Call number
FICT BAU
Collection
Genres
Publication
Atlantic Monthly Press (2018), 352 pages
Description
Jack's in charge, said his mother as she disappeared up the road to get help. I won't be long. So eleven-year-old Jack and his two sisters wait on the hard shoulder in their stifling, broken-down car, bickering and whining and playing I-Spy until she comes back. But their mother doesn't come back. She never comes back. And after that long hot summer day, nothing will ever be the same again. Three years later, Jack's fifteen and still in charge. Meanwhile, across town, a young woman called Catherine wakes up to find a knife beside her bed and a note reading I could of killed you. The police are tracking a mysterious burglar called Goldilocks for his habit of sleeping in the beds of the houses he robs, but Catherine doesn't see the point of involving the police. And Jack, very suddenly, may be on the verge of finding out who killed his mother. A twisty, masterfully written novel that will have listeners on the edge of their seats, Snap is Belinda Bauer at the height of her powers.… (more)
Media reviews
Slående innsikt i unge, sårbare mennesker
Sterk overlevelsesberetning.
User reviews
LibraryThing member smik
August 1998. The broken down car is parked on the side of the highway and Jack's pregnant mother has walked to the emergency phone to get help. But when Jack takes his sisters to find his mother, she is not there.
Three years later Jack's devastated father has walked out and Jack is trying to feed
A new neighbour has moved in next door. Her son is a policeman and she is a bit nosy.
Detective Chief Inspector John Marvel has been newly appointed to the West Country because of various failures when he was in London investigating murders. He feels he has been demoted, out in the cold, and now he is expected to take charge of the investigation of burglaries.
But there is much more to this case than he anticipated.
I enjoyed the development of the characters in this story and the way the storyline progressed.
I wonder if we will see more of John Marvel?
Three years later Jack's devastated father has walked out and Jack is trying to feed
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his sisters by stealing from local houses. The children are no longer going to school and he and his sisters are barely surviving.A new neighbour has moved in next door. Her son is a policeman and she is a bit nosy.
Detective Chief Inspector John Marvel has been newly appointed to the West Country because of various failures when he was in London investigating murders. He feels he has been demoted, out in the cold, and now he is expected to take charge of the investigation of burglaries.
But there is much more to this case than he anticipated.
I enjoyed the development of the characters in this story and the way the storyline progressed.
I wonder if we will see more of John Marvel?
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LibraryThing member Carol420
It seemed unbelievable that in a civilized country with laws... and in a good neighborhood with nosy neighbors... that three children, all under the age of 12...could exist alone for 3 years with no one questioning it or calling the authorities. In retrospect Belinda Bauer has created a set of
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simply terrifying events and she did it without firing a shot or throwing a knife. I have to say the entire idea is very cleverly done. Show Less
LibraryThing member Laura400
Absolutely outstanding.
LibraryThing member alanteder
Plucky Kids Outwit/Outthink the Cops + #ThereIsAlwaysOne
The setup here had a tendency to infuriate me as many of the adults and authority figures, esp. the police force, is made out as so incompetent that a trio of plucky kids and an only slightly older Fagin-like character can run rings around
Still, it kept me reading and wondering how it would all come together, so that aspect of the suspense thriller playbook was at least fulfilled. So this would have been a 2-star, but hey, I liked the youngest kid Merry and her pluckiness, so an extra star for her alone.
"Snap" is the outlier and 13th of the baker's dozen in the 2018 Man Booker Prize longlist, since it appears to have only been added through Jury member (and fellow crime writer) Val McDermid's nepotism (she also gives it a cover blurb). It doesn't have any sort of innovative writing or clever genre breakthroughs that one would expect in a Booker candidate. I can't see this one getting to the Final 6 Shortlist.
#ThereIsAlwaysOne
As opposed to the dozens of typos that I often find in a lot of modern publishing, there was only a single typo/copy-editing error that I spotted in the hardcover edition of "Snap", although it is a nonsensical one that should have been picked up in the proofing stages.
pg. 212 "Because... because why would he hide it in his boot? If it wasn't the one, why would he hide it? And he lied about it to his boot(sic)!" Based on the lead up context to this, the wording in the last sentence should have said "And he lied about it to his wife!"
