Review by Debjani Ghosh -- Pancake Money by Finn Bell
Posted: 31 Aug 2018, 11:53
[Following is a volunteer review of "Pancake Money" by Finn Bell.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Bobby Ress is a cop in Dunedin, a small town in New Zealand, who loves his wife and daughter dearly. Then suddenly people in the town start dying, in horrible ways, thereby, forming an unprecedented case for the police. Will Bobby be able to find out who is behind these murders? More importantly, can he stop any more murders from happening?
One word sums up Pancake Money by Finn Bell – brilliant. It’s a deeply engrossing and intense murder mystery, and at just over 250 pages, a concise one as well. I was glued to the story from the beginning and the electric pace made it unputdownable. As a result, I finished it in two days straight.
Throughout the book, Bell has used simple language, yet every sentence carries a profound meaning compelling me to highlight several lines. This modest language has helped the author succinctly describe every character and scene. Bell has used imagery beautifully, consequently, the reader can visualize the action scenes as well as the conversations between the characters. It’s a testament to the author’s writing prowess that none of the characters felt incongruous – each contributed its part towards progressing the storyline.
The author seems to have an intimate knowledge of police procedures which lends an authenticity to the plot. Another fact that I liked was that this book was not just a crime thriller. The author has lent due emphasis on the emotional turmoil and vulnerabilities of being a cop. Further, the author has efficiently portrayed the interpersonal relationships. Bobby’s love for his wife and daughter are etched out all over the story. The bonhomie between Bobby and Pollo (a fellow cop) is not overly done but delivers the much-needed lightness to a novel handling such dark themes.
In the process of discovering the murderer, Bobby must confront some uncomfortable truths about human behavior which are unsettling for him. All he wants is to be with his family, but the sudden spate of murders that jolts the tranquil town of Dunedin leaves him with no time for them. The duel between his duty as a police officer and his responsibilities as a father and husband is another facet of this story that will appeal to the readers. Moreover, the tidbits at the end of the novel will give readers something to explore at leisure time. The first page of the novel deserves a special mention. It was puzzling to me and only after I read the climax, was I able to decipher its meaning.
Although the novel provides a gripping climax, however, the question – Why the murders were committed – is never concretely answered. The reader gets every answer from the cop’s point of view and is never shown the murderer’s perspective. Personally, I wanted to know what drove the murderer to such a monstrosity.
Nevertheless, I will give it a 4 out of 4 since it is a deeply riveting murder mystery. It is a fast-paced story and completely immersive. Finn Bell just blew me away with his writing. Given the premise, I had never expected it to be such a satisfying read. The novel is professionally edited as I could not find any mistakes in it. I will recommend it to anyone looking for a well-executed crime thriller. However, the murder scenes are gory and gruesome, hence, faint-hearted people stay away!
******
Pancake Money
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Debjani Ghosh's review? Post a comment saying so!
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Bobby Ress is a cop in Dunedin, a small town in New Zealand, who loves his wife and daughter dearly. Then suddenly people in the town start dying, in horrible ways, thereby, forming an unprecedented case for the police. Will Bobby be able to find out who is behind these murders? More importantly, can he stop any more murders from happening?
One word sums up Pancake Money by Finn Bell – brilliant. It’s a deeply engrossing and intense murder mystery, and at just over 250 pages, a concise one as well. I was glued to the story from the beginning and the electric pace made it unputdownable. As a result, I finished it in two days straight.
Throughout the book, Bell has used simple language, yet every sentence carries a profound meaning compelling me to highlight several lines. This modest language has helped the author succinctly describe every character and scene. Bell has used imagery beautifully, consequently, the reader can visualize the action scenes as well as the conversations between the characters. It’s a testament to the author’s writing prowess that none of the characters felt incongruous – each contributed its part towards progressing the storyline.
The author seems to have an intimate knowledge of police procedures which lends an authenticity to the plot. Another fact that I liked was that this book was not just a crime thriller. The author has lent due emphasis on the emotional turmoil and vulnerabilities of being a cop. Further, the author has efficiently portrayed the interpersonal relationships. Bobby’s love for his wife and daughter are etched out all over the story. The bonhomie between Bobby and Pollo (a fellow cop) is not overly done but delivers the much-needed lightness to a novel handling such dark themes.
In the process of discovering the murderer, Bobby must confront some uncomfortable truths about human behavior which are unsettling for him. All he wants is to be with his family, but the sudden spate of murders that jolts the tranquil town of Dunedin leaves him with no time for them. The duel between his duty as a police officer and his responsibilities as a father and husband is another facet of this story that will appeal to the readers. Moreover, the tidbits at the end of the novel will give readers something to explore at leisure time. The first page of the novel deserves a special mention. It was puzzling to me and only after I read the climax, was I able to decipher its meaning.
Although the novel provides a gripping climax, however, the question – Why the murders were committed – is never concretely answered. The reader gets every answer from the cop’s point of view and is never shown the murderer’s perspective. Personally, I wanted to know what drove the murderer to such a monstrosity.
Nevertheless, I will give it a 4 out of 4 since it is a deeply riveting murder mystery. It is a fast-paced story and completely immersive. Finn Bell just blew me away with his writing. Given the premise, I had never expected it to be such a satisfying read. The novel is professionally edited as I could not find any mistakes in it. I will recommend it to anyone looking for a well-executed crime thriller. However, the murder scenes are gory and gruesome, hence, faint-hearted people stay away!
******
Pancake Money
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Debjani Ghosh's review? Post a comment saying so!
