More suspenseful than I'd expected
349782
I finally got around to reading this after years of listening to the Jimmy Buffett musical (which, contrary to what some earlier reviewers seem to think, already exists).  I therefore already knew how the story ended, but with a hundred or so pages left to go I was involved enough to hope they'd changed it from the book.  No dice, unfortunately, but it's still a far more engaging story than I was expecting.

If you're wondering - as I was - how a story of a guy who buys a hotel could possibly be entertaining, don't worry.  I don't know quite how Wouk did it, but he did.  The sequence of events sometimes does seem a bit Hollywood-ish, in the sense that you think things can't possibly get any worse for Norman Paperman and friends, but oh look, they just did.  For that matter, they sometimes also get better faster than you'd ever expect in real life.  Still, the story does draw you in and make you root for Norman to tough it out regardless of what the island and its cast of loony characters throw at him next.  Speaking of which, Wouk is a genius when it comes to original yet strangely convincing characters.  Even if the action dragged (which it doesn't), the book would be a fun read for them alone.

Through it all, you just might find yourself wanting to run off to the tropics and start life over again too.  Perhaps unintentionally on Wouk's part, the Papermans' lifestyle back in New York comes across as so dreary that it's easy to believe Norman would rather cope with disaster after disaster than go home!  It is, of course, easier to say that when we're only reading about the big adventure rather than living it.  But it does make for a fun read.
3148908
Ultimately, I'm very glad I stuck with this book past the first pages, as it's a suspenseful and tightly woven story. I've never been to southern California, and as someone in her late 50s, I just hadn't encountered much of the youthful slang before ("locies", "a booty call", "glossed", even a whole sentence "August blows."). Also, there are many characters introduced very early and many of them have strange names, so I guess it was a mistake to read this before its predecessor "The Dawn Patrol." But the rich context, with its evocative metaphors, manages to make the meanings clear and the characters memorable. And the dialog is extremely clever. Around about page 90, I realized that I wouldn't put the book down until I was finished. I did indeed gain what feels like an intimate appreciation for some aspects of the surfer culture.
4079310
I thoroughly enjoyed this story.  While I sort of figured out who the killer was early on, I certainly didn't see the twist at the end coming.  The story line, while not necessarily totally original, was well-written enough that it didn't feel hackneyed.  It still kept my interest.

And, I really look forward to reading more about Det Stone and her crew (although I had hoped that she would have turned out to be a lesbian - hey, my 2 favorite genres in one book would have been great)
3713895
Unreliable manages to offer the reader a lot of suspense, and had me on the hook to figure out what the mother's confession was all about.
As other reviewers mentioned, the character development is really good, especially the use of numerology to imbue a personality to each house she revisits. The author's choice to tell the story in non-chronological order also adds to the suspense without getting confusing to follow. I wish the author would have explored making Edwina stronger/darker and less apologetic. There are a few unanswered questions at the end that I felt should have been cleared up.
1300050
I thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful story from beginning to end.  There are more twists and turns than expected.  By the time the story reaches the big reveal, I still wasn't ready for it to be over.  Will be looking for more by this author.
1042861
I started this book and realized pretty quickly that I did not like any of the people in it. I almost stopped after page 40 something because it just seemed so incredibly dark. I am very glad I kept going. This is a great read. The characters are compelling (sort of like watching a major train wreck) and the author does a good job of escalating suspense throughout the book. The writing seems so effortless, and unlike some of the other reviewers I enjoyed her time and perspective shifts. I felt that they added to the tension and kept things going at just the perfect edge of your seat, grind your teeth pace. I won't spoil the ending, suffice it to say that I didn't see it coming and even though I'm still not sure if I like Libby Day, I understand her a whole lot better. This book is probably not for everyone, but if you have a taste for mid-western crime, this one is particularly sinister.
3706914
This book was suspenseful but not so gripping that I couldn't put it down when I had to deal with the day-to-day realities of being a mom of three preschoolers, so it was perfect for me. There were some character quirks that I felt were stretching reality a little bit.

*SPOILER*

For instance, even after having been shot by Alex, Natasha persists in blogging, thinking that he won't REALLY come back and kill her. I think that if someone felt as strongly as Natasha did about blogging, she would probably do it if she didn't have anyone else to consider. But as a mom, I find it hard to believe that a mother would risk her childrens safety with a threat as imminent as Alex hanging over their heads.

