This novel was written in 2001. Since then, the author has published several more books. It was a Nook suggestion, as it is the first in a series of novels supposedly featuring two police detectives.

The detectives don’t make an appearance in the book until the fifth chapter. I am about to start Chapter 16, nearly halfway through the novel, and they have been in four chapters so far, and have contributed very little to the narrative as yet.

To make matters worse, the plot is old and tired - beautiful radio psychologist is terrorized by deranged caller - and the writing and editing is awkward. The motivation to finish this book is fading fast, to be honest. I can’t even fathom that this book was successful enough to spawn an entire series.

I don’t wish to dump on the author, the editors, or the publishers by revealing them here. I am just venting a little about this, to me, lack of craft.

  • khryslo@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Some books are crap, pardon my language. That’s just the way it is. Just accept that it’s a crap book or not the right book for you and move on. If you’re reading for pleasure and not for academic reasons, then obviously the book should bring you pleasure. If it doesn’t, then I don’t see the point in continuing to torture yourself when there are so many books out there and so little time to read them all. Do yourself a favour.

  • jawnbaejaeger@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Unless you’re winning some sort of prize for finishing the book, drop the book and go read something that you actually might enjoy.

  • minimalist_coach@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I love to read, and there are so many books available to me that I don’t need to love or finish everything I start reading. I don’t have to justify my reason to DNF a book. Unless I have a specific goal I won’t push through a book anymore. I’ve pushed through awful books in the past and I’ve never really felt like it was worth it.

  • IAmThePonch@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I gave up on finishing everything a long time ago. It can be hard to break the finishing habit but if you don’t like something just don’t finish it.

  • Far_Administration41@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Life is far too short to waste on bad books. It took me a long time to come to that view - for years I never DNFed - but now I cannot be bothered with something that I am not enjoying, or that is too much like hard work. I read for pleasure. If I am not getting pleasure why waste my time?