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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Recluse in Books
May 11, 2024
92 of 220
Book sirens arc
Recluse
By Gabriel Zavala
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
HE'S WEAVING HIS WEB OF MURDER.
Lukas Retter is a recluse in the correctional city of East Haddam, Connecticut, washing cars and dreaming about taking back control of his life. He has been ever since The Safety First Act redefined criminal justice in America.
Meanwhile, the children of criminals are placed in psychiatric hospitals to be evaluated.
But when Lukas murders Rebecca Waylow, his girlfriend, he leaves her dismembered and strung-up on a web of bloody ropes and wires. And she won't be the last.
As Lukas recalls his sinister past and becomes the new nightmare of his correctional city, he transforms into the serial killer he was destined to become. He'll do whatever it takes to feel control, even if it means stringing a few people up in the process.
This was pretty brutal from start to finish. Not one of these characters have any redeeming qualities. This main character was taken from his home at a young age, accused of killing his father even though he watched his sister do it to then be put into a violent situation by the government.
It’s a tough read but actually really well written especially from such a young author who definitely has a long promising career ahead of him.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Book sirens arc
Recluse
By Gabriel Zavala
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
HE'S WEAVING HIS WEB OF MURDER.
Lukas Retter is a recluse in the correctional city of East Haddam, Connecticut, washing cars and dreaming about taking back control of his life. He has been ever since The Safety First Act redefined criminal justice in America.
Meanwhile, the children of criminals are placed in psychiatric hospitals to be evaluated.
But when Lukas murders Rebecca Waylow, his girlfriend, he leaves her dismembered and strung-up on a web of bloody ropes and wires. And she won't be the last.
As Lukas recalls his sinister past and becomes the new nightmare of his correctional city, he transforms into the serial killer he was destined to become. He'll do whatever it takes to feel control, even if it means stringing a few people up in the process.
This was pretty brutal from start to finish. Not one of these characters have any redeeming qualities. This main character was taken from his home at a young age, accused of killing his father even though he watched his sister do it to then be put into a violent situation by the government.
It’s a tough read but actually really well written especially from such a young author who definitely has a long promising career ahead of him.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Kill or Bee Killed
8.0
Rate It
Book
Perfect for fans of Laura Childs and Amanda Flower, this second Bee Keeping mystery takes Bailey...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2484 KP) rated Chocolate Can Be Deadly in Books
Feb 15, 2025
Death By Chocolate is Real
Emory has reluctantly agreed to cater a post Valentine’s Day bash. The hostess is horrible to Emory since she has a long-standing feud with Emory’s friend Tillie. The theme also puts her off since Dying for Chocolate hits a little too close to home given all the murders Emory has found herself involved in. Just as she is thinking that she might pull off the event, the hostesses new finance is found dead clutching one of Emory’s cupcakes. With the rumors of poison in a cupcake destroying her business, not to mention a cop that wants to arrest her, Emory has to find the killer. Can she do it?
I was so happy to be revisiting these characters. We don’t see much of a couple of the regulars, but the updates with the ones we did get to see were lots of fun. The mystery was engrossing, including good suspects and a climax I couldn’t put down. I did figure out one aspect early, but I didn’t have it all figured out. I enjoy the slightly different setting of Orange County since I’m in Southern California myself, but everything else still feels like a cozy. The book includes ten delicious sounding chocolate themed recipes, many of them gluten free. This book will find you turning pages and craving chocolate. If you want a good culinary cozy series, I highly recommend it.
I was so happy to be revisiting these characters. We don’t see much of a couple of the regulars, but the updates with the ones we did get to see were lots of fun. The mystery was engrossing, including good suspects and a climax I couldn’t put down. I did figure out one aspect early, but I didn’t have it all figured out. I enjoy the slightly different setting of Orange County since I’m in Southern California myself, but everything else still feels like a cozy. The book includes ten delicious sounding chocolate themed recipes, many of them gluten free. This book will find you turning pages and craving chocolate. If you want a good culinary cozy series, I highly recommend it.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murder and the Birth of the FBI in Books
Nov 24, 2017 (Updated Nov 24, 2017)
Mind-blowing and a disconcerting read
I can say without a doubt, this is one of the best novels I've read this year. It is a disturbing and excellent real-life account of the plight of Native Americans who found themselves the unwitting beneficiaries of a financial boom in the 1920's after oil was discovered under the previously barren and worthless reservation they were moved to.
This fantastic book relates to a story covered in blood, racism and greed. Oil, black gold, made the Plains Osage tribe incredibly wealthy. By the 1890's, the remnants of this great people were in the scrub lands of Northern Oklahoma.
Their life was continually harsh, the soil poor. In the late 1890's, by chance, oil was struck in Osage County, flowing in abundance and in great demand. From 1918 to 1928, $202 million was paid to the tribe which by then numbered around 3000, transforming their lives. 680 barrels were obtained in a day in 1920 from a strike at Burbank, angering the whites and thus began the "Reign of Terror" in which hundreds of the Osage tribe members were subsequently killed in the most horrendous display of corruption.
The book itself begins in 1921 with an Osage woman who had a share of the mineral riches to be found under the Osage land. Mollie like others was subject to a law that treated her tribe as juveniles whose estates had to be administered by white guardians, that is local lawyers and businessmen, appointed by local courts.
Guardianship was unpoliced and few records were kept. Fraud was therefore prevalent and many of the local white community participated in corruption - murder was widespread as a result. Mollie's sister, Anna, was the first noticeable murder in which she was shot and killed, launching a major probe into similar killings in the area. Many other murders were committed over the following years, with poisoning as the most common method of killing. Essentially it was a covert form of genocide.
The locals refused to act, partly due to fear or involvement in this heinous plot, so J. Edgar Hoover, who was the first president of the FBI, became involved in the investigation. He sent a tall Texas Ranger called Tom White to scrutinise an epic series of murders in which even investigators were targets.
What follows is not only history but a riveting detective story and the book demonstrates yet again the enormous cost of American nationhood. It provides some fascinating insight into the early workings of the FBI (not least Hoover's nascent megalomania) for whom this was a celebrated case and a valuable reminder for folk who thought the persecution of American Indians ended in the late 19th century. Author and journalist David Grann does a superb job in collating all of the information with dozens of pages solely highlighting attributions and references - it is thorough and well-researched. Therefore it is hardly surprising that Hollywood has snapped up this book to turn it into a major motion picture - let's hope they don't whitewash history once again.
This fantastic book relates to a story covered in blood, racism and greed. Oil, black gold, made the Plains Osage tribe incredibly wealthy. By the 1890's, the remnants of this great people were in the scrub lands of Northern Oklahoma.
Their life was continually harsh, the soil poor. In the late 1890's, by chance, oil was struck in Osage County, flowing in abundance and in great demand. From 1918 to 1928, $202 million was paid to the tribe which by then numbered around 3000, transforming their lives. 680 barrels were obtained in a day in 1920 from a strike at Burbank, angering the whites and thus began the "Reign of Terror" in which hundreds of the Osage tribe members were subsequently killed in the most horrendous display of corruption.
The book itself begins in 1921 with an Osage woman who had a share of the mineral riches to be found under the Osage land. Mollie like others was subject to a law that treated her tribe as juveniles whose estates had to be administered by white guardians, that is local lawyers and businessmen, appointed by local courts.
Guardianship was unpoliced and few records were kept. Fraud was therefore prevalent and many of the local white community participated in corruption - murder was widespread as a result. Mollie's sister, Anna, was the first noticeable murder in which she was shot and killed, launching a major probe into similar killings in the area. Many other murders were committed over the following years, with poisoning as the most common method of killing. Essentially it was a covert form of genocide.
The locals refused to act, partly due to fear or involvement in this heinous plot, so J. Edgar Hoover, who was the first president of the FBI, became involved in the investigation. He sent a tall Texas Ranger called Tom White to scrutinise an epic series of murders in which even investigators were targets.
What follows is not only history but a riveting detective story and the book demonstrates yet again the enormous cost of American nationhood. It provides some fascinating insight into the early workings of the FBI (not least Hoover's nascent megalomania) for whom this was a celebrated case and a valuable reminder for folk who thought the persecution of American Indians ended in the late 19th century. Author and journalist David Grann does a superb job in collating all of the information with dozens of pages solely highlighting attributions and references - it is thorough and well-researched. Therefore it is hardly surprising that Hollywood has snapped up this book to turn it into a major motion picture - let's hope they don't whitewash history once again.
