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scknitter's reviews
1419 reviews
Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Jo Callaghan’s second book definitely did not suffer from sophomore slump. I thought Leave No Trace was even better than In The Blink of an Eye and I loved it. Not only was Leave No Trace a super police procedural, but this time Kat and Locke were in charge of a live case involving a sadistic and ritualistic murder, which made it hard to put down. Once again Callaghan shows us how extremely helpful data analysis by AI could be, but also how instinct and an understanding of human emotions by another human was essential.
The Fourth Monkey by J.D. Barker
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
If you like brilliant and complicated plots, determined and dedicated police work, a villain who is pure evil, and you can also stand explicit description of scenes of torture then you won't want to miss the first book in the 4mk trilogy. The narration was brilliant and definitely made the story come alive (almost too alive in some parts.)#libro.fm
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Beautiful Ugly truly lives up to its name. The writing is beautiful, as is the description of the Isle of Amberly and you will discover as you read just how ugly some people can be. Alice Feeney has really outdone herself with this one. You will love Grady, you will hate Grady, you will feel sorry for Grady, and you will genuinely believe he is losing his mind and then you will discover the truth!
Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister
dark
mysterious
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
5.0
Gillian McAllister has once again created a story with such a twisted plot that you literally aren’t sure what will come next. I loved all of the characters, especially Niall, and because I did my only complaint is 7 years was way too long.
You Better Watch Out by James S. Murray, Darren Wearmouth
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
You Better Watch Out is a line from a Christmas song signifying that Santa Claus is coming to town. But the book You Better Watch Out is anything but a feel-good Christmas story. It might take place right before Christmas, but it seems more like a Halloween slasher story. You will be hooked from the beginning as this very creepy, scary, non-jolly horror story takes place. It was definitely creative in its gory content, and I was totally surprised by the ending and then even more surprised when I realized it wasn’t actually the end. It definitely left an opening for a sequel which I would love to see.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Mistletoe Mystery is a sweet novella about Molly the maid filled with lots of her Gran’s wonderful sayings. There are lots of Christmas festivities as Molly and Juan celebrate the days before Christmas. Molly is the only one who sees a mystery as you, the reader, will understand right away what is happening. But, then Molly never sees anything beyond what is right in front of her nose.
Havoc by Christopher Bollen
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Oh, my! I have no idea what I have just listened to. Definitely dark, often crazy, sometimes funny, and impossible to quit listening to. A psychological thriller unlike anything I have ever read. A meddlesome 81-year-old woman who has an unstoppable urge to “help” people she thinks are troubled meets her match with an 8-year-old little boy who could be compared to Patty McCormick in the Bad Seed. Together they wreak Havoc upon each other and the guests and staff at the once opulent hotel in Luxor Egypt where they have gathered to escape Covid lockdowns in their home countries. You will not soon forget Maggie Burkhardt, or the ending!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic
The More the Terrier by David Rosenfelt
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It has been a while since I spent time listening to a David Rosenfelt book and enjoying Andy Carpenter’s trademark humor and commentary and his discussions of the case with his dog, Tara. As usual Grover Gardner is Andy Carpenter and I felt like I was really listening to Andy. Once again this is a complicated and well plotted mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. While this is book #30 it can easily be listened to as a standalone as all of the players are explained simply and without dragging down the current story. And the mystery itself begins and ends in this book. So, if you love a good mystery, watching how a defense attorney works and thinks, and enjoy dry humor and wit (and of course dogs). Then you will definitely want to check out David Rosenfelt if you haven’t already.
Caravan of Thieves by David Rich
5.0
Rollie Waters is a reluctant, but very compelling hero who leads us and the Caravan of Thieves (gov. Officials and military personnel) on a spectacular adventure. There are great action scenes, endless surprises, and most interesting of all, a look at how the mind of a true genius and consummate con artist works.