hmonkeyreads's review against another edition
4.0
Good mystery with a few interesting red herrings. I liked this one a bit more than The Dry but both were very good. I’m enjoying getting to know Aaron Falk and look forward to his next case.
chrispyschaller's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sjmacwrites's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Just like Jane Harper’s previous book The Dry, Force of Nature had be gripped from the first page. I loved everything about it and it has me guessing until the end.
saltycorpse's review against another edition
4.0
I'm really enjoying Jane Harper's books, and this is another good murder mystery. These books are not overdone, so far there hasn't been any ridiculous 'twists' and they progress in the way an actual investigation would for the most part, which I appreciate. I also like that Falk (Harper's lead detective) isn't your normal crusty old homicide detective breaking all the rules - he's actually in financial crime, but because money so often is tied up in murder, it legitimately makes sense he ends up assisting investigations. I also am happy that Harper didn't fall into the trap of making Falk fall in love with his female partner, but instead despite sexual tension (apparently on Falk's part) he is still a good friend, professional, and supportive of her being in a serious relationship.
bjhg5053's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
willa's review against another edition
4.0
almost a five star read due to how purely spooky the atmosphere was, knocked down a star because the mystery itself wasn't the most engrossing
margivan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
veronica87's review against another edition
4.0
"It wasn’t any one thing that went wrong; it was a hundred little things. It all kept adding up until it was too late."
Five women head into the Giralang Ranges in Australia as part of a corporate retreat, but only four come out. Thus begins the second book in the Aaron Falk series. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, The Dry, when I read it a few months ago and I found this book to be a solid sophomore attempt.
It’s been six months since Falk’s hometown adventures in [b:The Dry|27824826|The Dry (Aaron Falk, #1)|Jane Harper|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456113132s/27824826.jpg|47804789]. He’s back in Melbourne and working on a money laundering case with Agent Carmen Cooper, his temporary partner. When their informant, a woman named Alice who works in a management position in the company they’re investigating, goes missing while on a company retreat it raises the question: does her disappearance have anything to do with the money laundering investigation? As Falk and Carmen head out to the Giralang Range to try and trace the steps of Alice’s last known days, readers are made privy to them via sequentially ordered flashbacks. It’s a masterful examination of how quickly the loss of civilization- and all its attendant comforts - can affect the human psyche.
Like its predecessor, this book is not a thrill-inducing page turner. It’s sedately paced but engrossing nonetheless. It delivers an almost tangible sense of the Australian wilderness and may have put this city slicker off of hiking and camping for the foreseeable future. The story easily drew me in and kept me in its quietly maintained thrall from the very first sentence until the last. Falk’s personal observations about life with his now deceased father was also nicely interwoven with the larger story without ever becoming a distraction. I really liked Carmen as Falk’s partner. She was a nice sounding board for him and an overall positive influence. I don’t know if she’ll be back for more books but the story was more or less written for her not to be so, we’ll see. In any event, I plan to be back for more Aaron Falk books.
Five women head into the Giralang Ranges in Australia as part of a corporate retreat, but only four come out. Thus begins the second book in the Aaron Falk series. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, The Dry, when I read it a few months ago and I found this book to be a solid sophomore attempt.
It’s been six months since Falk’s hometown adventures in [b:The Dry|27824826|The Dry (Aaron Falk, #1)|Jane Harper|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456113132s/27824826.jpg|47804789]. He’s back in Melbourne and working on a money laundering case with Agent Carmen Cooper, his temporary partner. When their informant, a woman named Alice who works in a management position in the company they’re investigating, goes missing while on a company retreat it raises the question: does her disappearance have anything to do with the money laundering investigation? As Falk and Carmen head out to the Giralang Range to try and trace the steps of Alice’s last known days, readers are made privy to them via sequentially ordered flashbacks. It’s a masterful examination of how quickly the loss of civilization- and all its attendant comforts - can affect the human psyche.
Like its predecessor, this book is not a thrill-inducing page turner. It’s sedately paced but engrossing nonetheless. It delivers an almost tangible sense of the Australian wilderness and may have put this city slicker off of hiking and camping for the foreseeable future. The story easily drew me in and kept me in its quietly maintained thrall from the very first sentence until the last. Falk’s personal observations about life with his now deceased father was also nicely interwoven with the larger story without ever becoming a distraction. I really liked Carmen as Falk’s partner. She was a nice sounding board for him and an overall positive influence. I don’t know if she’ll be back for more books but the story was more or less written for her not to be so, we’ll see. In any event, I plan to be back for more Aaron Falk books.
racheldallaire's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I thoroughly enjoyed this second Falk novel and look forward to the next. Harper is a fantastic writer, and this one kept me guessing to the end. I love the way she presents not just the mystery, but uses it to explore deeper things like family bonds and such. The audio narration of this one is perfect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Minor: Cursing
michaelajay's review against another edition
4.0
Jane Harper does it again! I really enjoyed the journey of this one!