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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
The book started out real strong, battered woman attacks husband and he goes missing but she has no clue on what happened that night. She blocked it all out and has no memory of the attack. What worked in this book is the legal setting in the courtroom, the case and how it ended. What didn't work was all the side stories, which in a way is setting up the rest of the series?
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was the 2nd Nina Reilly novel I've read (accidentally read the previous book out of order). I enjoyed the story. I like Nina - her spunk and determination. The mystery itself was twisty and complicated, with several potential murderers and several potential scenarios. While I didn't put all the pieces together, I was at least given enough information to have a good theory leading up to the ending. Even though this book is older (1995), the story read well. I never felt like I was looking back 25+ years. If you enjoy legal thrillers, I recommend this.
The book started off so-so but really picked up for me once the trial started. I couldn't put it down towards the end there. I will definitely be reading the rest of the Nina Reilly series.
a reasonably alright legal mystery-thriller. the denouement was a bit over the top, and it was not difficult piecing together the whodunnit. but it was still entertaining, the characters have great potential, and the lake tahoe/coastal california settings were well done.
dark
mysterious
tense
Book #34 read in 2008
I really liked this book a lot. I found the characters to be well-written, and the plot was engaging. I will continue this series.
I really liked this book a lot. I found the characters to be well-written, and the plot was engaging. I will continue this series.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
Misty Patterson has problems: an abusive domineering husband and amnesia from her childhood. And now she has a new problem: her husband gets abusive again and she conks him with an Eskimo statue, hard enough seemingly to hurt but not to kill. Then she blacks out. He's found dead a few days later after having been hit a second time with the same statue and dumped in the lake. And Misty doesn't know what happened. Enter her lawyer, Nina Reilly, who is newly separated from her husband, newly separated from her neat legal firm, and new to the Lake Tahoe area. And her idea of a perfect introduction to the area is NOT a high-stakes murder case where everyone thinks Misty did it. Maybe even Misty herself.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
The Lake Tahoe community comes alive as do some of the characters -- Nina, herself; Misty; Nina's assistant. Lots of interesting facts about the area and the impact of the lake on a dead body. Well-written, all the characters are real, and adequately developed for the story. In fact, it's an impressive array: Nina's ex-husband on the peripheries along with her brother, sister-in-law, and Nina's son; Paul, her investigator who's warm for her form; a string of Misty's lovers and their very jealous wives and girlfriends; Misty's parents; and a couple of doctors who are trying to help Misty remember her past. A few loose threads are left for the next story in the "series", if it does indeed become a series. And, on the legal side, the solution is handled in an interesting courtroom finale that is not like simple Perry Mason reruns. A good beginning for "Perry O'Shaughnessy", which is a pseudonym for two sisters: Pamela (a lawyer) and Mary O'Shaughnessy (a writer).
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The point-of-view switches from Misty to Nina to Paul in various chapters, and the switch does not really develop Misty's or Paul's character enough to justify the switch. Unfortunately, I figured out the three key elements of the "mystery" before the end of the story. Didn't expect the ending, at least not exactly, but I did expect the "baddie". There are a couple of places where it is a little heavy on the "legal" side, interpreting case law, which is a likely result of one of the two authors being a lawyer.
.
BOTTOM-LINE:
Should have suppressed some of the legal side
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.
Misty Patterson has problems: an abusive domineering husband and amnesia from her childhood. And now she has a new problem: her husband gets abusive again and she conks him with an Eskimo statue, hard enough seemingly to hurt but not to kill. Then she blacks out. He's found dead a few days later after having been hit a second time with the same statue and dumped in the lake. And Misty doesn't know what happened. Enter her lawyer, Nina Reilly, who is newly separated from her husband, newly separated from her neat legal firm, and new to the Lake Tahoe area. And her idea of a perfect introduction to the area is NOT a high-stakes murder case where everyone thinks Misty did it. Maybe even Misty herself.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
The Lake Tahoe community comes alive as do some of the characters -- Nina, herself; Misty; Nina's assistant. Lots of interesting facts about the area and the impact of the lake on a dead body. Well-written, all the characters are real, and adequately developed for the story. In fact, it's an impressive array: Nina's ex-husband on the peripheries along with her brother, sister-in-law, and Nina's son; Paul, her investigator who's warm for her form; a string of Misty's lovers and their very jealous wives and girlfriends; Misty's parents; and a couple of doctors who are trying to help Misty remember her past. A few loose threads are left for the next story in the "series", if it does indeed become a series. And, on the legal side, the solution is handled in an interesting courtroom finale that is not like simple Perry Mason reruns. A good beginning for "Perry O'Shaughnessy", which is a pseudonym for two sisters: Pamela (a lawyer) and Mary O'Shaughnessy (a writer).
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The point-of-view switches from Misty to Nina to Paul in various chapters, and the switch does not really develop Misty's or Paul's character enough to justify the switch. Unfortunately, I figured out the three key elements of the "mystery" before the end of the story. Didn't expect the ending, at least not exactly, but I did expect the "baddie". There are a couple of places where it is a little heavy on the "legal" side, interpreting case law, which is a likely result of one of the two authors being a lawyer.
.
BOTTOM-LINE:
Should have suppressed some of the legal side
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.
https://chyneyee.com/2017/01/29/motion-to-suppress-perri-o-shaughnessy/
The story started in an interesting way but there were too much details of the emotions which made me easily get bored with it. Also, the legal and courtroom aspects were overly used and having too much of legal terms can kill the story no matter how good is the plot.
The story started in an interesting way but there were too much details of the emotions which made me easily get bored with it. Also, the legal and courtroom aspects were overly used and having too much of legal terms can kill the story no matter how good is the plot.
I first read this book many years ago - before I joined goodreads, I believe - and read the first few in the series. Back then I was really into mysteries, legal thrillers, crime dramas, etc. I read so many of them I got sick of the genre and haven't read a single similar book in probably close to 15 years.
Recently I've been kind of "stuck" - can't get into any books - so I've been rereading the Wagons West series and decided maybe what I needed was to try a different genre again, so I requested this one from the library.
I did enjoy it - but I'm still burnt out on the genre. I was bored throughout most of the book. Of course the book is dated, too, with outdated technology especially, and I remembered who the murderer was the mystery part of the book wasn't a mystery to me.
I do recommend the book to those who do enjoy the crime / legal dramas
Recently I've been kind of "stuck" - can't get into any books - so I've been rereading the Wagons West series and decided maybe what I needed was to try a different genre again, so I requested this one from the library.
I did enjoy it - but I'm still burnt out on the genre. I was bored throughout most of the book. Of course the book is dated, too, with outdated technology especially, and I remembered who the murderer was the mystery part of the book wasn't a mystery to me.
I do recommend the book to those who do enjoy the crime / legal dramas