Doppelgangers, Disappearing Bodies and the Missing Monet

 

First Paragraph: "The woman with long red hair appeared to be leisurely browsing one of the clothing racks in the Paris boutique, but her attention was less focused on the fabric and cut of the dresses than on the art gallery visible through the shop's front window. When a couple, obviously tourists- easily identifiable because of their camera case, sensible tennis shoes, and bright jackets- exited the gallery and wandered away to explore more of the Seventh Arrondissement, the woman abandoned the boutique and quickly crossed the narrow Rue Andre to the arched doorway under five stories of iron balconies."

   Amazon /Amazon.co.uk


Deceptive by Sara Rosett is the third (and final?) book in the On the Run Trilogy (possibly series).

PLOT 

Beware: spoilers of the first two books, Elusive and Secretive, beyond here. You can check out my reviews of those two books here and here, respectively. Final warning.

A few months after the events of the last book, and almost a year since those in the first, Zoe and Jack are back in hot water. At the end of the last book, Anna had devised a scheme using the painting she stole from Costa. All these months later, she's finally putting it into play.

Disguising herself as Zoe, she is selling the painting in Paris. What makes the plan so perfect is that Costa set it up for Zoe and Jack to take the fall too. He created an account with the stolen GRS money that was the plot for the last two books, labelling Zoe as the owner of the account. 

Meanwhile, unaware of the events taking place, Zoe is getting used to having Jack back in her home and her life. Jack's made it very clear he wants to try getting back together-taking it slow this time, so as not to make the same mistakes as before. But Zoe isn't sure that's what she wants. She can't deny the attraction, but she's wary after how their marriage fell apart. They worked well together on the run, but there's a big difference between being a 'couple under pressure' and a real-life couple, capable of handling even the mundane together.

All this is put to the back of her mind when she discovers the body of her occasional client, Lucinda. All she wanted to do was deliver the flyers ordered, but a note on the front door leads her to the garden, and the corpse with a knife in it's back- casually reclining on the chaise lounge. While trying to summon the courage to (unnecessarily) check for a pulse, she's knocked out by an unseen assailant- coming to in her car half an hour later. She immediately calls the police, but when they go to check the 'scene of the crime' all evidence Lucinda was ever there is gone. No flyers (which Zoe had dropped everywhere), no knife and no bloody Lucinda. Not even one drop of blood on the chaise lounge.

When the police check with Lucinda's office, they tell her that Lucinda left on holiday the day before. Thoroughly confused, and facing chargers for wasting police time, Zoe explains the situation to Jack on the way home, but they're stopped short when they see 'Green Lawn Care' vans parked outside their house, with a strange man waiting for them- holding the missing flyers Zoe dropped at Lucinda's.

Long story short, the man is Oscar. He works for Darius Gray, who believes they have something that belongs to him- the stolen painting. When they try to explain that Anna stole it in Germany, Oscar isn't having any of it. He doesn't care who has it, he only cares about getting it back- and has tasked Zoe with the job. Gray found the money trail leading to her, so she has to get it. 

They know the missing painting is valuable, but not just how valuable it is until Oscar lets slip that it's the missing Monet painting 'Marine', that was stolen from a museum in Rio de Janeiro in 2006. And either they get it back to Gray in three days, or he will pile up the evidence that Zoe killed Lucinda- helpfully pointing out that her body is buried in Zoe's flowerbed- courtesy of 'Green Lawn Care'. That and he'll kill all her friends and family. If they succeed, Gray will forget it ever happened, destroy all evidence of the murder, and leave Zoe and Co alone. With little choice, Zoe and Jack are off on another adventure.

Her first instinct is to call Mort from the FBI- not knowing that he retired in the last book. When that fails, she decides to go it alone (with Jack of course), as she doesn't think the rest of the FBI will believe her story.

Meanwhile, Sato is getting used to his new partner and missing his old one. However, when they finally discover the money trail leading to Zoe and the painting, the new boy may be Zoe's saviour, as he believes the pieces fall into place a little too easily.

