Search
Search results
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Follow You in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Initially, I really hated the title of this book, it sounds super cheesy and weird, but after finding out it relates to the Twitter Killer plot, I actually thought it was quite cool. The plotline here is that there was Twitter thread called '#BeMyKiller' where you could advertise yourself up to be killed (in a pranky way) but then a few people who responded to this thread were murdered. I thought this was a really unique motivation for the crimes in this and so my hatred for the title dissipated.
This is a fast paced book, with never a dull moment! If you're one of those people who pushes themselves through "just one more chapter", this book is going to stop you from sleeping... There are 130 chapters in this book, with some of them being just a page long!
I liked the plot for this, that they were making a film about the murders, that then turned into more murders. The setting was in the dark and dreary murder place of Meredith, "Fun Central" and because it was an old kids play area, with ball bits and go-kart tracks, it had an eerie feel to it that worked well alongside the gruesome murders. And yes, they were gruesome murders.
Writing was well done. It's not a challenging book to read, there's no amazing descriptive passages or hard-hitting themes, it's just an easy thriller read. One problem I did have with the writing is something so stupid and very specific that it almost seems pointless in saying it, but it got on my nerves enough times that I have to mention it. "So why did you use the #BeMyKiller hashtag?" - how do you read that sentence? I read it as "hashtag Be My Killer hashtag"... yes that's all that's annoyed me, the double use of the hashtag... don't use a # if you're then going to write out hashtag!!!
Our main character in this novel is Hazel, and while she's creating this film to get justice for Meredith's killer, I didn't particularly like her. The blurb makes it sound like Hazel is doing her documentary to get justice for Meredith, but to me, it felt like she was making the film to save her company from going under. She was too deceptive with all the characters about her reasoning behind creating this new film, that her passion to catch the killer felt fake. As for Meredith being a "childhood friend", I'd say that wasn't very realistic, the book makes it feel like they were more acquaintances than anything, and that Hazel just sort of pitied Meredith. It's never good when you don't like the main character, but I was reasonably happy still going along with this novel. Hazel was dislikable but she was tolerable.
I had my suspicions of who the killer might be, which turned out to be wrong, but I think I would have preferred my scenario to play out because the real reveal was pretty dramatic and out there. Although the last 40% of the book was super tense and horror-movie-like it got a little OTT in my opinion.
Overall this is a great thriller if you're looking for a book with non-stop action, but it's not particularly clever and it's very dark, so if you're not into that kinda thing, you won't enjoy this one. It's clear that Parker has a talent for writing and I will definitely look out for more books of his, but this, for me, was a very mediocre thriller novel.
This is a fast paced book, with never a dull moment! If you're one of those people who pushes themselves through "just one more chapter", this book is going to stop you from sleeping... There are 130 chapters in this book, with some of them being just a page long!
I liked the plot for this, that they were making a film about the murders, that then turned into more murders. The setting was in the dark and dreary murder place of Meredith, "Fun Central" and because it was an old kids play area, with ball bits and go-kart tracks, it had an eerie feel to it that worked well alongside the gruesome murders. And yes, they were gruesome murders.
Writing was well done. It's not a challenging book to read, there's no amazing descriptive passages or hard-hitting themes, it's just an easy thriller read. One problem I did have with the writing is something so stupid and very specific that it almost seems pointless in saying it, but it got on my nerves enough times that I have to mention it. "So why did you use the #BeMyKiller hashtag?" - how do you read that sentence? I read it as "hashtag Be My Killer hashtag"... yes that's all that's annoyed me, the double use of the hashtag... don't use a # if you're then going to write out hashtag!!!
Our main character in this novel is Hazel, and while she's creating this film to get justice for Meredith's killer, I didn't particularly like her. The blurb makes it sound like Hazel is doing her documentary to get justice for Meredith, but to me, it felt like she was making the film to save her company from going under. She was too deceptive with all the characters about her reasoning behind creating this new film, that her passion to catch the killer felt fake. As for Meredith being a "childhood friend", I'd say that wasn't very realistic, the book makes it feel like they were more acquaintances than anything, and that Hazel just sort of pitied Meredith. It's never good when you don't like the main character, but I was reasonably happy still going along with this novel. Hazel was dislikable but she was tolerable.
