When I requested According to Their Deeds, I didn't realize it was from a Christian publisher. I wouldn't have read this book if I had so I'm glad I didn't. Deeds is not overtly Christian in nature. It strikes me as fiction for Christians who just want to avoid sex and profanity. There is, of course, a moral to the story, but it isn't rammed down the reader's throat. There is a subtlety that I appreciated. But what about the story, you ask? The main character is a rare book dealer who becomes involved in a mystery following the death of a long-time client. The story is well-structured and keeps you in suspense to the very end. I'm a sucker for mysteries and books with a book connection so I enjoyed the story. The political element was an added bonus. Overall, I would recommend According to Their Deeds to those looking for a light, quick read who share my bent towards book-related mystery. It isn't the best mystery novel I've ever read, but it kept me entertained, and I think it will keep you entertained as well. ( )

I received this book to review and I have to say that although it was written in a different style than I normally read I really, really enjoyed the book.

In my opinion well worth the read on a summer's afternoon. ( )

NCLA Review - Charles and Dorothy Beale are the owners of a rare books store in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. One of their clients, Derek, who works at the Justice Department, has been murdered during a robbery. At an auction, Charles buys back the books he has previously sold Derek. He finds that one of the rare books has been hollowed out and incriminating papers are hidden inside. The list of characters includes politicians, antiques dealers, the FBI, members of the Justice Department, employees of the book store, and a young man on probation. Charles wants to do what is right, keeping the things dear to him safe, and must decide what to do in this game of justice versus mercy. Rating: 4 —VJ ( )

This was a slow read. There was an interesting twist at the end, but I agree with others comments here that the characters lacked substance and depth. It was difficult for me to keep good track of the players as they felt like names only and not personalities.

Seeing that books about books, libraries, booksellers and such are among some of my favorites to read, I was really looking forward to this book. That having been said, I found the book disappointing. I wanted to like it… I really did, but I just didn’t find the characters engaging. In fact I found them rather flat. Unfortunately the plot line didn’t make up for this lack of depth in characters. The plot was fairly predictable and aside from the ending had few twists of real interest.

Sadly, I cannot recommend this one with any enthusiasm.

A well written, nicely paced bibiomystery- had a hard time putting it down. As a rare book librarian, I can say that the rare book references were fairly accurate (though I would have called the Grolier Club to look up an old auction catalog). Most of the characters are interesting a decently developed, except for Angelo, who was a bit wooden. Highly recommend for people into smart mysteries. ( )

Spelling and grammatical errors aside, I am still disappointed with According to their Deeds. Most of the novel was slow moving and sometimes a little boring, but the very beginning and end were interesting. The ending twist was particularly nice.

Robertson does a very nice job with his descriptions, creating clear pictures of the scenery and characters, however his dialogue is somewhat painful. Not very good.

As to the characters....the most interesting was Angelo, so I wished he was featured more. I didn't care for the way Robertson developed Charles and Dorothy's relationship. I would have preferred he show Charles' love in actions instead of just coming out and saying it. "She beamed at him like the morning sun..." can you say cheesy?

The plot was decent. However, Charles' motivations were not always clear to me. Why did he talk to the people he did? Why was he so interested in the first place? It might just be me, but I wasn't happy with it.

Alltogether, not a book I would recommend, but it was decent. ( )

Avoid this book at all costs - basic grammer, stilted language and unforgettable characters caused this reader to set this book down after the first couple pages, while trying to skim the rest - between this book and Uncommon Reader (another snooze fest) has shaken my belief that early review books, are actually supposed to be entertaining, and will look at early review copies more carefully, since I only select a few in the first place - I hate to destroy a book and I can't give this away (unless I wish to lose friends) - stay away from this book and writer, and I promise you will have a more productive life (since you didn't have to spend anytime attempting to read this book) - I give it a minus 10 stars (and that's very generous!!!) - best recommendation - look at the cover, then remember the cliche, "you can't judge a book by it's cover," and the cover is the only thing it has going for it!!!!!! ( )

This lighthearted mystery contains a married couple who speak to one another in a manner reminiscent of The Thin Man. Charles and Dorothy Beale obviously care deeply about each other and share an interesting partnership as they manage their old and rare bookshop. Their conversations are a study of a couple at play.

