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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
First of all I have to say, please don’t make the same mistake as I did by starting this on a nighttime. Also maybe not while eating either. The opening to this story really made me cringe and ever so slightly freaked me out. It is also that blooming well great, I didn’t want to put it down.
It never seems to just rain but pours down in Harry’s world. Even if I didn’t like him, which I do, I think he is a brilliant character, you wouldn’t be able to help but feel sorry for him and wish life would give him a bit of a break once in a while. Sadly it never seems to and he seems to dig himself further into a darker hole.
Harry’s family and background always play a substantial part in this series. At times what goes on with his parental family, infuriates me. Harry and his wife have both been outcast for daring to fall in love and go against both their different cultures. It’s quite sad to see in this day and age how backward thinking some people still are. Will certainly be interested to see how things go forward in the next book in the series.
The story line had me pounding through the pages to see what awaited me with every page I turned. The killer is an extremely twisted and sadistic one, of which scared and excited me at the same time. I love seeing how Harry works and how he zones in to discovering the killers identity. He is just brilliant and also isn’t scared to bend the rules every now and again.
City of Sinners is an intense and chilling reading experience and one that I couldn’t read fast enough. This is a truly brilliant crime series that just keeps on getting better. It is very dark and very twisted, leaving you desperate for more. Am literally counting down the days until the next book is released. Fantastically gripping!
It never seems to just rain but pours down in Harry’s world. Even if I didn’t like him, which I do, I think he is a brilliant character, you wouldn’t be able to help but feel sorry for him and wish life would give him a bit of a break once in a while. Sadly it never seems to and he seems to dig himself further into a darker hole.
Harry’s family and background always play a substantial part in this series. At times what goes on with his parental family, infuriates me. Harry and his wife have both been outcast for daring to fall in love and go against both their different cultures. It’s quite sad to see in this day and age how backward thinking some people still are. Will certainly be interested to see how things go forward in the next book in the series.
The story line had me pounding through the pages to see what awaited me with every page I turned. The killer is an extremely twisted and sadistic one, of which scared and excited me at the same time. I love seeing how Harry works and how he zones in to discovering the killers identity. He is just brilliant and also isn’t scared to bend the rules every now and again.
City of Sinners is an intense and chilling reading experience and one that I couldn’t read fast enough. This is a truly brilliant crime series that just keeps on getting better. It is very dark and very twisted, leaving you desperate for more. Am literally counting down the days until the next book is released. Fantastically gripping!
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Medical content, Murder
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
Absolutely phenomenal!!! Have read the previous two and they are fabulous... and have just ordered the remaining two... five in total... everybody should read these!! especially if you love Crime / detective books.... best I have read since completing the Katarina Diamond series and also Robert Galbraith... DHAND is UP THERE with them.
With short, sharp chapters, CITY OF SINNERS is a fast paced and relatively entertaining read.
I have read the Harry Virdee books in order and I think this is where I part ways with this series. I am getting tired of Harry. In every book, he is front and centre. There is always a personal connection between Harry and the crime(s)-du-jour. Dhand has anointed Harry as the saviour of Bradford, and no crime seems solvable unless he's involved. It's repetitive and has become tedious to read.
I love a good detective series, and I enjoy watching layers of a detective's personality and life be peeled away so we learn a little more about them with each book, and as interesting as the cultural elements are, they are taking over this crime series.
I think what works best for me are stories where the detective is not the primary focus; they are the driver to solving the crime. I wish Harry spent more time investigating crimes. And the twist in this book really wasn't a surprise to me. We might not have known the name of the person(s) committing the murders but the connection to existing characters was obvious.
I have read the Harry Virdee books in order and I think this is where I part ways with this series. I am getting tired of Harry. In every book, he is front and centre. There is always a personal connection between Harry and the crime(s)-du-jour. Dhand has anointed Harry as the saviour of Bradford, and no crime seems solvable unless he's involved. It's repetitive and has become tedious to read.
I love a good detective series, and I enjoy watching layers of a detective's personality and life be peeled away so we learn a little more about them with each book, and as interesting as the cultural elements are, they are taking over this crime series.
I think what works best for me are stories where the detective is not the primary focus; they are the driver to solving the crime. I wish Harry spent more time investigating crimes. And the twist in this book really wasn't a surprise to me. We might not have known the name of the person(s) committing the murders but the connection to existing characters was obvious.
I actually discovered A. A. Dhand whilst in a bookshop scouring the shelves for more books to purchase to add to my frankly ridiculous library. I am just as bad as one of those you see on a programme such as Hoarders From Hell! But like many of you bibliophiles out there and on this site, I can't help myself. I live by the mantra that you can never have too many novels, never. The A. A. Dhand I came across in the shop was "Streets of Darkness", the first in the Harry Virdee series which I bought and swiftly read. Superb and exactlywhat I look for from the crime genre - gritty and gripping. However, I have not had the chance to turn my attention to the second - "Girl Zero". I did in fact naively assume that this was the sequel to SoD.
I don't feel that having not read the second in the series made me any worse off or made any difference to my level of enjoyment. That said, although the story is wholly contained within this book and could easily pass as a standalone, I think it is best to have read the first two in chronological order. I say this because I particularly appreciate how the characters develop through the series and also hearing their background. I may have missed some of that information that was set out in "Girl Zero". So although not essential I would say it is preferable as it would be with regards to other series too.
The plot is action packed from beginning to end which holds your attention very well. There are a couple of threads to the story, one of the issues the book raises is just how prevalent rascism is and how bad it can get for some people who are victims of it. This was an eye-opener to say the least - I cannot stand any form of discrimination and am an opened-minded person about a lot of things so this upset me a little. Unfortunately, this is our reality right now and it may get progressively worse with the likes of Trump in power. I also appreciated that Harry's family also have quite a significant role in the plot.
All in all, this is an exhilarating and exciting series that I will definitely continue with. I can't wait to immerse myself once more in the murky world that Harry Virdee has to deal with. There aren't many thrillers I can think of who use the setting of Yorkshire to explore and investigate crime. Dhand is another writer who illustrates exactly why British crime fiction is some of the best in the world.
Many thanks to Bantam Press for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I don't feel that having not read the second in the series made me any worse off or made any difference to my level of enjoyment. That said, although the story is wholly contained within this book and could easily pass as a standalone, I think it is best to have read the first two in chronological order. I say this because I particularly appreciate how the characters develop through the series and also hearing their background. I may have missed some of that information that was set out in "Girl Zero". So although not essential I would say it is preferable as it would be with regards to other series too.
The plot is action packed from beginning to end which holds your attention very well. There are a couple of threads to the story, one of the issues the book raises is just how prevalent rascism is and how bad it can get for some people who are victims of it. This was an eye-opener to say the least - I cannot stand any form of discrimination and am an opened-minded person about a lot of things so this upset me a little. Unfortunately, this is our reality right now and it may get progressively worse with the likes of Trump in power. I also appreciated that Harry's family also have quite a significant role in the plot.
All in all, this is an exhilarating and exciting series that I will definitely continue with. I can't wait to immerse myself once more in the murky world that Harry Virdee has to deal with. There aren't many thrillers I can think of who use the setting of Yorkshire to explore and investigate crime. Dhand is another writer who illustrates exactly why British crime fiction is some of the best in the world.
Many thanks to Bantam Press for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Dhand brings Bradford startlingly to life is a superior thriller largely set in the city's Asian community. Yes, in many ways it's over the top, but the reader is so tightly pulled in to the story that you're happy to suspend your disbelief. In that regard, he's reminiscent of John Sandford. Well worth discovering, an excellent, natural writer.