Mystery Crime Books

Held my interest from the very beginning. I recommended this book to my friends. I have since passed this book on for others to read and enjoy.

At first the frequent misspellings or typographical errors are annoying and slightly distracting, but by the time one reads about the "grizzly" (instead of grisly) murder, the hapless reader finds that any properly somber reflections about death are replaced by unfortunately hilarious thoughts and ghastly puns (e.g., perhaps the victim couldn't bear to be in the story for even one more paragraph).

This was my first book to read by Laura Childs. It was a very easy read, interesting and exciting. I could not stop turning the pages as I was intrigued to figure out who was the murderer as well as to see what Haley was going to be whipping up in the kitchen. I will read more Laura Childs books in the future.

This series of Tea Shop mysteries is refreshing. The characters are eccentric and lovable, the setting is divine and lovely, the mysteries are tricky and enjoyable. Ms. Childs can transport her readers to a gentler time and place with the turn of a page.

This is the first book of this series I have written. I thought the characters were interesting and well developed. I enjoyed the interaction between them and felt they did come to "life". I also enjoyed the tidbits about tea and cooking. However, I felt the mystery story line was an after thought. At times I felt the mystery had been inserted into the book after the book had been completed. There was no real meat to the mystery. I would have liked more detail regarding the investigation. The setting and characters were very detailed but the plot regarding the mystery and clues into the investigation were lacking. I have not decided whether I will read another in this series. I would love to know more about the characters but the mystery aspect left me wanting.

J. A. Konrath's first book within his series that details the career of one of Chicago's finest, Lt. Jack Daniels is an intoxicating read. Serial killer, The Gingerbread Man, becomes fixated on Jack when she starts tracking him. Despite the erroneous character profiling of the FBI, trying to keep from becoming a victim herself, and painstakingly nursing a bum leg, Lt. Daniels puts a stop to the killer.

Jack's ex-partner, limelight stealing, Harry McGlade and her current partner, the always ready for something to eat, Herb Benedict help Jack along the wild trail of the heinous murderer.

This thriller is sprinkled with giggle inducting one-liners from beginning to end.

If you want to be thoroughly entertained, check out Whiskey Sour.

I ran across one of the books in this series and decided that if I was going to read the series I should start from the top. I certainly wasn't disappointed. This book was more graphic than most movies I've seen when it comes to violent crimes, but I appreciated that the gore was there to push the story along - not to be super-sensational. I really enjoyed reading about the main character and her vulnerability was definitely refreshing.

I think that the hardest thing to do when you have a book where you know that the hero lives in the end is to keep the reader's interest, that was done superbly in my opinion. The book has the right mix (no pun intended) of action, suspense, character development, humor and story telling and its all done in a quick-reading form.

Definitely a fan of the book and I hope to be a fan of the series if the next book is as good as this one!

If you enjoy the characters of Myron Bolitar, Stephanie Plum, and Andy Carpenter...you will love this series.

Whiskey Sour is another 5* addition to the Jack Daniels series. A must read.

On a rainy Chicago night, a mutilated female corpse is discovered in a garbage can outside a 7-Eleven. And this pretty much sets the tone for J.A. Konrath's grisly police procedural, Whiskey Sour.

I've often wondered if there's a handbook for creating fictional psycho-killers. If so, lots of writers are using it. Many times I've come across smug egotistical villains who are convinced they're smarter than everyone else. Also, they're greatly amused by their power over life and death. The Gingerbread Man, as this villain calls himself, fits the stereotype so well that he's far more annoying than frightening. Maybe he would have been more threatening if the author hadn't put us in the killer's head so often, but he did. Too bad.

Less annoying is Lieutenant Jacqueline (Jack) Daniels, a tough, smart insomniac with an abysmal love life. Daniels might be another stereotype, but at least plenty of readers can relate to her sleep and relationship issues. Another stereotype is her partner who never met a donut, or a meal, he didn't like.

Two inept FBI agents assigned to create the killer's profile provide lighter moments, as does an old P.I. nemesis of Daniels. But these characters are such blatant stereotypes that they become caricatures. Maybe this was Konrath's intention - humor through caricature. If so, it didn't quite work for me.

