rainnbooks's review
4.0
I wish I had started with the 1st book in this series featuring Holland Taylor. Even though I didn't feel like missing anything reading first the 4th book in the series, certain characteristics and quirks of Taylor felt like something a reader would know. I loved his peculiarities especially with a rabbit as pet and his relationship with the neighbor's child was a very lovely touch.
The mystery part of the story surprisingly led to the never-ending topic of political discussion, growth against nature destruction. But the root of everything the dysfunctional family dynamics in the Barrington House. Surely looking forward to catching up with all the books in the series.
The mystery part of the story surprisingly led to the never-ending topic of political discussion, growth against nature destruction. But the root of everything the dysfunctional family dynamics in the Barrington House. Surely looking forward to catching up with all the books in the series.
jessicamap's review
4.0
Thanks to Minotaur Books for the copy in exchange for my honest review!
I don't know how I had never heard of David Housewright before. Especially when it's a crime series set in Minnesota! Holland Taylor is a PI and finds himself in the middle of the crime of the century in DARKNESS, SING ME A SONG.
Eleanor Barrington is from a socially prominent and wealthy family, but she has been arrested for murder. Who did she allegedly kill? Her son's fiance, Emily Denys. Eleanor made it no secret that she hated her future daughter-in-law and was completely convinced that she was just using her son for financial gain. With plenty of witnesses coming forward stating that they overheard Eleanor threatening to kill Denys, it seems like a pretty open and shut case.
Meanwhile, Holland Taylor, a Private Investigator, who typically sticks to the simple cases finds himself thrust into the middle of this crime. While he was conducting a background check on Emily Denys, she discovers that her name and background are both completely fabricated. Before he can question her further she was found dead. Who killed Emily and what was she hiding from her past?
I love the crime thrillers that involve some kind of family secrets and drama. The dynamics of a family are completely unique to them and no two stories are the same. You'd think a wealthy family of high social standing would be immune to crime and murder, but they find themselves front and center. Housewright brings us on some twists and turns throughout the novel as we try to get to the bottom of the murder.
Being from Minnesota, I loved the familiar surroundings and atmosphere. Housewright did a fantastic job setting the scene, even when we moved to Wisconsin for a portion of the novel. I definitely want to go back and visit the beginning of the series.
Overall, if you want a solid crime novel that isn't only focused on the police procedurals, then you'll enjoy Holland Taylor. Housewright threw in some good twists and kept the mystery going at a great pace. It will definitely keep your interest until the very end. While this is book four in a series, it read very well as a standalone!
I give this 4/5 stars!
I don't know how I had never heard of David Housewright before. Especially when it's a crime series set in Minnesota! Holland Taylor is a PI and finds himself in the middle of the crime of the century in DARKNESS, SING ME A SONG.
Eleanor Barrington is from a socially prominent and wealthy family, but she has been arrested for murder. Who did she allegedly kill? Her son's fiance, Emily Denys. Eleanor made it no secret that she hated her future daughter-in-law and was completely convinced that she was just using her son for financial gain. With plenty of witnesses coming forward stating that they overheard Eleanor threatening to kill Denys, it seems like a pretty open and shut case.
Meanwhile, Holland Taylor, a Private Investigator, who typically sticks to the simple cases finds himself thrust into the middle of this crime. While he was conducting a background check on Emily Denys, she discovers that her name and background are both completely fabricated. Before he can question her further she was found dead. Who killed Emily and what was she hiding from her past?
I love the crime thrillers that involve some kind of family secrets and drama. The dynamics of a family are completely unique to them and no two stories are the same. You'd think a wealthy family of high social standing would be immune to crime and murder, but they find themselves front and center. Housewright brings us on some twists and turns throughout the novel as we try to get to the bottom of the murder.
Being from Minnesota, I loved the familiar surroundings and atmosphere. Housewright did a fantastic job setting the scene, even when we moved to Wisconsin for a portion of the novel. I definitely want to go back and visit the beginning of the series.
Overall, if you want a solid crime novel that isn't only focused on the police procedurals, then you'll enjoy Holland Taylor. Housewright threw in some good twists and kept the mystery going at a great pace. It will definitely keep your interest until the very end. While this is book four in a series, it read very well as a standalone!
I give this 4/5 stars!
brettt's review
2.0
Although detective fiction writer David Housewright is far better known for his Rushmore McKenzie novels, he began with a more traditional private investigator named Holland Taylor in 1995. Taylor appeared in three novels, finishing with 1999's Dearly Departed, before Housewright switched to McKenzie. He returned to Holland Taylor's Minneapolis to check in with the former police officer just this year, in Darkness, Sing Me a Song.
