Reviews tagging 'Blood'
Eight Detectives: The Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month by Alex Pavesi
6 reviews
thelovelyjade's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Death, Murder, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Violence
sarahna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Hate crime, Infidelity, Murder, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Cancer, Confinement, Suicide, and Violence
lexslittlelibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Spoiler
Literally just from reading the back of the book, I knew Grant had to have killed the girl mentioned thereHowever despite knowing the inevitable place the book will end up, it’s almost impossible to deduce the “why” and “how” of much of the story—but it is possible, which makes it a perfect example of the detective genre.
While I loved the smaller murder mystery stories, what really made this book special was the thought given to what makes the genre and how those details can be manipulated to tell an infinite number of unique stories.
However, parts of the last two or three chapters felt like rushed resolution. I would have liked to have seen more of both characters as they grappled with their own problems independently.
Spoiler
I also wish the alternate endings to the stories had been written in differently, or perhaps had a reference point back to where that change became relevant to the story itself, as I found the alternate/original endings being thrown into the middle of a chapter one after another to be dizzying. Had I not read it all in two days I wouldn’t have been able to follow what was happening there at all.Overall it was a solid detective story and definitely one I’d recommend to others.
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Suicide, and Terminal illness
_emmadoherty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Basically the story is split into 2 - you have alternating chapters which switch between one of the mystery stories that the main character wrote, and the journalist interviewing him about that story. You therefore get 7 mini mysteries to enjoy plus the overall mystery of the story as a whole, it’s so enjoyable to read. To top it off there’s multiple plot twists just to keep it exciting! The way it’s laid out means it’s easy to put down after each chapter if you need to, because that’s been a mini-story, but you’re also dying to know what’s going to happen next.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and it’s so nice to finally see something a bit different in this genre. Can’t say too much more at risk of spoiling it, but if you get the chance - read it!
Moderate: Blood, Death, and Gore
laguerrelewis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Suicide, Police brutality, Murder, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Death
Minor: Child death, Death of parent, Excrement, Gore, and Homophobia
allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book applies an intriguing framework to the murder mystery formula. In alternating chapters, we follow an editor discussing seven short stories with the author. He wrote a mathematical thesis about the basic requirements of a murder mystery story and their possible permutations. His stories exemplify some of the weirder combinations of ingredients. These seven stories provide the other half of the book. After each, the editor points out a curious discrepancy she noticed in the story. Part of the game for the reader is seeing if you can guess the permutation before the reveal or notice the discrepancy yourself. It adds layers to the usual fun of trying to uncover the details of the mystery before the detective.
This was a cleverly done book with some good twists and plenty to think about. I actually liked the short format of each mystery. Each had its own tone and intent. The problem for me was that really only my intellect engaged with this story. I wasn't particularly curious, excited, or attached to any characters. So when twists happened or the worst was revealed, my reaction was kind of a *shrug.* It didn't generate enthusiasm even though I was interested.
I think if you're looking for a mental puzzle or like short-form murder mysteries, this book will appeal to you.
Graphic: Murder, Police brutality, and Torture
Moderate: Blood, Death, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Violence, Vomit, Suicide, and Sexism