Force of Nature by Jane Harper

Flatiron Books | February 2018 | 336 pgs

Source: Purchased

Jane Harper's debut novel, The Dry, was stunning both in the characterisation and the plot set in the quiet suburb of Kiewarra, Australia. Plagued by the drought and with the intensity accelerated like the searing heat as the story progressed, I was quickly caught up by the suspense, the police procedural and all. Of course I was also intrigued by the lead character, Federal agent Aaron Falk. He is both an interesting and a flawed character, and knowing that he will be featured again in Harper's latest release, Force of Nature, I knew I MUST read it. 

The story opens with a group of ten going for their company's retreat. What supposed to be a fun, get together event has turned out to be a missing person case as one woman from the women's group decided to go on her own after a disagreement, leaving the rest upset, annoyed and panicky especially after they learned they might have picked a wrong turn. And Alice Russell, the missing woman, is known to be arrogant and bitchy at times so it is no wonder the others hate her guts.  

To complicate matters, Falk and his investigative partner, Carmen, had requested Alice's help in digging some information on their company's financial statements and any fishy contracts as they suspected the family-run film has some unknown deals yet they need evidence to support their findings. Falk and Carmen began to wonder if they have somehow gotten Alice in trouble, after all the top management, the Bailey siblings, have joined the hiking groups too. As if things aren't complicated enough, there are speculations that the son of a late convicted murderer may be roaming within the range and it is not known if he is dangerous or not (after all he is believed to have some dealings in drugs). 

This book, as the title suggests, showcases the various danger in the wilderness which is outside of human control when the women's group tried to fight their way out after realising they are lost and soon find themselves caught up in a web of secrets, distrust and resentments. Unlike The Dry, this book focus more on the characterisations and less of police procedural and despite the different style and setting, I enjoyed this immensely as Ms Harper's writing continues to shine in this second book. I also find some issues happened in the story to be thought-provoking as well so overall it was a great read to me. I wonder what Ms Harper has in store for her next book and I can't wait! 

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

HarperCollins Publishers | February 2017 | 432 pgs

Source: Library

I'd read a few Karin Slaughter's books in the past and she is one of the best authors I've come across for writing dark and compelling suspense thrillers. Although some of them aren't always easy to read when the subjects are concerned, Ms. Slaughter manages to capture the realism and sensitivity behind those dark horrifying tales that make you feel for the characters and think what you'd do under those circumstances. 

This novel revolves around missing girls, secrets and the relationship between two sisters who have distanced from each other and reunited again under a circumstances which reminds them of a horrifying past incident and how it comes back to haunt them again. 

Claire and Lydia lost their eldest sister, Julia, when the latter was sixteen years old. A missing case and her body was never found. She was last seen at a bar and was later accounted by a friend that she left alone thereafter. No one knew what happened to her and the years move on. As the remaining two sisters grow up with their family being torn apart after Julia's disappearance, they began to distance from each other. Claudia sees Lydia as a girl who smokes pot and living a wild life so she didn't believe a word she had said then, until another case of a missing girl and the murder of Claudia's husband bring back the horror and the heartbreaking past back into their lives. Now the two estranged sisters have to form an alliance to unravel the truth and bring down the evil perpetrator who has murdered countless girls cruelly and destroyed their family. 

Pretty Girls was a really dark, intense psychological thriller with all the thrills and chills. Both suspenseful and heartrending, this story wasn't an easy read with all the horror and the violence inflicted on the female victims. Karin Slaughter didn't pull any punches when it comes to writing such scenes, and I cringed every time I read how the poor girls are cruelly abused and tortured. This aside, I've to applaud Ms. Slaughter for creating two compelling and strong-willed characters who will fight for justice and survival just when I thought the situation was bleak at times and that finding evidence could be a challenge to them. Claudia and Lydia touched me with their fighting spirit and their love for Julia; this was what drove me to read on despite the dark subject and not to mention the riveting plot and my wish to see the case resolved and that justice will prevail in the end. 

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn

HarperCollins | January 2018 | 448 pgs

Source: Purchased

The Woman in the Window has been all over the blogosphere lately and it was hard to ignore giving all the hype surrounding it. I dived into this book blind and with high expectations, after all a few of my favourite authors have praised this book fervently. And most of all, it has an unreliable narrator who is an alcoholic and has a few issues (which sounds right up my alley.)

Dr Anna Fox's profession is a child psychologist. She is also an agoraphobiac who is depressed and traumatised by a past event. She is separated from her husband but she does communicate with him and their young daughter from time to time. Living alone and housebound (though she has a tenant who lives in the basement), she finds solace and entertainment through the Internet, giving online advice to a few people like her, binge watching her favourite black and white Hitchcockian films, and watching her neighbours through her camera. All seems to be well until the Russells move in.

