Category: Suspense (Page 8 of 9)

Ultraxenopia by M.A. Phipps

August 11, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

In a society where oppression and conformity rule the masses and the slightest unusual behavior could be seen as treasonous, Wynter Reeves would do just about anything to ensure she isn’t noticed. However, when she begins to show symptoms of a rare and debilitating illness, she unwillingly attracts the attention of the State—in particular, the feared research facility known as the DSD. Through them she learns of the true nature of her condition, a disease known only as Ultraxenopia.

Thanks to the author for offering this book in exchange for a review!

This book is dark and unsettling, especially in the description of Wynter’s seizures and how much pain she is in during one of her episodes. She is kept unaware of what her true purpose is and used by the research facility to try to discover how the world ends.

When she ends up in the outside world, she is understandably naive and unsure of how she fits in. The author does a nice job of conveying her doubt and confusion, while painting a dystopian world with an underground community trying to fend for themselves. There is a love interest, which adds to Wynter’s dilemma but should be a big hit with the YA audience.

I found the medical and hospital settings the most interesting to me, as this is a new addition to the whole dystopian theme. Wynter is a strong girl and the author creates her character as one who develops character as the book goes on, with elements of suspense that will keep readers wondering what will happen next. Wynter has some hard choices to make and she struggles with them, just as an ordinary teen would. She experiences betrayal and hurt in some very well written scenes, and I felt my emotions stirred as I started to realize what was happening to her. So much responsibility heaped on a person!

This is book 1 of a trilogy, following the patterns of many dystopian works. The ending of the book is the obligatory cliffhanger, guaranteed to keep you waiting for book 2. I for one can’t believe what the author has Wynter do at the end….but that’s the idea. According to many positive reviews out there, a lot of people are invested in this series and are waiting anxiously for the next one. I’d love to see how Phipps can build on this popular story.

Want your own copy? You can pick it up [easyazon_link identifier=”0993217702″ locale=”US” nw=”y” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″]here[/easyazon_link].

The Doll Collector by Edward J. Jakubik

July 21, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Follow Special Crimes Unit Detective Beck McManus and his hunt for the Doll Collector. Six little girls—each about to turn seven years old—go missing in broad daylight without a trace. McManus and his long-time partner, Evan Graves, are tapped to head the investigation despite virulent protests from the police commissioner, who cites McManus’ own daughter’s kidnapping three years prior as evidence of his unsuitability. That case was never solved, and his daughter’s disappearance nearly cost Beck his career—and his sanity.

Many thanks to the author for gifting me this book! And thanks to my friend Jackie for suggesting it to me!

The characters and plot in this book were completely up my alley, and once I started reading this, I couldn’t put it down. I love a killer with a twisted background, and Jakubik does not disappoint with this sadistic kidnapper.

The character of Beck McManus is authentic, and the police procedural action is spot on. Especially nice for me was the setting of Jersey City, one town over from my hometown. The description of the area is perfect, adding to the gritty atmosphere.

There is some strife going on within the police department, as always. The Commissioner is loath to keep McManus as investigator on the Doll Collector case, and with good reason. The beleaguered cop has some demons that surface now and again, and this case may be the one to push him over the edge.

All the plotlines mesh well and keep the action going; the case, the backbiting, a bit of romance (not too much, which was great), horrifying detail of what the Doll Collector does with his poor victims, and a few shocking plot twists that impressed me and upset me at the same time. I’d love to know where the idea for this madman came from—it’s absolutely brilliant.

The only complaint I have, albeit minor, is that the author chose a lot of unique names for his characters, and I had to adjust to the oddity. Not the worst thing in the world, but it was harder for me to remember who everyone was in the beginning, since they all had unusual names!

Otherwise, I have nothing but good to say about this book. Jakubik should seriously consider making a series around McManus. There is truly enough talent here to support more books, and I can even see this being made into a movie as well.

If you are a fan of Thomas Harris or any other writer of psychological thrillers, please run to grab this book. You will not be disappointed, nor will you be able to get the crazed Doll Collector out of your mind anytime soon.

Yes, you want your own copy. You can pick it up[easyazon_link identifier=”1494204436″ locale=”US” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″]here[/easyazon_link].

