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I have enjoyed Mr Nicholl's books before and this was no exception.
Daisy is writing a letter to her unborn child whilst she sits in a jail cell awaiting her trial for murder. The book is written as a series of letters and provides Daisy's account of how she got to where she is but is she a reliable narrator?
I became very quickly engrossed in Daisy's story; it's full of tension and suspense with me desperately wanting to find out just what the heck happened. There are twists that had my mouth agape with the ending of the book causing me to gasp out loud. Written at a good pace, The Bride is a great psychological thriller that I would have no hesitation in recommending to readers of this genre.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Bride.
Daisy is writing a letter to her unborn child whilst she sits in a jail cell awaiting her trial for murder. The book is written as a series of letters and provides Daisy's account of how she got to where she is but is she a reliable narrator?
I became very quickly engrossed in Daisy's story; it's full of tension and suspense with me desperately wanting to find out just what the heck happened. There are twists that had my mouth agape with the ending of the book causing me to gasp out loud. Written at a good pace, The Bride is a great psychological thriller that I would have no hesitation in recommending to readers of this genre.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Bride.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2482 KP) rated Black List, White Death in Books
Mar 6, 2024
Two More Novellas with the Reds
The book features two novellas featuring cowboy detectives Old Red and Big Red. Up first, the two travel to the Arizona territory to try to find a list of names related to a murder that happened years before. Then, they go undercover at a tuberculosis sanitarium in Colorado where patients have died of unnatural causes. In between, we get a short story involving Big Red’s first solo case in which a package pickup goes wrong.
When you combine the three stories, you get a full-length book. And all three stories are filled with fun. I laughed multiple times while reading. But they are solid mysteries, and I’m always amazed at how Old Red pieces things together. As always, the brothers’ interactions are fun, and I really do enjoy spending time with them as they navigate cases in the 1890’s.
When you combine the three stories, you get a full-length book. And all three stories are filled with fun. I laughed multiple times while reading. But they are solid mysteries, and I’m always amazed at how Old Red pieces things together. As always, the brothers’ interactions are fun, and I really do enjoy spending time with them as they navigate cases in the 1890’s.
The Last Thing Claire Wanted
8.0
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An ex-FBI agent. A dying matriarch. A family secret that keeps killing. Northern California. Anne...
Sleep in Heavenly Pizza
10.0
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Sleep in Heavenly Pizza is the fourth book in Mindy Quigley's delectable Deep Dish Mystery series,...
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Something Wicked This Way Comes in Books
Jan 4, 2021
Meh book
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Linda Gaine is a mildly creepy story perfect for a fall night. It gave me that uncomfortable feeling that is not quite fear from time to time making me want to insure that doors were locked and the lights were on.
Nothing interesting ever happens in small towns. Especially in those so small that most of the residents know each other. In a town that small the murder of a young woman is big news. When this single murder turns into a string of murders that appear to be the work of a serial killer the entire town is put on edge. Everyone, specifically women are encouraged to travel with others and avoid being out at night. Unfortunately not everyone listens.
Amanda is a young woman who has grown up in this small town. She meets her husband at a local bar and they buy a large house in the mountains on the outskirts of town. Too bad a house in the mountains is not an ideal place for a young woman and her child to be living alone. Yet that is exactly what would have happened when Amanda’s husband ends up in the hospital if it wasn’t for Amanda’s best friend. The house my be isolated but that is little comfort to Amanda when the serial killer seams to be showing a special interest in her.
I enjoyed the setting of the book. From the quiet town to the large house up on the mountain. Everything is just so peaceful and lovingly thought out in the town. I was actually able to feel just how unsettling the house on the mountain was for everyone as well. It would have been nice to see dinkus (the there asterisks used to divide chapters into sections) being used. The main negative thing I noticed about this book was it jumping form one person to another without warning. The story became very confusing because of the lack of breaks. Large time jumps also became an issue.
I would not recommend this book for those hoping for horror. Instead this book is better suited for those who enjoy murder mysteries and dramas. Young adults and adults alike should enjoy this book although both should be aware of extremely mild adult content. I rate this book 2 out of 4. Sadly this book did not live up to the promise it seemed to give out. While the book started out moderately creepy it was not able to maintain that feeling. Other than that the book itself was good and had an interesting plot line. The book seems to play more on the human fear of being alone and of close personal tragedies more than anything else.