I had my suspicions of who the killer might be, which turned out to be wrong, but I think I would have preferred my scenario to play out because the real reveal was pretty dramatic and out there. Although the last 40% of the book was super tense and horror-movie-like it got a little OTT in my opinion.
Overall this is a great thriller if you're looking for a book with non-stop action, but it's not particularly clever and it's very dark, so if you're not into that kinda thing, you won't enjoy this one. It's clear that Parker has a talent for writing and I will definitely look out for more books of his, but this, for me, was a very mediocre thriller novel.
Black-Eyed Susans
8.6
Rate It
Book
**THE TOP 5 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER** 'My book of the year so far. Breathtakingly, heart-stoppingly...
Darren (1599 KP) rated Stephen King's A Good Marriage (2014) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: A Good Marriage starts with the anniversary party of Darcy (Allen) and Bob Anderson (LaPaglia) with their grown up children Petra (Connolly) and Donnie (Stockman). Everything on the outside looks like it is going great for the couple and what could possibly be shocking about them? The couple seem to have a follower in Holt Ramsey (Lang) but why?
Darcy’s life takes a sudden change when searching for batteries she finds a hidden box with the drivers licences of woman who are found dead. As Darcy struggles to deal with the realisation that she is married to a serial killer we watch how Bob is tracking down him latest victim while away on business. We have to watch how Bob and Darcy try to work through the problems because spilling the secret could ruin the family.
A Good Marriage really does end up coming off very dull, the concept sounds very interesting. I feel this story should have been a hell of a lot tenser because of the action of the husband especially with the idea that the wife doesn’t want to destroy her children’s lives with the secret. I can honestly say I was expecting a look into the husband’s killing and an actual confrontation rather than just a calm talking about his actions. Overall the story doesn’t come off very well at all and I can honestly say this will disappoint any and all the Stephen King Fans out there. (2/10)
Actor Review
Joan Allen: Darcy Anderson is the loving mother and wife who discovers her husband’s secret. Darcy has to try and figure out what to do because talking will destroy the family but she also knows the next victim will now be here fault. Joan does a solid job but doesn’t reach the levels you would expect to make you feel like her character is scared or keeping a brave face. (5/10)
Anthony LaPaglia: Bob Anderson is the account husband of Darcy who has been living a different life behind his family’s back as a serial killer. When his wife discovers his secret he has to convince her not to go to the cops and ruin the life the children think they have had. Anthony is an actor I would expect to be able to play this role really well but he doesn’t seem to get into the role enough to make us believe he is a killer. (3/10)
Support Cast: A Good Marriage has a supporting cast that are mostly people Darcy is trying to protect from the truth, but it also has a man trying to find out the truth about the killer.
Director Review: Peter Askin – Peter doesn’t give us enough tension in a film that should be filled to the rim with tension because of the subject matter. (3/10)
Thriller: A Good Marriage is a film that should be filled with tension but this manages to let it all go without capitalising on the idea. (2/10)
Settings: A Good Marriage keeps the settings great because the idea would be that the killer is in plain sight living a normal life. (9/10)
Suggestion: A Good Marriage has to go down as one to avoid because it really does disappoint trying to tell an easy story. (Avoid)
Best Part: Hard to find anything.
Worst Part: No Tension.
Improve Ideas: High tension level.
Believability: The idea does come from a real serial killer but the outcome on film doesn’t really work. (3/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 42 Minutes
Trivia: This is Stephen King’s first self-adapted screenplay since “Pet Sematary,” which was released 25 years earlier. The last feature film script he wrote was “Sleepwalkers,” released in 1992. Since then he has written TV movies, mini-series and shows, such as “The Stand,” “The Shining” and “Kingdom Hospital.”
Overall: Very disappointing thriller with no actual tension.
https://moviesreview101.com/2015/06/04/a-good-marriage-2014/
Darcy’s life takes a sudden change when searching for batteries she finds a hidden box with the drivers licences of woman who are found dead. As Darcy struggles to deal with the realisation that she is married to a serial killer we watch how Bob is tracking down him latest victim while away on business. We have to watch how Bob and Darcy try to work through the problems because spilling the secret could ruin the family.
