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princessmatina's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
Καλό μυθιστόρημα με ωραία ενδιαφέρουσα πλοκή χωρίς πολλά μπλα μπλα και μεγάλες περιγραφές.
Εύκολο ανάγνωσμα καθόλου βαρετό το απόλαυσα
Εύκολο ανάγνωσμα καθόλου βαρετό το απόλαυσα
tylajade_'s review against another edition
3.0
I found this book to be really good for the first 80%. The cat and mouse game with the serial killer, who is the son of a magician, was really intriguing. He kills young runaways in creepy ways, inspired by his father's 'magic'. The book is full of puzzles and illusions, making it a fun and thrilling read. I was on the edge of my seat throughout most of the book. The build-up was great, but unfortunately, the last 20% was underwhelming. The clues and chase to catch the killer were a perfect storyline in itself and the plot twist was average and maybe unnecessary. I felt like it didn't add much to the story. However, the serial killer was unique and interesting, and I loved how the author incorporated his father's magic into the killer's MO. It was a really interesting concept that made the book stand out from other thrillers. I just wish the ending was a bit more satisfying. Despite that, I would still recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller. The book is well-written, and the story is engaging and suspenseful. It's definitely worth a read!
fat_girl_fiction's review against another edition
4.0
This is my second Richard Montanari novel, but the fourth in the series. The Rosary Girls I enjoyed, but I didn't particularly warm to Kevin Byrne, but after this one I have changed my opinion of him.
The story is an interesting one, about Ludo and his magician's tricks and the lives of seven teenage runaways.
It's a clever idea, one of the more original ones I've come across, but I still feel like they didn't use it to maximum effect. Montanari describes this fantastic house with rooms that move and secret hatches. It's a brilliant opportunity for the characters to get lost inside with the victim and the murderer but nothing like that happened, instead the house got burnt down!
At the start of the novel, I found it annoying that the author constantly mentioned how hot it was and what it was like in Philly, which although was interesting, got irritating pretty quickly.
Montanari never fails to provide a quick, exciting read, but doesn't retain in the memory very long.
The story is an interesting one, about Ludo and his magician's tricks and the lives of seven teenage runaways.
It's a clever idea, one of the more original ones I've come across, but I still feel like they didn't use it to maximum effect. Montanari describes this fantastic house with rooms that move and secret hatches. It's a brilliant opportunity for the characters to get lost inside with the victim and the murderer but nothing like that happened, instead the house got burnt down!
At the start of the novel, I found it annoying that the author constantly mentioned how hot it was and what it was like in Philly, which although was interesting, got irritating pretty quickly.
Montanari never fails to provide a quick, exciting read, but doesn't retain in the memory very long.
bethanharcourt's review against another edition
4.0
This was an interesting read, serial killer based plots are always a win for me. I liked the personalisation of the murders, I think it was nice to know more about the victims, and not always focus on the perpetrator and the murders themselves. I love the idea of faerwood, it sounds amazing.
helianthus_annuus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
lizzicyrus's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book from the first page, a real page turner.
fleetwood_whack's review against another edition
2.0
Remember when your first grade teacher taught you “show not tell”? Because Montanari needs a lesson in character development.
Further, if you’re looking for the personification of a neck beard, the main villain of this story is just for you. Not even in an ironic way, like the book is trying to be serious and it hurts more than being called a “soy boy”.
Might I add that the basis of this entire book is absurd. I don’t know a single woman who trusts getting into a man’s car.
It didn’t get interesting until Act III, or page 281.
It only gets a 2 rating because I enjoyed the ending.
Further, if you’re looking for the personification of a neck beard, the main villain of this story is just for you. Not even in an ironic way, like the book is trying to be serious and it hurts more than being called a “soy boy”.
Might I add that the basis of this entire book is absurd. I don’t know a single woman who trusts getting into a man’s car.
It didn’t get interesting until Act III, or page 281.
It only gets a 2 rating because I enjoyed the ending.
ericwelch's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent police procedural involving sleight-of-hand magic and games. The setting is familiar to me, so that was fun. The killer is the son of a magician who lives in an old mansion where he maintains a passion for puzzles and murder. (All of the clues point to a puzzle maniac.) An expert in disguise, he preys on runaway girls whom he lures into the hidden passageways of the old house where he fails to understand why they don’t appreciate his ministrations before he kills (sacrifices, really) them as part of his Seven Wonders.
Detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balazano are competent and what begins as the investigation of a cold case turns into a very hot one indeed. The gradual uncovering of geographical clues and fitting them together into a tangram was clever. The partners work well together even with their own demons, and it was refreshing to have partners of the opposite sex who didn’t feel it necessary to tangle in the sheets. Not that I have anything against that, it’s just hard to make it realistic and solve crimes at the same time.
It was also fun to recognize Philadelphia landmarks where I went to school. The first nine-tenths of the book were really quite good, but much like chess where the endgame is usually the most difficult, the denouement left me slightly unsatisfied and felt rushed. Everything is tied together too neatly and unnecessarily in the last few pages.
Nevertheless, I stayed up too late to finish this book.
Whether I give 3 or 4 stars to a book I like often depends more on what time of day it is, if I have papers to grade, if the sun is shining, the outside temperature, if I've just eaten, etc., so let's consider this 3.567498 stars which I will round up to four.
Detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balazano are competent and what begins as the investigation of a cold case turns into a very hot one indeed. The gradual uncovering of geographical clues and fitting them together into a tangram was clever. The partners work well together even with their own demons, and it was refreshing to have partners of the opposite sex who didn’t feel it necessary to tangle in the sheets. Not that I have anything against that, it’s just hard to make it realistic and solve crimes at the same time.
It was also fun to recognize Philadelphia landmarks where I went to school. The first nine-tenths of the book were really quite good, but much like chess where the endgame is usually the most difficult, the denouement left me slightly unsatisfied and felt rushed. Everything is tied together too neatly and unnecessarily in the last few pages.
Nevertheless, I stayed up too late to finish this book.
Whether I give 3 or 4 stars to a book I like often depends more on what time of day it is, if I have papers to grade, if the sun is shining, the outside temperature, if I've just eaten, etc., so let's consider this 3.567498 stars which I will round up to four.
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