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katreader's review
5.0
THE PEARL DAGGER by L. A. Chandlar
The Third Art Deco Mystery
Thrilling, exciting, and dangerous, working for Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia is never a walk in the park and Lane Sanders continues to find herself in some tight spots. But Little Flower's latest push to rid New York City of pinball machines leads to results both unexpected and deadly. While the threats could stem from various gangs vying for power, it seems more likely that the Red Scroll Network is back in business. When the heir to the network is identified Lane and her boyfriend, Detective Finn Brodie, head to London.Will they find a way to end this criminal organization once and for all or will they find themselves beset by demons of a more personal nature?
The third Art Deco Mystery continues highlight the importance of the past. While the threat at first seems to be pinball, it is actual dual threats from the past coming for both Lane and Finn in the forms of the Red Scroll Network and Finn's family. Unchecked ambition is at the core of our villains, although, unlike Macbeth and his wife, the modern counterparts are much more patient.
Lane Sanders is an amazing woman. She's strong, intelligent, loyal, determined, and not afraid to be true to herself. I am delighted that I get the opportunity to watch her adventures and see her grow as she learns more about her past. Although she loves fashion and dressing up, Lane is no simpering miss and she doesn't rely on a man to save her. She's a partner, able to support and be supported. In fact, the Art Deco Mystery series is filled with strong independent women. Aunt Evelyn, Vivian, Gwen, and Daphne are also fiercely self reliant with definite purpose, surrounding themselves with people to assist them in their endeavors, but fully able to go it alone, for good or evil!
My favorite part of the book is learning about Orson Welles's VOODOO MACBETH. Indeed the story of MACBETH correlates precisely to THE PEAR DAGGER. I grinned as each similarity appeared. As with Shakespeare's MACBETH, the characters of Chandlar's THE PEAR DAGGER feel the pull of ambition and find it leading them to the edge.
THE PEARL DAGGER is a finely crafted mystery bathed in historical detail. Richly developed characters, dramatic chases, and surprising twists make this book a first rate novel you won't want to miss.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
The Third Art Deco Mystery
Thrilling, exciting, and dangerous, working for Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia is never a walk in the park and Lane Sanders continues to find herself in some tight spots. But Little Flower's latest push to rid New York City of pinball machines leads to results both unexpected and deadly. While the threats could stem from various gangs vying for power, it seems more likely that the Red Scroll Network is back in business. When the heir to the network is identified Lane and her boyfriend, Detective Finn Brodie, head to London.Will they find a way to end this criminal organization once and for all or will they find themselves beset by demons of a more personal nature?
The third Art Deco Mystery continues highlight the importance of the past. While the threat at first seems to be pinball, it is actual dual threats from the past coming for both Lane and Finn in the forms of the Red Scroll Network and Finn's family. Unchecked ambition is at the core of our villains, although, unlike Macbeth and his wife, the modern counterparts are much more patient.
Lane Sanders is an amazing woman. She's strong, intelligent, loyal, determined, and not afraid to be true to herself. I am delighted that I get the opportunity to watch her adventures and see her grow as she learns more about her past. Although she loves fashion and dressing up, Lane is no simpering miss and she doesn't rely on a man to save her. She's a partner, able to support and be supported. In fact, the Art Deco Mystery series is filled with strong independent women. Aunt Evelyn, Vivian, Gwen, and Daphne are also fiercely self reliant with definite purpose, surrounding themselves with people to assist them in their endeavors, but fully able to go it alone, for good or evil!
My favorite part of the book is learning about Orson Welles's VOODOO MACBETH. Indeed the story of MACBETH correlates precisely to THE PEAR DAGGER. I grinned as each similarity appeared. As with Shakespeare's MACBETH, the characters of Chandlar's THE PEAR DAGGER feel the pull of ambition and find it leading them to the edge.
THE PEARL DAGGER is a finely crafted mystery bathed in historical detail. Richly developed characters, dramatic chases, and surprising twists make this book a first rate novel you won't want to miss.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
scnole2021's review
adventurous
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? Yes
3.0
zombeesknees's review
4.0
Full review can be found here: https://www.criminalelement.com/book-review-pearl-dagger-la-chandlar/
annarella's review
3.0
I'm in two mind about this book: on one side I found it a fun read, full of humour, on the other side I found the plot a bit confusing at times and with an unnecessary subplot.
The characters are quirky and larger than life, the historical background is interesting and well researched for the USA part but it seemed a bit of a fantasy for the UK part.
I assume I had some issues with the plot because I didn't read the first instalment in this series.
I think there's a lot of potential in this series and I'm curious about the next instalment.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
The characters are quirky and larger than life, the historical background is interesting and well researched for the USA part but it seemed a bit of a fantasy for the UK part.
I assume I had some issues with the plot because I didn't read the first instalment in this series.
I think there's a lot of potential in this series and I'm curious about the next instalment.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
krisrid's review
3.0
This has been a favourite series for me. I really loved the first book, but each successive book has grabbed me just a little less. I struggled to stick with this one all the way to the end. I made it, and I'm glad I did, but I'm not sure I'll continue with this series, assuming more books are planned.
I think the thing I really loved about the first book was the setting of 20's New York, and having Fiorello LaGuardia as a character with a big role as Lane's boss. I loved running around NYC with them as they had adventures and got into and out of trouble. That pretty much disappeared after the first book, as Lane's family secrets were investigated.
I didn't mind Lane's family story becoming part of the action, but it took over the focus more than I was really interested in. Then we started delving into Finn's family dramas - which were a big focus in this book - and I really wasn't interested in that plot line.
These are good books, well-written, with interesting characters and plenty of action and suspense. The last couple of books have just shifted the focus in a direction that wasn't as interesting to me as the focus of the first book was. Every book doesn't work for every reader. This series just seems to have turned in a direction that doesn't interest me. C'est la vie!
I think the thing I really loved about the first book was the setting of 20's New York, and having Fiorello LaGuardia as a character with a big role as Lane's boss. I loved running around NYC with them as they had adventures and got into and out of trouble. That pretty much disappeared after the first book, as Lane's family secrets were investigated.
I didn't mind Lane's family story becoming part of the action, but it took over the focus more than I was really interested in. Then we started delving into Finn's family dramas - which were a big focus in this book - and I really wasn't interested in that plot line.
These are good books, well-written, with interesting characters and plenty of action and suspense. The last couple of books have just shifted the focus in a direction that wasn't as interesting to me as the focus of the first book was. Every book doesn't work for every reader. This series just seems to have turned in a direction that doesn't interest me. C'est la vie!
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