Mistake Creek by Rachel Amphlett

July 17, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

When Nina O’Brien returns to the small town of Mistake Creek after ten years, she’s in a race against time to protect her father’s business from an incoming storm so it can be sold to pay for his urgent medical treatment.
As flood warnings echo over the radio and the storm breaks with enormous force across the tiny Californian community, Nina is joined by others seeking shelter from the onslaught.
Her life is changed forever when a stranger appears at her door, bloodied and incoherent.
With a ruthless killer exposed among the small group, Nina is thrust into a deadly conspiracy involving a military veteran seeking revenge and an FBI agent desperate to prevent a catastrophic terrorism threat.
Alone, with no means to raise the alarm, Nina realises that to save one man, she must learn to trust another.

Thanks to the author for giving me this book in exchange for a review.

MISTAKE CREEK is a thriller with lots of action. In the first part, a violent storm traps lead character Nina and a few others inside her family’s abandoned gas station. When people start dying, she finds out that a family friend is involved in an FBI sting operation. The action picks up even more after that, as Nina and FBI agent Kyle must escape from the gas station and prevent a terrorist from carrying out his plan. There are thrilling motorcycle rides, close escapes, and plenty of death and destruction as the book goes on.

Nina is a strong woman, not interested in being left behind while Kyle tries to save the day. Despite her asthma, she holds her own. Amphlett treats her characters equally; no shrinking violet females in her books! Even as a hint of romance stirs between Nina and Kyle, the action continues and soon the duo are fighting for their lives. There is a bit of MacGuyver in the FBI agent Kyle’s character, as he constructs bombs and figures out what household items make good weapons.

I felt suspense as I kept reading; would they be able to prevent disaster, or would they encounter it themselves? Amphlett is also not afraid to kill her characters–Nina’s family friend sustains serious wounds and you won’t find out until the end of the book if he lives or dies. Adding to the tension is the fact that Kyle is not able to use one of his arms well due to a shoulder injury he got in the first few pages.

Once things start rolling, MISTAKE CREEK is a straightforward read, with characters you can’t help but root for. I especially enjoyed the gleam in Kyle’s eyes every time he got ready to engage in combat…what a unique touch! The scenario is completely believeable, and it was easy to picture the surroundings in my mind, due to the author’s excellent eye for detail. Her description of the torrential storm in the beginning was fantastic. I was surprised to find myself not soaked and windblown, the narrative was that picturesque.

This book is another winner from Rachel Amphlett–do you want your own copy? You can pick it up [easyazon_link identifier=”B00X24VMOO” locale=”US” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″]here[/easyazon_link].

Praise Her, Praise Diana by Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks

July 10, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 1 Comment

Call it life imitating art—author Maggie Edwards publishes a chapter of a book detailing seduction, murder and castration by a protagonist named Diana, and suddenly a woman code-named Diana begins to mimic her actions in real time. Women who have been abused find Diana to be an inspirational figure, and begin to fight back in her name. Soon violence erupting throughout New York City threatens to spiral out of control. As the police try desperately to identify Diana, Maggie’s high-powered lawyer, Jane Larson, finds herself at the center of an investigation that threatens to upend the entire world around her.

Many thanks to the authors for providing this book in exchange for a review!

This book is intense. Everything about it is almost larger than life and dramatic—-the women with their desire to show the misogynists of the world how it feels to be afraid, Maggie and Jane’s internal struggle to come to terms with who they really are, the slowly dying figurehead of a feminist group who feels abandoned, and the utter violence that takes place again and again.

There are many subplots within this book. The main story is about Diana and the fervor with which she stirs up the city of New York. Also taking place is the story of a woman abused by her police officer boyfriend, the growing feelings between Maggie and Jane; Maggie’s past; the “book within a book” novel that Maggie is writing; and a militant feminist named Judith who hates all men (she calls them “Mr Pigs”) and doesn’t hesitate to turn to violence to make her point.

Judith was the hardest character for me to grasp. I wasn’t sure if I loved her or hated her at times, for her behavior was alternately strident and caring. In the beginning I thought of her as a fringe nutter, but as the book progressed she popped up at crucial times and came to other women’s aid. Brilliantly written.

Maggie and Jane bring a lot of personal drama to the book, and while I totally supported why they behaved the way they did, I grew weary of the push-pull dynamic. I wanted to say to both of them: COMMUNICATE!

