Melody's Reading Corner: Suspense Thriller

Showing posts with label Suspense Thriller. Show all posts

Melody

Harper | 15 February 2022 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

Two female employees are working late in their offices of fashion conglomerate Claudine de Martineau International (CDMI) on a Sunday night. Lucy Barton-Jones is the HR director and Shay Lambert is the newly hired legal associate whose aim is to work hard for her financial woes. On that fateful night both of them meet at their thirtieth floor elevator lobby on their way home, each preoccupied by her own thoughts. But when the elevator open its door on the ground floor, one woman is found dead. What happened inside the elevator and is it murder or suicide?

While the book synopsis sounds like a locked-room mystery, it's actually read more like a legal thriller with an unreliable character. The author has nicely weaved an intriguing suspense with multiple intricate relationship and issues within CDMI. As most of the story progression somewhat revolves around Shay's profession and her findings, so there's a lot of legal jargon which would either bore or enlighten the reader. I'd no issue with this as my main focus was more onto the mystery and the lead character. Given her dire circumstances and labelled as a suspect, surely there must be something more than meets the eye.

The first half of the story was fast paced and compelling as it depicts the action and covers some of Shay's past; the second half was bogged down by several aspects surrounding CDMI's operation mode and the like but the pace was quickly picked up once again towards the relevation. While it was a slowburn thriller, one of the strengths is the authenticity in the legalese since the author is a former lawyer. Overall it was an intriguing read and I'd recommend this if you're a fan of legal thrillers.

© 2023 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Legal Thriller, Suspense Thriller 8 comments |

The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell

Melody

Century | 21 July 2022 | 448 pgs

Source: Library

Although this title is stated as a standalone sequel to The Family Upstairs, I'd recommend readers to read TFU first to fully understand the story and the background of the characters before diving into this book as their emotions and actions are mostly shaped and impacted from some events happened in TFU.

As the story begins, a bag of human bones is found on the foreshore of the river Thames by someone who's mudlarking there. DCI Samuel Owusu is called to the scene for investigation and forensic examination later reported that the bones are of a young woman who was killed by a blow to the head many years ago. DCI Owusu later traced to a mansion in Chelsea through some seeds of a rare tree found alongside the bones and from the mansion leads to a mystery happened thirty years ago.

While the remaining occupants of the mansion are fully grown now and some has their own family, it seems they're still bothered by the past memories, in particularly Henry, who is adamant to find Phin whom they'd shared some unsettling childhood memories. His obsession leads him on a journey to Chicago, which then prompts his sister Lucy and her two children in pursuing him like cat-and-mouse game. The reader is also introduced to a new character, Rachel, who's in a complicated relationship with her husband, Michael. Michael is Lucy's ex-husband so all the characters are connected and what they're going through would be seen in a bigger picture towards the end.

As compared to TFU, this story may seem a bit bland from the thriller aspect. Then again, this is more of a domestic drama and it focuses more on the characters though there's still some suspense in the air which kept me intrigued. I was most interested in reading Henry's POV. It's clear that he has some issues but strangely his POV stands out the most amongst others (I've to confess I felt a bit bothered about his thoughts towards the end but I'll leave that to you to find out yourself). I'd say I liked TFU more than this book, but Lisa Jewell is a wonderful storyteller and a good writer so while this isn't my favourite, overall I still enjoyed the reading experience.

© 2022 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Domestic drama, Suspense Thriller 9 comments |

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Melody

Grand Central Publishing | 26 October 2021 (Reprint Edition) | 336 pgs

Source: Library

I'm sure many readers of the YA and romance genre would be familiar with Colleen Hoover's books. Her books are usually emotionally charged and although I haven't read all of her books, I've enjoyed those that I'd read. Verity, however, is a suspense thriller and while it was intriguing, it has a disturbing and unsettling vibe so readers would either love or hate this book depending on one's reading preference.

Lowen Ashleigh is a writer but her fame is mediocre considering she has anxiety of dealing with social media and people. Her current life is stagnant with her mother's passing and dealing with financial issues until an opportunity arises. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, wants her to write the remaining of Verity’s bestselling series as his wife is unable to write due to an unfortunate accident. It is actually not a bad deal in Lowen’s opinion; afterall she gets to write and "hide" behind Verity’s fame, and the offer is attractive, too.

