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Detective Ash Rashid #1
The Abbey
Librarian's Note: this is an alternate cover edition for ISBN 9781455527410.
Ash Rashid is a former homicide detective who can't stand the thought of handling another death investigation. In another year, he'll be out of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department completely. That's the plan, at least, until his niece's body is found in the guest home of one of his city's most wealthy citizens. The coroner calls it an overdose, but the case doesn't add up. Against orders, Ash launches an investigation to find his niece's murderer, but the longer he searches, the more entangled he becomes in a case that hits increasingly close to home. If he doesn't solve it fast, his niece won't be the only family member he has to bury.
Ash Rashid is a former homicide detective who can't stand the thought of handling another death investigation. In another year, he'll be out of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department completely. That's the plan, at least, until his niece's body is found in the guest home of one of his city's most wealthy citizens. The coroner calls it an overdose, but the case doesn't add up. Against orders, Ash launches an investigation to find his niece's murderer, but the longer he searches, the more entangled he becomes in a case that hits increasingly close to home. If he doesn't solve it fast, his niece won't be the only family member he has to bury.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
1623 people are currently reading
1625 people want to read
About the author
Chris Culver
38 books236 followersChris Culver is the New York Times bestselling author of the Ash Rashid series of mysteries. After graduate school, Chris taught courses in ethics and comparative religion at a small liberal arts university in southern Arkansas. While there and when he really should have been grading exams, he wrote The Abbey, which spent sixteen weeks on the New York Times bestseller's list and introduced the world to Detective Ash Rashid.
Chris has been a storyteller since he was a kid, but he decided to write crime fiction after picking up a dog-eared, coffee-stained paperback copy of Mickey Spillane's I, the Jury in a library book sale. Many years later, his wife, despite considerable effort, still can't stop him from bringing more orphan books home. The two of them, along with a labrador retriever named Roy, reside near St. Louis where Chris is hard at work on his next novel.
Chris has been a storyteller since he was a kid, but he decided to write crime fiction after picking up a dog-eared, coffee-stained paperback copy of Mickey Spillane's I, the Jury in a library book sale. Many years later, his wife, despite considerable effort, still can't stop him from bringing more orphan books home. The two of them, along with a labrador retriever named Roy, reside near St. Louis where Chris is hard at work on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 412 reviews
September 3, 2011
I was originally attracted to this inexpensive Kindle book by a negative review. The reviewer (amidst a hoard of positive reviews) had complained that since the protagonist was a Muslim cop, she had hoped to learn something about the law enforcement aspects of Sharia Law. Hmmm. Knowing that Sharia Law encompasses much more than anything related to law enforcement and that I was sure that an American cop would enforce American law regardless of his/her faith (with the exception perhaps of the theocratic-ally oriented evangelicals now hoping to dominate our lives.) So I immediately downloaded a copy to my Kindle (instant gratification is a wonderful thing.)
Detective Sergeant Ashraf Rashid works for the Prosecutor’s Office in Indianapolis. “I had been named after my father, although I hadn’t ever met him. He had been a history professor at the American University of Cairo, but one of his students shot and killed him before I was born. Apparently that kid's family took grades seriously. The remnants of my family immigrated to the US shortly after that.” When his niece dies under suspicious circumstances, his ex-partner, Olivia, invites him to tag along for the investigation. When the boy who was with her when she ostensibly died from drinking tainted blood (I kid you not, some kind of teenage vampire thing,) commits suicide by falling on a stake (the only way vampires can die, his suicide note explains,) and the homicide Lieutenant seemingly ignores obvious disconnects, Rasheed decides to investigate himself. Rashid is also going to law school. There a great scene where Rasheed is confronted by the professor, clearly a Kingfield type
Lots of stuff related to Muslim religious practices (can’t eat pancakes fried on the same griddle with bacon, not allowed to drink alcohol for non-medicinal use - he imbibes but rationalizes it’s medicinal because of the job-- different burial rights, etc.) Nothing that would alarm anyone familiar with Catholic transubstantiation (scary indeed) or Jewish burial and eating practices. All religions have really bizarre rituals. The one link to his faith with regard to law enforcment was “a calling deeply rooted in my identity. I may not have been a very good Muslim, but my religion called me to seek and foster justice. It’s a divine edict as stringent as any command in any faith. Nobody gets a pass, least of all somebody who hurt my niece.”
My one reservation with this book has more to do with my personal preferences than writing or plot, both of which are quite good. The lone hero, the “Dirty Harry,” cop I find to be singularly flawed and which force the character into impossible situations from which they must heroically extricate themselves in the most implausible manner. In the meantime, I'm shouting, “you dimwit, why didn’t you tell someone where you were going? or something similar.” Nevertheless, good story, well told.
Detective Sergeant Ashraf Rashid works for the Prosecutor’s Office in Indianapolis. “I had been named after my father, although I hadn’t ever met him. He had been a history professor at the American University of Cairo, but one of his students shot and killed him before I was born. Apparently that kid's family took grades seriously. The remnants of my family immigrated to the US shortly after that.” When his niece dies under suspicious circumstances, his ex-partner, Olivia, invites him to tag along for the investigation. When the boy who was with her when she ostensibly died from drinking tainted blood (I kid you not, some kind of teenage vampire thing,) commits suicide by falling on a stake (the only way vampires can die, his suicide note explains,) and the homicide Lieutenant seemingly ignores obvious disconnects, Rasheed decides to investigate himself. Rashid is also going to law school. There a great scene where Rasheed is confronted by the professor, clearly a Kingfield type
Lots of stuff related to Muslim religious practices (can’t eat pancakes fried on the same griddle with bacon, not allowed to drink alcohol for non-medicinal use - he imbibes but rationalizes it’s medicinal because of the job-- different burial rights, etc.) Nothing that would alarm anyone familiar with Catholic transubstantiation (scary indeed) or Jewish burial and eating practices. All religions have really bizarre rituals. The one link to his faith with regard to law enforcment was “a calling deeply rooted in my identity. I may not have been a very good Muslim, but my religion called me to seek and foster justice. It’s a divine edict as stringent as any command in any faith. Nobody gets a pass, least of all somebody who hurt my niece.”
My one reservation with this book has more to do with my personal preferences than writing or plot, both of which are quite good. The lone hero, the “Dirty Harry,” cop I find to be singularly flawed and which force the character into impossible situations from which they must heroically extricate themselves in the most implausible manner. In the meantime, I'm shouting, “you dimwit, why didn’t you tell someone where you were going? or something similar.” Nevertheless, good story, well told.