This is not the usual fast paced mystery. Rather, it demands a careful read. In between each chapter is a discussion between the Charles, the protagonist and the Derek, the deceased. This makes for an unique change of pace, as it adds to the plot.

There are many allusions to literature. I loved the word play whenever Alice, the bookstore clerk, answers Charles' question, "Was anything sold?" with a title of a book. Charles then comments with an allusion referencing that book. This reinforces or foretells what has just taken place or what will soon take place in the plot.

I love the characters; I loved the dialogue. This novel would be a good choice for a book club as it begs discussion. ( )

I was so excited to get this book... but when I started reading it I lost interest almost immediately.
There was nothing but dialogue for the first 20 or 30 pages.
I had such a hard time following who was who in the beginning and I let my frustration get the better of me.
I loved the premise.... old, exotic books, auctions, intrigue... but unfortunately I couldn't get into the characters because there didn't seem to be enough atmosphere built into all the conversations. ( )

According to Their Deeds is a thoughtfully written mystery that draws together Enlightenment and Christian themes. When one of his long-time clients is murdered, gentleman scholar and rare books dealer Charles Beale is pulled into the investigation. Along the way he pauses to consider what mercy, justice, honesty, and integrity mean in a thoroughly modern, bitterly political world.

There are some weaknesses in this telling. The pacing is maddeningly slow; for a suspense novel, the action is far too strung out to create any real tension. And much of the dialogue is preposterous. Mr Beale speaks as though he dropped out of a Jane Austen novel. His attitudes, too, may prove a little too traditional for many readers.

That said, there is some wonderful word play in the writing, and readers will find few literary mysteries quite so literary in their conceits. Readers may feel clever recognizing the many in-jokes and allusions, and numerous puns will have readers either laughing or groaning — or both.

This novel is an interesting hybrid: an inspirational thriller. It should appeal to a range of reading interests. ( )

"According to Their Deeds" was a fascinating read – a very intellectual mystery. The writing is lyrical at times, and the characters very well drawn. The main character’s sense of humor adds a pleasant sparkle to many conversations, and the view into the world of antiquarian book dealers as it is today was fascinating! I didn’t guess who the villain was at all, and I will be looking for other books by the author.

Review Based on Advanced Reading Copy Courtesy of LibraryThing Early Reviewer Program:

What's a book worth? That might all depend on whether other people's secrets are hidden within the book. That's what Charles Beale, rare books dealer, comes to discover when he purchases just such a book at an auction of a deceased client (a client who had access to lots of confidential data about important people). This purchase draws Charles into a world of suspense and tough choices--replete with secrets and lies and fatal consequences.

Robertson draws Charles realistically and his actions make sense based on his characterization. Plus, Charles is a rare books dealer, and I particularly enjoyed the mention of all the other literary works within the story. There were myriad typos which I hope will be corrected in its final published form. Overall, it's an enjoyable story, particularly for those who like stories containing elements of suspense, politics, and ethics. ( )

The copy of "According to Their Deeds" that I received from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program was an unedited advance reading copy, so I'm going to assume that all the grammatical errors and the like are going to be fixed when the official copy of the book is released. That said, it drove my English major self crazy and I kept wanting to attack my copy with a pen and some Wite-Out, but that's just a quirk of mine and has nothing to do with the quality of the story.

Speaking of the quality of the story, I thought it was creative and well written. I really enjoyed the fact that it took place around a rare books shop and its dealer, and I thought it was great that Robertson made quips and references to the classics throughout the story, usually as told through the main character, Charles (the aforementioned book dealer), and connected those literature references to the storyline. I think that giving Charles those lines helped give his character substance and personality, and it was intellectually amusing, in a punny way. The other characters weren't nearly as developed, though; for instance, I would have liked to have seen more depth given to the wife, who we see only through Charles' eyes as the epitome of perfect, and Angelo, their employee and ward. Angelo is an interesting character, so I wish that Robertson had gone into more detail about him; even at the end of the story, he still seems like something of a mystery.

