Beth
4.5. A love letter to Savannah, Georgia with a host of eccentric misfit characters. While murder and scandal were themes that jumped off the pages. This was not a gory true crime non fiction but a narrative non fiction , that was as much about the history of Savannah and the incredible characters of its inhabitants. While some of the residents had questionable intentions and morals they certainly made fascinating characters to put in a book!
Thank you to the publisher Penguin, the author Sarah Pearse and Netgalley for a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
I was so excited to read the next instalment in the DS Elin Warner series. I adored The Sanatorium with its cold setting and the creepy haunted building. This second book has a similar structure with murders occurring in an isolated wellness retreat during a hot summer. The rock that is built on the island ( reapers rock
Considering this isn't often regarded as Alice Feeney's strongest work, I was incredibly impressed. This had a cast of characters who were all unreliable and anyone of them could have been the Blackdown murderer. I had a few people I thought it could be but the final reveal of the murderer was a surprise to me. This was sharp and propulsive and while it follows young teenage girls and the repercussions of their actions when they were 16 into adulthood. It was so much more interesting than it sounds and I couldn't stop flipping pages. However I will warn people that there are some gritty and dark places explored in this book. Some physical and psychological cruelties played out, I wasn't expecting and some people might find distressing. However it added a grittier level to the thriller plot line that I found intriguing to read about.
This book was dark, gritty, twisty-turny and unputdownable! Layers of sharp twists and reveals kept pummelling me and I absolutely loved the dark nature of this story. Following a dark family history of secrets, abductions, murder and violence, this story traces four generations of darkness and the compulsion to kill. This story follows Finn and Mia who end up with a house via auction and begin renovating it when they find out Mia is expecting. However when gristly discoveries are found in the house and a family connection crops up between Finn and the house, a dark tale of revelation and revenge begins to unfold. I am so impressed by this author and can't wait to tap into his back list! Trigger warnings for child abuse and child violence. Also this book sits at the darker end of the thriller spectrum so just be aware.
I think this wasn't the right book at the right time for me. I absolutely love the true crime element of The Babysitter case and I would have liked more on that. I found Hannah was a frustrating and naive character to follow but I think that was the point. I hated the perspective of the ponytail etc characters and completely skipped those chapters. I also found Hannah and her fascination/ affair with this Y.K character confusing and i lacked interest in the development of that plot point. I really respect JCO as an author and want to read all her back list. Maybe this novel needed me to read it much slower and reflect upon it more. Or maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea. I think I will return to this book in physical form one day and find out.
3.5. I found I was really invested the first 3/4 of the way through the book. The final section was a lot more messy and certain parts didn't bring the whole plot together for me. So my few plot niggles brought it an overall 3.5 rating. I liked the creepy Lakehouse setting and the revealing of secrets from all of the characters not just Casey. It was better than just a standard read and 3 starts to me is a standard rating for a standard read.
This book is worth the hype and definitely worth the read if you love thrillers. This was the best thriller development wise and twists and turns wise I have read in ages. So clever and so so good! Loved all elements of this book and loved the psychiatrist storyline and the client sessions and the killer profiling sections. I also loved the secrets and finding out who the serial killer was and all the reveals. This was just dark and juicy and completely my cup of tea.
Between a 4.5 and a 5 stars. This book is a crazy rollacoaster ride. Reading this book made me palpably stressed and anxious and set my teeth on edge in parts. But it was so propulsive and compelling! Much more than a simple maid comes to work for a new family storyline. I loved the darkness of this story. It was so juicy and I will be reading the sequel!
Between a 4.5 and 5, but rounded up to a 5 purely on the horrible dread and constant unease and anxiety and claustrophobic this book gave me. Jack as a character makes your skin crawl and I found his sick focus on his new wife's sister Millie who had Down syndrome extremely unnerving and nauseating. I found this thriller completely unique and I wanted to race through this book while simultaneously shouting run and escape Grace every chapter! This is an incredibly strong gaslighting dark dark dark suspense domestic thriller and I was living for it!
Between 2.5 and a 3. I was so hooked for 70% of the book. However the action scenes at the end were way too drawn out and dull for me. People running out of rounds of bullets and endless car racing and shootouts and people seeming to survive through close range bullet shots to the face. I was frustrated at the end by how many people seemed to come back from the dead or survive un survivable shots. The last 30% could have seriously been condensed and cut. I'm not a shoot out kind of girl, I find heavy action tedious. But I am excited now to read No Exit as this author can write a good thriller. Just her ending needed more work.
This book is just as good as it's debut. I love the character development of Anjelica Henley, Ramouter and the team. I love that the book acknowledged and addressed things that happened in the first book. The book also dealt really strongly with the aftermath of trauma and police politics and racism and conflict within the police, which I enjoyed.
This book is a book that can stand on its own and I really loved the inventive plot. The author mentions in her acknowledgment page that she proposed this idea as a pastor is killed in his church and he has a member of the congregation who he has locked up in the church who is found and they believe he been having an exorcism? And it's so cleverly crafted from there! This isn't a gimmicky plot with no substance. Matheson knows how to layer together plot, character development, several loose ends and tie them up satisfyingly at the end. Matheson is one to watch in the thriller genre and I absolutely loved this latest installment. I can't wait to read more in this series. I love how Henley is faulted and passionate and dedicated to her team and she feels so authentic and real. I also personally want to thank HQ for gifting me a ebook earlier readers copy due to my positive review of the first book. I squealed for joy when I got the email!!
Thanks to the author Nadine Matheson, HQ and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