On the upside, the clever dialogue and pacing are great. Konrath does a good job of depicting the methodical and exhausting job of hunting down lead after lead to catch a killer. The last seventy pages are exciting and the ending satisfying. If you don't mind graphic violence and a delusional cocky villain, make yourself a Whiskey Sour and spend some time with Jack.

There are enough reviews here telling you about the plot etc. I will keep this brief and to the point. J.A Konrath's books are similar to cocaine, once you get a taste you can't get enough. Pure and simple. A great series to get hooked on! You won't be disappointed. Happy Reading!

Loved it! I would recommend reading The Dying Game first since this one picks up where that one left off. The Dying Game was the first book I've read by Barton, but now that I've read two of her books - I'm definitely looking to read more!

Well written suspense with female heroine. Relationship plays a role, but romance isn't overplayed. Interesting bad guy. Not too heavy/graphic, not too light/sexy. Overall, a pretty good book which even some guys might like

I am always nervous when I start one of Bartons novels because for me, while I always enjoy her books, it is hit or miss whether or not I will really love it. Sometimes I just dont connect with her characters. I thought this may be one of those times as I didnt like Nicole Baxter at all in the dying game, and actually wasnt such a big fan of that whole book and since this was a continuation..well I was wrong. She developed the characters so well. and you really understood where they were coming from and why the change of heart and how they truly connected on a real level. As for nicole she was only irritating in the begining but barton softened her up and then the book got great. Definitly worth while. I cant wait til her next book comes out in september.

Special Agent Nicole Baxter would like to keep as much distance between herself and private investigator Griffin Powell as possible. It should be easy to do. They live in different states, socialize in different circles, and neither of them like anything about the other. But when someone calls her with a revelation about a serial killer, she is willing to listen. The caller will give one clue to her and one to Griffin. If she plans on ending The Murder Game before the caller has a chance to capture his next victim, she will have to work with the most arrogant and self-promoting man in the business.

THE MURDER GAME is riveting from the first page. A few chapters into the book, I became aware that this book is a sequel. It didn't matter. Ms Barton was able to handle the back story in a way that I didn't feel cheated or confused. She sporadically dropped in just enough information to fill in the gaps but allowed me to stay focused on the present story.

Tense...talk about nail-biting. I couldn't believe what was happening. About one hundred pages from the end, Ms Barton pulled the biggest surprise of all. My mouth hung open for a good twenty pages (in a good way). I kept thinking, are you kidding me? How is this possible? This was no sucker punch, simply good story-telling. I never saw it coming, but should have. All of the clues were there.

The only problem I had was when Ms Barton would jump forward in time without a scene break. This was infrequent but enough to mention. And toward the end of the book, a few spots, not many, felt a little Mary Sueish to me.

The characters in this book were fabulous. I was right there with them, feeling every emotion, and there were plenty to share. If you like a good thriller, that isn't gory, (okay, a little, tiny bit) you need to read this book. There are so many twists and turns, you'll feel like you are getting a workout. I did.

[...] author

I recommend reading "The Dying Game" in the sequel first
before reading "The Murder Game." The Dying Game: For
five-years, Cary Maygarden, a serial killer, went on a
murdering spree until he was caught in the final game.
Special Agent Baxter and PI Griffin put the pieces together,
once they saw the ballistics reports, that two bullets had
been found in Maygarden's body. One bullet had come from
Powell's sharpshooter's rifle and the other from an unknown
source. Agent Baxter and Griffin had been convinced that
there had been another second Beauty Queen killer. Agent
Baxter tried to get the FBI to dig deeper. The killings ended
with Maygarden's death. There was no evidence that a
second person had been involved, and the case was closed.

A year later, a new killing game involving the best Athletes
Pudge could find on the internet. He calls Nicole and Griffin
to play his new game and gives them each a clue. Nic and
Grif decided to work together to catch the serial killer.
Pudge abducted Nicole while she was taking her walk and
kept her prisoner while playing these Sadistic games to
torment her. He kills his victims in three weeks, The FBI
and Griffin's PI Agency are racing around the clock to
locate Nic. The hunter underestimated Nic then discovering
that she's stronger than his other victims.

