Stalker-y Page-Turner
928065
Definitely a page-turner. In the vein of Gone Girl I suppose... I don't normally read books like this, but bought this one because I was looking for something new to read and it was on a big discount sale on Kindle. I'm definitely interested enough in her writing to read future books - although there were a few times here and there where the writing felt a little clumsy (it could likely have used a better editor).

So, recommended - especially if you want to read stalker-y domestic emotional abuse books.
2994416
This book makes a stalker almost seem cool. But it is a very real and terrifying phenomena.

Well written and also a good thing that this stalker was not such a bad guy
3408331
I'm a pretty big fan of Hertling's writing, at this point. I've read all of his Singularity series, and was excited to see Kill Process released, and my excitement for this novel was well rewarded!

Rather than the technical sci-fi of his previous series, Kill Process takes a look at a modern-era hacker, software developer and serial killer, using the tools of the trade from a very real-world perspective of software and technology, to carry out the killings.

At least, that's where the book starts.

About a third of way into the book, the main character has a rather sudden shift in her life and a new direction if found. The question, then, is whether or not her old life will catch up with her, or if she will be able to completely distance herself from the things she has done in the past.

By the time we get to the third part of the book, that question has been clearly answered.

Kill Process dissects the life of a serial killer and her motivation, her passion for software and technology, the "startup" scene and culture of the modern day, and throws it all in a blender with hacking, espionage and spy-craft that could give Daniel Suarez a run for his money.

While this was not a techno-thriller the way I had anticipated when I bought the book, it was certainly a thriller, mired in technology. By the time I reached the end, I couldn't put the book down.

This is a thrill-ride of modern life in social networking and social engineering, starting at a fair pace and never once slowing down. Rather, the ride continuously increases speed throughout each chapter, until you find yourself reading at a dizzying pace, trying to find out what happens next.

For any fan of modern technology; for any software developer or startup founder interested in spy-craft and hacking; for anyone looking at insight into the mind of both a serial killer and a freelance killer, I highly recommend Kill Process.

But with that said, there are a few flaws in this book that I should mention.

There are a few very brief moments of sexual content, for example, involving the main character. Unfortunately for the author, this is some of the most embarrassing writing of his books. One particular line stands out, as the main character thinks about a "tingling" feeling, "down there". The other scenes are better, I will say, but they almost seem superfluous to the character and story.

Additionally, the cast of characters are one-dimensional. Everything the main character does, for example, is filtered through the lens of PTSD. She does experience a significant amount of growth, as the story progresses. But, at times this feels like something that was added on after the storyline was solidified.

Lastly, the first two parts of the book are somewhat disconnected. In the first part, there are aspects of the main character's life that cause sleeplessness. In the second part, those sleepless nights are gone for no apparent reason. It leaves a giant "what about ... ???" question, until the subject is brought up again at a later point.

There is also a random "And now for something completely different" interjection, Monty-Python style (and I mean that literally - printed in text at the top of a chapter). This line should not have been included in the book.

However, the third part of this book brings everything together quite well.

It is well worth the momentary groan of "did he really just write that?" and questions of "what happened to ... ???", to get to the end. This book was something I could not put down, and I can highly recommend it in spite of the flaws I see.
1535826
A wonderful, well-paced gothic thriller - full of atmosphere, eccentric well-rounded characters, and just enough subtly and "blanks" for your own imagination to fill in. I immediately became invested in the narrator's situation and found the book hard to put down as it spiraled out of control and he became deeper and deeper involved in the story of the Ayreses. This was like a blend of The Turn of the Screw, The Haunting of Hill House, Grey Gardens and Rebecca. Really enjoyed this read. I think those complaining that it wasn't "scary" enough were expecting something more like Stephen King. The ghosts that haunt these characters are far more interesting than whatever supernatural forces may or may not at work.
3603938
I was looking forward to reading Are You Watching Me by Sinead Crawley, the second outing for Sgt Clare Boyle, and I wasn't disappointed.  In another twisting and creepy chiller, Ms Crawley explores the nature of obsession, isolation and the underbelly of life where it's difficult to know which outsider has the real secret to hide.  It gallops along with a sense of threat and menace building as the body count rises.

