Breadcrumbs and Blindsides

Buchholz has a unique way of blending the life sharpening events of her protagonist with a whodunit in a melancholic manner. Somehow this always works. The Acapulco follows an investigation into a serial killer whilst the protagonist deals with the suicide of her father. This is done in a balanced and engaging manner. 4/5

One of the more thought-provoking Rebus novels as it deals with a pertinent moral dilemma.  The whodunnit and other mysteries are as always very well constructed.  4/5

Essentially a turf war novel but with loads of mysterious twists and turns, but at a deeper level the novel grapples with war crimes and what to do with the elderly perpetrators who have been in communities for decades. 4.5/5

Rankin's breakthrough novel into the top tier of crime fiction centers around two serial killers in two different eras, the latter essentially being a copycat of the former. As always, a number of other mysteries also come into play, whilst further incidents which influenced Rebus' persona are brought to the forefront. 4.5 /5

"American Tabloid", the first novel in James Elroy's "American Underworld" historic crime trilogy, covering the five years from 1958 to 1963. An era where men like John, Joe and Robert Kennedy, Jack Ruby, J Edgar Hoover, Jimmy Hoffa and Howard Hughes, played pivotal roles. Elroy expertly creates natural personas intertwined with historical events to give the novel an almost true crime feel, an utterly amazing feat. As Vikram Jayanti said, “It’s raw, visceral, brutal, profane, hilarious, and deeply true about the darkness underlying the American Empire: politics as street crime moved up a rung.” 5/5

Let me start off by saying that I am a huge fan of the series. Added to that the character development and series story development is very decent and on par with what I enjoy. The whodunit is a bit cryptic for my liking and the reveal feels like a bit of an afterthought. Still a decent read. 3/5

"Survivor Song" is a very unique take on the zombie horror genre. Though it follows the general plague premise, the novel is extremely realistic; so much so that it felt like an economic, political and social template for the Covid pandemic. The underlying story is an emotional Rollercoaster of friendship, brutality, hope, loss, philosophy, satire and so much more. A tour de force. 5/5

I'm still pretty awe struck after reading the first book in this historical fiction trilogy, and I must admit that the second novel in each and every regard felt like I was just reading part two of the first novel. In this case, which is high praise indeed. The fictional story line is so well researched and told with a full and engaging command of the era. Though bloody violent, I feel as if I have gone through a roller coaster ride which pummeled every possible emotion. Elroy is just in a class of his own. 5/5

Another cracking whodunit by the phenomenal husband and wife team. 4/5

"Blood's a Rover" is the final novel in the "Underworld USA" historical fiction series. Elroy uses the same staccato writing style as in the two previous novels, coupled with the same "overlords" (e.g., Hoover and Vegas Mob). As in "The Cold Six Thousand," the novel picks up directly where the previous novel left off and flies directly into new conspiracies painted against historical events. Though not as tightly written as "American Tabloid" and at times rather sentimental and introspective, the novel provides a satisfactory continuation and eventual conclusion, albeit written almost 20 years later. One of the best historical crime fiction series available. 4.5/5

One of the stranger Rebus novels, as the whodunit portion of the novel becomes subservient to the moral dilemma at play. The essentially open-ended ending provides further impetus to this "theme". The novel thus lives true to its byline. Despite the theme, Rankin delivers page turner with a number of storylines intersecting in unexpected ways. 4/5

Like all the Rebus novels, this novel is an important cog in the Rebus personality. It is, however, less tightly written and less though provoking than most and the whodunnit is a bit lackluster. Enjoyable but not on par with most of the other Rebus novels out there. 3/5

The later novels allow one to get a bit of a soft spot for Big Ger Cafferty. This novel reminds us that he is truly an evil "entity". A fast paced read with many twists and turns. 4/5

A slow burn whodunnit which takes a number of logically deducted twists and turns, culminating in higher paced staccato unfold, which could have been done with a few more breadcrumbs. A page-turner set mostly in Egypt against the backdrop of arms deals and human rights violations. 4/5

Actually, very decent for an earlier (finding your feet) novel. Well-paced, decent whodunnit and some decent character development. 3.5/5

"London in Black" is the debut novel by Jack Lutz. The novel takes place between 2027 and 2029, the former being the year when a VZ Gass type biological weapon was released in London causing thousands of deaths. 2029 deals with the murder of a prominent viral scientist and billionaire and the question whether he has developed an antidote. A fast-paced whodunit with many twists and turns. The writing style is a bit different and takes getting used to but thoroughly enjoyable. 3.5/5

One of the best whodunits of the year so far. The breadcrumbs are superbly placed and require a bit of thinking. 5/5

There can be no doubt that Kukafka is a very competent writer, capable of masterfully weaving complex storylines in an engaging and flowing manner. "Notes on an Execution", like "Girl in Snow" however demonstrates a penchant for clichéd characters, which made "Girl in Snow" feel slightly "thin". The clichés in "Notes on an Execution" are however, less "painful" as the principal message is much stronger and multifaceted. A compelling read. 4/5

A whodunnit which focuses on the meanderings of the central characters in the midst of the murder of a teenage girl. Given the focus of the novel, which is conveyed with a melancholy but richly textured tone, the limited depth of the whodunnit feels apposite as the impact of the murder takes center stage as opposed to the murder itself. 4/5

A concise and compelling read, written in bite-sized chunks to enhance easy access and uptake. A must read for everyone. 5/5

A bit slow but, but the plot twists make it worthwhile. 3/5

One of the first Rebus novels and I must begrudgingly admit that it lacks both depth in storyline and character development. That said the interwoven storylines and decent whodunnit still makes it a very decent read. 3/5

A quirky and often hilarious crime thriller which, like the previous novel, i.e. "The Bunny Paradox", centers around a failing adventure park in Norway and the strong-arm underhanded dealings of their main equipment supplier. The mix of slapstick and more latent comedy gives the novel a very unique style. Hugely enjoyable. 4/5

One of the most beautifully written (non-classic) novels I've ever read. The story and surrounding philosophy is pretty gut-wrenching at times, but the final act is a bit too Disney to gel with the nature of the characters created. 4/5 (would easily have been a 5/5, with a more believable plot twist).

A dark psychological comedy focusing on a woman who "finds her doppelganger" which leads to the unraveling of her reality. 4/5