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Look For Me
Look For Me
Lisa Gardner | 2018 | Crime
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
DD Warren is trying to find out who has killed the Baez family. Mother, Justine; her boyfriend, Charlie; her youngest daughter, Lola; and her only son, Manny. But there is another child, Roxanna, as well as two dogs, Rosie and Blaze. Where are they? Did Roxanna do this to her family? If so, why? But Roxy was the protector of the family. Her mom is a recovering alcoholic and when she was drinking Roxy made sure her siblings ate and made it to school. When the state took the kids away from Justine for a year, this role for Roxy became more prominent. After that year, the girls were never the same. Did something happen during their year in foster care that could have warranted this kind of violence? Will DD be able to find the person or people responsible for this before more people are killed? Will her new CI, Flora Dane prove to be helpful or detrimental to this case?

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

When I made the request from NetGalley for this book, I was intrigued by the description and didn't know that this was the 9th book in the series. I don't think that I needed to read the entire series to get into this book, but I'm sure the background on some of the characters would have been helpful. So, I'm definitely going to go back now and read the rest of the series.

Can you imagine coming home and finding your whole family dead? Your younger sister clutching your brother in order to protect him from a crazy killer? How do you come back from that? Over the course of a few days Detective DD Warren is trying to find out who could do such a thing to this family. With the help of confidential informant, Flora Dane, will they be able to find the killer as well as find Roxana before it's too late. Who would want to hurt these people? What did they do? So many questions and the answers can't come fast enough, until they all do come crashing into one another in one fell swoop.

I can't wait to read more books in this series.
  
Heartlands (Detective Jessie Blake #1)
Heartlands (Detective Jessie Blake #1)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Call it mother’s intuition, but I knew she was dead the moment she was late home. As I listened to her phone ring and ring, that’s when I knew for sure. My little girl was gone.
Fifteen-year-old Shannon Ross is missing and her parents are distraught. With her long blonde hair, easy laugh and perfect grades, she’s the girl everyone at school wants to be.
Detective Jessie Blake is called to Inverlochty, the missing girl’s home town in the Scottish Highlands, and finds Shannon was keeping a diary full of friends’ and neighbors’ secrets. She knows the kind, outgoing boy who’s sleeping with his teacher and the quiet woman who’s been having an affair with her best friend’s husband.
Just as Jessie and her team are beginning to understand Shannon’s complicated world, her lifeless body is found on an ice-cold river bank on the outskirts of town. And when Jessie tells Shannon’s family the heart-breaking news, she senses something isn’t right. The loving family is beginning to show cracks. Did Shannon know about her father’s alcohol problems and violent past? Why does Shannon’s mother keep finding excuses to leave the room, when Jessie wants to ask her questions?
As Jessie begins to piece together the final days of Shannon’s life, her own history comes back to haunt her. Putting aside her personal demons, Jessie vows to do whatever it takes to catch Shannon’s killer. But what if the killer is ready to strike first?

 Totally captivating and addictive read. I loved this book! There are two storylines. One routed in the past about a brutally raped and murdered school girl and her young killers as they face trial and juvenile detention. One in the present, a missing school girl, Shannon, baring all the similarities of the case from the past - or so it seems.
There are a lot of characters introduced and it ca be a bit overwhelming but persevere as the novel is one worth reading.
The plot is very well written in my opinion and it does flow well. The main characters are well written and enjoy them.
Very compelling and suspenseful read.
I look forward to more in the series as it develops and hope to get more backstory on the detective.
Highly recommend!

My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC.
  
TP
The Perfect Girl
Gilly MacMillan | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Zoe Maisey is a genius: a piano prodigy with an amazingly high IQ. She is also a killer. When she was fourteen, Zoe was responsible for the death of three fellow teens. Now, she and her mother have started over (their "Second Chance Life") and Zoe is playing her first concert in her new life, along with her stepbrother, Lucas. But her performance is disrupted and Zoe flees the concert hall. And, by the end of the night, Zoe's mother is dead. Zoe is alone, forced to confront a new world without her protector. Plus, who is responsible for her mother's death?

This book grabbed me immediately; it sucks you in from the start and doesn't let you go until it finishes, when you're exhilarated and exhausted. It's a fascinating, easy-to-read thriller with short chapters that tell us about the events surrounding the timeframe after Zoe's concert, but also going back into the past via flashbacks from the characters. We hear from Zoe, her aunt, Tessa, Tessa's husband, Richard, and Sam, Zoe's lawyer from her "previous" life. Their narratives weave flawlessly into a tense and sometimes psychologically creepy tale that has you sitting spellbound, turning pages frantically, wanting to know what happens.

In theory, the action happens over a very short period of time, as Maria's killer is unveiled, but the ability to go into the past with the characters extends the time and makes you tensely await each action. Macmillan's characters are nuanced and deep--each with their own quirks, flaws, and motivations. Beyond the actual plotline of murder, there is a deep thread of discord and familial drama and angst running among our characters, who are certainly a flawed bunch. The book makes you question and ponder many things, including the topics of forgiveness, loyalty, marriage, and what really makes a family. I won't forget either the exciting story or the characters themselves for some time.

