Friday, December 25, 2015

“The Christmas Night Murder,” by Lee Harris

FM's ratings:

          1. Premise 7
          2. Prose 8
          3. Plot 8
          4. Characters 6
          5. Overall 7

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

This is a good solid mystery.  Nothing particularly remarkable, but solid.  Some mysteries are like puzzles that give the reader enough clues that you can figure out the solution if you are clever enough.  This one, however, is more focused on how the “sleuth” (yes, another amateur sleuth investigating without the resources of a law enforcement agency) collects clues and eventually stumbles on the key to the puzzle, which is not given to the reader any more than it is the sleuth.  That’s okay, and it’s interesting to watch as the solution emerges, but there is nothing that sets this mystery apart from others besides the details.  The characters are very human, very realistic, but not very interesting; even Christine Bennett, the protagonist comes across as an ex-nun, without interesting flaws or strengths, other than tenacity.  If you’re just in the mood for a “whodunit” this fills the bill.  If you’re looking for something a little more than that, it’s not really here.


Here’s the January line-up! 

“Suffer Little Children,” by Peter Tremayne
“Shakespeare’s Trollop,” by Charlaine Harris
“Choke,” by Chuck Palahniuk
“Underdog,” by Laurien Berenson
“The Green Ripper,” by John D. MacDonald 

(As always, if there are any books you’d like to recommend for the next month, please do so.  Also, if you have already read one on our previous lists, you are invited you to give your ratings/comments for that book!)


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