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litwithleigh's review
4.0
One sentence review: A solid af Irish police procedural *adds rest of series to cart*
SYNOPSIS
A young woman is missing and five buried women have just been found at a scenic park. Oh lawd!!! Not to fear, Inspector Tom Reynolds is on the case!!!
MY OPINION
Ight so I picked this off after DNFing [b:All the Dangerous Things|60784636|All the Dangerous Things|Stacy Willingham|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1652631076l/60784636._SY75_.jpg|95849420] (lol) because I need a solid police procedural to get me back on track. And yes, this is my first Jo Spain novel and YES I did start the series at #3... you already know what it is. Anyways, this was solid and I can't wait to read more by Miss JoJo.
This has everything I like in a police procedural: much juicy case, POV from trapped victims, strong character development, and solid dry wit. Since I've come to terms with being a fan of romantic suspense procedurals (that's what I'm calling it), this also satisfied my itch with a lil will they/won't they storyline between secondary characters.
FYI: while the story is mostly told in third person limited from Tom Reynold's pov, there is some "jumping around" between characters' povs in the same scene. I know this kind of storytelling can really irk people, so you've be warned hoes!
As per usual I didn't care for was the fat shaming. We really don't need sh!t like: "...though a handsome man, was at least four stone overweight and on the tipping point of diabetes, heart disease and all other kinds of obesity-related illnesses." Major eye roll. Can mans solve crimes or nah??? What's interesting in this book is that Jo Spain pushes forth a "liberal agenda" (for lack of better words lol) by addressing misogyny, sexual assault, and domestic violence but yet missed the memo on not including fatphobic comments.
My other rich homie qualm was for a town with the population of 65, the ratio of murderer to non-murderer was like 3:5. I would be moving out of the area IMMEDIATELY. Also this review is short because my neighbour's dog won't stop barking and I can't concentrate. Swiss cheese brain issues.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, fast-paced, great character development, interesting sub-plots, much juicy case with suspense, solid dry wit
Cons: unnecessary fat-shaming, crime rates were off da charts in this small town LOL
SYNOPSIS
A young woman is missing and five buried women have just been found at a scenic park. Oh lawd!!! Not to fear, Inspector Tom Reynolds is on the case!!!
MY OPINION
Ight so I picked this off after DNFing [b:All the Dangerous Things|60784636|All the Dangerous Things|Stacy Willingham|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1652631076l/60784636._SY75_.jpg|95849420] (lol) because I need a solid police procedural to get me back on track. And yes, this is my first Jo Spain novel and YES I did start the series at #3... you already know what it is. Anyways, this was solid and I can't wait to read more by Miss JoJo.
This has everything I like in a police procedural: much juicy case, POV from trapped victims, strong character development, and solid dry wit. Since I've come to terms with being a fan of romantic suspense procedurals (that's what I'm calling it), this also satisfied my itch with a lil will they/won't they storyline between secondary characters.
FYI: while the story is mostly told in third person limited from Tom Reynold's pov, there is some "jumping around" between characters' povs in the same scene. I know this kind of storytelling can really irk people, so you've be warned hoes!
As per usual I didn't care for was the fat shaming. We really don't need sh!t like: "...though a handsome man, was at least four stone overweight and on the tipping point of diabetes, heart disease and all other kinds of obesity-related illnesses." Major eye roll. Can mans solve crimes or nah??? What's interesting in this book is that Jo Spain pushes forth a "liberal agenda" (for lack of better words lol) by addressing misogyny, sexual assault, and domestic violence but yet missed the memo on not including fatphobic comments.
My other rich homie qualm was for a town with the population of 65, the ratio of murderer to non-murderer was like 3:5. I would be moving out of the area IMMEDIATELY. Also this review is short because my neighbour's dog won't stop barking and I can't concentrate. Swiss cheese brain issues.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, fast-paced, great character development, interesting sub-plots, much juicy case with suspense, solid dry wit
Cons: unnecessary fat-shaming, crime rates were off da charts in this small town LOL
kadoff's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
chillsdon's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
portybelle's review
5.0
Sleeping Beauties is the third in a series to feature DI Tom Reynolds and I thought it was just brilliant. I have read the other two books and although I wouldn't say it's essential to have read them first, I would recommend it because they are so good.
Jo Spain has achieved a perfect balance for me in this book between the actual case, the dynamics between Tom and his team and the victims' stories. The chapters from the women's points of view really added to the story for me as they weren't then just faceless victims but felt like more rounded people.
The book rattles along at a fair pace and it's the kind of book where just when I had decided it was time to stop reading at the end of the next chapter, I found I couldn't as I just had to know what happened next. As well as trying (and failing!) to work out who the killer could be and what their motives might be, I was really interested in the way the team worked together - or not, in case of the new boss - to try to solve the crimes. The relationships between them, though not a major part of the book, were developed really well throughout the book, particularly some of the personal relationships. There were some very poignant scenes, sensitively portrayed, between Tom and his ex-boss Sean, whose wife was suffering from dementia.
I found this to be an excellent addition to the Tom Reynolds series and I really do hope we meet him and his team again. Sleeping Beauties is an atmospheric mystery, well-plotted, where the darkness of the crimes contrasts perfectly with the beauty of the Irish landscape. It is full of unexpected twists and turns which will take you by surprise from the beginning of the book to the end.
Jo Spain has achieved a perfect balance for me in this book between the actual case, the dynamics between Tom and his team and the victims' stories. The chapters from the women's points of view really added to the story for me as they weren't then just faceless victims but felt like more rounded people.
