TRACES Luke Harding Forensic Investigator : Lost Bullet by Malcolm Rose

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I actually have read his series before, but I decided to give it another gander. There's something about how well thought out the stories are.
Luke Harding is one of the more intriguing detectives that I've come across. He's already an expert at investigating death, only at sixteen. It's a feat!
This crime was something else. Like I said, the story would have to be thought through, if such a large factor, as a storm, would 'contaminate' the crime scene. A lot of the evidence could simply be washed away. It's plainly a grievance that most people grumble about.
But the obvious grace is that it gets you thinking. As a reader, it's cool to get a chance to ask questions and sooner or later find out what the answers are. Which is what I did throughout just the first few pages. It was a thrill. I liked guessing games when I was younger, especially if I know the clues and solutions as Soon as possible (permit me a laugh)
Of course, if you're not into over-thinking things, go with the flow of the book :)
I figured this book isn't one for those not interested in science-y ways of solving crimes, but the good author injected a little humor in it. For example, he wrote "..Malc replied dryly." See? :)
Thankfully Luke is also one with a sense of humor, though if you read the book you'll realize something about Malc and these jokes. Frustrating yet funny to see how they interact, as close to friendship as a robot could have (*may be spoiling for a book somewhere later to the end*)
Soon you'd start to realize the probable reasons for the deaths.
This book got me thinking a lot about religion and science, in total. And there's also discrimination by the Visionaries against the white community, as in general they believe the latter is an abomination. Only those incredibly indepth books can handle the prejudice. Look at Things Fall Apart, for instance.
And "Lost Bullet"'s idea of being a being without sin was to shave himself clean. To be a baby again. This book is descriptive, no one can dispute that. The scene after is uncomfortably vivid, however, as it brings about another murder.
Not only that, but there are definitely going to be complicated references to something so unmistakably mild, like a flavour chemical "2-furylmethanethiol" which is, surprisingly, "roasted coffee beans".
(No shocker here, the author Malcolm Rose studied Chemistry, and lectures on the subject.)
I could understand thoroughly about the differences between science and religion, but even Ethan did not see it as murder. All in all, it would come down to a test and if Lost Bullet fails or passes, you'll have to find out. Little hint: it was a befitting punishment (one way or another, people committing crime would pay, so not a giveaway exactly) totally and completely.. though unusual :-/
I truly enjoyed reading about the duo - Malc (Mobile Aid to Law and Crime) and Luke himself. It was technology with a human touch.

  

Murder On The Orient Express by Agatha Christie

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Poirot is a new detective for me but he's been solving cases by Agatha Christie since forever, and now I know why. He's a brilliant man with a moustache to match his great powers of deduction (if you read his cases, you'll know it's quite large).
Though if I remember, there were some long-winded speeches (which I didn't skip but I did get a glazed look over my eyes) but there always is. I think it's to confuse. So not only does the Queen of Crime keep me guessing, she comes up with the least expected guilty party - seriously, I tried to keep up with the intuitive thoughts here and there. Realizing 'whodunit', I was stumped. Who knew?
She's living well up to her name.
This time Poirot had friends to discuss with, however he still had his thinking time. It was a lot of fun to read, and I'm picking up more of her books, especially those on Poirot. Basically you get a two-in-one by using my grey matter and picking up a little French along the way, *cough*which is one of the crucial points for the murder*cough*. I can't wait for one of the next books I'm looking out for: The Mystery of the Blue Train.
(And yes, I made the connection. Poirot has a thing for terrors on trains :-P)

This is a last note: sad thing about it is, this is another book of hers that I found which has a typo error. The back cover gives the synopsis, however the first name of the victim (they put it as Simon, I think) is slightly different then that of the actual story, Samuel Ratchett :(

 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

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Here's how I chose to start of a truly moving and captivating book:
Characters come first!
Gale is undeniably one with strength, but to have two strong people with each other, there'd bound to be clashes. They're too tough together, which is not necessarily bad.
Then again.. Honestly I pegged Peeta once as a weakling (only slight), especially from the first book, if I had to choose one word for him. However, the fact that Katniss does whatever it takes to protect him even though it had to do with the possibility of winning in the arena *cough, cough*, can't help noticing the awesomeness that a girl can finally rescue the guy; that, and for the fact that he showed he would do anything for her, so far, anyway.
I managed to love the book even more, though I don't get how it was possible, and around the ending of the 1st where she hurt Peeta (I won't say why) and before when I came to so many conclusions on what Gale might have said when he was pulled away (“Remember I-”), I felt like fainting, and I almost did.
One scene from the book doesn't just enthrall you, they all do. It was unbelievably well written. Blood and gore are something given, but the intensity behind everything else, especially when Katniss and Peeta were in the giant arena with the others, was striking and amazing. I could feel the feelings that Katniss felt.
It was something else entirely. And for an author to evoke so much off a page is breath-taking.
I can't wait for the next books!

Sweet and Deadly by Charlaine Harris

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To be honest, I did go in with an optimistic view, don't get me wrong I love her work. But it's something, maybe in the plot, that I just didn't quite take a fancy to. Perhaps I'm skewed to reading about the paranormal world which first introduced me to her writing (the Sookie Stackhouse series). Like I said, open-mind. Most of it was forgettable, sad to say. The characters and even what happened in the beginning of the book is all foggy to me. If I recall it enough, there's something about a dilapidated house (picture..) and the main character walking through the door only to find .... ??? (see my point!) And then something about a chopping block and a whole swarm of flies. Merit: the book's descriptions here and there were vivid, especially about the crime.
So, unfortunately, I didn't even have the want to finish the story, though I usually continue to the end (in case I miss out some merit points). Against every fibre of my being (v. exaggerated, I know) I put it through the book drop. I'm used to a grin on my face when I finish one of Miss Harris's books - just not this time.