Rating: Summary: Had to force myself to finish Review: I am a big Tami Hoag fan, but this was not one of her best, in my opinion. My mother an I, faithfully, have read every one of her books and enjoyed most of them. This book has taken two minor characters in her last book, Kovac and Liska, and made them the main characters in this book. The mystery is uninteresting. The thing that we like about Hoags books is the mystery laced with romance. There is no romance in this book. I did'nt care about the detectives or the crime. It is obvious that Ms. Hoag wants to be taken more seriously as a detective/crime novelist, but she needs to remember who has made her famous and who her fans are. This is not what we are looking for.
Rating: Summary: Dust to Dust Review: Intense character development and intricate sub-plots that were woven effectively to create an introspective view of human interaction with all of the subtle nuances that make a believable story. I want to hang out with Tink and would want others to see the value of having a partner with principled tenaciousness.
Rating: Summary: Bad Cops in the Minneapolis PD Review: Homicide detective Sam Kovac and his partner Nikki Liska are assigned to the case when Internal Affairs policeman Andy Fallon is found hanged to death in his bedroom. Fallon is the son of paraplegic Mike Fallon, a policeman who had been shot in the line of duty 20 years earlier. Sam had a lot of respect for Mike, and was the one to inform Mike that his son had apparently committed suicide. Mike was devastated, but also angry at his son who had recently announced to his dad that he was gay. Kovac also visits Fallon's brother who runs a bar and bait shop out near the lake, and quickly discovered that there was no love lost between father and son, since Mike had long favored Andy, and held him up as a constant example to his brother.Kovac and Liska are perfectly suited to each other as partners, and work well as a team, and both are suspicious that there was more to this suicide than met the eye. They were even more convinced when the autopsy was rushed through at the request of some high-ranking police official, the death was considered an accident, and the case was quickly closed. Kovac tries to learn more about the cases that Fallon was working on in the Internal Affairs division but runs into a stone wall in the form of the implacable division Lieutenant, Amanda Savard. He learns through other sources that Andy had been working on a case involving harassment of gay policeman within the department, but the case had been recently closed when the leads dried up. On the day of his son's funeral, Mike Fallon is discovered dead in his bathroom after apparently blowing his brains out. Some details about the crime scene just don't seem to fit the suicide theory that is quickly applied to Fallon's death, so Kovac and Liska continue to investigate. The strongest sub-plot is the lonely and unconnected existence of Kovac. Divorced twice, he has no relationships outside the police force, and knows how being a police officer affects every aspect of your life. But he's basically a good person, and never loses sight of who he works for...the victims. He is finally able to connect with Lt. Amanda Savard, but sadly, that relationship also ends. As Kovak and Liska dig deeper into the recent deaths and old crimes, their lives and careers are threatened, but they never lose sight of doing the right thing. The plot gets rather complicated with intertwining sub plots and faceless characters, but in the end when it is all sorted out, the ugly truths of corruption and bigotry and greed within the police force are exposed. And the deep bond of trust and friendship that is formed between partners on the police force is strengthened even further. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced, intense well-written novel, and am looking forward to reading other titles by this author.
Rating: Summary: Not a bad mystery... Review: This is the second Tami Hoag mystery I have read, the first being Ashes to Ashes, which I enjoyed. Enjoyed so much that I decided to read the sequel, Dust to Dust. And for the most part, Dust to Dust was not a bad read, the mystery kept you engrossed enough and the twists and turns were enough to be interesting. But what really bothered me was the ending, call me old fashioned, but a little bit of a happier ending would have been better. I was under the impression that this book was a romantic suspense, but there was no romance at all. The ending left one with a sour taste, since neither Kovak nor Liska came away as winners. I hope she writes a sequel and does some justice for these two characters, the book sort of left you wondering what would happen with them. So all in all, not a bad mystery but the ending did not leave me satisfied enough to give it a higher rating.
Rating: Summary: Very disappointing. Review: After reading and enjoying Hoag's previous books this was an unpleasant surprise. With repeated unexplained switches of scenes and poor introduction of characters, both at original appearance and at later times the story line is difficult to follow. Irrelevant details abound. There is just too much "cuteness" to make the book a good read.
Rating: Summary: Readable Review: Kovac and Liska work homicide together. They are both dedicated cops with a keen eye for the truth, but this time they might have pushed things too far. They're going after their own kind. All of a sudden, people are committing suicide and leaving no reason to fall back on. Sorry is the only note left. But sorry for what? It's an okay book. The middle dragged. I didn't get interested in the plot until the very end when everything was being solved. She could have done much better.
Rating: Summary: Dust to Dust Review: I was so excited to find Tami Hoag's latest, I bought it on the first day it was released. It is aptly named since it has been gathering dust. I waded through the first few chapters and was so disappointed I gave up. This a very pedantic attempt at a formula police story. I have never been so disappointed in an author's work
Rating: Summary: KILLER THRILLER! Review: A hundred adjectives leapt to mind when I sat down to write this review of Tami Hoag's brilliant thriller, "Dust To Dust". None of them were accurate enough to list here without sounding somewhat sycophantic or gushing like a schoolgirl...so I'll proceed to the details. Hoag's previous work, "Ashes To Ashes", was my first delightful exposure to her Minnesota-based thrillers, and I thought then that I could see why Hoag is such a sought-after author. While being a big fan of police thrillers, Hoag takes the prize for creating such multi-dimensional characters, from her heroes and heroines to her crafty villians. Set in the frigid landscape of the wintery north, Hoag knows how to ever-so-subtly create a sense of increasing tension within her stories, by depicting her protagonists with real and accesible emotions and dilemmas. I have yet to read another author who does so with such incredible deftness. Multi-layered and vivid, "Dust To Dust" is one of the best psycho-thrillers this reader has enjoyed in much too long! Count me in with Hoag's legions of fans and avid readers!
Rating: Summary: Not the Caliber I'd hoped Review: I am a big fan of Ms. Hoag's writing and couldn't wait to read her newest book. Unfortunately for me, this one left something to be desired. I didn't become completely absorbed by the storyline as I have in the past. I felt that while the story was about a gay cop's murder/suicide, I felt the story was too focused on that fact. The secondary storyline could have been better developed and added some depth. A good effort, but I prefer Ms. Hoag's earlier books.
Rating: Summary: What happened? Review: I agree with Ms. Vyk from Pasadena, CA USA. After reading other books by Ms. Hoag (especially Ashes to Ashes) I couldn't wait for this one. I should have waited. This was one of the worst books I read last year. I wouldn't advise buying it. If you really must read it because Ms. Hoag wrote it, go to the library.
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