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Far South #2
Dead Lemons
This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN B01IEBX3CI.
In the far south a young girl goes missing, lost without trace in the wilderness beyond her remote family cottage. A year later her father disappears in the same place. Then nothing. At all. Eventually the years grow over the grief. The decades wear away the questions, life flows past the forgotten tragedy.
Until Finn moves into the abandoned home, looking for a fresh start.
A place to heal himself far from his old problems. But rebuilding life is complicated by chance encounters and odd occurrences leaving Finn with the growing suspicion that the people here are harboring a terrible secret. Suspicion turns to obsession the deeper Finn digs while also facing steadily escalating dangers in the here-and-now. Soon Finn's own journey of recovery becomes inextricably linked with his need to unravel the mystery. Past and present finally collide when Finn starts to learn the truth about this place and himself. Now he must choose between exoneration and condemnation, justice and vengeance.
In the far south a young girl goes missing, lost without trace in the wilderness beyond her remote family cottage. A year later her father disappears in the same place. Then nothing. At all. Eventually the years grow over the grief. The decades wear away the questions, life flows past the forgotten tragedy.
Until Finn moves into the abandoned home, looking for a fresh start.
A place to heal himself far from his old problems. But rebuilding life is complicated by chance encounters and odd occurrences leaving Finn with the growing suspicion that the people here are harboring a terrible secret. Suspicion turns to obsession the deeper Finn digs while also facing steadily escalating dangers in the here-and-now. Soon Finn's own journey of recovery becomes inextricably linked with his need to unravel the mystery. Past and present finally collide when Finn starts to learn the truth about this place and himself. Now he must choose between exoneration and condemnation, justice and vengeance.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
346 people are currently reading
537 people want to read
About the author
Finn Bell
5 books58 followersFinn Bell lives in the far south of New Zealand where he writes full time. To find out more about him or his books visit www.finnbellbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
April 3, 2018
4.5 Stars
I was in the mood for a good thriller, and I lucked out when I chose ‘Dead Lemons’ by Finn Bell. The story is set on the very southern end of the South Island of New Zealand. This was new territory for me, and I appreciated Bell taking the time to describe some of the contemporary Maori culture, and the local environs.
The main character, oddly enough also named Finn Bell, is a wheelchair bound paraplegic who moves to the South Island to turn the page and get a fresh start life. He recently became a paraplegic because he crashed his car while driving drunk. He buys a small cottage at the remote southern end of the island, and thus becomes neighbors with the ominous Zoyl brothers. Years before, a 12 year-old girl, and then her father went missing from the cottage that Finn just bought. Neither were ever found, and are presumed dead. This doesn’t seem to bother Finn too much, until he loses power in his house at odd times and goes to talk to the Zoyls about the issue. He is forcibly kept out of the barn by the youngest brother Darryl. Finn was convinced strange cries and screams coming from the barn, and Darryl seems to be getting great pleasure from the sounds and his ability to possibly wreak violence on Finn.
When Finn moves, he is assigned a new psychotherapist, Betty, who works with him to figure out what his next moves are in relation to the direction he wants his life to take. I loved Betty. She pulls no punches. She’s at least 70 years old, and calls it like she sees it. The term ‘Dead Lemon’ comes from her. Are you a Dead Lemon who has no future, or are you going to fight to make a new life for yourself? That is her main question to Finn.
Finn keeps getting dragged further and further in the mystery surrounding the Zoyl brothers and the missing people from the cottage. The pace of the book revs up as the story unfolds. I didn’t see the ending coming. To me, that’s the hallmark of a great mystery/thriller. I liked the main characters, and was kept on (appropriate) tenterhooks about the Zoyls. On the one hand I was rooting for Finn to keep going, but on the other hand, I wanted him to stop because I didn’t see it ending well for him. What a wonderful dilemma to find yourself in as a reader. It kept me engaged with the book and the characters.
Thank-you to NetGalley and the author Finn Bell for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
I was in the mood for a good thriller, and I lucked out when I chose ‘Dead Lemons’ by Finn Bell. The story is set on the very southern end of the South Island of New Zealand. This was new territory for me, and I appreciated Bell taking the time to describe some of the contemporary Maori culture, and the local environs.
The main character, oddly enough also named Finn Bell, is a wheelchair bound paraplegic who moves to the South Island to turn the page and get a fresh start life. He recently became a paraplegic because he crashed his car while driving drunk. He buys a small cottage at the remote southern end of the island, and thus becomes neighbors with the ominous Zoyl brothers. Years before, a 12 year-old girl, and then her father went missing from the cottage that Finn just bought. Neither were ever found, and are presumed dead. This doesn’t seem to bother Finn too much, until he loses power in his house at odd times and goes to talk to the Zoyls about the issue. He is forcibly kept out of the barn by the youngest brother Darryl. Finn was convinced strange cries and screams coming from the barn, and Darryl seems to be getting great pleasure from the sounds and his ability to possibly wreak violence on Finn.
When Finn moves, he is assigned a new psychotherapist, Betty, who works with him to figure out what his next moves are in relation to the direction he wants his life to take. I loved Betty. She pulls no punches. She’s at least 70 years old, and calls it like she sees it. The term ‘Dead Lemon’ comes from her. Are you a Dead Lemon who has no future, or are you going to fight to make a new life for yourself? That is her main question to Finn.
Finn keeps getting dragged further and further in the mystery surrounding the Zoyl brothers and the missing people from the cottage. The pace of the book revs up as the story unfolds. I didn’t see the ending coming. To me, that’s the hallmark of a great mystery/thriller. I liked the main characters, and was kept on (appropriate) tenterhooks about the Zoyls. On the one hand I was rooting for Finn to keep going, but on the other hand, I wanted him to stop because I didn’t see it ending well for him. What a wonderful dilemma to find yourself in as a reader. It kept me engaged with the book and the characters.
Thank-you to NetGalley and the author Finn Bell for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
March 17, 2018
This is a crime story set in the very south of the south island of New Zealand which is quite a remote landscape. We follow Finn who is a wheelchair user. He is at rock bottom and arrives in the small town of Riverton knowing no one and not interested in anyone. He lives in a cottage where a child and her father previously disappeared and at first he is not bothered about this but he gradually gets intrigued by the story, the local people and his sinister neighbours the Zoyls.
I don't want to give anything away so getting to my opinion. This is a strong crime novel that is not a police prodecural, does not have a protagonist who is stereotyped and is not only about the crime - all strong points. The setting is very much a part of the story. The local Maori culture influences much of what has taken place and the historical background plays a large part in how things unfold. In between the crimes we have a man coming to terms with the new reality of using a wheelchair. We delve into his therapy and his attitude with his great therapist - Betty - asking him if he is a 'dead lemon' someone who goes around making no contribution to the world whilst spoiling it for others, who may as well not bother living. She pulls no punches. My only criticism is that it raced through the culminating scene rather quickly although it was good to have the final chapters to tie in all the threads - there are several. I was enjoying it enough not to want to get to the end.
