Rating: 
Summary: an average read -- not what I expected
Review: Shell Game was not what I expected in the latest installment of O'Connell's Mallory series. Previous books fit neatly into continuity, and one seemed to naturally flow into the other. Stone Angel, for example, made sense where it was placed in the series. Shell Game does not seem to have a specific place in the timeline. I don't see it as specifically follwing Stone Angel, or even as directly or indirectly, makeing references to this earlier book. I'm left with a feeling of, "Nice book, but where does it fit?" O'Connell's descriptions of the magic routines are a lot of fun to read. They are well described, and show many of the dangers of working on stage. The characters are not so well described. Even the weekly poker games, something I usually look forward to, fall a little flat. The characters don't seem as well developed as they were in previous books. As always, there were moments of humor. The parade, and subsequent fallout from it, are highly enjoyable moments in the book. O'Connell did a nice job with that and managed, unlike many, not to beat readers up with the humor of the situation. This was an okay book, I give it an average rating. This is kind of disappointing, I really enjoyed the first four and thought I saw constant improvement. Shell Game falls short of that goal.
Rating:
Summary: Good story but Mallory needs to grow.
Review: This novel features the return of Mallory, a tough street kid rescued by the kindness of a New York police inspector and his wife. Mallory is now a detective, and her latest case centers around a murderous magic trick gone spectacularly awry in front of thousands of witnesses. The first couple of books in this series were brilliant in their unfolding of Mallory's character, something rather different from the run-of the-mill detective hero. But as the series matures, the sense I have is that the author is at a crossroads with her character. Too much has happened not to have had some sort of impact on Mallory and yet she remains essentially the same person she was at the beginning of the series. For one brief instant, we had hopes of a romantic angle developing between her and Charles, but that was seemingly snuffed out by the end of the book. Too bad. Mallory needs to grow. The author needs to adapt her central vision to reflect the changes that her characters have gone through. Still and all, this was a very good story, but for those of us who hope that Mallory can break through her past to experience love, we can only hope that something develops soon.
Rating:
Summary: By the end of the book -- who cared anymore?
Review: I had such high hopes for this book -- I love Mallory and Charles and all of the characters. I even like magic so I wasn't put off by the subject of the book. However, it took so long to get to there that by the end of the book, I didn't even care any more who the murderer was. The writing was drawn out and at times, boring. I still like The Man Who Cast Two Shadows the best of all the Mallory books.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I have really liked this series, but for me this book was a disappointment. In fact, although I usually read a book straight through, I've put it aside and can't quite convince myself to pick it up again. One problem is the complexity of the explanations of the illusions. I feel like I'd need a degree in engineering to really understand and enjoy them. But more than that, we're back to one-dimensional Mallory, for whom I held some hope at the end of "Stone Angel." I think it's almost impossible for any author to write several books in a row that are wonderful, so I think I'll just wait and hope the next book is better.
Rating: 
Summary: Good read but expected more.
Review: I have been a big fan of all of Carol O'Connell novels. Although, I liked this book, I was disapointed to have no mention of the events from Stone Angel. Also, within all of the previous Mallory novels, the reader got pieces of Mallory's past. This one merely touches on that subject. Can not wait for the next Mallory, and I hope it is up to the usual high standards.
Rating:
Summary: Not the best Mallory, but good nonetheless
Review: If you buy this book expecting Stone Angel, you will be disappointed. If you buy this book expecting a compelling development of character and an interesting turn of plot, you will NOT be disappointed. Despite the other reviews, it is clear to me, at least, that Mallory and Charles both do some emotional growing in this book. Charles and Riker both think they know Mallory, but in this book they are forced to realize their understanding of her is not as complete as either of them think. Mallory comes face to face with the frailty of her human soul. The end of this book is difficult to read because Mallory is flung onto the threshold of humanity with little idea how to cope with emotional vulnerability. The entire book is a play on what constitutes reality and what constitutes illusion. Mallory has always eschewed the norm for her own version of ethics, and in this book she is forced to deal with the consequences of that choice. The book wasn't as compelling, especially in the early stages, as other O'Connell works, but definitely worth the read.
Rating: 
Summary: I only finished it because I had nothing else to read!
Review: This book really deserves only 1 star but out of respect for the truly wonderful series that suffers a letdown with this book, I give it 2. Doesn't the NYPD have anything better to do with what are purported to be two of its best officers? Did Mallory get a message from outer space nudging her to investigate a World War II death? Like other readers I expected a Mallory who was at least slightly affected by the action in the previous book. But no, she is the same amoral machine we previously encountered. Her supporters have become her apologists and even they are beginning to have doublt about her. Is there a direction to this series or just a series of non connected police stories? Instead of wasting a book on this slight story, why not a short, short story--that's all the plot content allows. I will hope for better from the next Mallory.
Rating: 
Summary: "O'Connell Rates 5 Stars Again"
Review: "Shell Game" may not be quite up to the standards of "Stone Angel," but any Carol O'Connell book is better that almost any other author's. Mallory returns to the NYPD to solve the perplexing murder of an elderly magician, and back with her are her cohorts in crime--Charles and Riker. Great entertaiment!
Rating:
Summary: Mallory moves forward
Review: I found this book to be at least as powerful as O'Connell's other novels (including _Judas Child_, which I thought was absolutely amazing). Mallory actually grows, instead of being just a strange, crippled creature for the plot to bounce off of; whether or not her growth is worth what it cost her remains to be seen. The compassion with which O'Connell describes pain and human tragedy makes reading about the events all the more harrowing and unforgettable. Easily the best book I've read this year.
Rating:
Summary: Terribly let down
Review: I love this author. I was mad about her previous books (well, Killing Critics was so so). Imagine how amazed I was to actually give this "The worst book I've read this summer" award. It was so trite and flat. Don't bother buying it, you can have my copy.
| 
