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ellestan72's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
tchkdz65's review against another edition
5.0
Great mystery
This book kept me guessing. Never knew what the answer was going to be even up until the very end.
This book kept me guessing. Never knew what the answer was going to be even up until the very end.
sudsvbw's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
maeghin's review
5.0
Dementia isn’t a pretty evening sky. It’s an ocean fog, an endless midnight beach run and a stalker you hear padding in the sand behind you. Keep running, or wade into the black waves. The correct veribification of dementia would be ‘Stephen Kinging.’
A story about a ‘could be’ serial killer suffering from dementia and the sister of one of his possible victims that just wants answers.
Have you ever had one of those books that has been sitting on your shelf for a few months and you finally decide to read it...then you power through the story because it’s so good! That was this book for me, I can’t believe I waited so long to read this story. A well written psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the end of the book.
I highly recommend this book!
I would like to thank the publisher Random House/Ballantine Books, Julie Heaberlin and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
A story about a ‘could be’ serial killer suffering from dementia and the sister of one of his possible victims that just wants answers.
Have you ever had one of those books that has been sitting on your shelf for a few months and you finally decide to read it...then you power through the story because it’s so good! That was this book for me, I can’t believe I waited so long to read this story. A well written psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the end of the book.
I highly recommend this book!
I would like to thank the publisher Random House/Ballantine Books, Julie Heaberlin and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
carolpk's review
The Hook - Many moons ago I was intrigued by the hype about the book Black-eyed Susans by Julia Heaberline. But like the flowers my black thumb does not nurture neither did this book ever manage to creep off my TBR pile. In addition, Paper Ghosts caught my eye in a list of thrillers (sorry, can't remember where) and also was a 2019 Finalist in ITW's Thriller Awards. Paper Ghosts did not claim the fame which makes me think I ought to read the book that did.
The Line(s) - ”This leaves one percent hope. Or ninety-nine percent despair, It depends on whether my glass is filled with whiskey or tea.”
The Sinker - A common theme that attracts me in thrillers or mystery is a cold case. These are particularly haunting if this involves a family member trying to find a missing loved one in hopes of, if not closure, to provide a place for the missing to rest peacefully. Paper Ghosts explores this genre in a unique and thought-provoking way. Many have described the search to find the victim as cat and mouse, a well orchestrated chess game, or a clever mental game of wits. I see it as a metronome, the click, click, the beats of my heart trying to keep a regular pace as the story unfolds.
When she, whatever her name is, is twelve, her sister fell in a grave. That was the day her sister was cursed. When her sister was nineteen, she disappeared.
“An obsessive young woman has been waiting half her life-since she was twelve years old-for this moment. She has Planned. Researched. Trained. Imagined every scenario.”
She is ready to use these skills to trap the man she suspects of kidnapping and murdering her sister, to admit the crime and lead her to her sisters body.
Carl Louis Feldman, a shadow of the man who was once a journalist photographer, now living in a half-way house suffering from dementia and age. The plan is to lure him out of the home on a road trip to find the truth. To prove her murdered her sister and other cold case murders that have links to his photography.
The pacing was slow, but this just added to the precise, pitch-perfect plotting. Gave me time to think just what the outcome would be. There were times I wondered just who's brain function was more impaired, Carl in his dementia or she with her obsession.
One last thought to keep in mind. A camera can allow you to see if you have the right lens.
The Line(s) - ”This leaves one percent hope. Or ninety-nine percent despair, It depends on whether my glass is filled with whiskey or tea.”
The Sinker - A common theme that attracts me in thrillers or mystery is a cold case. These are particularly haunting if this involves a family member trying to find a missing loved one in hopes of, if not closure, to provide a place for the missing to rest peacefully. Paper Ghosts explores this genre in a unique and thought-provoking way. Many have described the search to find the victim as cat and mouse, a well orchestrated chess game, or a clever mental game of wits. I see it as a metronome, the click, click, the beats of my heart trying to keep a regular pace as the story unfolds.
When she, whatever her name is, is twelve, her sister fell in a grave. That was the day her sister was cursed. When her sister was nineteen, she disappeared.
“An obsessive young woman has been waiting half her life-since she was twelve years old-for this moment. She has Planned. Researched. Trained. Imagined every scenario.”
She is ready to use these skills to trap the man she suspects of kidnapping and murdering her sister, to admit the crime and lead her to her sisters body.
Carl Louis Feldman, a shadow of the man who was once a journalist photographer, now living in a half-way house suffering from dementia and age. The plan is to lure him out of the home on a road trip to find the truth. To prove her murdered her sister and other cold case murders that have links to his photography.
The pacing was slow, but this just added to the precise, pitch-perfect plotting. Gave me time to think just what the outcome would be. There were times I wondered just who's brain function was more impaired, Carl in his dementia or she with her obsession.
One last thought to keep in mind. A camera can allow you to see if you have the right lens.
kellyvandamme's review
3.0
"Bad people are to be found everywhere, but even among the worst there may be something good."
Meet Grace, she's young, she's pretty and she's been obsessed with her older sister Rachel's disappearance since she was a little girl. Somewhere down the line, Grace has convinced herself that Rachel was murdered by Carl, and she feels the time is right to draw a confession from him. Carl, however, suffers from dementia. Or does he? When Grace takes Carl on a road trip, we never quite know who is using who, is Grace getting what she wants from this trip, or is Carl?
