OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Point of Return" by Lloyd Tosoff.]

Point of Return by Lloyd Tosoff is a story that revolves around Ian MacLeod, a naïve accountant who is hired as an auditor by the Glasgow based accounting firm RIA. But it turns out that he has been set up and gets caught up in a murder conspiracy. Ian is innocent and is forced to stand against the ruthless Scottish mob. This story is beautifully complex and enthralling and will take into the realm of crime and deceit.

I feel that the plot of the story is absolutely wonderful. The story begins at a moment of climax, and this adds flavour to the reader’s experience as the reader will find himself to be drawn to the story from the very first word. The first chapter is very important because it sets the precedent for what will come in the following chapters. I felt that the overall storyline was very strong and the author has done justice to the story by presenting it in his own unique way.

The author has not created a linear narrative, which can be restrictive for a number of reasons. He has fused together different events to form a more fluid narrative. There is also a consistency in the plot and it is difficult to find a disconnect anywhere in the story. I feel that in this particular genre, the most important thing is the plot and I feel that overall, the author created a well-developed plot.

Another significant thing about this book is the characterisation in it. The way the author has created characters is a bit disappointing. At a point, I felt that other than the protagonist, all other characters of the story are a bit flat. They didn’t seem to have come into the story with their own pasts and baggage. I would have loved to see more backstory in the context of the side characters because I feel that the characterisation of the author limited the narrative to a certain extent. That being said, I definitely loved the characterisation of the protagonist. I feel that Ian was projected as a strong but naive character who had a lot to offer in the story.

Overall, I feel that this book deserves 3 out of 4 stars. I absolutely loved the story, but I felt that there were a few important elements missing. I also felt that at a certain level, the overall narrative lacked complexity, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it made the book a bit boring at times.

One thing that I absolutely loved about the story is the way the author has sensitively differentiated between different dialects and speaking styles within the United Kingdom. It was really interesting to see that different cultures had not been put in the same box.

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Point of Return
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It's really too bad about the characters. That can make or break a book. I do love the idea of a murder conspiracy centered around an accountant. Maybe the author can do a little editing and make this truly great. Thanks for the review.

It seems like you have mostly enjoyed this book. As noted above, the other characters (and their lack of depth) really can make or break a book. The different dialects...I don't always appreciate this in books, so I would need to see how it is done. It can either make it hard to read, or come across as culturally insensitive. But I appreciate that you like that part of the book.

I am an accountant, so this book had me at hello. It's nice to see authors making use of accountants in exciting stories. There's no better way to dispel rumors that we are boring, LOL. I'd like to see Ian get one over the Mob!

i have read the story so interesting but the story has left me hanging the naive accountant then trapped in murder ,i thought you would go abit deeper to show how the murder came about .,was it at work ,had he committed the offence prior that he devulged the information ,was it due to his new assignment that he was trying to conceal somewhat theft like offence.....otherwise the story states well
benjamin mulingoki

This sounds like an intriguing story so I am sad it fails when it comes to the characters. However, these kinds of twists and runs are a pull for me so I think I will go ahead and try it.

Thank you, it is certainly intriguing.

From the review the book is an interesting one but the author is the real case here

I never came across a thriller book that involves an accountant. I would like to give this a try. Thank you for your in-depth review.