The book rattles along at a fair pace and it's the kind of book where just when I had decided it was time to stop reading at the end of the next chapter, I found I couldn't as I just had to know what happened next. As well as trying (and failing!) to work out who the killer could be and what their motives might be, I was really interested in the way the team worked together - or not, in case of the new boss - to try to solve the crimes. The relationships between them, though not a major part of the book, were developed really well throughout the book, particularly some of the personal relationships. There were some very poignant scenes, sensitively portrayed, between Tom and his ex-boss Sean, whose wife was suffering from dementia.
I found this to be an excellent addition to the Tom Reynolds series and I really do hope we meet him and his team again. Sleeping Beauties is an atmospheric mystery, well-plotted, where the darkness of the crimes contrasts perfectly with the beauty of the Irish landscape. It is full of unexpected twists and turns which will take you by surprise from the beginning of the book to the end.
confessions_of_a_bookaholic's review against another edition
4.0
When Fiona Holland disappears the police mount a search for her, however locals in the village begin to talk. Fiona has a reputation as a wild child - was she abducted or did she run away? Soon after her disappearance Inspector Tom Reynolds is called to a crime scene. Amember of the public has made a gruesome discovery, 5 graves in a glade in the woods. As the investigation opens it seems that all of the victims have a lot in common with Fiona - they are all young women, all of whom had a similar reputation, all gone missing from nearby counties. The race is on to track down the killer before it's too late for Fiona.
This is a great series, we're up to book 3 here so starting to get quite familiar with the main characters and their backgrounds, which is one of my favourite aspects of reading a series rather than stand alone books.
Character wise Tom Reynolds personal story takes a bit of a back seat in this one. He's still front and centre in terms of being the main investigator, but the character development is more prominent for others in this book. I'm OK with this though, I feel like I've already got a pretty good feel for Tom so it's good to see some of the other characters getting some focus. Given some of the developments we see this in this book I'm interested to see where Spain takes the series next.
In terms of the storyline itself it's a well thought out and developed plotline, as I've come to expect from Jo Spain. There's plenty of misdirection and potential suspects, all of whom are rather unsavoury. I found the idea that police officers would fail to investigate a disappearance properly because of the idea that the person involved had brought it on themselves quite disturbing. Unfortunately these sorts of attitudes do exist in real life, and that's even worse.
I thought this was another excellent installement in the series, and the audio narration (Aoife McMahon) was fantastic.
This is a great series, we're up to book 3 here so starting to get quite familiar with the main characters and their backgrounds, which is one of my favourite aspects of reading a series rather than stand alone books.
Character wise Tom Reynolds personal story takes a bit of a back seat in this one. He's still front and centre in terms of being the main investigator, but the character development is more prominent for others in this book. I'm OK with this though, I feel like I've already got a pretty good feel for Tom so it's good to see some of the other characters getting some focus. Given some of the developments we see this in this book I'm interested to see where Spain takes the series next.
In terms of the storyline itself it's a well thought out and developed plotline, as I've come to expect from Jo Spain. There's plenty of misdirection and potential suspects, all of whom are rather unsavoury. I found the idea that police officers would fail to investigate a disappearance properly because of the idea that the person involved had brought it on themselves quite disturbing. Unfortunately these sorts of attitudes do exist in real life, and that's even worse.
I thought this was another excellent installement in the series, and the audio narration (Aoife McMahon) was fantastic.
bgg616's review
4.0
This is my third Jo Spain book, and I am not reading them in order. Unfortunately, despite being enormously popular in Ireland, and a great Irish crime writer, her books have not yet been released in the U.S. Inspector Tom Reynolds is an ethical, and competent member of the Garda Siochana, a police force that in not as efficient, and free of corruption as the public believes. Tom has turned down the position of Chief Superintendent of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, when his close friend Sean McGuinness retired to care for his wife with early onset Alzheimer's. Tom's new boss, Chief Superintendent Joe Kennedy, is an idiot.
The novel opens with the discovery of a woman's body at the monastic site of Glendalough. Soon multiple bodies are discovered and the Garda realize they have a probably serial killer. However. the Chief Superintendent is reluctant, initially, to accept the possibility. At the same time, the 18-year old daughter of a well off couple in County Meath has gone missing.
Reynolds is a conflicted figure as is almost always to case in police procedurals. He has a devoted wife, Louise, but with Sean McGuinness gone, few confidents. This is a novel in which dogged pursuit of all possible leads is necessary, even when the Chief Superintendent doesn't support the direction of their inquiries.
Spain writes interesting and compelling crime novels without irrelevant details, and misleading tangents. They provide the level of accurate cultural context that provide an excellent sense of place. I will continue reading this series.
The novel opens with the discovery of a woman's body at the monastic site of Glendalough. Soon multiple bodies are discovered and the Garda realize they have a probably serial killer. However. the Chief Superintendent is reluctant, initially, to accept the possibility. At the same time, the 18-year old daughter of a well off couple in County Meath has gone missing.
Reynolds is a conflicted figure as is almost always to case in police procedurals. He has a devoted wife, Louise, but with Sean McGuinness gone, few confidents. This is a novel in which dogged pursuit of all possible leads is necessary, even when the Chief Superintendent doesn't support the direction of their inquiries.
Spain writes interesting and compelling crime novels without irrelevant details, and misleading tangents. They provide the level of accurate cultural context that provide an excellent sense of place. I will continue reading this series.