Under Jeremy's request, Lowen moves in to their house temporarily as she sort through Verity’s notes and familiarise with her works. In the midst of sorting through her notes, Lowen stumbles upon Verity’s autobiography, in which she chronicled her relationship with Jeremy from the moment they met right to their marriage, as well as her feelings and struggles with their young children. And judging from Jeremy's behaviours, it seems like he doesn't know anything about Verity’s autobiography and Lowen intends to keep it that way as her feelings towards Jeremy intensifies the more they live under the same roof.

This book is marketed as a romantic thriller (my library copy labelled this a romance with a heart logo), but personally I didn't see anything romantic about this complicated relationship. The author's writing was engaging and the intensity was great, but I didn't feel anything for the characters except a heavy sense of foreboding and . . . disturbing. The premise was dark yet refreshing from a different perspective, but I didn't love this story despite it was a page-turner. And that ending just blew my mind and left me quite flabbergasted. This book will stay in my mind for a long time, but I hope Colleen Hoover will write something different for her next attempt.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Suspense Thriller 8 comments |

Please Join Us by Catherine McKenzie

Melody

Atria Books | 23 August 2022 | 320 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

I've read and enjoyed a few of Catherine McKenzie's books and I've to say each of her book was mesmerizing in some ways. Her writing style is engaging as always; and I'm often intrigued by her characterisations and the different topics/elements she put in her books and leave readers pondering about the issues and the ending aftermath. This book is about women empowerment, conspiracies and revenge and you know you're in for a wild ride when a group of five women meet up for a networking event which they believe will help in their career and change their outlook in life in general.

Nicole Mueller is the lead character of this story and her once brilliant law career is falling apart. She and her husband, Dan, live in an apartment which is once owned by his late aunt but it's never made clear that the property would belong to them. After all, Dan's estranged mother and sister are still around and who knows when they'll come after him one day with this property issue? Just when Nicole feels so helpless with her situation, she receives an invitation from an exclusive women’s networking group called Panthera Leo. It stated that membership is anonymous and that every member is a successful professional. Thinking that it wouldn't hurt to try, she signs up for their retreat in Colorado despite Dan’s concern that it might be a cult group.

The retreat takes place in an isolated location and Nicole is blindfolded throughout the journey before reaching the destination. There, she meets the two founders of Panthera Leo, Michelle and Karma; as well as four other women who'll make up her Pride. Nicole soon learns that these four successful women are members before; and she's quickly bonded with them through some challenging activities during the retreat and most of all, the group’s core philosophy that they're an elite girl's club in a boy’s club world and that they'd take their corporate world by storm. But the more Nicole stays with the group, the more she realises that Panthera Leo might not be what she thinks it is and that there's always a price to pay for everything.

Please Join Us has a refreshing premise and combined with McKenzie's writing style it made an addicting read. Most of the characters aren't likeable, but they're intriguing in their own ways. The first half introduced us to these group of women, their bonding and what has gone through their lives so it was a slow buildup but was quickly replaced by suspense once an important event took place and affected Nicole's thoughts and plans with Panthera Leo. Overall I enjoyed it but there are some parts that I felt disbelief and perplexed, too. Still, it was a engaging read and it tackles the reality and the challenges the women often face especially working in a male-dominated corporate world.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Suspense Thriller 8 comments |

The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson

Melody

HQ | 18 February 2021 | 448 pgs

Source: Library

The story begins with a gruesome murder case of mutilated body parts scattering in different locations in Deptford. DI Angelica Henley and TDC Salim Ramouter are tasked to investigate this case. Angelica is once again roused by the dark memories of her previous investigation of serial killer Peter Olivier, a.k.a. The Jigsaw Killer, who's currently serving a life sentence for all the murders he'd committed. Obviously, the recent case is the work of a copycat and the duo is adamant to bring this perpetrator to justice. And this leads to Angelica's visit to the prison, hoping she could find some answers from Peter whether or not if he's told anyone about his plans, modus operandi or even if there's an accomplice.

