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Forty Words For Sorrow by Giles Blunt

Forty Words For Sorrow

by Giles Blunt
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  • First Published:
  • Jun 1, 2001, 384 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Mar 2002, 368 pages
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There are currently 9 reader reviews for Forty Words For Sorrow
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lu-anna

i thought this was an awsome book! amazing from start to finish. the fact that youre not only in one person's view, but others aswell, makes it unique, and a great read. if i could, i would give it a 6/5
Mary

We read Forty Words for Sorrow in a mystery readering group. Lately, our choices have been so-so at best, but this book was completely engrossing. The writing is vivid and free of the usual clutter and bumbling that distract the mind from a story. The characters behave as real people would with similar lives, faced with these crimes. The frigid weather is such a constant that it seems like a character too. It isn't a pretty story. You will wonder how you can enjoy a story so much which depicts depraved human suffering. I'm ecstatic that this book is the beginning of a series!
Karim

I picked 40 Words for Sorrow up from an Amtrak station bookstore to have something to read on the train. And I will tell you this, I now enjoy my hour and a half coming and going to work. This book is lively, with believable characters and an extremely mind grasping plot. This is the first book I've read penned by Giles Blunt and it definately will not be the last. Five stars for Mr. Blunt!!!
Kittie

I was reading an other great book Daddy's Little Girl and I was almost done with it so I need an other book to read because Daddy's Little Girl is for school. I took my mom's book which happend to be Forty Words for Sorrow Which I haven't been able to put down since. Well, actually there have been a few times because I just felt so cold with how the describion was. I mean this book is awesome I give it like a rating of 100 out of 100!
Carol Porter

I had a hard time putting this book down. At times I fellt as if I were there, taking part as a member of the community, trying to help solve Cardinal's case. I truly can't wait for his next book. Well done!!!


I picked up this book purely on impulse; so often the most satisfying reads. Giles Blunt, with only his second novel, has picked up the Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger Award for this effort and it is well deserved.

Set in the Northern Canadian town of Algonquin Bay in winter, the central character is Detective John Cardinal. Whilst battling against his own family problems he is called in to investigate the horrific murder of a 13 year old girl, Katie Pine. Cardinal quickly concludes that she is one of four teenagers who have disappeared in mysterious circumstances and that a serial killer is on the loose. It becomes a race against time for Cardinal and his colleague, Lise Delorme, before the next victim dies.

This is a taut, fast paced and, at times, brutal crime thriller that will grip the reader. Drawing on the icey atmosphere of a Canadian winter it is a book that is hard to put down for a moment. Plenty of excellent characters, twists and turns and thrills to the last page. An excellent read.
peiper

Since I have no knowledge of like crimes done in England and Canada the book wasn't spoiled for me.
It was a chilling read altho as someone pointed out already, somewhat repetitive in places.
While I agree with others who liked the book overall and found it hard to put down, I also had to wonder why a cop would feel any remorse for killing a complete non-human as Lise does toward the end of the book.
This was not a "predictable" story for me. The mystery was in the chase as well as the question of being able to save the last victim in time.
Caol

Forty Words for Sorrow
So unnecessary to be so explicit in the suffering. I wanted to know how Cardinal did but skipped many pages of gruesome details and deranged thoughts.
Won’t read any more of his books. Life is too short
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