OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Looking for Alice" by Luna Miller.]

Looking for Alice by Luna Miller is a fast-paced story about Gunvor Strom, a retired surgeon who has recently become a private detective. When Nadja Franzon’s husband starts acting nervous and shady, she requests Gunvor’s help in finding out if he is having an affair. Gunvor lands herself in the middle of a dangerous case and reaches out to some people she has recently become acquainted with in order to get some help. As Gunvor and her team learn more about Mikael Franzon through different situations they encounter, they begin to realize that he has fallen into a very dangerous pit that could get him killed. Follow this team of detectives as they track down leads and solve this case in the story Looking for Alice, the first in a series centering around Gunvor Strom.

The synopsis of this book sounded quite intriguing, and I am glad that I read it. The story had an Agatha Christie vibe to it, and I am a huge fan of her writing! I believe that there were also at least two references in the story itself in which Gunvor is called “Miss Marple,” who is one of Christie's detective protagonists in her books. It was fun to see that connection because Gunvor did resemble Miss Marple in many ways.

I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. There were parts of the book that I enjoyed quite a bit, but there were many sections that just felt very bland to me. There was very little development among the characters. The only person I felt had true growth in the story was David, one of the young men that Gunvor recruits to help with her case. The rest of the characters fell very flat and were mostly one-sided. There were also parts of the plot that felt cheesy for a story that falls under the mystery genre. However, some sequences were action-packed and exciting, and the more I progressed through the book, the better it got! The final few chapters were intriguing, but I do wish that the rest of the story had the same intensity to it.

The book was professionally edited, and I found very few errors as I worked my way through it. It was easy to read, and I was able to finish the book in about a day. I am a huge fan of action and suspense, so I was a little disappointed with my overall experience with this book. It just didn't have the kind of power that gets me invested in a story.

If you’re looking for a quick mystery, I would recommend Looking for Alice. However, if you’re wanting a deep and emotionally intense story with complex characters, I don’t think this will be the most enjoyable book. I am still going to keep an eye out for a sequel because Miller ended this story with a great setup for a second book!

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Looking for Alice
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When I saw the title the first thing I thought of was Alice in Wonderland, but I'm really intrigued that the author followed a similar style of Agatha Christie. I personally love Miss Marple and I'm glad the author created a book with a similar vibe. It's a shame that the story couldn't carry the intensity though as that's an integral part of a crime thriller. Thanks for the review.

I wanted to read it but now I just don't know if I should. Great review, very honest

The reference to Agatha Cristie was enough to hook me in, but it seems that the author couldn't do justice to the plot. Appreciate the review though.

After reading about the author's background, I could say that this novel is suitable for people with a surgical interest in mysteries. I have mixed feelings about it because good characters add to the thrill. Thank you for your honest review!

A wonderful idea for a book but the author doesn’t develop the idea just as wonderfully. The beginning of your review had my heart almost racing, so it was quite a crash to learn that it did not progress as expected.
Thank you for the honest review!

As a mystery lover, I'd have loved to read this book but I think I'll pass since you rated it a 2 out of 4...great review by the way...completely honest

If this is the first book in a series, it may well be that subsequent books will be better. I've seen this happen often, where the first book is a little awkward but others improve. Fingers crossed!

Nice review but rating it two out of four stars makes one not have interest in reading the book.

The title of the book seemed quite captivating. But learning about the pitfalls the book carries, I might refrain from reading it. Well written review.