Best Serial Killer Thrillers
Twelve years ago, Sarah Baker was abducted by the Watt Lake Killer and sexually assaulted for months before managing to escape. She has won the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Romantic Suspense, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Romantic Crown for Best Romantic Suspense and Best Book Overall.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I was not interested at all in the dysfunctional family drama, the legal thriller which looked a bit boring to me, and the silly-looking teenage supernatural hunter book one of a series. By romance, I'm talking the whole nine yards - she noticing his biceps, deeply tanned skin, masculine appeal and yearning for what she has denied herself all these year, etc., this is it. As another reviewer said, this book was similar to "The One That Got Away" in it's plot of the one serial killer victim that escaped, but with serious PTSD which she fights to overcome. It is ridiculous that a just retired cop would lure the killer he still believes to be on the loose to the home of the victim that got away (not going into how he knew that) and not warn her or anyone else there of the danger. Yet, there are many readers who love books about strong female lead characters that overcome tremendous odds to survive. I also agree that there was rich texture in the depiction of the surroundings, which is the rugged Canadian northwest, which adds flavor to the book."
"Admittedly, the hero and heroine fit the standard expectations of the genre - she's tough and feisty, he's ultra cool and masculine without undermining her, and their attraction is immediate despite differences between them - but these characters also have some depth with their complicated histories, and the well-developed secondary characters bring a lot to the story and make it feel more grounded. In the end, I looked past these story elements because it is a romance, which often involves a degree of fantasy, and I enjoyed the story, which really is well written."
"What I liked: The book is told from different people's perspectives which normally would bother me but in this book it worked. The book just needed an epilogue like 6 months down the road to show where everything was at."
As the anniversary of the murders approaches, Faith Winters is released from the psychiatric hospital and yanked back to the last spot on earth she wants to be—her hometown where the slayings took place. Wracked by the lingering echoes of survivor’s guilt, Faith spirals into a black hole of alcoholism and wanton self-destruction. Finding no solace at the bottom of a bottle, Faith decides to track down her sister’s killer—and then discovers that she’s the one being hunted. From the mind of Wall Street Journal bestselling author Christopher Greyson comes a story with twists and turns that take the reader to the edge of madness. exhilarating ending with a few surprises... Sharp characters enmeshed in a mystery that, particularly in its final lap, is a gleefully dizzy ride.” – Kirkus Reviews.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I am a huge fan of the Jack Stratton Series, by Christopher Greyson, so I was excited to receive The Girl Who Lived. The Girl Who Lived is a bit darker, it deals with survivors guilt and addictions that manifest themselves after a horrendous crime and the aftermath. I think anyone reading this book that can relate to her anxiety, despair, and emptiness will appreciate her struggle."
"Christopher Greyson has become one of my favorite authors."
"Entertaining for the most part, just short of a 5 star rating."
"The book is good but the last page arrived unconnected and printed at an angle which was disappointing as it was the about the author page."
"Liked this book very much."
"Wow what a read."
Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace. Rachel Caine is the #1 internationally bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including the New York Times bestselling Morganville Vampires and The Great Library young adult series. She’s written suspense, mystery, paranormal suspense, urban fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal young adult fiction.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Her ability to weave suspense put me on edge, my muscles tense in anticipation. We rarely see things from the perspective of the killer's family in the aftermath of his destruction. This is a fascinating look at human nature, both in the family's desperation to come to terms with the new reality of their lives and in the way society judges, condemns, and persecutes them. Second, the entire plot relies on us believing that Gina never, not even once, stepped into her garage, which was her husband's workshop and, apparently, killing ground. I don't know whether this is coming from the publishers or a segment of authors trying to push the purchase of followup books. Cliffhangers feel too much like extortion - buy the next book or you'll never know what happens with these characters you're already invested in."
"She spends a year fighting accomplice charges and then flees, having to move and uproot her children and constantly stay on the run to avoid the threats she continues to receive on a daily basis- against her and her children. People write nasty things of what they would do to her and her children and she has no choice but to reinvent herself and remain on the move."
