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kat_fields's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This isn't the strongest work by Preston and Child, but it is still an entertaining thriller.
meganhart92's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
michellec13's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.5
book_darner's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
unhingedmadi's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
cyris_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
tsquare345's review against another edition
3.0
Ugh, small town corrupt sheriff... this is such an overused character that it’s becoming a cliche. I’m also getting tired of Skip’s ridiculous antics. He’s a grown ass man and overly reactive. The various subplots and characters were distracting; especially Melody Anne. They didn’t come together as elegantly as I would have expected. The ending was slightly abrupt and the loose ends tied up quickly.
cristomattic's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jacqueshol's review against another edition
4.0
Preston and Child have once again delivered impressive writing with Dead M. Personally, I've found myself drawn into the Nora Kelly series to an extent that's almost on par with their renowned Pendergast series—well, almost.
It is noteworthy that, despite the series bearing Nora Kelly's name, the recent books have showcased Corrie Swanson in a more prominent role. This shift has been rather welcome, as I have found Nora's character a tad irksome while rooting for Corrie.
The pacing seemed a little slower than their usual tempo, but it only added to the charm of the mystery. Furthermore, the storyline was fairly original, albeit with some resemblances to the Dyatlov Pass incident.
The character portrayals were generally well-executed, although Agent Sharp came across as somewhat uninspiring. It's worth mentioning that many of us have been hoping for the occasional appearance of Pendergast, the one who first "discovered" Corrie during her youth.
Now, regarding the rating of 4 stars instead of 5—here's the crux of the matter. I couldn't help but notice that this novel featured a noticeably higher use of profanity and even blasphemy compared to the authors' previous works. One of the aspects I've always appreciated about the Pendergast series was the judicious use of strong language. The authors possess such remarkable storytelling prowess that they don't need to resort to edgy language to give their characters depth. While I understand that Pendergast's character was averse to such language, it seemed out of character for the others too, including well-established figures like Nora and Corrie, to engage in profanity and blasphemy. Frankly, I find it off-putting, and I genuinely hope that the authors won't continue down this path. Setting aside this singular grievance, the book would have easily earned a 5-star rating from me.
I listened to the audiobook on Audible, and Cynthia Farrell's narration, while not as good as Rene Auberjonois, who read many of the Pendergast series, was still outstanding.
It is noteworthy that, despite the series bearing Nora Kelly's name, the recent books have showcased Corrie Swanson in a more prominent role. This shift has been rather welcome, as I have found Nora's character a tad irksome while rooting for Corrie.
The pacing seemed a little slower than their usual tempo, but it only added to the charm of the mystery. Furthermore, the storyline was fairly original, albeit with some resemblances to the Dyatlov Pass incident.
The character portrayals were generally well-executed, although Agent Sharp came across as somewhat uninspiring. It's worth mentioning that many of us have been hoping for the occasional appearance of Pendergast, the one who first "discovered" Corrie during her youth.
Now, regarding the rating of 4 stars instead of 5—here's the crux of the matter. I couldn't help but notice that this novel featured a noticeably higher use of profanity and even blasphemy compared to the authors' previous works. One of the aspects I've always appreciated about the Pendergast series was the judicious use of strong language. The authors possess such remarkable storytelling prowess that they don't need to resort to edgy language to give their characters depth. While I understand that Pendergast's character was averse to such language, it seemed out of character for the others too, including well-established figures like Nora and Corrie, to engage in profanity and blasphemy. Frankly, I find it off-putting, and I genuinely hope that the authors won't continue down this path. Setting aside this singular grievance, the book would have easily earned a 5-star rating from me.
I listened to the audiobook on Audible, and Cynthia Farrell's narration, while not as good as Rene Auberjonois, who read many of the Pendergast series, was still outstanding.
allinneal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5