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readlikefire's review
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.0
Reading this felt less like reading a diary and more like reading a middle-grade historical novel that had been written before someone at Scholastic told the author, "We could use it for our diary series if you do some editing" (and by "editing," I mean dates and "dear diary" statements). The story and the way this particular story is written feels more sensational than a diary should be, and that, for me, breaks the verisimilitude.
In short, this definitely wasn't one of me favorites in this series.
In short, this definitely wasn't one of me favorites in this series.
brucefarrar's review against another edition
4.0
The story is that Angeline Reddy's father has been murdered on the stairs on the way back to his office. In 1880 in the gold mining town of Bodie, California, murder is not an uncommon occurrence. As a matter of fact, her father, a prominent criminal lawyer, built up his practice defending clients accused of murder and other crimes. The scales of justice in Bodie are often tilted in favor of the mine owners, and even when it isn’t, mob justice in the form of vigilantes takes over. And that’s why she doesn’t think her father is dead. She thinks he’s just gone undercover and she’s determined to find him.
This is a meticulously researched historical novel and a the same time an excellent adventure story with a plot as intricate as an Agatha Christie novel cumulating in a grand dénouement worthy of Christie, with a bonus ghost story and a touch of romance thrown in. Patron has captured the prose style and sensibilities of 19th century fiction marvelously while telling a story that speaks to the concerns of her 21st century readers.
Campbell does a very good job of vocal characterizations. While the accents of her Irish-American characters are the best, all others are good and well suited to the tale.
This is a meticulously researched historical novel and a the same time an excellent adventure story with a plot as intricate as an Agatha Christie novel cumulating in a grand dénouement worthy of Christie, with a bonus ghost story and a touch of romance thrown in. Patron has captured the prose style and sensibilities of 19th century fiction marvelously while telling a story that speaks to the concerns of her 21st century readers.
Campbell does a very good job of vocal characterizations. While the accents of her Irish-American characters are the best, all others are good and well suited to the tale.
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