Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) -
If you are a fan of Stuart MacBride, and the characters he chronicles in his ongoing series about the Aberdeen police, this book will most likely appeal to you, as well. Most of your favorites are back, although some take a distinct step into the background in this one.
If you are not yet a fan, or are relatively new to the series DO NOT start out with this one. MacBride makes no attempt to introduce his characters; he apparently figures that the reader already knows who these people are and what makes them tick from his prior novels. Unfortunately, he therefore gives little weight to those who are NOT familiar with them, or who need a little (or a lot of) reminder as to who they are.
Even without that background, this book comes in around 500 pages. In my opinion (admittedly a big fan of the authors), it is a good investment of time for those who have a solid background in the Aberdeen Police Department as MacBride has painted them in the past. As usual, MacBride has several plot threads going on at once, just as an actual police department would have multiple cases running coincidentally. However, also as usual, MacBride finds ways to show a connection sometimes tight, sometimes tangentially between these cases.
Go ahead and buy this book, BUT put it aside if you have not yet read Cold Granite, or Flesh House, or (especially) the prior book, Blind Eye come back to this one after youve completed his earlier 5 books.
RATING: 4 stars.
If you are not yet a fan, or are relatively new to the series DO NOT start out with this one. MacBride makes no attempt to introduce his characters; he apparently figures that the reader already knows who these people are and what makes them tick from his prior novels. Unfortunately, he therefore gives little weight to those who are NOT familiar with them, or who need a little (or a lot of) reminder as to who they are.
Even without that background, this book comes in around 500 pages. In my opinion (admittedly a big fan of the authors), it is a good investment of time for those who have a solid background in the Aberdeen Police Department as MacBride has painted them in the past. As usual, MacBride has several plot threads going on at once, just as an actual police department would have multiple cases running coincidentally. However, also as usual, MacBride finds ways to show a connection sometimes tight, sometimes tangentially between these cases.
Go ahead and buy this book, BUT put it aside if you have not yet read Cold Granite, or Flesh House, or (especially) the prior book, Blind Eye come back to this one after youve completed his earlier 5 books.
RATING: 4 stars.