No possibility of questioning Zoe though, as she and Jack are off to Paris, following the only lead they have- Anna.

REVIEW

More travelling and espionage for the duo. This time through France and Italy, but the main focus of the story is the complicated relationship between Zoe and Jack. He wants to make it work, but she's afraid it can't- considering how badly their marriage went. There were many reasons it didn't last, and the air has to be cleared before they can ever have a second chance at working.

Because the focus is mainly on them, this book has a slower pace than the last- very hectic- two. They do have a very short, definite deadline here, but there's less travelling and hiding from the law to add tension.

The ending is suitably genre-savvy, full of warm fuzzes and dramatic revealing of emotions. Mostly, this book is a wrap-up to complete the series. The ending is still open to additions, and Zoe is awfully good at attracting unwanted attention, so though the trilogy has ended, the duo may return for further adventures. As I said, this is just a wrap-up mainly, with even Sato getting his own very mini arc. There are a a few tiny threads left dangling, but nothing important or overly relevant.

By now you know what to expect plot-wise, assuming you've read the first two. If I had to add a criticism, it would be the villain. In the previous books, the villains were threatening and intimidating, as well as being major parts in the stories. In this one, while the villain is named, he is only in the book for a few pages at the end, and certainly never seemed that dangerous- despite the threats and obvious capabilities. 

On a small side note, the missing Monet painting is based on fact. The painting was stolen from the Chacara do Ceu Museum in 2006 in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival. Other pieces were stolen along with it, by artists such as Picasso, Dali and Matisse.

In terms of ending the series, this one doesn't end the usual way- with a big finale. As I mentioned before, it wraps everything up, focusing more on conclusions that attention-grabbing. Both methods works- as long as they are done well, so no complaint from me with this ending.

Overall a fun series, not necessarily suspense- more of a cozy mystery- based on fraud more than murder. There may be 'bad', but it's more shenanigans than danger. Mystery with pleasantness.

In terms of the book alone, this was my least favourite of the series, but that by no means means it's bad, just that the others are better- in my opinion any way. They had more tension and more energy. If they're an all out sprint, this one is more of an amble.

In terms of the series as a whole, I would give it 4 stars. It was enjoyable, had entertaining characters and beautiful scenery- even if the plots started to become a little far-fetched as the series progressed. A perfect read for when you want something fun and quick, and don't want anything too serious.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Zoe and Jack Return. Here We Go Again...

First Paragraph:

"He waited until the woman jogged to the end of the block, her red ponytail making her easy to track. When she turned the corner, he checked to make sure there was no one in sight, then left his car and walked briskly up her driveway to her back door. She lived alone, and he had nothing to worry about as he approached the house. No pets. No alarm. He removed a slim case from a pocket and went to work on the deadbolt. Three minutes and he was in."

  Amazon /Amazon.co.uk


Secretive by Sara Rosett is the second book in the 'On the Run' series. 

The first book in the series is 'Elusive' and I'll link my review of it here:

http://needtoreadgottowatch.blogspot.com/2013/05/romantic-getaway-in-italy-bullets-bad.html

There will be spoilers from the first book in this review. If you don't want to know what happens it that one, stop here. Spoilers of Elusive beyond here.

Secretive starts off six months after the events of the last book. Zoe's life has mostly returned to normal, though there has been no contact from Jack since the letter in the last book. The FBI and everyone else believes he's dead, but Zoe knows otherwise. She just wishes she knew a little more. For now, there's her copy-editing job and a hole in the ceiling to occupy her. 

That is until she notices a strange, silver car tailing her and watching her house. Her mind goes on red alert. Her life on the LAM may have ended six months ago, but it seems like only yesterday she was running for her life. When she manages to lose the mysterious car, she believes she's safe. Until an unmarked, white van shows up when she's out for a jog, and the occupants come after her. 

At the same time, the FBI are interested in her once more, as the money from the frozen GRS account has gone missing again. Feeling increasingly unsettled, she decides to act when a package arrives with her missing wedding ring, and a string of numbers in it, and a postmark from London. It has to be Jack. She needs to lay low anyway, why not visit London?

