| Title | : | Cheddar Off Dead (Undercover Dish Mystery #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0425275965 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780425275962 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 304 |
| Publication | : | First published September 6, 2016 |
The Christmas holidays are one of Lilah’s favorite times of the year, filled with friends, family, and, of course, tons of food orders for her Covered Dish clients. But Lilah’s Yuletide cheer ends when she sees a most Grinch-like crime: the murder of a Santa in a school parking lot.
It turns out the deceased Kris Kringle was a complicated tangle of naughty and nice, with a long list of people who might have wanted him dead. And whoever did the deed wants to make sure that Lilah keeps quiet. Now, Lilah will have to team up with her former fling, Detective Jay Parker, to unwrap the mysteries of a deadly Christmas killer and stay alive long enough to ring in the New Year...
Cheddar Off Dead (Undercover Dish Mystery #2) Reviews
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I have now read this series and feel this book is the best one.Lilah is taking her cheese and macaroni dishes to the grade school her friend is teaching at for the Christmas Party. While at the school parking lot she witnessed a shooting. This brings Jay Parker back in her life. He arranged police protection for her. Lilah goes to stay with her brother and his new wife, Serafina. They go to Serafina's beauty salon and meet the mobster boss who the victim owe money blowing Lilah's cover. Lilah is working for a catering outfit and has an appearance on her ex-wife boyfriend's TV show. The ending will surprise you. LIlah recipes are included in the book. I highly recommend this book and series.
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Another enjoyable cozy mystery from Julia Buckley. So far, I'm finding Lilah Drake to be an engaging main character and I feel like I understand her. I haven't lived in a small town for many years, but I still remember how interconnected everyone was. It was difficult to get very much privacy. It seems like someone who knows who you are is always watching and is willing to share those observations. That's why Lilah's undercover food deliveries amuse me so much. The skulking about and the elaborate pseudo explanations are fun (and in a real small community would be pretty hard to conceal from nosey neighbours).
Lilah and Parker's on-again-off-again courtship seems to be on again. That's probably the safest situation for Lilah, who seems to have a talent for witnessing murders. However, Parker has to be running the investigation of this crime, so we get to meet Wendy, Lilah's police bodyguard. Wendy is a great character, the right balance of protective, professional, and friendly. Parker finally realizes that people open up to Lilah, a useful skill that he can benefit from. This is a big improvement in their interaction.
There really are too many books and too little time, but I hope to get to the next volume sooner, rather than later! -
Rising star, Author Julia Buckley, creates a cozy plot that simmers with an intriguing mystery revolving around the death of a part-time Santa Claus and a family with mob connections. The brisk dialogue and plethora of clues make for an absorbing page-turner. 'Undercover chef' Lilah Drake, is a superb character with an interesting occupation; an entertaining and supportive family; and a hunky detective as a romantic interest. Don't miss this fantastic story!
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Book Review/Giveaway
September 17
http://acozygirlreads.blogspot.ca/
I really needed to be in the Christmas spirit and Cheddar off Dead was just the book that made me feel all Christmasy inside if just for a brief time.
It's a surprising fact that people want credit for making food they didn't have or talent to make, well Pine Haven, Illinois is in luck, Caterer and "Undercover Dish" business owner, Lilah Drake is at their service.
Lilah is very busy with the Christmas season with everyone wanting "party food" for their Christmas parties and Lilah is busy cooking and baking on top of her catering job. "Santa" aka actor Brad Whitefield has been shot to death in an elementary school parking lot where Lilah is delivering an "undercover dish" to teacher and friend, Jenny.
Brad has a rep for being a "tool" and a "jerk" and a gambler who is in debt to the mob and he is a known for cheating on his wife. Jay Parker is a detective on the case but there's trouble when Lilah and Jay previously share a romantic kiss and Lilah is a witness to the murder but does not mean to be and Lilah sets off on a Christmas mission to find who could have done this to "Santa"
You could cut the drama between Lilah and Jay with a knife and it kept the story an engaging read that I loved and I would love to sink my teeth into Lilah's macaroni and cheese bake .
I love the premise, it's a foodie mystery but it's very different in a good way. "Mick" the dog now owns a piece of my heart. Thank you to Julia Buckley for getting me in the Christmas Spirit, and now craving macaroni and cheese but did you really have to kill off Santa even if he was a bad guy?
FTC Disclosure: Thank you to the publisher and/or author or Net Galley for providing us with a copy of this book for review.This did not influence our thoughts in any way. All the opinions of the book are our own. -
Even better than the first book in the Undercover Dish Mysteries, CHEDDAR OFF DEAD was a book I devoured!
I fell instantly in love with author Julia Buckley’s first book in this series, THE BIG CHILI so it came as no surprise to me that book two, CHEDDAR OFF DEAD was going to be brilliant.
Author Buckley has just the sort of writing I enjoy. Not cluttered with wasted words or scenes. Every word read is necessary to the plot, needed for the flow of the story.
The characters in this series are wonderful. It took me no time at all to warm up to them in book one. Mick the chocolate Lab has stolen my heart. Being with them in book two was like visiting with old friends.
CHEDDAR OFF DEAD was a delicious mystery. Ms. Buckley wasted no time getting right into it with the victim being discovered in the first chapter. From that moment on the story filled me with yummy plot twists, deception, humor, and incredible writing. By the time I reached the reveal, and then moved on to the conclusion, I was left completely sated.
When you have your own copy, cause I know you want one, take a peek in the back of the book for some tasty recipes! -
I loved this book! Great mystery, an exciting ending and some romance thrown in there as well all at a Christmas setting. I like the characters and Lilah's food sounds amazing. Can't wait to read the next one!
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Excellent! Fantastic!
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Julia Buckley is by far one of the best new cozy authors to have been published in the last few years. Of the three books she's published through Berkley, all have been absolutely stellar! This book was by far one of my favorites so far this year, and I can't wait until her next releases, both coming up later this year!
I do have one question though: -
I enjoyed this book so very much! Finishing it on a Hot August night and feeling that Christmas Feeling, was a delight! This is the second book in the Undercover Dish Mystery series and I love not only the concept behind the series but all the amazing characters in this book. The mystery is of course a key point of any great cozy and I love how this story and mystery unfold. I could so easily relate to Lilah's sudden case of holiday apprehension, the less then idealistic feelings one has at time of year and the feeling of being weighted down when the world is supposed to be swept up in holiday joy. On the flip side though I found this mystery to actually be quite up lifting and I did find that I had that old Christmas Spirit while I read. Lilah has a great family, dog, neighbors and job. Author Julia Buckley does a wonderful job with this book and wraps up the story as a perfectly wrapped gift, proving that good things come in small packages with Cheddar Off Dead.
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2nd in this series and not as good as the first one. "Santa" is killed in a parking lot in this one. Who would kill "Santa"? Turns out I didn't really much care. These are just too "cute" for me. Won't bother going further.
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Cheddar Off Dead runs in the opposite direction of many cozies with more of city/contemporary feel. Lilah is a chef with an interesting side gig as an undercover chef. She will deliver the goods secretly and her clients can pretend to have made them themselves. In this book, Lilah is present at the murder of Santa Claus, well not really Santa, but an actor set to perform in a Santa costume. The killer sees her and Lilah is pulled into the investigation, pretty much against her will. There is a Christmas theme, a loving family, a big dog side kick, a possible love interest, a victim with some enemies, and mobsters. All these together make for a fun, quick, holiday cozy read.
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When I started seeing reviews this past September for CHEDDAR OFF DEAD, the second book in the Undercover Dish Mystery series by Julia Buckley, I knew I needed to add it to my reading list. And when I found out it was centered around Christmas I moved it up in my pile of books so I’d have it at the ready in early December to start reading. CHEDDAR OFF DEAD lived up to and even exceeded my expectations both for a riveting, well written plot and for the holiday setting!
Even though I have not read the first book in the series (it’s been sitting on my Kindle since its release and I somehow overlooked reading it!) CHEDDAR OFF DEAD was easy to jump in and get to know the characters. I loved the protagonist, Lilah Drake, and her very clever side job of providing clandestine dishes to those in town who don’t want anyone to know that they’re awful cooks or are too busy to cook themselves. It sets the stage for some humorous situations. There’s a strong undercurrent of romance between Lilah and Detective Jay Parker and I liked how Lilah remained feisty and true to herself when it appeared things weren’t going to work out. Plus she is very funny when she accidentally runs into him at the market and I found myself chuckling out loud. There’s a strong cast of supporting characters and each adds a nice element to the story and enhances Lilah’s character.
