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The Square Root of Evil: The Peppermint Files
The Chinook winds blow across the Canadian Rockies onto the Calgary plains where serial killers reside in and around college campuses. Attractive young co-eds reported missing are never to be seen alive again, until a certain unrelenting detective-sergeant utilizes his unique mathematical system skills to set enticing traps to snare the perpetrators. Unbelievably, impetuous love-at-first-sight blossoms in the middle of these chilling bloodbaths and "cheers-on", growing stronger under the cloak of the macabre.
272 pages, Paperback
First published February 9, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 18, 2009
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Let me start by saying this book is not in my comfort area of subject matter. I am normally a dedicated sci-fi and fantasy reader with a smattering of horror thrown in for a change.
I started to read the book and was quickly drawn into the story. The synopsis on the back says that the book is about a detective solving murders of young co-eds, and about love blossoming alongside. I found that the first two-thirds of the book was more about the main character Jerry and his blossoming love for Gisselle. The murders take centre stage for the final third of the book. That is not to say that the murders are not important - far from it. The murders are that main plot device from start to finish that drives the story, from the very start when Jerry accidently stumbles across a corpse until the very end of the book. It is through these that all the characters are brought together.
I found the style of writing very easy to read. The story is written in the first person from Jerry's point of view and at points feels like he is writing his memoirs and that is what I enjoyed most about the book. The characters are well defined and engaging and the story flows well. My only complaint about the book is a bit too much time with Jerry describing sex scenes. A couple would be fine, but by the time we get to the fourth or fifth I think we get the picture. That isn't enough to stop me from recommending this book though.
Let me start by saying this book is not in my comfort area of subject matter. I am normally a dedicated sci-fi and fantasy reader with a smattering of horror thrown in for a change.
I started to read the book and was quickly drawn into the story. The synopsis on the back says that the book is about a detective solving murders of young co-eds, and about love blossoming alongside. I found that the first two-thirds of the book was more about the main character Jerry and his blossoming love for Gisselle. The murders take centre stage for the final third of the book. That is not to say that the murders are not important - far from it. The murders are that main plot device from start to finish that drives the story, from the very start when Jerry accidently stumbles across a corpse until the very end of the book. It is through these that all the characters are brought together.
I found the style of writing very easy to read. The story is written in the first person from Jerry's point of view and at points feels like he is writing his memoirs and that is what I enjoyed most about the book. The characters are well defined and engaging and the story flows well. My only complaint about the book is a bit too much time with Jerry describing sex scenes. A couple would be fine, but by the time we get to the fourth or fifth I think we get the picture. That isn't enough to stop me from recommending this book though.
March 5, 2009
This book has such a good mix: murder/mystery, romance, sports..coupled with real-life drama and the right touch of humor to lighten things up.
When Jerry David, aka Gerry Loveletter, stumbles upon a dead body on an icy Canadian back road, he unwittingly becomes part of the investigation into a series of murders--which in turn leads to many life changing events for this young journalist who writes personal "matchmaking" ads for the Canadian Morning Express Newspaper--CMEN for short, a fitting acronyn indeed. This story is chock full of interesting and believable characters and situations, all combined to make this book a great read from beginning to end. It's one of my favorites by Re'al Bull Oney.
When Jerry David, aka Gerry Loveletter, stumbles upon a dead body on an icy Canadian back road, he unwittingly becomes part of the investigation into a series of murders--which in turn leads to many life changing events for this young journalist who writes personal "matchmaking" ads for the Canadian Morning Express Newspaper--CMEN for short, a fitting acronyn indeed. This story is chock full of interesting and believable characters and situations, all combined to make this book a great read from beginning to end. It's one of my favorites by Re'al Bull Oney.
April 24, 2009
The blurb for this book is very misleading as there is very little crime investigation and the middle section of the book is all about the meeting and honeymoon of the main character who, despite the assumption he is in his 30s, sounds like a 55 year old man.
Far too much pointless sex, a lack of any real cohesive detective plot, it simply comes across as a manifestation of a man's fantasy life in which he marries a nubile cheerleader, 'solves' a crime and lives happily ever after.
As with his other books, there is the obligatory death from cancer, the multitude of events that happen to one person and the skimming through the story with no depth or building of tension.
Far too much pointless sex, a lack of any real cohesive detective plot, it simply comes across as a manifestation of a man's fantasy life in which he marries a nubile cheerleader, 'solves' a crime and lives happily ever after.
As with his other books, there is the obligatory death from cancer, the multitude of events that happen to one person and the skimming through the story with no depth or building of tension.
June 2, 2009
Re'al "Bull" has done it again! This is a must read book! It has everything, murder, a serial killer may be on the loose, romance between a newspaper writer for the love lorn and a sexy lady cop, heartache, close family ties and then there is peppermint!!! Can't wait for the next book to be written!
May 17, 2009
Awesome, Awesome, Awesome. One of those kind of books that once you start reading, you hate to put it down. Alot of suspense, excitement, and yet romance as well. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great book to read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews