You are here: Home / Archives for thriller
Review: The Stonecutter by Camilla Lackberg

Review: The Stonecutter by Camilla Lackberg

April 4, 2013 by · 5 Comments

The Stonecutter

This continues the story of local detective Patrik Hedström and his girlfriend, Erica Falck, the beloved crime-solving duo whose first child has just been born. But while they celebrate this new life, a suspicious drowning claims a little girl they knew well. As the murder’s implications widen, Patrik’s investigation threatens to tear apart the rural fishing village of Fjällbacka, where a secret lurks that spans generations.

I’ve heard how Swedish crime thrillers are the creme de le creme when it comes to suspense and as I’ve yet to read Stieg Larssons Millenium trilogy, (much to my shame) I was eager to read The Stonecutter.

At first I was a bit confused about the various characters and flipping back and forth between various points of view; I got lost. However, once I became better acquainted with the characters names I didn’t find myself struggling to keep up with the story line.

There’s a quote that I love that mentions every good novel has a few short stories sacrificed into it. I’ve always agreed and in The Stonecutter there’s the story of the stonecutter that serves as the backdrop to all the events happening in the present. We aren’t sure how this ongoing tale from the past relates to the present until the end, which is quite shocking.

Now, I loved this book. I can’t wait to read the other books that feature the same detectives. However, I can’t give it a full five stars just because I figured a little bit too much of the mystery out. I love to have no idea what’s going on and be completely surprised until the very end. And yet I’m torn too because I was incredibly proud of myself for figuring a few key things out before they were officially revealed, so maybe well go with four and a half stars.

I agree with the folks who compare Lackberg to Agatha Christie. I definitely saw parallels while reading The Stonecutter. Probably the style more than anything else. And so many suspects. I did think – to my great satisfaction, that Lackberg, (at least in The Stonecutter) had a bit more edgier mystery, darker. This is definitely not a cozy mystery.

The villains – and there’s more than one – I loathed for different reasons and I loved that in the end the culprit didn’t need to expound on their motive because by that point I understood. If you’re like me you’ll think they’re still disgusting and vile but we have no doubt how they got to that point.

I think my favorite thing is that with every story line, there’s the little everyday things that add suspense, not just the mystery they’re trying to solve as police but the minutiae of everyday life adds tension and depth. I became as invested in their personal stories as I did the murder mystery, that says a lot. It also makes the crime that much more heinous and the resolution that much more satisfying.

The Stonecutter is worth the read for any mystery lover. Even for this jaded fan! This is the third in this series but I didn’t feel like I was missing much from previous novels. I think they can pretty much stand on their own, although I’ll definitely be reading the previous now!

The Stonecutter

Find: Amazon | BD | Goodreads 

Follow: Website

• This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. Please note that this post also contains affiliate links. To view our full Blog Policy, click here.

Filed Under: 4.5 rating, book review Tagged With: , ,
Review: Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

Review: Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

February 25, 2013 by · 4 Comments

Into the Darkest Corner

Catherine has been enjoying the single life for long enough to know a good catch when she sees one. Gorgeous, charismatic, spontaneous – Lee seems almost too perfect to be true. And her friends clearly agree, as each in turn falls under his spell. But there is a darker side to Lee. His erratic, controlling and sometimes frightening behaviour means that Catherine is increasingly isolated. Driven into the darkest corner of her world, and trusting no one, she plans a meticulous escape. Four years later, struggling to overcome her demons, Catherine dares to believe she might be safe from harm. Until one phone call changes everything. This is an edgy and powerful first novel, utterly convincing in its portrayal of obsession, and a tour de force of suspense.

O.M.G. Into the Darkest Corners is a psychological thriller to the max. I can say I have not in my memory ever read a book that had me literally having to take breaks so I could slow my racing heart and calm myself down. I had my heart in my throat for over half the book – especially the second half. I think this could possibly be sold as a weight loss aid because I’m pretty sure I burned at least as many calories as I would if I ran on a treadmill while reading. It definitely gets the heart and blood pumping!

Into the Darkest Corner is Cathy’s present and past, told as parallel stories. So we see exactly where she started and how she is now. And at first you can’t help but wonder “what in the world could possibly happen to turn this woman into a paranoid panic stricken victim who lives her life with perpetual fear and can only calm herself a bit with OCD behaviors?!” The more we read of her past, things are slowly revealed and there’s plenty of suspense in her present life because the thing she fears most just got released from his cage…

Haynes is a fricken genius of lighting the slow and steady fuse that begs you to follow it until it blows up, even though you know the explosion isn’t going to be pretty! I don’t think I’ve ever felt more for a main character. I literally felt guilty for putting the book down – which was hard to do but a girl has to sleep! I felt like I was leaving Cathy all alone every time I closed the book and I didn’t want to! I just wanted to give her a hug and listen to what she wanted to talk about. I wanted to be there for her like her friends weren’t.

I think this should be required reading for anyone who has to deal with relationship crisis and abuse. Mental health and social worker professionals. Into the Darkest really shows how a relationship can turn bad, even a seemingly perfect relationship. Everyone likes to ask “why don’t they just leave” and this book highlights [in an extreme way] why that’s not so easy.

