Chain of Evidence

Rating:
Summary: not much to this one
Review: Ridley Pearson doesn't do too much with Chain of Evidence. Probably OK for a beach read or something like that but for the most part, this is a forgettable serial murder mystery. It's a little better than No Witnesses, but that's not saying much. If you want something really good, check out Greg Iles instead.

Rating:
Summary: Great bed reading
Review: Ridley Pearson is a competent writer, and never goes into 'blockbuster action movie-unbelievable' mode with his characters in this book. A deliberate introduction to the setting is interesting, but Pearson's ending ties up all the ends. I often wonder why books like this don't make it to the B-movie grate. It's a good story that's good in the bathroom, bedroom, or plane

Rating:
Summary: Another good Ridley Pearson novel.
Review: Ridley Pearson really knows his stuff. What he writes is believable and well thought out. I found the book tightly plotted. I like all of his books. The only negative I found was the length. At times it dragged. Too many novels today are overly long and would really benefit from judious cutting. Other than that, good summer (or anytime for that matter) read

Rating:
Summary: Good book, a great start for mystry readers.
Review: The Chain of Evidence began slowly and slowly worked it's way to excitement. Dull reading for a while. When they raided Proxin Labs and began their cat and mouse game with the Proctor security gaurds and using two computers to capture the Evidence they needed was the most exciting part of the book. The disappearance of Martinson was very disappointing for me. If one is begining to read Mystries, read this one first. I think then one will be a little more excited.

Rating:
Summary: Better have time, you can't put it down!
Review: This is my first Pearson novel and an Amazon suggestion. A riveting novel, it keeps you up til all hours until you race to the end. Be still my beating heart!

Rating:
Summary: Don't believe the hype
Review: This is the kind of novel that leaves you wondering if you've read the same book as the jacket writers. They say taut and suspenseful plot - I say fewer twists than an average episode of The X Files. They say multi-dimensional characters - I say "multi-dimensional" usually means more than two. They say absorbing details of forensic procedure - I say, I've read it all before.

The main problem with this book is that the initial suspect really is the killer. So not much suspense there. His motivation is highly unlikely. And his pursuit requires too much artificial tension - like burgling your own precint when you're a cop becuase it takes too long to request files internally. Really? And the action of the novel only lasts six months.

Even the pool-side deserves better than this.

Rating:
Summary: Don't believe the hype
Review: This is the kind of novel that leaves you wondering if you've read the same book as the jacket writers. They say taut and suspenseful plot - I say fewer twists than an average episode of The X Files. They say multi-dimensional characters - I say "multi-dimensional" usually means more than two. They say absorbing details of forensic procedure - I say, I've read it all before.

The main problem with this book is that the initial suspect really is the killer. So not much suspense there. His motivation is highly unlikely. And his pursuit requires too much artificial tension - like burgling your own precint when you're a cop becuase it takes too long to request files internally. Really? And the action of the novel only lasts six months.

Even the pool-side deserves better than this.

Rating:
Summary: For the compulsive mistery book reader, only
Review: This was just really, really, really, really, really bad. Did I mention it was really bad?

The only thing saving it is the fact that there are some rather clever twists and elements within.

None of the characters stand out as anything more than soggy, cardboard cutouts. We know exactly how they think, what they do, what they had for lunch every day of their lives. And they never, EVER surprise us by transcending the cliches and stereotypes they are. What's worse is that the author chooses to let us know EVERY SINGLE thought going in the protagonists's head. I mean, OKAY, we KNOW he's nervous, now please don't keep telling us ad nauseum.

The actual mystery, not the killer, but HOW he killed is rather clever, I'll have to give the author that. The use of computers was pretty hokey, but that's okay, it's not a travesty. The ending reminiscent of SNEAKERS wasn't too bad either.

But I just couldn't accept these people. They didn't talk like real people, they didn't act like real people and I never cared for them.

Rating:
Summary: Avoid. Bludgeon onself with a hammer repeatedly instead.
Review: This was just really, really, really, really, really bad. Did I mention it was really bad?

The only thing saving it is the fact that there are some rather clever twists and elements within.

None of the characters stand out as anything more than soggy, cardboard cutouts. We know exactly how they think, what they do, what they had for lunch every day of their lives. And they never, EVER surprise us by transcending the cliches and stereotypes they are. What's worse is that the author chooses to let us know EVERY SINGLE thought going in the protagonists's head. I mean, OKAY, we KNOW he's nervous, now please don't keep telling us ad nauseum.

The actual mystery, not the killer, but HOW he killed is rather clever, I'll have to give the author that. The use of computers was pretty hokey, but that's okay, it's not a travesty. The ending reminiscent of SNEAKERS wasn't too bad either.

But I just couldn't accept these people. They didn't talk like real people, they didn't act like real people and I never cared for them.

Rating:
Summary: AMAZING ENDING FILLED WITH HIGH TECH AND SUSPENSE!
Review: What a great read! A wonderful mystery filled with suspense. A story of a killer who is making his murders look like suicide leads "Dart", an ivy league educated detective, to his former partner and mentor, Zeller. Pearson does a wonderful job of grabbing the reader and pulling him/her into the story from the beginning. One minute you're hoping that the killer isn't Zeller. The next minute you're hoping that Zeller is the murderer because of the nature of his wife's death and the backgrounds of the murder victims. A must read for those who read Sanford, Heffernan, Cornwell, Patterson, and Kellerman