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They Came At Night
Book
In the five years since the fateful and horrific night that changed her life, Sandra Leigh has kept...
Crime Mystery Thriller Suspense
Darren (1599 KP) rated A Cure For Wellness (2017) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: A Cure for Wellness starts young executive Lockhart (DeHaan) is sent to a remote wellness centre in Switzerland to bring the CEO Pembroke (Groener) back to help close a merge in New York. After being involved in a car accident Lockhart finds himself with a broken leg and now a patient of the Wellness Program.
Still searching for Pembroke, Lockhart makes a deal with the director Volmer (Issacs) to stay for a couple of days to finish up the treatment for Pembroke. In this time Lockhart meets a mysterious young woman Hannah (Goth) the only other young patient who he tries to unlock the secrets of the program, which will test his own sanity.
Thoughts on A Cure for Wellness
Characters/Performance – Lockhart is the driven ambitious young man who has nearly reach the peak of his career at such a young age, he is haunted by his past which does include his father’s suicide and his mother’s death, this leaves him alone but in search for answers once he becomes the latest patient in the program. Volmer is the director of the clinic, he constantly remains calm through any incidents that occur and does have his own motives for the clinic. Hannah is the mysterious young woman also in the clinic, she is the only young patient there and she is Volmer’s main project but we are left to wonder about her past.
Performance wise, Dane DeHaan is good in this leading role and you can clearly see why he is tipped for a great career. Jason Isaacs always makes for a good doctor figure and this is no exception, while Mia Goth continues to make a name for herself in these stranger roles.
Story – The story is filled with questions which always makes for a good story, I will have to point out that this is a long film nearing the 2 and half hour’s mark and even at that you can see how the pace can be questioned but it doesn’t feel long. We get a new look into the asylum genre which I feel is something we needed but the weakness is that we never hit the full levels of any of the genres involved.
Fantasy/Horror/Mystery – The fantasy elements of this film come from the world we are placed into, this also comes for the sci-fi side of everything too. The horror comes from see what happens within the walls which is quite shocking at times but the best use of the genres comes from the mystery element which keeps us guessing from start to finish as we simply don’t know where it will go.
Settings – With most of the film taking place in the clinic we find ourselves trapped just like Lockhart in a place which doesn’t have an escape because being there means you don’t want to leave.
Final Thoughts – This is one long mystery thriller that doesn’t stop you wanting to see where the film will go and then it will leave you shocked by the end.
Overall: A rewarding mystery thriller
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/06/02/movie-reviews-101-midnight-horror-a-cure-for-wellness-2017/
Still searching for Pembroke, Lockhart makes a deal with the director Volmer (Issacs) to stay for a couple of days to finish up the treatment for Pembroke. In this time Lockhart meets a mysterious young woman Hannah (Goth) the only other young patient who he tries to unlock the secrets of the program, which will test his own sanity.
Thoughts on A Cure for Wellness
Characters/Performance – Lockhart is the driven ambitious young man who has nearly reach the peak of his career at such a young age, he is haunted by his past which does include his father’s suicide and his mother’s death, this leaves him alone but in search for answers once he becomes the latest patient in the program. Volmer is the director of the clinic, he constantly remains calm through any incidents that occur and does have his own motives for the clinic. Hannah is the mysterious young woman also in the clinic, she is the only young patient there and she is Volmer’s main project but we are left to wonder about her past.
Performance wise, Dane DeHaan is good in this leading role and you can clearly see why he is tipped for a great career. Jason Isaacs always makes for a good doctor figure and this is no exception, while Mia Goth continues to make a name for herself in these stranger roles.
Story – The story is filled with questions which always makes for a good story, I will have to point out that this is a long film nearing the 2 and half hour’s mark and even at that you can see how the pace can be questioned but it doesn’t feel long. We get a new look into the asylum genre which I feel is something we needed but the weakness is that we never hit the full levels of any of the genres involved.
Fantasy/Horror/Mystery – The fantasy elements of this film come from the world we are placed into, this also comes for the sci-fi side of everything too. The horror comes from see what happens within the walls which is quite shocking at times but the best use of the genres comes from the mystery element which keeps us guessing from start to finish as we simply don’t know where it will go.
Settings – With most of the film taking place in the clinic we find ourselves trapped just like Lockhart in a place which doesn’t have an escape because being there means you don’t want to leave.
Final Thoughts – This is one long mystery thriller that doesn’t stop you wanting to see where the film will go and then it will leave you shocked by the end.
Overall: A rewarding mystery thriller
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/06/02/movie-reviews-101-midnight-horror-a-cure-for-wellness-2017/
Debbie (52 KP) rated Hooks Can Be Deceiving in Books
Nov 10, 2018
Hooks Can Be Deceiving By: Betty Hechtman
Published By Crooked Lane Books Published Date 11 December 2018
Mystery and Thriller 320 Pages
#HooksCanBeDeceiving #NetGalley
<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/9a41056d7201c045d3f9e5c161f9569494687ae1"; width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>
I just love her books. I have read a few of her books and enjoy them. At the end of the book she always has a pattern or two for you try and also recipes. These recipes and pattern are mentioned in the book.
The main character in this book is Molly Pink. She works in a book store which has a yarn area to do projects. Within the first couple of chapters in these books there is always a murder. Molly usually gets herself involved with trying to solve them.
I won't go into too much detail because it is a mystery novel and I don't want to give too much away. The story is about a fellow crocheter who is killed. They want to put it as an accidental death but there are too many discrepancies. Molly gets involves because a friend asks her to do some quite investigating. Molly finds out some things and more questions come and a lot of other people need to be questioned by the police.
This was one of her better books because it had me guessing all the way to the end and I was surprised by who the murderer was.
I highly recommend this book when it comes out. I gave it 5 stars.
Published By Crooked Lane Books Published Date 11 December 2018
Mystery and Thriller 320 Pages
#HooksCanBeDeceiving #NetGalley
<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/9a41056d7201c045d3f9e5c161f9569494687ae1"; width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>
I just love her books. I have read a few of her books and enjoy them. At the end of the book she always has a pattern or two for you try and also recipes. These recipes and pattern are mentioned in the book.
The main character in this book is Molly Pink. She works in a book store which has a yarn area to do projects. Within the first couple of chapters in these books there is always a murder. Molly usually gets herself involved with trying to solve them.
I won't go into too much detail because it is a mystery novel and I don't want to give too much away. The story is about a fellow crocheter who is killed. They want to put it as an accidental death but there are too many discrepancies. Molly gets involves because a friend asks her to do some quite investigating. Molly finds out some things and more questions come and a lot of other people need to be questioned by the police.
This was one of her better books because it had me guessing all the way to the end and I was surprised by who the murderer was.
I highly recommend this book when it comes out. I gave it 5 stars.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Veiled Threat in Books
Dec 15, 2018
Kidnapping at Christmas
Giulia Falcone is on a mission when she brings her friend Laurel into the office of Driscoll Investigations to meet Frank Driscoll. Laurel's baby daughter that she and her partner just adopted has been kidnapped, and Giulia fears that the police aren't taking the threat seriously, especially since this fits a pattern spread out over several years and several states. Frank is reluctant to get involved, but Giulia dives in head first anyway. The trail leads Giulia to an undercover job just out of town. But will she get a lead on the kidnappers? Or is Frank right that the odds aren't in favor of recovering the baby?
I must admit that I was worried we would get lectures on LGBT rights given the subject of this book, but I was pleasantly surprised the focus was on the mystery as it should be in fiction. Yes, we saw some prejudice, but it wasn't the focus. Instead, we get a gripping mystery that borders on thriller as Giulia attempts to find her friends' baby. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out how it would end. The story is lightened by some comedy from the series regulars, including Giulia's relationship with Frank and their office assistant planning her wedding. While the suspects could have been stronger characters, that's a reflection of how much time any of them spent on the page. The rest of the cast is more than enough to pull us into the story and make us care about the outcome.
I must admit that I was worried we would get lectures on LGBT rights given the subject of this book, but I was pleasantly surprised the focus was on the mystery as it should be in fiction. Yes, we saw some prejudice, but it wasn't the focus. Instead, we get a gripping mystery that borders on thriller as Giulia attempts to find her friends' baby. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out how it would end. The story is lightened by some comedy from the series regulars, including Giulia's relationship with Frank and their office assistant planning her wedding. While the suspects could have been stronger characters, that's a reflection of how much time any of them spent on the page. The rest of the cast is more than enough to pull us into the story and make us care about the outcome.
The Mitford Murders
Book
'True and glorious indulgence. A dazzling example of a Golden Age mystery' Daisy Goodwin Lose...
mystery thriller
The Nowhere Child
8.8
Rate It
Book
Winner of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, The Nowhere Child is screenwriter Christian...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Mother-Daughter Murder Night in Books
Jul 5, 2024
I Enjoyed the Book, but I Wanted to Like It More
When Los Angeles based real estate mogul Lana Rubicon is diagnosed with cancer, she moves to the central California coast so her daughter, Beth, and granddaughter, Jacqueline (aka Jack) can take care of her, a scary prospect since Lana doesn’t necessarily get along with them. But when a kayak group that Jack is leading discover a dead body, Lana jumps into the case to help her granddaughter. Will this prove to be the distraction and bonding agent that three of them need?
I really wanted to like this book, and there were things I did. While a bit slow, especially at the beginning, the mystery did drawn me in. On the other hand, I figured out the killer pretty early. Lana has some rough edges, and it took quite a while to warm up to her. Since most (but not all) of the book is told from her third person point-of-view, that was an issue. It helped that I liked Beth and Jack and their relationship. I was also pretty discouraged by how most of the men in the story were portrayed. The setting came to life, and I enjoyed spending time there. Overall, the book has a serious tone and is more a traditional mystery than a cozy. It’s definitely not a thriller. As I said, this was a mixed bag. I’m glad I read it, but I will hesitate before I pick up anything else from this author.
I really wanted to like this book, and there were things I did. While a bit slow, especially at the beginning, the mystery did drawn me in. On the other hand, I figured out the killer pretty early. Lana has some rough edges, and it took quite a while to warm up to her. Since most (but not all) of the book is told from her third person point-of-view, that was an issue. It helped that I liked Beth and Jack and their relationship. I was also pretty discouraged by how most of the men in the story were portrayed. The setting came to life, and I enjoyed spending time there. Overall, the book has a serious tone and is more a traditional mystery than a cozy. It’s definitely not a thriller. As I said, this was a mixed bag. I’m glad I read it, but I will hesitate before I pick up anything else from this author.
Struck Dead (Forensic Instincts #10)
Book
The fragile line between life and death… Families that will never be the same… When a tragic...
Suspense Mystery Thriller
I'm not one to give spoilers so I'll just give the overall impression the book made.
The book tells the story of Nick and Amy Dunne through a series of diary entries. Nick's entries chronicle the day his wife disappears, their fifth wedding anniversary, and all the events that follow. Amy's entries begin several years before and paint a picture of her and Nick's life together over the course of their five year marriage.
As I was reading, I could identify a bit with both Nick and Amy. Then things start to get a little dull and predictable. Still able to identify with both characters, I start to like one a little bit more than the other, because that's the opinion the author wants me to have and I fall into the trap of forming cliched opinions of these characters. I'm left with a sense of <i>yeah, we all know where this is going</i>.
But then, it dawns on me; I am only nearing the end of Book One, the halfway point of the book. Clearly, there is something I'm missing because you can't need half a book to detail the outcome of what has obviously happened. So I reach the end of Book One and feel a bit blasé about it. It's a story I've read so many times before, nothing new (same sh%t, different characters).
I start reading Book Two and everything I thought about this book was promptly turned on it's ear. Everything I thought I knew, I quickly learned was not at all what it seemed. I can't remember the last time a book has surprised me so you can imagine by joy at being proven wrong. It was like a slap in the face that made me sit up and pay attention.
The rest of the book takes you on a journey to find out the truth. The truth about who these two people really are and what <i>really</i> happened; not just on that fateful day of Amy's disappearance, but over the course of Amy's life. Everything that played a part in shaping their lives together.
If you are a fan of mystery/thriller, I would highly recommend this book. It is not a typical mystery/thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails even though you know the outcome. What it is, is a good psychological mindf$%k that will prove you don't know as much as you might think you know.
The book tells the story of Nick and Amy Dunne through a series of diary entries. Nick's entries chronicle the day his wife disappears, their fifth wedding anniversary, and all the events that follow. Amy's entries begin several years before and paint a picture of her and Nick's life together over the course of their five year marriage.
As I was reading, I could identify a bit with both Nick and Amy. Then things start to get a little dull and predictable. Still able to identify with both characters, I start to like one a little bit more than the other, because that's the opinion the author wants me to have and I fall into the trap of forming cliched opinions of these characters. I'm left with a sense of <i>yeah, we all know where this is going</i>.
But then, it dawns on me; I am only nearing the end of Book One, the halfway point of the book. Clearly, there is something I'm missing because you can't need half a book to detail the outcome of what has obviously happened. So I reach the end of Book One and feel a bit blasé about it. It's a story I've read so many times before, nothing new (same sh%t, different characters).
I start reading Book Two and everything I thought about this book was promptly turned on it's ear. Everything I thought I knew, I quickly learned was not at all what it seemed. I can't remember the last time a book has surprised me so you can imagine by joy at being proven wrong. It was like a slap in the face that made me sit up and pay attention.
The rest of the book takes you on a journey to find out the truth. The truth about who these two people really are and what <i>really</i> happened; not just on that fateful day of Amy's disappearance, but over the course of Amy's life. Everything that played a part in shaping their lives together.
If you are a fan of mystery/thriller, I would highly recommend this book. It is not a typical mystery/thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails even though you know the outcome. What it is, is a good psychological mindf$%k that will prove you don't know as much as you might think you know.
Kyera (8 KP) rated There's Someone In Your House in Books
Feb 1, 2018
This young adult thriller brings the feeling of Scream to a captivating if a bit on the nose book. I liked the characterization in the book, as each person felt unique but they weren't developed in any meaningful way. As a result, it was an enjoyable and quick read but you're likely to not connect strongly with any of the characters.
One of the toughest things in a book versus a visual story when building suspense is that everything needs to be laid out for the reader. You can't just expect the reader to notice an out of place egg timer as they might when watching a tv show, you need to expressly tell your reader that it keeps moving to strange locations. I feel like this could have been executed more smoothly in the book, but as I am not an experienced thriller writer (nor reader), I don't feel I have enough knowledge to know for sure. It just seemed like the author tended to tell, rather than show throughout the narrative. The clues and scares were shoved in your face, rather than letting the creep factor build on its own.
A lot of readers have mentioned knowing "whodunnit" the moment that character appeared on the page, but I did not have that same experience. I felt that there was enough misdirection thrown your way and too-obvious clues pointing to certain characters that it was able to remain a mystery for a while. The only problem I had with the reveal is that it seemed to occur much too early in the book. It seemed to be about halfway into the story and we already knew who the killer was. As this was an incredibly short, easy read that makes the reveal feel premature.
I would be a little hesitant to recommend this book to younger readers or anyone who is squeamish about gory scenes because there were a number of them in the book. In general, she wasn't vividly descriptive but her clinical detachment while describing the scenes might be off-putting to some. Some of the murders are incredibly violent and others are just very stabby.
One of the toughest things in a book versus a visual story when building suspense is that everything needs to be laid out for the reader. You can't just expect the reader to notice an out of place egg timer as they might when watching a tv show, you need to expressly tell your reader that it keeps moving to strange locations. I feel like this could have been executed more smoothly in the book, but as I am not an experienced thriller writer (nor reader), I don't feel I have enough knowledge to know for sure. It just seemed like the author tended to tell, rather than show throughout the narrative. The clues and scares were shoved in your face, rather than letting the creep factor build on its own.
A lot of readers have mentioned knowing "whodunnit" the moment that character appeared on the page, but I did not have that same experience. I felt that there was enough misdirection thrown your way and too-obvious clues pointing to certain characters that it was able to remain a mystery for a while. The only problem I had with the reveal is that it seemed to occur much too early in the book. It seemed to be about halfway into the story and we already knew who the killer was. As this was an incredibly short, easy read that makes the reveal feel premature.
I would be a little hesitant to recommend this book to younger readers or anyone who is squeamish about gory scenes because there were a number of them in the book. In general, she wasn't vividly descriptive but her clinical detachment while describing the scenes might be off-putting to some. Some of the murders are incredibly violent and others are just very stabby.