ajnel's reviews
669 reviews

Doors Open by Ian Rankin

dark funny mysterious tense fast-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

One of Ian Rankin's few stand-alone novels. The novel centers around an art heist but a very unlikely group of men, culminating in a nice little blindside.  As always there are just enough breadcrumbs to ensure that the amateur sleuth can figure out the plot twist and reveal.  Thoroughly enjoyable. 

The Summer House by Brendan DuBois, James Patterson

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Somewhere between Afghanistan and Georgia, USA, lies the reason why four Army Rangers apparently killed all inhabitants, including a two year old, of The Summer House.  A team of military crime investigators needs to find out what happened.  A fast-paced action thriller written in classic Patterson style.  Yes, Patterson tends to be a bit overly patriotic and melodramatic when dealing with matters concerning the military or federal services, but apart from that, it is a cracking novel, full of well-written twists and turns.

Ozark Dogs by Eli Cranor

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-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

Cranor's second Southern Noir novel pivots around two families and the impact of the killing of one family's thieving child, let's call them the meth cookers, by the child of the other, the junkyard owners.  The novel is set 16 years after the murder and kicks into gear with the abduction of the daughter of the now incarcerated killer.  As in his previous novel, there are plenty of twists and turns and blindsides .  It is however again the unique descriptive  writing style of Cranor which makes the novel so special.  It's pure fast paced poetry. 

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I eventually got my hands on the first three of the four novels in the series.  I initially felt that the four Jessica Fletchers would be the death of me, but they definitely do grow on a person and by the end of the novel, I actually liked each one of them quite a bit. Given that this was Osman's first novel, it is clear that his ability to create interesting and believable characters is top notch!  The whodunnit itself, is actually three whodunnits and Osman paced the reveal in relation to each perfectly.  The amount of breadcrumbs leading to each reveal also worked really well.  All in all, a most enjoyable novel.

The Searcher by Simon Toyne

dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-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? No

4.0

The first novel in the Solomon Creed series is set in a US border town where a Mexican drug kingpin seeks to exact revenge for the death of his son in a plane crash.  A thrilling novel with plenty of double crosses and twists and turns. 3.5/5

Broken Promise: A Solomon Creed Novella by Simon Toyne

dark funny mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

A fun novella in the Solomon Creed series about the perils of greed. 

The Boy Who Saw by Simon Toyne

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-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

The second novel in the Solomon Creed series of historical fiction focusing on the "Sin Eater" phenomena, is set in modern day France where a Nazi prison camp survivor is found brutally and ritualistically murdered.  The novel is constructed around a plethora of twists and turns and a very well penned reveal.  4.5/5

The Complaints by Ian Rankin

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-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

4.0

The Malcolm Fox spin-off series had me a bit worried, as I could not see Fox as an interesting enough character to build a story around.  I must admit I was wrong.  Rankin truly has a unique ability to create complex and interesting main characters and this "buddy cop" whodunnit is an excellent murder mystery with all the Rankin twists and turns we have come to love. 

Blood Men: A Thriller by Paul Cleave

dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

The fourth installment in Cleave's Christchurch Noir series, is written in the same unique first person black comedy style as the previous novels.  The reveals are however extremely unexpected and come at the reader like sledgehammer.  Not a book for all audiences, but classic Cleave. 

The Killing Hour by Paul Cleave

dark funny 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

4.0

Another action thriller written in Cleave's uniquely funny first person style.  This one is a bit over the top and drags a bit, but still remains hugely entertaining. 3.5/5