Scan barcode
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
2.0
Anya Crichton is looking forward to spending some quality time with her son…even if he ex-husband is in tow. Shortly after boarding their all expenses paid cruise, a teenage girl is found dead. Is she a victim of excess or is there a killer on board? Unable to leave her work behind, Anya becomes involved in the investigation and soon finds out there’s more to the cruise industry than meets the eye.
I think this is the end of this series for me. Whilst I enjoyed the first few books, this one had exactly the same tone and problems that put me off the previous instalment. Kathryn Fox obviously wants to use her books as a sounding board to talk about violence against women, which is great, it’s just not done all that well. It comes across as a bit patronising to point out to the reader that it’s a “common misconception” that women who drink are after sex. That is an excuse, not what the majority of people actually believe and there are several moments where it feels the reader is being lectured on the obvious.
I also found it hard to believe that cruise ships, preserve of the middle class older generations, are full of drunken louts who spend their time hunting young women on board. And this cruise ship, which was just off the coast of America, was incapable of reaching outside help…for several days. It’s all a bit far-fetched and I didn't find there was enough intrigue or tension to keep me turning the pages. It's a shame, because it could have been such a good setting but I'm just not a fan of reading about how "normal" it is for women to be victims of horrible men.
I think this is the end of this series for me. Whilst I enjoyed the first few books, this one had exactly the same tone and problems that put me off the previous instalment. Kathryn Fox obviously wants to use her books as a sounding board to talk about violence against women, which is great, it’s just not done all that well. It comes across as a bit patronising to point out to the reader that it’s a “common misconception” that women who drink are after sex. That is an excuse, not what the majority of people actually believe and there are several moments where it feels the reader is being lectured on the obvious.
I also found it hard to believe that cruise ships, preserve of the middle class older generations, are full of drunken louts who spend their time hunting young women on board. And this cruise ship, which was just off the coast of America, was incapable of reaching outside help…for several days. It’s all a bit far-fetched and I didn't find there was enough intrigue or tension to keep me turning the pages. It's a shame, because it could have been such a good setting but I'm just not a fan of reading about how "normal" it is for women to be victims of horrible men.
kian_03's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
chava_in_oz's review against another edition
4.0
This is the 2nd book by Kathryn Fox I read and the 2nd in this series. I really enjoy the MC and the story was a bit different, although does touches on my big fear of cruises... I look forward to more books by this author
myrdyr's review against another edition
2.0
I used to really like this series. It has been a few years since I read anything by Fox, and this reintroduction was a disappointment. It's been so long that I don't know if the issue is with me or with Fox, but the magic was gone. First of all, I didn't like the third person point of view. It didn't make me feel connected to the story or the characters, but the main reason I stopped reading it was the preachiness of the writing. I have never been on a cruise, and now, thanks to Fox, I never want to. I realize it is important for people to shine a light on the injustices in this world, and as someone who has traveled to third world countries for warm winter vacations and has struggled with some of these same moral and ethical dilemmas I get it; however, I wanted to read a murder-mystery/thriller, not get lectured about the evils of the cruise line industry. At first, I kept reading because I was curious about cruise ship operations, but eventually that wasn't even enough to keep me going. Her prejudices were so obvious that I actually started to wonder about the veracity of her claims since this is a work of fiction, and, as far as I know, Fox is not an investigative journalist. It seemed like she was writing with a barely concealed agenda of trashing cruise lines, and it really turned me off. While I am sure there are certain cruise lines that operate questionably, I doubt they all have the nudity, sex, rape and violence that seem to permeate this cruise within the first 2 days. I made it to page 99 before giving up. Moving on...
shelleyrae's review
5.0
Cold Grave is the 6th book by Kathryn Fox featuring forensic physician, Dr Anya Crichton, and after the first few pages I was barely able to tear myself away.
Cleverly plotted with multiple threads that provide intriguing mystery and thrilling action, Cold Grave is a fantastic read. Inspired in part by the death of Australian Dianne Brimble, a mother of three who was drugged, raped and left to die by a group of men during a cruise in 2002, Fox creates a compelling story exploring the seedier side of cruising that happy holiday makers are rarely aware of. In Cold Grave the victim is Lily, a naive teenager and talented musician, whose death seems to be little more than an inconvenience to the crew of the luxury liner. The discovery of bruising on her inner thighs and GBH in her system during the post mortem leads Anya to suspect she was drugged and abused before being left to die in a towel cupboard on deck. A group of aggressive men on board seem to be likely suspects but proving their culpability will be difficult, especially since the crew seem reluctant to cooperate.
As Anya pushes for an investigation into the circumstances of Lily's death, an anonymous note alerts her to more deadly secrets aboard the ship. Violence, espionage, missing persons, illegal practices and cover-ups put Anya, and her family, at risk with no where to go. Wary of the security agent who shadows her every move Anya is nevertheless determined to do what she does best, speak for the victims.
As always it is Anya's compassion and desire for justice that drives her to become involved in the crime. While Anya can sometimes seem cold and self righteous she is, I think, more emotionally vulnerable in Cold Grave than in previous books, specifically in terms of her relationship with her ex husband and I appreciated the opportunity to gain more insight into her character. I also enjoyed seeing Martin in another light and liked him far more than I expected.
