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Book Review of The 7th Victim (Karen Vail, Bk 1)

The 7th Victim (Karen Vail, Bk 1)
reviewed on
Helpful Score: 3


I seldom write reviews but this book inspired me to break my pattern. Without spoiling a reading for an unspecting or perhaps less critical reader, I need to respond to the quality of the content. I've been a fan of well constructed mystery and crime plots, both in books and video form. This particular episode gives a whole new meaning to the term pulp fiction.
In what may be an early work of the author, the plot builds one improbability upon another like stacking toy blocks to see how high they'll go before it all falls down. The law enforcement characters often speak in sophomoric fashion that would best be received by (well . . .)a 2nd year high school student. The technology used in the plot is modern but the attitudes are embarrassingly unprofessional at times.
After a while the tortured plot twists are fairly predictable if you ask yourself the question: "What is the least likely and most unrealistically thing that's going to happen next. And 9 times out of ten, that's what it will be. It'll only be a surprise to the reader if they fall into a torpor before reaching it. You may find it a book well worth reading if only to be able to reach the end of it.
I hope Karen Vail and her crew grow up before Volume 3 of the series. Oh, yes, I would relish a rebuttal and perhaps an explanation.

Time to do a bit of quality reading!