A Good Marriage really does end up coming off very dull, the concept sounds very interesting. I feel this story should have been a hell of a lot tenser because of the action of the husband especially with the idea that the wife doesn’t want to destroy her children’s lives with the secret. I can honestly say I was expecting a look into the husband’s killing and an actual confrontation rather than just a calm talking about his actions. Overall the story doesn’t come off very well at all and I can honestly say this will disappoint any and all the Stephen King Fans out there. (2/10)
Actor Review
Joan Allen: Darcy Anderson is the loving mother and wife who discovers her husband’s secret. Darcy has to try and figure out what to do because talking will destroy the family but she also knows the next victim will now be here fault. Joan does a solid job but doesn’t reach the levels you would expect to make you feel like her character is scared or keeping a brave face. (5/10)
Anthony LaPaglia: Bob Anderson is the account husband of Darcy who has been living a different life behind his family’s back as a serial killer. When his wife discovers his secret he has to convince her not to go to the cops and ruin the life the children think they have had. Anthony is an actor I would expect to be able to play this role really well but he doesn’t seem to get into the role enough to make us believe he is a killer. (3/10)
Support Cast: A Good Marriage has a supporting cast that are mostly people Darcy is trying to protect from the truth, but it also has a man trying to find out the truth about the killer.
Director Review: Peter Askin – Peter doesn’t give us enough tension in a film that should be filled to the rim with tension because of the subject matter. (3/10)
Thriller: A Good Marriage is a film that should be filled with tension but this manages to let it all go without capitalising on the idea. (2/10)
Settings: A Good Marriage keeps the settings great because the idea would be that the killer is in plain sight living a normal life. (9/10)
Suggestion: A Good Marriage has to go down as one to avoid because it really does disappoint trying to tell an easy story. (Avoid)
Best Part: Hard to find anything.
Worst Part: No Tension.
Improve Ideas: High tension level.
Believability: The idea does come from a real serial killer but the outcome on film doesn’t really work. (3/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 42 Minutes
Trivia: This is Stephen King’s first self-adapted screenplay since “Pet Sematary,” which was released 25 years earlier. The last feature film script he wrote was “Sleepwalkers,” released in 1992. Since then he has written TV movies, mini-series and shows, such as “The Stand,” “The Shining” and “Kingdom Hospital.”
Overall: Very disappointing thriller with no actual tension.
https://moviesreview101.com/2015/06/04/a-good-marriage-2014/
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated The Christmas Killer in Books
Feb 15, 2019
The Christmas Killer (aka The Dream Killer) was a Point Horror book I missed out reading when I was younger, so decided to pick it up to enjoy this holiday season (yes, I am sick). Rosecleer Potter is a normal, everyday fifteen-year-old girl who has a twin brother, Jerram, and loves to dance. She also just happens to have developed the ability to talk, through dreams, to the recently departed, which starts when an acquaintance disappears and whose body turns up murdered in the woods. Now, as the body count rises, Rose has to figure out how to use her power before the killer gets to her.
The first paragraph almost caused me to rethink my expectations of enjoyment I'd get from the book. The sentences were short and choppy, and if the whole book had been written this way, I don't think I'd have managed to get through it. Fortunately for me, it didn't turn out that way at all. Although there were more short, fragmented sentences, they were few and far between and seemed more of a style choice than anything else.
Rose was a good choice as a lead and had both positive and negative attributes to her personality. She was generally nice but could have moments of cattiness or where her temper got the best of her, which made her more believable. I can't say any of the characters are over-developed, but they are described enough to get a rough sketch of who they are as a person, and there are moments of truth in many of their actions, e.g. the mother's freaking out, the father's clamming up, and the brother's withdrawal and secretiveness. The atmosphere is done extremely well. Even though I don't remember many actual descriptions, I got the feeling of a small town, its claustrophobia, and sense of impending doom all the same.
I have to admit this book surprised me. I went in expecting more of the slasher-type YA horrors I read as a youngster, and was handed a more mature, psychological suspense horror read instead. The plot flows well and has enough clues and red herrings to keep most readers interested. As someone who has read a lot of mysteries, I did figure it out, but it could have gone many ways and still have been satisfying. The ending is the only weak point as it was a bit abrupt and maybe too open-ended, but that's a minor niggle and didn't affect my enjoyment much. As far as I've been able to tell, there is no sequel, which might be for the best. The Christmas Killer was a quick and easy chiller that kept me entertained throughout and I'd recommend it for those who like creepy teen reads.
