• About

By Hook Or By Book

~ Book Reviews, News, and Other Stuff

By Hook Or By Book

Tag Archives: Thrillers

No Bad Deed, by Heather Chavez ~ 4.5 Stars

09 Monday Dec 2019

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

Adult Fiction, Mystery, Thrillers

971D959E-7B88-4F73-8DFE-DBAF93FEC579

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: February 18th, 2020

320 Pages

Synopsis: Driving home one rainy night, Cassie Larkin sees a man and woman fighting on the side of the road. After calling 911, the veterinarian makes a split second-decision that will throw her sedate suburban life into chaos. Against all reason and advice, she gets out of her minivan and chases after the violent man, trying to help his victim. When Cassie physically tries to stop him, he suddenly turns on her and spits out an ominous threat: “Let her die, and I’ll let you live.”

A veterinarian trained to heal, Cassie can’t let the woman die. But while she’s examining the unconscious victim, the attacker steals her car. Now he has her name. Her address. And he knows about her children. Thought they warn her to be careful, the police assure her that the perpetrator —a criminal named Carver Sweet—won’t get near her. Cassie isn’t so sure.

The next day—Halloween—her husband disappears while trick-or-treating with their daughter. Are these disturbing events a coincidence or the beginning of a horrifying nightmare? Her husband has been growing distant—is it possible he’s become involved with another woman? Is Cassie’s confrontation with the road-side attacker connected to her husband’s disappearance? With all these questions swirling in her mind, Cassie can trust no one, maybe not even herself. The only thing she know for sure is that she can’t sit back while the people she loves are in danger.

As she desperately searches for answers, Cassie discovers that nothing is as random as it seems, and that she is more than willing to fight—to go to the most terrifying extremes—to save her family and her marriage.

HOLY GUACAMOLE! No Bad Deed is without a doubt one of the craziest books I’ve read, and the fact that this is Heather Chavez’s debut, has me expecting great things from her! While readers will have to suspend their disbelief over some of Cassie’s actions, she still comes off as a sympathetic character as she desperately tries to make sense of the sudden downward spiral her life has taken. Almost every chapter has a plot twist, and what you think are random, albeit crazy coincidences, are anything but. The only thing that’s clear is what’s down is up and what’s up is down. Each revelation leads to an explosive climax, but I didn’t know what the heck was happening or why until Cassie’s backstory is unveiled. While it’s not entirely believable, it does explain everything that’s happened.

Overall, No Bad Deed is a fantastic popcorn read that will suck you in from the very first page. I read this in under three hours because I couldn’t bring myself to put it down until I knew what was happening. I HIGHLY recommend this for fans of unputdownable high octane thrillers with enough twists to make your head spin. I can’t wait to see what Heather Chavez does for an encore!

 

Smoke and Iron (The Great Library #4), by Rachel Caine ~ 5 Stars

09 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 41 Comments

Tags

Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thrillers, YA Fiction

1C92D1BB-E906-41D7-A164-295E47077FAC

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

448 Pages

Synopsis: The opening moves of a deadly game have begun. Jess Brightwell has put himself in direct peril, with only his wits and skill to aid him in a game of cat and mouth with the Archivist Magister of the Great Library. With the world catching fire, and words printed on paper the spark that lights rebellion, it falls to smugglers, thieves, and scholars to save a library thousands of years in the making…if they can stay alive long enough to outwit their enemies.

3C53AB21-13E1-4184-8837-858E8D628698Smoke and Iron is the latest in a thrilling YA series that just keeps getting better and better with each installment! I know I’ve said this repeatedly, but in my humble opinion, the prolific Rachel Caine is a brilliant author, whether she’s writing for teens or adults. I’ve read everything she’s written over the years and have never been disappointed.

This picks up immediately where Ash and Quill left off. Our group of heroes are split up and each is facing more danger than ever before. As usual the story is told from multiple POVs which not only gives the reader a wonderful sense of the characters, but also adds to the fabulous world building. 

In terms of action and pacing, I think this might be my favorite book in the series. It adds further complexity to both the characters and the story yet is tightly written. There’s plenty of blood, gore and heartbreak though, so be warned!

