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Title: Curious Coincidences
Review: This was the first Freeling book I've read. It's an easy read, and the characters and situations are very interesting, even engrossing. However, the book is driven by a string of highly improbable coincidences. A drunk just happens to remove the license plates from a car. The detective just happens to keep running into Lucienne on odd occasions and critical junctures. The detective just happens to be struck by a painting hanging on the victim's wall. Lucienne just happens to be in a location where some Italians just happen to be talking about the victim's wife, in a language Lucienne just happens to understand. The victim just happens to withhold from Lucienne his crucial conversation with his wife. Van der Valk didn't solve the mystery, the solution just happened to fall into his lap (with some loose ends that are never explained). So after following an interesting enough tale, one is left with a strong feeling of dissatisfaction.
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