Finally, the violence. Anyone who has ever felt fear, or suffered a physical attack by a man, has probably wanted to seek revenge in the way Diana does– with torture and castration. There were a few internal cheers on my end as catcalling men got their comeuppance from Judith and Co., for sure. The authors pull no punches in describing Maggie’s past, or how emotions can sway reason (in the case of the woman domestically abused, yet still in love with her boyfriend). All throughout these subplots, the violence simmers in the background, like a pot about to boil over. The brutality is never far away, even if the scene is just women enjoying coffee or a night out. The threat lingers, a presence lurking in the shady corners.

I feel conflicted about this book. On one hand, the addressing of misogyny is extremely important. However, I felt that the characters and their behavior at times overshadowed this message. I found myself thinking again and again that some of the women were fulfilling the stereotypical “flaky lesbian” types, bringing the drama and their lack of communication. Do women really behave this way? I suppose there are that do (and those that don’t), but I felt that the juxtaposition of the two was harsh and took a great deal away from the caveats illustrated by the authors.

I may be in the minority on this. I do feel that the ideas put forth are solid and very necessary, and so will recommend this book on the grounds that everyone needs to be aware of the evil women face on a daily basis, just for being themselves.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

You can pick up your copy [easyazon_link identifier=”1612359442″ locale=”US” nw=”y” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″]here[/easyazon_link].

They Call Me Crazy by Kelly Stone Gamble

June 30, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 1 Comment

Cass Adams is crazy, and everyone in Deacon, Kansas, knows it. But when her good-for-nothing husband, Roland, goes missing, no one suspects that Cass buried him in their unfinished koi pond. Too bad he doesn’t stay there for long. Cass gets arrested on the banks of the Spring River for dumping his corpse after heavy rain partially unearths it.

The police chief wants a quick verdict—he’s running for sheriff and has no time for crazy talk. But like Roland’s corpse, secrets start to surface, and they bring more to light than anybody expected. Everyone in Cass’s life thinks they know her—her psychic grandmother, her promiscuous ex-best friend, her worm-farming brother-in-law, and maybe even her local ghost. But after years of separate silences, no one knows the whole truth. Except Roland. And he’s not talking.

Thanks to the author for gifting me this book in exchange for this review!

Sometimes I get review requests and I’m not sure I’ll like the book, but something tells me to take a chance anyway. THEY CALL ME CRAZY was one of those. I did some brief research and discovered that Goodreads had excellent reviews, so I took a gamble. I’m so glad I did! Well written and a shining example of the Southern Noir genre, this was a fantastic ride.

The chapters are all told in the perspective of each of the characters, which makes everyone a pretty unreliable narrator. Cass herself is also unreliable, as she is determined to be the “crazy” one early on. She routinely denigrates her husband, while others who know him paint him as a wonderful man. Those characters who appear as shining paradigms may or may not turn out to be the bad guys—you just have to read it and see for yourself.

Cass is a pretty sympathetic character right off the bat, despite her townsfolk attesting to the contrary. She is just marching to the beat of her own drummer and is comfortable there. She is definitely one of the most colorful characters I’ve come across this year.

The author’s knowledge of country towns and their foibles make the tale sing—her descriptions of the houses, hobbies, weather, and people’s sartorial choices place the reader firmly in the middle of Anytown, Kansas. You get just a whiff of desperation in the background; those who have not managed to escape to A Big City are resigned to make life as interesting as they can, while tearing down poor old crazy Cass. All through the book she maintains her guilt, telling anyone who is willing to listen that, of course, she DID kill her husband. How this story was going to be wrapped up was a big question in my mind as I read on. The author does not disappoint–the ending is just to the left of center and quite satisfying.

As the reader begins to understand the entire story (by piecing together everyone’s separate version of the truth), THEY CALL ME CRAZY turns into quite the delicious story; like one of those chocolate truffles that have many layers and then a sweet nougat at the center. Completely satisfying, humorous, and suspenseful, this unassuming story will make you think twice about those people in your life that seem just a little odd.

Want your own copy? You can pick it up [easyazon_link identifier=”1940215412″ locale=”US” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″]here[/easyazon_link].

Reagan’s Ashes by Jim Heskett PLUS GIVEAWAY

May 19, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 4 Comments

Reagan Darby crams her dad’s urn into an overflowing backpack. His last wish: deliver the urn to Rocky Mountain National Park and release his ashes into Lake Nanita. To find closure, she’ll hike the same route they completed after her latest involuntary stay at the hospital.