"Great opening scene, having Gina and her two young children in the car, unable to return home because their street is blocked by emergency vehicles. The children are scared when a policeman pulls their mom out the car. We watch as Gina, whose name is now Gwen, does everything possible to protect her children from knowing the depth of their father's depravity and how many sick people spew their hatred at Gwen on the internet years after she had been found innocent of any wrong doing."
"This was my Kindle First pick for June, and it is exactly what it claims to be - a psychological thriller."
Best Suspense Thrillers
The #1 New York Times Bestseller from the author of The Da Vinci Code Bilbao, Spain Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend a major announcement—the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist whose dazzling high-tech inventions and audacious predictions have made him a renowned global figure. Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon and Vidal must evade a tormented enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace itself . On a trail marked by modern art and enigmatic symbols, Langdon and Vidal uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery . DAN BROWN is the author of numerous #1 international bestsellers, including The Da Vinci Code, Inferno , The Lost Symbol , Angels & Demons , Deception Point, and Digital Fortress .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I love Dan Brown's novels, his writing style, and his extensive use of history/tech in most of them, and I always learn something when I read his books. Brown has a plug and play format that he follows, and as I read this book, it's basically Robert Langdon at some educational/art venue where a friend/colleague, etc. There was supposed suspense, in that you want to find out what in the world Langdon's friend had to say before his murder--and of course, you have to wait until the end to find out."
"Racing through Spain with Robert Langdon and a captivating young woman named Ambra Vidal is an intriguing way to get us into this world of symbols, artwork and religious extremism. I’d still love to see Dan get back into the Templars someday, like he did in "The Da Vinci Code," but at least some good nonfiction books do that now. Moving from a secret, mountain-top meeting at Montserrat just outside Barcelona to a huge public affair at the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, we are teased with the idea that a revelation will be made which shakes all known religions to their core."
"When you think about the fact that Mr. Brown writes about scholars in their field, his knowledge and thorough detail are always second to none and he does not disappoint this time! Quick chapters, changes of scenes, plot twists....if it isn't broken, don't fix it! I felt that his goal was to (once again) anger the Catholic Church thus making his book a blockbuster."
"After the first few chapters the book hits a road block - it stops being a DaVinci code knock off and becomes something else. I also realized that the small passage of time directly related to the lengthy descriptions of art, books, etc. The early chapters describe the museum at Bilbo and I went online while I was reading to see pictures."
Best Ghost Thrillers
Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. “Scary! “The most wonderfully gruesome man on the planet.” — USA Today “An undisputed master of suspense and terror.” — The Washington Post “[King] probably knows more about scary goings-on in confined, isolated places than anybody since Edgar Allan Poe.” — Entertainment Weekly “He’s the author who can always make the improbable so scary you’ll feel compelled to check the locks on the front door.” — The Boston Globe “Peerless imagination.” — The Observer (London).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I read this book about 25 years ago and it terrified me, and of course I have also seen the movie with Jack Nicholson a bunch of times over the years since reading the book. When I found out that Stephen King was publishing a sequel to The Shining this year, I wanted to prepare, so I dove back into re-reading The Shining and found that there was much that I did not recall about the book's intricacies regarding plot and characters, and tons of things that were very different from the movie, which had become ingrained into my mind as the mainstay over the years."
"Stephen King took his time showing the mental break downs of the characters that led to the evil, but he pulled me along so well I didn't notice."
"I'd spoil a bit of the plot but there can't be anyone alive on the western hemisphere of the planet over the age of 15 who doesn't know the details."
"I think I've seen every King movie ever made and read almost every Stephen King book written, but The Shining I had to go back for twice. After I saw the movie I had to read the book."
"The Shining starts off pretty slow and is about a man named Jack Torrance who is hired as a caretaker for the Overlook Hotel during its off season. Strange happenings occur that play heavily on Jack and his son, Danny, who is very sensitive to the hotel's ghostly inhabitants."
"At first I thought it would be very scary, but it turned out negative."
Best Psychological Thrillers
Anna’s best friend, Sarah, hasn’t been telling the whole truth about what really happened that night—and her parents have been keeping secrets of their own. Someone knows where Anna is—and they’re not telling. Covering crime for so long, she watched and was deeply moved by all the ripples each case caused, and the haunting impact on the families, friends and witnesses involved.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"However, when the author moved to subsequent chapters (everything else in third person), the phrases and partial sentences continued. The other stylistic device used over and over was the introduction of a secret at the end of almost every chapter. When the guilty person is finally revealed, it was difficult to believe that the police would have neglected to perform a full investigation (the author tells us at the end that police only did a “cursory” investigation on the person). I hesitate to say more as it would potentially become a spoiler, but for me, this became a fatal flaw and made the ending feel forced."
"This story follows the perspectives of Ella, Sarah, Anna's father, and a private investigator in the year following Anna's disappearance. Although not to this extreme, I think most people can relate to being in a position where you question whether or not to say something or stay quiet and mind your own business."
"Fast-moving plot full of unpredictable twists; flawed yet sympathetic characters; realistic dialog."
"Each chapter was a cliffhanger that carried into the next chapter."
"Many POTs."
"I really enjoyed this book."
"This book grabbed me and kept me up until 3am two nights in a row, guessing until the end."
"I found this story a bit slow at first and then the tempo just building and building until I couldn't put it down."
Best Psychic Mysteries
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Includes the novella Larger Than Life Throughout her blockbuster career, Jodi Picoult has seamlessly blended nuanced characters, riveting plots, and rich prose, brilliantly creating stories that “not only provoke the mind but touch the flawed souls in all of us” ( The Boston Globe ). A scientist who studied grief among elephants, Alice wrote mostly of her research among the animals she loved, yet Jenna hopes the entries will provide a clue to her mother’s whereabouts. Desperate to find the truth, Jenna enlists two unlikely allies in her quest: Serenity Jones, a psychic who rose to fame finding missing persons, only to later doubt her gifts, and Virgil Stanhope, the jaded private detective who’d originally investigated Alice’s case along with the strange, possibly linked death of one of her colleagues. an entertaining tale about parental love, friendship, loss.” — The Washington Post “A riveting drama.” — Us Weekly “[A] moving tale.” — People “A fast-paced, surprise-ending mystery.” — USA Today “In Jenna, [Jodi] Picoult has created an unforgettable character who will easily endear herself to each and every reader. Full of the deep characters and multilayered story lines that have earned [Picoult] a spot in many readers’ hearts.” — Library Journal “Delivers a powerhouse ending.” — Booklist “Memorable and poignant.” — Publishers Weekly. An Amazon Best Book of the Month, October 2014: Jodi Picoult’s Leaving Time weaves elephant behavior into a search for a missing mother. By enlisting the help of a formerly famous—now infamous—psychic, as well as a down-and-out private detective whose career went south during the botched investigation of Alice's disappearance, Jenna forms a sort of new family to help her in her quest. an entertaining tale about parental love, friendship, loss.” — The Washington Post “A riveting drama.” — Us Weekly “[A] moving tale.” — People “A fast-paced, surprise-ending mystery.” — USA Today “In Jenna, [Jodi] Picoult has created an unforgettable character who will easily endear herself to each and every reader. Full of the deep characters and multilayered story lines that have earned [Picoult] a spot in many readers’ hearts.” — Library Journal “Delivers a powerhouse ending.” — Booklist “Memorable and poignant.” — Publishers Weekly.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I just closed this book, and I was actually sobbing From the start, it's a slow burn-- each character gets their own chapter, part of it's in past tense to slowly fill in information-- and it doesn't take long to care deeply about each of them. It's a very matter-of-fact book at the start, our hero is an intelligent, funny young teenager named Jenna, who is a great mix of curious and stubborn without being annoyingly precocious. The book slowly starts descending into metaphysics/psychics, and one of the main characters is a disgraced psychic, so we are given hints at it."
"Jenna must puzzle out why her mother, Alice, disappeared from the New England Elephant Sanctuary. What separates this mystery from others is that Picoult weaves the emotional lives of elephants with that of Jenna and Alice and other human characters. The character study of elephant behavior was done deftly was very interesting, especially how intertwined with the mystery."
"I always buy a Jodi Picoult book as soon as it comes out, but never start to read it right away. The book starts off slowly, with a lot of background on Alice Metcalf's (Jenna's mother) obsession with elephants and their reaction to grief. They are stuck, frozen with unfinished business, looking for answers, even if they are not quite sure of the questions.The ending comes with a wild twist, that makes the whole book come together in a combustable ending, tying the tapestry of threads into a glorious conclusion. While the elephants would come back to be with the bones of their lost ones, so do the characters in this book, making the point that there is very little that separates a loving heart."
"In that respect it reminds me of "My Sister's Keeper" which is the first Picoult book that I read many years ago."
Best Psychological Fiction
Anna’s best friend, Sarah, hasn’t been telling the whole truth about what really happened that night—and her parents have been keeping secrets of their own. Someone knows where Anna is—and they’re not telling. Covering crime for so long, she watched and was deeply moved by all the ripples each case caused, and the haunting impact on the families, friends and witnesses involved.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"However, when the author moved to subsequent chapters (everything else in third person), the phrases and partial sentences continued. The other stylistic device used over and over was the introduction of a secret at the end of almost every chapter. When the guilty person is finally revealed, it was difficult to believe that the police would have neglected to perform a full investigation (the author tells us at the end that police only did a “cursory” investigation on the person). I hesitate to say more as it would potentially become a spoiler, but for me, this became a fatal flaw and made the ending feel forced."
"This story follows the perspectives of Ella, Sarah, Anna's father, and a private investigator in the year following Anna's disappearance. Although not to this extreme, I think most people can relate to being in a position where you question whether or not to say something or stay quiet and mind your own business."
"Fast-moving plot full of unpredictable twists; flawed yet sympathetic characters; realistic dialog."
"Each chapter was a cliffhanger that carried into the next chapter."
"Many POTs."
"I really enjoyed this book."
"This book grabbed me and kept me up until 3am two nights in a row, guessing until the end."
"I found this story a bit slow at first and then the tempo just building and building until I couldn't put it down."
Best Mystery & Suspense
Finally content as the real estate writer for a local newspaper, Aubrey keeps her extraordinary ability hidden—until she is unexpectedly assigned the story of a decades-old murder. Aubrey has no choice but to get involved, even at the terrifying risk of stirring spirits connected to a dead woman’s demise and piquing her new reporting partner’s suspicions. “A wild adventure of a mystery, brimming with layers, secrets, and more than one person who should feel guilty…Paranormal mystery/romance fans will find a gem of a story in Laura Spinella’s Ghost Gifts .” —Fresh Fiction. “ Ghost Gifts will stir your emotions, spook the bejesus out of you, and keep you furiously turning pages until the cows deign to come home. “Laura Spinella skillfully weaves plot twists from the dead with secrets from the living, and adds sparks when psychic Aubrey Ellis and reporter Levi St John are assigned to uncover the truth about a decades-old New England murder. The southern locale provided the inspiration for her first novel, Beautiful Disaster , which garnered multiple awards, including a Romance Writers of America RITA nomination.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book also switches back and forth between present day and 20 years prior, to the time when Aubrey Ellis, the protagonist, is a 13-year-old girl, and where it all started. When a new discovery uncovers a murder committed twenty years ago, she is assigned to help Levi St John, the city desk editor of the Hartford Standard Speaker, with the story because she has a lot of contacts in the community and knows the town well. She has tried to lead a normal life by working as a reporter but it seems as though her talents are going to be utilized in the latest development in the decades-old murder of Missy Flannigan. I often noticed parts of the book dragged on with so many details, only to end on a brand new piece of information that flared my excitement again."
"I preferred the Kindle edition of “Ghost Gifts” because the Audible narrator failed to give the characters distinct voices; This was especially true for female characters who all sounded breathy and occasionally breathless. Although the Kindle version was superior, this book could have benefited from a good editor to correct writing problems and to cut some fat from the book."
"It has a fascinating paranormal aspect, a heroine who longs for roots, after a childhood spent traveling with a carnival, a murder mystery involving an abused girl, and a satisfying ending."
"Sure, it could have had all the past events in the beginning of the book, but with the way it was written, I thought that the past scenes gave you more understanding of the present. Although I figured out the mystery part before I got to the end of the book, I thought that it was a well written story."
"As an avid reader, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and even had difficulty putting it down for some much needed sleep."
"Aubrey and Levi work well together."
Best Romantic Suspense
A luminous debut with unexpected twists, Everything We Keep explores the devastation of loss, the euphoria of finding love again, and the pulse-racing repercussions of discovering the truth about the ones we hold dear and the lengths they will go to protect us. “You’ll need an ample supply of tissues and emotional strength for this one...From Northern California author Kerry Lonsdale comes a heart-wrenching story about fate sweeping away life in an instant.” — Sunset Magazine. Depicting grief and loss, but also healing and hope in their rawest forms, this novel will capture hearts and minds, keeping readers up all night, desperate to learn the truth.” — RT Book Reviews. “Heartfelt and suspenseful, Everything We Keep beautifully navigates the deep waters of grief, and one woman’s search to reconcile a past she can’t release, and a future she wants to embrace. With a good dose of drama, a heart-wrenching love story, and the suspense of unanswered questions, Lonsdale’s layered and engrossing debut is a captivating read.” —Karma Brown, bestselling author of Come Away With Me. She graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and is a founder of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, an online community of authors located across the globe.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This results in an usually fast-paced story (at least for women's fiction) of a woman struggling to overcome the grief of losing her childhood sweetheart - who was meant to be her husband - and figure out who she is in the wake of such terrible tragedy. Speaking of characters, Kerry's cast is incredibly well-developed and they feel like real people with virtues, weaknesses and plausible back story. I also want to say something about the epilogue because so many people have cited it as a reason for giving the book a low rating."
"This review is written by Bob Boze on behalf of Truth About Books. I’m always pleased to give a good review: Especially when it comes on the heels of two, not so good, reviews. So, two years after his purported death, Ian joins her, as she travels to Mexico to find her fiancée, who she is now certain is not dead. As she and Ian search for James, and the truth; secrets from their past and James’ family surface, along with her feelings for Ian and realization of what her life with James was really like. Everything We Keep not only has a unique plot, it is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing, especially toward the end as she and Ian seek the truth in Mexico."
"I give it 4 stars out of 5 because the women are potty-mouths and the number of f-bombs increased as the story moved forward."
"It can't possibly be because everyone loves cliched writing (tell me again about her Caribbean-blue eyes), super boring lead characters who make really weird life choices, or terrible plot resolutions that make zero sense. What I want to focus on, though, is the fact that Aimee is RAPED by her boyfriends cousin/brother, and then said boyfriend is baskcally like "here, let me fix your makeup because you have to forget how he just raped you in order to help me set things straight with my family business.""
Best Romantic Suspense
A luminous debut with unexpected twists, Everything We Keep explores the devastation of loss, the euphoria of finding love again, and the pulse-racing repercussions of discovering the truth about the ones we hold dear and the lengths they will go to protect us. “You’ll need an ample supply of tissues and emotional strength for this one...From Northern California author Kerry Lonsdale comes a heart-wrenching story about fate sweeping away life in an instant.” — Sunset Magazine. Depicting grief and loss, but also healing and hope in their rawest forms, this novel will capture hearts and minds, keeping readers up all night, desperate to learn the truth.” — RT Book Reviews. “Heartfelt and suspenseful, Everything We Keep beautifully navigates the deep waters of grief, and one woman’s search to reconcile a past she can’t release, and a future she wants to embrace. With a good dose of drama, a heart-wrenching love story, and the suspense of unanswered questions, Lonsdale’s layered and engrossing debut is a captivating read.” —Karma Brown, bestselling author of Come Away With Me. She graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and is a founder of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, an online community of authors located across the globe.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This results in an usually fast-paced story (at least for women's fiction) of a woman struggling to overcome the grief of losing her childhood sweetheart - who was meant to be her husband - and figure out who she is in the wake of such terrible tragedy. Speaking of characters, Kerry's cast is incredibly well-developed and they feel like real people with virtues, weaknesses and plausible back story. I also want to say something about the epilogue because so many people have cited it as a reason for giving the book a low rating."
"This review is written by Bob Boze on behalf of Truth About Books. I’m always pleased to give a good review: Especially when it comes on the heels of two, not so good, reviews. So, two years after his purported death, Ian joins her, as she travels to Mexico to find her fiancée, who she is now certain is not dead. As she and Ian search for James, and the truth; secrets from their past and James’ family surface, along with her feelings for Ian and realization of what her life with James was really like. Everything We Keep not only has a unique plot, it is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing, especially toward the end as she and Ian seek the truth in Mexico."
"I give it 4 stars out of 5 because the women are potty-mouths and the number of f-bombs increased as the story moved forward."
"It can't possibly be because everyone loves cliched writing (tell me again about her Caribbean-blue eyes), super boring lead characters who make really weird life choices, or terrible plot resolutions that make zero sense. What I want to focus on, though, is the fact that Aimee is RAPED by her boyfriends cousin/brother, and then said boyfriend is baskcally like "here, let me fix your makeup because you have to forget how he just raped you in order to help me set things straight with my family business.""
Best Mystery Romance
Janet Evanovich’s #1 New York Times bestselling sensation Stephanie Plum returns in her twenty-forth thriller as mutilated corpses litter the streets of New Jersey... Trouble comes in bunches for Stephanie Plum. First, professional grave robber and semi-professional loon, Simon Diggery, won’t let her take him in until she agrees to care for his boa constrictor, Ethel. Making trouble and winning hearts * USA Today * Pithy, witty and fast-paced * The Sunday Times * As smart and sassy as high-gloss wet paint * Time Out * Romantic and gripping... An absolute tonic * Good Housekeeping * A laugh-out-loud page-turner * Heat * Praise for Janet Evanovich: 'Among the great joys of contemporary crime fiction' * GQ * Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Fox and O’Hare series, the Lizzy and Diesel series, the Knight and Moon series, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and Troublemaker graphic novel, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"She chases grandma to Florida, gets grandma a dog, is chased by zombies and goes through 3 of Ranger's vehicles."
"Still definitely a good have you wanting to read one more chapter before bed because yourbwondering what Stephanie, Gramma and Lula will be up to next."
"Basically warmed over junk with no new character development and an extremely weak story line."
"I don't know why I waste my time or money on these books anymore."
"Stephanie totaling Ranger's brand new expensive loaner cars and him supposedly laughing when he gets the news???? I think her cuteness tanked three cars ago and his auto insurance rates must be astronomical. And Lula gets paid by Vincent Plum Bail Bonds to do what, exactly???? Stephanie's mother taking pills with two drinks of hard liquor? When Gramma Mazur used to say outrageous things at the kitchen table and Stephanie's mother would look longingly toward the cupboard with the booze. Is it just me, or are her other legions of fans saying I just bought my very last Stephanie Plum novel."
"Twenty-four is a nice number, let's finish weak with this sadly diminished and now absurdly silly series."
"A zombie theme with missing brains is the extent of the silly storyline. I think Janet was missing some brain cells while writing this book."
"We all have to make a pact to stop buying these books. But JE has no motivation to change anything as long as we keep buying this ridiculous silliness!"
Best Women's Psychological Fiction
Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace. Rachel Caine is the #1 internationally bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including the New York Times bestselling Morganville Vampires and The Great Library young adult series. She’s written suspense, mystery, paranormal suspense, urban fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal young adult fiction.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Her ability to weave suspense put me on edge, my muscles tense in anticipation. We rarely see things from the perspective of the killer's family in the aftermath of his destruction. This is a fascinating look at human nature, both in the family's desperation to come to terms with the new reality of their lives and in the way society judges, condemns, and persecutes them. Second, the entire plot relies on us believing that Gina never, not even once, stepped into her garage, which was her husband's workshop and, apparently, killing ground. I don't know whether this is coming from the publishers or a segment of authors trying to push the purchase of followup books. Cliffhangers feel too much like extortion - buy the next book or you'll never know what happens with these characters you're already invested in."
"Great opening scene, having Gina and her two young children in the car, unable to return home because their street is blocked by emergency vehicles. The children are scared when a policeman pulls their mom out the car. We watch as Gina, whose name is now Gwen, does everything possible to protect her children from knowing the depth of their father's depravity and how many sick people spew their hatred at Gwen on the internet years after she had been found innocent of any wrong doing."
"She spends a year fighting accomplice charges and then flees, having to move and uproot her children and constantly stay on the run to avoid the threats she continues to receive on a daily basis- against her and her children. People write nasty things of what they would do to her and her children and she has no choice but to reinvent herself and remain on the move."
