I enjoyed The Eighth Detective so was looking forward to Ink Ribbon Red. Pavesi has done it again. Outstanding work.

https://lynns-books.com/2024/11/21/review-ink-ribbon-red-by-alex-pavesi/
3.5 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Novel Concept with Unlikable Characters

I enjoyed Ink Ribbon Red although I wouldn’t say I loved it and I think part of that is on me. I’ve read a few murder mysteries recently and I think I needed to space them out with different books in between, as it is I think I’ve read three back to back and so I think this has left me feeling a bit jaded. That being said I think Ink Ribbon Red is an interesting concept and it certainly kept me intrigued to see how everything would pan out.

The premise for this is old friends meeting up for a long boozy birthday weekend. This is a bunch of people who have been friends since their university years. They now lead different lives, some more successful than others, or married, etc. Basically, if you threw this group of people together now, unknown to each other, they probably wouldn’t become friends, but a decade or more of friendship and shared history holds the group together even if they’re a little bit less enamoured of each other than they were years ago and they have secrets and hidden resentments just waiting to bubble to the surface. Plan a party, let the cocktails flow, get everyone to tell a story, what could possibly go wrong. Well, murder, that’s what could definitely go wrong.

So, we have six people in total. They meet every year at Anatol’s house – basically his recently deceased father was quite wealthy and owned a country home in Wiltshire. The group meet there every year for a birthday bash and are determined to meet for one last time (the house likely being sold after this last get together). They’re an odd bunch of characters. Anatol is very aloof. I found him difficult to get along with. He’s unorganised, forgets to pick up his friends, doesn’t make any plans and has decided that the one thing he wants for his birthday is for everyone to write a short murder story. The rest of the group are Dean – an engineer who leaves his wife at home suffering from a cold (but more likely she just doesn’t want to get together with this group), Phoebe – single, a teacher, Maya – an artist who can be a bit forthright bordering on rude, Marcin a rather well to do finance broker of sorts, and Janaka who will be arriving to the party late returning from an interview abroad.

The murder stories – this is actually a really clever part of the story although I didn’t realise what was actually happening at first. Their stories are interspersed with the real story and you’re never quite sure which is which. I liked this element. It soon becomes clear what was happening as some of the stories were quite OTT but at first I was definitely a bit taken aback. Each person has drawn two names – one to be the victim and the other the killer and they are all to write a story. The interesting thing about this is that people tend to write about what they know and so a lot of secrets and deceptions are going to be woven into these little tales.

On top of this, Anatol’s father has only just been buried, there’s a very sombre mood, as you would expect, and this is not helped by everyone’s being in such a strange place. I mean, literally, I struggled to see why these people even consider themselves friends. They’re the oddest bunch of people, their dialogue is snappy, their idea of fun is to just drink all day long and loll about and clearly somebody amongst the party is trying to blackmail one or more of the others.

Anyway, I don’t really want to say too much more because of spoilers so by way of summary. We have a group of friends, not really too friendly, blackmail and a bunch of murder mysteries that all sneak into the storyline throwing you into momentary doubt followed by one of the characters murdering one of the others – although at first, given what’s already taken place, you’re still not sure just what exactly happened.

I enjoyed the writing. The setting is very Agatha Christie(ish). It’s the old ‘friends with resentment’ getting together with dire consequences.

I didn’t figure out the actual ending. I enjoyed the stories that were written by the partygoers and incorporated into the actual storyline. I did feel that the ending was a bit less than it could have been – although the actual finale was crazy and has made me feel like I need to go back and reexamine everything – perhaps I’m mistaken about what really happened.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

In the acknowledgements, Alex Pavesi reveals his goal for Ink Ribbon Red: to craft a mystery where the lines between the main narrative and the stories within it blur beyond recognition. In that regard, he had succeeded. As a reading experience - it left much to be desired.

The central plot revolves around six friends gathering for a bank holiday weekend to celebrate a birthday. They play a game called Motive, Method, Death, where each writes a fictional murder scene involving members of their group. These stories are scattered throughout the novel, interspersed with the main plot, which is delivered in a non-linear fashion. This narrative structure leaves the reader in a perpetual state of confusion. Instead of feeling intrigued, I found myself frustrated and disengaged.

Ultimately, Ink Ribbon Red is a disjointed mystery that denies readers the pleasure of piecing together clues, and its unmemorable cast doesn’t help matters. The characters are painfully underdeveloped and often unlikeable. The dialogue, stilted and inauthentic, further breaks any immersion.