Smoke and Iron has left me feverishly anticipating the conclusion to The Great Library series. Sadly it will most likely be a year before fans see the as yet untitled book. On the plus side this gives readers who haven’t started the series ample time to catch up. Even if you don’t normally read YA, if you like fantasy, science fiction, thrilling adventure, and you’re a bibliophile, I guarantee you’ll LOVE these books!

Killer Choice, by Tom Hunt ~ 4.0 Stars

16 Friday Feb 2018

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 45 Comments

Tags

Adult Fiction, Suspense, Thrillers

35133918

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

344 Pages

Synopsis:

His wife is sick.

He needs $200,000 to save her

A mysterious man offers to give him the money with just one catch: He has to murder someone to get it.

Gary Foster’s life is finally heading in the right direction. After years of trying, his wife, Beth, is pregnant, and he recently opened a business with his brother. But one phone call changes everything…

After collapsing suddenly, Beth has been rushed to the hospital. Tests reveal a devastating diagnosis: an inoperable brain tumor. Their only hope is an expensive experimental treatment available abroad, with a cost that’s out of their reach. And Beth’s time is running out…

Then a strange man approaches Gary and offers the money he needs, on one condition: that he kill someone, no questions asked. End one life to save another.

In this nail-biting debut novel of domestic suspense, one man makes a choice that forces him to confront the darkest reaches of his soul and betray those closest to him. As he’s swept up into a nightmare of escalating violence, he must question his own morality—-and determine just how far he’s willing to go to save the woman he loves.

I love books that forces a main character into a moral quandary. And no, it’s not because I’m sadistic! Okay. Maybe I am…a little. Seriously, I like to put myself in that person’s shoes and mull over what I would do in their situation. Killer Choice poses such a question, and it kept me thoroughly engaged throughout the entire story.

Gary is a realistic Mr. Nice Guy. He’s running an outdoor apparel store with his younger brother who he’s extremely close with. He adores his wife Beth and is devastated when just as they’re finally realizing their dream of having a child, Beth is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. But there’s hope in an experimental treatment overseas if they can come up with $200,000. Despite friends, family and fundraisers, they’re nowhere near the amount they need. And then Otto strolls into Gary’s life holding out hope. 

What would you do to save the life of the person you love most in the world? Would you be willing to kill someone? To sweeten the pot, what if the target was a villain in every sense of the word, who had ruined other’s lives. Would that make a difference?

There’s a couple of things that grabbed my attention. First, the beginning of the story although a little slow, focuses on Gary’s and Beth’s increasingly frantic fundraising efforts. With the assistance of their friends and family, they put their story out on internet fundraising sites, hold hot dog fundraisers, and do interviews with the media. But despite their best efforts they don’t even make it to the halfway mark of their goal. So, when Otto approaches Gary with his offer, Gary is absolutely desperate and primed to do something, well, stupid. This makes his naïveté and serious lack of judgement, for the most part, understandable. 

I also liked that Otto’s story was told and his life as a sketchy pawnbroker/drug dealer involved with some even nastier characters than himself, was almost as compelling as Gary’s. He’s in a desperate situation as well, which leads him to concoct this crazy plan. The dichotomy between these two men’s lives couldn’t be more stark. Under just about any other circumstances their paths never would have crossed, but because of Beth’s illness they do, and their actions result in horrible repercussions that drag in people who Gary also loves.

While the story is a little slow setting everything up, once Gary’s peaceful middle-class and Otto’s violent, criminal worlds collide, the pace is frenetic and I couldn’t put the book down. The ending is realistic and a little open-ended which made me wonder what the future would hold for Gary and Beth.

Despite the slightly slow beginning and a few implausible scenes, Killer Choice is a fun thrill ride of a debut, that reminded me a little of one of my favorite authors, Harlan Coben. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what Tom Hunt comes up with next.

Little Monsters, by Kara Thomas ~ 4.5 Stars

20 Thursday Jul 2017

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 29 Comments

Tags

Dysfunctional Families, Mysteries, Teen relationships, Thrillers, YA Fiction

32320750

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date: June 25th, 2017

336 Pages

Synopsis: Kacey is the new girl in Broken Falls. When she moved in with her father, she stepped into a brand-new life.  A life with a stepbrother, stepmother, and strangest of all, an adoring younger half sister.