Cathy is a hero in my eyes. It was awesome to see her character develop. We feel her fear, paranoia, and terror but we also get to feel her empowerment.

This book is unforgettable. Some of the scenes are graphic, I will say that. But abuse is never pretty. Into the Darkest Corner makes the words on the page a palpable thing; the story became so real to me. I would think about Cathy’s predicament even when I wasn’t reading.

When I turned and read that final page I was left with a shiver. I feel like I made this journey with Cathy. I still think of her and I can’t help but hope good things are in store for her future.

Into the Darkest Corner takes you to the deepest fears of the heart. That perfect man might not be all he appears, and you might not realize it until there’s nowhere to turn.

I cannot recommend this book enough! If you like suspense at ALL especially psychological suspense, you have to read it!

Into the Darkest Corner

Find: Amazon | BD | Goodreads [Kindle Deal $1.99!!]

Follow: Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

• This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. Please note that this post also contains affiliate links. To view our full Blog Policy, click here.

Filed Under: 5 stars, amazingtastic, book review, psychological thriller Tagged With: , , , ,
Review: Syndrome E by Franck Thilliez

Review: Syndrome E by Franck Thilliez

September 13, 2012 by · 6 Comments

Syndrome E by Franck Thilliez

 

Syndrome E by Franck Thilliez

The classic procedural meets cutting edge science in this huge international bestseller.

Already a runaway bestseller in France, Syndrome E tells the story of beleaguered detective Lucie Hennebelle, whose old friend has developed a case of spontaneous blindness after watching an extremely rare—and violent—film from the 1950s. Embedded in the film are subliminal images so unspeakably heinous that Lucie realizes she must get to the bottom of it—especially when nearly everyone who comes into contact with the film starts turning up dead.

Enlisting the help of Inspector Franck Sharko—a brooding, broken analyst for the Paris police who is exploring the film’s connection to five murdered men left in the woods, Lucie begins to strip away the layers of what is perhaps the most disturbing and powerful film ever made. Soon Sharko and Lucie find themselves mired in a darkness that spreads across politics, religion, science, and art while stretching from France to Canada, Egypt to Rwanda, and beyond. And just who is responsible for this darkness will blow readers minds, as Syndrome E forces them to consider: what if the earliest and most brilliant advances and discoveries of neuroscience were not used for good—but for evil.

With this taut U.S. debut, Thilliez explores the origins of violence through cutting-edge and popular science in a breakneck thriller rich with shocking plot twists and profound questions about the nature of humanity.

Holy cow. Syndrome E is so much more than I ever expected.  It’s one of my favorite books of the entire year. Where to even start?! It’s a mystery wrapped in science and insanity. Once one particular piece of the puzzle is discovered many more questions come to light that beg for answers.

I could hardly stop reading. I found it horrifying and yet fascinating all at once. One thing is for sure, Syndrome E isn’t for the faint of heart. It goes to the very darkest of places of the human heart but especially of the mind. You’ll never be able to guess where it ends up from where the tale begins!

It all begins with a film collector who buys a silent film that was made in the mid 50′s and as he’s watching finds himself suddenly stricken blind. He locates his phone and randomly dials a phone number and ends up calling Lucie; an ex girlfriend who also happens to be a cop. She finds herself struggling to find answers to the mysterious film, its origins and uncover its secrets… The complex tale begins.

Lucie and Sharko, the other cop who ends up partnering with her are great characters. Both struggling under the stress of the job and the toll it’s taken on their family lives. I was particularly fond of Sharko. It’s not often you encounter a cop with a real psychological disorder such as schizophrenia. And yet it wasn’t over dramatized or sensationalized , I thought it was very well done and added a special dimension to his character. I was rooting for both of them in their struggles and loved how the end turned out.

Syndrome E has made me really curious how much was based on fact and how much was the authors imagination drawing from things in our human history. It makes me want to learn more and delve into some of the topics. I don’t want to say too much because I’d ruin some of the mystery and I’m really hoping that everyone who likes s great mystery picks up Syndrome E. Anyone interested in conspiracy  theories would definitely do well to check this one out as well!

I’m excited that this is French series and that hopefully the rest of the books travel across the pond and find their way into my hands!

I also just learned that Paramount is buying the film rights – so we might very well see Syndrome E make it’s way to the big screen – which having read the book I can say that is going to be one creeptastic movie!

Find Syndrom E: AMAZON | BD |GOODREADS

Follow  Franck Thilliez: TWITTER | WEBSITE

signature

*Review Copy provided by Publisher for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. Please note there are affiliate links in this post, we thank you for your support.

Filed Under: 5 stars, amazingtastic, Best of 2012, book review Tagged With: , ,
Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

July 3, 2012 by · 16 Comments

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Marriage can be a real killer.
One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong. The Chicago Tribune proclaimed that her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.” Gone Girl’s toxic mix of sharp-edged wit and deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds you at every turn.
On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy’s diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?
As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?
With her razor-sharp writing and trademark psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around.