The Russells consist of three members: Alistair, Jane and their seventeen-year-old son, Ethan. Anna is fascinated by her new neighbour; they remind her a bit of her happier days with her family and the life she used to have. One day, Ethan drops by Anna's house to pass her a gift, saying it is from his mother. Subsequently, Anna gets to meet Jane and they hit it off well, sharing drinks and playing chess at Anna's house until one evening she witnessed something horrifying to Jane through her camera.

However, when the police comes and the interrogation begins, no one seems to believe Anna given her history of depression and her bout of drinks and medications. And when Alistair brings Jane along for the police interview, Anna is shocked to find a stranger instead. Is she delusional all along? Has she imagine someone to find that she doesn't exist at all and that it's all in her head?

If you are a fan of psychological thrillers and unreliable narrators, Anna wouldn't be a stranger to you. Like the other unreliable characters of the same genre, they are most often annoying and some even seem unlikeable, yet they intrigue you in a way and you couldn't help but to be invested in their story, no matter what kind of a person they are and/or the issues they are dealing with. This is the beauty of unreliable narrators and the essence of psychological suspense because they just suck you in. Anna was an interesting character but I have to say I have mixed feelings about her though. On one hand I felt sorry for her and the bad things she'd gone through yet on the other hand, I was perplexed over her bad decisions and wondered why she did this and that, without much explanations given. 

While The Woman in the Window was suspenseful, there were also some slow moments, too. Anna's behaviours might also put off to some; for she drank too much and occasionally mixing her drinks with her medications. This plus what she did in her house as well as her wandering thoughts took up much of the first part of the story but I suppose it was for the buildup of intensity and to give readers some doubts about Anna's credibility. Despite the bits of dragging, the progress of the story was smooth and it allows a fast and easy reading with the short chapters.

As for the twists and turns, there was the first one which I felt has been used before but even though I was surprised by the ending, it wasn't shocking to an extent that left me speechless (I blame it on my high expectations and the anticipation of something different which would knock my socks off.) That said, it was still a good read though, and I'd be interested to watch the film adaption once it is released.

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Lies She Told by Cate Holahan

Crooked Lane Books | September 2017 | 288 pgs

Source: Library

Liza Cole is a suspense thriller novelist and was once hailed as a promising author after one of her books became an international bestseller. Unfortunately, her subsequent books didn't sell as well as all have hoped and Liza could only think of these two things which are constantly on her mind - her wish to be pregnant and the disappearance of Nick Landau, her husband's best friend and law partner. David, her husband, seems distraught over Nick's disappearance and as much as he supports Liza undergoing a fertility treatment, his mind and attention aren't entirely focused on her and she knew that. Meanwhile, Liza is also pressurised from her editor to write a book that could land her back on the bestseller list and her deadline is approaching. With so many things on her mind, Liza begins to find escape and comfort in Beth, her latest heroine of her book. 

Beth is a new mother and she suspects her husband, Jake, is cheating on her while she is home caring for their newborn, Victoria. Jake, on the other hand, feels Beth is experiencing postpartum depression and booked her an appointment to see a psychiatrist. While Beth continues to spy and stalk on her husband's lover once she has found out he has an affair, she couldn't resist being attracted by her psychiatrist. Although she still loves Jake, she couldn't help feeling a bit triumph that she could play at this game, too. Still, she couldn't get her husband's lover off her mind and she decided that murdering her is the only way that could solve the problem. 

While Liza and Beth are two different women with different characteristics, Liza soon finds herself get caught up by Beth's story until the lines between reality and fiction blur. Meanwhile, Nick's body is finally found in a river with David labelled as a suspect. Liza knows she has lots of questions concerning the few people surrounding her, including herself, which may lead up to the truth of Nick's death and she has to find the answers quickly; just like Beth has to find a resolution to her committing a murder. 

Without revealing too much, all I can say is my emotions were going everywhere reading this mind-bending novel within a novel. It was gripping and intense, and both stories were also well executed with each story being told alternatively. Readers who worry that they might get confused would be glad to know that the fonts differ with the two stories and that Liza's story always have her name printed in the beginning of each chapter. 

As much as this is a psychological thriller, I can also say that this story is a case of characters study as well, as Liza and Beth have their flaws and they keep me wondering throughout the book. It is not hard to figure out the truth once you have your mind set on the story, though to be fair I think the author has left enough clues for her readers. This is a well constructed suspense with two parallel stories which left me thinking about it long after the book is closed. 

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

A Quiet Place by Seicho Matsumoto

Bitter Lemon Press | August 2016 | 224 pgs

Source: Library

Translated from the Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai

Tsuneo Asai is a section chief at the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Middle aged and a workaholic, Asai's second marriage to Eiko is considered bland and harmonious when their relationship is concerned. As much as Asai adores Eiko, he doesn't really give much thought when Eiko's life is concerned. Given that Eiko is a homemaker, he allows her much freedom in pursuing her interests whenever he's away at work, and it doesn't bother him as long as Eiko is at home when he's back from work. Eiko's interests always waver and it took a few different attempts before she finally decided on taking Haiku class. Because Eiko had suffered a mild heart attack a few years ago, she is especially careful not to exert herself physically and always keep her emotional state in check. As a result, her marriage with Asai is nothing more than a companionship. Asai has gradually adapted to their sexless marriage and didn't think much about it until the day Eiko passed. It appears that she has suffered a heart attack while climbing up a steep road. The place she visited is quite a distance from their home and Asai has no idea what she was doing at a strange place, let alone risking her health climbing up that steep road. And this deep sense of curiosity has prompt Asai to dig into his late wife's mysterious death, and by doing so he finds himself sinking deeper and deeper into an obsession until there is no return.

Part mystery and part satire, A Quiet Place was an addictive read about a man's curiosity and obsession that drove him to committing something which is irrevocable. While I found the plot to be simple and common, what captivated me was the prose, that subtle sense of foreboding and last but not least a deeper understanding of the culture of Japanese bureaucracy and how they usually work through interpersonal relationships as well as their work hierarchy. A great exploration of a person's mentality under duress and not to mention an intrigue mystery which had me hooked from the beginning till the end. Recommended. 

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Final Girls by Riley Sager

Penguin Publishing Group | July 2017 | 352 pgs

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Final Girls has been receiving a lot of hype since its release and I think it is well worth it as it was such a chilling and thrilling read (Why, even Stephen King quoted this on its cover: "The first great thriller of 2017 is here.")

Quincy Carpenter, Lisa Milner and Samantha Boyd are known in the press as the Final Girls; a film-geek speak for the last woman standing at the end of a horror movie. Lisa had lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout's knife; Sam walked away alive after a sicko dubbed as the Sack Man assaulted her during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and finally our protagonist, Quincy, who managed to escape from Him (the perpetrator she refuses to call by name after all these years) after she fled from Pine Cottage after he had massacred five of her college friends ten years ago. Now the three Final Girls are attempting to put each of their nightmares behind them. As much as they knew each other by name and those horrendous events they had gone through, in reality they have never met.

Quincy is doing well at present though; she has a caring boyfriend Jeff, a popular baking blog and a caring cop who checks on her occasionally ever since he saved her life all those years ago. What makes her life easier to get by is she has no recollection of what really happened that night at Pine Cottage. Like a few missing puzzles, she could only remember the before and after of that horrendous massacre; what happened in between was lost on her and she has no intention of remembering it. Then Lisa Milner was found dead with her wrists slit. Sam Boyd then appears on Quincy's doorstep claiming concern over her after those years laying low. Quincy quickly forged a friendship with Sam but as the days go she realises that Sam is relentless in bringing out that rage which had buried deep inside her since that fateful night. As dire consequences happen one after another after Sam moves into her house, Quincy begins to question everything including Lisa's death and what really happened to her and her five friends at Pine Cottage.

Final Girls was one great psychological suspense with a cast of intriguing characters. What made this such a compelling read is aside from the characters, the plot and the writing style keep the reader engrossed throughout the story. And personally I felt the two parts narrations really brought out the intensity as the reader will see two sides of the story - the present in Quincy's POV and the other in third person narration as flashbacks of what happened at Pine Cottage as the story moves towards the closure. This book had me on edge all the time and while I was curious over the friendship between Sam and Quincy, I was also eager to find out what really happened at Pine Cottage. I could easily picture this story makes its way onto the big screen because it has the combination of a slasher flick (think Scream and the like) and suspense. A fresh voice in the psychological thriller genre and I'll definitely be looking forward to more by this author.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Drama Review: Criminal Minds (犯罪心理)

Based on the American television series of the same title, this Korean drama remake will satisfy anyone who loves a good, exciting police procedural and crime thrillers featuring a group of elite agents from the National Criminal Investigation (NCI) to solve crime cases through their expertise of criminal profiling, criminal psychology, white hacking and the like. The cases they solve range from domestic and violence to complex psychological ones.

As the agents work through their expertise in solving each case, a few also portray a personal and vulnerable side of them as some cases involve their friends and family members, or even having been gone through some horrific situations themselves which still left an impact on them before joining NCI.

