You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
This is a really good read that is fast paced enough to keep you interested and slow enough so you don't get totally confused. It follows the hunt for a so called rampage killer who just so happens to be the brother of Quincy and Rainie's foster daughter. So they find themselves pulled into the investigation where they discover that all may not be as it seems and that her brother could well be innocent despite running. Both the main story and the character backgrounds are engrossing and well written allowing the reader insights into the childhoods of Sharlah and Telly Ray Nash and the events the led to their entry to the foster care system. Thrown in with this is a foster family that is not all it seems and you have an explosive mix of twists and turns.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! This is a new to me author and this is the second book of hers I’ve finished in as many weeks.
The book was fast-paced and went between different characters, but the author did a great job of keeping it clear and easy to follow. The plot was a bit outlandish but, again, the author made it seem *somewhat* believable.
The book kept me guessing until the final reveal which is not easy to do! There were also several emotional moments that had me tearing up and I enjoyed reading about the bond between Telly and his foster parents.
The book was fast-paced and went between different characters, but the author did a great job of keeping it clear and easy to follow. The plot was a bit outlandish but, again, the author made it seem *somewhat* believable.
The book kept me guessing until the final reveal which is not easy to do! There were also several emotional moments that had me tearing up and I enjoyed reading about the bond between Telly and his foster parents.
I love Lisa Gardner novels, and I started 'Right Behind You' as soon as I got my hands on a copy. Unfortunately, I felt that the characters were rather lifeless and flat - I'm not just talking about the victims - and the plot was holey and rather obvious. It certainly wasn't the usual high-tension, complex and character driven plots that I've come to expect from Gardner.
I've only read one of the Qunicy/Rainie novels, so I wasn't overly familiar with their story, or their progression to this point. I can only say that this novel leaves me wondering why they have so many books dedicated to their story. They were so very lifeless and dull. There was no passion, no excitement. I didn't feel their anxiety or tension. For all the times they called Sharlah their daughter, they were so aloof as a group. I know that they were all self-confessed loners/isolated. But there has to be a level of emotion for the reader to grasp.
Quincy and Rainie took a step back and allowed Telly and Sharlah to take centre stage. This should have been a gripping narrative given the horrors of their past and the emotional bond between the siblings. Instead, these two narrators were ALSO aloof. So there was very little emotion and just a heck load of repetition. Over and over I had to read about the abuse they suffered as children and the constant reminder that Telly had used a baseball bat to kill his father. It was as though this tragic tale was supposed to provide all the outrage and emotion that I needed so that the characters themselves could be cold and distant.
Basically the only emotional element for me was Sharlah and her dog Luka. Now there was a well-developed and emotional relationship.
I'm not sure I believed the fact that a teenage boy, even with Telly's past, wouldn't just call 911, tell the police everything and let them sort it. Instead he cleared out the house of cash and guns and went on a rampage about town trying to clear his name through a murderer's 'Blues Clues'.
I really felt that the plot was holey and rather obvious.
I also didn't understand how the bank account was such a big element. In 30 years, Irene's father never once moved money out of the bank account or tried to close the account? In 30 years, he just left the bank account alone? I don't think that it was ever explained whether Irene had taken control of the account and so he couldn't do this… As far as I understood, she just had the details of the account.
It was all so vague and woollen.
There was also a really odd feature in the writing style that really bugged me throughout as well. Instead of using names, roles were used. The sheriff entered the kitchen, instead of Shelly entered the kitchen. Quincy called his daughter, instead of Quincy called Sharlah.
The absolute worst example of this was Cal the tracker. Cal was a tracker but also a cheesemaker. Cal, the tracker, actually made cheese as his real-life job. The cheesemaker, Cal was a tracker in his spare time. OVER AND OVER UNTIL MY EYES WANTED TO BLEED.
There seemed to be this unexplained rule that Cal couldn't just be called 'Cal'. There weren't enough characters or a complicated enough plot for me not to remember that Cal is the town cheesemaker, who is also involved in tracking. Just call him Cal! I WILL keep up!
There was so much repetition, both in regard to the plot, the past plot and the characters that it was just really dull reading. I'd say that it isn't worthwhile reading until at least the last third.
Usually Lisa Gardner novels draw me in immediately and keep me on the edge of my seat, but I just didn't feel any tension or emotion in this novel and so wasn't at all invested.
