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tatterededges's review
4.0
This series is brilliant. The perfect combination of humour and drama. I read all three books over the course of a week, and could not put them down.
Amanda and Ted are unlikely hero’s, both with troubled pasts and deeply flawed individuals, who are pretty much hated by everyone.
This was probably the weaker of the three. With both Ted and Amanda’s cases solved in the earlier books, this didn’t seem to have the edge the other two did. Also the ending felt very similar to the first book, a little de ja vue-esk.
That said, I still loved it and would read a fourth if one was ever to be written.
Amanda and Ted are unlikely hero’s, both with troubled pasts and deeply flawed individuals, who are pretty much hated by everyone.
This was probably the weaker of the three. With both Ted and Amanda’s cases solved in the earlier books, this didn’t seem to have the edge the other two did. Also the ending felt very similar to the first book, a little de ja vue-esk.
That said, I still loved it and would read a fourth if one was ever to be written.
rebroxannape's review
4.0
“So you didn’t do it?” “No,” Amanda said. “But I’m going to. I’m gonna smack that bitch so hard her grandkid will be born with my handprint on its face.”…“Aman-duh,” she imitated me. “You’re the one who told me I wasn’t angry enough about her pushing my bike over. I don’t get angry, Ted. I just sear my visage deep into my enemy’s brain with the flaming cattle brand of my devilish trickery. Then, in their nightmares, it’s my name they hear whispered on the winds of darkness.”This is the third in the trilogy. I skipped the second one and cut right to the chase. I loved the characters and wanted more of Ted and Amanda, but the anxiety of Ted being hated and hounded by virtually the whole country of Australia took too much away from my enjoyment. In the second one that I skipped, the true perpetrator of the heinous crime that Ted was imprisoned for was caught and Ted is no longer a suspect. Since the pervert was killed by the father of the girl though and was not tried in the courts and the court of public opinion, his innocence is not cut and dried. But it was enough to officially remove Ted as a person of interest. Even though he still has to deal with some ignoramuses, much of the cloud has been removed from over his head so I was able to concentrate on the case Ted and Amanda are investigating and enjoy them as characters and the side stories that involve them. Amanda on the other hand got herself into some hot water in the second one, so the tables are turned as far as being a target of the local police force. She is not vulnerable like Ted was so it wasn’t a huge worry.
The case that Amanda and Ted are called in to assist with was much more interesting and suspenseful than the case in the first book. An 8-year-old boy is missing so the stakes are high. As in the first book some aspects of the case were pretty outlandish or just wrong.
A character is arrested for going to the police for reporting a crime against children and in the process told them he too was a pedophile. But he never acted on his impulses. Can you be arrested in Australia for just wanting to do something illegal? I don’t think so.
**a little spoilery**
Spoiler
The crime is planned out in advance but the perpetrator relies on her ability to brainwash a group of children. A child psychologist with that deep knowledge of child behavior might know this might be possible, but there would be no way for even them to be sure enough to bet their life on it. It would only take one kid’s refusal to go along with the crowd to ruin everything. Yet the culprit has no doubt or worry about it.Towards the end of the book after a shocking event, the author gets mixed up as to who was a witness to it and who wasn’t.
Spoiler
Ted saw the croc take Sara. Ted was the witness, not Amanda. Amanda was nowhere near. But Ted is allowed to go home and Amanda is kept at the scene to help the cops look for her body “because you know exactly where Sara disappeared from.”As in the first book, the police obstinately ignore evidence, (proof actually) that contradicts what they want to believe. And boy are they sorry in this one.
Apparently Candice Fox really really does not like local law enforcement. But for one exception, every one of them was either the scum of the earth and/or really really stupid. Especially as they are the bane of our dynamic duo’s existence, not to mention a menace to everyone else. Ted and Amanda keep getting work throughout the series because of their incompetence. It was bothersome and I think the books would have been better it there was some balance there.
