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tjayreadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I felt that there were a lot of characters and I struggled to keep everyone straight and the story straight. It just seemed to be all over the place . Definitely my least favorite in the serious.
kbranfield's review
4.0
Hi Five by Joe Ide is an action-packed, multi-layered mystery. This newest release is the fourth installment in the IQ series but can be read as a standalone.
Unofficial private investigator Isaiah "IQ" Quintabe's life is already complicated when arms dealer Angus Byrne "invites" him to discuss a case with him. He refuses to take the case but he has no choice but to change his mind when Byrne threatens IQ's girlfriend Stella McDaniels. Isaiah is now tasked with ensuring Byrne's adult daughter Christiana is not arrested for the murder of her boyfriend and her father's right hand man, Tyler Barnes. Christiana is the prime suspect in the murder but she insists she is innocent. Isaiah is further frustrated by the case when Christiana's mother, Gia, informs him her daughter has five personalities.
Initially skeptical, IQ is soon interviewing Christiana's alters. Each have distinct personalities and quirks but he has yet to uncover definitive proof that Christiana nor her alters hired Tyler's murderers. Reluctantly teaming up again with his friend and former partner, Juanell Dodson, Isaiah is soon balancing quit a few interconnected situations while trying to prevent Christiana's arrest.
Isaiah is at a point in his life where he wants to make a difference but he cannot see giving up his investigation business. He definitely does not to become entangled with Angus but with Stella's career under threat, he knows he has no choice but to do the arms dealer's bidding. As the investigation makes little progress, Isaiah fears he will never escape Byrne's threats so he devises a plan to get his revenge. But will his plan work as intended?
Isaiah notices immediately that Dodson is acting out of character. Dodson has struggled since ending his partnership in Deronda's food truck business. He is also deeply affected by the life-threatening injuries that local grocery owner Beaumont received in a drive by shooting. Dodson is also under pressure from his wife Cherise to find a job and take care of her and their infant son. With many regrets about his past haunting him, will Dodson make positive steps to find solutions for his problems?
Hi Five is a clever mystery with a topical storyline. IQ is a highly intelligent man but his choices sometimes culminate with unintended consequences. He is tenacious and continues fighting for the truth about Christiana and her possible involvement in Tyler's murder. With shocking twists and stunning turns, Joe Ide brings this perplexing mystery to a very unanticipated conclusion. Old and new fans will be eagerly awaiting the next installment in the fantastic IQ series.
Unofficial private investigator Isaiah "IQ" Quintabe's life is already complicated when arms dealer Angus Byrne "invites" him to discuss a case with him. He refuses to take the case but he has no choice but to change his mind when Byrne threatens IQ's girlfriend Stella McDaniels. Isaiah is now tasked with ensuring Byrne's adult daughter Christiana is not arrested for the murder of her boyfriend and her father's right hand man, Tyler Barnes. Christiana is the prime suspect in the murder but she insists she is innocent. Isaiah is further frustrated by the case when Christiana's mother, Gia, informs him her daughter has five personalities.
Initially skeptical, IQ is soon interviewing Christiana's alters. Each have distinct personalities and quirks but he has yet to uncover definitive proof that Christiana nor her alters hired Tyler's murderers. Reluctantly teaming up again with his friend and former partner, Juanell Dodson, Isaiah is soon balancing quit a few interconnected situations while trying to prevent Christiana's arrest.
Isaiah is at a point in his life where he wants to make a difference but he cannot see giving up his investigation business. He definitely does not to become entangled with Angus but with Stella's career under threat, he knows he has no choice but to do the arms dealer's bidding. As the investigation makes little progress, Isaiah fears he will never escape Byrne's threats so he devises a plan to get his revenge. But will his plan work as intended?
Isaiah notices immediately that Dodson is acting out of character. Dodson has struggled since ending his partnership in Deronda's food truck business. He is also deeply affected by the life-threatening injuries that local grocery owner Beaumont received in a drive by shooting. Dodson is also under pressure from his wife Cherise to find a job and take care of her and their infant son. With many regrets about his past haunting him, will Dodson make positive steps to find solutions for his problems?
Hi Five is a clever mystery with a topical storyline. IQ is a highly intelligent man but his choices sometimes culminate with unintended consequences. He is tenacious and continues fighting for the truth about Christiana and her possible involvement in Tyler's murder. With shocking twists and stunning turns, Joe Ide brings this perplexing mystery to a very unanticipated conclusion. Old and new fans will be eagerly awaiting the next installment in the fantastic IQ series.
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
5.0
Isaiah Quintabe, IQ, is an unlicensed but successful private investigator who has had run-ins with just about every gang in LA. When he received a call from Angus Byrne he is reluctant to meet but Angus threatens his girlfriend and so has Isaiah. His right-hand man has been killed the police have homed in on his daughter Christiana but there is a catch, Christiana has multiple personality disorder and there are five different witnesses in one body. Add into the mix the return of Isaiah's true love, a romance between a rough but kind man and a tough, embittered woman and a valuable gun who possession if fought over by all the major crews and IQ is in a bind he may not get out of.
Ide claims to be a huge fan of Conan Doyle and it can be seen in the plotting of his novels. The setting is rough and tough LA with the gang-related issues to the fore, here ultra-right wing Neo-Nazis come up against a Cambodian crew, the plots are violent with lots of shootings. Yet there is also a cast of well-drawn characters, TK is so sympathetically handled and Dodson's tug between respectable family man and the excitement of life on the edge is really believeable. Add into that the cerebral nature of the way Isaiah thinks through his moves and this is a fantastic modern take on an ages old genre.
Ide claims to be a huge fan of Conan Doyle and it can be seen in the plotting of his novels. The setting is rough and tough LA with the gang-related issues to the fore, here ultra-right wing Neo-Nazis come up against a Cambodian crew, the plots are violent with lots of shootings. Yet there is also a cast of well-drawn characters, TK is so sympathetically handled and Dodson's tug between respectable family man and the excitement of life on the edge is really believeable. Add into that the cerebral nature of the way Isaiah thinks through his moves and this is a fantastic modern take on an ages old genre.
jdglasgow's review against another edition
3.0
You might consider this the ‘Empire Strikes Back’ of the IQ series. Although Isaiah solves the case in the end, it’s only after a series of misidentified culprits and with little catharsis. During the course of the investigation he acts rashly, immaturely. At the close of the book essentially everybody involved in the case is dead and this time it’s Isaiah leaving town instead of Grace.
I don’t fault Ide for wanting to take this approach with the character, the idea that the pressure is making him crack, although I sort of feel that we got enough of this in Isaiah’s flashbacks in book #1. Still, it could deepen the character if done well.
IF. While I did still enjoy the book overall, this definitely feels like a lesser effort with pieces that go nowhere and don’t add up. Let’s start with the central conceit, the gimmicky multiple personality thing. Despite the assurances that this is a real thing (!), it’s not believable. Even so, what does it add to the story? Each of the alters just evades Isaiah; they don’t provide anything. Sure, he later learns there is a sixth, secret alter—but again, so what? She didn’t have any profound information to share either. It amounts to little.
Likewise, the lesbian assassins Sal and Annie seem like an interesting pair at first. I was excited for their story to develop: a relationship falling apart but repaired by one last hit. They get so little screen time (page time?), though, that it fails to land. It feels like the book just cuts to their “happy ending” suddenly, without actually getting all the way there.
Dodson is back in this one, despite quitting the detective business in WRECKED, but he too doesn’t seem to have any real role in the plot. He accompanies Isaiah on some poorly thought out reconnaissance missions but mostly gets sidelined through those. He ends the book in almost the same place he starts it except he’s reinvigorated, I guess, somehow, and wishes to be a better man.
Last book had a group of racist, corrupt ex-military guys as the primary antagonist. This book has a Klan of whites supremacists. I faulted the first couple books for their lack of racial consciousness; the books since have gone in the opposite direction, but it feels like mostly an excuse to use the N-word repeatedly. It feels, much like the alters, as if it’s a gimmick without a real purpose. I guess it provides some tension when Isaiah is in their midst but so could any gang.
Strangely, the character who ends up getting the most humanization ends up being the de facto leader of the white supremacists, a gun runner named Angus. The book spends an inordinate amount of time talking about what a hard life he’s led because of how ugly he is, and how he truly loved his second wife, and how he feels such guilt for not protecting his baby girl from harm. He ends up being somewhat sympathetic by the end, but he’s the bad guy! Like, I get that people are complicated and that nobody is all good or all bad but, again, we’ve seen that in much better ways before.
Finally, Grace’s return. It disrupts Isaiah’s motivation for completing the case; it becomes obligation rather than passion. But the way the case consumes Isaiah’s time and thoughts, causing Grace to seemingly question whether to stay with him, in combination with her dalliances with an ex-boyfriend from Arizona, feels so basic. The fact that Grace remains committed to Isaiah at the end doesn’t read as reasoned so much as just a twist. Oh, you thought she was going to leave him! Psych! HE’S the one who leaves!
I know it sounds like I’m completely shitting on this book and I’m sorry for that. There are positive elements. Some of the introspective stuff, from the characters other than Isaiah, is strong. I liked Dodson’s conflicted feelings regarding Beaumont and Merrill, leading him to break down in tears. I loved Grace’s struggle with painting the “essence” of a dog and whether it is meaningful. The action setpieces, in spite of Isaiah flailing through them, are exciting as ever (none match the highs of WRECKED, however). And ultimately, though I don’t think it was done well, the literal “fall from Grace” that Isaiah experiences over the course of this book remains an intriguing concept.
I don’t know for sure but I get the sense this is meant as sort of a “Part 1” to a redemption arc for Isaiah. You’ve got to fall before you learn to crawl. If so, I can imagine the satisfaction of his redemption will be intense. Nevertheless, this one has trouble standing up on its own. I liked it, just because I’m such a fan of the series, but I know Ide can do a lot better.
