Category Archives: Thriller

Mini-Review: Poppet by Mo Hayder

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  • Hardcover: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press (May 14, 2013)
  • ISBN-10: 0802121071
  • Source: Publisher

AJ is a head nurse at Beechway, a high-level psychiatric hospital. Rather than focusing on the crimes that each of his patients have committed, AJ treats them each with respect and care. It’s hard to ignore their claims that the ward is haunted by “The Maude.” a short little dwarf of a creature that reportedly sits on the chests of her victims as they sleep. When cases of self-harm keep popping up – three resulting in death-  AJ is determined to get to the bottom of it.

Meanwhile a patient, Isaac, has been released into the world. He was complicit in a horrible act involving his parents when he was a child. Unfortunately, his involvement with the other patients’ abuse isn’t realized until after his hasty release. AJ, against the knowledge of his supervisor, calls in Detective Jack Caffery to investigate.  Do the crude doll-like effigies Isaac created have any correlations to the deaths?  With AJ’s help, Caffery digs down to reveal cases of brutality that would terrorize even the most skeptical of minds.

A second parallel storyline follows this one, involving an unsolved case of Caffery’s. Fans of Hayder’s previous work (in this case, Skin) will be rewarded with this return to an old case. Unfortunately, readers new to the series might feel a little out of the loop. Without this second storyline, Poppet would most certainly serve as a great stand-alone to readers new to this author.

Hayder has quite the talent for producing one terrorizing read after another. Poppet is the sixth book in her Caffery series and it is recommended that readers do read them in order. Caffery’s evolution as a character is quite remarkable, something readers might miss out on if they start the series mid-way or at the tail end.

A truly chilling combination of horror and true crime, Poppet is a novel best read under the light of day with all your lights turned on, doors and windows locked. Delightfully chilling and highly recommended.

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Review: The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell

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  • Hardcover: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam (May 7, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 9780399161469

The year is 1923. As a typist in a New York City Police Department precinct, Rose Baker can seal the fate of an individual within a few keystrokes. While she’s dictating testimony or a confession, she wields all the power. Outside the interrogation room, however, she once again becomes a member of the weaker set, not suited to deal with anything more trivial than brewing a pot of coffee. Her life is relatively quiet and routine. Then walks in the other typist.

It’s not like there aren’t any other typists other than Rose. She’s one of a few who are employed within the precinct, yet there is something vastly different about the beautiful and glamorous Odalie.  She bobs her hair, a relatively new and unique trend. She catches the eye (and attention) of powerful men within the precinct. Something is definitely sinister and suspect about Odalie, however. Despite this, and desperate for the companionship she’s lacked all of her life, Rose is drawn to Odalie and a friendship ensues. They visit speakeasies together and Rose is introduced to a completely different world within New York City. Odalie becomes a large part of her life, so large that Rose dedicates a journal to Odalie. Soon, however, the friendship turns into an obsession.

Going in, the reader knows that Rose is a completely unreliable narrator. The description of the book mentions it and several times throughout the book, Rose refers to her doctor and his opinion of her behavior. Therefore, it is no surprise when the tone of the book changes drastically. You know going in that something is going to happen, but just what that is isn’t revealed until the very end. This book quickly transforms into a book of chilling psychological suspense that will have readers sitting at the edge of their seat, rapidly flipping through the pages until IT happens.

I heard rumblings of IT going in, but I didn’t know the specifics. As I read, I honestly began to question what others were saying about this book. It’s not that it wasn’t engaging or interesting, it was. I was just waiting for IT, and when IT happened. Wow. I was stunned into silence for a few moments and then suddenly all sorts of expletives came rushing out of my mouth. Only once has this happened to me before. A story of another incredibly unreliable character with a twisty ending. Yet, dare I say it..this twisty ending was even more intense because IT totally wasn’t expected. This book, and the author’s incredibly skilled writing, completely messes with your head…and you’ll enjoy it.

Bottom line: looking for a completely mind-altering, intense psychological thriller? This is the title for you. Highly, highly recommended.