Kacey’s new life is eerily charming compared with the wild highs and lows of the old one she lived with her volatile mother. And everyone is so nice in Broken Falls–she’s even been welcomed into a tight new circle of friends. Bailey and Jade invite her to do everything with them.

Which is why it’s so odd when they start acting distant. And when they don’t invite her to the biggest party of the year, it doesn’t exactly feel like an accident.

But Kacey will never be able to ask, because Bailey never makes it home from that party. Suddenly, Broken Falls doesn’t seem so welcoming after all–especially once everyone starts looking to the new girl for answers.

Kacey is about to learn some very important lessons: Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes when the you’re the new girl, you shouldn’t trust anyone.

Little Monsters has been one of the more hotly anticipated books of 2017, and I’m happy to say that it more than lives up to the hype. 

I love stories about the darker layers of the human psyche, especially in regards to teens. It would have been easy to turn this into a more horror/thrillerish ripoff of Mean Girls, but Kara Thomas has made her characters fascinating if not always likable. Kacey herself, is a sketchy character. There were times when I really liked her, especially during her interactions with her stepbrother and half sister, and other times, I had doubts in her innocence, even though she seemed determined to discover what happened to Bailey. The other characters are equally well written. I especially loved Bailey’s journal entries, which showed how much someone can change in a fairly short amount of time. Their inclusion gives the already suspenseful story an additional creepy and menacing layer. 

The story itself moves along at a steady pace and because I was so invested in the characters I finished it in two sittings. There are a lot of red herrings, so I didn’t really guess who was behind Bailey’s disappearance until right before the big reveal. The only reason why I didn’t give this a perfect 5 is because I thought the supernatural plot device of the “Red Lady” was interesting, but ultimately never went anywhere. 

In the end, I have to agree with the many other reviewers who have commented that Little Monsters is a perfect book for fans of Pretty Little Liars. It’s an enjoyable, twisty mystery and thriller that will keep you guessing right up until the end!

Proof Of Lies (Anastasia Phoenix #1) ~ By Diana Rodriguez Wallach – 4.5 Stars

07 Tuesday Mar 2017

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

Espionage, Mystery, Thrillers, YA Fiction

img_0681

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 7th, 2017

400 Pages

Synopsis: Some secrets are best kept hidden…

Anastasia Phoenix has always been the odd girl out, whether moving from city to international city with her scientist parents or being the black belt who speaks four languages.

And most definitely as the orphan whose sister is missing, presumed dead.

She’s the only one who believes Keira is still alive, and when new evidence surfaces, Anastasia sets out to follow the trail–and lands in the middle of a massive conspiracy. Now she isn’t sure who she can trust. At her side is Marcus, the bad boy with a sexy accent who’s as secretive as she is. He may have followed her to Rome to help, but something about him seems too good to be true.

Nothing is as it appears, and when everything she’s ever known is revealed to be a lie, Anastasia has to believe in one impossibility.

She will find her sister.

Proof of Lies is the introduction to Wallach’s new Anastasia Phoenix series, and it certainly starts things off with a bang! The action begins on the very first page and never slows down, which had me finishing this in one sitting despite it being 400 pages. What really carries this book is its main character, Anastasia who’s basically a teenage James Bond. After their parents are killed in a car accident Keira becomes Anastasia’s guardian, but there’s a lot of resentment between them and their relationship is rather rocky. Despite that, when Keira disappears, Anastasia doesn’t think twice about conducting her own rescue mission when the official police investigation stalls. She stubbornly believes Keira is still alive despite everyone else saying otherwise. She continuously dives into dangerous situations that could easily get her killed, but she doesn’t let this stop her. She’s already lost her parents, she’s parents and she’s determined that she’s not going to lose her sister too. Aiding her in her cross-country search are Keira’s best friend and computer hacker extraordinaire, Charlotte, and the mysterious Marcus, who has an intriguing connection to Anastasia’s family. The romance between Anastasia and Marcus was a little bland, but I think this may be because it’s meant to take a back seat to the search for Keira. What I really loved though is that the author sets her completely wild story against events that actually happened. The two blend together into a unique and intriguing mystery which kept me guessing right up until the end. Proof Of Lies is the type of book where many of the situations are totally improbable, but you just have to go with it. I highly recommend it to YA and adult fans of exciting mysteries and espionage thrillers. I can’t wait for the sequel, Lies That Bind to come out next year!

