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The Killer’s Wife
Book
A serial killer, a woman on the run, and an obsessive parole officer tangle in a psychological net...
Psychological Thriller Suspense
The Beauty Doctor
Book
"Beauty is power," Dr. Rome told her. "And with enough power, one can achieve anything." ...
Historical Mystery Suspense Edwardian
Reeds Point
8.0
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Book
Reed’s Point starts with Mark Reed sitting on the bench made by his ancestors. He looks over the...
Young Adult Romance Fiction
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
Back in the 80’s, razor-fingered Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) became an iconic figure of horror and mainstream pop culture with the film “A Nightmare on Elm Street”. Thanks to great special effects, macabre humor, and the charismatic Freddy, audience flocked to theaters and launched a highly successful series that spanned several films. Eventually the series ran its course, but the title character remained a mainstay of horror fans everywhere. Last seen in “Freddy Vs. Jason”, the terror of teenagers’ dreams has returned in a new take on the film from the Platinum Dunes production team, the same team behind the successful relaunch of the “Friday the 13th Series”.
The new film stars Jackie Earl Haley as the title character, and once again he is dispatching the teens of Elm Street in all manner of bizzare and grisly fashions in their dreams. Soon the town is full of dead teens and their insomniac peers anxious for an answer to the madman. Their parents are no help as they are quick to downplay any questions about Freddy and quickly disregard any concerns raised by their kids, even when the body count continues to rise. As their numbers dwindle, a group of friends starts to uncover the reason behind the unresloved deaths and band together to solve the mystery of Freddy Krueger and survive.
Freddy is only able to menace the teens in their sleep, so they take all manner of precautions in an attempt to stay awake and plot a defense, but sleep is something one can only postpone, never fully avoid, which means Freddy is always lurking, just waiting for his chance to strike.
What follows is a fairly by-the-numbers horror film that is sadly is lacking much suspense and horror. I was a big fan of the series and I found myself wanting to watch the original Wes Craven classic rather than what was unfolding on the screen. Haley does a great job as Krueger, blending menace with gallows humor, but Englund left a very large Fedora and razor gloves to fill and Haley comes up lacking. I also missed the elaborate effects that defined the series, greatly underwhelmed by this film’s attempts. The gore, suspense, and thrills were restrained compared to the previous films.
This is not to say this is a bad film, but the generic cast headed by Thomas Dekker gives us very little to root for and left me wanting more. Here is hoping that the next offering gives fans more of what made the series so popular and less of the formulaic predictability that has become so common in horror.
The new film stars Jackie Earl Haley as the title character, and once again he is dispatching the teens of Elm Street in all manner of bizzare and grisly fashions in their dreams. Soon the town is full of dead teens and their insomniac peers anxious for an answer to the madman. Their parents are no help as they are quick to downplay any questions about Freddy and quickly disregard any concerns raised by their kids, even when the body count continues to rise. As their numbers dwindle, a group of friends starts to uncover the reason behind the unresloved deaths and band together to solve the mystery of Freddy Krueger and survive.
Freddy is only able to menace the teens in their sleep, so they take all manner of precautions in an attempt to stay awake and plot a defense, but sleep is something one can only postpone, never fully avoid, which means Freddy is always lurking, just waiting for his chance to strike.
What follows is a fairly by-the-numbers horror film that is sadly is lacking much suspense and horror. I was a big fan of the series and I found myself wanting to watch the original Wes Craven classic rather than what was unfolding on the screen. Haley does a great job as Krueger, blending menace with gallows humor, but Englund left a very large Fedora and razor gloves to fill and Haley comes up lacking. I also missed the elaborate effects that defined the series, greatly underwhelmed by this film’s attempts. The gore, suspense, and thrills were restrained compared to the previous films.
This is not to say this is a bad film, but the generic cast headed by Thomas Dekker gives us very little to root for and left me wanting more. Here is hoping that the next offering gives fans more of what made the series so popular and less of the formulaic predictability that has become so common in horror.
Message in a Bottle
7.8
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Shimmering with suspense and emotional intensity - takes readers on a hunt for the truth about a man...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
First off, I want to thank the authors for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review; please be reassured that receiving this book for free in no way influenced my review in any way.
What a fantastic read that was!
Excellent characters, brilliant and unique story line, gripping and full of suspense what more can you ask for? Well, throw in a serial killer and a deadly flu virus and you have Silent Fear! But thats not all the Morcans write in a way that immerses you into the story so that you become absorbed into the lives of the characters and the dire situation they have found themselves in through no fault of their own.