Griffin finally tells Nicole of the ten missing years from his past
that included Yvette and Sanders. Nic and Grif have a lot in
common, even though in "The Dying Game" they couldn't stand
each other. Certainly the chemistry in "The Murder Game" had
made up for the lack of it in the first book in the series.
However, I liked Nicole and Griffin, I thought their character
role were outstanding and I liked the chemistry between them,
I thought, it was apparent thoughout the book. It was the only
reason I was able to finish The Murder Game.

The Murder Game was very disappointing. I had to force
myself to finish the book. Too many errors in spelling, and
some sentences were turned around. The main reason I didn't
like The Murder Game was the serial killer. He was a sadistic
beast who killed for the sport of it and being in control over
the women. The theme completely turned me off. I will not
be reading any books for awhile from Beverly Barton. I like
a whodunit murder mystery, and in this case, The Murder
Game fell short.

Although, I do recommend her earlier books
The Fifth Victim, The Last To Die,
As Good As Dead! (Cherokee Pointe Series)
What She Doesn't Know! After Dark, and the Defense Attorney,
Quinn Cortez gets his own story in Killing Her Softly. I believe
these were Beverly Barton's best.

This is a very good book and very entertaining. I like all of Linda Howards books. She is an excellent writer and her stories are always spellbinding. Ms. Howard can't write books fast enough for me!

This book was great! Like previous reviews said it's a page turner for sure. The title didn't make sense to me, still trying to figure it out but the characters and events are awesome! John and Niema know each other from 5 years ago when her husband Dallas dies, and John promises to take care of Niema. They meet again 5 years later, where John asks her to help him with an assignment. She is hesitant at first, but then comes to the realization that she enjoys the thrill and excitment behind the danger of the job.

John and Niema's relationship evolves through the story and builds up pretty good. Towards the end of the the book otehr reviewers said the sex scene was border line rape. I disagree. That really discouraged me, but when I read it it wasn't what you'd think. It's all part of the plan, thats all I can say.

So after that scene there relationship is evolved, and the end of the book is suspenseful and really good, and then all of a sudden you hit the last page and are like "what?" The ending was not my favorite. Nothing was really answered (when Niema starts to question her feelings for John). I was disappointed with the ending and think Linda Howard could have done a better job.

If you want a really good page turner book, romance, and suspense then this is the book for you. Just don't be disappointed with the ending, its not horrible, but could have been better.

A really rather silly and ill constructed romance. It tries to do double duty as an espionage, but just can't manage it.

Fair enough that that the male lead, John Medina, is obsessed with the female lead, Niema Burdock; such is romantic escapism. But to suppose a healthy man is silently obsessing over the course of a 5 year period is pushing it even in this genre.

Where the plot really breaks down, though, is when he admits to taking her on a dangerous mission simply because he wants her around. When he further delays their rescue because he does not want to give her a chance to leave him without talking - well, it goes beyond absurd. You simply cannot take such a character seriously as professional.

I also had problems with the physical component of the relationship, which starts off with a scene in the office of an enemy, where they pretend to have sex in order to avoid suspicion. Problem is, their pretend sex turns into real sex, and even though Niema is portrayed as climaxing, the undertone is a little too close to rape for me.

There is also a secondary sex scene involving supporting characters where a woman's ex-boyfriend ties her up, strips her and begins having sex with her against her will. When she climaxes because of the oral sex he performs on her, she then becomes consenting. It's the same theme replayed, and it's really not romantic.

None of the couples seems to care about safe sex.

Beyond that, there are some fairly normal cliches; the main "bad guy" has a noble reason for all his actions. The heroine ends up charming him and eventually saving the day with a self sacrificing gesture. If you are okay with the sexual undertone of rape and can ignore the absurdity of the hero's motivations, this may be entertaining for you. The intensity of the characters and the spy angle makes it more interesting, at least, than standard sap. If you're just looking for a distraction, it serves the purpose.

Although I did not read the book that this is sequel to, I have to say overall I enjoyed it. John Medina was a great hero and his love for Neima was touching. The story was fun and fast paced, and it definitely had a suspense, on-the-edge-of-your-chair element to it that worked. Wasn't her best, but good nonetheless.

All the Queens Men surprised me, i didn't expect to enjoy it so much. Its an extreme guilty pleasure to read the happily ever after love story of the alpha hero who suffers for his love and the hurting heroine who needs to fall in love again.
Linda Howard at her best!