The setup here had a tendency to infuriate me as many of the adults and authority figures, esp. the police force, is made out as so incompetent that a trio of plucky kids and an only slightly older Fagin-like character can run rings around
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them and are more adept at getting to the final answer of their mother's murder while living an almost feral children existence in a makeshift household that their father has abandoned. There was also a slight-of-hand trick that allowed one character to make a seemingly illogical jump in detection without any apparent basis. It was eventually explained about a hundred pages later, but I was seething the entire time about the inexplicable plot machinations and coincidences.Still, it kept me reading and wondering how it would all come together, so that aspect of the suspense thriller playbook was at least fulfilled. So this would have been a 2-star, but hey, I liked the youngest kid Merry and her pluckiness, so an extra star for her alone.
"Snap" is the outlier and 13th of the baker's dozen in the 2018 Man Booker Prize longlist, since it appears to have only been added through Jury member (and fellow crime writer) Val McDermid's nepotism (she also gives it a cover blurb). It doesn't have any sort of innovative writing or clever genre breakthroughs that one would expect in a Booker candidate. I can't see this one getting to the Final 6 Shortlist.
#ThereIsAlwaysOne
As opposed to the dozens of typos that I often find in a lot of modern publishing, there was only a single typo/copy-editing error that I spotted in the hardcover edition of "Snap", although it is a nonsensical one that should have been picked up in the proofing stages.
pg. 212 "Because... because why would he hide it in his boot? If it wasn't the one, why would he hide it? And he lied about it to his boot(sic)!" Based on the lead up context to this, the wording in the last sentence should have said "And he lied about it to his wife!"
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LibraryThing member pomo58
Snap from Belinda Bauer is a tense story that is more of a "how will it be resolved" than a "whodunit." When appreciated for what it is it is very good. She didn't try to hide the likely murderer but rather make proving it hard to figure out. While some booksellers may group this under the thriller
Having said all that, if you are looking for a whodunit this may not be the book for you. It is a crime novel, centered around both a string of break-ins and a cold case murder. The characters, whether on the side of good or bad or straddling the line, are all fairly likable in the sense that you get very little sense of an inherently evil person, at least until the resolution, at which time you might classify one as evil.
The plot does not move rapidly but rather steadily and methodically. This is one of the things that may bother some readers who want a fast-moving plot that speeds ahead. In the end it are the nuances of the characters that we learn about at this pace that gives the story its power, so the pacing is not actually a negative. Knowing what the police officers are experiencing in their lives helps us to understand why they do as they do. Knowing the motivation behind Jack's lifestyle and how he came to work for the man he does fleshes out his character as well.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy crime stories that are a little different than the norm and that offer more fully realized characters than many similar novels. Readers who simply want to read a straightforward whodunit may not enjoy this as much as they hope unless one of the novels many other strengths appeal to a different interest. If you're limited to standard "guess the criminal" stories this will likely disappoint.
Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads First Reads.
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category, which I assume they do since so many people seem to not think it was good enough as a thriller, I did not see any where on the book cover, the blurbs that were there or the comments from the publisher the word thriller, so being upset that this book isn't what it wasn't made to be is disingenuous at best and pseudo-intellectual at worst.Having said all that, if you are looking for a whodunit this may not be the book for you. It is a crime novel, centered around both a string of break-ins and a cold case murder. The characters, whether on the side of good or bad or straddling the line, are all fairly likable in the sense that you get very little sense of an inherently evil person, at least until the resolution, at which time you might classify one as evil.
The plot does not move rapidly but rather steadily and methodically. This is one of the things that may bother some readers who want a fast-moving plot that speeds ahead. In the end it are the nuances of the characters that we learn about at this pace that gives the story its power, so the pacing is not actually a negative. Knowing what the police officers are experiencing in their lives helps us to understand why they do as they do. Knowing the motivation behind Jack's lifestyle and how he came to work for the man he does fleshes out his character as well.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy crime stories that are a little different than the norm and that offer more fully realized characters than many similar novels. Readers who simply want to read a straightforward whodunit may not enjoy this as much as they hope unless one of the novels many other strengths appeal to a different interest. If you're limited to standard "guess the criminal" stories this will likely disappoint.
Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads First Reads.
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LibraryThing member Carmenere
Snap- This is my third read from the 2018 Booker Long List and I have to say, in my opinion, this crime/mystery novel is a sub-par entry into a field which is usually innovative, thought provoking and diverse.
Snap- Instead, we are offered a semi-humorous Keystone Kop police department who use the
Snap- Said burglar happens to come across the knife which is similar to the one used to murder his pregnant mother.
Snap- The circumstances which leave said burglar and his two younger sisters alone and to fend for themselves is senseless and absurd.
Snap- The conclusion involves a fairly good story line concerning the weapon but still a lot of the story is left unexplained and unrealistic.
Snap- fizzles.
Snap- Instead, we are offered a semi-humorous Keystone Kop police department who use the
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services of a 14 year old burglar to help solve a crime. Snap- Said burglar happens to come across the knife which is similar to the one used to murder his pregnant mother.
Snap- The circumstances which leave said burglar and his two younger sisters alone and to fend for themselves is senseless and absurd.
Snap- The conclusion involves a fairly good story line concerning the weapon but still a lot of the story is left unexplained and unrealistic.
Snap- fizzles.
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LibraryThing member chrisblocker
I try not to be close-minded about reading, but the very thought of the Mystery genre leaves me running. While I, having been raised in America on a television diet that consisted almost entirely of Perry Mason, Hill Street Blues, and countless other cop dramas, am expected to live and breathe
So I shouldn't have read Snap. And normally, I wouldn't have. But this year, someone thought it would be a good idea to nominate it for the Man Booker Prize. Before we get into my feelings for the novel, let's talk about this Man Booker longlisting. It was a mistake. Though I wouldn't say this is the worst novel I have ever read to be nominated—there have been a few that were painfully boring or pretentious—Snap is easily the most undeserved novel I have ever read on the list. Why is this? Because this is the Man Booker Prize; I expect to read some dry, cerebral novels; I don't have to like them to respect the craft that went into them. But Snap is entirely different because it's not a crafty play on words, or a fascinating literary treatise on the state of world affairs, or an intelligently drawn exploration of a character's psychology. Snap is your run-of-the-mill mystery and it frankly has no place on the list of traditional Man Booker nominees.
Now let's put the Man Booker nomination aside and consider Snap on its own merits. I thought Bauer's novel started well. In regards to pure story, I actually thought Snap was superior to the average modern mystery for two-thirds of the novel. It wasn't anything special, but I enjoyed some of the characters, found glimmers of beautifully drawn sentences here and there, and was curious what direction the story might go. There were problems with conveniences made for the plot, and cliches ran amok, but I'd expected worse. I had hopes that the author would pull off a decent crime novel, but the final third destroyed any hopes I'd had. The story hadn't been built on much of a foundation and it fell apart. In addition to the problems this novel had from page one, it suffered from preposterous character actions, nonsensical plot points and reveals, and threads left loose by its conclusion.
It wouldn't have surprised me to see Snap nominated for a prize awarding crime novels. Though I can't realistically compare it to others since I read so few, it seemed like a decent (though not award-winning) mystery. But to be nominated for the Man Booker Prize—well, that's alarming. And for the prize to continue without harsher criticism or a demand for transparency, Snap must not be shortlisted.
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police procedurals and courtroom dramas, I in fact abhor them. I still look back on those shows I once watched every night with some nostalgia. I'd consider an In the Heat of the Night marathon if presented with one. But sometime, in the early 90s, I lost interest in ever seriously revisiting the genre in any way again. So I shouldn't have read Snap. And normally, I wouldn't have. But this year, someone thought it would be a good idea to nominate it for the Man Booker Prize. Before we get into my feelings for the novel, let's talk about this Man Booker longlisting. It was a mistake. Though I wouldn't say this is the worst novel I have ever read to be nominated—there have been a few that were painfully boring or pretentious—Snap is easily the most undeserved novel I have ever read on the list. Why is this? Because this is the Man Booker Prize; I expect to read some dry, cerebral novels; I don't have to like them to respect the craft that went into them. But Snap is entirely different because it's not a crafty play on words, or a fascinating literary treatise on the state of world affairs, or an intelligently drawn exploration of a character's psychology. Snap is your run-of-the-mill mystery and it frankly has no place on the list of traditional Man Booker nominees.