But not alone, as she’d hoped. Her cousin Dalton surprises her at the trailhead and insists on tagging along. Soon, his eerie stares and half-volume mutterings set her on edge. As they trudge further into the mountains, dodging moose and lightning strikes, she catches him rifling through her backpack multiple times. She confronts him but he shrugs it off. His claims that he came along for support wear thin, but she’s too deep into the park simply to turn around.

When Reagan discovers a hidden compartment in the lid of the urn, a tiny silver key tumbles onto the floor of her tent. But there’s no telling what lock the key might open. More unsettling, however, is that her lithium has gone missing. With only a meager Swiss Army knife for protection, she’ll have to fend off her cousin, resist the creeping mania, and escape the forest to find the lock. If the man Dalton works for locates it first, he’ll reduce Reagan to the same pile of dust and ash.

A mix of wilderness survival thriller and amateur sleuth mystery, Reagan’s Ashes builds to an unforgettable climax.

Many thanks to author Jim Heskett for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review. He’s also generously donated a copy for giveaway–click the link at the end of the review!

This book is a combination of hiking primer and introduction to the bipolar mind. The descriptions of the national park are breathtaking, and the reader will be able to discern the author’s personal experience with the great outdoors at once. I learned many quick facts about how to prepare for a trip up a mountain, and gained a new appreciation for those that hike on a regular basis.

Reagan is a sympathetic character right from the start. Her emotions at losing her father threaten to overwhelm her, and Heskett paints their relationship beautifully through memories that pop up in Reagan’s mind throughout. You can understand the stability that he brought to her life, via camping, as her recollections alternately overwhelm and reassure her.

As Reagan’s medications begin to wear off, she slowly returns to her disabling manic state, complete with grandiose ideas and racing mind. I was wondering what turn the plot would take from here; would the author leave her in the wilderness, raving and eschewing humanity?

Thankfully he lets the character join the world again, and the story moves on. Reagan and her boyfriend Spoon clash with the evil cousins and other relatives, all searching for the item that the silver key will open. Greedy family members are painted realistically, and the suspense ramps up as the end is in sight. There is a twist that made me exclaim “oh NO!” but then we see what really happened.

Heskett’s writing style is easy to digest and creates interest on every page. The portion that takes place in the park is authentic and full of tension, as a bit of evil is juxtaposed against the beauty of Nature. The plot is a simple one, but Heskett creates tension and emotion in a satisfying way.

You have an opportunity to get your hands on a soft cover edition of the book here! As always, our giveaways take almost no time at all to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want your own copy? You can pick it up [easyazon_link asin=”0692368973″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]here[/easyazon_link].

May 1, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Can two teenage girls save a town?

When Loren Cofton and Tracie Marinez visit the remote hills of northeastern Nevada on a cross- country drive celebrating their high school graduation, the fun vacation quickly morphs into a perilous adventure.

After photographing an abandoned gold mine, Loren swipes a bottle of water from an eerily robotic man stocking bottles in the only occupied store of an otherwise deserted shopping center. The water’s effect on Loren leads the pair to investigate the strange little town of Corsonia–despite threats from the local sheriff. And when Loren and Tracie befriend a child named Boy 11, who tells them about his curious life and upcoming fate, the girls become even more determined to figure out what is going on.

As the relentless teens uncover a horrifying trail of evil, they put their own lives in dire jeopardy. Will the girls be able to rescue the people of Corsonia–or will Loren and Tracie become the town’s next victims?

Many thanks to the author for providing this free review copy to me!

CORSONIA starts out with a benign trip; two best friends are exploring ghost towns and complaining about the heat. As the blurb notes, drinking some local water opens the girls up to unspeakable evil being perpetrated. Loren is a strong willed girl who takes it upon herself to bring justice to the townspeople, much to Tracie’s dismay. The girls concoct a plan to sneak back into the town and gather information, solving problems and escaping danger time and time again.

This book was a pretty straightforward read: girls discover problem, girls try to solve problem, girls run into trouble. I enjoyed very much how the main characters were portrayed as strong women with character and intent, not ditzy females clamoring about boys and makeup. As Tracie must make decisions for herself more and more, you can see her persona develop and she comes into her own at the end. The girls solve their own problems and take responsibility if things don’t go as planned.

There is minimal backstory for Loren and Tracie, but that was fine–I enjoyed reading about this single chapter in their lives and didn’t wonder much about what happened before they went on their road trip. Their relationship is solid and their teenage dialogue reflects close friends, complete with eye rolling and awareness of what the other will do in any given situation.

