1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful characters, January 29, 2007
This review is from: Sticks & Stones (Rachael Flynn Mystery Series #2) (Paperback)
Bullying. It's been in the news a lot in the last several years. The awareness of this insidious behavior has received national attention ever since the Columbine shootings. Bullying is one of those things that always got swept under the rug, until shots started ringing out in schools across our country, and beyond our borders.
But what about more than two decades ago? Twenty-five years have passed since children in one neighborhood felt threatened. Demeaned. Tormented. Unworthy. With no one to rescue them, they endured years of abuse from a kid named Bucky. His very presence promised pain.
Twenty-five years later, Rachael Flynn, a lawyer in the district attorney's office, receives an unsigned letter with the message that a body is about to be uncovered at a local construction site. His death was an accident, but not undeserved, according to the anonymous letter writer.
This well-written mystery takes us into the lives of adult survivors. Hard questions unearth ungodly memories in the search for the truth of what happened twenty-five years ago, and along the way, Rachael's artist husband, and his friends, charm us. Rachael and Trace's young daughter, McKenna, brings balance to the story.
We're grateful that, in Rachael's hardboiled life as a prosecuting attorney, she has the solid block of her marriage, and a brother who, from his prison cell, gives her peace and direction.
Meissner gives us characters to cheer for and a story with enough questions to keep us turning the page. And she doesn't leave us hanging--resources are provided at the end of the book for readers who want more information about bullying.
Armchair Interviews says: This one is well worth your time, and a place on your bookshelf.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
3.0 out of 5 stars
Just Okay, October 5, 2008
This review is from: Sticks & Stones (Rachael Flynn Mystery Series #2) (Paperback)
In a nutshell, a good mystery. It's well written and flows well. Great characterization. However, I find the Christian aspect of this novel a little forced. It wasn't until I got two-thirds of the way through it that it even came up and even then, it felt like it was put there merely to fulfill the Christian requirement. I also don't find it much of a mystery. There aren't any clues, foreshadowing or red herrings. It's merely all left up to chance, "feelings," psychic powers and the suspect coming forward to admit guilt. I also don't like that the main character, Rachel, suddenly becomes psychic and uses her psychic powers to deduce what happened. It feels too gimicky. Overall, just an okay read.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
2.0 out of 5 stars
Good Subject, Not-So-Good Execution, September 30, 2007
This review is from: Sticks & Stones (Rachael Flynn Mystery Series #2) (Paperback)
Again, as in the first book in this series, Meissner has made a good, fairly unique choice of subject matter . This book focuses on a mystery involving bullying and the horrible impact it makes on children's lives. However, I found it almost a chore to get through the book. There was too much dialogue and too little action. Not many authors can get away with that, and I don't think this writing is successful enough to carry the constant dialogue well.
Also, the plotline is confusing at times. The twists and turns aren't so much suspensful as they are tiresome. It's as if they exist only to take up space between the mystery and its solving. Meissner's climax was once again poignant, although not quite so much as the first book's. Overall, the first book in this series was better. I look forward to seeing how the third one in the trilogy compares.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