Amy Christmas (171 KP) rated The Perfect Victim in Books
Nov 17, 2017
Twists that you don't expect (3 more)
Great writing
There are multiple story threads
Easy to connect to the characters and care about the events of the story
A small amount of cliché plot devices (1 more)
Can get bland in some areas
Keeps you hanging
I bloody loved this book. I usually hate these kinds of mystery thrillers and only like the very best the genre has to offer, and this definitely impressed.
You read from Sophie Kent's point of view, a journalist on the job, and there has been a murder. It isn't long before people start to point fingers at people one of them being Charlie Swift, Sophies co-worker. As evidence keeps turning to him further bolsters by his disappearance Sophie struggles to accept that Charlie could murder a woman.
Sophie does her job and investigates, stating one step ahead of the police's investigation and uncovers a broken childhood, a religious cult, burning bodies, and several murders.
What makes this book so good in my opinion is that it isn't solely focused on the murder and the characters have their own story arcs, their own problems.
Sophie had a younger brother Tommy who supposedly died of drug use, a fractured relationship with her father and DCI Durand keeps coming to her rescue but out of personal gain or affection is the question. There are struggles within the police force and the more important characters have lives.
I would recommend this book to no end, and that's coming from someone who usually dislikes these kinds of books.
You read from Sophie Kent's point of view, a journalist on the job, and there has been a murder. It isn't long before people start to point fingers at people one of them being Charlie Swift, Sophies co-worker. As evidence keeps turning to him further bolsters by his disappearance Sophie struggles to accept that Charlie could murder a woman.
Sophie does her job and investigates, stating one step ahead of the police's investigation and uncovers a broken childhood, a religious cult, burning bodies, and several murders.
What makes this book so good in my opinion is that it isn't solely focused on the murder and the characters have their own story arcs, their own problems.
Sophie had a younger brother Tommy who supposedly died of drug use, a fractured relationship with her father and DCI Durand keeps coming to her rescue but out of personal gain or affection is the question. There are struggles within the police force and the more important characters have lives.
I would recommend this book to no end, and that's coming from someone who usually dislikes these kinds of books.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Cloudland in Books
Jan 15, 2018
So I'm still not quite sure what to make of this book. The language used in it's writing was very poetic & descriptive. I enjoyed that aspect of it a great deal. My real issue with it was the plot. For being a murder/suspense/crime novel, it sure didn't move very quickly. I wasn't kept on the edge of my seat as I usually expect from novels that fall into this category. The "edge of my seat-ness" didn't happen for me until about the last 40 pages or so. :(
This book tells the story of a former New York Times writer & teacher who loses her adjunct professorship because she becomes romanitcally involved with a student. She is asked to leave the university & eventually settles in upstate Vermont in a rural area called Cloudland. While walking home from a neighboor's house, she comes upon the body of a woman who has been missing for months. From there you a sprung into the middle of an investigation of a group of murders taking place in the area & the manhunt for the killer...
...except you aren't really thrown into the middle of it. The writing is good, but I always felt like a bit of an outsider looking in, instead of being put in the middle of the action. The minor twists & turns that came up in the plot felt forced & insignificant to the work as a whole. Was it a bad book, no not at all. I just wasn't swept away with it by any means.
This book tells the story of a former New York Times writer & teacher who loses her adjunct professorship because she becomes romanitcally involved with a student. She is asked to leave the university & eventually settles in upstate Vermont in a rural area called Cloudland. While walking home from a neighboor's house, she comes upon the body of a woman who has been missing for months. From there you a sprung into the middle of an investigation of a group of murders taking place in the area & the manhunt for the killer...
...except you aren't really thrown into the middle of it. The writing is good, but I always felt like a bit of an outsider looking in, instead of being put in the middle of the action. The minor twists & turns that came up in the plot felt forced & insignificant to the work as a whole. Was it a bad book, no not at all. I just wasn't swept away with it by any means.
