chelsea_jack's review against another edition
3.0
This well-written mystery was an oddity for me. I enjoyed it, but I didn't *love* it.
Sabina Carpenter and John Quincannon investigate parallel cases that converge in an unexpected way. As co-owners of their own detective agency, they have an interesting dynamic - certainly there's some gender politics of the period at play here, a detail that I appreciated - but the authors have also cleverly factored in their characters' personalities.
Other than the inclusion of a Sherlock Holmes impersonator(?), the story seemed plausible to me. The details of San Francisco at the turn of the 20th century were excellent - the dialogue in particular and language used by the characters was quite well done!
However, I was never compelled to keep reading, never felt an urgency to reach the conclusion of the novel. The book just lacked that special something to draw me in.
See my complete review at: To Each Their Own Reviews
Sabina Carpenter and John Quincannon investigate parallel cases that converge in an unexpected way. As co-owners of their own detective agency, they have an interesting dynamic - certainly there's some gender politics of the period at play here, a detail that I appreciated - but the authors have also cleverly factored in their characters' personalities.
Other than the inclusion of a Sherlock Holmes impersonator(?), the story seemed plausible to me. The details of San Francisco at the turn of the 20th century were excellent - the dialogue in particular and language used by the characters was quite well done!
However, I was never compelled to keep reading, never felt an urgency to reach the conclusion of the novel. The book just lacked that special something to draw me in.
See my complete review at: To Each Their Own Reviews
reading_srsly's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
cthuwu's review against another edition
DNF @ 8% i couldn't make myself read past page 16. hell, i almost gave up after page like,,,,, two. pro tip: if you're going to set up a man being in love with a woman, don't have him insult both her intelligence and her looks in the same chapter as he lusts after her and expresses jealousy at her potential suitors. it's not the move.
jbleyle63's review against another edition
3.0
Thanks to several short story appearances in Ellery Queen's Mystery mag, I was already familiar with this series set in late 19th century San Francisco. The plot is a bit thin for this one but enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes imitator and the main protagonists. Entertaining enough that I will probably read more from this series produced by the award-winning [and married] Muller and Pronzini.
alissabar's review against another edition
3.0
There were several interesting elements in this story that led me to pick it up and try it. . . late 1800's San Francisco, mystery, and Sherlock Holmes. However, the Sherlock Holmes part was disappointing. I found him quite annoying, which has never been a problem I've run into before. It could be that when I read about him with Watson as my narrator I'm getting the story from someone who actually likes him. In this book the two narrators think he is pushing himself into their case and they aren't too pleased with him. I did enjoy the rest of it.
cabonin's review against another edition
3.0
Unfortunately, the authors' overuse of period slang and brands gets in the way of the story. The story and the characters had potential, but the language could stand to be dialed back. I'm glad the authors did their research on the time period; however, I wish they were a little less eager to show it off.
hollylynna's review against another edition
3.0
Fun mystery..first in a series. Loved the setting of 19th century San Francisco and the who dunnit.
sheltzer's review against another edition
3.0
This book was a pleasant read. It seemed a little flat to me. I wanted more. I liked the pairing of Carpenter and Quincannon, but there wasn't very much interaction between the two of them. I wanted both of their characters individually to be more fleshed out.
I wonder if the introduction of Sherlock Holmes (allegedly) was a mistake when introducing the series as the characters each interacted more with him than with each other. And it really just reminded me of how much I want another [a:Steve Hockensmith|146628|Steve Hockensmith|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1303116599p2/146628.jpg] Holmes on the Range novel.
I wonder if the introduction of Sherlock Holmes (allegedly) was a mistake when introducing the series as the characters each interacted more with him than with each other. And it really just reminded me of how much I want another [a:Steve Hockensmith|146628|Steve Hockensmith|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1303116599p2/146628.jpg] Holmes on the Range novel.