Alone (The Generations Trilogy#3) ~ By Scott Sigler – 4.5 Stars

06 Monday Mar 2017

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

Science Fiction, Thrillers, YA Fiction

img_0694

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date: March 7th, 2017

240 Pages

Synopsis: “We thought this place was our destiny–not our doom.”

Pawns in a millennia-old struggle, the young people only known as the Birthday Children were genetically engineered to survive on the planet Omeyocan–but they were never meant to live there. They were made to be “overwritten,” their minds wiped and replaced by the conscious of the monsters who created them.

Em changed all that.

She unified her people and led a revolt against their creators. Em and her friends escaped an ancient ghost ship and fled to Omeyocan. They thought they would find an uninhabited paradise. Instead, they found the ruins of a massive city long since swallowed by the jungle. And they weren’t alone. The Birthday Children fought for survival against the elements, jungle wildlife, the “Grownups” who created them…and, as evil corrupted their numbers, even against themselves.

With these opponents finally defeated, Em and her people realized that more threats were coming, traveling from across the universe to lay claim to their planet. The Birthday Children have prepared as best they can against this alien armada. Now, as the first ships reach orbit around Omeyocan, the final battle for the planet begins.

I’ve loved this trilogy from the beginning so I’m happy to say it ends on a high note. All the characters, especially Em have gone through so many changes since the first book, and it’s been  wonderful watching them grow. They all have their flaws, but this just makes them more realistic. And the villains aren’t even completely evil, not even the worst of them, Matilda. While I absolutely despised her in the previous two books, after finally learning her backstory, I was surprised to find myself feeling some sympathy for her. There’s plenty of action which keeps the story moving swiftly along, and the ending is bittersweet yet satisfying. The best part is that any lingering questions are answered so there are no frustrating plot holes. I would caution that because of some of the brutality that takes place in this series, it’s definitely more for older teens. That said, this is one of the strongest finales I’ve had the pleasure of reading. I highly recommend The Generations trilogy to YA and adult fans of science fiction and thrillers.

The Operator (The Peri Reed Chronicles #2) ~ By Kim Harrison – 4.5 Stars

22 Tuesday Nov 2016

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 22 Comments

Tags

Adult Fiction, Mysteries, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thrillers

img_0159

Thanks to NetGalley and Pocket Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 22nd, 2016

512 Pages

Synopsis: Peri Reed’s job eats her mind, but for a special task agent in hiding, forgetting the past can be a blessing. 

Betrayed by the man she thought she loved and the agency who turned her into the very thing she fought against, Peri abandoned the wealth and privilege of Opti for anonymity riddled with memory gaps and self-doubt. But when a highly addictive drug promises to end her dependency on those who’d use her as a tool for their own success, she must choose to remain broken and vulnerable, or return to the above-the-law power and prestige she once left: strong but without will–for whoever holds her next fix, will hold her loyalty.

Yet even now as then, a love based on lies might still save her life.

