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Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Husbands in Books
May 22, 2019
A BREATHTAKING CRIME THRILLER FULL OF SHOCKING TWISTS AND TURNS
He kills their wives. He destroys their families.
Then he comes after the husbands.
“Do you want to know who killed your wife?” he asks.
Kelly Roth, FBI profiler, returns home to Syracuse to stop a sadistic serial killer.
Three murders in three separate jurisdictions in central New York State have the same pattern: women killed by fatal head shots from a hunting rifle. Kelly Roth is sent from Virginia to help the local police.
Each victim was found murdered in a remote area or in a quiet park. The media call him “The Park Killer.” But Kelly doesn’t think the killer lurks in the bushes. She thinks he hunts his victims somewhere else.
Is he really contacting the bereaved husbands or is this just someone playing a sick game?
Kelly will risk her own life in a heart-stopping race against time to stop more murders and find out the truth.
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO DISCOVER WHO KILLED YOUR WIFE?
Kelly is a terrific character and I enjoyed how the author weaved her backstory into today's killings. There are plenty of suspects with a story premise that keeps you guessing until the very end.
I love the fact that it is the males left trying to cope with being left behind instead of it being the females.
This is very well written; very atmospheric and chilling.
What I really liked about this novel was that there is no clue to what the outcome was going to be and no real idea where the investigation was leading, making this compulsive reading.
I could not put this book down. As for the ending; WOW; that just blew me away. Another explosive read from this author and so highly recommended.
Thank you to Joffe Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
He kills their wives. He destroys their families.
Then he comes after the husbands.
“Do you want to know who killed your wife?” he asks.
Kelly Roth, FBI profiler, returns home to Syracuse to stop a sadistic serial killer.
Three murders in three separate jurisdictions in central New York State have the same pattern: women killed by fatal head shots from a hunting rifle. Kelly Roth is sent from Virginia to help the local police.
Each victim was found murdered in a remote area or in a quiet park. The media call him “The Park Killer.” But Kelly doesn’t think the killer lurks in the bushes. She thinks he hunts his victims somewhere else.
Is he really contacting the bereaved husbands or is this just someone playing a sick game?
Kelly will risk her own life in a heart-stopping race against time to stop more murders and find out the truth.
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO DISCOVER WHO KILLED YOUR WIFE?
Kelly is a terrific character and I enjoyed how the author weaved her backstory into today's killings. There are plenty of suspects with a story premise that keeps you guessing until the very end.
I love the fact that it is the males left trying to cope with being left behind instead of it being the females.
This is very well written; very atmospheric and chilling.
What I really liked about this novel was that there is no clue to what the outcome was going to be and no real idea where the investigation was leading, making this compulsive reading.
I could not put this book down. As for the ending; WOW; that just blew me away. Another explosive read from this author and so highly recommended.
Thank you to Joffe Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Shockwave in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
I loved the romance in the book. At first I wasn’t sure where this was going. Kate is a strong cookie and I doubted she’d have room in her life for love, she’s also a member of the FBI so she’s not used to having boyfriends put up with the hours her job demands from her. But when she and Jack get over their differences and the underlying sexual tension explodes it’s a completely different story. One full of action, suspense and drama that will keep you turning the pages fast.
Warning: This does end as a cliffhanger and it’s such an exciting one, you will need to get the following two books of the Dead Air Series, Backlash, and then Fallout. I wish I could tell you how this book ends, since it is not the end, but rather the beginning of a new drama. But we don’t want to giveaway spoilers, do we? No! That will spoil the shock for you! I’ve not read books two and three yet, but you can bet I will now. I need to know what happens next. Who will make it out alive? Who will die? Not only do I need closure from this book, but I’m eager to find out what’s in store for this couple. What will life throw at them before they get together? If indeed that’s the author’s plan. Who knows? Amy had a habit of shocking me with her stories and I feel the next two books will be no exception.
