Review of Pancake Money

[Madalina Voicu]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Pancake Money" by Finn Bell.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Pancake Money by author Finn Bell is a brilliant murder mystery/psychological thriller. The book tells the story of detective Bobby Ress and his partner, Pollo Latu, as they embark on the mission of finding out who is killing Catholic priests in the most gruesome ways.

The story takes place in Dunedin, a small town in New Zealand, and besides the murder mystery element, it also approaches the social element involving the Maori community, which I personally enjoyed as it helped me find out interesting things about this community.

The main character, Detective Bobby Ress, is a devoted husband and father but often struggles to find a balance between his work and family life. His relationship with his partner, Pollo, extends beyond their work, as he is a friend as well as a mentor to him.

The case takes a toll on both of them, as dead bodies keep showing up at an alarming pace, and clues seem to lead to a local Maori gang.

One recurring motif in the book is pain and the idea that pain is the one single thing that can change how the brain works. The psychological implications of how pain affects the brain are explored mostly through the character of Ann Bowlby, who teaches forensic psychology and turns out to have more connections to the case than expected. While this premise is interesting and brings a new twist to the story, I found it a bit repetitive at times; however, this did not diminish the appeal of the story.

The psychological exploration of the book gives the book a “Criminal Minds” vibe, which I really appreciated, as I’m a big fan of psychological thrillers and this type of mystery. The book does depict some violent crimes and brutal scenes, making this inappropriate for young or sensitive readers.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book; it was well written, and I also learned new things about Maori culture and New Zealand, and I very much appreciated the insights provided at the end of the story provided by the author, where he provides additional details on what inspired the story and the characters. Despite a few minor drawbacks, I’m giving this five out of five stars, as I found it to be a fascinating and enthralling read.

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Pancake Money
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