This was an enthralling book with a great twist, one that I never predicted. This twist made me gasp, actually! I thought this story had good character development. I learned each of their back-stories without being distracted from the overall story. This is ultimately about twins at college and one of them goes missing. Does she want to disappear or is it more nefarious?

(IMO: after I read this story I'm not sure if I'd want to be a twin. Their sibling rivalry was off the charts and much of it should have been mediated with a therapist!)

One of the characters I got to know was the twin's father. This guy turns out to be a publicity hound. (More like publicity whore.) When the story starts telling you the back-story of the Dad things become interesting. What the Dad did in the process of trying to keep the his missing daughter in the news and the public's mind. He manufactures stories, manipulates the media and he doesn't care who he hurts as long as he and his missing daughter are in the news. He has made himself part of her story. It's deplorable.

I gave this story 4 stars. It kept my attention all the way the book. I did have some trouble with how the story wrapped-up in the end. Did I miss something crucial to the ending? I was confused. So I went back through the book to find out if therre was some important detail that ties the ending into a neat little bow. There was something I wasn't getting. I felt the ending was unsatisfactory which is so unfortunate because the story was very good. This story and had some satisfying twists -- and they were all a surprise to me. I love books with surprises! Enjoy -- it's worth the trip!

I liked this book very much. I wanted more than the author would give me. I wanted to know more about the main character's life. What made her dark and edgy? More about her relationship with her parents, her family life.

I was able to imagine a fascinating old school and the author gave vivid descriptions of different buildings and various hiding places. The other students at the University were intriguing and I desperately wanted to know more about them and get to know them better. They felt two-dimensional, rather flat.

My overall description of this book is that the author didn't flesh out the characters enough. What made them tick? When the students were in the tower for "getting their attitude straightened out" I wanted to know more about the tower. Again, not enough description to flesh out the tower and its place at the school both figuratively and literally. I thought this was an opportunity to tell more about the tower and if students were afraid of it and if people were different after coming out of the tower.

The overall story completely captivated my attention. The protagonist was very likable and her friends were really interesting, as well. I believe if the author fleshed out the characters more in the story --- this book would have been excellent. Overall a terrific book to read.

I have revamped my review. Initially I was going to give this story a 3. It's a good, solid paranormal / mystery story. Why was I not completely satisfied? I guess I expected it to be edgier and more scary.

I realized that it was my own expectations of the story that made me think it wasn't a great book. This isn't a fair way to look at a story. So, in rethinking my review, I asked myself the following questions:

Did this story keep me engaged? Yes, it kept me completely under its spell and I read for 4 hours straight with no breaks other than to recharge my body or drinking glass. Now that's a tremendous benchmark of a very good story.

Did this story keep my engagement and involvement in the characters? Absolutely.

Did I care about the outcome and did I believe the story? Yes. Not 100 but a solid 85. This is another very good mark.

And this is the reason why I changed my rating from 3 to 4. I was expecting an edgier, noir story. The book was very thrilling in parts and I was immersed in these moments. (I haven't outlined the story because you can read this in other people's reviews which have more skill with reviewing.)

This is a solid and pleasurable novel. I even passed the book on to my next door neighbor and she enjoyed it thoroughly! So, that's two for two -- and that's a pretty darn good book. Enjoy

This book was such a pleasurable ROMP! A mystery quickly devoured and completely engaging! The story had me thinking of the mystery in my non-reading time. To me, this is the mark of an engaging read. Downing's story is not an in-depth dive into a killer's psyche. The family is not fleshed-out, yet this didn't detract from this tightly-wound murder mystery. It's entertaining and had beautifully dark overtones. The husband was emasculated by his controlling wife and I would have like this more explored. I felt this to be a story weakness.

The book's premise of a bored suburban couple spicing up the pabulum of their marital life with murder – here and there. This was a great hook and this same hook kept me on the author's fishing pole throughout its entirety. Not every mystery has to be Capote's "In Cold Blood" and that's the space where this novel shines. I hope you will be gripped by the snappy dialog, the wry social observations and surprised by who ends up dead. Lastly, there are some dynamite plot twists that utterly thrilled me. Get this book, you'll have a great romp!

I would give this read 8 stars if I could --what a sweet read! I generally lean towards mystery/suspense and I was looking forward to a book on the mellow side. This refreshing book totally engaged me and also tickled my cat-lady bones!