Before I begin my review let me first stress that The Operator is the sequel to The Drafter, and it absolutely CANNOT be read as a standalone. If you try to read it without having read the previous book you will be completely lost and possibly wind up with a very bad headache! So, now that I’ve done my duty and warned you all, I can now tell you how awesome this book is! Some of you might be familiar with Kim Harrison’s urban fantasy series, The Hollows, which I’m still lamenting the end of. While the Peri Reed Chronicles features a kick-ass heroine, in the same vein as the beloved Rachel Morgan, that is the only similarity between the two series. This series is set in Detroit in the year 2030. Peri Reed is part of a select group of people who can manipulate time. She works for a covert government agency called Opti and her talents as a drafter come into good use because if a mission goes bad, she can skip back in time, not far, just a minute or two. But in most cases it’s more than enough to turn a failure into a success. Unfortunately there are consequences to having this ability. Living through two different timelines can completely destroy the mind, so drafters are partnered with “anchors” to help blend the timelines together. Even then, memories are usually lost, but Peri used to believe that what she was doing was worth the sacrifice. Without going into spoiler territory, let’s just say that by the end of The Drafter everything pretty much blew up in her face, and she was left betrayed, hurt and confused and on her own. The Operator opens almost a year later, with Peri hiding out from the same people she used to trust and love. She’s determined to have nothing to do with Opti and her former colleagues but sadly, they’re intent on getting her back. They’ve concocted a drug that will stop the memory loss associated with drafting without destroying the mind and try to draw Peri back into the fold with this tempting offer. Of course there’s a catch: the drug is highly addictive and when Peri initially rebuffs their overtures, they inject her without her consent. So now she spends almost the entire book running for her life and fighting the addiction. Just like Rachel Morgan was in The Hollows, Peri is a character you can’t help but root for. She’s smart, tough, has mad skills, and is independent, yet she also makes her fair share of mistakes. Which makes it a good thing that she has friends who stand by her. Chief among these is Silas, who is a gorgeous scientist/anchor that I regretted not seeing enough of in the first book. He and Peri have a rather complicated history which is revealed fully in this story. Because of his intelligence, love, and unwavering loyalty to Peri, he’s the perfect partner for her, even when she doesn’t want to admit it. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s quite handy to have around in a fight. There are quite a few secondary characters which, could have derailed the main plot, but not in Kim Harrison’s skilled hands. While a good chunk of the novel is told in the third person from Peri’s POV, you get to see things from the other characters’ perspectives, even the villains, which really brings them to life. The one complaint I had about The Drafter was that initially it was a little confusing mainly because poor Peri didn’t know what was going on half the time because the very people she trusted were playing her. In The Operator though, everything is pretty above board. You know who the villains are and Peri’s objectives are clearly set out. The only reason why I didn’t rate this a perfect 5 is because I think (I can’t even believe I’m saying this), it could have been a little shorter. At 512 pages, it’s a hefty book, and while the book was action-packed from beginning to end, I think the story could have been just a little bit tighter if say, 50 pages or so had been shaved off. But honestly, this is just one small flaw in what otherwise is an absolutely outstanding read. The ending perfectly ties things up while setting the stage for the next book. If you enjoyed The Drafter, I guarantee you’ll love The Operator even more. If you’re a fan of The Hollows but have been unsure of Kim Harrison’s transition from urban fantasy to science fiction, I encourage you to give this series a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. And finally, if you’ve never even heard of Kim Harrison (Really? Where have you been? Not judging!), but you love fast-paced science fiction, with fantastic world-building, awesome car chases, and memorable characters, I think you might want to give this series a look. As for me, the third book can’t come soon enough!

The Rains (Untitled #1) ~ By Gregg Hurwitz – 4.5 Stars

17 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 25 Comments

Tags

Adventure, Horror, Science Fiction, Thrillers, YA Fiction, Zombie Apocalypse

img_0001

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Teen for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 18th, 2016

353 Pages

Synopsis: In one terrifying night, the peaceful community of Creek’s Cause turns into a war zone. No one under the age of eighteen is safe. Chance Rain and his older brother brother, Patrick, have already fended off multiple attacks from infected adults adults by the time they arrive at the school where other young survivors are hiding.

Most of the kids they know have been dragged away by once-trusted adults who are now ferocious, inhuman beings. The parasite that transformed them takes hold after people turn eighteen–and Patrick’s birthday is only a few days away.

Determined to save Patrick’s life and the lives of the remaining kids, the brothers embark on a mission to uncover the truth about the parasites–and what they find is horrifying. Battling an enemy not of this earth, Chance and Patrick become humanity’s only hope for salvation.