DEAD TO RIGHTS is number four in J.A. Jance's Joanna Brady series. A woman is killed on her anniversary. The first of the series, DESERT HEAT began with a death on an aniversary--so this may be an overworked idea. The veterinarian driver of the car received a slap on the wrist for a drunk driving. The husband is furious and then the vet ends up dead with all the evidence pointing to the husband. Joanna doesn't think so and against the hostile attitudes of her inherited staff set out to prove the husband innocence.
Coping with her staff, the death of her husband, her daughter, her mother, and the adoption process of her best friend almost proves Joanna undoing.
The characters continue to unfold as "real people" in this light mystery, which is short on motive. Jance is a read and I've enjoyed Joanna and her adventures--wonder how important Butch Dixon will be in her life. Excellent read for the beach as summer draws to the close.
Sins of the Fathers: A Brewster County NovelWriting as a Small Business

An interesting book about Joanna Brady right after she became sherrif. Having read books that came after this one, it was nice to have the back story.

In the beginning of the book, Hal Morgan and his wife of 10 years are celebrating a wonderful 10th wedding anniversary. But it all comes to a very tragic end when Bucky Buckwalter, the veterinary doctor in Bisbee Arizona, kills Hal's wife in a hit and run after he is stone drunk that night. All Bucky receives as a punishment is a hefty fine and a few days in jail. Hal Morgan wants to strike back, so he is targeting Dr. Buckwalter's vet practice for ways to get him back. There is a fire set one day at the clinic, and when Joanna Brady discovers this, she knows there are several injured, and finds right away almost that Bucky is dead.
Knowing that Hal had been hanging out there, right away he becomes a suspect in this murder. But he is not the only one under suspicion. Terry Buckwalter, Bucky's wife seems all too happy that Bucky is dead.

Joanna slowly uncovers the whole picture that Bucky was very unhappy in his marriage and having an affair with Bebe Noonan, who is actually pregnant with his child at the time of his death. With this information she has her doubts that Hal Morgan was the actual killer on the scene, but there are other things she has yet to uncover.

The chase is on toward the end of the book, and if Joanna and her other senior cops on the team don't act quickly, the real killer may escape town.

The theme of the plot & story are very good, but after reading Rattlesnake Crossing, this was a disappointment. Maybe Jance is trying to develop her characters & their relationships here. But there is so much superfluous dialogue it becomes boring. A couple pages later you get lucky & she returns you to the story. A previous reviewer stated his least favorite chapter was #20. I agree. Unfortunately Chapter 20 is where the book's climax takes place. More superfluous nonsense in the middle of the story with the introduction, ever so briefly, of another character & a dog. Unneeded fluff. The book falls flat on it's face in it's ability to tie the story together well at the end. Possibly Jance was so distracted by other dialogue. Save your time & money unless you need a sleeping pill. Dead to Rights will put you out in short time

The character of Joanna Brady keeps growing on the reading audience and J.A. Jance has created another winner with this series.

This book picks up the life of Joanna Brady a few months after her husband was killed and shortly after she's elected as the new Sheriff of Cochise County in Arizona (actually this is the fourth book in the series following DESERT HEAT, TOMBSTONE COURAGE, and SHOOT, DON'T SHOOT). This tale is another fast paced journey into not only Joanna's life as sheriff, but also through her personal life as well.

The main storyline revolves around the killing of a veterinarian, Bucky Buckwalter, and the new sheriff is once again tossed in the middle of turmoil. You'd think the murder investigation would be enough, but add in the facts that the prime suspect is a former cop and Bucky had killed the guy's wife a few years before while driving intoxicated and only received a slap on the wrist for his crime. Bad enough? Jance didn't think so, so then she inserts the fact that the two of them have had heated public arguments that Joanna didn't think needed intervention by the sheriff's office. Some in her department, looking for any excuse available to disrespect the new boss, are implying that she was ineffective and basically allowed the murder to happen. Ok, now it's getting more interesting but Jance still doesn't stop. Since all of the evidence conveniently points directly to Hal Morgan (the husband bent on revenge), Joanna feels it's a little too easy and investigates the case herself. Ok, now we have the makings of a great J.A. Jance mystery!

