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"We should read to give our souls a chance to luxuriate."
~Henry Miller
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Operation Rubikon
The Future Won't Be Long
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The Power of One
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Shadow Play: A British Police Procedural (Bill Slider, #20)
3, 5 starsHad I known that Shadow Play was the book#20 in the series, I would have never requested it - I prefer to read my series from the very beginning and in the right order. Besides, I’ve recently made some negative experience with the sequels that were parts of a series and shouldn’t be read as a stand-alone.
Surprise-surprise! Shadow Play COULD be read as a stand-alone. I think though, I could have enjoyed it much more, had I had more time to create a stronger emotional connection to the characters. To board the series at the book #20 is very optimistic. And of course it is difficult to be on the same level with those readers who got to know the characters from the birth. Nevertheless, I would say, the structure of the plot gives you a good opportunity to enter the story at any book.
What I enjoyed here mostly is the team work. They are not just good colleagues that worked successful together, they all good friends. There is no a MAIN CHARACTER in the usual sense of it or how one could expect from the series with the name of a team leader in the title. Bill Slider doesn’t dominate this installment, and I'm not sure he DID it before.
I had a lot of fun with the guys there. The investigation was interesting and not predictable, only it turned out to be a little bit too real estate/construction loaded for my taste.
Not a WOW mystery, but well-written, solid and entertaining through and through. I mostly enjoyed the dialogues, cheery banter and British humor.
PS. BTW, observation cameras in London is not a bad invention.
***Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***