Pavesi’s lyrical prose is a testament to his talent, but it feels misapplied here. While I found his previous novel, Eight Detectives, to be a clever and refreshing take on the genre, this successor delivers little beyond disappointment.

I loved this book and it deserves the full 5 stars in my opinion because-
1) By page 50 I had no idea where the book was going to end up, which kept me reading.
2) The solution to the murder was in the book, and could be solved. There was no revelation at the end that was unknowable by the reader.
3) The characters were well rounded, believable and interesting. This also kept me reading.

Ink Ribbon Red is based on the traditional Victorian country house mystery with a closed set of characters, a murderer, a dead body and a detective. However, although this book keeps the structure of the classic mystery, it has been thoroughly modernised, refreshed and updated. Like a grand design refurbishment of an old victorian mansion which has the viewers applauding at the end of the programme for its modernity and innovation.

A very enjoyable twisty read, with enough unpleasantness to stop it being considered a cosy crime.

I almost gave up on this in the early stages, as its a tricky plot to follow but there was something compelling about the characters and their interactions. They and what was happening to them intrigued me.

It is an interesting and clever book and I'm glad I kept going. In order to avoid confusion, keeping in mind the dates when they are mentioned might be helpful.

As a writer as well as a reader, the author captures some wonderful details of people and place that I admired.

Overall 3.5 stars

The unusual title pulled me towards this one, and I'm very glad it did!

Six people, a country house for a birthday weekend and a game; what could go wrong? As each person pulls two names out of a hat and pontificates on one murdering the other. Of course, to make the tale a good one, you use all the information you know - but once it's out there, it's no longer hidden. What if someone else uses that against you?

I love coming across something that bit different, and this certainly fits that bill. I was very reluctant to set it aside but, unfortunately, real life does tend to get in the way of good books. I was excited to come across the part where the title made sense - I don't know why, but that always gives me a thrill. An excellent read, definitely one for lovers of mysteries. Happy to recommend and give this one 4.5*. An author to watch!

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

I quite enjoyed Eight Detectives which was this author's debut book so I was quite excited to get my hands on this one.
We start with a country house, a host with a birthday to celebrate, and a bunch of invited friends. Drinking degenerates into games and they play one they have played before, at the hosts insistence. Names are put into two glasses, one for the killer, one for the victim. Each person draws from both pots and has to write a murder mystery story to go with. They will all be read out anonymously, the best being voted for. Aside from the stories there is also shenanigans between characters and motives and mysteries abound.
To be honest with you... I'd stop reading reviews and go in as blind as you can. I would also have your wits about you every step of the way with this book as not everything is as it seems going forward.
Suffice to say that I wrote me a few notes as I went on just to try and keep things straight in my head. But mostly I just sat back, read and pondered, mused and kept things tight. Held onto the confusing and revelling in the reveals.
The characters are all - shall we just say interesting... I say that as we have them both in the "real world" and in the "fiction stories" so they definitely keep me on my toes... misdirection is the name of the game for sure...! Truth, fiction, the lines are blurred...
Plotting is sublime and able executed. It is the most original book I have read in a wee while and one that I will definitely revisit on Audio as soon as I can snaffle me a copy.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Ink Ribbon Red is a high-concept, high-reward mystery that just delighted me.

This was such a tricksy thriller that really plays with the form. The pacing, plotting and characterisation were stellar. It is so masterfully put together, though I will freely admit, it took me a little while to fully fall into the rhythm of this book. Pavesi leads you on a merry dance and there are so many layers to this story. The narrative stylings are intricate and pull you deeper into this web. Once you are in, you’re fully in. I say this but I was pretty hooked from the first few pages. I was just a little discombobulated for a moment or two, then it all clicked and I audibly gasped. It is just so clever and different. I do not feel like I have ever read anything quite like this.

In terms of the mystery, this was so well-crafted. There is a lot going on and plenty of excellent twists delivered. Pavesi has one hell of a mind. It could feel convoluted, but it feels spot on. Reading this felt like being pulled closer to the centre of the spider’s web, knowing the danger got ever closer and yet being unable to move away. I really liked how messy and ambiguous it was at times. Without giving anything away, there is a very meta appreciation for the murder mystery form that adds a new dimension to the mystery, often in unexpected and challenging ways.

Ink Ribbon Red is sublime. Go in knowing as little as you can and let Pavesi weave this tale before your eyes

It's just as clever as Eight Detectives, maybe even more so. The twists are unexpected and a delight when they happen. It has me gripped and I read it very quickly.

