BROKEN PLACES (PI-Cass Raines-Chicago-Contemp) – 1st book – Tracy Clark Cass took a bullet two years ago after an incompetent colleague screwed up a tense confrontation with an armed suspect. Deeply traumatized, Cass resigned from the Chicago PD, leaving one less female African-American on the force. Now she’s the head of a one-woman private investigation agency, taking on just enough work to pay the bills. But when the only father figure she’s ever known, Father Ray Heaton, asks her to look into a recent spate of vandalism at his church, she readily agrees to handle it. Only hours later Cass is horrified to discover Father Ray’s murdered body in the church confessional, a dead gangbanger sprawled out nearby.
Corona - - She's about ½ through but found it amateurish and formulaic. The characters seem stereotypical. It hasn't turned her off, but … Don – VG - I like Chicago as a setting & recognize the places. Protagonist was engaging & certainly suffered physically, emotionally, & mentally. Good plot. I liked Cass but at times she was like a "bull in a China shop"- angry & determined. She seems unsettled inside - as we learn to understand a life of hardship. Ginny – Poor – she kept thinking she had a flawed protagonist in a police procedural. She didn't care about Cathy and the whole bungling of Faraday. There wasn't really anything to keep her going. The writing seemed trite. Only the priest seemed exciting. Helen - Okay - I would probably have liked this book better if I had read it before this year. I’m really not big on reading stories in which many of the characters are police, particularly if they don’t follow procedures designed to keep people safe and protect their rights. I could tell this book was published recently because it calls out several things that the police did that were not okay, like the corrupt idiot being propped up by his dad’s influence. Still, it felt like the author was taking advantage of recent events to create and sell a story. I suppose the interactions among the police in this book are representative of what happens in a lot of places: one really awful person, multiple people that either ignore the awful person’s behavior, are too afraid to say anything, or make excuses for them, some people that are oblivious to the behavior, and a couple people actively working to make things better. It still points out the need for massive reforms, if not rebuilding the system from the ground up. The characters in this book were fairly good, although none of them really resonated with me. Cass is a bit leathery and rebellious for my tastes. It really bothers me how willing she is to disregard the law (again, designed to protect people’s rights, safety, and privacy) to solve the case. It also bothers me how the cops will cover for an ex-cop. Some of the side characters were good, and I wish they got more story time. Maybe they will in future stories. There was nothing special about the mystery, but the pacing was okay. The confrontation was pretty good. I did have an issue with Cass getting her knee destroyed and continuing to literally run around everywhere. I can understand that adrenaline will do a lot, but if the damage was as bad as she made it sound, she’s in for at least a year of PT and multiple surgeries. But in the preview of the next book, there’s no mention of this injury. Convenient. Anyway, I didn’t pick up on who the murderer was, but I wasn’t really trying. In general, this book was not bad but not for me. Katie – G+ - I listened to this book on audio, which I do only rarely, so I'm not sure how that affected my impression. I really liked the opening and the description of the arrest gone wrong - I thought that was effective. I found the ending a bit abrupt, and thought that the estranged father's presence wasn't really necessary. Linda S – Good - Solid plot, quick read. Looking forward to reading more in the series.
GROUP RATING AVERAGE: Good
JUDAS CHILD (Pol Proc-Rouge Kendall/Ali Cray-Makers Village, NY-Contemp) – Standalone – Carol O'Connell In spite of Amazon, this is NOT a Mallory book. It is, however, considered by some to be the best book written by Carol O'Connell. The subject is a grim one, but the book is regarded as an example of exceptional writing. It is three days before Christmas, and two young girls have disappeared from the local academy. This hasn’t happened for fifteen years, since Rouge Kendall’s twin sister was murdered. The killer was found, but now Rouge, twenty-five and a policeman, is forced to wonder: Was he really the one? Also wondering is a former classmate named Ali Cray, a forensic psychologist with scars of her own. The pattern is the same, she says: a child called out to meet a friend. The friend is the bait, the Judas child, and is quickly killed. But the primary victim lives longer...until Christmas Day.
Christine - DNF - She adores Carol O'Connell's books, but this isn't part of the series. She read about ¼ of it, became confused and quit. Don – DNF - 100 pages; I tried but the dialogue and number of characters was unwieldy Ginny – DNF - I expected a taut, riveting, roller coaster of a thriller because of the premise. Instead, I plodded along wondering when the book would end. Rogue bored me. I didn't finish it. Katie - G+ - I found the plot of this book a little convoluted, but I really liked the characters (especially Becca, who I wanted to see more of). I also like the interplay between Gwen and Sadie. Usually I kind of roll my eyes at a book where there are precocious children, but I thought their relationship was well done. The relationships between Rouge, Ali and Agent Pyle, on the other hand, I thought could have been better developed. Marcy - Poor - Not impressed; she enjoyed it in the beginning but the scene in the cellar went on too long and she was disappointed by the ending. Marilyn – Good – She listened to the audiobook, which can make things seem different. She prefers books with a clear protagonist. There were lots of people in this book, yet no one stood out. She was surprised by the ending, and she thought it was good.
