Scan barcode
chonkeyhong's review
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
stefaniajoy's review against another edition
5.0
I've had this book for almost a year now, and I'm so glad I finally read it. Once I started it, I finished it in just a few hours, even though I only meant to read a few chapters before going to sleep.
I wrote a paper on a book by Naomi Hirahara in college, and I emailed her to ask her some questions about her book, and to my great surprise and delight, she wrote me back!
Last year I got to see her on a panel at a book festival, and afterwards I bought this book and had it signed by Ms. Hirahara. It was so special to meet her. She mentioned this book during the panel and it stood out to me because the main character was the same age as me at the time.
I enjoyed the book a lot. It was a quick read and I didn't find it predictable, which is something I appreciate in a novel and particularly in a mystery. The characters felt real and relatable. I loved how diverse the cast was (in reality just a true representation of a diverse city, but it's so good to see that reflected in books.) I also enjoyed the parts where Ellie is thinking about the tension between justice/power, being a cop while knowing that cops are not trusted (and often for good reason) by many of the people in her social circle, wanting to change things for the better, but discovering how broken a system can be. Looking forward to reading more about Ellie!
I wrote a paper on a book by Naomi Hirahara in college, and I emailed her to ask her some questions about her book, and to my great surprise and delight, she wrote me back!
Last year I got to see her on a panel at a book festival, and afterwards I bought this book and had it signed by Ms. Hirahara. It was so special to meet her. She mentioned this book during the panel and it stood out to me because the main character was the same age as me at the time.
I enjoyed the book a lot. It was a quick read and I didn't find it predictable, which is something I appreciate in a novel and particularly in a mystery. The characters felt real and relatable. I loved how diverse the cast was (in reality just a true representation of a diverse city, but it's so good to see that reflected in books.) I also enjoyed the parts where Ellie is thinking about the tension between justice/power, being a cop while knowing that cops are not trusted (and often for good reason) by many of the people in her social circle, wanting to change things for the better, but discovering how broken a system can be. Looking forward to reading more about Ellie!
kwil's review against another edition
3.0
Hirahara writes in a first-person perspective, giving the narrative a straightforward, slightly clinical tone which fits Ellie’s character well. I loved the characters and the plot, but it took me weeks to finish this mystery. The pacing is sometimes slow and the awkward romance is something the story didn’t really need. But there’s way more here to like than to dislike. Ellie provides a lot of insight into the city’s locales, as well as into the difficulties of being a bicycler in a city of motorists. She’s surround by a realistic cast of diverse characters and the mystery of Jenny’s death is not one that is easily solved. I will say Ellie doesn’t always make the best decisions when she’s torn between the legal boundaries of her job and her personal need to find out what happened to Jenny, but her missteps do eventually lead her in the right direction. I didn’t finish this book in one sitting, or two, or even five. But I did keep picking it up because I wanted to finish it. Eventually. Almost like it was an old friend I bumped into every once in a while: “Hey Ellie! How’s that murder thing going?”. I really, really enjoyed getting to hang out with Ellie and I’m bummed there’s only one more book in this series—Grave On Grand Avenue—in which to do so.
elfit's review
3.0
This was a different genre for me and perhaps my second or third mystery book. I liked the concept and the geography of L.A., the mini twist, and the fact that the main character is a half Japanese female. (I'm half Japanese and it's great to find something on that level to relate to the character with. Not something that happens often for me.)
Sometimes her antics made me roll my eyes and sometimes her friends made me wonder why she hung out with them but for all it's worth I enjoyed this light read, and the doggies.
Who I didn't really like was Detective Williams. He didn't seem very appealing to me but according to all the characters he is a looker and pretty fast at getting the main character interested.
In the end I will probably read the next book to see what new trouble Ellie will get into.
Sometimes her antics made me roll my eyes and sometimes her friends made me wonder why she hung out with them but for all it's worth I enjoyed this light read, and the doggies.
Who I didn't really like was Detective Williams. He didn't seem very appealing to me but according to all the characters he is a looker and pretty fast at getting the main character interested.
In the end I will probably read the next book to see what new trouble Ellie will get into.
beasley's review
3.0
Very good read, better than average. The plot isn't going to set the world on fire, but the writing is terrific and the L.A. references were enough to keep this Angeleno engaged.
More...