Truth and Lies (DI Amy Winter, #1)
7.5
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Meet Amy Winter: Detective Inspector, daughter of a serial killer. DI Amy Winter is hoping to...
Crime Mystery Thriller Book series Female lead
The Girl in the Ice (Erika Foster book 1)
7.8
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Her eyes are wide open. Her lips parted as if to speak. Her dead body frozen in the ice . . . She is...
Crime thriller series DCI Foster Erika Foster
Taunting the Dead (DS Allie Shenton, #1)
10.0
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How far would you go to protect the ones you love? And how much further would you go to betray them?...
Echo of the Reich (Chris Bronson #5)
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Chris Bronson is back in this edge-of-your-seat thriller involving a secret Nazi WW2 weapon and a...
The Boy at the Door
2.0
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Set against a stunning Scandinavian backdrop, a gritty novel of psychological suspense that asks the...
mystery thriller fiction adult Alex Dahl The Boy at the Door
The Missing Season
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From the author of Edgar Award finalist Grit and The Lies They Tell comes a tense, atmospheric novel...
YA young adult suspense thriller The Missing Season Gillian French
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Twenty (Major Crimes, Book 2) in Books
May 7, 2023
I read a lot of crime and psychological thrillers and the odd horror book and it takes a lot to get me going but Sam Holland most definitely got me going with The Twenty. Oh my word!! Why? I hear you ask.
Excellent and interesting characters ... check.
Excellent serial killer ... check.
Gripping story line ... check.
Fast pace ... check.
Twists and turns ... check.
Gruesome scenes that give you the chills ... check.
Tension and suspense in spades ... check.
What more is there to be said? Oh yes, this might be book 2 but don't let that put you off, it can easily be read as a standalone but I would strongly suggest you read book 1, The Echo Man, it's also a cracker!!
Highly recommended to those of you who enjoy a dark, gritty and grisly crime thriller ... you won't go far wrong with Sam Holland and I must thank HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of the brilliant The Twenty.
I can't wait to see what comes next.
The Darkest Sin
9.0
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Set in Renaissance Florence, The Darkest Sin is an atmospheric historical thriller by D. V. Bishop...
Historical fiction Renaissance Florence Italy
DaveySmithy (107 KP) rated The Dead Zone (1983) in Movies
Dec 3, 2024
The story follows Johnny Smith (Walken), an ordinary schoolteacher whose life is upended when a car accident leaves him in a coma for five years. When he awakens, he discovers he has gained the ability to see people’s pasts and futures through physical contact—a gift that feels more like a curse. What begins as an attempt to understand and use this newfound power for good spirals into a dark moral dilemma when Johnny foresees a catastrophic future involving a rising politician, Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen).
Christopher Walken is the emotional core of the film, delivering one of his most human and vulnerable performances. He masterfully conveys Johnny’s pain, loneliness, and reluctant heroism, making his character deeply sympathetic. Walken’s portrayal grounds the supernatural elements of the story, ensuring they never feel far-fetched. Martin Sheen is equally compelling as the menacing and unhinged Stillson, a character whose ambition and ruthlessness are frighteningly plausible.
Cronenberg, known for his visceral body horror, takes a restrained approach here, focusing on mood and atmosphere over gore. This subtlety works to the film’s advantage, allowing the tension to simmer until its gripping climax. The muted color palette and moody score by Michael Kamen add to the sense of dread, perfectly capturing the eerie small-town setting.
However, The Dead Zone isn’t without its flaws. The pacing occasionally drags, and some of the supporting characters feel underdeveloped. Additionally, the episodic structure—though true to the novel—can make the narrative feel uneven.
Despite these minor issues, The Dead Zone is an intelligent and emotionally resonant thriller that explores heavy themes with nuance. It may not be as flashy as other Stephen King adaptations, but its quiet power and moral complexity make it a standout. A solid 8/10.