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augusta_doom's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I enjoyed most parts but some just made me so frustrated.
gabmc's review against another edition
4.0
Joe O'Loughlin is learning to live a new life in the country. He and his family have moved out of London and he has stopped practising as a psychologist, largely because of his Parkinson's disease. He is teaching at a local university when the police arrive and ask for the help of a psychologist to talk to a woman (Christine) who is about to jump off a bridge. Unfortunately, she does jump and Joe feels terribly useless. A few days later, Christine's daughter turns up at Joe's house, having run away from school, to tell Joe that there is no way her mother could have suicided. Against his wife Julianne's better judgment, Joe calls his old friend (and retired police detective) Vincent Ruiz and the two begin to investigate. Joe realises they are dealing with someone who seems to be able to get inside the minds of his victims. Really good page turning psychological thriller.
isaacrm's review against another edition
5.0
I'm shattered.
Seriously, I'm utterly shattered by this book. Since I finished it, I've read #4 on the series, started #5, and I can't get this book out of my mind.
I'm jealous, heartbroken, and in complete fear. I can't accept what has happened. I want things to go back to normal; even-though, I know nothing will ever be the same.
I want to read this book again. Maybe get the audio book (if done properly, it has to be scary). I want everyone around me to read it because I want to be able to talk about it without spoiling it for them.
Seriously, I'm utterly shattered by this book. Since I finished it, I've read #4 on the series, started #5, and I can't get this book out of my mind.
I'm jealous, heartbroken, and in complete fear. I can't accept what has happened. I want things to go back to normal; even-though, I know nothing will ever be the same.
I want to read this book again. Maybe get the audio book (if done properly, it has to be scary). I want everyone around me to read it because I want to be able to talk about it without spoiling it for them.
thesvnthsense's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Pedophilia
Moderate: Misogyny
fbeemcee's review against another edition
4.0
A very engaging book that was more about the story than the characters. A psychology professor is after a mystery man who is somehow cohercing women into killing themselves.
I sympathized with Joe, the main character, but most of the other characters were just window dressing for the story. It's intense and quiet, sick and twisted, and has a very realistic ending (even if some of the events are a little predictable). A good summer read!
I sympathized with Joe, the main character, but most of the other characters were just window dressing for the story. It's intense and quiet, sick and twisted, and has a very realistic ending (even if some of the events are a little predictable). A good summer read!
rachhenderson's review against another edition
4.0
This is my favourite Joseph O'Loughlin book so far. Unlike book 2, Joe is the key character again.
Dragged onto a bridge to negotiate with a jumper when a colleague is unavailable, Joe isn't convinced that it's the simple suicide that the police label it.
Some of the story is still a little far fetch (seriously, how many troubled teenage girls are going to be taken in by middle aged men in Robotham's books?) but it was still an interesting, fun read.
Dragged onto a bridge to negotiate with a jumper when a colleague is unavailable, Joe isn't convinced that it's the simple suicide that the police label it.
Some of the story is still a little far fetch (seriously, how many troubled teenage girls are going to be taken in by middle aged men in Robotham's books?) but it was still an interesting, fun read.
marilynw's review against another edition
4.0
Shatter (Joseph O'Loughlin #3) by Michael Robotham, Sean Barrett (Narrator)
Shatter starts with Joe trying to talk a naked woman from jumping off a bridge. She jumps but something doesn't seem right, if anything can seem right about a suicide. When the woman's sixteen year old daughter contacts him and they walk through the woman's life, Joe is sure the woman was under some kind of influence when she jumped.
And then there is more, a woman connected to the first woman dies and there are many similarities. Against the wishes of his wife, Julianne, Joe dives deep into the murders. He's supposed to be a house husband now (with a part time university job) and he gets no support from his wife when he deviates from their (her) "rest of his life with Parkinson's" plan. I'm not liking Julianne very much, she seems like a real life crusher with her demands but at the same I'm not happy with some of the decisions Joe makes.
The villain in this story is a master at psychological destruction. He is able, with words, to brainwash a person, take over their ability to reason and act for themselves. This is one of the scariest villains I've encountered and a part of me wanted to stop listening to the story. The story is graphic and contains many references to bad things happening to children. Proceed cautiously because this story could be too much for some people.
Published January 1st 2008
Shatter starts with Joe trying to talk a naked woman from jumping off a bridge. She jumps but something doesn't seem right, if anything can seem right about a suicide. When the woman's sixteen year old daughter contacts him and they walk through the woman's life, Joe is sure the woman was under some kind of influence when she jumped.
And then there is more, a woman connected to the first woman dies and there are many similarities. Against the wishes of his wife, Julianne, Joe dives deep into the murders. He's supposed to be a house husband now (with a part time university job) and he gets no support from his wife when he deviates from their (her) "rest of his life with Parkinson's" plan. I'm not liking Julianne very much, she seems like a real life crusher with her demands but at the same I'm not happy with some of the decisions Joe makes.
The villain in this story is a master at psychological destruction. He is able, with words, to brainwash a person, take over their ability to reason and act for themselves. This is one of the scariest villains I've encountered and a part of me wanted to stop listening to the story. The story is graphic and contains many references to bad things happening to children. Proceed cautiously because this story could be too much for some people.
Published January 1st 2008