But the mystery of the missing probably dead boy, Amanda’s relationship with the bikers, her confrontations with a crazed policewoman, the investigation itself, and the shocking twists and turns carried me through the book. Amanda is fascinating and priceless. Ted makes a sympathetic hero most of the time. Although justice was not fully served for everyone in the end, it was served enough to satisfy me. If this is the last in the series, I will be sorry. But it does make a fitting conclusion if it is not. It looks like things are going to work out pretty well for both Ted and Amanda, and I wouldn’t want a continuation of the series to ruin that hope.
jessreads2024's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
rozlev's review against another edition
5.0
Great addition to a great series. Good mystery with a few unexpected twists. Terrific characters. Fast read that's hard to put down. Looking forward to the next installment.
janedreader's review against another edition
5.0
The series gets better with each book, going deeper into the lives of the main characters. They are complex and fascinating in and of themselves. Finished in just 24h, I could barely put it down. Amanda is a modern-day Sherlock Holmes with her crazy-observant detective skills.
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
5.0
When Candice Fox opened up GONE BY MIDNIGHT with a missing child and a sick goose I wasn't sure if I could go on. I mean a missing child is one thing, but a sick, possibly life-threateningly ill goose felt like one blow too many. (Don't @ me - they are both fictional and I'm very fond of my geese...).
If for any reason any of this is worrying any other readers then I would counsel trust this author, read on. Read on through the bullying stand over cops who arrive and take Ted Conkaffey into custody (arrest of choice with anything to do with kids it seems); through to his, and Amanda Pharrell's arrival at the crime scene; their inclusion in the search for the missing boy, much to the annoyance of the local top cop; their confrontation with a very angry policewoman out for revenge (you'll have to have read REDEMPTION POINT to get the full story); right through Conkaffey's much anticipated access visit with his young daughter; Pharrell's friendship with local bikies; and on to the point where you find yourself in a croc sanctuary and a swamp.
The third book in the "Crimson Lake" series, there's something glorious, addictive, clever and mesmerising about the way that Fox weaves a tale around the most oddly likeable of characters - Conkaffey, ex-cop, recently cleared potential child abductor and assaulter, father of a patrol of geese, a dog and a much loved young daughter; and Pharrell, ex-con, tried and convicted killer, private detective, cat lover, odder than an odd thing on an odd things night out; both of these people are real, genuine and immensely likeable - in a peculiar sort of way, because goodness knows there are times when they seem to not like each other all that much. The tale in this instance is the vanishing of a young boy, part of a group of friends / families all holidaying together - the kids playing together, locked in a hotel room, being checked on every hour by the parents, while they are downstairs in the restaurant having dinner, letting their hair down a bit.
The balance in these novels between the threat, the absurd, the investigation and the day-to-day is always elegantly maintained, and so it is in GONE BY MIDNIGHT. As Conkaffey balances the first visit of his young daughter, with the urgency of the need to search for the missing boy, there's moves, finally, to repair his relationship with his ex-wife, a relationship destroyed by the missing child case that saw him drummed out of the police force and hiding out in Far North Queensland in the first place. It's also a chance for Pharrell to establish the oddest of relationships with a local bikie group, and again, the reader is given plenty of opportunity to see the damage that was inflicted by the case that saw her end up in jail. It will help a lot if you've read both the previous books in this series (CRIMSON LAKE and REDEMPTION POINT) as the back-story arc here is pretty vital, and whilst Fox plays fair with potential new readers, there is much to the reasons why Conkaffey and Pharrell are what they are, and do what they do, that should be clearly understood.
GONE BY MIDNIGHT is flat out good, and if you've not read the earlier books, then you're in for a treat. Fox is a dab hand at this crime writing gig, in the opinion of this humble reader, one of the best we've ever produced.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/gone-midnight-candice-fox
If for any reason any of this is worrying any other readers then I would counsel trust this author, read on. Read on through the bullying stand over cops who arrive and take Ted Conkaffey into custody (arrest of choice with anything to do with kids it seems); through to his, and Amanda Pharrell's arrival at the crime scene; their inclusion in the search for the missing boy, much to the annoyance of the local top cop; their confrontation with a very angry policewoman out for revenge (you'll have to have read REDEMPTION POINT to get the full story); right through Conkaffey's much anticipated access visit with his young daughter; Pharrell's friendship with local bikies; and on to the point where you find yourself in a croc sanctuary and a swamp.
