went into this book with such high expectations, but they weren't met. Honestly, it has everything it needs to have for me to like it, which makes this very conflicting, but I still feel like it lacked something. It took me a while to fully get into the story, and the first half felt very slow, and it was hard for me to connect, and even after that it alternated moments where I was hooked, and moments where I wasn't at all. The pacing felt all over the place, and it felt very repetitive at times. I will say I did enjoy some bits and pieces of it, and the characters were enjoyable to follow. Overall, I think it just wasn't for me, but I really do think there is potential, and I do think some people might really like it.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction & NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
I went into this book with such high expectations, but they weren't met. Honestly, it has everything it needs to have for me to like it, which makes this very conflicting, but I still feel like it lacked something. It took me a while to fully get into the story, and the first half felt very slow, and it was hard for me to connect, and even after that it alternated moments where I was hooked, and moments where I wasn't at all. The pacing felt all over the place, and it felt very repetitive at times. I will say I did enjoy some bits and pieces of it, and the characters were enjoyable to follow. Overall, I think it just wasn't for me, but I really do think there is potential, and I do think some people might really like it.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction & NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After a devastating personal tragedy, late-night talk show host, Edward Temmis is let go by the Radio station where he worked, and he loses the job he loved. Taking a job in the local garden centre, he meets Stevie, whose grandmother, a devoted listener, died in a suspicious fire last year.
Joined by his old fling, Kim, they discover Stevie's grandmother wasn't the only one of his listeners targeted. But who is pursuing his ageing audience and why? And can Edward, Stevie and Kim get to the bottom of this mystery before it’s too late?
I really enjoyed Jeremy Vine's first venture into crime writing, and it proved to be a very compelling read. Set in Devon, a place he clearly knows well, and threaded through with his love of radio, it is a really satisfying cosy crime novel, with a strong, authentic voice.
Its highly intriguing premise is blended with shades of light and dark, with plenty of red herrings and twists to engage the reader, but as well as being well plotted this is also character driven.
The characterisation is extremely well done, and I grew very fond of Edward, Kim and Stevie, the three main characters, but, the relatability and depth of character doesn't begin and end with the three principles, because the supporting cast are equally well drawn and fleshed out.
It does take a while for the very clever plot to get fully going, but, this does enable the author to tee everything up, establishing the characters and their backstories, as well as the strong sense of place, all of which are strengths of the novel for me, then it really hits its stride, the tempo is raised, and the unfolding plot really grabs you.
There is emotional depth to this novel, and you really feel for Edward and Stevie in their grief, and for Kim too, who has her own share of emotional turmoil and angst to negotiate, but, for all this, it is a far from gloomy read, and there is a great deal of humour, comedy and lightness to the piece as well. The transition of tone and mood is always carefully managed and never seems crass or jarring, always delicately done.
Exploring themes of grief and personal loss, and the importance of community and friendship, this would be a great start to a series - it really has the potential and I'd love to read more about these characters.
MOLO is perfect for anyone who has enjoyed Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series, or Rev Richard Cole Clement mysteries, and is looking for something in the same vein, and I'm really looking forward to Jeremy Vine's next novel. Definitely recommended!
Thank you to HarperCollins for my gifted proof, and this is my unbiased and impartial review.
Joined by his old fling, Kim, they discover Stevie's grandmother wasn't the only one of his listeners targeted. But who is pursuing his ageing audience and why? And can Edward, Stevie and Kim get to the bottom of this mystery before it’s too late?
I really enjoyed Jeremy Vine's first venture into crime writing, and it proved to be a very compelling read. Set in Devon, a place he clearly knows well, and threaded through with his love of radio, it is a really satisfying cosy crime novel, with a strong, authentic voice.
Its highly intriguing premise is blended with shades of light and dark, with plenty of red herrings and twists to engage the reader, but as well as being well plotted this is also character driven.
The characterisation is extremely well done, and I grew very fond of Edward, Kim and Stevie, the three main characters, but, the relatability and depth of character doesn't begin and end with the three principles, because the supporting cast are equally well drawn and fleshed out.