Overall, while there were certainly a few things to quibble with with this one, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a tense but enjoyable thriller to escape into and certainly well worth the thread.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Librarything (thank you)!

<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>;
  
He&#039;s Out There (2018)
He's Out There (2018)
2018 | Horror, Thriller
The mask... Wicked (1 more)
One helluva great build up
Felt unoriginal... Had lots of staple Home Invasion ingredients. (0 more)
Slow burn that heats up well
Contains spoilers, click to show
Woman takes kids to weekend home in the woods. Husband to meet up with them later that night. What could possibly go wrong?
Well... Lemme tell you.... Your whole fuckin day just got ruined by some psycho in a mask who starts of small... Banging on windows... Moving things around the yard... Typical teenage prank type stuff...
As the fear builds, his sadistic nature come to the surface... He intercepts the husband on his way through the darkened goat path of a road and proceeds to carve out his eyeballs and leave his corpse on the front step... Like some cat leaving his master a dead rat or bird... Seeking approval
There's a scene near the end of the film that I found kind of brilliant.
The killer hangs three life sized dolls, representing the mother and her children, for the three to find when they try to run... Stopping them in their tracks... Then... As if they were kids playing a game, he begins pelting them with paintballs to drive them back into the house... Giving himself total control over the situation. The killer has made it impossible for the victims to leave... Thinking the car is a good idea... Mommy hides her children in the closet... Telling them how brave they are and giving them a watch to time 20 seconds before they make a break for it to meet their mother at the car... Mom takes the keys from her dead husbands pocket and start a the car. She then grabs the kids from the closet and is immediately trapped in a room by Mr. Madman.
 A neighbor comes over and sees the carnage that is the yard, smashed up SUV, deadman on the steps and tries to help... His fate is sealed by an axe to the head...
The killers total control of everything is what makes me like this movie... Reminds me of The Collector in so many ways... Total control...
Its worth a watch or two... When the climax of the film finally comes a long... Its kind of a let down... But the build up was nice and impressive... If you're looking to get blue balled by a movie... Its a great pick :)
  
Doom Asylum (1987)
Doom Asylum (1987)
1987 | Comedy, Horror
3
4.7 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
How insane it is (0 more)
Everything else... especially the dialogue. (0 more)
It's SO BAD... that it's actually quite good.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I honestly don't even know where to start with Doom Asylum. The dialogue is absolutely terrible and will leave you scratching your head (for example, a girl says to her Boyfriend "can I call you Mom?"... what?!), the acting is cringeworthy...I mean, it has to be bad if Kristin Davis (Sex in the City) is the best actor on the set and the Killer is confusing, to say the least.
Lemme tell you about the Plot... A couple get involved in a Car Accident and the woman in the accident subsequently dies, the man in the accident wakes up in the Morgue and, disfigured and in a rage of the untimely loss of his Partner, kills the 2 Morgue Assistants, who seem shockingly cavalier about their gruesome fate. However, it appears this Morgue is in an Asylum... not a Hospital. Why would you take a person injured in a Car crash to an Asylum? Why did they not check his pulse? I still have so many questions. Anyway, the Asylum is shut down, and 10 years later 2 groups of Teens decide to hang out and party there. One group being an all girl Punk band, the other being a small group of Friends... one of whom happens to be the daughter of the Woman who died in the Car accident 10 years before. The Killer sees that she looks just like the late love of his life, and he'll chop through anyone, and everyone, to get to her.
Honestly, this Movie is an acquired taste. Only for the die hard old school Horror fans, and they might even scoff at the idea of this 79 minute atrocity. I definitely left this Movie with an expression of dismay on my face... but something did keep me watching it until the end. I don't honestly know what, all I can say is that it was such a trainwreck that I couldn't look away, but this Movie is so bad that it's actually a little bit good. I will just never watch it again for a few years (hopefully) and will never admit to liking it in public. Only for the Horror fans who like a bit (okay, a lot) of cringe with their Gore.
  
Conversations With A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes
Conversations With A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes
2019 | Crime, Documentary
The third of these was the most powerful for me. It was Confessions of a killer: the Ted Bundy tapes. I mean… I had no idea. His name was in my imagination somewhere as a candidate for pure evil, but I had no notion of the level of media hype and drama behind and before this. Which is why I recommend this absolutely comprehensive 4 part series as the best in this dubious category I have yet to see.

With the benefit of at least some hindsight, we can see in this case the epitome of such terms as “serial killer” and “sociopath”. Looking at it in pure terms of an idea worthy of dramatic exploration, then this is it! And, interestingly, to this date, besides the Zac Efron misfire, it is a story beyond worthy of correct telling, the basis of which should be the real footage. Because nothing is more bizarre than the real man and what he not only attempted to do, but actually did.

