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leonibg's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Goed boek! Leest lekker weg, goed spannend. Ik vind hem beter dan 'kinderspel' , onverwachts einde
jnnkdl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
kcfromaustcrime's review
5.0
Christchurch based author Paul Cleave has had a way of creating scenarios, and settings for his novels that have kept this reader awake and mildly anxious for a long time now. WHATEVER IT TAKES is a bit of a departure from his previous style, set in the USA, eschewing a lot of the slight paranormal elements that have been part of his previous books - making this particularly intriguing reading.
Cleave is, as fans of his are acutely aware, one of the great storytellers. His characters inhabit the places they move through, and the plots they encounter with considerable aplomb. They are often slightly flawed, conflicted, tricky people, engaged in a complicated balancing act between black and white. As is the case with Deputy Noah Harper who kicked the black and white into very murky grey when searching for a young kidnapped girl many years before. So much so that he lost his job, his wife, and had to leave the small town he had been happy in. Warned if he ever returned he'd go straight to jail, he's been living in the big city, running a bar, minding his own business. Until the phone call that tells him that same girl is missing again, and her father is calling in past promises. If he goes back to Acacia Pines, he'll have to confront a lot of ghosts from the past - most of whom are still living and bearing some very big grudges.
Cleave has created a wonderfully nuanced set of characters as always. Harper is a hard man, with a conscience, which he can park around the back if the perceived sin is greater than the act of resolution. Setting the action in the USA, Cleave has created an environment that these characters, and the plot make sense in. Everybody and everything in this novel feels authentic, even the sly humour of the type that fits right into the Christchurch setting works in this small town, heartland USA setting.
A bit of a page turner, WHATEVER IT TAKES, is not just a crime thriller though. There's plenty of problematic issues, and that ever present exploration of black and white, and the lines that good and bad people draw in the sand. Then kick into obscurity.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/whatever-it-takes-paul-cleave
Cleave is, as fans of his are acutely aware, one of the great storytellers. His characters inhabit the places they move through, and the plots they encounter with considerable aplomb. They are often slightly flawed, conflicted, tricky people, engaged in a complicated balancing act between black and white. As is the case with Deputy Noah Harper who kicked the black and white into very murky grey when searching for a young kidnapped girl many years before. So much so that he lost his job, his wife, and had to leave the small town he had been happy in. Warned if he ever returned he'd go straight to jail, he's been living in the big city, running a bar, minding his own business. Until the phone call that tells him that same girl is missing again, and her father is calling in past promises. If he goes back to Acacia Pines, he'll have to confront a lot of ghosts from the past - most of whom are still living and bearing some very big grudges.
Cleave has created a wonderfully nuanced set of characters as always. Harper is a hard man, with a conscience, which he can park around the back if the perceived sin is greater than the act of resolution. Setting the action in the USA, Cleave has created an environment that these characters, and the plot make sense in. Everybody and everything in this novel feels authentic, even the sly humour of the type that fits right into the Christchurch setting works in this small town, heartland USA setting.
A bit of a page turner, WHATEVER IT TAKES, is not just a crime thriller though. There's plenty of problematic issues, and that ever present exploration of black and white, and the lines that good and bad people draw in the sand. Then kick into obscurity.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/whatever-it-takes-paul-cleave
lisa_library's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
joyceheinen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
Former deputy sheriff Noah harper has lost everything he had. Searching for the missing young girl Alyssa Stone, he goes way overboard in interrogating a suspect. In the process, he mistreat the Sheriff’s son to elicit a confession from him. The discovery and rescue of the missing girl subsequently cannot prevent Noah from losing his job, his wife and his hometown.
Twelve years later, he receives a phone call that Alyssa is once again missing. He returns to Acacia Pines, the town where his roots lie and where really no one is waiting for his arrival.
The story is surprisingly multifaceted and features a number of residents of the fictional town of Acacia Pines. In addition to their own behaviors, the inhabitants also have their own motives. As a result, a story filled with violence and suspects. Clues are served alongside numerous twists that help us unravel what happened. It’s set in a small town, a great setting for a story like this. Author Paul Cleave describes it very well, you can easily picture it, even though it’s fictional. Noah has known all these people his whole life, but he doesn’t know who he can and cannot trust.
It was an enjoyable book, I liked the twists and the ending. I will definitely explore more of Paul Cleave’s backlist.