Housewright doesn't move Taylor ahead the full 19 years since his last outing but does let some time pass. Taylor's relationship with lawyer Cynthia Grey has collapsed, but he's entered a partnership with former rival investigator "Freddie" Fredericks. The pair have been hired by attorney David Helin to find evidence that will clear Eleanor Barrington of killing her son Joel's girlfriend, Emily Denys. The problem is that most of the evidence they can find suggests Eleanor probably did it and against it they have only Eleanor's word she didn't. Since Eleanor is an exceptionally unpleasant woman with an unhealthy relationship to her son, the weight seems to be pretty heavily on one side.
As Taylor digs more and more into the everybody-loved-her Emily, he finds she lacks much history at all. His attempts to see who she really was lead him to a small town torn by new, environmentally invasive industry that seems at first to have nothing to do with Joel or Emily, even though the Barringtons own land in the area. But some corporate weasels, a paranoid militia group and a suspiciously similar murder draw his attention, and make the entire matter significantly more dangerous than it was when it started.
Taylor is quick-witted and Housewright makes him and a number of his castmates quite funny, with the Taylor-Freddie repartee standing out especially. The narrative wanders a little too much and keeps Taylor on site at the scene of the earlier murder longer than it really ought to. Even though the trigger-puller seems pretty obvious just about halfway through, Housewright keeps trying to throw in more spins to keep readers interested. That tendency affected the earlier trilogy as well. Like an over-reaching gymnast whose stretch for one more twist keeps her from sticking the landing, Housewright could never resist the extra swerve even though it caused an unbalanced story. Likeable characters made those three books work (or didn't; one of the reasons Practice to Deceive fails so completely is that Taylor is such a horse's ass in it).
Holland Taylor is a character who's fun to spend time with but who can become a trial when his creator doesn't make that likeability a strength or keep his eye on the ball in telling a story. A fifth Taylor novel is due in January, and the odd numbers have so far served him better than even ones, so we shall see.
Original available here.
Housewright doesn't move Taylor ahead the full 19 years since his last outing but does let some time pass. Taylor's relationship with lawyer Cynthia Grey has collapsed, but he's entered a partnership with former rival investigator "Freddie" Fredericks. The pair have been hired by attorney David Helin to find evidence that will clear Eleanor Barrington of killing her son Joel's girlfriend, Emily Denys. The problem is that most of the evidence they can find suggests Eleanor probably did it and against it they have only Eleanor's word she didn't. Since Eleanor is an exceptionally unpleasant woman with an unhealthy relationship to her son, the weight seems to be pretty heavily on one side.
As Taylor digs more and more into the everybody-loved-her Emily, he finds she lacks much history at all. His attempts to see who she really was lead him to a small town torn by new, environmentally invasive industry that seems at first to have nothing to do with Joel or Emily, even though the Barringtons own land in the area. But some corporate weasels, a paranoid militia group and a suspiciously similar murder draw his attention, and make the entire matter significantly more dangerous than it was when it started.
Taylor is quick-witted and Housewright makes him and a number of his castmates quite funny, with the Taylor-Freddie repartee standing out especially. The narrative wanders a little too much and keeps Taylor on site at the scene of the earlier murder longer than it really ought to. Even though the trigger-puller seems pretty obvious just about halfway through, Housewright keeps trying to throw in more spins to keep readers interested. That tendency affected the earlier trilogy as well. Like an over-reaching gymnast whose stretch for one more twist keeps her from sticking the landing, Housewright could never resist the extra swerve even though it caused an unbalanced story. Likeable characters made those three books work (or didn't; one of the reasons Practice to Deceive fails so completely is that Taylor is such a horse's ass in it).
Holland Taylor is a character who's fun to spend time with but who can become a trial when his creator doesn't make that likeability a strength or keep his eye on the ball in telling a story. A fifth Taylor novel is due in January, and the odd numbers have so far served him better than even ones, so we shall see.
Original available here.
pgchuis's review
4.0
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
Eleanor Barrington has employed Holland, a PI, to look into the background of Emily, the woman her son Joel is involved with. Holland discovers that "Emily" is a persona which has only existed for the last 13 months. Then Emily is murdered and a reliable eye witness claims the shooter was Eleanor. Holland is employed by Eleanor's lawyer to undermine the case against her. Then links are discovered between Emily's death and that of the mayor of a small town where US Sand is developing fracking operations.