Before I begin my review, a word of caution: The Rains is not for the faint of heart. Some of the scenes are so graphic that they actually made even me a tad queasy, and I have a pretty strong stomach for blood and gore. But it also fits in within the theme of the story, so for me, it wasn’t generally a problem. For anyone who doesn’t recognize the author’s name, Gregg Hurwitz is a bestselling and prolific author of adult fiction written for the suspense/thriller genres. He’s one of my favorites, so I’ve been chafing at the bit since I heard he was going to try his hand with YAs, and The Rains does not disappoint. It’s a completely unique take on the popular zombie apocalypse trope, where the action takes off from the very first page and never lets up. This also is not your typical zombie story and that’s because of the very real and touching relationship between Chance and Patrick. I honestly just loved these two, but especially Chance. The chapters are laid out as “Entries” in a journal he’s keeping, so you get more of a personal look into his mind than anyone else’s. 15 year-old Chance and 17 year-old Patrick have already had to deal with the tragic loss of their parents before alien spores infect all the adults in their small town. They’re extremely close and Chance idolizes his good looking, popular big brother, but he also feels the pressure of walking in his shadow. While it would be completely understandable if he held some resentment toward his brother, especially as he also has a crush on Patrick’s girlfriend, Alex, he doesn’t. Instead, he turns inward, and is constantly trying to live up to his brother’s example. Patrick actually annoyed me a little in the beginning because he’s a little too perfect, but Gregg Hurwitz does such a great job at fleshing out his personality that my annoyance didn’t last long. The secondary characters, particularly the kids are equally well developed and I even felt a certain amount of sympathy for the local juvenile bully. The only disappointment I had was with the relationship between Patrick, Alex, and Chance. While there’s not much room for romance in this first book, there’s definitely some hints to a love triangle developing in the next book, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Hurwitz rethinks this. The pacing in this is absolutely insane! I started reading this about 7:00 last night and by about 10:00 pm, I kept thinking at the beginning of each chapter that it would be the last one and then I’d go to bed, but I just couldn’t stop reading. So, I was up until the wee hours of the morning because I just had to see the story through to its finish. The ending is a perfect cliffhanger in that it leaves me excited for the second book without being frustrated. I highly recommend this for older teens and adults who love science fiction and horror. If you’ve never read anything by Hurwitz, The Rains is a great book to start with. If you’re already a fan of his, this book will further cement your love of his writing.

Rise The Dark (Mark Novak #2) ~ By Michael Koryta – 5.0 Stars

17 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Adult Fiction, Domestic Terrorism, Mystery, Suspense, Thrillers

image

Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown and Company for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 16th, 2016

Synopsis: Rise the dark. These were the last three words written in Laura Novak’s notebook before she was murdered in a strange Florida village. They’ve never meant anything to the police or to her husband, investigator Marcus Novak. Now the man he believes killed her is out of prison, and draws Marcus to the place he’s avoided for so long: the lonely road where his wife was shot to death beneath the cypress trees  and Spanish moss in a town called Cassadaga.

In Red Lodge, Montana, a senseless act of vandalism shuts the lights off in the town where Sabrina Baldwin is trying to adjust to a new home and mourning the loss of her brother, who was a high voltage linesman just like her husband, Jay. As the spring’s final snowstorm calls Jay deeper into the mountains, chasing the destruction on the electrical grid, Sabrina is abducted by Garland Webb, the man Marcus Novak believes killed his wife. Drawing them all together is a messianic villain who understands that you can never outpace your past. You can only rise against the future.

I’ve been a fan of Michael Koryta’s for several years, and Rise the Dark is a perfect example of why I believe he’s one of the best authors out there in terms of writing mystery, suspense and thrillers. Although this is the second book in his Mark Novak series, after last year’s Last Words, have no fear. You can easily pick this up without feeling lost whatsoever. Koryta gives just enough details about what happened in the previous story, but not so much as to slow down the action here. This book begins with Mark’s continuing pursuit of his wife’s killer, while at the same time tackling a new threat involving a sinister messianic villain intent on domestic terrorism. The two stories become intertwined in a very interesting way. Koryta even makes all the technology behind our power grid system interesting to a non-technical person like me. There are also brief hints of the supernatural which adds another intriguing layer to a tightly packed storyline. As in the first book, Mark Novak shines as the MC, but there are plenty of compelling secondary characters backing him up. The action begins on the very first page and it never slows down until the electrifying conclusion, which sets things up nicely for the third book. Michael Koryta is a master storyteller and if you haven’t tried him already, I can’t recommend him highly enough!

 

 

 

You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone ~ By Kevin O’Brien – 4.5 Stars

03 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

Adult Fiction, Bullying, Mystery, Psychological Suspense, Thrillers

image

Thanks to NetGalley and Pinnacle for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: 

No forgiveness 

Andrea Boyle moved to Seattle to give her seventeen-year-old nephew, Spencer, a fresh start after the death of his parents. Andrea has found her own new beginning with Luke, a successful playwright and father of a teenage son, Damon. The boys appear to have little in common, but in truth they share a private torment…

No Remorse

When a tragedy befalls Damon, it’s just the beginning of a nightmare that unfolds. But the worse is yet to come once a dark secret from Spencer’s past is exposed. And when Luke is brutally attacked, both their futures are at stake.

