Rating: 
Summary: A masterwork of the genre.
Review: So, this is what won Laurie King the Edgar for best first novel ten years ago! I came to it late, having first read her Holmes/Russell series. Naturally my hopes were high. I was not disappointed.At any given time there are now about 6,976 paperback novels about police trying to catch serial killers available at the virtual and real booksellers'. If you go by the publishers' blurbs, they are all equally superb. In fact, however, thousands of them are garbage; hundreds are not complete wastes, especially if you get them from the library; several dozen are worth rereading; but only a handful are the real masterworks of the genre. -Red Dragon-, for example. And this volume. The masterworks are recognizable. You know what it's like? It's like taking the Oak Park architectural tour here (metro Chicago) and getting ready to see your first Frank Lloyd Wright house. You go up the street and you see some rather modern-looking structures and you think, "is that one of them? It's not so special." Then you turn a corner and see the genuine article, and you see that you will never be confused again. You will know a Wright house when you see one. It really IS different. What is the difference? Let's start with characters. Many detective series have no single original or memorable character, including the detective. Some are of superior quality: the detective IS memorable, and maybe the villain as well. This book, however, abounds with memorable and sharply drawn characters. And I don't just mean being pulled from a grab-bag of attributes, like the episode where Frasier does the "Nightmare Inn" radio play, and the suspects include an Englishman, a German, an Irishman, a Chinese man, and "Beppo the dwarf." I mean something like a Victor Hugo novel, where the supporting characters are given dignity and purpose, and ornament the story lavishly. Two thirds of the way through the novel, as one example, we meet a memorable precocious 7-year-old. Why? Is she being set up to fool the villain in the last chapter? No - she doesn't do anything special. Why does King create this character then? Because she can. Because the novel is lusher and more pleasurable to read with her in it. Now let's move on from character to philosophy! I use this phrase advisedly, because that's how it actually works in the novel. One of the chief characters is the renowned artist who was convicted of murdering a child 17 years ago, and who now falls under suspicion when children's bodies begin to turn up all around her secluded retreat. Any number of works of crime fiction include "artist characters". King, however, attempts to actually describe the artist's works, school of painting, and intentions, with such detail that you can actually see the individual works, follow the critical debate about her work, and understand the immense and serious talent that she actually possesses. Ultimately we are led to care about things much more important and deep than simply "punishing the killer", and perhaps as important as "stopping anyone else from getting killed." The final climax is saved from triteness by the fact that it is not just about people fighting, it is about Valuable things like love, art, and talent. The plot moves quickly along. Some developments and twists are apparent ahead of time, but the detectives are not fools and successfully keep up with the clever reader and often get ahead. Stepping back a bit, let's appreciate the merely (?) "decorative." King has enough confidence in her abilities to throw little grace notes into the mix. A little trick is played on the reader very early, and only 100 pages later do you realize (if you're like me) that you've been subtly had. King varies the narrative structure with flashbacks, flash-forwards, and asides to the reader (this is very reminiscent of Thomas Harris), and her sense of seasoning is entirely reliable. This book is an endorsement of the notion that Edgar awards are not bestowed by pulling the names of the year's mystery novels out of a hat.
Rating:
Summary: I like good stories - this one is GREAT
Review: The people in here are human - realistic, normal, and twisted. King does an outstanding job of character development. Similarly, she steps off the main path of the plot to develop both sub-plots and side stories. She writes little stories within larger stories inside of an entire story. This is just the way real Life develops. She doesn't get carried away trying to overwhelm us with impossible characters or techno-babble. She just tells a great story. Both Twain and Hemmingway would have been proud to know her.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring and Implausible
Review: This is a good mystery. The setting is is unique and the mystery within a mystery is compelling. Why would someone do such horrible things? The characters are interesting and for the most part invite you to like and care for them. The only flaw that I could see is that Kate, the main character is not very likeable. Out of all the characters, she was the one that had the least depth. Lee and Hawkins are much nicer people. However, having said that, I will probably read the rest of the series. Maybe Kate will become more human as the series progresses.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Read
Review: This is a good mystery. The setting is is unique and the mystery within a mystery is compelling. Why would someone do such horrible things? The characters are interesting and for the most part invite you to like and care for them. The only flaw that I could see is that Kate, the main character is not very likeable. Out of all the characters, she was the one that had the least depth. Lee and Hawkins are much nicer people. However, having said that, I will probably read the rest of the series. Maybe Kate will become more human as the series progresses.
Rating:
Summary: Boring and Implausible
Review: This is a mystery with very little mystery -- the killer is revealed fairly early in the book, and there is no challenge or excitement in trying to guess who it is, since no real clues are given. There is very little action or interesting investigation. There is, however, a great deal of discussion about Vaun the painter, how wonderful and powerful her work is, how she can paint such devastating, subtle caricatures, how ... forget it, I can't go on, it's just laughable. And yet dull as dirt. The ending is absurdly weak, relying on gross stupidity on the part of both Lee and the killer. The silly subplot about Lee was so obvious from the start. Even the name of the book is dumb. In summary, this is a book for people who like slow novels about boring people doing foolish things.
Rating:
Summary: Very good, enjoyable.
Review: This was a very good mystery that held my interest throughout during a very distracting time. The story was very well written and interesting.
Rating:
Summary: This is NOT your basic murder msytery
Review: Whether you like murder mysteries or not, you will love this book. In a town outside of San Francisco, a series of shocking murders has occurred, each victim a child. Detective Kate Martinelli, just promoted to homicide, and her partner, Al Hawkin, are assigned to this initially impossible case. The only clue and only suspect is Vaun Adams, arguably the century's greatest painter, once convicted of strangling a little girl. Martinelli must explore this artist's dark past to find truth in the case now facing her. With side stories and surprising twists in a deeply engrossing plot, I found this book to be an entertaining and carefully woven mystery. A Grave Talent is an amazing, haunting work of art. King grabbed my interest forcefully; I was helpless to resist the story, despite its brutal topic. As the story unfolded, the plot development and different crime situations wove themselves into a truly compelling pattern. The description was absorbing and very relevant to the focused plot. For example, King's ample description of Vaun Adams' artwork served as a window to the potential criminal's personality. King did an outstanding job of character development. Also, she steps off the main path of the plot to develop side stories regarding the main characters' lives. This was entertaining and helped me to relate with the characters. This book instigated me to immediately read the sequel, To Play the Fool. Laurie King is a remarkable and talented author whose books I devour with excitement and delight. Her books are fabulous and I recommend them to all.
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