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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
March BOTM Bonus: Very good psych thriller from Peter Swanson. I guessed the twist, but didn't think it was overdone or forced. Well written, well paced, and a good read overall for fans of the genre.
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was so different from what I thought it was. It sucked me in from the first page, I did not have high hopes for it when I read the summary but this one had me hooked. I finished it in one day, I needed to know what happened and how it ended. I would highly recommend this book.
A fun little thriller. An artist comes to believe her next-door neighbor is a serial killer. I wonder whether the subplot involving the neighbor's brother was necessary ... trying to imagine the novel without it. All told, though, it was a fun read, nicely written, nicely paced. A good time.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I didn't see that ending coming... (or well the ending before the actual ending which felt more like an epilogue).
Although I did like this, it is by far my least favorite by Peter Swanson, who has become one of my favorite authors in the last two years.
While this story moved, it didn't create that page-turning urgency I've had with other Swanson books. I also didn't find myself "sucked in" until Part 2. The initial hook was great, but the flame blew out fast.
I kept reading this mostly because it was a library book with a long wait list so I knew it was "now or never" and I'd hoped it would get better. It's fine, it just wasn't as good as his other books for me.
Last complaint: The police, who were very very very minor in the story, failed as supporting characters imho. As a reader, once I'm introduced to police, especially around crimes, I expect them to be involved, to do something, to help move the story forward. That didn't happen here. The detective might as well have been her barista at Starbucks. I'm not sure if it was a plot hole or the failure of a supporting character to support (shrug). If you read a lot of crime/detective novels (I read a good bit) it might be awkward for you. Anyone else probably won't notice.
SUMMARY: Hen, who is bipolar and had a psychotic break many years ago, and her husband, Lloyd are having dinner at a neighbor's house (Hen and Lloyd just moved there). As the night ends and Hen is getting a tour from the wife, she sees a fencing trophy that scares her. She asks the husband if he was a fencer and he said no, he'd bought the trophy at a garage sale since it was "cool." Reading the inscription confirms Hen's fear, this IS the trophy that belonged to a 20-something male who had been murdered years before. Hen had been obsessed with that case, see, and it was partly why she ended up on meds. We learn right away that the neighbor IS the killer and the rest of the book is a sort of cat-and-mouse of the murderer killing more people, and you learning why he is the way he is, and poor Hen who wants him to be caught but the police don't believe her due to her history and mental illness. It's a little [b:The Woman in the Window|40389527|The Woman in the Window|A.J. Finn|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1528225499s/40389527.jpg|52941950].
The killer is a Dexter-type meaning he has a code, only kills "bad people" and aside from being a murderer is a nice guy & beloved school teacher who comes to care for Hen. He actually looks out for her and the two strike up a weird "friendship" when he realizes he could tell Hen everything and it wouldn't matter. She'll never be a credible witness.
re: the audio version: I was slightly heartbroken that this took place in the Boston area and the narrators had midwestern accents.
Although I did like this, it is by far my least favorite by Peter Swanson, who has become one of my favorite authors in the last two years.
While this story moved, it didn't create that page-turning urgency I've had with other Swanson books. I also didn't find myself "sucked in" until Part 2. The initial hook was great, but the flame blew out fast.
I kept reading this mostly because it was a library book with a long wait list so I knew it was "now or never" and I'd hoped it would get better. It's fine, it just wasn't as good as his other books for me.
Last complaint: The police, who were very very very minor in the story, failed as supporting characters imho. As a reader, once I'm introduced to police, especially around crimes, I expect them to be involved, to do something, to help move the story forward. That didn't happen here. The detective might as well have been her barista at Starbucks. I'm not sure if it was a plot hole or the failure of a supporting character to support (shrug). If you read a lot of crime/detective novels (I read a good bit) it might be awkward for you. Anyone else probably won't notice.
SUMMARY: Hen, who is bipolar and had a psychotic break many years ago, and her husband, Lloyd are having dinner at a neighbor's house (Hen and Lloyd just moved there). As the night ends and Hen is getting a tour from the wife, she sees a fencing trophy that scares her. She asks the husband if he was a fencer and he said no, he'd bought the trophy at a garage sale since it was "cool." Reading the inscription confirms Hen's fear, this IS the trophy that belonged to a 20-something male who had been murdered years before. Hen had been obsessed with that case, see, and it was partly why she ended up on meds. We learn right away that the neighbor IS the killer and the rest of the book is a sort of cat-and-mouse of the murderer killing more people, and you learning why he is the way he is, and poor Hen who wants him to be caught but the police don't believe her due to her history and mental illness. It's a little [b:The Woman in the Window|40389527|The Woman in the Window|A.J. Finn|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1528225499s/40389527.jpg|52941950].
The killer is a Dexter-type meaning he has a code, only kills "bad people" and aside from being a murderer is a nice guy & beloved school teacher who comes to care for Hen. He actually looks out for her and the two strike up a weird "friendship" when he realizes he could tell Hen everything and it wouldn't matter. She'll never be a credible witness.
re: the audio version: I was slightly heartbroken that this took place in the Boston area and the narrators had midwestern accents.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Really fun to read between many characters’ POVs. I enjoyed the twists and turns, and the writing was decent. The characters themselves are not super likable, but the story itself is wicked crazy - felt like I was on a roller coaster and then the end was a string of continuous drop scares (in a good way)! Would recommend!