Rating: 
Summary: Baby, its cold outside
Review: ... let me emphasize that this spine- (and whole body) chilling book takes place in the *fictional* town of Algonquin Bay, Ontario, CA. I suspect, though, that like Ed McBain's Isola and others, the name is a fictionalized nomer for a real place: North Bay, eh? I further suspect that the villains herein are fictional spawn of Canada's gruesome twosome Bernardo/ Homolka.Giles Blount's first novel is a "captive"ating tale of the evil some men (and women) do. And the US reader learns something of Canadian Law Enforcement along the way. Are they referring to Notre Dame football? The Apocalypse? No. The "Horsemen" to which they refer, in a non-deferential tone, are the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Rating: 
Summary: Riveting!
Review: According to the brief bio in the back of this book, author Blunt has written scripts for such notable shows as Law & Order. It is clear that he brings a lot to the table: a fine sense of narrative timing, strong skill at characterization, and a crisp writing style. These gifts all come into play in Forty Words For Sorrow. From the outset, the wretched cold is as integral to the plot as the characters. Blunt succeeds in evoking the climate both of a mythical northern Ontario town and of the local police force, where personalities clash and collide and, ultimately, pull together to solve the mystery of who has murdered a number of missing kids. There are finely wraught characterizations with not a stock character in sight. The issue of mental illness is addressed with sensitivity and insight. And at the point where the narrative focus shifts from who the villain might be to the interior rationale(s) behind the crimes, the momentum moves into high gear and stays there. The tension is spread across several lines: detective Cardinal's anxiety over his secrets and personal sorrows; the heightened fears and sorrows of those related to the victims; and the ongoing investigation of Cardinal's past by his new partner, Lise Delorme, who is torn by conflicting emotions and relentless ambition. This is a can't-put-down book, lean and taut. I'll be eagerly waiting for the next in the series.
Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Cold Stuff!
Review: An excellent police procedural that takes place in one of the most overlooked locales in the genre. Here in the states, we're quite familiar with the top British and American mystery writers, but Australian and Canadian authors tend to be ignored unless they have American or British publishers. Consequently, it's not often that icy, small town Canada is used as a fictional backdrop. Blunt's descriptions are so well done that the climate itself plays a role as an obstacle in the investigations. In addition to the nice character work that the author has accomplished, the ending ties up all of the loose edges quite neatly, thus setting the stage for the next book in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Cold Stuff!
Review: An excellent police procedural that takes place in one of the most overlooked locales in the genre. Here in the states, we're quite familiar with the top British and American mystery writers, but Australian and Canadian authors tend to be ignored unless they have American or British publishers. Consequently, it's not often that icy, small town Canada is used as a fictional backdrop. Blunt's descriptions are so well done that the climate itself plays a role as an obstacle in the investigations. In addition to the nice character work that the author has accomplished, the ending ties up all of the loose edges quite neatly, thus setting the stage for the next book in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Law and Order, print form
Review: Giles Blunt, Forty Words for Sorrow (Berkeley, 2001) Giles Blunt first came to the attention of critics everywhere as a staff writer for Law and Order, one of the strongest television series in history. And when reading Blunt's first novel, the reader who is a Law and Order fan is likely to know, even without knowing Blunt's allegiance to the show, that there are similarities. Needless to say, for the Law and Order fan, this means you've pretty much got a free pass on this one; you're going to love it. John Cardinal is a cop with his career in the toilet and a clinically depressed wife. His usual partner is tied up in court on another case, so Cardinal is assigned another one, Lise Delorme, who's just come to homicide from Special Bureau (Americans, think "internal affairs"). Cardinal, who some folks in the branch suspect of being crooked, immediately suspects she's been paired with him in order to investigate him. But he's got too much on his plate to spend much time worrying about that; first, his wife goes into the hospital with a particularly nasty bout of depression. Second, a body is found in a mineshaft, believed to be that of Katie Pine, a missing girl whom Cardinal always suspected of being murdered; his obsession with her case got him demoted from homicide in the first place. Who can worry about whether you're being investigated by your partner or not? Perhaps the most intriguing thing about Forty Words for Sorrow is the tension between Cardinal and Delorme, and trying to decide whether a romance is getting underway. The two of them are very deftly handled, and while they seesaw back and forth between being nice to one another and loathing one another, there's never a sense that anything is being exaggerated for the reader; the perils of having a new partner, and one of the opposite sex. That said, the best-written scenes in the book are those between Cardinal and his wife in the hospital. Cardinal is hopelessly adrift, completely unsure of how to handle himself around her as she struggles in the mire of her depression. Both characters are painted spot-on in these scenes, and they alone are enough to warrant the purchase price of the book. What's missing from the above two paragraphs is the mystery itself. And, ultimately, the mystery takes a back seat to the characters. This is not a bad thing, as long as the characters can sustain the novel (and they certainly do here). But the end result is that the mystery becomes somewhat predictable, especially for regular watchers of (you knew I'd get round to it sooner or later) Law and Order. The twists and turns in the plot will be easily recognizable to the show's rabid cult following. Again, not that this is a bad thing; in fact, regular Law and Order viewers have come to expect this, and will feel right at home. (Non-regular viewers, or those who have never seen the show, may not find anything here predictable at all.) A good, solid work, Forty Words for Sorrow, a promising debut from a promising writer. John Cardinal is coming back soon in Blunt's second novel, and if the first one is anything to go on, it will be just as well worth reading. *** ½
Rating:
Summary: Yes it is North Bay!!