November 1, 2011
I loved the way this book opened, and I thought Ash, the protagonist, had an interesting voice. I also was intrigued that he was Muslim, since you don't see that many Muslim protagonists. The initial idea was good - Ash has to find out who killed his niece, and why the investigation is being stopped or blocked at every step. Around halfway through, though, the threads of the plot unraveled, and the author tried too hard to bring in too many colorful characters, including a mob boss who would probably be the last person to get an FBI agent to help him defend his drug turf (!), and the microbiologist who seems to want...what? That was the thread that left me the most baffled. She implies that she's shot Ash up with some sort of lethal microbial agent that she wants him to take to China and infect everyone with, or at least that's how I read it. He wakes up after being kidnapped by her and has a sore throat, and she implies that she's given him some sort of disease - and yet nothing ever comes of this. He never mentions it to his superiors, gets treatment, worries he might be spreading some dread plague that's going to wipe out mankind, etc. It was a real kitchen sink of a plot with the author throwing everything at the wall to see what would stick. That was a shame, because, as I said, it started out good, but then got harder and harder to believe and follow. I would read something else by this author, but perhaps a better editor could guide him toward developing a more cohesive story.
July 27, 2017
Die letzten 150 Seiten hat mich das Buch noch ganze 16 Mal genervt. Abgebrochen hab ich eigentlich nur nicht, weil ich schon so weit und es ein Mitbringsel aus dem Urlaub war.
Ich habe in letzter Zeit immer weniger Draht zu Thrillern. Dieser war jedoch wirklich unterirdisch. Das Potential, dass der muslimische Ermittler bot, wurde vollkommen verschenkt, dafür jedes Klischee mitgenommen. Zwanzig Seiten vor Ende bin ich gestern eingeschlafen, das sagt alles...
Ich habe in letzter Zeit immer weniger Draht zu Thrillern. Dieser war jedoch wirklich unterirdisch. Das Potential, dass der muslimische Ermittler bot, wurde vollkommen verschenkt, dafür jedes Klischee mitgenommen. Zwanzig Seiten vor Ende bin ich gestern eingeschlafen, das sagt alles...
October 12, 2011
This book was just a mess. Culver didn't seem to know quite what he wanted to do for a storyline, so he decided to cover all the bases and hit every cliche he could think of. There was the vampire element (I mean, come on); there was the Muslim element; there was the murder victim who was a relative of the protagonist thereby making the protagonist hyper-determined to solve the crime; there was the cop with an irrational grudge against the protagonist cop; there was the lieutenant who irrationally went along with the cop with the irrational grudge against the protagonist cop; there was the protagonist cop who gets put on administrative leave because of the "evidence" piling up against him; there was the protagonist cop on administrative leave going rogue; there was the scientist gone rogue with biological weapons; there was the protagonist rogue cop on administrative leave reluctantly working with a drug kingpin because at least he didn't hire teenagers to do his dirty work like the rival kingpin... I could go on. But perhaps the least forgivable aspect of this story was that the protagonist was stupidly reactionary. He didn't work smart, he worked rashly; and that was the deal breaker for me.
May 10, 2011
I wanted to really like this book; however it was almost a pain for me to finish it.
It started off with a pretty good story line but then it bounced from thought to thought often making me go back a few pages thinking that I missed something. On minute the main character is babysitting someone for the DA’s office, then he is in a law class, then he finds out that the death of his niece is being covered up, then they find out it is drugs, then is has to do with vampires, then more students die, then there is some link to a woman who is trying to make a virus that will take out all of China, they are trying to frame him, then they believe him but are no longer looking for the woman but now looking for corrupt government officials and so on and so forth. I often found myself thinking “oh so that is where he is going with this, ok that makes sense” only to be shocked and yet again trying to piece it all together.
I know I am not perfect at English however he had some very odd mistakes that jumped out at me like missing words, typos like swapping the word divilan for civilian, “i” for “l” just to name a few, and better yet towards the end of the book he changes one characters name 3 times in one chapter from Tony, to Thomas, to Tom, used extremely out of place words that worked but were not needed, and you get the picture.
I would of given this book at 2.5 but it is not an option. I do like where he tried to go with this book I just think he tried to take it too many different ways. I may give his next book a chance if it only cost me 99 cents again.
It started off with a pretty good story line but then it bounced from thought to thought often making me go back a few pages thinking that I missed something. On minute the main character is babysitting someone for the DA’s office, then he is in a law class, then he finds out that the death of his niece is being covered up, then they find out it is drugs, then is has to do with vampires, then more students die, then there is some link to a woman who is trying to make a virus that will take out all of China, they are trying to frame him, then they believe him but are no longer looking for the woman but now looking for corrupt government officials and so on and so forth. I often found myself thinking “oh so that is where he is going with this, ok that makes sense” only to be shocked and yet again trying to piece it all together.
I know I am not perfect at English however he had some very odd mistakes that jumped out at me like missing words, typos like swapping the word divilan for civilian, “i” for “l” just to name a few, and better yet towards the end of the book he changes one characters name 3 times in one chapter from Tony, to Thomas, to Tom, used extremely out of place words that worked but were not needed, and you get the picture.
I would of given this book at 2.5 but it is not an option. I do like where he tried to go with this book I just think he tried to take it too many different ways. I may give his next book a chance if it only cost me 99 cents again.
June 12, 2011
I'm really hoping to see a follow up book in this series.
The main character is a Muslim detective who ends up trying to find those responsible for the murder of his niece.
As the body count mounts, he finds himself increasingly isolated and working against everything and almost everyone he should be able to trust.
Ash Rashid is one of the best main characters I've come across in a while. You can't help but like this guy, even when he does some pretty stupid things; this is the kind of cop as main character you don't see enough of.
I was rooting for him all the way through the book, and I can't wait for the next one.
The main character is a Muslim detective who ends up trying to find those responsible for the murder of his niece.
As the body count mounts, he finds himself increasingly isolated and working against everything and almost everyone he should be able to trust.
Ash Rashid is one of the best main characters I've come across in a while. You can't help but like this guy, even when he does some pretty stupid things; this is the kind of cop as main character you don't see enough of.
I was rooting for him all the way through the book, and I can't wait for the next one.
October 4, 2011
First, I don't generally read this genre, so I may not be the best at rating it. That said, I did finish it. The story was interesting enough that I was curious how it ended. The plot, I think, was the best part of the book. The characters were also interesting and described well. Little things bugged me. It seemed like it hadn't been proof read well. For instance, there was a lot of redundancy. The main character is going into an investigation room. His partner greets him with a cup of coffee that he takes with him. Soon after that he is wishing he had a cup of coffee. He goes into a house and investigates two bedrooms before finding the master bedroom. He describes all three bedrooms, then "jogs" to the master bathroom from the master bedroom. (how could it be long enough to jog?) After describing the bathroom, he said he will then look at the master bedroom that he has already described. Every time he walked into a building or house there was a hall or corridor that was "T" shaped. He "jogged" between everything. Mix it up a little. Jog once, hurry, run, sprint,.... you get the idea, find a thesaurus... I was getting really tired of "jogging" everywhere.