Now let's put the Man Booker nomination aside and consider Snap on its own merits. I thought Bauer's novel started well. In regards to pure story, I actually thought Snap was superior to the average modern mystery for two-thirds of the novel. It wasn't anything special, but I enjoyed some of the characters, found glimmers of beautifully drawn sentences here and there, and was curious what direction the story might go. There were problems with conveniences made for the plot, and cliches ran amok, but I'd expected worse. I had hopes that the author would pull off a decent crime novel, but the final third destroyed any hopes I'd had. The story hadn't been built on much of a foundation and it fell apart. In addition to the problems this novel had from page one, it suffered from preposterous character actions, nonsensical plot points and reveals, and threads left loose by its conclusion.
It wouldn't have surprised me to see Snap nominated for a prize awarding crime novels. Though I can't realistically compare it to others since I read so few, it seemed like a decent (though not award-winning) mystery. But to be nominated for the Man Booker Prize—well, that's alarming. And for the prize to continue without harsher criticism or a demand for transparency, Snap must not be shortlisted.
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LibraryThing member Dreesie
3.5 stars. A perfectly enjoyable mystery with a few twists and turns (all of which I picked out, because Bauer puts all the clues right there). Not gory (yay!), somewhat suspenseful, lots of characters (which I like). But I have no idea why this book made the Booker longlist--apparently it is the
———
11-yo Jack, his 2 younger sisters, and their pregnant mom have car trouble one day. She goes off to call on an emergency phone and never returns. Later her body is found. Jack's dad's grief is so great he walks out (days? weeks? later). They kids never return to school, and Jack spends 3 years supporting his sisters as a petty burglar, always dreaming about his mom, trying to keep the outside of the house nice to keep the neighbors away.
Meanwhile, Catherine While is 8 months pregnant and starting to be nervous when her husband Adam is out of town as a salesman.
And a disgraced London policeman, Marvel, has joined the small-town force. His years of experience and London senses might help him more than he expects in small-town Somerset.
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first crime novel to do so. But it's just your standard decent crime/mystery novel.———
11-yo Jack, his 2 younger sisters, and their pregnant mom have car trouble one day. She goes off to call on an emergency phone and never returns. Later her body is found. Jack's dad's grief is so great he walks out (days? weeks? later). They kids never return to school, and Jack spends 3 years supporting his sisters as a petty burglar, always dreaming about his mom, trying to keep the outside of the house nice to keep the neighbors away.
Meanwhile, Catherine While is 8 months pregnant and starting to be nervous when her husband Adam is out of town as a salesman.
And a disgraced London policeman, Marvel, has joined the small-town force. His years of experience and London senses might help him more than he expects in small-town Somerset.
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LibraryThing member Kathl33n
I have read one other book by this author and thoroughly enjoyed it. This one is no different. The author has the ability to create great characters that you immediately connect with and care about. The mystery in this slowly pulls you through the story revealing itself along the way, but keeps you
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guessing. I will definitely be adding more books by this author to my TBR. Show Less
LibraryThing member ozzer
Jack's mother is murdered. He is left alone with his siblings. Incredibly, he supports the family by becoming the consummate burglar. Also, he remains obsessed with finding his mother's killer. During one of his burglaries, he discovers an identical knife to the one the police believed was the
The plot has all of the features of the crime genre, but little of the subtlety that one finds in the better versions, like French or Nesbø. Bauer's characters lack nuance and her UK setting seems mundane. To her credit, she exhibits considerable control in how she reveals the twists of her plot. Yet the murderer becomes obvious about halfway into the novel. What seems to be lacking is a clear motive.