Originally Reviewed: December 29, 2012
Received: Library
The first paragraph almost caused me to rethink my expectations of enjoyment I'd get from the book. The sentences were short and choppy, and if the whole book had been written this way, I don't think I'd have managed to get through it. Fortunately for me, it didn't turn out that way at all. Although there were more short, fragmented sentences, they were few and far between and seemed more of a style choice than anything else.
Rose was a good choice as a lead and had both positive and negative attributes to her personality. She was generally nice but could have moments of cattiness or where her temper got the best of her, which made her more believable. I can't say any of the characters are over-developed, but they are described enough to get a rough sketch of who they are as a person, and there are moments of truth in many of their actions, e.g. the mother's freaking out, the father's clamming up, and the brother's withdrawal and secretiveness. The atmosphere is done extremely well. Even though I don't remember many actual descriptions, I got the feeling of a small town, its claustrophobia, and sense of impending doom all the same.
I have to admit this book surprised me. I went in expecting more of the slasher-type YA horrors I read as a youngster, and was handed a more mature, psychological suspense horror read instead. The plot flows well and has enough clues and red herrings to keep most readers interested. As someone who has read a lot of mysteries, I did figure it out, but it could have gone many ways and still have been satisfying. The ending is the only weak point as it was a bit abrupt and maybe too open-ended, but that's a minor niggle and didn't affect my enjoyment much. As far as I've been able to tell, there is no sequel, which might be for the best. The Christmas Killer was a quick and easy chiller that kept me entertained throughout and I'd recommend it for those who like creepy teen reads.
Originally Reviewed: December 29, 2012
Received: Library
Origen: A True Story Of Evil
Peter J. Perry and Kathleen Sumpton
8.0
Rate It
Book
Have you ever come face to face with the devil? In a tapestry of sports, business, and dating, there...
True Crime
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated The Perfect Death (Detective John Stallings #3) in Books
Jan 15, 2018
Let me begin by saying that this book introduced me to a wonderful author who I can not wait to read more of!! I love when I can say that about any book, especially a book that I won from First Reads!
The Perfect Death was non-stop action & suspense from page one. It truly started off to hook the reader & it worked for me! The plot felt incredibly real particularly the parts dealing with the Jacksonville Sheriffs & how police handle investigations. The fascinating part was not how the characters handled the police work, but how they interacted with each other. It seemed like a real life workplace with honest to God co-workers.
The plot itself deals with a serial killer who has been on the hunt in North Florida. He finds young, naive victims & strangles them with a cord. As the story continues you find out that he is using them to complete his "work of art." He is a glass blower & blows jars in which he traps his victims' last breaths before he proceeds to strangle them to death.
This book is a fascinating look into real police work & the mind of a serial killer. A person no one thought to take a second glance at until it was too late. I really do look forward to reading more from this author in the future!!!
The Perfect Death was non-stop action & suspense from page one. It truly started off to hook the reader & it worked for me! The plot felt incredibly real particularly the parts dealing with the Jacksonville Sheriffs & how police handle investigations. The fascinating part was not how the characters handled the police work, but how they interacted with each other. It seemed like a real life workplace with honest to God co-workers.
The plot itself deals with a serial killer who has been on the hunt in North Florida. He finds young, naive victims & strangles them with a cord. As the story continues you find out that he is using them to complete his "work of art." He is a glass blower & blows jars in which he traps his victims' last breaths before he proceeds to strangle them to death.
This book is a fascinating look into real police work & the mind of a serial killer. A person no one thought to take a second glance at until it was too late. I really do look forward to reading more from this author in the future!!!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2173 KP) rated Rooted in Deceit in Books
Sep 7, 2018
Tracking Another Deceitful Killer
Megan Sawyer is finding August to be extremely busy. While trying to keep the farm running during a drought, she is helping get things ready for the opening of the wood-fired pizza farm in her barn and her father and his wife, Sylvia, are in town for a visit. Then there's the new yoga retreat center opening nearby. As part of their opening celebration, they are hosting an art festival, and the headlining artist is Megan's old friend Thana. However, the celebration turns to tragedy when Thana is found murdered and Sylvia becomes a suspect. Her father didn't marry a killer, did he?
