Ragdoll

Ragdoll

by Daniel Cole

(Edited) Blurb:

William Fawkes, a controversial detective known as The Wolf, has just been reinstated to his post after he was suspended for assaulting a vindicated suspect. Still under close scrutiny, he's called to investigate a gruesome discovery dubbed "The Ragdoll"—a body made of the dismembered parts of six victims.  

Further complicating matters, Fawkes' reporter ex-wife has anonymously received photographs from the crime scene, along with a list of six names and the dates on which the Ragdoll Killer plans to murder them. The final name on the list is Fawkes.  

Wolf and his fellow detectives are faced with a daunting challenge and a looming deadline ticking away the rapidly dwindling hours of his life.

My Reaction:

Hm.  This one had a disappointingly "blah" conclusion.  I started out feeling ambivalent, then decided to stick with it, because there was just enough entertainment value to keep me reading.  Also, there were so many glowing reviews that I thought maybe it would surprise me...  It was okay for a while—not amazing, but readable—and I was holding out hope for some insane twist.  (I even had a couple of pet theories that came to nothing.)  Unfortunately, the end of the book (and specifically the identity of the killer) failed to impress.  

I was able to overlook the predictable, two-dimensional characters and the many, many cliches while I still held out hope for an interesting reveal and wrap-up, but as soon as the killer was unmasked (which in my opinion came too early in the book, extinguishing all interest), it was all downhill from there!  I sort of skimmed from that point on, because I just didn't care what else happened.  

For much of the book, the killer is portrayed as possessing an almost supernatural intelligence and ability to predict behavior, but when you finally meet the mastermind, it's a massive let-down.  I didn't believe that he could have arranged and divined all of that and then turn out to be so terribly incompetent at the end.  He was just... boringly predictable and cliched.  Exactly like the other cardboard characters (so I shouldn't have been surprised, really).  

There are more books in this series, but I'm not interested.  I guess this is a three-star book for me, but I almost feel that 3 stars paints too positive a reaction, based on how I feel after having just finished the book.

The Talisman

The Talisman

by Jonathan Aycliffe

Blurb:

A statue, unearthed in ancient Babylon during the course of an archaeological dig, is transported to London. Once there, it quickly exerts an evil influence over those with whom it comes into contact; an influence which threatens to spread throughout London and beyond, and which pits the living against the dead in a battle for all mankind.

My Reaction:

This was a three-star read for me.  I've enjoyed some of this author's horror in the past, but it doesn't always land.  This one was right in the middle—effective in spots, but not quite there.  

There are elements of classic horror here, such as Rosemary's Baby, which is a good thing (in my opinion, at least), but ultimately it's just too flat and meandering.  It's like a less interesting and less compelling version of those old classics.  For much of the story, we're getting the second- or third-hand version of events, and while epistolatory writing can be very effective for spooky or creepy tales, somehow it just doesn't work as well here, for me.  

Perhaps part of the problem is that an element of horror will be introduced, but then it just doesn't ever quite "climax".  It's just... lingering there.  In the background.  Which is becoming progressively more cluttered with "horror stuff".  The story is being pulled in too many different directions, and it doesn't know where it wants to go!  

I also found that this book lacked the proper sense of urgency, especially toward the end.  Something dramatic will happen—something shocking will be hinted at or even discovered—and then in the next scene, the characters act like they've forgotten all about it or can't be bothered to get a hustle on and do something about any of it.  The fate of the world is hanging in the balance (not to mention their own loved ones, friends, and allies), and they decide to have a leisurely (boring) conversation.  Frustrating and unrealistic behavior.  

It wasn't all bad, though, and I actually thought the epilogue was okay.  

(I listened to an audio version of this book, by the way.  Entertainment while piecing a quilt!)

Daisy Darker

Daisy Darker

by Alice Feeney

(Edited) Blurb:

After years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in Nana’s crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. Finally back together one last time, when the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.  

Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide comes in and all is revealed.

My Reaction:

I listened to the audiobook version of this novel while quilting, and found it entertaining... Until I didn't.  

—I loved the setting and the quirky details of the house.  Islands cut off by the tide are always a favorite!

—I loved the fact that it was obviously inspired by And Then There Were None.  

—I was intrigued by the mystery, and unlike some, I didn't mind alternating between the "then" and "now" timelines.  (Though to be honest, I've seen so much of that lately!  Maybe it's time for authors of thrillers to try something different, if only to set themselves apart from the rest.)

So yes, I was enjoying it, to begin with, but gradually a few things diminished that enjoyment.  

First:  
These characters!  Almost everyone is awful.  I know, I know!  You need conflict, and awful characters provide that.  The quality of a book isn't dependent on the likeability of the characters, etc., etc.  Yes, but the fact remains that if too many of your characters are just horrid, reading the book becomes an unpleasant experience.  And yes, I did say that I was happy that it was inspired by And Then There Were None, which is also full of awful characters... Look, I don't know what to say, except that while listening to this, I eventually had had enough of ALL of these people!

Second: 

The writing style was quaint and entertaining, in the beginning, but at some point I started to feel slightly annoyed by the "clever sayings" and "deep thoughts" generously sprinkled throughout the novel, both in dialogue and interior monologue.  Some of them are interesting or thought-provoking, but after a while they felt repetitive and irritating.

Third:

Predictable twists that kind of annoyed me.  I saw some of the twists coming, and I didn't love them.  The main twist in particular is just... Eh.  Maybe it didn't help that there was a similar(ish) twist in the last audiobook I listened to.  Maybe I didn't like it simply because it's so sad. 

