Compelling stand alone book
353443
Though Myron bolitar books are my favorite,I clear all out when a new coben book is released.this one did not disappoint.nay twists and turns,great characters (as someone else said, you do feel you are in each character's head) and a resolution that was in anticipated.
2404503
The author has done an excellent job of telling a compelling story while creating characters that have depth. Great job and I hope to read more from this author.
2674501
Though this was a really good story and extremely well written, it does not stand alone well. There is so much background material I was missing that would have made the experience even more enjoyable. I plan on going back to read the others, but I kinda feel disappointed that the stories that unfold will not be as compelling now that I've been "spoiled". That being said, I totally enjoyed this read. Kelli Maine is a talented writer and her plot twists were well woven into the story and I was fascinated to watch it unravel. The characters were compelling, I think it's a fairly character driven series. The pacing was even, the settings detailed and the dialogue clever and appropriate.
*I received my copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
4250789
I don't leave reviews often but feel compelled to share that this book is an exceptionally compelling read. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to read more from this guy.
4825009
A great read--well-developed characters with a plot that immediately pulled you in.  A hard topic given its unfortunate relevance to today's society, but addressed in an empathetic and highly compelling manner.  Oddly enough, for a "romance novel", the romance aspect fell a little flat, as it was almost a side bar to the rest of the story.  But that was okay, as the rest of the story was very compelling.
1883282
Even though this book is part of the Tony Hill/ Carol Jordan series Val McDermid does an excellent job of making it a stand alone book. You don't  have to read the preceding books before reading it but afterwards you might want to.

In the beginning of the book one woman's body is found and another woman has gone missing - are the two crimes connected? The author let me feel I was very clever by letting me think  that I'd figured it but then I would be wrong and this happened more than once. One thing I really liked about the author's writing is that even though terrible things happened the author didn't go overboard with graphic details which to me make some books totally unreadable.

She also gives a good background and history for the characters but I also felt sometimes this slowed the book down and could have used a bit of editing.  How many times have we been told that juries expect to see evidence presented like on the tv show CSI. Also I didn't need to hear about budget cuts - it's a murder this evidence should be processed first.

I enjoyed this book but I felt I would have liked it better as an audio book. I did listen to the audible sample and liked the narrator - when I read it I didn't feel I had the right British accent in my head.  I didn't figure out who did it but I think readers who read more crime mysteries will have.  This book did make me more interested in the books that preceded it.  Read as a netgalley copy.
3834822
What I liked the most was this was a very compelling story - I hope there is another to continue this story.  I was VERY difficult to put down - the only reason I didn't finish this book in one sitting was that my Kindle was running out of battery life!!  Would recommend this book to any and all!
850441
This book was a wonderful surprise. The author touched on many current yet age old important topics. Being an Outcast in high school, college and in life which include touching on bullying, mixed race, gay marriage, adoption, homelessness and hazing among other issues. Thats a lot for one book, but the author was able to weave the subjects is a gentle yet powerful way. This is a standalone book in the Good Guys series. I have read all the books by the author, but I have to admit that I did not make the connection as to the book Dropout until Jimmy was mentioned so  the author did a great job making this a standalone book but a treat to those who have read Dropout.
3134287
This was a great stand alone book! The characters were engaging believable. It wonderful to read a story with a beginning, middle an ending. Thanks for NOT keeping us hanging on until we purchase another book.
3697227
I found Jodine Turner's debut Y.A. paranormal fantasy to be both a compelling read and a fascinating look into the Celtic/Gnostic religion. In Sharay's world, magic is real and priestesses are given special power from the Goddess of the Sea and Stars. Sharay was meant to be the head priestess but her jealous aunt, at the death of her parents, convinced her that the Goddess wasn't real. That her visions were no more than hallucinations. Now Sharay has been put into a mental health facility and a strange man has come to save her from the drugs and the black hole that is keeping her from her destiny.

This book includes many elements that I find compelling in a great read. It has deception, a darkness that must be overcome, romance, and most of all hope for a better future. The characters were all unique in their own way. Everyone has their own story, their own point of view, and their own motives for their actions. The plot moves along nicely, and the writing was very well done. I had a hard time putting this book down.

My only thoughts on the young adult aspect of the book is that there is a very detailed sex scene. I would say this book is better off read by an older young adult audience, one that can deal with mature scenes and subject matter.

I recommend this book to both adults and older teens interested in the paranormal genre, especially those who are fascinated by world religions.
4131218
I'm going to start this review by noting that I've already read and reviewed book 2, so my review is influenced by my feelings towards the sequel.

That said, this book was a wonderful start to a series.  The characters aren't presented in a way to allow you to get to know them, but in many cases that was a very deliberate choice of the author, who wanted you to be caught up in the uncertainty he was having the main character live through.

And that made this an extremely compelling book.  You have a main character who is more than a bit of a jerk at times, but still ends up being a tragic and heroic figure due to what happens to him.  The supporting cast helps build that same uncertainty with actions that won't always make sense when you read them, but which clear up later once the hero understands more.

Well written, and with surprisingly good characters.  I rated this highly and quickly got book 2.

