Killer Countdown DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries Book 1 edition by Wendy H Jones Mystery Thriller Suspense eBooks
Download As PDF : Killer Countdown DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries Book 1 edition by Wendy H Jones Mystery Thriller Suspense eBooks 
"Twists and Turns to the Very Last Page!" Mandy baker Johnson
Dead Women. A Ruthless Killer. A Detective with something to prove. Newly promoted Detective Inspector Shona McKenzie struggles to cope with her new job, the respect of her colleagues, and the need to solve the hardest case of her life. Will she succeed?
A killer stalks the streets of Dundee, Scotland. Shona,having recently returned to Scotland, relies on the local knowledge of Sgt Peter Johnston and the rest of her team to help her track down the killer. However, this is no ordinary killer. Shona needs to use every trick in and out of the book to bring them to justice. The final revelation will shock you to the core.
If you like books by Val McDermid, Ian Rankin, Alex Gray, Stuart MacBride, Lin Anderson, Kathy Reich, James Patterson, Tess Gerritsen, or Karin Slaughter, then you will love this book.
Killer Countdown DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries Book 1 edition by Wendy H Jones Mystery Thriller Suspense eBooks
The central crimes and killer are not without interest, and Ms. Jones can write. But, the problems start and end with the chief investigator and "star" of this series of books, DI Shona McKenzie. In "Killer's Countdown", the first book of the series, DI McKenzie is very unpleasant. She governs, not with respect and leadership, but with insults and threats. Her officers don't follow her orders out of respect for their officer, or because she is an inspiring, successful leader. They do it because they are afraid that, as someone who always calls them "Stupid gits" or "Useless idiots", McKenzie will fire them, and for no good reason. She mellows somewhat throughout the book, but it becomes painfully clear is that she hasn't a clue what she's doing and no talent for the job. Half the book, and her investigation into a series of murders, murders that are clearly the actions of a serial killer, involve her choice to treat each murder as an unrelated one-off. Spending important days looking into one of the murdered's husband. Another dead woman's business partner. Another dead woman's top secret research job. NONE of which has a THING to do with the KILLINGS, as readers will know all along. The time wasted by McKenzie is boring, frustrating, and is merely was red time, time spent dissecting red herrings. This, of course, permits the serial killer to continue serial killing, unabated. Plus, any forward motion in the case happens via questions or ideas suggested by McKenzie, but by her smarter, more talented and hard-working "Stupid gits". Her inability to discover what links the EIGHT murders would be laughable were it not for the continuing, disconcerning carnage. When a connection FINALLY MADE, it is not via a deduction of her own mind, but is DELIVERED TO HER by witnesses who JUST SHOW UP AT THE POLICE STATION, asking to speak only to her. Initially, even these obvious true and essential pieces of the puzzle, which offer clear motivations for the KILLINGS, and even precisely where the killer is hiding out, don't strike McKenzie as vaguely important. When FINALLY she, AFTER EIGHT MURDERS, decides to act yet ANOTHER DEAD-ON TIP BROUGHT DIRECTLY TO HER AT THE STATION BY AN OUTSIDE WITNESS, he killer is essentially done with their killing spree. BUT, IS planning one more big attack. Again, not something reasoned-out by McKenzie, but something the Killer simply (and ODDLY), TELLS HER. There is zero effective police work done by McKenzie over the course of the entire book/investigation. I would even consider her lack of insight, ideas, intuition, or deductive-reasoning to be RESPONSIBLE for a number of the killings. She HINDERS the investigation, allowing the killer to kill EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL they intended to kill! It is very difficult to get involved in a crime procedural when the CI is clearly both abrasive and incompetent.
I recommend, for a completely opposite experience, L.M Krier's "DCI Ted Darling series". Five incredibly clever and incredibly entertaining and suspenseful crime novels, with a COMPLETELY unique DCI, one who rules through mutual respect, and whose many talents include a true brilliance as applied to criminal behavior, and a unique and always believable set of insights and instincts.
Ms. Jones may grow as a writer and as the creator of central characters we respect, care about and delight in following. But, for now, she has quite a way to go.
Product details
|
Tags : Killer's Countdown (DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries Book 1) - Kindle edition by Wendy H. Jones. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Killer's Countdown (DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries Book 1).,ebook,Wendy H. Jones,Killer's Countdown (DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries Book 1),Scott and Lawson,Fiction Crime,Fiction Mystery & Detective Traditional British
People also read other books :
- The Red Prince The Secret Lives of a Habsburg Archduke (Audible Audio Edition) Timothy Snyder Michael Damon Audible Studios Books
- Niv The Authorised Biography of David Niven eBook Graham Lord
- Chiropractic Your Approach to Better Living Dr Catherine M Duncan DC CCSP CCP 9780988630949 Books
- And He Can Cook! Chef Lee Koenig 9781449966942 Books
- Impossible Cure The Promise of Homeopathy edition by Amy L Lansky Religion Spirituality eBooks
Killer Countdown DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries Book 1 edition by Wendy H Jones Mystery Thriller Suspense eBooks Reviews
This is a terrific mystery series debut from Wendy H Jones, starring one very tough Scottish cookie Dundee Detective Shona McKenzie. Comparisons of Shona to Sherlock Holmes are well-intentioned, but misleading. Faced with a seemingly unstoppable--and uncatchable--killer...plus an ever-rising body count...Shona succeeds as much by luck, pluck and dogged detective work as by shrewd deductions. The book makes effective and seamless shifts in points of view from third person Shona's to the killer's p.o.v.--as a tormented student and now. Sound confusing? It isn't, as told by Jones--and this accounts for my giving the writing a 'great rating' though the style is pared down and no-nonsense. The body count here is exceptionally high, but the violence is never too gory. A good deal of the pleasure of this book come from the Dundee setting and the masterful insertions of just enough dialect to remind us we're not in Kentucky. Wendy H Jones is a writer to watch.
