“Ripper” by Isabel Allende (Chile) 

Review

From a first novel to a first attempt at a new genre by a well-known writer, this year’s Summer Reading selection of crime fiction covered a wide range of writing styles.

“Ripper” is Allende’s first attempt at crime fiction and most readers agreed that she should stick with magic realism. Although they felt that the writing was superior to the other three books, readers thought that the story was all too much. They found the characters forced and stereotypical, and they felt the need to suspend disbelief in large chunks. Fast-paced and a page-turner, most readers nonetheless said it was a big disappointment.

Synopsis

For Amanda Martín and her friends, Ripper was all just a game. But when security guard Ed Staton is found dead in the middle of a school gym, the murder presents a mystery that baffles the San Francisco police, not least Amanda’s father, Deputy Chief Martín… Read more

Nicola’s Summer Reading list 2015

“Parade” by Shuichi Yoshida (Japan) *
“Buried” by Jussi Adler-Olsen (Denmark)
“The Fall of Saints” by Wanjiku wa Ngugi (Kenya)
“Ripper” by Isabel Allende (Chile) 

* Best Summer Read