Overall this is a recommended book for those who enjoyed books like The Dry, Dead Woman Walking and books with a mystery that are not lead by a police character. I see this has won awards and it is easy to see why.
I don't want to give anything away so getting to my opinion. This is a strong crime novel that is not a police prodecural, does not have a protagonist who is stereotyped and is not only about the crime - all strong points. The setting is very much a part of the story. The local Maori culture influences much of what has taken place and the historical background plays a large part in how things unfold. In between the crimes we have a man coming to terms with the new reality of using a wheelchair. We delve into his therapy and his attitude with his great therapist - Betty - asking him if he is a 'dead lemon' someone who goes around making no contribution to the world whilst spoiling it for others, who may as well not bother living. She pulls no punches. My only criticism is that it raced through the culminating scene rather quickly although it was good to have the final chapters to tie in all the threads - there are several. I was enjoying it enough not to want to get to the end.
Overall this is a recommended book for those who enjoyed books like The Dry, Dead Woman Walking and books with a mystery that are not lead by a police character. I see this has won awards and it is easy to see why.
June 22, 2018
There were many reasons why I decided to pick up this thriller - the advance praise, the fact that it sounded so unique which is quite a miracle in the crime genre, and because it won the Ngaio Marsh Award for best first novel. The superb ratings on Goodreads and Amazon are very impressive too. All very good reasons to dive right in!
Despite the award, I had no idea what to expect and was pleasantly surprised when I found it difficult to put down to do other important things such as eating and sleeping (clearly not as important as reading to me). I always wonder why I am so shocked when an indie author or publisher promotes a book that I then read and am amazed by, I really should know better! I have read plenty of indies that have completely blown me away, this is another one to add to my list.
With "Dead Lemons" Finn Bell has created an original creature. Everything about the title is astonishingly unique, he certainly can't be accused of copying or being "inspired" by another writer's work here. The setting is the beautiful South Island of New Zealand (somewhere i've always wanted to go), and there is such a strong sense of place you almost feel as though you are there. The story is intricately plotted and there is strong characterisation which ultimately makes the characters (especially Finn) realistic and relatable. Oh and be prepared for a huge twist coming at the end.
An excellent read that I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending. A deserving winner of the Ngaio Marsh award.
Many thanks to BooksGoSocial for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Despite the award, I had no idea what to expect and was pleasantly surprised when I found it difficult to put down to do other important things such as eating and sleeping (clearly not as important as reading to me). I always wonder why I am so shocked when an indie author or publisher promotes a book that I then read and am amazed by, I really should know better! I have read plenty of indies that have completely blown me away, this is another one to add to my list.
With "Dead Lemons" Finn Bell has created an original creature. Everything about the title is astonishingly unique, he certainly can't be accused of copying or being "inspired" by another writer's work here. The setting is the beautiful South Island of New Zealand (somewhere i've always wanted to go), and there is such a strong sense of place you almost feel as though you are there. The story is intricately plotted and there is strong characterisation which ultimately makes the characters (especially Finn) realistic and relatable. Oh and be prepared for a huge twist coming at the end.
An excellent read that I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending. A deserving winner of the Ngaio Marsh award.
Many thanks to BooksGoSocial for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
February 9, 2018
My Opinion:
I really enjoyed this thrilling, exciting tale. Dead Lemons was at times even thought provoking. I like that we explored this world from a mental health issue and from a person with a disability. I think that is what I liked the most about the book.
I liked the fact that Finn (name is the same in the book) has a disability and seems to function better then most without one. We were exposed to his condition and why he is like he is. We also get to heart of the matter. There are some life lessons in here I believe. That's what drew me in. I totally enjoyed all the twists and turns and all the characters in the book.
My favorite was Betty, Finn's therapist and her helping Finn trying to figure out the Dead Lemon. Loved it. I would definitely recommend this book as it has won an award for best first novel. I loved, at times, that the author could even get me to cringe at some of the things going on in the book.
I totally enjoyed it and will look forward to more from Finn Bell. I really enjoyed the twist at end!
I give this book 4.5 of 5 stars!
I really enjoyed this thrilling, exciting tale. Dead Lemons was at times even thought provoking. I like that we explored this world from a mental health issue and from a person with a disability. I think that is what I liked the most about the book.
I liked the fact that Finn (name is the same in the book) has a disability and seems to function better then most without one. We were exposed to his condition and why he is like he is. We also get to heart of the matter. There are some life lessons in here I believe. That's what drew me in. I totally enjoyed all the twists and turns and all the characters in the book.
My favorite was Betty, Finn's therapist and her helping Finn trying to figure out the Dead Lemon. Loved it. I would definitely recommend this book as it has won an award for best first novel. I loved, at times, that the author could even get me to cringe at some of the things going on in the book.
I totally enjoyed it and will look forward to more from Finn Bell. I really enjoyed the twist at end!
I give this book 4.5 of 5 stars!
August 25, 2016
This is such a fabulous and wonderfully unique story. So well written, with interesting characters and a plot that absolutely pulls you in. Certainly one of the standouts in the story, is Betty the therapist and her take on life. It’s nice to read a book that you not only enjoy, but is also thought provoking. Finn Bell thought he could start his life over again and make a fresh start by moving to the most remote town in the South Island of New Zealand. He purchased a little two-bedroom cottage and thought he could hide away. However, things weren’t going to be that simple for him. He had no sooner arrived when he received notification to attend a counselling session with his new therapist Betty. Compulsory counselling was all part of smashing his car into a parked truck when he was drunk. His heavy drinking not only put him in a wheel chair, but ended his marriage and most of his friendships. Finn thought he could hide away in a little town like Riverton, but Patricia the local hairdresser told him that in such a small town like this, everyone new everyone else’s business. Finn should have listened to his murder ball friend Tui, when he told him he was best off to stay away from his neighbors the Zoyles. He did think there was something not quite right about them when he visited their place. He suspects they may have had something to do with the disappearance of two family members that previously lived in his cottage. Finn can’t help but stick his nose in and start to conduct his own investigation, and no doubt that will certainly be dangerous for him. From murder ball to dead lemons, I absolutely loved this book. It was definitely very entertaining, and is well worth the 5 star rating.