The main character was Islamic. That's fine, but it should have been "used" more in the story. Other than his daily prayers and one very minor reference to a prejudice it was mostly left out. I think it gave the author opportunities that he lost. If you changed his faith to Irish Catholic, Methodist, Budist, you wouldn't have to have changed anything in his description or the story. That disappointed me.
I also wanted more things "wrapped up" with explanations at the end. Don't want to put in a spoiler here; but I thought the ending was too short. Things were explained, but I thought with too much brevity. I wanted more and a little more reflection and conclusion.
This wasn't a bad book, I just thought it could have been written better. Great title, great plot, good characters....use them more.
The main character was Islamic. That's fine, but it should have been "used" more in the story. Other than his daily prayers and one very minor reference to a prejudice it was mostly left out. I think it gave the author opportunities that he lost. If you changed his faith to Irish Catholic, Methodist, Budist, you wouldn't have to have changed anything in his description or the story. That disappointed me.
I also wanted more things "wrapped up" with explanations at the end. Don't want to put in a spoiler here; but I thought the ending was too short. Things were explained, but I thought with too much brevity. I wanted more and a little more reflection and conclusion.
This wasn't a bad book, I just thought it could have been written better. Great title, great plot, good characters....use them more.
October 20, 2011
I snarfed this faster than a plate of fresh homemade cookies. The mystery is well plotted, the writing clean and the main character, Indianapolis police detective Ash Rashid, as original as he is believable.
When his niece is murdered, a bizarre aspect of the crime, plus the eagerness of the police to write the case off as a drug overdose, compels him to dig. His efforts lead him to a group of teens who dress in black and claim to be vampires, but Ash discovers they are unwitting pawns in a game with global implications. It costs him his job, points him toward police corruption, and threatens the lives of his wife and young daughter. It also increases the escape into alcohol which violates his Islamic faith.
This 99¢ ebook equals many hardcover mysteries. I want more books featuring detective Ash Rashid.
When his niece is murdered, a bizarre aspect of the crime, plus the eagerness of the police to write the case off as a drug overdose, compels him to dig. His efforts lead him to a group of teens who dress in black and claim to be vampires, but Ash discovers they are unwitting pawns in a game with global implications. It costs him his job, points him toward police corruption, and threatens the lives of his wife and young daughter. It also increases the escape into alcohol which violates his Islamic faith.
This 99¢ ebook equals many hardcover mysteries. I want more books featuring detective Ash Rashid.
April 21, 2012
I would not have finished this book but it was for book club discussion and I always read them to the end. I skimmed a lot so may have missed out on some details but it was all over the place. The abbey hardly had any significance, vampires, a niece that was killed remind me why? A framed cop whose religion seemed significant at the start but ended up not to matter. Excessive drinking on the job. Cocain, Russian mob, then China business in the end? I knew who the inside informant was the minute it was brought up. Drinking blood. I was confused and just not interested. Too many details about cocaine. I could not get attached to the main character or his family at all. Glad to be finished with it.
December 20, 2013
Ash Rashid is a police detective in Indianapolis and a part-time law student. He used to be a homicide detective, but after being shot during an investigation, he realized that dealing with so much tragic death had taken its toll on his psyche. He's also a Muslim, albeit one who drinks a little too much (maybe a lot), can't quite concentrate on his daily prayers, and he may have bacon every now and again.
"I may not have been a very good Muslim, bu my religion called me to seek and foster justice. It's a divine edict as stringent as any command in any faith."
When his niece Rachel, an athletic high school student who seemed on the right path, is found dead of a supposed overdose, it shocks Ash and compels him to try and figure out what really happened. And when Rachel's boyfriend allegedly admits to Rachel's murder and then commits suicide out of supposed guilt, the police are convinced the case is closed. But Ash isn't, and despite roadblocks put up by his own department, he is determined to figure out what really happened to Rachel.
But when more seemingly unrelated murders begin occurring, the heat is turned up—on Ash himself. What he finds is far more complicated than he imagined, and far more dangerous to him and his family than he bargained for. Should he follow orders and drop his investigation as he has been ordered to do, and simply accept Rachel's overdose as an accident? Or should he risk his own safety and that of his family to find out the truth, even if the truth is more than he can handle? Is there anyone he can still trust?
The Abbey is the first in a series of books featuring Ash Rashid, and I really enjoyed this. Ash is one of those good guys who has more than enough flaws of his own—in addition to his drinking (which is a bit of a problem), he's a little too impulsive, and he can't seem to let things go, which isn't a bad quality to have in a police detective. He's introspective, however, but he is willing to blur the lines between right and wrong in the pursuit of the truth.
This book had a good mix of action, some suspense, some interesting twists, and strong character development. While the plot isn't necessarily surprising, it's still pretty compelling, which makes it a fairly fast read. I really like Ash's character, and I'll definitely be reading the next two books in this series. Rashid is a good addition to the world of dogged police detectives.
"I may not have been a very good Muslim, bu my religion called me to seek and foster justice. It's a divine edict as stringent as any command in any faith."
When his niece Rachel, an athletic high school student who seemed on the right path, is found dead of a supposed overdose, it shocks Ash and compels him to try and figure out what really happened. And when Rachel's boyfriend allegedly admits to Rachel's murder and then commits suicide out of supposed guilt, the police are convinced the case is closed. But Ash isn't, and despite roadblocks put up by his own department, he is determined to figure out what really happened to Rachel.
But when more seemingly unrelated murders begin occurring, the heat is turned up—on Ash himself. What he finds is far more complicated than he imagined, and far more dangerous to him and his family than he bargained for. Should he follow orders and drop his investigation as he has been ordered to do, and simply accept Rachel's overdose as an accident? Or should he risk his own safety and that of his family to find out the truth, even if the truth is more than he can handle? Is there anyone he can still trust?
The Abbey is the first in a series of books featuring Ash Rashid, and I really enjoyed this. Ash is one of those good guys who has more than enough flaws of his own—in addition to his drinking (which is a bit of a problem), he's a little too impulsive, and he can't seem to let things go, which isn't a bad quality to have in a police detective. He's introspective, however, but he is willing to blur the lines between right and wrong in the pursuit of the truth.