The third book in the "Crimson Lake" series, there's something glorious, addictive, clever and mesmerising about the way that Fox weaves a tale around the most oddly likeable of characters - Conkaffey, ex-cop, recently cleared potential child abductor and assaulter, father of a patrol of geese, a dog and a much loved young daughter; and Pharrell, ex-con, tried and convicted killer, private detective, cat lover, odder than an odd thing on an odd things night out; both of these people are real, genuine and immensely likeable - in a peculiar sort of way, because goodness knows there are times when they seem to not like each other all that much. The tale in this instance is the vanishing of a young boy, part of a group of friends / families all holidaying together - the kids playing together, locked in a hotel room, being checked on every hour by the parents, while they are downstairs in the restaurant having dinner, letting their hair down a bit.
The balance in these novels between the threat, the absurd, the investigation and the day-to-day is always elegantly maintained, and so it is in GONE BY MIDNIGHT. As Conkaffey balances the first visit of his young daughter, with the urgency of the need to search for the missing boy, there's moves, finally, to repair his relationship with his ex-wife, a relationship destroyed by the missing child case that saw him drummed out of the police force and hiding out in Far North Queensland in the first place. It's also a chance for Pharrell to establish the oddest of relationships with a local bikie group, and again, the reader is given plenty of opportunity to see the damage that was inflicted by the case that saw her end up in jail. It will help a lot if you've read both the previous books in this series (CRIMSON LAKE and REDEMPTION POINT) as the back-story arc here is pretty vital, and whilst Fox plays fair with potential new readers, there is much to the reasons why Conkaffey and Pharrell are what they are, and do what they do, that should be clearly understood.
GONE BY MIDNIGHT is flat out good, and if you've not read the earlier books, then you're in for a treat. Fox is a dab hand at this crime writing gig, in the opinion of this humble reader, one of the best we've ever produced.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/gone-midnight-candice-fox
marilynw's review against another edition
4.0
Gone by Midnight (Crimson Lake #3)
by Candice Fox (Author), Euan Morton (Narrator)
When an eight year old boy vanishes from a motel where his mom and he were vacationing with three other boys and their parents, the mom hires Ted Conkaffey and and his PI partner, Amanda Pharrell, to find her boy. The mother has had some issues in her past that could make her look suspicious and she thinks that having a wrongly accused ex cop and a convicted murderer on her side will give her two people who will understand her plight. Of course, Ted and Amanda are fighting the animosity of the local law enforcement and their attacks have ramped up in viciousness and frequency.
Ted winds down each day with his dog, Celine, and his seven geese, and vents his worries and frustrations to mama goose, Woman, while she sits beside him, watching her grown babies do what geese do. When Ted has to take one of his geese to the vet, he strikes up a promising friendship with the new lady vet and doesn't have the courage to tell her about the false accusations that have destroyed his past life. Ted's three year old daughter is with him for an unsupervised week long stay and Val, the crusty old medical examiner, is taking up babysitting duties while Ted is on the job.
I enjoy these characters so much. Despite the subject matter and violence, this series has been packed full of humor. The book ends on a very satisfying note and even though I'd love for more to come about these characters, if this is where their story ends, I feel like things will have wrapped up nicely.
Pub March 10, 2020 by Macmillan Audio
by Candice Fox (Author), Euan Morton (Narrator)
When an eight year old boy vanishes from a motel where his mom and he were vacationing with three other boys and their parents, the mom hires Ted Conkaffey and and his PI partner, Amanda Pharrell, to find her boy. The mother has had some issues in her past that could make her look suspicious and she thinks that having a wrongly accused ex cop and a convicted murderer on her side will give her two people who will understand her plight. Of course, Ted and Amanda are fighting the animosity of the local law enforcement and their attacks have ramped up in viciousness and frequency.