Nothing interesting ever happens in small towns. Especially in those so small that most of the residents know each other. In a town that small the murder of a young woman is big news. When this single murder turns into a string of murders that appear to be the work of a serial killer the entire town is put on edge. Everyone, specifically women are encouraged to travel with others and avoid being out at night. Unfortunately not everyone listens.
Amanda is a young woman who has grown up in this small town. She meets her husband at a local bar and they buy a large house in the mountains on the outskirts of town. Too bad a house in the mountains is not an ideal place for a young woman and her child to be living alone. Yet that is exactly what would have happened when Amanda’s husband ends up in the hospital if it wasn’t for Amanda’s best friend. The house my be isolated but that is little comfort to Amanda when the serial killer seams to be showing a special interest in her.
I enjoyed the setting of the book. From the quiet town to the large house up on the mountain. Everything is just so peaceful and lovingly thought out in the town. I was actually able to feel just how unsettling the house on the mountain was for everyone as well. It would have been nice to see dinkus (the there asterisks used to divide chapters into sections) being used. The main negative thing I noticed about this book was it jumping form one person to another without warning. The story became very confusing because of the lack of breaks. Large time jumps also became an issue.
I would not recommend this book for those hoping for horror. Instead this book is better suited for those who enjoy murder mysteries and dramas. Young adults and adults alike should enjoy this book although both should be aware of extremely mild adult content. I rate this book 2 out of 4. Sadly this book did not live up to the promise it seemed to give out. While the book started out moderately creepy it was not able to maintain that feeling. Other than that the book itself was good and had an interesting plot line. The book seems to play more on the human fear of being alone and of close personal tragedies more than anything else.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Woman in the Window (2021) in Movies
May 24, 2021
It is NOT Rear Window
A piece of advice for you when you start to watch the “Alfred Hitchcock-esque” thriller, THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW. If you are at all a Hitchcock fan, you will be spending the first part of this film comparing it to the 1954 classic REAR WINDOW and this would be a disservice to this film.
For…THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is no Rear Window, nor is it intended to be. It has many, many elements that are the same as Rear Window (most notably, the setup: a housebound person thinks they have witnessed a murder in a neighboring apartment), and THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is just like Rear Window…until it isn’t.
And that’s when I started to like this film, when I stopped comparing it (in my head) to Rear Window.
Based on the Best Seller by A.J. Finn (adapted for the screen by Tracy Letts who also appears in the film), THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW tells the tale of Anna Fox, an agoraphobic who watches life go on outside her window. When she thinks she has witnessed a murder, she (and the audience) must decide is it real? Did she truly witness a murder? If so, who dunnit? If not, is she just hallucinating things? Is Anna crazy?
The answers to these questions were satisfying enough to me that I ended up enjoying the film experience that I had - but I have to be honest and tell you that, for awhile, my enjoyment of this film was hanging by a thread.
Amy Adams (ENCHANTED) is terrific - if unspectacular - in the title role. Her Anna Fox is murkey (that is meant as a compliment) and struggles through most of the film trying to determine what is real and what is an illusion. Adams does a “journeyman’s” job with this role. She acts her way through it in such a workmanlike fashion that I almost forgot that it is Adams on the screen.
Wyatt Russell (Kurt’s son who is also the new Captain America in THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER) fares the best of the Supporting players for he has the most to do. Unfortunately, Director Joe Wright (ATONEMENT) and Screenwriter Letts wastes such strong actors as Gary Oldman (DARKEST HOUR), Julianne Moore (STILL ALICE), Anthony Mackie (The Falcon in the Marvel Movies), Jennifer Jason Leigh (HATEFUL 8), Brian Tyree Henry (GET OUT) and Letts himself in terribly underwritten roles that serve (mostly) as red herrings - and each of their characters are interchangeable and forgettable.
And that, ultimately, is where this film comes apart. While I cared about Anna and the solution to the mystery - I didn’t care very much about the other characters involved.
Which is why, I think, I’ll pull my DVD of Rear Window out and watch that film for the umpteenth time.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
For…THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is no Rear Window, nor is it intended to be. It has many, many elements that are the same as Rear Window (most notably, the setup: a housebound person thinks they have witnessed a murder in a neighboring apartment), and THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is just like Rear Window…until it isn’t.
And that’s when I started to like this film, when I stopped comparing it (in my head) to Rear Window.