I have to admit that it was quite daunting to find my Kindle copy was 708 pages long!! Thats one heck of a beast, however, you quickly forget that as you are swept along from chapter to chapter with ease picking up the subtle clues dropped along the way that you dont initially recognise as being clues until the excellent twist at the end when all is revealed.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good whodunnit or mystery or thriller or serial killer story or actually, anyone who loves reading a great book and I would urge you to check out the Morcans other works some of which I have been lucky enough to have also read- see my blog for the links - <a href="https://readingstuffnthings.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/silent-fear-by-lance-james-morcan.html">Reading Stuff 'n' Things</a>.
What a fantastic read that was!
Excellent characters, brilliant and unique story line, gripping and full of suspense what more can you ask for? Well, throw in a serial killer and a deadly flu virus and you have Silent Fear! But thats not all the Morcans write in a way that immerses you into the story so that you become absorbed into the lives of the characters and the dire situation they have found themselves in through no fault of their own.
I have to admit that it was quite daunting to find my Kindle copy was 708 pages long!! Thats one heck of a beast, however, you quickly forget that as you are swept along from chapter to chapter with ease picking up the subtle clues dropped along the way that you dont initially recognise as being clues until the excellent twist at the end when all is revealed.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good whodunnit or mystery or thriller or serial killer story or actually, anyone who loves reading a great book and I would urge you to check out the Morcans other works some of which I have been lucky enough to have also read- see my blog for the links - <a href="https://readingstuffnthings.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/silent-fear-by-lance-james-morcan.html">Reading Stuff 'n' Things</a>.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Holy Guacamole in Books
Feb 11, 2019
This book blended many different styles of fiction literature all into one book. First, the foodie aspects are prominent, and many of the dishes described had me drooling. I would have loved this book if it was nothing more than a romance blended with gourmet cooking. But, then it grows to contain aspects of suspense, drama, mystery, and unpredictability. I really could not guess where the authors were going with each turn of the page, and it kept me riveted right to the end. Impressively, with as much as was involved in the plot, everything seemed to fit together reasonably well and still felt believable.
Bonnie Miller is the gourmet chef of the plot, but carries enough emotional baggage to scare away most people. Trace Domingo is an aspiring chef with an attraction to Bonnie that overrides anything she can throw at him, which leads to his being dragged along on a wild adventure to sort through Bonnie's baggage. Despite Bonnie's often-cold demeanor, I like how her character develops throughout the plot as she works through her issues. Trace is appropriately supportive and understanding, but his character does not change much from beginning to end.
I also found interesting much of the background information that was worked into the story to represent the local areas used in the plot, such as the food and the politics. The details about the orphanages was especially heart-wrenching, and I love what Bonnie does to contribute aid to them.
This book was both enjoyable and surprising, and I am glad that I was given the opportunity to read it.
Bonnie Miller is the gourmet chef of the plot, but carries enough emotional baggage to scare away most people. Trace Domingo is an aspiring chef with an attraction to Bonnie that overrides anything she can throw at him, which leads to his being dragged along on a wild adventure to sort through Bonnie's baggage. Despite Bonnie's often-cold demeanor, I like how her character develops throughout the plot as she works through her issues. Trace is appropriately supportive and understanding, but his character does not change much from beginning to end.
I also found interesting much of the background information that was worked into the story to represent the local areas used in the plot, such as the food and the politics. The details about the orphanages was especially heart-wrenching, and I love what Bonnie does to contribute aid to them.
This book was both enjoyable and surprising, and I am glad that I was given the opportunity to read it.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Vanishing Point (Nikki Boyd Files #4) in Books
Mar 5, 2019
It's Garret Addisson's first week on the job at Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and he has his first murder case already. It isn't only one, the murder victim is number three in a series of murders. The strange thing is, is that at the scene of every murder there is a Polaroid picture of each victim at the scene.
The TBI calls in Special Agent Jordan Lambert, a woman that Garret had a relationship with in police academy. Will their relationship be rekindled?
This is an outstanding murder, mystery romance novel that I have read in a very long time. It was difficult to put down. The author keeps you in suspense on all levels in the story line.
Even though I had not read any of the other" Nikki Boyd " series, it did not affect the story line at all. I was able to really jump in and comprehend the story line without any problems following along.
What I truly enjoyed is how the author brought God into the whole situation and helps explain that God is in everything, even if it does involve suffering; explaining that God sometimes brings us to hard things to help nurture our faith and sometimes to help bring those who are not strong in faith or don't know Him to believe.
An amazing writer I highly recommend this book.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
The TBI calls in Special Agent Jordan Lambert, a woman that Garret had a relationship with in police academy. Will their relationship be rekindled?
This is an outstanding murder, mystery romance novel that I have read in a very long time. It was difficult to put down. The author keeps you in suspense on all levels in the story line.
Even though I had not read any of the other" Nikki Boyd " series, it did not affect the story line at all. I was able to really jump in and comprehend the story line without any problems following along.
What I truly enjoyed is how the author brought God into the whole situation and helps explain that God is in everything, even if it does involve suffering; explaining that God sometimes brings us to hard things to help nurture our faith and sometimes to help bring those who are not strong in faith or don't know Him to believe.
An amazing writer I highly recommend this book.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated In a Dark, Dark Wood in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Nora hasn't heard from her friend Clare in over 10 years, until she receives an invite to her "hen party" (bachelorette party for us Americans) from one of Clare's friends. Clare and Nora were the best of friends in school, until a series of events brought them apart, and she eventually decides to attend, along with their friend Nina. However, when Nora and Nina arrive, they gather with a group of Clare's friends at an isolated house in the woods. Things seem off from the beginning and go downhill from there.
This book was a juggernaut that I couldn't stop reading. It was a fast read with a captivating plot that overcame some of its other flaws, mainly some mildly annoying characters who lacked development and performed some outlandish actions based on the past. The book unfolds from Nora's point of view in bits and pieces, and she's an unreliable narrator as well (suffering from some memory loss), which really allows the suspense to build. Note that despite the title, it's not a scary book, per se, just a thriller or mystery. It's a fun read, trying to piece together the various threads to reach the conclusion. I felt a little bad for those caught up in the schoolhouse games of the characters, for sure.
Overall, would have liked to have gotten to know the characters and their motivations a bit more (some very high stakes actions occur, which are a little hard to believe - a lot of the plot requires suspending disbelief at times, if you really think things through), but still an enjoyable and fast-paced thriller. 3.5 stars.
This book was a juggernaut that I couldn't stop reading. It was a fast read with a captivating plot that overcame some of its other flaws, mainly some mildly annoying characters who lacked development and performed some outlandish actions based on the past. The book unfolds from Nora's point of view in bits and pieces, and she's an unreliable narrator as well (suffering from some memory loss), which really allows the suspense to build. Note that despite the title, it's not a scary book, per se, just a thriller or mystery. It's a fun read, trying to piece together the various threads to reach the conclusion. I felt a little bad for those caught up in the schoolhouse games of the characters, for sure.
Overall, would have liked to have gotten to know the characters and their motivations a bit more (some very high stakes actions occur, which are a little hard to believe - a lot of the plot requires suspending disbelief at times, if you really think things through), but still an enjoyable and fast-paced thriller. 3.5 stars.
Louise (64 KP) rated Burned and Broken in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher, my opinions are honest and my own.
Mark Hardie’s debut novel is set in Essex following our main protagonists DS Frank Pearson, DC Catherine Russell and young girl called Donna. DI Sean Carragher has been found burned to death in his car and Donna’s best friend Alicia was found dead in an underpass. Could these two deaths be connected? That’s the job for Pearson Russell to find out!
Starting off the book was very slow-paced, difficult to follow and the writing was very descriptive…maybe too much. The timeline of the book felt very jumpy and the POV’s would switch without so much as a warning. The first part of the book was setting the scene and some of the characters I felt unnecessary and were there just to fill a few more pages. The second half of the book was a lot better and Hardie get’s in to the flow of things. The ending was ok, but there wasn’t enough suspense in the book. I wasn’t excited to find out ‘whodunnit’.
This isn’t a bad book, especially for a debut but there is a lot of Police/Crime books out on the market and this doesn’t really stand out.
I believe there is going to be more books that continue following Pearson and Russell on more investigations. I might read them to see how Mark Hardie’s writing develops.
If you are a fan of Crime/Mystery novels..still check this out as though it wasn’t for me.. you may love it.
Mark Hardie’s debut novel is set in Essex following our main protagonists DS Frank Pearson, DC Catherine Russell and young girl called Donna. DI Sean Carragher has been found burned to death in his car and Donna’s best friend Alicia was found dead in an underpass. Could these two deaths be connected? That’s the job for Pearson Russell to find out!
Starting off the book was very slow-paced, difficult to follow and the writing was very descriptive…maybe too much. The timeline of the book felt very jumpy and the POV’s would switch without so much as a warning. The first part of the book was setting the scene and some of the characters I felt unnecessary and were there just to fill a few more pages. The second half of the book was a lot better and Hardie get’s in to the flow of things. The ending was ok, but there wasn’t enough suspense in the book. I wasn’t excited to find out ‘whodunnit’.
This isn’t a bad book, especially for a debut but there is a lot of Police/Crime books out on the market and this doesn’t really stand out.
I believe there is going to be more books that continue following Pearson and Russell on more investigations. I might read them to see how Mark Hardie’s writing develops.
If you are a fan of Crime/Mystery novels..still check this out as though it wasn’t for me.. you may love it.