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michelle_arnold's review against another edition
5.0
This is romance writer Claire Highton-Stevenson's first mystery book, but from the way the plot unfolds, you would think she had been writing these for years! The plot is creepy, twisted, unsettling, and complex. Parts will gross you out, but still keep you turning the pages to find what it all means. I was guessing right up until the end!
The heroine, DI Sophie Whitton, is surly and sexy, and she's not someone you can count on to always do the right thing in her personal life. Sometimes, she screws up, and you want to shake her! But when it comes to seeking justice, she's unwavering.
And yes, there is some romance! I won't give away too much about that, but you do get to see some interesting developments in Sophie's love life. The plots stays mostly focused on the gritty murder mystery though, so if that's what you're after, you won't be disappointed!
The heroine, DI Sophie Whitton, is surly and sexy, and she's not someone you can count on to always do the right thing in her personal life. Sometimes, she screws up, and you want to shake her! But when it comes to seeking justice, she's unwavering.
And yes, there is some romance! I won't give away too much about that, but you do get to see some interesting developments in Sophie's love life. The plots stays mostly focused on the gritty murder mystery though, so if that's what you're after, you won't be disappointed!
wolfshine's review
4.0
Lots of good things to say about this audiobook. Sophie, our main detective, is set on a case in which a series of women show up, all of them killed in strange ways and found with doll parts nearby. As she gets closer to finding the killer things spiral, and she finds the case takes a bigger personal hit than she imagined.
Sophie is a typical character in that she’s got plenty of baggage. What’s not typical about her though is the front she keeps up while her life is falling apart in the background. She uses her work as a form of escape because at home, she feels helpless. I loved the almost parallel feeling between the escalation of the killings and the downward spiral of Sophie’s relationship.
The killer itself turned out to have a very interesting reason for doing what was done. I’ve read so many thriller/crime books that it’s rare to find a story where the killer has a wild reason, but this is one of those books.
Overall, this is a dark and compelling listen. A great first-time mystery/thriller by the author.
Narration fit perfectly with the story.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
Sophie is a typical character in that she’s got plenty of baggage. What’s not typical about her though is the front she keeps up while her life is falling apart in the background. She uses her work as a form of escape because at home, she feels helpless. I loved the almost parallel feeling between the escalation of the killings and the downward spiral of Sophie’s relationship.
The killer itself turned out to have a very interesting reason for doing what was done. I’ve read so many thriller/crime books that it’s rare to find a story where the killer has a wild reason, but this is one of those books.
Overall, this is a dark and compelling listen. A great first-time mystery/thriller by the author.
Narration fit perfectly with the story.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
angieinbooks's review
3.0
Admittedly, murder mysteries are not my go-to genre, but I'm definitely game for a couple a year, and The Doll Maker was a great way to spend a few hours of my time. It seemed to be a better romance than it was a mystery novel, and because of that I wanted more of the romance. Essentially by trying to do both, it did neither justice. I think, in terms, of the mystery, I was able to figure things out a little too easily. And I think it's because the reader is privy to the killer's thoughts and some other characters too. I wish the perspective of the narrative would have been limited to what DI Whitton knows and hears. I kept wanting to yell at her and point out things she was missing, and that's not fair since I know more than she does. So I wish I could piece it together with her--to see if I can figure out with the information she knows.
As for the romance...
Despite its flaws, I did enjoy it. Did I love it? No, but I don't regret the time I spent with the novel.
As for the romance...