While imitation may be a form of flattery, Peter doesn't see it that way. Instead, he's enraged that someone is using his name and his same methods for whatever reasons while he's being hole up in a cell, helpless and couldn't do anything. This is when he decides to take things into his own hands; and this time around nothing could stop him. Soon, Angelica and Ramouter find themselves chasing not one but two serial killers instead.

The Jigsaw Man is not for the faint-hearted; and personally I find it to be a gritty police procedural combined with a case of characters study. Angelica is flawed and suffered from PTSD, but she's determined and in some ways fearless, too. Her comradeship with Ramouter is complicated, yet they work seamlessly the more they get to know each other. However, her relationship with her husband needs more work, though.

The author's writing was engaging, but at times the intensity was cut short due to some in-depth backstory and character developments but this isn't a complaint and is more of a personal observation. I think the best moment was the exchanges between Angelica and Peter and it's always interesting to hear the side of a criminal's story even if they creep you out. Overall this was a satisfying read, and I'm hoping to see more of Angelica and Ramouter in the author's future releases.

© 2021 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Police procedural, Suspense Thriller 12 comments |

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

Melody

Bantam Press | 1 January 2021 | 387 pgs

Source: Purchased

There's been some hype surrounding this book when it was first released. Chosen as a Reese's bookclub read and a story centers around an abandoned sanatorium turned five-star luxury hotel set in the Swiss Alps, I just knew I've to read it.

Elin Warner is taking her leave from her job as a detective due to PTSD issue when she receives an invitation from her estranged brother, Isaac, to celebrate his engagement with his fiancée, Laure. Laure is their long-time friend and Elin knew she has no reason not to accept; and most importantly she has something to ask Isaac regarding their younger brother's death which has plagued her for years. She's suspected Isaac was responsible for Sam's death, but she isn't sure given the time and her young age when the incident happened.

Together with Elin’s boyfriend, Will, they arrive at the isolated getaway and straightaway Elin feels unease with the atmospheric building and it gets worsen with the threatening snowstorm. Elin also learned that the hotel is owned by the Caron siblings, Lucas and Cécile and the former is friends with architect Daniel Lemaitre, who'd gone missing after the hotel project went on with much protests from the locals. When Laure goes missing the following day, Elin's investigative instincts kick in and the situation got worse after they find an employee is murdered. With the storm and the avalanche, they are left on their own and Elin has to overcome her anxiety and her demons of the past in order to continue with the investigation.

The atmospheric and claustrophobic setting both make a wonderful plot for this locked-room mystery. Sarah Pearse scored a perfect score in this department as she brings her setting to life through her vivid descriptions right from the old sanatorium to the modern luxurious hotel. Her cast of characters is intriguing though not all are likeable. The intrigue and the intensity are another draw but alas, the setup is weakened by the execution, the lack of connection between the sanatorium and the hotel and regrettably, the motive and the ending also leave much to be desired. That said, this is a debut novel and there's potential in the author's writing so I'll still check out her next release.

Finally, I want to thank Lark for reading this book with me as part of our buddy read 'assignments' and please do check out Lark's blog for her review, too! 😊 Here's her questions to me regarding the book:

1) That isolated snowy setting is always a favorite of mine (and yours, too), what are some of your other favorite settings to read about in books?

Aside from the isolated snowy setting, I also love reading about the wilderness and the oceanic world. In short, anything to do with the beauty and the unpredictables of nature and I'm in.

2) The cover classifies The Sanatorium as a "Gothic thriller" but it felt less Gothic thriller and more regular mystery to me. What do you think? How would you classify this book?

I totally agree with Lark on this. It was atmospheric but doesn't really classifies as a Gothic thriller (not much focus on the sanatorium in my opinion and some parts aren't fully explained, too). Personally, I'd think a suspense thriller is more suitable to this book.

Labels: 3 stars, Book Review, Suspense Thriller 10 comments |

Never Turn Back by Christopher Swann

Melody

Crooked Lane Books | October 2020 | 288 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

To many outsiders, Ethan Faulkner may seemed like any ordinary man who leads a simple life with a dog for companionship. He has a successful teaching career and he intends to lead a peaceful life as it is, until his younger sister, Susannah, barge into his life again after all the years she's gone missing on him. Ethan and Susannah have a traumatic past which still haunt them at present and their avoidance of talking about the past has only makes that memory more vivid and painful.

