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The Last Good Day
Lynn and Barry Schulman moved their family to the leafy suburb of Riverside, New York, to be surrounded by family and old friends and escape the danger of city life. But when a headless body--which turns out to belong to Lynn's oldest friend--floats to the surface of the river, they realize Riverside may not be the sanctuary they were seeking. Instead, it's a town fraught...more
Hardcover, 432 pages
Published
May 14th 2003
by Little Brown and Company
(first published May 2003)
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An interesting story but the characters seem a little off.
When a headless corpse is discovered floating in the waters, commuters soon discover she's a local who grew up with nearly everyone involved in the police investigation.
Like a cop who lives too much in his past and a best friend who doesn't realize harassment charges against the cop will bring out her own dirty laundry. Even the police chief knows her. Then there's his problem of suspecting the cop (who was passed over for the chief's job...more
When a headless corpse is discovered floating in the waters, commuters soon discover she's a local who grew up with nearly everyone involved in the police investigation.
Like a cop who lives too much in his past and a best friend who doesn't realize harassment charges against the cop will bring out her own dirty laundry. Even the police chief knows her. Then there's his problem of suspecting the cop (who was passed over for the chief's job...more
Trite and stereotyped. Women are all portrayed as vicious status seekers who rip the souls out of men. The whodunnit is not obvious, until it is, but the author gives you nothing to surmise the murderer, and the ending is a "where did that come from" shoot em up and let the bodies fall where they may. Sigh. For a good summer read, with a believable plot and interesting (and believable) character, where the ending doesn't feel like a movie blocking shot--I am still waiting.
Perhaps it is time to g...more
Perhaps it is time to g...more
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Most of the thrillers I read are told from the prospective of the police of PI that is investigating the case. This story is told by all the friends and family of the victim. I liked the characters I felt like they were pretty well drawn and I understood where they were coming from most of the time. The problem that I had with the story was that it seemed like the author didn't know where he was going with the story toward the end and made someone the killer and ended it. I did read this pretty...more
Forgettable mystery, un-thrilling thriller
The Last Good Day, a tepid less-than-riveting mystery/thriller, is Blauner’s unsuccessful attempt at creating a believable tense backdrop of New York suburban life shortly after September 11, 2001. While some parts of the storyline ‘hold water’, the majority of the novel lays fallow and unfortunately fails to deliver on almost every level imaginable.
The various not-so-subtle references to 9-11 are not apropos to the plot, and as a result, appear to be a...more
The Last Good Day, a tepid less-than-riveting mystery/thriller, is Blauner’s unsuccessful attempt at creating a believable tense backdrop of New York suburban life shortly after September 11, 2001. While some parts of the storyline ‘hold water’, the majority of the novel lays fallow and unfortunately fails to deliver on almost every level imaginable.
The various not-so-subtle references to 9-11 are not apropos to the plot, and as a result, appear to be a...more
Jun 18, 2012
Sue
added it
This book took me awhile to really get
Into it, but when I did-I really enjoyed it. I was drawn into each characters life and could relate to where the story took place as I lived in Northern NJ for 10 yrs. I was surprised at the way it ended but thought it was very appropriate in the way the author played it out. Will read more books by this author as I like his style.
Exciting ending. I was afraid the author was taking me on a wild goose chase, but not so. The plot strings were tied together at the end, The beginning and middle had backstory and generalized action that didn’t excite or move the story along. I was satisfied at the end.
I think it's meant to be a thriller, but it's more like a bit of sensationalist authoring.
Plot goes over-the-top with the evil guy being evil, and the straight arrow being straight and all sacrifice-y.
Pass on this one.
Plot goes over-the-top with the evil guy being evil, and the straight arrow being straight and all sacrifice-y.
Pass on this one.
A well written book although I found it very grim. A headless corpse is found floating in the local river and the darkness continues from there. In my opinion the book would have benefited from a bit of lightness here and there.
Loved it and am now engaged in reading everything by this author.
Which I ike to do until I really get tired of him/her.
Which I ike to do until I really get tired of him/her.
I decided to give this book 100 pages. If it didn't grab my attention by then, it was a waste of time. Maybe I didn't try hard enough, but a good book is good right from the start and you should have to try hard to like it. I dropped it.
Apr 13, 2009
Sharon Clarke
is currently reading it
Another required read for a library program. Too soon to critique.
This book drags you in from the very beginning. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.
Definitely not a "feel good" book. A lot of bad things happened at the end of the book. I should have stopped reading at the beginning with the discovery of a headless female corpse.
No one else has reviewed this book? Maybe it's a bit too old. This is a very good murder mystery. The author has a very good writing style. His main character does most of the leaping to conclusions to make the reader follow her thoughts, so it's not bad a misdirection. Good airplane book, but probably mainly for female readers.
One of those books I just couldn't get in to.
Love Peter's writing - from topical issues (NYC after 9/11) to texture of daily life (he understands women as well as men) to his ability to nail the genre (police procedural). Bravo to an old friend!
A well-written mystery set in small town, post-9/11, upstate New York. It is not your basic mystery story as it has many levels and subtle commentary on current American life.
Another well written book by Mr. Blauner. The first chapter is where your attention is held. I recommend.
I'm currently reading this book and I'm half way through it.
What a cracking read.
What a cracking read.
Apr 30, 2013
Jody Almendarez
is currently reading it
Apr 17, 2013
Angela
marked it as to-read
Apr 12, 2013
Jocelyn
added it
Mar 30, 2013
Eric Henderson
marked it as to-read
Mar 26, 2013
Kellie
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Author photo credit: Don Kim
Peter Blauner reported on crime for New York magazine, but found the inspiration for his first novel while at the New York Department of Probation. He requested a leave of absence from his magazine and began writing his first novel.
More about Peter Blauner...
Peter Blauner reported on crime for New York magazine, but found the inspiration for his first novel while at the New York Department of Probation. He requested a leave of absence from his magazine and began writing his first novel.
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Jul 13, 2012 09:35pm