It's a simple premise; a drop in centre run by people with a past, a stalker and murder.  But what's the connection? As the story gathers pace and more characters are introduced, it's difficult to second guess the outcome.  The plotting is great with intrigue and suspense in equal measure.  A strong sense of location and a great central character, Boyle, holding it all together as she hunts the killer.  A couple of interesting developments with her colleagues and I enjoyed the realistic dialogue and exchanges.  There's a real human interest side to this book; how a new mother with her sight set on her career manages the conflicting demands of her baby, husband, home and work.  As a secondary theme, it's well handled.

I like Boyle.  She's believable and a bit left of centre, so easy to empathise with who she is and how she works.  All in all, a great follow up and I'm convinced this is a series which will go from strength to strength.  Thoroughly enjoyed it.

My thanks to the publisher for ARC via Netgalley.
1924643
When runaway Eve is approached wealthy siblings Bain and Bridgette, she is wary. They tell her she looks exactly like their missing cousin Aurora, and they present her with a tantalizing offer: impersonate Aurora until her eighteenth birthday a few weeks away, and when the three cousins are granted their trust fund, disappear with $100,000. Eve knows that being an impostor is a dangerous game to play, but she's desperate for the money and to see what it'd like to be in a family. She plays her role almost too well, and everything is going as planned...until the ghost of Aurora's dead best friend begins haunting Eve. Eve tries to find out what Liza wants, and along the way uncovers secrets about the night Liza died and Aurora disappeared.

Michele Jaffe's Ghost Flower is a very suspenseful and mysterious novel that will ultimately leave you with more questions than answers. It's evident early on that Eve-turned-Aurora is an unreliable narrator, but the way she presents herself and the tiny snapshots of her troubled past make her more sympathetic than suspicious. The finer details of Bain and Bridgette's plan, their secret motives and relationships, and how Aurora is set up to pull of the impersonation is fascinating and very entertaining, even if the games she plays with all of the family members seem dangerous. The haunting and Liza's ghost is another very creepy aspect, but what makes this story so compelling are the peculiar family dynamics that control the main characters. As readers get closer to the end, lines become blurred and identities are questioned, but there is a bit of closure for Aurora and the readers. Nonetheless, this is a mind-bending thriller that will keep readers wondering after the final page.
2385512
I devoured this in one setting, I could not put it down. I can see the comparisons to Gone Girl due to the unreliable narrator aspect of this novel. Here there are three: Rachel the black out drunk, divorced hot mess; Anna, Rachel's ex's mistress and new wife; and Megan, the neighbor that Rachel has developed an idealized life, that has more than her own share of secrets. It took about 3/4 of the book for me to figure out who the real sociopath was in this novel, but it was an excellent journey. The writing is great, the story fast paced, and all three narrators are complex, multi-dimensional women. If you like thrillers or who-dunnits, you should definitely read this. I cannot wait for her next novel.
1732883
I made the mistake of starting After Anna at midnight and pulled an all-nighter. What a page-turner this story is! Julia, a soon to be divorced mother, arrives at five-year-old Anna's school for pickup. Stuck in a meeting, she is a half hour late and prepares herself for a dressing down by a teacher. What she is not expecting is news that Anna has gone missing. A frantic search yields no results.

Who is to blame? Julia, who not only stayed late, but also allowed her cell phone to die? The school, which had a policy of leaving none of its charges alone? All the blame is laid at the foot of the mother, especially by her estranged husband and his mother.