Ted winds down each day with his dog, Celine, and his seven geese, and vents his worries and frustrations to mama goose, Woman, while she sits beside him, watching her grown babies do what geese do. When Ted has to take one of his geese to the vet, he strikes up a promising friendship with the new lady vet and doesn't have the courage to tell her about the false accusations that have destroyed his past life. Ted's three year old daughter is with him for an unsupervised week long stay and Val, the crusty old medical examiner, is taking up babysitting duties while Ted is on the job.
I enjoy these characters so much. Despite the subject matter and violence, this series has been packed full of humor. The book ends on a very satisfying note and even though I'd love for more to come about these characters, if this is where their story ends, I feel like things will have wrapped up nicely.
Pub March 10, 2020 by Macmillan Audio
nixerix's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this. It's five stars for me mostly because of our two main protagonists, Amanda and Ted. They are polar opposites, but both share experiences that create a bond and cement their partnership. It isn't every day that you have a private detective pairing of convicted murderer and disgraced former cop who's life was ruined by being a murder suspect (even after being declared innocent). I found both of them to be fascinating, so much so that I would love to go back and read the first two books in this trilogy. I love that Amanda is written as a character that is supposed to be universally despised by most people she crosses, but she comes off to me as somebody you just can't bring yourself to dislike. Her charm is in how truly obnoxious she is, which is an incredibly difficult thing to pull off. Candice Fox is a talented author to have written her characters to be so vibrant and lovable, despite their flaws.
Although this is the third book in the Crimson Lake trilogy, I would go back and read the hell out of the first two. This read really well as a stand-alone too, however, which was a bonus. I love this author's writing style and found this very easy to read. It was exciting, engaging and moved at a great pace. The writing was able to juggle the personal lives of our characters with the main story flawlessly. The sub plots simultaneously going on with Ted and Amanda were as interesting as the main plot. The book features serious subject matter, focusing around a missing child, but it also doesn't take itself too seriously in certain places which I honestly found very refreshing. I was smiling and even laughing during certain parts.
No complaints here. Seriously. Really loved this and am glad I decided to pick this up on a whim and discover myself a great new author. The urge to go buy the first two books right away is strong!
Although this is the third book in the Crimson Lake trilogy, I would go back and read the hell out of the first two. This read really well as a stand-alone too, however, which was a bonus. I love this author's writing style and found this very easy to read. It was exciting, engaging and moved at a great pace. The writing was able to juggle the personal lives of our characters with the main story flawlessly. The sub plots simultaneously going on with Ted and Amanda were as interesting as the main plot. The book features serious subject matter, focusing around a missing child, but it also doesn't take itself too seriously in certain places which I honestly found very refreshing. I was smiling and even laughing during certain parts.
No complaints here. Seriously. Really loved this and am glad I decided to pick this up on a whim and discover myself a great new author. The urge to go buy the first two books right away is strong!
nickmasters's review against another edition
4.0
Another great addition to the Crimson Lake series.
The characters we have come to love are made even more vivid as we journey through their troubled and colourful lives whilst attempting to solve the mystery of a missing kid.
The writing is plain and simply brilliant. The crime in essence is a small part in what makes for a great read. It’s the intricacies of the characters and their interactions, the plots and multitude of sub plots that keep the pages turning for me.
I must admit though that I only gave this book 4 stars (the first 2 books in the series received well deserved 5 stars). There were just some altercations/interactions that seemed to push the plot and or characters slightly too close to the in-plausible.
All in all though, Candice Fox has done a superb job with this series and its characters.
I definitely can’t wait for more of Ted and Amanda.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for a Review Copy
The characters we have come to love are made even more vivid as we journey through their troubled and colourful lives whilst attempting to solve the mystery of a missing kid.
The writing is plain and simply brilliant. The crime in essence is a small part in what makes for a great read. It’s the intricacies of the characters and their interactions, the plots and multitude of sub plots that keep the pages turning for me.
I must admit though that I only gave this book 4 stars (the first 2 books in the series received well deserved 5 stars). There were just some altercations/interactions that seemed to push the plot and or characters slightly too close to the in-plausible.
All in all though, Candice Fox has done a superb job with this series and its characters.
I definitely can’t wait for more of Ted and Amanda.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for a Review Copy