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3.18 AVERAGE
3.18 AVERAGE
After enjoying Peter Swanson’s The Kind Worth Killing, I was eager to dive into more of the author’s work. I was desperate for another tale that would hook me, a thriller that had me devouring it in no time, and so I jumped into The Girl with a Clock for a Heart.
Although The Girl with a Clock for a Heart was a story I could not put down, one I devoured in a single sitting, I was conflicted. Yes, it was addictive. Yes, I was hooked. However, I was never as invested in the story as I had hoped to be. I wanted to see how it came together, but I never felt the deep connection to the story that I had hoped for. It’s a tale that had me eager to see how the pieces played out, but it’s not one that lingers. In other words, it’s good for easy reading but not one that begs for me to come back for more.
All in all, this was addictive but failed to deliver the hit that The Kind Worth Killing offered. I’m certainly curious to see what the author gives with their other books.
Although The Girl with a Clock for a Heart was a story I could not put down, one I devoured in a single sitting, I was conflicted. Yes, it was addictive. Yes, I was hooked. However, I was never as invested in the story as I had hoped to be. I wanted to see how it came together, but I never felt the deep connection to the story that I had hoped for. It’s a tale that had me eager to see how the pieces played out, but it’s not one that lingers. In other words, it’s good for easy reading but not one that begs for me to come back for more.
All in all, this was addictive but failed to deliver the hit that The Kind Worth Killing offered. I’m certainly curious to see what the author gives with their other books.
I really enjoyed this book a lot. The parallel stories worked really well together and the building tension in both was phenomenal. I found that even though I knew a lot about what had happened in the past (because George states it) it was still enormously intriguing to find out the details. The plot does get a little complicated but I liked that pretty much everything is explained by the end. I don't think I needed the detailed play-by-play exposition near the end because I'd figured most of that out already but it doesn't detract too much. That being said, the ending (the very end) wasn't as satisfying as I would like. If George isn't an unreliable narrator (and I think there's a possibility he is), the ending feels like it's leading into a sequel because there's still unfinished business. And yes, life has unfinished business and maybe it doesn't matter how that unfinished business plays out after the book ends. But it matters to me! However, I can also see how the unfinished business is simply bringing home the theme of the book with regards to George's relationship with Liana.
So all of that being said, definitely read this book if you like a well-written suspense thriller with good characterization (not just archetypes).
NOTE: I won a copy of this book via Goodreads, but that did not affect the honesty of my review. It just prompted me to read it sooner!
So all of that being said, definitely read this book if you like a well-written suspense thriller with good characterization (not just archetypes).
NOTE: I won a copy of this book via Goodreads, but that did not affect the honesty of my review. It just prompted me to read it sooner!
Following the pre-publication hype, I was more than intrigued to read this new debut crime thriller from Peter Swanson. Opening with a very familiar conceit of a figure from the main character’s past reappearing, up to their eyeballs in trouble, and thus propelling innocent main character into mild peril, there are some very obvious comparisons with the stalwarts of the genre. Having ticked these boxes, I embarked on this trying to keep an open mind on the entrance to this particular sub-genre of crime by Swanson, but in actuality was reminded incredibly strongly of both Harlan Coben’s Six Years, and the amalgamation of the complete Linwood Barclay back catalogue. So how did Swanson measure up to the ‘big boys’?
The plot is constructed across two timelines, with the reader seeing George Foss as a formerly impressionable college student, caught up in the throes of young love with fellow student Liana, and an affair that has serious implications for George several years later. Believing that Liana has committed suicide during their college years, eventually discovering that their whole relationship and her account of her life is totally comprised of lies, he is utterly surprised by her reappearance in his life, and the troubles she trails in her wake. The reader is then taken on a path of discovery with our hapless hero George, as the real Liana is gradually revealed, and how the ensuing years following their first interaction has led her on a life based on deception, theft and murder in which George becomes inextricably tangled.
Despite the enthusiasm of other reviewers for this book, I must confess that I was a little underwhelmed generally by this book. The plot was engaging enough, and written with a pace that led to this being a relatively quick read, but perhaps with the influence of other writers in this genre looming so large, I didn’t feel that the plot was anything new no matter how well constructed. The twists were just a tad obvious I felt, and the conclusion a little cliched for me, but entertaining enough when looking at the book as a whole. George was a perfectly affable and quite ordinary character overall, not imbued with many heroic qualities, but your empathy was drawn on as his involvement in Liana’s double and triple lives sucked him into danger, but really you were just thinking just leave well alone- that girl is trouble with a capital T! Stepping out of the shadow of the aforementioned Coben and Barclay was never going to be an easy task, but Swanson has given a good shot in this debut, but maybe just a little pedestrian for my taste I’m sorry to say.