Spoiler
I had a lot of trouble with it and that's largely due to the cheating that Sophie and Rachel's relationship starts with. And it's just so cliché and unnecessary and it made it hard for me to root for Sophie and Rachel. And both parties here are totally at fault. Sophie for going through with the cheating and Rachel for knowingly pursuing a woman in a four-year relationship. It just soured me on them as much as I liked them together. Also, I had trouble with everything Rachel seemed to be okay sacrificing to please Sophie.Despite its flaws, I did enjoy it. Did I love it? No, but I don't regret the time I spent with the novel.
rapidan_'s review
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters were well developed, the story had enough detail to keep my attention and the ending was unexpected yet fits perfectly.
judeinthestars's review
4.0
Most of DI Sophie Whitton’s life is about her job. She’s working hard to stop a serial killer who leaves dolls close to the bodies they mutilate, which has earned them the nickname of Doll Maker. When she manages to go home, Sophie doesn’t want to share all the awful things she sees during the day with her partner Yvonne. Yvonne wants more from her lover and doesn’t understand her need to withdraw into herself. Their relationship is failing but neither wants to be the one to call it. So when Sophie meets Rachel, a nurse at the local hospital, she tries to ignore the attraction.
I think I’ve said it before, I’m bored with thrillers and mysteries giving too much space to what serial killers and psychopaths think. I do not want to be in their mind. I also often find it a lazy way for authors to set the story, as it’s been done so often for decades now. The other thing I’ve had enough of is inflicting pain and torture on women.
That said, Claire Highton-Stevenson managed to make it feel mostly new and while she had to describe some of what the victims had to go through, she gave just enough details but not so many that I had to stop listening. And the narration was really good, with a languid pace that worked very well with the atmosphere. Also, while some of the twists were a little predictable, most were not, and I thought the author did an excellent job at weaving the story.
As for the romance, as much as I don’t like the idea of characters cheating on their partners, it worked. The chemistry between Sophie and Rachel is great, and everything that happens is understandable at that point in Sophie’s life. Sophie is a very complex and layered character, and Rachel is the right person at the right time. I liked the secondary cast too, especially Sophie’s partner and his wife.
I think I’ve said it before, I’m bored with thrillers and mysteries giving too much space to what serial killers and psychopaths think. I do not want to be in their mind. I also often find it a lazy way for authors to set the story, as it’s been done so often for decades now. The other thing I’ve had enough of is inflicting pain and torture on women.
That said, Claire Highton-Stevenson managed to make it feel mostly new and while she had to describe some of what the victims had to go through, she gave just enough details but not so many that I had to stop listening. And the narration was really good, with a languid pace that worked very well with the atmosphere. Also, while some of the twists were a little predictable, most were not, and I thought the author did an excellent job at weaving the story.
As for the romance, as much as I don’t like the idea of characters cheating on their partners, it worked. The chemistry between Sophie and Rachel is great, and everything that happens is understandable at that point in Sophie’s life. Sophie is a very complex and layered character, and Rachel is the right person at the right time. I liked the secondary cast too, especially Sophie’s partner and his wife.
lsnack's review
5.0
This story kept me guessing the whole time. Claire is a very talented writer. I listened to this audiobook and Fiona did a wonderful job telling this story. I know there is another story coming out soon in this series and I can’t wait. I love Claire’ books.
claudia_is_reading's review
4.0
This is a weird situation for me, as I read the second book before the first, so I already know the characters and I had an inkling about what was going to happen in Sophie's private life.
I enjoyed the mystery, a lot. I particularly liked that the reason behind the killings makes sense, which is not something that happens a lot. We have a serial killer who has a very fixed pattern, but whose victims aren't chosen by any perceptible patron; the police seems to only find dead ends in their investigation, no matter how obsessively they are working in the case, which makes for a good procedural.
The romance, though... I don't like cheating, whatever the reason. And strangely, I found that I didn't like Rachel here, even when I really did in [b:Grave Decisions|49190214|Grave Decisions (Detective Sophie Whitton #2)|Claire Highton-Stevenson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575936092l/49190214._SY75_.jpg|74399602]. Strange things happen when you read books in the wrong order :P
Both aspects of the narrative were equilibrated and they mixed very well in a satisfying whole.
And I enjoyed Fiona Thraille's narration. So, all in all, this is a great story and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries.
