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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-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:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Sexual violence, Medical content
Minor: Sexism
dark
slow-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
Set against the backdrop of the Iowan cornfields, The Fields is the latest introduction to the world of crime fiction. Normally a fan of procedural novels, it's unlikely that I'll be continuing with the series. So much of the first half really hooked me but the more the author dug into agricultural espionage, the less invested I became. The murder mystery became secondary to the statement the author wanted to make about Big Agriculture. Coupled with the inclusion of cannibalism, this was not the read for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism
Minor: Rape, Sexual content
dark
mysterious
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
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
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
Published: January 25, 2022
Flatiron Booms
Pages: 348
Genre: Crime Thriller
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Erin Young is the pseudonym of acclaimed historical novelist Robyn Young, author of eight internationally bestselling novels. She has been published in 19 languages in 22 countries, selling two million books worldwide. THE FIELDS is her first contemporary thriller. She lives and writes in Brighton, England.
“What did justice mean when criminals got parole and victims got life?”
Riley was recently promoted to sergeant. Between dealing with jealous male coworkers who are bitter about her promotion and keeping her family drama secret, the last thing she expected to find was a body in a cornfield. Now, things start to spiral, and Riley and her team have to scramble to find a brutal killer before anyone else dies.
This was an exciting novel. While there was the classic “thriller” aspect, which was very well done, there is an entirely different element to this book.
And not since The Dancing Girls by M.M. Chouinard has a twist been both random and terrifying.
There were some political power plays, which were executed well, and added good drama to the story. I enjoyed the characters and getting to know them through the book.
Riley is awesome. I enjoyed that she wasn’t perfect, knew she wasn’t perfect, but that she was willing to try. No matter what, she gave her all. Her backstory is interesting, and I think as the series continues, we will get more of it, and she is coming into her own as a leader. She is tough, intelligent, and protective Uber those she loves.
Logan was a shining star for me. I loved the imagery of him moving from Michigan to Iowa and the culture shock he displayed. It was very well done. I identified with his character being a transplant as I went to college in North Dakota. Logan’s character had a nice comedic element, which sometimes kept things from being “too” intense.
Maddie, Riley’s niece, has had a rough go with her parents. But her aunt adores her, and sometimes that is enough. Maddie is coming into her own, wanting more than her small-town life, and she has a lot of trauma that hasn’t been dealt with. I do not doubt that as the series continues, we will see huge strides in this character's arc.
I enjoyed a lot of the side characters and felt they added a nice dimension to the story. The development was well done, and I think the human element was well played.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel more than I anticipated. It’s a bit out of my genre element, it’s like a political thriller, but I couldn’t put it down. I think this series has a lot of potentials, and I am stoked to be ahead of the trend in saying that.
Flatiron Booms
Pages: 348
Genre: Crime Thriller
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Erin Young is the pseudonym of acclaimed historical novelist Robyn Young, author of eight internationally bestselling novels. She has been published in 19 languages in 22 countries, selling two million books worldwide. THE FIELDS is her first contemporary thriller. She lives and writes in Brighton, England.
“What did justice mean when criminals got parole and victims got life?”
Riley was recently promoted to sergeant. Between dealing with jealous male coworkers who are bitter about her promotion and keeping her family drama secret, the last thing she expected to find was a body in a cornfield. Now, things start to spiral, and Riley and her team have to scramble to find a brutal killer before anyone else dies.
This was an exciting novel. While there was the classic “thriller” aspect, which was very well done, there is an entirely different element to this book.
And not since The Dancing Girls by M.M. Chouinard has a twist been both random and terrifying.
There were some political power plays, which were executed well, and added good drama to the story. I enjoyed the characters and getting to know them through the book.
Riley is awesome. I enjoyed that she wasn’t perfect, knew she wasn’t perfect, but that she was willing to try. No matter what, she gave her all. Her backstory is interesting, and I think as the series continues, we will get more of it, and she is coming into her own as a leader. She is tough, intelligent, and protective Uber those she loves.
Logan was a shining star for me. I loved the imagery of him moving from Michigan to Iowa and the culture shock he displayed. It was very well done. I identified with his character being a transplant as I went to college in North Dakota. Logan’s character had a nice comedic element, which sometimes kept things from being “too” intense.
Maddie, Riley’s niece, has had a rough go with her parents. But her aunt adores her, and sometimes that is enough. Maddie is coming into her own, wanting more than her small-town life, and she has a lot of trauma that hasn’t been dealt with. I do not doubt that as the series continues, we will see huge strides in this character's arc.
I enjoyed a lot of the side characters and felt they added a nice dimension to the story. The development was well done, and I think the human element was well played.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel more than I anticipated. It’s a bit out of my genre element, it’s like a political thriller, but I couldn’t put it down. I think this series has a lot of potentials, and I am stoked to be ahead of the trend in saying that.