The author does well to paint a picture of bleak existence; the inhabitants of Corsonia are robot like and appropriate. I could feel the dust blowing in my eyes and needed a drink of water myself, as I read about the girls trekking aross the deserted city.

Later on in the book, there is a confrontation between the bad guys and Tracie—there is a great deal of violence, which surprised me. It seemed different from the rest of the story somehow. The plot advances with the action, but the bloodshed was disconcerting; and I found a lack of emotion at times in Tracie’s reaction (or non-reaction). It almost seemed surreal as the bodies piled up. That is the only complaint I have about CORSONIA; otherwise there is some quiet humor and sly little details that are quite funny, such as Tracie complaining about her fake beard itching (they disguise themselves at one point) or the immense cupcake consuming capacity of the evil Merlynn. It also seemed that most of the men weren’t able to make decisions on their own; the women are the leaders all through the book. That’s a refreshing change, for sure.

The strength of the book is the tenacity and nerve of the lead characters. They are good role models, as girls who have the courage and desire to help those less fortunate. If Tracie and Loren showed up in another book, solving another mystery, that wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Want your own copy? You can pick it up [easyazon_link identifier=”B00R6DNGM8″ locale=”US” nw=”y” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″]here[/easyazon_link].

Pilgrim by Terrence Atwood

April 9, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

An exploratory probe is launched into space on a mission to investigate the possibility of extraterrestrial life. However, a cabal of military forces have covertly converted the probe into a weapon of mass destruction – arming it with a nuclear payload.
When the launch of the craft, code named PILGRIM, goes awry, the probe crashes back on Earth and begins carrying out its mission – eradicating all life. It’s up to Catherine Tennison, an intrepid NASA scientist, and Army Colonel Walt Macken to capture and disarm the probe before it brings about Armageddon.

Thanks to author Terrence Atwood for providing this review copy.

Weighing in at a quick 146 pages, this is a quick and easy read. The plot is promising, and the tension starts fairly quickly, when there is a failure during the launch. There is back stabbing, politics, and a murderous probe named PILGRIM, that immediately starts performing its mission as planned–except it didn’t land on the new planet as expected. PILGRIM landed back on Earth, and cannot be stopped.

There are portions of awkward dialogue plus some bad punctuation (most glaring is the use of capital letters and exclamation points to force home the point that this is WILD STUFF HAPPENING HERE!!). I also had to suspend my beliefs for a bit at times, that the military would acquiese to the demands of a NASA scientist (character Catherine Tennison). There are also a few too many narrow escapes by Tennison and her companion Colonel Walt Macken, to make things ring true.

However, I did enjoy the science and implications of the story itself, even if the writing could have been a little smoother. The images of the rogue probe rampaging across bucolic areas were done well, and the juxtaposition of nature and technology was appropriately jarring. The possibility of the military doing something like this isn’t that far fetched, and the conspiracy theorists would love this book. I’m sure.

I think the plot would make a good science fiction film. As I was reading, I could picture the action in my head. That alone means Atwood did his job: making the reader visualize and become one with the story.

The author had some good ideas–with a little more character development and better editing, PILGRIM would be a 5 star read. I’ll give it 3 and a half. Want your own copy? You can pick it up [easyazon_link identifier=”B00UC7NRJM” locale=”US” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″]here[/easyazon_link].

Inspector of the Dead by David Morrell

March 31, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing this Advance Readers’ Copy for review.

The year is 1855. The Crimean War is raging. The incompetence of British commanders causes the fall of the English government. The Empire teeters. Amid this crisis comes opium-eater Thomas De Quincey, one of the most notorious and brilliant personalities of Victorian England. Along with his irrepressible daughter, Emily, and their Scotland Yard companions, Ryan and Becker, De Quincey finds himself confronted by an adversary who threatens the heart of the nation.

This killer targets members of the upper echelons of British society, leaving with each corpse the name of someone who previously attempted to kill Queen Victoria. The evidence indicates that the ultimate victim will be Victoria herself.

Once again author David Morrell has produced a winner. INSPECTOR OF THE DEAD has the wonderfully grim De Quincey as a main character, wintry Victorian England as a backdrop, and a plot full of double and triple crosses that will delight and confound the reader.

I’ll admit, this book started off slow. Truly slow. Morrell’s writing style took a bit to get used to–but as I progressed I noticed his sly use of sarcasm in the dialogue, the fatalistic attitude of De Quincey (which endeared me to the character quickly; no overly macho man here), and the on-point description of gaslight England, down to the terrors lurking in the Seven Dials district.

