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sarcrawsh's review against another edition
2.0
A student gave this to me to read b/c she thought it was amazing. She lied.
The book was okay, if somewhat stilted (with hugely unnatural dialogue) until the end. Everything about the "suspense" at the end was completely illogical. Tyrone should never have survived, especially after he saved Ben's ass (again). Ben paid him back by running away, yelling over his shoulder that he'll get an ambulance. You're telling me Grady wouldn't have taken the necessary 30 seconds to shoot Tyrone before pursuing Ben? "Grady" is on his territory; he is bound to navigate it better than Kincaid.
Also, I knew it was "Grady" pretty much the moment he showed up on scene. Plus he's the only one who knew why the victims were "smiling." Hello, killer!!!
His motive was weak too. You expect me to believe this man gave up music, the thing he lived for, to become a roughneck and later a VP? And after he's comfortably pulled off this charade for 20-some years, remembers his grudge and goes on a killing spree with a little torture thrown in? Stupid.
I also can't believe Scat could so convincingly work with Earl without revealing his supposed burning hatred.
The book was okay, if somewhat stilted (with hugely unnatural dialogue) until the end. Everything about the "suspense" at the end was completely illogical. Tyrone should never have survived, especially after he saved Ben's ass (again). Ben paid him back by running away, yelling over his shoulder that he'll get an ambulance. You're telling me Grady wouldn't have taken the necessary 30 seconds to shoot Tyrone before pursuing Ben? "Grady" is on his territory; he is bound to navigate it better than Kincaid.
Also, I knew it was "Grady" pretty much the moment he showed up on scene. Plus he's the only one who knew why the victims were "smiling." Hello, killer!!!
His motive was weak too. You expect me to believe this man gave up music, the thing he lived for, to become a roughneck and later a VP? And after he's comfortably pulled off this charade for 20-some years, remembers his grudge and goes on a killing spree with a little torture thrown in? Stupid.
I also can't believe Scat could so convincingly work with Earl without revealing his supposed burning hatred.
polywogg's review against another edition
4.0
BOTTOM-LINE:
Stronger story-telling than mystery
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
In the seventh in the series, lawyer Ben Kincaid has become disillusioned. So he runs away from the law and takes up jazz music full-time. When a body shows up on stage (literally falling on Ben), Ben has to step up as a lawyer again to save the owner of the club who has been framed for the murder. Working against the owner and against Ben is the fact that the owner served time for the murder of someone else from the old days, a friend of the owner -- and an old friend of the new victim! A few too many links and the police think they have their man. Ben wants to see justice done, but his return to the law is only temporary, supposedly.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
The story-telling is first-rate, and the mystery aspects of it become almost secondary. Loving, Jones and Christina are all back on the scene, and you get to see one sub-mystery involving Christina.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Everyone is impatient with Ben and keeps telling him to wake up and realize who he is (a lawyer, not a jazz music) and the constant angst grates on the nerves. Loving and Jones don't have much to do, and Christina's mystery drops several GIANT clues that Ben doesn't see. The ending reads more like an action / movie ending, and all three of the sub-mysteries are easily figured out by the reader before they are unveiled in the story.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.
Stronger story-telling than mystery
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
In the seventh in the series, lawyer Ben Kincaid has become disillusioned. So he runs away from the law and takes up jazz music full-time. When a body shows up on stage (literally falling on Ben), Ben has to step up as a lawyer again to save the owner of the club who has been framed for the murder. Working against the owner and against Ben is the fact that the owner served time for the murder of someone else from the old days, a friend of the owner -- and an old friend of the new victim! A few too many links and the police think they have their man. Ben wants to see justice done, but his return to the law is only temporary, supposedly.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
The story-telling is first-rate, and the mystery aspects of it become almost secondary. Loving, Jones and Christina are all back on the scene, and you get to see one sub-mystery involving Christina.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Everyone is impatient with Ben and keeps telling him to wake up and realize who he is (a lawyer, not a jazz music) and the constant angst grates on the nerves. Loving and Jones don't have much to do, and Christina's mystery drops several GIANT clues that Ben doesn't see. The ending reads more like an action / movie ending, and all three of the sub-mysteries are easily figured out by the reader before they are unveiled in the story.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.
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