Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Dry by Jane Harper

58 reviews

kirnet's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book is well written, and the author did a good job of really tying the setting of a rural Australian town in a drought to every bit of tension and motivation in the story. I wasn’t too invested in the main character or his personality, but I don’t necessarily need to be for a mystery. Two mysteries are happening here, and both kept me engaged, but the reveal for both fell flat for me. I think that’s probably to do with the shifting POVs within chapters, where we get to see exactly went down television-style rather than Falk actually puzzling through it himself, which I feel hurt my connection to the character. Overall an enjoyable read, impressive for a debut (I think this is a debut), and I’d be down to read more books by this author in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Child abuse

racheldallaire's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved it. Sometimes time-hopping is irritating to me, but Harper did a great job of making it work very well and in a way that moved the plot along perfectly. It kept me guessing and the ending was satisfying. The characters were well developed and I'll keep reading the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Murder

Moderate: Alcohol, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

bootsmom3's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Rape, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Animal death, Addiction, Alcohol, Child death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Outing, Death of parent, Dementia, and Misogyny

melissa_b_67's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Gun violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, and Child death

Moderate: Animal death, Sexual violence, and Incest

Minor: Pregnancy

msagerber'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Death

Moderate: Dementia, Animal death, Sexual assault, and Incest

mel_s_bookshelf's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Child death, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Suicide and Domestic abuse

Minor: Addiction

mels_reading_log's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

This is a story set in a drought in a rural Australian town where a double-murder/suicide has just happened. The cops, not being satisfied with that story start up an off-books investigation that unravels all of this small town’s secrets. I really liked the premise and all of the twists and turns, but the pacing was a little slow for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, and Murder

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

oniela16's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Death

Moderate: Rape and Domestic abuse

ginger95's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This was a mystery that I could not put down, and I finished in one day. I was deeply invested in the main character, and the bits of the past that were intertwined with the present.

Spoiler

I wasn't expecting who the killer was at all, and it really took me off guard! I did feel like there was a disconnect about Luke, I mean it was implied he was a manipulator/sociopath? and I feel like they built it up a little too much to be a red herring. Other than that great read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Child death

Moderate: Gun violence and Animal death

Minor: Incest, Animal cruelty, and Rape

mollyfischfriedman's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Murder, Death, Child abuse, and Violence

Minor: Vomit