This book had a good mix of action, some suspense, some interesting twists, and strong character development. While the plot isn't necessarily surprising, it's still pretty compelling, which makes it a fairly fast read. I really like Ash's character, and I'll definitely be reading the next two books in this series. Rashid is a good addition to the world of dogged police detectives.
June 8, 2013
Not bad for a debut novel, quite good actually. The right ingredients were there to make me want to see what'd happen next; even got me excited.
The use of an Islamic man as protagonist was also good. He's not a strict and pious man when it comes to his religion, but that what makese him more likeable. He's true to himself, and I like that he never forgets to pray. In short, Ash Rashid is a very regular human being. The story revolves around him going unofficial in finding out who was responsible for the death of his niece, along with other young victims. He was thought of as the bad guy, but everything turned out well in the end.
The novel was a fast read, and I like fast reads. All angles were covered, but I somehow feel there could have been more complications. Well, that's just me....
I will definitely seek out Chris Culver's other works.
The use of an Islamic man as protagonist was also good. He's not a strict and pious man when it comes to his religion, but that what makese him more likeable. He's true to himself, and I like that he never forgets to pray. In short, Ash Rashid is a very regular human being. The story revolves around him going unofficial in finding out who was responsible for the death of his niece, along with other young victims. He was thought of as the bad guy, but everything turned out well in the end.
The novel was a fast read, and I like fast reads. All angles were covered, but I somehow feel there could have been more complications. Well, that's just me....
I will definitely seek out Chris Culver's other works.
February 6, 2018
Wow! I have never read a book whose characters have so little emotion. I actually kept reading because I believed it had to get better, how on earth did this get on a best sellers list? Positively awful!
May 18, 2022
Wanted to like this, but ... The usual cast of characters. Good cops, bad cops, crooked politicians. A plot that for it's time was a little far fetched, but by today's standards, it could happen. Hope the next book in the series is better.
September 8, 2012
This book started off as an E-book that could be purchased in the US for USD$0.99, and in places like Jamaica for USD$2.99. A bargain in anyone's book. But much like that other massive E-book hit '50 Shades of Grey', this has been so successful in E-book format that it has now been published in paperback form.
I couldn't find much about the author, but apparently this is his first published book, and what a jolly good read it is too. It is in the detective/thriller genre, great airplane/holiday read, with no great demands on the intellect. Unlike many of fiction's hardened, bitter, over-philosophizing-internal-analysing detective cops, Detective Ash Rashid really only thinks about his job and gets on with what has to be done. Which is just as well really because if he spent too much time fretting about the human condition, he would probably be dead.
No longer a homicide detective because all that death was getting to him, and now working in the Prosecutor's Office, he finds himself drawn back to hunting for murderers when the body of his 15 year old niece is discovered. What follows is an absolute whirlwind of more murders, drugs manufacture, corrupt police, Russian crims, biological weapons, and at all times Rashid having to stay several steps ahead of those he is hunting and the various arms of the enforcement agencies. It gets very confusing, I have to say. And by about 2/3 of the way through I confess I had sort of lost my way with the various plot developments and connections to people involved.
In other reviews of this book, mostly American I may add, much has been made of the fact that Rashid is a practising Muslim. He prays regularly during the day, as does his wife and child, and talks fairly often about Islam and how he should be living his life. But really he comes across as just another hard playing fighting cop who needs more than a healthy dose of alcohol to get him through his days and nights. Is the Muslim thing a gimmick as one review suggests? I don't see it as a gimmick, as I am sure there are many law enforcement people who see themselves as committed Catholics or Protestants or whatever, also struggling with the requirements of their faith against the ghastliness of their jobs. But I do think that if the author does want to introduce a point of difference from your stock standard crime fighter, he needs to dig a little deeper into the character to make the religion a fundamental part of who Rashid is rather than just another person with conflict over how he wants to live his life with how he actually does.
Nevertheless I found it hard to put this novel down. A great page turner, perfect for a long flight or a lounger by the pool.
I couldn't find much about the author, but apparently this is his first published book, and what a jolly good read it is too. It is in the detective/thriller genre, great airplane/holiday read, with no great demands on the intellect. Unlike many of fiction's hardened, bitter, over-philosophizing-internal-analysing detective cops, Detective Ash Rashid really only thinks about his job and gets on with what has to be done. Which is just as well really because if he spent too much time fretting about the human condition, he would probably be dead.
No longer a homicide detective because all that death was getting to him, and now working in the Prosecutor's Office, he finds himself drawn back to hunting for murderers when the body of his 15 year old niece is discovered. What follows is an absolute whirlwind of more murders, drugs manufacture, corrupt police, Russian crims, biological weapons, and at all times Rashid having to stay several steps ahead of those he is hunting and the various arms of the enforcement agencies. It gets very confusing, I have to say. And by about 2/3 of the way through I confess I had sort of lost my way with the various plot developments and connections to people involved.
In other reviews of this book, mostly American I may add, much has been made of the fact that Rashid is a practising Muslim. He prays regularly during the day, as does his wife and child, and talks fairly often about Islam and how he should be living his life. But really he comes across as just another hard playing fighting cop who needs more than a healthy dose of alcohol to get him through his days and nights. Is the Muslim thing a gimmick as one review suggests? I don't see it as a gimmick, as I am sure there are many law enforcement people who see themselves as committed Catholics or Protestants or whatever, also struggling with the requirements of their faith against the ghastliness of their jobs. But I do think that if the author does want to introduce a point of difference from your stock standard crime fighter, he needs to dig a little deeper into the character to make the religion a fundamental part of who Rashid is rather than just another person with conflict over how he wants to live his life with how he actually does.
Nevertheless I found it hard to put this novel down. A great page turner, perfect for a long flight or a lounger by the pool.
April 25, 2013
Ever seen those books from the 1960s where one volume had two books, with one printed upside-down and back-to-back with the other?
That concept is why wound up with this book. I requested The Outsider from the Amazon Vine program. I found ... lucky me! ... that the publisher had the first book in the series upside-down and backed up to it. Turns out The Abbey was a huge seller as an ebook and is now coming out in print.
What made the story stand out was Ash himself. He rationalizes his drinking despite the fact that he shouldn't as a practicing Muslim. Heck, he rationalizes drinking as a husband when he rinses with mouthwash before going home, and as a cop, which we see when he's busted while driving. Clearly Ash is struggling with his profession.
What really fascinated me were the threads of faith woven throughout ... as it defines Ash's identity, as it is seen within his family, and how it is practiced in everyday American life (he can’t go to a certain diner for pancakes because they are cooked on the same griddle with bacon). These points aren't dwelt upon but are just ever-present in his life, just as my Catholicism is for me (I couldn't have eaten that bacon on a Friday). That made Ash into a much more developed character than we'd have seen otherwise and lifted the book above the common.
