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verityw's review against another edition
4.0
This time the vinyl detective takes on a folk music rarity with dangerous results. All the gang are back and the characters involved in this mystery are fascinating too. I liked it a lot.
bluechew's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
sandralaurentino's review against another edition
5.0
When I picked this book I wondered: can this series get any better? It turns out it can. This story was completely addictive, I could not put it down. The descriptions are so vivid, the characters so colourful, the story so compelling. Certainly one of the most original detective creations, the (nameless) Vinyl Detective is the gift that keeps on giving. Besides,it has a chapter named "Alexander von Humboldt"! What more could I ask.
benjaminbarlow's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
bexellency's review against another edition
3.5
Another good one. You knew as soon as there was a causeway to a pres-que-île that someone was definitely getting caught on it with an incoming tide.
daemonaac's review against another edition
5.0
Such a lovely and fun series! Great characters, well drawn, relationships that span the series, glimpses into a world unfamiliar...and good laughs. Really - what more could you ask?
whatmeworry's review against another edition
4.0
‘Flip Back’ is the fourth book in Andrew Cartmel’s excellent ‘Vinyl Detective’ series. I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed the first two books, ‘Written in Dead Wax’ and ‘The Run-Out Groove’ and the good news is that book four is just as good as those two. The even better news (for me at least), is that I’ve somehow missed the release of the third entry completely, so I have another book I can read straightaway.
For anyone who hasn’t read the books, they’re about a record collector and expert for hire (the Vinyl Detective of the title), who searches for rare discs for clients and invariably ends up investigating related mysteries. He has a bunch of pals of tag along – girlfriend Nevada, ice cool cabbie Clean Head (so named because of her shaven head), and the amusingly hapless Tinkler.
This time around, they’re trying to find the rare first pressing of an album by folk band ‘Black Dog’ that Tinkler wants in order to impress a girl. The search sees them get into various scrapes (two of which are as exciting as anything I’ve read in any flat-out thriller lately), investigate apparent paranormal activity and solve a series of murders.
It’s all told with the same charm, humour and talent for mystery that characterised the other books. Cartmel knows exactly what he’s doing and takes the reader on a marvellously enjoyable ride. If it ends up playing a little like a cosy Sunday evening detective show, then that’s only a good thing. The Vinyl Detective is the perfect antidote to the bleak, obsessive investigators that we’re so used to these days. He and his friends are so wonderfully likeable that spending time in their company is an absolute delight. The fact that the mystery they end up investigating is so tantalising, and that Cartmel sprinkles his books with fascinating nerdery are added bonuses that round out the book into a brilliantly satisfying whole.
For anyone who hasn’t read the books, they’re about a record collector and expert for hire (the Vinyl Detective of the title), who searches for rare discs for clients and invariably ends up investigating related mysteries. He has a bunch of pals of tag along – girlfriend Nevada, ice cool cabbie Clean Head (so named because of her shaven head), and the amusingly hapless Tinkler.
This time around, they’re trying to find the rare first pressing of an album by folk band ‘Black Dog’ that Tinkler wants in order to impress a girl. The search sees them get into various scrapes (two of which are as exciting as anything I’ve read in any flat-out thriller lately), investigate apparent paranormal activity and solve a series of murders.
It’s all told with the same charm, humour and talent for mystery that characterised the other books. Cartmel knows exactly what he’s doing and takes the reader on a marvellously enjoyable ride. If it ends up playing a little like a cosy Sunday evening detective show, then that’s only a good thing. The Vinyl Detective is the perfect antidote to the bleak, obsessive investigators that we’re so used to these days. He and his friends are so wonderfully likeable that spending time in their company is an absolute delight. The fact that the mystery they end up investigating is so tantalising, and that Cartmel sprinkles his books with fascinating nerdery are added bonuses that round out the book into a brilliantly satisfying whole.
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