Although each agent is brilliant in his/her own role, I've to say Team Captain Kang Ki-Hyung (starring Son Hyun-Joo) left a deep impression on me not only of his brilliant acting but also of his role as the lead profiler who guide his team through his sharp insight on how a criminal's mind works as well as offering support as and when needed. Other supporting roles such as profilers Kim Hyun-Joon (starring Lee Joon-Gi), Ha Sun-Woo (starring Moon Chae-Won), Dr Lee Han (starring Go Yoon); and white hacker Nana Hwang (starring Yoo-Sun) as well as the media specialist Yoo Min-Young (starring Lee Sun-Bin) complement the group and no one is a minor role in my opinion as each plays an important part in solving a case.

After watching this I've a deeper understanding of how a profiler works and I truly have great respect and admiration for them given the challenging tasks they have to face everything they solve a case.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Here and Gone by Haylen Beck

Crown/Archetype | June 2017 | 304 pgs

Source: Library

The story opens with our protagonist, Audra Kinney, fleeing from her abusive husband as she takes their two children with her in a car. As they make their way across Arizona to their destination in California taking back roads to avoid attention, a local sheriff pulls her over with an accusation of committing a traffic offense. Audra, who is trying to keep a low profile, stops her car and before she could react the sheriff begins to ransack her trunk and pull out a bag of drugs which she has never seen before. Audra is then forced to be detained by the sheriff while he calls his colleague, a deputy officer, to take away her children to somewhere safe so they could interrogate her properly. 

However this is not what the sheriff and the deputy officer have in mind. They plan to take away her children to seal a deal and they will frame Audra for false accusation and possession of illegal drugs. It is their words against hers and Audra, who used to have a history of alcoholism and depression two years ago, will find herself fighting her way for freedom and most of all, to get her children back. But no one believes her except a man named Danny Lee, whose wife had encountered the same experience five years ago but Danny wouldn't have the chance to see them again as his wife committed suicide and their girl couldn't be found.  

Here and Gone was a compelling read; it is also a story which I could imagine would be every parent's nightmare. My heart went out to Audra as I felt her worries and her fear. I rooted for her throughout the book and I was glad she was a fighter. Danny was a more intriguing character given his ethnic Chinese identity and his gangster-like past which got him into troubles at times. The two of them makes an odd combination, but Aura and Danny have the same goal of finding whoever who took their children thus they find trust in each other eventually. This book was a refreshing break from the other books I read lately since it was about corrupt authorities (a rare feature from what I read but such a disheartening thing to think of!) Though it was a fast-paced and intense thriller, it was also an emotionally driven story surrounding a few innocent children and their mothers who are wrongly accused. I'd had a wild reading ride as I followed Audra from places to places as she raced against time to either escape from her past or to find her children. Sean, her eight-year-old son, was quite street smart and I loved how the way he protected his younger sister with the dangerous situations they were in. Definitely not an easy read with a topic of kidnapped children (fortunately they were not abused) but this will be one of those books which will make you want to keep your children safe and close.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Lovemurder by Saul Black

Orion | November 2016 | 368 pgs

Source: Library

Lovemurder is the second book of the Valerie Hart Series and though I haven't read the first book I found myself engaged in this compelling thriller featuring San Francisco Homicide detective Valerie Hart. 

When Valerie got called to a crime scene the last thing she expect is to find herself seeing Katherine Glass again. Known for her beauty, intelligence and ruthlessness in crimes, Katherine is being convicted for six counts of assault and murder. While Katherine is put behind bars, her other accomplice known as The Man in the Mask (or 'Lucien Chastain' if that is what he is named) is still at large. The latest murder case bears all the hallmarks of the previous six victims; and as if that is not enough there is a note from Katherine's ex-accomplice addressing to Valerie with implications that sent shivers down her spine. Valerie had seen the footages of their previous crimes six years ago and till today it still haunts her. But she is a cop and to stop more killings she has no choice but to confront Katherine, again, and get her to decipher the messages which the killer has sent her.  

Lovemurder is one compelling serial killer thriller. Each character is flawed and that nothing here is all black and white. Valerie and Katherine are two interesting women who will make the reader wonder about their inner world, their personal demons and their state of mind. Valerie is a devoted detective and despite after six years Katherine still get under her skin. Katherine is an intelligent and a manipulative woman who seems to understand the fragility of a person's mind and one who knows how to make good use of it. 

Lovemurder is not only a dark, riveting thriller but also an exploration of Valerie's and Katherine's mind. Their exchanges is one of the engaging parts of this story, alongside the killer's murder attempts. Katherine's ex-accomplice, however, is more of a shadow and his identity is a mystery; and although I understand his real self would be revealed towards the end it didn't come off as a surprise to me. The plot and the characterisation are well balance so overall this book kept me on edge. I'll be interested to read the The Killing Lessons, which is the first book of the Valerie Hart Series (these two books can be read out of order since the cases are standalone). 