Overall it was an enjoyable book and I'm glad to have the sequel, The Outsider, as close as flipping the book over and opening the "back" cover.
That concept is why wound up with this book. I requested The Outsider from the Amazon Vine program. I found ... lucky me! ... that the publisher had the first book in the series upside-down and backed up to it. Turns out The Abbey was a huge seller as an ebook and is now coming out in print.
I may not have been a very good Muslim, but my religion called me to seek and foster justice. It’s a divine edict as stringent as any command in any faith. Nobody gets a pass, least of all somebody who hurt my niece.I was intrigued by the protagonist being an American Muslim police detective but the story itself was pretty interesting. Detective Sergeant Ashraf Rashid hasn't worked homicide in a long time but his niece is murdered and he asks his ex-partner to let him look into it. Ash knows his niece wasn't a drug user so when the coroner calls it an overdose, he turns up the heat. A string of deaths, pressure to stop investigating, and anonymous threats to his family add to Ash's problems. The plot goes into overdrive and is somewhat overblown by the end, but I forgave it because I was unwilling to stop reading and flipping pages ever faster. I read it in one evening ... the author clearly hooked me.
What made the story stand out was Ash himself. He rationalizes his drinking despite the fact that he shouldn't as a practicing Muslim. Heck, he rationalizes drinking as a husband when he rinses with mouthwash before going home, and as a cop, which we see when he's busted while driving. Clearly Ash is struggling with his profession.
What really fascinated me were the threads of faith woven throughout ... as it defines Ash's identity, as it is seen within his family, and how it is practiced in everyday American life (he can’t go to a certain diner for pancakes because they are cooked on the same griddle with bacon). These points aren't dwelt upon but are just ever-present in his life, just as my Catholicism is for me (I couldn't have eaten that bacon on a Friday). That made Ash into a much more developed character than we'd have seen otherwise and lifted the book above the common.
Overall it was an enjoyable book and I'm glad to have the sequel, The Outsider, as close as flipping the book over and opening the "back" cover.
December 26, 2011
Amazingly Mediocre. That is about the best way I can sum up this book. Wasted potential might be another. Culver tries too hard with certain elements like trying to force you into believing who is setting things up and trying to sabotage our hero, but in doing so, goes so far overboard that it borders on silly. The "twist" of who was actually behind it then came as no surprise at all. And his wrap up of that subplot conflict seemed nothing short of forced and thus made little to no sense.
In even the most outrageous of the "Die Hard" like scenarios, in order to pull it off, there needs to be at least some hint of plausibility. That while stretched to a point you have to really stretch to accept that this could happen, while caught up in the story, you can accept it. Unfortunately, Ash Rashid, our hero goes beyond that point, where you just stop and say, "awww c'mon" and the "spell" of believability is broken.
Despite the title, and some reviews that make far too big a point of this innocuous subplot... the world of "vampires" and even The Abbey itself, a nightclub, plays little to no role in the story.
In the end, I can't say it was a terrible book, but at the same time, so much potential seems to have been wasted with seemingly overdone characters in some cases (He spends so much time setting Bowers to appear one way and fails to resolve any of it, except for a half-hearted attempt), to throwing in elements that seem so purposeless to the story (I guess he was trying to use some sort of misdirection, but failed), it ultimately winds up as neither good or bad... just mediocre.
I grabbed this as an Amazon .99 bargain, and even at its $2.99 regular price, you will certainly get your money's worth... I have spent far more on books that wound up being far less worthy. Just so long as your expectations aren't too high coming in, you will find it completely...mediocre.
In even the most outrageous of the "Die Hard" like scenarios, in order to pull it off, there needs to be at least some hint of plausibility. That while stretched to a point you have to really stretch to accept that this could happen, while caught up in the story, you can accept it. Unfortunately, Ash Rashid, our hero goes beyond that point, where you just stop and say, "awww c'mon" and the "spell" of believability is broken.
Despite the title, and some reviews that make far too big a point of this innocuous subplot... the world of "vampires" and even The Abbey itself, a nightclub, plays little to no role in the story.
In the end, I can't say it was a terrible book, but at the same time, so much potential seems to have been wasted with seemingly overdone characters in some cases (He spends so much time setting Bowers to appear one way and fails to resolve any of it, except for a half-hearted attempt), to throwing in elements that seem so purposeless to the story (I guess he was trying to use some sort of misdirection, but failed), it ultimately winds up as neither good or bad... just mediocre.
I grabbed this as an Amazon .99 bargain, and even at its $2.99 regular price, you will certainly get your money's worth... I have spent far more on books that wound up being far less worthy. Just so long as your expectations aren't too high coming in, you will find it completely...mediocre.
September 9, 2011
Product Description:
“Ash Rashid is a former homicide detective who can't stand the thought of handling another death investigation. In another year, he'll be out of the department completely. That's the plan, at least, until his niece's body is found in the guest home of one of his city's most wealthy citizens. The coroner calls it an overdose, but the case doesn't add up. Against orders, Ash launches an investigation to find his niece's murderer, but the longer he searches, the more entangled he becomes in a case that hits increasingly close to home. If he doesn't solve it fast, his niece won't be the only family member he has to bury.”
I downloaded this book from Amazon because it was $0.99. I admit that might not be the best reason to read a book, but considering I’ve never read anything by Chris Culver in the past; it was as good a reason as any. In the long run I think it will work out. I really enjoyed the book. Ash, is a former detective studying to become a lawyer. He’s a bit of an alcoholic, although I believe he refers to it as a hobby that involves alcohol. The story opens with Ash doing a death notification. We quickly find out that this isn’t any ordinary notification; the girl who has died is his niece.
From this point forward, the reader follows Ash through his investigation into his niece’s death and the plot twists that occur. Ash is definitely a flawed character, but you find yourself rooting for him as he gets dragged further into the grey lines of what is right and wrong.
An excellent read.
“Ash Rashid is a former homicide detective who can't stand the thought of handling another death investigation. In another year, he'll be out of the department completely. That's the plan, at least, until his niece's body is found in the guest home of one of his city's most wealthy citizens. The coroner calls it an overdose, but the case doesn't add up. Against orders, Ash launches an investigation to find his niece's murderer, but the longer he searches, the more entangled he becomes in a case that hits increasingly close to home. If he doesn't solve it fast, his niece won't be the only family member he has to bury.”
