Rating: 
Summary: GREAT SECOND NOVEL!!!!
Review: This is an TRULY EXCELLENT novel. I literally could not put this book down! Generally, I never read a book that does not have either the Literary Guild or the Book-of-the Month Main Selection designation. I read "An Isolated Incident" because Susan Sloan's 1st novel was so GOOD. Why this second novel did not get the LITERARY GUILD designation is beyond me. This novel should have been on the NATIONAL BESTSELLER LIST for at least 6 months! Perhaps the publishers marketing of this book was at fault. Sometimes the cover itself is the only reason a book doesn't make it to the list. Can't wait for her 3rd novel!
Rating: 
Summary: Captivating who-dunnit; keeps you guessing again and again.
Review: Captivating throughout. Though in the end, I wasn't shocked by who did it--I had figured it out almost from the beginning. Good twists and turns. I was made to think twice more than once! The characters were well-developed and "real." This is movie material to me! Hmmm...Jimmy Smits as the Chief of Police? Kyra Sedgewick as our heroine? I recommend the book. Great beach book.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliant book - I cant wait for her next
Review: I had already read Guilt by Association, but found this much more riveting. Unfortunately, I could well imagine the 'set-up' happening in the type of community described and it held my interest to the very last line.
Rating: 
Summary: What an incredible letdown!!!
Review: At first I was unable to put this book down. The intriguing beginning piqued my interest, and the compelling theme grabbed my attention and forced me to continue to find out what happened. Sloan's style of writing is very skillful and her artistry is outstanding ... therefore, my question is, how come she began a book with such potential and promise and then proceeded to force on her readers such a disappointing ending? It's a shame, because the book had so much potential. Too bad she wasted it on such triviality and shallowness. Her writing style made it very clear that she could have done much better. I only recommend this book if the reader stops after the first half; it's better to make up your own ending than accept the author's.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating book, end falls a bit short
Review: A great read. I'm not big on novels, but found I could not put this book down and was looking forward to my read each day on the way home from work.Only complaints - a few ends not tied up properly, end just ended, Ruben and Ginger's relationship quite weak. A good read, well recommended !
Rating: 
Summary: This book is a big disappointment.
Review: I am a librarian in Brooklyn. One of my patrons has been nagging me for months to read this book, claiming that it is terrific. Boy, is she ever wrong! Although the book had possibilities, as it progressed, the writing deteriorated steadily. Sloan makes a mishmash of racism, police procedurals, small town gossip, an ambitious reporter and many other ingredients that are too muddled together. Instead of a crisp resolution, the book falls flat at the end. I knew who the murderer was, so there was little suspense there. Sloan should have fleshed out her characters and constructed a plot that was a little less busy and a little more put-together. The book was too long and it sagged after the middle. Sloan also hits the reader over the head with her message that we must be more tolerant and less small-minded in our relationships with those whom we perceive to be different from us. I do not recommend "An Isolated Incident" to readers who enjoy crisp writing and a sensible plot line. I was quite disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A tightly written procedural.
Review: Susan Sloan has done a great job exploring the impact of a murder on a small, fairly isolated community. She tells her story from several different angles, and explores racism in the process. I was only slightly disappointed in the ending- the read along the way more than made up for a fairly pat solution. I will read her first book.
Rating:
Summary: This is the WORSE book I've ever read.
Review: I feel that its my civil duty to warn people not to waste their hard earned money and precious time reading this book. I bought this book based upon the author's name. I LOVED her first novel, and thought this would be along the mystery, emotion and suspense would be of the same level. Instead, I found myself half-way through the novel wondering if I should discard it, or hope for the best. It takes forever to start, the characters, once developed are so flawed and unlikable that it simply turns to a disappointment. The "good" guys turn into a new form of "bad". BTW, this is a murder mystery, and when she finally gets to wrapping it up, the ending and the motive for the murder are swept under the carpet. You are more then welcome to try to get through this horrid novel, but again, I highly recommend spending your time and money on either her first novel, or something new altogether.
Rating:
Summary: Not worth the price
Review: I agree with others who felt this book was a disappointment. The characters were shallow, the plot fragmented, the motivations stereotypical.
Rating:
Summary: Simply dreadful
Review: I always thought the idea behind successful fiction was suspension of disbelief, and I'm usually willing to make allowances and accept improbable plots or wooden characters if the writer makes me believe the story he/she is telling. In the case of Sloan's book, however, she has managed to mix an improbable plot and wooden characters together with a prose style that is, frankly, amateurish. I didn't buy it. Furthermore I wonder if she is really at all interested in spinning us a good yarn, or is there some sort of murky political agenda here? I can even accept agendas if they're presented well, I would even be inclined to sympathize with this one, if it's there. But it's all so over the top, and she leaves too many loose ends in the plot: the most glaring is why the teacher's car was seen at the murder site (she's managed to eliminate every similar car on the island, so it must have been his). Maybe Sloan should try another line of work.
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