WARNING: underage teenagers for slaughter, death of small children and toddlers.

Aaaaand just like that, I am DNFing @ 98%.

I get it that somewhere out there in a vast universe vampires feed on little human kids all the time, kill two or twenty without a second thought while at it too. You know, every day occurrence and all. Like dingoes and baby koalas, or my friend’s effing golden retriever and baby rabbits.

There is nothing “sexy” in this “paranormal erotica” when it comes to fucking and giving a “pleasant end” to a manipulated (mind fucked) 15 year old or draining toddlers empty, robbing kids of their lives to teach some bad boy a lesson. At least dingoes eat to survive.

I can take in a lot and of a different variety, I can also read about the death of a child in a concentration camp or at the hands of a serial killer, but that’s history and crime, however gruesome and unpleasant and heartbreaking, not “sexy erotica”. With [b:The Boy in the Striped Pajamas|39999|The Boy in the Striped Pajamas|John Boyne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1366228171s/39999.jpg|1148702] or [b: The Most Notorious Serial Killers|34225371|TIME-LIFE The Most Notorious Serial Killers Ruthless, Twisted Murderers Whose Crimes Chilled the Nation|The Editors of Time-Life|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486811426s/34225371.jpg|55277997] I know exactly what I am in for when I open the book.

Speaking of tags, I am not sure this particular book should be tagged "sexy ...paranormal erotica". All sexsinnes died a miserable death along with the kids. I don't see how the author expects readers to form a connection with this particular murderous character later in the series after mass murdering kids.

Bummer. I was enjoying it a lot up to this point :(

 

 

Danger, just found a new voice. Jennifer Bramseth has always toed the line between contemporary and suspense, this time around she throws her hat fully into the world of mystery. A Devilish Punishment has it all from dirty deeds to sinister enemies, a high profile case and enough sexual tension to set your heart on fire. Bramseth has always been good at telling stories, so it's no surprise she makes wicked look MARVELOUS.

Summary: Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers and Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley are forced to confront the past as they try to solve a crime that threatens to tear apart the very fabric of a quiet, historic medieval town in England

The cozy, bucolic town of Ludlow is stunned when one of its most revered and respected citizens--Ian Druitt, the local deacon--is accused of a serious crime. Then, while in police custody, Ian is found dead. Did he kill himself? Or was he murdered?

When Barbara Havers is sent to Ludlow to investigate the chain of events that led to Ian's death, all the evidence points to suicide. But Barbara can't shake the feeling that she's missing something. She decides to take a closer look at the seemingly ordinary inhabitants of Ludlow--mainly elderly retirees and college students--and discovers that almost everyone in town has something to hide.

A masterful work of suspense, The Punishment She Deserves sets Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers and Inspector Thomas Lynley against one of their most intricate cases. Fans of the longtime series will love the many characters from Elizabeth George's previous novels who join Lynley and Havers, and readers new to the series will quickly see why she is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed writers of our time. Both a page-turner and a deeply complex story about the lies we tell, the lies we believe, and the redemption we need, this novel will be remembered as one of George's best.

 

Poor Barbara Havers! Followers of the Lynley mysteries by Elizabeth George will recognize a familiar predicament faced by one of George’s most beloved characters in The Punishment She Deserves, the twentieth entry of the series. Detective Sargeant Havers always seems to be making poor decisions and annoying those in power who don’t care for her manners, comportment or tendency to venture beyond her authority. Not only is Havers being set up by her superiors who wish to transfer her, she also is suffering the indignity of being drafted into a tap dance performance by her co-worker Dorothea. The book opens on a fateful night in a small college town, where events converge to result in the apparent suicide of a local clergyman. The deceased’s father believes that the arrest and investigation into the death of his son requires further scrutiny, and he demands a review of the internal affairs file. DCS Isabelle Ardery is called in to travel to the town of Ludlow to examine the matter. She drafts Barbara Havers into accompanying her, hoping that Havers will slip up again and thereby justify her banishment from the department. Ardery has her own personal reasons for wanting this trip to be quickly concluded, and she is very willing to accept the existing findings at face value. The problem is, Havers is bothered by the many inconsistencies and unanswered questions in the case. She wants to probe further, but is conflicted because she knows she has to remain in Ardery’s good graces. Thomas Lynley, Barbara’s direct supervisor and mentor, supports her assertion that more scrutiny is needed. The second part of the novel reunites these two characters as they return for a more thorough (and illuminating) look at the tragic events. There is no question that George is a fantastic writer who knows how to slowly build tension in plot and between characters. Lynley and Havers are extremely well drawn, and their unlikely friendship has become so comfortable to George’s fans that they will be able to maintain interest through this long work. First time readers of the series might find it more difficult to stick with the book, however, especially if they are looking for a faster pace and constant action. There are many layers within themes of personal failings, obligations to others, and atonement. Each of the many characters are fully developed, and much of the novel is spent creating a deep portrayal of their individuality and inter-relationships. A patient reader will be rewarded at the satisfying conclusion of this solid entry in the famous series.

Ambitious.  That was the first word that came to mind after it became clear where the story was going.  I love the setting, and the characters, and Holmes deserved her Agatha nomination for the first in this series, but as much as I admire her willingness to tackle such an intricate murder mystery, it didn't quite achieve success.  

 

The plot was a familiar one, but the method, while very clever, was too convoluted to feel as fresh as it should have.  I really like the angle she took with the murder method but by the end of book, I felt the same way I do after I've read an article on quantum physics: like I have the general idea down, but don't as me to explain it or it will all fall apart.  

 

I enjoyed a lot of the book, and I love reading about watch/clock making, so I'll read the next one, if there's a fourth, but reading murder mysteries should not feel like reading quantum physics.