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antiopelle's review against another edition
2.0
I was reeled in by the tagline ‘ Sherlock Holmes of the 21st Century’ but it soon dawned on me that I was in a whole other world far far away from my comfort zone. After years of reading about Scottish or Irish detectives, the underbelly of LA is indeed a whole other world.
The first part were we were told about Isaiah’s past was ok, but when he starts to work on the case the slang and stereotypes were so bad I couldn’t continue. Not a shred of Sherlock in sight.
Life is too short to spend time on a book you don’t like and can’t connect with, therefore it’s a DNF for me after 1/3rd.
The first part were we were told about Isaiah’s past was ok, but when he starts to work on the case the slang and stereotypes were so bad I couldn’t continue. Not a shred of Sherlock in sight.
Life is too short to spend time on a book you don’t like and can’t connect with, therefore it’s a DNF for me after 1/3rd.
stevenyenzer's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this modern mystery set largely in LA's inner city. The characters felt real, despite the somewhat fantastical premise and plot. Hoping to see Isaiah again!
fribooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mcf's review against another edition
5.0
This is another one of those books that it's impossible to believe is a debut. The grace and nuance with which Ide writes seem like those of someone who has been published many times, and has had occasion to hone his craft carefully before the public. Even without that, though, his characters are strikingly well developed -- including those whose appearances last only a page or two -- and his storytelling is laughably confident and kinetic. The most complicated backstories are handled with matter-of-fact ease, and Ide's deft handling of his characters and tale remains surprising to the unexpected, deeply satisfying end.
literarylover37's review against another edition
5.0
Stayed up into the night to finish and got the second one today. They need to make this into a show!
jwoodsum's review against another edition
4.0
very interesting characters and setting; warning: pitbull subplot - poliitcs are good but there is some disturbing narrative regarding the horrors people inflict on this breed of dogs
stevem0214's review against another edition
5.0
What a great find!! I heard about Ide's new book and it sounded good. I thought I'd start at the beginning. Think of a. gansta version of Holmes and Watson!. Great dialogue, great characters and a new concept. At parts funny and parts sad, but great storytelling. This was a audio book, and the narration was wonderful as well. I'm looking forward to more, but I'm going to pace myself. I hope some of these characters come back in later books.
liketheday's review against another edition
3.0
I'm a sucker for mystery stories with a Sherlock Holmes twist, so of course I had to pick this one up. The Sherlock conceit stretched my credulity to its limit right from the beginning (he has a trailer hitch, so he must have a boat? Okayyyyyy...), so that wasn't great, but I'm also a sucker for mysteries where you know whodunnit but not why, and that part of the story was pretty well done. Unfortunately, that part of the story was also too short for a book, so it was interspersed with some often tedious backstory of our titular detective. Darn. I'm hoping that book two will have 100% less backstory and 100% more interesting mystery plot fun.
books4biana's review against another edition
The language was just too rough for me.
ridgewaygirl's review against another edition
3.0
The premise for Joe Ide's debut novel, is unbeatable. Sherlock Holmes in the form of a young black man living in the 'hood, more specifically, East Long Beach. Isaiah Quintabe is an orphan, his brother dying suddenly while IQ is in high school and seemingly bound for better things. Scrambling to find a way of supporting himself, he makes a life for himself solving crimes in a neighborhood the police would rather not enter, being paid with whatever his client can afford. He's broke and has a debt to pay, when an old roommate resurfaces with a job offer from a wealthy rap singer, who wants to know who is trying to kill him.
The central mystery is pretty thin, and most of the book is made up of IQ's backstory, which is more interesting than the mystery in any case. Ide concentrates on the setting and atmosphere, vividly describing life in the grittier corners of Los Angeles in a way that allows the reader to hear the freeway noise and see each location as though watching a movie. On the other hand, Ide falls back on stereotypes to create his characters, who all seem pulled directly from a list of stock characters, none of whom ever make an attempt at individuality.
The book was a mixed bag for me. I loved the setting, which isn't one often encountered, but the thinness of the plot compared with the dullness of the characters made reading this book less enjoyable than I had hoped it would be. Still, there is the kernel of a good series here and the first book in a mystery series is rarely the strongest. The second book in the series has just been published, so I'll be waiting to see if Ide develops as an author and breathes some life into his characters and creates a plot worthy of a Holmes-inspired character.
The central mystery is pretty thin, and most of the book is made up of IQ's backstory, which is more interesting than the mystery in any case. Ide concentrates on the setting and atmosphere, vividly describing life in the grittier corners of Los Angeles in a way that allows the reader to hear the freeway noise and see each location as though watching a movie. On the other hand, Ide falls back on stereotypes to create his characters, who all seem pulled directly from a list of stock characters, none of whom ever make an attempt at individuality.
The book was a mixed bag for me. I loved the setting, which isn't one often encountered, but the thinness of the plot compared with the dullness of the characters made reading this book less enjoyable than I had hoped it would be. Still, there is the kernel of a good series here and the first book in a mystery series is rarely the strongest. The second book in the series has just been published, so I'll be waiting to see if Ide develops as an author and breathes some life into his characters and creates a plot worthy of a Holmes-inspired character.