Also, I felt like Alex pushed his luck, too. If he really was willing to kill for Chrysler for eight years to protect his sister, it seems like not killing Natasha after she started blogging again and Chrysler told Alex to get rid of her was a sure-fire way to get his sister killed. In addition, since he was so good at getting in and out of police perimeters and alarm systems and locked doors, etc., it seems like he had the skills to rescue his sister in much less time than eight years.

*SPOILER OVER*

But without these quirks, the framework of the story would have been compromised, and Im willing to suspend belief in a few things in reality to enjoy a story.

This book has no sex. It has a little violence, but its not very graphic.

Disclaimer: I was given a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
4729552
This story was an enjoyable read, though not what I expected.  I expected a travel romance and yes, there is romance between the two main characters, Paige and Nick, who have come back together to chaperone some teen tourists after his secrets led him to abruptly break off their relationship four months previous.  But the suspenseful part of the tale is much more front and center as the hero watches for danger to overtake the travel group while trying to find the culprit who set up an ambush that killed his best friend and almost got him as well. His doubts about a couple of teens on the tour and his investigation of his friend's death hold some serious twists and surprises and, through it all, Nick tries to win Paige's trust without drawing her in to danger.  If you are expecting a travelogue, you won't find much of one here, even though the group heads from Belgium, through France and Germany over a 19-day tour.

I received an Advance Copy of this book from the author at no cost.  This is my honest review.
2357345
This was even better than I expected - terrific book, on many levels.  Suspenseful story about characters I came to care about, and with an unseen ending.
3514634
Kept me entertained, even though the plot was expected
2485390
This is a very good suspense novel.  Just when I thought I knew who was who and who was going to do what, thinking that this was too easy, the author turned a corner--or two--and surprised me.  The only reason that I did not give this a higher rating was because I was bothered by the flimsy evidence that kept the detectives convinced of the guilt of the main character.  However, I urge readers to keep going, wait until all the pieces are on the board, before you dismiss this story.  I like the extra added attractions of romance and spiritual journeys that make this novel more than just an ordinary page-turner.
3992931
I had a hard time reading this book. There were parts that were a bit slow, and other parts that were so suspenseful I had to walk away. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though-- I was so invested in the characters that I was getting upset during the last few chapters, when I thought there was no way they could get through their situation. I thought there was no way there could be a happy ending. But in the end, it was very satisfying. I enjoyed the twists and the way the story resolved itself. I look forward to reading the rest of the books about these characters.
1840800
Full of twists and turns that kept me guessing, Heart Failure is an entertaining suspense novel. It's also a medical novel, a fact that I thought might grow tiresome. Instead, I loved reading about Carrie's medical practice and patients, and I especially enjoyed reading about the diagnosis of different health problems.

While the novel is quite entertaining, I found the suspense aspect to be a bit lacking. I never doubted that Carrie and Adam would make it through the novel largely unscathed, and even when they were in danger, I found the novel more intriguing than suspenseful. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book, but I didn't feel it lived up to Mabry's last thrill ride of a novel, Stress Test.

Disclosure of material connection: I received a copy of this book free for review from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.
637785
I haven't read the authors first book, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one.  Lots of other reviewers have gone into the plot line, and suffice to say it kept me on the edge of my reader.  There may be better, more suspenseful books out there, but this one qualified, for me anyway, as a book I would call a 'beach read', and I enjoyed in immensely.  I gave it 4 stars because I thought the ending was a bit 'contrived', but overall it really held my attention from beginning to end.  It should make a really good movie.
2954923
It was suspenseful, and I did not anticipate the ending. The acting was subtle.  The movie reminded me a little of blade runner without as much action.
2517818
There was a lot to like about this story.  It was filled with suspense with quite a bit of action.  I liked the main character, Ray, and his friend, Samantha.  I also liked the banter among the FBI agents and the way they did not jump to conclusions about Ray immediately.  There were some Kindle formatting issues and much of the plot was unbelievable.  But I kept telling myself that this is fiction, and once I stopped concentrating on what was not believable, I was able to enjoy the book and the main premise of the plot.  Overall, I liked it.
445809
I must say that I do not regret purchasing this book. The plots and subplots were really suspenseful. The characters were for the most part well developed. I must say that all throughout the story I would get where I thought I knew who was behind it only to find out I was wrong time and again. Who really was behind it was a surprise.  Some of the subplots keep you guessing as well as to what in the world had happened and are just as entertaining to read their suspense as the main plot of the story. The reason behind all the "unexplained events" taking place at Stone Willow lodge could have been further developed. It felt all throughout the story like it was building up for something but then quickly it was explained with the explanation just thrown out there. Overall, this was a nice story and I look forward to checking out more work from the author.