More on the style of writing: Morrell uses the third party omniscient narrator for the bulk of the book–but includes a first person narrative under the guise of De Quincey’s daughter Emily’s journal. There are also flashbacks contributing to the unsettling way the story is told. As you get drawn into the plot, it gets easier to roll with the narration switches and flashbacks.

The plot is taken from true events and embellished. Wherever he goes, De Quincey is simultaneously self deprecating and larger than life, openly drinking from his omnipresent laudanum bottle and quoting Emmanuel Kant. Emily keeps him quietly in check most of the time, but there are instances where the Opium-Eater runs off at the mouth, confounding his audience. Some of the best dialogue came from De Quincey’s talks with Lord Palmerston, the British statesman who becomes Prime Minister. Morrell also captures the class differences quite well, contrasting the stiff upper lips of Mayfair with the street urchins of the London slums.

INSPECTOR OF THE DEAD was such a joy, it made me want to read the first De Quincey book, [easyazon_link asin=”0316216798″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]MURDER AS A FINE ART[/easyazon_link]. When I finally get to it, I’m sure I’ll be delighted.

Want your own copy of INSPECTOR? You can pick it up [easyazon_link asin=”0316323934″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]here[/easyazon_link].

The Clock Strikes Midnight by Joan C. Curtis

March 3, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 2 Comments

[easyazon_image add_to_cart=”yes” align=”left” asin=”B00NUGACKO” cloaking=”default” height=”500″ localization=”yes” locale=”US” nofollow=”default” new_window=”default” src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51d8mfJXP%2BL.jpg” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ width=”333″]

Many thanks to author Joan C. Curtis for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Janie Knox wants nothing more than to live her life quietly in Savannah, Georgia and never return to her hometown of Atlanta. At age 17, a week after a jury convicted her stepfather of killing her mother,she packed all her worldly possessions in a single duffle bag, hopped on a bus, and vowed never to return. But, when she learns that she’s got three months to live, she journeys back home to finish what she couldn’t do when she left–kill her stepfather.
As the clock ticks away, Janie uses the last days of her life to right the wrongs that have haunted her for 20 years. She faces more than she bargained for when she discovers her sister’s life in shambles. Meanwhile her stepfather, recently released from prison, blackmails the sisters and plots to extract millions from the state in retribution.
The Clock Strikes Midnight is a race against time in a quest for revenge and atonement. This is a story about unleashing the hidden truths that haunt a quiet Southern family.

This book is truly Southern Gothic—family secrets, manipulation, drinking to ease the pain of loss, plus guilt all around. This is a plot I can sympathize with–trying to right a wrong in your life before you die, knowing that even if you do accomplish murder, you will also be getting away with it because you only have three months to live.

Janie is as strong as Marlene is weak, and the juxtaposition between the two made for an easy read. Stepfather Ralph is a truly odious character, and I cringed every time he was around. The “bad thing” that makes him a target for murder isn’t explained until the end, but I was rooting for him to lose based on how Curtis described him, with his onion breath and mean eyes.

Even though Janie has murderous intentions, she is a sympathetic character and devoted to her sister, as the reader will discover as more of the plot is revealed. Suspense is generated via the reader knowing the clock is ticking both literally and figuratively on Janie’s life. There are a few close calls, and a flashback that will seem a bit out of place at the time, but once you get closer to the end it will all make sense. I’ll admit I was hoping for a different kind of ending (no spoilers here!), but I was satisfied how things turned out.

Almost all of Curtis’ characters have a flaw: weakness, cruelty, denial, self-absorption–you name it, and it’s in here. There is also love, strength, honor, and friendship. Almost all of the female characters are strong ones, trying to remain in control of their lives despite the curves thrown their way. The main thrust here is justice, a departure from the usual fare of girls chasing men under the guise of romance and pillow talk. Descriptions of Atlanta make you feel as if you are experiencing the town for yourself, and I could easily picture the characters in my head.

THE CLOCK STRIKES MIDNIGHT is a sleeper of a book; you turn the pages until you realized you’ve been hooked, quietly, and then you simply must see how things are going to turn out. I’m glad I took a chance on this one. Want your own copy? You can pick it up [easyazon_link asin=”B00NUGACKO” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]here[/easyazon_link].