Reviews by krin5292

This was a mixed book for me. It was beautifully written - at times evocative and at times poetic. I especially liked the description of the French Revolution as seen through the eyes of the witches and other characters. I also liked the characters Herculine, Madeleine, Father Louis and Sebastiana. While there were parts that dragged, especially chapters concerning the convent and Sebastiana's first coven meeting, the crossroads scene towards the end made the read worthwhile.

Jean-Baptiste Grenouille - human or monster? Both? Just when I found myself feeling sympathetic to this young man who grew up without human kindness, the monster side of him would emerge and I could sense his scorn for people he fooled with his pretense of humanity. This was a beautifully written book about the importance of smell that we all take for granted and how one man with an incredible gift took advantage of people.

It's been a while since I read the Necroscope books which are a riveting blend of horror and espionage thriller. I liked the way the dead find ways to help Harry regain his powers in time to defeat the vampire Janos.

This was an gripping mystery which kept me guessing throughout. I realized after I started it that it was the third book in the Pierce Quincy series, but I enjoyed it anyway. I liked the characters Quincy, Rainie and Kim and was rooting for them to outwit the killer. Good twists and turns as both the heroes and the villain set up obstacles against the other. Now to find the first two books, The Perfect Husband and The Third Victim!

This was a gripping thriller which provided great insight into both the criminal mind and the ways the agents gather clues both physical and emotional. I also liked learning about interrogation tricks. I look forward to reading the sequel, The Face of Death.

Maybe it was the setting - southern France, palm trees, Monaco. Or maybe the characters - roguish Bennett, confident Anna, mysterious Poe, etc. Yes, there's lots of adventure and close calls, but it reminded me of the movie It Takes a Thief and I could imagine the 1960s soundtrack as our heroes try to stay one step ahead of the bad guys.

This book was an entertaining thriller which kept me guessing throughout. I liked how the narration switched between Mitch and his wife Holly as they both tried to outwit the kidnappers.

This is a well-researched book on not only the mutiny Samuel Comstock led on the whaleship Globe, but also the broader history of the whaling industry and its effect on trade and the culture in Nantucket and surrounding areas during the early 19th century.

Unlike a mystery, a true crime account gives the reader everything up front - who committed the crime, why they did it, how they did it, and how the police, lawyers and detectives figured everything out and eventually captured the crooks. Chen writes a compelling account of insurance scams and dogged police work that kept my attention throughout.

Like other Koontz books, I found the characters likable and well-developed and liked the suspense. The one drawback was an ending that felt a bit rushed, jumping from an edge-of-your-seat chase to a peaceful epilogue.