Arikawa captured Nana's personality to a "T" and this would be a spot-on gift for any cat-lover! I vicariously traveled with this duo in their silver van and was thoroughly enchanted by their success with travelling with a cat in the car. (my cat generally produces howling and caterwauling (couldn't resist) as if we are on the way to the axe-murderer's house....)

I was completely wrapped-up in the story of their journey of finding a new home for Nana; I correctly guessed the reason for their search but this did not take away from the magic of their journey and story. The last 1/4 of the book utterly surprised me. Just proving that most cats are strong-willed and impossible to impose your will upon their desires. (Any cat lover will totally understand this.)

This book was 100 enjoyable pages and was a quick read and put me in such an optimistic mood. I'd like to see more books with Nana The Cat; I'm a fan for all nine of Nana's lives! Meow.

Sometimes I Lie grabbed me and never let go. Like a kid in a candy shop -- I wanted this book to last forever. This was one of those that you think about when you were at work, when commuting or doing anything other than reading. I simply love the feeling when a book has utterly kidnapped my attention!

I was captivated by the descriptions, such as when Amber Reynolds is trying to separate her dreams from her alleged reality, "I can smell my lost time." How great is that sentence?! Another example where I know the feeling too well is when she describes an uncomfortable atmosphere, "...the air in the room is thick with silence and remorse." This sentence transported me inside that room!

I believe the author successfully carries the voice of the unreliable narrator throughout the book. My attention did not wander and I did not have to suspend any belief to be completely wrapped up in the world of Amber Reynolds and the story she is telling us. The ending was satisfying and also left me hoping for another book by Alice Feeney. The ending can stand on its own, yet seems to hint that this story would be continued in a second novel. It is one of my true joys when a book captivates me and I think about it incessantly. I feel fortunate and grateful to BookBrowse for giving us readers the experience of being being able to read a book months before it is published. I am giving this book a rousing round of applause and yelling Bravo!

About 1/4 of the way into this heart-loving book I knew I LOVED this story. This family-centric novel and the very real characters ARE people in real life. Messy, paths not taken, missed love, wonderful love and family solidarity. I related to this protagonist, Henry, and LOVED his dog, Buller. I wish his girlfriend were less mysterious, but weren't we all trying to "be something" when we were in college, and trying to grow into something bigger than our parents.... The writing is lyrical, though not distracting. I thoroughly relished this book and cannot wait until the author's next novel. BTW, I have a bulky vocabulary and this author stumped me on a few words. Who out there knows what "rutilant eyes" mean, or how "hemistich" relates with German prose? I even enjoyed learning new words! This book has it all. Absolute. Triumph.

I enjoyed this cat & mouse & hunt novel. About ¾ of the way through the book, I thought I was going to give it 3 stars because it felt slightly formulaic and besides -- I had already figured out who the killer was!

But..... I am truly not the detective I thought I was because when some very interesting red herrings were brought into the mix, I ended up following the false clues/leads and was completely enthralled by the story, but totally off the path of the killer. (And I thought I was so clever….)

I enjoy a novel where I am flabbergasted at the end of the book. This was exactly how I felt after the last page. I thought about the story when I wasn't reading it, and I stayed up too late reading it. The author executed a fully robust ending that changed my 3 star rating to a solid 4.

This is exactly the type of book you can read in a weekend. It reads quickly, but also has strong tension and the lady cop is quite believable and likable. I wish the characters were a bit more fleshed out, but overall this was a really solid story -- convincing and tense. I'm most assuredly passing the word on this book. Satisfying and well worth your time.

The printed format of the pages, of which simultaneous action was taking place, (the story being told via a column-format) was a clever and fun way to read.

Protagonist, Tessa - it was difficult to suss out her personality and for me to like her. She came across as 2-dimensional character. I would have liked to be in her head more.

The late intro of Brian was helpful to soften Tess up. His participation in the story was a bonus. He helped to complete the blanks and questions I had about Tess and what contributed to her being such an enigma now.

The description of the secret elevator had me transfixed. This book has a fairly high “gore-factor” than other fiction books, but it didn’t detract from my overall impression. I noticed the details of the gore only because I don’t usually read horror or have much exposure to the gore. I could see potential readers being put-off due to the deeply descriptive gore.

The overall high-tech design and opulence of the hotel setting have me looking forward to seeing the book made into a movie. If done correctly, the movie could be the perfect setting for a “date night”. The gore will be enjoyed by my date and I could use the scary parts to be safe in his arms. This is always an extra score for the book! I would rate the story as entertaining but could lose points (and readers) because of the blood and in-depth descriptions of things in the book that cause blood to spill.

I liked this book, but didn't love it. When reading about the skiing and the racing - I felt like I was on the mountain myself. Very well done. I couldn't relate to the character of "Sky" and felt that his personality was too shallow at times. His actions and words did not ring authentic, in my opinion. This minor criticism isn't large enough to detract from the overall story. Parker has always done an excellent job of portraying the towns and areas in his books. There were several intertwining stories happening at once and they all tied in nicely. I was surprised at the ending which made the read completely satisfying. I wouldn't say this will be a extraordinary bestseller, but I do think it will be very popular. I would recommend this story to others.

By the time I had read five pages of this book – I knew I was in for a great journey! This book hooked me from the beginning and I finished it way too soon. I was suspicious of several individuals in the story right off the bat. This book threw out plenty of believable red- herrings and I was caught hook-line-and-sinker on each one. It was delightful to find out when I was wrong because that kept me glued to the book. Oh, how I wish all books were as fun to read as this diabolical story. I spent much of the story unable to trust who to believe: the narrator, the victim, any of the parents or the police. They all were giving me clues – but who to believe?! The writing was fluid and there was no suspension of belief. This story could easily happen in today's society. Too easily, if you ask me. This was robust with believable characters and their flawed personalities allowed me to love and/or hate them even more. Simply put, this was a great mystery, character study and home-town whodunit. I will be looking for more books in the future by Wendy Walker, that's for sure! I'm giving it 5 stars – and would give more stars if I could. Thank you BookBrowse for introducing me to Wendy Walker. She's a terrific writer! This book is off-the-charts and I hope it becomes a best-seller!

"...He can feel them coming… the dark thoughts… an army of them marching in his direction…"
The protagonist (Jerry) is fighting his impending Alzheimer's with every cell in his brain – before they turn on him, that is. This unreliable narrator is snarky, clever and made me laugh-out-loud. He is part MacGyver – and I also cringed at his murderous thoughts. I still couldn't tell if he acted on those villainous thoughts or not. When Jerry's friend – Hans – enters the picture, the story gains even more capriciousness. Plenty of people around Jerry get hurt and are hoodwinked by him. Are these the result of "Future Jerry" acting under the influence of his creeping mental deficiency? Jerry is a crafty storyteller and I was frequently chasing his red herrings. For me, this book was full of twists and turns and I merrily went along. If you are seeking a book that is clever, attention-grabbing and intensely enjoyable – this book is for you! I was able to be swept up in the story and loved the twisted ending – mysterious and creepy -- and lots of fun to read!

I couldn't wait to get this book - and I was not dissatisfied. There was a good amount of suspense for my taste (I wanted even more.) On a scale of 1 to 10, the creep factor is a 7. I won't summarize the plot, but merely mention different scenes (without spoilers): I wish the book explored more of why Mom decided to destroy parts of the home. I would've liked more follow-up to her "hearing" things which led to her acting irrational with a deadly tool. I thought the use of the forest and of a thing-in-the-forest created great suspense, especially the butchered animals. Gross, but really effective. (I think I might have been holding my breath at these times in the book.) They provided a real sense of impending menace. It was Duffy's descriptive sentences I loved the most. I loved reading: "You always hid razors in your words, Benji." And the simple description of: "A hand tapped his leg..." gave me crazy goose-bumps! I love books that make me work for the end -- when I can't guess the ending. You will enjoy this spine-chilling book. I am already waiting for Brendan Duffy's next book – I hope it's even creepier!