Wendy Jones's characters seem two dimensional and the dialogue stiff and unnatural. That said, the dialogue improves as the book goes on, though the banter later in the book contradicts the snappish, uptight character portrayed at the beginning. I also found it a bit disconcerting that the chapters jumped around in time -- it interrupted the flow to have to pause and think, Oh, yes, this was eight years ago. This was true of chapters inside the head of the murderer. The relationships with authority seemed false. I'm sure either the officer or the boss would have lost the job for some of the remarks recounted. And the murderer was made out to be a sort of super-being. I found that difficult to accept as well. I came away with the impression that the writer was trying just a bit too hard, and that if she relaxes her next book will be much stronger. She had a strong plot and all the right instincts.
The rating when I purchased this book was 4 stars, and I believe that's a very accurate rating. This novel is a very entertaining read with a sufficiently complicated plot line & enough suspenseful twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. The cast of characters is quite large and varied enough to keep things interesting. I liked it well enough that I will likely purchase the next book in this series. It's light, enjoyable reading,
The style of writing is not my favorite - one simple declarative sentence after another, repeated over and over and over. That staccato style of writing gets a bit old & tiresome. Also, the text is littered with every cliche you've ever heard. I would advise the author to beware of this shortcoming and to avoid it like the plague - pardon my cliche!! It's a relatively minor point, but the misuse and overuse of commas is positively laughable! After reading this book where commas are sprinkled liberally on every page, I will never complain again about the well known, successful authors in this genre whose novels are punctuated as if each comma costs $10,000!
Fast paced with a murder around every corner, author Wendy H. Jones, begins her series featuring Detective Inspector, Shona McKenzie. The reader is quickly introduced to this relatively new member of the Dundee police department as she continues to learn about each of her team, while reporting to a diffident boss. Not only is she faced with the challenges of a new DI in charge, but learning the Dundonian lingo, all while being called to one murder scene after another. Formerly a big city girl, Shona is warming to the new city, it’s people and her job…in spite of questioning whether or not she will be able to find the person or persons behind the growing number of dead bodies rapidly accumulating in her district. If you have read any of the other books in this series, this…the first in the series, will provide added insight into the feisty, talented and highly capable Detective Inspector, Shona McKenzie.
The central crimes and killer are not without interest, and Ms. Jones can write. But, the problems start and end with the chief investigator and "star" of this series of books, DI Shona McKenzie. In "Killer's Countdown", the first book of the series, DI McKenzie is very unp
leasant. She governs, not with respect and leadership, but with insults and threats. Her officers don't follow her orders out of respect for their officer, or because she is an inspiring, successful leader. They do it because they are afraid that, as someone who always calls them "Stupid gits" or "Useless idiots", McKenzie will fire them, and for no good reason. She mellows somewhat throughout the book, but it becomes painfully clear is that she hasn't a clue what she's doing and no talent for the job. Half the book, and her investigation into a series of murders, murders that are clearly the actions of a serial killer, involve her choice to treat each murder as an unrelated one-off. Spending important days looking into one of the murdered's husband. Another dead woman's business partner. Another dead woman's top secret research job. NONE of which has a THING to do with the KILLINGS, as readers will know all along. The time wasted by McKenzie is boring, frustrating, and is merely was red time, time spent dissecting red herrings. This, of course, permits the serial killer to continue serial killing, unabated. Plus, any forward motion in the case happens via questions or ideas suggested by McKenzie, but by her smarter, more talented and hard-working "Stupid gits". Her inability to discover what links the EIGHT murders would be laughable were it not for the continuing, disconcerning carnage. When a connection FINALLY MADE, it is not via a deduction of her own mind, but is DELIVERED TO HER by witnesses who JUST SHOW UP AT THE POLICE STATION, asking to speak only to her. Initially, even these obvious true and essential pieces of the puzzle, which offer clear motivations for the KILLINGS, and even precisely where the killer is hiding out, don't strike McKenzie as vaguely important. When FINALLY she, AFTER EIGHT MURDERS, decides to act yet ANOTHER DEAD-ON TIP BROUGHT DIRECTLY TO HER AT THE STATION BY AN OUTSIDE WITNESS, he killer is essentially done with their killing spree. BUT, IS planning one more big attack. Again, not something reasoned-out by McKenzie, but something the Killer simply (and ODDLY), TELLS HER. There is zero effective police work done by McKenzie over the course of the entire book/investigation. I would even consider her lack of insight, ideas, intuition, or deductive-reasoning to be RESPONSIBLE for a number of the killings. She HINDERS the investigation, allowing the killer to kill EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL they intended to kill! It is very difficult to get involved in a crime procedural when the CI is clearly both abrasive and incompetent.
I recommend, for a completely opposite experience, L.M Krier's "DCI Ted Darling series". Five incredibly clever and incredibly entertaining and suspenseful crime novels, with a COMPLETELY unique DCI, one who rules through mutual respect, and whose many talents include a true brilliance as applied to criminal behavior, and a unique and always believable set of insights and instincts.
Ms. Jones may grow as a writer and as the creator of central characters we respect, care about and delight in following. But, for now, she has quite a way to go.
0 Response to "∎ Read Free Killer Countdown DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries Book 1 edition by Wendy H Jones Mystery Thriller Suspense eBooks"
Post a Comment