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Female Detective

The Fall

July 19, 2021 by Kimberle's Korner Leave a Comment

Recommended TV Series
The Fall by Acorn Media
Who it’s for: Adults

Brief Synopsis: Psychological thriller where a senior police officer from England is brought to Belfast, Ireland to lead the hunt for a serial killer.

Review: I was on hoopladigital.com browsing the tag Crime. I was in the mood for a new police procedural to watch. The cover caught my eye when I recognized Gillian Anderson from The X-Files and Jamie Doran from Fifty Shades. I have not watched many British productions. The ones I have watched have been mostly comedies produced by BBC television. This is a drama produced by Acorn, which, judging by the promotional images, probably lacked humor. I had only watched two BBC dramas but I absolutely loved them (Sherlock and Orphan Black). They were not original story concepts (there are only so many). To me the stories were produced, written, directed, and acted in completely fresh and new ways. The Fall is a TV show about the hunt for a serial killer that focuses on the killer and the police officer hunting him.  I predicted The Fall would tell this unoriginal idea in a way that I had never experienced before that would leave an impression just like Sherlock and Orphan Black.

Thankfully, I guessed correctly. 😁

The Fall seemed like it would be a darker version of Dexter, the Showtime TV series about a serial killer. I really, really, really liked Dexter. I was a little concerned that there might be gore, graphic murders, or rape scenes. I checked the reviews and was assured that was not the case. The Fall was not like Dexter where I got to know almost every aspect of the serial killer and the detectives hunting him. In The Fall, the murder victims and the other people in their lives are not the relationships that captured my attention. I am not sure if it is because it is a British production or an aspect of their culture but even by the end of the series both main characters are still a little like work associates not close friends. The TV show did reveal some things about their personalities and relationships with others that kept me very interested. It was not enough for me to truly root for one or the other. It was a great story but not one that invested too many emotions for me except excitement and anticipation of what comes next. At one point or another, I felt sympathy for Paul, Gibson, the murder victims, the police officers Gibson showed up by being brilliant, and Paul’s family. However, unlike in USA tv shows where I truly felt an emotional connection with the characters, if Paul or Gibson did something out of character, I would be annoyed but not highly upset (like I was with the last season of Dexter. 😤 still mad about that disaster of a season!)

Another reason I decided to watch this show is that it is a British TV drama. The entire TV series ends fairly quickly. It only has 3 seasons (or series as they call it). I consider this a binge worthy series. Every season it felt like Gibson was going to catch Paul or he would turn himself in or something.  I must say that is very good production, writing, and acting when I know a TV show lasts for 3 seasons but almost every episode kept me on the edge of my seat. That is the only reason I binged it. Normally I take my time with TV series; watching 1-2 episodes a day; finishing it in 3 or 4months. With The Fall, I could not wait for my hoopla checkouts to renew. I got the physical DVD copies and watched the entire 3 seasons in about 2 weeks. BINGE. WORTHY. I looked for similar shows. I was told about the Netflix series You which is based on a novel written by Caroline Kepnes. I may check one of them out or both.🤷🏾‍♀️🤔

Find it on hoolpadigital.com or check out the series on DVD!

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: Acorn TV, Action, Adult, Award Winner, Binge worthy, Character-Driven, Contemporary, Drama, DVD, Entertaining, Female Detective, Fiction, Hoopla, Investigation, Police, Policewomen, Psychological Thriller, Serial Killer, Shame, TV Series, UK production

The Vanishing

July 14, 2021 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

The Vanishing coverThe Vanishing by Jayne Ann Krentz
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

This first book in a new series doesn’t disappoint! It has all the great elements of a fun and fast paced read. There is mystery, suspense, paranormal elements, action, and a hot romance.

As teenagers, Catalina Lark and Olivia LeClair witnessed a murder and had a bazaar supernatural experience in a cave in their hometown of Fogg Lake. According to everyone in town, there was no body; so there was no murder. Fast forward 15 years, and Catalina and Olivia are running their own investigation agency. For two women who can read auras and sense events past and present, let’s just say the investigation business is going well.

