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The Dashing Mister R
A mysterious stranger with a secret, a voodoo queen, three dead crows, whispers from a dead priest, and a cold case murder conspire to disturb the serenity Sebastian Stephens sought in his New Orleans garden. These fragments of the life he left behind in New York City now entice him to complete the puzzle and reclaim his life, or lose it. There's just one catch. He has only three days.
351 pages, ebook
First published May 20, 2011
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 1, 2012
Honestly, at times the writing reminded me of my own in a way, and definitely reflected the kind of work I often enjoy. There is a literary quality to the writing, for it contains many vivid descriptions of people, places and things some might find superfluous but I liked the vivacity and vision. Similarly also to some of my stories, Sebastian, the main character, is gay but this is not the central focus of the story. It’s part of it, true, just like it is a part of the character’s individuality. There is a poignant love story within the whole, but it’s not a romance, and I particularly like that distinction as well.
The narrative voice unhesitatingly provides the character’s thoughts, which were often detail focused and reminded me of Rita Mae Brown’s work. Though some anecdotes and idioms used reference regions of the U.S. that many might certainly find amusing and relevant, they were notable but rather lost on a “semi-foreigner” like myself. To me, there were some issues with clarity of thought at times, and I thought more transitional phrases and changes to paragraph structure might have helped, but there was always a strong sense of direction.
Sometimes less is “more” when a story is so descriptive, but the lavishness of the writing was very hypnotic, almost seductive, as the mystery of the Mister R built to a climax that makes you say, “Ah ha!” A dark fantasy within a contemporary world, with a surprising twist at the end, The Dashing Mister R was a very satisfying read, a good debut effort by the author.
Originally posted at the review/interview site, Flying With Red Haircrow http://flyingwithredhaircrow.wordpres...
The narrative voice unhesitatingly provides the character’s thoughts, which were often detail focused and reminded me of Rita Mae Brown’s work. Though some anecdotes and idioms used reference regions of the U.S. that many might certainly find amusing and relevant, they were notable but rather lost on a “semi-foreigner” like myself. To me, there were some issues with clarity of thought at times, and I thought more transitional phrases and changes to paragraph structure might have helped, but there was always a strong sense of direction.
Sometimes less is “more” when a story is so descriptive, but the lavishness of the writing was very hypnotic, almost seductive, as the mystery of the Mister R built to a climax that makes you say, “Ah ha!” A dark fantasy within a contemporary world, with a surprising twist at the end, The Dashing Mister R was a very satisfying read, a good debut effort by the author.
Originally posted at the review/interview site, Flying With Red Haircrow http://flyingwithredhaircrow.wordpres...
December 23, 2012
Originally posted on Nov 24 2012 on Butterfly-o-Meter Books:
Fluttering Thoughts:
World Building: A charming mix of New Orleans and New York setting, with the paranormal element subtle and on the mystery side.
Characters: Sebastian was interesting. I loved him for his faith and the way he loved Sean, plus he had a great sense of humor. I enjoyed the fullness of him, the way his love, loss, memories and faith mixed and in the end saved him. Mister R was also interesting, he ended being fuller then I might have expected.
Plot: Interesting mystery sort of spin on a life that can be undone. I enjoyed it and I was curious about things, plus the ending was surprising. There were slower times perhaps as this isn't agitated action but of a curious gets curious-er sort of read.
Writing: Third person narrative from Sebastian's POV, more along the literary/traditional vine with careful wording and lovely built scene settings. What I liked most about it was the way Sebastian came alive through his emotions.
Curb Appeal: Not great, I'm afraid. The cover makes sense now that I read the book, but before it had a "Uhm, what is that?" sort of effect. The blurb gives the right feel as far as writing goes, but I would have been a lot more curious about it had it had a hint of the real kicker in there - the retelling/reinterpretation spin.
All in all, a fun and intriguing read that I say is meant for adults not because of any graphic content but because of themes included in the story. Plus I think the pace of action and nature of events would appeal more to an adult then younger reader.
I say give it a try.
Fluttering Thoughts:
World Building: A charming mix of New Orleans and New York setting, with the paranormal element subtle and on the mystery side.
Characters: Sebastian was interesting. I loved him for his faith and the way he loved Sean, plus he had a great sense of humor. I enjoyed the fullness of him, the way his love, loss, memories and faith mixed and in the end saved him. Mister R was also interesting, he ended being fuller then I might have expected.
Plot: Interesting mystery sort of spin on a life that can be undone. I enjoyed it and I was curious about things, plus the ending was surprising. There were slower times perhaps as this isn't agitated action but of a curious gets curious-er sort of read.
Writing: Third person narrative from Sebastian's POV, more along the literary/traditional vine with careful wording and lovely built scene settings. What I liked most about it was the way Sebastian came alive through his emotions.
Curb Appeal: Not great, I'm afraid. The cover makes sense now that I read the book, but before it had a "Uhm, what is that?" sort of effect. The blurb gives the right feel as far as writing goes, but I would have been a lot more curious about it had it had a hint of the real kicker in there - the retelling/reinterpretation spin.
All in all, a fun and intriguing read that I say is meant for adults not because of any graphic content but because of themes included in the story. Plus I think the pace of action and nature of events would appeal more to an adult then younger reader.
I say give it a try.
March 12, 2012
The Dashing Mister R by debut author M. Daniel Nickle is a well written suspenseful mystery that draws the reader in from the very beginning of the story. Against the backdrop of a mysterious stranger with a secret, a murder case gone cold, voodoo seers, foreboding omens and signs from the afterlife, the story is ultimately about choices, unexpected regrets and the possibility for second chances.
The complete review of The Dashing Mister R by M Daniel Nickle is available at Indie Reviews.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews