11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Return of Elliott Smith, July 29, 2009
This review is from: Aaron's Wait (Elliott Smith Mystery, No. 2) (Paperback)
This is the second of the Elliott Smith Mysteries. Although this one can be read as a stand-alone, I'd recommend reading His Name is John first to gain some background on the characters and their relationships with each other.
"Dealing with, even accepting the concept of, John had been hard enough, and had seriously shaken the foundations of his concepts of an orderly, logical world. To think that other people might be involved, or worse, that he was responsible for involving them, in this inexplicable new aspect of his life was truly disconcerting." - This encapsulates Elliott perfectly. He cares. He's kind, considerate, and intelligent. But Elliott isn't perfect. He'd be a boring subject if he were. Like the quote said, he has to struggle with the concept of John, a non-corporeal presence in his life. Adding yet more supernatural elements disturbs him very much. I do feel sorry for Elliott. He wants to be "just an ordinary guy," but the forces above won't let him, so he's forced to deal the best he can.
Elliott's reluctance to take things to the next level with his lover, Steve, was annoying but understandable. There's cautious, and there's not willing to commit. Elliott is in danger of giving off the latter vibe if he's not careful. I'm a hopeless romantic and I've got my fingers crossed that things between these two will solidify in later books.
"He [Elliott] awoke in the morning feeling as though he'd spent the night staring into a washing machine in which thoughts of Aaron and Bill and Irv Wilson and Jim Babcock and suicide and possible murder sloshed back and forth in response to the agitator of his mind" Great quote this. It mirrored my own thoughts about who had done it. Grey has penned a complex mystery, I honestly had no clue as to who or how until very near the end. The usual basket of red herrings, plausible suspects and motives abounded. But as always Grey plays fair with his readers, so those of a more investigative mind than I might be able to figure things out ahead of time. But for the rest of us we can reread the book and exclaim "Oh, why didn't I pay more attention to that clue last time?" Yes, this book is definitely worth reading more than once.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Steep Step Down, November 1, 2009
This review is from: Aaron's Wait (Elliott Smith Mystery, No. 2) (Paperback)
Although I appear to be in the minority on this, for me, "Aaron's Wait" was a sharp step down from the first entry in the Elliott Smith mystery series. In this effort, Elliott is again joined by John, the ghostly voice in his head, to solve a suspicious death. Elliott's real life relationship with his boyfriend Steve is progressing nicely and he's got a new house to renovate. But so much of the story is lengthy exposition that it gets tedious. For every action taken by Elliott, we get to hear what he thinks about that action and what we feels about he thinks. Plus, his feelings are often conflicted over his thoughts and actions so it gets to be too much. Certainly character development is one of the hallmarks that separate a good mystery from one that is merely well plotted, but enough already.
As for the core mystery, Elliott goes through the motions of finding out about the list of suspects and such detection covers a tiny percentage of the novel. Then, without any warning, he literally wakes up one day with a theory of the crime based on information that was readily apparent early on. Everything is wrapped up pretty quickly after that. So if you're looking for a twisting mystery with red herrings and amateur detection, you won't find it here.
I'm a fan of Dorien Grey and own every one of his books. But I hope the next entry in the Elliott Smith series offers a tighter, more interesting mystery and less conflicted feelings from the protagonist about solving it.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hooked on Dorien Grey as a writer, January 5, 2010
Although I purchased this book via another vendor I wanted to recommend it and the author to those who enjoy a mystery with a bit of a twist. The characters gain more depth with each book and I am looking forward to the next one. My only wish is for Elliot and Steve to declare their relationship rather than continue skirting the "R" word and all it entails. Come on guys you were made for each other. Really. All kidding aside, what I appreciate about Dorien Grey's writing is the lack of gratuitous sex (boring) and actually crafting plots, dialog, and characters, which he infuses with sharp wit and dry humor. I end up feeling as though his characters have intelligence and maturity rather than a raging libido - this goes for both the Elliot Smith & Dick Hardesty Mysteries. I haven't disliked or been disappointed yet - I hate when I feel as though I have wasted even a few dollars or time on a mundane novel. "His Name is John" and "Aaron's Wait" are entertaining stories to curl up in a cozy chair and read. My two cents.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
