Review by eleanor22 -- Pancake Money by Finn Bell
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eleanor22
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- Latest Review: Pancake Money by Finn Bell
Review by eleanor22 -- Pancake Money by Finn Bell
[Following is a volunteer review of "Pancake Money" by Finn Bell.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Pancake Money by Finn Bell is an engrossing crime novel that follows police officer Bobby Ress, as he and his fellow detective Pollo Latu delve into the mystery of who’s been murdering priests in the city of Dunedin, New Zealand.
As the bodies start to pile up, with crime scene after gruesome symbolic crime scene adding to the sensation of fear in the town, the detectives have their attentions split between the secretive visitors of a hidden property owned by the Catholic Church and the cagey members of the local Maori gang Manga Kahu. Bobby and Pollo wonder whether the killings are part of some type of revenge plot, a sexual killing or even a more sinister statement by a powerful group meant to send a message. The detectives travel around the city and the coast searching for clues and filing police reports as they try to solve the slayings. Meanwhile it’s clear that the book endeavors to be not just a whodunit but also an examination of how the impulse towards evil develops in the human mind.
Bell’s paragraphs are efficient, always moving along the plot and giving the characters just enough personality to be distinguished as archetypes, but not ones in need of emotional development. Bobby and Pollo both have families that they seem to adequately care about, but any words superfluous to building the plot or contributing action are dedicated to furthering his examination of the human psyche. Bell, and by extension, Bobby, are fascinated with good and evil and Pancake Money is thoughtful enough to ask questions that so many mystery novels are content to skip over: Where does evil come from? Why do people break the law? Bell dedicates the bulk of writing volume that’s not dedicated to action, to turning over this question. It’s up to personal taste whether this philosophical contemplation is appealing in thriller, but it’s certainly done with competence and in a fairly precise way.
Another point of issue is the murder of an unexpected character midway through the book. It’s hard not to wonder if it’s the type of plot-point that’s been thrown in midway to add some emotional weight. Ultimately it’s necessary to consider what the author uses the sacrifice of a character to do in a particular book. Pancake Money handles the character death competently but it’s hard to completely shake the sense that the trope used is an emotion-wringing cliché. A minor weird thing that kept bubbling up was how inconsistent Bobby Ress’ daughter seemed to come across age-wise. Sometimes she seems pretty savvy for an 11-year-old, and sometimes she doesn’t seem savvy enough.
With all of this said, Pancake Money is a worthwhile thriller that will give its readers more than just a few twists and turns with a villain at the end. Finn Bell is obviously a writer who has a great deal of affection for the places and the subject he’s writing about. Finn Bell keeps his chapters brisk and action-packed, but also treats the subjects of his story with a kind of compassion and curiosity that’s not necessarily a given in every mystery novel. The novel is unique and exciting and adeptly maneuvers its way to 4 out of 4 stars.
******
Pancake Money
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4 out of 4 stars
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Pancake Money by Finn Bell is an engrossing crime novel that follows police officer Bobby Ress, as he and his fellow detective Pollo Latu delve into the mystery of who’s been murdering priests in the city of Dunedin, New Zealand.
As the bodies start to pile up, with crime scene after gruesome symbolic crime scene adding to the sensation of fear in the town, the detectives have their attentions split between the secretive visitors of a hidden property owned by the Catholic Church and the cagey members of the local Maori gang Manga Kahu. Bobby and Pollo wonder whether the killings are part of some type of revenge plot, a sexual killing or even a more sinister statement by a powerful group meant to send a message. The detectives travel around the city and the coast searching for clues and filing police reports as they try to solve the slayings. Meanwhile it’s clear that the book endeavors to be not just a whodunit but also an examination of how the impulse towards evil develops in the human mind.
Bell’s paragraphs are efficient, always moving along the plot and giving the characters just enough personality to be distinguished as archetypes, but not ones in need of emotional development. Bobby and Pollo both have families that they seem to adequately care about, but any words superfluous to building the plot or contributing action are dedicated to furthering his examination of the human psyche. Bell, and by extension, Bobby, are fascinated with good and evil and Pancake Money is thoughtful enough to ask questions that so many mystery novels are content to skip over: Where does evil come from? Why do people break the law? Bell dedicates the bulk of writing volume that’s not dedicated to action, to turning over this question. It’s up to personal taste whether this philosophical contemplation is appealing in thriller, but it’s certainly done with competence and in a fairly precise way.
Another point of issue is the murder of an unexpected character midway through the book. It’s hard not to wonder if it’s the type of plot-point that’s been thrown in midway to add some emotional weight. Ultimately it’s necessary to consider what the author uses the sacrifice of a character to do in a particular book. Pancake Money handles the character death competently but it’s hard to completely shake the sense that the trope used is an emotion-wringing cliché. A minor weird thing that kept bubbling up was how inconsistent Bobby Ress’ daughter seemed to come across age-wise. Sometimes she seems pretty savvy for an 11-year-old, and sometimes she doesn’t seem savvy enough.
With all of this said, Pancake Money is a worthwhile thriller that will give its readers more than just a few twists and turns with a villain at the end. Finn Bell is obviously a writer who has a great deal of affection for the places and the subject he’s writing about. Finn Bell keeps his chapters brisk and action-packed, but also treats the subjects of his story with a kind of compassion and curiosity that’s not necessarily a given in every mystery novel. The novel is unique and exciting and adeptly maneuvers its way to 4 out of 4 stars.
******
Pancake Money
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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Latest Review: Pancake Money by Finn Bell
