dreynoldsbook's reviews
106 reviews

The Mask of Dimitrios by Eric Ambler

dark mysterious 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

4.5

I’ve read 6 or 7 of Ambler’s novels now. I wouldn’t say this was the best despite being the most famous, along with Journey into Fear, but it’s still a top rate thriller. It’s a bit too detached initially but soon you’re in familiar Ambler territory - a man out of his depth in an unfamiliar underworld.Great characters, sharp dialogue and typical, paranoid Ambler atmosphere.

Ambler has become one of my favourite authors in recent years. I intend to read more.

The Pure in Heart by Susan Hill

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

I felt I’d been duped reading this novel. It seemed like a family drama dressed up as a police procedural. Also I found the novel repetitive, banging on the same drum constantly. But I gradually became hooked and I’m thinking of reading the next in the series. It does have something of a cliff hanger. Partly due to the lack of closure, which will annoy a lot of readers.

Never Go Back by Robert Goddard

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

Passably entertaining piece of nonsense. A lot of wasted words though. It could have been much sharper with decent editing.

Body of Evidence by Patricia Cornwell

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was quite well written but I found the plot confusing and not very interesting anyway. The main protagonist seemed to spend most of the time doing police work rather than forensics and got far too personally involved to be plausible, I think this is a problem with writing a mystery series with a forensic scientist as main protagonist. Keep to the forensics and you won’t have much story.

Also I found the romance element too melodramatic and that it didn’t add anything. Except more personal involvement for Scarpetta. In a way the novel does nothing for female equality as she can’t seem to just be a professional. She is too emotionally involved.

The Railway Detective by Edward Marston

mysterious 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

2.5

I wanted something lighter to read as I make my way through Magic Mountain. But this proved to be too light. The characters are simplistic and archetypal, the dialogue clunky and corny and the author insists on telling you why a character is doing what he’s doing or saying constantly.

Also, if you think it’s going to be a whodunnit in the classical sense you’ll be disappointed. The main culprit is revealed just over halfway through as you are introduced to the character. There’s nothing wrong with police procedurals but this doesn’t feel very authentic and it’s too shallow to be interesting.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

dark funny medium-paced

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

5.0

Merricat is a great invention. Jackson manages to portray her as a sadistic psychopath whilst making her sympathetic and endearing. I kept thinking of Highsmith’s Ripley, but Jackson’s invention is far darker. And far more amusing. It’s really a dark comedy and very entertaining read. 
There’s a kind of twist but not really. It’s clear from the start and it doesn’t matter because it’s not a whodunit. I think you’re meant to work it out early on. 
Maybe the last quarter of the novel wasn’t as strong as the rest but it still had its moments. I’d say it’s a better novel than Hill House.

Blood & Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

Although I bought this when it was first published I read the author’s other two novels before reading this. I definitely think she improved as a writer. This novel is more cliched and less well plotted than the subsequent ones. I think the plot is messy and not as satisfying and it has a lot of unnecessary exposition from the main protagonist. He details his thought process at every step, often repeating himself.

It’s still a decent novel though and you can see the promise that the next two novels lived up to.

A Case of Matricide by Graeme Macrae Burnet

mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Burnet is a devious writer. He makes you think the novel is about one thing when it’s actually about something else. It’s cleverly done and very effective.

I didn’t think it was quite as good as his last novel, Case Study, but it’s still a great read.

The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.

Didn’t get interested in it. Not up to the standard of his first couple of books, although maybe I wasn’t in the mood for it.

Joel Meyerowitz: How I Make Photographs by

informative inspiring medium-paced

3.0

I think there’s a problem with photography books this size (paperback novel size) if the photos aren’t all going to be full page. I found myself struggling to make out aspects of the images and that’s a problem with a photographer like Meyerowitz as his photographs are often about the little details.

The accompanying text is occasionally thought provoking but anyone who has experience of street photography has probably already worked out a lot of it for themselves. The author seems to have written the book partly to plug his photography course.

Some nice images though, as you’d expect.