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j_h_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
First in a series of a police procedural. Set in England, focusing on traficked or illegal immigrants.
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
5.0
LONG WAY HOME was released in 2014 and quickly garnered a lot of very positive comments. At which point it was placed on my reading list and then never quite nudged it's way to the top. Nothing to do with it at all, rather a propensity to be useless at prioritising books and the sudden explosion in splendid reading opportunities.
But the second book in the series, TELL NO TALES was provided as a review opportunity and it seemed a pity not to sneak in the first as a lead in. Oh what a good decision that turned out to be. Aside from the pressure to read the second one getting so extreme I might have to pull a hamstring or invent something that makes me take to the couch to read non-stop for a week.
If we take it as a given that crime fiction, at its best, looks at the society in which it is written and plucks out things that need looking at, then LONG WAY HOME is a stellar example of that. The question of immigration and integration is one that is taxing a number of communities these days (here no less than others), and the idea of the requirement for a Hate Crimes Unit makes sense, as does the wide-ranging remit they are presented with. Members of that unit being multi-racial and multi-lingual as well also makes sense, as does the odd feeling that investigating acts against members of your own community, or people with a similar background that must ensue.
All of this messaging though is built into a solid plot within a believable and very strong police procedural. The main characters are stand-out, even the victim is given life and vitality as his background is combed over. The writing is crisp, clear, deft and beautifully executed. The dialogue is spot on, the descriptions of place, people, feelings and circumstances assured and very readable. To the point where this reader should be excused for a bit of late night googling as flagging this as a debut novel felt like a typo.
Leaning towards hard-boiled in stylings and subject matter, Dolan has created a team of investigator's and a scenario for them to work in that really feels like it's got legs. Certainly hope so. Now can well understand the very positive comments about this book. The second book in this series is now calling very loudly.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/review-long-way-home-eva-dolan
But the second book in the series, TELL NO TALES was provided as a review opportunity and it seemed a pity not to sneak in the first as a lead in. Oh what a good decision that turned out to be. Aside from the pressure to read the second one getting so extreme I might have to pull a hamstring or invent something that makes me take to the couch to read non-stop for a week.
If we take it as a given that crime fiction, at its best, looks at the society in which it is written and plucks out things that need looking at, then LONG WAY HOME is a stellar example of that. The question of immigration and integration is one that is taxing a number of communities these days (here no less than others), and the idea of the requirement for a Hate Crimes Unit makes sense, as does the wide-ranging remit they are presented with. Members of that unit being multi-racial and multi-lingual as well also makes sense, as does the odd feeling that investigating acts against members of your own community, or people with a similar background that must ensue.
All of this messaging though is built into a solid plot within a believable and very strong police procedural. The main characters are stand-out, even the victim is given life and vitality as his background is combed over. The writing is crisp, clear, deft and beautifully executed. The dialogue is spot on, the descriptions of place, people, feelings and circumstances assured and very readable. To the point where this reader should be excused for a bit of late night googling as flagging this as a debut novel felt like a typo.
Leaning towards hard-boiled in stylings and subject matter, Dolan has created a team of investigator's and a scenario for them to work in that really feels like it's got legs. Certainly hope so. Now can well understand the very positive comments about this book. The second book in this series is now calling very loudly.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/review-long-way-home-eva-dolan
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
2.0
Thrillers fint seem to be my thing at the moment. Don't get as invested and find them as page turnery as I used to. Don't know if I'm in a thriller slump or if I'm just not picking the right ones for me
myrdyr's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5 stars. I feel like I should have liked this book more than I did. I found the bulk of the characters to be unsympathetic. The backstory of migrant workers forced into jobs that didn't revolve around prostitution was new, but I still felt like the book was missing something. I didn't feel invested in the story until about the last quarter of the book.
andrew61's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this new crime series. Set in Peterborough the story centres on migrant workers who are exploited by gangs in what is little more than slave labour. The discovery of a murdered victim in a garden shed introduces us to DI Zigic and DC Fereira part of the newly created hate crime unit in the Cambridgeshire police force.
The plot moves apace , there are twists aplenty and perhaps best of all when the crime seems resolved the writer brilliantly shifts the ground from under the readers feet. Really intelligent writing, an excellent plot with characters that I enjoyed .I love finding new crime writing which doesn't pander to cliches in characters, has intelligent plotting, and leaves the reader satisfied with its conclusion wanting more, so I'm looking forward to reading book 2.
The plot moves apace , there are twists aplenty and perhaps best of all when the crime seems resolved the writer brilliantly shifts the ground from under the readers feet. Really intelligent writing, an excellent plot with characters that I enjoyed .I love finding new crime writing which doesn't pander to cliches in characters, has intelligent plotting, and leaves the reader satisfied with its conclusion wanting more, so I'm looking forward to reading book 2.
anetq's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty good debut crime novel; interesting (but still credible) police officers and investigation - maybe a little too realistic in the middle of the novel, where no one is talking and none of the leads is going anywhere (that got a bit boring; caught myself eyeing the page counter and sighing)... But the premise and the case is interesting, if all to realistic; slave-like 'working' conditions for immigrants in in merciless hands of middlemen and gangsters.
Should be interesting to see follow Dolan's writing career.
Should be interesting to see follow Dolan's writing career.
bobmetal's review against another edition
1.0
DNF, I think the problem was me not the book. May try again in the future
martyfried's review against another edition
4.0
Always nice to find a new series to read. This one, the first of the series, has a lot going for it. The story is complex, with several murders that are somehow related, but it's not apparent how. Add to this the complications added by the fact that the participants and victims are mostly poor, undocumented foreign workers who don't trust the police and can't speak English well, if at all, not to mention victims who don't always remain dead, and you've got a story that will grab your interest to find out what is going on.
It's a good look at a part of society most of us don't usually see much of. The main protagonists, Zigic and Ferreira, are an interesting pair also. They are both police, working in the hate-crimes division, one male and one female. They are pretty different in their methods, so they make a good team, in a way.
If you want to read something a bit different, you might enjoy this one. However, I personally wouldn't recommend this audiobook, as I found it a little hard to understand at times. But that might just be me.
It's a good look at a part of society most of us don't usually see much of. The main protagonists, Zigic and Ferreira, are an interesting pair also. They are both police, working in the hate-crimes division, one male and one female. They are pretty different in their methods, so they make a good team, in a way.
If you want to read something a bit different, you might enjoy this one. However, I personally wouldn't recommend this audiobook, as I found it a little hard to understand at times. But that might just be me.
boktok73's review against another edition
3.0
http://boktok73.blogspot.fi/2014/10/lang-vag-hem-av-eva-dolan.html
steph1rothwell's review against another edition
5.0
Long Way Home is easily one of my favourite books of the year. The murder of a migrant worker in Peterborough is being investigated by the hate crimes unit. Poverty, mistrust and racism all feature but don't overpower the book. The story is a strong one, was very easy to read and very difficult to put down.
I really liked both Zigic and Ferreira, and I'm looking forward to the next novel that they feature in. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long.
I really liked both Zigic and Ferreira, and I'm looking forward to the next novel that they feature in. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long.