Read
September 19, 2018This is a really good, original thriller set in the furthest place south in New Zealand. After a car crash leaves him wheelchair bound Finn moves into the cottage where a father and daughter have disappeared in the past. There are two elements to this book. The crime thriller side and then Finn learning to come to terms with his accident.
It's a fast page turning book, the characters are great and I wasn't expecting the twist at the end. The whole thing kept me on the edge of my seat. Really enjoyable
It's a fast page turning book, the characters are great and I wasn't expecting the twist at the end. The whole thing kept me on the edge of my seat. Really enjoyable
January 5, 2018
Thank you Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC.
This is such a unique book, I absolutely loved it. Wonderful sense of place and history, an adventurous trip in unfamiliar territory, this Kiwi mystery had me reading almost non-stop.
Finn Bell is an alcoholic who ended up in a wheelchair, losing his wife to divorce in the process and moves to the far south in New Zealand, to a small cottage in Riverton. The community seems welcoming and pleasant and he meets a therapist, Betty, for compulsory sessions. Betty is 70-something with a twisty approach to counselling and my favorite character.
He finds a friend in Tui when he joins a murder ball group. Tui warns him away from his neighbors, the Zoyl brothers, but when Finn finds out about the disappearance and murder of a girl and her father, he believes the brothers were involved. He can't help himself, he needs to find the truth and ends up hanging by his leg from a cliff. The book starts with the cliffhanging scene and goes back to how all of this started.
This book is so good, do yourself a favor and read it!
This is such a unique book, I absolutely loved it. Wonderful sense of place and history, an adventurous trip in unfamiliar territory, this Kiwi mystery had me reading almost non-stop.
Finn Bell is an alcoholic who ended up in a wheelchair, losing his wife to divorce in the process and moves to the far south in New Zealand, to a small cottage in Riverton. The community seems welcoming and pleasant and he meets a therapist, Betty, for compulsory sessions. Betty is 70-something with a twisty approach to counselling and my favorite character.
He finds a friend in Tui when he joins a murder ball group. Tui warns him away from his neighbors, the Zoyl brothers, but when Finn finds out about the disappearance and murder of a girl and her father, he believes the brothers were involved. He can't help himself, he needs to find the truth and ends up hanging by his leg from a cliff. The book starts with the cliffhanging scene and goes back to how all of this started.
This book is so good, do yourself a favor and read it!
June 12, 2017
Well, this one surprised me. It's highly original, has a very strong narrative voice, and threads in lots of interesting things about recovery, philosophy, and how to live well, along with evoking the Deep South of New Zealand, both its array of modern rural personalities and intriguing history, very very well. An interesting crime thriller plotline that keeps you wondering throughout. There's minor quibbles here and there, but overall a surprising, original, terrific Kiwi crime novel that had me immediately wanting to read more from this new author.
December 9, 2017
Having lived for 3 years in this part of New Zealand I was particularly keen to read this, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
Bell is one of the few authors who puts himself into his story. Other than him living in that part of New Zealand I am not sure if he shares any of the other background he gives his alter-ego, wheelchair bound after an accident, a divorcee, and a recovering alcoholic.
It is not long after he has settled into Smugglers Cottage near the Fjordland town of Riverton than problems with the neighbours develop. He also is concerned with the unexplained disappearance of a young girl and her father some years before. In order to find out more he teams up with a local journalist and very soon the pages are turning rapidly and it is a difficult book to put down.
My only criticism is the writing style. New Zealand and the UK have much in common and having taught there for 3 years I know they protect the English language, yet Bell lapses into Americanisms so often that you could be forgiven for thinking he came from there (‘gotten’, ‘go figure’, for example).
This is very beautiful part of the world and therefore his novel, now part of a series I believe, is quite original and a fantastic setting, with careful attention given to the local Maori people. It is also self-published, and now attracting some attention in the UK, so an achievement for him to be proud of.
Bell is one of the few authors who puts himself into his story. Other than him living in that part of New Zealand I am not sure if he shares any of the other background he gives his alter-ego, wheelchair bound after an accident, a divorcee, and a recovering alcoholic.
It is not long after he has settled into Smugglers Cottage near the Fjordland town of Riverton than problems with the neighbours develop. He also is concerned with the unexplained disappearance of a young girl and her father some years before. In order to find out more he teams up with a local journalist and very soon the pages are turning rapidly and it is a difficult book to put down.
My only criticism is the writing style. New Zealand and the UK have much in common and having taught there for 3 years I know they protect the English language, yet Bell lapses into Americanisms so often that you could be forgiven for thinking he came from there (‘gotten’, ‘go figure’, for example).
This is very beautiful part of the world and therefore his novel, now part of a series I believe, is quite original and a fantastic setting, with careful attention given to the local Maori people. It is also self-published, and now attracting some attention in the UK, so an achievement for him to be proud of.
October 30, 2017
When reviewing Best Crime entrant PANCAKE MONEY, the second book from Finn Bell in the 2017 Ngaio Marsh Awards, I wasn't aware that DEAD LEMONS had won Best First Novel. Not even slightly surprised to be honest. These are both very good books.
As mentioned then, these novels are grouped together as "The Far South Series" the grouping coming from location rather than any connection between characters and storylines so whilst you absolutely should read them both, you can do that in any order you like.
The central character named Finn (I'm going to assume not completely autobiographical...) is a complicated man, trying to rebuild a complicated life. In a wheelchair after a bad accident, he's got some seriously big demons from his past and his present to deal with. The past disappearance of a young girl and her father seem like a bit of distraction therapy, as he moves into an abandoned house, starts to explore the local community, and come to grips with some big mistakes made. Helping him come to terms with the drunken car accident that put him in the chair, the subsequent break up of his marriage and most of his friendships, is local therapist Betty, the professional help he obviously desperately needs. Helping him with more local issues is hairdresser Patricia who guides him in getting to know the personalities and history of the town, but would he listen when everybody warned him to stay the hell away from the weird neighbours down the road? There's much in the broken, repentant character of now that reflects the bull-headed, determined character of the past. So stick his nose in he does, and the expected personal jeopardy he deals with is complicated by his confinement to a wheelchair in some rather unexpected ways.
Part of the strength of DEAD LEMONS is the restrained, dry sense of gallows humour. Even when Finn is at his most extreme jeopardy it's hard not to laugh at some of the predicaments he's gotten himself into, and the slightly bizarre ways he rescues himself, or at the very least protects himself, until help arrives. That's not to say that it's all humour, with some confronting aspects woven into this story, including as is required by convention, a warning about some animal cruelty that's short, sharp and brutal. As is some of the treatment dished out to Finn, as he discovers more about a place that he seems to have become reluctantly attached to along the way.
