amyoftortall's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
3.0
Lake of Sorrows is the second book in Erin Hart's mystery series featuring American forensic pathologist Nora Gavin and archaeologist Cormac Maguire. This time Nora, who is in Ireland doing research, is called to the scene of an excavation where a very well-preserved body from the Iron Age has been discovered in the peat bog. It appears to have been a human sacrifice--slain three ways: strangled, throat cut, and drowned. The area is close to the site of an extraordinary find of Iron Age artifacts found in the past. Perhaps the sacrifice was connected to the hoard. It isn't often that such a complete body is found and Nora can't afford to pass up the opportunity to examine the remains.
She barely has a chance to look over the Iron Age find when a second body is found. But this one is wearing a wrist watch and seems to have been buried about 25 years ago. However, when the man is removed from the bog, they discover that he bears the mark of the ancient triple death--just like the Iron Age remains. This makes the police wonder if there is a connection between the archaeological finds and the more recent death. But as the investigation continues more deaths occur--bearing the same signature marks. One of the victims is an old flame of Cormac's and suspicion falls on him. So, Nora and Cormac begin an investigation of their own to try and clear Cormac's name and Nora finds herself in danger when her questions bring her too close to the killer.
My take: This installment didn't hold my interest the way Haunted Ground did. The first book started out slow, but once it took off I could not put it down and even went to bed late in order to finish it. This one never did take off. I easily put it down and had to keep urging myself to pick it up again to finish it. Not the same gripping performance at all The story was okay. The developing relationship between Nora and Cormac was okay. But I didn't feel that same need to know what happens that kept me reading before. This one also felt a bit more scattered--jumping from character to character and following each one's movements for a short while before jumping to someone else. I don't remember the flow being quite so erratic before.
There are some very good moments: between Nora and Cormac and then with Cormac's friend Michael Scully; also between Detective Liam Ward and the pathologist Catherine Friel. So, some of the characterization was very good at times--just not consistent. The mystery itself was decent, maybe not quite as fairly clued as I'd like, but okay. So...for an overall okay experience...three stars.
This review was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
She barely has a chance to look over the Iron Age find when a second body is found. But this one is wearing a wrist watch and seems to have been buried about 25 years ago. However, when the man is removed from the bog, they discover that he bears the mark of the ancient triple death--just like the Iron Age remains. This makes the police wonder if there is a connection between the archaeological finds and the more recent death. But as the investigation continues more deaths occur--bearing the same signature marks. One of the victims is an old flame of Cormac's and suspicion falls on him. So, Nora and Cormac begin an investigation of their own to try and clear Cormac's name and Nora finds herself in danger when her questions bring her too close to the killer.
My take: This installment didn't hold my interest the way Haunted Ground did. The first book started out slow, but once it took off I could not put it down and even went to bed late in order to finish it. This one never did take off. I easily put it down and had to keep urging myself to pick it up again to finish it. Not the same gripping performance at all The story was okay. The developing relationship between Nora and Cormac was okay. But I didn't feel that same need to know what happens that kept me reading before. This one also felt a bit more scattered--jumping from character to character and following each one's movements for a short while before jumping to someone else. I don't remember the flow being quite so erratic before.
There are some very good moments: between Nora and Cormac and then with Cormac's friend Michael Scully; also between Detective Liam Ward and the pathologist Catherine Friel. So, some of the characterization was very good at times--just not consistent. The mystery itself was decent, maybe not quite as fairly clued as I'd like, but okay. So...for an overall okay experience...three stars.
This review was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
januaryf's review against another edition
This was a good mystery. Great setting, and a story that didn’t give away too much of the ‘who dunnit’ end. Hart seems to want you to think one person is the culprit, and then springs someone else on you out of the blue. Kinda makes it hard to guess who was the murderer, but that is also part of the fun of a mystery novel.
lunasmaria's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 Stars
The grass did not live in order to be cut down, but in spite of cuttings. It's nature was to grow and go to seed and grow again.
This series is still my favourite, Erin writes her story through scenes and emotions. This is just another in her amazing, in depth web of mysteries. She carries on just as well with this book as she did with the first.
I love the side stories more than the main story, the added spice in Cormac and Nora's trust was so subtle and well written, again, Erin goes above and beyond.
Most people misunderstood the pathologist's motivation: it was not a preoccupation with death, but a profound curiosity about life.
The grass did not live in order to be cut down, but in spite of cuttings. It's nature was to grow and go to seed and grow again.
