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Lenaribka

Lenaribka

"We should read to give our souls a chance to luxuriate."

 

~Henry Miller

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The Development: Three Jan Birch Mysteries

The Development: Three Jan Birch Mysteries - Marshall Thornton


Bravo, Marshall!


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No, not because it was the best of his books, it wasn't.

BUT

I have analysed my reading stuff of the last months and have to conclude that the only NOT MM/NOT GAY FICTION's BOOKS I'd read in that time were from ♥Marshall Thornton♥.
And now try to recommend me something different from a gay fiction. I don't think you'll succeed.

He seems to be THE ONLY WRITER who IS ABLE TO inspire me for something like this and the most strange thing - I did enjoyed them all.

Well, because HE CAN WRITE and because his writing satisfies my mental imagination.

I was afraid to read Jan Birch's mystery:

* The main character is a middle age straight woman living in the middle of the 60s.

* There was a single review on GR with a one star rating.

* I hate to give negative reviews to my GR friends. Doesn't matter how I like them, I don't have to like their books. At least not all of them.


It is difficult to classify The Development.

*It is in no way a classical mystery.
Though there are murder case, corpses and at least one police officer.

*It is in no way a classical romance.
Though there are unhappy marriages including of Jan Brich's, affairs on a large scale and at least one attractive unhappy married police officer.

*It is in no way a historical novel.
Though Marshall created a very credible atmosphere of the family's relationships at the 60s with women caught up in their traditional roles as wives and mothers and men consider themselves as being the head of the family.

The Development consists of three novels/cases, and I had to confess that I had a problem with the first novel and even had to put it aside. The depressing mood of the story made me angry with all persons involved. Besides, it was difficult to like Jan Birch. But it changed along the story: The second novel was ABSOLUTELY not a mystery with a main focus on the RELATIONSHIP. It turned to a real page turner and I literally swallowed the rest of the book. I just wanted to know what happened next.

The book has reminded me more than other books of Marshall Thornton that he has an MFA in screen-writing. Nothing unnecessary, he doesn't waste time with a long explanation or description, he knows how to grip the attention of readers and does it in the most thrilling and captivating way.

I would recommend this book in the first place for all fans of Marshall Thornton's writing but also for everybody who enjoys good writing, unusual stories and excellent portraying.