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Sunday, December 08, 2019

A Cry in the Night by Kerry Wilkinson and When You See Me by Lisa Gardner

I've enjoyed this series for quite a while, but admit this one isn't my favorite.  A Cry in the Night lets you know pretty early that something is wrong on Jessica Daniel's team.  You know how when a character you like does something untoward, it can be either easily accepted or cause uneasiness?  Jessica offers 10 pounds to a snitch to let her know when her suspect turns up, and 10 more when he does.  Why did that make me so uneasy?  Because Wilkinson intends exactly that--to create a sense of disquietude.

From description:  "Samuel is fourteen years old. He lives with his mother in a Manchester flat, goes to school, plays on his computer, reads books and likes the same things that most other teenagers do.

He’s also blind.

And he’s the only witness when his mother is attacked in their own home late one night."

The plot was interesting.  A while back I read a couple of books by Andreas Pfluger in which his main character is blind and uses echolocation.  Fourteen-year-old Samuel also uses echolocation and is able to tell the police that there were two assailants, one taller than theother,  and that one moved with a limp.  He also is able to "recognize" people by the same method, which startles Jessica.  She is both impressed and disbelieving and investigates this phenomenon to see how much trust to put into Samuel's abilities.

A second plot thread is both connected and separate.  The underlying awkward tension, however, has to do with a threat to Jessica, not a physical one, but a threat nonetheless.

The conclusion leads to a continuing arc for the next book.  The cases are solved, but the apprehension about Jessica's situation will most likely be the main narrative structure for the next novel.  I really don't like worrying about my favorite characters.  :/

NetGalley/Bookouture 
Police Procedural.  Jan. 15, 2020.  Print length:  347 pages.



Lisa Gardner's When You See Me brings together three capable women.  

from description:  FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy and Sergeant Detective D. D. Warren have built a task force to follow the digital bread crumbs left behind by deceased serial kidnapper Jacob Ness. When a disturbing piece of evidence is discovered in the hills of Georgia, they bring Flora Dane and true-crime savant Keith Edgar to a small town where something seems to be deeply wrong. What at first looks like a Gothic eeriness soon hardens into something much more sinister...and they discover that for all the evil Jacob committed while alive, his worst secret is still to be revealed. Quincy and DD must summon their considerable skills and experience to crack the most disturbing case of their careers—and Flora must face her own past directly in the hope of saving others.

Although I enjoyed the D.D. Warren series before Flora Dane was added, Flora Dane has added an edge to the plots.  D.D. and Flora provide a study in contrast: D.D. a dedicated law enforcement officer provides a balance to Flora's vigilante approach.  The two women have gradually come to work well together despite their differences.  I'm also glad to see Keith Edgar, the true crime and computer expert introduced in the previous book, join this investigation.  By creating new intriguing characters and including them in new books, Gardner keeps fresh possibilities for plot lines.  

Read in Oct.; blog review scheduled for Dec. 8.

NetGalley/Penguin Group
Police Procedural.  Jan. 28, 2020.  Print length:  400 pages.  

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I've been busy with stitching on my panels for 25 Million Stitches.  I finished the first one and mailed it, and I'm making progress on the second panel.   

first panel (15 x 17"), which I've finished and mailed

I've binge watched the Father Brown series (based on G.K. Chesterton's short stories) while stitching.  I've especially enjoyed the clothing and cars from the 1950's--the hats are a treasure.  If you enjoy cozy mysteries, try this series set in the picturesque village of Kembleford, where an unprecedented number of murders occur!   

13 comments:

  1. FLora Dane is one of my favorite characters. I'm looking forward to reading When You See Me. :)

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  2. And I've been watching Father Brown while I'm knitting. I'll be blogging about it on Wednesday. Great minds think alike!

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    1. Ha! The Father Brown series is addictive, isn't it? The characters, the clothes, the setting all keep me watching and happily stitching. A perfect accompaniment for knitting as well!

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  3. I need to read Kerry Wilkinson's series. And I'm glad to see Lisa Gardner has a new book out, though I've yet to catch up on this series.

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    1. Both series are good reading with great characters. I always look forward to a new book by either author. :)

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  4. I haven't read Gardner's DD Warren Series, but I have done a bit of reading about it because the addition of Flora was a wee bit confusing. I am intrigued by it though -- can I just in at any time to this series? This duo seems sooo good!

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    1. The first book featuring Flora Dane is Find Her (a tough read because of Flora's experiences). Then Look for Me, Never Tell, and When You See Me. I'd start with the first one Find Her--they all read quickly because they are hard to pud down.

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  5. The 25 Million Stitches project looks amazing. I think that is wonderful that you are participating.

    Both books you reviewed sound fantastic. Your worries about Jessica Daniel are a testament to the author’s skill in making the reader care about a fictive character.

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    1. I am thoroughly enjoying working on these panels. I began the second panel as soon as I put the first one in the mail. I discovered a wonderful quote to use and couldn't wait to get started. :)

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  6. What you said about the blind main character of one of these novels reminded me a lot of a Netflix series I'm binge-watching right now called "In the Dark." It's pretty well done, and I do like the actors and characters, but what keeps me watching is the way the main character, a young blind woman, insists on making her way around her city on her on as much as possible. Of course, she gets into trouble that way, but her heightened senses allow her to hear and smell and feel things that others miss out on. Sadly, there's only one season on Netflix right now, with a second one being a possibility, but after Season 2, Netflix has lost the rights to the series (I think it's in a third season right now.).

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    1. I'll check it out, Sam. Sounds like a good series, even if there is no Season 3 available on Netflix.

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