Customer Reviews

Dead Famous (A Mallory Novel)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This novel continues the revelation of new aspects of the characters we have all grown to love. However, Carol O'Connell does not share a lot of new information about Kathleen Mallory with us in this novel. Instead, Mallory's partner Riker is the focus. He is on leave from his police work after an injury, and Mallory is attempting to ensure that leave is temporary.

The mystery plotline is almost secondary in this novel. It is overshadowed somewhat by the development of a romantic relationship between Riker and a cleaning woman with secrets of her own, which factor into Mallory's current investigation.

Carol O'Connell writes well, as always. She is an under-appreciated novelist who deserves more accolades for her work. Getting to know her characters is extremely gratifying.

However, if you have not read her Kathleen Mallory books before, you will not fully appreciate this book. Do yourself a favor and start at the beginning with Mallory's Oracle.

For those who have read all of the previous Mallory novels, this one is also high quality, although there may not be as much of Mallory as you might like.

No need to re-cap the storyline; that's available elsewhere. But I feel a warning is necessary. A line on the cover labels this "A Mallory Novel." But you'll be half-way through the book before FAMOUS becomes a Mallory novel. It concentrates on her partner Riker and another character, Johanna Apollo for fully half the book; Mallory is barely a supporting character. If you can tolerate that, you'll enjoy FAMOUS. In addition to an intricate story, it offers new insight into Mallory's relationship to her partner, Riker. "Sociopath" Mallory is gradually learning how to be normal, as this novel shows. But she still has a long way to go, which is fortunate for those of us who love this non-standard issue heroine. Author O'Connell has created something truly unique here, and more readers should be aware of it. But FAMOUS is not the place for newcomers to start.

Twelve jurors declare an accused murderer innocent, much to the public's disbelief and disgust. Someone has taken it so personally that they're picking off all the members of that jury, one by one. Shock radio jock Ian Zachary has cashed in on the public's ghoulish interest with the case, earning his show some super ratings and the kind of publicity that you couldn't ever pay for. His ongoing game of "spot the juror" may get a lot of people killed as the killer tagged as "The Reaper" goes along his merry, murderous way - but in Zachary's own opinion, the public and everyone else is really only there to serve him, in any way that the egomaniac sees fit.

Not entirely sure whether the NYPD still has him in their employ or not, Detective Sgt. Riker spends the down hours managing a family business that gets him just as close to the evils that men and women can inflict on one another. His specialist cleaning business takes away some of the horror by removing all the blood and gore and getting the client's house or place of business looking again pretty much the way it did before someone decided to commit a murder in it.

Riker's former partner Kathy Mallory takes a personal offense in Riker's reluctance to return to the force; in particular as she disregards personal hurt once the obvious physical scars have healed. Four bullets to the chest may have taken Riker down, but Mallory refuses to let that take him out of her world. As the Reaper gets closer to eliminating the last of the twelve, Riker is drawn into the chase for very personal reasons. One of those jurors is someone who has become very dear to him.

"Dead Famous" is not the thriller that it might sound - the killer hunting down a jury who delivered a verdict he violently disagreed with. O'Connell's considerable talent is displayed here with the interaction of her characters and in particular the voice of Johanna Apollo, one of the jurors. Some of the drama veers close to the sob of melodrama but fortunately never crosses that line. It's disturbing to hear how O'Connell refers to the character of Apollo repeatedly as a "hunchback" (the character has a spinal deformity) but if she is attempting to harden the reader to her fictional world of New York, she succeeds. "Dead Famous" is the seventh novel in the Kathy Mallory series (also titled "The Jury Must Die" in other print editions), and features less of this female character as her lead in this book. The intensity never lets up in this read, and those emotional punches just keep coming out one after the other.