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

The Girl Before by JP Delaney

Quercus | January 2017 | 416 pgs

Source: Purchased

Nowadays I'm a bit skeptical with titles that have "The Girl" on them, especially psychological thrillers. It isn't a bad thing, really, just that I feel they are overused and that very often they have unreliable characters and this book is no exceptional, although I felt the cold setting of the house at One Folgate Street more frightening. 

Told from the past and present between Emma and Jane, this story revolves around these two women and their stay at the beautiful house at One Folgate Street. Built by a minimalist architect by the name of Edward Monkford, the projects he designs and develops always bear his signature of high quality and are built with intelligent, high technology systems. His works has won him numerous awards but to property agents and clients he could comes off a bit... austere. 

Both Emma and Jane are looking at houses for rental; the former told from the past and the latter at present time. They decided the house on One Folgate Street after been through many house sightings. For starters, the house is bare with minimal furniture and there are rules and regulations to follow (i.e. no books, no throw pillows, no photos or personal effects of any kind) and the oddest of all, their applications have to be approved by Edward and those forms come with a set of questions ranging from anything house related to their personal opinions on various matters and if these "requirements" don't set off any alarms I don't know what would. So that begins the story of Emma and Jane, and the eccentric Edward. Emma and Jane came off as unreliable due to their traumatic past and both of them find Edward charming but cold. As the story progresses, their personality start to change too as they try to adapt to their new environment and all that requirements. 

I got the feeling that The Girl Before wouldn't be a fit for all readers (it features some sexually suggestive scenarios and there are also issues on control and submission). At times I wondered if the characters are experiencing Stockholm Syndrome under some circumstances and it was all very perplexing, considering the decisions they made. Then again, who did I really believe considering many of the characters here are unreliable? The twist wasn't what I expected (I confessed I was too invested in the dynamics between the two women and what they have gone through instead), but I figured if one pay enough attention it wouldn't come off as a great surprise. Overall it was a riveting, suspenseful psychological thriller but disturbing at some point. 

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

HQ  | March 2017 | 384 pgs

Source: Library

Sometimes I Lie is the second choice of a poll I conducted awhile back and I want to thank you again for helping me with the selection. 

In this book, we have Amber Reynolds as our unreliable narrator and she's in a coma. However, readers are able to read her thoughts through her subconscious mind although she remains comatose. We also learn that she hates her job working in the radio industry and most of all, she dislikes Madeline Frost, a well-known radio presenter of Coffee Morning because of the way she treats her lowly and coldly. Amber has also received a verbal warning from her boss that if she hasn't 'reconnect her ties' with Madeline, she'd be the one to leave her job. 

Back at home isn't entirely a bed of roses for Amber too as her relationship with her husband, Paul, has gone lukewarm. Worse, she suspects Paul of having an affair and that she is jealous that her younger sister, Claire, is getting chummy with Paul. What with her drab situation and her unhappy adolescence stage, it is easy to see why Amber is miserable and resentful so much so that she wants Madeline to be out of her life. 

Narrated in three different timeline 'Now', 'Then' and 'Before'; each timeline chronicles the events and emotionally state of Amber between her current circumstances of being comatose, the incidents occurred at home and at work before her coma and several diary entries respectively. While it was a boldly plotted thriller filled with many twists which had me reeling, I had mixed feelings about this book. Most of the characters here are unlikeable but this is not the main thing which got to me. I think my main issue probably lies with the twists, which was funny (and not to mention unthinkable) since that this element is at times essential in a psychological thriller but it was hard to say it without spoiling it. That being said, it was an unputdownable read and I think this would make a great reading group discussion.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Burntown by Jennifer McMahon

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group | April 2017 | 304 pgs

Source: Edelweiss via Publisher (Advance Reading Copy)

Ashford, Vermont, 1975. There was once a Sandeskis family living in a sleepy town where they resided among abandoned mills and factories. Burntown, as they called this town, was their home and the Sandeskis were a happily family. Miles was a respected professor and during his free time, he would make mechanical animals and talking dolls for his young daughter, Eva. But his greatest invention was a plan which was passed on by Miles's father; a machine which would allow the living to communicate with the dead. Then came the Great Flood which Eva believed that was what killed her father and her brother, Errol. Eva and her mother, Lily, left their place and lived off the grid in a campsite on the river's edge with three mystical women who called themselves "fire eaters". These women knew how to breathe and eat fires through a herb they called "devil's snuff" and it also allowed them to see the future through their vision.

