Review by Julez -- Pancake Money by Finn Bell

[Julez]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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Finn Bell is an award-winning amazon bestselling author who introduces his readers to the world of crime and its workings through this fantastic thriller, Pancake Money. A fantastic tale spinner; he is able to weave his words around the imagination of his readers and keep them spellbound in a world of crime and mysteries. I was held ransom to this book until the end, and even then, I still wanted more. Although this isn’t his first book, Finn Bell is definitely an author to look out for.

Across the plains of New Zealand, Bobby Ress and Pollo Latu are two street cops who are dissimilar in their thought processes but yet bonded by the kind of brotherly love that men rarely acknowledge. While Bobby approaches cases according to rules and what he has learnt from the classroom, Pollo just simply has a ‘knowing’ (intuition) about things and is surprisingly always right. Now, Catholic priests are being murdered daily; sending the people of the city into a state of panic and fear. The case seems bigger than Bobby and Pollo who can’t seem to figure out the motive behind the killings of these clergymen with stainless characters and history. How will they ever crack a case that has left no traces?

I really enjoyed the character of Bobby Ress as he struggled to balance his family issues with work. He also learnt to see that the world is not just divided into black and white or good and bad. I equally found the Maori tribe to be quite interesting. They were a family that could not be penetrated by the police or outside world. They reminded me a lot of the Italian mafia and their law of Omerta.

My only concern with this book is its title. For me, it didn’t seem to connect with the storyline despite the rushed explanation the writer tried to send across to his readers through his character, Pollo Latu’s drunken story at the start of the book.

Despite my concerns, I have always believed that there is a lesson or two to be picked from a book and this one is no exception. We are taken to a Forensic psychology class where we learn that Pain motivates/changes the behavior of all living things. We are also shown the inner workings of the mentally unbalanced and why they are the way they are.

Pancake Money is a must-have for lovers of crime fiction but I strongly advise that children should not be allowed to read this book due to the apt description of gory scenes. I rate it 4 out of 4 stars and even wish I could rate it more.

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Pancake Money
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Like Julez's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Ashiyya Tariq]

It's very interesting story especially for crime lovers. A detailed account of Forensic Psychology gives this book a unique touch. Thanks for this nice review.

[Julez]

Thank you very much, Sarah

It's very interesting story especially for crime lovers. A detailed account of Forensic Psychology gives this book a unique touch. Thanks for this nice review.

[Connie Otwani]

My only concern with this book is its title. For me, it didn’t seem to connect with the storyline despite the rushed explanation the writer tried to send across to his reader

I have seen this book around and have always wondered about the title. It's confounding when you can't figure out the 'why' of a unique title. I have so enjoyed reading your review! You do the book justice though the 'apt description of gory' makes me hesitate to pick it up!

[Fozia-Bajwa]

Hi Jules I have read your review of the book Pancake Money by Finn Bell. The most interesting character is of Bobby who makes balance between family and income. It's a good review. Carry on.

[Julez]

Thanks a lot, Cotwani. I won't do any sugarcoating because the killings are indeed gory. Still, the storyline is something you would love. I appreciate your feedback.

My only concern with this book is its title. For me, it didn’t seem to connect with the storyline despite the rushed explanation the writer tried to send across to his reader

I have seen this book around and have always wondered about the title. It's confounding when you can't figure out the 'why' of a unique title. I have so enjoyed reading your review! You do the book justice though the 'apt description of gory' makes me hesitate to pick it up!

[Julez]

Thank you, Fozia. I hope you get to read the book. I'm sure you'll love it.

Hi Jules I have read your review of the book Pancake Money by Finn Bell. The most interesting character is of Bobby who makes balance between family and income. It's a good review. Carry on.