Official Review: Body in the Woods by Behcet Kaya

[Rayah Raouf]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Body in the Woods" by Behcet Kaya.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Body in the Woods: A Jack Ludefance Novel is a mystery book written by Behcet Kaya. This book is the second in a series; however, it can be read as a standalone. The idea of the series is similar to Agatha Christie’s murder-mystery books. This is because each book focuses on a different case. Occasionally, a previous case will be mentioned, but it will not confuse the reader.

This book begins with a woman, Cathy Shumway, on a hiking trail. She encounters a dead body and calls the police to report it. The body is identified as Heinrich Hines. After investigating, the police believe Vance McGruder is the prime suspect. Vance and Hines work together; however, their secretary had overheard them arguing a few days before the body was found. During the argument, Vance threatened Hines. Being the prime suspect, Vance decides to contact Jack Ludefance, a private investigator, who worked on a case for him before. Jack has recently gotten popular due to publicity after solving a famous case. The famous case was featured in the first book of the series, Treacherous Estate. Jack plans to do everything he can to clear Vance's name.

Jack finds it difficult to investigate because of the lack of reliable evidence, and he keeps running into dead ends. He is on the verge of giving up but finds hope when he comes across a valuable piece of information. With a bit more investigating, Jack gets closer to the truth.

The amount of detail that went into this book is astonishing. I was able to clearly picture the characters and locations mentioned. I also appreciate how Jack had normal concerns. He admires the view often and complains about mundane things. Throughout the book, he worries about the future, women, car tickets, and family. Jack is not portrayed as an invincible private investigator and would sometimes admit he wants to give up. This made it feel realistic. I also appreciate how everything brought up in the story had a purpose and was not forgotten. Even when certain characters were introduced, the author did a good job in ending or extending their role.

The only negative aspect I can think of was towards the end. Without giving away any possible spoilers, I will just say that I find it odd when people talk carelessly without thinking about the circumstances. I did find the book to be a bit slow at the start, but I don’t deem it a negative point. I appreciate how the author focuses frequently on details. However, others may find it redundant. They may also be dissatisfied with the ending due to moral reasons, but I believe it was done well. It opens up the possibility for additional context to be included in future books.

I found it difficult to rate this book. I am used to a lot of suspense when it comes to murder mysteries. However, this book was different. Even though there wasn’t much suspense, I felt completely immersed in the story. I enjoyed reading the book and was surprised when my prediction was incorrect. Therefore, I decided to give the book 4 out of 4 stars. I loved the author's style of writing, and I only noticed 2 errors while reading. This is a professionally edited book with interesting characters.

This book contains harsh profanity and a few sex scenes. Therefore, I recommend Body in the Woods to adults who enjoy mystery books with a lot of information. If you are expecting the book to be fast paced and filled with action, this book will not satisfy you.

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Body in the Woods
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[63tty]

I love a good murder and mystery book. It seems quite interesting. Not to mention suspense, keeps you wanting more. I'm adding this to my bookshelf. Well written review.

[NetMassimo]

I have no problems with a slow-paced mystery if the tale is engaging in some ways other than action, so I'll look into this series. Thank you for your great review!

[Jennifer Garcia 555]

I like that the main character is relatable and not flawless. It makes stories more enjoyable. This sounds like a good mystery.

[Kennedy NC]

Being able to get to the root of murder cases has always been impressive to me. Great review.

[Suzer6440 xyz]

Thanks for sharing this book review, it was great!! I love mysteries/thrillers . They always have the reader guessing

[Rayah Raouf]

I love a good murder and mystery book. It seems quite interesting. Not to mention suspense, keeps you wanting more. I'm adding this to my bookshelf. Well written review.

Thank you! I thought the mystery was interesting as well.

[Rayah Raouf]

I have no problems with a slow-paced mystery if the tale is engaging in some ways other than action, so I'll look into this series. Thank you for your great review!

Same here. I don't mind the pace as long as it's a good book! Thank you.

[Rayah Raouf]

I like that the main character is relatable and not flawless. It makes stories more enjoyable. This sounds like a good mystery.

I believe that is essential in this case. I don't mind a 'Sherlock Holmes' type of detective, but this truly is more relatable.

[Rayah Raouf]

Thanks for sharing this book review, it was great!! I love mysteries/thrillers . They always have the reader guessing

Same here! Thank you. I thought this was a well-written mystery book. However, personally, I wouldn't classify it as a thriller though.

Being able to get to the root of murder cases has always been impressive to me. Great review.

Thank you! I agree.

[Prisallen]

I enjoy fast-paced, suspenseful books, but this book sounds interesting as well. Being a detective is mostly about the details, so I can see where putting the clues together could be a little slow at times. Thanks for your well-written and interesting review!

[Bookishkrish24]

Your review was so gripping. Great job. I hope this book would have the same effect.

[Mariana Figueira]

Sounds absolutely incredible, just like my kind of book. On the list it goes! Thanks for the recommendation and the marvelous review.

[MsH2k]

I like how the author ties this book to the previous book in the series, but it still can be read as a standalone. I don’t read many murder mysteries, however, so I think I’ll pass. Thank you for your thorough review!

[Rayah Raouf]

I enjoy fast-paced, suspenseful books, but this book sounds interesting as well. Being a detective is mostly about the details, so I can see where putting the clues together could be a little slow at times. Thanks for your well-written and interesting review!

Thank you so much! Details are indeed quite important.

Your review was so gripping. Great job. I hope this book would have the same effect.

That's so kind. Thank you