Official Review: Dodgy Dogs and Bloody Bastards

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Justine Ocsebio
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Official Review: Dodgy Dogs and Bloody Bastards

Post by Justine Ocsebio »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dodgy Dogs and Bloody Bastards" by J T Owens.]
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2 out of 4 stars
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The year is 1950 and, in the town of Starmouth, a pharmacist named Ben Ellacott is a missing person. A pair of police officers, Detective Inspector James Temple and Sergeant Tom Cantwell, was sent to investigate Ellacott’s whereabouts. A seemingly ordinary mission took a dramatic turn when Temple and Cantwell’s investigation steered towards the discovery of an illegal greyhound gambling business. What does Ben Ellacott’s disappearance have to do with this? Will Temple and Cantwell be able to deliver justice to this mission?

As I start reading, I find J.T. Owens’ writing style interesting. The air of mystery and intrigue is present, but it is not the type of story that will keep you guessing along with the characters. The reader is merely a spectator who follows the characters as they figure out what the reader already knows. There is an interesting relationship dynamic between Cantwell and Temple in the beginning. Cantwell is a bit slow and gullible, whereas Temple is a serious, short-tempered man.

Through the story, one will learn about the lifestyle in the 1950s. It was interesting to know, for example, that people back then were heavily reliant on the cinema and the pub for entertainment. At the time, people needed the entertainment to relieve the distress brought by the war. Additionally, greyhound racing was something I have not heard of, so I liked how this book gave me an idea about it.

I did enjoy a handful of things in this book. Unfortunately, there were also several aspects that I disliked. The engaging reading experience brought by the unique storytelling eventually waned. The reader’s omniscience completely diminished the sense of thrill and anticipation. The author threw multiple characters into the story, but because they weren’t fleshed out properly, there was hardly anything to care about them. And because it was hard to sympathize with the characters, it diluted the impact of the action and the dramatic scenes. I also wished that the author did not rush the ending. The resolution became a mere summary of events, which wasn’t enough to provide a meaningful closure to the reader.

I decided to give Dodgy Dogs and Bloody Bastards a rating of 2 out of 4 stars because of the flaws in the narrative. The editing was also a problem, as I came across plenty of minor errors throughout the text. I did not give it a one because I liked the initial part of the book. Regardless of its shortcomings, I think readers who like very plot-driven books can still find this one a worthy read. The story is nothing too complex, so one should be able to follow along with ease. I also would recommend this to those who are curious about greyhound racing during the 1950s. However, this is not the book for readers who prefer character-driven novels.

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Dodgy Dogs and Bloody Bastards
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Smmwallace
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Post by Smmwallace »

This book has a unique plot with greyhound racing, which I find interesting. Thank you for your informative and great review!
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Becca Olsson
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Post by Becca Olsson »

It’s disappointing when an author doesn’t give the characters the depth they deserve to make the readers care about them as much as the author. Thanks for your great review!
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Adhithya K R
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Post by Adhithya K R »

I enjoyed reading your review a lot. It had a detailed analysis of how the characters had been developed, and a clear recommendation at the end about the kind of people who might like this book. I won't be picking up this book, for sure, but I will be following your reviews. Would you recommend any books in this genre that had done a better job with, say, crime fiction in the 1950s?
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NetMassimo
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Post by NetMassimo »

It looks like this book has great potential but it wasn't developed properly. Serious editing might change that. Thank you for your honest review!
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C3cilia
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Post by C3cilia »

Great review.Temple and Cantwell make a great team due to different characters.The search mission is so interesting.Am particularly interested with the lifestyle of the 1950s.
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Mwatu
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Post by Mwatu »

Greyhound racing also sounds like an interesting topic to me. It is unfortunate that the book is not as engaging as could be and the several errors. Thank you for this lovely review!
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Raluca_Mihaila
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Post by Raluca_Mihaila »

The book starts from an interesting idea, so it's a pity that the author ruined the mystery by revealing everything to the reader. I also like to guess and try to discover the killer for myself. And I believe that most of the fans of the mystery thrillers do. Thank yout for your objective analysis and your well-written review!
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Mariana Figueira
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Post by Mariana Figueira »

I like the 50's theme, it's a shame about the editing though. Thanks for the amazing review!
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