derinoe's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
cdeane61's review
4.0
Quite odd - not at all what I expected.
The book is not so much about the cases as it is about the team that is set on solving them.
I expected the cases to be bordering on the supernatural or the bizarre, but it is not that way at all.
McCall Smith has a way of taking the ordinary and looking at it from an interesting angle. Some of it was even laugh-out-loud funny to me, and will enjoy looking into others in the series.
The book is not so much about the cases as it is about the team that is set on solving them.
I expected the cases to be bordering on the supernatural or the bizarre, but it is not that way at all.
McCall Smith has a way of taking the ordinary and looking at it from an interesting angle. Some of it was even laugh-out-loud funny to me, and will enjoy looking into others in the series.
laurelwingcaston's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
readingfar's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jhaverinen's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
starryeved's review
2.0
A debut in the so-termed Scandinavian Blanc genre/subgenre. I'm sure Alexander McCall Smith is a titan in the detective agency-writing subsection of popular literature now, but even with the appealing title and premise, this fell a little flat.
Unfortunately, the quiet, ponderous writing style didn't work for me. As someone with a short attention span, what I want out of a novel—especially a mystery—is something exciting and entertaining. Even if the content is supposedly small or insignificant, as they are here—"sensitive" crimes including a disappearing imaginary boyfriend, a perplexing stab to the back of the knee—there are ways to make them appealing, entertaining.
For one, you could make the characters intriguing. Or, you could vary up your writing style. Tone up the urgency. Spice up the atmosphere and mood. Add to the intrigue.
Basically, there are a whole number of things to make a bizarre story good, but McCall Smith did none of them.
I started this a very long time ago, and then gave up near the beginning. Only till now did I finally decide to give it another go. And... I would try and give this another chance, but that'll have to come at a later date. Much later.
ARC from Penguin Random House, courtesy of NetGalley.
Unfortunately, the quiet, ponderous writing style didn't work for me. As someone with a short attention span, what I want out of a novel—especially a mystery—is something exciting and entertaining. Even if the content is supposedly small or insignificant, as they are here—"sensitive" crimes including a disappearing imaginary boyfriend, a perplexing stab to the back of the knee—there are ways to make them appealing, entertaining.
For one, you could make the characters intriguing. Or, you could vary up your writing style. Tone up the urgency. Spice up the atmosphere and mood. Add to the intrigue.
Basically, there are a whole number of things to make a bizarre story good, but McCall Smith did none of them.
I started this a very long time ago, and then gave up near the beginning. Only till now did I finally decide to give it another go. And... I would try and give this another chance, but that'll have to come at a later date. Much later.
ARC from Penguin Random House, courtesy of NetGalley.
teal_reader's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Dull. Far too meandering and aimless for me, and the ‘observations’ on human nature became irritating.
suzannalundale's review
5.0
This series is another of McCall Smith's quiet love songs to humanity - never cloying, only accepting of the characters' foibles and picadilloes. This misanthrope cannot but smile to myself upon meeting these new characters. I look forward to spending more time with them.
mommamel11's review
4.0
I like some of this author’s books: yes- the the Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency, sometimes -44 Scotland Street, no- SundayPhilosopher’s Club.I was interested to check McCall-Smith’s take on Sweden in a new series: The Department of Sensitive Crimes. This crime unit investigates smaller, odder crimes. The detectives. have a similar vibe to the Ladies Detective agency characters with much philosophizing to accompany the crime-solving. The small town setting has its fair town of quirky inhabitants. It’s a mild mannered read, not too surprising. Just pleasant.
ra_schmi's review
5.0
I adore Alexander McCall Smith's mysteries where nothing ever happens. It's a sweet pleasure to curl up with the lovely characters he brings to life. This is the first of what I assume is a new series, set in Malmo, Sweden. I'm looking forward to more in this series, although I certainly hope it doesn't mean waiting longer for an Isabel Dalhousie book.