Official Review: Guilt by David Taylor Black

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lavellan
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Official Review: Guilt by David Taylor Black

Post by lavellan »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Guilt" by David Taylor Black.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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Guilt is the first installment in the Guilt series written by David Taylor Black. The novel follows a writer named Dan Harris. Dan is recently separated from his wife, Susan, and has traveled to the Bahamas to gain inspiration for his next novel. At the library, Dan meets a young librarian named Cat who promises to help him gather historical information for his book. However, things quickly change for the worst. The two come across a dead man while out together. Even worst, the local police suspect that Dan was involved somehow. Now, Dan must attempt to clear his name and discover the real culprit before it is too late.

Guilt took me by surprise. Based on the summary, I had expected it to be your typical murder mystery. Instead, Black did an excellent job in handling topics such as the loss of a loved one while still maintaining the suspense and overall feel of a mystery novel. I thought that the characters in the novel were three-dimensional and well developed. Dan, for example, was a flawed, but likeable character. While he always tries to do the right thing, Dan is prone to fits of anger. Also, Dan did not always make the right decisions. After discovering the body, Dan touches it and goes through the man’s pockets to see if the man had any identification. Despite his intentions being pure, this action is not advised and is part of the reason why he was implicated in the murder. I enjoyed that the flawed decisions of the characters had consequences and helped to add to their realism. Additionally, I liked how Black was able to express the emotions of the characters through his writing. Moments of high tension and fear were accompanied by short, staccato sentences that accurately displayed the thought process of the character. This helped immerse me in the story and fully experience the emotions of the scene.

In terms of faults, I thought that the ending was a little bit confusing. While I didn’t have any lingering questions about the murder, the last few pages dealt with an important detail concerning a past event. I found myself flipping back to find out where one of the characters was mentioned. However, I remembered that Guilt was part of a series. Most likely, Black was attempting to set up the premise for the next book in the series. To improve the ending, I would have added a little bit of background information so that readers wouldn’t be confused.

Guilt contained very few errors and seemed to be professionally edited. The most major errors I noted dealt with the changing of the names of minor characters. For example, a woman named Mildred was incorrectly referred to as Myrtle.

I rate Guilt 4 out of 4 stars. The plot was engaging, and I enjoyed the depth of the characters. The errors present were minor and the issue with the ending did not detract from the quality of the novel. I would recommend the book to fans of murder mystery novels. However, the book graphically depicts murder and frequently mentions alcohol use. The novel may not be appropriate for younger or more squeamish readers.

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Editor's Note: The few minor errors noted by the reviewer have since been corrected.
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kandscreeley
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Post by kandscreeley »

I'm glad that this one was so well edited. I love that he handles the mystery while also discussing serious topics at the same time. That's a bit unusual for this genre. All in all, it sounds like a must read! Thanks so much.
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Post by Ginnamassa19 »

I do love a good murder mystery, and this one seems really well-written from what you've said! I also liked that Black deals with other themes without compromising on the mystery--it's so hard to find a mystery/thriller that does this well, a lot of those out there are unable to juggle both their main plot and the emotions that come with, well, a murder.

Thank you for writing this review--it's really thorough, and very helpful! :)
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Post by Grace96 shiko »

this is an awesome review gives head lights about the book,its a nice book for lawywers too
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Post by Jackie Holycross »

So it's a mystery with some depth. Cool.
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Post by NL Hartje »

lavellan wrote: 16 May 2018, 09:11 The two come across a dead man while out together. Even worst, the local police suspect that Dan was involved somehow.
You know, I've never fully understood plot inclusions like this. In what world does a vacationing author spending his days researching get tied to a murder? I generally tend to steer away from these coincidental storylines.

Thank you for the thoughtful review!
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Post by oluwasheyi nafiu »

this was an awesome review ...I'd like good murder mystery
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Post by Nimat87 »

You piqued my interest in the book when you mentioned it being far from typical murder mysteries. I sometimes get bored when reading romance and mystery books because they tend to all have similar storylines. Thanks for the interesting review.
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Post by Aliyuoniye »

Has of the review. This book will be full of suspense and I love that.
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Post by Book lover26 »

You have certainly intrigued me with this review, I love a good murder book especially when it's portrayed as different to the usual typical murder stories find. I like the fact Dan implicates himself by making the wrong decision. Great review!
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Post by Julie Green »

I like your review. Some interesting points on the writing style. And the fact that the lead character so obviously made an impression is a sign of a good book...
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Post by gali »

A murder mystery that takes place in the Bahamas sounds intriguing. He traveled to the Bahamas to write, and finds murder instead. I like flawed characters, but Dan seems a bit foolhardy. Adding themes such as loss enriches the tale. A pity about the confusing ending, but at least it was well edited. Thank you for the review!
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Post by Ruba Abu Ali »

Murder mystery novels are my cup of tea. Thanks for the engaging review.
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Post by Laura Ungureanu »

Sounds like a great mystery book. An author who becomes involved in a murder while doing research for his book.
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Post by Ferdinand_Otieno »

This is an interesting murder mystery thriller that has a great plot with loss, crime and incredible suspense. I rated the book 4 out of 4 stars. A sample of the book can be found on Amazon. Congrats on being the BOTD.
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