Question Q

[Jonetta]

Any other topics you’d like to discuss? Your overall opinion of the story?

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

This isn't a perfect series by any stretch of the imagination. There are a few plot holes and a lot of TSTL moments by the female characters. But it is easy reading, I like the setting and the connectiveness of the lead characters Bentz and Montoya. The author does give the Catholic Church a serve but the over arching theme is quite interesting, especially the sins and virtues aspect of this particular instalment. So I'll keep reading.

[Sharon]

Bentz and Montoya save the series. I did like this story the best so far.

[Anita]

I agree, Bentz and Montoya are a great pair. I just hope she moves on to a non-serial killer and away from the religion bashing. I didn't sit and read this one. I would pick it up, read a page. Put it down, reread the same page. Read with half my brain while participating in a conversation. Skip sections and descriptions. But I got through it.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

Anita wrote: "I agree, Bentz and Montoya are a great pair. I just hope she moves on to a non-serial killer and away from the religion bashing. I didn't sit and read this one. I would pick it up, read a page. Put..."

But you picked the murderer! Must have skipped to the relevant part, LOL. Well done.

[Jonetta]

It’s a slog for me to read a 500 page story that should have been told in 300. Too many continuity and factual errors. The Jeffrey MacDonald thing was laughable. A simple Google inquiry would have straightened that out. The woman listed as the DA (Melinda) was previously listed as the head of Homicide.

Believe it or not, serial killers are a rarity. To have three in one city within two years is lazy plotting, IMHO. Not sure what her issue is with the Catholic Church but I’m ready for her to leave them alone.

I hate stereotyping and the author does this liberally and regularly. It’s soured me on her writing.

The story was better but that’s a low bar for me.

[Anita]

Two of my grandchildren attend Catholic school. It was in our local news, don't know if it went national, but the head nun and another sister embezzled a large sum of money from the school. My point: there are bad people who use religion as a shield. It happens. There are also wonderful people and they rarely get any space in the news or in books.

[Lauren]

While I like the characters and the plots in these books, I am struggling with Jackson's writing style. It is overly descriptive and repetitive, which slows the pacing tremendously.

I had the same issues with the couple of books of hers that I read in the past.

That said, I am still willing to continue with the series to see what happens with the hospital (which appears in the next book too) and some of the other ongoing issues like Father John's return (if that happens).