Reviews - A Long Finish | The StoryGraph

Re-read this some years after a friend recommended it. Now much more familiar with Zen (and re-reading the whole series in sequence) Especially enjoyed it as its location reminded me of another area of Northern Italy I now know quite well. I love the way Dibdin uses the stories to get under the skin of the different regions of Italy while also showing the similarities - Italian bureaucracy and corruption. One of my favourites in an excellent series

kjackmi's review against another edition

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2.0

Comparisons to Inspector Clouseau (sp?) are apt. I sort of did and sort of didn't like this Audio book. Michael Kitchen's phrasing was off-putting at times. The story was enjoyable during the wine sequences, but gives a very depressing impression of Italy and is not very flattering when it comes to its protagonist either.

shadedelight's review against another edition

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3.0

This is one of my favourite series. Zen is such a mope. But in the end he gets the job done. In the meantime, his melancholy is pervasive. In this instance his "alleged" daughter is catching him where it hurts and his response is totally Zen-ish. The plot takes a back seat to the Zen-like wine country and the abhorrent crimes are the jarring of the nerves that moves things along. So sad that I am coming to the end of this series.

outcolder's review against another edition

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5.0

The best one so far. I laughed out loud a few times, but then was so grossed out at the end of it that I threw the book out of my hands as if it were a severed body part. Warning: might make you want to buy Italian wine.

krobart's review against another edition

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2.0

Aurelio Zen seems dreamy and unfocused in this mystery about who killed a noted winemaker. The truth may lie in the events of World War II. I felt a bit as if Dibdin was trifling with me while I read this novel, but I couldn't put my finger on why.

See my complete review here:

http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/a-long-finish/

elizafiedler's review

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challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

judenoseinabook's review against another edition

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funny mysterious 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

3.0

This is the 5th Zen novel I have read but I was a bit disappointed with it. The last one, Cosi Fan Tutti seemed a change of direction to farce and this one seems to follow that pattern to a large extent. Zen seems to be almost a bystander in this story and his role is to bully suspects and subvert the rules to get results, which may or may not be accurate. However I did find it readable, just not as good as the 1st 3 in the series.

alexandra_alexandridou's review against another edition

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4.0

Haven't read many crime books, I got this one as a gift. It's an easy to read book that keeps you awake and at some points you don't want to stop reading. I liked the way the author describes the characters and makes you remember them. The end was really good!

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