melissapalmer404's review
4.0
Book #89 Read in 2016
Murder at the 42nd Library by Con Lehane
This was a more gritty mystery than my usual cozy mysteries, but I enjoyed it. Ray Ambler is the Crime Fiction Librarian and he begins an investigation of his own when someone is murder at the 42nd Street Library where he works. As he investigates, he realizes that this is more complicated than he thought. Many people are involved and many things that occurred in the past are mitigating factors in these murders. This was a good mystery, with good twists and turns. The characters were interesting. I enjoyed it.
Murder at the 42nd Library by Con Lehane
This was a more gritty mystery than my usual cozy mysteries, but I enjoyed it. Ray Ambler is the Crime Fiction Librarian and he begins an investigation of his own when someone is murder at the 42nd Street Library where he works. As he investigates, he realizes that this is more complicated than he thought. Many people are involved and many things that occurred in the past are mitigating factors in these murders. This was a good mystery, with good twists and turns. The characters were interesting. I enjoyed it.
tarrant's review against another edition
4.0
Slow start. Too many characters. Predictable. But at some point I really decided I liked it.
kwichris's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-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
2.75
Like other folks, this book isn't entirely bad, but it has some glaring issues as a whole. The writer's style of switching between characters/time/place with little notice besides slightly more space between paragraphs instead of clear indications or new chapters is beyond annoying; he also frequently stops a conversation to switch to a different scene only to then jump back to that same conversation instead of just finishing one before moving on to the next. It also baffles me how many spelling and grammar errors are present given that this book had to have been reviewed multiple times before publishing. The casual presentation of topics like pedophilia, rape, and incest is a little unnerving, and this book should clearly denote those as content warnings besides some of the obvious content of "murder" and "sexual content." My last gripe would be over some language use that unless you're a little older and live in the region described, some phrases and verbiage used is not common or something most people would understand even with the context provided, as limited as it often is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Sexual content
Moderate: Rape, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Abandonment, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Violence, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
sarahfett's review against another edition
1.0
With a librarian sleuth and a setting of the New York Public Library I expected to love this new series. Unfortunately it is dreary and unengaging.
I received an ARC from NetGalley.
I received an ARC from NetGalley.
ciska's review against another edition
3.0
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review*
I was hoping for a great murder mystery puzzle and that is exactly what I got. I loved the idea of the librarian trying to solve murders. I can totally see me doing that when it is not hitting to close to home.
All the characters involved in the story did get me confused a bit. Especially Donnely and Dolloway who were two very different people. The puzzling along worked very well and it was great that there were multiple possibilities till the end.
Ray and Adele were are nice together and I liked Cosgrove and McNalty too. I would have loved to have more information for the last one. This is for most characters. The story does not really set personalities for the characters. The tougher subjects discussed in the book are not really worked out either. The story never really touched me but I was not disturbed because I wanted a light entertaining read.
I was hoping for a great murder mystery puzzle and that is exactly what I got. I loved the idea of the librarian trying to solve murders. I can totally see me doing that when it is not hitting to close to home.
All the characters involved in the story did get me confused a bit. Especially Donnely and Dolloway who were two very different people. The puzzling along worked very well and it was great that there were multiple possibilities till the end.
Ray and Adele were are nice together and I liked Cosgrove and McNalty too. I would have loved to have more information for the last one. This is for most characters. The story does not really set personalities for the characters. The tougher subjects discussed in the book are not really worked out either. The story never really touched me but I was not disturbed because I wanted a light entertaining read.
bee_eviljoy36's review against another edition
1.0
TW. Very casual approach to paedophilia and CSA.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia and Sexual assault
katymvt's review against another edition
3.0
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge 2018 Book that takes place in a library or bookstore.
more or less enjoyable mystery. Nothing special. Nothing terrible
more or less enjoyable mystery. Nothing special. Nothing terrible