Book Log #34: High Noon, by Nora Roberts
Jun. 22nd, 2008 09:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annathepiperI've seen this scenario before out of La Nora: tough cop chick meets rich guy, sparks fly, suspenseful things ensue. Only this time it wasn't a J.D. Robb novel; it was (I believe the) latest Nora Roberts paperback, High Noon.
The overall feel of this thing being akin to the J.D. Robbs, minus the futuristic elements, is not a bad thing in the slightest. Ms. Roberts has demonstrated that police procedurals are a strong area for her writing, and that's what this book is, albeit with the angle of hostage negotiation rather than homicide. Leading lady Phoebe and leading man Duncan have their share of angst in their respective pasts, and they aren't without their conflict. Overall I found their chemistry strong and pleasantly free of more than minimal angst, and the conflict that emerged between them was reasonably born out of the plot rather than being driven by stupid misunderstandings. But then, Ms. Roberts has demonstrated she's good at that, too.
And I must give her points for the mystery part of the plot surprising me, too. I called the initial red herring, of course, but for the longest time I was expecting the actual perpetrator to be a particular person previously mentioned in the story. Didn't go that way, which pleased me.
My one beef with the plot is that ultimately, Leading Man Duncan has little to do in this story other than wander around being Awesome Rich Guy, playing moral support while Phoebe does her thing. What actions he takes impact Phoebe's personal life, sure, but there's nothing he contributes to the main story, which lessens an otherwise perfectly acceptable character. Still, an otherwise good solid read. Three and a half stars.
The overall feel of this thing being akin to the J.D. Robbs, minus the futuristic elements, is not a bad thing in the slightest. Ms. Roberts has demonstrated that police procedurals are a strong area for her writing, and that's what this book is, albeit with the angle of hostage negotiation rather than homicide. Leading lady Phoebe and leading man Duncan have their share of angst in their respective pasts, and they aren't without their conflict. Overall I found their chemistry strong and pleasantly free of more than minimal angst, and the conflict that emerged between them was reasonably born out of the plot rather than being driven by stupid misunderstandings. But then, Ms. Roberts has demonstrated she's good at that, too.
And I must give her points for the mystery part of the plot surprising me, too. I called the initial red herring, of course, but for the longest time I was expecting the actual perpetrator to be a particular person previously mentioned in the story. Didn't go that way, which pleased me.
My one beef with the plot is that ultimately, Leading Man Duncan has little to do in this story other than wander around being Awesome Rich Guy, playing moral support while Phoebe does her thing. What actions he takes impact Phoebe's personal life, sure, but there's nothing he contributes to the main story, which lessens an otherwise perfectly acceptable character. Still, an otherwise good solid read. Three and a half stars.
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Date: 2008-06-22 04:16 pm (UTC)I appreciated how the protags were mature adults who dealt with their burgeoning relationship in mature ways. I get really bored with authors who drive the plot with middle-school antics.
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Date: 2008-06-24 02:46 am (UTC)I daresay I'll be expanding farther past the J.D. Robbs. :)