kmarford's review against another edition
2.0
I liked that the narrative revolved around the main character Sam, a female journalist returning to her alma mater Yale for a college reunion with the private intention of creating a documentary investigating the death of a student. She begins uncovering a political rivalry between the Gallagher and Pruitt families; a sinful dynasty filled with corruption, manipulation, and deception.
Unfortunately, the main character, Sam, was the only character worth investing in, aside from her 14-year-old daughter Joss, who as a teenager is likable and at times irritating. Some of the characters were one-dimensional, stereotypical, and often impossible to emotionally relate to. The dialogue is stiff at times.
While this political thriller is an intriguing conception based on a pursuit of power, it felt like an unfinished thought.
Unfortunately, the main character, Sam, was the only character worth investing in, aside from her 14-year-old daughter Joss, who as a teenager is likable and at times irritating. Some of the characters were one-dimensional, stereotypical, and often impossible to emotionally relate to. The dialogue is stiff at times.
While this political thriller is an intriguing conception based on a pursuit of power, it felt like an unfinished thought.
cmakin17's review
4.0
A thrilling mystery, “The Pinebox Vendetta” delves into a centuries old feud between two influential families: The Pruitt’s and Gallagher’s. The story starts off a bit slow as Samantha Lessing arrives at her 20 year Ivy League reunion with plans to create a documentary around the feud’s effect on their class during their college years, but soon finds herself deep in the middle of a present day clash. No one is prepared for the shocking surprises that this Ivy League reunion holds for old flames and rivals. With a suspenseful plot and a strong cast of characters who have their own share of flaws, this book makes for a quick, page-turning read that has me wondering what the next installment holds.
nici2023's review against another edition
4.0
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I really enjoyed The Pinebox Vendetta! It kept me intrigued the whole way through. I was a little confused about the inferences to the title. Either it was mentioned earlier in the book and I missed it or the term was only mentioned towards the end. I figured out the plot twist pretty early, but it was still enjoyable to see it play out and find out more details. I would highly recommend this book!
cecelia_isaac_author's review against another edition
5.0
Super enjoyable! Taking place over a weekend class reunion at Yale, the story introduces a family feud, and how it impacts the lives it crosses. The political/cultural conflicts were timely, and the attention to detail really made the story reflect our world in a nuanced way. The characters were so well done. The author tricked me into caring about what happens to a disgusting guy like Rock Pruitt! (Mostly, I wanted him to get punched in the face, but it's always fun to see a truly devious character in action.)
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