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There are currently 18 member reviews
for Niceville
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Kelly H. (Martinsville, IN)
Niceville-I don't think so!
Wow! What a crazy, creepy, fun read! Took me forever to pick up this book, but once I did, I could not put it down. I have never read anything like this, but now I want more! Stroud is an amazing storyteller. This book has a lot of characters and a lot going on, but Stroud manages these characters and events flawlessly. I did not think this book would be for me, but I loved it, and will be passing it on.
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Nancy C. (Newton, KS)
Niceville: Not So Nice
It is impossible to put this book down. Carsten Stroud has woven a fascinating plot that manages to keep multiple characters and their stories from losing their way. This novel is a blend of great fiction with a twist of the supernatural. A missing boy, a well planned bank robbery and a secret weapon combine to to hold the readers attention. The characters are well developed as the plot unfolds. I can't help but wonder if Stroud plans to write a sequel to tie the lose ends together. Regardless, this is a book that will stay with you for a long time.
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William E. (Honolulu, HI)
"unputdownable"
Not a word but describes my reaction to the book! I agree with Mr. Leonard when he wrote that it's a great read! Reminded me of a Robert Altman film with all kinds of unharmonic convergences on many different planes. Am at a loss to describe my reaction but I highly recommend it for a wild ride in anything but Niceville.
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Paula W. (Winfield, IL)
10 Thumbs Up
Startling. Creepy. Violent. Funny. Unique. Unpredictable. Puzzling. I could not put this amazing tale down. If only Josh Whedon would make it into a movie! It's not for the faint-hearted, but it's a rollicking good read.
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Heather K. (Brooklyn, NY)
Not is all it seems in "Niceville"
Not by a long shot (pun intended, which you'll certainly "get" if you read this novel!). And should you read "Niceville?" Why yes, you should, and here's why: it is terrific!
It's a novel of bank robbers and moral bankruptcy, revenge and retribution, honor and deceit, plus a decades-old betrayal and the dreadful, supernatural manner in which some characters are paying for that treachery. Throw in international intrigue and treason. Blackmail. Inexplicable disappearances. Perversion. I know it sounds like a chaotic mess ... but it's not.
Despite numerous characters, and several plot-lines, Carsten Stroud keeps his novel rolling along at a quick pace, and his characters are so well-designed and developed you never feel lost in the book. You've got good guys -- detective Nick Kavanaugh and his wife Kate, Kate's dad, Nick's police partner, Beau; and you have some seriously bad guys, including another cop named Coker, and Byron Deitz, Nick's brother-in-law. You have ghostly, menacing characters bent on revenge.
And you have terrific dialogue, really likable characters (including some of the bad guys -- while you aren't exactly rooting for them at least they show they have some decency under certain situations!), layers of mysteries, and a very satisfying conclusion. Well done, Mr. Stroud! Great book, fun to read, highly recommended!
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Pepper E. (Lawrenceville, NJ)
Suspenseful!
Creative, richly imagined characters will keep you turning the pages of this book. Set in the small secret-rich southern town of Niceville, some residents may not have truly died after all, and old family feuds still rage. I prefer my plots without the fantasy, but I thought the characters were the saving grace. Stroud reminded me of Carl Hiaasen, only darker and grittier. The bad guys were perfectly despicable! I'd like to see them again.
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Mary G. (Purcellville, VA)
Enjoyably Odd
Niceville is one of the oddest books I have ever read--and I loved it! There are two concurrent plotlines. One reminds me of Cormac McCarthy's "No Country for Old Men." The other reminds me of a Dean Koontz novel. Both are set in Niceville with overlapping characters, and the plots dip into one another throughout the book. There is an awful lot going on in this book, but I didn't have too much trouble keeping track. I did feel, however, that one of the plots was not satisfactorily resolved. Nonetheless, I would highly recommend this book.
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