Review by DuncanJ -- The 11.05 Murders by Brian O'Hare
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- Latest Review: "The 11.05 Murders" by Brian O'Hare
Review by DuncanJ -- The 11.05 Murders by Brian O'Hare
[Following is a volunteer review of "The 11.05 Murders" by Brian O'Hare.]
3 out of 4 stars
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The 11:05 Murders by Brian O Hare follows the story of Woman Detective Sergeant, or WDS, Denise Stewart. She's a professional, who takes her job very seriously, and as an attractive woman, she finds it difficult working in a male dominated environment. She cracked the case on a human trafficking ring in Northern Ireland that ultimately led to the arrest of her corrupt partner, and she was promoted after that case, but she was concerned that her male peers wouldn't trust her. After her promotion, she was moved to the district of Chief Inspector Sheehan, a married man who makes her feel a part of the team. Her first case, in this new district, is the investigation of the gruesome murder of James Fitzpatrick.
The 11:05 Murders is only the second book I've read in the mystery genre, but I'm starting to get hooked on it. I usually prefer to read books with a male protagonist, but, surprisingly, I related to Stewart in a few ways. Although, I didn't enjoy reading most of her chapters nearly as much as the rest of the book. My favorite character has to be the Chief Inspector. He's a stoic man who hides his chronic pain from his coworkers, but he's not your typical hard-ass cop with the cigar dangling from his mouth, he has depth.
Brian O Hare's writing was entertaining, to say the least. I particularly liked the court case in chapter 2. It was well written, and I almost wished I was reading a book solely about a courtroom drama. It was like watching an episode of Law & Order. There's a part in chapter 10 I laughed out loud at. Sheehan was debriefing the entire team about the murder, and McCullough, another team member, found something humorous, but Sheehan stared him down, and Brian wrote this:
"Whatever witticism McCullough had intended to utter died as a cough in his throat as he suddenly discovered something fascinating about the hands clasped across his ample paunch."
This book tackles some recent issues like discrimination in the work place in a subtle way without beating you over the head with it, and it also deals with sexual assault on campuses. The first chapter is actually about the latter issue. I don't want to give too much away, I think the setup for the assault is a little over the top, but it could happen.
Overall, this is a very entertaining whodunit, and I'm glad I didn't judge it by its subpar cover. There's a handful of interesting characters and a gripping plot. I wouldn't recommend it for younger readers because of its sexual themes and graphic death, but I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a solid mystery slash detective book. I give The 11:05 Murders 3 out of 4 stars because it's a solid book, but I won't be rereading it anytime soon.
******
The 11.05 Murders
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3 out of 4 stars
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The 11:05 Murders by Brian O Hare follows the story of Woman Detective Sergeant, or WDS, Denise Stewart. She's a professional, who takes her job very seriously, and as an attractive woman, she finds it difficult working in a male dominated environment. She cracked the case on a human trafficking ring in Northern Ireland that ultimately led to the arrest of her corrupt partner, and she was promoted after that case, but she was concerned that her male peers wouldn't trust her. After her promotion, she was moved to the district of Chief Inspector Sheehan, a married man who makes her feel a part of the team. Her first case, in this new district, is the investigation of the gruesome murder of James Fitzpatrick.
The 11:05 Murders is only the second book I've read in the mystery genre, but I'm starting to get hooked on it. I usually prefer to read books with a male protagonist, but, surprisingly, I related to Stewart in a few ways. Although, I didn't enjoy reading most of her chapters nearly as much as the rest of the book. My favorite character has to be the Chief Inspector. He's a stoic man who hides his chronic pain from his coworkers, but he's not your typical hard-ass cop with the cigar dangling from his mouth, he has depth.
Brian O Hare's writing was entertaining, to say the least. I particularly liked the court case in chapter 2. It was well written, and I almost wished I was reading a book solely about a courtroom drama. It was like watching an episode of Law & Order. There's a part in chapter 10 I laughed out loud at. Sheehan was debriefing the entire team about the murder, and McCullough, another team member, found something humorous, but Sheehan stared him down, and Brian wrote this:
"Whatever witticism McCullough had intended to utter died as a cough in his throat as he suddenly discovered something fascinating about the hands clasped across his ample paunch."
This book tackles some recent issues like discrimination in the work place in a subtle way without beating you over the head with it, and it also deals with sexual assault on campuses. The first chapter is actually about the latter issue. I don't want to give too much away, I think the setup for the assault is a little over the top, but it could happen.
Overall, this is a very entertaining whodunit, and I'm glad I didn't judge it by its subpar cover. There's a handful of interesting characters and a gripping plot. I wouldn't recommend it for younger readers because of its sexual themes and graphic death, but I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a solid mystery slash detective book. I give The 11:05 Murders 3 out of 4 stars because it's a solid book, but I won't be rereading it anytime soon.
******
The 11.05 Murders
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Like DuncanJ's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "The 11.05 Murders" by Brian O'Hare