The plot here is believable, complex without being complicated, fitting nicely into a small town, surrounded by a rural area, populated by people who know everyone, have secrets, and are darn good at keeping them to themselves. You will have to accept the odd bump and jolt along the way with some motivations for events not being as seamless as it could be, but as a stranger in a strange place, Finn works as a catalyst for discovering the truth, partly because he doesn't want to let sleeping dogs lie, and partly because he seems like a character who will do anything to avoid confronting his own problems.
As the blurb puts it "Now he must choose between exoneration and condemnation, justice and vengeance." Readers are all too often left wondering which one he gets to choose, and which one he deserves.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
As mentioned then, these novels are grouped together as "The Far South Series" the grouping coming from location rather than any connection between characters and storylines so whilst you absolutely should read them both, you can do that in any order you like.
The central character named Finn (I'm going to assume not completely autobiographical...) is a complicated man, trying to rebuild a complicated life. In a wheelchair after a bad accident, he's got some seriously big demons from his past and his present to deal with. The past disappearance of a young girl and her father seem like a bit of distraction therapy, as he moves into an abandoned house, starts to explore the local community, and come to grips with some big mistakes made. Helping him come to terms with the drunken car accident that put him in the chair, the subsequent break up of his marriage and most of his friendships, is local therapist Betty, the professional help he obviously desperately needs. Helping him with more local issues is hairdresser Patricia who guides him in getting to know the personalities and history of the town, but would he listen when everybody warned him to stay the hell away from the weird neighbours down the road? There's much in the broken, repentant character of now that reflects the bull-headed, determined character of the past. So stick his nose in he does, and the expected personal jeopardy he deals with is complicated by his confinement to a wheelchair in some rather unexpected ways.
Part of the strength of DEAD LEMONS is the restrained, dry sense of gallows humour. Even when Finn is at his most extreme jeopardy it's hard not to laugh at some of the predicaments he's gotten himself into, and the slightly bizarre ways he rescues himself, or at the very least protects himself, until help arrives. That's not to say that it's all humour, with some confronting aspects woven into this story, including as is required by convention, a warning about some animal cruelty that's short, sharp and brutal. As is some of the treatment dished out to Finn, as he discovers more about a place that he seems to have become reluctantly attached to along the way.
The plot here is believable, complex without being complicated, fitting nicely into a small town, surrounded by a rural area, populated by people who know everyone, have secrets, and are darn good at keeping them to themselves. You will have to accept the odd bump and jolt along the way with some motivations for events not being as seamless as it could be, but as a stranger in a strange place, Finn works as a catalyst for discovering the truth, partly because he doesn't want to let sleeping dogs lie, and partly because he seems like a character who will do anything to avoid confronting his own problems.
As the blurb puts it "Now he must choose between exoneration and condemnation, justice and vengeance." Readers are all too often left wondering which one he gets to choose, and which one he deserves.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
September 21, 2016
"I don't know what to say now, when she said it I knew, just knew that on some level I had been thinking this; she just put words around it. "See, that's a dead lemon. Someone who knows they are never going to work out but still hangs around causing nothing but pain for themselves and the world. What's the point?" Betty says, then looks me in the eye. "You a dead lemon, Finn?" she asks."......
Life in New Zealand for Finn, has become something of a problem. He's pretty much ruined it. The story starts with him about to die. Then we look back to see how he got himself into his current state. The story weaves back and forth between the present predicament, and the months earlier leading up to this point.
The story of a long ago,mysterious disappearance of a young girl, and later her father, from their cottage resurrects itself when Finn moves into that very place, hoping to rebuild his broken life.
The old tale intertwines with Finns new life as he searches for answers. He does so mostly out of curiosity, but for his own well being. Finn is trying to make some life changing decisions. People in town are friendly enough, but the neighbors kind of creeped me out from their first meeting with Finn. Finn does manage to make some new friends, that will play an important part of the new life he's learning to build for himself.
There is some genuinely graphic and creepy details in this story. It's like walking along on a sunny day, only to turn the corner and walk straight into a hurricane. Do the neighbors know more than they're saying about the long ago disappearances? Some gripping parts, a heart stopping thriller. Did I mention graphic and creepy?
I'd be doing you a disservice if I left out Finn's visit to a counselor. If you've ever been through anything hard in your life, those would be the passages to pay special attention to. There is much to be taken from this book.
This well written thriller will leave you wanting answers before you're done with the first chapter. It was so easy to fall into this book. Does he make it? Can he be saved? Should he give up? What exactly has Finn done, in his short life, that makes others want him dead? Is Finn a "Dead Lemon?"
Thank you Finn Bell
Life in New Zealand for Finn, has become something of a problem. He's pretty much ruined it. The story starts with him about to die. Then we look back to see how he got himself into his current state. The story weaves back and forth between the present predicament, and the months earlier leading up to this point.
The story of a long ago,mysterious disappearance of a young girl, and later her father, from their cottage resurrects itself when Finn moves into that very place, hoping to rebuild his broken life.
The old tale intertwines with Finns new life as he searches for answers. He does so mostly out of curiosity, but for his own well being. Finn is trying to make some life changing decisions. People in town are friendly enough, but the neighbors kind of creeped me out from their first meeting with Finn. Finn does manage to make some new friends, that will play an important part of the new life he's learning to build for himself.
There is some genuinely graphic and creepy details in this story. It's like walking along on a sunny day, only to turn the corner and walk straight into a hurricane. Do the neighbors know more than they're saying about the long ago disappearances? Some gripping parts, a heart stopping thriller. Did I mention graphic and creepy?
I'd be doing you a disservice if I left out Finn's visit to a counselor. If you've ever been through anything hard in your life, those would be the passages to pay special attention to. There is much to be taken from this book.
This well written thriller will leave you wanting answers before you're done with the first chapter. It was so easy to fall into this book. Does he make it? Can he be saved? Should he give up? What exactly has Finn done, in his short life, that makes others want him dead? Is Finn a "Dead Lemon?"
Thank you Finn Bell
December 28, 2017
This is a very good crime novel. It has a fantastic atmosphere, set in the south of New Zealand in the small coastal town of Riverton, a place I've holidayed and really enjoyed being in. I was trying to figure out if I found the atmosphere of the novel because I know Riverton and so I could really see the setting in my mind or whether it was so well described that anybody in the world would instantly relate to it. I think it is the latter. The wild coastline, the interesting history of the town and the small town, everyone knows everything about everyone is really well done. I thought it was an interesting scenario, a guy in a wheelchair is being persecuted by the dastardly neighbours because he knows something that he doesn't know he knows. Because of his physical limitations he needs to be clever to outwit and out play them and Finn Bell is well and truly able to do this.
