Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) -
The 1970s were my formative decade â I managed to squeeze High School and College in, while things like Watergate, Jonestown, and disco occurred around me. In âBuried in the Countryâ, the 4th book in the Cornish Mystery series, author Carola Dunn looks at the 1970s from the perspective of a small slice of England. To be more specific, she's examining a small slice of England which itself is looking towards the conflict between locals and settlers in Rhodesia (or, as one of the characters keeps calling the country, âZimbabweâ).
âBuried in the Countryâ is a pleasant enough little cozy mystery. The characters are likeable â well, the ones the reader is SUPPOSED to like are â and the plot easy to follow. But the pacing ⦠I kept wanting to make little hand gestures to increase the speed and pace, and get things going just a little faster. Even the car chase scene felt as though it was occurring in slow motion. I believe the book would have been greatly improved with some judicious editing, sacrificing 10-20% of the content for an improved flow. (Mind you, I do not claim to BE an editor, and wouldn't dare attempt to determine just WHAT to trim â although perhaps the dragnet contained too many red herrings.)
Definitely worth a read, and I would not hesitate to dive into another of the authors works again.
RATING: 3 1/2 stars, rounded down to 3 stars in applications where 1/2 stars are not permitted.
DISCLOSURE: I was awarded this book in a random draw, without obligation. It was stated that an honest review would be appreciated, and hinted that a timely one would be even more appreciated. For once, I actually accomplished both.
âBuried in the Countryâ is a pleasant enough little cozy mystery. The characters are likeable â well, the ones the reader is SUPPOSED to like are â and the plot easy to follow. But the pacing ⦠I kept wanting to make little hand gestures to increase the speed and pace, and get things going just a little faster. Even the car chase scene felt as though it was occurring in slow motion. I believe the book would have been greatly improved with some judicious editing, sacrificing 10-20% of the content for an improved flow. (Mind you, I do not claim to BE an editor, and wouldn't dare attempt to determine just WHAT to trim â although perhaps the dragnet contained too many red herrings.)
Definitely worth a read, and I would not hesitate to dive into another of the authors works again.
RATING: 3 1/2 stars, rounded down to 3 stars in applications where 1/2 stars are not permitted.
DISCLOSURE: I was awarded this book in a random draw, without obligation. It was stated that an honest review would be appreciated, and hinted that a timely one would be even more appreciated. For once, I actually accomplished both.