Eva, now known as "Necco" on the street, has been hiding away her life ever since her mother passed. According to Lily, her father was murdered by someone called "Snake Eyes" (or the Chicken Man) who wanted her father's invention. But Eva never believed what she was told and thought her mother was under depression and grief, until her mysterious death and Eva's boyfriend being murdered signified that there is indeed someone out there who is looking for her and wants her father's plan.

Along the way, Eva befriended two people; Theo, a high school senior who is scrambling to find her lost bag containing some drugs and money she owes a drugs dealer and Pru, a woman who works as a cafeteria lady at a Catholic School and runs errands for a circus as her other secret life. Pru knew Theo because she has been relying on her for her "vitamins" for some time but she hasn't heard from Theo for awhile and she needs her stuff to get her going. As the lives of these three different women intersect, they knew they have to rely on one another to get their life in order and most of all, to escape from "Snake Eyes" who has begun to close in on them.

Jennifer McMahon's stories never fail to surprise me; each of them is different and I knew I can always count on her for a good escapism read. Be it supernatural, fantasy or thriller, she has a knack for capturing your attention through the various worlds she created and soon you will find yourself engaged in her characterisations and premises, never mind if the subjects might seem bizarre or not. That is how Jennifer McMahon's books are and I like the different style and topics she imply in them. While I was fascinated by Burntown and the imagination of a great machine which could allow the living to communicate with the dead (it sounds creepy!), it was these notion - "one's hope to dream and dare to make them true" and "girl power" which spoke volumes to me. Eva, Theo and Pru have their flaws and I liked how they overcome their issues and daring to dream under difficult circumstances and of course, through the support of their friendship. Pru might be a secondary character but surprisingly, she was my favourite character among all. I liked that she finds her courage and dreams despite she thinks she is fat and worthless; and what she did in the end brought a smile to my face. Burntown may not be my favourite McMahon book but it was quite an inspiring read in my opinion.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Rattle by Fiona Cummins

Macmillan | January 2017 | 496 pgs

Source: Library

Rattle is a book which is neither easy to read nor write after turning that last page. It was hard to articulate my thoughts and put them into words as aside from the horror of the crimes, it also features a medical condition of Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (Stone Man Syndrome); a rare debilitating disease that causes sufferers to grow a second skeleton which literally traps them in a prison of bone (this definition was extracted from the author's note. For more info please click above link.)

And on top of it all was a terrifying serial killer, named the Bone Collector, is a psychopath who leads two lives - an ordinary man who's like anyone else and a caretaker of his family's macabre museum in another. Aside from abducting little children who seem to have some skeletal deformities, his other modus operandi is leaving rabbit skeletons around either as a clue or as a taunt, nobody knows but Detective Sergeant Etta Fitzroy is adamant to trace him down and to see that the children are returned safely back to their parents.

But that is not all, two sets of parents (with their children missing) face some marital problems; most of which is one parent is not attentive enough to their family and even DS Etta Fitzroy doesn't escape from her own woes - a stillborn baby and an older broker husband who doesn't really want children. However, Fitzroy's characteristic shine in her devotion to her work amid her personal life.

As for our antagonist the Bone Collector, he remains as a shadow and readers know very little of him until the last quarter of the book; and by then the intensity was full-blown and readers would be caught up by the cat-and-mouse race. Overall, Rattle was quite an unsettling read with a creepy psychopath and his evil deeds and while it was a thrilling read to me, I wasn't entirely satisfied with the ending. Perhaps there is a sequel to it? I hope so.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia

Atria/Emily Bestler Books | January 2017 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

Everything You Want Me to Be is a stunning psychological thriller which explores one's identity and makes you wonder what one would do for love.

Hattie Hoffman is a talented actress. She's been spending her life playing many roles for the people around her; she will be the person what the others want of her and she is good. However, her life changes the day she knew 'LitGeek' on a website. And when she was found brutally murdered in a remote barn in her small town community, many speculate if it is 'LitGeek' who had killed her in cold blood. After all, who knows the real identity hiding behind that screen? Or is it Hattie's boyfriend who had done it? He was clearly in love with her and is his love for her has became an obsession? Finally, is Hattie a manipulator? Did she manipulate people to get what she wants?

Narrated by Hattie, Del (the town's sheriff) and Peter (Hattie's English teacher) and through chapters alternating between the present and the past, this story chronicles the one-year timeline surrounding Hattie's life and the truth about her death. Mindy Mejia entrances the readers right from the beginning through Hattie; a character we don't know if we should trust initially. Hattie may be a people pleaser but she does has a dream to fulfil - living in New York and be a successful Broadway actress. Pine Valley is too small of a town and she is not a farm girl at heart.

