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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.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated As Long as We Both Shall Live in Books
May 22, 2019
My wife! I think shes dead! Matt frantically calls to park rangers, explaining that he and his wife, Marie, were out hiking when she stumbled on a cliff edge and fell into the raging river below. They start a search but arent hopeful: no one could have survived that fall.
Its a tragic accident.
But when police discover Matts first wife also died in suspicious circumstances a fire in their family home they have a lot more questions for him.
Is Matt a grieving husband, or has he just killed his second wife? Detectives Loren and Spengler dig into the couples lives to see what they can unearth. And they find that loves got teeth, its got claws, and once it hitches you to a person, its tough to rip yourself free.
So what happens when youre done making it work?
Well this is one crazy warped marriage ride!
Seriously I found myself laughing at the antics and thoughts of these two at times; then on the flip side being gripped by the suspense.
I really enjoyed this one.
Read what happens when 20 years of marriage becomes a minefield of love/hate.
If you love psychological twisty thrillers as much as me then you need to read this one!
Recommend reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-book ARC to read and review. This is my honest voluntary review.
Its a tragic accident.
But when police discover Matts first wife also died in suspicious circumstances a fire in their family home they have a lot more questions for him.
Is Matt a grieving husband, or has he just killed his second wife? Detectives Loren and Spengler dig into the couples lives to see what they can unearth. And they find that loves got teeth, its got claws, and once it hitches you to a person, its tough to rip yourself free.
So what happens when youre done making it work?
Well this is one crazy warped marriage ride!
Seriously I found myself laughing at the antics and thoughts of these two at times; then on the flip side being gripped by the suspense.
I really enjoyed this one.
Read what happens when 20 years of marriage becomes a minefield of love/hate.
If you love psychological twisty thrillers as much as me then you need to read this one!
Recommend reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-book ARC to read and review. This is my honest voluntary review.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated The Girl In The Rearview Mirror in Books
May 26, 2019
Not the best book........
What do I say about this book? I wanted to like it so much. But, I just couldn’t. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t hate it. I just simple didn’t like it. I liked the premise behind the story, but the characters didn’t flow. They felt forced and fake. I like my characters to grip me in to the story as much as the story itself. If I can’t feel that, then I can’t like a book the way I want to because I have to try too hard to get into the story.
That said, the plot line/premise is a good one. I can tell where the author wanted to go with this one, with the secrets, the twists and turns, but with out that captivating connection with the characters, I didn’t get the edge of your seat suspense with this one. I didn’t feel like I was watching a movie play out like I like to see with this style of book.
Sadly, I have to give this one 5 bombs. But, don’t let my opinion deter you from trying this book. What I found lacking, you may find absolutely gripping. Dimberg shows great effort where her talents are concerned. I do look forward to trying more of her books in the future.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from LibraryThing, William Morrow and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
That said, the plot line/premise is a good one. I can tell where the author wanted to go with this one, with the secrets, the twists and turns, but with out that captivating connection with the characters, I didn’t get the edge of your seat suspense with this one. I didn’t feel like I was watching a movie play out like I like to see with this style of book.
Sadly, I have to give this one 5 bombs. But, don’t let my opinion deter you from trying this book. What I found lacking, you may find absolutely gripping. Dimberg shows great effort where her talents are concerned. I do look forward to trying more of her books in the future.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from LibraryThing, William Morrow and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
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.
I was pleasantly surprised by "After We Fall." I requested it on a whim from Netgalley and it had the dubious distinction of being the novel that followed the latest Michael Connelly Bosch book (and in my eyes, Connelly and Bosch can do no wrong).
The novel is told from the viewpoint from four characters - Tom, a police officer; Celia, a flight attendant and Tom's wife; Jim, a father and former police officer; and Freya, a young student. Their lives entertwine over the course of the book, all centered around a plane that goes down one snowy night. Their stories are superbly told and each character extremely well-drawn-- albeit not always likeable. There are several mysteries that build within the book-- why did the plane go down, of course--along with a murder that's central to the story.
You would think with so few characters that the plot would seem trite and the outcome apparent, but Kavanaugh does a great job of creating suspense and keeping you on your toes. Just when you think you've figured something out, there's another small surprise. I found myself completely immersed in the character's lives (I was immediately drawn to Tom, liked Jim and Freya, and had issues with Celia, but that's all just from my own perspective).
Definitely a worthwhile read.
(Note, I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
The novel is told from the viewpoint from four characters - Tom, a police officer; Celia, a flight attendant and Tom's wife; Jim, a father and former police officer; and Freya, a young student. Their lives entertwine over the course of the book, all centered around a plane that goes down one snowy night. Their stories are superbly told and each character extremely well-drawn-- albeit not always likeable. There are several mysteries that build within the book-- why did the plane go down, of course--along with a murder that's central to the story.
You would think with so few characters that the plot would seem trite and the outcome apparent, but Kavanaugh does a great job of creating suspense and keeping you on your toes. Just when you think you've figured something out, there's another small surprise. I found myself completely immersed in the character's lives (I was immediately drawn to Tom, liked Jim and Freya, and had issues with Celia, but that's all just from my own perspective).
Definitely a worthwhile read.
(Note, I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
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.
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.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Truth and Lies (DI Amy Winter, #1) in Books
Dec 9, 2018
Quick Read (1 more)
Didn't want to put it down
Book #1 in Caroline Winter’s DI Amy Winter’s series
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
“Truth and Lies” captured my attention from the very beginning. I frequently read mysteries and suspense books and, while I enjoy them, am not usually surprised by them. This novel included twists and turns that kept me hanging on every page. After I sat down to read it, my eyes starting hurt from reading the first 16 chapters without taking a break!
While dealing with the death of her father, a fellow police officer, DI Amy Winter receives a letter from Lillian Grimes, one half of a notorious serial killing team, her father’s most famous case. Grimes said she is Amy’s biological mother and would reveal the location of her victims were if Amy follows Grimes’s demands. Amy’s world is turned upside down trying to deal with her father’s death, Grimes’s allegations, and the kidnapping of a young girl. The incidents seem to be related, but can Amy trust herself to handle everything with everything that’s happening?
It was refreshing to have such a fully rounded, well developed, strong female character who is portrayed as a police officer and human and have the two so mingled together. “Truth and Lies” is the first in Caroline Winter’s DI Amy Winter’s series.
“Truth and Lies” captured my attention from the very beginning. I frequently read mysteries and suspense books and, while I enjoy them, am not usually surprised by them. This novel included twists and turns that kept me hanging on every page. After I sat down to read it, my eyes starting hurt from reading the first 16 chapters without taking a break!
While dealing with the death of her father, a fellow police officer, DI Amy Winter receives a letter from Lillian Grimes, one half of a notorious serial killing team, her father’s most famous case. Grimes said she is Amy’s biological mother and would reveal the location of her victims were if Amy follows Grimes’s demands. Amy’s world is turned upside down trying to deal with her father’s death, Grimes’s allegations, and the kidnapping of a young girl. The incidents seem to be related, but can Amy trust herself to handle everything with everything that’s happening?
It was refreshing to have such a fully rounded, well developed, strong female character who is portrayed as a police officer and human and have the two so mingled together. “Truth and Lies” is the first in Caroline Winter’s DI Amy Winter’s series.
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.
Leah (: (569 KP) rated Stalk me (Keatyn Chronicles book 1) in Books
Jul 8, 2018
Could not stop reading and have even read a second time.
The first book in the Keatyn Chronicles is excellent.
To be honest it took me a little while to get into the book as at the beginning Keatyn came across as shallow and superficial, flitting from one guy to the next and only caring about being popular. However Jillian Dodd made sure to balance this with other scenes so that we were able to get to know Keatyn and realise she is just like and teen girl, trying to fit and and find her identity. And I was hooked!!
Although predominantly a romance Stalk Me also has action and suspense. As Keatyn is stalked by someone and we wait to find out who and what they will do next.
The characters are all very relatable as each person has their own clear personality and flaws. This makes it easy to get to know them, however you will go from loving to hating a character in a few pages as they do something stupid.
The book is written as a diary. This works really well as it gives an unfiltered view into Keatyn’s thoughts and life. I became very invested in the story and could not stop reading.
I would absolutely recommend this book if you enjoy teen/ young adult books. It is one of the very few books/ series that I have ever re read.
To be honest it took me a little while to get into the book as at the beginning Keatyn came across as shallow and superficial, flitting from one guy to the next and only caring about being popular. However Jillian Dodd made sure to balance this with other scenes so that we were able to get to know Keatyn and realise she is just like and teen girl, trying to fit and and find her identity. And I was hooked!!
Although predominantly a romance Stalk Me also has action and suspense. As Keatyn is stalked by someone and we wait to find out who and what they will do next.
The characters are all very relatable as each person has their own clear personality and flaws. This makes it easy to get to know them, however you will go from loving to hating a character in a few pages as they do something stupid.
The book is written as a diary. This works really well as it gives an unfiltered view into Keatyn’s thoughts and life. I became very invested in the story and could not stop reading.
I would absolutely recommend this book if you enjoy teen/ young adult books. It is one of the very few books/ series that I have ever re read.