Review of Arsenic and Old Men

[Poojitha Borra]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Arsenic and Old Men" by Glenn Ickler.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Imagine if the opportunity came up to go on a vacation to an exotic island in Massachusetts. The delight of soaking in the sun and feeling the muscles rejuvenate, watching the waves ripple away, eating delicious meals from the restaurants, taking a ferry ride on top of that is just too good to pass up. Whatever be the circumstances. In the book Arsenic and Old Men by Glenn Ickler, Mitch and Al experienced something like this.

Dave's uncle Walter had died, and him being Walter's only living relative, was summoned by uncle's lawyer Richard Rylander to take care of the formalities. He wanted his close friends Mitch and Al to accompany them for emotional support. Upon learning that Walter's death was a homicide rather than a heart attack, the emotions escalate quickly. With nearly no clues left, after living in the cottage/murder scene by the group unknowingly, no obvious enemies that are known, what will the trio do? How will they find the murderer? Most importantly, who is it and why?

The vivid description of Martha's Vineyard in terms of its weather, beach, and landscape will make the reader feel lost in its beauty. The characters in the story are a highlight of this book. They are very well-developed, each with its unique traits, mannerisms, and nuances. That makes reading them quite enjoyable. Although this is my first encounter with the author's body of work, I was pleasantly surprised how quickly I understood the sweet equation the three shared, as well as the bittersweet one with Detective Gouveia. The writing style is through and through rib-tickling and chucklesome. The reader is never bored and hence a page-turner.

There is nothing that I do not like in this book. It seems nit-picky, but I would say the pace at which the story progressed until two-thirds of the book was a bit slow. There was a pattern of repetitive events. On the other hand, they were hilarious to read, and therein lies the author's ingenuity. After all that I have mentioned, it's a no-brainer that I give this book 4 out of 4 stars.

Aside from having a gripping plot, this book is exceptionally well-edited. I am looking forward to reading more of the author's work. If you love murder investigations, suspense, and humor, this is the book for you. The book contains some profanity and vulgarity, so it is better suited to an older audience.

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Arsenic and Old Men
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[Medhansh Bhardwaj]

If the repetitive events in this book were hilarious, I have no problem. I love humor in a book: even if it comes in the same way multiple time. Thanks for the great review!

[DyanaFl]

Your review makes it seem like the humor would be worth the initial slow pace. The relationships between the characters sounds great. Thanks for the great detailed review!

[NancyDrew12]

The plot of this story sounds very entertaining! I love when a book has descriptions so vivid that I can see them in my mind! Nicely done review!

[Poojitha Borra]

If the repetitive events in this book were hilarious, I have no problem. I love humor in a book: even if it comes in the same way multiple time. Thanks for the great review!

This story is quite hilarious. You will definitely like it.