Romine takes readers on an exciting ride, and as the story unfolds you’ll laugh, cry and be totally shocked at how Kate and Jack’s relationship takes a turn for the worse. Looks to me that Jack and Kate have a fight on their hands if they want a happy ever after! To sum up: Suspenseful smexyness with a whole lot of drama. The murkiness of Kate’s memory of her past kidnap and her realisation of her love for Jack — which comes at a cost — combine to great effect.
Warning: This does end as a cliffhanger and it’s such an exciting one, you will need to get the following two books of the Dead Air Series, Backlash, and then Fallout. I wish I could tell you how this book ends, since it is not the end, but rather the beginning of a new drama. But we don’t want to giveaway spoilers, do we? No! That will spoil the shock for you! I’ve not read books two and three yet, but you can bet I will now. I need to know what happens next. Who will make it out alive? Who will die? Not only do I need closure from this book, but I’m eager to find out what’s in store for this couple. What will life throw at them before they get together? If indeed that’s the author’s plan. Who knows? Amy had a habit of shocking me with her stories and I feel the next two books will be no exception.
Romine takes readers on an exciting ride, and as the story unfolds you’ll laugh, cry and be totally shocked at how Kate and Jack’s relationship takes a turn for the worse. Looks to me that Jack and Kate have a fight on their hands if they want a happy ever after! To sum up: Suspenseful smexyness with a whole lot of drama. The murkiness of Kate’s memory of her past kidnap and her realisation of her love for Jack — which comes at a cost — combine to great effect.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Playing With Death in Books
Jun 6, 2019
^^ I am familiar with Simon Scarrow’s Roman novels, so was excited to try this one out, as it is something new from an established author. With Playing with Death, Scarrow is co-writing writing this novel with Lee Francis, and it is NOT a historical novel! My goodness. This could be the death of him, or so I thought. But actually, it wasn’t bad.
^^ This is what I’d call a technological thriller and it highlights how the use of gaming via Artificial Intelligence and virtual reality technology could be detrimental to society, even in our world as it is today.
^^ Rose Blake is an FBI agent with a strange new case to investigate, and it is one that will take her beyond anything she can at first imagine, as murder and online gaming intertwine and the boundaries of what she knows to be true are stretched to the limit. To top it all she is feeling distanced from her husband, Jeff, who works as Senetor Kelly’s media manager with very little downtime, plus her own job is (as you would imagine) very demanding and often cutting into her family time, putting a strain their marriage.
^^ It’s a violent, fast-paced story with lots of twists and turns, and as a lover of thrillers, I thoroughly enjoyed Scarrow’s refreshing change of genre. My dad is a huge fan of Scarrow, however, I’m not sure how he’ll take to this since it’s about technology of which I doubt he’ll be interested in. I’m hoping he’ll try it out though. Saying that, this new genre is a great way to reach out to new readers, who may have not read any of his previous historical books.
Overall: I look forward to seeing if this is the start of a new series, as I would like to see how this enjoyable book, develops into more exciting stories.
^^ This is what I’d call a technological thriller and it highlights how the use of gaming via Artificial Intelligence and virtual reality technology could be detrimental to society, even in our world as it is today.
^^ Rose Blake is an FBI agent with a strange new case to investigate, and it is one that will take her beyond anything she can at first imagine, as murder and online gaming intertwine and the boundaries of what she knows to be true are stretched to the limit. To top it all she is feeling distanced from her husband, Jeff, who works as Senetor Kelly’s media manager with very little downtime, plus her own job is (as you would imagine) very demanding and often cutting into her family time, putting a strain their marriage.
^^ It’s a violent, fast-paced story with lots of twists and turns, and as a lover of thrillers, I thoroughly enjoyed Scarrow’s refreshing change of genre. My dad is a huge fan of Scarrow, however, I’m not sure how he’ll take to this since it’s about technology of which I doubt he’ll be interested in. I’m hoping he’ll try it out though. Saying that, this new genre is a great way to reach out to new readers, who may have not read any of his previous historical books.