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Review: Stolen by Daniel Palmer

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  • Hardcover: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Kensington House Pub Ltd; First Edition edition (April 30, 2013)
  • ISBN-10: 0758246668
  • Source: Publisher/Author

John and Ruby are leading a happy life. John’s online gaming business is growing, allowing Ruby to go back to school to become an acupuncturist.  John is still recovering from a devastating climbing accident in which he was forced to choose between his life and the life of another. Unfortunately, he’ll have to face this decision again and far too soon…

John notices a strange mark on Ruby’s foot and insists she go to the doctor. The news she receives is unexpected and life-altering. Her condition is treatable, but the generic brand of the drug she must have is unavailable. She’s forced to opt for the name-brand drug, one that is not covered by her insurance. The cost is astronomical, but John won’t let that prevent Ruby from getting the treatment required.  Despite maxing out their credit cards and borrowing from friends and family, they still don’t have enough money to fund Ruby’s full treatment. John does the unthinkable; he steals the identity of one of his online gaming customers and files a false claim for her treatment. They move to a new apartment, live under the other person’s name, whatever it takes.

Their plan is running smoothly, Ruby’s condition is improving. Then one day they receive a phone call from the man whose identity they have stolen. He won’t report the fraud one one condition: John and Ruby must take part in a “game” he’s contrived. The point of the game is for John and Ruby to commit real crimes to show they are, in fact, real criminals. The crimes start with armed robbery, then arson. Each time they don’t follow the rules of the game to the specifics demanded, someone is killed. John and Ruby soon learn the individual inflicting this torturous plan on them is not the man whose identity was stolen. Their situation is far worse than they suspected for their life is in the hands of a psychopathic serial killer. They can’t go to the police, the only thing they can do is to follow through with the game to the end. In playing the game, they must figure out a way to outwit this monster before they become his next victims.

Once again, Palmer has created another page-turning techno-thriller. Despite the crime the main characters have committed, Palmer creates in them truly sympathetic characters. Who wouldn’t risk everything to save the one loved? Additionally, Palmer throws in several red herrings, leaving the reader pondering just who is responsible for this vicious game.

While some aspects of this novel are a tad far-fetching and unbelievable, the reader that can suspend disbelief will instantly become immersed in a truly heart-pounding, terrifying thriller. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher, I have a copy of STOLEN to give away. To enter, please fill out the form below. The winner will be contacted by email on Friday, May 10.

 

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Mini-Review: The Killing Hour by Paul Cleave

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  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Atria Books (April 23, 2013)
  • ISBN-10: 1451677812
  • Source: Publisher

They come for me as I sleep. Their pale faces stare at me, their soft voices tell me to wake, to wake.  They come dressed in the clothes they were in before they died, though there is no blood on them. I know what they want, because when it comes to people who are ghosts because of you, there really is just the one thing. They cannot touch me because they have no real form. I cannot touch them either, cannot push them aside. I feel the guilt they want me to feel–I feel very little else.

When Charlie wakes up, his head his pounding and his clothes are covered in blood. He cannot recall the events of the previous night yet, with one look at the newspaper his memories come rushing back. Two women are found brutally murdered. Charlie didn’t kill them, yet the only evidence the authorities uncover lead directly to him. In a panic, he goes to the home of his ex-wife, Jo. Given Charlie’s history with violence, Jo can’t immediately trust that he is not responsible for the deaths. Certain that they are both in danger from the man who did commit the crimes, Charlie abducts Jo and flees. Haunted by the ghosts of the two dead women, Charlie must simultaneously prove his innocence to both his ex-wife and the authorities while also trying to evade the grasp of the true killer.

Originally written as horror and then published in 2007, Cleave combines attributes of this genre with those of a chilling psychological thriller. Not necessarily a book for the weak of heart (or stomach), The Killing Hour captivates readers with an incredibly twisty storyline and flawed, unreliable characters. A novel that shouldn’t be read in the dark (for that’s when all the evil happens), I highly recommend The Killing Hour to fans of horror and dark psychological thrillers.

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Frightful Friday: Children of the Underground: The Children of Paranoia Series by Trevor Shane

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Frightful Friday is a weekly meme in which I feature a particularly scary or chilling book that I’ve read that week.

This week’s featured title is Children of the Underground by Trevor Shane:

  • Paperback: 400 pages
  • Publisher: NAL Trade; 1 edition (April 2, 2013)
  • ISBN-10: 0451239296
  • Source: Publisher

In this follow up to Children of Paranoia, eighteen-year-old Maria has just witnessed the brutal killing of Joseph, her lover and the father of their infant son, Christopher. The killer, Joseph’s best friend, Jared, claimed he did it for “the cause.” After killing Joseph, Jared tears Christopher from Maria’s grasp. Maria is now on a mission to locate her son, now nearly a year old. She attempted to contact others like Joseph, those fighting in this nameless war, but they shunned her, told her to forget she had a son and to get on with her life. Unable to do so, Maria tracks down Michael, another of Joseph’s friends involved in the cause, as well as a group known as the Underground, dedicated to “cleaning” the lives of those no longer interested in participating in the war. Together, they must carefully cross the lines waged by war, risking their lives in order to track down young Christopher.

