Customer Reviews

Unprintable

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Pick this or any of Julie Kaewert'sPlumtree books up and you will be hooked. Julie has a wonderful knack for writing even if some of her stories are a bit fantastical - but isn't that why we read these books anyway? To take a break from real life for a few minutes?

Alex Plumtree is a bibliophile's dream come true as is Julie's series. These books not only keep you on the edge of your seat but teach you a bit about the history behind printing and rare books (as well as about different types of fonts).

This book is highly enjoyable - I promise!

I had never planned to write a review of this book, but feel duty bound to do so because it is a sterling example of what can go wrong in a series.

I loved "Unsolicited," the first book in this series about a book publisher in London. Being a bookaholic, I enjoyed learning about the printing and collecting of fine books. Although a bit stiff, I liked Alex Plumtree, the protagonist, and found the mystery interesting and fast moving. The book also met another criteria I have for reading a series - an interesting ongoing story line.

I was a bit disappointed in "Unbound," the second book in the series because I thought it was a bit too long.

Along comes "Unprintable," the third installment in this series. All I can say about this book is that if you read either the first or second book, don't bother buying the third. It appears that Ms. Kaewert found a formula she feels comfortable with and insists on repeating it in her subsequent books. In addition, the Alex we met in the first book has not changed one iota in the subsequent books. It would appear that neither he nor any of the other characters have any layers to strip away. I am finding both the pattern of the mysteries and the stagnation of the characters and story line rather tedious. Ms. Kaewert would be well advised to take a lesson from the great Elizabeth George who knows how to keep a series fresh and the reader begging for more.

This is the middle book in the "Un" series of 5 Booklover's Mysteries thus far. Having now read all 5, it's clear that the author's style involves a plot that twists and turns right up to the end. Plumtree Press, the protagonist's family business, takes on something uncharacteristic of them by publishing a novel of a political nature, and a highly controversial one at that. It is proposed that this piece of fiction could affect the outcome of the national election called by the Prime Minister, if the limited, special edition of it hits the streets on time. Those of a certain political persuasion do everything they can, bar none, to stop this from happening. Alex Plumtree and his special edition printer, Amanda of Amanda's Print Shop, are in constant danger as they are threatened by union activists and someone with a special interest in insuring the UK's involvement in the Economic and Monetary Union of Europe.

Instead of rare books and book collecting, Unprintable's book-related specialty is the art of hand set type and manual platen press printing. It was rather nostalgic for me as one who learned that art many years ago. It is apparently not a lost art, as I had supposed, since we are taught here that special editions are sometimes printed in this painstaking fashion.

Kaewert's "Un" series makes a fun read overall, especially for those interested in books and the combination of books and British mystery. In each volume though, her story line is quite protracted and includes a lot of non-mystery elements that may not interest some, as well as some highly unrealistic elements (but that's often the stuff of fiction). I would give a minimum rating of 7 on a scale of 10 to each book of this series if Amazon's scale allowed for odd numbered ratings. If I were to read just one in the series, the best choice by far would be Untitled (the fourth in the series), the most like an Agatha Christie story and the most masterful of all 5 books in throwing in a major twist on several occasions just when you think you have things figured out. I look forward to book number 6, Uncatalogued, due out in the spring of 2002.

Ms. Kaewert has written another excellent book lovers mystery! Not only does she entertain and delight, but she educates as well. Unprintable teaches about past and present - history of printing, and the infamous Euro conflict. This is an excellent mystery that stands on its own. You don't have to read the others to understand what's going on. But be warned you will be hooked! It has political manipulation, people of low moral character, dead bodies ... And it's not even by Ken Starr! Get this book, you'll enjoy it!

