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Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Perfect Mother in Books
Feb 2, 2020
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
Caroline Mitchell has done it again. Her latest thriller, The Perfect Mother, is a stand-alone novel and not part of the DI Amy Winter series I enjoy.
In The Perfect Mother, Caroline Mitchell introduces us to Roz, a single, pregnant woman from Ireland who is not ready to be a mother. She is determined to do the right thing for her baby and joins an expensive, elite adoption service. She is thrilled when a secretive power couple is interested in raising her baby as their own. What starts as a dream come true quickly turns into a nightmare.
Once again, while reading a book by Caroline Mitchell, I stayed up way too late because I could not find a place to stop reading. I kept reading until the end. I was exhausted at work the next day but the book was worth it.
It started off as a slow burn but quickly picked up speed and went flying. It is a tense book that made me cheer and feel for the main character and her unborn child. Once Roz moves to NY the story does not twist and turn but is a solid line of suspense until the very end.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 2/2/20.
Caroline Mitchell has done it again. Her latest thriller, The Perfect Mother, is a stand-alone novel and not part of the DI Amy Winter series I enjoy.
In The Perfect Mother, Caroline Mitchell introduces us to Roz, a single, pregnant woman from Ireland who is not ready to be a mother. She is determined to do the right thing for her baby and joins an expensive, elite adoption service. She is thrilled when a secretive power couple is interested in raising her baby as their own. What starts as a dream come true quickly turns into a nightmare.
Once again, while reading a book by Caroline Mitchell, I stayed up way too late because I could not find a place to stop reading. I kept reading until the end. I was exhausted at work the next day but the book was worth it.
It started off as a slow burn but quickly picked up speed and went flying. It is a tense book that made me cheer and feel for the main character and her unborn child. Once Roz moves to NY the story does not twist and turn but is a solid line of suspense until the very end.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 2/2/20.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated One Eye Open in Books
Jul 12, 2020
I have made it no secret that I am a fan of Paul Finch ... how could you not be with characters from his previous books like DS Mark "Heck" Heckenburg and PC Lucy Clayborn? Well here we have another memorable character ... DS Lynda Hagan.
This is a stand-alone book which follows the investigation into a seemingly straight forward car crash involving an ex-Formula 1 driver (Wade) and his wife Harriet (Harri) but it is anything but and we are soon taken on a non-stop ride full of action, suspense and intrigue involving gangs, grasses/snitches and one relentless and determined copper.
Told from Lynda's perspective in the present and Wade's timeline from the weeks leading up to the crash, with a great plot and a break-neck pace with twists and breath-holding moments, this is a great crime thriller. I wonder if there are going to more books featuring DS Hagan, I would quite like to get to know her a bit more because I think we only scratched the surface in this and I think there is more to her than meets the eye! If so, I will be the first in the queue.
Thank you to Orion Publishing Group via NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
This is a stand-alone book which follows the investigation into a seemingly straight forward car crash involving an ex-Formula 1 driver (Wade) and his wife Harriet (Harri) but it is anything but and we are soon taken on a non-stop ride full of action, suspense and intrigue involving gangs, grasses/snitches and one relentless and determined copper.
Told from Lynda's perspective in the present and Wade's timeline from the weeks leading up to the crash, with a great plot and a break-neck pace with twists and breath-holding moments, this is a great crime thriller. I wonder if there are going to more books featuring DS Hagan, I would quite like to get to know her a bit more because I think we only scratched the surface in this and I think there is more to her than meets the eye! If so, I will be the first in the queue.
Thank you to Orion Publishing Group via NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Private Berlin (Private #5) in Books
Jul 13, 2020
121 of 200
Book
Private Berlin ( Private book 5)
By James Patterson
Private, the world's most respected investigation firm, has branches around the world, each staffed with the smartest, fastest, and most advanced agents, who have cutting-edge forensic tools that not even the most powerful governments possess.
At Private Berlin, agent Chris Schneider has disappeared. Chris had taken a secretive personal leave and hadn't spoken to anyone from the office in days. The Private team retraces his footsteps to the cases he was investigating before his disappearance: a billionaire suspected of cheating on his wife, a world-famous soccer player accused of throwing games, and the owner of a seedy nightclub. They were the last people to see Chris--and they're all suspects. And someone is lying.
The Private team is led to an abandoned Nazi slaughterhouse where all hope vanishes. As Private digs further into Chris's past, a terrifying history is revealed, and they begin to suspect that someone very dangerous and very depraved is responsible for Chris's disappearance. And he's not finished in Berlin. PRIVATE BERLIN has more twists, action, and deception than any other James Patterson thriller ever.
This was my favourite in this series so far! I loved it so much suspense and guessing I really enjoy catching up with Jack too! Highly recommend this series.
Book
Private Berlin ( Private book 5)
By James Patterson
Private, the world's most respected investigation firm, has branches around the world, each staffed with the smartest, fastest, and most advanced agents, who have cutting-edge forensic tools that not even the most powerful governments possess.
At Private Berlin, agent Chris Schneider has disappeared. Chris had taken a secretive personal leave and hadn't spoken to anyone from the office in days. The Private team retraces his footsteps to the cases he was investigating before his disappearance: a billionaire suspected of cheating on his wife, a world-famous soccer player accused of throwing games, and the owner of a seedy nightclub. They were the last people to see Chris--and they're all suspects. And someone is lying.
The Private team is led to an abandoned Nazi slaughterhouse where all hope vanishes. As Private digs further into Chris's past, a terrifying history is revealed, and they begin to suspect that someone very dangerous and very depraved is responsible for Chris's disappearance. And he's not finished in Berlin. PRIVATE BERLIN has more twists, action, and deception than any other James Patterson thriller ever.
This was my favourite in this series so far! I loved it so much suspense and guessing I really enjoy catching up with Jack too! Highly recommend this series.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Kimi (2022) in Movies
Feb 22, 2022
Better-Than-Average, but nothing more
Oscar winning Director Steven Soderbergh (TRAFFIC) could rightfully be called the current “Master of Suspense” as most of his films fall into the “Psychological Drama” category - and his latest HBO MAX film, KIMI, is a perfectly ordinary entry in his catalogue.
Starring Zoe Kravitz (BIG LITTLE LIES) in the titular role, KIMI follows an agoraphobic tech worker, in the middle of global pandemic, who thinks she might have stumbled upon a crime.
Written by veteran Screenwriter David Koepp (the OG SPIDERMAN, starring Tobey Maguire), KIMI is a better-than-average thriller with a better-than-average lead performance by Kravitz and Directed in better-than-average style by Soderbergh.
Which makes this film entertaining, somewhat interesting but nothing special.
The plot twists and turns enough that keeps you guessing, but never falls into over-the-top “you got to be kidding me” territory or something of true suspense while the performance of Kravitz is good (enough) to hold your attention without falling prey to gimmickry/tricks/twitches. It is a solid “B” performance but not better (or worse).
A highlight for me was the appearance of Robin Givens (the former Mrs. Mike Tyson) as Kravitz’/Kimi’s mother. It was good to see her get some work. On the other hand, this is counter-balanced by the horrible performance of Rita Wilson (the current Mrs. Tom Hanks) as a shady Corporate-type who does everything by twirl her mustache in her single appearance on screen.
Add on top of this some fairly pedestrian Direction by Soderbergh and you have a serviceable, passable, “good enough” film that is, mercifully, only an hour and a 1/2 long. It is one of those rare films that I wondered when it ended that if they added another 1/2 hour to this film - and added some depth to the characters (especially the villians) perhaps this would have been a better film.
But, instead, we get a pleasant (enough) diversion.
Letter Grade: B-
6 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Starring Zoe Kravitz (BIG LITTLE LIES) in the titular role, KIMI follows an agoraphobic tech worker, in the middle of global pandemic, who thinks she might have stumbled upon a crime.
Written by veteran Screenwriter David Koepp (the OG SPIDERMAN, starring Tobey Maguire), KIMI is a better-than-average thriller with a better-than-average lead performance by Kravitz and Directed in better-than-average style by Soderbergh.
Which makes this film entertaining, somewhat interesting but nothing special.
The plot twists and turns enough that keeps you guessing, but never falls into over-the-top “you got to be kidding me” territory or something of true suspense while the performance of Kravitz is good (enough) to hold your attention without falling prey to gimmickry/tricks/twitches. It is a solid “B” performance but not better (or worse).
A highlight for me was the appearance of Robin Givens (the former Mrs. Mike Tyson) as Kravitz’/Kimi’s mother. It was good to see her get some work. On the other hand, this is counter-balanced by the horrible performance of Rita Wilson (the current Mrs. Tom Hanks) as a shady Corporate-type who does everything by twirl her mustache in her single appearance on screen.
Add on top of this some fairly pedestrian Direction by Soderbergh and you have a serviceable, passable, “good enough” film that is, mercifully, only an hour and a 1/2 long. It is one of those rare films that I wondered when it ended that if they added another 1/2 hour to this film - and added some depth to the characters (especially the villians) perhaps this would have been a better film.
But, instead, we get a pleasant (enough) diversion.
Letter Grade: B-
6 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Stonehearst Asylum (2015) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
In the late 19th century in England, medicine was by today’s standards primitive and at times barbaric. The nature of psychiatric care of the times was even more frightening as maladies that today are treated with medication often resulted in a lifetime of confinement in an Asylum where all manner of treatments which today would be considered torture were used.
In the new thriller “Stonehearst Asylum” a young doctor named Edward Newgate (Jim Sturgess), travels to a remote asylum on Christmas Eve to being a practical study following his time at Oxford.
He is greeted upon his arrival by Silas Lamb (Ben Kingsley, who is eager to size up the new assistant upon his arrival.
Newgate is fascinated by the patients especially one named Eliza (Kate Beckinsale), who shows a grace and range of talents not normally associated with those who have been committed. It is explained that all of those assigned to Stonehearts are from the upper class of society and as such, their maladies have made them outcasts from polite society.
Edward begins to have concerns when he is told by Eliza that he must leave immediately and not return and despite her warnings, he remains and soon makes a startling discovery.
It is learned that a patient named Salt (Michael Caine) is actually the man in charge of the facility and that Lamb is a dangerous psychopath who has imprisoned or killed the asylum staff and has replaced them with his fellow inmates.
Trapped in a world gone mad, Edward must strive to do his duty as a physician to care for those in need, while trying to walk the line between the madness of Lamb and his fellow inmates.
The film is a well-cast and exciting thriller that keeps you entertained without resorting to the standard scares and tricks of other suspense films.
The characters have a complexity and compassion to them as you will find yourself engrossed by the various characters and their situations.
Director Brad Anderson is no stranger to suspense and he has crafted a captivating take that is rich with the visuals of the era yet remaining a character based drama it its core.
The film is based on a short story by Edgar Allen Poe and Mel Gibson is one of the Producers attached to the film which helps underscore how they were able to assemble such a strong cast to the film despite the lack of a major studio to finance or distribute the film.
The film does have some moments that at times make you wonder why some characters did not take more obvious courses of action but yet the film works in spite of this.
In the end the haunting setting and subject matter mesh well with the characters to create a thrilling and entertaining drama that is one of the more enjoyable surprises of the year.
http://sknr.net/2014/10/24/stonehearst-asylum/
In the new thriller “Stonehearst Asylum” a young doctor named Edward Newgate (Jim Sturgess), travels to a remote asylum on Christmas Eve to being a practical study following his time at Oxford.
He is greeted upon his arrival by Silas Lamb (Ben Kingsley, who is eager to size up the new assistant upon his arrival.
Newgate is fascinated by the patients especially one named Eliza (Kate Beckinsale), who shows a grace and range of talents not normally associated with those who have been committed. It is explained that all of those assigned to Stonehearts are from the upper class of society and as such, their maladies have made them outcasts from polite society.
Edward begins to have concerns when he is told by Eliza that he must leave immediately and not return and despite her warnings, he remains and soon makes a startling discovery.
It is learned that a patient named Salt (Michael Caine) is actually the man in charge of the facility and that Lamb is a dangerous psychopath who has imprisoned or killed the asylum staff and has replaced them with his fellow inmates.
Trapped in a world gone mad, Edward must strive to do his duty as a physician to care for those in need, while trying to walk the line between the madness of Lamb and his fellow inmates.
The film is a well-cast and exciting thriller that keeps you entertained without resorting to the standard scares and tricks of other suspense films.
The characters have a complexity and compassion to them as you will find yourself engrossed by the various characters and their situations.
Director Brad Anderson is no stranger to suspense and he has crafted a captivating take that is rich with the visuals of the era yet remaining a character based drama it its core.
The film is based on a short story by Edgar Allen Poe and Mel Gibson is one of the Producers attached to the film which helps underscore how they were able to assemble such a strong cast to the film despite the lack of a major studio to finance or distribute the film.
The film does have some moments that at times make you wonder why some characters did not take more obvious courses of action but yet the film works in spite of this.
In the end the haunting setting and subject matter mesh well with the characters to create a thrilling and entertaining drama that is one of the more enjoyable surprises of the year.
http://sknr.net/2014/10/24/stonehearst-asylum/
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Tall Man in Books
May 22, 2019
They went looking for a story. What they found was a nightmare.
It started as nothing, just a scary story passed around between schoolchildren. But for Sadie and her friends, the rumours soon became an unhealthy obsession - and the darkness all too real.
Years later, Sadie's teenage daughter Amber has been charged with murder, and her trial shocks the world. How could such a young girl commit such a terrible crime?
It seems the secrets of Sadie's past have come back to haunt her daughter. And the terrifying truth of what happened all those years ago is finally about to come out . . .
The heart of the novel is the urban legend about the Tall Man who comes from the shadows to take daughters away.
There are three timelines: 1990 where three young girls make a pact with a scary man who loves in the woods, 2000 where a young, new mother disappears leaving behind her baby daughter and confused partner and 2018 where a teenage girl adjusts to life with her mother back in her life. The thing that connects them all is the scary man who lives in the woods.
This is a novel about what lurks in the shadows, and what are shadows if not shades of grey?
I thought this was a brilliant thriller.
Gripping with great characters and psychological suspense.
Recommend reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy.
It started as nothing, just a scary story passed around between schoolchildren. But for Sadie and her friends, the rumours soon became an unhealthy obsession - and the darkness all too real.
Years later, Sadie's teenage daughter Amber has been charged with murder, and her trial shocks the world. How could such a young girl commit such a terrible crime?
It seems the secrets of Sadie's past have come back to haunt her daughter. And the terrifying truth of what happened all those years ago is finally about to come out . . .
The heart of the novel is the urban legend about the Tall Man who comes from the shadows to take daughters away.
There are three timelines: 1990 where three young girls make a pact with a scary man who loves in the woods, 2000 where a young, new mother disappears leaving behind her baby daughter and confused partner and 2018 where a teenage girl adjusts to life with her mother back in her life. The thing that connects them all is the scary man who lives in the woods.
This is a novel about what lurks in the shadows, and what are shadows if not shades of grey?
I thought this was a brilliant thriller.
Gripping with great characters and psychological suspense.
Recommend reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy.
Isabel Smith (34 KP) rated The House Swap in Books
Jun 26, 2018
Tension, tension, so much tension!
From start to finish The House Swap is a taut and edgy examination of the rocky marriage between a young English couple, Caroline and Francis. When the opportunity arises for them to swap their city flat in Leeds with someone else’s suburban home in Chiswick they eagerly plan a week-long getaway for two so they can focus on repairing their relationship. Caroline soon starts finding signs that the owner of the suburban home she and Francis are currently occupying may very well be the person she’s tried so desperately to put behind her: her ex-lover, Carl. Francis, who knows about Caroline’s past affair, begins to notice that his wife is acting strange and inattentive; it’s putting him on edge, which is no place for a former pill-popper like himself to be. With both of their past obsessions threatening to burst back into their lives, Caroline and Francis brace themselves for the ultimate test in their marriage.
This psychological thriller definitely delivers on nail-biting suspense, calculated misdirection, and hair-raising shocks. There were more than a couple of well-placed red herrings which made the plot twists all the more juicy and exciting. Some of the content was a bit difficult to stomach, but it added to the domestic noir feel of the novel. Overall, The House Swap is a solid option for anyone looking for a fast-paced and multilayered novel that goes behind closed doors.
This psychological thriller definitely delivers on nail-biting suspense, calculated misdirection, and hair-raising shocks. There were more than a couple of well-placed red herrings which made the plot twists all the more juicy and exciting. Some of the content was a bit difficult to stomach, but it added to the domestic noir feel of the novel. Overall, The House Swap is a solid option for anyone looking for a fast-paced and multilayered novel that goes behind closed doors.
FilmIntuition (33 KP) rated Lies You Never Told Me in Books
Jul 20, 2018
A tale of two narratives, in Lies You Never Told Me, debut novelist Jennifer Donaldson deftly flips back and forth between the first person points-of-view of high school students Gabe (in Austin) and Elyse (in Portland).
An addicting work of romantic suspense, although it opens with an air of mystery followed by the bang of a hit-and-run, the book slows down enough to carefully build the characters and effectively develop their alternating storylines to the point that – to the author's credit – there's no easily mistaking one for the other.
Nicely balancing the intrigue of a Gabe chapter with the drama of an Elyse (and vice versa), the book's pace quickens with each chapter to the point that I found myself nearly unable to put it down.
And despite the fact that I was able to piece together precisely how and why the two characters were connected roughly a quarter of the way into the novel, thanks to certain context clues, the book is so well written that I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. Of course, that being said, the less you know going in the better.
Reminiscent of a great character driven '80s thriller from the Hollywood heyday of Fatal Attraction, in spite of a slightly contrived climax, Lies You Never Told Me is a terrific stay up all night summer read you'll definitely want to recommend to a friend.
