Review of The Mystery of the Gold Coin
Posted: 30 Nov 2023, 11:01
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Mystery of the Gold Coin" by Chrissy Piccolo.]
Growing up, Kirsten Kelly, a private investigator from downtown Seattle, believed there was more to her than her ordinary life. Her adoptive parents, Sean and Helen Kelly, made every effort to encourage her, and as a result, she grew up to be a strong-willed, compassionate adult. When Kirsten established her investigation firm, Scotty Wilson joined her. All was well in her world until she discovered a mysterious parcel in the mailbox. It was empty, with just a gold coin and no address, note, or explanation. Flabbergasted, Kirsten and her boyfriend, Nate St. Clare, an employee of the prosecutor's office, decided to look into the coin. However, her questioning caught the attention of the criminals, and Kirsten got kidnapped. To find out what happened next, read The Mystery of the Gold Coin by Chrissy Piccolo.
This action-packed sci-fi thriller is a perfect beginning to a series full of nods to films such as Star Wars. Using an omniscient narrative, the author provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of the story. The narrative switches between characters, allowing us to see multiple parallel plotlines. As the story progresses, several secrets unfold, revealing Kirsten's true identity. Everybody in her immediate surroundings possesses a secret identity, too. We learn that the Space Force is real and is part of the Galactic Federation of Worlds, which wants to stop the Draco Reptilian Aliens from destroying worlds to take complete control over all possible timelines. Kirsten may hold the key to permanently eliminating those invaders. I loved the discussion about pyramids and their origins. Suspense builds from the very beginning. The author's descriptive writing style and attention to minute details make the story come to life. Because of their unwavering commitment to Kirsten and their objective, both Nate and Scotty are admirable individuals.
The story is professionally edited, as I found only minor errors in the form of missing punctuation. It contains few profanities but no sexual content, making it suitable for teenage readers. The book ends with an unexpected twist that I never saw coming.
As for the drawbacks, I would point out that although the omniscient narrative style does a good job of telling the story, it prevents readers from feeling a connection to the characters on an emotional level. Because everything is "told" rather than "shown," the characters' emotions and actions are superficial. It's also disappointing how little the romance plotline progressed. In the initial chapters, it becomes difficult to keep track of who is who because so many characters are introduced at once. None of them ever make a significant subsequent appearance. Hopefully, they'll have more prominent roles in the upcoming books. While some readers may find the movie references interesting, most of them—aside from Star Wars—made little sense to me. And the story ends on a major cliffhanger! Due to these reasons, I would rate this book 4 out of 5.
I recommend this book to sci-fi lovers who don't mind cliffhanger endings. Readers interested in history and crime thrillers would also find this book enjoyable.
******
The Mystery of the Gold Coin
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Growing up, Kirsten Kelly, a private investigator from downtown Seattle, believed there was more to her than her ordinary life. Her adoptive parents, Sean and Helen Kelly, made every effort to encourage her, and as a result, she grew up to be a strong-willed, compassionate adult. When Kirsten established her investigation firm, Scotty Wilson joined her. All was well in her world until she discovered a mysterious parcel in the mailbox. It was empty, with just a gold coin and no address, note, or explanation. Flabbergasted, Kirsten and her boyfriend, Nate St. Clare, an employee of the prosecutor's office, decided to look into the coin. However, her questioning caught the attention of the criminals, and Kirsten got kidnapped. To find out what happened next, read The Mystery of the Gold Coin by Chrissy Piccolo.
This action-packed sci-fi thriller is a perfect beginning to a series full of nods to films such as Star Wars. Using an omniscient narrative, the author provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of the story. The narrative switches between characters, allowing us to see multiple parallel plotlines. As the story progresses, several secrets unfold, revealing Kirsten's true identity. Everybody in her immediate surroundings possesses a secret identity, too. We learn that the Space Force is real and is part of the Galactic Federation of Worlds, which wants to stop the Draco Reptilian Aliens from destroying worlds to take complete control over all possible timelines. Kirsten may hold the key to permanently eliminating those invaders. I loved the discussion about pyramids and their origins. Suspense builds from the very beginning. The author's descriptive writing style and attention to minute details make the story come to life. Because of their unwavering commitment to Kirsten and their objective, both Nate and Scotty are admirable individuals.
The story is professionally edited, as I found only minor errors in the form of missing punctuation. It contains few profanities but no sexual content, making it suitable for teenage readers. The book ends with an unexpected twist that I never saw coming.
As for the drawbacks, I would point out that although the omniscient narrative style does a good job of telling the story, it prevents readers from feeling a connection to the characters on an emotional level. Because everything is "told" rather than "shown," the characters' emotions and actions are superficial. It's also disappointing how little the romance plotline progressed. In the initial chapters, it becomes difficult to keep track of who is who because so many characters are introduced at once. None of them ever make a significant subsequent appearance. Hopefully, they'll have more prominent roles in the upcoming books. While some readers may find the movie references interesting, most of them—aside from Star Wars—made little sense to me. And the story ends on a major cliffhanger! Due to these reasons, I would rate this book 4 out of 5.
I recommend this book to sci-fi lovers who don't mind cliffhanger endings. Readers interested in history and crime thrillers would also find this book enjoyable.
******
The Mystery of the Gold Coin
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
. I would love to read this book soon, so I will add it to my list. It is definitely gonna be a joyful read. I also see what you disliked about the book and thanks for that as well. Have a great time!
