Sam Chen

Not the traditional Poirot or detective novel, this book reads more like an adventure/romance, and is absolutely brilliant if it wasn't for 2 key plot points - 1) Why Brown gave in and confessed his identity at the end; he could've gotten away if he just kept his usual composure, and 2) Tommy noticing foul play re: the wire, simply from how the name was signed ... Nontheless a great read - Highly recommend!

One of my favorite reads from King! The book utilizes a time-gap which spanned a good fraction of the novel to string together 2 separate plots. This could be rendered a non-issue, or seen as its sole weak point depending on your preference and patience level as a reader. The ending was beautiful and gratifying, and the book definitely picks up the towards the end. 10/10 recommended read if you like long novels.

The solution to the murders is a cheat. Not recommended to anyone who values their time. 2 stars for a somewhat interesting plot until everything comes crumbling down.

Awesome plot buildup until about 7/10th way through, where you then realize there's no way this plot ends in a satisfactory manner, which it doesn't. Lots of "why didn't he just do this??" and "if only he had done this" going on.