Member Reviews
Loved This! To me it put me in mind of a blend of a Sam Spade film noir and modern day James Bond. It is dark, but the wry humor had me chuckling.
The story revolves around Riley, an investigator who finds himself delving into the mysterious deaths of three influential young women. As he gets involved, he encounters a temptress and confronts an enforcer for CAIN, a secretive organization known only to New York's elite. Meanwhile, another character, Candice Romany, is on a mission to expose CAIN operatives.
As their paths intertwine, they form a plan for revenge against the powerful elite. Amidst this, a deranged individual is also on the hunt for young women. While this story promises to be a captivating expose of greed and exploitation in high society, this book was, quite frankly, baffling at times and I didn't have a clue what was happening. I also had an issue with keeping track of the characters at times.
I found this book difficult to get into and unusally for me, I gave up and didn't finish it. I found the plot and the characters rather awkward and it didn't read seamlessly to me. I just couldn't get 'into it'.
This reads more like a low-budget James Bond spinoff for Netflix to add to their noir crime thriller section. It was not really written in a novel style because there was no development all scenes were quick and then next thing. I just couldn't stand the writing and humour.
I also feel like the cover makes this look more like a sci-fi dystopian so I typically would've never picked up a book like this in a bookstore.
Not for me, but exciting and suspenseful. I jus didn't like the gore and content. Not for me, it could have been better and has a good title.
Riley finds herself in a deadly game with a covert organization when three top influencers jump to their death and she must find their killer along with Candice a woman that forms part of a secret group of tech geniuses.
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This was certainly a fast-paced mystery thriller that seems to be going for a Sherlock Holmes meets 007-vibe in a digital world.
It's a story with secret digital organizations, digital warfare, sex, and money.
Written from the POV of Riley, a private investigator looking into the mysterious suicides of several female influencers, he suddenly finds himself entangled in a war between two high-tech secret organizations.
I had a really hard time with this story, namely because I really disliked Riley who acts and talks like a middle-aged creep (although if it weren't for all the pop culture references, I would've guessed that he was 80 years old) who is somehow able to charm young, good-looking, female spies to sleep with him. Written very much for a male audience, this book had sex, violence, fast-paced action, and little to no character development, There was also a lot going on in terms of worldbuilding - all the different secret organizations, the seemingly random integration of the Ready-Player-One-esque digital platform of Valhalla, and the irl world of the wealthy/elite - it was hard to follow and wasn't very compelling.
I couldn’t finish ‘All The Pretty Girls Fly” by Cassandra Noir; Frankly, the main character PI Riley’s repartee is clunky and offkey. An example:: “All those companies you raped tonight were all owned by men, right? Was that your version of stealing their semen?”
I’m still groaning. I can’t finish this novel despite that I usually enjoy detective noir mysteries. Riley’s narration and dialogue continously slip into parody, but I don’t think it is intentional. It is like listening to a musician playing a violin for the first time, hitting wrong notes. But it isn’t only Riley’s narration which causes groans. In the Prologue there are so many painful attempts at witty quips spewing out of the mouth of whom I think is the bad guy’I thought at first the book was a satire. Unfortunately not. Although I have picked up the novel several times in the last few weeks and have tried to read a chapter each time I do, I admit defeat.
The plot is very “fast fashion” in a way, involving Internet influencers who are being killed and merciless hackers. I’ve copied the book blurb below because it is accurate as well as enticing if you ignore the last paragraph. Unfortunately, the book’s writing seemed to me to be too much writing similar to the last paragraph of the blurb - silly and inappropriate:
“Riley, a relentless investigator with an unapologetic attitude, finds hiimself entangled in a deadly game with a covert organization known only to New York’s elite.
When three top influencers inexplicably jump to their deaths, Riley’s mission spirals into a chaotic hunt for a killer.
Teaming up with Candace Romany, a determined woman, and a secret group of tech geniuses, they embark on a revenge-fueled adventure. But can they survive the wrath of the wealthiest in one of the world’s greatest cities, and a madman on the prowl for his next victim?
In a world where submission is mandatory, uncover a thrilling expose of high-life greed that will leave you on the edge of your seat. If you’re not submitting yet, you’re the next target. Be warned. Read this book.”
I was given a copy of this novel by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
There's a madman luring young female influencers to their deaths and Riley, a down on his luck P.I., is brought in by one of the fathers to investigate. Unfortunately for Riley, things are about to get a whole lot worse. Full of twists, turns, and inventive uses for modern technology, "All the Pretty Girls Fly" sucks the reader in from the first page.
I loved the character of Riley. Despite being dealt a series of bad hands in life, he just kept swinging. His gumption and tenacity carried the story along during the fight against the injustices of the world. His character arc was extremely well done.
I also enjoyed the author's attention to detail. The story would not have been a success without it. Upon reaching several twists, not to mention the shocking conclusion, you are able to look back and see all the breadcrumbs were there all along. If you enjoy gritty detectives,morally gray situations, and stories that focus on technology, this is THE book for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC. This review was left voluntarily, and all views expressed are my own.
A thrilling suspense ride. Based in today's technology, the story's pace is fast and furious. The story will grab your attention. I could not put this one down. It looks like this is the first of a new series, and I cannot wait for the next one!
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.