With so many delicious dishes mentioned in the book making me hungry, I was happy to find that the author includes some recipes at the back of the book. When I saw the recipe for Serafina’s Pizzelles (Italian Christmas Waffle Cookies) I knew I had to try them...and I think I've found a new cookie to add to my annual list of Christmas treats! Delicious and so easy to make! -
Cheddar Off Dead is the second book in the An Undercover Dish Mystery series.
A wonderful follow-up to the first book, The Big Chili.
Lilah is waiting in a school’s parking lot delivering Macaroni and Cheese to her college days friend, Jenny, for a Christmas party where Jenny teaches. As Lilah is about to pull out of the parking lot, a car pulls in and shoots Brad Whitefield who is dressed in a Santa’s suit and was to entertain the children at school. The detective who arrives on the scene is none other than Jay Parker, someone she has been trying to avoid seeing after a disastrous earlier date. It is soon learned that Whitefield has some gambling debts that might have been owed to members of a mob. With a couple attempts on her life, Lilah has constant police protection when not staying at her brother's, which works to her advantage, as she does her sleuthing in front of the police.
Another well written and told story Buckley and provides the readers with an interesting look at the catering business. Mick, Lilah’s chocolate lab is back to help her keep herself centered.
Delicious recipes are also included.
I love this series and will definitely be looking for the next book. -
Registered on Bookcrossing:
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1...
Another fabulous book in the Undercover Dish mystery series. Lilah is a great main character. Her love life isn't so great since she had a disagreement with Detective Jay Parker. We'll see if they can get it together. I love Mick, the sweet chocolate lab who belongs to Lilah. Julia Buckley has become one of my favorite cozy mystery authors. -
I mean, sometimes the relationships were over the top, but it was a holiday theme!
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2020 bk 268. A very successful sequal to the Big Chili. Again, she kept me guessing, the clues were there, but so well intertwined that I didn't guess correctly. In this book, Lilah has been hired as chef for a locally renowned catering firm, her ex boyfriend has invited her to do a guest spot on his daily cooking show, and the budding relationship she had with Pet's police detective son has fallen through. When delivering mac and cheese to a school Christmas Party (pretending she is delivering her college roommate now teacher's food from home), she witnesses the death of Santa Claus, gets involved with a group of actors, the mob, and is back in the relationship with the detective, who is a little jealous. I love her family, love the settings, and the mystery.
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This series keeps getting better. Lilah sees "Santa" get killed when dropping off a dish for a friend.
What I enjoyed:
* I really like Lilah, she is a very nice person, doesn't usually do stupid things (although yelling at possible mob bosses might qualify) and is always feeding people.
* Lilah's friends and family are also awesome, and we got introduced to Wendy this time - I hope she sticks around in future books.
What could have been better:
* The are they/aren't they romance. I think Jay really overreacted at the end of the last book and he is bad at talking about important things -
I am really enjoying this series. I am so glad that I have more to look forward too. As someone who doesn't enjoy cooking, I love the idea of an undercover chef. This book had it all... mystery, romance, good food, & even a few mobsters. Julia Buckley is an amazing author and I am excited to read more of her cozies.
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A caterer and a cop investigate the murder of a young actor in a Santa suit. This book is definitely not for those who prefer traditional romance
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Charming addition to the series.
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This was such a fun cozy! Probably one of the better ones I’ve read recently. It was actually hard to put down and I read it in nearly a day. Super fun and likable characters, well-written, and very Christmassy. I cannot wait to crack open the next in the series.
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For a seasonal challenge, I needed to read a book that featured a Santa hat on the cover. This happened to be the only one I could find on my shelf so I jumped right into this series. I'm so happy I got the nudge to read it because this ended up being my favorite Christmas themed cozy mystery this year. It was full of humor, action, great characters and lots of intrigue.
The mystery was so well done and captured my attention instantly. The victim, who just so happens to be a paid Santa, is murdered in a drive by shooting right outside of the school he is about to visit. What follows is a fast paced case full of mob connections, secrets and nonstop accusations.
Lilah was a great lead. I really liked her personality. The attempts on her life definitely added some good suspense to the story-line. I loved the side characters, especially her new sister-in-law. I had no problem following along even though this was the first book I had read in the series. I felt the tension between the love interest detective and their botched interactions that obviously took place in the first book. I'm already invested in their relationship and look forward to catching up and seeing how it continues. Lilah's dog, Mick, was an adorable addition to the storyline.
