Reviews with content warning for Suicide - The Eighth Detective

The concept is very interesting and the link to mathematics is unusual. For me the ending seemed rushed and a little unsatisfactory but I read it quickly and enjoyed it.

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lexslittlelibrary's review

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

The beauty of the 8th Detective is that it is a mystery that tells you exactly what happened and who did it before you even open the book.

Literally just from reading the back of the book, I knew Grant had to have killed the girl mentioned there

However despite knowing the inevitable place the book will end up, it’s almost impossible to deduce the “why” and “how” of much of the story—but it is possible, which makes it a perfect example of the detective genre.

While I loved the smaller murder mystery stories, what really made this book special was the thought given to what makes the genre and how those details can be manipulated to tell an infinite number of unique stories.

However, parts of the last two or three chapters felt like rushed resolution. I would have liked to have seen more of both characters as they grappled with their own problems independently.

I also wish the alternate endings to the stories had been written in differently, or perhaps had a reference point back to where that change became relevant to the story itself, as I found the alternate/original endings being thrown into the middle of a chapter one after another to be dizzying. Had I not read it all in two days I wouldn’t have been able to follow what was happening there at all.

Overall it was a solid detective story and definitely one I’d recommend to others.

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lucy_warren's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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rachelcaro's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-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

2.0

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laguerrelewis's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
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

This is a murder mystery story for murder mystery fans. Part anthology, part deconstruction, this book is creative and clever and gives the reader so much to uncover. Mysteries upon mysteries upon mysteries, and each one is cleverer and more enjoyable than the last.

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allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

"And that's what differentiates a murder mystery from any other story with a surprise at the end. The possibilities are presented to the reader up front. The ending just comes back and points to one of them."

This book applies an intriguing framework to the murder mystery formula. In alternating chapters, we follow an editor discussing seven short stories with the author. He wrote a mathematical thesis about the basic requirements of a murder mystery story and their possible permutations. His stories exemplify some of the weirder combinations of ingredients. These seven stories provide the other half of the book. After each, the editor points out a curious discrepancy she noticed in the story. Part of the game for the reader is seeing if you can guess the permutation before the reveal or notice the discrepancy yourself. It adds layers to the usual fun of trying to uncover the details of the mystery before the detective.

This was a cleverly done book with some good twists and plenty to think about. I actually liked the short format of each mystery. Each had its own tone and intent. The problem for me was that really only my intellect engaged with this story. I wasn't particularly curious, excited, or attached to any characters. So when twists happened or the worst was revealed, my reaction was kind of a *shrug.* It didn't generate enthusiasm even though I was interested.

I think if you're looking for a mental puzzle or like short-form murder mysteries, this book will appeal to you.

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