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caidyn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Good, but not great. I did enjoy this, but the blend of fiction with reality didn't quite meld with me. I agree that Chizmar is a great companion to Stephen King, but the story didn't blow me away as I had hoped.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, Murder, and Rape
shelleys_shelf's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I was unsure about it and almost DNFed at about 10-20% but then things took a turn. This almost reads like a true crime nonfiction book, which I love, but not sure how I feel about that tone in a fiction novel. I ended up enjoying the story and there is an interesting twist when we discover the killer. Also interesting that the author placed himself in the story. This is my first time reading Richard Chizmar, so I was unfamiliar with his previous work. Kinda like Tarentino putting himself in all of his movies I guess? I didn't dislike that fact, it was just something new to me. Overall, I'd say if you're a fan of true crime nonfiction, this would be a good fiction pick.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Suicide
eve_reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Overall Thoughts:
⁕ I’ve never read a work of meta fiction before, and I found Chizmar’s take on the genre absolutely fascinating. You don’t know what actually occurred and what was fictional until the VERY end.
⁕ It takes a lot to creep me out, but this book had me up past my bedtime with the lights on 😂 The blending of actual circumstances with horror elements made the horror elements feel all the more real and possible. I was thoroughly spooked.
⁕ Chris Andrew Culla’s narration of the audiobook made it feel like I was listening to a true crime podcast. If you like Serial, Up and Vanished, In the Dark, etc., then this might be the perfect audiobook experience for you!
To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
⁕ I’ve never read a work of meta fiction before, and I found Chizmar’s take on the genre absolutely fascinating. You don’t know what actually occurred and what was fictional until the VERY end.
⁕ It takes a lot to creep me out, but this book had me up past my bedtime with the lights on 😂 The blending of actual circumstances with horror elements made the horror elements feel all the more real and possible. I was thoroughly spooked.
⁕ Chris Andrew Culla’s narration of the audiobook made it feel like I was listening to a true crime podcast. If you like Serial, Up and Vanished, In the Dark, etc., then this might be the perfect audiobook experience for you!
To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Gore, Murder, Child death, and Child abuse
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