Rating: 
Summary: Where's the rest of the story?
Review: I wish the payoff were anywhere near as big as the setup. At first I'm grinning and chuckling and intrigued about the incidents, and half of the crimes are witty "pranks" which have me going yeah, yeah, this is really gonna be good. And something mysterious and sinister happened in India, we find out, out of the blue, yeah, okay, and there's a battered-women avenger loose, maybe two, and I can't wait to see someone punished for that bride burning, and then ... nothing. Maybe the sinister whatever-it-was is being saved for another book, but there was absolutely no satisfaction there, not even as a red herring, and come ON, the villain's going to do THAT to someone and expect to explain it away, and a perp's just going to walk in at the right moment to wrap up your detecting for you? King is a good writer, she really is, but. She repeats things that don't need repeating --do we need to be told *four* times in one book that her lover's crutches are the cuffed, permanent kind? Why "wrapped candies" over and over, not "candy"--would we be likely to miss the point that there might be fingerprints, even after she told us so? Does she find the characters fascinating or just useful to the plot? Looks like she got rushed or bored about halfway through and didn't bother to finish this book, anyway. I don't really like these people well enough--they are interesting, but as social constructs, not as humans--to enjoy spending this much time with them for no reason. I want to keep the first part and send the rest back for a refund, or a re-write.
Rating: 
Summary: Maybe for some, but ...
Review: I've read several of Laurie King's books and was so pleased to pick this one up ... but then disappointed in the lack of story, and somewhat frustrated by the prose style (at least one other reviewer here has pointed out how repetitive this one is-- for example, every time Detective Martinelli takes a swallow of coffee or beer or whatever, King provides a description of the big swallow and how much Martinelli *really* enjoys it). The lesbian relationships seemed superficial-- the ties between women are much more compelling in the earlier Kate Martinelli books. Be forewarned that pages and pages are devoted to impersonal conversations about Biblical issues and an ancient, angry goddess. It left me wondering if King really wants to write something scholarly about the evolution of assorted religious beliefs.
Rating: 
Summary: Another superb mystery from a gifted writer.
Review: In this her fourth Kate Martinelli mystery, author Laurie R. King puts her heroine right in the middle of some real 'hot button' feminist issues: spousal abuse; the impotent judicial system; arranged marriages; and vigilante revenge. Kate and her likeable partner, Al Howkin, are homicide detectives in San Francisco, America's most gender-tolerant city. Kate's domestic life is running smoothly, with her partner Lee recovering from paralysis. Seems a bullet intended for Kate ended up in Lee's spine in a previous story, and she's still using crutches and suffering psychologically from her wounds. In this book, Kate is called to the scene of a murder that smacks of a feminist vigilante group known as The Ladies of Perpetual Disgruntlement. The LOPD, as they call themselves, have recently pulled some pretty mean-spirited pranks, but they've never been linked to a murder..until now. After three more bodies pile up, Kate and Al realize the crimes are an organized, well planned effort to rid San Francisco and the Bay area of criminals who have, in one way or the other, defiled women. It's up to Kate and Al to put the pieces of the puzzle together and stop this deadly movement. The book, as a murder mystery, is pretty much boiler plate fiction. The body count mounts. There are the requisite red herrings. The FBI gets pulled into the case when Kate finds a link between the murders and the Internet. The author even throws in cross-cultural clashes to spice up the mix. What sets this book apart, however, is the way the author almost clubs the reader with never-ending feminist themes. I'm not sure if she does it to make the reader sympathetic with Kate and her lifestyle or to give the reader an introductory course on Feminism 101. And, given the author's considerable knowledge of theology, she overplays the religion card with constant references to the Old Testament, Hindu scriptures and God's gender. Not all of us who live outside the Bay area are ignorant belles with husbands who protect us from the seamier side of life. Some of us have actually known a lesbian or two..some of us have worked in a women's shelter..some of us have volunteered our time at a local rape crisis center.and some of us have actually survived a destructive relationship. My advice to Laurie R. King: LIGHTEN UP! Kate is a likeable person with many of the same flaws we heterosexuals have. Don't compel us to like her/sympathize with her.just let her solve crimes and live her life! We'll catch on. Terry H. Mathews Reviewer
Rating:
Summary: Not exactly a page turner
Review: It took me several months to read this book. Everytime I was ready to throw in the towel on this book, something interesting would happen. The ending did not even move me. This book peaked my curiousity more than it held my interest. The premise was good, however it did not really follow through. I like murder mysteries that have conflict and confrontation.
