Not for the faint hearted!

An excellent read but not for the faint hearted as it is nauseatingly gory at times. Really had me hooked and this is not my usual choice of book.
However, i think the end was a touch inconclusive.
Potentially leaving leeway for a second Kate Maguire novel?

14 people found this helpful

Good story but some graphic torture scenes

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The story and main characters are good but interspersed with chapters of torture that are graphic and gruesome. I'm about a quarter through and wondering whether I can finish it.

Would you be willing to try another book from Graham Masterton? Why or why not?

Yes

What about Caroline Lennon’s performance did you like?

Good

Could you see White Bones being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

I sincerely hope not.

Any additional comments?

I'm appalled by the method and description of torture which is in contrast to an otherwise good story. I think the different aspects of the book would appeal to different audiences. Unfortunately one audience would be serial killers .......

35 people found this helpful

Gruesome

This was just about the most gruesome book I have listened to. I hadn't read any Graham Masterton before and don't know if they are all like this. I could have done with a warning but having said that I did listen on to the end as it was compelling !

7 people found this helpful

Gruesome murders in rainy Ireland

If you could sum up White Bones in three words, what would they be?

Gruesome - rainy - Ireland

Would you be willing to try another book from Graham Masterton? Why or why not?

I'm not sure. I really struggled with the detail of the murders.

Did Caroline Lennon do a good job differentiating each of the characters? How?

Yes but I got a bit lost with the secondary characters of husband Paul and his dodgy dealings. I liked the relationship between the lead character and her dad, that was touching.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Couldn't. You couldn't eat your tea and listen to bits of this. You couldn't just turn off and go to sleep. I had to pace myself with this one!

Any additional comments?

I didn't fully get some of the plot & wondered if it was a bit flawed - I don't want to give it away to anyone who hasn't read the book but there did appear to be a few holes in the ending.

7 people found this helpful

I should have heeded the reviews!

I will be returning this one. However, its my own fault. I should have believed the earlier reviews. The book has some of the most graphic violence I have ever read. I am not easily shocked or a prude but just found it horrible and gave up after a couple of hours. Its a shame as I found the book really engaging otherwise. I also dont agree with some reviewers about the narrator. I thought she was great and would listen to her again.

If you like really, really graphic and detailed horror - this may be for you.

35 people found this helpful

Very good

Loved the accent, true to its story, good pace, likeable characters. I enjoyed very much.

5 people found this helpful

Great listening

loved book. story up to his usual standard. not too gory but very UN put downable

5 people found this helpful

An Uncomfortable Story Brilliantly Read

What did you like best about White Bones? What did you like least?

The pacing of the story was good but the excessive, Repetitive gore made for an uncomfortable read. Once the picture was painted of the fate of the girls the author could profitably have left things to our memory. Gore for gores sake does not make for a good book. Unless you like large amounts of detailed violence, give this a miss.

What was most disappointing about Graham Masterton’s story?

The most disappointing was his over-reliance on detailed description of torture. Suspense and atmosphere can be built up quite effectively without going into intimate detail, especially when an element of repetition of scenes creeps in. As it is it created a one-dimensional story of horror and depravity when the author has more tools in his armoury, which he could deploy.

Which character – as performed by Caroline Lennon – was your favourite?

Katie was a sound character around whom other books can be centred. However, she would lose credibility if every book presented her with sick repetitive violence. One hopes that the author has it within him. Otherwise - see the last section.

Did White Bones inspire you to do anything?

Be very careful about reading, or listening to, anything by this author.

Any additional comments?

The only reason why I stayed with this book was the reading by Caroline Lennon. If it had been read badly, I would have given up upon it. Ms Lennon's skill lay in her ability to create her own tension by avoiding histrionics. Diction was good, pacing was excellent and she created tension by, at times, an almost matter of fact reading, detached might be better, which allowed the story to unfold naturally. I don't mean to suggest that it was flat and uninvolved, anything but. The real skill lies in creating tension, holding the listeners attention, in a seemingly effortless, understated, way. That takes real talent.

A brilliant reading.

21 people found this helpful

Gruesome, unbelievable characters, poor narration

Good god this male writer can't write women. His mould breaking senior female detective is a totally inconsistent character. A female detective who broke the glass ceiling to get where she is married to a shady dude and compromising her position at the first sign of trouble. Really? There are brief moments of cohesion for this character but they are few and far between.
There are chapters describing the crimes that are gruesome in the extreme. Gratuitous horror.
The narration is shocking. A book based in Cork without a single Cork accent, the narrator didn't even try to get the place names right. That is jarring - anyone from Cork looking for a treat of a book read in our lovely local accents will be bitterly sisappointed by the narration that swings from Mid-atlantic to Hollywood parody Oirish.
A real disappointment of a book. I won't be listening to any more in this series.

3 people found this helpful

Almost great, but a bit heavy on the gory details

An engaging story with plenty of suspense. There's a hint of the supernatural, but not enough to be troublesome. My main objection is the over-detailed description of the crimes as they are committed - I didn't need to hear that.

3 people found this helpful