Official Review: Fortune Cats Walking the Dog

[Sou Hi]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Fortune Cats Walking the Dog" by Dave Hutchinson.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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Fortune Cats Walking the Dog is the third installment of the series written by Dave Hutchinson. Its prequels are Fortune Cats with Nine Irons and Fortune Cats with Full Tummies. I believe the readers will need these two parts to fully understand this episode. Se Ri Park, formerly a famous golf athlete, was trying to have her normal days with her family in Florida. Being held captive by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea had scarred their hearts, so her adopted daughters constantly feared for their fate. Despite Se Ri's assurance of safety, an anonymous raid proved her wrong. Two of her best friends lost their lives during this bombing, yet the identity of the culprit remained unknown. Would our heroine let this go for her girls' sake? Or would she strike back, knowing that it would endanger her beloved ones?

My most favorite aspect of this novel is family love. Se Ri's husband is no longer around, but he lives in everyone's heart. While Se Ri's thoughts are filled with Leo, her daughters always hear about him from the other adults. Unconsciously, the girls develop a deep admiration for him. Gracie, the youngest child, even wants to build a bridge and name it after him. The relationships between Se Ri and her children are also beautifully painted, as they consistently care for each other.

Unfortunately, it's hard to have a smooth read with this copy. My PDF file is packed with letters, as there are no blank lines to separate the paragraphs. I found many punctuation mistakes and format errors, so I would suggest another round of editing. Because of these flaws, the conversations are confusing, and it's often impossible to tell who is talking.

In addition, the plot lacks the tension needed for a suspenseful crime novel. Since the story is narrated by the heroine, we can only see her one-sided thoughts and actions. The other characters hardly contribute to the plot, so I feel like it's mostly Se Ri's one-man show. Besides, reading this book is like walking through a thick fog, since the progress drags on dully with unclear details. Some deaths occur very fast, and my only impression is that they are dead. The way Se Ri's team discover and capture the bomber is also vague. Some people appear and disappear with no meaningful roles.

I will give this tome 2 out of 4 stars. I deduct one star because of grammar errors and another one due to the mentioned negative aspects. The story has an emotional beginning, but the rest of it is disappointing. This can be appealing to those who like books with strong and independent female casts. However, readers who love thrillers may not find this interesting. Since there is a lesbian character here, sensitive audiences may not enjoy it.

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Fortune Cats Walking the Dog
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[raluca_mihaila]

Thank you for this informative review! I do love thrillers, but the lack of tension is nor very appealing.

[Honest-reviewer]

This book seems interesting. But as you have mentioned, I will have to read the first two books before reading this one. Thanks for your wonderful review!

[Mvictoria]

I think I will skip this book because of the grammatical and formatting errors. The plot sounds interesting and I like the family aspect of the book. Maybe after another round of editing, I’ll pick it up!

[Bookishkrish24]

Even though I like books with a strong female character, I appreciate it when books are from different points of view. I really enjoyed reading your review, Thanks.

[unamilagra]

It sounds like this was a pretty rough read. Thanks for your honest review.

[Victoria Copsey]

It is a shame this book did not fully live up to expectations and proved frustrating to read. Good review though!

[Saint Bruno]

The title of the book is very catchy. However, I didn't expect this intriguing storyline. Thanks for your amazing review and recommendation.

[Nqobile771]

I like the strong female characters in this book. They sound loving and protective of each other. I wonder if Se Ri pursued the unidentified culprit? The book has great potential, I hope the author will heed your advice and make amends.

[diana lowery]

I am curious if the first two books also suffered from a lack of editing. I hope that the author will listen to your suggestions on how to improve the story,

[Prisallen]

I do enjoy thrilling novels, so I don't think this book is for me. Thanks for your excellent review!

[kdstrack]

Your description of the story's plot had me intrigued. Se Ri's past had a strong influence in her life. The formatting and grammar errors would be frustrating. Thanks for reviewing this book. Hopefully, the next editions will be more reader friendly.

[AvidBibliophile]

A formerly famous golf athlete would certainly make for a unique main character, but unknown culprits and overall endangerment would give some undeniable spice to a plot! Thank you for providing such an honest and thorough analysis of this one.

[kandscreeley]

The editing sounds atrocious. Other than that, it's an interesting story. The title intrigues me. Thanks.

[Mbrooks2518]

The plot of this book sounds really interesting, so It's unfortunate that there are so many editing issues.
Thanks for the great review!