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le_kalmique's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
atom118's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.75
Nice, fun who done it.
imzadi481's review against another edition
3.0
It was fine for me, no more, no less. I don't think I'll read the others in the series, but I did really like Pentecost and Parker.
hbermudes's review against another edition
4.0
this was such a surprise!! solid genre fiction and just a fun time. stayed up late to finish it too! i did predict the end, but still enjoyed it. I think the characters here were pretty well done!
freddiereadsalot's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sometimes men write women correctly!!
b00kh0arder's review against another edition
5.0
Before I start, I must admit that, along with contemporary Romance, Crime is one of the genres I read the least of; not out of any snobbish preconceptions, it's that-unless the writing is really, really good and/or the story has some sort of angle or, for want of a better word, "gimmick" that appeals to me - they just don't tend to appeal to me as much as other genres (and I read plenty of books that happen to have a romance or romantic element in them). I tend to watch more Crime on TV than I do read it.
Fortune Favours The Dead grabbed me because of its gorgeous cover, and then grabbed me even more when I saw that the story was a Noir set in 1940s New York. I love the Noir aesthetic, so I gave it a go and happily I was not disappointed!
The detective duo we're introduced to are Lilian Pentecost, New York's - perhaps even America's - most famous and talented lady gumshoe, and her assistant Willowjean 'Will' Parker, former runnaway and circus girl whom Pentecost is training up to be her replacement (here, the justification for a sidekick, other than as someone to be the audience, is subverted: Lilian suffers from multiple sclerosis, so while her mind is still as sharp as a steel trap, her body is slowly failing her; she needs Will to be her replacement because some day she won't be able to do the job anymore. This also gives a tender element to their partner/friendship, as Will is constantly trying to get Lilian to look after herself better, to varying degrees of appreciation).
The story is narrated by Will, from what is inferred to be some years later, starting with their first meeting before going on to the main case (this is not entirely arbitrary as a few details do tie into it later): the murder of Abigail Collins, widow of Steel Magnate Alistair Collins. The year before, Alistair Collins took his own life, and now someone has taken Abigail's, bashing her to death with a crystal ball at her own Halloween party. Penetcost & Parker are called in to help solve the case, but in doing so they may just stumble onto more than they bargained for.
Again, as I am not a seasoned crime/mystery reader, I don't know how Fortune's mystery compares, but I certainly enjoyed it and it did manage to surprise me. Will's voice is brilliantly distinct, grabbing you from the beginning. A lover of hard-boiled, pulp novels, the movies and broadway, proving that while you can take the girl outof the circus... the rest of the characters are well drawn too, drawing on the archetypes of hard-boiled detective fiction while at the same time, making them fully rounded, including: a half sympathetic, half sceptical, 100% jaded homicide detective, a charismatic medium whose practices may be more material than spiritual, and an alluring dame who takes an interest in Will (and vice versa). What more could you want? The story is character driven just as much as it is plot, and though there isn't much "action" the narrative is compelling to the point where it moves along at cracking pace. I reckon if I had started it on a day where I didn't have anything else to do, there's a good chance I could've got it done in one big binge session.
Here's hoping that there will be more Pentecost and Parker adventures!
Fortune Favours The Dead grabbed me because of its gorgeous cover, and then grabbed me even more when I saw that the story was a Noir set in 1940s New York. I love the Noir aesthetic, so I gave it a go and happily I was not disappointed!
The detective duo we're introduced to are Lilian Pentecost, New York's - perhaps even America's - most famous and talented lady gumshoe, and her assistant Willowjean 'Will' Parker, former runnaway and circus girl whom Pentecost is training up to be her replacement (here, the justification for a sidekick, other than as someone to be the audience, is subverted: Lilian suffers from multiple sclerosis, so while her mind is still as sharp as a steel trap, her body is slowly failing her; she needs Will to be her replacement because some day she won't be able to do the job anymore. This also gives a tender element to their partner/friendship, as Will is constantly trying to get Lilian to look after herself better, to varying degrees of appreciation).
The story is narrated by Will, from what is inferred to be some years later, starting with their first meeting before going on to the main case (this is not entirely arbitrary as a few details do tie into it later): the murder of Abigail Collins, widow of Steel Magnate Alistair Collins. The year before, Alistair Collins took his own life, and now someone has taken Abigail's, bashing her to death with a crystal ball at her own Halloween party. Penetcost & Parker are called in to help solve the case, but in doing so they may just stumble onto more than they bargained for.
Again, as I am not a seasoned crime/mystery reader, I don't know how Fortune's mystery compares, but I certainly enjoyed it and it did manage to surprise me. Will's voice is brilliantly distinct, grabbing you from the beginning. A lover of hard-boiled, pulp novels, the movies and broadway, proving that while you can take the girl outof the circus... the rest of the characters are well drawn too, drawing on the archetypes of hard-boiled detective fiction while at the same time, making them fully rounded, including: a half sympathetic, half sceptical, 100% jaded homicide detective, a charismatic medium whose practices may be more material than spiritual, and an alluring dame who takes an interest in Will (and vice versa). What more could you want? The story is character driven just as much as it is plot, and though there isn't much "action" the narrative is compelling to the point where it moves along at cracking pace. I reckon if I had started it on a day where I didn't have anything else to do, there's a good chance I could've got it done in one big binge session.
Here's hoping that there will be more Pentecost and Parker adventures!
megbert581's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
A delightful cozy mystery with added depth and complexity, unique and refreshing characters, and some of that moral gray zone. The two MCs backstories are really interesting and original - you learn just enough to have an general idea and definitely curious to know more, so I bet in the next books you get more breadcrumbs about these intriguing characters. One of the MCs is bisexual and the other is disabled. The disability portrayal felt very realistic, which I really appreciated. I loved it! On to the next one in the series…
thestarlesscasea's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Violence, Murder, Sexual harassment, Suicide, and Domestic abuse