Maxing out all her cards, she picks up and leaves, with a brief message to Helen, so her best friend doesn't worry. At the airport, ready to leave, she runs into Sam- a man who rents one of the office spaces left vacant after the GRS affair. He has business in London and happens to be on the same flight, but the events in Italy have made her wary and cautious. How much does she want to tell him? Who can she trust? Is it just a coincidence?

Meanwhile, Victor Costa (a man who used to be part of Camorra- the Naples mafia, and Francesca's husband) has a plan. He's been searching for Jack all these months, but it seems the American really is dead. With his scapegoat out of the picture, it's time to find another. His ex-wife will do. 

The plot of this book is very similar to the first, just against a different backdrop. Instead of Vegas and Italy, we have London and Germany. This book is not quite as fast-paced as the first, but it still does its job. I must also commend the author for her ability to end every chapter on a cliffhanger- forcing me to read the next one. 

For those who didn't read the first book, or those who's memory of it is a little foggy, there is some recapping of the events from Elusive, making this a stand-alone book as well, though things will be less confusing if you read the first book. Mort and Sato also return in this book, though they're not quite as prevalent in this one. Mort is a couple weeks of from retirement, so I'm wondering who'll partner Sato in the new book.

As you may have realised, Victor Costa is in this book. The mysterious man surrounding Francesca from the first book, makes his first appearance. This story carries on the GRS plot from the first. Nothing was tied up, Jack is still a wanted man and nobody knows who the scammer was. 

The ending of this book finally brings it all together in a neat, little bow, and even manages to set up the plot of the next book (at least I think that's what it is) Deceptive- which will be out Fall 2013 according to the author herself. It's heavily implied that Zoe will again come under suspicion and I wonder how many times she can be incriminated before everyone gets fed up, characters and readers alike. For now, it's still as enjoyable as it was in Elusive. 

Speaking of, the characters are much the same merry band from the first, with a different bad guy plus henchman. If you liked them in Elusive, you'll like them here. Same goes for the plot. Like I said, basically same plot, different settings. 

An enjoyable, fun read, with likeable characters and a little sightseeing mixed in. I will be checking out the next instalment once it's released.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Tenacious Vogons, Time Travel and the Search for a Good Cup of Tea (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Series)

Well it's been a while and this series is why. I'm going to warn you all now- this is going to be an immensely long review. There are 6 (or 5-we'll get to that later) books after all.

So a little background to start with. The Hitchhiker's series started out as a BBC radio show written by Douglas Adams. The broadcast was so popular that Pan Books commissioned Adams to create a book equivalent (published on the 12th of October, 1979), which immediately became a #1 best seller.

Through the years the media forms increased, through more books, tv series and a couple of films.

And for those wondering, the Hitchhiker's book was named after the 'Hitchhiker's Guide to Europe' that Adams was carrying when backpacking. The idea for the actual series formed when Adams was drunk in a field in Innsbruck, Austria. He then passed out and forgot about it for 6 years.

There are 6 (again we will go into that later) books in the series:

1. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
2. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
3. Life, the Universe and Everything
4. So Long and Thanks For All the Fish
5. Mostly Harmless

6. And Another Thing...

Instead of doing individual reviews for each book, I'm going to do a more general review of the series. So let's get into it then.

Amazon / Amazon.co.uk

   Amazon / Amazon.co.uk                                                Amazon / Amazon.co.uk

First Paragraph: (From Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

"Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral Arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun."

Our main character is Arthur Dent, who is pretty much your "Average Joe" and is cynical, but has a good heart. He is our vessel of discovery. It is through him that we first view Space and all the crazy things that happen in it. When things are explained to him, we learn through his revelations. He is also amazingly unlucky and never seems to be able to catch a break.

Having Arthur as someone we can relate to is a key element in the series. Mostly nothing makes sense or even exists in the world as we know it. The writing style is clever enough though, to describe and phrase things in such a way that your mind never stops to think, "Hang on, this is all gobble-de-goop", which of course it is. It evens makes sense that nothing makes sense. But, having Arthur there helps us assimilate into the world. If he's confused, we must be too. Human is as human does.

