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A Clash of Lions (100 Years War, book 2)
5.0
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1346: Sent back to England in the wake of the tremendous victory at Crécy, Simon Merrivale is at...
Midge (525 KP) rated Before She Knew Him in Books
Mar 18, 2019
An Exceptional Psychological Thriller!
This exceptional psychological thriller from Peter Swanson (author of ‘The Kind Worth Killing’), is an absolute masterpiece!
Henrietta ‘Hen’ Mazur and her husband, Lloyd Harding, have dinner one evening with their new neighbours, Matt and Mira Dolamore, at their suburban Boston home. Following dinner, on a tour of their house, Hen notices a fencing trophy in Matt’s study that she believes was won by Dustin Miller, a college student who was murdered two years previous and who attended the high school where Matt is a history Professor. Matt claims that the trophy was bought in a sale, but Hen, who is obsessed with Dustin’s case, suspects that Matt killed Dustin. However, the next day when she visits Mira, the trophy has vanished, thereby reinforcing her suspicions. But Hen gets little support from the Police or her husband because of her history of mental health problems. An unlikely bond then develops between Hen and Matt, whose traumatic childhood adds tonnes of emotional interest to Peter Swanson’s superb narrative. Lots of twists and turns and an edge-of-your-seat plot keep the suspense in “Before She Knew Him” really high until the fulfilling and dramatic conclusion.
This brilliant psychological novel is a fabulous page-turner and a definite winner.
{Thank you to Edelweiss, HarperCollins UK/William Morrow and Peter Swanson for a free copy and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
Henrietta ‘Hen’ Mazur and her husband, Lloyd Harding, have dinner one evening with their new neighbours, Matt and Mira Dolamore, at their suburban Boston home. Following dinner, on a tour of their house, Hen notices a fencing trophy in Matt’s study that she believes was won by Dustin Miller, a college student who was murdered two years previous and who attended the high school where Matt is a history Professor. Matt claims that the trophy was bought in a sale, but Hen, who is obsessed with Dustin’s case, suspects that Matt killed Dustin. However, the next day when she visits Mira, the trophy has vanished, thereby reinforcing her suspicions. But Hen gets little support from the Police or her husband because of her history of mental health problems. An unlikely bond then develops between Hen and Matt, whose traumatic childhood adds tonnes of emotional interest to Peter Swanson’s superb narrative. Lots of twists and turns and an edge-of-your-seat plot keep the suspense in “Before She Knew Him” really high until the fulfilling and dramatic conclusion.
This brilliant psychological novel is a fabulous page-turner and a definite winner.
{Thank you to Edelweiss, HarperCollins UK/William Morrow and Peter Swanson for a free copy and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Before the Fall in Books
Jan 30, 2018 (Updated Jan 30, 2018)
An unexpectedly good read
There is a lot more to this book than it simply being the plane crash suspense thriller the description makes it out to be. Noah Hawley writes for tv, and reading Before the Fall you can really see this coming across - this would make a great tv show and much better than any other similar shows (Lost anyone?).
This is a simple premise - a plane crash with only 2 survivors - but it’s very well written and works brilliantly. It switches between the viewpoint of the survivors and the deceased prior to the crash, and this is a really good dynamic. The characters are all interesting and developed as well as they can be, all with their own flaws. There’s a lot more to this than just a basic thriller, and it delves into coincidence, the crash investigation and the media intrusion with such detail that all of this paired with the character stories really got me hooked.
My only criticism of this book would be the ending. Hundreds of pages build up to this massive ending but it winds up just being a bit of an anticlimax. It’s not a bad ending, not in the slightest, it just feels a little lacking and that it could’ve been so much more.
Despite that, this is still a fantastic and very well written book. Definitely the best I’ve read so far of Noah Hawley’s.
This is a simple premise - a plane crash with only 2 survivors - but it’s very well written and works brilliantly. It switches between the viewpoint of the survivors and the deceased prior to the crash, and this is a really good dynamic. The characters are all interesting and developed as well as they can be, all with their own flaws. There’s a lot more to this than just a basic thriller, and it delves into coincidence, the crash investigation and the media intrusion with such detail that all of this paired with the character stories really got me hooked.
My only criticism of this book would be the ending. Hundreds of pages build up to this massive ending but it winds up just being a bit of an anticlimax. It’s not a bad ending, not in the slightest, it just feels a little lacking and that it could’ve been so much more.
Despite that, this is still a fantastic and very well written book. Definitely the best I’ve read so far of Noah Hawley’s.
Awix (3310 KP) rated No Escape (2015) in Movies
Mar 26, 2018 (Updated Mar 26, 2018)
Technically competent suspense-thriller can't help coming across as a little bit suspect in the signals it's sending (also, title may not be strictly accurate). Nice American family go to a country which looks like Thailand but definitely isn't, dearie me no, and find themselves imperilled by a native uprising triggered by the Prime Minister's new water works. Can they escape before Pierce Brosnan starts singing again?
As I say, solidly put together, and if nothing else Lake Bell's performance is pretty much immaculate - but you have to wonder if the film's depiction of Asian countries isn't defamatory, or at least scare-mongering. It's not surprising this film was banned in some parts of Asia. There's a lot of bafflegab about the hordes of machete-wielding psychos being locals upset about globalisation, but c'mon, guys, this is clearly a film inspired by fears of radical Islamist terrorism, and as such it seems to be presenting every person in Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, etc, as a potential psychopathic killer. For something which is basically second-cousin to a zombie movie, it takes itself terribly seriously; a bit too seriously given how implausible the plot rapidly becomes. Perks up a bit when Brosnan is on screen (not often enough), but is this kind of subject matter really the stuff of such broad entertainment? As a thriller this is okay, but a point knocked off for the dubious subtext.
As I say, solidly put together, and if nothing else Lake Bell's performance is pretty much immaculate - but you have to wonder if the film's depiction of Asian countries isn't defamatory, or at least scare-mongering. It's not surprising this film was banned in some parts of Asia. There's a lot of bafflegab about the hordes of machete-wielding psychos being locals upset about globalisation, but c'mon, guys, this is clearly a film inspired by fears of radical Islamist terrorism, and as such it seems to be presenting every person in Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, etc, as a potential psychopathic killer. For something which is basically second-cousin to a zombie movie, it takes itself terribly seriously; a bit too seriously given how implausible the plot rapidly becomes. Perks up a bit when Brosnan is on screen (not often enough), but is this kind of subject matter really the stuff of such broad entertainment? As a thriller this is okay, but a point knocked off for the dubious subtext.
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated In the Tall Grass (2019) in Movies
Oct 5, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
When Becky and her brother Cal hear a cry for help coming from a field of tall grass they go in to help. It soon becomes apparent that things are not what they seem in the tall grass.
In The Tall Grass is a Netflix film based on a novella written by Stephen King & Joe Hill. The film is a horror/suspense/thriller with a main cast only six people and only seven actors credited. The six main characters all become trapped in the grass and, like any good thriller it soon becomes apparent that at least one of them cannot be trusted as they get picked off one by one. However, Stephen King had a hand it writing this so you know it’s not going to be a normal film, there are no monsters in this, no killer Clowns and, surprisingly, no scarecrows although I guess that would have been too obvious for anything written by Mr King. There is a dog. The strangeness comes from the way the film plays with time, it soon becomes apparent that something is playing with time and space which leads to some interesting time loops.
In the Tall Grass is an interesting film which does a lot with a very small cast and a field and isn’t a mega long film like some of the other King films. If you can get your head around time loops, then I think it’s well worth a watch.
In The Tall Grass is a Netflix film based on a novella written by Stephen King & Joe Hill. The film is a horror/suspense/thriller with a main cast only six people and only seven actors credited. The six main characters all become trapped in the grass and, like any good thriller it soon becomes apparent that at least one of them cannot be trusted as they get picked off one by one. However, Stephen King had a hand it writing this so you know it’s not going to be a normal film, there are no monsters in this, no killer Clowns and, surprisingly, no scarecrows although I guess that would have been too obvious for anything written by Mr King. There is a dog. The strangeness comes from the way the film plays with time, it soon becomes apparent that something is playing with time and space which leads to some interesting time loops.
In the Tall Grass is an interesting film which does a lot with a very small cast and a field and isn’t a mega long film like some of the other King films. If you can get your head around time loops, then I think it’s well worth a watch.
Rock Paper Scissors
8.0
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Soon to be a Netflix series from the producer of The Crown The phenomenal new thriller from the...
Who Okayed This?! The Riveting Life of Grant Davis
10.0
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"A must-read thriller! Based on true events!" You know the saying ” Keep your friends close but...
thriller true crime bookbuzz
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Stalker in Books
May 22, 2019
A murder on their doorstep
A case that's too close to home . . .
The body of a young woman has been discovered in Bellahouston park, the second in a matter of months. It's clear to Detective Superintendent William Lorimer of Police Scotland that they have a repeat killer on their hands, who is sure to strike again.
Lucky for DSI Lorimer that his wife, Maggie, is miles away from potential danger, touring Scotland to promote her first book. Faced with strangers at every event, Maggie doesn't notice the quiet, non-de script man sitting in the back row.
But he has noticed Maggie Lorimer. And soon his will be a face she never forgets.
Wow... what a great crime thriller this was. I didn't realize this was part of a series but it didn't impact on reading this one at all. It was very easy to follow the main characters and was easily read as a stand-alone.
I loved the complexity of the plot and it flowed very well.
There is plenty of tension and suspense throughout. The writing here is very atmospheric and draws you in.
The pace is just right as it helps the suspense level and atmosphere.
Very good characters and very relatable. I think the writing is superb and very well written.
The author has done a superb job of putting you in the shoes of the victim and how the range of emotions happens.
This is a wonderfully chilling crime read and I highly recommend!!
Thanks to Net Galley and Little, Brown for an ARC.
A case that's too close to home . . .
The body of a young woman has been discovered in Bellahouston park, the second in a matter of months. It's clear to Detective Superintendent William Lorimer of Police Scotland that they have a repeat killer on their hands, who is sure to strike again.
Lucky for DSI Lorimer that his wife, Maggie, is miles away from potential danger, touring Scotland to promote her first book. Faced with strangers at every event, Maggie doesn't notice the quiet, non-de script man sitting in the back row.
But he has noticed Maggie Lorimer. And soon his will be a face she never forgets.
Wow... what a great crime thriller this was. I didn't realize this was part of a series but it didn't impact on reading this one at all. It was very easy to follow the main characters and was easily read as a stand-alone.
I loved the complexity of the plot and it flowed very well.
There is plenty of tension and suspense throughout. The writing here is very atmospheric and draws you in.
The pace is just right as it helps the suspense level and atmosphere.
Very good characters and very relatable. I think the writing is superb and very well written.
The author has done a superb job of putting you in the shoes of the victim and how the range of emotions happens.
This is a wonderfully chilling crime read and I highly recommend!!
Thanks to Net Galley and Little, Brown for an ARC.
If I Die Tonight
9.5
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Reminiscent of the bestsellers of Laura Lippman and Harlan Coben—with a dose of Big Little Lies or...
suspense fiction thriller
Merissa (11935 KP) rated Overland in Books
Mar 31, 2021 (Updated Aug 2, 2023)
OVERLAND is a compelling story about a woman whose actions come back to bite her. Not that she did anything wrong, but it had far-reaching consequences that never occurred to her.
It is very well-written, with the scenes between Skyla and the children particularly heart-rending. The big bad is just that - bad, through and through. The same as Edmond, he just had no redeeming qualities at all. Although the reader was supposed to want Skyla and Troy to get together at the end, it was just a bit too easy. If Edmond had been a bit more involved, I believe it would have added a bit more to the story, rather than him being a two-bit cartoon character.
Saying that, the whole story takes you along at a fair pace, with suspense and horror/disgust in equal measure. Part of me is sad that Bjorn got off so easy, but then I also think it was the perfect ending.
Although this says it is romantic suspense, I don't feel that it is. The romance part of it is definitely secondary to the thriller side, just a mention before and after the main event.
A great read and definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 31, 2021
It is very well-written, with the scenes between Skyla and the children particularly heart-rending. The big bad is just that - bad, through and through. The same as Edmond, he just had no redeeming qualities at all. Although the reader was supposed to want Skyla and Troy to get together at the end, it was just a bit too easy. If Edmond had been a bit more involved, I believe it would have added a bit more to the story, rather than him being a two-bit cartoon character.
Saying that, the whole story takes you along at a fair pace, with suspense and horror/disgust in equal measure. Part of me is sad that Bjorn got off so easy, but then I also think it was the perfect ending.
Although this says it is romantic suspense, I don't feel that it is. The romance part of it is definitely secondary to the thriller side, just a mention before and after the main event.
A great read and definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 31, 2021