Review for "Frankly, Twisted" by Kevin Eleven

Review of "Frankly Twisted" by Kevin Eleven

Frankly Twisted: The Lost Files is a quasi-cop mystery centered around a precinct in Brooklyn and a few officers of note from there. It is not the first in the series but Eleven gives you a decent background of the characters involved so that you aren’t too lost. Two major criminal cases are ongoing in the precinct, and little do most of the characters know that they are related, through one of the main characters named Frank (the title of the series is aptly named). Frank is an officer who has many years of service under his belt, but Frank also hides a secret; a secret that will change everyone’s lives.

When I started Frankly Twisted I thought I knew what I was in for, a procedural cop drama, similar to pretty much any show you can find on TV nowadays, but I was delightfully mistaken. Eleven gives some basic background to the characters that for those that didn’t read the previous books, but the stories within are self-contained and I found I didn’t need to read the prior books to fully enjoy this one. The pacing adequately built the tension, and a light sprinkling of twists and turns make this a pretty enjoyable read.

There is nothing particularly offensive about the book; it may not be the shining star on your bookshelf, but it’s got a lot to give. The one thing that really threw me off though was the way the police officers spoke and talked to each other. Again, let me remind you this book is set in Brooklyn; an area of one of the biggest cities in the world, known for their distinctive accents and local slang, but the cast of characters sounded like they were educated at the finest Ivy League schools and have only ever mingled with the upper crust of society. Basically, they sound more like they belong in the boardroom and not in the squad room, and it kind of took me out of the story and made it feel artificial. On the upside if you love excellent grammar and non-regional diction then you will get a real kick out of this. 

To learn more about the author, Kevin Eleven, click here. 

To purchase "Frankly, Twisted: The Lost Files" from Amazon.ca click here.