This series is still my favourite, Erin writes her story through scenes and emotions. This is just another in her amazing, in depth web of mysteries. She carries on just as well with this book as she did with the first.
I love the side stories more than the main story, the added spice in Cormac and Nora's trust was so subtle and well written, again, Erin goes above and beyond.
Most people misunderstood the pathologist's motivation: it was not a preoccupation with death, but a profound curiosity about life.
taraza's review against another edition
2.0
Perhaps it's because I haven't read the first book in this 'series' but I felt a there were lots of holes and lots unexplained.
That said, it was an acceptable who-did-it and I didn't work it out until the author revealed it.
I did enjoy the archaeological setting though.
That said, it was an acceptable who-did-it and I didn't work it out until the author revealed it.
I did enjoy the archaeological setting though.
dvallee's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. I like to read about Ireland, since I am of Irish roots. Learning something about the bogs is very interesting as I knew nothing about them.
I have read books with great characters, and though some of characters here are not super in depth I still found myself having feelings toward them. I like Nora, tho she can be frustrating. I guess I like Cormac, he might need a little more depth. I did not like Ursula or Rachel but I found myself concerned for Charlie. So, I think if one has some feeling towards the characters then they are written fairly well.
I have read books with great characters, and though some of characters here are not super in depth I still found myself having feelings toward them. I like Nora, tho she can be frustrating. I guess I like Cormac, he might need a little more depth. I did not like Ursula or Rachel but I found myself concerned for Charlie. So, I think if one has some feeling towards the characters then they are written fairly well.
lisa_setepenre's review against another edition
4.0
Lake of Sorrows is the second book in Erin Hart's series of crime/mystery novels featuring pathologist Nora Gavin, this time focusing on the discovery of a man's body in a bog that seems to be an Iron Age ritual killing, similar to a very recent find in the same bog. The only thing that differs, however, is that this body comes with a wristwatch, marking it as belonging to the modern era.
In all honesty, I thought Lake of Sorrows was a better novel than [b:Haunted Ground|905451|Haunted Ground (Nora Gavin, #1)|Erin Hart|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1412217096s/905451.jpg|240718]. The strengths found in that novel remained constant and the weaknesses were improved on. Hart's work still comprises of great characters who drive the story forward and who each become endearing in their own way. The mystery this time around was a lot more suspenseful with a real sense of danger, there are fewer information dumps, the character arcs tie up pretty damn well by the end of the book and the romance between Nora Gavin and archaeologist Cormac Maguire worked better this time around, mostly because they were an established couple this time.
The only complaint I have is the lack of the double mystery. In Haunted Ground, Nora and Cormac had two mysteries to solve, one ancient, one modern-day, but Lake of Sorrows only features the modern-day murder mystery. This isn't a flaw – Lake of Sorrows works perfectly well without the ancient mystery and I do think that it's realistic that the mystery of the Iron Age man is left unsolved. That said, for a history nut like me, I was a little sad not to have the historical mystery play an important part and the ancient remains that brings Nora into the story do come across as little more than a convenient plot device.
All in all, Lake of Sorrows is an excellent follow-up to Haunted Ground, containing the almost all the qualities that made it so enthralling whilst correcting the flaws from that book
In all honesty, I thought Lake of Sorrows was a better novel than [b:Haunted Ground|905451|Haunted Ground (Nora Gavin, #1)|Erin Hart|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1412217096s/905451.jpg|240718]. The strengths found in that novel remained constant and the weaknesses were improved on. Hart's work still comprises of great characters who drive the story forward and who each become endearing in their own way. The mystery this time around was a lot more suspenseful with a real sense of danger, there are fewer information dumps, the character arcs tie up pretty damn well by the end of the book and the romance between Nora Gavin and archaeologist Cormac Maguire worked better this time around, mostly because they were an established couple this time.
The only complaint I have is the lack of the double mystery. In Haunted Ground, Nora and Cormac had two mysteries to solve, one ancient, one modern-day, but Lake of Sorrows only features the modern-day murder mystery. This isn't a flaw – Lake of Sorrows works perfectly well without the ancient mystery and I do think that it's realistic that the mystery of the Iron Age man is left unsolved. That said, for a history nut like me, I was a little sad not to have the historical mystery play an important part and the ancient remains that brings Nora into the story do come across as little more than a convenient plot device.
All in all, Lake of Sorrows is an excellent follow-up to Haunted Ground, containing the almost all the qualities that made it so enthralling whilst correcting the flaws from that book