No Second Chances

Now it’s up to Andrea to prove Spencer’s innocence to the police–and to herself. Because for reasons she has revealed to no one, even Andrea can’t help questioning the truth–and fearing that she may be next to pay the ultimate price…

The first book I read by Kevin O’Brien was The Next To Die (2005). Since then I’ve learned he can always be counted on to provide white-knuckle thrillers, and You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone is no exception. Centered around the consequences of bullying, he builds upon that using incredible characters and amazing plot twists. Spencer is the standout in this story with not only his own struggles with bullies, but his attempts to keep secret his complicated past. He’s an absolute sweetheart, who had me completely wrapped around his finger. His aunt, Andrea, makes some questionable decisions, but you can’t help but have empathy for her as she scrambles to protect Spencer while battling her own doubts. Even the bullies are well-written and you get to see their vulnerabilities as they try to fight an unseen foe. The only complaint I have is with Luke who has become a father figure to Spencer. I thought he started out strong, but then seemed to fade into the background as the story progressed. The rest of the novel is so well written though, that this is relatively minor and it in no way spoiled my overall enjoyment. The story itself is absolutely mesmerizing , with dazzling plot twists that will make your head spin! Even though it’s over 500 pages, the pace never drags, and I finished it in two days. You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone is a multi-layered mystery that you’ll be hard-pressed to put down. If you’re not familiar with Kevin O’Brien, this is a good place to start. Once you do I guarantee you’ll want to go back and read all his previous books. 

 

← Older posts

  • By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff

Archives

January 2021
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Dec    

Blog Stats

  • 290,651 hits
Follow By Hook Or By Book on WordPress.com

Blogs I Follow

  • Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News
  • View from the Back
  • Fictionspawn
  • Books & Bonsai
  • BOOKSNMUSES
  • Blaisdell Literary Enterprises
  • Word by Word
  • slicethelife
  • Books With Raven
  • johnrieber
  • Book Coffee Happy
  • Susanlovesbooks
  • River Writes
  • heavenlybookish
  • Ana Bookshelves blog
  • For The Literature
  • On The Subject of Horror
  • Pfeiffer Pfilms and Meg Movies
  • Writergurlny
  • Sarah Collins Bookworm
  • The Inglorius Padre Steve's World
  • Chocoviv’s Lifestyle Blog
  • Mary Smith's Place
  • the novel gnome
  • Broken Tune's Blog
  • Mark Bierman
  • In Saner Thought
  • PA Reads
  • Little Mermaid's Writes
  • The Book's Whiskers
  • Between|the|Blurb
  • biblio_mom
  • Short Prose
  • Mental Health @ Home
  • The 4 Freedoms for ALL via Language & Adult Education, Writing, and PublicDomainInfrastructure
  • Carries Book Reviews
  • Beware Of The Reader
  • beetleypete
  • Blogger Tha Travis
  • Myths of the Mirror
  • Blue Reader Gal Corner
  • SoundEagle 🦅ೋღஜஇ
  • Cyranny's Cove
  • Saved By Words
  • Hundreds & Thousands of Books
  • Following Good Books
  • vinnieh
  • Mock Paper Scissors
  • The Bookshelf Corner
  • Doshelles

Member of The Internet Defense League

Follow By Hook Or By Book on WordPress.com

Blogs I Follow

  • Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News
  • View from the Back
  • Fictionspawn
  • Books & Bonsai
  • BOOKSNMUSES
  • Blaisdell Literary Enterprises
  • Word by Word
  • slicethelife
  • Books With Raven
  • johnrieber
  • Book Coffee Happy
  • Susanlovesbooks
  • River Writes
  • heavenlybookish
  • Ana Bookshelves blog
  • For The Literature
  • On The Subject of Horror
  • Pfeiffer Pfilms and Meg Movies
  • Writergurlny
  • Sarah Collins Bookworm
January 2021
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Dec    

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

Second Look Behind the Headlines - News you can use...

View from the Back

Ramblings of a retiree in France

Fictionspawn

Illustrations and Short Stories

Books & Bonsai

Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie

BOOKSNMUSES

Wrapped around genres and muses🥰

Blaisdell Literary Enterprises

Word by Word

Women in Writing sharing Encouragement One Word at a Time

slicethelife

hold a mirror up to life.....are there layers you can see?