Take the basic idea that one individual is capable of murdering 30 plus women and girls over a period of two decades… then accept that he systematically went back to the corpses and committed acts of necropholia and decapitation without ever skipping a beat in what he perceived as his true persona as a competent lawyer in his own right, and you have the stuff of true nightmare. Add to that the fact that he escaped custody twice, and defended himself in court to such a charming extent that the judge himself admitted an affinity with him, and you have the recipe for something that transcends fact and becomes myth. Don’t believe me? Watch for yourself.

Do I agree with these cases being shown as entertainment? No, I don’t. Essentially. Because they are rarely told from the victim’s point of view. We have a fascination with an unsolved mystery and grim death that is undeniably curious. The cult of personality pervades, and we should be wary of why we get involved with this stuff. As addictive TV it is undeniably going to continue. Please be careful of the line between understanding and entertainment. God forbid I would give these shows a rating, as if it were a thing worthy of encouragement. It is the most undeniable yet horrific side effect of our media growth imaginable. Watch at your peril. But watch discerningly with interest.
  
The Prime Suspect (Sam MacKade PI #1)
The Prime Suspect (Sam MacKade PI #1)
Lauren Carr | 2023 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
We are presented to primary victims of murder in the prologue, but we do not know their reason as to why they were killed. Then we are introduced to two police officers, and they seem to be focused on one person, and her name is Bryce Greyson.

Why does everyone think she killed not only her husband but also a roommate? People seem to be telling lies or making things to protect themselves. We are also introduced to Sam MacKade and his team.

Bryce wants to clear her name. So she finds out that a young man is with his daughter for soccer tryouts and seems to ask him if he is willing to help her clear her name. There are more secrets than there are clues. Will this PI be able to find the killers and solve the mystery of the murders?

As it seems that Sam is trying to help Bryce with clearing her name, Things seem to get more messy as they continue to investigate her husband's murder. The law enforcement two, in particular, seem to keep thinking that their prime suspect is the one behind all the murders. They seem convinced that Bryce is one and are still trying to fame her and catch her in the act.

Sam and Bryce try to find clues and investigate other witnesses to not only her husband's murder but also Cat's murder. They seem to be hitting close to home as they pick up pieces and find more murders. They find out what happened to Cat when she went missing and murdered.

They seem to have found a new crime going on or connected to the Dermot murder when he was gunned down. Who is the killer, and who wants Bryce killed? Could all the murders be combined into each other, or is there more to it?

Suppose you are a murder mystery fan looking for a good one to bite into. Lauren Carr's books will make you want more once you get reading. This book is no different. Though this one is one exciting book, and I am hooked already. This book is worth picking up and reading to find out who the killer or murderer could be. The plot is thick and has you guessing and wanting to solve the cold case or the murders that went cold.
  
Retribution (C.J. Townsend #1)
Retribution (C.J. Townsend #1)
Jilliane Hoffman | 2004 | Fiction & Poetry, Law
3
3.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The pros: This is a quick read that has some interesting legal theory and fairly smooth writing. Little of what's written would likely fly in the real world, but it's still interesting.

Cons: The plot is a mess of serial killer, legal eagle, Cuban, and rape case cliches. The rapist is a mysogonistic caricature who has so little control over himself that any personal setback should have landed him in jail years ago. ASA Townsend is strong and well-respected to the point of Mary Sue status, yet falling apart inside and seems to be discovering that having sex with the right man can help heal her trauma. (Blech.) No rape or murder is ever 'run of the mill', but these are Hannibal Lecter-esque in their brutality. There are multiple Hispanic/Latin characters and they are cocky, rude, gross, and have hilariously terrible fashion sense: none are likable. And there is a 'twist ending' out of nowhere just when you think the case is wrapped up.

In conclusion: If you're stuck without anything else to read, this isn't horrific. But I personally wouldn't recommend searching it out.
  
Eighteen Below (Fabian Risk, #3)
Eighteen Below (Fabian Risk, #3)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
ON A HOT SUMMER'S DAY.
A car speeds through the streets of Helsingborg. When it reaches the harbour, the driver keeps going, straight into the cold, dark sea.
A BODY IN THE WATER.
But it is not a suicide. The autopsy reveals that this man has been dead for some time. He was murdered two months ago, and his body has been deep frozen.
TURNS EVERTHING COLDER.
As more bodies are discovered, Fabian Risk must hunt a killer with a mission: to preserve his victims, and create the perfect death...

This is a very good action thriller that involves a puzzling story-line and creepy villains.
While it seems that there are 2 completely different, unlinked cases going on in this book, you get the impression that is not the case at all; but how they're linked is what keeps you guessing.
Very action-packed indeed and the more so the further you read. I greatly enjoyed it.
The writing and plot are superb.
If you love Jo Nesbo- this is for you.
Recommend reading!!

Thanks to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for this ARC.