P. Chavez

this book was not very funny or entertaining. The last chapter was cute. I would recommend picking up the book at the library or B&N and just reading the last chapter.

I, unfortunately, bought 2 of these books at the same time or I never would have listened to this one. Since I owned it, I thought I should give the series a second chance. In this book, we find out why Mallory is damaged and why she wants to be called Mallory. The whole book was such a bore I have already forgot why she wanted to be called Mallory…so much for suspense. These novels are so convoluted with intertwining stories of unbelievable characters and weak motives that by the end, you just don’t care and am only glad it’s over.

Let’s see how many unbelievable and uninteresting cardboard characters this series has: There is Mallory, a drop dead gorgeous, extremely intelligent computer genius, but, drum roll, please… emotionally damaged, her partner is her faithful guardian angel cleaning up all her messes, her want-to-be boyfriend is a gentle giant who is also a computer genius and of course, independently wealthy…boring. Plus a terribly gruesome murder, with a cast of ridiculous secondary characters, but who cares, the whole series is a waste of time.

I am so happy to have found this series with the wonderful Commissario Guido Brunetti. Raised on Hercule Poirot and falling in love with Chief Inspector Armand Gamache in the Louise Penny’s Three Pines Mysteries, I was searching for another similar series with a smart and likable lead character. I tried the NYPD sergeant Kathleen Mallory series by Carol O'Connell and was very disappointed with the cardboard characters . I am looking forward to listening to all the books with Brunetti and getting to know and like him even more.

If this novel is typical, there is a big difference between U.S. and Italian crime novels. Do not expect anything like “Lincoln Lawyer”. The actual crime and trial are secondary to the musings of the main character, Attorney Guido Guerrieri, And it seems that attorneys in Italy prepare for trial ONLY by reading the information given to them by the prosecuting attorney and police without doing any interviewing of witnesses or investigating on their own before trial. It’s very odd. Actually, frustrating is a better word.
I thought that since this is the first book in a series the author had decided to use most of novel introducing the reader to Guido, and you do grow to like him. He often mentions American books, music and art. He is finding himself after a divorce. But now I have started the second book, and more is being revealed about Guido, I am thinking that these books are more about how this man thinks, his humor, his self awareness and how he conducts himself within the legal system, then solving any “crime” or winning any trial.

At first, I thought telling the story from the dog???s point of view was rather contrived, but I grew to really enjoy it. And, of course, fell in love with the dog. Unfortunately, the story is a melodrama; with the bad guys, the good guys and the eventual happy ending. Not a very interesting story without the dog.

Thank God my iPod lets me set the narrative on a faster playback or I could of never finished this book. It's just plain silly, not charming.The narrator is very talented, but for some reason she choose to use a most irritating voice (think nails on a blackboard) for the main character. Instead of sounding like a woman in her late 60's, she sounds like a 102 year woman who has lived on an isolated farm in Kansas her whole life. Pass the aspirin.

I absolutely loved "Quite Ugly One Morning", but for some reason Audible isn???t offering it anymore?? So when this one became available, I bought it right away. What a disappointment. Brookmyre definitely had an agenda, and it got in the way of his writing a good story.

I HAD TO WRITE A REVIEW BECAUSE I CAN'T BELIEVE ANYONE WOULD GIVE THIS BOOK 5 STARS! I loved the first three No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, after that they were still enjoyable, but gradually lost their spark. I was hoping that Smith would come roaring back with this new subject "La". Did the book ever begin? Was there a story worth writing anywhere in it? Nothing ever happened. What was there to like? I didn't even like "La". She could have opened up her home to people in need. But no, she was an aristocrat who tended chickens and thought herself noble for the effort. If you want to read an excellent story set in WW2, read "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society"

Actually a 2 1/2 star. This book has great potential, but just drags on too long. It has wonderful characters and an interesting location but the actual story became boring.