I downloaded this book from Amazon because it was $0.99. I admit that might not be the best reason to read a book, but considering I’ve never read anything by Chris Culver in the past; it was as good a reason as any. In the long run I think it will work out. I really enjoyed the book. Ash, is a former detective studying to become a lawyer. He’s a bit of an alcoholic, although I believe he refers to it as a hobby that involves alcohol. The story opens with Ash doing a death notification. We quickly find out that this isn’t any ordinary notification; the girl who has died is his niece.
From this point forward, the reader follows Ash through his investigation into his niece’s death and the plot twists that occur. Ash is definitely a flawed character, but you find yourself rooting for him as he gets dragged further into the grey lines of what is right and wrong.
An excellent read.
December 15, 2011
This was one of the Amazon deals that I enthusiastically loaded onto my new Kindle. It’s been hit and miss with those, of course, but this one was a definite hit. Detective Ashraf Rashid won’t take no for an answer when the case is closed concerning the mysterious death of his niece and continues to dig for answers on his own. The situation gradually unfolds into something much bigger than a young girl dead from an apparent drug overdose.
“Already, I had burned a building to the ground, shot a guy, become indebted to a drug dealing Russian gangster and uncovered a major drug trafficking ring with ties to a vampire cult. No one could say I didn’t get sh*t done, at least.” And so it goes . . .
I liked Ashraf, a hard-assed detective with a soft side, vulnerabilities and struggles to reconcile his faith with his actions. I appreciated the portrayal of a Muslim American cop and his family who Americans could relate to as average, real people. I enjoyed the writing style. Nothing like first person narrative to get into the heart and mind of a character. I liked the insider information about law enforcement woven into the story. I found the plot to be refreshing and exciting with twists that surprised me.
Congratulations to Mr. Culver on this debut novel. I will definitely put more of his work on my reading list.
The Abbey
“Already, I had burned a building to the ground, shot a guy, become indebted to a drug dealing Russian gangster and uncovered a major drug trafficking ring with ties to a vampire cult. No one could say I didn’t get sh*t done, at least.” And so it goes . . .
I liked Ashraf, a hard-assed detective with a soft side, vulnerabilities and struggles to reconcile his faith with his actions. I appreciated the portrayal of a Muslim American cop and his family who Americans could relate to as average, real people. I enjoyed the writing style. Nothing like first person narrative to get into the heart and mind of a character. I liked the insider information about law enforcement woven into the story. I found the plot to be refreshing and exciting with twists that surprised me.
Congratulations to Mr. Culver on this debut novel. I will definitely put more of his work on my reading list.
The Abbey
August 15, 2018
Kitap boyunca Detektif Ash Rashid ya namaz kıldı ya içki içti ya yemek yedi. Sanırım bu kitapta aslında müslümanları kötülemek istemişler çünkü başrol 5 vakit namaz kılsa da her akşam içki içti. Genel itibariyle okuması güzel bir kitaptı. Yalnız çeviride bir hata gördüm. Pirsing nedir ya? Neden orijinal ismiyle yazmamışlar ki? Saçma.
June 23, 2016
Türü ve konusu ne olursa olsun, 1. tekil şahıs cinsinden yazılan kitaplar, okurken rahatsızlık uyandırıyor bende. Bazı detaylar aşırı gereksiz, yazar konuyu uzatmak için bu hataya sıklıkla düşmüş. "Tek elimle gözümü ovarken, diğeriyle direksiyonu tutuyordum..." gibi. Bu kadar detaya neden gerek duymuş bilmiyorum. Diğer bir eksiği ise kendini, daha doğrusu cümlelerini tekrarlamış olması, karakterler cümleyi söyledikten sonra, anlatıcı aynı cümleyi farklı bir şekilde tekrarlıyor. Kısaca, sürükleyicilik ve anlatım konusunda yazar benim açımdan sınıfta kaldı. Bu arada çevirmenden kaynaklı hatalar da az değil.
Konuya adapte olmakta da sıkıntılar çektim, vampirler(fantastik öğe değil, inançları gereği kan içen insanlardan bahsediyoruz) uyuşturucu kaçakçıları ve bilim adamları arasında bir üçgen kurgulamış ama neresinden bakarsanız bakın, kurgu vasat, ki belli noktadan sonra hikayenin bir kısmını göz ardı ediyorsunuz.
Sevemedim, beğenemedim...
Konuya adapte olmakta da sıkıntılar çektim, vampirler(fantastik öğe değil, inançları gereği kan içen insanlardan bahsediyoruz) uyuşturucu kaçakçıları ve bilim adamları arasında bir üçgen kurgulamış ama neresinden bakarsanız bakın, kurgu vasat, ki belli noktadan sonra hikayenin bir kısmını göz ardı ediyorsunuz.
Sevemedim, beğenemedim...
May 30, 2016
I bought this as a kindle bargain book ($0.99) and loved it. I recommended it to my husband (who rarely reads a book) and he liked it. We have both since read the second book in the series (The Outsider) and enjoyed that as well - yes it was so good my husband read the second book and is about to start the third.
The main character is a family man, a detective, an American and a Muslim. He struggles to be true to all the parts of himself as the different aspects are at times in conflict with each other. He is a likeable guy just trying to get buy in a difficult world.
The book is well written and has a captivating story line with a splash humour - I definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading this author again.
The main character is a family man, a detective, an American and a Muslim. He struggles to be true to all the parts of himself as the different aspects are at times in conflict with each other. He is a likeable guy just trying to get buy in a difficult world.
The book is well written and has a captivating story line with a splash humour - I definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading this author again.
November 30, 2011
I initially read this book because of all the great reviews. While a very easy read that left me anticipating more while reading it, that's exactly how it ended, as well: wanting more. The suspense was just enough to keep me reading. The plot wasn't what I would call original and much like many other mystery thrillers: Family member killed, detective uncle wants to play hero and become enmeshed. His family is taken hostage, he heroically saves them, and the "mystery" of his niece's death is solved. I was expecting some big cliffhanger, but sadly I was left disappointed.
February 4, 2020
This book was awful
Please please please,Don't wish your money on this crap.I have read,Better comic books than this.This is written Like a Freshman high schooler.If you must,Throw your money in the street and watch a Car run over it.You will get more satisfaction that way.This was a truly awful book And the author should spend time in a federal penitentiary for Thinking that he can actually write.I truly believe that he used crayons to write this Awful manuscript. Reader Beware.
Please please please,Don't wish your money on this crap.I have read,Better comic books than this.This is written Like a Freshman high schooler.If you must,Throw your money in the street and watch a Car run over it.You will get more satisfaction that way.This was a truly awful book And the author should spend time in a federal penitentiary for Thinking that he can actually write.I truly believe that he used crayons to write this Awful manuscript. Reader Beware.
