I know it's been ages. I haven't been idle, but not working as much on HB as I'd hoped.
Something odd (or maybe not?) I started reading two mystery novels, different authors, different publishers, sold a year or so apart. Both started exactly the same way: prologue - evil serial killer villain's point-of-view as he licks his chops preparing to murder/mutilate a woman or child; chapter one - handsome/tough/rugged cop hero + his baggage vowing to catch the b*stard/scumbag; chapter two - beautiful/resourceful/yet naive heroine + baggage and/or kids who you know will either herself or her child appear in the villain's sights and thus be in mortal danger.
I'm disappointed by the sameness of these novels. The writing itself is good but not memorable, the characters are interchangeable and I forget who belongs in which book.
I may be absolutely wrong about all this clonery -- the books may take divergent paths, even offer surprises. But I won't finish reading the second one as tales about serial killers murdering kids are an instant throw away for me.
Predictability in any novel leads me to instant forgetfulness. And though I want the villain to meet his deserved lethal end, I might even snooze through the exciting car chase/falling-off-a-cliff/shootout unless there is something that sets it apart from at least one of the others.
Am I judging too harshly? Possibly. Perhaps I read too much. Or not enough.
This is just my opinion.
--Cat