This novel isn't just a crime novel, it has lots of psychological goings on. You get to probe inside the minds of some really interesting characters but also get to be alongside Finn as he works his way through his troubled mind. He is dealing with the breakup of his marriage, some really self destructive carrying on and added to this the fact that he is being persecuted by people who want him dead. In steps Betty, the local psychologist who gives him work to do so that he can get on with getting himself sorted out.
I loved this book. It kept me up late, it was really complex and involved and had a refreshing feel. It is wonderful to read a book which doesn't have a woman being hunted! I've become really sick of that scenario.
This novel isn't just a crime novel, it has lots of psychological goings on. You get to probe inside the minds of some really interesting characters but also get to be alongside Finn as he works his way through his troubled mind. He is dealing with the breakup of his marriage, some really self destructive carrying on and added to this the fact that he is being persecuted by people who want him dead. In steps Betty, the local psychologist who gives him work to do so that he can get on with getting himself sorted out.
I loved this book. It kept me up late, it was really complex and involved and had a refreshing feel. It is wonderful to read a book which doesn't have a woman being hunted! I've become really sick of that scenario.
September 22, 2016
This e-copy was provided by author for reading and an honest review. Well, now my reason for a 2 star rating. First Kindle calculated this book at a little over 5 hours, which means if the book captivates me by the second chapter I can finish reading within 3 hours. Didn't happen with this book, very sorry to say. ~~~I could never call this book a "Thriller" as others are. ~~~
I started reading this book review request in August, found it very boring and super, slowed paced that I just put it down. The characters were bland and too much talk of therapy, New Zealand's culture, then focusing on the murder mystery involving the Zoyle Family. So, I marked the pages for later. Then I read 6 other great books in between. I finally picked it up last night and struggled to finish it.
There were a lot of things I didn't like in this book which did not make the story flow easily. This book is labeled as a suspenseful mystery, but that went out the window quickly for me. It went from present to past constantly with no real headings over the chapters at times. I didn't like the Title of the book and why it was called that I still don't know. The only relevance to "Dead Lemons" is what the therapist calls the main character, Finn Bell under her treatment. ( Which if my therapist called me any derogatory names they would have been fired ). Plus, pages and pages of psychotherapy, which felt like it was just filler. I actually think the average reader will not understand it at all. I didn't and I majored in Psychology. ( More research to try and understand the therapist telling and making the client believe he is a bad person. Then he must let himself feel the pain in order to emerged as a brand new , good person. That is the only way. ) At the end of the book author, Finn Bell tells you the treatments the therapist , Betty was using are, Logotherapy, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy mixed with Transactional analysis. Plus, the author claiming it works and trust him. So, I got the feeling that this book is part autobiographical. If your not familiar with New Zealand, especially Riverton , you need to do some research to understand the native , Maori culture. ( I hate having to do research while supposedly relaxing and enjoying a mystery book ).
Now did you get all this so far, because I haven't even gotten to the story yet.
Now the book opens really good with the main character, Finn Bell bloody and hanging off a cliff. Also a dead body of an unknown below. That is supposed to be present then quickly moves to the past. So, you don't get really back to that situation for a while to find out what is really going on. Then it's all talk and talk, on and on. Just boring therapy, Finn's alcohol addiction, depression and why he ran all away to Riverton, which is like compared to someone going off the grid and hiding in Alaska. The mystery part of a long time murder and disappearance doesn't kick in until 3/4 of the book is done. By that time I was already bored. Now for your ending , I don't even know how this paraplegic , wheelchair bound, man figured this whole case out. But as readers we are asked to suspend belief, and that he just came to these conclusions in his head. The author never shows him stepping foot on the Zoyle's Farm for bones or anything.
You know a book is bad when the author at the end has to list 23 references from the book. Then explain each one individually to you so you understand it.
Reviewed by Robin Lee.
I started reading this book review request in August, found it very boring and super, slowed paced that I just put it down. The characters were bland and too much talk of therapy, New Zealand's culture, then focusing on the murder mystery involving the Zoyle Family. So, I marked the pages for later. Then I read 6 other great books in between. I finally picked it up last night and struggled to finish it.
There were a lot of things I didn't like in this book which did not make the story flow easily. This book is labeled as a suspenseful mystery, but that went out the window quickly for me. It went from present to past constantly with no real headings over the chapters at times. I didn't like the Title of the book and why it was called that I still don't know. The only relevance to "Dead Lemons" is what the therapist calls the main character, Finn Bell under her treatment. ( Which if my therapist called me any derogatory names they would have been fired ). Plus, pages and pages of psychotherapy, which felt like it was just filler. I actually think the average reader will not understand it at all. I didn't and I majored in Psychology. ( More research to try and understand the therapist telling and making the client believe he is a bad person. Then he must let himself feel the pain in order to emerged as a brand new , good person. That is the only way. ) At the end of the book author, Finn Bell tells you the treatments the therapist , Betty was using are, Logotherapy, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy mixed with Transactional analysis. Plus, the author claiming it works and trust him. So, I got the feeling that this book is part autobiographical. If your not familiar with New Zealand, especially Riverton , you need to do some research to understand the native , Maori culture. ( I hate having to do research while supposedly relaxing and enjoying a mystery book ).
Now did you get all this so far, because I haven't even gotten to the story yet.
Now the book opens really good with the main character, Finn Bell bloody and hanging off a cliff. Also a dead body of an unknown below. That is supposed to be present then quickly moves to the past. So, you don't get really back to that situation for a while to find out what is really going on. Then it's all talk and talk, on and on. Just boring therapy, Finn's alcohol addiction, depression and why he ran all away to Riverton, which is like compared to someone going off the grid and hiding in Alaska. The mystery part of a long time murder and disappearance doesn't kick in until 3/4 of the book is done. By that time I was already bored. Now for your ending , I don't even know how this paraplegic , wheelchair bound, man figured this whole case out. But as readers we are asked to suspend belief, and that he just came to these conclusions in his head. The author never shows him stepping foot on the Zoyle's Farm for bones or anything.
You know a book is bad when the author at the end has to list 23 references from the book. Then explain each one individually to you so you understand it.
Reviewed by Robin Lee.
December 26, 2017
5 stars
The book goes back and forth between the present with Finn hanging by his leg off a cliff to a few months earlier when he first moved to Riverton.
Finn Bell lived in Wellington until he had a drunken accident which left him in a wheelchair. He also lost his wife and his job. He moves to a little cottage outside of Riverton, New Zealand. This is as far south as he can be and still be on land. It’s on the way to Antarctica.
Betty is a seventy-something therapist who lives in Riverton. She is now Finn’s therapist. She puts forth the theory of “dead lemons” to Finn. Is he a dead lemon? Her therapeutic style is very unusual and unique.