I have to admit I am no longer as keen to one day cruise upon a luxury liner but Cold Grave is a compelling crime novel with a setting that lends itself well to suspense and intrigue. The Dr Anya Crichton series remains a firm favourite of mine and I am happy to recommend it to readers who are fans of writers such as Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwall.
Stop by Book'd out to listen to my chat with Kathryn Fox about Cold Grave, writing and more!
Cleverly plotted with multiple threads that provide intriguing mystery and thrilling action, Cold Grave is a fantastic read. Inspired in part by the death of Australian Dianne Brimble, a mother of three who was drugged, raped and left to die by a group of men during a cruise in 2002, Fox creates a compelling story exploring the seedier side of cruising that happy holiday makers are rarely aware of. In Cold Grave the victim is Lily, a naive teenager and talented musician, whose death seems to be little more than an inconvenience to the crew of the luxury liner. The discovery of bruising on her inner thighs and GBH in her system during the post mortem leads Anya to suspect she was drugged and abused before being left to die in a towel cupboard on deck. A group of aggressive men on board seem to be likely suspects but proving their culpability will be difficult, especially since the crew seem reluctant to cooperate.
As Anya pushes for an investigation into the circumstances of Lily's death, an anonymous note alerts her to more deadly secrets aboard the ship. Violence, espionage, missing persons, illegal practices and cover-ups put Anya, and her family, at risk with no where to go. Wary of the security agent who shadows her every move Anya is nevertheless determined to do what she does best, speak for the victims.
As always it is Anya's compassion and desire for justice that drives her to become involved in the crime. While Anya can sometimes seem cold and self righteous she is, I think, more emotionally vulnerable in Cold Grave than in previous books, specifically in terms of her relationship with her ex husband and I appreciated the opportunity to gain more insight into her character. I also enjoyed seeing Martin in another light and liked him far more than I expected.
I have to admit I am no longer as keen to one day cruise upon a luxury liner but Cold Grave is a compelling crime novel with a setting that lends itself well to suspense and intrigue. The Dr Anya Crichton series remains a firm favourite of mine and I am happy to recommend it to readers who are fans of writers such as Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwall.
Stop by Book'd out to listen to my chat with Kathryn Fox about Cold Grave, writing and more!
canada_matt's review against another edition
4.0
Fox is known to pen excellent books and this one did not fall short. Her second consecutive novel that takes us away from life in Australia, we still see forensic physician Anya Crichton in her key role as crime solver and lady of mystery. That said, the entire story takes place aboard a less than usual venue, a cruise ship. While it does seem unorthodox, Fox displays a great knowledge of these tourist vessels and sets the story (as well as the murders) in the perfect setting, without making the whole project too corny. Mixing the ever important sleuthing to determine who murdered one of the passengers with discoveries of eco-terrorism and the ever important character development, Fox creates the ideal novel.
I thoroughly enjoyed Fox’s presentation in this novel. She does, more than likely with complete purpose, expound on cruise ships and all that they are, besides a means of vacationing on the open seas. Her attention to detail and factual presentation opened my eyes and led me to wonder if I ought not hold off on booking that cruise I have always wanted to take. She is also able to take this setting and overlay a few great crimes, while keeping the story moving in a forward motion. It does not drag or become overly stale, which can be important for new readers.
Kudos Madam Fox. You are to be commended for your hard work and attention to detail. I cannot wait to see what else you have up your sleeve.
I thoroughly enjoyed Fox’s presentation in this novel. She does, more than likely with complete purpose, expound on cruise ships and all that they are, besides a means of vacationing on the open seas. Her attention to detail and factual presentation opened my eyes and led me to wonder if I ought not hold off on booking that cruise I have always wanted to take. She is also able to take this setting and overlay a few great crimes, while keeping the story moving in a forward motion. It does not drag or become overly stale, which can be important for new readers.
Kudos Madam Fox. You are to be commended for your hard work and attention to detail. I cannot wait to see what else you have up your sleeve.
kathryn08's review
4.0
4.5★ Another fantastic Anya Crichton. I started this the day I boarded a Princess cruise ship - and I was hoping that Princess Cruises was very different from whichever line the Paradisio - the ship that Anya was sailing on in this book - was a part of! Certainly behaviour onboard a Princess ship when I was on her last was very different from that on the Paradisio, and it seemed different this time as well - thankfully! I still enjoyed some of the insights into the cruising industry and things I hadn't previously considered - such as the environmental impact of cruising, on average a passenger may generate up to 3.5kg of waste each day, and that average weight gain is about 4.5 pounds on a week long cruise (and that is why I was taking the stairs rather than the lift and walking around the deck while I was onboard!).
Aside from all the specifically cruise-related stuff, the story was brat - fast-paced, always something happening and with untrustworthy characters - or characters of dubious trustworthiness - at every turn.
I loved it! And it did make me a bit more wary about the dark corners of my ship!
Aside from all the specifically cruise-related stuff, the story was brat - fast-paced, always something happening and with untrustworthy characters - or characters of dubious trustworthiness - at every turn.
I loved it! And it did make me a bit more wary about the dark corners of my ship!
More...