Beth's Book Blurbs

2.5 ⭐️ ‘s from me.

Goodreads Summary: “Midwinter in an English village. A teenage girl has gone missing. Everyone is called upon to join the search. The villagers fan out across the moors as the police set up roadblocks and a crowd of news reporters descends on what is usually a place of peace. Meanwhile, there is work that must still be done: cows milked, fences repaired, stone cut, pints poured, beds made, sermons written, a pantomime rehearsed. As the seasons unfold and the search for the missing girl goes on, there are those who leave the village and those who are pulled back; those who come together and those who break apart. There are births and deaths; secrets kept and exposed; livelihoods made and lost; small kindnesses and unanticipated betrayals. An extraordinary novel of cumulative power and grace, RESERVOIR 13 explores the rhythms of the natural world and the repeated human gift for violence, unfolding over thirteen years as the aftershocks of a tragedy refuse to subside.”

My Review:

Annoyed. That was how I felt after finishing this novel. If you are someone who likes a clear storyline and, more specifically, a conclusion (like myself), this is NOT the book for you.

However, I can see how this would appeal to some – the different structure, different style and commentary on everyday village life. The novel follows a small English village and the ramifications of one girl’s disappearance over the years. A perfect demonstration of how one event can change the path of so many lives. The writing style takes a bit to get used to. The repetitive descriptions taunt you with the mystery of the girl’s disappearance – particularly the last outfit she was seen in. Its unique rhythm becomes almost natural as you progress through the book – just as living with mystery becomes natural to the villagers.

I found the characters unmemorable – often struggling to keep all the villagers separate. The book seems to be more of an anthropological study, or commentary on a tragic event. Not for me, but if you give it a try let me know!

4.5 ⭐️’s from me

Goodreads Summary: “Responding from pressure on high, the Atlanta police department is forced to hire its first black officers in 1948. The newly minted policemen are met with deep hostility by their white peers and their authority is limited: They can’t arrest white suspects; they can’t drive a squad car; they can’t even use the police headquarters and must instead operate out of the basement of a gym.

When a black woman who was last seen in a car driven by a white man turns up fatally beaten, no one seems to care except for Boggs and Smith, two black cops from vastly different backgrounds. Pressured from all sides, they will risk their jobs, the trust the community has put in them, and even their own safety to investigate her death. Their efforts bring them up against an old-school cop, Dunlow, who has long run the neighborhood like his own, and Dunlow’s young partner, Rakestraw, a young progressive who may or may not be willing to make allies across color lines.”

My Review

Although fiction, this book draws its inspiration from the appointment of the first African American police officers in Atlanta, Georgia. The depiction of the events in this book seem all too real. The horrific, segregating rules these police officers must follow make their jobs just that much more difficult – making you wonder how they kept motivated at all. Mullen’s characterization of the men’s struggles against oppression causes the reader to feel angry, dismayed and somewhat hopeful for change all at once. This book was apparently drafted before the events of Ferguson here in the U.S. However, it seems incredibly relevant, if not more so, to the racial tensions facing America today. This book would be perfectly paired with the March Trilogy by John Lewis as an educational tool to confront both the past and the present ideas of the Civil Rights Movement.

Not to be forgotten, this book has all the classic elements of a ‘Whodunnit?’ – drawing the reader deep into a compelling mystery, intertwined with a corrupt and racially unequal police force. The pace leaves nothing to be desired – a definite must read.

3 ⭐️’s from me.

Goodreads Summary: “The hole they dug was not deep. A white flour bag encased the little body. Three small faces watched from the window, eyes black with terror.

The child in the middle spoke without turning his head. I wonder which one of us will be next?

When a woman’s body is discovered in a cathedral and hours later a young man is found hanging from a tree outside his home, Detective Lottie Parker is called in to lead the investigation. Both bodies have the same distinctive tattoo clumsily inscribed on their legs. It’s clear the pair are connected, but how?

The trail leads Lottie to St. Angela’s, a former children’s home, with a dark connection to her own family history. Suddenly the case just got personal.

As Lottie begins to link the current victims to unsolved murders decades old, two teenage boys go missing. She must close in on the killer before they strike again, but in doing so is she putting her own children in terrifying danger?

Lottie is about to come face to face with a twisted soul who has a very warped idea of justice.”

My Review:

Many people raved about this thriller, but I really find it that compelling. To me a good thriller means it will haunt me in the days to come – I’ll feel a “pull.” However, this one didn’t stick. Even as I am editing my review now I am struggling to remember all the details about this one.

I did feel like I wanted more characterization. Detective Lottie seemed like such an interesting character with such potential that I found myself wanting to learn more about her and her family than wanting to solve the mystery.

This book was written well, the mystery itself just took a while to get going.

Not too much else to say about this one.