Blog Tour – Book Review: Said the Spider

VENOMOUS INTRIGUE OF LUST, GREED AND BETRAYAL

Sophisticated crime syndicate parasites invade the normally solid foundation of Midwestern banking and generations of established manufacturing. Executives and management usually in control suddenly find they are masterfully manipulated into a web of irreconcilable personal and financial seduction. From the traumatic discovery at the river’s edge to the eventual confrontational conclusion Said The Spider seduces greedy, gullible and unsuspecting prey into a deadly and graphic whirlwind of corporate disaster leading to murder, suicide and revenge.

The early exploits of the juvenile crime spree by a youthful mastermind who cleverly manipulates his prey leads the reader to the ruthless genius manipulating the city. This drama of cause and effect with no escape from the temptations of lust, greed, and ignorance has been cleverly baited.The corporate investigative agency and police sources enter almost too late to stop this whirlpool of turbulence as the bank Vice President’s realize their own failure and the investors and corporation officers panic and retreat from the coming Armageddon.

Cover Inspection:
Definitely fits with the book! I like how they incorporated pictures into the spider web.

First Thoughts:
Intriguing. I wonder why the book is starting out from the viewpoint of little boys.

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My Review:
To be honest, I found Said the Spider a little difficult to get into at first. It jumps around from past events to present day quite often and I was rather confused in the beginning. However I soon realized that it was being used as a way to introduce all the key players in the mystery. Once I figured that out, it was easier for me to go with the flow and appreciate the different points of view that appeared in each chapter.

As mystery/suspense books go, this story definitely has a great pace to it. The author continuously reveals just enough information to keep you intrigued, and then leads you on to the next big event. I’d liken it to being lead along on a string. Each new piece of information keeps you moving in a straight line to the inevitable uncovering of what is amiss. Still I was a little disappointed about half way through because I figured out what was going on early on. The rest of the story just wasn’t as interesting once I discovered the vile plot and realized who would ultimately be taken in.

What definitely saved this book in my eyes in its main character, Dan Jamieson. He is a family man who has fallen so deeply into this work as a private detective that it all but consumes him. A fabulous PI, Dan takes his work very seriously and always works hard to get his man. Rising above the greed and temptation that the people he hunts down, Dan shows us how strong a person he can be. Add in the witty banter between him and his partner, and you have my attention. Those two characters were definitely my favorite part of the book!

Overall I’d say that Said the Spider was a good mystery/suspense read. For those of you out there who choose this genre as your main one, I’m sure you’ll find a lot to love. I think that because this isn’t my usual genre I wasn’t as invested as I would be normally. I did enjoy the story though, and I definitely recommend you give it a read!

Book Details
Title: Said the Spider
Author: Earle E Van Guilder
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Pages: Ebook; 290
Source: Received ebook for review.
FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.


Final Rating: 3 Keys to My Heart