Interspersed throughout the story are journal entries, reminiscent of the entries from the previous novel, that fast forward in time to Christopher’s youth and adulthood. Readers get a glimpse of the life Christopher led, immersed in a war that continues to have unknown causes and no indication of ending. Shane has crafted a truly terrific and chilling concept: a silent war rages, millions of citizens clueless to what is going on around them. Those involved in the war don’t have clear enemies or allies. It is rare to find someone you trust.

This sophomore book has absolutely no inklings or hints of a sophomore slump. As a matter of fact, I think this novel is more intense than the previous. Perhaps, because I am a mother myself, I found it easier to connect with Maria’s character than Joseph’s in the previous novel. Although she is still a teen in age, Maria has been forced to endure a lifetime worth of loss and pain. One wants to feel sympathy for her character, but Maria’s strong will and emotion will not allow it.

The character of Michael was an incredibly unique one as well. Despite being scarred by the war he reenlists, fighting for a cause he does not believe in because he knows it is the only way Maria can get her son back. A killer by trade, on the surface he appears cold and emotionless yet his dedication to finding Christopher shows a softer side.

As mentioned, this is the second book in a series. While Shane does provide a bit of back-story and history of the characters, I do believe it is best to start this series from the beginning. It is imperative to see the progression of the characters and their motives, to truly comprehend the depth of the battle they are fighting.

Fans of a wide range of genres would appreciate this series, from action and adventure to thriller. I see great things ahead for this truly talented writer. Highly highly recommended.

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Review: No Way Back by Andrew Gross

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  • Hardcover: 352 pages
  • Publisher: William Morrow (April 2, 2013)
  • ISBN-10: 0061655988
  • Source: Publisher

Wendy Gould is an ex-cop turned suburban mom. One night, she meets an attractive man and ends up in his hotel room. She puts an end to their intense make-out session before it goes to far and, embarrassed, runs into the bathroom to pull herself back together. When she walks out, she finds herself in the middle of an altercation between two men: the man she nearly slept with and an unknown, armed man. She witnesses a murder and as the shooter escapes, she realizes she is the only witness. The shooter, a rogue federal agent, knows her identity and Wendy fears for her life as well as her freedom. She goes home, confessing everything to her husband. Before they are able to flee authorities end up on her doorstep, the first in a series of life-altering events. She is now being hunted, believed to be the killer. Her family doesn’t believe in her innocence and so Wendy is not only running for her life but also to prove her innocence.

Lauritzia Velez is a nanny who cherishes the children put into her care. When they narrowly escape a shooting, Lauritzia realizes that she is the intended victim and her past has come back to haunt her. Years ago Lauritzia fled to United States, illegally, to escape from a Mexican crime boss named Cano. His men have now found her and she must once again run from their murderous grasp.

These two women, leading completely different lives, are bought together bound by the fate dealt to them. Together, they must seek answers for crimes committed across the border in Mexico, crimes that, unsolved, will prevent the women from leading any semblance of a normal life.

In typical Gross style, the author portrays an incredibly riveting and intense thriller. While the reader is unaware of the connection between the two women, nor the cause of the actions of the rogue federal agent on their trail, until nearly halfway through the book, the storyline Gross delivers is captivating enough to carry the reader along.

What I particularly enjoyed about this particular thriller were the main characters: both were incredibly strong women who would put their own lives at risk in the name of justice. With nearly no one else to trust, they must rely on one another for their safety. While the author’s novels tend to follow a formula in their execution, it is a formula that works quite well, engaging me as a long-time fan! Gross has once again proven to be a true talent in the suspense/thriller genre. Highly recommended.

 

 

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Review: The Next Time You See Me by Holly Goddard Jones

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  • Hardcover: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Touchstone (February 12, 2013)
  • ISBN-10: 145168336
  • Source: Publisher

Set in a small town in Kentucky, The Next Time You See Me is, at its core, is an examination of life in remote America and the characters that populate it. Emily is a loner, often called freaks by her classmates. She routinely takes walks through the woods but today’s walk delivers the most unexpected and brutal of discoveries: the body of a young woman. Rather than telling her parents or the authorities, Emily visits the body on a daily basis, finally having access to something that no one else is aware of. Eventually, she confides in her crush, her classmate Chris. Chris is one of the popular students, only reluctantly agreeing to follow Emily into the woods due to guilt he feels for a particularly cruel incident in the lunchroom. Once they arrive, however, the body is missing, solidifying Chris’ belief that Emily is strange, a freak.