Twelve years later, he receives a phone call that Alyssa is once again missing. He returns to Acacia Pines, the town where his roots lie and where really no one is waiting for his arrival.
The story is surprisingly multifaceted and features a number of residents of the fictional town of Acacia Pines. In addition to their own behaviors, the inhabitants also have their own motives. As a result, a story filled with violence and suspects. Clues are served alongside numerous twists that help us unravel what happened. It’s set in a small town, a great setting for a story like this. Author Paul Cleave describes it very well, you can easily picture it, even though it’s fictional. Noah has known all these people his whole life, but he doesn’t know who he can and cannot trust.
It was an enjoyable book, I liked the twists and the ending. I will definitely explore more of Paul Cleave’s backlist.
noveldeelights's review against another edition
5.0
Despite Paul Cleave being an internationally bestselling author, I feel he’s one of those authors not enough people talk about. I’m here to tell you that if you’re not reading his books, you are sorely missing out! Paul has been on my list of go-to authors for years and I don’t see that changing any time soon. My only criticism is that he doesn’t write fast enough and there’s always a rather long wait between books!
Paul Cleave’s previous books were all set in Christchurch, New Zealand. But Whatever It Takes marks a bit of a departure as we find ourselves on another continent altogether. In the small town of Acacia Pines, seven year old Alyssa goes missing. Deputy Noah Harper vows to do whatever it takes to find her and bring her back home safely. In doing so, he crosses lines he can never come back from. Noah loses everything. He loses his job, he loses his wife and he’s told in no uncertain terms that he should leave Acacia Pines and never return. Now, twelve years later, Noah receives a phone call. Alyssa has gone missing again and despite the danger he could place himself in, Noah decides to return to Acacia Pines to uphold his promise to her, that he would never let anyone hurt her again.
I can’t quite find the words to describe how good Whatever It Takes is. It is an incredibly tense and thrilling ride, which took me on a path I wasn’t at all prepared for. Noah is an extremely complicated and multi-layered character. Not always likeable but determined and fierce. He’s someone I undoubtedly wanted to root for, yet some of his actions didn’t always make that easy to do. If there is a line to cross, odds are Noah will do it and in an odd sort of way you can’t quite blame him for it because it always comes from the right place.
The cast of characters surrounding Noah is every bit as strong as he is. There’s the ex-wife, whom I couldn’t quite warm to; there’s the best friend and former partner and last but certainly not least, the former sheriff. Retired he may be but he still seems to rule the community with an iron fist. I fully expected this small town and its residents to be hiding secrets and as the story unraveled, I became quite suspicious of just about everyone. Yet, there was no way I could have predicted where this dark tale would end.
With a disturbing scenario that leads to a chilling conclusion, Paul Cleave once again proves he is one of the best storytellers out there. Whatever It Takes is clever, masterfully plotted and incredibly addictive. My reading mojo has been all over the place this year but Whatever It Takes had me utterly engrossed from start to finish. I highly recommend not just this book, but this author. Because as far as (crime) thrillers and authors go, this is top of the shelf stuff!
Paul Cleave’s previous books were all set in Christchurch, New Zealand. But Whatever It Takes marks a bit of a departure as we find ourselves on another continent altogether. In the small town of Acacia Pines, seven year old Alyssa goes missing. Deputy Noah Harper vows to do whatever it takes to find her and bring her back home safely. In doing so, he crosses lines he can never come back from. Noah loses everything. He loses his job, he loses his wife and he’s told in no uncertain terms that he should leave Acacia Pines and never return. Now, twelve years later, Noah receives a phone call. Alyssa has gone missing again and despite the danger he could place himself in, Noah decides to return to Acacia Pines to uphold his promise to her, that he would never let anyone hurt her again.
I can’t quite find the words to describe how good Whatever It Takes is. It is an incredibly tense and thrilling ride, which took me on a path I wasn’t at all prepared for. Noah is an extremely complicated and multi-layered character. Not always likeable but determined and fierce. He’s someone I undoubtedly wanted to root for, yet some of his actions didn’t always make that easy to do. If there is a line to cross, odds are Noah will do it and in an odd sort of way you can’t quite blame him for it because it always comes from the right place.
The cast of characters surrounding Noah is every bit as strong as he is. There’s the ex-wife, whom I couldn’t quite warm to; there’s the best friend and former partner and last but certainly not least, the former sheriff. Retired he may be but he still seems to rule the community with an iron fist. I fully expected this small town and its residents to be hiding secrets and as the story unraveled, I became quite suspicious of just about everyone. Yet, there was no way I could have predicted where this dark tale would end.
