3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Series with Potential, September 30, 2010
This review is from: Damaged (Mass Market Paperback)
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Damaged, by Pamela Callow, is the first book in the Kate Lange mystery series. In this book, when a teen-aged girl is found dead and dismembered, attorney Kate Lange fears that the legal advice she gave to the teenager's grandmother led to the girl's death.
This is the third book I have read in the last 6 weeks with the particular plot device upon which this novel hangs, and although the other two books were written by established mystery writers, I like Callow's handling of the plot the best, so kudos to her. I tumbled to it rather quickly but perhaps if it hadn't been for the other two novels, it might have taken me a little longer.
Kate Lange is an interesting character-- while I might sometimes wish she were just a little bit smarter and not quite so naive, she is like most real people, trying to make sense of the world and her life and her job and trying not to screw up too badly.
My biggest gripe against this book is that Callow depicts the cops as completely incompetent.They appear to be clueless in what to do to investigate this case; they don't seem to have any knowledge of how to talk to hookers on the street and the lead detective is so wrapped up in his angst over his broken relationship with Kate that he makes too many obvious errors in trying to resolve the case. Consequently Kate is forced to investigate because the cops just don't seem to know what to do.
My other gripe is that some of Callow's depictions miss the feel of reality-- for instance, her depiction of the life of a hooker seems to be based more on what Callow imagines a hooker's life to be than on any semblance of reality.
However, on the whole I liked this book and look forward to reading more in the series. There is a tinge of romantic suspense in the book, but not so much that it detracts from the overall novel. The setting of Nova Scotia adds just a touch of the exotic to the locale, which is a nice change. If you like Karin Slaughter or Lisa Scottoline, you will probably like this series.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid Debut, August 24, 2010
This review is from: Damaged (Mass Market Paperback)
Damaged, author Pamela Callow's freshman effort at legal mystery/suspense/conspiracy thriller, started slowly but if you are patient, you will be rewarded by what became a page-turning, perfect summer read. It builds slowly, while painstakingly laying the groundwork on central character Kate Lange, her former fiance, Detective Ethan Drake, Kate's employer, and its partner, Randall Barrett, plus a bevy of supporting characters.
I found the murder mystery and conspiracy aspects of the story to be especially fascinating, having not guessed far ahead of time the connections and the "solution" before Kate (one of the bigger disappointments for me with mysteries/thrillers). I also appreciated the resolution, as it didn't stretch reality to unnatural boundaries and it seemed the natural course by the end of the book.
I liked the character of Kate by the conclusion of Damaged although I was a bit neutral about her throughout much of the early story. I always like a tough, determined character with some humanity and all three traits were in evidence as I flipped that last page. I was particularly pleased to note that Ms. Callow will have a new mystery featuring Kate releasing next year and I hope that we will learn more about Kate on this next venture.
By the same token, I hope that we will receive additional insight into the characters of Ethan Drake and Randall Barrett, who both seemed to be yearning for additional literary time. I felt that both characters still have a wealth of information to share and excellent storyline potential.
I also hope that we will see Kate's neighbors again, the elderly sisters Muriel and Enid, who I found engaging and pleasing. Is it possible that these two have secrets themselves or is it just the conspiracy buff in me at work?
Damaged, considering its subject matter, isn't heavy on the gore or violence, although it may have a few objectionable words. There is no sexual matter, although a brief innuendo, and some mentioned drug use.
In all, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Damaged to fans of the mystery, thriller and/or legal genre, all of whom are sure to be satisfied by this debut work that packs a powerful little punch.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Callow Delivers, February 16, 2011
I thought Damaged was a great read! This makes me anticipate Callow's next literary offering. Kate Lange is the smart lawyer, with all the insecurities of a woman who is trying to overcome an early life that left her dealing with fear and guilt. As she discovered she was being used by the lawyer that hired her into a prestigious firm, she refuses to let anyone rob her of her future! The plot has many twists and turns. This is a great page-turner.
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