Somehow, I once again read a book in the middle of a series and a novella at that! The Woman in the Blue Cloak by Deon Meyer is book 5.5 of the Benny Griesel series but it read quite well as a standalone, and I didn't find myself lost which is a plus. I really liked Benny's character and this taste of the series definitely made me want to read the whole thing! I loved the mystery, and the procedural aspect isn't too heavy, so if you don't love police procedurals you will probably still enjoy this. I am so used to reading books set in the US, Sweden, and the UK that it was also a nice change to be reading a detective mystery set in South Africa. There is pretty much nonstop action, and even though this is a novella so it is fast anyway, the pacing made it go even quicker, but I found myself wishing it wouldn't!

The audiobook is also very good, and I really enjoyed listening to it. The narrator Simon Vance did such a great job, and I could totally picture Benny and the rest of the scene thanks to his narration. There is a great art aspect to this story as well, and I loved the fact that Meyer even mentions The Goldfinch. There is also a fun line from a character about too many books and so little time, which every bookworm will appreciate. The Woman in the Blue Cloak may be short, but there is a lot packed into the story and it didn't feel incomplete at all which can occasionally be the case with novellas and short stories. I had to go back and listen to the ending a second time to make sure I didn't miss anything, and there was a great complexity to the plot that I wasn't expecting. I will definitely be going back to the beginning of the series now and I can't wait to read more from Meyer.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Woman in the Blue Cloak is about the discovery of a woman's naked body one early morning in May. Loved the well-crafted characters, especially Vaughn.

Great storyline that keeps you interested until the very end. This book was provided to me in exchange for my honest opinion.

When an American is found dead in South Africa, I didn't expect art history to come into play. A good traditional style crime novel,

My thoughts









Narrative and Plot





There isn't anything peculiar about the narrative. It is your third person account of a murder mystery. What stands out is the descriptive writing of characters. It gives you a clear picture of the dynamics between the characters.


The plot of The Woman in the Blue Cloak is pretty straightforward. This is a crime thriller but there isn't a lot of suspense. The ending looks predictable. The premise warranties a more engaging and deep plot. However, the story is fast paced and easy to read.







Characters and Conflict








Benny Griessel and Vaughn Capido are out there to solve yet another murder mystery. Though I am not familiar with these two, the synopsis establishes that they're well established crime thriller characters like Holmes and Watson. Assuming that there is history, the simple glimpses into the lives of these characters gives us an insight of who they are.

There isn't much in terms of character development. You go through potential suspects like an hour long episode of lets say The Mentalist. But it lacks the intrigue and thrill of a crime story. If the story is a short one, the synopsis could have revealed less.


Conclusion


Overall, this is a quick one time read that you can pack into your travel bag. It's short. It does not go too deep. Apt, for a travel. But if you're in the mood for an all immersive thriller  experience, this isn't one for you. Then again, if you're an ardent fan of the series and know each and every character you might enjoy this one.

This was a fast-paced novella that was highly enjoyable to read. I liked the setting and the two main characters. I would recommend this and look forward to future work by Deon Meyer.

#TheWomanintheBlueCloak #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of The Woman in the Blue Cloak. I found the novella enthralling, enjoying the art history and family narrative involved. It reminded me in pieces of Dan Brown books, which I love.

The Woman In The Blue Cloak is a novella with two detectives, Bennie and Vaughn at the leads. I have never read anything by Deon Meyer before, so I had no real expectations from this novel and I was pleasantly surprised. The story, set in South Africa, was short but very well written and most engaging. The characters were likeable and they had their different personalities which were very well portrayed by the author. I loved the plot and I certainly recommend The Woman in the Blue Cloak.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Grove Atlantic via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

One of my new favorite books! This author has such a way with words the pages flew by in no time! I can’t wait to see the next work by this author! This was such a joy to read!

This was an entertaining and fast-paced novella that grabbed my attention immediately. I only wish there had been a bit more descriptions in the book of the characters, environment and so on.

Having read the synopsis, I couldn't wait to read this book. Unfortunately it didn't hit the mark for me and i did leave the book to one side for a while. Having picked up the book again, i did sail through it in one sitting. I never realised that this was part of a series, not that it mattered too much. Overall, a good book.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy.