I enjoyed the mystery, a lot. I particularly liked that the reason behind the killings makes sense, which is not something that happens a lot. We have a serial killer who has a very fixed pattern, but whose victims aren't chosen by any perceptible patron; the police seems to only find dead ends in their investigation, no matter how obsessively they are working in the case, which makes for a good procedural.
The romance, though... I don't like cheating, whatever the reason. And strangely, I found that I didn't like Rachel here, even when I really did in [b:Grave Decisions|49190214|Grave Decisions (Detective Sophie Whitton #2)|Claire Highton-Stevenson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575936092l/49190214._SY75_.jpg|74399602]. Strange things happen when you read books in the wrong order :P
Both aspects of the narrative were equilibrated and they mixed very well in a satisfying whole.
And I enjoyed Fiona Thraille's narration. So, all in all, this is a great story and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries.
lezreviewbooks's review
5.0
Detective Inspector Sophie Whitton is after a serial killer dubbed ‘The doll maker’ who is terrorising people with his gruesome murders. As she gets obsessively focused on the investigation, she risks losing her longtime partner and her own sanity.
This is a very good lesbian police procedural audiobook that focuses on the investigation of a dangerous serial killer who doesn’t seem to have a fixed pattern when choosing his victims. As DI Sophie Whitton and her team work restlessly to catch him before he gets to torture and kill again, Sophie will discover some truths about herself. I liked that the author found the perfect balance between crime-solving and romance to make it interesting for fans of both genres. Both aspects of the plot are intertwined nicely in the whole story.
I found this book’s style similar to that of another British author, Cari Hunter, so if you like Hunter’s ‘Dark Peak’ series, you’ll probably like this book too. Even though this is a very compelling and entertaining read, there are a few triggers warnings such as extreme violence, explicit mention of sexual abuse and infidelity. These types of books aren’t normally my cup of tea but I can appreciate a well-written novel and put up with a few gruesome scenes in the process.
I’ve listened to the audiobook version narrated by Fiona Thraille. This is the first time I’ve listened to this narrator and it was an overall enjoyable experience. I found that she’s got the creepy tone perfectly, however, maybe not as good for the romantic scenes. All her voices were distinctive, though I preferred the male ones, and her accents were spot-on. This novel describes a full range of human emotions and Ms. Thraille’s performance was convincing for them all. If you like police procedurals with a side of romance, don’t skip this one.
Overall, a very good lesbian police procedural audiobook, 5 stars for both the story and the narration,
Audiobook generously provided by the author at my request.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
This is a very good lesbian police procedural audiobook that focuses on the investigation of a dangerous serial killer who doesn’t seem to have a fixed pattern when choosing his victims. As DI Sophie Whitton and her team work restlessly to catch him before he gets to torture and kill again, Sophie will discover some truths about herself. I liked that the author found the perfect balance between crime-solving and romance to make it interesting for fans of both genres. Both aspects of the plot are intertwined nicely in the whole story.
I found this book’s style similar to that of another British author, Cari Hunter, so if you like Hunter’s ‘Dark Peak’ series, you’ll probably like this book too. Even though this is a very compelling and entertaining read, there are a few triggers warnings such as extreme violence, explicit mention of sexual abuse and infidelity. These types of books aren’t normally my cup of tea but I can appreciate a well-written novel and put up with a few gruesome scenes in the process.
I’ve listened to the audiobook version narrated by Fiona Thraille. This is the first time I’ve listened to this narrator and it was an overall enjoyable experience. I found that she’s got the creepy tone perfectly, however, maybe not as good for the romantic scenes. All her voices were distinctive, though I preferred the male ones, and her accents were spot-on. This novel describes a full range of human emotions and Ms. Thraille’s performance was convincing for them all. If you like police procedurals with a side of romance, don’t skip this one.
Overall, a very good lesbian police procedural audiobook, 5 stars for both the story and the narration,
Audiobook generously provided by the author at my request.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
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