This series has had a strong storyline involving Megan and her complicated past with various family members, and that continues here by introducing us to her father. Additionally, there are developments in other ongoing storylines. I enjoyed getting the next chapter in Megan’s life. The characters are as strong as always, whether main characters, series regulars, or those introduced for this book. The subplots did distract from the main mystery at times, but there is still a solid mystery here. One element of the mystery needed to be included better, but overall it was a minor issue. We got great twists and red herrings on the way to a surprising ending. Fans of the series will be pleased with this new entry.
This series has had a strong storyline involving Megan and her complicated past with various family members, and that continues here by introducing us to her father. Additionally, there are developments in other ongoing storylines. I enjoyed getting the next chapter in Megan’s life. The characters are as strong as always, whether main characters, series regulars, or those introduced for this book. The subplots did distract from the main mystery at times, but there is still a solid mystery here. One element of the mystery needed to be included better, but overall it was a minor issue. We got great twists and red herrings on the way to a surprising ending. Fans of the series will be pleased with this new entry.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Perfect Silence in Books
Oct 9, 2018 (Updated Oct 9, 2018)
Gripping and thrilling detective story
*** Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***
This, the fourth DI Luc Callanach book, follows a familiar pattern - two crimes committed early on and parallel investigations into those cause conflict and tension, one being a more typical serial killer hunt, the other a more politically charged investigation.
Over the previous books it feels like Fields has grown bored of her French detective and has put a lot more focus into DCI Ava Turner. This is in no way a bad thing as she feels more real and likeable (less clichéd), but an odd progression for "The DI Callanach" series to have.
The action and cases in this book are quite compelling - young women being kidnapped and their mutilated bodies dumped a week later and a gruesome memento left in the locale of the next victim, with religious overtones; and a spate of drugged homeless people being branded in public places. As usual the killer leaves virtually no trace behind and it is quite some time before the detectives have any idea of who they are looking for.
I still have a few issues with the dialogue in these books, but the plot was solid here, with twists and turns along the way, with a very gripping, proper unputdownable final few chapters.
This, the fourth DI Luc Callanach book, follows a familiar pattern - two crimes committed early on and parallel investigations into those cause conflict and tension, one being a more typical serial killer hunt, the other a more politically charged investigation.
Over the previous books it feels like Fields has grown bored of her French detective and has put a lot more focus into DCI Ava Turner. This is in no way a bad thing as she feels more real and likeable (less clichéd), but an odd progression for "The DI Callanach" series to have.
The action and cases in this book are quite compelling - young women being kidnapped and their mutilated bodies dumped a week later and a gruesome memento left in the locale of the next victim, with religious overtones; and a spate of drugged homeless people being branded in public places. As usual the killer leaves virtually no trace behind and it is quite some time before the detectives have any idea of who they are looking for.
I still have a few issues with the dialogue in these books, but the plot was solid here, with twists and turns along the way, with a very gripping, proper unputdownable final few chapters.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2173 KP) rated Reason to Doubt in Books
Nov 14, 2018
Plenty of Reasons to Read This Book
Radio reporter Carol Childs's daughter, Cate, is home for the summer, and she's brought a boyfriend with her. Pete makes his living as a photographer, and the police begin to suspect him of being the Model Slayer, a serial killer who has been claiming victims in the Los Angeles area for the past several months. Cate insists that Pete is innocent, and Carol doesn't find him a compelling suspect either, but then a phone call at the station sheds new light on the case. Is Pete innocent? Can Carol figure out who the killer really is?
The premise of this entry in the series intrigued me, and it didn't disappoint at all. This case becomes very personal for Carol for a couple of reasons, and that helped drive the plot. We got plenty of twists before reaching a page turning climax. The plot also brings out a different side of Carol, which I enjoyed seeing. The characters are all strong, and I loved seeing how Carol's love life progressed. The series straddles the line between cozy and traditional, and the subject matter here makes this book no exception. Just know that going in, and you'll be fine. Once you start, you'll definitely be hooked and turning pages as quickly as you can.
The premise of this entry in the series intrigued me, and it didn't disappoint at all. This case becomes very personal for Carol for a couple of reasons, and that helped drive the plot. We got plenty of twists before reaching a page turning climax. The plot also brings out a different side of Carol, which I enjoyed seeing. The characters are all strong, and I loved seeing how Carol's love life progressed. The series straddles the line between cozy and traditional, and the subject matter here makes this book no exception. Just know that going in, and you'll be fine. Once you start, you'll definitely be hooked and turning pages as quickly as you can.