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priceliketag's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Not sure I care much about Susan as a character but loved the mysteries!
nikkbee's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
elsa_lectora's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A book inside a book, just my kind of shit. And a greatly recorded audiobook! I loved it, although it has a bit of a bittersweet ending .
taelorfiller's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
techxplorer's review against another edition
mysterious
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
4.0
books_inthewild's review against another edition
2.0
I think this one is meant for lovers of cozy mystery, Agatha Christie, “Clue murder mystery” type books- but it just didn’t work for me.
It was far too slow moving, sooooo many long drawn out explanations of totally unnecessary and unrelated people/stories/setting whatever. And I just kept waiting for the “fictional novel” to end, so we could get to the editor & the real world & how it was all going to tie in. I felt it was too drawn out, and I felt myself skimming.
It was far too slow moving, sooooo many long drawn out explanations of totally unnecessary and unrelated people/stories/setting whatever. And I just kept waiting for the “fictional novel” to end, so we could get to the editor & the real world & how it was all going to tie in. I felt it was too drawn out, and I felt myself skimming.
heather_boo's review against another edition
5.0
What a lovely surprise: a mystery within a mystery! I fully realize that my 5 star review is biased by my preference for a clever mid century mystery replete with an English manor house in a cozy English village with characters who all have a motive. Only a cat on my lap would’ve made this experience any better.
noodle_sage's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A brilliant and complex mystery only held back by a bit of over-explanation and a couple of outstanding loose threads at the end.
katieagenbroad's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
kaebirdie's review against another edition
3.0
While I loved the premise, and the story-within-a-story was fairly excellent, I hated the ending of this and thought it had a lot more potential than came out. I felt a little like the author just tossed it away without any logical steps from the character he'd built, and I was left feeling very flat.
Edited to add: reread this book and although the audiobook was excellent, the ending still baffles me. Does Susan learn literally nothing from whodunits and mysteries that she herself edits?! Why on earth she sits there, confronting the murderer and walking thru all the steps and then expecting him to turn himself in, I just...what. The stupidity is beyond, and Susan didn't strike me as a stupid character, so I just really hate the ending of this still. I was hoping there was something I'd missed the first time but nope. Horowitz could have done better by her than having her make the most bush league of mistakes (laying it all out then saying she told no one else), having her get bashed on the head, AND THEN having a man save her. I'm glad at least the book ends with the missing chapters instead of that debacle.
Edited to add: reread this book and although the audiobook was excellent, the ending still baffles me. Does Susan learn literally nothing from whodunits and mysteries that she herself edits?! Why on earth she sits there, confronting the murderer and walking thru all the steps and then expecting him to turn himself in, I just...what. The stupidity is beyond, and Susan didn't strike me as a stupid character, so I just really hate the ending of this still. I was hoping there was something I'd missed the first time but nope. Horowitz could have done better by her than having her make the most bush league of mistakes (laying it all out then saying she told no one else), having her get bashed on the head, AND THEN having a man save her. I'm glad at least the book ends with the missing chapters instead of that debacle.