Scan barcode
romaverse's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.25
beckylej's review against another edition
5.0
Oscar Mariani is a Barely. His division, the Nine-Ten -- nicknamed "the Barelies" -- was created in the aftermath of Gray Wednesday. On that day, without explanation, everyone became haunted by a ghost only they could see. The stress of the occurrence led to an increase in crimes that could only be blamed on the mental anguish of having your own personal ghost. Any case thought to be linked to the ghosts falls under Nine-Ten purview. Three years later, the excuse is wearing thin and Mariani's division is on its last leg. But when Mariani's brought in on a case involving a mutilated corpse marked with occult-like symbols, he's adamant that it not be turned over to homicide. After all, the markings alone make it his responsibility. And when the body is accidentally sent to be destroyed before the investigation has gotten off the ground, Mariani becomes dead set on solving it no matter what.
As with THE DEAD PATH, Irwin again proved that he is a master storyteller! THE BROKEN ONES is, at heart, a detective story but the blending of mystery and paranormal is excellent. Not only that, but this future world plagued by ghosts, a failing economy, and a struggling government felt completely real and wholly believable.
The plotting alone is spot on. I was left guessing until the end, carried along in Mariani's investigation every step of the way and unable to unravel the mystery myself. And while it's not necessary to be left guessing in a mystery, it's always fun when an author is able to keep things hidden from the reader until they're revealed to the character.
THE BROKEN ONES is a must read for horror fans, mystery fans, and readers looking for an excellent dark thriller. This book and it's predecessor are so great, I wish I could read them both again for the very first time!
As with THE DEAD PATH, Irwin again proved that he is a master storyteller! THE BROKEN ONES is, at heart, a detective story but the blending of mystery and paranormal is excellent. Not only that, but this future world plagued by ghosts, a failing economy, and a struggling government felt completely real and wholly believable.
The plotting alone is spot on. I was left guessing until the end, carried along in Mariani's investigation every step of the way and unable to unravel the mystery myself. And while it's not necessary to be left guessing in a mystery, it's always fun when an author is able to keep things hidden from the reader until they're revealed to the character.
THE BROKEN ONES is a must read for horror fans, mystery fans, and readers looking for an excellent dark thriller. This book and it's predecessor are so great, I wish I could read them both again for the very first time!
bagel_cm's review against another edition
4.0
Thrilling noir mystery, do-gooder detective against the odds, dark, stormy atmosphere, conspiracy with a twist. A little devil worship, a little bit post-apocalypse / dystopian future. Ghosts, occult, sacrifice, betrayal.
Cons: a lot of threads/characters to keep track of, personal ghost thing not fully explored and that felt a little deus ex machina towards the last 1/4 of the story, but not a total deal breaker. Maybe I'm nitpicking, still a solid 4 star story.
jeanetterenee's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
This one's tough to classify. It mostly feels like a detective novel, but then there's the matter of that pesky cataclysmic event. Three years ago the world turned upside down -- literally. The earth's poles switched places and destruction reigned. Planes and satellites fell out of the sky, cars went smashing about, and the worldwide economy fell in the toilet.
And oh, by the way, everyone now has a private ghost that never leaves them alone. Cocktail party chatter regularly includes the question, "Who is yours?" -- meaning who is your ghost. Some are dead relatives, some are complete strangers, and their constant presence is driving people to madness.
Aussie detective Oscar Mariani is assigned to a unit investigating crimes committed by people whose personal ghosts may have driven them insane. Someone is mutilating and killing young girls in ritualistic fashion. Are they trying to call forth or appease supernatural beings?
Along with the murder mystery, there are semi-dystopian elements here, and just a whiff of horror. I was concerned that it might be too gruesome or violent for me, but it's not any worse than other novels of its kind. There are some grisly bits, but nothing felt calculated to gross people out.
This is a complex novel, and Irwin juggles his plot eggs admirably most of the time. The character of Oscar Mariani is richly developed. His rogue cop status and the past that haunts him give the story more depth than I'd expected.
I did find it hard to keep track of the large cast of minor characters, and found myself flipping back through the pages each time they were mentioned to remember how they fit in. There are also a few holes that interrupted a seamless flow and left me scratching my head. For example, one character is handcuffed with his hands behind his back. Then suddenly he's shooting a gun, with no mention of how he got out of the handcuffs. But these are just quibbles that kept me from rating the book a little higher.
Recommended for fans of detective novels with a touch of the supernatural and a mild dystopian flavor.
Review copy provided by the publisher.
This one's tough to classify. It mostly feels like a detective novel, but then there's the matter of that pesky cataclysmic event. Three years ago the world turned upside down -- literally. The earth's poles switched places and destruction reigned. Planes and satellites fell out of the sky, cars went smashing about, and the worldwide economy fell in the toilet.
And oh, by the way, everyone now has a private ghost that never leaves them alone. Cocktail party chatter regularly includes the question, "Who is yours?" -- meaning who is your ghost. Some are dead relatives, some are complete strangers, and their constant presence is driving people to madness.
Aussie detective Oscar Mariani is assigned to a unit investigating crimes committed by people whose personal ghosts may have driven them insane. Someone is mutilating and killing young girls in ritualistic fashion. Are they trying to call forth or appease supernatural beings?
Along with the murder mystery, there are semi-dystopian elements here, and just a whiff of horror. I was concerned that it might be too gruesome or violent for me, but it's not any worse than other novels of its kind. There are some grisly bits, but nothing felt calculated to gross people out.
This is a complex novel, and Irwin juggles his plot eggs admirably most of the time. The character of Oscar Mariani is richly developed. His rogue cop status and the past that haunts him give the story more depth than I'd expected.
I did find it hard to keep track of the large cast of minor characters, and found myself flipping back through the pages each time they were mentioned to remember how they fit in. There are also a few holes that interrupted a seamless flow and left me scratching my head. For example, one character is handcuffed with his hands behind his back. Then suddenly he's shooting a gun, with no mention of how he got out of the handcuffs. But these are just quibbles that kept me from rating the book a little higher.
Recommended for fans of detective novels with a touch of the supernatural and a mild dystopian flavor.
Review copy provided by the publisher.
hollandsays's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting, engaging thriller set in a dystopian society.
aquamarine's review
5.0
I loved this. I don't like horror as a main course but love it as a spice to a story and what I loved about this book was the imaginative quality, the slightly speculative fiction feel with elements of horror, combined with beautiful writing. Really enjoyable.
More...