Matthew412
Ottawa Public Library
Matthew412's Completed Shelf
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Matthew412's rating:
Added Mar 25, 2024
Matthew412's rating:
Added Mar 25, 2024
Comment:
Great short stories. Enjoyable read.
Matthew412's rating:
Added Mar 25, 2024
Comment:
Better than average, but I thought the wrap up at the farm to be a little chaotic and not entirely credible .... A shotgun (2 barrels) that seemed to fire without anyone loading shells. But good enough that I have requested the 3rd in the series. Book 1 of the series not available in N.A.Better than average, but I thought the wrap up at the farm to be a little chaotic and not entirely credible .... A shotgun (2 barrels) that seemed to fire without anyone loading shells. But good enough that I have requested the 3rd in the series.…
Matthew412's rating:
Added Mar 05, 2024
Comment:
Timeline is critical to a good/great murder mystery. This one fails on numerous levels. A man goes for an early 10 mile run in Death Valley near Furnace Creek. But he lives in LA which is a minimum of 5 hrs drive away. Another character travels to an LA prison to get a prisoner released into their custody, returns to Death Valley, holds an evening seance, goes yet again to LA, and returns to the desert ....... all within the same day. Credibility goes out the window when the authors ignore the basic realities of geography and logistics just to force-fit a sequence of events. In the grand finale, it's hard to believe that a 30+ year old reaches such levels of power and influence without certain other earlier characters in the story not getting wind of their existence. There are much better murder mystery books out there. Give this one a pass.Timeline is critical to a good/great murder mystery. This one fails on numerous levels. A man goes for an early 10 mile run in Death Valley near Furnace Creek. But he lives in LA which is a minimum of 5 hrs drive away. Another character travels to…
Matthew412's rating:
Added Mar 03, 2024
Comment:
The main characters are so goody-two-shoes, its suffocating. There is so much filler in this book that it really is a short story dragged out for nearly 400 pages. And not even a good story at that. The grand finale is a disaster. It's so lame that it reads like it was structured for the shoot-em-up (but don't kill them .... unbelievable!!!!) TV ending. The dialogue between the main characters is banal and uninteresting. Dull and boring.The main characters are so goody-two-shoes, its suffocating. There is so much filler in this book that it really is a short story dragged out for nearly 400 pages. And not even a good story at that. The grand finale is a disaster. It's so lame that…
Matthew412's rating:
Added Mar 03, 2024
Comment:
Disappointing. Part 1 of this book/story was a frustrating read. It just wasn't credible. But persevered and kept on reading as I like Heron's Slow Horses series which are very well written. It got much better but only gave it 2 stars because the first part was dreadful.Disappointing. Part 1 of this book/story was a frustrating read. It just wasn't credible. But persevered and kept on reading as I like Heron's Slow Horses series which are very well written. It got much better but only gave it 2 stars because the…
Matthew412's rating:
Added Feb 27, 2024
Comment:
Just an average mystery crime. Lots of filler as it plods along. Some parts were not entirely credible. Nothing spectacular about the writing style - have read much better. Only finished the book just for something to read while waiting for other books (...... on hold) to get delivered through the reservation system.Just an average mystery crime. Lots of filler as it plods along. Some parts were not entirely credible. Nothing spectacular about the writing style - have read much better. Only finished the book just for something to read while waiting for other…
Matthew412's rating:
Added Feb 27, 2024
Comment:
Just an average crime mystery. First book I have read from this author. Not a fan of either his storyline structure or writing style. Maybe one has to start with his first book in the series and go from there. Too many references to past history that are of no interest to a new reader.Just an average crime mystery. First book I have read from this author. Not a fan of either his storyline structure or writing style. Maybe one has to start with his first book in the series and go from there. Too many references to past history …
Matthew412's rating:
Added Feb 27, 2024
Comment:
Just an average crime mystery. First book I have read from this author. Not a fan of either his storyline structure or writing style. May be one has to start with his first book in the series and go from there. Too many references to past history that are of no interest to a new reader.Just an average crime mystery. First book I have read from this author. Not a fan of either his storyline structure or writing style. May be one has to start with his first book in the series and go from there. Too many references to past history …
Matthew412's rating:
Added Feb 21, 2024
Comment:
A surprising read. Better than I had expected. A bit of a Tom Clancy feel when reading the action and flying sequences. Will pick up his other novel .... Apollo Murders.