Overall: I look forward to seeing if this is the start of a new series, as I would like to see how this enjoyable book, develops into more exciting stories.
JT (287 KP) rated American Hustle (2013) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
There’s a lot of love for American Hustle and with a cast such as this it is easy to see why. It’s a film that oozes glitz and glamour and has a slick sense of stability with shades Scorsese as an attempt at a crime caper.
Bale is top draw, an opening shot that requires no dialogue sees Bale’s stomach bloating Irving Rosenfeld carefully craft a balding comb over. Then in walks his partner throughout this initial sting, Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) with a beautiful perm – and this is just the male cast.
The film is loosely based on a true story. Bale’s con man falls for Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) and the pair look to collude together before being nabbed by the FBI and forced to help bring down a circle of corrupt politicians as a way to avoid prosecution. This is no heist from the Soderbergh play book, but a slow churning plan that involves fake sheikhs and mafia bosses and is the brainchild of agent DiMaso who targets Mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) as one of the many poor unfortunates looking to make change in a growing 70s society.
Supporting cast are exceptional, none more so than Jennifer Lawrence, as Rosenfeld’s long suffering wife who during proceedings threatens to blow the whole plan wide open. That’s not to say that Amy Adams isn’t well worth her role, but the wardrobe department must have been short on ideas for her if all that was around were dresses with plunging necklines.
Overall it plays out well but does suffer confusion as you wonder who is playing who during the whole affair. All the way through I felt that something wasn’t quite right with it. For me it didn’t have the lasting impact that The Fighter had or even Silver Linings Playbook, but as a film that wants to capture everything the 70s were about it does a stupendous job.
Bale is top draw, an opening shot that requires no dialogue sees Bale’s stomach bloating Irving Rosenfeld carefully craft a balding comb over. Then in walks his partner throughout this initial sting, Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) with a beautiful perm – and this is just the male cast.
The film is loosely based on a true story. Bale’s con man falls for Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) and the pair look to collude together before being nabbed by the FBI and forced to help bring down a circle of corrupt politicians as a way to avoid prosecution. This is no heist from the Soderbergh play book, but a slow churning plan that involves fake sheikhs and mafia bosses and is the brainchild of agent DiMaso who targets Mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) as one of the many poor unfortunates looking to make change in a growing 70s society.
Supporting cast are exceptional, none more so than Jennifer Lawrence, as Rosenfeld’s long suffering wife who during proceedings threatens to blow the whole plan wide open. That’s not to say that Amy Adams isn’t well worth her role, but the wardrobe department must have been short on ideas for her if all that was around were dresses with plunging necklines.
Overall it plays out well but does suffer confusion as you wonder who is playing who during the whole affair. All the way through I felt that something wasn’t quite right with it. For me it didn’t have the lasting impact that The Fighter had or even Silver Linings Playbook, but as a film that wants to capture everything the 70s were about it does a stupendous job.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated All the Best Lies in Books
Mar 19, 2020
The third book in the Ellery Hathaway series finds FBI Agent Reed Markham taking on a particularly personal case--his birth mother's murder. His mother, Camilla, was stabbed to death over forty years ago while baby Reed was nearby in his crib. Her killer was never found. It's a cold case now for the Las Vegas Police Department. Reed asks for Ellery's help and the two travel together to Las Vegas to search for answers. But Reed soon learns something shocking about his past, leading him to add someone incredibly close to him to his list of suspects. In Vegas, that list soon grows, and they realize that the killer--even after all these years--isn't happy with Reed and Ellery stirring things up.
This was another stellar entry in this series. I absolutely love Ellery and Reed, and it was great seeing Reed work on a case that meant so much to him. It reminded me of an early Harry Bosch in Michael Connelly's books, when he tries to track down his own mother's killer. Both Reed and Ellery deal with family issues in the book. As always, there is sizzling chemistry between the two. Their relationship just gets better and better, as each struggles with their own problems, and they grow closer and closer.
