Reviews

Kind of Cruel by Sophie Hannah

_sarah_g's review against another edition

3.0

This was a typical Sophie Hannah novel--implausible to the point of being ridiculous at times. However, it was also one of my favorites out of the series so far. Amber was a likable protagonist (the same can't be said for many of her other books) and we finally learned more about Simon and why he behaves the way he does.

teneal_woods's review against another edition

3.0

Kind of Cruel.

I was slightly disappointed with this novel by Sophie Hannah. I usually list her as one of my favourite authors but her latest novel let me down :(

To make a (very) long story short. Amber says the words 'Kind. Cruel. Kind of Cruel' during her first session with Ginny, her hypnotherapist. She then accuses Ginny of being the one to say the words because they mean nothing to her. After storming out and refusing to pay, Amber has a vague memory of seeing the words on a lined sheet of paper. She realises that Ginny wasn't the one that said the words and that she actually saw them on another clients notebook before her session. When that 'other client' (Sargent Zailer) refuses to let Amber look at her notebook, Amber breaks into her car to look for herself.

Later that night, the police turn up on Amber's doorstep to question her in regards Kat Allen's murder. Amber's own best friend was murdered recently and Amber and her husband Luke had inherited her two children, Dinah and Nonie.

Amber can't' remember where she originally saw the words 'Kind. Cruel. Kind of Cruel' but she believes it has something to do with her brother in law and sister in law, Neil and Jo.

Amber ends up getting along well with and working with Simon Waterhouse to solve the case. After many more hypnotherapy sessions, they get to the crux of the issue. Jo was the one who murdered Amber's best friend purely so she could get out of caring for her disabled sister. Very confusing but her logic was: Amber would have Nonie and Dinah to care for. So. When Jo's mother in law died, Jo's father in law would need a place to stay so naturally he would have to stay with Jo (since Amber had no room after having the two girls). Therefore when Jo's Mum Hilary dies, Kirsty her disabled sister would have to find somewhere else to go into care (brother Ritchie?) because Jo's house was already full enough and there would be no room.

I realise this review is very confusing but the story did make more sense than my jumble of words make out.

This was stil a good book which I enjoyed, I just didn't like it as much as I did some of her others.

rachreadsbooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

lorrainelowereads's review against another edition

2.0

My latest read absolutely epitomises why I don’t read much in the way of crime. There was a totally engrossing and intriguing plot, a seemingly impossible mystery and several secrets to uncover, including one biggie. I couldn’t put it down. But then when the ‘big secret’ was revealed it was an absolute non-event; we were given the impression is would be life shattering for the main character (Amber) if the secret ever came out, but in the end it was actually so straight forward and had no bearing on her life at all - a total let down. Then the motive at the end for the two murders in the book was so absurd, even given the murderer’s ‘narcissistic personality disorder’. Lastly, we were meant to believe that a relative of one of the police detectives on the case solved the mystery of the link between the two murders with a couple of phone calls, something two police forces hadn’t been able to establish. So an absolutely fascinating plot disintegrates into implausibilities and ridiculousness. I nearly made my eyes bleed for this! On the plus side I really liked Amber and it was a well structured book with loads of really interesting psychoanalysis.

katemixon17's review against another edition

3.0

I feel like I just read a book of hypnosis and the human psyche, not a murder mystery. While I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it made me think critically, there were some parts that I felt were either unnecessary or just took up too many pages. It really picked up pace towards the end, but then the climax turned out to be no climax at all, which I found disappointing. There was little action and it was mostly just delving into the human brain. But it was still very interesting, and and I will most likely read one of Hannah's books in the near future.

(Snix are you satisfied with this review?)

cdbellomy's review against another edition

3.0

I liked it. Some twists I didn't see coming.

thesinginglights's review against another edition

3.0

This book was good; not too hard a read and with a mystery that intrigued from the outset.

I don't know what to say other than what the person who lent it to me talked about: it all ties up quite nicely. Hannah presents relationships and people and their problems in ways that I've not really read about before. That was interesting.

I don't know why, but once everything fell into place, I felt somewhat empty. This could just be personal.

Good book.

cheri_maci's review against another edition

4.0

I almost gave up on this book in the beginning as it was difficult to understand what was happening with the jumping between the stories of the various characters. There was also not much background for anyone who was not familiar with the series. I am glad that I kept reading as the story is very good, I enjoyed the characters in this book and the motives behind the actions was fascinating.

theredheded_bibliomaniac's review against another edition

3.0

It was really good from the beginning..
All those explanations on psychological behaviour in every alternate chapters...
Was really good..
I liked the writing..
And i like how from first chapter itself they have started the story..
And slowly each and everything is explained..


As we go farther into the book those alternate chapters become more and more interesting..
Psychology part was really interesting for me.
I read psychological thriller after a while and so i enjoyed that part...

But i didn't like the motive behind the murders..
Like it wasn't much..
Kind off silly reason actually.. But then when do psycho's act wisely

sg911911's review against another edition

Had difficulty putting this one down. In the end I did beacuse I did not care for the main character, her internal dialoque was dizzying, which may be importatn to the plot: I couldn't stick around to find out.