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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
I don’t have much to say. It was a good book but it didn’t wow me. While I did appreciate how everything came together, I feel like this book could have been told in a more concise way.
If you like murder, don’t mind heavy detail of gore, are into the debate between small town farms and big agricultural; then I would recommend this book. Otherwise it was just okay.
If you like murder, don’t mind heavy detail of gore, are into the debate between small town farms and big agricultural; then I would recommend this book. Otherwise it was just okay.
dark
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:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really enjoyed this thriller! I loved how the main character was female & how it also drops in and out of lots of other characters. This really reminds me of detective dramas on tv such as Mare of Easttown. I’m excited that this may be the first book in the series so will definitely be getting the next one! Really enjoyed and thought the whole agriculture concept was quite unique and not like other thrillers I’ve read. Do look up trigger warnings!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Cannibalism, Murder
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood
Minor: Suicide
This novel was well paced and certainly unpredictable. Having lived in an adjacent county to the setting, I found several details distracting early on that made it hard to connect with for me but I suspect that won’t be the case for readers unfamiliar with the setting. The violence and gore was turned up beyond what felt necessary. I also found that the author’s repeated use of the word vagrant to describe characters dehumanizing and lazy. I read an ARC so perhaps that usage will be changed in edits…This one wasn't for me, but others seemed to enjoy it.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I couldn't make my mind up about this one. Riley is not a great detective, she doesn't really seem to have the experience to be one.
I ended up reading a bunch of reviews to find out more about what type of book this is and it seems to be a political heavy thriller which I am not into at all. There also was mentions ofcorn zombies which also put me right off wanting to continue this book.
I guess I'm not the right audience for this book so I'd rather dnf than leave a negative review.
I ended up reading a bunch of reviews to find out more about what type of book this is and it seems to be a political heavy thriller which I am not into at all. There also was mentions of
I guess I'm not the right audience for this book so I'd rather dnf than leave a negative review.
This is Erin Young’s debut and talk about a gruesome and graphic police procedural. THE FIELDS isn’t exactly what I was expecting but I really enjoyed it. If you’re a fan of darker thrillers at the start of a new detective series, a Midwestern rural area, and don’t mind the details around Big Agriculture then this is going to be a great fit for you! I know a lot of other reviewers out there loved the murder mystery portion but didn’t really like everything surrounding the politics and scandals of the agricultural industry. I honestly didn’t mind it. I like political thrillers and while this one wasn’t at an International level or include espionage, I still enjoyed having that little aspect included.
There is no denying that the writing is phenomenal and Young immediately sucked me in. I loved the character development and I’m looking forward to the next book following the newly promoted Sergeant Riley Fisher and seeing where the author takes us. The dialogue felt natural and the story had a good pacing to it, and she definitely did her homework in creating the Iowa setting! As a Midwesterner, its always refreshing to see these stories take place somewhere other than New York, California, or Florida.
Keep in mind when starting this, it is not for the faint of heart. There are some gruesome crime scenes and this will not be for everyone. After reading enough horror and police procedurals, not much phases me at this point, but just remember that when starting (that opening in particular). Overall, a solid debut and a new series that I’ll definitely continue to pick up.
Thank you Flatiron Books and Netgalley for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review
I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and compelling. It starts out with a brutal murder of a young woman who the main character has a past friendship with. It then follows the main character Sargent Riley Fisher as she works on solving the ever growing case as more victims turn up. I thought the plot was really interesting. I don’t want to say too much or else it will spoil the mystery but the foreign interests, government corruption, big agriculture and the growing complexity of the investigation kept me on my toes the entire time. I felt like I was reading a criminal minds episode. The details of the murders are graphic and intense and the nature of the murders are disturbing. So if you have a squeamish stomach I would definitely check the trigger warnings. My one critique is that I did find that the story had a lot of characters which I personally struggled with keeping straight. Also when the POV would switch I would find myself sometimes confused trying to keep track of who was who and what was happening. But overall I enjoyed this murder mystery.
I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and compelling. It starts out with a brutal murder of a young woman who the main character has a past friendship with. It then follows the main character Sargent Riley Fisher as she works on solving the ever growing case as more victims turn up. I thought the plot was really interesting. I don’t want to say too much or else it will spoil the mystery but the foreign interests, government corruption, big agriculture and the growing complexity of the investigation kept me on my toes the entire time. I felt like I was reading a criminal minds episode. The details of the murders are graphic and intense and the nature of the murders are disturbing. So if you have a squeamish stomach I would definitely check the trigger warnings. My one critique is that I did find that the story had a lot of characters which I personally struggled with keeping straight. Also when the POV would switch I would find myself sometimes confused trying to keep track of who was who and what was happening. But overall I enjoyed this murder mystery.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Sergeant Riley Fisher is the recently promoted head of the Field Investigations unit of the Sheriff’s Office in Black Hawk County, Iowa. When she’s called to the scene of a murder victim in the corn fields of one of the families who are part of the Zephyr cooperative, she was completely unprepared for knowing the woman’s identity. She was Chloe Miller, one of her two best friends when she was a young teen. It brings back a flood of wonderful and terrible memories of a time that changed her destiny.
One of the things that worked about this story was the fallibility of Riley and the small town department of deputies. This wasn’t a simple murder and there were lots of tentacles that led to complex issues and circumstances. Riley had good instincts but her inexperience as a leader led to some crucial mistakes. It felt realistic, no matter how frustrated I got with her because these were explosive issues well above the skill set of her team. Yes, they made mistakes but they were methodical and competent in their approach.
There was a lot of focus on agricultural issues related to big corporations and their dominance over small farmers who have family legacies and histories. I learned a lot about those issues and am grateful my hubby, who spent twenty years supporting them, was able to help on background. While the author may have shown some bias, she got the issues right. It was an education I didn’t know I wanted. Riley was also hampered by her own personal baggage that threatened to negatively interfere with the investigation but it just reflected her humanity. The story also has a strong sense of place, almost overly so as the descriptions often bogged down the mystery elements. But, it still made for an intriguing story that kept me interested. This is the first of a new series and while some things about Riley’s past were resolved, there was quite a bit more that left me hanging. It’s a strong start to promising series and I’m committed to the next book. 3.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Macmillan Reading Insiders for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
One of the things that worked about this story was the fallibility of Riley and the small town department of deputies. This wasn’t a simple murder and there were lots of tentacles that led to complex issues and circumstances. Riley had good instincts but her inexperience as a leader led to some crucial mistakes. It felt realistic, no matter how frustrated I got with her because these were explosive issues well above the skill set of her team. Yes, they made mistakes but they were methodical and competent in their approach.
There was a lot of focus on agricultural issues related to big corporations and their dominance over small farmers who have family legacies and histories. I learned a lot about those issues and am grateful my hubby, who spent twenty years supporting them, was able to help on background. While the author may have shown some bias, she got the issues right. It was an education I didn’t know I wanted. Riley was also hampered by her own personal baggage that threatened to negatively interfere with the investigation but it just reflected her humanity. The story also has a strong sense of place, almost overly so as the descriptions often bogged down the mystery elements. But, it still made for an intriguing story that kept me interested. This is the first of a new series and while some things about Riley’s past were resolved, there was quite a bit more that left me hanging. It’s a strong start to promising series and I’m committed to the next book. 3.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Macmillan Reading Insiders for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)