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murder weapon. The cops assigned to catch the "Goldilocks" burglar bungle the case repeatedly, but miraculously stumble onto the truth of Jack's mothers murder. All of these coincidences strain credulity.The plot has all of the features of the crime genre, but little of the subtlety that one finds in the better versions, like French or Nesbø. Bauer's characters lack nuance and her UK setting seems mundane. To her credit, she exhibits considerable control in how she reveals the twists of her plot. Yet the murderer becomes obvious about halfway into the novel. What seems to be lacking is a clear motive.
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LibraryThing member brokenangelkisses
Snap decisions can be dangerous.
We never meet Eileen Bright. Instead, we begin with a hot, airless car and her three small children: Jack, Joy and Merry. They fuss and bicker exactly as you would expect, but underneath their casual cruelties there is a deep fog of unease: their mother went to get
Jack is eleven. Jack was left “in charge”, so he tries. He tries to entertain and reassure his small sisters, and when his mother still doesn’t return he tries to take practical steps to find her.
Three years later, Jack is still in charge - of his sisters, of their house, and - suddenly - of finding out what happened to his mother.
--- What’s it about? ---
A fierce, frightened boy doing what he can to hold his family together.
A family destroyed by loss and grief and mistakes.
Goldilocks. A cat burglar who hates happy families.
The possibility of healing offered by closure and family.
--- What’s it like? ---
Wonderful. Humorous. Full of heart.
Bauer simultaneously grips your heart and your head with a cast of characters you can’t help but care for and a crime you need to see solved.
Eileen’s almost complete absence from the novel accentuates her loss and her children’s need to a degree that makes their subsequent moods and attitudes completely understandable, and I loved the way the story gradually came together.
Expect a dose of police procedural, a scattering of thievery and many wry smiles.
--- Final thoughts ---
I absolutely loved this book.
There were a few details I thought could have been filled in more, and I think there’s a gap in the timeline, but the pacing, the characterisation and the careful unravelling of the drama is exquisite.
I remember loving Bauer’s debut novel, ‘Blacklands’ and, after receiving this confirmation of her mastery of the crime genre, I will definitely be seeking out the books she’s written in between.
Recommended.
We never meet Eileen Bright. Instead, we begin with a hot, airless car and her three small children: Jack, Joy and Merry. They fuss and bicker exactly as you would expect, but underneath their casual cruelties there is a deep fog of unease: their mother went to get
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help, but that was over an hour ago now.Jack is eleven. Jack was left “in charge”, so he tries. He tries to entertain and reassure his small sisters, and when his mother still doesn’t return he tries to take practical steps to find her.
Three years later, Jack is still in charge - of his sisters, of their house, and - suddenly - of finding out what happened to his mother.
--- What’s it about? ---
A fierce, frightened boy doing what he can to hold his family together.
A family destroyed by loss and grief and mistakes.
Goldilocks. A cat burglar who hates happy families.
The possibility of healing offered by closure and family.
--- What’s it like? ---
Wonderful. Humorous. Full of heart.
Bauer simultaneously grips your heart and your head with a cast of characters you can’t help but care for and a crime you need to see solved.
Eileen’s almost complete absence from the novel accentuates her loss and her children’s need to a degree that makes their subsequent moods and attitudes completely understandable, and I loved the way the story gradually came together.
Expect a dose of police procedural, a scattering of thievery and many wry smiles.
--- Final thoughts ---
I absolutely loved this book.
There were a few details I thought could have been filled in more, and I think there’s a gap in the timeline, but the pacing, the characterisation and the careful unravelling of the drama is exquisite.
I remember loving Bauer’s debut novel, ‘Blacklands’ and, after receiving this confirmation of her mastery of the crime genre, I will definitely be seeking out the books she’s written in between.
Recommended.
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LibraryThing member LARA335
A little suspension of disbelief required for how Catherine reacts when she finds a knife on her bed, and for how the police treat Jack, using him to further their investigations. But that said, an original plot, and a sympathetic lead character, Jack, who fends for his younger sisters in a house
Striking, powerful opening chapter, and a very neat plot.