 

Gone Girl. Holy effing cow! I don’t think I’ve ever read a novel as big of a mind f*ck as this. I mean that in the most amazingtastic way possible!

Gone Girl is a novel you’re going to be begging EVERYONE to read just so you can have someone to talk to about it. I think I had more jaw-drops reading Gone Girl than any book I’ve ever read. You think you know what will happen but I highly doubt anyone will predict the end. I sure did not see it coming, which is awesomely refreshing.

I’ve had Gillian Flynn’s other novels: Sharp Objects and Dark Places, on my wish list for some time but after reading Gone Girl they’re definitely getting bumped up to “ASAP reading.” I think she’s found a fan in me for life. Gone Girl is such an intelligent novel. Its characters are so beautifully flawed. I was laughing even as I was mortified. I was hanging on every single page wondering what the next head-whipping twist was coming.

I think what I loved most was, in the beginning of the novel (about the first half) I was going back and forth between which character I sympathized most with, the husband Nick or the wife Amy.  Nick is so likeable in a lot of ways, but he’s got issues. Amy, I felt almost bad for her in the beginning. It was fascinating to read her diary entries – have I said before how partial I am to diary entries? I can’t get enough of books with diaries or letters etc. Amy’s diary added an additional aspect of the book that kept me glued to the pages.

I wish I could say more, but really I don’t want to spoil the book for anyone! This is just such a purely delicious read. I should also mention there’s a treasure hunt complete with clues. I can’t even express how much I loved Gone Girl! This is me gushing! :D

This is one of the best suspense/thrillers, psycho-thrillers I’ve ever read and that says a lot considering thrillers is probably my favorite genre. I feel like this is one book I could write sonnets on how much it rocked. I BEG you – and you know I don’t do that often, give Gone Girl a chance if you’re into thrillers, psychological thrillers especially. Then come back here or email so we can TALK, because I can guarantee you won’t want to keep your thoughts to yourself.

If there was ever a book that deserved more than the 5 star rating of amazingtastic this is it – amazingtastic x10!

Find Gone Girl: Amazon | BD | Goodreads

Follow Gillian Flynn: Website | Facebook 

5 AMAZINGTASTIC

signature

*Review Copy provided free of charge by the publisher in exchange for a fair review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Filed Under: 5 stars, amazingtastic, Best of 2012, book review Tagged With: , , , ,
Review: The Weepers: The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker

Review: The Weepers: The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker

May 14, 2012 by · 12 Comments

The Weepers: The Other Life (The Other Life #1)
by Susanne Winnacker

3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life.

 

Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.

 

Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ – rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.

 

While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.


Zombies right? nope nope, not quite – but definitely close enough!!  These nasties are Alive! – and more intelligent than the zombies we are used to in other books.  They sleep in packs and horde their food, having enough control to save some for later, mm mm tasty.

Our main character, Sherry, was a pretty typical teenager before her family had to seek refuge in a bunker from a “rabies” virus that was killing many people and mutating a smaller percentage of others into animalistic predators.  Flash forward –  and they’ve been in their little private underground bunker for over 3 years.  That is a long time to live underground with your only company being your family *personal shiver here*.  To make matters worse they’ve just run out of food.

That is where the story actually starts and shortly thereafter it gets it’s real jump into action with Sherry and her father leaving the bunker in search of food.  At that point the action keeps a very steady pace the entire length of the book.  Now and then you will have short flashbacks to Sherry’s past.  These are very short, mundane scenes of her everyday past life before the crisis.  Personally, I felt we really could have done without these flashbacks.  Not to mention I could have done without Sherry’s constant counting of days.  Those would have been more tolerable if they were fewer and farther between.

The secondary character Joshua was definitely my favorite.  He is tough, resilient, determined and filled with a piss cart full of vengeance for these Weepers.  As he starts to open up to Sherry I like his story more and more, but I do believe Winnacker did well by making him the secondary character rather than the lead.  His personality compliments hers and I hope continues to rub off on her.  Sherry can be a bit annoying at times with her inner turmoil over not wanting to kill “any living thing.”  This probably annoyed me more than it will other people, because I have a very aggressive and confrontational mindset.  “One Shot, One Kill” I say!! Huah!!

My main picky point is that it felt more like an episode in aTV series with how short the book was and knowing that more was coming.  It wasn’t that it ended on a cliffhanger, it’s just that I didn’t see a main plot point central to this particular book that was completed.  Don’t get me wrong, in most series type books you know there is more coming – but in most for me I still see that main struggle or goal that is being reached for and usually achieved by the end.  So you still walk away with that bit of contentment.

Overall, I felt The Weepers is a really good addition to the zombie fiction genre.  It has a few things that I haven’t seen before in other zombie fiction.  Because of this I really enjoyed it and found it refreshing and definitely plan to read any future books.

                                                          Tabitha the Pabkins

 

Look at this lovely alternate cover! I think it is for the UK edition


Find The Weepers by Susanne Winnacker: AMAZON | BD | GOODREADS

Follow Susanne Winnacker: TWITTER | WEBSITE

 

*Review Copy provided by Publisher for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Filed Under: 4 stars, book review, Pabkin's Reviews, young adult Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
«Older Posts