Rose

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Summary: A vivid picture of a 19th century mining community
Review: I thought this was a wonderful book, with an engrossing story and an intriguing main character, the gin-soaked, malaria-ridden, Jonathan Blair. I was up until 2 am finishing it. The ending, however, strains belief, and weakens the overall plot.

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Summary: Almost non-stop cover to cover reading.
Review: I enjoyed his earler books and this is up to par. Always variety in his subject matter and well researched. This was a wonderful book to read on a cross country flight.

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Summary: One of my all-time favourites!
Review: I love Martin Cruz Smith's books as a whole but Rose was a book I truly could not put down and have re-read many times since. I found the characters to be a brilliant mix of good and evil, This was one of the few books where I was continually wishing I would come to the end to resolve the ongoing mystery surrounding the missing curate whilst at the same time not wishing the book to ever end because I loved it so much. BRILLIANT!!!!!

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Summary: Terrific and accurate
Review: Rose is a well-written novel set in a coal mining town in England. The mining lore and scenes are accurately portrayed.

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Summary: Excellent historical mystery
Review: Martin Cruz Smith's ROSE was an absolute delight. Interesting characters, most particularly Smith's flawed (but redeemable) narrator, Blair. A mystery that kept me on my toes and kept me turning the pages with anticipation. ROSE goes on my recommended reading list for anyone interested in historical mysteries.

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Summary: An intelligent historical mystery.
Review: Paints a grim, but accurate picture of life in a North Country coal mining town in the 1870's. Blair, a mining engineer known as an African explorer, is coerced into turning detective to solve "The Mystery of the Missing Curate". Not the equal of Smith's Gorky Park.

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Summary: Smith has created engaging characters in an intruiging story
Review: This was my first Smith novel and what a pleasure it was. I found the characters fascinating and both appealing and appaling. The historical background of its mining town setting was quite interesting. I found "Rose" to be both an enjoyable and engaging page-turner.

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Summary: Positively frustrating
Review: This was my first Martin Cruz Smith novel and going off the renown of his Gorky Park I must admit I expected something a lot better. I am from Wigan and the only credit I will give him is that he did go there and he did do his research into the workings of the mines and the time his novel was set in. As for the story, I found it a very shallow storyline, the only reason I finished the book was because I had started it and because it was set in my hometown. The characters were not well defined at all, the plot was hard to follow, it seemed to keep veering off the subject. The title character "Rose" was a lightweight when she should have been the main focus. All in all a hard read and quite boring, I am amazed that so many seem to have enjoyed it.

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Summary: Grisham Fans Beware!!
Review: This one actually features depth of character and non-pedestrian dialogue. Any devotee of Carr's "The Alienist" will find it irresistible.

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Summary: A wonderful, atmospheric adventure.
Review: I found this book fascinating and enjoyable. Smith may have made a few anachronisms, but the novelty of so much historical fact that is correct is a credit both to him and a source of wonder to the reader. The past was not like the present, just slower, it was a different world altogether, wonderfully captured in this book.