cleonardodavinci's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
muma56's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
nm_young's review against another edition
DID NOT FINISH — I will not rate a book that I shelf as “did not finish.” I don’t believe it’s fair to put a rating on books I didn’t read from beginning to end.
brittany_tellefsen's review against another edition
4.0
Well this ended up being a crack-level addiction I was not expecting. I easily flew through this in 24 hours and did not want to stop!
**Quick Note: I listened to this via audio, and while the narrator was talented in the variety of voices he was able to perform, the voices he used were ridiculously annoying. Matt, one of the main characters, was given a very high-pitched, nasally, whiny voice that did not suit him at all, and all female characters were given that breathy, soft, stereotypical voice often used by male narrators. I was able to over come that, but it was highly annoying.
In 1985, then detective Edward Shank pulled the trigger of the gun that killed a man thought to be the Beacon Hill Butcher, the serial killer taunting Seattle. The take down made Edward's career, boosting him to Chief of Police where he remained until retirement.
Now, thirty years later, Shank is preparing to move himself into a retirement home and his grandson, Matt, a successful Seattle restauranteur, is moving back into Ed's Victorian home in a nice Seattle neighborhood. Matt was raised by Edward and his grandma, after his mom died at a very young age and now, the house his childhood home is officially his. So when he moves in, he starts renovations, making the house his own. But while doing so, he literally unearths a box of family secrets and what's inside, with turn his world upside down. The secret is so horrific, so gruesome, he struggles with whether he can tell anyone.
Meanwhile Matt's girlfriend, Sam, a published true-crime writer, is hard at work on her next book which will be all about the Beacon Hill Butcher, which is a personal case for Sam. Sam's mom was murdered in 1987 and though this occurred two years after the Butcher was killed, Sam has always believed the circumstances of her mom's death were too closely related to the Butcher's MO to be a coincidence. She believes the Butcher is still alive, and that the wrong man paid the price. And as she starts to dig deeper and uncover clues, she starts to come close to the secret Matt holds.
Told from the three separate perspectives of Edward, Matt, and Sam, we follow all three as the truth is revealed no matter the cost.
This was my first experience with Jennifer Hillier and it will certainly not be my last. I was hooked from the beginning (the end of that first chapter....holy cow!) and plowed my way through it whenever I could.
Hillier towed a great balance here between character-driven, and plot-driven narrative. As we are told the story through three perspectives, you come to know each character fairly well, understanding their personality, motive, and priorities. While I wouldn't necessarily say you truly connect with the characters, you definitely get enough to understand them which I appreciated.
I enjoyed how Hillier put the twist right up front with the story, so that you got that shock factor out of the way, and then waited to see how it all played out. There were, of course, a few other revelations thrown in throughout the story, but the main was definitely in that first chapter.
Overall, this was a solid read, different from anything else I have read in the genre, and I am looking forward to reading more from Hillier
**Quick Note: I listened to this via audio, and while the narrator was talented in the variety of voices he was able to perform, the voices he used were ridiculously annoying. Matt, one of the main characters, was given a very high-pitched, nasally, whiny voice that did not suit him at all, and all female characters were given that breathy, soft, stereotypical voice often used by male narrators. I was able to over come that, but it was highly annoying.
In 1985, then detective Edward Shank pulled the trigger of the gun that killed a man thought to be the Beacon Hill Butcher, the serial killer taunting Seattle. The take down made Edward's career, boosting him to Chief of Police where he remained until retirement.
Now, thirty years later, Shank is preparing to move himself into a retirement home and his grandson, Matt, a successful Seattle restauranteur, is moving back into Ed's Victorian home in a nice Seattle neighborhood. Matt was raised by Edward and his grandma, after his mom died at a very young age and now, the house his childhood home is officially his. So when he moves in, he starts renovations, making the house his own. But while doing so, he literally unearths a box of family secrets and what's inside, with turn his world upside down. The secret is so horrific, so gruesome, he struggles with whether he can tell anyone.
Meanwhile Matt's girlfriend, Sam, a published true-crime writer, is hard at work on her next book which will be all about the Beacon Hill Butcher, which is a personal case for Sam. Sam's mom was murdered in 1987 and though this occurred two years after the Butcher was killed, Sam has always believed the circumstances of her mom's death were too closely related to the Butcher's MO to be a coincidence. She believes the Butcher is still alive, and that the wrong man paid the price. And as she starts to dig deeper and uncover clues, she starts to come close to the secret Matt holds.
Told from the three separate perspectives of Edward, Matt, and Sam, we follow all three as the truth is revealed no matter the cost.
This was my first experience with Jennifer Hillier and it will certainly not be my last. I was hooked from the beginning (the end of that first chapter....holy cow!) and plowed my way through it whenever I could.
Hillier towed a great balance here between character-driven, and plot-driven narrative. As we are told the story through three perspectives, you come to know each character fairly well, understanding their personality, motive, and priorities. While I wouldn't necessarily say you truly connect with the characters, you definitely get enough to understand them which I appreciated.