This is a well written tale with a balance of suspense and a case of characters study. Hattie was an interesting character; she may be a 17-year-old girl but at times she thinks like an adult. I liked her devotion in the plays and her love for reading. Speaking of reading, there are bits of references of Jane Eyre and Macbeth here and there which may delight fans of these two characters, especially the latter since there are scenes of Hattie rehearsing for the play and some culture is infused into the story as well (e.g. In the backstage world of theatre, some believe that the play is cursed and will only refer the title as "The Scottish Play").

Filled with twists and many unreliable narrators as the story progresses, this book was unputdownable for me as I raced though the last few chapters in one sitting to find out what really happened to Hattie and why she was murdered. It was a great read in terms of the intensity and the suspense but then it left me feeling raw and sad after knowing what happened.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

The Ice Beneath Her by Camilla Grebe

Random House Publishing Group | December 2016 | 368 pgs

Source: Library

Translated by Elizabeth Clark Wessel

Camilla Grebe has written five crime novels with her sister Åsa Träff; two of which were nominated for Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year and this novel is her solo American debut. Aside from these, she is also the co-author of the popular Moscow Noir trilogy. The Ice Beneath Her is both an exceptional and a gripping psychological thriller but I have to admit the murder crimes were much too violent to me although they aren't described explicitly.  

When the Swedish police arrived at the scene of a murder, they were shocked to discover an unidentified woman brutally murdered in a posh suburban home. What also makes this brutal crime so disturbing is the violent act of murder resembles an unsolved case ten years ago. Unlike the cold case, this time around they have a suspect and he is the charismatic and controversial chain-store CEO, Jesper Orre, as the murder scene took place at his house and he is nowhere to be found. 

Homicide detectives Peter Lindgren and Manfred Olsson find nothing more informative of Jesper except that he has a playboy reputation and many of his employees and the Union dislike him for his cold management practices. They suspect his characteristics and an affair gone wrong might drive him to being a cold-blooded killer. To gather more clues and to understand the motive of a murderer's mind, they turn to Hanne Lagerlind-Schön, who is once a brilliant criminal profiler but had "retired" ten years ago. No one knows of her unhappy marriage and the sickness which is slowly creeping up onto her, but she is eager to share her expertise with the police again despite her husband's opposition. While the police is glad to have Hanne's assistance, Peter isn't so glad as he and Hanne had had a love affair before and Peter left Hanne without an explanation. 

Two months earlier, Emma Bohman is searching for Jesper too. Emma and Jesper's chance encounter had led to a swift romance and they were inseparable since. However, Jesper wanted Emma to keep their romance quiet as he didn't want to bring attention to the media considering his position. Emma yielded to his request but with Jesper's disappearance, she is both confused and lost and thus begins her search for her runaway lover. 

This novel is narrated by three voices - Peter, Hanne and Emma. As the story progresses, we see Peter and Hanne race against time to find their answers leading to the perpetrator while battling their own internal struggle whether or not to be with each other, again. Emma's narrative was chronicled in a way that begins her relationship with Jesper right to the time she goes in search for Jesper. I found this parallel narrations was what makes this multi-layered story a compelling read even though halfway through the book I suspected where the direction was going but still the outcome surprised me. I hope this book will begin a new series featuring Peter, Manfred and Hanne, though I thought this was a great stand-alone, too.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica

Mira | July 2014 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

Mary Kubica's The Good Girl not only is a well crafted psychological thriller but it also allows readers to see another side of an interactive communication between a captor and a captive of an abduction case.

Mia Dennett is a high school's Arts teacher and also the daughter of a prominent judge. When her co-worker reports her missing one day, her mother, Eve, knew something is wrong. It is unlikely of Mia's character to go somewhere unannounced or do something outrageous, however her father thinks otherwise and concluded that Mia might be out somewhere partying, after all she is a grown woman and he even deemed her as a juvenile delinquent during her teenage years. Eve, on the other hand, points out that she was young and was just being a teenager at that time.

Gabe Hoffman, the detective tasked to the case is adamant of finding Mia and her captor and when Mia is eventually found, he is still trying to unravel the truth behind the abduction, especially since Mia doesn't remember much of what happened to her and why she is calling herself Chloe instead of her birth name.