Everyone in Riverton is related to everyone else. He meets Tai at Murderball. It’s a rough game, like rugby, but in wheelchairs. Tui warns him to stay away from his nearest neighbors, the Zoyls. Having a problem with his electricity, Finn goes to visit the Zoyls and wishes he hadn’t. They intimidate him and frankly scare the hell out of him.
While researching the history of his cottage, he learns of the murder of a twelve-year old girl. She was the daughter of the people named Cotter who lived in the cottage before Finn. She was brutally tortured before she died. The main suspects were the Zoyls, but despite being arrested, they were never brought to trial. A year later, the husband goes missing.
Finn goes on a journey of self-discovery and “investigates” a local crime at the same time. He meets new friends and learns how not to be a stupid drunk.
There are surprises in this book: about people and events. There is a major twist in the story at the end. It’s delicious.
Finn learns a great deal about the Maori culture from his new friends the Tuis. He describes the landscape and culture of southern New Zealand so that the reader is almost there. It’s wonderful. One usually reads about Australia, so it’s refreshing to learn about New Zealand as well. This book is very well written and plotted. Other than the moving back and forth between times, the book is written linearly and clearly. I liked Betty the therapist. Her unique style of therapy is both refreshing and it works! I immediately went to Amazon to look for others of Finn Bell’s novels. I truly enjoyed this book and plan to read more by this author. (I really could have done without what happened to the cats, however. I hate that kind of thing in books – or real life.)
I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book for me to read and enjoy.
The book goes back and forth between the present with Finn hanging by his leg off a cliff to a few months earlier when he first moved to Riverton.
Finn Bell lived in Wellington until he had a drunken accident which left him in a wheelchair. He also lost his wife and his job. He moves to a little cottage outside of Riverton, New Zealand. This is as far south as he can be and still be on land. It’s on the way to Antarctica.
Betty is a seventy-something therapist who lives in Riverton. She is now Finn’s therapist. She puts forth the theory of “dead lemons” to Finn. Is he a dead lemon? Her therapeutic style is very unusual and unique.
Everyone in Riverton is related to everyone else. He meets Tai at Murderball. It’s a rough game, like rugby, but in wheelchairs. Tui warns him to stay away from his nearest neighbors, the Zoyls. Having a problem with his electricity, Finn goes to visit the Zoyls and wishes he hadn’t. They intimidate him and frankly scare the hell out of him.
While researching the history of his cottage, he learns of the murder of a twelve-year old girl. She was the daughter of the people named Cotter who lived in the cottage before Finn. She was brutally tortured before she died. The main suspects were the Zoyls, but despite being arrested, they were never brought to trial. A year later, the husband goes missing.
Finn goes on a journey of self-discovery and “investigates” a local crime at the same time. He meets new friends and learns how not to be a stupid drunk.
There are surprises in this book: about people and events. There is a major twist in the story at the end. It’s delicious.
Finn learns a great deal about the Maori culture from his new friends the Tuis. He describes the landscape and culture of southern New Zealand so that the reader is almost there. It’s wonderful. One usually reads about Australia, so it’s refreshing to learn about New Zealand as well. This book is very well written and plotted. Other than the moving back and forth between times, the book is written linearly and clearly. I liked Betty the therapist. Her unique style of therapy is both refreshing and it works! I immediately went to Amazon to look for others of Finn Bell’s novels. I truly enjoyed this book and plan to read more by this author. (I really could have done without what happened to the cats, however. I hate that kind of thing in books – or real life.)
I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book for me to read and enjoy.
October 27, 2020
I LOVED this book. Set in Southern New Zealand, it opens with the main character dangling from his wheelchair off the side of a cliff and the pace doesn't relent. A small town full of mystery and beautifully drawn characters, not to mention real wit and charm in the dialogue. Terrifically done.
December 9, 2017
Very recently I read Finn Bell’s Easter Make Believers and really enjoyed it, so I was very excited when Dead Lemons (his award winning and longer work) appeared on Netgalley. Another trip to New Zealand’s South Island so soon and still/again so good. Like his other book, this one is a thriller. There are murders, suspense, secrets and all that, compounded by the fact that it all takes place within a small relatively isolated community. Practically a locked small town mystery. The plot was intricate enough to have some misdirection and a twist at the end, so genre fans will definitely be satisfied. For me the best thing about Bell’s books is the dramatic aspect of it, approached like a work of literary fiction with a thriller angle it’s actually a very credible work of fiction, well researched, well written, with well realized characters and author’s ardent love for his island coming through loud as, well, bells. It’s impossible not to compare this book to Easter Make, so I’ll just get on with it, Easter is a later work and it shows more (marginally) maturity when it comes to developing complex characters and less fairy tale neatness of the ending, but really the books are very similar in the way that they create a place you’d like to visit populated with individuals you come to care about. It also has the same terrific afterword that discusses some historical and cultural themes from the book, which is so much more interesting and informative than the standard list of thank yous. This book, like Easter Make Believers, features therapy, much more so, in fact, which I found very interesting reading and a therapist who takes a refreshingly original approach to complexities of psyche, which is where the title comes from. It refers to those individuals who are in some way damaged and are unable to change their ways and thus can bring no joy to their own lives or lives of those around them. What really threw me about this book is that the protagonist was named Finn Bell and I don’t know enough about the author to realize whether this is in any way autobiographical or some sort of a meta experiment. So now I have to go google the author, looks like. Nice timing reading this too, a book set so close to Antarctica on the first snow day of the winter. Thanks Negalley.
May 12, 2020
I came across this book on the New Zealand Crime & Mystery Writing Facebook page – it sounded good, it was on special so I thought I’d give it a go. Besides, it was set in NZ, my home country, and I love reading crime fiction set there. What could go wrong?
Well, nothing. In fact it all went not only right, but fantastically well. It was one of the few books I’ve read this year that I really didn’t want to put down. The main character, Finn Bell, is a broken man, literally. He’s in a wheelchair after smashing apart his life and then smashing up his car, and we meet him in the opening chapter jammed upside down over a beach full of deadly rocks. How he got there, and why, is the story that unfolds, moving back and forth between the cliff and the beach in the present and five months before, when it all started.
The Zoyl brothers are the villains, but they’re clever and cunning and seem to have got away with quite a few crimes over the years, including murder. Why nobody has been able to find enough evidence to convict them is the conundrum. Finn, in his bid to run as far away from the wreck of his life as possible, has ended up in Riverton in the far south of the South Island. He’s bought a cottage with a history, one that involves the murder of two people, and he inevitably becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to them.
