Official Review: The Stone Lantern by Samantha Stevens

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Tanaya
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Official Review: The Stone Lantern by Samantha Stevens

Post by Tanaya »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Stone Lantern" by Samantha Stevens.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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The Stone Lantern: A Hawaiian Mystery is a novel by Samantha Stevens.

The prologue tells of two men venturing into a cave on the Big Island of Hawaii. There, they find both an ancient and a more recent skeleton with a bashed-in skull. Chapter one takes us to Jessie Bradford, and readers learn that this second skeleton is her father Allen, who was assumed to have drowned about forty years ago. Jessie is only in the area because her uncle Rod has died and left her his ranch. She has come to settle his affairs before returning home to San Francisco. While her father was known to go fishing regularly at the base of the cliffs, it is soon determined that it was a murder.

The present of the novel, which shows the unfolding of figuring out the who and why behind Allen Bradford’s murder, is interwoven with the past that contains these answers. This structure between the past and the present flows quite smoothly. We see Jessie and the police try to find the answers while we also are taken into the past to Allen’s life as the manager of a sugar plantation with Japanese workers. There are flashbacks mixed in with the present of the story, in addition to chapters where the focus is solely on relating past events. Family secrets are uncovered and motives become apparent, but there are still surprises as to how it all fits together.

Detective McIntire (a.k.a. Mac) is one of the main people dedicated to the case, but Jessie does her own investigative work, discovering the truth for herself. This is one of many of her admirable qualities. She is realistically flawed or unsure of herself at times, particularly when it comes to her love life. Yet, she also exudes strength in the midst of adversity, for she is bombarded with death, memories, questions, and many major life decisions at the same time. The story is told in the third person, though sometimes we hear Jessie’s first-person thoughts. I particularly enjoyed these small moments, like the detail about her deciding not to run an obituary for her father because it’s all over the news anyhow. Furthermore, when she thinks about her father’s bones, she wonders: “What happened to his watch, his wedding ring?” She is forced to reconsider the nature of her parents’ relationship, what she once thought was normal.

I personally found the who and why behind the murder to be satisfying, but won’t give away any spoilers. The resolution of the romance plot, however, wasn’t quite as riveting as I had hoped for. Mac, the detective on the case, and Jessie were high school sweethearts who broke up when they went to college. Brought back into each other’s lives due to Allen Bradford’s case, this plotline captured my interest at first but the tension, obstacles, and seemingly rushed resolution were perhaps not as fully or originally developed as they could have been and came across as generic in the end. Even so, I enjoyed the past connection that they had, as the relationship between the past and the present was very well done in this novel.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It was well written and well structured with a likable protagonist and an interesting plot. I would recommend it to anyone who likes mystery novels and stories set in Hawaii.

******
The Stone Lantern
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Post by Elle Howard »

This book sounds perfect for me! I enjoy a good mystery with a small amount of romance thrown in to keep things interesting. I look forward to reading this one. Your review was informative and well written. I like that you gave none of the secrets away but told enough to make this book enticing. Well done!
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Post by ashley_claire »

I don't think I've ever read a book that was set in Hawaii before. This book seems like a good one to read if you enjoy mystery and learning a bit more about Hawaii itself.
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Post by Niyiike »

The letters of the book were well structured. What a wonderful story of re-uniting a past story-line and a need for urgent rescue from hallucination and psychological forensic review which might led her (jessie) to a necromatic life thereafter. Of a truth, the killer must be spotted but jessie should be left out to disable emotional crushing. What an interesting write up!!!. I give the book 95% support
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Post by kimoody »

The book has many mysteries..I can't figure it out..The content of it is amazing
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Post by sharminhaider »

I gave it a 4 out of 4 stars rating. I am not much of a fan but This book has many mysteries and that really interesting to me. the character Detective McIntire (a.k.a. Mac) is one of the main was actually a big part in the book but I love all those things.
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Post by kislany »

A mystery with a light touch of romance set in Hawaii. Now that sounds interesting. Thanks for a great review.
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Post by Jacob T Dennis »

The part that got me more attracted here was.. Jesse's re- uniting love after the lost of her father Allen... I think dectative mc.entire (aka Mac) the lover of Jesse is gonna be her (Jesse)'s reconciliation to her father.. Thumb up to Samantha here I think this book deserve 4 out of 4 rating here

-- 02 Oct 2017, 06:11 --

Also this book vwould have not being compete without love

-- 02 Oct 2017, 06:15 --

Mc.lntire*
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Post by Murmuring Letters »

What an interesting novel! I love books with double narratives and entwining past/present events, I'll be sure to give this book a read. Thank you for your review and capturing the essence of the protagonist. And for not giving away spoilers!
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Post by Ferdinand_Otieno »

The book has an amazing setting and I loved how descriptive the language used in the book was.

-- 02 Oct 2017, 16:56 --

Excellent review that highlighted the many pros of the book without spoilers. Congrats :tiphat:
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Post by Kelebogile Mbangi »

Imagine discovering that your father did not drown but was instead murdered - how harrowing!
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Post by Edareno grace »

The book is intriguing, a lovely story it is
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Post by kandscreeley »

Sounds like quite an interesting mystery to me. Glad you enjoyed this one. It's too bad about the romance not being solved quite to your satisfaction. Thanks for the review.
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Post by Amagine »

I'm not a huge fan of mysteries but the likeable protagonist and well written plot may win me over.

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Post by Vitaro Maxton »

A mystery with a light touch of romance set in Hawaii. Now that sounds interesting. Thanks for a great review.
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