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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I didn’t hate book, but I didn’t love it enough to want to read any further in the series. I don’t want to speak badly about the book, I just didn’t really like it. I didn’t like the main character or how people spoke to each other. I’m not sure there’s a police force that would let someone so unhinged run around while those in charge looked the other way. The murderer’s reveal wasn’t too bad. There were enough clues to follow along and get there before the big reveal. It’s just that everyone seemed like they were a major ***hole. Might work for some, but not really my thing.
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s a basic and easily readable crime novel. Good if you want to just read without getting to into a book. I will probably read them all in time as there are about 10 of them.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Fast paced thriller that leaves you guessing for quite a while. Enjoyable read.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First in the DCI Bone series. A fine debut and a harrowing and fine read. The narrative drags the reader along and keeps them turning the pages. Quality writing and good storyline all add to this novel and is a brilliant start to the series.
The troubled detective is a well-trodden trope and Bone is no exception. He is on extended sick leave with PTSD after nearly being killed in an explosion that did kill a sadistic serial killer. When there is a seemingly copycat murder of a young policewomen, Bone is summoned back to work as the detective who knows most about the earlier cases. Along the way we meet his estranged wife and young son, the boss who isn’t sure Bone should be back at work, his faithful colleagues, the annoying journalist and the angry suspicious husband of the murdered policewomen (and a senior policewoman called Tennison with a nod to Prime Suspect). This is quite a short story and with only a few potential suspects the conclusion isn’t all that surprising. Entertaining enough, but because set In Scotland it’s hard not to compare a little unfavourably with the complexity of Rebus.