Reviews

Fair Warning by Michael Connelly

lunaseline's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Kan en författare bli FÖR bra på sitt hantverk?
Jag tror jag var inne på detta senast jag läste Connelly (då: den 34:e boken jag läste av honom, vilket gör detta till den 35:e....) - killen är så van vid att sätta ihop täta thrillers, med lagom imperfekta personligheter som löser komplicerade brott med samhällsaktuella/kritiska övertoner att det liksom bara... är självklart. Strömlinjeformat, effektivt, genomarbetat (utan att vara överarbetat). Jag börjar läsa och sedan tillstöter ingenting - inte i språket, inte i historien, inte i upplösningen. Jag vill inte påstå att jag vet exakt vad som kommer att hända - Connelly tar alltid in nya teman och samtida problem - men jag vet liksom HUR det kommer att hända.
Jag vill inte heller påstå att det är TRÅKIGT. Som sagt: tät thriller-grejen är ... grejen. Men det är inte heller särskilt spännande. Intressant kan det mycket väl bli, som här med all kunskap om DNA-branschen (incel-biten är jag redan sjukt trött på i crime novels, även om jag fattar att folk vill använda den sjuka världen), och det är kanske det som räddar upp läsningen? Eller så gillar jag faktiskt effektiviteten? Det ÄR onekligen skönt att läsa sånt här mellan varven: jag vet vad jag får och kan bara glida med.
För dig som inte läst 30+ likadana böcker är trean kanske låg? För många är den kanske för hög.
För mig kan den tredje stjärnan i princip helt härledas till Rachel Walling - jag har haft en svag spot för henne i alla böcker hon varit med i. FBI-brudar for the win.
Och grattis Michael till att du hittat din lott i livet!

lesserjoke's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

This 2020 novel is the third title to center on reporter Jack McEvoy, an otherwise peripheral figure in author Michael Connelly's broad Harry Bosch / Mickey Haller franchise. He's always an interesting change of pace from those more frequent protagonists, and I pictured them yelling at the character along with me at the beginning of this story, when he voluntarily talks to the police and gives them a sample of his DNA after learning he's a suspect in a recent murder. (One of the minor antagonists even turns out to be an employee at a tech lab who has previously falsified criminal evidence, so I was fully expecting this rash decision to come back and bite the hero, though it weirdly never does. Still: don't talk to the cops without a lawyer present, and don't let them search your property or take your DNA without a warrant.)

While Jack knows he's innocent and is less concerned about being arrested and convicted anyway than I would be in his position, the information that he's a person of interest -- he had a one-night stand with the victim a year ago -- prompts him to look into the matter, eventually discovering it's the work of a heretofore-unknown serial killer. The justification for the ensuing investigation is a little wonky, since the journalist's beat is consumer protection and the women were apparently targeted by someone who accessed the personal data they submitted to a genealogical research company like 23andMe, but the taut cat-and-mouse thriller that develops is creepy and unpredictable in all the best ways. McEvoy's limitations as a civilian with no law enforcement training or instincts further distinguish the affair, as they have for his previous outings, and the result is a definite page-turner. As a reader who's found the Bosch series to be growing somewhat stale of late, I've really enjoyed this one.

[Content warning for incel sexism, suicide, gore, pedophilia, and rape.]

Like this review?
--Throw me a quick one-time donation here!
https://ko-fi.com/lesserjoke
--Subscribe here to support my writing and weigh in on what I read next!
https://patreon.com/lesserjoke
--Follow along on Goodreads here!
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6288479-joe-kessler
--Or click here to browse through all my previous reviews!
https://lesserjoke.home.blog

jacks623's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

tsalagitiffany's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

I'm a big Michael Connelly fan, and this is one of the best books I've read by him.

geeknb's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Very enjoyable. First read of this character's series.
* mystery
* thriller
* serial killer
* journalist
* multiple povs

jackiecromarty62's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

3.5

paws42's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

peter_gagne's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

3.5

cerisecarrot's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Haven’t read a Michael Connelly in a while and had forgotten how good they are.

missyjohnson's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

fast read that kept me interested. Jack McEvoy is a reporter for a consumer protection news site. Very interesting info as to how unregulated the DNA research area is at this time. Even with future regulations, DNA profiles floating around the world is a scary prospect. I had not thought of all the ways that DNA could be used in the future and how much of myself is revealed in just a little bit of saliva. I enjoyed "learning" how quickly a news story may get written and how protective the author can become. I wonder how long it will be before Jack, Harry and Micky get together for a case.