Being a culinary mystery, there were plenty of tasty food descriptions as Lilah prepared dishes for her catering gig, the holidays or when she appeared on her ex's cooking show - interested to see how that progresses as well. The book does include several recipes at the end. -
Cheddar Off Dead
Undercover Dish Mystery, Book #2
Julia Buckley
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Caterer and cook Lilah Drake is up to her elbows in deadly trouble in the latest mystery from the author of The Big Chili...
The Christmas holidays are one of Lilah’s favorite times of the year, filled with friends, family, and, of course, tons of food orders for her Covered Dish clients. But Lilah’s Yuletide cheer ends when she sees a most Grinch-like crime: the murder of a Santa in a school parking lot.
It turns out the deceased Kris Kringle was a complicated tangle of naughty and nice, with a long list of people who might have wanted him dead. And whoever did the deed wants to make sure that Lilah keeps quiet. Now, Lilah will have to team up with her former fling, Detective Jay Parker, to unwrap the mysteries of a deadly Christmas killer and stay alive long enough to ring in the New Year... (Goodreads)
Review:
This is a great book and a great series. It has everything that I look for in a cozy: great characters, a great setting and a great premise. It also has humor, suspense, and a top notch mystery.
The characters are well rounded, well developed and three dimensional. Lilah is a hard worker who is very trustworthy (she has to be for her business). She is really close with her family and I enjoyed reading about all of their interactions. I especially enjoy spending time with her sister-in-law, Fina. She is so loud and friendly and I think she adds a lot to the story. I still have not decided if Jay is worthy of Lilah, the jury is still out on that one. But I am starting to like him better. Of course, my favorite character is Mick, Lilah’s labrador. I love the interaction between him and his humans, and I love the fact that he nods when he agrees.
The mystery is carried on well throughout the entire book. There are enough suspects to keep me guessing and enough clues and red herrings to make it difficult to determine the killer.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through most of the book I felt like I was right there watching all the action take place around me and listening in on conversations. As a reader, I really appreciate that.
I would recommend this book to anyone who who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I cannot wait for book number three to be released. -
Last year, I read The Big Chili and immediately fell in love with the characters. I couldn’t wait for Cheddar Off Dead to come out. When I found out the book was going to have a Christmas theme, I was beyond excited. The only thing holding me back from reading the story in September when it came out was the fact that it revolved around Christmas. I wasn’t prepared to think about Christmas. Now, I am. While Cheddar Off Dead is the second book in the Undercover Dish Mystery series, it is a standalone read.
Cheddar of Dead starts out with the delivery of macaroni and cheese, the ultimate comfort food. It's interesting that food that brings comfort is an integral part of a story that also brings comfort. I’m one of those readers who loves to sit back and lose myself in a cozy mystery. I’m talking hot tea or hot chocolate with a cozy blanket and I’ve created my comfort zone.
This story hit on everything I love in a cozy mystery. There was enough to keep me invested in figuring out what happened. The secondary characters were great and provided enough misdirection to make you look in the wrong direction. The Christmas setting was one of my favorite parts. I loved the tug of war with the romance between Police Detective Jay Parker and Lilah Drake, caterer and amatuer slueth. There was a lot of back and forth of “are they or are they not a couple”. Surprisingly, this part was written in such a way that it didn’t become irritating.
One thing I didn’t like about the story was that it portrayed the Pine Haven police force as keystone cops. I’m not exactly sure what they were investigating. It’s like they never knew the right questions to ask and every lead they got was the result of Lilah doing her own investigating. The moment when Julia Buckley made an unexpected, surprising connection was shocking. I loved the reveal of the murderer and the fallout from it.
Julia Buckley’s Undercover Dish Mystery series is one I hope never ends. I’m looking forward to returning to Pine Haven and seeing what’s in store for Lilah, Jay, and the rest of the characters.
**Received a copy from Penguin Berkley and voluntarily reviewed the book.** -
This is the second in the Undercover Dish mystery series and it does not disappoint!
This mystery has it all, great characters, romance and a well written whodunit.
I was so happy to return to reading about these characters.
Lilah is still operating her undercover dish business as well as working at a catering company. While making a covert delivery to a school, she encounters an actor dressed as Santa for a Christmas gathering at the school. After having an interesting conversation with him, she returns to her car. Santa is killed in the parking lot, and Lilah is now in potential danger as a witness.
This book sees the return of all the characters I love, and the introduction of some new ones, which I hope to read more of.