If you haven't read this series yet, that could be a good thing. You can begin reading now and when you finish one book you can easily obtain the next line. For those of us who've read each one as they've come out, it can be a difficult wait while J.A. Jance and the publishers perfect the next book. A difficult wait yes, but it will most certainly be worth the time you've anxiously awaited its arrival.

I love this series...when does something else come out?

My husband is from Seattle, so reading one of these books is like taking a little trip to downtown and hanging out like we used to do.

One of my favorite Beaumont mysteries. Perhaps I was thrilled in my recognition of landmarks, as I grew up in Cochise County not far from Montezuma Pass. Jance intrigues her dedicated readers not only through an active storyline, but with real places. As I currently reside in the Puget Sound, this one hit the jackpot with me! Pinch me, is this really fiction? Maybe I'll head over to Seattle PD just to make sure Beau really isn't there!

This book offers quite a change of scenery for fans of the J.P. Beaumont series. The Washington born-and-bred policeman ends up in a rehab center which is a real contrast to his usual surroundings in the Pacific Northwest. His discoveries of things such as snakes and flash floods offer comic relief from the investigation into the death of his teen-aged roommate. In this book we also catch glimpses of his ex-wife and children, and he seems a bit more human as he goes through the rehab process. If you like Beaumont, you'll probably like this book.

Minor in Possession opens with Seattle homicide detective Beaumont drying out in an Arizona rehab clinic. Despite non-stop rainshowers and a rising river, Beau is still a fish out of water, trying to cope with a soon-to-deceased roommate, hostile clinic staff, and visiting family members dredging up his unfortunate past. It'd be enough to drive a person to drink, except of course that's the reason he's in rehab to begin with.

Following his roommate's demise and an attempt on his own life, Beau finds himself on both sides of the investigation and travelling around the state in an ever-increasing number of rental cars. The action is fast, and so are some of the women he meets. The ending is a bit overly sentimental, but getting there is certainly fun.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My only caveat is don't let this be the first J.P. Beaumont mystery you read. If you're not familiar with the Seattle detective's history - his lifestyle or marriage to Anne Corley, for instance - read Until Proven Guilty or the more recent Partner in Crime before reading this novel. References to Corley and things like Beau's Porsche are dropped in unaccompanied by much context, which is unusual for Jance. Unless you know what she's talking about, you'll be as much a fish out of water as her detective is at times while tackling this mystery.

As with all the other tales of Beau, we are taken on another thrill ride not knowing were we will come out, or in what shape.
Start with JP first Book so you understand him.
Then read all his stories in succession.....that's one read you will not be disappointed in.

The book began well but ended badly. Nothing connected for me, and after reading the ending twice, still don't understand what the point was. The book could have been so much better. I'll try another J.P. Beaumont book hoping this was just a bad one.

I am a fan of J. A. Jance's Joanne Brady series and was first introduced to Det. Beaumont in Partner's In Crime; however, I first read the majority of the Brady series. Dismissed With Prejudice is only the second book in the Beaumont series that I have read. It was a good, quick and light read. Good beach or airport material as it is easy to put down and come back to.

And I think this is one of the better ones. However, I had this feeling that the author was never completely in control of the plot, and the ending didn't come neatly together the way it does in the best mysteries. The motive seemed grossly inadequate -- even murderers usually have an understandable reason.

The plot involves a Japanese businessman who is on the verge of bankruptcy who is found dead -- apparently a ritual suicide. A Japanese crime scene person doesn't think it looks right for that, and the family insists the man (Tadeo) would never do that no matter how bad things were. J.P. Beaumont, the tough Seattle detective assigned to the case (who habitually bucks his incompetent bosses), takes their word for it and treats it like a murder. Shortly after the murder, two individuals connected to Tadeo are viciously attacked, and Beaumont finds himself trying to find the motive for both crimes and to discover who did this.

There is a side plot involving Beaumont's growing realization that he may have a drinking problem.

This was a book I definitely enjoyed getting back to, that moved along quickly. Somehow when I got to the ending, however, I was disappointed as I expected more sense to emerge than did. Somehow the last couple of chapters seemed kind of flung together. I also think more careful background research would have improved this book. I had the distinct impression that more was needed vis-a-vis the Japanese connection.

