Scan barcode
lesley's review against another edition
4.0
This excellent audio book starts off amazingly and gradually becomes more of a typical mystery but it was still well above average especially with its characters.
hazelbright's review against another edition
4.0
A traditional detective novel elevated by Koryta's remarkable creativity. No supernatural elements as in many of Koryta's novels, but the twists and turns and surprises in this story made it definitively Koryta: a very detailed world where you never know what is going to happen next.
tonstantweader's review against another edition
2.0
How It Happened opens with a confession detailing the murders of Jackie Pelletier and Ian Kelley. Unfortunately, the confession came from Kimberley Crepeaux, a young woman not particularly known for honesty. More importantly, her confession implicates a respected and much-admired member of the community, Mathias Burke.
FBI investigator Rob Barrett as an expert in confessions, he is certain she is telling the truth. He also recalls a childhood incident that revealed a wickedness in Mathias Burke that is hidden to most people under his hard-working ambitious caretaker/landscaper facade. When they search for the bodies where Kimberley told them to look and they are not found, it looks as though she is the liar, but Barrett resists the obvious, setting him at odds with the rest of law enforcement and the community.
The story is fast-paced and well written, but it suffers from the villain explaining everything at the end like some Bond villain giving Bond time to escape his certain death, except of course, it’s after the villain has been caught. The sneering, look-how-clever-I-am confession was just too much and ruined the story for me. I am a show, don’t tell reader so this is kind of resolution is designed not to appeal to me. Frankly, I thought the whole solution was overwrought, reaching deep into conspiracy and far more complicated than it needed to be for some small-town murder.
How It Happened at Little, Brown and Company
Michael Koryta author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2018/07/04/9780316293921/
FBI investigator Rob Barrett as an expert in confessions, he is certain she is telling the truth. He also recalls a childhood incident that revealed a wickedness in Mathias Burke that is hidden to most people under his hard-working ambitious caretaker/landscaper facade. When they search for the bodies where Kimberley told them to look and they are not found, it looks as though she is the liar, but Barrett resists the obvious, setting him at odds with the rest of law enforcement and the community.
The story is fast-paced and well written, but it suffers from the villain explaining everything at the end like some Bond villain giving Bond time to escape his certain death, except of course, it’s after the villain has been caught. The sneering, look-how-clever-I-am confession was just too much and ruined the story for me. I am a show, don’t tell reader so this is kind of resolution is designed not to appeal to me. Frankly, I thought the whole solution was overwrought, reaching deep into conspiracy and far more complicated than it needed to be for some small-town murder.
How It Happened at Little, Brown and Company
Michael Koryta author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2018/07/04/9780316293921/
kellyhager's review against another edition
5.0
Michael Koryta has been one of my favorite authors since I read So Cold the Water probably eight years ago. Every book since then has completely captivated me and been one of my favorites in their respective release years. This one is no different.
What IS different is that this is based on a true story (learn more here) and while this is not at all Jill Behrman's story, it's still very much a part of How it Happened. But so are two more universal things: the importance of journalism and the absolute horror of the drug epidemic (specifically opioids).
There are a lot of moving parts to this story, but it all seems absolutely seamless and effortless. (I'm guessing that's the mark of a great author, right? It all seems easy?)
Highly recommended.
What IS different is that this is based on a true story (learn more here) and while this is not at all Jill Behrman's story, it's still very much a part of How it Happened. But so are two more universal things: the importance of journalism and the absolute horror of the drug epidemic (specifically opioids).
There are a lot of moving parts to this story, but it all seems absolutely seamless and effortless. (I'm guessing that's the mark of a great author, right? It all seems easy?)
Highly recommended.
christinereads0's review against another edition
3.0
Purplemanatees.org
How it Happened(Michael Kortya) came as a surprise in the mail! I wasn't expecting anything and had to furiously check my email for an answer. Finding my answer, I had won another giveaway on goodreads! Always join giveaways for things you like,guys. You lose 100% of the chances you don't take! This was a mystery crime novel about your typical rogue FBI agent who lays his job and life on the line for a case they believe in. It was your typical run of the mill mystery novel you would want to binge while on the beach but not for really any other time. I urgently just wanted to reach the end but was always distracted by something and not able to. To note, the cover is absolutely gorgeous and really made me look forward to reading this book. Thank you all for reading and see ya on the next page ;)
How it Happened(Michael Kortya) came as a surprise in the mail! I wasn't expecting anything and had to furiously check my email for an answer. Finding my answer, I had won another giveaway on goodreads! Always join giveaways for things you like,guys. You lose 100% of the chances you don't take! This was a mystery crime novel about your typical rogue FBI agent who lays his job and life on the line for a case they believe in. It was your typical run of the mill mystery novel you would want to binge while on the beach but not for really any other time. I urgently just wanted to reach the end but was always distracted by something and not able to. To note, the cover is absolutely gorgeous and really made me look forward to reading this book. Thank you all for reading and see ya on the next page ;)
More...