The book set at Christmas time put me in the holiday spirit, but was not off putting, having read it during a heat wave!
The well rounded cast of characters, old and new, were a great mix. The characters and really well written mystery took me on a fun, engaging and appealing ride, which left me guessing until the end.
The recipes included will make your mouth water. You don’t have to be a foodie to enjoy this book, but you may turn into one!
I give this book 5 stars and look forward to the next book in the series. -
The whole thing with Parker and Angelo was just annoying.
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Lilah, the owner and chef for a clandestine cooking service, has just dropped off an order for a school teacher when she becomes witness to the murder of Santa Claus.
[Parker] sighed. “We followed your tip about the debt and found out that [...]”
Okay, stop right there. There is no way to finish that sentence that won’t result in a disciplinary hearing for you, Mr. Good Cop. She’s a civilian and there’s no reason for her to know what you found out. No reason. Now, let’s see how deep a hole you’ve dug for yourself.
[...] Whitefield owed money to Enrico Donato. Known as Big Rick Donato.”
“So?”
“He’s rumoured to have mob connections. We actually don’t have a lot on him. He keeps a very low profile; we didn’t even know he was living in Pine Haven, among other places. He’s said to own several residences in Chicagoland.”
“What do you mean mob connections? He’s a mobster? Like a horse head in the bed mobster?”
“I’m meeting with the FBI tomorrow, so I’ll get more information. [...]”
(Julia Buckley, Cheddar Off Dead, p.51)
Which you’ll immediately share with the terrified witness/future girlfriend, I’m sure. This was an exchange that said a lot about our male lead, so I’m going to take a few moments to make sure I tick everything off.
He readily shares confidential information about an open murder case with a civilian.
He readily shares confidential information about an open murder case with a witness, contaminating their recollection of events and/or future statements.
He alleges an unproven mob connection and doesn’t correct the civilian when she assumes the suspect in question is a mobster himself, which may open him to libel if the witness spreads this around and the statement can be traced back to him.
He tells a terrified, paranoid witness to a murder whom the police believe may have been identified by the killer that the main suspect has ties to the mafia, and instead of trying to calm her fears further tells her that the FBI has gotten involved.
He insinuates that he’ll be checking in to report the FBI’s findings to her, which of course he will.
In any other book you would say that the character is untrustworthy, lacks empathy, shows little foresight or discretion, and you’d expect him to suffer the consequences of his words. Here, he’s the romantic lead. Of course, in any other book you wouldn’t expect the leading lady to run into said mobster the very next morning or confront him on his connection to the murder victim.
Also, I’m sorry, but Lilah tells her future sister-in-law the name of the mobster and she doesn’t recognize it, not only as the name of her upstairs neighbour, but also the name of the owner of the in-house salon she’s been going to for years and the one she makes Lilah an appointment at for the very next morning? Are you fucking kidding me? How do you not know the name of your salon’s owner? Every woman I know knows the name of their salon’s owner, at least enough to recognize it when it’s mentioned!
“There’s something I want to tell you, as my friend. But I knew you would worry. So I made Jay promise he wouldn’t tell.”
[...]
“Let me get this straight. Your son spoke to you, but when I asked if it was you, he said no.”
“I guess he didn’t want you to ask about it.”
“So he lied. He lied to me.”
“Well, he was protecting me, I guess.”
“Right. The way I was protecting Pet Grandy when I lied. For which I got two months of silence from your son.”
(Julia Buckley, Cheddar Off Dead, p.140-141)
Jay Parker’s mother told him not to share her important personal information with Lilah until she had the final confirmation and could tell her herself. Lilah’s client told her not to share trivial information she had no intention of telling anyone despite being relevant to a murder investigation. Yes, Jay Parker lied to Lilah. But Lilah lied to lead investigator Detective Parker.
[...] And I asked if it was your mother on the phone, and you said no.”
“She asked me not to tell you.”
“Exactly, Parker. The way Pet Grandy asked me not to tell you that I made the chilli that ended up being poisoned. She didn’t want her secret to be revealed, and I was trying to accept her wishes.”
“That’s not the same.” His voice was defensive.
“Why?”
“You lied to the police, Lilah! It’s against the law. The law that I respect.”
I understood this about Parker. He loved his profession because he was an idealist, and he believed in rules and in justice, however flawed they might be.
