jdcorley's reviews
181 reviews

Killer's Choice by Ed McBain

adventurous fast-paced

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

4.5

This novel establishes the structure of most of the 87th precinct novels going forward: two crimes, at least one a murder, as two teams of 87th guys try to work it out. What makes this one really work is the standout description of the victim. The police get many different angles on her from many different people and it's clear over time that she had many facets to her, and put on many identities with others  Then you can work backwards to see how she felt about them. Her relationship with her ex-husband especially resonates. He's in love with her but both of them felt inadequate for each other. A tragic end, and a coincidental statement from a random citizen makes the case. Our guys from the 87th may not be geniuses but we feel like they're ready for the opportunities that come their way.

Black Helicopters by Caitlín R. Kiernan

dark emotional mysterious 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

This second, slightly more focused, installment in Kiernan's attempt to meld cosmic horror and paranoid spy thriller, seems to find its feet much more quickly and go much further and faster than the initial installment. A critical theme, in my view, is that the post-Vietnam thriller is always ultimately not about the enemy but is really about the perfidy, cowardice and crawling ass-covering of the allies. I saw the twist coming a mile away - so obvious that it barely qualifies as one, but for the same reason its much more deeply satisfying than the more common potboiler twists coming out of left field. Instead it felt thematic, felt like it was again and again drawing attention back to the same crimes, screwups and cover-ups, in an endless spiral. What a pleasure.

Too Hot to Handle by Orrie Hitt

dark emotional fast-paced

3.0

If you're reading an Orrie Hitt book and you're five percent from the end and thinking "this is just getting good" then prepare yourself for the most unbelievable Return To Midcentury Heteronormativity that you've ever been bored by.

He even kills the lesbian lover!

Cmon man. You can give us a happy ending without the husband just popping back in and forgiving everything.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Trafficking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, and Classism

The Inugami Curse by Seishi Yokomizo

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

The Kindaichi novels have fully hit their stride; a series of bizarre murders seems impossible, though technically any might work the questions of motive and of method remain. But the book plays fair and when Kindaichi writes down everything he knows in a bullet point list, everything you need to prevail is right there. I myself solved several elements of the mystery but couldn't get all the way to picking the killer. A great classic style mystery - a hateful will from a deranged patriarch, multiple branches of seething family members, and of course gruesome killings. What mystery fan could ask for more?

The Hole by Pyun Hye-young

dark emotional 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

4.5

A marvel of psychological misdirection and obliqueness. A thriller, sort of, but a thriller that's already over. The characters don't yet know it, but it's over. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Creeping Waves by Matthew M. Bartlett, Nathan Ballingrud

dark fast-paced

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

3.5

Bartlett is finally embracing the rat-a-tat ultra - short style that makes for a gruesome, fun but ultimately shallow read.

Dead Game by Michael Avallone

adventurous dark fast-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? It's complicated

3.5

Although Noon is in fine form and the crime is a particularly pulp caper, there's a gruesomeness and cruelty at work here that keeps you from really having fun. It can't escape notice how the women act and are portrayed either. Not Avallones finest moment.

Charlie Muffin U. S. A by Brian Freemantle

adventurous medium-paced

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

3.0

Charlie is back, thrust into the middle of a complex caper. We know even before he does that his presence is going to throw a wrench into everyone's plans, but because he isn't committed one way or another, and everyone seems some degree of loathsome it is a bit hard to care. The consistent theme of power causing people to become petty, awful tyrants remains. 

Hell to Pay by George Pelecanos

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I mentioned in my review of the first Quinn and Strange novel that you aren't supposed to really love Quinn and Strange, exactly. The detective novel requires you, on some level, to believe in the moral qualities of the detective so they aren't just a busybody. Strange fulfills that purpose in the first novel; Quinn, even right at the end, we are not supposed to fully think he's great.  In this, the second book of the series, this approach bears fruit.  Quinn still is who he is, and around the edges you still see that his views on race and violence still have a dark undercurrent to them.  Yet this time he is the one who receives acceptance and support, while Strange, who is a bit more of a judgmental figure, is genuinely challenged on his moral stances and actions.  Some he rises to.  On others he fails. 

About two thirds of the way through the book, Strange, who has been investigating the suitor of a friend's daughter as a favor, is confronted by that suitor after Strange uncovers a secret.  The suitor directly comes at Strange's moral judgment and turns it around on him. Both the reader and Strange are hit hard by it.  

The bad guys are given inner lives, and because our heroes struggle so much you start to truly understand the conflict between them.  This goes into my "best private eye novels of all time" list, with a bullet.  An incredible work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Racism, Rape, Police brutality, Trafficking, and Murder

Sad Cypress: Hercule Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

A highly underrated Christie, in which a dreamlike and sometimes grotesque atmosphere serves to distract us from key elements of the mystery, so that when Poirot points them out we feel surprised and impressed even though everything he knows, we know. This is the essence of the classic mystery style. The reader is caught up in events, in a whirl , mystified quite literally. The detective alone draws us out.