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A review by carolpk
Paper Ghosts by Julia Heaberlin
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.