ajnel's reviews
665 reviews

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

dark emotional slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

A decently researched novel written in alternating first person from the perspective of one of the Bundy victims and the women who identified him at the Tallahassee sorority house, and the woman who connected the two.  Well written but at times lacking the expression real insight.

The Murder Wheel by Tom Mead

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Three murders, one on Ferris wheel and two at a magic show, occur in this 1930s locked room adventure.  Classically written and deliciously complicated.

The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A decent 'Thursday Murder Club' / 'Strangers on a Train' type whodunnit set in Marlowe where three murders, committed with the same antique Luger, are investigated by three ladies in their 70s. 

Don't Let Her Stay by Nicola Sanders

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A psychological thriller set as a multiple whodunnit around the murder of a mother and daughter by either the husband or the other daughter... An event which is posed to repeat itself in the husband's new marriage.  A very well written page turner. 

The Coworker by Freida McFadden

dark mysterious medium-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

4.0

Mainly an epistolary novel, written from the perspective of the two main, and at loggerheads, characters. As the title implies, the principle characters worked for the same firm and their stories are for the most written approximately nine months apart; which is useful and one of them is the victim of a murder and the other the main suspect.  All and all, a very well written whodunnit.  The one breadcrumb, relatively early on, is unfortunately a dead giveaway, but apart from that, a really good novel.

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A novel in the genre of women who due to some factor, in this case sleep deprivation / prior sleep walking, becomes mentally impaired with her daily interactions, in this case the abduction of her baby about a year earlier.   This novel is particularly well-written, though the initial unfold comes without any breadcrumbs. The second unfold similarly follows with almost no breadcrumbs.  This despite, the novel is extremely engaging. 

Lineage: A Supernatural Thriller by Joe Hart

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-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

5.0

"Lineage" is a medium paced, first-person, supernatural whodunnit, with suspense and gore similar to that which one would find in a well-written horror novel. The Novel is set in a "spooky"!old house which the protagonist purchased on a whim, as he believes that the "house" basically "spirit" writes for him, while he is going through a spell of writer's block due to an "irrational" fear by him that his deceased abusive father , would come back to life.  The novel cleverly relies on a dual unfold , i.e., middle and end, so as to stretch the suspense.  An extremely unique but very well written novel, especially around the psychological state of the proponent.

Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood

funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A cross-over novel, taking from the two main current flavours in UK crime fiction, i.e. locked room and aged amateur sleuths.  Very well written, so as to keep one guessing right to the end. 

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

A claustrophobic psychological thriller about two women who share a birthday.  However it soon becomes clear that the willingness of one of these women to bring the other into her podcasts will lead to dreadful consequences.  Extremely well-written and thoroughly engaging.

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A warm and funny little whodunnit, which will crawl into the heart of its readers. Set in San Fransisco around the life of Vera Wong and a death in her "world famous" tea house.