Years ago when they were teenagers, a young woman had knocked onto their door and pleaded for help. Their parents let her into their house, not knowing that she was on the run from two men who were pursuing her. The men barged into the house, and Ethan's father even put in a good fight but alas, Ethan's parents eventually died from gunshots. Susannah was left injured and Ethan's life is never the same again. Their mother's brother, Uncle Gavin, took care of them but his shadowy life often led Ethan wondering about his morality but so far he hasn't seen or heard anything bad about his uncle although he suspected it was all kept under wraps.

While Susannah's return sparks Ethan's curiosity, he is more bothered by Marisa's nosiness over his past. Marisa is simply a random woman whom he'd met in a conference and had a one-night stand but eventually become his new colleague. When he tries to break it off with Marisa due to her persistency in discussing about his past, things become nasty and Marisa retaliated by spreading fake news about him. Ethan is vexed over her actions until she turned up dead and suddenly he becomes the suspect. Ethan doesn't want to confront his past, but Marisa's interest and her death leave him no choice but to dig up the painful memories once again in order to find the truth.

This book surprised me on many levels and it was such a treat to see how the story unravels through the author's engaging writing style and the fleshed out characters. While the pace may come off to be a bit slow and unclear in the beginning, it has a good buildup of suspense and intensity. Towards the middle, the story direction changes, and changes again just when I thought I'd some of the things figured out. This is an intriguing and a well-constructed story about family and friendship, as well as vengeance and consequences. Although this is my first book by Christopher Swann, it definitely won't be my last.

© 2020 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 4.5 stars, Book Review, Suspense Thriller 10 comments |

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

Melody

William Morrow | September 2020 | 368 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

Sydney Green was born and raised in Gifford Place, Brooklyn. Gifford Place is a cosy neighbourhood where everyone seems to know everyone else and though Sydney's life isn't as rosy, but at least she is happy. That is, until the gentrification begins.

VerenTech, a pharmaceutical giant, has plans to shift their headquarters to Gifford Place and with their vast backups and connections, it wouldn't be a difficult task given a little time and some money to get the residents out of the site. But, Gifford Place has history and most residents, who are Black, are not pleased with their tough approach and this has caused some paranoia and fear among the residents that they'd be chased out eventually.

Sydney is frustrated as she turns her attention towards her walking tour project featuring her beloved neighbourhood. Her new neighbour, Theo, is a mediocre white guy who happens to be her assistant in researching the history for the tour and though Sydney finds him annoying initially, she couldn't help but be attracted by his helpfulness and his sense of righteousness as the days go by. Theo and his rich ex-girlfriend had bought a house together at Gifford Place but they broke off due to personality clashes (but basically because he's a bum); Sydney, on the other hand, worries over her financial status and her ailing mother so it seems they understand each other's plight more than the others.

But as Sydney and Theo dive into Brooklyn history, they soon realise that their neighbours are vanishing one by one discreetly. Did they move out given the gentrification pressure? Or is there an unknown conspiracy theory going on?

This novel was a slow burn but I enjoyed reading about the history of Brooklyn and the interactions between Sydney and Theo. Although classified as a thriller, I think this story comprises a few issues which provide food for thought, such as racism, gentrification and not to mention the division of social status. Alyssa Cole is a romance author so it's no surprise to see some romance elements here. It always delight me to find authors decide to try their hand on writing something different aside from their usual genre and I'm curious what Cole has in store next under the thrillers genre.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Suspense Thriller 8 comments |

The Last Widow by Karin Slaughter

Melody

William Morrow | August 2019 | 464 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

Karin Slaughter is one of the best authors I've come across for writing dark and compelling suspense thrillers. Some of her books aren't always easy to read but she captures the realism and sensitivity behind her stories which will make you think and feel for the characters.

The story begins with a bang with a kidnapping scene. Michelle Spivey, a scientist from the Centers for Disease Control, was kidnapped when she and her teenage daughter were out at a shopping center parking lot. The police are still trying to locate her but to no avail.