Based on the Best Seller by A.J. Finn (adapted for the screen by Tracy Letts who also appears in the film), THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW tells the tale of Anna Fox, an agoraphobic who watches life go on outside her window. When she thinks she has witnessed a murder, she (and the audience) must decide is it real? Did she truly witness a murder? If so, who dunnit? If not, is she just hallucinating things? Is Anna crazy?
The answers to these questions were satisfying enough to me that I ended up enjoying the film experience that I had - but I have to be honest and tell you that, for awhile, my enjoyment of this film was hanging by a thread.
Amy Adams (ENCHANTED) is terrific - if unspectacular - in the title role. Her Anna Fox is murkey (that is meant as a compliment) and struggles through most of the film trying to determine what is real and what is an illusion. Adams does a “journeyman’s” job with this role. She acts her way through it in such a workmanlike fashion that I almost forgot that it is Adams on the screen.
Wyatt Russell (Kurt’s son who is also the new Captain America in THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER) fares the best of the Supporting players for he has the most to do. Unfortunately, Director Joe Wright (ATONEMENT) and Screenwriter Letts wastes such strong actors as Gary Oldman (DARKEST HOUR), Julianne Moore (STILL ALICE), Anthony Mackie (The Falcon in the Marvel Movies), Jennifer Jason Leigh (HATEFUL 8), Brian Tyree Henry (GET OUT) and Letts himself in terribly underwritten roles that serve (mostly) as red herrings - and each of their characters are interchangeable and forgettable.
And that, ultimately, is where this film comes apart. While I cared about Anna and the solution to the mystery - I didn’t care very much about the other characters involved.
Which is why, I think, I’ll pull my DVD of Rear Window out and watch that film for the umpteenth time.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Midge (525 KP) rated Death Comes to Call (A Tara Thorpe Mystery Book 3) in Books
Mar 2, 2019
A Fantastic Mystery/Thriller!
I'm a great fan of mysteries and thrillers so, when I saw “Death Comes To Call” featuring DC Tara Thorpe being launched, I knew I had to read it. This is actually the third book in the Tara Thorpe Mystery Series. Although I haven’t come across the other two novels in the series - “Murder on the Marshes” (Book 0ne) and “Death on the River” (Book Two) - I thought “Death Comes To Call” worked fine as a stand alone as there was enough back-story provided to understand some of the dynamics between the different characters. Reading this novel, however, and Clare Chase’s excellent writing, have inspired me to go and get myself copies of the first two books!
In the opening chapter, we are introduced to DC Tara Thorpe who is Cambridge Police’s youngest detective and isn't afraid to step on toes to get results.
When a promising local artist disappears, the victim’s brother begs Tara to take the case. It seems there’s no evidence of foul play… he simply disappeared without a trace.
Tara agrees to investigate however her unconventional approach to policing has upset some of her colleagues, including her former boss DC Patrick Wilkins, currently suspended, but who is prepared to do anything to bring her down. Luckily, she’s on good terms with DI Garstin Blake…
I loved that in “Death Comes To Call,” the sub-plots that explore the detectives’ personal lives run parallel with the murder investigation. Clare Chase writes with flair and an easy style. I thought the characterisation was very well done and I liked the gripping plot, as well as the wonderful depictions of the setting.
All in all, this was a story that held my attention well and I loved that things came together for a great finish and wrapped everything up very neatly.
[My thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for providing me with a free advanced copy of this novel.]
In the opening chapter, we are introduced to DC Tara Thorpe who is Cambridge Police’s youngest detective and isn't afraid to step on toes to get results.
When a promising local artist disappears, the victim’s brother begs Tara to take the case. It seems there’s no evidence of foul play… he simply disappeared without a trace.
Tara agrees to investigate however her unconventional approach to policing has upset some of her colleagues, including her former boss DC Patrick Wilkins, currently suspended, but who is prepared to do anything to bring her down. Luckily, she’s on good terms with DI Garstin Blake…
I loved that in “Death Comes To Call,” the sub-plots that explore the detectives’ personal lives run parallel with the murder investigation. Clare Chase writes with flair and an easy style. I thought the characterisation was very well done and I liked the gripping plot, as well as the wonderful depictions of the setting.
All in all, this was a story that held my attention well and I loved that things came together for a great finish and wrapped everything up very neatly.
[My thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for providing me with a free advanced copy of this novel.]
