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The Fields by Erin Young

The Fields

A Novel

by Erin Young

  • Critics' Consensus:
  • Published:
  • Jan 2022, 352 pages
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Page 3 of 5
There are currently 33 member reviews
for The Fields
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  • Sandy P. (Chandler, AZ)
    Take Your Vitamins!
    Well, I have to say after the first chapter or so, the pacing and set up of this novel was kind of slow for me. Then the corn started "popping"!! I was pulled in and didn't want to stop reading. Set in Iowa and a small town, I thought the story would not be fresh. I was wrong! It hits a fast pace with so many surprises and bends in the road. Interesting characters abound. I highly recommend this crime thriller....and please take your vitamins!
  • Samantha H. (Golden, CO)
    Great procedural with an unexpected twist
    The Fields is a really good mystery. I was drawn in at the very beginning. The characters are well-developed, and the writing makes you feel like you are part of the small farming community. Engaging and suspenseful with kind of a crazy twist.
  • Sue P. (Albuquerque, NM)
    The Fields
    Just mention corn and I immediately know something bad is coming. (Thank you, Stephen King.)
    The young protagonist, Sergeant Riley Fisher, is a likeable woman with a lot of baggage. When promoted to Head of Investigations, her first case is a murder of a childhood friend.
    The characterizations are excellent, not just of Riley, but the others in the novel. Lots of twists and surprises, some of them very dark, are almost disorienting and keep the reader a little off-balance.
    I enjoyed this book very much and am glad to know it is the first in a planned series.
  • Malini (NJ)
    Would be a great TV series
    The Fields is a well-paced crime novel that pulled me in from the first page. The main character was well developed, however, there were too many other characters to keep track of. This book, while a page-turner, is densely packed and not a quick read. It covers a number of topics - Big Ag, violence, politics, family, drugs, past stories, and may be better suited as a Netflix series. I felt the final revelation was a bit far-fetched, but as this dipped into the horror genre perhaps it fitted. A few storylines were left unresolved and I am hoping to see those explained in the next book of the series.
  • Martha S. (Mentor, OH)
    The Fields
    I did not expect this book to be quite so graphic. Initially, I felt I was reading a Steven King novel. As I settled down, I started to enjoy the novel. The graphic descriptions decreased (somewhat) and I was drawn in to the story. Very clearly Midwestern but there is nothing wrong with that; it doesn't get in the way of a good story. The characters were well developed and will keep you guessing until the end. The story made me realize the danger in what seems to be everyday work in crime investigation. I don't think this is the type of book to recommend to book clubs, mainly because of the graphic descriptions. I would definitely recommend it to someone who loves crime fiction though.
  • Linda S. (Tucker, GA)
    Lose Yourself in the Corn Maze!
    A fast-paced police procedural, "The Fields" grabbed me from the first page. I enjoyed the story line, the well-developed characters, and the convoluted plot, which was nicely tied up in the book's final pages. While many of today's hot-button issues are woven into the plot, including big agriculture, politics, global warming, and the Me Too movement, the author doesn't let her opinions bog the story down; she is able to educate without being preachy. Well-read readers will find a couple of stereotypes, however, the book still has broad appeal.

    I don't want to give away too much (by comparing it to another well-known book) but readers who are turned-off by gore may want to choose another book. As for me, I found the last 25 or so of the book to be really exciting! Sign me up for the next one in the series!
  • Nanette C. (Sarasota, FL)
    Thriller Highlights Issue of Big Ag
    In many ways, "The Fields" is your standard thriller, with lots of twists and turns. What makes it different is the role that Big Ag plays in the story. A woman's body has been found in a field owned by a small consortium of farmers. Before long, two other bodies are found in seemingly unrelated settings. Creepily, the bodies have bite marks on them in addition to the deadly wounds. It's up to newly appointed Sergeant Riley Fisher and her team to solve these crimes. (Love a female protagonist!) Somehow, it all comes together by the last page.

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