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filling with newspapers, when his mother is murdered & father abandons them.Striking, powerful opening chapter, and a very neat plot.
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LibraryThing member pgchuis
I skimmed most of this. After the compelling opening scene, I grew progressively less and less interested. It was all a bit much and completely unrealistic. The resolution wasn't even a twist, and why was Eileen murdered?
LibraryThing member jeanbmac
Where has this writer been all my reading life? Can hardly wait to read her other books.
LibraryThing member LynnB
Crime novels aren't my thing; this was a book club read. And, like many other reviewers, I'm surprised it was nominated for a Booker.
The best things about this book was how the author brought in many issues, such a grief, guilt, mental breakdowns, crime-for-survival, into the book. She also tells a
What I didn't like was that the plot became increasingly implausible as the book concluded. And I don't like the theme of bright kids outwitting dim-witted adults.
So, great beginning. The tension as the children wait in the car for their mom's return is gripping. Weak ending, with motivations of several characters somewhat dubious.
The best things about this book was how the author brought in many issues, such a grief, guilt, mental breakdowns, crime-for-survival, into the book. She also tells a
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good story -- I really wanted to know what would happen next.What I didn't like was that the plot became increasingly implausible as the book concluded. And I don't like the theme of bright kids outwitting dim-witted adults.
So, great beginning. The tension as the children wait in the car for their mom's return is gripping. Weak ending, with motivations of several characters somewhat dubious.
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LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
On a hot summer's day, two children and a baby wait in a car on the side of a highway. Their pregnant mother has left them there while she walks to an emergency phone box to call for roadside assistance. After far too much time has passed, they walk out to meet her and find only the phone, with the
Belinda Bauer writes solid crime novels that are well-plotted and hard to put down. There's more depth to the characterizations than is usual. She's an author I'm always happy to read. Snap takes the familiar plot of a missing woman and moves it to the impact on the family left behind. The police investigating are less well developed but the tension between an arrogant big city detective in disgrace and his by-the-rules partner is not dull. And Bauer writes so convincingly about the conflicted nature of a teenage boy who is both full of rage and desperate to keep the shreds of his family together.
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This is the crime novel that was long listed for the Man Booker Prize and which created a bit of controversy as a result. This really isn't a case where the author wrote both a crime novel and literary fiction. Bauer has here written a straight genre novel. It's a good one, but it isn't trying to do something new or doing anything that would make it suitable for the Booker. And it's unfortunate that the Booker committee attached themselves to this book - it makes it less attractive to someone looking for a solid crime novel and it does a disservice to the genre by putting it in the crosshairs of readers expecting not just literary fiction, but for it to be an outstanding exemplar thereof. There is an ample amount of novels written each year that are both crime novels and literary novels and one of those could have be easily chosen instead. Snap was a perfectly good crime novel, but a terrible literary one.
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receiver dangling. Their mother has disappeared. Belinda Bauer writes solid crime novels that are well-plotted and hard to put down. There's more depth to the characterizations than is usual. She's an author I'm always happy to read. Snap takes the familiar plot of a missing woman and moves it to the impact on the family left behind. The police investigating are less well developed but the tension between an arrogant big city detective in disgrace and his by-the-rules partner is not dull. And Bauer writes so convincingly about the conflicted nature of a teenage boy who is both full of rage and desperate to keep the shreds of his family together.
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This is the crime novel that was long listed for the Man Booker Prize and which created a bit of controversy as a result. This really isn't a case where the author wrote both a crime novel and literary fiction. Bauer has here written a straight genre novel. It's a good one, but it isn't trying to do something new or doing anything that would make it suitable for the Booker. And it's unfortunate that the Booker committee attached themselves to this book - it makes it less attractive to someone looking for a solid crime novel and it does a disservice to the genre by putting it in the crosshairs of readers expecting not just literary fiction, but for it to be an outstanding exemplar thereof. There is an ample amount of novels written each year that are both crime novels and literary novels and one of those could have be easily chosen instead. Snap was a perfectly good crime novel, but a terrible literary one.
