Scan barcode
verabaetas's review against another edition
3.0
Demorei muito a entrar na história, uma das causas são as explicações expositivas que o autor faz. O protagonista tem de exaustivamente explicar as suas teorias e atitudes.
Quando me preocupei com a história e comecei a criar teorias, acertei em quase todas e isso inclui o assassino.
Este Thriller não é dos piores que já li, mas fica muito aquém daquilo a que estou habituada. Digamos que não aquece nem arrefece.
Quando me preocupei com a história e comecei a criar teorias, acertei em quase todas e isso inclui o assassino.
Este Thriller não é dos piores que já li, mas fica muito aquém daquilo a que estou habituada. Digamos que não aquece nem arrefece.
anatnatz's review
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Great book! I couldn't stop thinking about it, trying to solve the case, suspecting every character. The story is not only about a murder case, it is also about a former cop, dealing with his emotions and his relationships, greatly written.
leigholiveeee's review
5.0
I could not put this book down!! It tells a story of a retired detective who is given a chance to be put back to work and help his old friend find out who's been sending him weird letters. This book has some twists and turns and did not disappoint me at all!! I look forward to reading the other books in this particular series and honestly anything else written by John Verdon!
simonrtaylor's review
4.0
Verdon’s Think of a Number is a murder mystery with layers of interesting concepts. The killer apparently knows which random number the victim will think of. He leaves footprints in the snow that just stop without a trace. A myriad of seemingly impossible things that baffle your average plod.
For me, when a writer sets up such intriguing mysteries, it’s crucial that they’re properly explained, and Verdon provides really clever, logical explanations for his puzzles, which in turn gives the killer real credibility.
The first third of book is a build up to the inevitable murder. Although it’s relatively fast paced with new developments every chapter, you do find yourself just waiting for Mellory, the victim, to hurry up and die. After he does pop his formerly alcoholic clogs, the ball starts not so much rolling as zipping about like the literary equivalent of a pinball machine.
Gurney is a likeable detective but his wife is perhaps the most annoying woman since records began. Never satisfied, almost whinging, long-suffering Gurney can’t do right for doing wrong. OK, it’s good that we’ve avoided the clichéd divorcee/widower set-up, but far too much time is spent at home enduring the most dysfunctional marriage since the Websters hit Corrie. The primary cause of the strain came as no great shock and was completely unresolved by the end of the book. Worse, his erstwhile son is brought up, referred to a couple of times, ignored and forgotten. A tangent we could have avoided. It also has to be said that a publishing house like Penguin should have better editors – Madeleine had to cancel her party’s. Her party’s what?
In his other life, down the station, retired Gurney is something of a celebrity and the fun Verdon has with the various characters is brilliant. Clichéd to the point of satire, the supporting cast of detectives make compelling reading and provide some (unintentional?) light relief. Everyone will recognise the one-upmanship and sycophancy so colourfully brought to life.
All in, it’s a very readable, fast-moving novel but the overemphasis on Gurney’s drab and dreary home life rips away the heart of urgency that is so crucial and makes what could have been a cutting thriller about as sharp as a butter knife. For a début novel, though, Verdon has put real effort in and it’s a pleasure to become engrossed in a book that is not only entertaining, but cleverly plotted that makes you work for your money. Remember, you’re not a spectator – you’re a reader!
For me, when a writer sets up such intriguing mysteries, it’s crucial that they’re properly explained, and Verdon provides really clever, logical explanations for his puzzles, which in turn gives the killer real credibility.
The first third of book is a build up to the inevitable murder. Although it’s relatively fast paced with new developments every chapter, you do find yourself just waiting for Mellory, the victim, to hurry up and die. After he does pop his formerly alcoholic clogs, the ball starts not so much rolling as zipping about like the literary equivalent of a pinball machine.