One month later, two explosions were heard at Emory University. Situated in the busiest city in Atlanta, there are also hospitals and the CDC within the neighbourhood. The explosions led medical examiner, Sara Linton, and her partner, Will Trent, an investigator with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, rushed out from their place to investigate the scene. Unfortunately, the explosion incident was simply a conspiracy act to lure Sara out; and in no time Sara was abducted by a team of assailants who has a secret agenda which the reader wouldn't know until later. Devastated, Will approaches his boss and colleague, Amanda Wagner and Faith Mitchell, to devise a plan and hoping to persuade them into allowing him to go undercover in order to save Sara.

As the story progresses, the reader would find out why Michelle and Sara are being targeted by the assailants and the truth will hit anyone's gut because this group of people used to be in paramilitary units and they fight for a cause which they think is rightful and having the power to control. In other words, it's a white supremacist domestic terrorism and the author has painted a frightening world which is not far from realism. As you may have guessed, this is a fast-paced and action-packed story and you'll feel for the characters as you read further. Despite this is the ninth installment of the Will Trent series, it works as a stand-alone. I may not have read all of Karin Slaughter's books but so far I've enjoyed those I read.

© 2019 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Police procedural, Suspense Thriller 8 comments |

Urban Legend II bk. 4: Food Delivery [都市传说第二部4: 外送]

Melody

奇幻基地 | February 2018 | 304 pgs

Source: Library

This is book 4 of the second urban legend series by Ling Jing (笭菁). All her books read as stand-alones and her stories are based on various urban legends with some imaginations and other elements of her own.

Note: The main characters in this series are different from the first series as the author felt a change for new blood is necessary to offer a new and different perspective.

Urban Legend origin: Hong Kong, 1989. An eatery received a food order call and had one of their staff to deliver the food. However, the boss discovered some hell bank notes among the stack of money he'd collected the next day. The same incident happened the following day and thinking the staff was playing a prank on him, he decided to make the delivery himself and had ensured it's genuine money he collected. He kept the money aside from the others but the next day what he found was, as you guessed, hell bank notes. He reported this incident to the police and this led to the discovery of four corpses in the apartment. But what most shocking was although the forensic concluded these bodies had been dead for a week, the food found inside their stomach were recent. And the hell bank notes had the fingerprints of the same deceased. The report later revealed they died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Summary: When one of the characters encountered the same incident as the urban legend origin, the members of the Urban Legend Society decided that they'd visit the delivery address again for further investigation. However, the place couldn't be found. Before this, there are news of some delivery staff who had gone missing and they wondered if the two are related. When they did find the place again, they discovered there's more than meets the eye surrounding the death of the deceased and their guess is murder. But they didn't realise that they'd stepped into another dimension until later and they've to find their way back or they'd be trapped within forever.

My thoughts: This story was scary from the origin's perspective. Imagine the eatery's boss suspected nothing and have the staff continued to deliver the food, does that mean the case will never surface? Onto the fiction, I think the feature of the other dimension connects well with the urban legend origin. What appeared to be a supernatural event became a horrific murder case and I liked how they're all interlinked and solved in the end. My verdict is, you can never know what humans are capable of doing and in some ways they're more terrifying than ghosts.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Chinese Fiction, Horror, Suspense Thriller 6 comments |

The Night Visitors by Carol Goodman

Melody

William Morrow | March 2019 | 320 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

I've not read all the books by Carol Goodman but so far I've enjoyed those which I'd read. Her books usually feature a cast of intriguing characters with an atmospheric setting and this book is no exception.

Alice and ten-year-old Oren are on the run. Despite the raging snowstorm and with nowhere to hide, Alice knew she has to run away from the abusive relationship she has with Davis not only to save herself but for Oren as well. The last call she's made is to a social worker and she's promised Alice that she'd arrange someone to pick them up to a local shelter.

Mattie, a woman in her fifties who lives by herself in the middle of the woods, has been the one who's given the task by the help hotline for circumstances similar to Alice's. Mattie is experienced and is well connected; plus she's always available for a late-night pick up considering she's alone and her only companion is her dog. So Mattie's responsibility is to bring Alice and Oren to a local shelter and let them handle things from there. But an incident at a convenience shop and the bad weather made her bring them home for the night. Mattie's act may be out of kindness and compassion, but she didn't tell them that Oren reminds her of her little brother, Caleb, who died thirty years ago.

