Gregory Delaurentis’ Suspicious Looking Packages promised a gritty, atmospheric dive into the world of the New York bomb squad post-World’s Fair. While the setting is undeniably dark and compelling, the execution falls flat.
The novel is bogged down by repetitive plotlines and a lack of character development. It feels like reading an extended procedural without the payoff. The constant barrage of hoax bombs grows tiresome, and the characters remain one-dimensional throughout.
The most egregious issue is the ending. Instead of a satisfying climax or resolution, readers are left hanging with a “to be continued” cliffhanger. It’s as if the author tricked us into reading only the first part of a trilogy. A truly disappointing conclusion to an already underwhelming story.
Avoid this book unless you enjoy endless descriptions of suspicious packages without any real substance.