robinwalter's Reviews (1.87k)

Ancestors: A prehistory of Britain in seven burials

Alice Roberts

DID NOT FINISH: 35%

I just couldn't get into it, the author's writing style didn't gel with me
challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

Truly gripping. I am very much not a fan of the multiple timeline style of mystery, but this one really worked.  The story was tight and taut, the mysteries nicely layered and the resolution made perfect sense. I'm going to look out for more by this author.
emotional hopeful relaxing medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

Two out of three ain't bad, the heroine in the middle story was just too aggravatingly stupid
informative medium-paced

Some interesting information, but his pedagogic style (WHO includes "e.g." in a list of abbreviations?!)  and the whole "It's all Scythians, everywhere, for everything" insistence, was a bit wearing
emotional hopeful medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

The first two quite good, the third less so
dark emotional mysterious slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

A huge improvement over the previous instalment, I am nonetheless growing weary of the dual-timeline approach. I would love it if the series reverts to crimes in the here and now. On the positive side, the personal deverlopments in the the Kincaid/James family were welcome, even if one element was telegraphed very early on

An Unsuitable Heiress

Jane Dunn

DID NOT FINISH: 95%

The characters never clicked, as soon as I found out what happened, it was DNF time
dark slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: N/A
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

Full of tedious mystical mubo-jumbo and the unfathomable fixation on a small hill (Glastonbury Tor), I just skimmed this one for the developments in Duncan & Gemma's lives, not the woo-woo murder mystery that I could not give a fetid dingo kidney about. 
emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Not as strong as the preceding couple  in the series, this one had a VERY obvious murderer - I knew who was most likely very, very ealy on, and was absolutely right. The interpersonal elements seemd a bit disjointed too. Hopefully it picks back up again in the next one. 
adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

The romance was unremarkable but the mystery was entertaining