Review posted on Goodreads, but awaiting Amazon to approve review.

This is a novella. A Woman's body is draped along a wall and Benny is a cop and is the investigator. He is also getting ready to get a loan and buy an engagement ring for his girlfriend. The book goes into looking back into history and missing paintings. The dead woman is an art expert and she was looking for a missing painting.

This is a wonderful little novel. If you have never read the Benny Griessel series, which I had not, it provides a nice introduction to the characters and their backgrounds without delving in too deep as to take away from their current case. It did not leave he completely lost as some other books, which are part of a series, but it did make me want to know more about these characters and read the rest of the series. The particular case in this novella is worthy of the best detective novels and provides all the mystery, intrigue and unexpected ending we, as readers, love and desire. I can’t wait to read the rest of the Benny Griessel series!

Short novella about Benny Griessel a detective in Cape Town, South Africa who is given the case of the Bleached Body, a 40ish woman found by the roadside, naked and washed with bleach. Perhaps this would have been more enjoyable if I had read the others in the series first. The locale, the workings of the police and the detective were interesting though.

This is an unusual little novella and evidently part of a series. I haven't read this author before and am not familiar with the characters but the book seems to stand by itself well enough. The writing seems stilted and hard to follow at times but perhaps that's because it's a translation.

There's nothing particularly out of the ordinary here but it's a pleasant enough mystery.

Definitely case of "it's me, not you" with this one. I just found it...oddly worded? I couldn't get into the story, the dialogue felt fake and odd. I just couldn't seem to get interested in the mystery as they found out about the lady in blue, the stolen coat, the paintings. I wish I'd liked it more.

This is a great series which I follow religiously, reading each one as it comes out. The Woman in the Blue Cloak is a reasonably long novella and another great story about Captain Benny Griessel.

Benny is in a really good place now having managed to give up alcohol. He is working in the top crime branch in Cape Town, has a good partner at work and is about to propose to his girl friend. Some times it is good to read a crime novel where the main character is feeling good and is able to concentrate on the job at hand.

This was a very enjoyable, if too short, read which left me feeling very nostalgic for when I used to live in South Africa.

Excellent. A short and fast paced novel, with great characters and plot. I really like this format, and in a short time you get a mystery with twists as well as a connection with the main characters.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

I had no idea that this novella was part of a a series, but it played out like a stand alone with enough illusions to main character, Captain Benny Griessel to keep me interested. I also found the South African setting a nice break from the number of UK and US police procedurals that I read.

When a woman's bleached remains are discovered and not a lot of clues evident, Griessel and his partner, Vaughn Cupido, find themselves going places they hadn't imagined.

Whether you're a long time fan or an interested newbie, this is a thrilling police mystery.

Goodreads Review 04/05/19
Expected publication 07/05/19

This novella is a little gem that's slow to take off but once the woman's identity is established, it's hard to stop turning the pages. It was just as good to see Benny on the wagon and not craving alcohol as it was to see him working together with Cupido. There's a nice little twist for the whodunit, although it may not be totally unexpected for the more seasoned readers of crime.

"Early on a May morning in the depth of South Africa’s winter, a woman’s naked body, washed in bleach, is discovered on a stone wall beside the N2 highway at the top of Sir Lowry’s Pass, some thirty-five miles from Cape Town. The local investigation stalls, so the case is referred to Captain Benny Griessel and his colorful partner Vaughn Cupido of the Hawks - the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations. The woman proves to be Alicia Lewis, an expert in old Dutch Masters paintings specializing in the recovery of valuable lost art. Discovering the two men she had contacted before coming to South Africa reveals what she was seeking - a rare painting by Carel Fabritius, Rembrandt’s finest student, not seen since it disappeared from Delft in 1654. But how Lewis died, why, and at whose hand shocks even the two veteran detectives.

The Woman in the Blue Cloak is a compact jewel of a thriller, filled with Deon Meyer’s earthy dialogue, clever plotting, and the memorable characters that have peopled all of Deon Meyer’s award-winning novels."

Paintings that have disappeared from history? Yes please!