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LibraryThing member RowingRabbit
Unique, haunting…and bonkers. If I had to describe this book in a nutshell, that’s what comes to mind. And just so you know, I’m a big fan of bonkers.
Initially, it’s like you’re reading 2 books the are very different in subject matter & tone. The book blurb gives you a good breakdown of
The other story line introduces DCI John Marvel. He’s a rumpled, dyspeptic old fashioned copper who’s been exiled to Somerset PD as a result of his less than PC techniques. Instead of high profile cases, he’s been given a rash of home burglaries to investigate. Seriously? Don’t they know he was an elite homicide detective? And don’t even get him started on his colleagues.
DS Reynolds is eager to make a good impression on his new boss. He’s a fastidious, impeccably groomed straight arrow who’s always willing to help coworkers better themselves. Whether it’s tips on deportment or correcting their grammar, he knows deep down they appreciate his attention to detail. So why does the new DCI seem to hate him?
For the first half of the book, the 2 story lines develop separately. There is a fair amount of jumping back & forth in time lines so you have to pay attention. The haunting sadness of Jack’s story is relieved by chapters detailing the police investigation & the humorous relationship between Marvel & Reynolds. Hint: it’s more Bickersons than bro-mance.
But the book really takes off when Jack meets Marvel. Jack believes he knows who murdered his mother 3 years ago & the old cop is just the man to prove it. And Marvel…well, the boy certainly spins a wild tale but how can he resist the chance to work a nice, juicy unsolved murder?
From here on, the book takes off in a dozen crazy directions as Marvel & Reynolds pick away at Jack’s story. Initially Marvel comes across as a self important misanthrope & Reynolds is just plain irritating. But a funny thing happened as I kept reading. I started to really like them. They’re both so odd & their relationship so entertaining that I couldn’t help but buckle up & enjoy this quirky ride.
Confession time: I’ve only read one previous book by this author & it was just a so-so read for me. It was not a question of writing skills…she has those in spades. But humour is (excuse the pun) a funny thing. Of all the story elements or genres, I think it might be the most subjective. What’s hilarious to one reader may make another longingly eye the last chapter.
All I can say is this book made me a convert. Marvel & Reynolds provided the comic relief I needed while Jack broke my heart. Each of the characters gradually reveals hidden depths as we spend more time in their company. You’ll find yourself rooting for this strange trio of lost souls as they piece together the truth behind what happened to Jack’s family. It’s poignant, unconventional & entertaining. Can’t ask for much more than that.
Initially, it’s like you’re reading 2 books the are very different in subject matter & tone. The book blurb gives you a good breakdown of
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one of them. It’s the poignant story of Jack, Joy & Merry…3 young siblings abandoned by their parents. At 15, Jack is the man of the house & doing everything in his power to keep social services from discovering their squalid living conditions. But it’s exhausting. Jack spends his nights sneaking into empty houses & stealing what he can to keep his family going. That’s how he found the knife. The other story line introduces DCI John Marvel. He’s a rumpled, dyspeptic old fashioned copper who’s been exiled to Somerset PD as a result of his less than PC techniques. Instead of high profile cases, he’s been given a rash of home burglaries to investigate. Seriously? Don’t they know he was an elite homicide detective? And don’t even get him started on his colleagues.
DS Reynolds is eager to make a good impression on his new boss. He’s a fastidious, impeccably groomed straight arrow who’s always willing to help coworkers better themselves. Whether it’s tips on deportment or correcting their grammar, he knows deep down they appreciate his attention to detail. So why does the new DCI seem to hate him?
For the first half of the book, the 2 story lines develop separately. There is a fair amount of jumping back & forth in time lines so you have to pay attention. The haunting sadness of Jack’s story is relieved by chapters detailing the police investigation & the humorous relationship between Marvel & Reynolds. Hint: it’s more Bickersons than bro-mance.
But the book really takes off when Jack meets Marvel. Jack believes he knows who murdered his mother 3 years ago & the old cop is just the man to prove it. And Marvel…well, the boy certainly spins a wild tale but how can he resist the chance to work a nice, juicy unsolved murder?