There's a lot of focus on Reed here, of course, as we learn more about both his mother and his adopted family, the Markhams (Reed was adopted by Senator Angus Markham from Virginia). His mother's case is mesmerizing, and there is no shortage of suspects, including lowlife drug dealer Billy Thorndike; her cop boyfriend, David; and more. Schaffhausen does an excellent job portraying Camilla's life forty years ago, and she comes to life easily.
As always, there are some wonderful twists and turns, and the book is easy-to-read. The pages turn quickly, between Reed and Ellery's excellent magnetism and the well-paced, absorbing mystery. This may be my favorite one so far, and that's saying a lot! 4.5 stars.
This was another stellar entry in this series. I absolutely love Ellery and Reed, and it was great seeing Reed work on a case that meant so much to him. It reminded me of an early Harry Bosch in Michael Connelly's books, when he tries to track down his own mother's killer. Both Reed and Ellery deal with family issues in the book. As always, there is sizzling chemistry between the two. Their relationship just gets better and better, as each struggles with their own problems, and they grow closer and closer.
There's a lot of focus on Reed here, of course, as we learn more about both his mother and his adopted family, the Markhams (Reed was adopted by Senator Angus Markham from Virginia). His mother's case is mesmerizing, and there is no shortage of suspects, including lowlife drug dealer Billy Thorndike; her cop boyfriend, David; and more. Schaffhausen does an excellent job portraying Camilla's life forty years ago, and she comes to life easily.
As always, there are some wonderful twists and turns, and the book is easy-to-read. The pages turn quickly, between Reed and Ellery's excellent magnetism and the well-paced, absorbing mystery. This may be my favorite one so far, and that's saying a lot! 4.5 stars.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Now You See Me 2 (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
The new Lionsgate film Now You See Me 2 is a sequel to the 2013 film of
the same name.
It brings back most of the same cast members: Jesse Eisenberg as J.
Daniel Atlas, Mark Ruffalo as FBI agent Dylan Rhodes, Woody Harrelson as
Merritt McKinney, Morgan Freeman as Thaddeus Bradley, and Dave Franco as
Jack Wilder. It introduces Daniel Radcliffe as Walter Mabry and Lizzy
Kaplan as Lula. It is directed by Jon Chu.
This film picks up some months after the first film ends, with the Four
Horsemen in hiding, and Dylan Rhodes pretending to try to track them
down for their crime of thievery from the rich insurance tycoon that
withheld paying Rhodes’ fathers’ life insurance claim 30 years earlier.
The movie is fast paced and full of special effects, but it is certainly
fantastical and unbelievable. I am not sure there was even a little
realism in the entire movie, but it was fun to watch.
The banter between characters was funny, and it was interesting, if not
believable, to watch the effects used to create the magic tricks in the
movie. I thought that the movie was suspenseful, and I had one ending in
my head, but that isn’t the way it turned out, so it was sufficiently
twisty to hold my attention.
My friend that accompanied me has not seen the first movie and was able
to follow the sequel just fine, due to the narratives that tie the two
movies together. Regarding this film, she says: “Just when you think
you’ve got it all figured out, its something else altogether. The movie
was light hearted, adventurous, funny and suspenseful.”
For me, the effects in the movie make it one that ought to be seen on
“the big screen” but I would be hard pressed to go during any time when
it was full price, rather, I would catch it at a matinee or with a
coupon or at the second run theatre.
the same name.
It brings back most of the same cast members: Jesse Eisenberg as J.
Daniel Atlas, Mark Ruffalo as FBI agent Dylan Rhodes, Woody Harrelson as
Merritt McKinney, Morgan Freeman as Thaddeus Bradley, and Dave Franco as
Jack Wilder. It introduces Daniel Radcliffe as Walter Mabry and Lizzy
Kaplan as Lula. It is directed by Jon Chu.
