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** 'Muller writes flawless mysteries with a harsh edge (- LIBRARY JOURNAL ** 'The tight, crisp plot surges relentlessly forward’ )
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Book Description
Detective fiction doesn't get much better than Marcia Muller's novels featuring San Francisco private eye Sharon McCone.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Long-time fans of the series will enjoy many elements of this book: Sharon and Hy finally marry; Sharon's birth mother and adopted mother meet one another; Sharon's agency expands with some new operatives; and Rae finds herself back doing some detection. In addition, there's a dark, detailed plot that builds from a very old, cold case.
One of the strengths of this story comes in Ms. Muller's deft handling of so many past characters and weaving them the on-going story line. It adds a rich texture to the book that builds depth. That texture is nicely developed also by Ms. Muller's strong ability to build a sense of place as almost another character in the story.
The cold case is quite complex and requires an extensive investigation using many resources. But it's not a classic mystery in that you'll be able to put three clues together in the beginning and figure out who did what to whom. Instead, you'll be able to figure out the next plot development in the procedural about 5-15 pages ahead of time.
The book's main drawback comes in its unappealing characters. Most readers like either sympathetic characters or disgusting villains. This book lacked both. The characters were either completely flat, highly superficial or just plain selfish. But there was nothing about them to attract our interest other than the role they played in the plot development.
Authors often have to choose between developing their plots and their characters. While we get lots of character development concerning the missing Laurel Greenwood, it's ultimately unrewarding. The plot's needs won, but it's an unsatisfying victory.
The book's overall theme is about what it takes to make a good marriage. I thought that element was done well. I especially appreciated the nods to Bill Pronzini's nameless detective as part of that message.
But any long-time fan will enjoy the book. New fans should go back to the beginning of the series and delay this book.
One of the strengths of this story comes in Ms. Muller's deft handling of so many past characters and weaving them the on-going story line. It adds a rich texture to the book that builds depth. That texture is nicely developed also by Ms. Muller's strong ability to build a sense of place as almost another character in the story.
The cold case is quite complex and requires an extensive investigation using many resources. But it's not a classic mystery in that you'll be able to put three clues together in the beginning and figure out who did what to whom. Instead, you'll be able to figure out the next plot development in the procedural about 5-15 pages ahead of time.
The book's main drawback comes in its unappealing characters. Most readers like either sympathetic characters or disgusting villains. This book lacked both. The characters were either completely flat, highly superficial or just plain selfish. But there was nothing about them to attract our interest other than the role they played in the plot development.
Authors often have to choose between developing their plots and their characters. While we get lots of character development concerning the missing Laurel Greenwood, it's ultimately unrewarding. The plot's needs won, but it's an unsatisfying victory.
The book's overall theme is about what it takes to make a good marriage. I thought that element was done well. I especially appreciated the nods to Bill Pronzini's nameless detective as part of that message.
But any long-time fan will enjoy the book. New fans should go back to the beginning of the series and delay this book.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
24 reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Mayra Calvani - Armchair Interviews
3 Dec 2006
Format:Hardcover
The Vanishing Point is the latest instalment in the Sharon McCone mystery series. This time, just as she agrees to marry her longtime love Ripinsky, McCone is asked to investigate the disappearance of Laurel Greenwood, a mother and artist who vanished from San Luis Obispo County two decades ago. Did the woman commit suicide? Was she murdered? Or worse yet--did she abandon her husband and two young daughters out of her own free will?
As McCone sets out to unravel one of the town's most mysterious, unsolved cases, a grim picture begins to emerge. Then things get more complicated when her client--Laurel Greenwood's daughter--also disappears. Is the story repeating itself all over again? Or is Greenwood's daughter searching for her own answers?
The Vanishing Point is a fine novel written by one of today's most popular mystery authors. Muller keeps an even suspense all the way to the end without too many overly commercial cliffhangers. The dialogue sparkles with authenticity. The best thing about the story, however, is how the author interweaves the mystery element with the psychological one. Sharon McCone is a very sympathetic private-eye--sharply intelligent and intrepid, yet with a soft spot for "kittens, puppies, children, [and] grieving widows." How can you not like a beautiful detective vulnerable enough to drool while sleeping in the back seat of a car during an investigation? Recommended for anyone who enjoys a good mystery with strong characterization.
As McCone sets out to unravel one of the town's most mysterious, unsolved cases, a grim picture begins to emerge. Then things get more complicated when her client--Laurel Greenwood's daughter--also disappears. Is the story repeating itself all over again? Or is Greenwood's daughter searching for her own answers?
The Vanishing Point is a fine novel written by one of today's most popular mystery authors. Muller keeps an even suspense all the way to the end without too many overly commercial cliffhangers. The dialogue sparkles with authenticity. The best thing about the story, however, is how the author interweaves the mystery element with the psychological one. Sharon McCone is a very sympathetic private-eye--sharply intelligent and intrepid, yet with a soft spot for "kittens, puppies, children, [and] grieving widows." How can you not like a beautiful detective vulnerable enough to drool while sleeping in the back seat of a car during an investigation? Recommended for anyone who enjoys a good mystery with strong characterization.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Long-running series is still fresh
19 July 2006
Format:Hardcover
Marcia Muller began writing the Sharon McCone Mystery Series in 1977. Twenty-four books later, her heroine is still interesting and her plots and characters are more multi-layered and complex than ever. In this installment, McCone is called upon by a daughter to find her mother who disappeared over 20 years ago. Sharon's investigation is sandwiched between her marriage to Hy Ripinsky and a reception put on by her ever-dysfunctional family. Muller weaves these subplots nicely together with the mystery of the woman's disappearance in a book which should be pleasing to her many long-time fans.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Muller never disappoints
14 Sep 2007
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've read all the Sharon McCone books over the years. Muller's stories are terrific and I've enjoyed watching Sharon grow and develop. I always look forward to the next one.
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