tbsims's review
1.0
rather than try putting books in a 'not interested' folder, I'm going to claim I read them and give a low rating. Putting in not interested, the algorithm seems to think I like the book.
weaselweader's review
4.0
A complex gothic character study!
How did this first time author do that so easily? Bill Loehfelm uses a cleverly crafted blend of slow-paced, compelling action together with some down to earth, gritty, even vulgar dialogue to introduce the seeds of the plot and his characters at the same time. His use of a first person narrative allows us to form our own impressions of his hero's character through his own thoughts, words and perceptions of the events unfolding around him. We are allowed to form our own impressions and judge for ourself what we should believe and what we should take with a grain of salt.
If this is an example of Loehfelm's first outing as an author, then unerring instincts are obviously going to help fill the holes of missing experience.
John Sanders is a bartender. His lover has fled the coop and he's bedding down from time to time with a childhood sweetheart. Awakened on Sunday morning with a hard knock at the door and an even harder pounding in his head, the police advise him that his father has been murdered. Far from reacting as a grieving son devastated at the untimely death of his father, Sanders is ready to give the murderer a medal. Obviously, there's no love lost between this father and son pair. The story moves on to disclose that the investigating homicide detectives are also acquaintances of both the father and the son. At least in passing, they're going through the motions of investigating Sanders as a possible suspect in his father's murder but the most important order of business seems to be breaking the news to Julia, Sanders' sister, who he knows, unlike himself, will be devastated by the news of their father's murder.
The marketing wonks and the publicity gurus chose to set FRESH KILLS up as "noir mystery", a "thriller with a sensitive heart". No doubt about one thing at least ... "noir" is perhaps an understatement but the fact is that after you read the book you'll discover there was little enough mystery and absolutely no thriller at all. FRESH KILLS is a deeply complex, entirely character driven, gothic novel. This is a very internal story that portrays Sanders dealing with his demons. I would have unreservedly awarded the novel five stars but the resolution to the mystery of his father's murder, such as it is, has an outlandishly unfair deus ex machina flavour that arrives entirely out of left field. For shame, Mr Loefhelm ... a one star penalty on a fine novel which, otherwise, would have received my unreserved recommendations!
Not bad at all for a first outing! Highly recommended!
Paul Weiss
How did this first time author do that so easily? Bill Loehfelm uses a cleverly crafted blend of slow-paced, compelling action together with some down to earth, gritty, even vulgar dialogue to introduce the seeds of the plot and his characters at the same time. His use of a first person narrative allows us to form our own impressions of his hero's character through his own thoughts, words and perceptions of the events unfolding around him. We are allowed to form our own impressions and judge for ourself what we should believe and what we should take with a grain of salt.
If this is an example of Loehfelm's first outing as an author, then unerring instincts are obviously going to help fill the holes of missing experience.
John Sanders is a bartender. His lover has fled the coop and he's bedding down from time to time with a childhood sweetheart. Awakened on Sunday morning with a hard knock at the door and an even harder pounding in his head, the police advise him that his father has been murdered. Far from reacting as a grieving son devastated at the untimely death of his father, Sanders is ready to give the murderer a medal. Obviously, there's no love lost between this father and son pair. The story moves on to disclose that the investigating homicide detectives are also acquaintances of both the father and the son. At least in passing, they're going through the motions of investigating Sanders as a possible suspect in his father's murder but the most important order of business seems to be breaking the news to Julia, Sanders' sister, who he knows, unlike himself, will be devastated by the news of their father's murder.
The marketing wonks and the publicity gurus chose to set FRESH KILLS up as "noir mystery", a "thriller with a sensitive heart". No doubt about one thing at least ... "noir" is perhaps an understatement but the fact is that after you read the book you'll discover there was little enough mystery and absolutely no thriller at all. FRESH KILLS is a deeply complex, entirely character driven, gothic novel. This is a very internal story that portrays Sanders dealing with his demons. I would have unreservedly awarded the novel five stars but the resolution to the mystery of his father's murder, such as it is, has an outlandishly unfair deus ex machina flavour that arrives entirely out of left field. For shame, Mr Loefhelm ... a one star penalty on a fine novel which, otherwise, would have received my unreserved recommendations!
Not bad at all for a first outing! Highly recommended!
Paul Weiss
emmastia's review
3.0
I really enjoyed this book - it was extremely well paced. Seems like a straight-up mystery/thriller, but there is a lot more to it. I think both men and women would appreciate it equally. I will definitely be on the hunt for his next book - I see that he now lives in New Orleans - I'd love to see his next book set there.
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