5O

Were there any ways in which the book could have been improved?

I can't think of anything, the story was what it was.

I think Bryndza has made Erika so dislikable it's hard to root for her. I'm currently reading two series with aggressive female characters who've been damaged - DI Kim Stone by Angela Marsons and Lt. Eve Dallas by J. D. Robb. Both of them often buck authority but the authors write them much more sympathetically so you can root for them despite their mistakes. Erika is just an *ss.

I think Bryndza made the killer a bit too predictable and exposed the murderer too soon in the book. I agree with Lynda about his making us dislike the way Erika acts. Hopefully her character will mature some in the next book. I think he made us have more sympathy for the murderer than for Erika. I think his homosexual scenes were too graphic especially with Stephen. I think I know how homosexuals have sex and the author doesn't need to spell it out so graphically. I think Bryndza has some good plot ideas but like Erika needs to mature in his writing. I will continue to read him and hope he does mature. If not then, I will have to give him up.

I agree that he needs to tone Erika down some....but he also needs to make Marsh and Oakley more leaders and less bullies. Erika can't be wrong all the time and Oakley especially, certainly must respect her as a trained police officer some of the time??? >3 Olivermagnus: I love Eve Dallas... and you are right that she often successfully bucks the system...but she has the respect of her supervisors, not to mention a certain hunky Irishman that's capable of buying entire solar systems on a daily basis behind her:)

I agree with the comments re Erika's likability - it's hard to support her when she's so obnoxious and refuses to accept authority

Oakley is too over the top -- at that position, I would think he would be better at the "political game" and could hide his feelings better

>4 EadieB: I also had an issue with the gay scenes but more because there were a lot of stereotypical things going on (the bathroom sex, the sauna, the rent boys, etc), especially with Stephen and his behavior. This surprised me as Bryndza is gay and I guess I expected him to portray his gay characters more like Moss and Isaac.

>6 bhabeck: It would have been better if he had given Stephen a small bit of dignity.

>6 bhabeck: Well I sent him a long message with our complaints so we'll see what he says.

>8 EadieB: He may just laugh all the way to the bank:)

>8 EadieB: :)

>8 EadieB: >9 Carol420: He just released the 5th book in September so hopefully Erika has developed some redeeming qualities over the next 3 books.

>9 Carol420: Maybe he will but he'll lose the cost of my book if he doesn't change and make Erika at least likable.

>11 bhabeck: Hopefully, others have complained and he did some changes in Erika's character.