Scan barcode
jobustitch's review against another edition
4.0
Checked out the audio book. May listen on the way to IL for Christmas.
We did listen in the car and it was a really fun, great mystery. I appreciated the fact that author was a Kansas native, so all of the words and terms rang true for me.
We did listen in the car and it was a really fun, great mystery. I appreciated the fact that author was a Kansas native, so all of the words and terms rang true for me.
eggjen's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this book had a lot of really high points but a couple of low points. I thought the mystery around this story was very well written, using varying points of view to gradually unlayer the truth of the story. I liked being able to see how differently each of the characters looked at what was going on and I have to admit, I didn't guess the outcome of the book until the author wanted me to, though I think I came close a few times.
On the other hand, I thought some of the descriptions in this book were far too graphic for my liking and it made me uncomfortable enough that a few times I almost wanted to stop reading. It was thanks to the otherwise well written story that I kept coming back for more and I have to admit I'm glad I did.
On the other hand, I thought some of the descriptions in this book were far too graphic for my liking and it made me uncomfortable enough that a few times I almost wanted to stop reading. It was thanks to the otherwise well written story that I kept coming back for more and I have to admit I'm glad I did.
book_concierge's review against another edition
2.0
Disappointing. Schlocky writing. Trite, shallow characters. From the descriptions of the book I had thought it would be like "Montana 1948" - I'm sorry I even thought to compare this to that fine work. Read "Montana 1948" instead.
mschrock8's review against another edition
4.0
My ZTA book club recently read a book by this author, and I wanted more. I am glad I found this book.
Also set in Kansas. Also with a long ago murder. At one of the twists, I gasped aloud!
I was touched by how Abby's friends gathered around her to share news. And, a Jeopardy! reference.
Also set in Kansas. Also with a long ago murder. At one of the twists, I gasped aloud!
I was touched by how Abby's friends gathered around her to share news. And, a Jeopardy! reference.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not usually a fan of novels set in small town America but this one drew me in and I read in one sitting. I think I guessed just enough to want to keep going to have my hunch confirmed, though there were a few red herrings thrown in too.
justlily's review against another edition
3.0
For a long time, I was pretty sure this would get four stars. The mystery was really intriguing, it had me guessing the whole time. I went from really sure I knew what happened to second guessing myself to really sure to-- On and on.
But as the story went on, it got more and more long winded for no reason. The characters really blurred together. The older generation of men, Tom, Quentin, and Nathan were all basically exactly the same man with a different name and different kids, making it nearly impossible to remember which one was which. Unfortunately that was a huge part of the story which made the mystery more confusing than interesting.
The more I think about it the more that's really my only complaint, but it's a big one. I still at the end of things have no idea which of those men is which half the time and would find myself pausing and going "Wait is he the one that--"
So. Yeah. Feel like uh...that was a thing that should have been fixed. Otherwise good book? But incredibly frustrating characters.
But as the story went on, it got more and more long winded for no reason. The characters really blurred together. The older generation of men, Tom, Quentin, and Nathan were all basically exactly the same man with a different name and different kids, making it nearly impossible to remember which one was which. Unfortunately that was a huge part of the story which made the mystery more confusing than interesting.
The more I think about it the more that's really my only complaint, but it's a big one. I still at the end of things have no idea which of those men is which half the time and would find myself pausing and going "Wait is he the one that--"
So. Yeah. Feel like uh...that was a thing that should have been fixed. Otherwise good book? But incredibly frustrating characters.
pattydsf's review against another edition
3.0
I really thought I had this story figured out. It seemed like a fairly simple small town murder mystery. Well written, but fairly predictable. That may have been true for those people who read a lot of mysteries, but I was fooled. This was a light mystery tale good for beach reading, not enough mayhem to bother anyone, but plenty of good storytelling.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy mysteries that are not quite cozy, but not too bloody; to those who like small town stories and to those who wonder that happened to the boy or girl friend who left them behind.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy mysteries that are not quite cozy, but not too bloody; to those who like small town stories and to those who wonder that happened to the boy or girl friend who left them behind.
mrsfligs's review against another edition
3.0
Brief Description: During a blizzard in a small Kansas town in January 1987, the body of a naked young woman is discovered. No one knows her identity, and she is buried in a simple grave. Over the years, she becomes known as the “Virgin of Small Plains,” and legend has it that visiting her grave can heal the sick. Long-time Small Plains resident Abby has never really questioned the story of the Virgin; she was more affected by the mysterious disappearance of her boyfriend Mitch Newquist on the same night in January 1987. So, seventeen years later, when Mitch reappears in Small Plains, the past comes back to life and the mystery of who the Virgin is and what happened to her starts to come out, despite the best efforts of other members of the town.
My Thoughts: I’ll just say it right out: I thought this book was pretty blah. The characters never felt developed, the big mystery felt overwrought and the whole “miracles” of the Virgin just seemed tacked on for reasons that were never clear to me. Throughout the whole book, I kept thinking “Why the heck did NONE of these people speak up or question what was going on around them?” This was another book that I read for the Take A Chance Challenge, and (unlike Strange But True) it was a big disappointment. Honestly, if I didn’t have it on my list for the challenge, I would have stopped reading it.
My Thoughts: I’ll just say it right out: I thought this book was pretty blah. The characters never felt developed, the big mystery felt overwrought and the whole “miracles” of the Virgin just seemed tacked on for reasons that were never clear to me. Throughout the whole book, I kept thinking “Why the heck did NONE of these people speak up or question what was going on around them?” This was another book that I read for the Take A Chance Challenge, and (unlike Strange But True) it was a big disappointment. Honestly, if I didn’t have it on my list for the challenge, I would have stopped reading it.
18shoeger's review against another edition
4.0
My nana lent me this book because it combines thriller/mystery with romance, thinking I would like it, and I did! I wish the thriller aspect would have been a little more present, but the mystery and whodunnit factors were page-turning.
sjj169's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. Keeps you interested in it from start to finish.