I don’t fault Ide for wanting to take this approach with the character, the idea that the pressure is making him crack, although I sort of feel that we got enough of this in Isaiah’s flashbacks in book #1. Still, it could deepen the character if done well.
IF. While I did still enjoy the book overall, this definitely feels like a lesser effort with pieces that go nowhere and don’t add up. Let’s start with the central conceit, the gimmicky multiple personality thing. Despite the assurances that this is a real thing (!), it’s not believable. Even so, what does it add to the story? Each of the alters just evades Isaiah; they don’t provide anything. Sure, he later learns there is a sixth, secret alter—but again, so what? She didn’t have any profound information to share either. It amounts to little.
Likewise, the lesbian assassins Sal and Annie seem like an interesting pair at first. I was excited for their story to develop: a relationship falling apart but repaired by one last hit. They get so little screen time (page time?), though, that it fails to land. It feels like the book just cuts to their “happy ending” suddenly, without actually getting all the way there.
Dodson is back in this one, despite quitting the detective business in WRECKED, but he too doesn’t seem to have any real role in the plot. He accompanies Isaiah on some poorly thought out reconnaissance missions but mostly gets sidelined through those. He ends the book in almost the same place he starts it except he’s reinvigorated, I guess, somehow, and wishes to be a better man.
Last book had a group of racist, corrupt ex-military guys as the primary antagonist. This book has a Klan of whites supremacists. I faulted the first couple books for their lack of racial consciousness; the books since have gone in the opposite direction, but it feels like mostly an excuse to use the N-word repeatedly. It feels, much like the alters, as if it’s a gimmick without a real purpose. I guess it provides some tension when Isaiah is in their midst but so could any gang.
Strangely, the character who ends up getting the most humanization ends up being the de facto leader of the white supremacists, a gun runner named Angus. The book spends an inordinate amount of time talking about what a hard life he’s led because of how ugly he is, and how he truly loved his second wife, and how he feels such guilt for not protecting his baby girl from harm. He ends up being somewhat sympathetic by the end, but he’s the bad guy! Like, I get that people are complicated and that nobody is all good or all bad but, again, we’ve seen that in much better ways before.
Finally, Grace’s return. It disrupts Isaiah’s motivation for completing the case; it becomes obligation rather than passion. But the way the case consumes Isaiah’s time and thoughts, causing Grace to seemingly question whether to stay with him, in combination with her dalliances with an ex-boyfriend from Arizona, feels so basic. The fact that Grace remains committed to Isaiah at the end doesn’t read as reasoned so much as just a twist. Oh, you thought she was going to leave him! Psych! HE’S the one who leaves!
I know it sounds like I’m completely shitting on this book and I’m sorry for that. There are positive elements. Some of the introspective stuff, from the characters other than Isaiah, is strong. I liked Dodson’s conflicted feelings regarding Beaumont and Merrill, leading him to break down in tears. I loved Grace’s struggle with painting the “essence” of a dog and whether it is meaningful. The action setpieces, in spite of Isaiah flailing through them, are exciting as ever (none match the highs of WRECKED, however). And ultimately, though I don’t think it was done well, the literal “fall from Grace” that Isaiah experiences over the course of this book remains an intriguing concept.
I don’t know for sure but I get the sense this is meant as sort of a “Part 1” to a redemption arc for Isaiah. You’ve got to fall before you learn to crawl. If so, I can imagine the satisfaction of his redemption will be intense. Nevertheless, this one has trouble standing up on its own. I liked it, just because I’m such a fan of the series, but I know Ide can do a lot better.
mark_lm's review against another edition
2.0
These books have been outstanding, but just as in a TV series it must be very difficult to maintain consistent quality over time. This most recent novel has a plot that revolves around a character with multiple personalities. This phenomenon is so rare that some authorities believe that it doesn't actually occur, and my credulity maintenance facility was strained to breaking by this cheap gimmick. Furthermore, the snappy dialogue of previous IQ encounters seems lacking. The series may have jumped the shark, and I had to quit early to cut my loses.
that1creativelady's review against another edition
2.0
The most disappointing of the series and probably my last. It was very irritating to see that IQ still had his same issues with Dodson. Does it REALLY have to be a competition? Sherlock Holmes didn't solve all those cases by himself. Watson played a big part. Then cheating on his girlfriend with his ex was out of character. Many of his actions were out of character. Getting involved in gang wars? Plotting murder? All to keep the girl he cheated on from having her career ruined? If his moral code ended up so skewed by the end, he could have just killed Angus himself, then he wouldn't be hunted down by everyone. If there IS a next book, I don't want to know. The 3rd should have been the last.
srspaulding's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
johnday's review against another edition
5.0
This series just gets better start either the first book (IQ) and keep reading.
cmorris2022's review against another edition
5.0
Love the chaos. What a ride. An ending I really didn’t see coming!