However, I'll note that there were things that bothered me.  I give this book 4 stars.  It deserved it in my mind, but I could have easily justified a much lower rating if I had chosen to focus on the flaws rather than the good points.  In this case the writing helped me get past the flaws, but not everyone will
3986473
I really enjoyed reading this book. The author does a good job drawing you into the story. The characters are well developed and even though this is part of a series, it is a complete stand alone novel. I would read more from this author.
1776782
I'm glad I read this one.  The story was very compelling and easy to follow.  The author brings to life two main characters and alternates the telling of their stories between chapters, and I'm curious to see how these two characters become intertwined in future books.  Like any good book in a series, the ending leaves you wanting for more, and I'm excited to see where it all goes from here.
513313
While this is called "Book Two", that by no means makes it necessary to read the series.  I had not read Book One prior to reading this, but I instantly understood the characters.  Probably 3/4 of the book occurs during one night, when Hardly and Walter are on listening duty in an attic in Ireland, with flashbacks to different times in Hardly's life, including his teenage years and various events during his 20 years in the British Army.  It's a very compelling story, with a satisfactory ending.
1673606
I loved this book! Caroline is a woman to whom the unthinkable happened fifteen years ago. Her 2 year old daughter Samantha was taken from her crib at a resort in Mexico while "her parents cavorted with friends". The press was not kind to her, citing everything from her clothes to her composure. Every five years the press dredges up the cold case on its anniversary. This year is different. Caroline receives a call from Lili in Canada who thinks she may be Samantha. Told in alternating chapters set in the present as she deals with Lili and the past as she dealt with the kidnapping and its effect on her marriage and her life the book presents a compelling heroine in Caroline as she struggles to be what everyone thinks she should be. I don't want to give any spoilers but the ending was unexpected to me. Read it. I think you will enjoy it.
3037226
"Open" was aptly named, with a very compelling story craftily assembled by an outstanding ghost-writer. While not an Andre or tennis spectator previously, I found the human interest aspects interwoven with the competitive and grueling nature of high-profile sports made this a highly recommended read for virtually anyone.  It was not until the end that I discovered that Andre had wisely hired a Pulitzer-winning author to ghost write (or "assist") this undertaking.  "Open" provides a rare insight into the good, the bad, and the abnormal making of a champion, and provides gritty, but shallow, glimpses into the undesirable aspects of tennis and Andre's life within that life.  Perhaps more than a few of these negative aspects are glossed over to appear Open when in fact the descriptions were less so.  But the actual title would have been less compelling had it read "Almost Open".  Go with it; a truly enjoyable read for anyone.  Vance Hilderman, August 2010.
129920
This was the first book in the David Raker series I have read and it was very easy to read as a stand alone novel. Tim Weaver writes impeccably with a wonderful grasp of what the reader wants in my opinion. A very good plot that twists and turns wonderfully adds to what is good in this book.

When Leonard Franks and his wife Ellie leave the clamor of London for a dream retirement on the seclusion of Dartmoor, everything seems perfect. But then the dream shatters. Late on a January afternoon, only two years into their new life, Leonard leaves the house to fetch firewood - and never returns. Nine months later, he's still missing.

With the police investigation dead in the water, Ellie and her family turn to David Raker. Raker tracks down missing people for a living. He knows how they think. But nothing can prepare him for what he's about to find.

Leonard's disappearance is out of the ordinary, no clues were left behind as to where he went, why he went or indeed did he leave or was he taken, it seems he vanished into thin air on the moors of Dartmoor not far from his home. It seems an impossible thing, yet it happened.

Leonard is a retired high ranking police officer and his daughter, Melanie Craw is a police officer too. Melanie has come across David Raker in the past, in her career under different circumstances and it is she who asks Raker, with his private investigation skills to find her dad.

As Raker begins his investigation there are a lot of brick walls and diversions, it's not a clear cut path for him at all. This is where the author really shines with his writing as he hold the readers interest during each and every moment of the plot rolling out. It's fascinating to watch the pieces of the puzzle start to come together as we watch Raker dig deep to find answers.

With a cast of strong characters, Fall From Grace is a memorable read, a slightly different take on most crime books I read, it's interesting having it coming from the angle of a PI rather than an entire police team. The characters are fascinating, many of them dual sided with depth.

This is a book where nothing is as it seems, it keeps you guessing all the way along, even to the very end. I could not predict the outcomes and situations that Raker was going to come up against, very cleverly inserted into the book. Just when I thought I had it all worked out I would be flipped on my head to realise I had worked nothing out. It really doesn't expose it's secrets easily this book.

The plot is excellent, it moves at a steady pace, with consistency. Some of the settings for the story are fascinating and I liked the way there was so much movement from location to location. From metropolitan London streets to the moors of Dartmoor, to little towns in Devon and more. It had me sucked in to the scenes well and truly.

As Raker uncovers more than he bargains for and the answers start to come to light the final few chapters really move along with plenty of revelations and action as long hidden secrets and lies are exposed and the victim, perpetrator and bystander roles all seem to meld together until you don't know what is what. But then the mist clears again.

My ONLY criticism in this book is I felt the ending was a touch rushed and it was a bit of an info-dump, lots of conversation and things being revealed but it felt a bit forced, again, it's a minor criticism as the book is an excellent read.

It's not a graphically violent crime novel, it's pure sleuthing and it's done with finesse and style. I can highly recommend this book to both old and new fans of the David Raker series, and newcomers to the books don't be shy either, I will certainly be reading more of this series now I have had my first taste of it.

4.5 stars for Fall From Grace. A very good read.
Comment