Susanna Mitchell is Emily’s teacher. Her sister, Ronnie Eastman, has gone missing. Ronnie was known for her wild ways so no one else seems to be concerned with her disappearance. Only after Susanna is able to track down proof of her disappearance that the local police will give her any attention.

Wyatt is a factory worker, a loner in his own right. He agrees to go out with his fellow workers one evening. What results will irreparably change his life, and the life of the townspeople, forever.

What connects each of these characters is Ronnie herself; each character interacting with her in some way, eventually leading up to her disappearance.

While investigation into her disappearance would seem to be the main plot point in this novel, it is actually a minor one. What stands out, what makes this novel such a memorable and impacting read, are the characters. They are not remarkable, far from it in fact, instead incredibly somber and lonely characters. None of them have had much success in life, barely making ends meet, a seemingly common thread among all the residents of Roma, Ky.

Goddard Jones’ intimate study of these characters is what makes this novel stand out from others in this genre. They each demand a great deal of sympathy from the reader, Goddard Jones’ writing creating characters so believable and genuine. The intense climax that brings all of the characters together isn’t exactly unexpected but still dramatically powerful and heart-wrenching.

Fans of literary fiction, thrillers, and character-driven novels are certain to find this book just as memorable and thought-provoking as I have. Highly recommended.

 

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Review: Six Years by Harlan Coben

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  • Hardcover: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Dutton Adult (March 19, 2013)
  • ISBN-10: 0525953485
  • Source: Publisher

Six years ago, Jake Fisher watched his soul-mate, Natalie, marry another man. At her wedding, Natalie made Jake promise never to contact her or her new husband, Todd, again. Jake is so in love with Natalie that he makes this promise.  Six years later, Todd’s murder makes that nearly impossible. Jake, now a college professor,  begins to look into Todd’s murder, discovering that he wasn’t, in fact, married to Natalie but to someone else, giving another woman two children. Soon, Jake’s life and the past six years begin to unravel, people from his and Natalie’s past refusing to acknowledge that they knew him. Jake’s search for Natalie intensifies, unveiling deadly secrets that go back decades. His involvement puts his life, and Natalie’s, at risk from people who have connections that are both illegal and quite deadly.

In Six Years, Coben creates an incredibly intense and well-crafted thriller. The intrigue and fast pacing of the storyline begin within the first several pages, culminating into an incredibly dramatic ending. Coben is incredibly skilled at creating a complex thriller that unveils subplots and story-lines as the reader combs through the pages. The secrets he reveals are well-paced, only providing readers with just enough to keep their attention throughout the novel, providing multi-layered twists and turns that at first seem completely implausible but all build up and connect at the end.

As with his previous novels, Coben takes a seemingly ordinary bordering on boring, character and puts him in the most imaginative of circumstances. The story is told by the point of view of Jake, so readers are given a tremendous amount of information about his character. We not only witness life through his eyes, but also experience his emotions and experiences. The reader is provided with clues and answers as they are revealed to Jake, adding to the overall intensity of this thriller. Jake is a man still healing from losing the love of his life to another man, still reeling from the pain and devastation that brought him. This fuels his passion in his search for Natalie and revealing a well-executed plan that provides a new life to those individuals involved in high risk, deadly situations.

Coben also creates a pretty unique and well-rounded set of secondary characters. His humor shines through in Jake’s interaction with these individuals, adding a bit of snark and hilarity to the mix. While elements of the plot are similar to his other books (namely a relatively normal individual receives some sort of communication that reveals devastating secrets about the woman he loves), long-time fans of Coben’s work will still be rewarded with this truly dynamic thriller. Highly recommended!

*Update: Actor Hugh Jackman will play the role of Jake in the movie adaptation of Six Years. *Swoons*

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Review: Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman

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  • Hardcover: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Minotaur Books (March 12, 2013)
  • ISBN-10: 0312622945
  • Source: Publisher

Brigid Quinn is an fifty-nine year old ex-FBI agent, forced into early retirement.  She now lives with her husband, Carlo, a former Roman Catholic priest and philosophy professor, who knows literally nothing about Brigid’s violent past. Brigid lost one love due to her obsession with hunting killers and she wasn’t going to let that happen again.