Lindsay (1793 KP) rated Open Season for Murder (Mac Faraday Mystery #10) in Books
Sep 8, 2017
Open season for Murder, Get you involved with a cold case from the beginning. You get brought in with a mysterious phone call to Mac. Who is the caller? We get all kinds of killers. We also get deaths at every turn. Why the Diablo ball?
Who wants Carlyle dead or anyone else for that matter. Brian Galestar, comes about and his he as suspects to Lindsey York death? Who wanted Lindsey York dead and Jasmine Simpson? Reva Saint Clair is around as well. Who killed Aston Piedmont?
You go for a ride with Mac and David on an adventure. We sure find out who good at solving mysteries around Spencer Maryland. Lauren Carr plots are good and you are invested throughout the book. There's a story inside the main story. You get captive into the story and you will not want to leave these charters from this series or any of Lauren Carr mysteries.
Lauren Carr is one talented writer. She brings you along to find out who the killer is. One thing I love about her mysteries is that you never know who the murderer is? I have read a few of her books already and reviewed a few of them. You are welcome to read my reviews that are part of this audiobook palooza. My reviews are Cancelled Vows, A Fine Year for Murder, Killer in the Band, The Murders at Astaire Castle, Candidate for Murder, 3 Days to Forever, Kill and Run, Old Love Die Hard, 12 To Murder.
Who wants Carlyle dead or anyone else for that matter. Brian Galestar, comes about and his he as suspects to Lindsey York death? Who wanted Lindsey York dead and Jasmine Simpson? Reva Saint Clair is around as well. Who killed Aston Piedmont?
You go for a ride with Mac and David on an adventure. We sure find out who good at solving mysteries around Spencer Maryland. Lauren Carr plots are good and you are invested throughout the book. There's a story inside the main story. You get captive into the story and you will not want to leave these charters from this series or any of Lauren Carr mysteries.
Lauren Carr is one talented writer. She brings you along to find out who the killer is. One thing I love about her mysteries is that you never know who the murderer is? I have read a few of her books already and reviewed a few of them. You are welcome to read my reviews that are part of this audiobook palooza. My reviews are Cancelled Vows, A Fine Year for Murder, Killer in the Band, The Murders at Astaire Castle, Candidate for Murder, 3 Days to Forever, Kill and Run, Old Love Die Hard, 12 To Murder.
Lindsay (1793 KP) rated Dead on Ice (A Lovers in Crime Mystery #1) in Books
Sep 8, 2017
Dead on Ice is the first book that brings Joshua Thornton and his new girlfriend Cameron Gates together. This being that Cameron Gates is on the scene and investing Thorntons cousin home and finds a bomb in the home. Who planted it? Also who planted Cherry Pickens in the freezer in Joshua Thornton cousin Albert home.
Joshua goes along with Cameron while she investigates Cherry Pickens and then runs to have to solve Angie's murder. They do quite a few things. Donny gets involved a bit as well. What would all of Cherry Pickens friends want her dead? Cameron Gates has to figure out who and why all would want Angie and Cherry dead?
There are twists and turns to the end. Suspects are all over town in Hancock county. Will they find the killer of both Angie and Cherry? You will want to read to find out.
Lauren Carr is one talented writer. She brings you along to find out who the killer is. One thing I love about her mysteries is that you never know who the murderer is? I have read a few of her books already and reviewed a few of them. You are welcome to read my reviews that are part of this audiobook palooza. My reviews are Cancelled Vows, A Fine Year for Murder, Killer in the Band, The Murders at Astaire Castle, Candidate for Murder, 3 Days to Forever, Kill and Run, Old Love Die Hard, 12 To Murder, Open Season for Murder.
Joshua goes along with Cameron while she investigates Cherry Pickens and then runs to have to solve Angie's murder. They do quite a few things. Donny gets involved a bit as well. What would all of Cherry Pickens friends want her dead? Cameron Gates has to figure out who and why all would want Angie and Cherry dead?
There are twists and turns to the end. Suspects are all over town in Hancock county. Will they find the killer of both Angie and Cherry? You will want to read to find out.
