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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
medium-paced
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
funny
mysterious
fast-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
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was good in parts, as it is the first in a series there was some world setting which may be fleshed out more in later books.
Lydia Crow left London, fled more like, for Scotland but now after a disgruntled client threatened her physically she's been put on forced annual leave and has returned to London. Her uncle Charlie Crow has let her stay in a flat above a disused café in Camberwell but the first night a strange man tries to kill her and is only stopped by a ghost who somehow materialises and pushes the man over the balcony.
This is a London ruled by four families: the Crows, The Foxes, The Pearls and the Silvers. Lydia's uncle Charlie is the head of the Crows, years ago the families really were supernatural but these days all they have is a vestige of their former powers. Uncle Charlie is clearly some kind of South London racketeer and wants to bring his wayward niece Lydia back into the fold, as repayment for the free accommodation he first tries to get her to re-open the café and then, when that fails, asks her to find her cousin Madeleine who has gone missing.
Lydia knows she shouldn't get close with the police, even if DCI Fleet's smile and voice do something to her insides, but soon Lydia will have to make a decision, back to Scotland or start a new life in London.
Issues I had with this. First, the Maddie investigation story is a bit weak, okay I guess Lydia is a trainee PI and can only cope with a small investigation but really? Second, I feel a special snowflake heroine (and possibly several others) coming - the families are allegedly getting weaker but Lydia seems to be developing some kind of superpower, Paul Fox seems to be powerful and two others seem to be very powerful too. Third, it was all too choppy, too many people, uncle Charlie, Paul Fox, DCI Fleet, Lydia's friend Emma, Maddie, the ghost, the woman running the café. Fourth, I can see a love triangle in the works.
I think I will give the next book a go to see whether all of this starts to bed in properly and the investigations become more meaty, but I might look out for a 99p deal.
EDIT: currently available for 99p at Amazon UK.
Lydia Crow left London, fled more like, for Scotland but now after a disgruntled client threatened her physically she's been put on forced annual leave and has returned to London. Her uncle Charlie Crow has let her stay in a flat above a disused café in Camberwell but the first night a strange man tries to kill her and is only stopped by a ghost who somehow materialises and pushes the man over the balcony.
This is a London ruled by four families: the Crows, The Foxes, The Pearls and the Silvers. Lydia's uncle Charlie is the head of the Crows, years ago the families really were supernatural but these days all they have is a vestige of their former powers. Uncle Charlie is clearly some kind of South London racketeer and wants to bring his wayward niece Lydia back into the fold, as repayment for the free accommodation he first tries to get her to re-open the café and then, when that fails, asks her to find her cousin Madeleine who has gone missing.
Lydia knows she shouldn't get close with the police, even if DCI Fleet's smile and voice do something to her insides, but soon Lydia will have to make a decision, back to Scotland or start a new life in London.
Issues I had with this. First, the Maddie investigation story is a bit weak, okay I guess Lydia is a trainee PI and can only cope with a small investigation but really? Second, I feel a special snowflake heroine (and possibly several others) coming - the families are allegedly getting weaker but Lydia seems to be developing some kind of superpower, Paul Fox seems to be powerful and two others seem to be very powerful too. Third, it was all too choppy, too many people, uncle Charlie, Paul Fox, DCI Fleet, Lydia's friend Emma, Maddie, the ghost, the woman running the café. Fourth, I can see a love triangle in the works.
I think I will give the next book a go to see whether all of this starts to bed in properly and the investigations become more meaty, but I might look out for a 99p deal.
EDIT: currently available for 99p at Amazon UK.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this book, and have just started the second in the series. I like the heroine, I love the premise. I recommend this book!
Nicely written, with an intriguing plot and likeable characters. Just the right sort of reading for a hot bank holiday weekend, with enough left to make me want to see what happens in the next book.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated