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My Sister, the Serial Killer
My Sister, the Serial Killer
Oyinkan Braithwaite | 2018 | Crime, Thriller
8
7.8 (12 Ratings)
Book Rating
The problems of a serial killer's older sister....
Short, snappy chapters, satire oozing out of every page (and murder!). This story is about Korede covering up her sister, Ayoola's, penchant for 'offing' her boyfriends: "Femi makes three, you know. Three and they label you a serial killer".
Korede feels a responsibility for her younger sister - something which seems odd to do given the circumstances, but is explained later in the book.
Korede is quite a sad character, really. Ayoola is the beautiful sister, she is not. Yet she still protects her and keeps her safe, stops her from posting on Instagram after her boyfriend goes 'missing'. Ayoola certainly has issues - she has no problem with the murders she commits, no guilt. She gets on with her life, on to the next man, and Korede is left to clean up and worry. The eternal problem of the older sister (usually minus the murders, mind you!).
I really enjoyed this, and it seemed to end very quickly. It's well worth reading.
  
The Neighbour
The Neighbour
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
FOR SALE: A lovely family home with good-sized garden and treehouse occupying a plot close to woodland. Perfect for kids, fitness enthusiasts, dog walkers . . .
And, it seems, the perfect hunting ground for a serial killer.
On a hot July day, Garrick and Olivia Lockwood and their two children move into 25 The Avenue looking for a fresh start. They arrive in the midst of a media frenzy: they’d heard about the local murders in the press, but Garrick was certain the killer would be caught and it would all be over in no time. Besides, they’d got the house at a steal and he was convinced he could flip it for a fortune.
The neighbours seemed to be the very picture of community spirit. But everyone has secrets, and the residents in The Avenue are no exception.
After six months on the case with no real leads, the most recent murder has turned DC Wildeve Stanton’s life upside down, and now she has her own motive for hunting down the killer – quickly.

Loved this book! Once I started reading I was gripped by the story and I just couldn't put it down.
This has to be one of the most cleverly plotted thrillers I've read in years with its twisty reveals, red herrings and ample misdirection, which throws you off the scent many times!
Every time I thought I had it; Bam; hit the floor as the rug was pulled out from under me.
This is a twisty, creepy thriller with a likeable detective in the form of Wildeve Stanton who works hard to find the killer while battling with her own grief.
On The Avenue, behind every door hides a secret, and behind one of these doors is a serial killer that has been living in plain sight. But which door? The chapters give a snapshot view into each of the ongoing lives, into each of their secrets, slowly building up to an emotional terrifying conclusions.
A very chilling enjoyable read that kept from going to bed as I would not stop reading until I got to the end!
Highly Highly Recommend and would give more than 5 stars if I could!

Thank you to the author Fiona Cummins, publishers Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for my digital advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest and independent review.
  
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JT (287 KP) rated Summer of 84 (2018) in Movies

Mar 10, 2020  
Summer of 84 (2018)
Summer of 84 (2018)
2018 | Horror
The arrival of Stranger Things has given those old enough to remember the 80s a real sense of nostalgia; a retro throwback to a time when life was relatively uncomplicated. The film cobbles together another bunch of archetypal misfits who are convinced their sleepy suburb harbours a terrifying secret – that the kind hearted cop living next door is in fact a sadistic serial killer.

Davey (Graham Verchere) is bored and in need of something to spice up his univentful summer. When he starts to suspect that Wayne Mackey (Rich Sommer) is a serial killer, he enlists the help of his friends to piece together the evidence.

It’s not long before the group think that Davey is paranoid and start to cut him off, leaving Davey’s hot neighbour, whom he has a desperate teenage crush on, as the only person who might just believe him. Summer of 84 was always going to come up short to its Stranger Things cousin, but I really enjoyed it, the synth retro soundtrack coupled with a satisfying ending made it a great watch.

It makes no excuses for being thoroughly unoriginal but instead has fun, never taking itself too seriously. Each of the boys has a reason to be outside playing amatuer detective rather than in the confines of their unhappy homes. The final epilogue will leave an unhinged sense of fear in us all and it’s an ending which doesn’t follow the normal rules.
  
His and Hers
His and Hers
Alice Feeney | 2020 | Crime
9
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Will keep you guessing until the big reveal
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.

There are three sides to every story, his, hers, and the truth. In Alice Feeney's latest, His & Hers, there is his, hers, and a killer out for vengeance.

Narrators Richard Armitage and Stephanie Racine skillfully bring Feeney's thriller to life as a detective and his news journalist ex-wife who are separately trying to solve/report the murders of people from their past while trying to stay out of the crosshairs of a serial killer on a mission. The chapters alternate between DCI Jack Harper and Anna Andrews, which allows us to see the story from both sides as it unfolds. The killer, using a voice disguiser, breaks the fourth wall to explain his/her reasons.

Because of Feeney's clever writing, I was unable to figure out the killer until the big reveal. I switched suspects with each suspenseful chapter I read. Her red herrings were flawless.

Richard Armitage is an actor and audio-book narrator known for his role as Thorin in The Hobbit trilogy. Stephanie Racine narrated numerous novels, including Feeney's three best-sellers, Sometimes I Lie, I Know Who You Are, and His & Hers.

Goodreads lists Feeney's next novel, as of yet untitled, to be released in 2021.

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/28/20.
  
This Fallen Prey (Casey Duncan, #3)
This Fallen Prey (Casey Duncan, #3)
Kelley Armstrong | 2018 | Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller
10
9.2 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
Kelley Armstrong is a cruel, evil woman.

This Fallen Prey takes you on a rollercoaster as Casey tells you all about the day the Council drops a dangerous serial killer into Rockton without any advance warning.

What you get from that point on is a crazy edge of the seat ride as you try and figure out whether he's really what the council have claimed, or if there's something deeper and more complex going on. With betrayals and deaths and twists that just keep you turning the pages, the third book of the Casey Duncan series does not disappoint.

It does leave us with a minor cliffhanger.. and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book!
  
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
2019 | Biography, Crime, Thriller
Surprisingly good. Thank you Netflix and Zac Efron.
This wasn't something that was on my list to watch, but my wife is a fan of anything Ted Bundy, so I obliged. From the moment the film begins, you are immediately engulfed in the amazingly twisted love story of Bundy and Liz. The movie is incredibly paced and enthralling. Efron is his normal charismatic self, but surprisingly gripping and believable in the serial killer role. He beautifully parallels the real life man he portrays. The film also does a great job of splicing in actual police photos and TV footage, leading to the gripping final act. To say the least, I was pleasantly surprised.