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lindsaymay92's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
kerrianne10's review against another edition
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
3.0
paulabrandon's review against another edition
2.0
Kim Tribbeck is a comedian who some time ago received a mysterious white book with a line of poetry inside it. She is shocked when she later learns that other people who have received similar books are now all dead - and that they appeared to be best friends! But Kim doesn't have a best friend. Plus, she received her book ages ago, and is still alive! So what is going on?
The set-up is good. Somewhere inside this 400 page book is a decent 200 page mystery. But we get a stupid, pointless subplot involving Charlie Zailer stalking her sister to find out what secret she is hiding from her. It has nothing to do with the main story. I skipped all the chapters involving this stupid subplot. It can removed entirely from the narrative and not effect ANYTHING. Why on Earth didn't an editor excise all of that rubbish?
Rest of review contains spoilers!
I hated the author's manner of having the detective, Waterhouse, know what was going on but remaining stubbornly obtuse about it for no other reason than he seemingly can! A character even points out that this only happens in fiction, but it hardly subverts the trope!
I had been going with 3 stars, but that ending just knocked it down. Hokey and not suspenseful, which is not what I expect from a SUSPENSE novel. And then we have the motivation:
THE KILLER DID IT BECAUSE THEY HATE E-READERS (Kindle, Kobo etc).
You read that right. THEY DID IT BECAUSE THEY HATE KINDLES.
I just stared at the pages in front of me in disbelief. Was this some sort of joke? Passive aggressiveness from an author at a technological innovation that she thinks may destroy traditional publishing? (And although e-readers are popular, the publishing industry isn't in any true danger of extinction as yet, from what I've read). It's certainly not the sort of believable motivation I would expect from what had otherwise been a decent mystery that was keeping me guessing. I was expecting something a bit more, well, innovative than that!
Seriously, SHE KILLED SIX PEOPLE BECAUSE SHE HATES KINDLES.
Just ponder that for a moment.
Sorry, I'm having trouble getting past it!
Good characterisations (although most of them were annoying), a plot that kept me guessing, but a stupid, pointless, unnecessary subplot, along with cutesy, unnecessary author tricks really whittled down the rating!
The set-up is good. Somewhere inside this 400 page book is a decent 200 page mystery. But we get a stupid, pointless subplot involving Charlie Zailer stalking her sister to find out what secret she is hiding from her. It has nothing to do with the main story. I skipped all the chapters involving this stupid subplot. It can removed entirely from the narrative and not effect ANYTHING. Why on Earth didn't an editor excise all of that rubbish?
Rest of review contains spoilers!
Spoiler
Other elements super annoyed me. Maybe writing Hercules Poirot mysteries has rubbed off on Hannah's other works, because the hokey, quaint get-together of the central characters as the killer calmly revealed their motivations felt like something out of Agatha Christie's era. It didn't feel as if there was any urgency to it whatsoever! No feeling that Kim was ever really in danger, despite constantly telling us she was.I hated the author's manner of having the detective, Waterhouse, know what was going on but remaining stubbornly obtuse about it for no other reason than he seemingly can! A character even points out that this only happens in fiction, but it hardly subverts the trope!
I had been going with 3 stars, but that ending just knocked it down. Hokey and not suspenseful, which is not what I expect from a SUSPENSE novel. And then we have the motivation:
THE KILLER DID IT BECAUSE THEY HATE E-READERS (Kindle, Kobo etc).
You read that right. THEY DID IT BECAUSE THEY HATE KINDLES.
I just stared at the pages in front of me in disbelief. Was this some sort of joke? Passive aggressiveness from an author at a technological innovation that she thinks may destroy traditional publishing? (And although e-readers are popular, the publishing industry isn't in any true danger of extinction as yet, from what I've read). It's certainly not the sort of believable motivation I would expect from what had otherwise been a decent mystery that was keeping me guessing. I was expecting something a bit more, well, innovative than that!
Seriously, SHE KILLED SIX PEOPLE BECAUSE SHE HATES KINDLES.
Just ponder that for a moment.
Sorry, I'm having trouble getting past it!
Good characterisations (although most of them were annoying), a plot that kept me guessing, but a stupid, pointless, unnecessary subplot, along with cutesy, unnecessary author tricks really whittled down the rating!
f05ball's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
beccafinney3's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Would have scored higher because I was really enjoying the book but the ending was really bad! Threw me off and kind of tainted the rest of it
louimcdo's review against another edition
5.0
I picked this book up and read it as a standalone. I didn't realise it was part of a series until I logged onto here. The book works well as a standalone though. I had no trouble following the plot or thinking I'd missed something but I do remember parts of the subplot involving Charlie that I now realise would be expanded upon in other novels.
The characters are well written. Some characters are infuriating, as a feminist myself I wanted to strangle that Halliday character. But the book was laugh out loud funny. I loved the main character Kim Tribbeck being a comedian, her insights in the Origami excerpts were enjoyable to read, probably my favourite parts of the book. The police force also had members that made me laugh, enough to make me consider reading other books in the series. But after reading this it had me picking up another of Hannah's books.
The only thing that annoyed me was the ending. Took a while to get to the point with who the killer was and why they were doing it. Apart from that it was a great read.
The characters are well written. Some characters are infuriating, as a feminist myself I wanted to strangle that Halliday character. But the book was laugh out loud funny. I loved the main character Kim Tribbeck being a comedian, her insights in the Origami excerpts were enjoyable to read, probably my favourite parts of the book. The police force also had members that made me laugh, enough to make me consider reading other books in the series. But after reading this it had me picking up another of Hannah's books.
The only thing that annoyed me was the ending. Took a while to get to the point with who the killer was and why they were doing it. Apart from that it was a great read.
claudie_fm's review against another edition
1.0
I dived into this Sophie Hannah mystery having not read the previous 9 books. I thought I'd enjoy the jaded, misanthropic main character, comedian Kim Tribbeck, and the premise of having best friends targeted by a serial killer. However, it soon became apparent that the flimsy plot and thin characterizations would make for a tedious read. This author's anti-feminist agenda (apparently a women who writes her opinions in a local paper blaming the murders on misogyny is a detriment to the case (how exactly?) and an offensive harpy who everyone hates) and plot hole ridden story make for a bore. Our genius detective, who treats his wife and fellow humans, with smarmy disdain-stupidly, keeps the answer to whom our serial killer is all to himself and only himself. He then decides to reveal the identity in a room full of suspects -and not say a jailhouse where a murderer can't cause harm to anyone because...denouement? Such a sham of an ending, ridiculous happy ending and all. Don't bother.
mikewa14's review against another edition
4.0
http://0651frombrighton.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/the-narrow-bed-sophie-hannah.html
lolowo's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting structure, good pacing, and explanation so bizarre it made me love this book.