Helpful Score: 4
It took a few chapters for me to get into this one but once I was in, I couldn't put it down. A bit dark and a little gritty but not excessively so. When I got to the end, the story felt complete - not like some books where you have unanswered questions nagging at you. Well written.
Helpful Score: 3
Ok, here is the first of the three book reviews I need to catch up on. This one is for Revenant by Carolyn Haines. I finished this book in January which tells you how behind I am.
This one was a great thriller. Just enough romance to keep things going, but not enough to make me want to barf because of it. No, I am not too fond of sappy books. This one had some romance, but not the sappy stuff. For this, I am entirely grateful.
On the flip side, it's an awesome book to read, and I had a very difficult time putting it down. A reporter who spends most of her time drunk gets caught up in a mystery when a serial killer starts killing again after a twenty-five year break. You have to read this one to believe it. I was skeptical at first, but a few pages in, I was hooked.
This one was a great thriller. Just enough romance to keep things going, but not enough to make me want to barf because of it. No, I am not too fond of sappy books. This one had some romance, but not the sappy stuff. For this, I am entirely grateful.
On the flip side, it's an awesome book to read, and I had a very difficult time putting it down. A reporter who spends most of her time drunk gets caught up in a mystery when a serial killer starts killing again after a twenty-five year break. You have to read this one to believe it. I was skeptical at first, but a few pages in, I was hooked.
Helpful Score: 3
I thought this was a paranormal mystery. I think because of the cover - I thought it was a ghost. Revenant is very firmly grounded in reality. It's a murder mystery and not a cozy featuring truly evil bad guys and a lot of gray characters. It seems the only truly good characters are the victims.
Carson Lynch is an investigative journalist. She's slogging through life in an alcoholic stupor since the death of her daughter in an arson attack that was intended for her. Following the subsequent collapse of her marriage, and loss of her job Carson moves back home to Mississippi. She has a job with one of the few newspapers willing to risk investing in an alcoholic. In a life filled with intense depression Carson clings to the only constant in her life- her job.
When five skeletons show up underneath the parking lot of what was once a roaring night club Carson is drawn to the mystery of who were the skeletons and how did they die. She uses her local know-how and a few connections to try and solve the murders. Then fresh bodies start to appear!
As a mystery/thriller the book kept me engaged as I was didn't answer the who-done-it by midway through the novel. I suspected but kept saying nope, can't be. The novel had excellent characterizations of Carson's grief and slow recovery as well as a cast of intriguing a well fleshed-out secondary characters including Carson's co-workers and family.
The ending was satisfying from the standpoint of justice. The resolution was not overly abrupt and tied off the necessary lose ends. My only qualm is it left Carson's personal story and possible future happiness open ended. We've all read books that leave us wanting more and I hope the author plans on more of Carson's story.
Carson Lynch is an investigative journalist. She's slogging through life in an alcoholic stupor since the death of her daughter in an arson attack that was intended for her. Following the subsequent collapse of her marriage, and loss of her job Carson moves back home to Mississippi. She has a job with one of the few newspapers willing to risk investing in an alcoholic. In a life filled with intense depression Carson clings to the only constant in her life- her job.
When five skeletons show up underneath the parking lot of what was once a roaring night club Carson is drawn to the mystery of who were the skeletons and how did they die. She uses her local know-how and a few connections to try and solve the murders. Then fresh bodies start to appear!
As a mystery/thriller the book kept me engaged as I was didn't answer the who-done-it by midway through the novel. I suspected but kept saying nope, can't be. The novel had excellent characterizations of Carson's grief and slow recovery as well as a cast of intriguing a well fleshed-out secondary characters including Carson's co-workers and family.
The ending was satisfying from the standpoint of justice. The resolution was not overly abrupt and tied off the necessary lose ends. My only qualm is it left Carson's personal story and possible future happiness open ended. We've all read books that leave us wanting more and I hope the author plans on more of Carson's story.
Helpful Score: 2
One of the best mysteries I've read. Held my interest from the first page and I read it in one sitting ... just couldn't put it down.
I have never read CH before, but was greatly surprised at how well she writes. The book cover asks the question: Is a copycat murderer terrorizing Biloxi (Mississippi), or has a serial killer awoken from a twenty-five-year slumber? Great read.
Again, a great tale from Carolyn Haines set in a Mississippi town.
5 stars. This book was well written and the plot was set at a good pace so that you just kept reading. The ending was not obvious so it was a good read all the way thru to the end. Like a previous reviewer wrote, I would like to see the Carson story to continue.