Fourth:

Some of the motivations didn't make much sense to me.  To be fair, people's motivations in real life don't always make sense, either, so maybe it's not exactly unrealistic!  Still, it dragged down the end of the story, for me.  I spent too much time thinking, "Really?  Well, okay then!"

However—over all, yes, I liked it.  Despite my misgivings about certain aspects of this one, I think I'll round it up to four stars.  

A few SPOILERY final thoughts:

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I do have a question, though, about what happened to all those bodies at the end of the book!  What's going to happen when someone starts looking for one of these people?  Some of them were employed and would have people expecting them back at work within a few days!

END

OF

SPOILERS

The House Across the Lake

The House Across the Lake

by Riley Sager

narrated by Bernadette Dunne

Blurb:

Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of liquor, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple who live in the house across the lake. They make for good viewing—a tech innovator, Tom is rich; and a former model, Katherine is gorgeous.

One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other—and the longer Casey watches—it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage is not as perfect and placid as it appears. When Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey becomes consumed with finding out what happened to her. In the process, she uncovers eerie, darker truths that turn a tale of voyeurism and suspicion into a story of guilt, obsession and how looks can be very deceiving.

My Reaction:

I listened to this audiobook while doing some patchwork quilting.  This was perfect for that—interesting to listen to, but not too complicated to follow while cutting, sewing, and pressing.  

I suspect that the format (audiobook vs. text version) may affect how I rate a book.  It takes less of a commitment in time and effort to simply listen to a book while I'm doing something else, so I might tend to rate an audiobook less harshly.  Also, I'm swept along with the flow of the story and am less likely to stop, think, and poke holes in the plot.  Or become annoyed by something.  And even if I am annoyed, it's not easy to highlight that section and to remember for my review.  

Anyway!  I did enjoy the book, mostly.  I wasn't thrilled when it turned out that the main character is an actress (just... meh), but later on I suppose it turned out to be important to the plot... In any case, I was mildly amused by the fact that the main character and her mother were clearly inspired by Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, even more so because the narrator sounded a lot like Carrie Fisher.  

However, that posed a bit of a problem, as well, because the narrator, while very talented at narration and probably a big part of why I enjoyed the book, sounds much older than the character is supposed to be.  Even after learning that the character is in her 30s, it's hard to picture a woman that age when you're hearing her thoughts and words in the voice of an obviously older woman.  Just not a good fit in that way, unfortunately.  (After searching other reviews, I see that I wasn't the only one to make this observation.  Not just me—though, is it ever?)

As for the plot... I don't think there's much I can say without getting into spoiler territory.  It starts off as you'd expect, especially if you've read the blurb.  It's very Rear Window-ish, which is never a bad thing, as far as I'm concerned.  I see a lot of reviewers didn't like the main character's excessive drinking/alcoholism, and I agree.  It's been used too often in too many popular books over the past several years, and it wasn't particularly fun to read, even on the first time around.  However, I don't mind travelling over familiar ground in terms of the "spying on your neighbors and deciding there's a crime in the offing" trope.  That's pretty much what I expected and signed up for, with this book.  

What I didn't expect was a very odd twist that came in the final quarter (or so?) of the book.  Again, I can't tell you much without spoiling the whole book, so I guess I'll just say that it's extremely unexpected and strange, and it comes completely out of the blue.  To be honest, I didn't like that twist.  It's just too weird for me.  I would've preferred something else, but oh well!  

This is the kind of thing that would prevent me from recommending the book to many people, because it just feels too outlandish and out of place in a book of this kind (or a book of the kind that I mistakenly thought this was).  Some people will love it, but others will find it incredibly annoying and stupid.  I think it was pretty stupid, to tell the truth, but I just kept listening, and by the end... Eh, it's fine.  Because it still gave me something to think about while I worked on my quilt, so it did its job.  And a month from now, I'll have forgotten all about it!

Feathers in the Fire

Feathers in the Fire

by Catherine Cookson

Blurb:

Every once in a while, circumstance traps a group of people in a pattern of tragedy and violence from which they struggle vainly to fight free. Thus it was with the Master of Cock Shield Farm, Angus McBain, a man too easily tempted to sin, and those in and around his household.

My Reaction:

This was my first time reading anything by Catherine Cookson.  She clearly knew how to write a gripping historical tale.  I wouldn't say it's "literary quality", but it's perfectly good entertainment and has more depth than you might expect.  Though I didn't love the story, personally, I can't deny that it's extremely readable, with plenty of character development.  (Also a fair bit of scandal, if that's your thing!)  These aren't two-dimensional characters, and they are interesting to read about, but the drama and unending bad fortune became frustrating to read, especially when it felt avoidable with an ounce of common sense and a decisive action or two.

I wouldn't label this as primarily a romance, incidentally.  Though there are elements of romance, that's not how I'd describe it.  It's more of a drama and character study than a typical romance.  If you come looking for a straightforward romance, I'm afraid you may find it a slog!

I'd consider reading another of this author's novels, but not immediately.  I need a chance to recover from (or possibly forget) my issues with this one!

(The version I've linked here in my blog has a different title.  The alternate title, Her Secret Son, and description are a bit odd, in fact.  I'm not sure what they were thinking when they came up with this.  There is no "secret son" in this novel!  But at least it's available.  Some of this author's books apparently have been difficult to access after going out of print.)