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sam_hartwig's review against another edition
DNF - I got to chapter 9 and realised I wasn't feeling it.
namitakhanna's review against another edition
3.0
This is my fist Charlie Parker book and I hope the series gets better . There were too many characters in the book and it seemed there were two books combined in one .The first part of the book concentrates on solving a missing person case and the other half in solving his wife and daughter's murder by a psychotic serial killer called the Traveling Man . Put in some sidekicks , organized crime and unnecessary shoot outs I lost track of what was going on in the book . It did pick up pace and was a little streamlined in the end so I am giving it 3 stars
livia72's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
theredqueenlinnea's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Genuinely good writing, cohesive mystery, and a lot of good fun in the small details. Coffee everywhere, lol. While I enjoyed it to a degree, I had some complaints. Some of the subplots strung out too long, the women characters or memory of some were underdeveloped and the entire book had an under layer of classic detective/hardened sexism when idealizing women. It just felt weak and predictable. I also am not a huge fan of thrillers that try to be too heady when the characters aren’t written in a way to match that. Seemed like everyone in the FBI/police force was a literary connoisseur and read mid tier poetry. I also felt like the narrator was weirdly developed. He fell prey to the common protagonist issue of being a man of all trades. For a first novel, this is ambitious and done well but has that sense of immaturity in character development I hope he develops.
coleman_matt's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
4.25
es_the_book_hoarder's review against another edition
4.0
This was a long read, but I actually enjoyed it. I think it's one of those that creeps up on you, compelling but frustrating all at the same time. The writing is superb, the imagery just pulls you into the scenes and the characters are worthy of all the lengthy descriptions here, and are alive as much as they can be.
I had difficulty getting into it, and because there were a few plots that tied together some difficulty following what was happening at times, but that is all on me, not the writer. I didn't see it coming, never guessed who the antagonist was or what the end would bring.
Halfway through, I thought that I'd never read anymore in this series. John Connolly just proved me wrong.
I had difficulty getting into it, and because there were a few plots that tied together some difficulty following what was happening at times, but that is all on me, not the writer. I didn't see it coming, never guessed who the antagonist was or what the end would bring.
Halfway through, I thought that I'd never read anymore in this series. John Connolly just proved me wrong.
bldownunder's review against another edition
5.0
Charlie Parker makes a damaged yet capable anti hero, the twists keep coming and Connolly reminds me again and again what an excellent and enticing writer he is.
being_b's review against another edition
Just not in the mood for conventionally grim and gruesome.