A riveting mystery with a human touch.
595552
This book is wonderful.  I don't read mysteries very often, but I enjoyed UNTIMELY DEATH right up to the last page.  The characters are exceptionally well drawn, quirky, as human beings are, and twisted, as murderers are, but not bizarre or grotesque.  The plot, as they say, is a page turner and there are so many surprising gems that the resolution is truly a mystery until the end.
2016883
T. Jefferson Parker's breakout novel is both touching and enthralling. It is a first-rate mystery that is very well crafted. His word choice and syntax are excellent.
4838097
But this author has a way of telling a detective mystery that has just enough mush to make his characters human while taking the reader through a web of intrigue leading you to a surprise ending. Bravo.
1100421
Wow!  Although the book begins slowly, it is necessary to lay the groundwork for a very satisfying mystery story.  Characters that are complete with depth, flaws, and all the other things that make us human.  Wonderful story with an excellent plot, subtle details, and exciting action.  One thing; this is not for the squeamish or faint of heart.  Two scenes in particular are violent and contain strong sexual content.
4605936
I usually read non-fiction but a friend suggested this book. It's a real  mystery with lots of surprises. There are likable characters, some unlikable, and a few well... you'll find out.  Well researched and written, it creates a strong sense of place and history. The last fiction I read was  The Girl on the Train. I found this equally intriguing but with a more satisfying ending.
650845
A great mystery. Everyone is suspect. This story feels bigger than life but in reality shows how interconnected we are.
1255994
Once you pick up this book, it's hard to put it down.  K.C. Hughes has produced a mystery loaded with realistic events with twists and turns as the story unfolds.
666797
This is an ingeniously constructed story. We know whodunnit from the very start - but will the perpetrator ever be found out? The tension builds as the unfolding plot is narrated chapter by chapter by the different characters involved in or affected by the murder. But only one of them knows all the facts. It's a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the shocking finale.
4783059
This story is a well written mystery set in another time period. It has adventure and suspense but in a gentle manner. The sexual content is hinted at and the death occurs behind scenes. The reader is exposed to the results of these and the thoughts of the main character as she solves the case with her best friend. Looking forward to another case.
2162842
A fast-paced murder mystery in which surprises and a huge twist are revealed at the end.  One of the nice things about this story is that it's not only about the mystery - Christie also builds an interesting group of complex characters with distinct motivations.  Hercule Poirot - recently arrived in a small English town in order to enjoy his retirement - finds that retirement short-lived as he is pressed into service to clear a man to whom all evidence seems to point as the killer.  We get to watch M. Poirot's methods up close through the eyes of the narrator, Doctor Sheppard.  All the characters in this story have something to hide, and those secrets slowly reveal themselves; Christie's timing is impeccable and keeps the story flowing.  I guessed at some of the secrets but was enjoyably surprised by most of them.  A good beach read.
4458380
The author's use of language creates in the reader's mind an age long past. This murder mystery grabbed me at the beginning and held my attention to the very end.  I highly recommend it.  Whether the author is describing the present or the past, she creates suspense and baits the reader to read on to the end. I liked it very much.
4905817
An interesting story with enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning.
2409487
I listened to The Child by Fiona Barton and found it to be a very engaging story, one I enjoyed very much. The readers were exceptional. I highly recommend listening to this novel.

Despite figuring out the mystery in advance, I thought the book was well done. The skeleton of a newborn was discovered while demolishing a London residence. The book was told in alternating perspectives, Kate, the journalist covering the identity of the baby, Angela, the mother of a child whose baby was stolen from a hospital shortly after delivery, Emma and Jude, single mother and daughter who lived at the residence around the time the baby was buried.

This is a well-crafted, intriguing mystery. The story unfolds slowly, clues are scattered throughout culminating with a satisfying ending. 4 1/2 stars
478389
Mystery that is not easy to figure out prior to the end.  A great read!  Hard to put down once you start it.
2266550
This is an enjoyable,atmospheric mystery with characters you'll come to care about. The ending is unexpected, but just . A good read.
2776881
In my world, a 5 star whodunit is comprise of not only an interesting puzzle to be solved, but also a theme that I find meaningful. An Indecent Death is strong in both of these areas.

Police officers have one of the highest divorce rates of any profession. Personal relationships are challenged by long and irregular hours, pressure for results, and dealing with the dregs of society on a daily basis. The novel's protagonist, Detective Sergeant Nicholas Drumm, finds himself in the midst of reconciling with his love interest when he is assigned to investigate the murder of a promiscuous 7th grade teacher.

Author David Anderson does an excellent job of subtly showing (rather than telling) how Drumm's profession impacts his personal life at a critical crossroads. We also experience Drumm's professional relationship with a female underling, and see his attitude evolve in a very believable way. As the son of a police detective, I was very impressed with the novel's feeling of authenticity.
3625984
Life in a quiet Quebec town near the US border is not what it seems when a murder raises the ghosts of the past. Where everyone seemingly knows everything about his or her neighbors, secret pains can fester for years, twisting the mind and leading to surprising violence.

Everything about this book urges the reader to submerge themselves into the life of this seemingly idyllic town not far from Montreal - to watch and to listen to its inhabitants, all suspects and all with something to hide whether related to the murder or not. Chief Inspector Gamache finds himself a guest in this strange world, and by carefully listening between the silences, he solves the crime. The Chief Inspector is also a quietly compassionate policeman - one I could consider sharing conversation in front of the fire at a country inn on a cold fall Canadian evening.