A Cold Case in Amsterdam Central

 

I'm starting to like this series. This book I think was better than the first one. Too many characters and a lot going on. There was a lot going on with Lotte this time again. But I believe Lotte was trying to to be the kind of detective everyone wanted to see.

With this story Lottie comes back to work after being hurt. Not everyone thought she should of came back with all the antics (not so good for her) that she went through. She did have a nagging feeling the only reason she was still employed is that they needed her to testify.

Lottie, Thomas, and Ingrid get called about a suicide and where the body was in a part of Amsterdam was close to tram line and mainline station. With hard to find clues of what happened to Frank Stapel and where he worked that sometimes the dead were easier to deal with than the living. Especially with Lotte knowing that Thomas was one that didn't want her back. Ingrid was a character trying to be just like Lottie. Ingrid found that Lottie gave up on herself. But also tried to be kind and try to convince Lotte that she was helping as a kid by still look for Agnes even when the police stopped Also Frank's wife Tessa found bones   Which needs to be solved too.

 

As Lotte is finding her way back into the groove. Lotte lets Thomas and Ingrid do the questions. Thomas will not give Lotte a break thinks she is not hearing what is being said. They need a long talk.

Of course Lotte has a "boyfriend". But this guy was a childhood friend that she thought to help solve the murder of Mark Visser's sister. Lotte always felt that she failed to save her. What it means for Lotte and Mark? Who knows hope is hard to kill. Mark is also one of the people Frank was around.    

As these other detectives think the cases of the bones and Frank Stapel are not connected. But Lottie does. So Lottie in her way goes about trying to find that connection while keeping everyone in the loop,kind of.

As always at least in the first two books Lottie does find who the bones are and why Frank Stapel has fallen. Which was indeed an accident. Just ask his brother. And she also saves Tessa who she finds a connection with her. Also with the grieve that Ingrid has given Lottie of giving up in the end it was Lottie that saved Tesse while Ingrid froze.

Good for Lotte finding her a home for her cat Pippi. I think she will be a good fur baby mommy.

I give A Cold Murder in Amsterdam Central  5 

 

This was the 1st time I read anything from this author. And probably won't again. For now anyway. The story brings to mind for me is of The Great Gatsby. And reading farther along Alice in Wonderland.

The narrator a man without a name seems to been burnt out on the kind of art that he was painting. Plus his marriage not in any good shape. So he takes off and has himself a road trip and ends up @ his friend Masahiko's fathers house.

All along this man is trying to move on but in his own way. He seems to be tolerant, and reserves judgement. He happens to be hired to paint a portrait of his neighbor. This neighbor Menshiki is of a different sort. He is wealthy and a flawed man. He can be dishonest and at times very vulgar. He brings the protagonist into his schemes. Tells stories that you would think not true. But the protagonist goes along with things. As said before he is tolerant. Menshiki's strange optimism and power makes his dreams come  into his reality

Protagonist comes across this painting Killing Commendatore. Seems like this painting takes a life of it's own. Strange things happen. Surprising Menshiki is a help in his strange way. Whether the painting has signs for the protagonist to find how to deal with his own life or not, the story takes on a going down the rabbit hole vibe. He faces his late sister Komi as well as the characters in the painting. He sacrifices for a girl Mariye, (maybe related to Menshike) to find her way home.

I think Mariye reminds him of his sister Komi. And at the end she and the protagonist become friendly. Being she may be the only one who understands him.

The author at the end neatly packages all together. Menshiki in his way I think finds his own love with Shoko, Mairye's aunt. Which then eases up on Mariye. And has no interest in the protagonist anymore. The paintings that protagonist paints either are given-up or hidden with the painting Killing Commendatore. I guess you can say leave the evil alone. Then he can try and go down a good path for his life.

I give Killing Commendatore 4

 because they are very long chapters and going down a rabbit hole isn't something I look forward too. For this I don't think this author is for me. Although I'm happy I stuck with it