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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Predictable thriller is redeemed through its characters, September 13, 2007
For some reason I picked up this book thinking it was a paranormal mystery. Maybe it was the cover or the fact that the publisher also prints a paranormal vampire series that I follow. Revenant however is very firmly grounded in reality. It's a murder mystery featuring truly evil bad guys and a lot of gray characters. It seems the only truly good characters are the victims.
Our heroine, investigative journalist, Carson Lynch seems to be slogging through life in an alcoholic stupor since the death of her daughter due to an arson attack that was intended for her. Following the subsequent collapse of her marriage, Carson moves back home to Mississippi to take a job with one of the few newspapers willing to risk investing in an alcoholic. In a life filled with intense depression and punctuated by panic attacks Carson clings to the only constant in her life- her job.
When 5 bodies show up underneath the parking lot of a local night club followed by the appearance of fresh bodies with the same MO, Carson gets drawn in to the mystery and uses her local know-how and a few connections to try and solve the murders.
As a mystery/thriller the book failed to keep me engaged as I was confident in answering the who-done-it by midway through the novel. However, the novel was redeemed by the excellent characterizations of our main character's grief and slow recovery as well as a cast of intriguing a well fleshed-out secondary characters including Carson's co-workers and family. So while the thrills might not keep you turning pages the relationship dynamics between Carson and those around her will.
The ending was satisfying from the standpoint of justice. The resolution was not overly abrupt and tied off the necessary lose ends. My only qualm is it left Carson's personal story and possible future happiness open ended. As long as Haines plans on continuing Carson's story in future books that can be over-looked but if Revenant is planned as a stand-alone novel it may leave people feeling slightly dissatisfied.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
4.5 stars: a wonderful flawed journalist and an eerie case to solve, December 21, 2007
Carson Lynch, a washed up journalist with a drinking problem who has lost her child in a fire, her husband and her former prestigious career. Five bodies are uncovered that were buried decades ago beneath a parking lot of a Biloxi, Mississippi night club. Carson begins to investigate, hoping that this story can help her get her career back on track. Days later, two more recent bodies are discovered--each girl wearing a bridal veil. The ring finger has been taken by the murderer. Is this the work of a serial killer or a copy cat killer? Why has such a large expanse of time separated these murders? Can Carson find the clues in time to prevent other murders without risking her own life?
Carolyn Haines intersperses the current thriller plot with ever increasing glimpses of Carson's life, creating a multi-dimensional reading delight. The reader wants to know about Carson's flawed character as well as the unfolding hunt for the killer. REVENANT has some intriguing twists and turns as the identity of the killer is discovered only through careful research and an understanding of the motive behind the crimes. The thrills continue down to the last tense dramatic resolution. The suspense focuses on the eerie nature of the crimes and the psychology behind the crimes. As Carson hunts for leads, Carolyn Haines reveals the psychological dimension of the past moments that led Carson to her present situation. A few more veiled clues in the beginning and throughout the novel would have heightened the reading suspense. Some clues arrive unexpectedly without earlier preparation so that the final revelation feels just slightly too easy in terms of the narrative structure. Fans will eagerly await another thriller with Carson at the center of the activity thanks to Carolyn Haines' brilliant characterization.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of Haines Best Yet, October 11, 2007
We read for entertainment, knowledge, and to pass the time. It is nice to be challenged intellectually and Carolyn Haines provides this in her latest book Revenant. Always a good story teller in any genre you can name, in this mystery-thriller Haines cleverly plots a new angle and develops characters who will long be remembered. As a former journalist herself, she is also teaching us that the media has not always been as it is now. There was a time when news people sought to tell a good story without invading the privacy of victims ("Aside from that, what did you think of the play, Mrs. Lincoln?") and without trying to be sensational and entertainers rather than reporters.
The setting along the lovely Mississippi Gulf Coast before the ravages of katrina is beautifully described and the action flows fast to a startling climax. If you are wondering about the title, read the book and you will smile and say, "Ah, yes."
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