There are 3 voices in this book. Mom, Dad and Daughter. I felt it undemanding to discern each narrator. I was able to get to know each persona. Dad has everything-down-pat, The Tiger by The Tail, the world is his oyster, until .... he really wonks up his marriage. The Mom pays the price of Dad's error and I really felt for her with her recovery. What would I do in this situation? Could I love this man who maimed me? The daughter reminded us, the readers, that kids ALWAYS know more than we think they know. I believe the author's exceptional descriptions and word-work made me completely feel the waves of revulsion as they were occurring within the Mom's head. The myriad of emotions the author took me through reminded me why I love reading! I felt like the author dropped me subliminally into this family and I was the silent observer of all of the mayhem, renewal and restructuring of how each player in this family's dysfunction. Yet, there was still love….. but could it heal this family? This book will surely be a hit when it comes out! The book was pitch-perfect. A very-worthwhile and thoughtful read. 5 Stars all the way across!

This book started out rather prescribed, or so I thought. I thought I knew WHAT was going to happen, until the "surprise" upon Mr. Fikry's doorstep. What happened during the rest of the book grabbed my heart, tore it at the edges, and also made me laugh and fall in love with Mr. Fikry. His "reviews" throughout the book (with his daughter as the audience) were poignant and witty, especially if I had read the book he was reviewing. This story also taught me a little of how a bookstore operates, things I wondered about; lots of fun facts. This author hit the mark with this book. I adored this story and think of it as a lovely book. You CAN teach an old (grumpy) dog new tricks, so to speak. Go get a copy of this book today – you will fall in love with Mr. Fikry, too! I give this book a double-thumbs-up.

I found myself racing through the pages of this book. Dr. GG truly is an evil - and brilliant - psychopath. The protagonist doctor had an appalling dilemma on his hands – morally and medically. The story led you realistically through his plans and how he carried out his high-tech tactics to try to foil the psycho-doctor. I thought about the book when I wasn't reading it! I hope this author has great success with his future books because I will certainly be reading them! A "smart" and foreboding book; not only did I learn from this tale, I was thoroughly entertained You will tear through these pages -- Enjoy. Oh, yea... one more thing.... make sure you REALLY check out your physician's credentials in your real life. Even then..... it might not be enough to protect you....

I wanted to like this book more, but found that the story didn't grab me; but it was a solid read and I didn't get bored with it. One thing I really liked was how the author would foreshadow something, but I didn't realize she was dropping a hint..... until the object or "thing" popped up in the story later. I find those tidbits to be very satisfying. Possibly the reason I didn't love this book is that I couldn't really "get into" the protagonist. Maybe a reader could if she had gone through a hostage, or house-bound situation. I did relate to the protagonist in that she was trying to help others - I liked that very much about her. Please don't NOT read this book because I said it's not a "Great Book". It's a solid read and you don't get bored. BookBrowse has set a high-bar for the books that we are lucky enough to preview. I'm going to be interested in how this book sells. I will definitely read her next book and hope that one is the Great Book that I'm looking for.

What a fantastic book! The characters were believable and the tension was palpable. I raced through this book and was caught off-guard with the antics of the characters and the deception was written with such cruelty, that your heart poured-out for the protagonist. This book will be flying off the shelves when published. Just when you think you have read 'all' of the murder-mysteries possible..... pick up this book, and you will be rewarded with a great story! I am putting this novelist on my "to watch for" list, NOW! Enjoy this stellar story!

We've all heard about Typhoid Mary, but who was she? Was she real or just a made-up character? Well, she WAS real and this fabulous book tells her story. This is a woman with moxy and self-confidence (at least outwardly) and stamina that enabled her to last through six day work weeks and 12 hours per day. Not only did I learn about this tremendous woman, Mary Mallone, I also was put right into the streets and tenements of the early 1900's. Life was so hard and so dirty and it's hard to understand that life was not even 100 years ago. I loved this book and learning about Mary and it also was a superb historical-fiction. Get this book! It was an absorbing read. I gobbled the words down, typhoid be darned!!

I was overjoyed at receiving this book to review, so I opened the cover with breath being held and dove right in. I wanted to be able to rave about this book, and for me, this book simply fell short. I was nonplussed by the big "event" that unravels this family. I kept thinking: THAT is it? I had difficulty identifying with Helen (the wife) because I was expecting these mind-blowing PR decisions, and again, I was let down. Were my expectations the cause of this? I'm not sure, but all my fervent hopes that the author could turn this story around, weren't answered. I couldn't identify with the two main characters and I truly am sorry that I can't tell you that this is a good book. A bad book? Not at all. A terrific book? Not at all. Give it a try yourself, maybe you will have a better time than I did. I sincerely hope you do... isn't that why we read?!