As time passes, the media become hyper and print stories about Julia that have little to no basis in fact. She quickly trends on Twitter as the most reviled woman in Britain.  She is the new Myra Hindley, the UK's notorious child killer in the 1960s. I had little sympathy for Julia until the media blitz began. Her milquetoast husband and his battle-axe of a mother revel in the negative stories about Julia, which makes them beyond redemption in my mind.

Hope for a good outcome dwindles after seven days, when Anna wanders unharmed into a shop. She remembers nothing. Game on! Why would someone kidnap a child, hold her hostage for a week and release her unharmed?

Thus begins a series of twists and turns that last until the final page. I was sure about the identity of the kidnapper. Alex Lake could have increased the suspense by reducing what the kidnapper said when thinking out loud, but the perpetrator never revealed the method and the motive.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wish that professional critics would stop comparing every book in this genre to Gone Girl and Girl on a Train. Each book stands alone!
3166872
Jake and Cassie have been friends for 20 years until one night changes everything.  Jakes leaves and doesn't return until Cassie is in danger from a stalker.  At first the stalker seems harmless but as the story unfolds, like most stalkers, he escalates.  All of Cassie friends are in danger because they block the stalker from Cassie.  Jake is a primary target because he is coming to grips with his love for Cassie.

All in all a quick paced story.  The stalker is quite a surprise as is the length of time he has been stalking Cassie and why.  A particular surprise 3/4 through the story is particularly satisfying.

I found Ms. Snow's style quite satisfying. The read was fast-paced and easy to follow all of the character lines.
1712238
Cannot put this down. Ordering his earlier books immediately. This guy must have so many stalkers/admirers, can't stop reading!
4503497
If you like thrillers, or novels about serial killers, this is a great book. The action starts immediately, with Zoe, the main character, waking up in a shed while her friend is being tortured. The book is incredibly fast-paced, absolutely riveting, and the characters are complex and well-developed. You really get a good feel for Zoe, and the struggles she faces as she tries to get her life on track while still wracked with survivor's guilt.

I'll admit I didn't have high expectations for this book at first. The opening chapter seems a bit far-fetched. (Spoiler...but it's the first chapter so hopefully not too much of a spoiler) Zoe has been abducted by a serial killer, but wakes up in a shed with a toolbox and a saw, and then discovers her car outside with the keys still in it. But suspend disbelief for one chapter because the rest of the book is absolutely worth it.
3702781
With snappy dialog, off-beat teen characters, and a whip-smart high-speed plot, this book took me on a wild ride that I didn't want to end, so the only thing that disappointed me was reading the last page which made me long for a sequel. Im not sure if one is planned, but some questions are left hanging and the story could definitely continue.

Zoe Websters parents have just split up, forcing her to move to a small town with her mother, though shes always been closer to her type-A father, and leaving her feeling displaced, resentful, and bored. Trying to make inroads into her new high schools insular social scene has been a disaster, and then neurotic, intrusive, super-smart, utterly idiosyncratic Philip Digby shows up with his crazy ideas and rash schemes and things get even worse.

Its not that trouble follows Digby, he chases it and for some reason includes Zoe in all his plans. She could refuse--and sometimes she does or tries to--but Zoes got nothing else to do, shes tired of obsessively trying to strategize her future, and besides shes intrigued. The book opens in the middle of their story with Zoe desperately and inexplicably trying to get inside a house wired with enough explosives to level the block, then jumps to the first day of school and Zoes initial aggravating, unsettling encounter with tell-it-like-it-is-to-the-point-of-rudeness Digby.

It turns out theres some reason in Digbys mad schemes, but we don't find out what that is for a while. Digby has a difficult family situation and an unresolved tragedy in his past that drive his actions, which makes it sound like the book might be heavy but its almost absurdly funny.

