anetq's review against another edition
4.0
When you’re off centre for some things, you might the right in the middle of it, for something else. In this the 12th installment of the Rhona MacLeod crimes novels (but still going strong), the forensic scientist gets involved in a case that reminds us the water is also a connector (even if less than before) and as remote as Scotland can be, it is also a surprsibgly close neighbor to Norway. And this story involves all sorts of horrid international crimes.
If you haven’t read any of the series before, you can still start here!
If you haven’t read any of the series before, you can still start here!
tdk's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.25
wrencameron's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
A mediocre crime novel with an unpleasant topic (Child prostition) and unconvincing leading characters
zog_the_frog's review against another edition
2.0
Tedious.
The first 30% of the book were interesting, but after that the narrative jumped all over the place leaving this reader dazed and confused. This was my first Lin Anderson book and it will be my last for the following reasons
1. Unlikable main characters, tortuous plot with too many illogical jumps.
2. Unexplained loose ends. What did the dead raptors have to do with the plot?
3. Over 90 short chapters, each one ending halfway down a page. This leaves half a page of white space. This is becoming a favourite way for some authors to increase page count without increasing word count. Do the maths, 90 x 0.5 = 45 pages devoted to white space!
Not impressed.
The first 30% of the book were interesting, but after that the narrative jumped all over the place leaving this reader dazed and confused. This was my first Lin Anderson book and it will be my last for the following reasons
1. Unlikable main characters, tortuous plot with too many illogical jumps.
2. Unexplained loose ends. What did the dead raptors have to do with the plot?
3. Over 90 short chapters, each one ending halfway down a page. This leaves half a page of white space. This is becoming a favourite way for some authors to increase page count without increasing word count. Do the maths, 90 x 0.5 = 45 pages devoted to white space!
Not impressed.
minimali's review
4.0
This was the 12th instalment of Lin Anderson's Rhona MacLeod series, which follows the titular forensic scientist, police and the rest of the usual gang.
While there has never been a rubbish one yet, this was my favourite of recent books. Normally set in and around Glasgow, though occasionally venturing to the islands, this one took me to the depths of the Cairngorm Mountains and the over the water to Norway in a story that covered drug smuggling and human trafficking.
Anderson always manages to link convoluted plots seamlessly and her short snappy chapters and multiple POVs keep the tension up and the plot zipping along nicely.
Likewise, Anderson is also good at progressing the overall story arcs of her characters in a way that feels natural. She has slowly introduced new ones as the series has gone on and I hope this isn't the only time the Norwegian police force make an appearance.
If you like gritty crime thrillers with likeable but flawed characters then it is worth giving these a go.
While there has never been a rubbish one yet, this was my favourite of recent books. Normally set in and around Glasgow, though occasionally venturing to the islands, this one took me to the depths of the Cairngorm Mountains and the over the water to Norway in a story that covered drug smuggling and human trafficking.
Anderson always manages to link convoluted plots seamlessly and her short snappy chapters and multiple POVs keep the tension up and the plot zipping along nicely.
Likewise, Anderson is also good at progressing the overall story arcs of her characters in a way that feels natural. She has slowly introduced new ones as the series has gone on and I hope this isn't the only time the Norwegian police force make an appearance.
If you like gritty crime thrillers with likeable but flawed characters then it is worth giving these a go.
zoer03's review
I can’t even rate this book... I mean there are plenty of good things about it the pace the suspense and the characters are great... BUT and it is a big one when the editor makes a massive blunder as in you read to the bottom of the page and you turn over to find it does not flow as in a whole paragraph or two has been left out and a character that you had thought wasn’t in with tie others had somehow miraculously like a ghost through walls swanned in Arghhgg I hate these mistakes because 1. I am taken out from that world 2. I feel like I am cheated 3. If that’s how lazy the editing at pan gets sorry but you really need to find out where you went wrong. This is bulls**** too and I am glad I won’t feel like picking up another book in the series
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