I personally think that Adams was spot on with Arthur's character. He is so deliciously sarcastic and, throughout a majority of the series, just wants a nice cup of tea. And I really think he takes all the events pretty well considering all he goes through and has to endure.

Also in the group of main characters are Ford Prefect (named after a car), Trillian (Tricia McMillan), Zaphod Beeblebrox (ex-president of the galaxy) and Marvin (the manically depressed robot) and a couple more that don't appear until later and would be considered spoilers. All the characters are very well written and you really do care what happens to them. They all have their own character traits and are far from generic. And (though only 2 of the main characters are) they are all so intrinsically human. Or more rather, realistic. They have good qualities, but they also have vices and can even be annoying at times. Sometimes, they can even be childlike, whether through lack of self-control or just through various antics.

It can sometimes be hard to understand the characters' relationships with one another and their intentions though. As an example, sometimes Ford seems to care about Arthur and his safety and at other times it's like he couldn't care less.

Most of the characters in this series (and definitely all our main characters) are so wonderfully sarcastic. The banter that goes on between them is very cleverly written. In fact, the entire book is written very cleverly.

On a quick side note, some of the aspects in this series are a little dated (for example, everyone thinking digital watches are the latest big thing), but that's to be expected and they don't occur frequently.

The writing style is charming in its ridiculousness, and also incredibly well done. There are numerous seemingly random side-stories that may occasionally tie into the main story later and it's almost impossible to know which ones will.

Just a little point, I'm not the biggest sci-fi fan. I like some aspects of the genre (like Futurama and Doctor Who), but I haven't seen more than two Star Wars movies- just so you can see where I am on the sci-fi love scale. But this series is so perfectly written the I can't help but love it.

Now, the way the books are written is very English (I mean in what the characters do and their views of the world, etc.), but will still work universally. Adams gives a very interesting and insightful look at humanity through this series. With his cynical, yet somehow positive, writing that is so enjoyably odd. We get phrases such as :
"It's unpleasantly like being drunk."
"What's so unpleasant about being drunk?"
"You ask a glass of water."
and you can see how clever the wording is. Adams has a brilliant way of combining seemingly insignificant events that last for less than a page and then come back as a key part of the story. And all without letting you know there was even something to guess. So much randomness goes on that you never know if any of it is significant. It is so intricately done. For example, something as mundane as looking for a cup of tea can cause a monumental occurrence, whilst being a perfectly sensible and believable outcome.

I do find that the series does show signs of being converted from a radio series though. There is the feeling that is was written more as one book, split into 5 separate parts. This is made even more prominent by the mini-recaps they have at the beginning of some of the books. You can almost hear the, "Previously on...". I do like that the characters do have their own side story adventures a lot and how all the characters (no matter how often they're separated) will eventually meet up again.

The first book is mostly an introduction to the settings and the characters, and is more of an "Arthur in Wonderland" story, as there is little to no plot. Mostly just a series of occurrences that the characters go through. I would almost say that the first 2 books can be read as their own contained stories, independent to the main plot. For me, this did make the 2nd book drag a little. The first as the introduction where we get to know what's in store for the rest of the series, but the 2nd book is also mainly that, just in different parts of the Universe. It's not that it isn't interesting or entertaining, it can just drag a little at times.

There were times where once I'd put the book down, I wasn't dying to pick it back up again. It wasn't that I was never going to, just that I saw no immediate need. This is mostly down to the lack of plot, mainly being a lot of mini-stories that are tied together with a few thin connections, one being the same characters that are doing something in Space. It can read very episodically, which is, of course, what is was written from.

In a way, it can be like watching Doctor Who (Adams actually helped write a few episodes for the old series). You don't necessarily want to watch every episode. Otherwise, it can feel a bit laboured and intense. You can have too much of a good thing. The series is a quirky, fun and enjoyable ride, but there's only so many mini adventures you can read about in one go.