Another great Beau story, so buy them all and read about the life and times of JP Beaumont.
You will see why I have fallen for this man.

The title of this story has about as much to do with the contents of the book as would "Integrated from Zero to Infinity." This book is one of a series about detective Beaumont, all with similar legal phrases for titles. I've only read this one book.

This story is about the murder of a Japanese businessman. It goes into Japanese-American culture including the samurai traditions, modern computer businesses, as well as anti-Japanese racism. However, the unbelievability of parts of the story, such as the part described below, leads me not to take any of the discussion seriously.

The back cover and the inside front page hook us with a suspenseful scenario. They tell us that the investigators found the Japanese victim dead on the floor, an apparent suicide. Except that "an error in the ancient ritual pointed to ... murder." This makes us want to read more. However, I think that the author, J. A. Jance, took the intriguing scenario and wrapped at least the opening to the story around it, because the resolution was patently absurd.

As the reader, we expect a scene of ritual suicide, set up all proper except for one tiny error seen only by the detective. However, a Japanese American investigator pronounces the scene as "totally wrong" for ritual suicide. Among other things, the victim's head was still attached to the body. Nevertheless, the (Caucasian) medical examiner persists with his theory of suicide, sarcastically shouting down every point of error.

So instead of a subtle clue noticed only by a careful, intelligent observer, we have a bullheaded incompetent who refuses to heed someone who knows what he is talking about. Unfortunately, the author and the narrator do not recognize the incompetence.

But this is nothing compared with what follows few days later. The narrator learns from the crime lab that the killing wasn't suicide after all. The victim had been bludgeoned on the head, yet for some reason, none the investigators (including the narrator, Detective Beaumont himself) saw it at the crime scene. "We couldn't see it until after we moved the body." Yeah, right.

The narrator makes a snide remark every couple of paragraphs, and at the end of every chapter. An occasional snide remark is okay, perhaps even necessary. But I got tired of them quickly.

There were several places where I kept remarking (sarcastically), "Great deduction, Watson." Those were points where the narrator carefully and observantly deduced the obvious.

I am reminded of a another novel I read years ago, telling the story of a mystery writer whose latest novel was rejected for going way too far afield of believability. In the novel, the writer went underground herself to see what things were like. Maybe Jance should try something of the sort, although her writing in this novel was not nearly as bad as that of the fictional writer.

I love this book! I could not put it down! I also can't wait to start trying her recipes, they sound delicious! I could almost taste the blueberry coffee cake as I was reading! I am on to "Dean and Berried"!

Delighted to discover this author, heroine and inn! The mysteries are well developed and the recipes are an extra treat. I hope there will be more than two!

I can't even finish it, it's so poorly written and so boring. I am so disappointed. I thought I had found a new author to read. Oh, well.

I just finished "Murder on the Rocks" and while I think this series has potential, the writing needs to be edited better.

1. Natalie frequently complains about how she is flat broke and unable to eat at restaurants. She runs out of groceries and ends up with nothing to eat but a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. However, she is constantly baking up huge batches of cookies and brownies to take to friends and neighbors around the island. Whenever she needs something out of the freezer, she is pawing through chuck roasts and bacon to find the fruit she needs. So is she broke and hungry or not?

2. When a guest at her inn is found dead, Natalie sneaks into his room (against direct police orders) and finds significant evidence that she then hides. When the police later suspect her of being the killer, Natalie is unable to show evidence pointing away from her, because she stole it from the crime scene. Is she really this stupid?

3. An intruder breaks in and clobbers Natalie. She doesn't bother to call the police immediately, instead just waits for them to show up the next day.

4. Natalie pretends to be someone she's not in order to obtain private information she has no right to, and opens and reads her guests' mail.

While the plot is presented as "Natalie is a suspect in a murder she didn't commit and tries to find the real killer" she is guilty of numerous counts of obstruction of justice and just plain stupidity. It was hard to swallow.

Natalie Barnes has decided to go for broke and trade her life saving for a Bed and Breakfast called the Grey Whale Inn on Cranberry Island in Maine. Soon the slimy Bernard Katz shows up and announces plans to change the whole inland into a mega resort which will include turning the Grey Whale into a parking lot. So no one is surprised when he is found dead, the only surprise is the who and why. Natalie just has to stay alive long enough to get the whole story out. Great start to a new series plus great recipes at the end of the book.