Lauren Carr is one talented writer. She brings you along to find out who the killer is. One thing I love about her mysteries is that you never know who the murderer is? I have read a few of her books already and reviewed a few of them. You are welcome to read my reviews that are part of this audiobook palooza. My reviews are Cancelled Vows, A Fine Year for Murder, Killer in the Band, The Murders at Astaire Castle, Candidate for Murder, 3 Days to Forever, Kill and Run, Old Love Die Hard, 12 To Murder, Open Season for Murder.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Triptych (Will Trent, #1) in Books
May 10, 2018
It goes show, you should really read the first book in a series before heading to the next. I was trying to prepare myself for a Q&A session with the author and so I grabbed the first book that was available to me and that was her third Will Trent novel, Undone. I really enjoyed that book as well. And while I enjoyed Triptych as well, it seemed to move a bit slower for me. There was a lot of character development, which of course I expected and was looking for in the other book. Now, I've got it.
Will Trent is an orphan and a bit illiterate. He is a detective with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and he has just been assigned a new case. When a hooker is found dead, raped, and with her tongue cut out, questions start to arise. There have been other cases like this one, but the girls were much younger, so why the change in M.O.? Will is working with Dekalp County police officer Michael Ormewood on the case. And when Ormewood's neighbor becomes one of the victims, the story takes and unusual turn.
Angie Pulaski and Will Trent go way back. Angie is also a police officer, but she is undercover as a hooker. Helping Will with this case, she meets someone who has an interesting connection. John Shelly, recently released from prison, his rap sheet looks a lot like these recent murders.
Will John Shelly be heading back to jail?
Will Trent is an orphan and a bit illiterate. He is a detective with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and he has just been assigned a new case. When a hooker is found dead, raped, and with her tongue cut out, questions start to arise. There have been other cases like this one, but the girls were much younger, so why the change in M.O.? Will is working with Dekalp County police officer Michael Ormewood on the case. And when Ormewood's neighbor becomes one of the victims, the story takes and unusual turn.
Angie Pulaski and Will Trent go way back. Angie is also a police officer, but she is undercover as a hooker. Helping Will with this case, she meets someone who has an interesting connection. John Shelly, recently released from prison, his rap sheet looks a lot like these recent murders.
Will John Shelly be heading back to jail?
Nikki Massey (8 KP) rated The Bletchley Circle - Season 1 in TV
Feb 8, 2019 (Updated Feb 8, 2019)
This short series, set post world war II, follows the lives of four women who previously held very important yet highly classified and secret roles during the war.
Susan, the main protagonist, has the Daily Times each day to compete the crossword (a small way to keep get highly intelligent mind engaged) and realises there might be a link and pattern emerging during a couple recent murders of women. She notifies the police but they can't see the pattern themselves so she reconnects with some of her former colleagues from Bletchley to discover what has happened and they try and predict and prevent the next murder from happening.
They end up putting themselves in very dangerous positions and Susan's husband starts to get suspicious that his wife may be dabbling in an extramarital affair due to her recent absences and secrecy.
The characters are all very likable in their own ways and each brings different strengths to the table.
It's refreshing to see a group of women building each other up rather than belittling each other with cattiness. It's also refreshing to see such strong and intelligent women portrayed in this series.
I felt myself going along with this group of ladies, as a fellow investigator, figuring out the connection between the cases and predicting whodunit.
It kept me on the edge of my seat and I really felt the fear and energy the ladies went through as the uncovered the reality.
My only gripe is that the series wasn't long enough!
Susan, the main protagonist, has the Daily Times each day to compete the crossword (a small way to keep get highly intelligent mind engaged) and realises there might be a link and pattern emerging during a couple recent murders of women. She notifies the police but they can't see the pattern themselves so she reconnects with some of her former colleagues from Bletchley to discover what has happened and they try and predict and prevent the next murder from happening.
They end up putting themselves in very dangerous positions and Susan's husband starts to get suspicious that his wife may be dabbling in an extramarital affair due to her recent absences and secrecy.
The characters are all very likable in their own ways and each brings different strengths to the table.
It's refreshing to see a group of women building each other up rather than belittling each other with cattiness. It's also refreshing to see such strong and intelligent women portrayed in this series.
I felt myself going along with this group of ladies, as a fellow investigator, figuring out the connection between the cases and predicting whodunit.
It kept me on the edge of my seat and I really felt the fear and energy the ladies went through as the uncovered the reality.
My only gripe is that the series wasn't long enough!