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sea_caummisar's review against another edition
5.0
I've said it before and I'll say it again.
Real life is stranger than fiction.
Especially that second story.
It took a twist that I didn't see coming...
Real life is stranger than fiction.
Especially that second story.
It took a twist that I didn't see coming...
lhart2222's review against another edition
4.0
4/5
A really solid 4 stars, although the true stories are very interesting, the author needs to stay on the path of the real events. This meant the book lacked major shock value, as you kind of know where the endpoint is. Finding out what happens is a compelling read, but due to the obvious lack of embellishment, it was just that.
This book is split into two parts based on true crime events. The first being a neighborly dispute surrounding the ongoings or lack thereof, with a rundown semi-detached house.
We follow Ann Hoover, who lives in one of the said houses. Orderly maintained and well looked after her house stands brightly on the street, however, next door is quite the opposite.
Battered and beaten the unowned house is an eyesore, on not only Ann’s esteemed property but the neighborhood as a whole. Until one day, hope arrives in the form of Roy Kirk.
Claiming to be a skilled property renovator Ann is overjoyed at the news that Roy is going to turn the dump around and ease the visual and physical strain of the house. This soon turns out to not be quite what happens.
The second telling the story of a Facebook-obsessed recluse with controlling parents. Jenelle Porter is a 29-year-old woman, with what seems to be the mental compositions of a 13-year-old girl.
After being introduced to a new group of friends, Jenelle starts an unhealthy infatuation with Billy. She has created the idea in her head that they will fall in love, they didn’t. And when Billy finds someone else called Billie Jean, Jenelle can’t take it.
Leading to a barrage of online harassment and hatred, Jenelle goes to extreme lengths to address her jealousy and envy towards the pair.
My first James Patterson book and I must say, I loved the pacing and short chapters. As a slow reader, who likes to mull and take in all extremities this really did make things easy. I flew through the book without even realizing, and found myself being able to keep track easily.
The book is written well and makes sense all the way through. Being that it is based on true crime, it’s, of course, easy to immerse into so imagining details and characters are seamless.
The two separate stories being stand-alone reads making the book easy to pick up, and put down. I must say, I enjoyed the first story more, maybe because I’d never heard of the case, unlike the second one.
I would say the true-crime element, take obvious suspense and twist away, but still, the book manages to invoke certain emotions.
Overall I enjoyed the book, and read it super quickly. I’d highly recommend this book as a quick go-between when reading larger novels, or to read when traveling. Or if you’re a true crime fan, both cases are slightly bizarre as stand-alone cases.
A really solid 4 stars, although the true stories are very interesting, the author needs to stay on the path of the real events. This meant the book lacked major shock value, as you kind of know where the endpoint is. Finding out what happens is a compelling read, but due to the obvious lack of embellishment, it was just that.
This book is split into two parts based on true crime events. The first being a neighborly dispute surrounding the ongoings or lack thereof, with a rundown semi-detached house.
We follow Ann Hoover, who lives in one of the said houses. Orderly maintained and well looked after her house stands brightly on the street, however, next door is quite the opposite.
Battered and beaten the unowned house is an eyesore, on not only Ann’s esteemed property but the neighborhood as a whole. Until one day, hope arrives in the form of Roy Kirk.
Claiming to be a skilled property renovator Ann is overjoyed at the news that Roy is going to turn the dump around and ease the visual and physical strain of the house. This soon turns out to not be quite what happens.
The second telling the story of a Facebook-obsessed recluse with controlling parents. Jenelle Porter is a 29-year-old woman, with what seems to be the mental compositions of a 13-year-old girl.
After being introduced to a new group of friends, Jenelle starts an unhealthy infatuation with Billy. She has created the idea in her head that they will fall in love, they didn’t. And when Billy finds someone else called Billie Jean, Jenelle can’t take it.
Leading to a barrage of online harassment and hatred, Jenelle goes to extreme lengths to address her jealousy and envy towards the pair.
My first James Patterson book and I must say, I loved the pacing and short chapters. As a slow reader, who likes to mull and take in all extremities this really did make things easy. I flew through the book without even realizing, and found myself being able to keep track easily.
The book is written well and makes sense all the way through. Being that it is based on true crime, it’s, of course, easy to immerse into so imagining details and characters are seamless.
The two separate stories being stand-alone reads making the book easy to pick up, and put down. I must say, I enjoyed the first story more, maybe because I’d never heard of the case, unlike the second one.
I would say the true-crime element, take obvious suspense and twist away, but still, the book manages to invoke certain emotions.
Overall I enjoyed the book, and read it super quickly. I’d highly recommend this book as a quick go-between when reading larger novels, or to read when traveling. Or if you’re a true crime fan, both cases are slightly bizarre as stand-alone cases.
livingdeadbabe's review against another edition
4.0
Simple true crime stories worth a read if you like true crime
rmarcin's review against another edition
4.0
Two quick real-life crimes are described in this book. They both deal with people who are mentally deranged, leading to murder.
In the first story, a young man purchased a dilapidated house, planning to fix it up, but it becomes too much for him. His neighbor takes him to court to try to get him to work on the property.
The second story is about a young woman with a crush on the brother of a friend she meets by chance. This crush becomes an obsession with deadly results.
Both stories are easy, but disturbing reads, about how quickly someone loses their grip on reality.
#MurderThyNeighbor #JamesPatterson
In the first story, a young man purchased a dilapidated house, planning to fix it up, but it becomes too much for him. His neighbor takes him to court to try to get him to work on the property.
The second story is about a young woman with a crush on the brother of a friend she meets by chance. This crush becomes an obsession with deadly results.
Both stories are easy, but disturbing reads, about how quickly someone loses their grip on reality.
#MurderThyNeighbor #JamesPatterson
tobyyy's review against another edition
3.0
Two true-crime novellas — both very creepy stories of extremely disturbed individuals. My two main takeaway points were:
1) don’t ever buy or rent or reside in a duplex because you may never truly know your neighbors like you think you do
AND
2) Facebook is not a good use of time (which is fine since I deactivated mine years ago).
✌
1) don’t ever buy or rent or reside in a duplex because you may never truly know your neighbors like you think you do
AND
2) Facebook is not a good use of time (which is fine since I deactivated mine years ago).
✌
thriller_chick's review against another edition
5.0
This book is sitting on my shelf BUT Soccer started back up yesterday and that means audio books on my multi hour trips.
Yay for Libby!
Ok this is one of my top 2 fav books in the discovery id series. (The other is Murder Beyond The Grave).
Case 1: Murder over the state of ones house/ being held accountable to not owning a dump.
Case 2: Jealousy
These were some wild murder cases!
My only complaint is that someone in case 2 clearly had some type of psychological issue that was mentioned but the diagnosis was never given.
Yay for Libby!
Ok this is one of my top 2 fav books in the discovery id series. (The other is Murder Beyond The Grave).
Case 1: Murder over the state of ones house/ being held accountable to not owning a dump.
Case 2: Jealousy
These were some wild murder cases!
My only complaint is that someone in case 2 clearly had some type of psychological issue that was mentioned but the diagnosis was never given.
abby_can_read's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
3.0
🎧
I enjoyed this book, like the others in the series. Patterson is a talented writer, but there's something about his style that I struggle to connect with. This was a quick and simple read, and I don't feel that either story went too deep.
I enjoyed this book, like the others in the series. Patterson is a talented writer, but there's something about his style that I struggle to connect with. This was a quick and simple read, and I don't feel that either story went too deep.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Bullying, and Gore