I enjoyed how Hillier put the twist right up front with the story, so that you got that shock factor out of the way, and then waited to see how it all played out. There were, of course, a few other revelations thrown in throughout the story, but the main was definitely in that first chapter.
Overall, this was a solid read, different from anything else I have read in the genre, and I am looking forward to reading more from Hillier
amymalbeuf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jackiesreadingjourney's review against another edition
4.0
I finished this last night and man, this was dark. Check ⚠️ TWs on this one because there is an abundance of dark themes, but two that I’ll mention that won’t ruin the story is r@pe and murd3r.
I’m sensitive so those topics aren’t easy for me to read, but this story was so compulsively unputdownable and thrilling that I could not stop. This was a buddy read and reading only five chapters a night was difficult, but this story was perfect for that. Each chapter ended with nonstop twisty turny goodness.
I’m sensitive so those topics aren’t easy for me to read, but this story was so compulsively unputdownable and thrilling that I could not stop. This was a buddy read and reading only five chapters a night was difficult, but this story was perfect for that. Each chapter ended with nonstop twisty turny goodness.
eeeceetee's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mikarous's review
4.0
I loved this book it was amazing to follow each of the characters pov. I enjoyed Samantha's pov the most because she was really the person almost bridging all the characters together in a way and I loved seeing her solve everything out.
The reason I couldn't give it anything higher than a 4 stars was because I really disliked a character in this book. Now dont get me wrong characters have flaws and I enjoy seeing it in books since not everyone is perfect but this character in particular I really couldn't like. I tried and failed everytime to find him even a tiny bit likeable. Every action or word he said irritated me to no end. For that reason, and that reason alone, I couldn't give this book anything higher than a 4 stars
The reason I couldn't give it anything higher than a 4 stars was because I really disliked a character in this book. Now dont get me wrong characters have flaws and I enjoy seeing it in books since not everyone is perfect but this character in particular I really couldn't like. I tried and failed everytime to find him even a tiny bit likeable. Every action or word he said irritated me to no end. For that reason, and that reason alone, I couldn't give this book anything higher than a 4 stars
sorman0110's review against another edition
3.0
Quick and easy read with some creepy, tension-filled moments. For the most part, I enjoy this author's work.
jessica_'s review against another edition
2.5
This was almost a great story, but the characters ruined it for me.
They all sucked -.-
You have the former police detective who hates all this PC bullshit and misses the days he could objectify woman, be casually racist, and just say whatever he wanted without being judged.
I will however remember him as one of the greatest serial killers of fiction even if his kills required some plot convince.
Matt, the worst boyfriend in the world, who’s not ready for a commitment with his girlfriend of 3 years as his priorities is work. Not that thats bad in itself, he’s open and honest about his priorities, but his narcissism was exhausting (and I usually LOVE a narcissistic character. But he was pathetic with his ‘oh I get so angry and lash out’ 'its not my fault, I can’t control my anger’ boohoo, woe is me- he has the emotional intelligence/regulations of a 3 year old.
However, given the psychological stuff that he goes through in this book he is my favourite of all the terrible characters
His girlfriend Samatha was the worst. She started off interesting as she wants to find the serial killer who killed her mother. But she just can’t stop herself from hating and degrading any woman who dares come in contact with their boyfriend or best friend. Constantly calling them sluts or airheads because *gasp* they are attractive
Through in the most boring “love triangle” that a 5 year old could tell how it was going to end- it was bad.
On top of that everyone goes out of their way to say this woman sounded blonde, this 15 year old girlfriend was a slut... what is with the overwhelming amount of just hatred towards women in this book? I expect it from the serial killer but its everyone?!
The plot itself was entertaining and fact paced and if even one of the characters wasn't detestable, and if you removed that stupid love triangle, this could have been a five star read.
They all sucked -.-
You have the former police detective who hates all this PC bullshit and misses the days he could objectify woman, be casually racist, and just say whatever he wanted without being judged.
I will however remember him as one of the greatest serial killers of fiction even if his kills required some plot convince.
Matt, the worst boyfriend in the world, who’s not ready for a commitment with his girlfriend of 3 years as his priorities is work. Not that thats bad in itself, he’s open and honest about his priorities, but his narcissism was exhausting (and I usually LOVE a narcissistic character. But he was pathetic with his ‘oh I get so angry and lash out’ 'its not my fault, I can’t control my anger’ boohoo, woe is me- he has the emotional intelligence/regulations of a 3 year old.
However, given the psychological stuff that he goes through in this book he is my favourite of all the terrible characters
His girlfriend Samatha was the worst. She started off interesting as she wants to find the serial killer who killed her mother. But she just can’t stop herself from hating and degrading any woman who dares come in contact with their boyfriend or best friend. Constantly calling them sluts or airheads because *gasp* they are attractive
Through in the most boring “love triangle” that a 5 year old could tell how it was going to end- it was bad.
On top of that everyone goes out of their way to say this woman sounded blonde, this 15 year old girlfriend was a slut... what is with the overwhelming amount of just hatred towards women in this book? I expect it from the serial killer but its everyone?!
The plot itself was entertaining and fact paced and if even one of the characters wasn't detestable, and if you removed that stupid love triangle, this could have been a five star read.