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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
There is always something nice about reading the first of a series, even 20 plus years after it was written.
It is also fun exploring how the "last detective" begins his cases, just how curmudgeonly he is or isn't, how he deals with adversity, with facts, with speculation. How can you not be taken in by the First Sentence:
"A man stood thigh-deep in water, motionless, absorbed, unaware of what was drifting towards him."
As I read on, I was struck with the obvious knowledge of police procedurals by the author, the complex and somewhat daring change of voice throughout the narrative, the presentation of fine moral and ethical questions, and the unsettling ambiguity of the ending.
This is a series worth exploring and an author worth reading.
It is also fun exploring how the "last detective" begins his cases, just how curmudgeonly he is or isn't, how he deals with adversity, with facts, with speculation. How can you not be taken in by the First Sentence:
"A man stood thigh-deep in water, motionless, absorbed, unaware of what was drifting towards him."
As I read on, I was struck with the obvious knowledge of police procedurals by the author, the complex and somewhat daring change of voice throughout the narrative, the presentation of fine moral and ethical questions, and the unsettling ambiguity of the ending.
This is a series worth exploring and an author worth reading.
This was not my style of detective novel, too much exposition and I didn't really like the main character.
This is the first of Peter Diamond series, and I quite liked it. Lovesey is a prolific writer. With many series and I've read a couple of his books, but this is the first Diamond, and I can understand why people like them. Good plot, good character development. Diamond not a wholly sympathetic character. Not a Rebus, not a Karl (series from ?). But may grow on me.
Just slightly below average on my scale. A decent mystery (although we all guessed the real killer pretty early on right?) but it sure was slow getting there. Maybe if the missing letters were from Poe rather than Austen it would have been more interesting huh? Anyway, not really my cup of tea as far as English detectives go. One less series to get into I guess.
It was kind of a slow start but eventually I reached a point where I couldn't put the book down
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
By "last detective," Lovesey means that his main character is, as of the 1991 publication, straddling two worlds of police work--the old ways of the Gene Hunt-style threats of intimidation and shoe leather walking around talking to people, and the new world of forensic science, DNA, computer modeling and a diverse police force. Lovesey dilutes the theme of this by offering multiple character perspectives and (I am still trying to work out if this was a nod to Rumpole and the old ways) a denouement that is pure Perry Mason courtroom melodrama.
It took me three days to read 50 pages. It was so slow going and I just don’t have the time right now