sarahs_bookish_life's review against another edition
4.0
Was really torn which star to give this book as did enjoy it but just felt the author contradicted the character quite abit in this book as things she wouldn't do due to her job and law she wouldn't do in the last novel yet had no issue in breaking the law in this one but otherwise was still good.
laurenjodi's review against another edition
5.0
The Dead Room
4.5 Stars
The rapid pacing, intricate plotting and excellent characterization more than compensate for the slightly far-fetched premise and Darby's sudden transformation from lab rat into serious kick-ass chick.
Fox Mulder's "Trust No One" maxim fits the plot of this book to a tee as Darby slowly unravels the mystery of a gruesome home invasion, and soon comes to realize that rampant corruption in the Boston PD and FBI means that everyone around her is a potential villain. The story is complex but everything is ultimately explained and the twists and turns will definitely keep you up late turning the pages.
The ending is somewhat bittersweet and open ended but Mooney's writing is skillful and intense, which means I will be reading Darby's next adventure sooner rather than later.
4.5 Stars
The rapid pacing, intricate plotting and excellent characterization more than compensate for the slightly far-fetched premise and Darby's sudden transformation from lab rat into serious kick-ass chick.
Fox Mulder's "Trust No One" maxim fits the plot of this book to a tee as Darby slowly unravels the mystery of a gruesome home invasion, and soon comes to realize that rampant corruption in the Boston PD and FBI means that everyone around her is a potential villain. The story is complex but everything is ultimately explained and the twists and turns will definitely keep you up late turning the pages.
The ending is somewhat bittersweet and open ended but Mooney's writing is skillful and intense, which means I will be reading Darby's next adventure sooner rather than later.
unwelcomeguest's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Had some surprising twists in the story, but I became buried trying to remember all the characters. All comes together in the end though.
margenotbutter's review against another edition
4.0
Something about Chris Mooney's writing makes me unable to put the book down, he manages to create so much tension that my heart is always pounding when I read them. I am yet to give any of his books a 5* rating as there is always something I don't like in the plot but I would recommend his books to all fans of crime and thrillers.
mrsbooknerd's review against another edition
4.0
As a Crime novel I thought that this was a cut above others that I have read recently for a number of reasons, and yet there was something about it that just failed to make me go crazy over it.
Darby was a strong character and yet - unlike some other long standing Detective series - she didn't dominate the novel with her theories, observations and thoughts. She was a subtle voice which led us through, and yet she was established to us as the Leading character. Very clever writing.
The constant interweaving of old and new cases and the witnesses and victims with criminals and police could have been really confusing, but for the most part, I managed to follow. Where I struggled was the amount of characters and the variations of their names. Policemen who had criminal names and then nicknames appointed to them by other characters throughout the book... I had to keep flicking back to clear their names up in my mind.
The pacing was brilliant, considering it is a substantial book, the plotline was always progressing and developing, and yet nothing felt rushed and most aspects were explained.
The only thing that I would class as a negative was the FBI/Police corruption. I felt that it was too big and therefore bordered on unbelievable. That everyone in the FBI and lots of the Boston PD were not only corrupted in the 70s and 80s but still remained in seats of power just felt a bit too much. Could there have been local Police who were corrupted? Yes. And could the criminals have originally been FBI agents? Yes. But there didn't still need to be this wide spreading corruption thirty years later.
Still, I read it in a day and would definitely read more!
Darby was a strong character and yet - unlike some other long standing Detective series - she didn't dominate the novel with her theories, observations and thoughts. She was a subtle voice which led us through, and yet she was established to us as the Leading character. Very clever writing.
The constant interweaving of old and new cases and the witnesses and victims with criminals and police could have been really confusing, but for the most part, I managed to follow. Where I struggled was the amount of characters and the variations of their names. Policemen who had criminal names and then nicknames appointed to them by other characters throughout the book... I had to keep flicking back to clear their names up in my mind.
The pacing was brilliant, considering it is a substantial book, the plotline was always progressing and developing, and yet nothing felt rushed and most aspects were explained.
The only thing that I would class as a negative was the FBI/Police corruption. I felt that it was too big and therefore bordered on unbelievable. That everyone in the FBI and lots of the Boston PD were not only corrupted in the 70s and 80s but still remained in seats of power just felt a bit too much. Could there have been local Police who were corrupted? Yes. And could the criminals have originally been FBI agents? Yes. But there didn't still need to be this wide spreading corruption thirty years later.
Still, I read it in a day and would definitely read more!
kerveros's review
3.0
I was wavering between two and three stars for this book, I opted for the higher of the two because for the most part this book I enjoyed reading it, but... there were quite a few bits that I struggled with.
The twists near the end, and there are two major ones, are very good. I never saw either of them coming (in hindsight one of them perhaps I should have been considering but the other I still think is one hell of a blindsider). Our lead character is interesting, though she did seem very good at everything she did - she rarely put a foot wrong and there wasn't that much human emotion from her. This definitely reads as one book in a series though so perhaps this entry just didn't focus on that aspect...
The problem I had with the book was that there was a lot of characters introduced, some with multiple aliases in a very short period of time and I did struggle keeping them straight in my head. I imagine re-reading this, when you know who the main players are would make keeping track of the people easier as you could ignore the superfluous people (as you would already know who they are!)
The twists near the end, and there are two major ones, are very good. I never saw either of them coming (in hindsight one of them perhaps I should have been considering but the other I still think is one hell of a blindsider). Our lead character is interesting, though she did seem very good at everything she did - she rarely put a foot wrong and there wasn't that much human emotion from her. This definitely reads as one book in a series though so perhaps this entry just didn't focus on that aspect...
The problem I had with the book was that there was a lot of characters introduced, some with multiple aliases in a very short period of time and I did struggle keeping them straight in my head. I imagine re-reading this, when you know who the main players are would make keeping track of the people easier as you could ignore the superfluous people (as you would already know who they are!)
sarahnz's review
3.0
A bit more graphic than I prefer, but a good, solid story, well paced and always exciting.
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