Alex Plumtree is in the thick of it again. This is the third in the Booklover's Mystery series. The book stands alone so don't worry if you haven't read the others (But be warned, you'll be hooked --- betcha can't read just one!) As always Mrs. Kaewert not only entertains but enlightens. You'll learn not only about printing, but current issues like the Euro Union. Alex Plumtree's life seems to have one mystery interwoven into another. Each book gets better! Most of the strings get tied up in the end, except for one... I'd really like to see someone clobber a certain old flame of Alex's. Read it and you'll agree. I can't wait for her next book Untitled!!! Is there an A.R.C. in the house? If you want to learn about the Euro Union, read this book, If you want to learn about printing, read this book. If you just want a great mystery that draws you in.. yup, you guessed it READ THIS BOOK!

As a mystery author with my first novel in initial release, I read a wide variety of mystery fiction. I'm an admirer of Julie Waller Kaewert's previous works, and I found UNPRINTABLE to be another enjoyable read. The Prime Minister secretly requests that Alex Plumtree of Plumtree Press publish CLEANSING. CLEANSING seems like a total mismatch for Plumtree. Plumtree is among the most respectable British publishers and CLEANSING is a highly controversial and sensational work. Once the book's publication is announced, Alex Plumtree finds himself entanlged in all sorts of troubles--some violent, some legal. Someone is trying to stop the presses, and Alex must find out who it is. UNPRINTABLE is another fine work by Ms. Kaewert.

The author has a good idea going in the "Un-" series, but she needs to give Alex Plumtree, the main character, a bit of a backbone. It's hard to beleive his motivation a lot of the time, especially when things are going tragically wrong. She seems to want to make him both highly ethical and verrrrrry sensitive (viz. his relationship with and oft repeated desire to marry Sarah) but enough angst already! In the Saint mysteries by Leslie Charteris, a female character outsmarts the bad guys by refusing to get in a cab (sent by the baddies) but allegedly from Simon Templar. To move the story ahead, Julie always has Alex always get in the cab.

This book is the third in the entertaining series that starts with UNSOLICITED. UNPRINTABLE is an expertly crafted mystery-thriller that reads much faster than its 381 pages would indicate. Kaewert brings back her interesting characters and combines love, envy, obsession, and violence with a plot as big as the EU, an election in Britain, more fascinating printing history, geography, ecology, and more! If you love a solid, fully plotted mystery, you DON'T want to miss this amazing series. Beautifully done, with a lot of excitement and masterful subtlety. A real page-turner!

English Prime Minister Graeme Abercrombie asks Alex Plumtree, owner of Plumtree Press, for a favor. The PM wants Alex to print what is in all probability the most repulsive book ever written in the English language. Bibliophiles could go all the way back to the epic poem Beowulf, written before William the Conqueror and not find an uglier tale than "Cleansing" by Lord Chenies. However, Alex, being a loyal individual, agrees to keep his meeting with Graeme a secret and to publish the controversial book that encourages eradication of the nation's poor.

However, when Alex acquiesces, he is unaware what has been set in motion. Soon, his publishing company is under siege as every step towards printing Cleansing seems to be sabotaged. Even worse, the author is murdered, leaving Alex wondering and fearing what he got himself and his employees involved in when he agreed to do a favor for the Prime Minister.

UNPRINTABLE is a very interesting novel that brings to life traditional English social values in a state of conflict as to their various interpretation. The who-done-it is engrossing, but the strength of a Julie Kaewert novel (see the enjoyable UNSOLICITED and UNBOUND) is the author's charming homage to the world of the book lover.

Harriet Klausner

Yes, this book is well written; yes, the printing details are apt to delight every book lover, but I know I am not the only one who threw away this book in disgust nearing the end (I talked to several other people lured by the interesting printing subject.). Rather sneakingly, it turns suddenly to be a very anti-European, anti-Catholic, anti-socialist (yes; European=Catholic=Socialist=Very Bad) right-wing conspiracy theory book. The European Union as the anti-Christ, a plot for the Vatican and Labour Parties to take over the world from God-loving American Conservatives; there might be Americans who love this stuff, but nobody with any intelligence.