Their lives are quickly upended when Olivia goes missing; and an interesting man named Slater shows up from The Foundation, a secretive supernatural organization. Catalina and Slater set out to find Olivia, and who is responsible for the murders of 2 collectors of supernatural artifacts. These events are linked, and may lead Catalina and Slater to the Fogg Lake murderer from 15 years ago.

Find it in the catalog.

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: Auras, Female Detective, Female Friendships, Mystery, Paranormal, Psychic, Romance

Takes One to Know One

June 8, 2020 by Carla Leave a Comment

Takes One to Know One by Susan Isaacs
Format: eBook
Who it’s for: Adults

After fifteen years with the FBI, Corie was ready for some stability.  Enter Josh Geller:  tall, handsome, green-eyed.  Lawyer turned federal judge, Josh was rich and yet humble.  What was not to love?  Yet meeting Josh’s daughter Eliza sealed the deal.  “Teach me how you flip open your FBI badge,” she’d said.  Eliza didn’t remember her mom, who’d died suddenly years before.  She took to Corie easily.  The three of them settled down to married life together.

Corie freelanced part-time for three publishing companies.  She previewed modern Arabic works to translate to the English market.  She also met for lunch on Wednesdays with a group of home-based entrepreneurs.  Phoebe resold on E-Bay, Iris ran the Moveable Garden, Pete marketed packaging, Marcalynn wrote Republican speeches, John did landscaping drains, and Darby retouched photographs.  Corie let the others assume that she’d always been in publishing.  There was no need to blow her cover.  This kept her open for contract work with the FBI.  Only Corie’s family and best friend, Wynne, knew of her true history.

One day, Corie noticed that Pete might be more than he seemed.  Why did Pete always scout out his surroundings?  Why was he hiding his muscular physique under baggy, nondescript clothing?  Why had he hidden and then keyed someone’s car?  Was Corie reading into things?  Could you take the girl out of the FBI but not the FBI out of the girl?

This fast-paced mystery reminded me of the Stephanie Plum series.  Like Stephanie, Corie jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.  Likewise, the characters were very distinctive, such as Corie’s melodramatic actress mother.  Yet unlike Evanovich’s books, Susan Isaac’s novel had a more serious, sophisticated tone.  Had Corie found the life she loved and, if so, was she willing to risk it all?

Find it on OverDrive/Libby!

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: FBI, Female Detective, Mystery, New York

Never Never

June 3, 2020 by Carla Leave a Comment

Never Never by James Patterson and Candice Fox
Who it’s for: Adults
Format: eBook, digital audiobook

Detective Harriet Blue never would have imagined that her brother would be arrested for murder.  She never would have anticipated the media onslaught.  And she never would have pictured herself utilizing her survival skills in the middle of the desolate Australian Outback, the Never Never.

Harriet Blue, better known as “Harry,” was reassigned temporarily.  Pop, her police chief, wanted her away from the investigation of her brother Sam.  As much as she wanted to clear Sam, Harry knew that her involvement would taint the process.

Soon Harriet was traveling down a dusty road towards a mining camp in the Never Never.   Seated next to her was a complete stranger, her temporary partner, Edward Whittacker.  “Call me Edward,” he said.  “Okay, Whitt.” she replied.  Harriet and Witt soon found out that more than one employee were missing from the Bandya Mine.  It seemed more than coincidence.  Had they wandered into the desert?  Did the Bilbies, local prostitutes, know more than they were telling? Were Richie and his gang dealing more than drugs?  Had the nomadic eco protesters elevated their opposition to murder?

In spite of the coarse lifestyle of the miners, I found myself drawn to Harriet Blue.  Tough and private from an unstable upbringing with her brother in the foster care system, Harry had honed her self-defense and detecting skills.  She was rough around the edges yet intelligent and a bit vulnerable inside.  I want to read more about Harry and see how her brother’s story unfolds.  I am also intrigued by the Australian setting.  And this book is the first book in a series!

Find it on OverDrive/Libby!

Filed Under: Recommended for Adults Tagged With: Australia, Female Detective, Mines, Thriller

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