However, Mattie isn't the only one who's withholding elements of the truth. Alice has her own secrets as well and as the snowstorm whirled around them, binding them within the small compound, each woman's past come unraveling and they've to face what they've gone through in order to be free and alive.

After reading the blurb of The Night Visitors, I'd had a few assumptions how this story direction is going to be, but after reading further those initial thoughts became something else as somewhere along the line there's a hint of supernatural element mixes in this thriller. This little surprise didn't really disconcert me as I know the author sometimes do add in such element in her books which I think is intensifying in another whole new level (and on top of the gothic and creepy atmosphere settings which she usually love to write). As of characterisation, Mattie surprised me in many ways while Alice is hard to grasp at times. Her mistrust in people feels real and believable considering the abusive relationship she's had with Oren's father. And Oren is a smart boy; his love for Star Wars will bring a smile to every SW fans. Overall this isn't my favourite Carol Goodman book but I liked it well enough to recommend it.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Suspense Thriller 8 comments |

The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet

Melody

Doubleday | May 2018 | 320 pgs

Source: Library

Caroline and Francis are working on their marriage and have planned for a short getaway as a reconnection of their relationship. And instead of staying in a hotel or a resort, Caroline's plan is a house swap with someone for a week so they can stay at the owner's house and vice versa. Since all the transactions were made online and keys arrangements were made individually, each party didn't get a chance to meet in person and it was fine with Caroline.

Flashback to two years earlier alternatively, the reader gets to know that Caroline is cheating on Francis and her lover, Carl, is a colleague who is a few years her junior but have actually separated in the present time. Francis, on the other end, has a pill addiction and Caroline isn't aware of his habits until she found his hidden stash one day. Caroline decided to keep mum for a while and Francis is suspicious of Caroline's movements as she always claim to have a party or a girls' outings at times, leaving their young son Eddie to him or with her mother. Like Caroline, Francis remains quiet and hope that his suspicion is all speculations.

As much as Caroline and Francis prefer to keep on with the pretense and "enjoy" their current status, things or circumstances start to pop up unexpectedly and this is when a strange woman starts to barge into Caroline's life now and then and trying to be friends. Caroline also begins to see bits of items in the rental house that remind her of the memories she'd had with Carl. Caroline knew no one but Carl who will understand the sentiments of these items which they'd once shared, so she starts questioning about the strange things that start to appear around her and wonder if Carl is back into her life again after what'd happened then.

The House Swap has an intriguing plot but the beginning was a slow burn but once it hit the second quarter mark it read like a breeze. I didn't particularly like any of the characters here (with the exception of little Eddie, poor boy); and what seemed like a domestic thriller read more like a drama as it shifted back and forth surrounding mostly on Caroline's life and how 'Away' (present) and 'Home' (flashback) affect her emotionally. Francis, her husband, may seem like an important role in this story but unfortunately there isn't enough backstory about him and how/why he is addicted to taking pills. The ending wasn't what I'd suspected, although I thought it was a bit far-fetched. Still, it was overall an average read to me.

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 3 stars, Book Review, Suspense Thriller 12 comments |

One Was Lost by Natalie D. Richards

Melody

Sourcebooks | October 2016 | 320 pgs

Source: Library

A senior field trip is supposed to be fun, right? Well, maybe not in this story.

Sera isn't keen to go for a field trip initially but rules are rules and they've to stick to it no matter they like it or not. What turns out to be a typical hiking trail becomes a nightmare when a flash flood cuts off the small group of eight into an even smaller group as the remaining three couldn't make it on time across the river as the heavy current hit on them. Divided by the river and with no signal on their cellphones, they decided that they could move on once the weather is cleared. But, they are wrong. Instead of moving on, they find themselves stuck in the remote, isolated woodland with a few incidents which struck them as scary.

For starters, the four seniors who made it across the river woke up feeling groggy and suspected they are being drugged. Their teacher-in-charge, Mr Walker, hasn't come out of his drugged state and it terrifies them, not to mention if he would wake up at all. Then, they found their wrists are marked with a wording in dark ink. Lucas is marked as Dangerous, Jude as Deceptive, Emily as Damaged, and finally Sera as Darling.