I think another part of this is that nothing really changes in the characters themselves. They don't evolve. Sure, Arthur becomes more used to the galaxy and the things thrown at him (though not entirely), but -like I said earlier- it is mainly the same characters doing the same things in different places.

There are moments where it seems the characters will grow and change (maybe they meet someone or find something significant), but then these things just get written out of the story somehow and the characters go back to square 1. Well, not quite square 1, more like square 1.1. When you look at the characters at the start of the book, they're really not much different from those at the end. It's not that they're not well written (because even secondary or passing characters are very well written), they're all interesting, they just don't really grow.

Going back to episode-like plots, when one book ends there are no cliffhangers that will keep you reading for the plot. On a similar note, there never really feels like there's any threat to the characters in the series. I don't know why this is, you want the characters to survive, but it's almost like you don't care enough about them to find their death tragic or unsettling if it happened. Don't get me wrong, you don't want the characters to die- in fact quite the opposite, but it's almost like you never expect anything fatal to actually happen to them. They get into infinite amounts of dangerous and life-threatening situations, but you never think they won't make it out. My theory is that Adams writes the threats and tragedies in such a way that they're either an annoyance, a way to get from one scene to the next or both. It may also be that every time a threat appears we get a long explanation going off on an amusing tangent, revolving around pointless trivia that somehow connects with the threat (in the form of Guide entries). And in doing so, you almost forget there was a threat at all. It breaks up the flow of the story.

There are some genuinely sad moments in the series though. I'm not sure if I would go as far as to say they were heartbreaking, but they are nothing if not tragic moments in the lives of the characters.

The third book is more of a recap. And I don't mean that in any sense of the word recap. It's more that there's a feeling of backtracking, while going in completely the other direction. This is a very Arthur and Ford heavy book, with Zaphod and Trillian barely in it. As always, there are some new characters and the return of some old characters (even if just as a cameo).

What does change in this book is that it no longer has such an "Arthur in Wonderland" feel. By this point he's pretty used to space and the strange ways in which it works. Obviously he still gets shocked and still has the same personality, but (unlike the first two books) this one has a plot from the get-go, which I personally think is a good change. Yes, the first two books keep you interested with all the crazy, random things thrown at you, but they are predominantly an introduction to the world Douglas Adams has created and the characters that live in it.

There are still some slow-moving aspects to it, but the plot develops, thickens and, of course, resolves itself by the end.

In the fourth book we get some series backtracking, right back to the beginning of it all, going even so far as to use the exact segment from the start of the first book to begin this one. It's not that all that has happened never happened, but more like the particular place Arthur ends up has gone back in time. He's aged, while it hasn't.

Again, this book has an actual plot, with development and conclusion. There are even a few romances thrown in. And the series only continues to get better.

And again, this book is very light on Trillian and Zaphod moments and is mostly Arthur, with a few Ford moments thrown in. However, this works well because it was always Arthur's story. Besides which it would be hard to fit in what was happening to all the other characters and still have a cohesive plot.

The 5th book can be argued to be the last series, but there is another. We'll get back to that later though.
The book is written as though it was the last in the series (which it was) and so we get the finale. The gang reuniting and reach the final end of their story with a lot happening in-between. And I mean a lot. We even get a new main character who plays very well of others in the main cast.

Anyway, the first thing you notice starting the 4th and 5th books is that a fair amount of time has passed in the lives of the characters. The books do usually open a while after the end of the last book and then go back and fill in the gaps later. Mostly Harmless starts out almost 2 decades after the end of the last book. So, obviously, there are a lot of gaps to fill.

The plot can get a little confusing as there are some parallel universes present, but on the whole everything fits together nicely. It can be a little hard to discern if all of the book is set in the future, or just some areas, and there's a lot of parallel universe jumping involved, so it can be hard to figure out if all the characters are even in the same universe. Especially when the plot flits back and forth between both time and dimensions. There are also one or two parallel characters going around, which just adds to the melee.

Throughout this book, there is also a looming sense of impending doom. Slowly, you start to feel all the little things building up in a way that can't end well. Of course, the characters have all been in fatal seeming situations before, but in this book, that nagging sensation that all is not well is at its strongest.