The plot is constructed across two timelines, with the reader seeing George Foss as a formerly impressionable college student, caught up in the throes of young love with fellow student Liana, and an affair that has serious implications for George several years later. Believing that Liana has committed suicide during their college years, eventually discovering that their whole relationship and her account of her life is totally comprised of lies, he is utterly surprised by her reappearance in his life, and the troubles she trails in her wake. The reader is then taken on a path of discovery with our hapless hero George, as the real Liana is gradually revealed, and how the ensuing years following their first interaction has led her on a life based on deception, theft and murder in which George becomes inextricably tangled.
Despite the enthusiasm of other reviewers for this book, I must confess that I was a little underwhelmed generally by this book. The plot was engaging enough, and written with a pace that led to this being a relatively quick read, but perhaps with the influence of other writers in this genre looming so large, I didn’t feel that the plot was anything new no matter how well constructed. The twists were just a tad obvious I felt, and the conclusion a little cliched for me, but entertaining enough when looking at the book as a whole. George was a perfectly affable and quite ordinary character overall, not imbued with many heroic qualities, but your empathy was drawn on as his involvement in Liana’s double and triple lives sucked him into danger, but really you were just thinking just leave well alone- that girl is trouble with a capital T! Stepping out of the shadow of the aforementioned Coben and Barclay was never going to be an easy task, but Swanson has given a good shot in this debut, but maybe just a little pedestrian for my taste I’m sorry to say.
dark
mysterious
fast-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
dnf'ing for self care. I've read two Peter Swanson books(the kind worth killing and eight perfect murders), and want to try his other work. the way women are written here is making me uncomfortable and I don't want to subject myself to more of it. will try some of his later books instead
The Girl with a Clock for a Heart is a combination thriller, romance, and mystery. The characters seem straight forward at first, but none are who they seem to be. One wonders at the spell that George has fallen under. What did she have that made her so intoxicating even after all those years? As the story goes on, the players become more and more muddled and sinister; one can’t believe anything they say or do. Players come; players go, and still SHE remains. This deception makes the story line compelling and the narrative captivating. Don’t read it in the dark.
This is definitely an author I plan to watch out for. Both of his books were fast paced thrillers that kept my interest through the end. Every chapter left off with a cliff hanger that made me continue reading.
Terrible. From the get-go, the premise is hard to suspend disbelief. You mean to tell me that even after he was apprised of her sketchy character, hstill waited around, for 20 years, making no life for himself, hoping she'd come back into his life, maybe, someday? Really? Really? Even if you swallow that, the writing is annoying. Alternating chapters of what's going on currently with flashback, as the history is revealed, every chapter ending in a cliffhanger. Oh, and, not wrapped up. Explained, at the end, but either part 2 is left to your imagination, or, (ugh) he feels a compelling desire to write a sequel. The characters were two-dimensional, unlike able, and unbelievable. Not good, at all.
This one was good but his second work was better!
This book continued to keep me interested because of the sudden thrills. But I found the plateau between those thrills boring and dragful at times. I think the parts where we see George as a college student weren't bad, but overall I didn't feel that they were entirely necessary at times...
The characters here were rather amazing. The main character was well built, but those more side characters wow! I can say that I loved the creepy factor and the ever guessing factor that Liana and her accomplice brought to this novel for me.
A similar thing I found in this novel as with the first of his I read: that crippin ending though!
Overall, I would recommend this book. I can't wait for the other things that Peter Swanson brings in his third novel.
This book continued to keep me interested because of the sudden thrills. But I found the plateau between those thrills boring and dragful at times. I think the parts where we see George as a college student weren't bad, but overall I didn't feel that they were entirely necessary at times...
The characters here were rather amazing. The main character was well built, but those more side characters wow! I can say that I loved the creepy factor and the ever guessing factor that Liana and her accomplice brought to this novel for me.
A similar thing I found in this novel as with the first of his I read: that crippin ending though!
Overall, I would recommend this book. I can't wait for the other things that Peter Swanson brings in his third novel.
As far as thrillers go, I didn’t find this to be the most gripping story, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. It was a light, easy read with a fairly uncomplicated plot.