Gurney is a likeable detective but his wife is perhaps the most annoying woman since records began. Never satisfied, almost whinging, long-suffering Gurney can’t do right for doing wrong. OK, it’s good that we’ve avoided the clichéd divorcee/widower set-up, but far too much time is spent at home enduring the most dysfunctional marriage since the Websters hit Corrie. The primary cause of the strain came as no great shock and was completely unresolved by the end of the book. Worse, his erstwhile son is brought up, referred to a couple of times, ignored and forgotten. A tangent we could have avoided. It also has to be said that a publishing house like Penguin should have better editors – Madeleine had to cancel her party’s. Her party’s what?
In his other life, down the station, retired Gurney is something of a celebrity and the fun Verdon has with the various characters is brilliant. Clichéd to the point of satire, the supporting cast of detectives make compelling reading and provide some (unintentional?) light relief. Everyone will recognise the one-upmanship and sycophancy so colourfully brought to life.
All in, it’s a very readable, fast-moving novel but the overemphasis on Gurney’s drab and dreary home life rips away the heart of urgency that is so crucial and makes what could have been a cutting thriller about as sharp as a butter knife. For a début novel, though, Verdon has put real effort in and it’s a pleasure to become engrossed in a book that is not only entertaining, but cleverly plotted that makes you work for your money. Remember, you’re not a spectator – you’re a reader!
tankisa's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
xlynt's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
joelpadgett's review
dark
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? Yes
4.0
pamseven's review
3.0
This book had a clever premise and the mystery part of the book was really good. But the personal stuff between Gurney and his wife were frustrating. Maybe because Gurney so stereotypically followed the "preoccupied" genius tropes.....not doing anything he should reasonably be expected to do as a husband, father or even homeowner. I will read the second in the series based on the praise for it I have read and hope it gets less predictable in that regard.
mrsfligs's review
3.0
My Rating: 3.5 stars (A mystery that is a cut above average!)
Story Description
Dave Gurney is a retired NYPD homicide investigator credited with catching numerous serial killers during his illustrious career. But he's been retired for the past two years and trying to live a quiet life with his wife Madeline in a little town in upstate New York. When an old college buddy, Mark Mellery, contacts Gurney about a disturbing letter he's recently received, Gurney's interest is piqued. The letter asked Mellery to: "Think of any number up to a thousand. The first number that comes to your mind. Picture it. Now see how well I know your secrets. Open the little envelope." Mellery thought of the number 658 ... and inside a little sealed envelope that accompanied the letter it says "Does it shock you that I knew you would pick 658?" The letter goes on to give instructions about where to mail an oddly specific amount of money in order to find out why the letter writer seemingly knows so much about Mellery.
Intrigued, Gurney questions Mellery in-depth about the letter, how it arrived, and how the writer could have known the number that Mellery would think ofa number that Mellery insists meant nothing to him. Reluctant to involve the police, Mellery asks Gurney for his help in figuring out what is going on. As additional letters arrive, Gurney gets more and more involved in solving the puzzle. As the author of the notes performs additional acts of seeming clairvoyance, the stakes escalate, and Gurney becomes increasingly concerned about Mellery's welfare. When Mellery turns up deadand the crime scene is filled with odd details and seemingly impossible and nonsensical evidenceGurney gets involved with the investigation, which expands as related cases are uncovered.
As Gurney races to find a serial killer who seems to be infallible and predicting the police's every move, he is also forced to confront his own troubled past and a marriage that is teetering on the brink of disaster.
My Thoughts
I love reading mystery thrillers during the summer. Nothing like the sun baking your brain while tackling a mystery. I'm pleased to report that Think Of A Number is a fast-moving, intriguing mystery/thriller that will have you turning the pages so fast you'll forget to reapply sunscreen and will end up reading on the beach until the tide comes in.
Now I have to confess that I'm not the brightest bulb when it comes to mysteries. I almost never figure out who done it. But in this book, that isn't necessarily the issue. It is more like "How does who done it." Just like Gurney, I got involved in figuring out how the killer was doing all these seemingly impossible things like predicting numbers and vanishing into thin air at a crime scene. And don't worry ... there is nothing supernatural going on here. Everything is explained and makes sense (at least to this dim bulb) ... but darned if I knew how it was being done until Gurney unraveled the puzzle.
