Official Review: Maelstrom by Paul Huwiler

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MarisaRose
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Official Review: Maelstrom by Paul Huwiler

Post by MarisaRose »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Maelstrom" by Paul Huwiler.]
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2 out of 4 stars
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Maelstrom by Paul Huwiler is a mystery novel set in the quiet Connecticut town of Stonefield. Life in Stonefield changes abruptly when a local man with a suspicious connection to some recently uncovered Native American artifacts is murdered. It’s up to Stonefield’s sheriff to unravel the mystery, but things are complicated by the appearance of some new faces in town. A rumored mob boss, a tribal elder with grand plans, a beautiful FBI agent, and a high-powered attorney, all new to Stonefield, play key roles in the murder investigation unfolding in the small town.

From the intricately woven mystery to the small-town setting, this novel has a lot of potential. Although the beginning of the novel proved a bit confusing, as the author introduced various characters and took time setting the scene, the mystery behind the small-town murder slowly came together in a methodical manner. Moreover, throughout the narrative, the author creates a vast cast of characters that are all very different and, at times, intriguing.

Unfortunately, there were quite a few detracting elements in this story that prevented the novel from reaching its full potential. First, the character development in Maelstrom is shallow, with many of the characters appearing as typical archetypes of the genre: a hot-headed out-of-towner brought in to handle the investigation, a misunderstood local sheriff, a comically-evil and seductive villain, and a caricature-like mob boss all make an appearance in this story. The lack of proper development of any of these characters made it difficult to care about their outcomes or become invested in their stories. Similarly, the non-existent dimension to the characters’ personalities made important aspects of the plot predictable.

The writing in this novel was also problematic. Maelstrom is told in the third-person perspective, but the author utilized interior monologues throughout the narrative, written in italics, to convey character thoughts. Unfortunately, this device was distracting and tended to remove the reader from the narrative. Since the narrative perspective is omniscient, it would have been more powerful to simply include character thoughts within the narrative instead of as separate, italicized monologues.

Further, there were some questionable timeframes in the narrative, such as when the mobster, Gio, decides to move to Stonefield and renovate a dilapidated and failing inn: the move to Stonefield and subsequent renovation and grand reopening of the inn takes all of one or two months, which seems highly unlikely. Lastly, there were some minor editorial issues, like inconsistent chapter headings and a failure to follow basic dialogue rules, which gave the novel a less-than-professional feel.

Maelstrom is a mystery with a lot of potential. However, quite a few elements prevented the novel from being a great read. Since the story held my interest for the most part, I rate Maelstrom 2 out of 4 stars. However, the flat characters and amateurish writing prevent me from selecting a higher rating. Readers who enjoy mysteries set in a small town may enjoy reading this book.

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Maelstrom
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Jackie Holycross
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Post by Jackie Holycross »

It sounds like a great premise for a mystery. Too bad it didn't live up to its potential.
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Post by Samantha Simoneau »

Your plot summary had me all excited to read this book - it's a great premise. Thank you for your honest review, though, I'll not be picking this one up. I want the author/editor to revisit this one though, maybe rewrite it, because it sounds like it could be a fascinating book.
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Sanju Lali
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Post by Sanju Lali »

nice review about the books which depicts about the murder mystery about Stonefield and also guiding whether to read this book or not
life is only knowing the unknown, we can do this by reading books easily- Online book club is a great place for this. This is what I believe.
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Post by cpru68 »

The start of your review made the book sound riveting, so it would seem the idea of the story is good. I think from what you wrote, the break down comes with the characters and maybe the author rushed this part. I think sometimes when a book is comprised of a strong, compelling idea, a lot of thought goes into that, but then the characters are not developed enough. Too bad because it would seem to have great potential.
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Post by gen_g »

Thank you for the detailed review. Whilst the premise is interesting, it seems like the author ought to have spent more time developing the characters - a pity indeed.
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Post by togormey »

This review has in a way gotten me curious to read this mystery novel based in a small town irrespective of the flaws.
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Post by kandscreeley »

It's too bad about the shallow character development. That really takes away from a book for me. I think I'll wait on this one until there's a bit more of an editing. It sounds like a good premise, but it just needs a bit of work. Thanks.
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Post by NL Hartje »

I feel like authors too often assume the unconvincing details will slip by readers and I'm glad you proved this author wrong. I personally need those timelines to add up because I really think through plots while reading. Kudos to you for being so astute and thanks for this honest review!
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Post by Sirdillion »

Wow. From this review, I think the book is gonna be intriguingly interesting. Wish I could lay hands on it sooner.
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Post by joshfee77 »

Sounds like a mystery with some great potential that went largely unrealised. As a writer myself, I enjoy spending time getting to know my characters. Cardboard cut-outs or caricatures are inevitably a disappointment for the reader.
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