Reviews

Writing: classic Lisa Gardner (solid) | Plot: good but long winded | Ending: wooolalala

Phat ass trigger warning: r@pe, violence against women and children, stalking, pedophilia

SYNOPSIS

The Survivors Club, aka three women who survived the College Hill Rapist, think they are finally free of their attacker when he is killed at the courthouse. But wait! When another women in r@ped in the same method as they were, it's evident that things are far from over.

MY OPINION

So I actually 'discovered' this book via the Sergeant Detective Roan Griffin Easter Egg that appeared in [b:Catch Me|11720382|Catch Me (Detective D.D. Warren, #6)|Lisa Gardner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1325628802l/11720382._SY75_.jpg|16668559]. Don't judge me, but THIS is my 'dream' plot. Idk what it is about a serial r@pist (too much Law & Order SVU) attacking co-eds but if a book has it, 9 times outta 10 ima pick it up. Throw in the potential copycat and I'm sold. Even the length (528 pgs on Kindle) couldn't turn me off this one. (FYI I can now see what people mean when they say Gardner and Karin Slaughter are same same, but different. I'm glad that Gardner doesn't write these marathon books anymore).

This was a JUICYYYYY book for sure. From the sniper who got got to the Candy Man case to the College Hill Rapist's return from the dead, there was lots of entertainment factor here. It felt like I was reading a particularly thicc episode of Criminal Minds, in the best way. The only things that kept this from being a 5 star banger was: group interviews a la Scooby Doo (defense lawyer would have a field day), a regular degular citizen outsmarting the police when the answer was about as obvious as Trump's toupe, some *side eye* moments (Molly and Meg. I'll leave it at that), and the unnecessary romance between Griffin and Jillian.

I'd put this up there with the likes of [b:Fear Nothing|18079661|Fear Nothing (Detective D.D. Warren, #8)|Lisa Gardner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1372049470l/18079661._SY75_.jpg|25323488] and [b:Find Her|25644437|Find Her (Detective D.D. Warren, #9)|Lisa Gardner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1444071262l/25644437._SY75_.jpg|45462848] but NOTHING can touch [b:Live to Tell|7180727|Live to Tell (Detective D.D. Warren, #4)|Lisa Gardner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440316621l/7180727._SY75_.jpg|7192827] idc!!!!

PROS AND CONS

Pros: well-written, despite the length it wasn't a 'slow burn', JUICY case, wrapped up nicely

Cons: some Scooby Doo moments, unnecessary (and hella unprofessional) romance between Griffin and Jillian

____________________________

For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.

novabird's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Survivors as activists and not as vigilantes, is a healthy turn-around. The plot was engaging but the tension did not build, although the curiosity did. The transitions were not smooth. The type of masculine hero rescuing females did not work for me. However, Gardner gives us a unique twist on the SVU (Special Victims Unit) genre and for this I give her a well-rounded 3.

madisonwfairbanks's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

The Survivors Club by Lisa Gardner

Thriller. Police procedural. Trigger warnings of active rape.

Three women form the Survivors Club as victims of the same man that has sexually assaulted them. Each is struggling to recover, or survive in different ways, collectively grateful he’s been caught.

Outside the courthouse, just moments before his trial, Eddie Como is gunned down. The Survivors Club are the prime suspects. Detective Sergeant Roan Griffin is assigned the case and must question the women. Jillian Hayes is beautiful, successful and cool as ice. Griffin can see the pain behind the ice because he hides his own. Then another victim is brutally attacked and evidence points to the dead man. Now the police and Griffin have to question every fact and assumption they’ve made. The city is in a panic. The women of the Survivors Club question their own memories and their supposed safety. Someone is out there.

Electrifying and twisted.

The attacks in the beginning are brutally hard to read. And that makes it all the more terrifying when they continue after the suspect is dead. The emotional recovery of each woman is totally understandable. The bad guy is clever and manipulative. He’s terrifying.

Originally released in 2002. Just as impactful more than twenty years later.

mercys_reads's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

melltjuh93's review against another edition

Go to review page

awesome with some good twists

thatnerd's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

This wasn't a bad read, but I wouldn't call it great either. I wasn't too keen on the subject matter, but I read on. The "twist" at the end was decent, but it just seemed to wrap up too nicely and too quickly to suit me. All in all, not a terrible book, but not a great one either. It kept me reading, so that says something. Best thing I can say about this book is this: it was good to pass the time, I guess, and it was a quick read.

saffy8's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

More...