The other thing I liked about the book besides the intriguing mystery was how Verdon gave Gurney a compelling back story. Hopefully, this will not be the last Dave Gurney book; he seems like a character ripe with possibility. This is Verdon's first novel, and I think he did a whiz bang job with it. Of course, I suspect he might have a hard time topping the premise of this book, but I wish him luck, and I hope to be reading another Dave Gurney book this time next year when my brain is, once again, ripe to be thrilled.
My Final Recommendation
As much a "how it was done" as well as a "who done it," Think Of A Number is a fast-paced, exciting mystery/thriller that is a cut above average with an interesting hero and an intriguing puzzle of a mystery. Definitely recommended for summer beach reading!
Story Description
Dave Gurney is a retired NYPD homicide investigator credited with catching numerous serial killers during his illustrious career. But he's been retired for the past two years and trying to live a quiet life with his wife Madeline in a little town in upstate New York. When an old college buddy, Mark Mellery, contacts Gurney about a disturbing letter he's recently received, Gurney's interest is piqued. The letter asked Mellery to: "Think of any number up to a thousand. The first number that comes to your mind. Picture it. Now see how well I know your secrets. Open the little envelope." Mellery thought of the number 658 ... and inside a little sealed envelope that accompanied the letter it says "Does it shock you that I knew you would pick 658?" The letter goes on to give instructions about where to mail an oddly specific amount of money in order to find out why the letter writer seemingly knows so much about Mellery.
Intrigued, Gurney questions Mellery in-depth about the letter, how it arrived, and how the writer could have known the number that Mellery would think ofa number that Mellery insists meant nothing to him. Reluctant to involve the police, Mellery asks Gurney for his help in figuring out what is going on. As additional letters arrive, Gurney gets more and more involved in solving the puzzle. As the author of the notes performs additional acts of seeming clairvoyance, the stakes escalate, and Gurney becomes increasingly concerned about Mellery's welfare. When Mellery turns up deadand the crime scene is filled with odd details and seemingly impossible and nonsensical evidenceGurney gets involved with the investigation, which expands as related cases are uncovered.
As Gurney races to find a serial killer who seems to be infallible and predicting the police's every move, he is also forced to confront his own troubled past and a marriage that is teetering on the brink of disaster.
My Thoughts
I love reading mystery thrillers during the summer. Nothing like the sun baking your brain while tackling a mystery. I'm pleased to report that Think Of A Number is a fast-moving, intriguing mystery/thriller that will have you turning the pages so fast you'll forget to reapply sunscreen and will end up reading on the beach until the tide comes in.
Now I have to confess that I'm not the brightest bulb when it comes to mysteries. I almost never figure out who done it. But in this book, that isn't necessarily the issue. It is more like "How does who done it." Just like Gurney, I got involved in figuring out how the killer was doing all these seemingly impossible things like predicting numbers and vanishing into thin air at a crime scene. And don't worry ... there is nothing supernatural going on here. Everything is explained and makes sense (at least to this dim bulb) ... but darned if I knew how it was being done until Gurney unraveled the puzzle.
The other thing I liked about the book besides the intriguing mystery was how Verdon gave Gurney a compelling back story. Hopefully, this will not be the last Dave Gurney book; he seems like a character ripe with possibility. This is Verdon's first novel, and I think he did a whiz bang job with it. Of course, I suspect he might have a hard time topping the premise of this book, but I wish him luck, and I hope to be reading another Dave Gurney book this time next year when my brain is, once again, ripe to be thrilled.
My Final Recommendation
As much a "how it was done" as well as a "who done it," Think Of A Number is a fast-paced, exciting mystery/thriller that is a cut above average with an interesting hero and an intriguing puzzle of a mystery. Definitely recommended for summer beach reading!