This was a fast-moving, fairly light crime story. Holland is a likeable character with useful martial arts skills and a partner who doesn't let him get away with anything. This is apparently the fourth novel in a series and there was a certain amount of Holland's back story to catch up on, but it held up pretty well as a stand alone story. Once the plot had moved to Arona, there was quite a bewildering array of characters to keep on top of, but the plot was coherent over all and the conclusion fairly satisfactory
Eleanor Barrington has employed Holland, a PI, to look into the background of Emily, the woman her son Joel is involved with. Holland discovers that "Emily" is a persona which has only existed for the last 13 months. Then Emily is murdered and a reliable eye witness claims the shooter was Eleanor. Holland is employed by Eleanor's lawyer to undermine the case against her. Then links are discovered between Emily's death and that of the mayor of a small town where US Sand is developing fracking operations.
This was a fast-moving, fairly light crime story. Holland is a likeable character with useful martial arts skills and a partner who doesn't let him get away with anything. This is apparently the fourth novel in a series and there was a certain amount of Holland's back story to catch up on, but it held up pretty well as a stand alone story. Once the plot had moved to Arona, there was quite a bewildering array of characters to keep on top of, but the plot was coherent over all and the conclusion fairly satisfactory
Spoiler
given that the perpetrator's mother and brother had been engaged in an incestuous relationship for six years.tonstantweader's review
4.0
The great thing about series mysteries is getting to know your character over time and seeing them change and grow, or in the case of Darkness, Sing Me a Song by David Housewright, getting reacquainted after an almost twenty-year absence. St. Paul detective Holland Taylor is back, this time working to prove an appalling, repugnant client is not guilty of murdering her son’s fiancée. Minnesota nice she ain’t.
The murdered Emily seems too good to be true, with co-workers and neighbors who adore her. The evidence against his client is damning, too, as there is a rock-solid eyewitness with no reason to lie. But, there is one reason to suspect the awful Eleanor Barrington might be innocent. Emily Denys did not exist before she came to St. Paul and she clearly was not who she claimed to be. Could her murder be rooted in the secrets of her past?
Following the faintest of trails to Wisconsin, Taylor goes to a community torn apart by the new oil sands industry, environmentalists, pro-industrialists, and militia members are shouting each other down in the deeply partisan Wisconsin riven by Scott Walker’s rightwing revolution.
I thoroughly enjoyed Darkness, Sing Me a Song and want to go back to the beginning of the series. It’s been so long, they will seem fresh again. I lived in St. Paul many years ago and recognize the authenticity with which he creates the city. The story is contemporary, involving issues that are salient today, but the mores and motives are timeless.
As a mystery, it is fair. The clues are there and Taylor does what he is hired to do. Taylor may occasionally cross the line, but not by his own standard of ethics. It’s been a long time, but this fourth Holland Taylor book is completely satisfying.
I received an e-galley of Darkness, Sing Me a Song from the publisher through NetGalley. It will be released on January 2nd.
Darkness, Sing Me a Song at St. Martins Press
David Housewright
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2017/12/26/9781250094483/
The murdered Emily seems too good to be true, with co-workers and neighbors who adore her. The evidence against his client is damning, too, as there is a rock-solid eyewitness with no reason to lie. But, there is one reason to suspect the awful Eleanor Barrington might be innocent. Emily Denys did not exist before she came to St. Paul and she clearly was not who she claimed to be. Could her murder be rooted in the secrets of her past?
Following the faintest of trails to Wisconsin, Taylor goes to a community torn apart by the new oil sands industry, environmentalists, pro-industrialists, and militia members are shouting each other down in the deeply partisan Wisconsin riven by Scott Walker’s rightwing revolution.
I thoroughly enjoyed Darkness, Sing Me a Song and want to go back to the beginning of the series. It’s been so long, they will seem fresh again. I lived in St. Paul many years ago and recognize the authenticity with which he creates the city. The story is contemporary, involving issues that are salient today, but the mores and motives are timeless.
As a mystery, it is fair. The clues are there and Taylor does what he is hired to do. Taylor may occasionally cross the line, but not by his own standard of ethics. It’s been a long time, but this fourth Holland Taylor book is completely satisfying.
I received an e-galley of Darkness, Sing Me a Song from the publisher through NetGalley. It will be released on January 2nd.
Darkness, Sing Me a Song at St. Martins Press
David Housewright
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2017/12/26/9781250094483/
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