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By: CHCH 518
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2025-07-06 13:09:48 |
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Our group really enjoyed the book. |
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By: ROTO 003
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2025-05-26 09:48:08 |
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Our group enjoyed this book. It unfolded in a timely way with several surprises, and often sadness. Highly recommend. |
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By: RICH 012
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2025-03-04 11:33:49 |
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Great read. |
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By: WHANG 022
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2025-02-20 10:00:45 |
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Fascinating story but with some loose ends, such as we wanted to know more about the father. |
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By: ROTO 010
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2024-08-13 21:01:03 |
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We really enjoyed this book, trying to figure out 'whodunnit' as we turned the pages. Lots to discuss and good oddball bits to laugh about. |
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By: CHCH 363
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2024-07-31 16:22:56 |
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A nice easy read that most of us enjoyed. Lots of little twists and turns with the book but we did like it. |
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By: AUCK 446
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2024-06-25 12:03:07 |
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Enjoyable read. Found the questions difficult to answer! We couldn't really work out why Joey had done what he did by cutting out words in books and matching the book with another. Seemed a bit pointless. Interesting story. Some discussion on domestic violence and why some women will stay in a relationship like that. |
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By: AUCK 100
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2024-04-26 10:11:06 |
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This was a good easy read novel that the group enjoyed. One person found the pages with the letters revealed by the cut outs annoying. Another commented that the story was "contrived", but then qualified that by saying that books are contrived. We noted that the policeman had jumped to conclusions, and questioned whether his deductions on the state of mind of the murderer were correct. |
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By: CHCH 523
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2023-11-01 20:56:17 |
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Generally well liked. Found to be quite readable and the mystery was quite good at not being too easy to figure out early. Reasonable discussion points. |
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By: TIMAR 015
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2023-08-03 14:50:57 |
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We found the book hard to read. Felt that the author tried to put too much in it. |
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By: AUCK 301
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2023-05-08 11:30:22 |
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Best book we have read in ages. Loved the storyline. Overall a sad sad book but intriguing. |
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By: ALEXA 003
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2023-02-27 13:59:25 |
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A brilliantly engrossing novel - 100% of our group loved it! A good long-haul flight read!! |
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By: WAIKA 004
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2022-10-31 14:51:44 |
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3 of our group found the rape episode so upsetting that they decided not to read the reminder of the book. Those of us who finished it liked the writing style and enjoyed the rather mystical element to it. |
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By: AUCK 166
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2022-10-31 14:48:46 |
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Clever plot - we all enjoyed the book. We loved that books were integral to the lives and well-being of the characters. An engaging and absorbing read. |
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By: NELS 028
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2022-10-20 10:30:17 |
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Some members thought it not up the standard of usual books, but others enjoyed the "whodunnit" aspect and the intricacy of the plot and the characters. |
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By: AUCK 417
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2022-10-20 10:28:24 |
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This book, full of twists and turns, was enjoyed by everyone in our group. The mysterious thrilling plot kept us all guessing to the end. The book made strong statements about the long-lasting effects of abandonment, adoption and abusive behaviour. |
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By: LOWER 019
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2022-10-07 22:43:04 |
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Most enjoyed, and liked the intrigue. |
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By: AUCK 014
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2022-07-13 12:32:03 |
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Most of us felt ambivalent about the book initially, mainly because it seemed a bit contrived. However, once into it we enjoyed the unravelling of the puzzle and the cleverness of the plot. The characters were quirky and unusual and the book was very descriptive of people's lives on the edge. And despite some grim and sad elements, the book was optimistic about the way people were generally kind and helpful within their abilities. It is an easy read and just right for a distraction, rather than any deep thinking. |
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By: HAMIL 022
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2022-05-11 13:20:02 |
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Kept most of the group guessing right until the end. |
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By: PAIHIA 001
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2022-05-08 14:44:26 |
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We enjoyed the suspense and originality of this book. Most of us read it. Enjoyed the background of 'books'. |
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By: NEWP 016
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2022-05-06 13:45:42 |
