Books : A Quiet Belief in Angels

Rating: - Definitely worth reading - decide for yourself
I read this novel a few months ago and although I'm still undecided about its absolute merit, the story has stuck with me. Many reviewers are very enthusiastic about this book, rating it as the best they've read. I certainly wasn't blown away to that extent, but Ellory has produced a work that is considerably more than a formulaic crime thriller.

This is a tragedy telling the sorry tale of a series of child murders in small town Georgia and the profound effect these have on local boy Joseph Vaughan. Not surprisingly, the frequent passages documenting Joseph's tragic obsession can sometimes be hard going, but Ellory's writing is thoughtful and descriptive so keeps you reading.

Interestingly, Ellory is an Englishman who writes `American' novels, complete with US spellings throughout. I thought he over-egged the pudding with this a bit with the dialogue sometimes sounding as if it were lifted from a Western. However, there is mostly an engaging naturalness of tone that carries the story along well. The writing, especially the early sections about Joseph's childhood, reminded me a lot of Stephen King's non-supernatural outings, which is a good indicator that this is readable stuff.

Overall, this novel is recommended but don't approach it expecting either Steinbeck or a standard whodunit. What you will get is a writer with a distinctive voice and a novel that should provoke a reaction and they're both signs of quality writing.

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Rating: - Quiet belief in Angels
Ummm - it started off very slowly & I wasn't at at sure that I would get into it. (I rarely give up on a book) I did however quite enjoy it by the end - not particularly for the story line but more for the style of writing & some beautifully written pieces. My advice therefore is don't give up!

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Rating: - A superb novel-it worries itself back into the mind
I thought A Quiet Belief In Angels was a suberb, atmospheric and gripping novel. Told in the first person by Joseph Vaughan, we see him grow up from a talented but tortured childhood into an even more troubled adulthood. Although one can view the book as a whodunnit, it offers far more than that genre can, and concerns the effects of the series of murders on many other characters' lives. I could not put this novel down and yet I didn't want it to end!

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Rating: - A True Belief in RJ Ellory!
This is one of the most beautifully tragic novels I have ever read. The author took me to another world, from which it was hard to return. The haunting prose and magnificent imagery stayed with me for days afterwards.
This is not a typical murder mystery but a tale of a life, from childhood to adulthood, and the affect the murders had on that life. Reminiscent of Truman Capote and Harper Lee and the worlds they created, RJ Ellory is a master of his craft, and anyone would enjoy reading this novel.

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Rating: - Simply, the best book i have ever read
The best book I have ever read. I won't go in to why.

Just buy it. And be amazed.