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jimbowen0306's review against another edition
3.0
I came at this book having read a number of the Tony Hill series (which is written by the same author). I wish I could say that this book was as good as those Tony Hill I read, but...
In this book, set in the Derbyshire Dales against the Moors Murders of the 1960s, we see a local landowner's step-daughter disappear, the police get involved, battle the naturally taciturn rural folk, and finally get their man.
It isn't a bad book, it's readable enough, it's just that there's a conversation maybe a third of the way through the book that an illiterate who'd never seen a crime novel before could see would make a significant impact on the story. After that it just became a matter of waiting for the eventual storyline to play out as you'd expect.
So overall.... hmmm.
In this book, set in the Derbyshire Dales against the Moors Murders of the 1960s, we see a local landowner's step-daughter disappear, the police get involved, battle the naturally taciturn rural folk, and finally get their man.
It isn't a bad book, it's readable enough, it's just that there's a conversation maybe a third of the way through the book that an illiterate who'd never seen a crime novel before could see would make a significant impact on the story. After that it just became a matter of waiting for the eventual storyline to play out as you'd expect.
So overall.... hmmm.
testaroscia's review against another edition
5.0
For a crime thriller this was more of a savor slowly than a page turner, but her talent for detail, and for atmosphere, is unmatched. The twist at the end is hardly a surprise but i loved the ride, and even sitting in California i felt right on the Dales. Now can watch the TV adaptation on Prime....
jessrozy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
andyb96's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
bluesbooksnbobbins's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
billymac1962's review against another edition
4.0
The most frustrating aspect of being a relatively slow reader (my mind wanders terribly) is being slowly teased to the conclusion of a mystery for 100 pages or so. On the other hand, it's an indication
that I've been tormented by a master.
Val McDermid knocked me over with The Mermaids Singing. A Place of Execution doesn't quite match the intensity but the nature of this one doesn't call for it. Instead, it simmers to a slow boil as revelations are brought to light following the disappearance of a 13 year-old girl from a tiny isolated English village.
I have to admit that some of the revelations didn't entirely surprise me, but I really didn't mind. Val McDermid can sure spin a yarn, and this novel is well worth anyone's time.
that I've been tormented by a master.
Val McDermid knocked me over with The Mermaids Singing. A Place of Execution doesn't quite match the intensity but the nature of this one doesn't call for it. Instead, it simmers to a slow boil as revelations are brought to light following the disappearance of a 13 year-old girl from a tiny isolated English village.
I have to admit that some of the revelations didn't entirely surprise me, but I really didn't mind. Val McDermid can sure spin a yarn, and this novel is well worth anyone's time.
rlwaite's review against another edition
4.0
This was a good read, even though I pretty much knew what the outcomes were going to be long before they were revealed in the book. My biggest complaint is that the author relied too much on coincidence (a highly unlikely one at that) as part of the plot.