August 13, 2012
Just finished The Abbey by Chris Culver. An interesting book -- a Muslim detective's niece dies from drinking a vial of "blood", and the investigation leads the detective further and further down the rabbit hole, until vampires, the FBI, terrorism, the mob, and more are involved. 3.5 stars out of 5.
Read
March 23, 2012First time I am reading this author. Found this book on my Nook.
This was a good book. I liked the story and the main character. I would read more books from this author. Might be a good book club book.
This was a good book. I liked the story and the main character. I would read more books from this author. Might be a good book club book.
May 5, 2017
Ne yazık ki hiç beklediğim gibi çıkmadı. Üstelik kitapta oldukça fazla yazım hatası vardı. Okunmaz mı? Okunur tabi.
August 28, 2017
DS Ashraf “Ash” Rashid (son/brother, Muslim, IMPD) told Rana Haddad (sister/wife, Muslim, nee Rashid), & Nassir Haddad (husband, brother-in-law, Muslim) the bad news that he called the wedding off between him/Hannah (Ash’s fiancé, Muslim).
Detective Olivia Rhodes (IMPD) had brought in Robert “Robbie” Cutting (Rachel’s BF) for interrogation about Rachel Haddad’s (17, daughter/niece, Muslim, Purdue; tennis) murder.
John Meyers (50+, Robbie’s defense attorney) was present.
North Meridian. Robbie Cutting had committed suicide.
Nathan Cuttings, Maria Cuttings, & John Meyers (their attorney) were present.
Lieutenant Mike Bowers, DS Rashid & Detective Rhodes were on the scene also.
Robbie & Rachel had been dating.
The tox screen had showed there was enough cocaine in her system to kill a horse.
Why was James “Jimmy” Russo (confidential informant) killed?
Then Rolando “Rollo” Diaz was whacked.
The others who were murdered are: Robert Cutting, Alicia Weinstein, Mark Patterson (Alicia’s BF), & Caitlin Long (niece).
Why did Hulk (Konstantin’s # 2 man) bring Ash to see Konstantin Bukoholov?
What were Oliva & Ash discussing?
Will the crimes be solved & someone brought to justice?
Boone’s Farm haven’t had that since HS.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Ebookstage; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Detective Olivia Rhodes (IMPD) had brought in Robert “Robbie” Cutting (Rachel’s BF) for interrogation about Rachel Haddad’s (17, daughter/niece, Muslim, Purdue; tennis) murder.
John Meyers (50+, Robbie’s defense attorney) was present.
North Meridian. Robbie Cutting had committed suicide.
Nathan Cuttings, Maria Cuttings, & John Meyers (their attorney) were present.
Lieutenant Mike Bowers, DS Rashid & Detective Rhodes were on the scene also.
Robbie & Rachel had been dating.
The tox screen had showed there was enough cocaine in her system to kill a horse.
Why was James “Jimmy” Russo (confidential informant) killed?
Then Rolando “Rollo” Diaz was whacked.
The others who were murdered are: Robert Cutting, Alicia Weinstein, Mark Patterson (Alicia’s BF), & Caitlin Long (niece).
Why did Hulk (Konstantin’s # 2 man) bring Ash to see Konstantin Bukoholov?
What were Oliva & Ash discussing?
Will the crimes be solved & someone brought to justice?
Boone’s Farm haven’t had that since HS.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Ebookstage; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
March 5, 2021
Merhaba 📚
•
Manastır Dedektif Ash Rashid Serisi’nin ilk kitabı.
Sürükleyici bir polisiye olan #Manastır “Nefret ederdim ölen kişinin birinci dereceden akrabalarına ölüm haberini bildirmekten.” cümlesiyle başlıyor. Kitabın ana karakteri Ash Rashid’i, sevgilisinin evinde ölen yeğeninin ölüm haberini, kız kardeşine verirken tanımaya başlıyoruz. Ash daha önce karşılaştığım dedektiflerden oldukça farklı.
•
Ash’ı tanımak daha doğrusu yabancı bir polisiyede Müslüman bir dedektifle karşılaşmak benim için bir ilkti. Ash tek bir cümleye sığdırabileceğim karakterlerden değil. Gündüz içki şişesini ziyaret etse de akşam ailesiyle ibadet eden; tek başınayken tehlikeye dalmak konusunda pervasızca hareket ederken, ailesinin yanında abartılı tedbirler uygulayan biri. Mesleği gereği hayatını adaleti sağlamaya adasa ve bu uğurda hukuk eğitimine devam ediyor olsa da geçmişinde sahte deliller yerleştirdiği bir şüpheliyi hapse attıracak kadar adalet terazisini yerle bir etmişliği var.
•
“Sistemin benim gibi insanların çalışmasına ihtiyacı var. Doğru, yanlış, adalet, adaletsizlik. Bu kavramlar bir vaazda ya da konuşmada kulağa hoş gelir fakat gerçek hayatta daha karmaşıktır işler.”
•
Ash, yeğeninin ölümünü araştırırken vampir gibi davranan gençlerin mesken edindiği bir gece kulübü keşfediyor. Manastır isimli mekânı araştıran dedektif neredeyse her gün yeni bir ölüm haberi alıyor. Tüm deliller ve itiraflar, intihara işaret etse de birbirini tanıyan gençlerin şüpheli ve hızı artan ölümleri bir süre sonra Ash’ın tüm dikkatini vermesine rağmen çözemediği bir bilmece haline geliyor.
Polisiyelerdeki dışlanmış dedektif rolü Manastır’da da vardı. Bir süre sonra Ash soruşturmasını gizlice ve tek başına yürütmeye başladı. Açıkçası bu klişeleşen durumun kitaplara ayrı bir lezzet kattığını düşünüyorum. Kitaba dair tek eleştirim bazı önemli noktalarda tesadüflerin yer almasıydı. Bunun haricinde Manastır, gerek konusu gerek özgün karakterleriyle okunmaya değer bir eser.
•
Kitap yorumunun tamamına ve diğer #kitap yorumlarıma aşağıdaki linkten ulaşabilirsiniz;
http://www.kitapmimari.com/kitap-yoru...
•
Manastır Dedektif Ash Rashid Serisi’nin ilk kitabı.
Sürükleyici bir polisiye olan #Manastır “Nefret ederdim ölen kişinin birinci dereceden akrabalarına ölüm haberini bildirmekten.” cümlesiyle başlıyor. Kitabın ana karakteri Ash Rashid’i, sevgilisinin evinde ölen yeğeninin ölüm haberini, kız kardeşine verirken tanımaya başlıyoruz. Ash daha önce karşılaştığım dedektiflerden oldukça farklı.
