Review of Requiem for Geraldine Gerbil

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Buk Nerd
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Review of Requiem for Geraldine Gerbil

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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Requiem for Geraldine Gerbil" by J. Stewart Willis.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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The murder of beloved children's author Daphne “Daffy” O’Hanlon shocks her family and fans of her popular Geraldine Gerbil books. Surprising still is the long list of potential suspects, including her husband and two daughters. Nothing is as it seems as the truth about Daphne and her books is revealed.

Leslie Givens and Drury Metzinger, detectives in the Alexandria Virginia Police Department, have been tasked with solving the case of Daphne’s murder. It is soon discovered that Daphne was a cruel narcissist who would not be missed. With very little evidence and an abundance of suspects, the discovery of yet another body at Daphne’s house puts a new sense of urgency on the case. Who murdered Daphne, and why? Are the two murders related? Will there be another victim?

Requiem for Geraldine Gerbil is a classic whodunnit murder mystery novel by J. Stewart Willis. I have nothing but high praise for the unique storyline, character development, and plot execution. Fans of police procedurals are sure to enjoy this enthralling book. The plot flowed at a measured pace, gradually picking up steam and suspense as the story progressed. In true police-procedural fashion, the story's focus was as much on detectives Leslie and Drury’s lives as it was on the case and everyone involved. This made for a highly engaging and entertaining read.

I liked how unpredictable the storyline was, thanks to the constant plot twists. This not only prolonged the nail-biting suspense but also deepened the mystery. Try as I might, I could not determine who the killer(s) could be, which made the big reveal all the more satisfying. I also liked how the book gently touched on discussions surrounding race and what it means to be a black female detective. It lent some depth and credibility to the plot thread. I also liked how detective Drury’s fourteen-year-old son, Ben, proved to be a chip off the old block when his first attempt at sleuthing got his dad out of trouble.

I could not find fault with anything about this book save for a few editing errors - mostly line spacing and typos - which another round of careful proofreading can fix. The book contained no sexual or sexually suggestive content, minimal scenes of violence, but quite a bit of strong language. The original narrative thread and engaging plot delivery lead me to rate Requiem for Geraldine Gerbil 3 out of 4 stars. The errors mentioned compels me to deduct a star. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I look forward to reading more books like it by J. Stewart Willis.

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Requiem for Geraldine Gerbil
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Post by maggi3 »

I haven't read too many mystery novels, but this sounds like an engaging and interesting book. I also like the addition of real world issues. I might give this one a try. Thanks for the review!
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Post by The frant1c reader »

A classic murder mystery! It's been quite sometime since I've read a unique murder novel. Since most of them were easy to predict I was glad you mentioned otherwise about this book. It's commendable how well you've written this review! :D
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Post by Buk Nerd »

maggi3 wrote: 24 Jun 2021, 23:30 I haven't read too many mystery novels, but this sounds like an engaging and interesting book. I also like the addition of real world issues. I might give this one a try. Thanks for the review!
I’m glad you liked the review. Thank you for leaving a comment.
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Post by Buk Nerd »

The frant1c reader wrote: 25 Jun 2021, 05:10 A classic murder mystery! It's been quite sometime since I've read a unique murder novel. Since most of them were easy to predict I was glad you mentioned otherwise about this book. It's commendable how well you've written this review! :D
I appreciate the kind words. Thank you so much! :)
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Post by NetMassimo »

This seems like an intriguing murder mystery with a storyline that includes some important issues. Thank you for your great review!
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Post by marcel lawrence »

This would be an amazing story, I just like the part of uncovering the murder mystery. I would certainly get this book. Thanks for your review.
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Post by markodim721 »

I like that the author undertook a thorough research before writing this interesting novel. Thanks for the objectivity.
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Post by Buk Nerd »

NetMassimo wrote: 30 Jun 2021, 06:43 This seems like an intriguing murder mystery with a storyline that includes some important issues. Thank you for your great review!
Thank you for your kind words.
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Post by Buk Nerd »

marcel lawrence wrote: 07 Jul 2021, 11:16 This would be an amazing story, I just like the part of uncovering the murder mystery. I would certainly get this book. Thanks for your review.
Thank you so much for commenting.
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Post by Buk Nerd »

markodim721 wrote: 22 Jul 2021, 03:42 I like that the author undertook a thorough research before writing this interesting novel. Thanks for the objectivity.
I’m glad you enjoyed the review, thank you.
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