Review by [Bookworm]26 -- The Easter Make Believers

[[Bookworm]26]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Easter Make Believers" by Finn Bell.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Gang Intelligence Center detectives Tobe White and Nick Cooper are dispatched to a family being held hostage in their home, in the small town of Lawrence. It seems like a peaceful situation, until heat signatures show that one of the hostages had been shot. Then a small gas tank explodes, creating complete havoc. 5 bodies of top-level gang members are found among the wreckage. James Chen, the father, appears to be missing from the house. How did he escape, and where is he now?

As Tobe and Nick begin their investigation, things slowly begin to be not as they seem. Once they dig deeper into the history of Lawrence and the Chen family, Nick and Tobe seem to have more questions than answers. The biggest question being, what do high-level gangs and a quiet family, like the Chens have to do with each other? Determined to get to the bottom of things, the detectives will reach out to unlikely people for help.

The Easter Make Believers is a mystery masterpiece written by multi-published author, Finn Bell. The story is based in his native New Zealand. The twists and turns of the book will leave you guessing until the last few pages. Just when you think that the author has given you all of the answers, he turns you in another direction; with a hidden twist at the end of the book. One such instance is when Sylvie Turei, Captain of the Independent Conduct Authority asks Nick and Tobe, “Did any of them get out?”, and then proceeds to shoot herself.

The author does state that the book had been professionally edited, which is apparent as you read it. Throughout the entire book, I was only able to find one grammatical error. There were a handful of vulgar words used throughout the story, but were typically expressions of anger or exasperation. The few drug references weren’t overly distressing, nor were the descriptions of the murders.

While the book was well written, and contained a few scenes of intensity, the book seemed to lack the emotional connection that draws the reader into the story, and sympathize with the characters. It has a feel as though someone were restating facts, not telling a detailed story.

Overall, I would rate the book a 4 out of 4 stars. The book had a well thought out plot, and kept the reader guessing throughout the entire book. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime thrillers mixed with a little murder mystery.

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The Easter Make Believers
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