•
Ash’ı tanımak daha doğrusu yabancı bir polisiyede Müslüman bir dedektifle karşılaşmak benim için bir ilkti. Ash tek bir cümleye sığdırabileceğim karakterlerden değil. Gündüz içki şişesini ziyaret etse de akşam ailesiyle ibadet eden; tek başınayken tehlikeye dalmak konusunda pervasızca hareket ederken, ailesinin yanında abartılı tedbirler uygulayan biri. Mesleği gereği hayatını adaleti sağlamaya adasa ve bu uğurda hukuk eğitimine devam ediyor olsa da geçmişinde sahte deliller yerleştirdiği bir şüpheliyi hapse attıracak kadar adalet terazisini yerle bir etmişliği var.
•
“Sistemin benim gibi insanların çalışmasına ihtiyacı var. Doğru, yanlış, adalet, adaletsizlik. Bu kavramlar bir vaazda ya da konuşmada kulağa hoş gelir fakat gerçek hayatta daha karmaşıktır işler.”
•
Ash, yeğeninin ölümünü araştırırken vampir gibi davranan gençlerin mesken edindiği bir gece kulübü keşfediyor. Manastır isimli mekânı araştıran dedektif neredeyse her gün yeni bir ölüm haberi alıyor. Tüm deliller ve itiraflar, intihara işaret etse de birbirini tanıyan gençlerin şüpheli ve hızı artan ölümleri bir süre sonra Ash’ın tüm dikkatini vermesine rağmen çözemediği bir bilmece haline geliyor.
Polisiyelerdeki dışlanmış dedektif rolü Manastır’da da vardı. Bir süre sonra Ash soruşturmasını gizlice ve tek başına yürütmeye başladı. Açıkçası bu klişeleşen durumun kitaplara ayrı bir lezzet kattığını düşünüyorum. Kitaba dair tek eleştirim bazı önemli noktalarda tesadüflerin yer almasıydı. Bunun haricinde Manastır, gerek konusu gerek özgün karakterleriyle okunmaya değer bir eser.
•
Kitap yorumunun tamamına ve diğer #kitap yorumlarıma aşağıdaki linkten ulaşabilirsiniz;
http://www.kitapmimari.com/kitap-yoru...
March 17, 2018
En çok okuduğu türün polisiye olduğu bir okurum ben. Bu yüzden artık polisiye romanlarda olayın nasıl çözüleceğini veya bağların ne olduğunu rahatlıkla anlayabiliyorum. Bu gibi durumlarda artık beni hala şaşırtabilecek kurgular bekliyorum. Bu kitap bu beklentimi hiç karşılamadı, aksine çok acemi düzeyde yazılmış bir polisiye kurgusu gibi geldi bana.
Bu kitabı belki hiç polisiye okumamış birine polisiyeye giriş niyetine önerebilirdim fakat hayatında on tane polisiye kitap okumuş bir insan bu kitabın kurgusunun ne denli basit ve klişe olduğunu çok rahatlıkla anlayabilir. Bir dedektifimiz var, yeğeni ölü bulunuyor ve bu olayı çözmenin peşine düşüyor. Zaten genelde polisiyelerin bu olay başlangıcı basit gibi görünür ama olayın içine girince bir sürü sır perdesi aralanır. Bu kitapta o sır perdeleri çok bariz bir biçimdeydi.
Yazarın dilini de basit buldum ben. Ana karakterimiz Ash Rashid'in Müslüman olması güzel bir detay fakat sürekli adamın dinini gözümüze sokacak ayrıntılara yer vermesi rahatsız edici olabiliyordu. Yazar çoğu zaman resmen ''Bakın ben farklı bir karakter yazdım.'' mesajı vermesi bir süre sonra sıkıcı olabiliyordu.
Bunlara rağmen yazarın dilinden ve olayın klişeliğinden doğan olumlu bir durum da vardı. Kitap sürükleyici sayılabilecek bir tarzdaydı. Bunun da en büyük nedeninin kolay okunacak bir çerezlik polisiye romanı olmasından kaynaklandığını düşünüyorum. Kitap, benim gibi polisiye severler için çok basit kalıyordu kısacası.
Bu kitabı belki hiç polisiye okumamış birine polisiyeye giriş niyetine önerebilirdim fakat hayatında on tane polisiye kitap okumuş bir insan bu kitabın kurgusunun ne denli basit ve klişe olduğunu çok rahatlıkla anlayabilir. Bir dedektifimiz var, yeğeni ölü bulunuyor ve bu olayı çözmenin peşine düşüyor. Zaten genelde polisiyelerin bu olay başlangıcı basit gibi görünür ama olayın içine girince bir sürü sır perdesi aralanır. Bu kitapta o sır perdeleri çok bariz bir biçimdeydi.
Yazarın dilini de basit buldum ben. Ana karakterimiz Ash Rashid'in Müslüman olması güzel bir detay fakat sürekli adamın dinini gözümüze sokacak ayrıntılara yer vermesi rahatsız edici olabiliyordu. Yazar çoğu zaman resmen ''Bakın ben farklı bir karakter yazdım.'' mesajı vermesi bir süre sonra sıkıcı olabiliyordu.
Bunlara rağmen yazarın dilinden ve olayın klişeliğinden doğan olumlu bir durum da vardı. Kitap sürükleyici sayılabilecek bir tarzdaydı. Bunun da en büyük nedeninin kolay okunacak bir çerezlik polisiye romanı olmasından kaynaklandığını düşünüyorum. Kitap, benim gibi polisiye severler için çok basit kalıyordu kısacası.
April 18, 2018
Eh. I initially picked up this book because the synopsis is really intriguing. The book ended up being nothing like the synopsis. It sounds like it could make for a really interesting mystery/thriller but it ended up going in a complete different direction. There are too many ideas trying to be fit into one story and it makes it confusing and you don’t understand what any of it has to do with the initial plot of this story. It ended up going in a really weird direction and it went into this whole elaborate story that left you confused and not actually getting to the point as to why his niece was killed (not a spoiler). This book was pretty unrealistic and oozed your typical/stereotypical cop show. I found the main character dramatic, over reactive, and pretentious. He will randomly pull his gun on people or show it in his holster and it was a bit over used and dramatic and left you rolling your eyes. He did have some sarcastic comments that made me chuckle. Although I leave this book with many unanswered questions and confused as to what was actually happening in the book, I do have to say the author did a really great job with bringing Ash’s inner thoughts to life. You felt what he was feeling and it was so descriptive that you felt along with him throughout the book. This book could’ve went in a different direction but it was just weird for lack of a better word and went really fast over all the ideas it was trying to incorporate
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