The Code (edition 2012)

Won a copy from the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
Good mystery novel. I am not a huge sports fan, but I do enjoy the occasional hockey game and I love mysteries. This book taught me some things about hockey and the mystery portion was well done. I would likely read other mystery novels by this author. ( )

Since this book was about hockey and I'm such a big fan, I stuck with the story all the way to the end. But if it weren't for hockey, I'd have given up before I hit the half way mark. Poorly written - the point of view was bad, the audience was confusing (who the heck did he think was reading this, seasoned hockey vets?), the jargon was too much (or little in many cases and rarely explained)...

The main character was pretty good and the plot was interesting. Unfortunately, it took way too long to get the the gist of the story and there was too much unnecessary background about the the main character. There were too many minor players that really played no part in the story - if they play no part, waste no time on them.

I'll cut Mr. Joyce some slack as this was his first work of fiction, but this seemed a bit forced. I would not recommend this to anyone other than a true hockey fan or someone who has played... ( )

This review is for LibraryThing Early Reviewers. After reading The Code I was a bit disappointed. The story was slow to developer and a little disjointed. I found myself wondering if I wanted to finish this book. Even though I have an interest in hockey, the writer relied on jargon too frequently and I found myself somewhat lost at times. The only thing that saved the read for me was the plot twist at the end.

More mystery, less sports, as cdhtenn2k10 says in the review a little below here. Sure, I knew the book would be built around hockey when I asked for it. And the motive, provided by the sport, was something I hadn't encountered in previous mysteries I have read. The story was interesting, and I never thought about not finishing the book. But somehow, I just wasn't very satisfied when I was done. Readers more interested in hockey will probably enjoy this much more than I did.

This isn’t a first for this author, but it I believe it is his first fiction. He knows hockey and he can write, well enough in fact, that I knew I wanted to read another of his books right off.

Anyone who has been around minor league hockey will be laughing their asses off with this one. Joyce has the mentality and language down pat and that makes the book able to overcome some of the weaker points. The twist in the story becomes apparent a bit too soon for my liking but it’s still a rather good twist none the less. I do hope this becomes a
true series as Shade is a refreshing character for the mystery lover. ( )