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A review by sarah1984
All Night Long by Jayne Ann Krentz
2.0
Read for the URR 2017 New Year's Reading Challenge prompt 'Romantic Suspense'
Beware some vague spoilers pertaining to the killer
17/8 - This was not the romantic suspense novel I was looking for. Luke, the 'hero' was depicted as a stalker and to begin with, from his thoughts and actions, I thought we were in the bad guy's head not the lead who we were supposed to find attractive. I don't know what readers Krentz thought would find a creepy motel owner following a woman around late at night, even after she made an effort to leave the motel without him knowing about it. It certainly didn't work for me, I was just annoyed that Irene didn't tell Luke to get lost.
The mystery was pretty good, but by the time we got to it I was already irritated by Luke and the mystery wasn't good enough to forget about the bad 'the hero's a stalker' taste in my mouth. By the time the irritation had faded the mystery suddenly became a problem when a tape made by the original murder victim (Pamela, childhood friend of Irene) reveal more of the red herring's motives. The problem occurred when Pamela reveals the red herring's identity on the tape, but she strangely neglects to tell Irene who she shared all her conclusions with just before she was murdered. Obviously Krentz couldn't tell us who it was because then we couldn't have the climatic 'It ain't the red herring, it's this other seemingly innocuous character that we never would have guessed might be a bad guy' ending, but the way it happened was just stupid. Why wouldn't Pamela tell us who she talked to? Why would she just say (quote straight from the book on page 325)
'"...I told someone I thought I could trust about the video and what I had done with it. Later, after I heard what happened to your folks, I realised that person must have called Daddy in San Fransico."'
It makes absolutely no sense that she wouldn't tell Irene the full truth. The story would have worked much better if Krentz had written that the tape had become damaged right at the important bit, rather than that Pamela just didn't reveal the name for mysterious reasons that no one would ever believe.
It seems I've previously read two more of Krentz's books and given both of them two stars, too. That rating seems to be becoming a pattern and does not bode well for the two other Krentz books that I own. I will still read them, but not till the two star vibe has faded at least a little.
Beware some vague spoilers pertaining to the killer
17/8 - This was not the romantic suspense novel I was looking for. Luke, the 'hero' was depicted as a stalker and to begin with, from his thoughts and actions, I thought we were in the bad guy's head not the lead who we were supposed to find attractive. I don't know what readers Krentz thought would find a creepy motel owner following a woman around late at night, even after she made an effort to leave the motel without him knowing about it. It certainly didn't work for me, I was just annoyed that Irene didn't tell Luke to get lost.
The mystery was pretty good, but by the time we got to it I was already irritated by Luke and the mystery wasn't good enough to forget about the bad 'the hero's a stalker' taste in my mouth. By the time the irritation had faded the mystery suddenly became a problem when a tape made by the original murder victim (Pamela, childhood friend of Irene) reveal more of the red herring's motives. The problem occurred when Pamela reveals the red herring's identity on the tape, but she strangely neglects to tell Irene who she shared all her conclusions with just before she was murdered. Obviously Krentz couldn't tell us who it was because then we couldn't have the climatic 'It ain't the red herring, it's this other seemingly innocuous character that we never would have guessed might be a bad guy' ending, but the way it happened was just stupid. Why wouldn't Pamela tell us who she talked to? Why would she just say (quote straight from the book on page 325)
'"...I told someone I thought I could trust about the video and what I had done with it. Later, after I heard what happened to your folks, I realised that person must have called Daddy in San Fransico."'
It makes absolutely no sense that she wouldn't tell Irene the full truth. The story would have worked much better if Krentz had written that the tape had become damaged right at the important bit, rather than that Pamela just didn't reveal the name for mysterious reasons that no one would ever believe.
It seems I've previously read two more of Krentz's books and given both of them two stars, too. That rating seems to be becoming a pattern and does not bode well for the two other Krentz books that I own. I will still read them, but not till the two star vibe has faded at least a little.