Rating:  Summary: Absolutely Awful Review: Like most other reviewers, I have been a Faye Kellerman fan. I am also an avid mystery reader with a M.A. in English lit. This book is worse than disappointing -- it's almost unbelievable as the work of the same person. The first 3/4's of the book is reasonably interesting -- the characters are not as well-crafted nor the plot as engaging as the Decker/Lazarus novels, but it was an O.K. read. Then, the whole thing implodes into something ridiculous, unbelievable, amateurishly written -- enough to make me wonder about Kellerman's mental state. The writing deteriorates -- she uses such questionable words as "evilness" (p.407) and "freefalled" (p.408). A woman who is naked on one page has the wind "blowing her dress over her knees (p.404) soon after. Worst of all, absolutely nothing that happens, no word of dialogue after this, feels anything but forced, awkward, and unbelievable. I have enthusiastically recommened some of Kellerman's early books -- even given them as gifts -- but this one left me feeling cheated, angry and perplexed. Publishers need to learn when to say "No" -- even to writers who have done good work -- when they are about to disgrace themselves. But then, they got my money, didn't they? Ah, well. Gentle reader, be wise and save your money and your time. Pass.
Rating:  Summary: Makes you wonder Review: I read the book, put it down, and then picked it back up again, re reading select scenes. The power of this book is such that you wonder: is this a fiction book, or is it going more into the science fiction catagory. I think that the few surreal scenes in the book only heightened the suspense that Kellerman permeated the air with throughout. The book was not predictable ( a major plus in a ficiton novel) and was enjoyable to the last, even though the good guy did win. This book was engaging, and the character relationships were unique and interesting, much more so because of their basis in the Los Angeles area. It appears to me that people follow a somwhat different lifestyle out there, and the book provided many details of this lifestyle. This was an egaging and enjoyable book. A good book to read on a long plane ride because you won't want to put it down once you start it.
Rating:  Summary: No Fair! Review: I usually love Faye Kellerman's books but this one was a real let down. I won't give the plot away, but as a compulsive and well-read mystery reader I felt absolutely cheated at the denoument. The author did not play fair with her readers.
Rating:  Summary: FAYE KELLERMAN DOES IT AGAIN AND BETTER THAN EVER! Review: A marvelous mystery, a divergence from Faye Kellerman's normal novels which have heavily revolved around the Jewish faith. This book holds the reader's attention from beginning to end. The research done on Las Vegas is the best. Being very familiar with the city, as the reader, I was moving and walking right along with the characters. And speaking of characters, she has some unique ones in this book. If you are seeking a extraordinary mystery/thriller this is the book. If you are looking for the "same ole, same, old" from Kellerman, this might be your cup of tea, but she has opened the door to a vast new audience with this unique and fast paced book! Frightening, imaginative, enthralling - what more can I say, this is a real page turner - best be ready to stay up all night with this jewel! I am a Patricia Cornwell, Jonathan Kellerman fan, but this new book of Faye Kellerman's really hits the spot...excellent, hope to see more of this type of writing from her.
Rating:  Summary: What a disappointment Review: As a big fan of Faye Kellerman I was really looking forward tothis book being published. I bought it the day it came out. I washugely disappointed in it. It wasn't interesting, it wasn't well plotted and I was saddened by her choice to denigrate the Mormon faith. I have really loved reading her Rina Lazarus books and learning about the Jewish faith. I have respected the character of Rina Lazarus and her devotion. So I was quite surprised that Faye Kellerman could show such a lack of respect to another faith. It was also factually incorrect, in one scene she describes a Mormon girl at her first communion wearing a cross necklace. Mormons do not celebrate first communion, and they never use the symbol of the cross. Did she not do her research? How difficult would it have been to find out? It makes me wonder about the rest of her facts. How sad.
Rating:  Summary: It's something new Review: I, too, have been a fan of Faye Kellerman's Decker/Lazarus novels & have loved everyone of them. I was a little disappointed to find she had taken a different track with this one. However, as an occult/horror fan as well, I found this book interesting. Yes, although you may have figured out early on "who dunit" the why of it is what kept my interest to the end. I think the reading public doesn't realize that writers who do series on the same characters or themes, must get tired writing about the same thing. I like to see them branch out with some new ideas from time to time. Faye Kellerman is still high on my reading list.
Rating:  Summary: No sequel, PLEASE! Review: Thank goodness I didn't spend any money on this book that I checked out of the library! Bad enough to have wasted my time on such a disappointment. I love the Rina/Peter series and I've always thought her character development is Kellerman's strong suit. What's with this half-sketched mish mash of characters in this book? Did she even write the book herself? And although many of the books in this genre do become predictable, she tipped her entire hand in about the fourth chapter--I feel seriously cheated. Her attempt at mysticism seems more like an easy-out to an out of control plot than an answer to the murders. She also leaves many plot lines hanging, such as Alison's mother. Please don't continue with these horrible, underdeveloped, self-absorbed characters!
Rating:  Summary: A trunk book? Review: I'm presently in the middle of Moon Music. It is very disappointing. In fact, my guess is that it's a "trunk book," pulled out because Kellerman missed a deadline about a year and a half ago. It appears to have been written by a much less skilled, much younger writer. It's overblown (and appears fundamentally unedited) at nearly 500 pages. The time frames seem to shift. The viewpoint character repeatedly shift, and not in any The Sound and the Fury sort of way, either -- sometimes thoughts show up on the page that you can't seem to attribute to anyone in particular because the viewpoint character has shifted two or three times on a single page. It's always been interesting to me that, once a writer starts successfully publishing, anything s/he has written will get published, good, bad or indifferent. And, of course, people will buy it based on the strength of past work by the author. I've called this "bestsellerdom" in the past, and mourned such victims as James Patterson, who used to write good mysteries. I suppose once you can start making tens of thousands of dollars by writing one-line paragraphs, by not self-editing, by bringing out old, inferior work, by not sweating over each word, the temptation to do so is pretty fierce. Sad to see good writers give in to it.
Rating:  Summary: Oh My God! Review: I love both Faye and Jonathon Kellerman. Their books have always kept me enthralled, and I am usually dissapointed when I get to the end of them - not because I was dissatisfied, but because the book was so good I didn't want it to end! Well, Faye took care of that for me this time! What a GREAT dissapointment this book was. I had it figured out early on, but I thought it was a workable idea - so I continued to fight my way through the book. I shouldn't have wasted my time. It was horrible. She would bring in new scenarios or characters in such a way that you would think you must have missed something earlier on. She made it sound like it was the second or third time she had brought them up, and I'd flip through the pages I had already read to see where they were mentioned - but they were never there. I was so dissapointed in this book. Not up to her Decker/Lazarus books by a long shot! Don't waste your money on this one! Don't even use your Library card for it!
Rating:  Summary: Dissapointing Review: I have read all of Faye Kellermans books that I can get my hands on and have loved them all. . . until now. What is with the Mormon bashing? If she is going to trash a religion she should at least do some research and trash with some facts. Makes me wonder if all the Jewish information that I have enjoyed so much is factual. I don't think I'll be buying anymore of Ms. Kellermans books.
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