With a disturbing scenario that leads to a chilling conclusion, Paul Cleave once again proves he is one of the best storytellers out there. Whatever It Takes is clever, masterfully plotted and incredibly addictive. My reading mojo has been all over the place this year but Whatever It Takes had me utterly engrossed from start to finish. I highly recommend not just this book, but this author. Because as far as (crime) thrillers and authors go, this is top of the shelf stuff!
ajnel's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
A dark but endearing novel which, though it could easily be made into a multi million dollar screenplay, is never far removed from reality and the extremes which sits on the borders of society.
hoffnungswolke's review against another edition
4.0
german and english review
netgalley audiobook
spoilerfree
Ich glaube vor Ewigkeiten habe ich schon mal ein Paul Cleave Buch gelesen, ich muss es in meinem Regal suchen, denn das will ich unbedingt nochmal lesen.
Aber jetzt das Buch hier.
Ich weiß garnicht wo ich bei der Bewertung anfangen soll und wie ich meine Gedanken in Worte fassen soll, weil ich absolut nichts spoilern will.
WOW. Der moralische Kompass ist mit diesem Buch so im tiefschwarzen, diese Story. Die Charaktere. Heiliges Kanonenrohr. Es ist ein Buch bei dem man denkt es wird nicht mehr schlimmer; nichts kann diesen Moment noch toppen. Und dann kommt das nächste Kapitel.
Die Wendungen. WOW. Nur eine einzige davon hab ich kommen sehen, das war ein absoluter DUH Moment. Alle anderen haben mich echt übel von der Seite erwischt.
WOW. Was für ein Buch.
Weil ich es als Hörbuch gehört habe, muss ich auch unbedingt erwähnen welchen GROSSARTIGEN JOB der Erzähler gemacht hat.
***
I think forever ago I read another book by the author and I really need to find it on my shelf and reread it.
But let's talk about this book.
I'm not sure how to start with this review and how to write down my thoughts without spoiling the heck out of the whole story.
WOW. The moral compass is all the way in the deep dark grey in this story. The characters. HOLY HECK. This is one of those books where you think it can't get any worse; nothing will top the moment before. And then the next chapter happens.
The twists and turns. WOW. I saw one of them coming, such a big DUH moment. Everything else snuck up on me and knocked me sideways.
WOW. What a book.
Since I listened to this on audiobook, I just have to mention the INCREDIBLE JOB the narrator did.
netgalley audiobook
spoilerfree
Ich glaube vor Ewigkeiten habe ich schon mal ein Paul Cleave Buch gelesen, ich muss es in meinem Regal suchen, denn das will ich unbedingt nochmal lesen.
Aber jetzt das Buch hier.
Ich weiß garnicht wo ich bei der Bewertung anfangen soll und wie ich meine Gedanken in Worte fassen soll, weil ich absolut nichts spoilern will.
WOW. Der moralische Kompass ist mit diesem Buch so im tiefschwarzen, diese Story. Die Charaktere. Heiliges Kanonenrohr. Es ist ein Buch bei dem man denkt es wird nicht mehr schlimmer; nichts kann diesen Moment noch toppen. Und dann kommt das nächste Kapitel.
Die Wendungen. WOW. Nur eine einzige davon hab ich kommen sehen, das war ein absoluter DUH Moment. Alle anderen haben mich echt übel von der Seite erwischt.
WOW. Was für ein Buch.
Weil ich es als Hörbuch gehört habe, muss ich auch unbedingt erwähnen welchen GROSSARTIGEN JOB der Erzähler gemacht hat.
***
I think forever ago I read another book by the author and I really need to find it on my shelf and reread it.
But let's talk about this book.
I'm not sure how to start with this review and how to write down my thoughts without spoiling the heck out of the whole story.
WOW. The moral compass is all the way in the deep dark grey in this story. The characters. HOLY HECK. This is one of those books where you think it can't get any worse; nothing will top the moment before. And then the next chapter happens.
The twists and turns. WOW. I saw one of them coming, such a big DUH moment. Everything else snuck up on me and knocked me sideways.
WOW. What a book.
Since I listened to this on audiobook, I just have to mention the INCREDIBLE JOB the narrator did.