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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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:
No
I didn't realize that this was book 4 in the series until I started reading book 3. Oh well. This book was a great read. Lots of people get "picked off" in this mystery and the family dynamic in the book was enough to keep me interested. I am still creeped out a little by the relationship between Tolliver and Harper, but not enough not to read the books. I hope there are more books in this series in the future.
I waited for this book for so long, only to be mildly disappointed. A lot of things in this book don't work. The biggest of the things that doesn't work being Mark. He changed from the caring older brother to the crazy killer. He was supposed to care for Carmen and be closer to her then her own sister, but he murdered her in cold blood and then hid her body for years. It makes more sense for Mark to tell the father what Carmen said and then he could have told Chip and Chip could have killed her. It just seems a little more believable to me. Another big problem is the ending comes too simply. Chip and Drex, the bad guys, kidnap Harper and her stepbrother only to end up killing themselves. Why wasn't this drawn out a little more? I didn't even feel that there was a real danger. Where was Manfred during this? Didn't he sense that Harper was in danger? The aunt and uncle who seem to hate Harper and her stepbrother seem to be kind to the two and even ask if Tolliver's arm will be ok. They can't be all bad if they intend to keep raising the little girl who isn't related to them. Another thing that really bothers me is the relationship between step brother and step sister, which grossed me out more in the last book, but I hate the two together. I would have preferred her to end up with Manfred. There is almost nothing but talk of marriage in this book and I guess I can understand since the two have been together for years and can only depend on each other. The ending of the book is also super dull, and this is the LAST book!
The mystery was a little thinly drawn this time (or maybe I just read too fast), but this was a great installment in the series. If she stops after this one, I'll miss them, but I'll feel like things were well wrapped up.
Was that the end? Was this only a 4 part series? Or will there be more? Excellent series. I will say the ending seemed a bit rushed. This this and this all happened.
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have wished for years for more books in this series, I have enjoyed my time with Harper and Tolliver. So sad to see it is over.
Grave Secret is the fourth and final installment in the Harper Connelly Mysteries, written by Charlaine Harris. On the whole, this series has provided interesting, quick reads that I didn't love but I certainly wouldn't dissuade anyone from picking up and reading. Grave Secret focuses on a case that hits home for Harper and Tolliver in unexpected ways. A wealthy Texas ranch woman likes weird and interesting things, and so invites Harper to do a reading at the family cemetery... only to meet with knowledge of events that happened eight years prior that complicates the lives of her and her family. Her father didn't die peacefully, but instead had a snake thrown at him, causing his heart attack... and his caretaker appears to have died from complications following childbirth (though no one seems to have known she was pregnant). Given that she invited a woman who could describe causes of death, I think it's fair to say that this woman had it coming. As did anyone else in the family if they had anything to do with these past events.
Surely this isn't Harper and Tolliver's problem, right? Well, let's just say it plays a greater role in their lives when Tolliver gets shot and Harper finds herself getting death threats, and they have a sneaking suspicion that this case is at the center of their issues. Top it off, they're having their own family complications as Tolliver's dad, Matthew, has gotten out of jail and wants to reconnect with his sons. This filial love doesn't quite extend to Harper, his step-daughter, and there's only a mild interest in his real daughters, adopted by his sister-in-law and her husband. Originally, Harper and Tolliver had been glad to see their half-sisters, but now they're beginning to fear for everyone as a strange tip on a Cameron sighting has Harper confused... and concerned that somehow, they're coming to the end of their search for what happened to her abducted sister (as strangely enough, she was abducted shortly after the events in question for the Texas ranch family).
This is, clearly, the final installment in this series and fans who worry about loose ends shouldn't have too much to fear. All questions are answered by the end of the novel, though not necessarily to intense satisfaction. I can't express surprise, as I realized halfway through the book where the chips would fall, but I am still somewhat disappointed. It is, at least, a somewhat action-packed book, with the shooting at the beginning getting the tension bar set high from the get-go. The ending had a bit of fizzle as we solve one case then move on to deal with another. Very British murder mystery with the long descriptions and accusations. Still, I suppose this particular plotline wasn't going to take Charlaine Harris through multiple sequels and I'm impressed she got to four books instead of three, so that's something. At least the events in this book didn't cause the same discomfort as the events from An Ice Cold Grave, though I think it's safe to say that Tolliver and Harper have the *worst family ever.* I read the whole series in about a week, so if you're looking for something quick to breeze through and you've enjoyed other Charlaine Harris books, this should fit the bill.
Surely this isn't Harper and Tolliver's problem, right? Well, let's just say it plays a greater role in their lives when Tolliver gets shot and Harper finds herself getting death threats, and they have a sneaking suspicion that this case is at the center of their issues. Top it off, they're having their own family complications as Tolliver's dad, Matthew, has gotten out of jail and wants to reconnect with his sons. This filial love doesn't quite extend to Harper, his step-daughter, and there's only a mild interest in his real daughters, adopted by his sister-in-law and her husband. Originally, Harper and Tolliver had been glad to see their half-sisters, but now they're beginning to fear for everyone as a strange tip on a Cameron sighting has Harper confused... and concerned that somehow, they're coming to the end of their search for what happened to her abducted sister (as strangely enough, she was abducted shortly after the events in question for the Texas ranch family).
This is, clearly, the final installment in this series and fans who worry about loose ends shouldn't have too much to fear. All questions are answered by the end of the novel, though not necessarily to intense satisfaction. I can't express surprise, as I realized halfway through the book where the chips would fall, but I am still somewhat disappointed. It is, at least, a somewhat action-packed book, with the shooting at the beginning getting the tension bar set high from the get-go. The ending had a bit of fizzle as we solve one case then move on to deal with another. Very British murder mystery with the long descriptions and accusations. Still, I suppose this particular plotline wasn't going to take Charlaine Harris through multiple sequels and I'm impressed she got to four books instead of three, so that's something. At least the events in this book didn't cause the same discomfort as the events from An Ice Cold Grave, though I think it's safe to say that Tolliver and Harper have the *worst family ever.* I read the whole series in about a week, so if you're looking for something quick to breeze through and you've enjoyed other Charlaine Harris books, this should fit the bill.
Harper's defensiveness over her relationship is still a bit annoying and why on earth does she keep referring to Tolliver as her brother? Apart from that, this final instalment delves into Harper's past which I did enjoy.