A group of friends gather at a country house for a birthday party and at their hosts request they play a game where they draw names and write a story where one is a victim and one is a murderer. Only are there truths amongst the fiction?

I read this author’s first book, Eight Detectives, and enjoyed it, therefore was looking forward to reading his second book, hoping it would be in a similar style. It was certainly original and clever, much like his first novel, although for me personally, although this was a good story, I didn’t like it as much.

The storyline is a very interesting concept and I was intrigued how it would all pan out. The main issue I found was the structure, which jumped around a lot and made it difficult to keep up with what was going on. I feel that to get the most out of this book, you have to keep a really close eye on all the details and make sure you prepare to fully invest yourself in the story.

Although I didn’t warm to the characters, there were some fascinating conversations between them, that really made me think and I now need to discuss with others. I won’t say too much on this though.

Even though I had a few issues, it was a fascinating read with a fantastic concept and I can see others getting a lot of this book. I would be interested to see what the author comes up with next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

I can honestly say this book is like nothing I’ve read before. A group of friends gather at a country house for their hosts thirtieth birthday. He asks them all to write a short story with names drawn from a glass, one glass contains the victims, the other the murderers. They say when writing to use what you know but soon secrets and grudges are spilling their way into the pages. The concept of the book was completely intriguing and until I got into it, I did find it slightly confusing at first. However the more you read, the more you are intrigued and realise what a clever concept this is. Thank you to NetGalley, Michael Joseph Penguin Random House and the author for the chance to review.

This was immediately a very exciting read for me as the game become more and more dangerous and complex.

I love mysteries that play with the genre and consider myself well up for a challenge, but unfortunately I couldn't engage with this book on the level needed to enjoy the story, particularly in the area of characterisation. To put it simply, I didn't love the characters or the plot enough to feel compelled to explore the experimental elements of the story. Clever, but not for me this time

A bizarre country house murder mystery puzzle. There’s quite a trend for clever, twisty-turny creative mysteries and I’m usually a big fan; I relish trying to follow intricate time-jumping detective logic puzzles a la Turton and Hallett. Sadly, this didn’t follow suit. I found it just that bit too disjointed and peculiar with quite unlikeable characters. So, a miss from me, but I will read Pavesi again as there is definite promise there.
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own unbiased opinion.

Very confusing and disjointed, although I suppose that is the point. Nearly gave up but looked at other readers good feedback and persevered. Was it worth it? Not really, although you have to admire the skill. Feels like writer was so caught up in his own story that he forgot how it would read.

I was a big fan of Alex Pavesi’s previous novel. and I really admire what he is trying to do here- the structure is definitely an interesting idea. However, the ‘badly written’ sections are so badly written that all sense of plot and character goes out of the window. And the ‘well written’ sections don’t do enough to make up for it. DNF.

Not a book to hold my interest.

I tried in vain to get past the first few chapters but couldn’t. As I’ve been poorly for months, I have had to make the decision that there are other books I desperately want to read and found this book mind-numbing.

This isn't a bad book, but it's shocking how easy it confused me. There's a lot of switching back and forth between now, then, and maybe, without any clear indication of when the said change is made.

Once I was able to piece it together, it was an alright story, and I definitely would have rated it higher if I wasn't so lost all the time.

2.5

My Rating: 3.5/5

This was a compelling and confusing novel to read. It was very enjoyable once you got into it, but I felt quite lost for a while. The timeline seemingly keeps shifting so make sure you pay attention to the chapter titles and dates.

Anatol has a birthday tradition. Every year he invites his six friends to his father's mansion for a celebration. No gifts, just quality time, ensuring they meet at least once each year, over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

This year, Anatol invites his friends to play a game he invented, "Murder, Motive, Method." Everyone's name is written on two pieces of paper and put into two jars marked victim and Murderer. They each pull one name from each jar and write a short story using the Murderer and Victim they have drawn. Points are awarded for the most novel Method, Motive and Murder.

What follows is a detailed look into everyone's personal lives and friendships with each member of the group. Secrets are revealed, and murder is plentiful.

It is difficult to say much more without potentially spoiling the clever narrative that Alex Pavesi has put together. This is not a book you can read in short stints. Try and read in a few sittings as I "lost the plot" very early and it took a while for me to find the book's 'flow'.

Stick with it, and you will be rewarded. This is quite an inventive novel; I've certainly not read one like it before.

I would like to convey my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this novel. All opinions are my own

Reviewed October 2024

Thank you for this advanced reader copy!

The master of complex mysteries is back and better than ever! I LOVED this book and couldn't put it down.

I will be recommending this to everyone!