Review: I haunted the same streets of North Bay as did the author at about the same age and time. For me, reading this book was like going home...but what a place. Far less interesting things happened in our home town and for Giles to turn the place into the fictional Algonquin Bay is amazing. His writing (and note..this was his second novel...not his first) is tight, the characters believeable (and angst-ridden) and the story line interesting without being far-fetched. I enjoyed immensely this book and can't wait to read the new one.
Rating:
Summary: Turn the Pages . . . Fast
Review: I won't rehash the plot as others here have already done so and probably much better. Everything about this book was believable, from the characters, situations, dialogue to the well-below zero weather. I liked the fact that you know who the killers are part way through the book -- the pace of the story quickens as you are now going back and forth between added characters and situations. I also like that I had compassion for Cardinal concerning the situation with his mentally ill wife, but it was woven into the story in such a way that I felt it wasn't overkill. I found myself towards the end jumping ahead of the story because I couldn't stand the suspense and then I went back and read more slowly. Also, just when you think it's all over and resolved . . .SURPRISE! Highly recommended
Rating: 
Summary: Police procedural
Review: O Canada, your Ontario setting was the only good thing in this novel. Everything else was... well, blunt. Come on, Canadians; the stereotype is that you're rather witty - act like it! (D)
Rating:
Summary: 4.5 stars for a chilling and chilly book
Review: The atmosphere of the cold harashness of the canadian landscape is brilliantly evoked by Giles Blunt. When reading it you really juat want to shiver...he mirrors the setting really well in his cold and calculating plot. The plot here is certainly very original, which i tend to like in a serial killer novel. However, the writing did seem to lack assurance...it felt nervous and even though it wasn't. a bit underdeveloped. Some of it niggled me, and didn't really sit right. This book won the English CWA Silver Dagger award for crime fiction, and had excellent reviews. So i was expecting and absolutely sensational read. It didn't quite live up to expectation. it is still a really really good thriller, though. Just perhaps not quite as stupendous as i'd expected. The blurb didn't help. The english versions is somewhat misleading... anyway, with that said, this is still a very good book, especially for a first novel (i'm discounting "Cold Eye" his "real" first book.) The plot IS orignal, and the landscape is evoked well in the atmosphere and overall coldness of the plot. John Cardinal is a really likeable character, and i am looking very much forward to reading about him once more. he is slightly flawed, but for all the right reasons. You really feel for him. He's compelling and interesting. His fierce loyalty to his wife is also a wonder to behold. There are some other great characters too, but Cardinal is the one who really stands out. one of the best and most well developed leads to a book i've read in a long while. The plot is good, original, but the motives of the villains weren't really explained fully enough...just glossed over. However, there were some really great twists, and a stunning climax. This is an extremely worthy book, and any fan of this genre should really like it. It reminded somewhat of Mo Hayder's (an excellent English thriller writer) debut "Birdman". You try to be too original and it just doesn't read as well it might. The two have real similarities here. However, this book is a bit less disturbing than Hayders. Blunt really is very similar in style to Hayder, and he has great potential. with her second book Mo Hayder poroved to me that she was the best serial killer thriller writer we have in Britain. I believe that Giles Blunt may well prove that he is the best from Canada. Well worth a read.
Rating:
Summary: Turn the Pages . . . Fast
Review: This is a marvelous book! Giles Blunt has written the kind of novel many mystery writers would "kill" for...Tony Hillerman even admits it.
What makes this such a great book is the development of the characters: John Cardinal, a good man but not necessarily a good cop; Lise Delorme, a special forces internal investigator who is partnered with Cardinal to find out if he is on the take; Edie Somas, a homely, love-starved woman who turns to crime and evil to make up for her loneliness; Eric Fraser, a merciless and cruel killer, who uses Edie to help him attain his goals; there are so many interesting and complex characters in supporting roles, it's impossible to single them all out.
Blunt creates an atmospheric of unbelievable depth; one can feel the frigid environment, see the breaths of the characters.
Dark and disturbing, it is still a tremendous first novel for this talented Candian writer. I couldn't find a thing wrong with it.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
|