Matthew412's rating:
Added Feb 21, 2024
Comment:
Another enjoyable read. Only negative was that the whereabouts of River Cartwright was left hanging.
Matthew412's rating:
Added Feb 12, 2024
Comment:
Another very entertaining read from this author. Overall series is above average. Each book entertains without becoming repetitive.... as often happens when an author gets deep into a series. Always feels fresh, and can't wait for the next from him.
Matthew412's rating:
Added Feb 12, 2024
Comment:
Unputdownable. A great read..love this book series.
Matthew412's rating:
Added Feb 02, 2024
Comment:
Lasted through the prologue, which was enough time spent on this space yarn. The book cover review (Publishers Weekly) puts this author in the same league as Arthur C Clarke et al. How insulting to these revered SciFi authors. 1.5 stars just because the author can write and form sentences. Even that is overly kind.Lasted through the prologue, which was enough time spent on this space yarn. The book cover review (Publishers Weekly) puts this author in the same league as Arthur C Clarke et al. How insulting to these revered SciFi authors. 1.5 stars just because…
Matthew412's rating:
Added Feb 02, 2024
Comment:
Clever storytelling. Always makes me laugh when reading the interplay between Lamb and his team of misfits. Enjoyable read. On to the next one in the series.
Matthew412's rating:
Added Jan 22, 2024
Comment:
Another good read in the Slow Horses (Slough House) series. Always enjoy the interplay between the characters and the twist and turns of the storyline. Looking forward to reading #4 (London Rules) in the series.
Matthew412's rating:
Added Jan 16, 2024
Comment:
First time reading this author. Will read some more of his earlier titles in the series.
Matthew412's rating:
Added Jan 16, 2024
Comment:
The mix of the historical reality of slavery and the "Underground Railway" with the magical aspects of the story just didn't sit well with me. By combining the very real conditions of slavery with the unreal (unnatural???) magical aspects just detracted from the storyline. Fact or Fiction. All believable or none. Accept that slavery is real, but magic is unreal.The mix of the historical reality of slavery and the "Underground Railway" with the magical aspects of the story just didn't sit well with me. By combining the very real conditions of slavery with the unreal (unnatural???) magical aspects just…
Matthew412's rating:
Added Jan 16, 2024
Comment:
Have not read anything from this author previous to this. Good enough story that I'll grab some of the earlier books in the series.
Matthew412's rating:
Added Jan 16, 2024
Comment:
Not the best of SciFi. Will pass on this author. There are better SciFi books out there.
Matthew412's rating:
Added Jan 16, 2024
Comment:
Above average. A better title might be The Inquisitor, or The Sophisticated Torturer. Just because she used chemicals doesn't detract from the fact that it is still torture, though bloodless. Maybe no different than waterboarding. But a good read nonetheless.Above average. A better title might be The Inquisitor, or The Sophisticated Torturer. Just because she used chemicals doesn't detract from the fact that it is still torture, though bloodless. Maybe no different than waterboarding. But a good read…
Matthew412's rating:
Added Jan 16, 2024
Comment:
Finished the book, but I won't be rushing out to get more titles from this author.
An Absolutely Remarkable ThingAn Absolutely Remarkable Thing, Large Print
by Green, HankLarge Print - 2019Large Print, 2019
Matthew412's rating:
Added Jan 15, 2024
Comment:
Gave up on this after the hand took off. Not sure why or how I lasted even that long.
Matthew412's rating:
Added Jan 09, 2024
Comment:
Abysmal. First (and last) book from this author. Max the Mini King ripping off his own casino by "scoping out the cards" of players by "cruising around" or by "visiting the camera room" and then "when he saw a big pot, he'd signal his stooge: go all in, or fold." And Granny, "the sharpest card player and grifter", was quick to spot the set-up. Joe, her grandson, is a professional criminal in a relationship with a federal agent and if known would end in career death or just death. Heady stuff. Enough after 32 pages.Abysmal. First (and last) book from this author. Max the Mini King ripping off his own casino by "scoping out the cards" of players by "cruising around" or by "visiting the camera room" and then "when he saw a big pot, he'd signal his stooge: go all…
Matthew412's rating:
Added Jan 05, 2024
Comment:
Not his best. All the nasty characters too nicely tidied up by the end.
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