I enjoyed this book. I expected a rehashing of Shakespeare play in novel form. That is not what I got. This is richer and fuller giving not only Romeo and Juliet's story but more background into their families' feud. There is more about Paris here. Juliet is a strong woman. Romeo is more dreamer than realist. Opposites certainly attract here. The parents, especially Juliet's, are more fleshed out. They are typical parents though her father is harsher than expected with an only daughter. Romeo's parents are more like Romeo, more idealistic be and willing to comply with the town leader's orders. The friars are more prominent as is the nurse who is not as flighty as we expect.

The reading by Richard Armitage is excellent. He does all the voices and pulls it off. I especially liked the author's notes at the end, read by the author. He gives a history of the story of Romeo and Juliet beginning with the first recorded version back in the 1400's then through Shakespeare. He also gives some details he used in his story.

This story, though known to us, is worth a listen. It has all and more of the intrigue from Shakespeare's play.

My first dive into Shakespeare is going to be MacBeth, since that was the universal recommendation.

I've bought the Arkangel audiobook, and the Folger's library text will arrive on Friday. I'm also planning on reading the Hogarth's Shakespeare MacBeth by Nesbo, and possibly the Hewson audiobook. I have 10 audible credits right now, so I can definitely afford the audiobook!

Three years ago Amsterdam detective Pieter Vos failed to solve the most important case of his career; the disappearance of his daughter Anneliese. Haunted by the fact that she has seemingly vanished without a trace he quits his job, splits from his partner and moves into a decrepit houseboat. Living off his measly pension he spends his days walking his dog and smoking in the local cafes.

Then whilst staring at Petronella Oortman’s doll’s house in the Rijksmuseum he’s approached by Laura Bekker, a trainee officer. Another girl has gone missing, in eerily similar circumstances to Anneliese. Soon Vos is drawn into an investigation, one which shows the murky lines linking those who run the city, and those that run the city’s underworld.

I have read some of David Hewson’s Nic Costa series and of course was aware that he had written novels based on the hit TV series The Killing. This, The House of Dolls was the first in a new series featuring Pieter Vos.

First of all I loved the setting of this book. From David Hewson’s descriptions I could image myself walking along the paths and roads, watching the barges go past on one of Amsterdam’s many canals. It was easy to also imagine the darker side of the city, the red light district and dark alleyways where danger could lurk.

I loved the character of Vos and would dearly hoped that he would return in future books. He was damaged and flawed but remarkable in that he maintained an almost unruffled, placid nature. One that charmed many people, helping him in his investigations. His protégé Laura Bakker was a character that grew on me. Her sometimes bolshie attitude seemed a bit extreme and I was wishing she would calm down in places. That said she was a perfect foil for Vos and the two worked well as characters. Its a sign an author has done their job well when you can easily imagine characters and have a reaction to them. This happened here with The House of Dolls. There were many characters I didn’t like, for example Wim Prins, the missing girl’s father and Liesbeth, Vos’ former partner and this added to the story.

The story soon draws you in, and this is aided by the short, snappy chapters. I’m a sucker for short chapters in novels. It never fails to draw me in with the temptation of ‘just one more chapter’. It always more than just one more chapter in those circumstances! The influence of creating novels from screenplays is perhaps evidenced here as a lot of the chapters played like scenes in a film or television programme and I could almost see the ‘fade to black’.

This is a gritty read, with dark undertones. This is perhaps because of the gangland and political elements to the story, which lent it story strands to make it more than just a police procedural.

An enjoyable read, I’ll be seeking out more of David Hewson’s novels. Pieter Vos and Laura Bakker return in The Wrong Girl.

The Copper Bracelet  --  a collaboration serial thriller

-- conception by Jeffery Deaver

Book 2 of The Watchlist aka the Harold Middleton series

Other authors involved:  

Gayle Lynds, David Hewson, Jim Fusilli, John Gilstrap, Joseph Finder, Lisa Scottoline, David Corbett, Linda Barnes, Jenny Siler, David Liss, P.J. Parrish, Brett Battles, Lee Child, Jon Land, James Phelan

This book is a collaborative effort among various crime thriller novelists, with Jeffery Deaver fronting the project (he created the main protagonist, Harold Middleton, and he also writes the first and last chapters).  I don't know all of these other crime thriller authors, though I think some of them were part of the first book's writing... and some are new names.

I was just as intrigued with it as I had been with The Chopin Manuscript (my review), though I had been worried that the book would be a big mess with so many minds and so many ideas trying to take precedent. And despite The Chopin Manuscript getting slightly out of control towards the middle and the ending, it was still a very enjoyable piece... if you can ignore a lot of the mess.

Whether this book was really a big haphazard, narrative mess, or if it was just me, being distracted at all the wrong times while listening to the audiobook, I can't be sure. But I sure as hell had a hard time following what was going on with so much going on within moments of events.

It's a pretty good concept that has potential to last a few more books, honestly. Harold Middleton is pretty much the leader of a group of Volunteers who are tasked with helping keep the world a safe place by going after potential terrorist threats and the like. And, of course, in The Copper Bracelet, there's a lot of action, and traveling, and secrets, and secret reveals, and death, and destruction, and betrayals, and torture, and... there's just a LOT going on in this book.

Like I said already, I had no idea where the book was going with all the things happening for a good long time.

Still, I had fun with this one. Even if it was a lot of confusing fun.

And once again, Alfred Molina did excellent with his narration; though I can't help but feel that it was better in the first book.

Omg...please help. I THINK I HAVE A PROBLEM!