Books With Raven

Book reviews from a bookworm

johnrieber

Burgers, Books, Music, Movies, Offbeat Adventures & Pop Culture!

Book Coffee Happy

Let's discuss books!

Susanlovesbooks

River Writes

Here you get writing tips, facts, and updates by the Author in process, River Angel Bee

heavenlybookish

bibliophile

Ana Bookshelves blog

Hi! My name is Ana. I’m a pharmacist & part time blogger! Book addict!

For The Literature

Reviewing the art of literature.

On The Subject of Horror

All things horror movie related!

Pfeiffer Pfilms and Meg Movies

Writergurlny

A Ginger's Point Of View

Sarah Collins Bookworm

Journalist, traveller, collector of hats, bookworm

The Inglorius Padre Steve's World

Musings of a Progressive Realist in Wonderland

Chocoviv’s Lifestyle Blog

Mommy blogger, who loves to share what she loves!

Mary Smith's Place

the novel gnome

Reading and Reviewing for You!

Broken Tune's Blog

Mark Bierman

Adventures in Writing

In Saner Thought

"It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error"..Thomas Paine

PA Reads

Reading and reviewing books all day long.

Little Mermaid's Writes

Movie Reviews, Travel stories, Lifestyle

The Book's Whiskers

Books ✦ Cats ✦ Gin ✦ Life is good!

Between|the|Blurb

opening a window of excitement, enthralment and over all wonder.

biblio_mom

Read & Escape

Short Prose

Poetry and Short Prose by Gabriela Marie Milton 2019 Author of the Year at Spillwords Press and Author of Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings

Mental Health @ Home

Building mental wellness on a foundation of strength

The 4 Freedoms for ALL via Language & Adult Education, Writing, and PublicDomainInfrastructure

Languages & Books (Stayed on Freedom's Call & WiP: #WhoByFireIWill) for Community Cooperation and #PublicDomainInfrastructure: Public Transit, Public Libraries, Financial & Legal Education, and Public Health Care

Carries Book Reviews

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Beware Of The Reader

Never underestimate the quiet girl reading in her nook! She's lived a thousand lives.

beetleypete

The musings of a Londoner, now living in Norfolk

Blogger Tha Travis

Myths of the Mirror

Life is make believe, fantasy given form

Blue Reader Gal Corner

Book Blogger and more

SoundEagle 🦅ೋღஜஇ

Where The Eagles Fly . . . . Art Science Poetry Music & Ideas

Cyranny's Cove

Refuge of an assumed danophile...

Saved By Words

When a woman tells the truth she is creating the possibility for more truth around her. Adrienne Rich

Hundreds & Thousands of Books

Book reviews by teens, for teens!

Following Good Books

YA Book Blog from a Christian Perspective. 1 Thessalonians 5:15.

vinnieh

Movie reviews and anything else that comes to mind

Mock Paper Scissors

The Internet's Band of Incorrigible Spitballers® Since 2006

The Bookshelf Corner

Writer. Blogger. Book Reviewer.

Doshelles

Bringing Words to Life

Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

Second Look Behind the Headlines - News you can use...

View from the Back

Ramblings of a retiree in France

Fictionspawn

Illustrations and Short Stories

Books & Bonsai

Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie

BOOKSNMUSES

Wrapped around genres and muses🥰

Blaisdell Literary Enterprises

Word by Word

Women in Writing sharing Encouragement One Word at a Time

slicethelife

hold a mirror up to life.....are there layers you can see?

Books With Raven

Book reviews from a bookworm

johnrieber

Burgers, Books, Music, Movies, Offbeat Adventures & Pop Culture!

Book Coffee Happy

Let's discuss books!

Susanlovesbooks

River Writes

Here you get writing tips, facts, and updates by the Author in process, River Angel Bee

heavenlybookish

bibliophile

Ana Bookshelves blog

Hi! My name is Ana. I’m a pharmacist & part time blogger! Book addict!

For The Literature

Reviewing the art of literature.

On The Subject of Horror

All things horror movie related!

Pfeiffer Pfilms and Meg Movies

Writergurlny

A Ginger's Point Of View

Sarah Collins Bookworm

Journalist, traveller, collector of hats, bookworm

Cancel
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy