Inga Karlson died in a fire in New York in the 1930s, leaving behind three things: a phenomenally successful first novel, the scorched fragments of a second book - and a literary mystery that has captivated generations of readers. Nearly 50 years later, Brisbane bookseller Caddie Walker is waiting in line to see a Karlson exhibition featuring the famous fragments when she meets a charismatic older woman. The woman quotes a phrase from the Karlson fragments that Caddie knows does not exist - and yet to Caddie, who knows ...
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Inga Karlson died in a fire in New York in the 1930s, leaving behind three things: a phenomenally successful first novel, the scorched fragments of a second book - and a literary mystery that has captivated generations of readers. Nearly 50 years later, Brisbane bookseller Caddie Walker is waiting in line to see a Karlson exhibition featuring the famous fragments when she meets a charismatic older woman. The woman quotes a phrase from the Karlson fragments that Caddie knows does not exist - and yet to Caddie, who knows Inga Karlson's work like she knows her name, it feels genuine. Caddie is electrified. Jolted her from her sleepy, no-worries life in torpid 1980s Brisbane she is driven to investigate: to find the clues that will unlock the greatest literary mystery of the 20th century.
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Add this copy of Fragments, the to cart. $12.12, good condition, Sold by Brit Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Milton Keynes, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2019 by Text Publishing Company.
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Add this copy of The Fragments to cart. $11.00, very good condition, Sold by HPB Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2019 by Text Publishing Company.
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Add this copy of The Fragments to cart. $11.98, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 2018 by Text Publishing Company.
Add this copy of The Fragments to cart. $11.98, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 2018 by Text Publishing Company.
Add this copy of The Fragments to cart. $40.95, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Clarita, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2018 by Text Pub Co.
Add this copy of The Fragments to cart. $70.75, new condition, Sold by Just one more Chapter rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Miramar, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2018 by Text Pub Co.
The Fragments is an interesting book, slightly Da Vinci Code in style about a sequel to a best selling book which was destroyed when the author died in a warehouse fire. Caddie sets off on a quest to solve the mystery of what happened all those years ago and if a copy of the book has actually survived. The book bounces between present day perspective of Caddie and the past of Rachel - a lady shrouded in mystery as to her identity and relationship to the case.
On one hand I really like the split perspective and thought they were well balanced. I did however find the plot slow to start and to be honest, looking back on the story nothing really happens throughout. I found Caddie's character to be annoying - her obsession over Philip and the choices she makes for him just made her seem unrelatable and I lost respect for her quickly. There are also some really weak links in the story - the beginning of the story seemed like such a throwaway, I don't believe Caddie would have spent so much time researching something from just a line that sounds like it could have been from a book she'd never read. There are also some cliché moments where a side character just says something random with no relevance to the case that magically solves a clue.
Overall The Fragments is a pretty weak mystery - you would think an author with time would be able to craft a really well written and intriguing plot with clues that fit together rather than tangible links that don't really make sense. Thank you to NetGalley & Text Publishing Company for a chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
