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bluestarfish's review against another edition
3.0
This novel tackles a huge topic. What is Ruth to do now that her daughter has been violently murdered? As the title might suggest the story unfolds (in a suprisingly linear way) in a number of letters Ruth writes to the killer of her daughter trying to make sense of the world that has been left behind and what to do with it. I admire her for where she ends up at the end of the book so I'm not sure why I didn't really fall for this character while reading the novel. Dead Man Walking by Sr Helen Prejean kept popping into my head which isn't a very fair comparison as one is a novel and one is a true story but I guess there are moments in each where the family of a murdered person are left to deal with life, their emotions and everything...
luellen1990's review against another edition
4.0
Letters To My Daughters Killer by Cath Staincliffe
Title - Letters to my Daughters Killer
Author - Cath Staincliffe
Published - Jan '18
Publisher - Harper Collins
Genre - #Mystery #Crime #Contemporary
Pages - 400
Price on Amazon - Paperback - £3.99 Kindle - £3.99
ISBN - 0008172145
Ruth Sutton's daughter is killed, Ruth decides to write letters to her daughters killer in prison. Ruth is left to raise her granddaughter after her daughters death. She hates her daughters killer more than anything in the world but she needs answers, she needs to know why he dd what he did. Why her daughter? Why now?
I was unsure about this book at first but once I got into it I really enjoyed it. The only criticism I have really is, I kept expecting a reply back from the killer, I think even if just the last chapter was a reply this would of been very interesting. I felt this was what was missing from this book.
But none the less, I did enjoy the book, I had a feeling about a quarter of the way through who I thought the killer was and I was right. I wasn't however expecting the plot twist towards the end of the book, I found this really added to the story line.
Another brilliant story by Staincliffe, with fantastic characters, a wonderful plot which was interesting and easy to follow, it kept me gripped and wanting to turn the next page which is what I always look for in a good book.
Rating - Four out of Five Stars
Would I Read Again? - Yes
Would I Recommend? - Yes
Would I read other books by the same author? - Yes
Reviews for this book can be found on:
Amazon (UK) under Lu's Reviews
Goodreads,
Net Galley (If a NetGalley Book)
My Blogs at http://www.readingbeyondobsession.co.uk/
www.lusreviewsblog.wordpress.com
Links to this review can be found at:
Twitter: @lusreviews
Facebook: @lucyluisbookreviews
Instagram: lusreviews
Title - Letters to my Daughters Killer
Author - Cath Staincliffe
Published - Jan '18
Publisher - Harper Collins
Genre - #Mystery #Crime #Contemporary
Pages - 400
Price on Amazon - Paperback - £3.99 Kindle - £3.99
ISBN - 0008172145
Ruth Sutton's daughter is killed, Ruth decides to write letters to her daughters killer in prison. Ruth is left to raise her granddaughter after her daughters death. She hates her daughters killer more than anything in the world but she needs answers, she needs to know why he dd what he did. Why her daughter? Why now?
I was unsure about this book at first but once I got into it I really enjoyed it. The only criticism I have really is, I kept expecting a reply back from the killer, I think even if just the last chapter was a reply this would of been very interesting. I felt this was what was missing from this book.
But none the less, I did enjoy the book, I had a feeling about a quarter of the way through who I thought the killer was and I was right. I wasn't however expecting the plot twist towards the end of the book, I found this really added to the story line.
Another brilliant story by Staincliffe, with fantastic characters, a wonderful plot which was interesting and easy to follow, it kept me gripped and wanting to turn the next page which is what I always look for in a good book.
Rating - Four out of Five Stars
Would I Read Again? - Yes
Would I Recommend? - Yes
Would I read other books by the same author? - Yes
Reviews for this book can be found on:
Amazon (UK) under Lu's Reviews
Goodreads,
Net Galley (If a NetGalley Book)
My Blogs at http://www.readingbeyondobsession.co.uk/
www.lusreviewsblog.wordpress.com
Links to this review can be found at:
Twitter: @lusreviews
Facebook: @lucyluisbookreviews
Instagram: lusreviews
sinimini's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lynseymaca's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
anniekenway's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Easy read but emotionally rang true and always live a court room. Really enjoyed reading this.