This is ellen in atlanta and have stayed with the Mallory series through thick and thin - and can only tell you that this book is the BEST of the series and if Carol backpedals to mediocrity, I'll do something Mallory-like and tear up the book - yeah, right...
This book focuses on Riker, Mallory's partner, and as close to a friend as the impaired Mallory can get - Enter a hunchback, a beautiful and sensitive person on Riker's brother's crime cleaning service who is not who she seems - It is riviting and touching and I am proud of the jump in writing that occured in this book.
Am also glad that the book lessens on Charles' unrequited love for Mallory - he is a wonderful character and deserves a love interest who will be worthy - maybe shaking Mallory into seeing what she's missing??? yeah, right.
For Mallory fans, a must read book. For novices, a good time to jump in and connect. For series, I generally suggest to buy back issues and 'catch up', but in the case of O'Connell, use your judgement -
But the ending is worth the price of the book. And more's the pity that Mallory doesn't get the gravestone's message.

I was thrilled to find a new Kathy Mallory novel in the bookstore late last year. I immediately grabbed it and gave it to my husband. "This is a Christmas present for me!" And so it was.

Couldn't put this one down at all -- I love the intricacies and characters in all of the Kathy Mallory novels. This one, in particular, kept me guessing until the end, and actually made me cry. Excellent, excellent book.

When is the next one coming out? Can't wait!

I never know what to expect from O'Connor's mysteries, except for one fact. They are not like anything I've ever read before. I think part of the reason I love her work, is because I studied neuroscience for six years, specifically on the brain. Her mysteries are psychological mysteries, ones that deal with people on both the good and bad sides, whose flaws are almost too obvious. Yet, each person within her books has psychological short-comings...even the so-called normal ones (and those are few). This book center around Riker, Mallory's sidekick and mentor, who is undergoing massive trauma due to a near-death experience. He refuses to recognize his needs (sounds like Mallory), so Mallory tries a little shock treatment on him...which backfires on her.

O'Connor characters are the best things about her books. They are rich and they are deep, her characters have flaws, but most of them (not the criminals) have tangible good points about them. In this book, Riker meets a woman who helps to restore his damage psyche who is physically imperfect, and I think O'Connor dealt with this problem of being visually imperfect in a society that demands perfection with just the right touch.

The plot is very convoluted to say the least. O'Connor tends to have several intertwining plots going on a once, and I guess some people will find it very difficult to keep these plots separate in their minds. Me, I have come to expect this from O'Connor, and I enjoy trying to make sense of all of the twists. As usual, I cannot wait until the next Mallory book!

Karen Sadler

I am a huge O'Connell fan and after being disappointed with "Crime School" I wanted to say I'm delighted that she is more than back in stride with "Dead Famous." I was worried that the huge popularity of Mallory would force O'Connell into a corner...not being allowed the freedom to weave her wonderful stories in the way she knows best (don't forget the gripping non-Mallory "Judas Child" ). But by switching the focus to Riker in this novel, she has let her readers have another white-knuckle ride through a fabulous plot with a bit of Mallory and Charles blended in. She creates the most complex, fascinating characters. You learn so much more about Riker and truly are drawn to mysterious Johanna. It is a very intense, rich and emotional story.

As an avid reader of audiobooks, I am always on the lookout for new titles that can hold my attention while I am doing other things. This is certainly one of them! This unabridged reading was fantastic and stimulating. The narrator did a good job of increasing the level of suspense throughout. For all you Mallory fans- consider this one.

The narrator is fabulous and this story is so compelling it will keep you listening all day and night!

Upon first getting into this book I was a little frustrated that it went back and forth between characters so much and also that Mallory was only lightly involved. However, as I continued reading it sucked me in deeper and deeper and I got with the flow. Having finished it, I think it's one of my favorite Mallory books, even though the story focuses largely on her partner, Riker. The ending is very poignant, though to say more would be to give it away. Mallory herself is an acquired taste, one that people either tend to love or hate. I like her, as a character and as a cop, though I don't know that I'd like to have a beer with her. I am currently 3/4 of the way through the newest Mallory book, "Winter House," which is good and has more of Mallory in it. But I have to say that I would probably give it four stars, whereas I'm giving "Dead Famous" five.