Original Publication Year: 2015 (JANUARY 20!)
Genre(s): Mystery
Series: Veronica Mars #2
Awards: None
Format: eBook - Thanks to Knopf Doubleday for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book (via NetGalley). My review reflects my honest opinion of and experience with the book and was not influenced by receiving the book for free from the publisher.
Narrated by: NA
Mr. Kiss and Tell begins a few months after the events of The Thousand Dollar Tan Line. Keith Mars is back on his feet and Veronica has moved into her own place, which she is sharing with a certain gentleman named Logan. (Gentleman you say? Since when? Since this book! It's like he's a grown up or something.) Her work on the case of the missing spring breakers in book one has earned her some elite friends and leads to her being hired to investigate an accusation of rape, on the grounds of the Neptune Grand Hotel, against one of its employees. The victim in this case is Grace Manning, Meg Manning's little sister who fans of the show will remember - she of the abusive religious zealot parents. The case turns out to be much larger in scope than it originally appears. At the same time Keith and Cliff have teamed up with Weevil to sue the Neptune police department for corruption.
It's hard to say too much about this book without spoiling a lot of the mystery but I'll give it a shot. This book doesn't have as many twists and turns of the first book but the mystery is still engrossing. It deals with sexual assault and since Veronica herself was a victim of rape, she is at her most fierce and determined. She finds herself wrestling with her code of honor and struggling to stay on the right side of the law. In the end, the way the case is resolved is clever and very satisfying.
The mystery is just one part of the book however. A chunk of the narrative is devoted to the fight against the corruption in the Neptune police department; there are even a few scenes that are from Keith's perspective. In the end there are some very interesting developments that should spice up future books. Another upside of this storyline is that we get a little time with Weevil.
There is also some space devoted to Veronica and Logan so LoVe fans (as I am) will be happy but its not overwhelming so if your not a fan, it shouldn't detract. Their interactions are very fun and the issues when they arise (as they ALWAYS do) are mature and make sense. Interestingly, it is Veronica that is perhaps not being fair and not dealing well and I actually appreciated this approach. She thinks little of her own safety in her impulsive rush for justice but she is fiercely protective of those she loves so her difficulty is understandable.
As hinted at above, the characterizations, the storytelling, the atmosphere continue to be spot on and fans of the show will undoubtedly enjoy this. However, while I thought book one could have been interesting for someone who hasn't watched the show or movie, this second installment I don't think would work as well. The Weevil storyline and the crusade against the police department, the victim being connected to Meg Manning, and all the history between Veronica and Logan all link back heavily to the show and movie - it's all explained but a non-fan would probably still feel they'd been dropped into the middle of something and miss some nuances.
FINAL VERDICT: This continues the book series strongly. I devoured it and will be anxiously awaiting book three! Four out of Five Stars: ✪✪✪✪
The mystery is just one part of the book however. A chunk of the narrative is devoted to the fight against the corruption in the Neptune police department; there are even a few scenes that are from Keith's perspective. In the end there are some very interesting developments that should spice up future books. Another upside of this storyline is that we get a little time with Weevil.
There is also some space devoted to Veronica and Logan so LoVe fans (as I am) will be happy but its not overwhelming so if your not a fan, it shouldn't detract. Their interactions are very fun and the issues when they arise (as they ALWAYS do) are mature and make sense. Interestingly, it is Veronica that is perhaps not being fair and not dealing well and I actually appreciated this approach. She thinks little of her own safety in her impulsive rush for justice but she is fiercely protective of those she loves so her difficulty is understandable.
As hinted at above, the characterizations, the storytelling, the atmosphere continue to be spot on and fans of the show will undoubtedly enjoy this. However, while I thought book one could have been interesting for someone who hasn't watched the show or movie, this second installment I don't think would work as well. The Weevil storyline and the crusade against the police department, the victim being connected to Meg Manning, and all the history between Veronica and Logan all link back heavily to the show and movie - it's all explained but a non-fan would probably still feel they'd been dropped into the middle of something and miss some nuances.
FINAL VERDICT: This continues the book series strongly. I devoured it and will be anxiously awaiting book three! Four out of Five Stars: ✪✪✪✪
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| P.I. Crime - ERC; A Book Published this Year - Book Riot |
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