The Magician's Accomplice: A Commander Jana Matinova Investigation

Mists over Eastern Europe (2010-09-05) : 4/5
The story set against corruption in Slovakian administration and the Europol weaves through Bratislava, The Hague, Prague and Vienna. Oil field development dealings in Slovakia, dating back to World War II, forms basis of anti-corruption champaign, in which a student and the prosecutor are killed. The case is investigated by Jana Matinova, who is quickly taken off the case and is transfered to Europol in The Hague. She persists with the case to the annoyance of others and escapes elimination attempts several times. Assisted by an unlikely accomplice, a retired magician, she ultimately get to the roots of corruption.

The story is fast paced, with the exotic eastern European cities - and the Hague too - revealing their mysteries and narrow cobbled lanes. A thick shroud of mystery hangs down everywhere. The old magician amplifies the effect. Light humor and melancholy intermingles here and there.

The finale could be a let down as the main plot is not strong enough to create a sense of 'wow'. More research into the murky dealings of oil politics and cartels could have strengthened it. The same goes to the Europol dealings, where some background could have helped. Editorial failings too, as described by most other reviews, has taken some sheen out of this otherwise excellent book.


Unique Read (2010-08-16) : 4/5
This book was interesting and I found it to be different from the other books I've read, especially those offered for the Kindle. The novel has a unique premise and the plot moves along at a fast enough pace to keep the story moving. The characters are a little flat (the main character never sheds a tear when her fiance is killed), and some of the major revelations come straight out of thin air with little to no clues, which makes it a little fantastic. I enjoyed the fact that the action takes place across Europe in exotic locations, and found the addition of the character of the "magician" to be a nice touch.
Great heroine (2010-07-17) : 5/5
I've become a fan of Jana Martinova, the highly professional yet affecting heroine of this series. She deals with brainy conumdrums and emotional body blows that would fell a lesser being. She never complains and yet I feel what is left unsaid... so obviously the writer has provided me with just enough but not too much. This new investigation pairs Jana with an old magician and they teach each other something about feints, disappearances and diversions as they uncover corruption and elude a surprising array of assasins. 'The Magician's Accomplice' is a fast-moving read from a very good writer. I look forward to more.
I couldn't find a reason to care (2010-07-16) : 1/5
I had high hopes for this after seeing some reviews, but yikes, I just couldn't find a reason to care about the story, the main character, or her troubles. The only thing I really liked was the first character introduced, but alas, he was dead after only a few pages.

This story just plods along and doesn't really hold together. The whole thread of magic and magicians, which I assume was supposed to bind the story together, didn't quite do the job. Was all of that added as an afterthought when someone realized that the story "needed something?" When I was 80% of the way through, I felt I could quit reading with no remorse or worry about how the tale would turn out. To be fair, I did finish it, but all I gained was the loss of an hour of sleep.

The manuscript could have used a copy editor who knew, among other things, when to use "as if" instead of "like."
Lots of twists and turns (2010-07-14) : 5/5
This was a very enjoyable book to read. A spy story set in Europe in many cities, and I found myself wondering about each location. Highly recommend!