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maryehavens's review against another edition
1.0
Abandoned on page 16.
I don't have the mental energy nor the curiosity to read this in dialect. Didn't think there was enough back story before Sandlin launched into the newest info. I didn't read the first one (this book was a Blind Date) and the library doesn't have it so it's not worth it to continue.
I don't have the mental energy nor the curiosity to read this in dialect. Didn't think there was enough back story before Sandlin launched into the newest info. I didn't read the first one (this book was a Blind Date) and the library doesn't have it so it's not worth it to continue.
kari13's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
hugbandit7's review against another edition
4.0
There is something about mysteries set in the 1970s where there is no technology, P.I.s seem somewhat seedy or shady, and the overall feel is so much different than what we experience today when it comes to mysteries. Tom isn't really seedy or shady but the office is a piece of work. No slick furniture just whatever can be pieced together so it feels like what you might expect for the time period. Delpha is more than just his secretary, she is organized and delves into helping Tom on various cases. Delpha is very organized and it is not a surprise when she uncovers various pieces of information throughout the book to help move them forward.
The cases seem straight forward until Tom and Delpha really dig into the case and question everything they have been told. What you might have been led to expect is tossed and turned and the truth is revealed. I was quite surprised at certain facts as they were presented.
The book is heavier than others but that would be the noir aspect of the book. While this isn't a genre I read often, it is always nice to switch things up from the ordinary and find a new favorite.
Overall we give this 4 paws up.
The cases seem straight forward until Tom and Delpha really dig into the case and question everything they have been told. What you might have been led to expect is tossed and turned and the truth is revealed. I was quite surprised at certain facts as they were presented.
The book is heavier than others but that would be the noir aspect of the book. While this isn't a genre I read often, it is always nice to switch things up from the ordinary and find a new favorite.
Overall we give this 4 paws up.
anjreading's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this second Delpha Wade & Tom Phelan mystery even better than the first. I hope Sandlin is working on a third! Delpha and Tom take on what seems at first to be a straightforward case of a brother hoping to find his estranged brother. Of course nothing is ever that simple. I enjoyed the character growth alongside an interesting plot.
bethnellvaccaro's review against another edition
4.0
I hope we don’t have to wait 4 years for the next installment. Delphi’s is a great lead character and we saw some new sides to her. I also love reading a series set in the decade I was born.
emilycc's review against another edition
5.0
Shout-out to the Booklist reviewer who wrote the review that inspired me to download this; it's from a small press and could easily get lost in the never-ending stream of mysteries, but I'm so glad I picked it up.
I like my mysteries heavy on character and atmosphere and with enough care toward the lives of the victims that they don't feel too prurient or too light. This checked all my boxes. the detectives here are a newbie PI and his secretary who is recently out of prison after serving 14 years for killing a man who was raping her. She's a fascinating character, cowed by her time in prison but still curious and proud. The setting is Beaumont, Texas, 1973, and Sandlin's writing drips with atmosphere. I'm reading another book that's all telling not showing, and this is exact opposite - she tells you almost nothing, just puts the details on the page for the reader to work out.
Bonus points for a delightful (and stereotype-busting) librarian character.
I like my mysteries heavy on character and atmosphere and with enough care toward the lives of the victims that they don't feel too prurient or too light. This checked all my boxes. the detectives here are a newbie PI and his secretary who is recently out of prison after serving 14 years for killing a man who was raping her. She's a fascinating character, cowed by her time in prison but still curious and proud. The setting is Beaumont, Texas, 1973, and Sandlin's writing drips with atmosphere. I'm reading another book that's all telling not showing, and this is exact opposite - she tells you almost nothing, just puts the details on the page for the reader to work out.
Bonus points for a delightful (and stereotype-busting) librarian character.
belovedsnail's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
lovebugreads's review against another edition
3.0
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did the first one but I think Delpha remains an interesting character to read about.
nkw128's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
thatswhatshesreading's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of this book for free. This is my honest and thoughtful review.
As a huge fan of the mystery genre, I was immediately drawn to the synopsis and the cover. Dark, creepy, and eerie looking, and following a near miss from a serial killer, I was excited to get started on this one. Unfortunately, there quickly seemed to be something that I wasn't connecting with, and I have to believe that it was the "noir" conventions that were just not for me. Nihilism and cynicism colored the mood, and everyone seemed to be entangled in a web of doom and gloom of their own making. While Tom and Delpha try to do the best they can for their clients who are bent on self-destruction themselves, a cloud of fatalism cast its shadow and followed everyone around.