GROUP RATING AVERAGE: Poor
COP HATER (PolProc-87th Precinct-Fict NYC-Contemp) – 1st in series – Ed McBain As a cop with the city’s famed 87th Precinct, Steve Carella has seen it all. Or so he thinks. Because nothing can prepare him for the sight that greets him on a sweltering July night: fellow detective Mike Reardon’s dead body splayed across the sidewalk, his face blown away by a .45. Days later, Reardon’s partner is found dead, a .45-caliber bullet buried deep in his chest. Only a fool would call it a coincidence, and Carella’s no fool. He chalks the whole ugly mess up to a grudge killing…until a third murder shoots that theory to hell. Armed with only a single clue, Carella delves deep into the city’s underbelly, launching a grim search for answers that will lead him from a notorious brothel to the lair of a beautiful, dangerous widow. He won’t stop until he finds the truth—or until the next bullet finds him. The debut novel from Ed McBain’s gritty 87th Precinct series, Cop Hater was hailed by the New York Times as “the best of today's procedural school of police stories—lively, inventive, convincing, suspenseful, and wholly satisfactory.”
Don – DNF - After 50 pages I wasn't engaged Gabriel – Okay - There was nothing really wrong with it, but nothing really interesting either. The most interesting character was Teddy, mostly because she was mute. Ginny - VG - The story grabbed me right from the start. The author created a gritty, suspenseful plot with a surprise ending. And I was reminded of real quality of writing versus the quantity of crappy writing which is all too prominent now. LJ – VG+ - I'm a big fan of early McBain. He writes great descriptions with the city becoming a character in its own right. The contrast from the opening scene to the next is jarring, but highly effective. Because McBain conveyed the character so clearly, one doesn't just think about the event, but the impact it will have on others. The contrast between Carella, a cop who believes in the job, and Bush, an embittered cop, lends realism to the story. The inclusion of document facsimiles is a nice touch and it's fun to see investigations done before the age of today's technology. There is a true ensemble cast, with each character introduced in a way so you get to know them both professionally and personally. With excellent plotting, it is astonishing how complex and complete a story McBain created within less than 200 pages. Marilyn – VG - Liked it and has even read the next 3 books in the series. The ending wasn't a surprise, but she liked that it was set in the 50s and the differences from today.
Cass took a bullet two years ago after an incompetent colleague screwed up a tense confrontation with an armed suspect. Deeply traumatized, Cass resigned from the Chicago PD, leaving one less female African-American on the force. Now she’s the head of a one-woman private investigation agency, taking on just enough work to pay the bills. But when the only father figure she’s ever known, Father Ray Heaton, asks her to look into a recent spate of vandalism at his church, she readily agrees to handle it. Only hours later Cass is horrified to discover Father Ray’s murdered body in the church confessional, a dead gangbanger sprawled out nearby.
Corona - - She's about ½ through but found it amateurish and formulaic. The characters seem stereotypical. It hasn't turned her off, but …
Don – VG - I like Chicago as a setting & recognize the places. Protagonist was engaging & certainly suffered physically, emotionally, & mentally. Good plot. I liked Cass but at times she was like a "bull in a China shop"- angry & determined. She seems unsettled inside - as we learn to understand a life of hardship.
Ginny – Poor – she kept thinking she had a flawed protagonist in a police procedural. She didn't care about Cathy and the whole bungling of Faraday. There wasn't really anything to keep her going. The writing seemed trite. Only the priest seemed exciting.
Helen - Okay - I would probably have liked this book better if I had read it before this year. I’m really not big on reading stories in which many of the characters are police, particularly if they don’t follow procedures designed to keep people safe and protect their rights. I could tell this book was published recently because it calls out several things that the police did that were not okay, like the corrupt idiot being propped up by his dad’s influence. Still, it felt like the author was taking advantage of recent events to create and sell a story. I suppose the interactions among the police in this book are representative of what happens in a lot of places: one really awful person, multiple people that either ignore the awful person’s behavior, are too afraid to say anything, or make excuses for them, some people that are oblivious to the behavior, and a couple people actively working to make things better. It still points out the need for massive reforms, if not rebuilding the system from the ground up. The characters in this book were fairly good, although none of them really resonated with me. Cass is a bit leathery and rebellious for my tastes. It really bothers me how willing she is to disregard the law (again, designed to protect people’s rights, safety, and privacy) to solve the case. It also bothers me how the cops will cover for an ex-cop. Some of the side characters were good, and I wish they got more story time. Maybe they will in future stories. There was nothing special about the mystery, but the pacing was okay. The confrontation was pretty good. I did have an issue with Cass getting her knee destroyed and continuing to literally run around everywhere. I can understand that adrenaline will do a lot, but if the damage was as bad as she made it sound, she’s in for at least a year of PT and multiple surgeries. But in the preview of the next book, there’s no mention of this injury. Convenient. Anyway, I didn’t pick up on who the murderer was, but I wasn’t really trying. In general, this book was not bad but not for me.
