OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Senseless" by Barbara Gural.]

Senseless, by Barbara Gural, tells the story of Dylan Dougherty. Dylan is both a detective and a physician who is trying to solve a case involving a suspect who maims people by taking away one of their five senses: sight, smell, touch, hearing, or taste. While caught up in this case, Dylan also has to deal with a sick mother and a boyfriend who feels unappreciated. Will Dylan be able to figure out how to balance her personal life while also catching the suspect?

Based on the description of this book, I really thought I was going to love it. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Dylan was a very unlikeable character. She was very self-involved and made questionable decisions. As a detective, she constantly broke rules and did things that went against protocol. She probably could have been fired multiple times. Without giving any spoilers, someone close to her was also seriously injured, and she forgave the person responsible for the injury without a second thought. It didn't make any sense.

I also wasn't a fan of the author's writing style. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I think the problem was that it didn't flow well. The scenes changed abruptly, and the dialogue between the characters was awkward.

Despite those negatives, the premise of the book was interesting. Having people maimed according to the five senses was a unique idea. I did want to keep reading to find out who the suspect was in the end, even though I was able to guess who the person was.

The book does have a few sex scenes, adult language, and a little gore. Readers should keep that in mind. But those who enjoy mysteries might enjoy the book.

I would rate Senseless 3 out of 5 stars. I can't rate it any higher because of the writing style and my dislike of the main character. However, I wouldn't rate it any lower because I wanted to keep reading to see how it ended and the book was professionally edited.

Overall, Senseless was a decent read. I'm glad I took the time to read it.

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Senseless
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The unique premise of a killer targeting the senses definitely intrigued me, but it sounds like the protagonist’s decisions and the writing style made it hard to fully enjoy. Still, the mystery kept things interesting enough to finish, even if it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

Dylan was a very unlikeable character. She was very self-involved and made questionable decisions. As a detective, she constantly broke rules and did things that went against protocol. She probably could have been fired multiple times. Without giving any spoilers, someone close to her was also seriously injured, and she forgave the person responsible for the injury without a second thought. It didn't make any sense.

I think this justifies the title "Senseless," but it also doesn't make sense to be a criminal just by removing people's senses. However, its just a book and you'll have to mind travel from the real world to the world of the book which is the imagination of the author.

This seems like a thriller with good potential that is hindered by a less-than-perfect execution. An unlikable protagonist might make sense, but her actions should make sense instead. More editing work, also to make the plot flow better, might help. Thank you for your honest review!