Oh, and someone needs to tell the author that you don't get knitting wool from a goat.

This has got to be one of the most interesting Batman Elseworlds Stories in a long time. Most of them just get too wound up into explaining his origin in that setting. Gotham By Gaslight does not. It is careful never to attribute the deaths of Bruce's Parents to Jack the Ripper (the central Villian of the first half) but leaves it ambiguous. However the story is uneven, having bursts of genius followed by uninteresting banter. The first story Gotham By Gaslight is the real jewel in this collection. With Mignola's amazing artwork this is really the standout hit in the book. The Gotham By Gaslight story revolves around jack the ripper with a cameo by the joker, this story is engrossing much like Alan Moore's From Hell. Brian Augustyn showed his brilliance by building up the action and dialouge scenes perfectly. However lightning rarely strikes twice and in the second story Master of the Future the story lacks the same engrossing qualities as the first losing the readers interest. And without Mignola's artwork to please the senses it just isn't the same beast and i found myself bored; Often forcing myself to complete the book.

All in all its a great read through the first half (Gotham By Gaslight), but i recommend to just read the first half twice and not waste time with the second half (Master of the Future)

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight was the first tale of DC's Elseworlds label, putting an alternate reality twist on DC's most iconic characters. This TPB features Gotham by Gaslight, as well as it's lesser sequel, Master of the Future. Both are written by Brian Augustyn, but Gotham by Gaslight is undoubtedly the best of both, as we witness Batman of 1889 face-off against the murderous Jack the Ripper, who may have ties into Bruce Wayne's tragic past. While this story is very satisfying and features some great nods to Batman mythology, it's the artwork of Hellboy creator Mike Mignola that really helps it stand out. While not as moody as his artwork would become, it still makes an impression regardless. Master of the Furure finds Batman facing-off against a more generic lunatic as the time period approaches the twentieth century, and while the artwork by Eduardo Barreto is good, the story itself is sadly lacking. All in all though, Gotham by Gaslight is still a worthwhile Batman TPB that is worth a look for Batman devotees, but may be a little hard to get into for those that are newer to the world of Batman.

The premise for Gotham by Gaslight was so really intriguing, so I was pretty excited to read it. That excitement pretty much evaporated after about the first two or three pages. The artwork was really bland and the dialogue was very forgettable. The plot was so obvious that anyone with half a brain could have figured out exactly what was going to happen after about the first five pages. Another flaw I found was that it was too short for any of the characters to develop whatsoever. To sum up, great premise, very poor execution.

An interesting take on Batman for sure, this story sets Bruce Wayne and his collegues in the Victorian era Gotham. It was cool to see what the city looked like 100 years ago and how the people of that time would have reacted to the dark knight.

There are two seperate stories in here, both written by Brian Augustyn. The first finds Bruce returning home from London after his travels and resuming the role of Batman. It is at this time that a serial killer known as Jack the Ripper appears in Gotham and is continuing to murder women in the same fashion as the murders in London. It is assumed by the commishioner that Batman is the man behind this. Wayne is framed for the killings and has no alibi, since by revealing how he really spends his nights would most likely further incriminate him. It is a pretty interesting story, however I caught the killer long before the trained detective which always dissapoints me. Batman should always have it figured it out before the reader in my opinion otherwise it ruins the suspense.

The second story surprised me because I doubt I would have picked this up seperately if they weren't collected together in this edition, but it turned out to be better than the first. The villain is more interesting and the whole story and villain could have easily been an adventure of Zorro. In the first story after Bruce has found the man responsible for his parents murder he quits his crusade. This seems very out of character for him. The newly appointed Commishioner Gordan knows there is a need for Batman still and when a new villain pops up to terroize the city, Bats answers the call. Julie Madison also makes an apperance as Bruce's love interest.

After reading the second story "Master of the Future", I wouldn't be opposed to picking another copy of this version of Batman. Although this Batman of the past won't ever top the Batman of the future for me, it's still a worthy attempt and a good spin on the character.

This book is a batman elseworlds story and it deals with batman going up against jack the ripper. it is a really great book. features great art, great story, and setting batman in victorian gotham is an interesting concept.