Top positive review
4.0 out of 5 starsEarns 3.5 Stars in Book 1 of this series but improves to 4.5 Stars by Book 4, "The Last Alibi"
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2015
Since David Ellis was a new author to me and because I had very recently been so disappointed by several other new authors' highly-rated novels, I read the plot descriptions and many of the reviewers' comments for each of the 4 books in this series before I made the plunge. Of those 4 novels, I chose to read the one with the highest rating among the largest number of reviewers:"The Last Alibi". Now you might disagree with that methodology, and I'm quick to admit it has its drawbacks. I did truly enjoy reading that book, which kept my interest piqued to the very last page with its inventive twists and turns. Yes, I did have a few criticisms, but they were relatively innocuous so I gave it a rating of 4.5 stars.
Then I read "The Hidden Man," which is Book 1 of this series. Yes, I realize that's an unusual approach, but I was mostly interested to learn how much the author had grown and how much his writing had improved by comparing the two. Although Book 1 was an enjoyable read, its flaws were quite obvious - from character development, plot structure, continuity mistakes, and events that just defy belief. So I feel that 3.5 stars is a very fair rating.
Just as you would expect or at least would hope, this author has come a long way from the first book to the fourth.
BUT if you intend to read just ONE book in this series, I highly recommend "The Last Alibi" as a very good choice.