"This was my Kindle First pick for June, and it is exactly what it claims to be - a psychological thriller."
Best Contemporary Women Fiction
Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace. Rachel Caine is the #1 internationally bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including the New York Times bestselling Morganville Vampires and The Great Library young adult series. She’s written suspense, mystery, paranormal suspense, urban fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal young adult fiction.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Her ability to weave suspense put me on edge, my muscles tense in anticipation. We rarely see things from the perspective of the killer's family in the aftermath of his destruction. This is a fascinating look at human nature, both in the family's desperation to come to terms with the new reality of their lives and in the way society judges, condemns, and persecutes them. Second, the entire plot relies on us believing that Gina never, not even once, stepped into her garage, which was her husband's workshop and, apparently, killing ground. I don't know whether this is coming from the publishers or a segment of authors trying to push the purchase of followup books. Cliffhangers feel too much like extortion - buy the next book or you'll never know what happens with these characters you're already invested in."
"Great opening scene, having Gina and her two young children in the car, unable to return home because their street is blocked by emergency vehicles. The children are scared when a policeman pulls their mom out the car. We watch as Gina, whose name is now Gwen, does everything possible to protect her children from knowing the depth of their father's depravity and how many sick people spew their hatred at Gwen on the internet years after she had been found innocent of any wrong doing."
"She spends a year fighting accomplice charges and then flees, having to move and uproot her children and constantly stay on the run to avoid the threats she continues to receive on a daily basis- against her and her children. People write nasty things of what they would do to her and her children and she has no choice but to reinvent herself and remain on the move."
"This was my Kindle First pick for June, and it is exactly what it claims to be - a psychological thriller."
Best Mystery & Suspense Romance
A luminous debut with unexpected twists, Everything We Keep explores the devastation of loss, the euphoria of finding love again, and the pulse-racing repercussions of discovering the truth about the ones we hold dear and the lengths they will go to protect us. “You’ll need an ample supply of tissues and emotional strength for this one...From Northern California author Kerry Lonsdale comes a heart-wrenching story about fate sweeping away life in an instant.” — Sunset Magazine. Depicting grief and loss, but also healing and hope in their rawest forms, this novel will capture hearts and minds, keeping readers up all night, desperate to learn the truth.” — RT Book Reviews. “Heartfelt and suspenseful, Everything We Keep beautifully navigates the deep waters of grief, and one woman’s search to reconcile a past she can’t release, and a future she wants to embrace. With a good dose of drama, a heart-wrenching love story, and the suspense of unanswered questions, Lonsdale’s layered and engrossing debut is a captivating read.” —Karma Brown, bestselling author of Come Away With Me. She graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and is a founder of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, an online community of authors located across the globe.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This results in an usually fast-paced story (at least for women's fiction) of a woman struggling to overcome the grief of losing her childhood sweetheart - who was meant to be her husband - and figure out who she is in the wake of such terrible tragedy. Speaking of characters, Kerry's cast is incredibly well-developed and they feel like real people with virtues, weaknesses and plausible back story. I also want to say something about the epilogue because so many people have cited it as a reason for giving the book a low rating."
"This review is written by Bob Boze on behalf of Truth About Books. I’m always pleased to give a good review: Especially when it comes on the heels of two, not so good, reviews. So, two years after his purported death, Ian joins her, as she travels to Mexico to find her fiancée, who she is now certain is not dead. As she and Ian search for James, and the truth; secrets from their past and James’ family surface, along with her feelings for Ian and realization of what her life with James was really like. Everything We Keep not only has a unique plot, it is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing, especially toward the end as she and Ian seek the truth in Mexico."
"I give it 4 stars out of 5 because the women are potty-mouths and the number of f-bombs increased as the story moved forward."
"It can't possibly be because everyone loves cliched writing (tell me again about her Caribbean-blue eyes), super boring lead characters who make really weird life choices, or terrible plot resolutions that make zero sense. What I want to focus on, though, is the fact that Aimee is RAPED by her boyfriends cousin/brother, and then said boyfriend is baskcally like "here, let me fix your makeup because you have to forget how he just raped you in order to help me set things straight with my family business.""