The Echo

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Summary: Minette Walters: The Echo
Review: A real mystery, not a thriller like Walters' previous books, but just as good. I thoroughly enjoyed trying to solve this literary jigsaw puzzle while not ever getting scared like I tend to be by thrillers like Patricia Cornwell's books and Minette Walters' last one, the Dark Room. Michael Deacon turned into a nice character, and I really enjoyed the trio of friends he made along the way - particularly Terry and Lawrence, but even Barry was given enough human qualities to make him more than just a scary freak. In the end, all the pieces of the puzzle turned into one large complete picture, very cleverly done, but of course with the help of some facts that we as readers couldn't get at. Being a reader who tends to pick on details, I particularly liked that everyone involved in the crime(s) behind the mystery was accounted for in the end, even the female computer expert who was James's lover and partner-in-crime five years previously to the events of the book, still waiting for him every Wednesday at the same spot in South Africa...

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Summary: Totally disappointing.
Review: A total disappointment! A confused and meandering plot! Unendearing characters! Irritating prose style! This from the author of The Ice House!?

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Summary: Complex or just confusing?
Review: After having read Walters' three previous mystery novels, I was really looking forward to this one, but was very disappointed. About three-quarters of the way through, I realized that it wasn't going to get any better, and I completely lost interest. I kept waiting for something to happen to tie the whole thing together, but I never found it. (I will admit that I was so eager to get finished with the book that I may have missed something significant in the last part of the novel.) C'mon, Minette, you can do better!

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Summary: Huh?
Review: At the end of reading Minette Walter's "The Echo", I was asking myself, "That's it?". It didn't really strike me as a real mystery and the plot was boring. The thing i enjoyed about the novel, though, was the narrative style -- using exerpts from newspapers and letters to keep the story going. Narratives within a narrative is an old form of story-telling, and it was refreshing to see it in a modern novel. Another thing that managed to lift the book from its drabness was the triangular relationship between Michael, Terry and the dead Billy. Predictable as Terry's relationship with Michael turned out to be, it gave an interesting dimension to the book. The mirroring in thoughts between Michael and Billy, as well as both their roles as a father to Terry was well though-out. Other than these moments of genius, the novel was mediocre.

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Summary: Minette Walters is a gifted writer!
Review: Congratulations Ms. Walters on creating one of the most enjoyable characters that fiction has seen in a long time. The character of Terry was the star of The Echo. I found myself looking forward to scenes with him in them. I enjoyed the entire book just as much as Ms. Walters other works, however Terry made this mystery fun to read! This book is essential for all Walters fans!

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Summary: Customer Reviews on this one seem very divided
Review: Having just finished this book and having read all of Minette Walters other thrillers, I was intruiged by the reviews - this is a love it or hate it book. I loved it, but I have to admit it was very differently put together from previous books. Minette Walters does not write to a formula, her characters are very British and stereotypical they may seem but I have to say I certainly recognised them. The Echos of Michael Deacons life in the lives of the other characters was masterful.

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Summary: A CONFUSED WALTERS FAN
Review: Having loved The Scold's Bridle and The Sculptress, I was really dissappointed by The Echo. I agree with many of the other reviewers in that I was totally confused as to exactly what was going on. I enjoy a complex, twisting plot, but found this one had a lot of dead-ends. Had to keep on paging back to try and figure out who was who and who had done what in an extremely fuzzy past. Come on Ms Walters, we know you can do it. Don't become another bestselling author who only listens to a money grabbing publisher.

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Summary: Not her Best
Review: Her earlier books are better. The main characters in the book were boring and the way subject of homelessness was dealt with, it felt preachy.

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Summary: Too bad you do not have a no-star rating
Review: I am eminently grateful that I obtained this book at the library and did not buy it. The most positive statement I can make about The Echo is that the first 65 pages of this book were the best soporific I EVER took in my life.

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Summary: Better than some
Review: I came to this book with some trepidation. I don't like Walters' tendency to explore sadomasochistic themes; she seems to revel too much in them. But this one was a bit gentler. Yes, there was evil-doing, but it was leavened with learning, poetry (William Blake's). One of her better efforts.