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Jar of Hearts in Books
Apr 3, 2019
Georgina Shaw has everything going for her in her life in Seattle. She's in a top position at work and she is engaged to one of the wealthiest men in the city. So why is she being arrested for the murder of her best friend, Angela Wong, 14 years earlier? Geo(as she likes to be called) didn't murder her friend, but she was there when it all happened and kept this secret for this long. There are so many secrets from that night, that need to come to the surface, but one Geo will keep hidden for as long as she can.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Geo is sentenced to 5 years in prison for her actions on the night her friend was killed. After she is released, more murders similar to what happened with her friend that night begin to happen. Geo's friend who was also friends with Angela, Kaiser Brody is now a police officer and is working on this case. But is it too much for him considering his feelings for Geo in the past. He believes, Calvin is responsible for these murders since he's escaped from prison, but there is something different about these that has everyone stumped.
I was on the edge of my seat while reading this book. It's impossible to read this story and not become fully engrossed. Geo is really the kind of girl that you would probably be friends with. She is pretty down to earth and knows how to get what she wants. My heart went out to her during the whole book, I wanted to jump in and try to save her. But the ending will have you thinking to yourself, "What the hell just happened?" I recommend this to anyone who likes a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Geo is sentenced to 5 years in prison for her actions on the night her friend was killed. After she is released, more murders similar to what happened with her friend that night begin to happen. Geo's friend who was also friends with Angela, Kaiser Brody is now a police officer and is working on this case. But is it too much for him considering his feelings for Geo in the past. He believes, Calvin is responsible for these murders since he's escaped from prison, but there is something different about these that has everyone stumped.
I was on the edge of my seat while reading this book. It's impossible to read this story and not become fully engrossed. Geo is really the kind of girl that you would probably be friends with. She is pretty down to earth and knows how to get what she wants. My heart went out to her during the whole book, I wanted to jump in and try to save her. But the ending will have you thinking to yourself, "What the hell just happened?" I recommend this to anyone who likes a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Because murderers are never who you expect
She was the quiet one but is she guilty?
For twin sisters Rose and Bel, enrolling at the prestigious new boarding school should have been a fresh start. But with its sinister rituals and traditions, Odell soon brings out a deadly rivalry between the sisters.
For Sarah and husband Heath, the chance to teach at Odell seems like the best thing that ever happened to their small family a chance to rise through the ranks and put the past behind them.
Until one dark night ends in murder.
But whos guilty and whos telling the truth? And whos been in on it all along..?
The author does a great job with the characters in this book as whilst they are fairly stereotypical I felt they were well developed and I enjoyed learning more about them. The twins are very different to one another and it was interesting to see their different friends and experiences at school. Ive seen a couple of reviewers describe one group as similar to those in the film mean girls which I would say was accurate.
The mystery of who has died was very well done and I liked the suspense and gradual revealing of this. The reader is aware that one twin has been held for this murder at the beginning of the book but not which one. This is gradually revealed through a series of flashbacks and police interviews which made for quite gripping reading.
The ending was great it was as I'd expected but there was a sneaky little surprise that I hadn't been expecting and so that gave the ending to the book that little something bit extra.
I highly recommend this book and if you haven't already done so, be sure to check out the author's debut book of It's Always the Husband.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
She was the quiet one but is she guilty?
For twin sisters Rose and Bel, enrolling at the prestigious new boarding school should have been a fresh start. But with its sinister rituals and traditions, Odell soon brings out a deadly rivalry between the sisters.
For Sarah and husband Heath, the chance to teach at Odell seems like the best thing that ever happened to their small family a chance to rise through the ranks and put the past behind them.
Until one dark night ends in murder.
But whos guilty and whos telling the truth? And whos been in on it all along..?
The author does a great job with the characters in this book as whilst they are fairly stereotypical I felt they were well developed and I enjoyed learning more about them. The twins are very different to one another and it was interesting to see their different friends and experiences at school. Ive seen a couple of reviewers describe one group as similar to those in the film mean girls which I would say was accurate.
The mystery of who has died was very well done and I liked the suspense and gradual revealing of this. The reader is aware that one twin has been held for this murder at the beginning of the book but not which one. This is gradually revealed through a series of flashbacks and police interviews which made for quite gripping reading.
The ending was great it was as I'd expected but there was a sneaky little surprise that I hadn't been expecting and so that gave the ending to the book that little something bit extra.
I highly recommend this book and if you haven't already done so, be sure to check out the author's debut book of It's Always the Husband.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.