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We enjoyed the book immensely. Although a sad story it was a great read. |
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By: WELL 041
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2022-04-22 15:01:53 |
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We were all disappointed with this book and felt it sat uneasily with all the other wonderful BDS choices we have read over the years. It had promise but didn't quite 'make it'. |
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By: AMBER 006
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2022-04-21 15:07:57 |
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Very mixed reviews on this one. Three rated it at 4, 2 hated it, the other 7 were mediocre. Most thought the mystery was clever and the library setting interesting and original. Did not warm to characters and found the code unlikely. |
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By: CHCH 052
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2022-02-08 12:00:28 |
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We enjoyed the book despite some improbable plot elements. |
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By: TAUR 061
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2022-01-27 10:33:06 |
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A real whodunnit with no one guessing the perpetrator till the great reveal at the end. Sullivan hooked us in via his narrative however, due to the omniscient point of view he chose, character development was limited. Nonetheless, it was a page turner that kept us entertained as our Summer read. |
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By: WHANG 023
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2021-11-08 18:10:42 |
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Everyone who read it really loved it. A couple of people just read it right through and couldn't put it down. Recommended. |
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By: WINT 001
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2021-06-25 13:56:37 |
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The group was split in regard to how much they enjoyed this book. This did lead to a very robust discussion though, with references to childhood trauma and it's continuing effects into adulthood. No one picked the killer and there was respect for the author and how they wove the different story lines together. |
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By: AUCK 335
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2021-04-28 15:20:04 |
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Only one member was enthusiastic about this book.We enjoyed the bookshop atmosphere, but found the characters rather unconvincing and the clues in the cut out pages frustrating. As a thriller it was lacking in tension, as a novel rather pedestrian. |
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By: HAMIL 029
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2021-04-16 18:04:18 |
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All but one of those present at the meeting enjoyed the book for what it is - a mystery. The depiction of the bookshop rang very true for an ex-librarian member who has had experience of the lost and lonely who frequent public libraries. Perhaps Joey's method of communicating was a little elaborate - thank goodness the author included transcripts for the terminally lazy of us. The writer's style is very readable, the setting intriguing, the plot involved with twists - what's not to like |
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By: ASHB 016
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2021-02-28 21:06:14 |
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Everyone bar one enjoyed this book. We were sad for Joey because all he wanted was a family. Lots of twists and not many picked the killer. Great discussion and some who don't often read these kind of books, want to read more. |
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By: PUTAR 001
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2020-08-10 13:53:05 |
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Lots of twists and unpredictable outcomes. |
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By: THAM 005
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2020-07-31 08:44:42 |
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Not a popular read. Comments included implausible, wooden and frustrating. Everyone agreed it was an easy read and 3 of the group did enjoy it as light, entertainment. We found Joey's coded messages an unlikely method of communication and the author's inclusion of those messages in the format chosen was annoying. Not a book any of us would recommend or be interested in seeking out more by that author. |
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By: OWAKA 001
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2020-05-04 13:40:24 |
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What a great yarn! Enjoyed by all that I have talked to about it. No meeting as a few of us are in isolation. |
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By: KATIK 006
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2020-03-25 13:54:26 |
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Everyone in the group enjoyed this book. Highly original concept and well thought-out plot. |
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By: WAIKA 001
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2020-03-16 14:13:11 |
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All, except one person who doesn't like mysteries, enjoyed this book. The characters were clearly defined and the story with its twists and turns was well developed. An "enjoyable" read. |
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By: CHCH 312
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2020-02-14 14:19:14 |
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Well-written, all enjoyed it! Inventive storyline. Kept us guessing until the end. |
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By: OXF 002
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2020-02-05 09:01:56 |
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All the members enjoyed the book and the discussion was lively. We were impressed with Matthew Sullivan's ability to write a female character so well. |
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By: NAP 005
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2019-10-22 14:35:03 |
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An interesting book that created a lot of discussion. Good book for a quick read. |
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By: TAUR 048
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2019-10-16 14:56:58 |
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Everyone really enjoyed this book. A good read that kept you wondering. |
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