Reviews

The Body in the Dales by J.R. Ellis

hirvimaki's review against another edition

4.0

This was a rambling, often convoluted, and long-winded read. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would normally say that being rambling, convoluted, and long-winded are bad things in a book, but for the setting of this mystery it works wonderfully. Slow in pace and kind of all over with a story-line, much like the quaint characters that people the dales, it eventually gets to where it is going. Maybe not a read if you are looking for a Christie or Doyle mystery, but enjoyable if you like the country English world as portrayed by Harriot in his veterinarian novels. This was the book equivalent of a fish tank on your TV - enjoyable without being taxing to your brain.

linzm's review

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

aaliyah_lomas15's review against another edition

mysterious reflective 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? No

3.5

house_full_of_books's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-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

5.0

luciearan's review against another edition

3.0

Smrt v temnotách je další z příběhů, který mě ke svému přečtení nalákal hlavně anotací. Knihu jsem tak brala do rukou plná nadšení a očekávání. Však koho by nezaujala detektivka, v níž se hlavní zápletka skrývá pod rouškou tajemství, skrytých v hlubinách odlehlých částí jeskynního systému. Navíc pod Národním parkem Yorkshire Dales na severu Anglie.
Bohužel, i v tomto případě, anotace slibovala daleko víc, než samotný příběh nabízí. A tak netrvalo dlouho a přišlo zklamání. Detektivka to byla spíše průměrná, obrovského potenciálu v podobě jeskynních systémů a jejich tajemství, využívající jen velice okrajově. Odhalení největší záhady případu bylo nasnadě, a to už po pár stránkách, a tak se většinu příběhu čekalo, až to dojde i samotným vyšetřovatelům. Podivná romantická linka pak působila uměle, a byla naprosto zbytečná. Tohle je kniha, která vyloženě neurazí, ale v rámci svého žánru, také ani ničím, výrazněji nenadchne.

kmv1035's review

medium-paced

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

2.0

Very predictable 

roser6's review against another edition

3.0

Good entertaining thriller

Fun to read, specially if the reader has connections to Yorkshire.
Interesting plot, but felt like writing needed some more editing.

lissyyoung's review against another edition

2.0

this was so bad i skim read the last half just to be done with it

daisy222de's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

motherofwhippets81's review

3.0

I enjoyed the storyline and the lead DCI is likeable.

Disappointing use of language to describe the women in the plot. Sidekick’s first thought upon meeting his new colleague is to try it on with her.

If it wasn’t for this I would have enjoyed it a bit more. Could have done without his friend Jason and his crass ‘give her one from me’.