This film picks up some months after the first film ends, with the Four
Horsemen in hiding, and Dylan Rhodes pretending to try to track them
down for their crime of thievery from the rich insurance tycoon that
withheld paying Rhodes’ fathers’ life insurance claim 30 years earlier.
The movie is fast paced and full of special effects, but it is certainly
fantastical and unbelievable. I am not sure there was even a little
realism in the entire movie, but it was fun to watch.
The banter between characters was funny, and it was interesting, if not
believable, to watch the effects used to create the magic tricks in the
movie. I thought that the movie was suspenseful, and I had one ending in
my head, but that isn’t the way it turned out, so it was sufficiently
twisty to hold my attention.
My friend that accompanied me has not seen the first movie and was able
to follow the sequel just fine, due to the narratives that tie the two
movies together. Regarding this film, she says: “Just when you think
you’ve got it all figured out, its something else altogether. The movie
was light hearted, adventurous, funny and suspenseful.”
For me, the effects in the movie make it one that ought to be seen on
“the big screen” but I would be hard pressed to go during any time when
it was full price, rather, I would catch it at a matinee or with a
coupon or at the second run theatre.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Sicario (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Those expecting Sicario to be a high action film will be disappointed. Instead what they will find is a slow burn suspenseful drama with fantastic acting and a more realistic take on the drug war than Hollywood traditionally likes to show us.
Emily Blunt delivers another strong acting performance as a “girl scout” FBI agent who raids drug houses in Arizona. She is somewhat of a “Bad Ass” among her crew, as her life has become dedicated to the job and she believes in the cause. So when Josh Brolin comes in as the head of a “spook” CIA taskforce and recruits blunt to make some “noise” and go after the head of Mexican drug cartel, she jumps at the chance to stop the men responsible for the drug houses and make a real difference. The only problem is that as the low man on the taskforce, she is not told much which frustrates her when things start to not appear by the book.
To make things worse, Benicio Del Toro is a suspicious part of Brolin’s taskforce who doesn’t seem to fit into the puzzle. It is through Del Toro that we learn the truth about the operation and the real meaning of the word Sicario. Del Toro’s performance burns with silent chaos as you just know he is the “coolest guy” in the room, both in style and nerves. He is someone who is not to be trifled with as an ally or an enemy but still maintains a sincerity towards Blunt and her idealism. This is one of his best performances in years.
Ultimately Sicario is a slow paced suspenseful action film that feels real. Even though the pacing is slow, at no point did the film drag as you are constantly wondering what is really going on just like the strong and refreshing female lead in an action film like this.
Emily Blunt delivers another strong acting performance as a “girl scout” FBI agent who raids drug houses in Arizona. She is somewhat of a “Bad Ass” among her crew, as her life has become dedicated to the job and she believes in the cause. So when Josh Brolin comes in as the head of a “spook” CIA taskforce and recruits blunt to make some “noise” and go after the head of Mexican drug cartel, she jumps at the chance to stop the men responsible for the drug houses and make a real difference. The only problem is that as the low man on the taskforce, she is not told much which frustrates her when things start to not appear by the book.
To make things worse, Benicio Del Toro is a suspicious part of Brolin’s taskforce who doesn’t seem to fit into the puzzle. It is through Del Toro that we learn the truth about the operation and the real meaning of the word Sicario. Del Toro’s performance burns with silent chaos as you just know he is the “coolest guy” in the room, both in style and nerves. He is someone who is not to be trifled with as an ally or an enemy but still maintains a sincerity towards Blunt and her idealism. This is one of his best performances in years.
Ultimately Sicario is a slow paced suspenseful action film that feels real. Even though the pacing is slow, at no point did the film drag as you are constantly wondering what is really going on just like the strong and refreshing female lead in an action film like this.
Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood
5.0
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