Review by Sammuthee -- Pancake Money by Finn Bell

[MuthoniMuriithi]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Pancake Money" by Finn Bell.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Pancake Money is a crime novel written by Finn Bell. It is set in New Zealand and features a police detective investigating the horrific deaths that have been happening. The events in the novel unfold in six days. Each chapter is assigned a specific day of the six days that the events systematically take place.

Bobby is the protagonist of the novel. He is a police detective who works with his partner Pollo Latu, in a quest to find out alleged killers. Ironically, they have no clue who the suspects are or the reasons why murder has become an order of the day. As the story unfolds, Bobby loses his partner Pollo making his quest more complicated.

I liked reading the novel because of the choice of characters that the author developed and the close bond that he created between them and the reader. Through that bond, I felt connected to the protagonist to a point where if something went wrong against him, I would come out to defend him as a witness. The storyline was breathtaking as it kept me engaged throughout the reading session. There were unexpected twists as the story progressed. These twists made the story to be action-packed and adventurous. The story was also resonating since the author was able to meet cohesiveness by ensuring that the chapters related harmoniously and thus a reader cannot want to miss even a sentence in this novel. Lastly, I enjoyed reading this novel because of its suspense throughout the six days that the events unfold.

Despite the novel's astonishing story, I disliked the author's portrayal of the explicit manslaughter prevalent in the story. His tone in expressing the murders is formal and makes them appear as minor happenings. I did not like the way he explicitly described the ruthless torture and killing of the priest. The description made the book look like horror and imagery created made me fear while reading through some chapters.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Although I disliked a few elements, the likes outshined them. The language used in the story was precise and clear. I did not encounter any error showing the book was well-written. I recommend this book to all lovers of investigative novels and drama. The mature audience would best fit in this category because the images and descriptions that the author has used may not favor young readers.

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Pancake Money
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[Ciru_phoebe]

Am definitely going to read this book. The reviewer has captured my interest immensely. The action and adventure promised in an investigative book is enough motivation to read it.