3 out of 4 stars
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A man haunted by his unfortunate past, Patrick Carter, continues to find himself in fateful predicaments after meeting the McLeod family. Although adorned a hero by Jessica McLeod for saving her granddaughter, Samantha, he is still harshly scrutinized by police. When the head of the CSIS task force takes over the case, Patrick realizes he's gotten involved with very precarious people.
Lemoncella Cocktail by Rene Natan follows Patrick, Detective Des Pres with his team, and the McLeod family on a good versus evil, back and forth game of cat and mouse. Both the task force, and the family themselves, play critical roles in attempts to apprehend the crooks, and most importantly, stay alive. Meanwhile, Patrick finds himself along for the journey. As Des Pres continues to slowly piece together the puzzle, the truth begins to unravel, and the dangers begin to escalate.
With his future uncertain, and his growing attachment to the case, Patrick's fate is ultimately sealed. He is determined to help protect the McLeod family and assist Des Pres any way he can. That is, until they catch the bad guys, or the bad guys catch him. He soon finds out, playing the game isn't as much fun, when you're not sure if you're the cat, or the mouse.
Lemoncella Cocktail is a fast-paced, yet easy read, ideally suited for older teens to young adults. Only lightly sprinkled with audacious vocabulary, the overall tone of the book appeals more to a novice reader. Rene Natan is able to seamlessly shift between characters and plots, providing enough detail during transitions, the reader never gets lost. However, this was also a slight downfall. For a beginner of mystery, its a fantastic attribute. It keeps you engaged, and on track through the twists and turns of multiple characters and propelled action. A more experienced reader may find this mundane and repetitive. Regardless, Natan's ability to consistently layer drama, coupled with the desire to answer the age-old questions of who did what, keeps the reader invested.
The demeanor of the book emanates believability. The presence of everyday human behavior, like eating or using the bathroom, is persistent throughout. The tedious progression of the case also holds merit to real-life authenticity. The anticipation of climatic events that could have concluded hyperbolic or pretentious, remained relatively predictable. Events were always very pragmatic. The only somewhat unbelievable aspect is the characters' dialogue. Shadowing the narrative, it often incorporates an unneeded over-explanation. This is followed by practical, yet somewhat automated conversation.
Overall, Lemoncella Cocktail, is a solid read. It builds anticipation, while maintaining a fantastic grasp of realism. The minimal amount of crude language, and reinforced plot points, let younger readers really enjoy mystery without feeling overwhelmed. More advanced readers can relax, getting effortlessly lost in an easy read with solid foundation. The question remains the same for all readers. Cat, or mouse?
Personally, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It almost received a perfect rating, but just like the book, it didn't quite get there. While reading, I yearned for that unexpected wow moment that unfortunately never came. There was no real climax to the book, just a dozen fleeting moments of anticipation washed away with modest normality. This did not necessarily decrease the interest to continue reading, but did leave a small dullness to the overall appeal. In my opinion, this book is worth the read, as long as its understood that the transitory impression of Lemoncella Cocktail will simply be a satisfactory, but forgetful, one-time read.
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Lemoncella Cocktail
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Thanks for saving my time!