The ending itself is pretty abrupt, but more than that, it's unexpected (at least for me). I won't spoil the ending, but for me personally, I'm torn between thinking it was a good (if ironic) ending to it all and desperately wishing it had ended any other way. There is a very clever full-circle manner to the ending. And you feel the annoyance of that along with the characters. As I said no spoilers, but the ingenuity of the 5th book's ending is amazing. It's so very clever and would be an absolutely mind-blowing ending if it weren't for one factor (that I won't mention). Anyone who has read any of the books in this series will know that Adams is the master of "Butterfly Effect" plot lines and he pulls another for the ending.

There are some questions unanswered (like the famous 42), but they were questions we never expected an answer to. Most loose threads are tied up in the end and in a very brilliant manner. The ending is pretty disheartening though and now we finally get into the 5th or 6th book ending debate.

In 2001 Douglas Adams very sadly passed away. His wife then commissioned Eoin Colfer (author of the Artemis Fowl series- among others) to write a 6th book, published in 2009.

Normally I'm pretty firm in my belief that if the original author didn't write it it doesn't count as part of the original series. Maybe as a spin-off, parody or homage (whichever it may be) at most. But, with this series I almost longed for a different ending and here was Eoin Colfer offering me one. It probably helped that I already knew and loved him, but still I was held back (and still am) from including it as part of the series.

I think you could easily argue either point and it will ultimately just come down to the individual's preferences. When I re-read the series, I do read And Another Thing after. I like the option of choosing between the two endings and continuing Arthur and co's adventures.

Anyway, onto the 6th book itself. We pick up immediately after the ending of the last book (well almost). And those who missed Zaphod in the last few books, you'll be happy to know he's back in this one.

Now one of the major issues with the 6th book is whether Adams meant for any of it to happen. Eoin Colfer has cleverly linked plot points from previous books, but there are a few continuity issues, and can it still be calle "pure" Hitchhiker's Guide?

The writing style has, obviously, also changed. I do miss Adams' ingenious writing style, but I have also always loved Colfer's. And he does try to mimic Adams' style a bit, but more in the manner of an homage than actually trying to replicate it. Which I prefer. There will only ever be one Douglas Adams and it would have been a little insulting almost to try and copy his writing.

The characters themselves also change a little- or more the way they think changes. It's not a huge difference, but it is noticeable. For example, Ford is more optimistic and Arthur is a bit more cynical. Basically, they will say and do things that I don't quite see the original cast doing. And back to consistently, in the previous books we find out that Zaphod was born with his two heads (as were his ancestors/descendants), but in this book he apparently wasn't. Nobody knows when he first got his second head and it was first the head of a woman.

And somethings are not explained. For example, Zaphod has been pretty much absent from the series for a while, so he's missed a lot that has happened. Yet he seems to instantly be up to date with everything that's happened and one particular addition ( for those of you who have read the series, you'll know what I'm talking about- hint RFFD). How does he know?

As to the ending, I felt it was a little rushed (as was the 5th book's), but not too much. Again, I would've liked a different ending, mostly because we almost get a very good (if cliche) ending, that then gets replaced only about 2 pages from the ending and leaves you almost groaning for one of the characters.

I'm aware that I haven't really mentioned the individual plots of each book, or much about them at all, but past the first book all the plots would contain spoilers. Here is the plot of the first book though, for those interested (very late into the review):

One Thursday lunchtime Earth is unexpectedly demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass. For Arthur Dent, who has only just had his house demolished that morning, this is already more than he can cope with. Sadly, however, the weekend has only just begun. And the Galaxy is a very, very large and startling place indeed.
-Amazon.co.uk

So, what do I think of the series? I really love it. It was just not in my Top 10 Books barely. The characters are very likeable and believable. The plots are brilliantly clever and the writing style is enjoyably eclectic. If you haven't read the series I would seriously recommend it. If you do read it, make sure you have a nice cup of tea and a hardy towel nearby.