Showing posts with label crime & mystery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crime & mystery. Show all posts

Wednesday, 29 July 2015

Review: The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair by Joël Dicker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"People think they love each other, so they get married. And then one day they discover real love, without meaning to or even realising it. It hits them right between the eyes. It's like hydrogen coming into contact with air: There's a huge explosion, and everything gets destroyed."


About 200 pages left and the story exploded. I did not see the plot twist coming. It grasped my attention back to the murder case, my eyes fleeing through the pages, wanting to know the story. Not to lie that at some point of the story, it was draggy and really dry. But my advice is read through it, it'll be worth it.

The way the author portrayed his story was wicked. You know that that person was not the murderer because there are still 200 pages left, but how? How can the story change? What is the truth? You know that the murderer is just in front of your eyes, but who?

Amazing, amazing suspenseful thriller written. A wonderful journey with the narrator, as he writes his story, you discover the truth. Twisted characters. Lies within lies; a book within a book.

Stunning read.


View all my reviews

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn


I've been wanting to read this book ever since I saw it from songofstyle's instagram post. Yes, I am always introduced with new books like that.

Synopsis (from Goodreads): On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?  
This is an adult fiction thriller written in two different points of view, Nick's and Amy's diary entry. The writings was absolutely fluent and the style was just amazing. I did read books with double POVs and it would go wrong if the writings were bad. The most important thing for double POVs is that the views should not overlap because it will bore the reader, in my opinion. But, Gillian Flynn did an amazing job with double POVs. The characters' view did not clash with one another and both perspectives brought out the flow of the plot.

When I first read the synopsis, I'm intrigued. I was so excited to dive into this book. However, first one-third of the book really bored me with the marital life and all which I can't really relate to. So, that part dragged my reading process. Not to mention, this was my 3rd book for Regan's shitihavetoomanybooks read-a-thon and I failed it with this book because I was stucked in that part.

However (again), after I got through the (to-me-it's-boring) part, the rest was brilliant. The rest basically returned this book to my 5-stars list. The plot twist was really brilliant (ran out of description) and wicked (quoted from a review on the front cover).

The character development. WOAH. Nick was a classic bastard husband and you will feel like pulling him out of the book and slap him upside-down for being Nick Dunne. (can't really say much for a spoiler-free review) But, he changed, from a bastard to a seemingly psychopath (my view). I like the physiological aspect of the novel. The first page of the book, Nick described his wife's head/skull. It seems really eerie. The feeling.

Overall, this book is amazing. You will agree with me if you read this book. TRUST ME, YOU WILL. For fans (ME) of thriller-detective-mystery type of books, this is definitely your choice of read. But, even if you're not a fan of these types of genres, you will also enjoy this book. It was mind-blowing.

5 GLOWING STARS on Goodreads,
Summer

Venture into this book: Gone Girl (I can't find my version but this has the same cover)


FOR YOUR INFORMATION, this book is coming out as a movie the coming October 3rd (according to the trailer). Read this before the movie is out and you won't regret it.

adapted from Youtube


SPOILER SECTION:

Thursday, 22 May 2014

Holiday in Death by J.D.Robb

My first official post here!

My first blogspot post dedicated to the In Death series by J.D.Robb. The above is the 7th book and this series goes up to 30 over books and it is still ongoing. If you do not already know, J.D.Robb is actually Nora Roberts, one of the famous Romance novelist. This series has been around since 1998, if not mistaken. & I knew about it in 2011, I think. I started collecting them ever since. 

The In Death series is a thriller adult fiction (more like CSI), which revolves around two main characters, Eve and Roarke. Since I can't spoil you on anything regarding this series, I will just briefly talk about these two main characters.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is a Homicide Lieutenant of the New York Police and Security Department. She has had a broken childhood and still suffered from nightmares of it until she met Roarke. Roarke, on the other hand, is a billionaire Irish rogue, who owns almost half of New York's properties. Eve met him as a suspect in the first book, Naked in Death. Roarke was actually not merely a filthy rich businessman but he, too, had a traumatising past. As both characters met and developed a romantic relationship towards one another, they clicked and patched up each other as puzzle pieces. This series recites on their relationship and how Roarke (having all gadgets and monetary power) helps Eve in solving crimes. 

The characters. Eve is a badass. She's a cop and she's freaking badass. I have no words for her personality. She's badass, brave, fierce, compassionate (in her own ways) and everything else needed for a heroine protagonist. On the other hand, Roarke is the hot stuff. He's rich, handsome, smart (business type) and swoon-worthy. Okay, like any typical hot stuff male protagonist. 

What I like about the series? This series takes place in the future, around year 2058. It's in New York, where automatons are all around the place. There are androids, AutoChef, airbus (literally) and high-tech gadgets. Despite those, crimes still take place. 

Also, I love the author's writings. It's built up from different characters POV, sort-of third person view. However, at some point, you can read about other characters' thoughts. & I like it. I like that I know what the other person were thinking at that moment. Plus, Robb's play of words was beautifully done. 

One thing to note for readers. These books do contain adult scenes, although it may have cut down a little through out the series. It also contains explicit gruesome crime scenes, since it is an adult fiction, so there goes. Nevertheless, I love my crime fiction books, what more series. 

Summer

To start form scratch: Naked In Death (first book) 
I just finished Holiday In Death (seven book)! This series (regarding the crimes) does not necessarily go as episode by episode but it is encouraged to read from the first book, since the romance story does go by episodes (well, the first few books). 

Wednesday, 21 May 2014

The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie


The 2nd book of the Poirot series by Agatha Christie. 
"An urgent cry for help brings Poirot to France. But he arrives too late to save his client, whose brutally stabbed body now lies face downwards in a shallow grave on a golf course. But why is the dead man wearing an overcoat that is too big for him? And who was the impassioned love-letter in the pocket for? Before Poirot can answer these questions, the case is turned upside down by the discovery of a second, identically murdered corpse…" - SYNOPSIS
My 4th Poirot book. If you do not know, I’m a huge fan for crime-mystery-detective books. Hercule Poirot is another fiction detective created by the Queen of Crime - Agatha Christie. (& I would not go on and on about how amazing she is)
& YES! Of course I adore the petit Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. I like his witty sarcasm, his often random acts which drives Hastings mad, his short cries in French and also his grey cells. 
'My friend, in working upon a case, one does not take into account only the things that are “mentioned”. There is no reason to mention many things which may be important. Equally, there is often an excellent reason for not mentioning them. You can take your choice of the two motives.'
Indeed, this book was a fast read. Many series of events unfold in one case. I, personally, found it very intriguing and exciting. The wow-factor, blessing for Hastings. 
Of course, usually when I read reviews regarding long-standing detective novels (Sherlock Holmes, Poirot, Sidney Seldon’s & more), they would criticised them aspredictable (& some other funny thoughts). To be honest, I really dislike those comments. Think, for the authors to have written such amazing plots during those years were pretty incredible. Because nobody can predict the vast technology improvement or whatsoever. These novels were written in those times when cars were barely doorless. So, in my opinions, these works, these literatures are spectacular. 
*pardon me being carried off*
& yes, a definite 5-stars on Goodreads. Looking forward to the 4th book - The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, as I heard it was one of the best among the Poirot series. 
I’ve read The Mysterious Affair at Styles(1st), Poirot Investigates(3rd) & Death on the Nile(7th). Toodles. Oh, my first book for peruse project​’s #shitihavetoomanybooks read-a-thon. (I end up joining -.-)
Summer
To Dive into this book: The Murder on the Links