Posts
I've been paying particular attention to books with more puzzles or intrigue this summer. Today is no exception. I went with the historical dram/mystery story "Murder in the Crypt" by Irina Shapiro. I picked this up on Audible. No one asked me to review this, I just wanted to on my own!
As a side point, one of the things that attracted me to the story was the cover. I love how the color has such fantastic color to it, but it also isn't telling me everything about the book. There is something very alluring about the cover. I'm glad the book was a match to it. Spoilers, I liked this story.
Let me go into my critiques first, and my big one is pacing. "Murder in the Crypt" is a slow burn. It does get to the point, but it does so after a lot of detail work. There isn't a darn thing wrong with details. But the reason this is a critique is that I know some readers are not into a slow burn like this. I don't mind it so much, but I am aware that slower things like this can lose someone if they aren't paying as close attention as they need to. You need to pay attention because the red herrings, along with the truth in clues, are blended very well and are subtle until the pace picks up.
The second issue I had was a structure point. In that it's set up so detailed, the issue with the backstory as to why the doctor is who he is or in the position he is in is almost shoehorned in. The reader finds out everything they need to, but it's clinical in how we find it out. There isn't much passion there, just very matter-of-factly presented off-the-page facts as to history. And yet, the issues with the American Civil War and its trauma on the characters have more passion and care. I sensed the imbalance as the reader. I'm not sure if that was deliberate in tone or not, but it's of note to me that there was a cold uncaring to the characters' backgrounds in some parts instead of other aspects of it.
Okay, now, with all that said, because these are nit-picky detail issues I had, I have come to the part of the review about what I love. "Murder in the Crypt" has so many excellent story elements to it that it's challenging not to enjoy this book. I had to work very hard to find critiques!
"Murder in the Crypt" brings together mystery, historical fiction, and fun but unexpected 'Buddy Cop' element. I genuinely love the blend of styles and genres in this story. You have bits of just about anything delightful in one book.
The narrator is fantastic. She brought such life to all the characters. Was this my favorite narrator? No, but she is very good at her job, and I enjoyed her cadence and approach to characters. It was lovely to listen to and enjoy this story.
Lastly, I really enjoyed the antagonist and how beautifully and with such care, the detail on where and who that is was placed in the story. Sometimes it's obvious; other times, it's really not. That was wonderful. When a mystery writer can do such a good job at how to write an antagonist and their backstory, it should be praised. Writing villains and antagonistic plots are not easy. Writing one so well that takes skill. There is a lot of talent here, and I really enjoyed the story and how it was laid out.
Overall, I give "Murder in the Crypt" an 82 out of 100, which is four stars for Audible and audiobooks. If you are looking for something fun to listen to that has a lot of heart and soul, this is a great audiobook to pick up this summer! Enjoy!
