Rating: 
Summary: Power of Money
Review: Mallory's Oracle is a story based on intigue and suspense. The author, Carol O'Connell amazingly keeps you captivated nd interested in "who done it" without revealing the truth in the process. I liked the fact that they used an intelligent but captivating beauty to play the heroine, although she is not alone in figuring out the truth. Most woman are portrayed in books by beinglooked down upon as a sex symbol and it is sort of empowering to find a storyline that includes woman in other areas beside the generic.
Mallory's Oracle also dabbles with magic and the so called black arts and I find that interesting because there is so much talk now a days about the Harry Potter series and how much flack that is receiving but as you can see the theme of black magic and the dark arts is used, in th open and subtle.
For a first read the book was well structured and believable which is always important in a crime book because if a reader can not concieve that the story can actually take place then they lose interest and you never want your readers to lose interest.
The bases of the story, the money issue is the most beleivable to work with but I would have liked the author to have used another theme. Killing for money is always common. Although the character ( don't want to give it away) killed for a cover up, money was essentially the start of the roller coaster. Carol O'Connell did express in the story that the killings were a bit of a thrill for the murderer.
Again, this book is a great find I am sure that Carol O'Connell's other stories if she has not already written more books will also be something of interest. The book was excellent, one of those I need to finish tonight to find out who kind of books!
Rating: 
Summary: Amazing New Author!
Review: Just when I thought I had run the gamut of all the great mystery writers, I found Carol O'Connell. 'Mallory's Oracle' introduced me to the most facinating investigator of all. Mallory is a mystery, a flawed character who at the same time is a beautiful and highly intelligent woman. Her life began at ten (maybe 11, or 12 - the little girl was a gifted liar and thief), when she was caught in a criminal act by a cop who didn't want to bother with the massive paperwork that Juvenile Department requires. He took her home on his wife's birthday, and she kept the wretched little present. And the story continues....
Rating: 
Summary: GOOD PREMISE, BUT WAAAAAAY TOO WORDY!
Review: This is the first Carol O'Connell book I've read. The basic plot was a good one, but the author's writing style made it very tough to get through the book. It was almost like a high school term paper written with sentences far too long and extra words thrown in everywhere, in order to make a 6-page paper into a 10-page paper! I'm also a little tired of gorgeous female detectives ... how about a little realism? Also, this woman hasn't met a computer that she can't hack into! Come on, without this superhuman ability, the whole story falls apart. Finally, what was the deal with the abused dog?? I'll try another Mallory story, but unless it feels more like enjoyment and less like a chore, it will be the last.
Rating:
Summary: Mallory: A Fine Complex Heroine.
Review: Carol O'Connell has succeeded in creating a wonderful and complex character in Mallory. Her books are fascinating (though perhaps not evenly so) and I highly recommend them to readers looking for situations for which they can not predict the twists, turns, and endings.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Sufficiently Engaging
Review: The plot was good, but the writing was so distant that I couldn't get into the book at all. I had to struggle to finish it. I liked Charles, but didn't care much for, or about, Mallory at all. In books I enjoy, I get into the book, and I identify with the characters. It feels almost like I'm with them, a part of what's going on. This was too much like someone I don't know telling me a story about people I don't know. It was interesting, but I wasn't part of it, and I didn't enjoy it. I don't plan to read the other Mallory books that are out there - perhaps they're better, but this book, and these characters, didn't interest me enough to find out.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Original Character Shines In Outstanding Series
Review: Lost in New York City, at age 7, Kathleen Mallory lived by her wits and cunning until found by Detective Louis Markowitz, as the 10 year old was attempting to hotwire a Jaguar. Chosing to take the snarling street child home, Markowitz was able to bypass months of legal red tape, Social Worker inquiries and provide a home where only doorways and cardboard boxes gave shelter before. Raised by the brilliant policeman and thriving under the tender and wise ministrations of his wife, Helen, Mallory, as she prefers to be called, enjoyed an excellent education and proved to be a beautiful, but hard, diamond in the rough. On graduation from Barnard College, Mallory joined the Police Force, to the surprise of her adoptive father, by labored safely in the bowels of the Computer Division. All that changed when an elderly pawnbroker noticed the gold watch inscribed Markowitz, and the wedding ring, that could only have left the widower's finger after death. Alerting Mallory to the shivering young hype waiting payment in the pawnshop, it's not long before the trail leads to the two most recent victims of a crafty serial killer...and one of the bodies is Lou Markowitz. Traces of her hard-boiled, (even by New York standards), persona and larcenous heart exist, as Mallory hacks into goverment and financial records in search of the faint tail to her adopted Dad's assassin. A serial killer, preying chiefly on wealthy, elderly women, this one's made the mistake of a lifetime, incurring Mallory's feral wrath and unwavering attention. Certain commonalities exist among the murdered women, who lived adjacent to the fenced and keyed Gramercy Park. A number of well-drawn, and highly individual suspects emerge, and you will enjoy the time spent unraveling the mystery and getting to know more about Mallory's world and the inner workings of a singular mind. Highly recommended...breaks many police procedural formulas!
Rating:
Summary: A Fine Debut ....
Review: A fine first novel in what may be my favorite mystery series of all time. O'Connell has created a fascinatingly complex protagonist who fits no cookie mold I've come across yet: Mallory! She's a mystery unto herself; I was immediately captured by her "differentness" and wanted to know her better - what made her tick and why. I couldn't put this book down! She is increasingly revealed to the reader bit by small bit throughout the whole series (Stone Angel was particularly eye-opening; but don't be tempted - read these fine books in order!!) I applaud O'Connell for writing a suspenseful storyline that revolved around intimately/uniquely drawn characters.
Rating:
Summary: Fast paced abridged tape
Review: I enjoyed the three hour abridged tape of Mallory's Oracle. It was an interesting introduction to Mallory - child of the streets and genius computer hacker. Having read the other reviews I suspect that the tape glosses over some of the complexity that seems to cause controversy. Probably the most interesting elements of this story revolve around the illusions and the insider trading but enough said - don't want to give too much away. I'm not yet in love with O'Connell but will certainly gave the sequel a read. In the for what it's worth department, the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association selected this book as one of the top 100 mysteries in the 20th Century.
Rating:
Summary: This book blew me away!
Review: Mallory (she doesn't use her first name) is an extraordinary, complex character. Mallory, a New York City cop, gets tangled up in a very personal murder, which leads to the discovery of a series of potentially linked murders. OK. We've seen this before. Why should you read this? The enigma of Mallory rests in her lost childhood years. But Mallory is not a victim. Emotionally, she is an alien in this world, totally cut off from her humanity, relying on ancient cues of her foster parents to do the right thing. Think about what you would get if you combined the tenacity of a pit bull; a deadly aim; a brilliant hacker and laser sharp intelligence. Well plotted and written. A interesting of supporting characters. This book is gripping, as well as intriguing.
Rating:
Summary: Oh The Disappointment
Review: I read Judas Child, was gripped and promptly bought all the other COC books. What a let down this book was. The characters are one dimensional - even Mallory isn't fleshed out and try as I have I cannot picture her. The plot is ludicrously over convoluted and it isn't all tied up at the end - there are numerous holes. I'm dreading reading the rest in the series.
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