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book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
Audio book performed by Deborah Hazlett
Tess Monaghan – former reporter, current private detective – leaves the comforts of her Baltimore home to track down an old flame whose parents’ last letter was returned “moved – no forwarding address.” Tess agrees to go to Texas to find Crow, her only clues his last known address and a cryptic note she received that included a clipping with the headline “In Big Trouble.” She tracks him to Austin’s music scene and then to San Antonio, but she also discovers a dead body and a decades-old murder mystery. And she discovers some very colorful characters – rich, “old” money Texas family, a Mexican-American attorney who frequently speaks like a redneck, a Vietnamese landlady, and a Wisconsin transplant who loves milagros.
I like this series. Tess is an intelligent woman who keeps herself in shape and uses her wits and her strengths to get herself out of any difficult situation in which she lands. I’m not too keen on her tendency to want to bed half the men she encounters, but mostly she avoids these temptations. I loved all the literary references – from Don Quixote to James Joyce’s Ulysses, with a smattering of Tolstoy and Larry McMurtry for color. The final reveal was a surprise, but with plenty of supporting information / clues on retrospect. I was happy to find a book set in my home town. However … when she asks for an all-night eatery for a breakfast she cannot get in Baltimore, why go to Earl Abel’s for German chocolate cake? She should have been taken to the 24-hour Mi Tierra Café for menudo! But that’s a minor irritation that only a native would notice.
The audio, narrated by Deborah Hazlett, has some problems. Hazlett doesn’t know how to pronounce half the proper names associated with San Antonio, nor is she particularly adept at Spanish. Finally, she doesn’t have enough acting ability to significantly distinguish the voices of the many characters. However, I didn’t feel I should mark this down farther for the audio performer’s faults. It’s still a good, solid mystery read.
Tess Monaghan – former reporter, current private detective – leaves the comforts of her Baltimore home to track down an old flame whose parents’ last letter was returned “moved – no forwarding address.” Tess agrees to go to Texas to find Crow, her only clues his last known address and a cryptic note she received that included a clipping with the headline “In Big Trouble.” She tracks him to Austin’s music scene and then to San Antonio, but she also discovers a dead body and a decades-old murder mystery. And she discovers some very colorful characters – rich, “old” money Texas family, a Mexican-American attorney who frequently speaks like a redneck, a Vietnamese landlady, and a Wisconsin transplant who loves milagros.
I like this series. Tess is an intelligent woman who keeps herself in shape and uses her wits and her strengths to get herself out of any difficult situation in which she lands. I’m not too keen on her tendency to want to bed half the men she encounters, but mostly she avoids these temptations. I loved all the literary references – from Don Quixote to James Joyce’s Ulysses, with a smattering of Tolstoy and Larry McMurtry for color. The final reveal was a surprise, but with plenty of supporting information / clues on retrospect. I was happy to find a book set in my home town. However … when she asks for an all-night eatery for a breakfast she cannot get in Baltimore, why go to Earl Abel’s for German chocolate cake? She should have been taken to the 24-hour Mi Tierra Café for menudo! But that’s a minor irritation that only a native would notice.
The audio, narrated by Deborah Hazlett, has some problems. Hazlett doesn’t know how to pronounce half the proper names associated with San Antonio, nor is she particularly adept at Spanish. Finally, she doesn’t have enough acting ability to significantly distinguish the voices of the many characters. However, I didn’t feel I should mark this down farther for the audio performer’s faults. It’s still a good, solid mystery read.
mschrock8's review against another edition
3.0
A change of scenery for Tess.
I liked the St. Pauli girl reference (as a girl from St. Paul) and that Tess shopped at Half Price Books (as this St. Paul girl likes to do).
I liked the St. Pauli girl reference (as a girl from St. Paul) and that Tess shopped at Half Price Books (as this St. Paul girl likes to do).
littlemascara's review
3.0
I liked this book, and the resolution of the mystery was a surprise. The characters are well developed.
robnobody's review against another edition
This one takes PI Tess Monaghan out of her comfort zone (i.e., Baltimore) down to Texas to help out her ex-boyfriend who is in, you guessed it, big trouble. Like the others in the series, a fun detective novel with a greater-than-usual helping of relationship drama. Hazlett's narration always feels just a bit stilted to me, but her character voices more than make up for that.
mollytics's review
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.0
maureenr's review
3.0
consistent with other Tess Monaghan mysteries - this one takes place in San Antonio, so the change in scenery was nice.
aspygirlsmom_1995's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
annie77's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
deirdreanais's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mxinky's review
3.0
Set in Austin, this was less tasty, for me, than the Baltimore-based novels. And, yet, seeing Tess on her own adds a lot to what the reader knows about her.