She’s called into a case by FBI Agent Laura Coleman, a young agent familiar with Brigid’s past. The case involves a serial killer that stalked Route 66, a case that Brigid was never able to close. An agent Brigid trained was abducted by this elusive killer, her body never found. They have a man in custody who has confessed to the crime but Coleman is reluctant to accept his confession. She calls in Brigid without permission from her supervisors knowing full well that Brigid’s obsession with this case will force her to get answers that Coleman is prevented from obtaining.

Rash decisions put Quinn at odds with the agency, the very behavior that put her in danger and forced her into retirement. This behavior threatens her quiet, sheltered marriage and puts it, along with her very life, at risk.

Brigid Quinn is a wholly unique character. Not many thriller authors dare to write a novel featuring an “older” protagonist yet Masterman truly exceeds expectations with this one. Brigid is a hardened former FBI agent who tries so desperately to accept a quiet, routine retired life, yet her past involvement (and guilt) surrounding this case won’t allow it. Brigid is a wholly sympathetic character, the reader understanding more than she how much of a victim she is to her own fate and behavior.  She is a feisty, cocky, and smart-witted character, one that readers can’t help but root for.  This reader can’t wait for more! Highly, highly recommended.

Click here to listen to a sample of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio.

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Frightful Friday: Helsinki Blood by James Thompson

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Frightful Friday is a weekly meme in which I feature a particularly scary or chilling book that I’ve read that week.

This week’s featured title is Helsinki Blood by James Thompson:

  • Hardcover: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Putnam Adult (March 21, 2013)
  • ISBN-10: 039915888X
  • Source: Publisher

In the fourth book in the Inspector Kari Vaara series, readers are greeted with a version of Kari that is darker and colder than any of the previous novels. Recovering from several shootings including one that destroyed his knee and jaw, leaving him in a tremendous amount of pain, Kari is still devoid of emotion after brain tumor surgery months earlier. Even tranquilizers and constant drinking only dull the horrific pain.  Kari’s wife Kate has abandoned him, taking their infant daughter Anu with her. Kari is barely functional, yet when he is approached by Estonian woman, begging for help, he can’t turn her down.  Her daughter, diagnosed with Down syndrome, has gone missing. The police are short-handed and could care less about the case. Kari sees it as an opportunity to help the victims who he failed to help during his black ops work. And, selfishly, he hopes that saving this young innocent girl will prove to his wife that he isn’t a monster.

Kari calls in his old crew, Sweetness and Milo, and they immediately begin an investigation into the girl’s abduction. Soon they find themselves delving into the world of elicit prostitution, discovering that those responsible for the young girl’s abduction are tied to the Russian mob. Kari’s past comes rushing back at him when this case becomes more of a vendetta than he could have imagined. Most paramount to him now, of course, is his family’s safety.  The trio of to put an end to the past that haunts them using the sort of vigilante justice Kari and his crew are known for.

I’ve been a fan of this series from the beginning (see my reviews of Snow Angels, Lucifer’s Tears, Helsinki White) and it has been quite an interesting journey watching Kari’s character devolve into a cold, uncaring and incredibly flawed character. Yet, despite all this, one can’t help but feel sympathy for long-time fans can remember the warm, caring individual he once was. It isn’t until this novel that readers see the icy exterior begin to chip away, the individual we learned to respect and value, shining through. That isn’t to say that there isn’t a dark side of Kari that pervades.  His family, his loved ones, have been threatened and despite the semblance of menacing monster,  no one messes with those who are close to him without suffering the devastating consequences.

The majority of this novel is quite dark which seems to be a trademark of Thompson’s writing, the cold Finnish climate seeping into the souls of Kari and his crew. Admittedly, I did have a hard time reading a great deal of this novel, purely due to the level of violence. I’m not one to shy away from that sort of thing, either, yet for some reason it seemed overly pervasive in this novel. That said, my faith in Thompson’s writing prevailed and ultimately I was rewarded with a promise of hope and recovery in Kari’s character. While I wouldn’t say this is my favorite novel of the series, I am hopeful that Thompson has plans to return Kari’s character to what he was before.

Despite my issues with this novel, I do recommend it, along with the other books in the series. My strong feelings/response to this novel simply indicate how skilled Thompson is at involving his readers in his writing, eliciting a strong response in me that not many writers can.  Recommended.

 

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