Scan barcode
royalmq's review against another edition
2.0
Good plot, too descriptive throughout which leads to boredom, quick ending but ending was unexpected.
roseawall's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't like how the killer was revealed as a hired hand so early in the story. And the end of the confrontation where the boss is revealed is way out of character for that character. I liked the two main subplots more than the actual plot itself.
soulnius_reads's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, and Sexual assault
candacesiegle_greedyreader's review against another edition
3.0
There seems to be a set up for a follow-up to "A Killing in the Hills." It's an interesting premise, and the setting, rural West Virginia, is well presented, but there is something missing in this story. I couldn't buy Bell's reason for returning to Acker's Gap after the grief and horror of her past; the working set up works better than her personal life.
I finished the book and I would probably read another in a series. Not quite sure why, except that there are flashes of something that could turn really good here. As Bell's story develops there are opportunities for the exploration of some compelling issues. Rural poverty and its attendant griefs, an insular society, collapsed industries. . . there's a lot of issues to mine here and as a journalist, Julia Keller is in a prime position to get in there and dig. As she sharpens her fiction writing skills, this could develop into a strong series.
I finished the book and I would probably read another in a series. Not quite sure why, except that there are flashes of something that could turn really good here. As Bell's story develops there are opportunities for the exploration of some compelling issues. Rural poverty and its attendant griefs, an insular society, collapsed industries. . . there's a lot of issues to mine here and as a journalist, Julia Keller is in a prime position to get in there and dig. As she sharpens her fiction writing skills, this could develop into a strong series.
cmbarowsky's review against another edition
3.0
A Killing in the Hills is incredibly well-written and engaging, with multiple points of views. I loved the strong focus on the mother-daughter relationship between Bell and Carla. The complicated dance between a working mother and her teenage daughter, the intricacies of wanting to hold on while also learning to let go, is both familiar and relatable.
This was a well-written story with nothing new to bring to the mystery table and loaded with stereotypes. Angsty, attitude riddled teen? Check. Powerful, successful woman with a cruddy past and a giant chip on her shoulder? Check. Bad guys who fit neatly in boxes designed for stereotypes? Check. I don’t expect twists and turns, or even something revolutionary when it comes to the mystery/thriller genre, but I would’ve enjoyed the story a lot more if it hadn’t been so bogged down with worn-out stereotypes of all kinds.
It was not my favorite mystery, but you may enjoy this one if you like well-written mysteries with multiple points of view and a strong focus on mother-daughter relationships.
This was a well-written story with nothing new to bring to the mystery table and loaded with stereotypes. Angsty, attitude riddled teen? Check. Powerful, successful woman with a cruddy past and a giant chip on her shoulder? Check. Bad guys who fit neatly in boxes designed for stereotypes? Check. I don’t expect twists and turns, or even something revolutionary when it comes to the mystery/thriller genre, but I would’ve enjoyed the story a lot more if it hadn’t been so bogged down with worn-out stereotypes of all kinds.
It was not my favorite mystery, but you may enjoy this one if you like well-written mysteries with multiple points of view and a strong focus on mother-daughter relationships.
gaylebn's review against another edition
2.0
It’s a good murder mystery. It is set deep in the mountains of West Virginia. I am disappointed in the West Virginia - bashing that is apparent in the protagonist, and I’m assuming the author. The cover suggests that the author is proud to be a West Virginia native, but the protagonist talks about getting away, coming back, it’s just a terrible place to be... I felt like the denials (of wanting to be away from WV) were too much - “ me doth think the lady protests too much.”
gothicc_goddess_arie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
carolpk's review against another edition
4.0
My sincere thanks to Alison Fisher, Library Marketing Coordinator, Adult Trade of Macmillan for getting the e-galley to me at my request. A Killing in the Hills will be published August 21st.
The highest compliment I can give Julia Keller's debut novel is that I'd like to read another featuring prosecutor, Belfa Elkins; Bell for short. I'm not a fan of series fiction as a whole, but I say, bring on the next one!
The story starts out with a bang, literally. "Pock, Pock Pock." The gunman enters The Salty Dawg, a chain hamburg restaurant and 3 old men are dead. Angry teen, Carla Elkins is witness to the demise of the men, whom seconds earlier, Carla describes as losers, old farts,geezers with greenish yellow-brown teeth, the color of old lettuce.
This is just one of the cases to be solved in these West Virginia hills. The other case Bell's working on is whether to indict 28 year old Albie Sheets, a mentally deficient man for the murder of six year old, Tyler Bevins. Found strangled with a length of garden hose, Tyler and Sheets were friends and had been playing in the Bevin basement. Something had gone terribly wrong.
Acker's Gap. Keller paints a descriptive and flavorful picture of this small town. Though small, it's not exempt from big city problems; pills, drugs, dealers, all these corrupting Acker's youth. Bell's daughter, Carla is in the thick of it all. Bell, a single mother, teeters on the brink as she tries to balance job and motherhood. The mother/daughter conflict rings true.
This is not to mention Bell's ex, or the demons she is dealing with from her past. Bell is a a tough protagonist, one who seldom shows her softer side. She's smart, speaks with an edgy tongue and I just plain liked her. Keller writes lifelike scenes with clarity.
Reviews for Keller's debut have been all over the place. It seems to be one of these love it or not reads. I've never read Keller's Chicago Tribune pieces and didn't realize she was a Pulitzer prize winner so perhaps this makes me less critical them some. A Killing in the Hills has my vote.
The highest compliment I can give Julia Keller's debut novel is that I'd like to read another featuring prosecutor, Belfa Elkins; Bell for short. I'm not a fan of series fiction as a whole, but I say, bring on the next one!
The story starts out with a bang, literally. "Pock, Pock Pock." The gunman enters The Salty Dawg, a chain hamburg restaurant and 3 old men are dead. Angry teen, Carla Elkins is witness to the demise of the men, whom seconds earlier, Carla describes as losers, old farts,geezers with greenish yellow-brown teeth, the color of old lettuce.
This is just one of the cases to be solved in these West Virginia hills. The other case Bell's working on is whether to indict 28 year old Albie Sheets, a mentally deficient man for the murder of six year old, Tyler Bevins. Found strangled with a length of garden hose, Tyler and Sheets were friends and had been playing in the Bevin basement. Something had gone terribly wrong.
Acker's Gap. Keller paints a descriptive and flavorful picture of this small town. Though small, it's not exempt from big city problems; pills, drugs, dealers, all these corrupting Acker's youth. Bell's daughter, Carla is in the thick of it all. Bell, a single mother, teeters on the brink as she tries to balance job and motherhood. The mother/daughter conflict rings true.
This is not to mention Bell's ex, or the demons she is dealing with from her past. Bell is a a tough protagonist, one who seldom shows her softer side. She's smart, speaks with an edgy tongue and I just plain liked her. Keller writes lifelike scenes with clarity.
Reviews for Keller's debut have been all over the place. It seems to be one of these love it or not reads. I've never read Keller's Chicago Tribune pieces and didn't realize she was a Pulitzer prize winner so perhaps this makes me less critical them some. A Killing in the Hills has my vote.
nixieknox's review against another edition
3.0
This was a good solid mystery, and I look forward to the next books in the series that I assume & hope are forthcoming. I thought the story was compelling enough to keep me reading and the ending surprise enough that I didn't guess the answer/killer but when all was revealed, it was plausible enough that I wasn't rolling my eyes. This will make my "series to watch" list for sure.
bookhussy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0