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crankyisgood's review against another edition
4.0
I tear through these, only stopping when it's late at night and I can't take the suspense any longer. Wolfe reveals layers as the characters experience them, as many authors do, but with a level of artistry surpassing most. Of course I care about the issues addressed, particularly the central issue to this novel, but I cared a lot more when it was humanized, even in a fictional format.
The characters are so flawed-and-lovable. I want to know what will happen next! Now!
The characters are so flawed-and-lovable. I want to know what will happen next! Now!
ljjohnson8's review against another edition
4.0
Less Hester private life, more about the case. But I liked that. And I liked the focus on James too. Excellent like the first two. Superior writing, tremendously fascinating characters, and more so in this one than the other two, a very involving and affecting story. Can't wait for more Hester.
eserafina42's review against another edition
4.0
When beloved local businessman Henry Wiest is found dead of an apparent wasp sting in a place where he had no reason to be, Detective Inspector Hazel Micallef questions whether the explanation is as simple as it appears. In her own inimitable maverick way, she sets off on an investigation that uncovers horrific crimes being committed behind the seemingly innocent front of the casino at a nearby Native American reservation. At the same time she must deal with her irascible 87-year-old mother's increasing frailty and a reorganization of her department that has put one of her former subordinates in charge.
(I would really give this book 3-1/2 stars because I feel like the whole illegal private sex club thing is being done to death to the point where it's almost boring, but will round it up to 4 instead of down to 3 because the book, as usual in this series, is so well written.)
(I would really give this book 3-1/2 stars because I feel like the whole illegal private sex club thing is being done to death to the point where it's almost boring, but will round it up to 4 instead of down to 3 because the book, as usual in this series, is so well written.)
happy_hiker's review against another edition
2.0
I do not know what compelled me to read this book when my thoughts about the first two in the series were luke warm. The book started on reasonably well - a well-liked citizen dies of what is supposedly a wasp sting. Hazel doesn't believe it, so she has the death investigated further and it turns out that it was murder. As the investigation goes on, gambling and sex slaves come into play. I thought the story was ok; my problems came with the end of the book - I thought the solution was convoluted and tedious and I just wanted the book to be over. I am also not enamored of the writing style used in these books, it's overall a bit more spare than I prefer. I have many books on my to-read list, and have no plans to keep up with this series.
thepickygirl's review against another edition
From thepickygirl.com:
*I received this from the publisher Pegasus in exchange for an honest review.
DI Hazel Micallef doesn’t believe a bee killed Henry Wiest. The man is a fixture in Kehoe Glenn, and something is off. Found outside a cigarette shop on the First Nations Reserve, Henry’s death is written off as accidental, and the reservation police don’t dig much further than that. Hazel isn’t satisfied. Henry didn’t smoke, and why was he on the reservation in the first place? The more questions she asks, the more disturbing the answers that DI Micallef finds until the resulting chaos can’t be ignored by anyone.
This is the kind of case that news reporters say “rock the small community” with its violence. I received this book in the mail without having heard of it before, I picked it up to read the first couple chapters and spent the ensuing afternoon and evening reading every last page of this book.
A Door in the River is one in a series of mysteries featuring Hazel Micallef, and I could definitely tell I was missing some of her personality and background because this was the first I’d read. Hazel is recovering from back surgery. She’s divorced, and her elderly, ailing mother has moved in with her. There are also a lot of changes going on at work, and I felt a bit in the dark with the references to past work history. However, the lack of background didn’t affect the overall novel (I particularly hate information dumps), which was paced well and extremely suspenseful. The book opens with a girl on the run and a dying man. How she figures into the story is what the rest of the novel works to figure out.
With a little Lisbeth Salander-style revenge and a lot of tension, A Door in the River was a great introduction to Kehoe Glenn and DI Micallef.
[Note: I would recommend beginning this series with the first book, The Calling.]
*I received this from the publisher Pegasus in exchange for an honest review.
DI Hazel Micallef doesn’t believe a bee killed Henry Wiest. The man is a fixture in Kehoe Glenn, and something is off. Found outside a cigarette shop on the First Nations Reserve, Henry’s death is written off as accidental, and the reservation police don’t dig much further than that. Hazel isn’t satisfied. Henry didn’t smoke, and why was he on the reservation in the first place? The more questions she asks, the more disturbing the answers that DI Micallef finds until the resulting chaos can’t be ignored by anyone.
This is the kind of case that news reporters say “rock the small community” with its violence. I received this book in the mail without having heard of it before, I picked it up to read the first couple chapters and spent the ensuing afternoon and evening reading every last page of this book.
A Door in the River is one in a series of mysteries featuring Hazel Micallef, and I could definitely tell I was missing some of her personality and background because this was the first I’d read. Hazel is recovering from back surgery. She’s divorced, and her elderly, ailing mother has moved in with her. There are also a lot of changes going on at work, and I felt a bit in the dark with the references to past work history. However, the lack of background didn’t affect the overall novel (I particularly hate information dumps), which was paced well and extremely suspenseful. The book opens with a girl on the run and a dying man. How she figures into the story is what the rest of the novel works to figure out.
With a little Lisbeth Salander-style revenge and a lot of tension, A Door in the River was a great introduction to Kehoe Glenn and DI Micallef.
[Note: I would recommend beginning this series with the first book, The Calling.]
chantale's review against another edition
5.0
A handyman and hardware store owner from Kehoe Glenn is killed on the local First Nations reserve. What at first doesn't seem suspicious ends up as a murder investigation. A mysterious young woman is sought in the murder. Wolfe incorporates the perspective of both the victim/murderer and police detectives in what is a compelling and fast paced look at an illegal casino and human trafficking operation.
I am glad to have discovered this new author and read the first two books in the series. A mix of Karin Slaughter meets cozy mystery.
I am glad to have discovered this new author and read the first two books in the series. A mix of Karin Slaughter meets cozy mystery.
flogigyahoo's review against another edition
3.0
The previous two books in the Hazel Micallef series were, I thought, really well written mysteries. A Door in the River is well written too, but the whole plot a little too farfetched to be believable. A well liked man is found dead at what appears to be a convenience store. Hazel finds his death a little strange so sets a watch. From this beginning we are led to a busy casino, girls being smuggled by an international white slavery ring, and murder, murder, murder. Too many people are in on it, too many people end up murdered for no good reason. It just isn't plausible for this to be happening in the sparsely populated Canadian countryside. Hazel is still a wonderful character, I enjoy everything about her now that she's off drugs and back home, so I'm looking forward to her next case. Hopefully there will be more to come in this series. And this is most probably my last review in 2016.
kayjummac's review against another edition
3.0
I was really looking forward to this book. I enjoyed the two that came before in the series. Unfortunately, I didn't like this one as much. From the very beginning, I was put off by the portrayal of the First Nations reservations and police force. We only really meet two native police officers on the reservation, both are female, neither is a full character, which is usually Wolfe's (yes, I know it's a pseudonym) strength.
Maybe I was in the wrong mood for this book, but I found myself having trouble following what was going on, let alone what was going through the minds of the different characters. This very much felt like a bridging book for Hazel. Nothing definitive happens in her life, but ti's moving towards big changes.
I did finish it, but the ending left a lot to be desired as well. Felt like it just abruptly stopped.
Maybe I was in the wrong mood for this book, but I found myself having trouble following what was going on, let alone what was going through the minds of the different characters. This very much felt like a bridging book for Hazel. Nothing definitive happens in her life, but ti's moving towards big changes.
I did finish it, but the ending left a lot to be desired as well. Felt like it just abruptly stopped.
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