Overall, the storytelling is striking, and I can acknowledge the definite appeal this series has to a wide audience; I just need a little more optimism in my reading. I can absolutely appreciate and understand what makes this series so special and an entertaining and enthralling read for many; however, for me, it was slightly too literary for my taste and attention span right now.
"Soon as the office was cleared for business, Phelan trashed the yellow crime tape and hired industrial cleaning guys to blast the blood from the wood floor, patch up the stain. He'd paid them extra to work on the weekend. Still smelled funky though. Bleachy - and underneath, a whiff of something live, gone over. He pushed up the windows and let Beaumont's August heat K.O. his stuttering AC unit."
Personal preference aside, this is a fantastically modern call back to the classic detective story. Set in 1970s Beaumont, the story is incredibly atmospheric and intensely descriptive, capturing the setting of this town in such a gripping way that in a sense it becomes its own character as well. Having grown up in a coastal refinery town myself, I could smell the oil burning and feel the heat and humidity resonating off the page. Every word matters, and the author uses language stylistically to not just captivate with her descriptions, but create strong dialogue and internal conversation. Yet, for me, the narrative became overwhelmed with too many words that implied more than it seemed to just come right out and say. I found myself getting lost and ultimately feeling detached towards a story that I initially assumed would work for me.
"The library drew her, and not just for the books - the building, rough limestone blocks, a towered and turreted castle fit for a river king. Close behind the castle ran the slow brown Neches."
Not surprisingly, the scenes revolving around case research and the library were phenomenal! Book lovers will definitely be transfixed by the author's ability to envelope readers in the complete essence of the bookish experience.
The reading experience is deeply personal to each of us, and what may not work for me may be the exact right read for you. This original voice weaves together a compellingly gritty character study that remains steadfast to its thematically bleak truth. Definitely begin with the first book, THE DO-RIGHT, to fully embrace this edgy and wholly intelligent genre.
As a huge fan of the mystery genre, I was immediately drawn to the synopsis and the cover. Dark, creepy, and eerie looking, and following a near miss from a serial killer, I was excited to get started on this one. Unfortunately, there quickly seemed to be something that I wasn't connecting with, and I have to believe that it was the "noir" conventions that were just not for me. Nihilism and cynicism colored the mood, and everyone seemed to be entangled in a web of doom and gloom of their own making. While Tom and Delpha try to do the best they can for their clients who are bent on self-destruction themselves, a cloud of fatalism cast its shadow and followed everyone around.
Overall, the storytelling is striking, and I can acknowledge the definite appeal this series has to a wide audience; I just need a little more optimism in my reading. I can absolutely appreciate and understand what makes this series so special and an entertaining and enthralling read for many; however, for me, it was slightly too literary for my taste and attention span right now.
"Soon as the office was cleared for business, Phelan trashed the yellow crime tape and hired industrial cleaning guys to blast the blood from the wood floor, patch up the stain. He'd paid them extra to work on the weekend. Still smelled funky though. Bleachy - and underneath, a whiff of something live, gone over. He pushed up the windows and let Beaumont's August heat K.O. his stuttering AC unit."
Personal preference aside, this is a fantastically modern call back to the classic detective story. Set in 1970s Beaumont, the story is incredibly atmospheric and intensely descriptive, capturing the setting of this town in such a gripping way that in a sense it becomes its own character as well. Having grown up in a coastal refinery town myself, I could smell the oil burning and feel the heat and humidity resonating off the page. Every word matters, and the author uses language stylistically to not just captivate with her descriptions, but create strong dialogue and internal conversation. Yet, for me, the narrative became overwhelmed with too many words that implied more than it seemed to just come right out and say. I found myself getting lost and ultimately feeling detached towards a story that I initially assumed would work for me.
"The library drew her, and not just for the books - the building, rough limestone blocks, a towered and turreted castle fit for a river king. Close behind the castle ran the slow brown Neches."
Not surprisingly, the scenes revolving around case research and the library were phenomenal! Book lovers will definitely be transfixed by the author's ability to envelope readers in the complete essence of the bookish experience.
The reading experience is deeply personal to each of us, and what may not work for me may be the exact right read for you. This original voice weaves together a compellingly gritty character study that remains steadfast to its thematically bleak truth. Definitely begin with the first book, THE DO-RIGHT, to fully embrace this edgy and wholly intelligent genre.
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