Adeline
3.75 stars
Spoilers !
Murder mystery thriller following Shea a young receptionist who moonlights as a true crime blogger, as she has the chance of interviewing the mysterious Beth Greer, a woman accused but acquitted of several murders during the 1970s.
This is the first time I’m reading a novel by Simone St James, it was a mixed experience.
Overall the writing style was good but not exceptional though with some nice creepy imagery peppered through.
I really liked the main characters whose pints of view we are seeing throughout the novel , Shea and Beth were both compelling characters. I liked the complex relation of antagonism/sympathy that was being constructed between these two protagonists. You also felt for them in their individual story arcs, like Beth’s flashbacks adding more complexity to her story and Shea’s parts showing her willpower by surmounting her personal problems one by one.
However while the mystery itself was interesting (though quite simple and familiar), I felt the execution was lacking. There was a lot superfluous and repetitive details adding nothing to the plot or adding it in a clunky way. Pacing wise I felt the twists and revelations were done too soon, and despite being a page turner it lacked tension. The deductions of the mysteries by the characters felt too rushed, and their emotional reactions were flip flopping a bit too much and too quickly for me.
I also wished there was more paranormal/supernatural elements throughout the novel and not just in the beginning and at the end.
I did like the ending, as the house is still in a way haunted even despite being transformed.
My first Simone St James book, a mixed read but I’ll definitely check out her other books, specifically Murder Road that I have on my physical tbr.
3.75 stars
Spoilers !
Murder mystery thriller following Shea a young receptionist who moonlights as a true crime blogger, as she has the chance of interviewing the mysterious Beth Greer, a woman accused but acquitted of several murders during the 1970s.
This is the first time I’m reading a novel by Simone St James, it was a mixed experience.
Overall the writing style was good but not exceptional though with some nice creepy imagery peppered through.
I really liked the main characters whose pints of view we are seeing throughout the novel , Shea and Beth were both compelling characters. I liked the complex relation of antagonism/sympathy that was being constructed between these two protagonists. You also felt for them in their individual story arcs, like Beth’s flashbacks adding more complexity to her story and Shea’s parts showing her willpower by surmounting her personal problems one by one.
However while the mystery itself was interesting (though quite simple and familiar), I felt the execution was lacking. There was a lot superfluous and repetitive details adding nothing to the plot or adding it in a clunky way. Pacing wise I felt the twists and revelations were done too soon, and despite being a page turner it lacked tension. The deductions of the mysteries by the characters felt too rushed, and their emotional reactions were flip flopping a bit too much and too quickly for me.
I also wished there was more paranormal/supernatural elements throughout the novel and not just in the beginning and at the end.
I did like the ending, as the house is still in a way haunted even despite being transformed.
My first Simone St James book, a mixed read but I’ll definitely check out her other books, specifically Murder Road that I have on my physical tbr.