Customer Reviews
Different but gripping - By: Wendy Jones, 28 Jan 2007 
I agree with the other reviewer who finds Mallory, the "Heroine", one cool character. However, this is the "quirk" which O'Connell has chosen to define her sleuth. Haven't all sleuths got one? Although Mallory is cold, I found that there were some endearing traits, & I found her warming to the cat. I like the way she lets nothing getin her way, & the book does explain her background, which I have wondered about through several novels. I suppose if I had read themin sequence, I would have found this out quite early on! What of the story & the plot itself. I found the book to be gripping & the storyline moved at a good pace. I did notin any way guess the ending, & was stunned, to be truthfull. It is well written, & I like the way all the other characters respond to Mallory. I will certainly be reading more of O'Connellls books, & would like to think others would read & enjoy them too.
The Man who lied to Women - By: , 28 Oct 2004 Again with Carol she has ensured that you are kept enthralled to the end. This is a must read book. mallory goes through the paces of who the killer is & i was mystified right to the end as always their seems to be a twist . you think you know who it is, then something else you read will change your mind.
A Woman I sure don't want in my life! - By: Neal C. Reynolds, 10 Oct 2003 
This is the second Mallory book & if I thought she was a cold hearted witchin her first book, I lack words to describe herin this one. Completely lackingin compassion, she bulldozes her way through an investigation of a woman's murder without regard to how she's messing up their lives. This complete lack of feeling extends to animals including the murder victim's unfortunate cat who's suffered enough abuse without landingin the care of a woman who proceeds to use the cat to trap the murderer. And kids, forget it. Given, she runs into child prostitutes & other unfortunates, but she's too busy to follow through when she places one girl into detox, too busy to make any arrangements for the poor girl to go anyplace where she'll have a chance when she gets out of detox. She's also too busy to be concerned about a boyin a very strange situation who calls her for help. The ending practically indicates that the author has no more concern for her characters, be they adult, child, or animal, than does her leading character.
The story is toldin seven very long chapters, chapters that are difficult to get through if you're as unsympathetic to the main characters as I was. We are given insight into Mallory's childhood, but what we're told doesn't as much explain why Mallory is what she is as it shows that she was the same cold & calculating individual as a 7 year old as she is now. One reviewer made it clear that she's not reading any more Mallory, & the ending of this book should keep me from reading more, but I have this hope that maybe the author will allow Mallory to someday become a human being.
Dark and pleasing - By: Mrs. K. A. Wheatley, 28 Mar 2001 I really like the macabre, showmanship of O'Connell's work. I would say it is very much a modern gothicin the tradition of Flannery O'Connor, only more toned down for public consumption. I like the dark aspects of Mallory's personality & how O'Connell makes her into an almost anti-heroine, only just hanging on to this side of the law. Great stuff.
Mallory's Oracle is a hard act to follow. - By: , 10 Jun 2000 Mallory's Oracle was the first bookin the series & although this is not as good, it is still a good readin its own right
