book 140
Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris
Let me preface this review with stating I like Harris’ work. I’ve read all of her series and a few short stories in addition. The Harper/Tolliver series was a decent one (I preferred Sookie a bit but I’m a sucker for vampires, pun intended). That said, this was the worst thing I’ve ever read by her. I mean, nearly tossing the book across the room bad. It felt like she realized her deadline was in 3 weeks and cranked out anything (except the ridiculous ending had to have been planned and that makes it worse).
The hardest part about doing a review for this is I can’t give you examples of why I think it’s so awful without ‘ruining the surprises.’ Before anyone thinks this is just another reviewer cheerily bashing some book, it’s honestly not that. I put up excerpts for my blog’s friend’s list and asked for their opinions (blind, I didn’t say where the quotes came from until afterward just to be sure that there wasn’t a Harris-hater in the bunch). It was unanimous; no one could believe these plot twists.
The basic plot is Harper has been asked to find out how Rich Joyce, wealthy rancher died, nearly a decade after his death. No problem until Harper also uncovers that his home nurse died in child birth (obviously setting us up to think this baby is his). Then that story gets shunted aside as we get into Harper and Tolliver’s personal lives. They were raised as brother and sister even though they’re step siblings and last book they became lovers. Obviously all their relatives are shocked at this, friends too and instead of trying to help people past it, Harper’s reactions is to be the most abrasive witch she can be. Tolliver is much more tolerable. In fact, Harper is nothing but obnoxious and rude through this whole book.
Mathew, Tolliver’s real dad, shows up, fresh from jail, supposedly rehabbed and wants back in his kids’ lives. Tolliver and Harper want none of this but Mark, the oldest does. This goes on for about 150 pages before the other subplot comes back into it. At least the flying bullets make it vaguely interesting but people had to act totally unprofessionally and stupidly to make this plot work and the Jerry Springer ending was telegraphed at least 70 pages before the end which lame as the justifications were, still strained credibility. I mean, it all starts with one random phone call to a stranger and ends here? Shakes head.
Harsh review I know. And in all honesty I was left wondering at the people reviewing this for my book club who were raving about it. This was so bad I’m not sure I’d even get the next in the series from the library, let a lone buy it. Okay, I can’t help myself. spoiler here:
What cop would come to deliver a death threat to someone and instead, let’s Harper talk him into jogging, changes in his car and leads her away from the hotel where the person threatening her knows she’s staying? No one would do this. No detective would let someone under a death threat go running around in public without at least giving her the warning first. And this isn’t the most preposterous thing that happens.
Let me preface this review with stating I like Harris’ work. I’ve read all of her series and a few short stories in addition. The Harper/Tolliver series was a decent one (I preferred Sookie a bit but I’m a sucker for vampires, pun intended). That said, this was the worst thing I’ve ever read by her. I mean, nearly tossing the book across the room bad. It felt like she realized her deadline was in 3 weeks and cranked out anything (except the ridiculous ending had to have been planned and that makes it worse).
The hardest part about doing a review for this is I can’t give you examples of why I think it’s so awful without ‘ruining the surprises.’ Before anyone thinks this is just another reviewer cheerily bashing some book, it’s honestly not that. I put up excerpts for my blog’s friend’s list and asked for their opinions (blind, I didn’t say where the quotes came from until afterward just to be sure that there wasn’t a Harris-hater in the bunch). It was unanimous; no one could believe these plot twists.
The basic plot is Harper has been asked to find out how Rich Joyce, wealthy rancher died, nearly a decade after his death. No problem until Harper also uncovers that his home nurse died in child birth (obviously setting us up to think this baby is his). Then that story gets shunted aside as we get into Harper and Tolliver’s personal lives. They were raised as brother and sister even though they’re step siblings and last book they became lovers. Obviously all their relatives are shocked at this, friends too and instead of trying to help people past it, Harper’s reactions is to be the most abrasive witch she can be. Tolliver is much more tolerable. In fact, Harper is nothing but obnoxious and rude through this whole book.
Mathew, Tolliver’s real dad, shows up, fresh from jail, supposedly rehabbed and wants back in his kids’ lives. Tolliver and Harper want none of this but Mark, the oldest does. This goes on for about 150 pages before the other subplot comes back into it. At least the flying bullets make it vaguely interesting but people had to act totally unprofessionally and stupidly to make this plot work and the Jerry Springer ending was telegraphed at least 70 pages before the end which lame as the justifications were, still strained credibility. I mean, it all starts with one random phone call to a stranger and ends here? Shakes head.
Harsh review I know. And in all honesty I was left wondering at the people reviewing this for my book club who were raving about it. This was so bad I’m not sure I’d even get the next in the series from the library, let a lone buy it. Okay, I can’t help myself. spoiler here:
What cop would come to deliver a death threat to someone and instead, let’s Harper talk him into jogging, changes in his car and leads her away from the hotel where the person threatening her knows she’s staying? No one would do this. No detective would let someone under a death threat go running around in public without at least giving her the warning first. And this isn’t the most preposterous thing that happens.