Review by Davinasmith18 -- Pancake Money by Finn Bell

[Davinasmith18]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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Pancake Money by Finn Bell is a fascinating psychological thriller that takes the reader on a dramatic journey through the internal and external world of human nature and human behavior. Detective Bobby Ress grapples with balancing the complexities of his professional life as a police officer and his personal life as a husband, father, and friend. Bobby and his partner Pollo take readers on a roller coaster ride of unpredictable ups, and downs, and twists and turns as they try to solve a series of mysterious murders.

The book was intense. The vivid descriptions drew me deep into the pages of the book. I developed respect for Bobby and his commitment to work and family, and I felt compassion and sympathy for the mental and physical stress associated with long grueling police officer hours. I felt the love, hate, compassion, anger, and frustration that spewed from Bobby’s character. I could almost see the gruesome murders, and smell the blood, sweat, and tears. I could feel the fear, and at times I grew anxious as the characters raced to unravel the mystery.

I thought the title was clever and added to the mystery of the book. The lack of clarity and definition offered an opportunity to contemplate the potential hidden meanings behind the phrase pancake money. I found myself pondering the significance of pancakes in Bobby's world, and at times I could practically smell and taste the pancakes bringing a sense of familiarity and sweetness to an imperfect world. I am not a lover of suspense thriller books. However the title was intriguing enough for me to pick it up and once I began reading it, I did not want to put it down.

What I really liked about the book was the educational aspects that touched on both the physical and mental issues of police work. As the author attempted to make sense of human behavior and motivation, they offered in-depth discussions of love, pain, mental illness, and vengeance. They suggested a person is motivated to do bad things to obtain more of something. Most often people are seeking more money, sex or power, but the one sure way to drive change in someone is with the experience of pain. Enough pain will always cause a person to change. The problem is enough pain also comes with a price. Humans will do whatever they can to meet their needs and stop the pain, so if the pain continues for too long, the human brain responds with mental illness to make things better. The story was captivating because it had elements of both fiction and nonfiction that provided a mix of mystery, suspense, and enlightenment associated with the conflicts of the good and bad aspects of human nature. There is nothing I did not like about the book.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 because it kept me engaged and left me wanting more. I was left with questions to ponder and meaning to make about life and the decisions people make. I think this book will appeal to people who are inquisitive, enjoy adventure and have a desire to understand the darker side of humanity.

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Pancake Money
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[joycechitwa]

A book that tries to demystify human psychology and why we do what we do, sounds intriguing, to say the least. Bobby the main character already sounds lovable, especially how he tries to balance his role as a cop with his commitments as husband, father and friend. This, coupled with a few murder cases to be solved, makes a great case for lovers of mystery and thrillers to enjoy this work.