An addicting work of romantic suspense, although it opens with an air of mystery followed by the bang of a hit-and-run, the book slows down enough to carefully build the characters and effectively develop their alternating storylines to the point that – to the author's credit – there's no easily mistaking one for the other.
Nicely balancing the intrigue of a Gabe chapter with the drama of an Elyse (and vice versa), the book's pace quickens with each chapter to the point that I found myself nearly unable to put it down.
And despite the fact that I was able to piece together precisely how and why the two characters were connected roughly a quarter of the way into the novel, thanks to certain context clues, the book is so well written that I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. Of course, that being said, the less you know going in the better.
Reminiscent of a great character driven '80s thriller from the Hollywood heyday of Fatal Attraction, in spite of a slightly contrived climax, Lies You Never Told Me is a terrific stay up all night summer read you'll definitely want to recommend to a friend.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated All The Rage (DI Adam Fawley #4) in Books
Dec 30, 2019
Highly entertaining
I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and ate it up in super quick time. I read Close to Home, book 1 in the series, immediately before this one and I think this enhanced my enjoyment of this story as it gave a bit more meat to the characters but having said that, I think it would work as a standalone.
A young woman is attacked but doesn't want the police involved and then it happens again; both cases bearing a striking resemblance to an old case Fawley was involved in where the perpetrator was imprisoned ... could this be a copy-cat or has an innocent man been in jail for many years?
Once again, we are treated by Ms Hunter with her excellent characters, dark and gritty story line, intrigue and suspense all wrapped up in this fast paced, page-turning thriller with twists and surprises along the way. All this and the use of social media excerpts, court and interview transcripts woven, throughout make this feel current and relevant.
This will not be my last of reading Ms Hunter's books and I highly recommend to those who enjoy police procedural/thrillers with complex story lines which are easy to follow and that are highly entertaining ... can't wait for book 5!
Thank you to Penguin Books (UK) and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
A young woman is attacked but doesn't want the police involved and then it happens again; both cases bearing a striking resemblance to an old case Fawley was involved in where the perpetrator was imprisoned ... could this be a copy-cat or has an innocent man been in jail for many years?
Once again, we are treated by Ms Hunter with her excellent characters, dark and gritty story line, intrigue and suspense all wrapped up in this fast paced, page-turning thriller with twists and surprises along the way. All this and the use of social media excerpts, court and interview transcripts woven, throughout make this feel current and relevant.
This will not be my last of reading Ms Hunter's books and I highly recommend to those who enjoy police procedural/thrillers with complex story lines which are easy to follow and that are highly entertaining ... can't wait for book 5!
Thank you to Penguin Books (UK) and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Liar's Room in Books
Jan 25, 2019
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
I was immediately intrigued by the tagline of "The Liar's Room by Simon Lelic. "One room. Two liars. No way out".
Susanna Fenton is not who she seems to be. Years ago, she left her old life and reinvented herself with a new identity.
Now, she is an overprotective mother to teenage Emily. Emily loves her mother but wants a little freedom. When a cute, but older, boy pays attention to her Emily is thrilled and more than willing to keep him a secret from her mother.
Susanna also works as a counselor and meets with a new client, Adam Geraghty. She knows she should trust her instincts but does not and quickly discovers Adam also is not who he seems to be.
Their session becomes a verbal tennis match between them and Emily is the prize.
I had noticed Lelic's "The New Neighbors" in the store and added to my "want to read" list. After reading "The Liar's Room" I have moved it to "need to read soon"! This book was a thriller that was a great read but not easy to figure out people's secrets.
This is a creepy and disturbing tale full of lies, truths, and suspense.
Published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Twitter, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 1/25/19.
I was immediately intrigued by the tagline of "The Liar's Room by Simon Lelic. "One room. Two liars. No way out".
Susanna Fenton is not who she seems to be. Years ago, she left her old life and reinvented herself with a new identity.
Now, she is an overprotective mother to teenage Emily. Emily loves her mother but wants a little freedom. When a cute, but older, boy pays attention to her Emily is thrilled and more than willing to keep him a secret from her mother.
Susanna also works as a counselor and meets with a new client, Adam Geraghty. She knows she should trust her instincts but does not and quickly discovers Adam also is not who he seems to be.
Their session becomes a verbal tennis match between them and Emily is the prize.
I had noticed Lelic's "The New Neighbors" in the store and added to my "want to read" list. After reading "The Liar's Room" I have moved it to "need to read soon"! This book was a thriller that was a great read but not easy to figure out people's secrets.
This is a creepy and disturbing tale full of lies, truths, and suspense.
Published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Twitter, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 1/25/19.
