fiddleysticks's review against another edition
4.0
This is not my normal kind of book, but I really enjoyed it.
nigeposh1960's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
monuj's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lian_tanner's review
4.0
Not as laugh-out-loud funny as his earlier books, but still contains plenty of biting wit and terrific characters. He's one of my favourite authors - hugely satisfying to read.
annabella82's review
3.0
This was not the typical quirky and fresh novel that I’ve come to look forward to from Brookmyre. I expected a little more humour and a less ‘standard’ plot.
I wish that the main character had a little more depth to her…I found she was lazily written.
This book kept me happy while I was reading it but unlike most of his other books I forgot the plot almost instantly upon finishing it.
I wish that the main character had a little more depth to her…I found she was lazily written.
This book kept me happy while I was reading it but unlike most of his other books I forgot the plot almost instantly upon finishing it.
rachelini's review
4.0
I fell a little behind in my Brookmyres, more fool me. This was really fantastic.
spelingexpirt13's review
4.0
Brookmyre has been my favourite author ever since I was sixteen years old and begging my school librarian to hook me up. Some days she would relent and let me take one out, other days she would refuse with the excuse that I was too young to be reading such things.
I'm nearing the end of my reread of all the Brookmyre books and enjoying it immensely, my biggest problem with the more serious turn that he took with the Jasmine Sharp books is that I don't like crime books. I know that sounds crazy, my favourite author is a crime writer after all but there has always been a big leap between the witty and dark offerings that Brookmyre usually gives and crime books.
Despite the Sharp books straying a lot closer to the turf of traditional crime I still enjoy the books a lot. I could moan all day about how with a series about two incredible and strong ladies it is still the man always saving the day but I've come to expect that of any book written by a man. Brookmyre still writes women much better than most male writers can.
I'm nearing the end of my reread of all the Brookmyre books and enjoying it immensely, my biggest problem with the more serious turn that he took with the Jasmine Sharp books is that I don't like crime books. I know that sounds crazy, my favourite author is a crime writer after all but there has always been a big leap between the witty and dark offerings that Brookmyre usually gives and crime books.
Despite the Sharp books straying a lot closer to the turf of traditional crime I still enjoy the books a lot. I could moan all day about how with a series about two incredible and strong ladies it is still the man always saving the day but I've come to expect that of any book written by a man. Brookmyre still writes women much better than most male writers can.
mrshev's review against another edition
1.0
I am a big fan of Brookmyre...but this is not great. I am 50 pages from the end and I am not sure I care what happens which is never a good sign. It’s just a bit...dull.
The idea is great but the characters all seem to have one voice and their back stories just go on and on. I can’t really picture the locations or scenes and some of the plotting is clumsy that had me re-reading sections trying to work out how a character made a connection.
Maybe the first one in this series is better, but Brookmyre always writes with pace and humour and with characters that jump out of the page. That all seems to be missing from this.
The idea is great but the characters all seem to have one voice and their back stories just go on and on. I can’t really picture the locations or scenes and some of the plotting is clumsy that had me re-reading sections trying to work out how a character made a connection.
Maybe the first one in this series is better, but Brookmyre always writes with pace and humour and with characters that jump out of the page. That all seems to be missing from this.
angrygreycatreads's review
4.0
When the Devil Drives is the 2nd in the series with PI Jasmine Sharp and DS Catherine McLeod. In this installment, Jasmine as accepted Sharp Investigations as her own upon the death of Jim and is being kept quite busy with referrals. A walk in client leads her to investigate a 30 year old missing person case. It soon becomes evident that there are forces at work that definitely don’t want Jasmine working on the case. Meanwhile DS McLeod is investigating a shooting death which may have been professional sniper or a stray bullet from poachers. She digs into her case with the same tenacity that Jasmine works on hers, parallel cases in which the reader keeps waiting for them to meet.
Excellent read, well written with an intriguing mystery plot. I found in this, as in the first in the series, that the Jasmine story line is more compelling but overall I enjoyed the book in its entirety. Recommended read, but I’d definitely start with the first in the series, Where the Bodies are Buried, which by the way, is a read this month over at the English Kindle Mystery Club!
Excellent read, well written with an intriguing mystery plot. I found in this, as in the first in the series, that the Jasmine story line is more compelling but overall I enjoyed the book in its entirety. Recommended read, but I’d definitely start with the first in the series, Where the Bodies are Buried, which by the way, is a read this month over at the English Kindle Mystery Club!