A religious cult, a skeevy gynecologist, high stakes crime, and the jungle politics of high school all figure in the plot. Theres some romance, but its far from typical, and a crime is solved, but a mystery is left hanging. Front and center is Zoes maddening, enlightening relationship with Digby and their harebrained, rapidly evolving adventures. This is a debut novel--cant wait for the next book.
4694634
The Girl With no Past by Kathryn Croft is a 300 page thriller, full of suspense and turns that kept me guessing through every single page. Although, when I went to write this review, I couldn't remember a single thing about the book and had to go back, I didn't mind because I knew that as I read the book, I was completely engrossed (the kind that makes me ignore phone calls from folks I haven't spoken to in ages and conversations of my children). Published in 2015 by Bookouture, this psychological thriller focuses on Leah and an incident in her past that is fast threatening to catch up with her. Stalked by an unknown stranger, someone who knows her darkest secret, Leah locks herself away with no one--well, one someone--to help her. It isn't until the mystery stalker makes his/her presence known that Leah figures out why her life is systematically being destroyed. Gripping, chilling, smart, with a heroine I couldn't quite love, didn't have a real reason to hate,  this is one of those books that kept me on the edge of my seat, turning page after page until I knew the truth. This author has a way  of drawing the reader in while guarding the secrets closely for the big reveal at the end.  I can only give it 4 stars because though I read other books this weekend, I had to go back and look up the details I'd forgotten.
3831421
Pretty good thriller with some nice twists and turns. You really get into the mind of the paranoid main character, constantly feeling threats around every corner, consistently thinking each new person met could be a threat regardless of their suggested intentions. Things spin at a relatively nice and fast pace, building to a really fun climax. I immediately looked up the series and was happy to see the second book is coming in December of this year - I will definitely be checking it out.
709608
A woman with terminal cancer decides to kill her stalker. That's the one-sentence description of Camela Thompson's All the Pretty Bones that raised my eyebrows and piqued my interest. Add a promise of vampires--non-sparkly ones at that--to the mix and I wanted to know more about this book.

I was not disappointed.

Olivia Kardos is a well-drawn heroine with the strength to face difficult decisions and situations, yet enough flaws to feel real. The glimpse Thompson gives us into the mind of Olivia's stalker is gripping, dark, and visceral, allowing the reader to understand him without sympathizing with his sadistic, controlling, sociopathic heart.

The first chapter grabbed me so completely that I was a quarter of the way through the book before the end of my first reading session, and I swiftly picked it up again to plunge onward. That said, I did find the pace slowed a little more than I personally liked around the 2/3rds mark, but that's only a nitpick. Readers more familiar with this genre than I may feel differently, and enjoy the extra time spent with the characters.

All the Pretty Bones has a complete story arc, but it's also the first in a series. Thompson manages to put an excellent new twist on the vampire legend that caught me by surprise a few times as I read. (One warning: Don't read the legend/appendix at the back of the book until after you finish, as it will spoil some things.) Thompson introduces some fantastic world-building that makes me eager to see where things go from here.

Definitely worth a read if you like some supernatural darkness served alongside a modern thriller.
1563837
I loved this book. I was amazed at how Kepnes wrote a sociopath so relatably, at some points I was thinking 'man can't he just catch a break' despite the fact he was a violent stalker. Finished within a day. Start it on the weekend because its a difficult one to put down.
4485397
This book is an incredibly gruesome page-turner that I devoured in two days. The narrative switches points of view between today's Libby Day and then Ben Day (brother) and Patty Day (mother) the day before the massacre. You get the modern day detective girl, trying to track down what really happened (although very halfheartedly at first), and then the actual accounts of the events leading to the massacre from two of the most crucial players. The end of each chapter leaves you upset that this person's account is ending. Each chapter left you with a little something that you wanted more of desperately, but just couldn't get enough, like cookie crumbs. You just wanna eat the whole cookie, but she keeps dropping only little bits and pieces! Gillian Flynn has an amazing talent at building suspense. What I really loved was how human the whole thing seemed. The characters were so perfectly flawed, not over exaggerated, and not just having been dumped into a bad situation. Her characters feel real. You could feel the desperation of poverty from them. I look forward to so much more from Gillian Flynn!