Stonekiller

Rating:
Summary: boring disappointment
Review: Having an interest in mystery novels set in Nazi Germany and Nazi-occupied countries (i.e. Pavel Kohout's THE WIDOW KILLER, or Philip Kerr's BERLIN NOIR) I looked forward to reading some of J. Robert Janes works. After several attempts to read more than a few pages of STONEKILLER each evening, I gave up and started skipping pages hoping the story would take on some zest. The author was determined to murder his own plot by continually revisiting the crime scenario and making lame attempts to draw every character under suspicion. Finally, I was interested only in finishing the book to get it over with, I skipped to the end and read the last 5 pages. I should not have bothered. I so am annoyed at having wasted my time on this book, I want to e-mail the author and ask him for a refund.

Rating:
Summary: boring disappointment
Review: Having an interest in mystery novels set in Nazi Germany and Nazi-occupied countries (i.e. Pavel Kohout's THE WIDOW KILLER, or Philip Kerr's BERLIN NOIR) I looked forward to reading some of J. Robert Janes works. After several attempts to read more than a few pages of STONEKILLER each evening, I gave up and started skipping pages hoping the story would take on some zest. The author was determined to murder his own plot by continually revisiting the crime scenario and making lame attempts to draw every character under suspicion. Finally, I was interested only in finishing the book to get it over with, I skipped to the end and read the last 5 pages. I should not have bothered. I so am annoyed at having wasted my time on this book, I want to e-mail the author and ask him for a refund.

Rating:
Summary: You'll feel like you are there, but it takes some effort
Review: Historically based mystery novels are very popular. Most of them are plot retreads in fancy dress with relatively little appreciation for the historical background. This book and series of books is an exception. This is a well written book set in Occupied France during WWII. The attention to period detail is very good and I believe that Janes has done a good job of conveying the atmosphere of this period. In other respects, this is a solid book, a good combination of police procedural and hard boiled American style detective novel. Janes does, however, have a taste for excessively elaborate plots. In addition, his leading characters are perhaps a bit too good guyish to be solidly creditable. A bit of moral ambiguity would more realistic.

Rating:
Summary: Good Police Procedural
Review: Historically based mystery novels are very popular. Most of them are plot retreads in fancy dress with relatively little appreciation for the historical background. This book and series of books is an exception. This is a well written book set in Occupied France during WWII. The attention to period detail is very good and I believe that Janes has done a good job of conveying the atmosphere of this period. In other respects, this is a solid book, a good combination of police procedural and hard boiled American style detective novel. Janes does, however, have a taste for excessively elaborate plots. In addition, his leading characters are perhaps a bit too good guyish to be solidly creditable. A bit of moral ambiguity would more realistic.

Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT!
Review: I chanced upon this title while browsing through Amazon.com. The premise sounded interesting, so I thought I'd take a chance. This book is marvelous! The author takes you through all sorts of nooks and crannies until you are shocked at the end by the actual stonekiller. The setting (Vichy France during WWII) and the interplay between the two detectives (one French, one German) adds spice to a fine storyline. I have to disagree with the reviewer who complained about too many merde's and Gott in Himmel's. They do not get in the way of the story at all. The author realistically portrays Vichy France and the interplay between the French police and the Gestapo and SS. You are quickly drawn in and you will breathlessly follow St. Cyr and Kohler all the way through to the exciting climax. If you are looking for something a bit off beat, but yet thrilling and exciting, pick this one up.

Rating:
Summary: You'll feel like you are there, but it takes some effort
Review: I have read 6 books from this series and each one can stand alone and each one describes the environment to the point that you feel you are there. However, these are not the easiest books to read. Janes feels little need to identify who is speaking on every line. He also injects a character's thoughts in with the dialogue. This takes some getting used to as Character A may say something without being identified, followed by B thinking something (unidentified), then maybe B says something, A says something, then A thinks something and after awhile you find yourself starting over trying to figure exactly who said what. I don't say this to dissuade anyone (with reading 6 of these I obviously think these books are worth it) but you should be warned that these might not be your taste.