There are a number of well-drawn supporting characters in the story, and one of my favourites was his no-nonsense therapist, Betty Crowe. That the author has been a forensic psychologist shows, not just in Betty, but also in his keen insights into the characters and their motivations. I think this is one of the biggest strengths of the book, and you tend not to see it in a lot of crime fiction. I was as engaged in Finn’s internal changes and growth as I was in the cleverly twisting and turning plot. (And yes, the main character has the same name as the author – it’s the result of losing a bet, and Finn Bell is also a pseudonym. Don’t worry, it doesn’t matter!)
I was curious about who published this and the three other titles Bell has written, and was quite astonished to discover in an interview he’d done that, even after winning the NZ Ngaio Marsh First Novel award, plus a bunch of others, he still wasn’t able to get a traditional publisher. I’ve already bought the second book and can highly recommend 'The Killing Ground'. (Original title was 'Dead Lemons', which isn’t quite as catchy.)
Well, nothing. In fact it all went not only right, but fantastically well. It was one of the few books I’ve read this year that I really didn’t want to put down. The main character, Finn Bell, is a broken man, literally. He’s in a wheelchair after smashing apart his life and then smashing up his car, and we meet him in the opening chapter jammed upside down over a beach full of deadly rocks. How he got there, and why, is the story that unfolds, moving back and forth between the cliff and the beach in the present and five months before, when it all started.
The Zoyl brothers are the villains, but they’re clever and cunning and seem to have got away with quite a few crimes over the years, including murder. Why nobody has been able to find enough evidence to convict them is the conundrum. Finn, in his bid to run as far away from the wreck of his life as possible, has ended up in Riverton in the far south of the South Island. He’s bought a cottage with a history, one that involves the murder of two people, and he inevitably becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to them.
There are a number of well-drawn supporting characters in the story, and one of my favourites was his no-nonsense therapist, Betty Crowe. That the author has been a forensic psychologist shows, not just in Betty, but also in his keen insights into the characters and their motivations. I think this is one of the biggest strengths of the book, and you tend not to see it in a lot of crime fiction. I was as engaged in Finn’s internal changes and growth as I was in the cleverly twisting and turning plot. (And yes, the main character has the same name as the author – it’s the result of losing a bet, and Finn Bell is also a pseudonym. Don’t worry, it doesn’t matter!)
I was curious about who published this and the three other titles Bell has written, and was quite astonished to discover in an interview he’d done that, even after winning the NZ Ngaio Marsh First Novel award, plus a bunch of others, he still wasn’t able to get a traditional publisher. I’ve already bought the second book and can highly recommend 'The Killing Ground'. (Original title was 'Dead Lemons', which isn’t quite as catchy.)
January 1, 2019
I just finished reading "Dead Lemons" by South African author Finn Bell (he has been living in New Zealand for a few years, and his book is set there) and I have not devoured a book so quickly for ages! I loved the characters, especially the main character who bears the author's own name. They seemed like real people.
It is a fairly gruesome, but very well written, thriller and murder mystery. I loved learning about murderball, too! It was a really excellent book, and I'm starting his next book straight away!
It is a fairly gruesome, but very well written, thriller and murder mystery. I loved learning about murderball, too! It was a really excellent book, and I'm starting his next book straight away!
December 10, 2017
Fast and fun, a look at good vs evil. I thought the author had good insight, and I will follow and read more.
FYI I also plan to watch Firefly
FYI I also plan to watch Firefly
December 21, 2017
This is the first book I’ve read by Finn Bell. The story is set in southern New Zealand and provides some fascinating glimpses into NZ history and culture. The main character, who also happens to be named Finn, is a man who has lost his way. His marriage has ended, his drinking led to his being in a wheelchair and he has moved to a remote, small town to start over, or perhaps this is where his life will end. The story moves between the precarious position Finn is currently in and the past so that we can see how he got there. This town is full of wonderful, caring characters who accept newcomer Finn without hesitation as well as some who can only be described as pure evil. The tension is high as a series of events plague Finn and he attempts to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable for their actions in the present as well as the past. The twists and turns just kept coming and the ending provided an additional revelation. This book held my attention and interest from the first page. While the dark parts are very dark and gruesome the majority of the characters are people with good hearts who make Finn want to be a better person. Without spoiling this for anyone, I will say that the good versus evil perspective was very well developed.
If you like a thrilling mystery with great characters, an intriguing location, friendship, loss, and redemption, this one won’t disappoint. Thank you, Finn Bell, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for a digital copy to read and review. A solid 4.5 stars.
If you like a thrilling mystery with great characters, an intriguing location, friendship, loss, and redemption, this one won’t disappoint. Thank you, Finn Bell, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for a digital copy to read and review. A solid 4.5 stars.
February 20, 2018
This book was beyond creepy and sometimes scary. Yes, I am talking about Finn's cats. That was just horrible. I also think Finn has nine lives because of the amount of times he almost died in the book. Honestly, I'm not sure how he is even alive.
Finn is an alcoholic who ends up in a wheelchair after an accident. He divorces his wife, sells his company and ends up moving to the far south in New Zealand. The cottage Finn moves into also happens to be where a young and her father went missing years before. The father was never found, and the pubic bone was the only part of the young girl that was discovered. Finn starts asking questions and starts to play detective to try to find out what really happened all those years ago. Finn's life starts changing for the better with the help of Betty, his therapist, Murderball, friends and Patricia, a possible love interest. Finn's convinced his creepy neighbors, the Zoyls, are out to get him.
The book goes back and forth between present with Finn fighting for his life while dangling off a cliff and the past when he first moved to Smugglers Cottage. I felt like I got a mini history lesson about New Zealand while reading the book and enjoyed it. I had my suspicions on who was behind Alice's disappearance but I never completely guessed. I liked the story line, characters and writing style. I look forward to reading more by the author and definetely recommend the book.
Thanks to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and the author, Finn Bell, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.
Finn is an alcoholic who ends up in a wheelchair after an accident. He divorces his wife, sells his company and ends up moving to the far south in New Zealand. The cottage Finn moves into also happens to be where a young and her father went missing years before. The father was never found, and the pubic bone was the only part of the young girl that was discovered. Finn starts asking questions and starts to play detective to try to find out what really happened all those years ago. Finn's life starts changing for the better with the help of Betty, his therapist, Murderball, friends and Patricia, a possible love interest. Finn's convinced his creepy neighbors, the Zoyls, are out to get him.
The book goes back and forth between present with Finn fighting for his life while dangling off a cliff and the past when he first moved to Smugglers Cottage. I felt like I got a mini history lesson about New Zealand while reading the book and enjoyed it. I had my suspicions on who was behind Alice's disappearance but I never completely guessed. I liked the story line, characters and writing style. I look forward to reading more by the author and definetely recommend the book.