Rating:
Summary: Not exactly a page turner
Review: It took me several months to read this book. Everytime I was ready to throw in the towel on this book, something interesting would happen. The ending did not even move me. This book peaked my curiousity more than it held my interest. The premise was good, however it did not really follow through. I like murder mysteries that have conflict and confrontation.
Rating: 
Summary: Too much correctness marrs Kate's return
Review: It's been a long wait for the next episode in the Kate Martinelli series. On the whole, Night Work was worth the wait though it is far from perfect (or even the wonder of "A Grave Talent"). After the vague mystery of "With Child", it is refreshing to return to the police procedural foundation and a healthy dose of Kate's police partner, Al. I also got a kick out of the early crimes of the Ladies of Perpetual Disgruntalment. The core of the murders reads well between the pure evidence and the abusive history of victims. I particularly enjoyed the exploration of the marriage traditions of India when set in the US. The writing is good - if lacking a bit in the editing. What didn't work for me in the book was the overwhelming sense of political correctness. I'm fine with the lesbian relationships but King got both preachy and redundant in this story. Likewise, this isn't the first time that she's explored religious themes. However, at times this book reads more like a piece of feminist religious propaganda trapped in a mystery. Sure, some of it figures into the plot but about 20% of the book seemed pretty irrelevant to either solving the crimes or growing the key characters. Likewise, the ending is pretty abrupt without clearly exploring the motivations of the killers (and not very many clues leading up to their identification). As other reviewers have mentioned, this is a series that is critical to read in order. This is the forth book in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Too much correctness marrs Kate's return
Review: It's been a long wait for the next episode in the Kate Martinelli series. On the whole, Night Work was worth the wait though it is far from perfect (or even the wonder of "A Grave Talent"). After the vague mystery of "With Child", it is refreshing to return to the police procedural foundation and a healthy dose of Kate's police partner, Al. I also got a kick out of the early crimes of the Ladies of Perpetual Disgruntalment. The core of the murders reads well between the pure evidence and the abusive history of victims. I particularly enjoyed the exploration of the marriage traditions of India when set in the US. The writing is good - if lacking a bit in the editing. What didn't work for me in the book was the overwhelming sense of political correctness. I'm fine with the lesbian relationships but King got both preachy and redundant in this story. Likewise, this isn't the first time that she's explored religious themes. However, at times this book reads more like a piece of feminist religious propaganda trapped in a mystery. Sure, some of it figures into the plot but about 20% of the book seemed pretty irrelevant to either solving the crimes or growing the key characters. Likewise, the ending is pretty abrupt without clearly exploring the motivations of the killers (and not very many clues leading up to their identification). As other reviewers have mentioned, this is a series that is critical to read in order. This is the forth book in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Night Work
Review: King's work in the Martinelli series certainly sits on the above-average end of the scale in comparison to the vast majority of other works available in this genre. Thankfully it does have a reasonable plot that does have a little more substance than that which one usually finds. What I did find disappointing however was the representation of some of the characters. It is always interesting to see characters who are depicted as having a point of view on various issues, however, I found it a little tedious when these character traits crossed the line and came to resemble little more than soap-box speeches. A little more effort in character development and presentation may have overcome this. As it was, the opinions put forth on behalf of the characters began to be predictable and 'preachy'. A lot could have been done with the examination of the issues presented in this book, unfortunately King seems to have missed this grand opportunity, opting instead for the 'easy-out' of re/presenting easily-digestible and non-confronting images and ideas. Pity.
Rating:
Summary: Night Work
Review: King's work in the Martinelli series certainly sits on the above-average end of the scale in comparison to the vast majority of other works available in this genre. Thankfully it does have a reasonable plot that does have a little more substance than that which one usually finds. What I did find disappointing however was the representation of some of the characters. It is always interesting to see characters who are depicted as having a point of view on various issues, however, I found it a little tedious when these character traits crossed the line and came to resemble little more than soap-box speeches. A little more effort in character development and presentation may have overcome this. As it was, the opinions put forth on behalf of the characters began to be predictable and 'preachy'. A lot could have been done with the examination of the issues presented in this book, unfortunately King seems to have missed this grand opportunity, opting instead for the 'easy-out' of re/presenting easily-digestible and non-confronting images and ideas. Pity.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful and gripping again
Review: Laurie King in all of her manifestations continues to amaze me. altough I can't decide which one of her heroines are better, Martinelli in this new book is more human, more flexible, more aware of her problems and thus, more understandable and loveable. The topic is important and gripping and the mystery exciting. I wish she would write a chapter about the characters after the mystery so we could see everything gets cleaned up more. Thisbook makes me excited and feel that justice is satisfied.
| 
