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jlburns's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
donttalktomeimreading's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Predictable and slow
tatydk's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
dnfcrapbooks's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Predictable but kept my interest
heartemily's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It’s amazing, once I started the book I didn’t want to put it down. It held my interest as I held my breath reading plot twist after plot twist.
sushmitachowdhury's review against another edition
1.0
- Pacing was so SLOW. I feel like the book didn’t pick up until like the last 15% of the book.
- None of the reveals were surprising. Anticlimactic at best.
- Laughton being brought in as an outside consultant didn’t seem to add anything. All her “observations” and “suggestions” should’ve been things a normal cop would’ve been able to figure it out. Hell, I could’ve given half those suggestions and the most law I’ve studied is Business Law.
- I kept waiting for some sinister reason why Laughton emancipated from her father & kept him out of her/her daughter’s life for YEARS - but it turns out, she really just blamed him for something that was out of his control. As if the poor man didn’t also lose his freaking wife.
- Commander Rees’ retirement speech was so cliché. It’s not anything new and not anything anyone didn’t already know. It was performative at best.
- Why did we need an entire chapter on Laughton’s boxing?
- Romance at the end seemed forced. I felt no chemistry between them at all.
- I did not connect with a single one of the characters.
Anyways, I just really disliked this book. It took me a really long time to finish it.
- None of the reveals were surprising. Anticlimactic at best.
- Laughton being brought in as an outside consultant didn’t seem to add anything. All her “observations” and “suggestions” should’ve been things a normal cop would’ve been able to figure it out. Hell, I could’ve given half those suggestions and the most law I’ve studied is Business Law.
- I kept waiting for some sinister reason why Laughton emancipated from her father & kept him out of her/her daughter’s life for YEARS - but it turns out, she really just blamed him for something that was out of his control. As if the poor man didn’t also lose his freaking wife.
- Commander Rees’ retirement speech was so cliché. It’s not anything new and not anything anyone didn’t already know. It was performative at best.
- Why did we need an entire chapter on Laughton’s boxing?
- Romance at the end seemed forced. I felt no chemistry between them at all.
- I did not connect with a single one of the characters.
Anyways, I just really disliked this book. It took me a really long time to finish it.
emily_loves_2_read's review against another edition
4.0
Dark Objects
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Mystery Fiction
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 7/12/22
Author: Simon Toyne
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 400
Goodreads Rating: 4.15
TW ⚠️: Aspects of racism and bullying.
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and William Morrow and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: When she was fifteen years old, Laughton Rees witnessed the brutal murder of her mother by a masked killer—and barely escape with her own life. Now a successful forensics professor, Laughton’s focused on her daughter and her work—but the past isn’t done with her. When Laughton’s book about criminal investigation is found at the scene of a violent murder, the Met police officer in charge of the case asks for her help. The crime scene has some disturbingly personal elements for Laughton, and she can’t shake the feeling that someone is sending her a message. After all these years, has the monster who murdered her mother come back for her?
My Thoughts: The story is narrated by Laughton, Khan (DCI leading investigation), and Slade (ruthless tabloid reporter), from their own perspectives. The characters are so well developed with layers of depth, yet mysterious, emotional, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was chilling, suspenseful, twisty, complex, and the storyline builds with tension and a twisty plot that has complex layers. I loved how each chapter ends in cliffhanger, drawing you to immediately proceed to the next chapter, regardless if it is 2am. A twisty, fast paced, page turning novel from Toyne that will keep you absorbed from cover to cover. While a plot is always important to a thrilling read, this novel not only has a great plot but focuses on the characters. This is my first read from Toyne but will not be my last, I really enjoyed this author’s writing style and will be reading more from Toyne. I highly recommend that you preorder this book that releases on Tuesday!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Mystery Fiction
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 7/12/22
Author: Simon Toyne
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 400
Goodreads Rating: 4.15
TW ⚠️: Aspects of racism and bullying.
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and William Morrow and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: When she was fifteen years old, Laughton Rees witnessed the brutal murder of her mother by a masked killer—and barely escape with her own life. Now a successful forensics professor, Laughton’s focused on her daughter and her work—but the past isn’t done with her. When Laughton’s book about criminal investigation is found at the scene of a violent murder, the Met police officer in charge of the case asks for her help. The crime scene has some disturbingly personal elements for Laughton, and she can’t shake the feeling that someone is sending her a message. After all these years, has the monster who murdered her mother come back for her?
My Thoughts: The story is narrated by Laughton, Khan (DCI leading investigation), and Slade (ruthless tabloid reporter), from their own perspectives. The characters are so well developed with layers of depth, yet mysterious, emotional, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was chilling, suspenseful, twisty, complex, and the storyline builds with tension and a twisty plot that has complex layers. I loved how each chapter ends in cliffhanger, drawing you to immediately proceed to the next chapter, regardless if it is 2am. A twisty, fast paced, page turning novel from Toyne that will keep you absorbed from cover to cover. While a plot is always important to a thrilling read, this novel not only has a great plot but focuses on the characters. This is my first read from Toyne but will not be my last, I really enjoyed this author’s writing style and will be reading more from Toyne. I highly recommend that you preorder this book that releases on Tuesday!!
bookmarkedbybecky's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
What a fantastic crime thriller! Clever writing, intricately woven plot, and terrific character development within a plot-driven thriller. An exciting start to the series!
What I loved:
✨Multiple mixed media: Excerpts from Laughton Rees’s book How To Process a Murder (loved how these excerpts foreshadowed the following chapters), WhatsApp Messages (offers a gossipy, lighter spin amongst the tension in the story), newspaper articles, and past crime reports.
✨Serial Killer plot: always a win for me. Plenty of clues, suspects, twists, and turns keep the reader second-guessing who the murderer is.
✨Narration: Shazia Nicholls is a new-to-me narrator. She brings emotions, highlights the tension, and handles the multiple POVs with clarity. I definitely recommend this format!
cat_anderson's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book! I always like when for the life of me I cannot guess who did it or why. This one definitely left me guessing until the end.
lindsey_is_reading's review against another edition
4.0
Yes! Short chapters, fast pacing, interesting characters, kept me guessing. Perfect thriller recipe!