It does take a while for the very clever plot to get fully going, but, this does enable the author to tee everything up, establishing the characters and their backstories, as well as the strong sense of place, all of which are strengths of the novel for me, then it really hits its stride, the tempo is raised, and the unfolding plot really grabs you.
There is emotional depth to this novel, and you really feel for Edward and Stevie in their grief, and for Kim too, who has her own share of emotional turmoil and angst to negotiate, but, for all this, it is a far from gloomy read, and there is a great deal of humour, comedy and lightness to the piece as well. The transition of tone and mood is always carefully managed and never seems crass or jarring, always delicately done.
Exploring themes of grief and personal loss, and the importance of community and friendship, this would be a great start to a series - it really has the potential and I'd love to read more about these characters.
MOLO is perfect for anyone who has enjoyed Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series, or Rev Richard Cole Clement mysteries, and is looking for something in the same vein, and I'm really looking forward to Jeremy Vine's next novel. Definitely recommended!
Thank you to HarperCollins for my gifted proof, and this is my unbiased and impartial review.
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Edward Temming was a very popular radio host until he never get over the death of his son Matty which he was partly involved in. He always blames himself. He got made redundant from his employer and now works in a garden centre. When one of his ex-listeners is murdered, he takes himself on to investigate it. Which it soon appears that the death is connected to some dating scams where ladies of a certain age and scammed for their money.
Murder on Line one is a murder mystery whodunnit by BBC journalist Jeremy vine. And intrigued to read after being taken in by the blurb and the advanced praise from other authors.
I really wanted to like this book from Jeremy Vine but, I found that this first 40% very over descriptive and disjointed that I couldn’t really connect to it at all. It only started getting interesting when Edward went into further investigation of the dating scams. But by then it was too late. 3 stars from me.
These kind of books always grab me and I also found this one to be captivating with its story and the want to find out how it was all going to conclude.
It was cleverly woven and I found, as I continued reading, I started to get more invested. It was perhaps a little sluggish to set and it took me about 100 pages to find my grounding in the story; every reader is different.
I found I liked the characters and enjoyed following their lives and developments. The setting too also added to the setting.
The main central plot itself was intriguing - with a million pound con targeting the older generation and twists and turns I didn’t expect. It kept me guessing and I always looked forward to returning back to the book to uncover more of the plot as it went along.
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
It was cleverly woven and I found, as I continued reading, I started to get more invested. It was perhaps a little sluggish to set and it took me about 100 pages to find my grounding in the story; every reader is different.
I found I liked the characters and enjoyed following their lives and developments. The setting too also added to the setting.
The main central plot itself was intriguing - with a million pound con targeting the older generation and twists and turns I didn’t expect. It kept me guessing and I always looked forward to returning back to the book to uncover more of the plot as it went along.
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
2.5 stars rounded up, and thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I really wanted to like this book. I like Jeremy Vine, and I liked the concept, but for the first hundred or so pages, I was really not into it at all. I didn't really like the way it was written, or the characters, and it felt so painfully slow.
After that start, there was a moment - in a place called Tanner - where this book nearly became a DNF because it was so ludicrous. I felt that a lot of the reveals were way too obvious, and I was disappointed that it took the characters so long to make some connections, because the hints had been so explicit.
I thought the romance scam plot was well-used, and it was a good basis for a story - and the radio setting was fun, though it could have been more of a part of the story.
Overall, this book wasn't for me, but it wasn't really bad - like raisins in a salad, I'm sure someone likes it, and it's technically palatable.
After that start, there was a moment - in a place called Tanner - where this book nearly became a DNF because it was so ludicrous. I felt that a lot of the reveals were way too obvious, and I was disappointed that it took the characters so long to make some connections, because the hints had been so explicit.
I thought the romance scam plot was well-used, and it was a good basis for a story - and the radio setting was fun, though it could have been more of a part of the story.
Overall, this book wasn't for me, but it wasn't really bad - like raisins in a salad, I'm sure someone likes it, and it's technically palatable.