Alex the Book Reviewer

  I normally enjoy books by Michael Connelly but this one is bollocks. 1/2 dimensional melodramatic characters for whom it is utterly impossible to find the slightest jot of sympathy or empathy and a ridiculous plot that feels like he heard the concept of void moon and decided to shoehorn a (really very stupid) plot round it. Main female charachet (I can't even remember her name or be bothered to look it up) is ex-trickster who is now out of prison. She worked with her boyfriend. Their love for each other was, of course, the most anyone has ever loved anyone before ever). But he died in their last heist. She then had a baby, adopted out but she's stalking her and they're moving to Paris. So, of course, the ennui of a normal life is setting in and therefore she must do one last heist so she can continue her stalking a la francaise. But of course it all goes wrong and blood and mayhem follows. I mean, normally I'd love this plot but somehow none of this added up to anythi...

The story of the Earnshaw/Holiday family.  The story follows the three generations of the Earnshaw family.  Jean, grandmother/mother. Extremely snobby, very prim. estranged from daughter ... Connie, daughter/mother. Connie dies right at the beginning of the book but the story of her growing up is told in flashbacks. Pushing against her boring mother, trying to escape until she finally runs away after finding out that she is pregnant with... Sadie, daughter/granddaughter. Adored by her mother, Connie, forced to go and live with her grandparents when she dies. Determined to find out who her father is. There's a lot of emotion in this book but, strangely, very little of it is grief. It's sort of there, underlying, but this isn't a book about dealing with death. It's about dealing with relationships and expectations and disappointment. A lot of disappointment. But then coming to terms with difficult truths and realities and regrets.  But it's funny. I mean, not laugh a ...