Thanks to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and the author, Finn Bell, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.
February 16, 2018
4.5 Stars I really enjoyed this book! It has everything--exotic setting, interesting characters, and a very good mystery. Finn Bell, yes also the name of the author, is the main character. Finn struggled with life and where he was headed, ended up drinking too much, his wife left him, and ultimately he was in a car crash that left him paralyzed. With nothing left to live for, Finn moves to the southernmost tip of New Zealand and buys a cottage at the edge of the world. Finn is required to engage in counseling, and his counselor is a real gem of this book. Finn begins to immerse himself in this small community, and begins to look into the disappearance many, many years earlier of first a child and then her father who used to live in the cottage he bought. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The characters, history, and culture of the area are so interesting. Highly recommended!
August 22, 2017
Involved and attention grabbing
Great characters. Great plot. Twists and turns. Plots unexpected. Excellent premise. Not just another "quick read", I relished every chapter.
Great characters. Great plot. Twists and turns. Plots unexpected. Excellent premise. Not just another "quick read", I relished every chapter.
Read
April 7, 2019Intense read! I stayed up past midnight to finish this book, because I JUST HAD TO KNOW.
May 20, 2017
I really, really liked this book and it almost got 5 stars but for the lots of "stuff" in between the story! Love the way Finn writes and will read his next book "Pancake Money"
January 15, 2018
I am blown away. This book was honestly perfect from start to finish. The characters were so real and different. I loved the therapy sessions of this more than the rest but I loved the entire thing. I learned a lot about myself reading this. I'm going to stare at myself in the mirror for ten minutes straight now.
January 3, 2018
I’ve read other reviews of this book and agree that the story gripped me from the very beginning.
Alternating between the present day where we first meet Finn hanging upside down on a cliff...and not for enjoyment. To five months before, where the reader is slowly and enticingly led through the motions of how he got to be in the present position.
Having a failed marriage and becoming a paraplegic from a drunken car accident sees Finn selling up his assets and moving to the most southern point in New Zealand, a place called Riverton. Does he want to live or die? Here he does develop new friends, with the help of a very physical game called ‘Murderball’ and a new therapist called Betty...I loved the character of Betty, a 70 year old therapist who has slightly off beam ways to make him see himself in a better light, this is where the title of the book comes from, as Betty asks him....’is he a Dead Lemon?’
Unfortunately for Finn his nearest neighbours are the Zoyls and they are very strange and menacing and he has somehow gotten on the wrong side of them. Drawn into the mystery of the disappearance of a young girl and then later her father from the house he has purchased, his questions and actions put him in danger.
I really enjoyed this, I didn’t find the alternating chapters confusing at all and I loved the slow reveal.
The New Zealand and Maori history was also very interesting, although there were a few instances in the description that I found a little upsetting. I guess that is the history.
All in all a good storyline that kept me entertained all the way through.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read and review.
Alternating between the present day where we first meet Finn hanging upside down on a cliff...and not for enjoyment. To five months before, where the reader is slowly and enticingly led through the motions of how he got to be in the present position.
Having a failed marriage and becoming a paraplegic from a drunken car accident sees Finn selling up his assets and moving to the most southern point in New Zealand, a place called Riverton. Does he want to live or die? Here he does develop new friends, with the help of a very physical game called ‘Murderball’ and a new therapist called Betty...I loved the character of Betty, a 70 year old therapist who has slightly off beam ways to make him see himself in a better light, this is where the title of the book comes from, as Betty asks him....’is he a Dead Lemon?’
Unfortunately for Finn his nearest neighbours are the Zoyls and they are very strange and menacing and he has somehow gotten on the wrong side of them. Drawn into the mystery of the disappearance of a young girl and then later her father from the house he has purchased, his questions and actions put him in danger.
I really enjoyed this, I didn’t find the alternating chapters confusing at all and I loved the slow reveal.
The New Zealand and Maori history was also very interesting, although there were a few instances in the description that I found a little upsetting. I guess that is the history.
All in all a good storyline that kept me entertained all the way through.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read and review.
August 29, 2016
Dead Lemons is a thriller that draws you into the life of Finn Bell. Finn’s story actually starts two years previous when he starts having insomnia at the age of 35. He starts questioning why he can’t sleep, what is wrong with him? But that quickly avalanches into every area of his life when he turns to alcohol.
Finn loses his friends, his wife, and his ability to walk to alcohol. He runs as far south as he can get, to the last cottage south. Slowly he makes friends in the small town of Riverton. While investigating the smuggler’s cottage he just purchased, he comes across the story about a little girl disappearing from his home many years ago.
Finn finds that with new friends comes a new purpose to live again. He refuses to run from the neighbors who appear to have his death in mind. At times the novel is so intense I can’t put it down. Who knows what will happen to Finn Bell if the reader puts the book down?
Finn loses his friends, his wife, and his ability to walk to alcohol. He runs as far south as he can get, to the last cottage south. Slowly he makes friends in the small town of Riverton. While investigating the smuggler’s cottage he just purchased, he comes across the story about a little girl disappearing from his home many years ago.
Finn finds that with new friends comes a new purpose to live again. He refuses to run from the neighbors who appear to have his death in mind. At times the novel is so intense I can’t put it down. Who knows what will happen to Finn Bell if the reader puts the book down?
November 24, 2016
This is a well told story that sinks it's hooks into you and won't let you go. The book starts towards the end, in a literal cliff-hanger and then through flashbacks, the events leading up to the first chapter are revealed, interspersed with what comes next. Sometimes this non-linear story telling doesn't work - but it is well written and integrated into the story and it actually works for the story, adding layers of mystery and intrigue to an already decades old mystery.
The variety of characters is well done, and each one is vital to the plot - and they all mess well. Finn is exceptionally well written as are the bad guys in the book, written to be so subtly creepy when you first meet them in the book that it is unsettling. The pacing was good, and there is enough action to make you hold your breath and keep reading. I look forward to reading more by this author.
I was given a free copy of this book.
The variety of characters is well done, and each one is vital to the plot - and they all mess well. Finn is exceptionally well written as are the bad guys in the book, written to be so subtly creepy when you first meet them in the book that it is unsettling. The pacing was good, and there is enough action to make you hold your breath and keep reading. I look forward to reading more by this author.
I was given a free copy of this book.
August 1, 2016
Dead Lemons was such a great read. It's rare to read a thriller that's also at times quite funny, and has such complex, believable and vulnerable characters. The storey hooks you in strait away. I continously wanted to save the main character Finn from himself and couldn't put the book down. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys thrillers, murder mysteries or crime fiction. Already reading the next one!
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