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vkaz's review against another edition
5.0
well written book of psychological depth. This is my first Mallory mystery, and it's sixth in this series. I think I missed something coming in at this point--Mallory is not very believable or likable. The plot was so well crafted, though, it kept my interest. Not an escapist book, but as another reviewer suggested, maybe i will come back to this series after i read a "happy book."
alex_reader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
tracey_stewart's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
So far, this is my favorite among the Mallory novels. More gaps in Mallory's past are filled in – while still leaving mysteries – and more light is shone into the dark inner recesses of her strange mind. It is discovered in Crime School that, in a way, the narrator of these books is somewhat unreliable, because the story the reader has been told several times of Kathy's coming into the custody of Louis Markowitz … isn't quite true.
A hooker is found dead – hanged, her hair cut off and stuffed in her mouth, a fire started, candles lit, the scene covered with dead and dying flies. It's a bizarre scene, and Mallory insists that it wasn't suicide. So, in fact, does her partner Riker, and the assertion isn't just because both of them knew the woman, Sparrow; both are reminded of a case from fifteen or twenty years ago that always bothered Markowitz. As happens so often, Mallory bucks authority and crosses every kind of line to dig into that old murder and this new one, being saddled in the process with an old retired cop who worked the cold case and a shiny new rookie whose hair is inexplicably dyed the brilliant yellow of a baby duck. Don't get attached. (Which is more a series spoiler than a book spoiler.)
In other books, Mallory's stance that she is right despite whatever the evidence says to her superiors has annoyed me. The captain is ready to move forward with a logical suspect, or to dismiss a death as accidental. Mallory says that isn't right, doesn't bother to offer compelling evidence, and steadfastly ignores direct orders to pursue her own line of investigation, even if that line crosses into illegal methods.
It's such a great, unique series. I need to revisit it.
So far, this is my favorite among the Mallory novels. More gaps in Mallory's past are filled in – while still leaving mysteries – and more light is shone into the dark inner recesses of her strange mind. It is discovered in Crime School that, in a way, the narrator of these books is somewhat unreliable, because the story the reader has been told several times of Kathy's coming into the custody of Louis Markowitz … isn't quite true.
A hooker is found dead – hanged, her hair cut off and stuffed in her mouth, a fire started, candles lit, the scene covered with dead and dying flies. It's a bizarre scene, and Mallory insists that it wasn't suicide. So, in fact, does her partner Riker, and the assertion isn't just because both of them knew the woman, Sparrow; both are reminded of a case from fifteen or twenty years ago that always bothered Markowitz. As happens so often, Mallory bucks authority and crosses every kind of line to dig into that old murder and this new one, being saddled in the process with an old retired cop who worked the cold case and a shiny new rookie whose hair is inexplicably dyed the brilliant yellow of a baby duck. Don't get attached. (Which is more a series spoiler than a book spoiler.)
In other books, Mallory's stance that she is right despite whatever the evidence says to her superiors has annoyed me. The captain is ready to move forward with a logical suspect, or to dismiss a death as accidental. Mallory says that isn't right, doesn't bother to offer compelling evidence, and steadfastly ignores direct orders to pursue her own line of investigation, even if that line crosses into illegal methods.
It's such a great, unique series. I need to revisit it.
jmcdbrock's review against another edition
5.0
Of Carol O'Connell's Mallory series that I've read, this and "Stone Angel" have been my faves. Can't put it down.
nutti72's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed getting to know more of Mallory's back story.
kbruneau's review against another edition
2.0
My dad sent me a few of the mysteries in this series, and this one was the first I read. It might be the only one, since it was just okay. Honestly, at the beginning I actually disliked it. The prose is kind of bad in places (for example, in one paragraph between the use of pronouns and a shift in the narrative perspective, I couldn't figure out which character was being described) and rather repetitive. I kept reading, though, and the mystery plot itself was fairly interesting. I never felt very interested in the main character, though. These are called the "Kathy Mallory Mysteries", but in this book, she wasn't as compelling as her partner. Maybe that's not the case in the earlier novels?
scubajen's review against another edition
4.0
These books pull me in. The main character, Kathy, is so damaged from her childhood, that the way she protects herself now makes so much sense. The mystery brings her back to parts of her childhood, which is hard but enlightening.
youngdi's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
sunnid's review
2.0
I am hooked on Carol O'Connell and the Mallory series. I was disappointed with this one, however. I thought it went too overboard with all the gore and could have used more of the "sentimental" character development of her previous novels. The grisly descriptions became repetitive and dull, as well as nauseating. I feel that it was being used to fill and push the edge -- the shock factor. I also thought some things were stretched to the implausible...the idea of this book group and some of Charles' deductive abilities were not believable. I knew it would be hard to continue with Mallory after the last novel, it's tricky to keep her the primary mystery. But I'm hoping O'Connell can do it.
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