emlawley's reviews
92 reviews

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

2.25

This book had a lot of promise and started with a 'bang' with a very intense first chapter. I got the book through the Rare Birds Bookshop advent calendar so had expected good things, but I have to say I found the main character Feyi's choices hard to believe or relate to. There has been a lot of talk in other reviews about how it feels unbelievable and in slightly poor taste that her somewhat poor decisions in the book are down to the trauma she has experienced and that this is a little reductive and I would hasten to agree. Also, after a lot of build-up throughout the book, the pivotal sex scene was really disappointing from a feminist perspective! I think the book could have been much better with more character development and a more heart-warming story.

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A Game Called Malice: A Rebus Play by Ian Rankin, Simon Reade

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mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Yet again, I have been reminded of how fantastic Ian Rankin's writing is. I loved seeing Rebus in a different setting, taking part (however reluctantly) in a murder mystery turned true! The characters were great and there was enough detail in the short play to make you feel you knew them and become invested in their stories. A real page-turner which I literally read in one sitting because I couldn't put it down.

See No Evil by David J. Gatward

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emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Gatward's DCI Harry Grimm series remains one of my favourites - I eagerly await each new book and am on the Facebook fan page! I listened to this in just under 2 days, saving it especially to listen during a solo day out and two long drives. The audio version was read exceptionally as always by Aubrey Parsons. While I appreciate a new book being released, the last couple have felt a tad rushed in places, with this showing up in some repeated turns of phrase throughout the book which can be a tiny bit annoying at times. Otherwise, another great story (with quite gruesome murders on this occasion!) with an unexpected very sad twist too which left me in tears.

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Death Department by Bill Knox

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mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

A good second novel in the Thane & Moss series and, like the first, quite 'of its time' in its depiction of women and relationships between the characters. Unlike the first book, this was a 'whodunnit' and I hadn't guessed the murderer so it did keep me going until the end. It was fairly enjoyable but not up there with my all-time favourite crime fiction books.

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Kill Joy by Holly Jackson

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funny mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

A wonderful prequel to the series. I listened to it last, as opposed to first, as per the published order, and I love the fact I did as I gleaned so much meaning from all the little suggestions and hints to what was to come in the next three books. Brilliant, short and sweet story.

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Gosh, what a book. I love this feminist, woman-focused retelling of this story and character. It's so important to read these perspectives on the Greek Queens and ruling families, especially as they were treated so apallingly. The book was gut-wrenching in many places - I had to put it down to properly cry at times. It is a tale of overcoming adversity and, fankly, an atrocious situation. It was wonderful to get such an insight into Clytemnestra's character and personality. It addresses lots of difficult subject matter but it written masterfully.

Content Warnings

As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A thrilling finale to the series, I was not expecting what happened at the end of part 1! After enjoying the other books in the series, but being able to guess who the killer was, I felt a similar pang of mild disappointment when I figured it out again this time. The huge twist and incredibly tense part 2 of the book had me listening ‘on the edge of my seat’ - the tension was palpable thanks to such great writing.

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Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

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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? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

After I devoured the first book of this series, I couldn’t wait to listen to this one and got through it equally as quickly. It’s definitely darker and more challenging than the first book, with Pip becoming more complex as a character as she throws herself into another case and the subject matter of some
of the crimes. I did guess the guilty party fairly early on which is why I’ve reduced the rating slightly, but the storytelling, particularly the character development, was fantastic again.

Content Warnings

Deadline by Bill Knox

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mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.25

I read this after JD Kirk recommended it (after bringing the series back to publication through his company) in his newsletter. Bill Knox’s writing style is great and I can see why these books are considered as the start of the Tartan Noir genre. It was interesting that he didn’t write it as a whodunnit as this gave new insights into the guilty party’s thought process which you can miss in other stories. I enjoyed it and have downloaded the next book in the series to read. It is ‘of its time’ a little and I’d like to have got to know Thane and Moss a bit more, hence my rating.

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

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emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

I loved this book. I listened to it in four days...with a big chunk of a Saturday dedicated to listening to it during all my activities that day as I couldn't stop listening! I couldn't wait to see what happened next. There are so many intertwining storylines that keep you guessing throughout, and the way it is interwoven with extracts from Pip's project notes (i.e. the investigation log) is fantastic and keeps the story moving. While I did guess the killer the facts around what happened were a total surprise. A very unique story and I can't wait to read/listen to the rest of the series.

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emlawley's reviews 92 reviews

emlawley's reviews
92 reviews