And when they make their way to find out the situation of the other three campers who are stuck opposite the river, they are horrified to see something disturbing hanging from a branch. It appeared to be a severed finger belonging to one of the campers but they could find no one there. What happened to them? Apparently they aren't alone as they thought and that whoever marked them must have known them well enough to brand them according to their issue. But Sera doesn't understand hers - Darling doesn't seem bad, does it? Or does she mean something special to whoever who had marked them?

While the book blurb and the opening of the story straightaway captivates the reader's attention with an intense situation, it fell short on the developments - both plot-wise and characters-wise. I felt myself fidgeting like the characters; nervous yet unsure where the direction would go as the story progresses with nothing much happened except that the characters were going in circles with their fear and doubts towards one another. I suppose this was a buildup of the tension and suspense because the second half read fairly quickly and my assumptions started to accumulate. While the ending caught me by surprise, it didn't really satisfy my curiosity as I thought some parts seemed a bit unbelievable. Nevertheless it was an entertaining read albeit the few things I mentioned.

Last but not least, I want to thank Lark for this buddy read. As with our previous buddy reads, we would ask each other questions pertaining to the book and the following questions are from Lark to me:

1. Which of the four main characters did you like most? And which did you like the least, and why?
Truth be told, I didn't really like any of the characters though I sympathised them given their issues. If I've to choose one to like, it would be Lucas. There was a side of him which surprised me. As for the one I liked the least, it would be Jude because of his cynicism.

2. Would you read this author again? (Or if you have read her before, how did her other book compare to this one?)
Yes, I'll definitely read this author again. I've not read her books before so I'm glad to have discovered a new-to-me author via this buddy read.

Now go visit Lark's blog to read her review and her answers to my questions.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Suspense Thriller, Young Adult 16 comments |

The Other Girl by Erica Spindler

Melody

St. Martin's Press | August 2017 | 256 pgs

Source: Library

Fifteen years ago, Miranda Rader was a wild girl from the wrong side of the tracks; aside from that she lies for her benefits and it is no wonder no one believes her when she asked for help on a particular night. Drunk and left stranded on the roadside after a row with her brother’s friend, she hitched a ride with a young couple who looked they were off to somewhere fun. Apparently the guy had an agenda as the next thing Miranda knew she and the other girl were bound prisoners in an isolated place. She managed to make her escape and made a promise to the other girl that she would find help but alas, no one believed her. Miranda didn't know what happened to that other girl and that fateful night has been haunting her all the way towards her adulthood.

Now a PD Detective at her hometown in Louisiana, she is known for her honesty, integrity and steady hand in a crisis and has worked hard to earn the respect of her coworkers and the community. When she and her partner, Jake Billings, are called to investigate a brutal murder of the town most beloved college professor, Miranda finds a piece of evidence which chilled her to the core - it was an old newspaper clipping about that terrible night fifteen years ago. Further investigations have pointed to the murdered professor as a victim of a vengeful murder case, after all he seemed to have charmed many women with his good looks and charisma. Perhaps he had broken one vengeful woman along the way and ended up murdered in cold blood? It was a good assumption but that piece of old clippings keeps nagging on Miranda’s mind. Why did the professor keep that clippings? And most importantly, what is the motive behind his death?

The Other Girl was a fast-paced and an intriguing suspense thriller, and it had me thinking and guessing even though I had a hunch what might have happened. Then again, there are some things which I felt was out of place and disrupted the flow of my reading experience. The chapters are written in a timeline format with a few flashbacks thrown in between the chapters and while I have no problem with this format, I thought the writing was somewhat choppy and then there was the romance between Miranda and Jake. Truth be told, I couldn't connect with them being in a relationship as the feelings they have for each other seemed to be cold and hot to me. Perhaps this was the author's intention but I felt it was unnecessary since nothing major happened between them and I didn't catch any romantic vibes among them.

Overall it was a fast and an enjoyable read except the parts which I had stated. The ending was a little too convenient for my liking but still it was satisfying. I would definitely check out this author's next release.

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