I've only read one of the Qunicy/Rainie novels, so I wasn't overly familiar with their story, or their progression to this point. I can only say that this novel leaves me wondering why they have so many books dedicated to their story. They were so very lifeless and dull. There was no passion, no excitement. I didn't feel their anxiety or tension. For all the times they called Sharlah their daughter, they were so aloof as a group. I know that they were all self-confessed loners/isolated. But there has to be a level of emotion for the reader to grasp.
Quincy and Rainie took a step back and allowed Telly and Sharlah to take centre stage. This should have been a gripping narrative given the horrors of their past and the emotional bond between the siblings. Instead, these two narrators were ALSO aloof. So there was very little emotion and just a heck load of repetition. Over and over I had to read about the abuse they suffered as children and the constant reminder that Telly had used a baseball bat to kill his father. It was as though this tragic tale was supposed to provide all the outrage and emotion that I needed so that the characters themselves could be cold and distant.
Basically the only emotional element for me was Sharlah and her dog Luka. Now there was a well-developed and emotional relationship.
I'm not sure I believed the fact that a teenage boy, even with Telly's past, wouldn't just call 911, tell the police everything and let them sort it. Instead he cleared out the house of cash and guns and went on a rampage about town trying to clear his name through a murderer's 'Blues Clues'.
I really felt that the plot was holey and rather obvious.
Spoiler
I have no idea how bigshots Rainie and Quincy didn't suspect that Sharlah landed the killing blow to the mother. I cannot describe how early on I'd worked that out. Why on earth was that one of the 'big' twists at the end?! I thought it was so obvious.I also didn't understand how the bank account was such a big element. In 30 years, Irene's father never once moved money out of the bank account or tried to close the account? In 30 years, he just left the bank account alone? I don't think that it was ever explained whether Irene had taken control of the account and so he couldn't do this… As far as I understood, she just had the details of the account.
It was all so vague and woollen.
There was also a really odd feature in the writing style that really bugged me throughout as well. Instead of using names, roles were used. The sheriff entered the kitchen, instead of Shelly entered the kitchen. Quincy called his daughter, instead of Quincy called Sharlah.
The absolute worst example of this was Cal the tracker. Cal was a tracker but also a cheesemaker. Cal, the tracker, actually made cheese as his real-life job. The cheesemaker, Cal was a tracker in his spare time. OVER AND OVER UNTIL MY EYES WANTED TO BLEED.
There seemed to be this unexplained rule that Cal couldn't just be called 'Cal'. There weren't enough characters or a complicated enough plot for me not to remember that Cal is the town cheesemaker, who is also involved in tracking. Just call him Cal! I WILL keep up!
There was so much repetition, both in regard to the plot, the past plot and the characters that it was just really dull reading. I'd say that it isn't worthwhile reading until at least the last third.
Usually Lisa Gardner novels draw me in immediately and keep me on the edge of my seat, but I just didn't feel any tension or emotion in this novel and so wasn't at all invested.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love Quincy and Rainie together in the FBI Prifiler series. They just get each other and now we get to see them as parents together as they work to adopt their foster daughter, Sharlah. However Sharlah, like her foster parents comes with secrets and baggage which becomes front page news when her older brother is the prime suspect in a string of murders, including his foster parents. I did not figure it out, so I was surprised until the last page. I missed Quincy's daughter Kimberly though in this book. Now I can't wait for whatever else Gardner has in store. Oh and I love that this series is set in Oregon.
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
I love Lisa Gardner's books and this one is by far one of the best I've read! Great story!
This is a second Lisa Gardner book that I read and it seemed similar to the first one (Find her) in a sense that it had the typical plot line of all detective stories. These books remind me of a tv show called “Criminal Minds”, especially considering the main characters in this book are profilers.
Overall I liked the story and the way it unfolded, it was entertaining and I caught myself wanting to skip forward and see what happens next.
Gave it 4 stars because while this book was entertaining, something was missing for me so I couldn’t give it all 5 stars.
Overall I liked the story and the way it unfolded, it was entertaining and I caught myself wanting to skip forward and see what happens next.
Gave it 4 stars because while this book was entertaining, something was missing for me so I couldn’t give it all 5 stars.