wendoxford's review against another edition
3.0
To put in a UK context, I read this just as the domestic violence drama unfolded on The Archers. I found it a distressing book (for reasons obvious by the title) yet riveting and incredibly close to the bone on an emotional front
thebooktrail88's review against another edition
4.0
Set in Manchester
Shortlisted in the CrimeThrillerAwards on itv3 – http://www.crimethrillerawards.com/
Ruth’ s daughter Lizzie has been murdered and as the title would suggest, what follows is the heartbreaking account of a woman trying to terms with that fact (if a person ever comes to terms with something so horrific)
She tells her story to a diary which we read thereby getting in to the mind and thoughts of a woman in turmoil. What would you say to a man you believe has murdered your beautiful daughter? Where do you even start? The way in which the book is written really brings the horror and inner turmoil of Ruth to the fore as the diary is that one medium still left in the world where we share our deepest darkest thoughts that we don’t share anywhere else. Letters are personal between two people giving the writer the power to control events and say whatever they want without being interrupted. As the diary progresses and Ruth works through her emotions, its as if we are there at the murder scene, the arrest,and everything which follows.
This for me was the where the real horror must start – when the funeral is over, the people have gone back to their lives and you wake up the next day as usual. What the hell do you do now?
Ruth’s pain is strongly evident throughout and I had the strange feeling of being so involved that as I was reading I found myself slowing down as if to respect the grief of the people ‘talking’ and sharing their hearts. Only a powerful and very clever writer can do that.
This book is certainly about things we would never want to face or personal situations we would never want to think about but everything is done subtly and without sensationalism so only the raw real emotions are left.
This is a very emotional read – Anger, sadness, shock, horror, disbelief and something which stays with you after the final page. Don’t be put off if reading someone’s inner conflict is not for you – this is so much more.
Shortlisted in the CrimeThrillerAwards on itv3 – http://www.crimethrillerawards.com/
Ruth’ s daughter Lizzie has been murdered and as the title would suggest, what follows is the heartbreaking account of a woman trying to terms with that fact (if a person ever comes to terms with something so horrific)
She tells her story to a diary which we read thereby getting in to the mind and thoughts of a woman in turmoil. What would you say to a man you believe has murdered your beautiful daughter? Where do you even start? The way in which the book is written really brings the horror and inner turmoil of Ruth to the fore as the diary is that one medium still left in the world where we share our deepest darkest thoughts that we don’t share anywhere else. Letters are personal between two people giving the writer the power to control events and say whatever they want without being interrupted. As the diary progresses and Ruth works through her emotions, its as if we are there at the murder scene, the arrest,and everything which follows.
This for me was the where the real horror must start – when the funeral is over, the people have gone back to their lives and you wake up the next day as usual. What the hell do you do now?
Ruth’s pain is strongly evident throughout and I had the strange feeling of being so involved that as I was reading I found myself slowing down as if to respect the grief of the people ‘talking’ and sharing their hearts. Only a powerful and very clever writer can do that.
This book is certainly about things we would never want to face or personal situations we would never want to think about but everything is done subtly and without sensationalism so only the raw real emotions are left.
This is a very emotional read – Anger, sadness, shock, horror, disbelief and something which stays with you after the final page. Don’t be put off if reading someone’s inner conflict is not for you – this is so much more.
shelleyrae's review against another edition
4.0
"I hate you. My first letter, and that is all I want to say. I hate you. But those three words can barely convey the depth, the breadth, the soaring height of this hatred."
Letters To My Daughter's Killer by Cath Staincliffe is a story of grief, anger and heartbreak, beginning with the brutal murder of a young wife and mother and exploring the consequences for those that loved her.
It unfolds in a series of letters written by Ruth Sutton to the man who bludgeoned her precious daughter, Lizzie, to death, four years earlier. In a desperate bid to recover some equilibrium, Ruth hopes that by writing to the killer, and asking him for answers to the questions that haunt her, she can purge herself of the fury that threatens to destroy her soul.
As Ruth relives the horror that began with a phone call, Staincliffe portrays the raw reactions of a grieving mother to her daughter's violent murder with skill and compassion, exposing the shock and bewilderment which slowly gives way to anger and heartache as Ruth is forced to deal with the strain of the aftermath, including caring for her young grand daughter, and the police investigation, the killer's capture, and the trial that follows.
Intense, shocking and poignant, Letters to My Daughter's Killer is an emotionally taxing read.
Australian release July 1st
elliemayxox's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
suzannedow's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0