alcazarz's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. good characters but story not the best in the series
ambernmart's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
sammilittlejohns's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoy the Shetland Island series, or what I've read so far. It's a solid story and Ann Cleeves has a clear and easy to read writing style that doesn't feel basic or childish or stereotypically dramatic as a lot of crime novels fall into. You don't really need to have read previous books to understand the story, I remember reading book 3 of this series (Red Bones) thinking it was the first in the series but nope, however this one does have a bit more of the past story involved, so personally for this one read the few that come before this if you don't want a few spoilers if you really care about the characters.
Overall, is a good read and successfully avoids the stereotypical traps a lot of crime novels fall for.
Overall, is a good read and successfully avoids the stereotypical traps a lot of crime novels fall for.
fastasashark's review against another edition
3.0
3.75/5 stars
Major spoiler thoughts:
Major spoiler thoughts:
Spoiler
A fun mystery but I think I'm just a bit picky about conclusions. I guess I just felt that Simon shouldn't really have had reason to kill Alison, since it would have also not been in her best interest for her to reveal his past since it could risk her own identity being revealed. Also the decision to kill Tom seemed a stretch too. That said, I guess Simon is set up as a character to make hasty decisions. I guess I was just looking for reasons that would have made more sense to me.alicem_23's review against another edition
4.0
Another brilliant instalment in the Shetland series. I absolutely adore Cleeves’ descriptions of Shetland in these books - she manages to evoke a true sense of islanders and islandness in just a few paragraphs
chri5ti's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
shanviolinlove's review against another edition
3.0
For those like me who discovered this series through BBC's Shetland, note that, as with any adaptation, there are some character differences. While I will not divulge any details, I have noted that this author's style is not necessarily the classic Christie whodunnit with clues (as one of the reviews on the book cover states), but more a journey with surprises. As with the show, the pulse is built on constant reveals. In other words, it's less like seeing a puzzle with all the pieces and finding how they come together, but more like receiving one piece at a time until it culminates into a big picture.
angelfireeast24's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Addiction, Infertility, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Minor: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual content