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River of Darkness (Hardcover)

by Rennie Airth (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Viking Pr (Jun 1999)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0060179228
  • ISBN-13: 978-0670885954
  • ASIN: 0670885959
  • Product Dimensions: 22.6 x 16 x 3.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,160,058 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

15 Reviews
5 star:
 (10)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An absolutely first-class read!, 29 Dec 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: River of Darkness (John Madden Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)
I came across this book by accident in my local library, and although I would normally choose fiction from a more modern era, I am so glad that I made this choice! It's the best crime novel I read all year, and it sent me searching immediately for other books by this author. For me the book had all the essential elements of a good thriller - suspense and a believable plot-line, while combining these with thoroughly human characters. Definitely highly recommended!
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Good but hardly original, 24 Sep 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: River of Darkness (Paperback)
On the one hand I found this book both enjoyable and exciting. On the other hand I would have enjoyed it more but for certain clichés. The phrase 'rises well above its formula' from one of the reviews/endorsments qouted on the fly-leaf just doesn't apply in my opinion. I also found the quote 'rich in period detail' a bit dubious too. It ought to imply more than numerous references to women with 1920's style bobbed hair but maybe I just didn't read carefully enough.

I've decided to give the book four stars on account of it being enjoyable enough. I've deducted one star for the use of clichés.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Rennie Airth - River of Darkness, 18 Feb 2009
By RachelWalker "RachelW" (England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: River of Darkness (John Madden Mystery Trilogy 1) (Paperback)
I remember being conscious of the buzz around this book when it was first publised. For some reason, I never got around to buying it, let alone reading it. When it was nifitily re-issed, it caught my attention again so I bought it. And was glad that I had a second chance to find it, as this is a simply fantastic crime novel. It's part psychological thriller, part golden age country-house mystery. The best comparison I can come up with is to think of a cross between an Agatha Christie novel and a Minette Walters one. It has the atmosphere of a Christie, the psycholgical acuity and brutality of a Walters. Some reviews I glanced at said it wasn't original, which I must admit seems to be true, though thinking further I must also say that I can't immediately bring to mind another book like it. It definitely seems like a book I *should* have come across before, but I think that's just because it borrows from a lot of the crime sub-genres to create something fresher.

The writing is great, the puzzles are great, the detection is great, and the detective himself - first world war veteran john madden, a haunted and thoughtful man - is a wonderful lead characer to read about (even if his very quick-to-form relationship with someone connected to the case seems a little forced and unreal). The secondary officers are also a pleasure to spend time with. The plot moves smoothly, has some nice twists and misdirections, and also has some very shocking, tragic moments. There are superb tensions created, and Airth doesn't spare his readers much at all throughout the course of the book. Really, I can't recommend it enough. It's a satisfying, involving read, and a very good crime novel indeed. I will be very happy to buy and read the second and - imminent - third in the series.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

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