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annie_brewer's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
3.25
Read via audiobook (Wavesound from W. F. Howes Ltd)
A solid mystery! Really enjoyed the small town atmosphere, very accurate of rural Australia.
I appreciate that the police work was mostly just collecting the information through questioning. The barrier to get people talking was excellently conveyed, but the solving of the case felt achievable once all the information was acquired. This seemed like a very accurate representation of how cases with limited resources could be resolved albeit doesn't provide the reader with an overly satisfying revelation.
I did find that Falk was a very average protagonist. He seemed to not have any motivations, nor large personality flaws, and was overall a bit underwhelming. The secondary characters were also a bit basic, but maybe were written to be reserved to add to the tension within the novel in regards to the drought, financial struggles and the distrust of the protagonist.
This was quite a slow paced read, but the duel timeline mystery of Falk's past was very interesting and kept me hooked.
Excited to read the next installments! Hopefully we learn a bit more about Falk and he becomes more developed.
A solid mystery! Really enjoyed the small town atmosphere, very accurate of rural Australia.
I appreciate that the police work was mostly just collecting the information through questioning. The barrier to get people talking was excellently conveyed, but the solving of the case felt achievable once all the information was acquired. This seemed like a very accurate representation of how cases with limited resources could be resolved albeit doesn't provide the reader with an overly satisfying revelation.
I did find that Falk was a very average protagonist. He seemed to not have any motivations, nor large personality flaws, and was overall a bit underwhelming. The secondary characters were also a bit basic, but maybe were written to be reserved to add to the tension within the novel in regards to the drought, financial struggles and the distrust of the protagonist.
This was quite a slow paced read, but the duel timeline mystery of Falk's past was very interesting and kept me hooked.
Excited to read the next installments! Hopefully we learn a bit more about Falk and he becomes more developed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, Alcohol, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Addiction
gayatriii's review against another edition
4.0
So atmospheric. So grim. So wonderfully written. Much has been said about the author's way with words. I will give you an example. Jane Harper doesn't say that someone is good looking, coz how dull would that be - she says,
"Even in Kiewarra, social hierarchies had to be observed, and Gretchen was a creature most commonly sighted tossing back her golden hair and laughing amid a crowd of followers."
So many nuances here; the insult to Kiewarra, the social peking order, the potent visual of a blond babe surrounded by a crowd of admirers, and her gracing them all with her prized laugh. Ugh. Chef's kiss!
Made for a very memorable book. The crime itself also managed to hold my attention, but my love and adoration is for how the people, places, weather come alive through wonderfully surprising usage of common words.
"Even in Kiewarra, social hierarchies had to be observed, and Gretchen was a creature most commonly sighted tossing back her golden hair and laughing amid a crowd of followers."
So many nuances here; the insult to Kiewarra, the social peking order, the potent visual of a blond babe surrounded by a crowd of admirers, and her gracing them all with her prized laugh. Ugh. Chef's kiss!
Made for a very memorable book. The crime itself also managed to hold my attention, but my love and adoration is for how the people, places, weather come alive through wonderfully surprising usage of common words.
belleofthewoods's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
bhnmt61's review against another edition
4.0
Five stars for the beautifully drawn characters and the evocative sense of place. But three stars for the murder mystery. It didn’t have that expert plotting that pulls the whole thing together at the end in a flash of brilliance, which is what imnsho makes a five-star mystery. For example, a great deal of the plot hangs on a misunderstood word whose alternate meaning was obvious as soon as it appeared. And since the final revelation takes place in a way that no one in the story would have known about, it left me feeling unsatisfied at the end. But still I enjoyed reading this book more than any fiction I’ve read in quite awhile. Could not put it down, it would be perfect to pass the time on a long plane flight or similar. It’s her debut novel and I’m already looking forward to her next one.
emma_scully's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
taylasversion's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Wow. Slow going to start with, but really hooks you in. Honestly, I didn’t love it as much as the sequel but it was still a gripping story. Same praise I had for Force of Nature I have for this. Very similar in its story telling but it’s effective and it works! Already bought the third installment, on my way to read now.
couuboy's review against another edition
3.0
Unfathomable to me why I had to read this outback noir pulp for a literature masters class. Like studying Liberace or Rieu at Berklee.
tracie_mcd's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Great book. Great plot & characters. Very atmospheric, you could envision everything. Kept me guessing until the very end. Highly recommend!