dandelions_and_violets's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
rorolouisa's review against another edition
3.0
AUDIOBOOK: I always find short stories rarely get high ratings. I was hoping that this would read like The NoSleep Podcast, but out of the anthology I only liked 1 or 2 stories and none have stuck with me.
primula_vulgaris's review against another edition
1.0
DNF 68%. I thought I would have enjoyed a collection of short stories mostly because they are short and to the point. The problem with this is, some are good and some are very bad. The first couple started off strong but then it declined quickly. Really tried to just power through but couldn't do it.
bookloversboudoir's review against another edition
3.0
https://thebookloversboudoir.wordpress.com/2019/07/10/exit-wounds/
copy from @TitanBooks and voluntarily reviewed
I love crime fiction and read dozens of story collections every year so I was really looking forward to this especially as it contains work by some amazing writers including Val McDermid and Dean Koontz. This collection never quite reaches its potential. It’s a very mixed bag of tales; some are great and some just okay which makes the overall collection less enjoyable than it should be. I felt like too many stories don’t seem to go anywhere as if they are snippets that have been cut from something much bigger. The best stories are The Bully by Jeffrey Deaver, Happy Holidays by Val McDermid, and The Pitcher by Sarah Hilary. I did enjoy each story but not as much as I expected to.
copy from @TitanBooks and voluntarily reviewed
I love crime fiction and read dozens of story collections every year so I was really looking forward to this especially as it contains work by some amazing writers including Val McDermid and Dean Koontz. This collection never quite reaches its potential. It’s a very mixed bag of tales; some are great and some just okay which makes the overall collection less enjoyable than it should be. I felt like too many stories don’t seem to go anywhere as if they are snippets that have been cut from something much bigger. The best stories are The Bully by Jeffrey Deaver, Happy Holidays by Val McDermid, and The Pitcher by Sarah Hilary. I did enjoy each story but not as much as I expected to.
crystaltydings's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
snazzybooks's review against another edition
5.0
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
Exit Wounds is a brilliant anthology of short crime stories from some of the genre’s biggest and best names.
I have to admit that I’ve never really been a ‘short story person’. I always preferred the investment and story development of a full length novel, but the fact these are only short means you’re left wanting much more, especially the stories that really hook you in with great characters and an intriguing premise. This is when I kind of wish they weren’t short stories but ‘full length’, just so I can read more and more. Saying that, it’s SO satisfying to read multiple, interesting plots – albeit short ones – and experience lots of great ideas within a collection that’s less than 400 pages. This mix of separate narratives truly sparks the imagination in a different way than one long story, and you have absolutely no time to get bored!
I love that each story is markedly different but all on the theme of crime – and all with a decidedly (and delightedly) dark twist! I liked that each had its own spin on ‘crime’, and featured every kind of character, from serial killers and unhappy, controlled teenagers to beaten, vengeful wives.
The way you get to almost sample the writing style of various different authors is a great way to discover a new crime author… though the authors in this anthology are really big names, so you’ve probably already read something by most of them before! The stories are absorbing and intriguing, though some provoked really strong emotions in me.
Lebensraum by Christopher Fowler made me angry and upset for the landlady who is the main character in that tale, and Dancing Towards The Blade by Mark Billingham made me even more angry on behalf of Vincent, who is victimized by racist bullies. There are also plenty of stories which left me feeling triumphant and/ or satisfied; I particularly enjoyed Happy Holidays by Val McDermid (featuring DCI Carol Jordan), Booty and the Beast by Joe R Lansdale, Dead Weight by Fiona Cummins, and Fool You Twice by Steph Broadribb (an author I haven’t read anything by before, but will definitely turn to in future).
Overall, I highly recommend this anthology for any crime fan, particularly if you’re a short story fan – but even if you’re not usually, like me. I hugely enjoyed Exit Wounds and will be buying it as a present for various reader friends who I know will also really enjoy it.
Exit Wounds is a brilliant anthology of short crime stories from some of the genre’s biggest and best names.
I have to admit that I’ve never really been a ‘short story person’. I always preferred the investment and story development of a full length novel, but the fact these are only short means you’re left wanting much more, especially the stories that really hook you in with great characters and an intriguing premise. This is when I kind of wish they weren’t short stories but ‘full length’, just so I can read more and more. Saying that, it’s SO satisfying to read multiple, interesting plots – albeit short ones – and experience lots of great ideas within a collection that’s less than 400 pages. This mix of separate narratives truly sparks the imagination in a different way than one long story, and you have absolutely no time to get bored!
I love that each story is markedly different but all on the theme of crime – and all with a decidedly (and delightedly) dark twist! I liked that each had its own spin on ‘crime’, and featured every kind of character, from serial killers and unhappy, controlled teenagers to beaten, vengeful wives.
The way you get to almost sample the writing style of various different authors is a great way to discover a new crime author… though the authors in this anthology are really big names, so you’ve probably already read something by most of them before! The stories are absorbing and intriguing, though some provoked really strong emotions in me.
Lebensraum by Christopher Fowler made me angry and upset for the landlady who is the main character in that tale, and Dancing Towards The Blade by Mark Billingham made me even more angry on behalf of Vincent, who is victimized by racist bullies. There are also plenty of stories which left me feeling triumphant and/ or satisfied; I particularly enjoyed Happy Holidays by Val McDermid (featuring DCI Carol Jordan), Booty and the Beast by Joe R Lansdale, Dead Weight by Fiona Cummins, and Fool You Twice by Steph Broadribb (an author I haven’t read anything by before, but will definitely turn to in future).
Overall, I highly recommend this anthology for any crime fan, particularly if you’re a short story fan – but even if you’re not usually, like me. I hugely enjoyed Exit Wounds and will be buying it as a present for various reader friends who I know will also really enjoy it.
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