You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
A dark and twisted thriller with some unexpected surprises. The story itself is gripping and cruel. The writing however is a bit wordy with unnecessary descriptions that often go off topic from the plot and create an air of boredom. The plot is full of drama, angst and secrets and had me hooked right from the beginning. I enjoyed reading this book (which is a step out of my comfort zone of usual genres I choose, but I'm trying to broaden my reading horizons this year) but there were definitely elements which slowed the narrative. The story is told from three perspectives - that of each of the main characters - and while these are split into three distinct parts, each part is told with a combination of present day, flashbacks, retellings and letter writing; so it jumps around a bit, making for a bit of confusion with the timeline and leaving me wishing it was just written in chronological order. It's not a mystery novel, but it is full of secrets that gradually unfold to help develop a clearer picture of the events which happened 26 years before. An unsettling, dark and intense story with many overlapping layers.
First off, I would not consider this a thriller. It is much to slowly paced to be put into that genre and lacks the other plot highs and lows of one. But it was suspenseful for obvious reasons.
I am still debating whether this is a three or four star for me, though it most likely sits in the middle. I just couldn’t get real into the story. While the premise is quite interesting and the many loose, seemingly unimportant threads are put together at the end, it took a long time for all that to make sense.
Grief Mill Road is told from the three character’s POV who were a part of the single act that changed all their lives. We get Patrick’s perspective of Matthew’s horrendous act first, then Hannah’s, then finally Matthews. All take different paths and motivations and all are needed to fully comprehend what happened that summer day in 1982; both in their childhoods leading up to the event and their current lives in 2008. Spoilers: it’s full of misunderstandings and rash actions. Clever in many aspects, but ultimately a bit too slow for me.
I am still debating whether this is a three or four star for me, though it most likely sits in the middle. I just couldn’t get real into the story. While the premise is quite interesting and the many loose, seemingly unimportant threads are put together at the end, it took a long time for all that to make sense.
Grief Mill Road is told from the three character’s POV who were a part of the single act that changed all their lives. We get Patrick’s perspective of Matthew’s horrendous act first, then Hannah’s, then finally Matthews. All take different paths and motivations and all are needed to fully comprehend what happened that summer day in 1982; both in their childhoods leading up to the event and their current lives in 2008. Spoilers: it’s full of misunderstandings and rash actions. Clever in many aspects, but ultimately a bit too slow for me.
There were moments when this one had a great deal of potential, but ultimately it just didn't win me over. I think there are better suspense novels out there.
I thought it was well written, the characters were interesting, especially Matthew. I am going to be reading Mr. Yates' first novel now!
Dark, complex, and not for the faint of heart. There were a few parts that were rough to read. I like mystery, and psych thriller, but when something happens to children, I just don't like it.
Grist Mill Road was a well-written book. I enjoyed the built up story and the twists. The multiple timelines were easy to follow, unlike some others of its genre. Solid 3.5.
Grist Mill Road was a well-written book. I enjoyed the built up story and the twists. The multiple timelines were easy to follow, unlike some others of its genre. Solid 3.5.
A character driven novel that propelled me through the book. I'm not a fan of books that go back and forth in time nor a fan of different characters speaking in alternating chapters. In spite of that, I couldn't put the book down. A story of 3 teens who were participants in a horrific event in small town NY and then went their separate ways. Over 20 years later their lives all intersect and the author reveals the truths that led up to the event and ultimately what it did to their lives.
This has been touted as one of the best thrillers of the year and feaured on the January 2018 Indie Next list. Although I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would, it was a great read nonetheless, I will be putting "Black Chalk" Yates' cult hit onto my TBR pile.
What I liked about "Grist Mill Road" is that it is an intelligent thriller that really makes you think. With a multitude of different strands that are woven together seamlessly, the plot keeps you interested in what the outcome or final resolution will be. I am always up for an unsettling and "oh-my-god" read and this certainly fit the bill in that respect. At its heart, this is a cold case thriller that is deceptively dark and filled with suspense. There were a lot of surprises as one thing Yates does exceptionally well is writing a novel that is unpredictable in nature with disturbing moments aplenty.
The multiple POV tells the story from three different perspectives (Hannah, Patrick and Matthew - the three children who were present on the day Hannah was attacked 26 years ago) so you have to be on-the-ball to keep it all straight in your head. The pace was enjoyable and the unpredictability means that the twists and turns often leave you rather shocked.
All in all, a book that is worthy of your time. It will be especially appreciated by those who enjoy psychological thrillers but conventional crime fiction fans will also find the book meaty enough to get their claws into.
Many thanks to Picador for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
What I liked about "Grist Mill Road" is that it is an intelligent thriller that really makes you think. With a multitude of different strands that are woven together seamlessly, the plot keeps you interested in what the outcome or final resolution will be. I am always up for an unsettling and "oh-my-god" read and this certainly fit the bill in that respect. At its heart, this is a cold case thriller that is deceptively dark and filled with suspense. There were a lot of surprises as one thing Yates does exceptionally well is writing a novel that is unpredictable in nature with disturbing moments aplenty.
The multiple POV tells the story from three different perspectives (Hannah, Patrick and Matthew - the three children who were present on the day Hannah was attacked 26 years ago) so you have to be on-the-ball to keep it all straight in your head. The pace was enjoyable and the unpredictability means that the twists and turns often leave you rather shocked.
All in all, a book that is worthy of your time. It will be especially appreciated by those who enjoy psychological thrillers but conventional crime fiction fans will also find the book meaty enough to get their claws into.
Many thanks to Picador for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I found this book frustrating, as it felt like it could have been so great but instead felt repetitive and annoying. It's told from the point of view of three characters, two male and one female, and the female voice was not believable to me. Also, one of the male characters seemed very repetitive; those sections could have been tightened up with some editing. Additionally, it wasn't explained how one of the characters became immensely wealthy and powerful, which I found highly annoying and not believable. I loved Yates' prior book but didn't enjoy this one so much. When what was supposed to be an important twist was finally revealed after far too much teasing, it didn't carry the emotional weight it needed to make the plot work.
Just finished this yesterday on audio (bookseller copy provided by Libro.fm) and I really liked it! The summary is a bit misleading because the story belongs more to Patrick and Matthew, and the way we can shape events by the truths we admit and the truths we omit. I was definitely drawn into the story and I liked the way it was told in past and present by Patrick, Hannag and Matthew. The ending was good, but I wish there had been an epilogue or that Hannah had been featured a little more. I definitely plan on reading more by this author!
I was sent a free copy of this book. However I might have bought a copy anyway since I like books with the elements this one has. That being disclosed, I did enjoy this book and would really given it 4.5 stars, very close to a classic. Only did the ending seem not as great as its setup. Still it was a 'page turner' if ever there was one.