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bbboeken's review against another edition
2.0
The instances where I really like short stories are few and far between. Short stories, especially of the thriller kind, all too often need a quick build-up to a pointe, making a lot of them all about the pointe, and not so much about the story. Or they can be like that Spotify playlist: most of the songs are just so-so, and at best they contain that one hidden gem. (There wasn't really a gem to find here, while I did appreciate The Unremarkable Heart by Karin Slaughter.)
So no, this was not one of those instances.
So no, this was not one of those instances.
mryjne's review
3.0
I'm not really big fan of short stories much anyways. Some of them were really good some of em were really bad but it was an ok read
books_and_tea_with_me's review
5.0
I love mysteries and this collection of short stories has given me a host of new authors.
shelleyrae's review against another edition
3.0
Exploring the theme of vengeance, this anthology is a very readable collection offering variety in character, setting and interpretation of the theme. While I read it easily in one setting, the format also allows the reader to dip in and out on a casual basis, most of the stories are less than ten pages in length so they are ideal to provide entertainment during a short commute or lunch break.
In his introduction editor Lee Child, who also contributes an original story, explains how he chose ten best selling authors including Karin Slaughter, Dennis Lehane, Alafair Burke and Michael Connelly, to complement the ten winning submissions of the Mystery Writers of America competition.
Of the 21 stories in Vengeance none really stood out for me but overall it is a solidly entertaining collection.
Unusually men of the cloth are a common protagonist in this collection, with In Persona Christi by Orest Stelmach, C.E. Lawrence's Silent Justice and Zoe Sharp's Lost and Found taking matters of justice into their own hands.
I enjoyed the story of Rukshana's revenge on her boss in The Hotline by Dreda Say Mitchell and cheered for Beth in The Final Ballot by Brendan DuBois.
Blood and Sunshine by Adam Meyer gave me chills as did the Unremarkable Heart by Karin Slaughter.
Michel Connelly's Harry Bosch makes an appearance in A Fine Mist of Blood, catching a vigilante lawyer who had escaped detection for almost a decade.
Though it is quite a bleak expose of human nature, fans of crime, mystery and suspense should enjoy Vengeance, as I did, for its concise storytelling and murderous twists.
purpltaz27's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
canada_matt's review
4.0
When Bosch is tasked with looking into some cold case files with his friend and former partner Jerry Edgar, they stumble across a pattern and an individual whose presence around both crime scenes cannot simply be coincidence, or can it? When they go to interview her, Bosch is unnerved that she has all the same answers as years before, even though her story all makes sense and fits together adequately enough. When he looks a little deeper, he finds something else; something that could close the case for good. Alas, it may lead to some messy endings!
Good work, Mr. Connelly on yet another good short story.
Good work, Mr. Connelly on yet another good short story.
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