Katie – G+ - I listened to this book on audio, which I do only rarely, so I'm not sure how that affected my impression. I really liked the opening and the description of the arrest gone wrong - I thought that was effective. I found the ending a bit abrupt, and thought that the estranged father's presence wasn't really necessary.
Linda S – Good - Solid plot, quick read. Looking forward to reading more in the series.
GROUP RATING AVERAGE: Good
JUDAS CHILD (Pol Proc-Rouge Kendall/Ali Cray-Makers Village, NY-Contemp) – Standalone – Carol O'Connell
In spite of Amazon, this is NOT a Mallory book. It is, however, considered by some to be the best book written by Carol O'Connell. The subject is a grim one, but the book is regarded as an example of exceptional writing.
It is three days before Christmas, and two young girls have disappeared from the local academy. This hasn’t happened for fifteen years, since Rouge Kendall’s twin sister was murdered. The killer was found, but now Rouge, twenty-five and a policeman, is forced to wonder: Was he really the one? Also wondering is a former classmate named Ali Cray, a forensic psychologist with scars of her own. The pattern is the same, she says: a child called out to meet a friend. The friend is the bait, the Judas child, and is quickly killed. But the primary victim lives longer...until Christmas Day.
Christine - DNF - She adores Carol O'Connell's books, but this isn't part of the series. She read about ¼ of it, became confused and quit.
Don – DNF - 100 pages; I tried but the dialogue and number of characters was unwieldy
Ginny – DNF - I expected a taut, riveting, roller coaster of a thriller because of the premise. Instead, I plodded along wondering when the book would end. Rogue bored me. I didn't finish it.
Katie - G+ - I found the plot of this book a little convoluted, but I really liked the characters (especially Becca, who I wanted to see more of). I also like the interplay between Gwen and Sadie. Usually I kind of roll my eyes at a book where there are precocious children, but I thought their relationship was well done. The relationships between Rouge, Ali and Agent Pyle, on the other hand, I thought could have been better developed.
Marcy - Poor - Not impressed; she enjoyed it in the beginning but the scene in the cellar went on too long and she was disappointed by the ending.
Marilyn – Good – She listened to the audiobook, which can make things seem different. She prefers books with a clear protagonist. There were lots of people in this book, yet no one stood out. She was surprised by the ending, and she thought it was good.
GROUP RATING AVERAGE: Poor
COP HATER (PolProc-87th Precinct-Fict NYC-Contemp) – 1st in series – Ed McBain
As a cop with the city’s famed 87th Precinct, Steve Carella has seen it all. Or so he thinks. Because nothing can prepare him for the sight that greets him on a sweltering July night: fellow detective Mike Reardon’s dead body splayed across the sidewalk, his face blown away by a .45. Days later, Reardon’s partner is found dead, a .45-caliber bullet buried deep in his chest. Only a fool would call it a coincidence, and Carella’s no fool. He chalks the whole ugly mess up to a grudge killing…until a third murder shoots that theory to hell. Armed with only a single clue, Carella delves deep into the city’s underbelly, launching a grim search for answers that will lead him from a notorious brothel to the lair of a beautiful, dangerous widow. He won’t stop until he finds the truth—or until the next bullet finds him. The debut novel from Ed McBain’s gritty 87th Precinct series, Cop Hater was hailed by the New York Times as “the best of today's procedural school of police stories—lively, inventive, convincing, suspenseful, and wholly satisfactory.”
Don – DNF - After 50 pages I wasn't engaged
Gabriel – Okay - There was nothing really wrong with it, but nothing really interesting either.
The most interesting character was Teddy, mostly because she was mute.
Ginny - VG - The story grabbed me right from the start. The author created a gritty, suspenseful plot with a surprise ending. And I was reminded of real quality of writing versus the quantity of crappy writing which is all too prominent now.
LJ – VG+ - I'm a big fan of early McBain. He writes great descriptions with the city becoming a character in its own right. The contrast from the opening scene to the next is jarring, but highly effective. Because McBain conveyed the character so clearly, one doesn't just think about the event, but the impact it will have on others. The contrast between Carella, a cop who believes in the job, and Bush, an embittered cop, lends realism to the story. The inclusion of document facsimiles is a nice touch and it's fun to see investigations done before the age of today's technology. There is a true ensemble cast, with each character introduced in a way so you get to know them both professionally and personally. With excellent plotting, it is astonishing how complex and complete a story McBain created within less than 200 pages.
Marilyn – VG - Liked it and has even read the next 3 books in the series. The ending wasn't a surprise, but she liked that it was set in the 50s and the differences from today.
GROUP RATING AVERAGE: G+