" 'What might have been' is always better than what is." In true Todd fashion, The Murder Stone compounds racing emotions with searches for absolution and is set during WWI. The atmosphere along with the descriptions of psychological anguish and war are some of the best you will find in this genre but unfortunately the serious mystery and supposed suspense in this stand alone novel are overwhelmed by a need for an awkwardly presented romance that never seems real. The characters were also flat with only one I actually wanted to read more about. Admitting these unfortunate negatives has me wondering if I should have just picked up a classic Gothic novel off of my shelves because everything in The Murder Stone has all been done before. It did give a spirited effort to be an homage to some of the more recognizable cornerstones of the dark twisted sides of the library shelves but it was just too much of a good thing (Wings of Fire (Inspector Ian Rutledge, #2)- another novel by this creative mother and son writing duo was a fantastic homage to some of the greats of late 18th century to early 20th century Gothic writing, you cared about the characters and it had the right amount of mystery and shadowy family secrets to pull you deeper into the pages until the final dark inquiry). Still the premise of The Murder Stone was hard to ignore and the opening chapters and final reveal contained brilliant flickers of what I was anticipating to see (always can appreciate a wicked villain) within this book but the overabundance of predictable secrets, repetitive natures, random blurted out confessions and endless parade of walk-in scene characters (or convenient exits) all felt like a badly acted play with stunning scenery and attention to history in the back ground to keep you entertained and leaving with a few positive words to share later. -purchased and read on kindle -EGP/September 2017 Comments are closed.
|
Currently Reading:
Also listening to:
Disclaimers
In accordance with FTC Guidelines, I disclose how I obtained every title for review at As The Final Page Turns (whether that be by ARC, purchased (on nook, kindle or specially ordered hardbacks) Audible version or simply borrowed at my local library). Please note: titles reviewed that are ARCS (Advanced Reader Copies) are free review copies of books that are given by publishers (these ARCS can be found at NetGalley or Edelweiss). Categories
All
28th of January 2023) NOTES/COMBINATIONS and Stones CURRENTLY ON THE HUNT FOR: Naughty Licorice/Star Anise Cardamom Cardamom Cake with Roses Smoky Honey & Leather Leather and Florals Pomegranate Colder Tuberose scents Smoked Florals with Cinnamon and Honey Graham Cracker and Incense Double strand of Rose Quartz or Moonstones or Black Tourmaline Chainmaille Jewellery Houses of Fragrance and Interest on the Horizon (shops that contain such temptations): LurkerAndStrange Good Spirit Wolf Rapt In Maille ToadStoolSoaps DSH Perfume Baphomet&Co Harvest Moon Haven Granny Hootenanny's Shop
|