As for the story itself, I enjoyed the plot and the style that the book was written in; there was a lot of dialogue, which I felt suited the wittiness and intelligence of the main character, and the intelligence of most of the characters, for that matter. I would have liked to see a little bit more detail given, though, especially in regards to the secondary characters, who could have been a bit more fleshed out. Overall, though, this was a good, enjoyable read, and I'll recommend it to those who like mysteries- especially if they also know something about literature, since that knowledge makes those puns that much better. ( )

Enjoyable, easy reading, with a rare book store owner as the protagonist. The mystery is a good one that comes about which Charles buys a set of books at an auction. It got quite suspenseful at the end. The author does a good job of using metaphor to add feeling to his descriptions. I loved the settling of the book store, the researching of books and the mystery intertwined. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a light mystery, or who just wants to spend some time in the company of rare books. ( )

According To Their Deeds is billed as "inspirational suspense" in a blurb on the back cover. I went into the book not so sure what to think - well, in reality, I suspected that this book would be similar to many of the Christian fiction books out there that just aren't any good. Fortunately, my suspicions were unfounded. In reality, it's a fine little mystery with an attractive set of characters and a way with words that's delightful, especially to bibliophiles, even if it's not that suspenseful. Honestly, Robertson's characters were the main attraction for me - I'd love to spend some time in the bookshop getting to know the Beales and their employees and friends. So I'm hoping According To Their Deeds becomes a series!

Recommended as a nice, light mystery story. ( )

So I'm not really sure what to make of this book. I think I had some difficulties reading it simply because it has not fully been edited yet and some of the errors were a bit distracting and sometimes confusing. But the parts that we're not distracting I enjoyed very much. My favorite part was the authors humor. The little jokes and puns that the main character would make about his books I thought were really great, and probably my favorite part of the book. It was kind of like being in on an inside joke because a lot of the reference made would only be understood if you're read a lot of books. The mystery element was acceptable. I'm not sure I liked how it was all tied up in the end, I feel like I had to concentrate very deeply to figure out what was going on but that may have just been the whole unedited thing. There was a lot of dialogue and not much description (I would have really like a deeper physical description of some of the main characters) but it was still very enjoyable. ( )

Note: My copy of this book is an "Advance Reading Copy" from the Early Reviewers group. Being basically an unedited manuscript, it is filled with many typos, grammatical errors, and a few minor rough spots which will no doubt be corrected by the time the book is published. This will be the only mention I make of such errors, and they will not factor into the rest of my review.

Let me start by saying that I was quite eager to read this book. Though I don't read many mysteries/thrillers, the plot grabbed my attention from the start. And overall, I was very pleased. After reading that the author owned a Christian bookstore (and reading the quote from Revelation which opens the book), I was a bit worried that I had stumbled upon a piece of Christian lit, something in which I am not interested. Thankfully, my apprehensions proved to be unwarranted.

The book proceeds for the most part with no big surprises, and at its worst it can be predictable and a little clichéd. But Paul Roberson proves himself to be a clever wordsmith, and there are about a dozen lines in this book which are real gems, the type which will cause you to stop reading simply to have time to enjoy what you just read. The downside of this is that Robertson some idea of how clever he can be, and he overdoes it a little. For example, his antique book dealer has a knack throughout the novel for selling works the plots of which correspond surprisingly well with what has just happened (or is about to happen). Both the author and his characters tend to be just a little too pleased with how witty they are.

Perhaps the biggest problem that the book has is that there simply are not many likable characters, and those who are are minor characters. Aside from Dorothy and Alice I didn't find myself sympathizing with any of the characters, or for that matter caring much what happened to them. Angelo had some promise, but we never do learn enough about him; at the end of the book, he's still a complete mystery. Judging by this book, as I haven't read his others, Robertson's greatest weakness as a writer is writing prolonged stretches of dialogue between characters. In these situations he tries to out-wit himself, to the detriment of the dialogue, which ends up clunky and awkward, and occasionally confusing.

All that being said, this book is immensely pleasurable. This no doubt goes doubly for bibliophiles, but it should be quite a bit of fun for just about anyone. Usually with these types of books not only does the author resort to some supernatural plot twist to resolve the story, but any halfway intelligent reader sees everything coming from a mile away. While the plot here can sometimes be formulaic, the author never telegraphs any of the important scenes, so you don't experience the letdown of figuring out how the story will play out halfway through the book. This is an intelligent, humorous mystery/thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. ( )