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Ransom (1996)
Ransom (1996)
1996 | Action, Drama, Mystery
Mid-90s thriller, starring Mel Gibson (back when he was still at the height of his career, before going completely loco IRL and getting himself into all sorts of trouble) as a wealthy airline owner whose son is kidnapped, and who must pay a ransom in order to get the kid back.

However, for 'reasons', and following a botched attempt to do so which the FBI crash, he decides instead to offer the ransom as a bounty on the kidnappers instead - kidnappers which the film has no qualms whatsoever about revealing from pretty much the get go.

That would have been a great twist (offering the ransom as a bounty, I mean) had the marketing for the movie not relied so heavily on it.

There's also surprisingly little made of it in the movie proper, save for one or two throwaway lines by interviewed citizens on the street.

As such, the film really relies on the 'star power' of Gibson himself and his co-star Rene Russo, alongside a strong turn by FBI agent Delroy Lindo and Gary Sinise.

The result is one of Gibson's more forgettable mid-90s thrillers, I feel.
  
The Midwife [Audiobook]
The Midwife [Audiobook]
Victoria Jenkins | 2022 | Thriller
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the first book I have read/listened to by this author and it will likely not be my last as I quite enjoyed this. I do think it worked really well as an audiobook; would I have thought the same if I had actually read it? I'm not sure as it was quite a slow burn but it was perfect to listen to whilst in the car.

The two main characters, Lauren and Jackie, are really interesting and well developed. It is clear they both have secrets but quite what they are and how they link to each other doesn't become clear until the end.

As I said, this is a slow burn with a growing sense of tension and unease from the beginning and this kept me listening desperate to find out what the twist was going to be and, overall, I wasn't disappointed.

The narrator, Anne-Marie Piazza, did a good job with the narration and she was easy to listen to.

Overall, a satisfying audiobook and many thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen and share my thoughts of The Midwife.
  
The Serial Killer's Daughter
The Serial Killer's Daughter
Alice Hunter | 2022 | Crime, Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
As with the first in the series, The Serial Killer's Wife, this is not your usual serial killer story and although this is the second book, you don't have to have read the first ... this can be listened to/read as a standalone very easily.

Jenny is a local vet living with her husband and 2 children in a quiet village in Devon where nothing usually happens but then a young woman goes missing, Jenny is having blackouts and someone is leaving her "presents" on her doorstep. Jenny starts to doubt her own sanity and suspects those around her but could it be related to her father, the serial killer known as The Painted Lady Killer? Is Jenny taking after her father?

This is a great book to listen to and although it's a slow burner, it certainly kept me engaged throughout. It's full of suspense and mystery with a great twist at the end and I particularly liked the narrators who did a great job.

Many thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to The Serial Killer's Daughter and share my thoughts.
  
Twist ma and turns (1 more)
Paige Turner
Predict ability (0 more)
Summary
Tory and Darcy just turned eighteen, freeing them from the foster system they have been on since their parents death when they were infants. However, being free isn’t always easy. Though the system was not easy or even allowed them to find real homes or families, the twins had each other. Now that we are being told they are from another secret world, the Fae World, and are royalty, they must learn about the parents, their world they never knew and a magic they never knew to gain their inheritance they only could have dreamt for. The only problem? Four Celestial Heirs who don’t want them to have their throne back.

This book as a page turned and left me wanting more. It the first in the series and I and already se to devoid book two. The writing style is interesting and can keep you on your toes but I feel the characters are easy to predict as times. But they are you log adults so that might by why in this case. It is still an excellent read.
  
Her Perfect Life
Her Perfect Life
Hank Phillippi Ryan | 2021 | Thriller
5
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This Book Doesn’t Turn Out to be Perfect
Lily Atwood is living a charmed life. A TV reporter with awards and millions of fans by day, she is a devoted single mother to a charming seven-year-old daughter by night. Her fans think she has it all, and Lily works hard to project that. Things take a turn when her latest anonymous source starts feeding her secrets from her own life. Can Lily keep her perfect life?

The book started well, and I was quickly pulled in. The use of multiple narrators and a large chunk back in the past was easy to follow thanks to headings at the start of every chapter. However, as I got further into the book, I started to get more frustrated. A whiney character was annoying, and I felt like some of the book was driven by manufactured suspense. If the characters would just listen to each other, they’d get the answers they wanted. Having said that, one twist got a gasp out of me near the end. The ending was a bit of a letdown since it left me wondering what the point was. All told, this was a mixed bag.