I liked that insecurity, that not knowing whether Carl was dangerous or just an innocent old man. Sometimes he seemed like a little lamb, other times he reminded me of Hannibal Lector, playing with Clarice. I did feel the story dragged sometimes, the suspense was seldom palpable, which I'd expect from a novel marketed as "a novel of suspense".
All in all, for me this was definitely an okay read, just not at the top of its genre.
Meet Grace, she's young, she's pretty and she's been obsessed with her older sister Rachel's disappearance since she was a little girl. Somewhere down the line, Grace has convinced herself that Rachel was murdered by Carl, and she feels the time is right to draw a confession from him. Carl, however, suffers from dementia. Or does he? When Grace takes Carl on a road trip, we never quite know who is using who, is Grace getting what she wants from this trip, or is Carl?
I liked that insecurity, that not knowing whether Carl was dangerous or just an innocent old man. Sometimes he seemed like a little lamb, other times he reminded me of Hannibal Lector, playing with Clarice. I did feel the story dragged sometimes, the suspense was seldom palpable, which I'd expect from a novel marketed as "a novel of suspense".
All in all, for me this was definitely an okay read, just not at the top of its genre.
chasegartzke's review
5.0
Words cannot express how much I love Heaberlin. Her writing is impactful, and she goes the extra mile when preparing and researching before her pen ever meets the page.
I went into this blindly, with absolutely no clue what this was about, and only the assumption that it would take place in Texas (a pattern of Heaberlin’s). When I was introduced to the character named Carl I began to once again see how much preparation went into her writing. Carl has dementia, and the portrayal of this degenerative illness was very well done and the character hit home for me as my grandmother has now entered the late stages of dementia.
Carl aside, this book is gripping and immaculately written.
Actual rating: 6.5/5
I went into this blindly, with absolutely no clue what this was about, and only the assumption that it would take place in Texas (a pattern of Heaberlin’s). When I was introduced to the character named Carl I began to once again see how much preparation went into her writing. Carl has dementia, and the portrayal of this degenerative illness was very well done and the character hit home for me as my grandmother has now entered the late stages of dementia.
Carl aside, this book is gripping and immaculately written.
Actual rating: 6.5/5
saira98's review against another edition
3.0
I am in love with a good mystery at the moment, so when I saw this title pop up on Netgalley I had to request it. I was so excited when I got accepted for it. I started reading it straight away and suffice to say, I found it hard to put down after that.
This murder mystery follows a young woman as she tries to put the pieces together after her older sister's disappearance quite a few years ago. It's something that always played on her mind and she finally managed to get her prime suspect to go on a road trip with her. She's determined to get any and all information our of him that she is sure he has on her sister.
I did love the mystery part of this book. I was in a constant argument with myself as to whether Carl was actually a murderer or whether he genuinely had no clue as to what was going on. It was a really well paced book I thought. Nothing was dragged out too much and I didn't get bored reading it. There were small pieces to the puzzle that you were given in each chapter but I still couldn't help wondering what was going to happen.
It was a race for me to get to the end of the book. Not because I didn't enjoy it but because I really needed to know what the truth was. There were so many things that pointed towards Carl being a killer and then some thing that didn't;t make any sense at all. However, one thing I did find was that it was hard to connect all of the characters. They seemed so cold and detached from everything and it made it hard to empathise. It was the main thing that did put me off of this book.
The plot as a whole was great though. The only thing that I think ruined it was the ending. I really didn't like the epilogue at all. I felt like it was a little bit of a cop out. There were things that I felt were a little too unrealistic at the end and it didn't make sense to me. I just feel like it let down the book a little.
Overall, this wasn't my favourite mystery/suspense book that I've read but it wasn't too bad. I guess I just had higher hopes for it was all.
This murder mystery follows a young woman as she tries to put the pieces together after her older sister's disappearance quite a few years ago. It's something that always played on her mind and she finally managed to get her prime suspect to go on a road trip with her. She's determined to get any and all information our of him that she is sure he has on her sister.
I did love the mystery part of this book. I was in a constant argument with myself as to whether Carl was actually a murderer or whether he genuinely had no clue as to what was going on. It was a really well paced book I thought. Nothing was dragged out too much and I didn't get bored reading it. There were small pieces to the puzzle that you were given in each chapter but I still couldn't help wondering what was going to happen.
It was a race for me to get to the end of the book. Not because I didn't enjoy it but because I really needed to know what the truth was. There were so many things that pointed towards Carl being a killer and then some thing that didn't;t make any sense at all. However, one thing I did find was that it was hard to connect all of the characters. They seemed so cold and detached from everything and it made it hard to empathise. It was the main thing that did put me off of this book.
The plot as a whole was great though. The only thing that I think ruined it was the ending. I really didn't like the epilogue at all. I felt like it was a little bit of a cop out. There were things that I felt were a little too unrealistic at the end and it didn't make sense to me. I just feel like it let down the book a little.
Overall, this wasn't my favourite mystery/suspense book that I've read but it wasn't too bad. I guess I just had higher hopes for it was all.
shanajade's review
3.0
I don't know. I kept waiting for this to be more exciting and it left me with more questions... I guess this just wasn't it for me. I feel like it was lacking something.