quippe | Entries tagged with tom hindle

The Blurb On The Back:

One happy couple.
Two divided families.
A wedding party to die for.

On the private island of Castello Fiore - surrounded by the glittering waters of Lake Garda - the illustrious Heywood family gather for a wedding to remember.

But as the ceremony begins, a blood-curdling scream brings the celebrations to a violent halt.

With the guests trapped on the island as they await the police, old secrets come to light and family rivalries threaten to explode.

Everyone is desperate to know …

Who is the killer?

And can they be found before they strike again?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Tom Hindle’s standalone murder mystery is an entertaining take on locked room mysteries set amongst the haves, the almost haves and the wanna haves in a glamorous location. I enjoyed how Hindle builds in backstory for the various characters but with such a large cast, there are inevitably some caricatures and unfortunately I guessed the killer and their motivation a little too early for the book to be wholly successful for me.

The Blurb On The Back:

One house. Nine guests. Endless motives for murder …

Guests assemble at Hamlet Hall for a New Year’s Eve party to remember.

They are to take part in a murder mystery game with a 1920s twist, and everyone has their own part to play.

But the evening has barely begun when one guest is found dead - killed by an injury to the head.

Someone is playing by their own rules.

And in a close-knit community, old rivalries run deep …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The ambition of Tom Hindle’s second crime novel exceeds its grasp, its characters too thinly drawn (with the younger characters being particularly unconvincing) and the mystery element too telegraphed for it to work effectively. It did hold my attention and I enjoyed the tensions between the local community members, especially as the secrets start to come out, but as a whole I think it’s flawed although I’d still check out Hindle’s next book.

The Blurb On The Back:

November 1924

The Endeavour sets sail with 2,000 passengers - and a killer - on board …

When a man’s body is found on deck, ship’s officer Timothy Birch is ready to declare the death a tragic accident. But Scotland Yard inspector James Temple is certain there’s more to this misfortune than meets the eye.

Mounting an investigation, the pair uncover the theft of a priceless painting and encounter a string of suspects with secrets to hide.

With just days remaining until the Endeavour reaches New York, their search for the culprit is fraught with danger.

And all the while, the passengers roam the ship with a killer in their midst …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Tom Hindle’s debut historical crime novel is packed with red herrings, an emotional backstory for Birch and has a sucker punch twist at the end that genuinely left me surprised. Although this is very much a First Class passenger affair, I enjoyed the Agatha Christie vibe and the allusions to Birch’s war service but Temple is notably under-developed in comparison, which is a shame as fuller characterisation would have taken this to the next level.