From here on, the book takes off in a dozen crazy directions as Marvel & Reynolds pick away at Jack’s story. Initially Marvel comes across as a self important misanthrope & Reynolds is just plain irritating. But a funny thing happened as I kept reading. I started to really like them. They’re both so odd & their relationship so entertaining that I couldn’t help but buckle up & enjoy this quirky ride.
Confession time: I’ve only read one previous book by this author & it was just a so-so read for me. It was not a question of writing skills…she has those in spades. But humour is (excuse the pun) a funny thing. Of all the story elements or genres, I think it might be the most subjective. What’s hilarious to one reader may make another longingly eye the last chapter.
All I can say is this book made me a convert. Marvel & Reynolds provided the comic relief I needed while Jack broke my heart. Each of the characters gradually reveals hidden depths as we spend more time in their company. You’ll find yourself rooting for this strange trio of lost souls as they piece together the truth behind what happened to Jack’s family. It’s poignant, unconventional & entertaining. Can’t ask for much more than that.
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LibraryThing member gpangel
Snap by Belinda Bauer is a 2018 Atlantic Monthly Press publication.
A broken-down car forces a pregnant woman to leave her three children alone while she goes looking for help. She puts Jack in charge, a job he takes seriously, but as time passes, in the blistering hot sun, it becomes obvious their
Now three years later, a pregnant woman wakes up to discover her house is being burgled and finds a knife beside her bed along with a note that warns her she could have been killed.
Meanwhile, Jack is still the one in charge of his younger sisters, after their mother was found murdered and their father leaves them to fend for themselves. Jack does whatever it takes to provide for them, but in the process, he inadvertently stumbles across evidence that could finally bring his mother’s killer to justice…
This is another book that’s been on my TBR list for several years. Read it or scratch it off the list? Well, most of my ‘top friends’ on Goodreads gave the book very high marks, so it sounded like a book I would regret not reading.
Unfortunately, I struggled to stay engaged in this one. The plot seemed a little far-fetched, the characters behaving in a way that was highly improbable, and I didn’t care for the detectives working the case.
The story was slow, and the conclusion was anticlimactic. While everything was wrapped up satisfactorily, there was still an unsettled feeling about how some people would manage, despite the relief and closure they received.
Overall, the story is sad, but the mystery and suspense elements were flat. The desired shock of discovering not only who the murderer was, but the supposed motive behind it, didn’t work for me either. I’m not usually this hard to please, but this one didn’t work out for me as well as it did for others.
2.5 stars
A broken-down car forces a pregnant woman to leave her three children alone while she goes looking for help. She puts Jack in charge, a job he takes seriously, but as time passes, in the blistering hot sun, it becomes obvious their
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mother isn’t coming back…Now three years later, a pregnant woman wakes up to discover her house is being burgled and finds a knife beside her bed along with a note that warns her she could have been killed.
Meanwhile, Jack is still the one in charge of his younger sisters, after their mother was found murdered and their father leaves them to fend for themselves. Jack does whatever it takes to provide for them, but in the process, he inadvertently stumbles across evidence that could finally bring his mother’s killer to justice…
This is another book that’s been on my TBR list for several years. Read it or scratch it off the list? Well, most of my ‘top friends’ on Goodreads gave the book very high marks, so it sounded like a book I would regret not reading.
Unfortunately, I struggled to stay engaged in this one. The plot seemed a little far-fetched, the characters behaving in a way that was highly improbable, and I didn’t care for the detectives working the case.
The story was slow, and the conclusion was anticlimactic. While everything was wrapped up satisfactorily, there was still an unsettled feeling about how some people would manage, despite the relief and closure they received.
Overall, the story is sad, but the mystery and suspense elements were flat. The desired shock of discovering not only who the murderer was, but the supposed motive behind it, didn’t work for me either. I’m not usually this hard to please, but this one didn’t work out for me as well as it did for others.
2.5 stars
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Awards
Booker Prize (Longlist — 2018)
Theakstons Old Peculier Prize (Longlist — 2019)
Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award (Shortlist — 2019)
Pages
352
ISBN
0802127746 / 9780802127747