You have exceeded your limit for simultaneous device logins.
Your current subscription allows you to be actively logged in on up to three (3) devices simultaneously. Click on continue below to log out of other sessions and log in on this device.
Hall conveys the racist atmosphere of a small town and writes knowingly of extreme family dysfunction, but the meandering narrative, self-gaslighting protagonist, and several plot holes weaken the story.
Hall’s latest is a tech-savvy juggernaut of fear and paranoia, rendered quirky and original by the colloquial voice of its millennial protagonist. Some good advice before reading: Make sure the doors are locked.
Hall's ("Lou Norton" series) stand-alone homage to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None contains very little suspense or drama as each unlikable character is exposed as despicable and then killed off. And while unreliable narrators are definitely on trend, Miriam's voice is so muddled and flighty that it will leave readers exasperated rather than titillated. [See Prepub Alert, 10/22/18.]
In her fourth gritty series police procedural, Hall once again captivates readers with her intricately woven plot and well-drawn characters. Her protagonist easily holds her own against her male colleagues in this genre. [See Jessica Moyer's Mystery Spotlight "Novel Crime Scenes," LJ 4/15/17.]
The genre needs more strong, black female heroines like Lou, and even when the plot slides into soap-opera territory in places, Hall's take-no-prisoners lead keeps readers on their toes. This is a woman you'd want on your side.
Recommended for libraries with a strong following for police procedurals and a welcome addition for collections seeking more diverse characters in the mystery genre. [Previewed in Kristi Chadwick's "Pushing Boundaries" feature, LJ 4/15/13.]