(Julia Buckley, Cheddar Off Dead, p.239-240)
I’m caught halfway between cheering for him and wanting him to kick her out of the car, and gawking at him for his hypocrisy in bringing up adherence to the law when he’s been breaking it in every scene they share.
And I noticed something around halfway through the book that became distracting as soon as I realized it. Why does Lilah keep calling him ‘Parker’? I didn’t really notice it for a while since it’s also a first name, but his first name is Jay. It’s really weird and impersonal, always calling your ‘boyfriend’ by his last name. I don’t think I’d be too pleased with a boyfriend who always called me Chamberlain.
We’ve got yet another case of a technologically impaired lead character, but this time one who understands smart phones but has to have the difference between PCs and NPCs explained to her. Like, not even just the acronyms (Playable Characters/Non-Playable Characters), but the whole concept. The murder victim was in a
MMORPG community (one with
MMORTS elements to it), where you could build up a kingdom for yourself and visit/form alliances/start wars with neighbouring kingdoms. This is a pretty basic idea, but Lilah seriously couldn’t figure out that some characters were real people and others were made by the game. I get that cozies might be traditionally aimed at an above-teenage audience, but the main character is a young woman who can’t possibly be so behind the times. I’m flabbergasted at how patiently the character explaining all this to her was. He went on for pages just explaining the basic premise of online gaming to her.
And I really don’t think the author knows anything about online games, either. Everyone in the book who plays a character in the game has made avatars who look exactly like themselves. Excuse me, what reality is this woman living in? Nobody does that, nor are game systems finely detailed enough to make recognizable replicas of real people even if anyone wanted to. And don’t give me that ‘upload a photo’ bullshit, those things are hideous and will eat your soul.
“Lilah,” Parker said.
“I didn’t mean to interrogate you over the phone yesterday.”
“I don’t want this to be a problem. I want to be with you. I made a mistake the first time, and I missed you.”
“I missed you, too. And I don’t want to create problems. But it seems to me the truth is a pretty big thing to have a disagreement about. I can’t be with someone who thinks I’m dishonest.”
“I don’t.”
“But what of you do, deep down? And then there comes a time that you need to trust me, really trust me, and you find that you can’t.”
[...]
“I would like a second chance with you, Jay Parker. And I will never lie to you again.”
“I won’t lie to you, either, Lilah.”
(Julia Buckley, Cheddar Off Dead, p.284-185)
One more time: she bald-faced lied to the police about information relevant to a murder investigation; he lied through omission about his mother’s private medical crisis. Or specifically, he lied about not being on the phone with his mother, a white lie that was utterly pointless and which only served to give Lilah something to call him a hypocrite over. And he’s admitting he was wrong to be angry at her for her lie.
You know what? You two deserve each other.
CHARACTERS:
Fuck you, both of you. You’re horrible assholes and the only ones with any ‘character development’. The brother and Italian future sister-in-law are forgettable and stereotypical respectively. No points, all around. God, you two suck.
WORLD BUILDING/SETTING:
Considering all the places Lilah went in this book (Lilah, I’d like to point out, was supposed to have been on house arrest throughout the book due to multiple murder attempts) nothing stood out at all as having built up the world or captured the setting. The scene at the theatre was enjoyable and I’d give it a point toward the World Building, but I’d just have to remove it again for the horrible habit the author suddenly developed of inserting suspiciously appropriate songs to convey the feeling of the scene or characters (cheapest scene-setting cop-out ever).
PLOT:
Another mafia mystery, and I’m tempted to remove a point for that. But instead I’m taking a point off for the scenes between the mob suspect and Lilah, which are so ballsy and abusive toward him that she’s clearly out of her goddamned mind and hoping to get whacked. Then, suddenly, the mob connection goes flying out the window and we’re suddenly balls-deep in a techno mystery. The two tie up somewhat but the change in focus was so dramatic that I have to get rid of another point. Other than that, the plot was fine and the solution was probably a surprise, or it would have been if I hadn’t gotten bored of the book and stopped paying as much attention as I should have been.
OTHER ASPECTS:
The lie drama came up way too often and Lilah suffered no consequences or learned any lessons, despite obviously being in the wrong. I realize it’s only one flaw, but it became so annoying (as you may have noticed from my review) that I’m deducting a star for every time Lilah brings it up. Her name is Lie-lah for God’s sake!
THE VERDICT?
Don’t. Just... just fucking don’t.
