l1ttlel1braryn00k's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
wildflowerz76's review
2.0
I have a terrible memory. So frequently when I do these reviews, I refer back to the Goodreads blurb to remind me of details. You know...like the main characters name!
cboddie's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
2.0
lilythebibliophile's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you so much to Edelweiss and Scholastic Inc. for providing me with an advance reader’s copy of this book!
I was ecstatic to be approved for an ARC of Blood in the Water, as Caleb Roehrig is one of my favorite authors of all time. He is a master of the mystery/thriller, and I recommend his books Last Seen Leaving and White Rabbit over just about any other title out there.
Unfortunately, this book did not floor me as much as Roehrig’s books usually do. It was decent, but I feel that Roehrig may have had to work under certain constraints from the company that he wrote this book for (Hunt A Killer), and that that altered his trademark writing style and diminished this book’s greatness.
For one thing, the main character in this book, Zac, fell flat for me. I’m shocked that I am critiquing one of Roehrig’s main characters, because I have loved each of his other main characters. They each had a unique voice and a specific place in the story that pushed them to be at the center of the action (for example, in White Rabbit, Rufus had to solve the murder to exonerate his estranged half-sister), and I eat up every single sentence they think. In Blood in the Water, however, I did not get as much of a window into Zac's head. He seemed like a vessel for readers to solve the mystery through, but not much more than that. I believe this is what the company was going for, but I wish Roehrig had more room to develop Zac’s character on the page.
Additionally, the mystery in this book was nowhere near as complex or unpredictable as the mysteries are in Roehrig’s other works. Roehrig is a master at keeping readers guessing, but I figured out the culprit in this story practically the moment they were introduced. I’m assuming that maybe Hunt A Killer had an outline for the story that Roehrig had to execute. Otherwise, he would have written more characters and motives into the story. There were some twists that I didn’t see coming, but I still predicted the perpetrator, so the overall result was the same for me - I had a fairly dull reading experience.
Adding onto my theory that this book was outlined by the company, most of the book is just the main character going around and interviewing people about what they know. Almost all mystery novels are more than simply transcripts of interviews the main character conducts. They involve the main character stumbling upon a clue that builds up a sense of tension in the book, or talking to characters who refuse to divulge any information. This adds more conflict to the plot. Otherwise, the reading experience of mystery books would be somewhat monotonous. In Roehrig’s previous works, these plot complications are present, but they are not present in Blood in the Water. I felt like the main character was just going through the motions of a fairly straightforward investigation.
I did enjoy the inner conflict Zac had about carrying on the family business - I felt like I was getting a peek at the Roehrig writing I’ve come to know and love. I also liked Zac’s interaction with Aditi, where he had to convince her to do him a favor. It reminded me of what a hard time Roehrig’s other main characters had at obtaining information, and how that made each reveal all the more significant. I also laughed a few times while reading this book, and I love it when a book can make me laugh - it's a very difficult task!
Overall, this book was not as bad as some of the other mysteries I’ve read this year, but it pales in comparison to Roehrig’s backlist. I think this book is geared towards younger readers, and that’s apt, because I feel a less-seasoned mystery reader will enjoy this much more.
I was ecstatic to be approved for an ARC of Blood in the Water, as Caleb Roehrig is one of my favorite authors of all time. He is a master of the mystery/thriller, and I recommend his books Last Seen Leaving and White Rabbit over just about any other title out there.
Unfortunately, this book did not floor me as much as Roehrig’s books usually do. It was decent, but I feel that Roehrig may have had to work under certain constraints from the company that he wrote this book for (Hunt A Killer), and that that altered his trademark writing style and diminished this book’s greatness.
For one thing, the main character in this book, Zac, fell flat for me. I’m shocked that I am critiquing one of Roehrig’s main characters, because I have loved each of his other main characters. They each had a unique voice and a specific place in the story that pushed them to be at the center of the action (for example, in White Rabbit, Rufus had to solve the murder to exonerate his estranged half-sister), and I eat up every single sentence they think. In Blood in the Water, however, I did not get as much of a window into Zac's head. He seemed like a vessel for readers to solve the mystery through, but not much more than that. I believe this is what the company was going for, but I wish Roehrig had more room to develop Zac’s character on the page.
Additionally, the mystery in this book was nowhere near as complex or unpredictable as the mysteries are in Roehrig’s other works. Roehrig is a master at keeping readers guessing, but I figured out the culprit in this story practically the moment they were introduced. I’m assuming that maybe Hunt A Killer had an outline for the story that Roehrig had to execute. Otherwise, he would have written more characters and motives into the story. There were some twists that I didn’t see coming, but I still predicted the perpetrator, so the overall result was the same for me - I had a fairly dull reading experience.
Adding onto my theory that this book was outlined by the company, most of the book is just the main character going around and interviewing people about what they know. Almost all mystery novels are more than simply transcripts of interviews the main character conducts. They involve the main character stumbling upon a clue that builds up a sense of tension in the book, or talking to characters who refuse to divulge any information. This adds more conflict to the plot. Otherwise, the reading experience of mystery books would be somewhat monotonous. In Roehrig’s previous works, these plot complications are present, but they are not present in Blood in the Water. I felt like the main character was just going through the motions of a fairly straightforward investigation.
I did enjoy the inner conflict Zac had about carrying on the family business - I felt like I was getting a peek at the Roehrig writing I’ve come to know and love. I also liked Zac’s interaction with Aditi, where he had to convince her to do him a favor. It reminded me of what a hard time Roehrig’s other main characters had at obtaining information, and how that made each reveal all the more significant. I also laughed a few times while reading this book, and I love it when a book can make me laugh - it's a very difficult task!
Overall, this book was not as bad as some of the other mysteries I’ve read this year, but it pales in comparison to Roehrig’s backlist. I think this book is geared towards younger readers, and that’s apt, because I feel a less-seasoned mystery reader will enjoy this much more.
libraryjen's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
3.0
Zac and his sister Ruby live with their father and spend all their free time helping him out at the family restaurant. When his uncle, a part owner of the restaurant who never helps out, is found murdered on the beach, the police begin to suspect his dad. Zac knows that cannot be true and sets out to prove it was Uncle Flash's longtime rival Shotgun McGinnis. Twists and turns and dead ends abound as Zac digs deeper into Flash's life. It turns out that Flash wasn't the perfect guy Zac and Ruby knew and the city of Barton Beach hides more secrets than they could imagine.
Very loosely based on the <i>Hunt A Killer</i> games, this novel moved quickly from one twist to another without going very deep into anything. If you're looking for a quick escape, this is for you! If you're looking for a tight, well thought out plot that will keep you guessing, keep looking. It was a fun, quick read but I had the mystery figured out very early on. 3 solid stars.
Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Very loosely based on the <i>Hunt A Killer</i> games, this novel moved quickly from one twist to another without going very deep into anything. If you're looking for a quick escape, this is for you! If you're looking for a tight, well thought out plot that will keep you guessing, keep looking. It was a fun, quick read but I had the mystery figured out very early on. 3 solid stars.
Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
More...