Narrated by three characters and accompanied by events what happened before and after, this character-driven story leads readers through a surprising end of an abduction case filled with emotions and a bout of family dynamics. The plot was great but I wasn't entirely enamoured by the way the story was told. At times I had to refer back to the beginning of the narrator's chapter to see who was narrating and whether if it was told before or after the incident especially if I had to resume my reading after stopping in the middle of a chapter, but well perhaps that's just me. That being said, I still think this style worked and even the narratives that tell the 'after' events were vague and you wouldn't really know the real motive until the end.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Between You and Me by Lisa Hall

Carina | April 2016 | 356 pgs

Source: Library

Is it just me? It seems like domestic issues are the trend in psychological thrillers lately. Don't get me wrong; I haven't gotten tired of reading them yet. They are a thrill to read, but a BIG No-no in reality. That said, I still find myself getting all riled up reading about them in fiction, such as Between You and Me.

This story hugely focus on a controlling spouse and domestic abuse and like many other books out there of the same issues, this wasn't an easy read and there were times I either shook my head in sympathy or just wanted to hurl the book across the room after reading parts of the controlling behaviours. But wait... while the first half of the book was difficult to read (and not to mention repetitive at times), the second half took a turn and this is when things became intense and exciting. Sal and Charlie are both interesting characters and each of them has their own narrative through alternating chapters.

To say what changes the dynamics would be a spoiler, but this is one of those books that requires a reader to be patient and immerse in that kind of strained atmosphere until that pent-up emotions led to a twisty turn towards the few remaining chapters of the book. I felt the twist was good but not enough to 'wow' me; granted I read a review which briefly mentioned that core element and that there are bits of clues towards the end if one pay enough attention. That said, it was still a satisfying read to me.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Dare Me by Megan Abbott

Little, Brown and Company | August 2013 | 290 pgs

Source: Library

Megan Abbott's Dare Me is a book filled with friendship, teenage angst, lies and secrets within a high school's cheerleading community and a suicide case that would turn a few girls' world upside down.

Addy Hanlon and Beth Cassidy are best friends; Addy has always been Beth's trusted lieutenant while Beth is captain of the school's cheerleaders squad. Awed and feared by the other girls, Beth rules the squad until a young new coach steps into their circle.

Coach Colette French may be young, but she has a cool demeanour and have high expectations of the cheerleaders. Her arrival causes a ripple effect amid the squad; while most girls appear to be star-struck by their new coach, only Beth remains unsettled and nonchalant. Addy could only think of their eagerness to impress attributes to seeking approval from an adult like Coach Colette; after all the new coach first draw Addy and the other girls into her life, except Beth who stands her ground.  Then, a suicide case led to a police investigation on the new coach and her squad and from then onwards, the intensity escalates and would lead readers into questioning some issues surrounding the perpetrator's acts and the consequences thereafter.

I wish I could elaborate more of the issues but it is hard without spoiling the story. However, I could say that Megan Abbott has a way of capturing teenage girls' voice and portraying their inward world perfectly into words. At the end of the story I simply had no words to describe how I felt about everything - the plot, the shocking truth and the impact still lingered in my mind long after I closed the book.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

HarperCollins | January 2017 | 384 pgs

Source: Purchased

That ending. Alright, I have to confess it was that hashtag #WTFthatending on social media websites which had me moved aside all my fifteen library books and dived straight into this, my purchased copy, and let me just say - this isn't your typical psychological thriller you have read and that once you have started this book you just have to keep flipping through those pages. 

So it all began with Louise, a single mom, who kissed a man called David in a bar. They were drunk; and Louise has never fully felt a sense of freedom ever since her divorce until that one evening she had had with David. She enjoyed being with David, even if she knew he is married and that she might never see him again. But she did. In fact, she would be seeing him often at the psychiatric clinic where she is working because he is to be her new boss. 

And as if that isn't complicating enough, enter Adele Martin. Adele is David's wife and she is beautiful and elegant. Louise and Adele bumped into each other literally one day and from there it begins their friendship. Louise knew who she is, of course, after all she had seen Adele with David once to meet Dr Sykes, who is the senior psychiatrist at the clinic. Now Louise and David have tried to put that one night togetherness out of their heads, and while Louise is uncomfortable being friends with Adele, she couldn't not be friends with Adele. Not only she has no excuse to end their friendship (well to do so might arouse suspicion) but also there is a vulnerable side of Adele which kind of fascinates Louise. Adele has also asked Louise not to let David know about their friendship and while this perplexed Louise at first, she began to see something is wrong from Adele's speech and behaviours when David is concerned. Her behaviours have left Louise puzzled because the David she knew on their first night is different from the way Adele portrays of him. And as Louise becomes drawn to this odd couple she knew she has to know more about them individually to a point of becoming an obsession. 

And from here I have to cease saying more because anything I wanted to say might be a risk of spoilers. This book is dark and is mind boggling. The plot is different from any psychological thrillers I have read and it was original... and disturbing. This is one of those books you have to read for that 'oscillating' feeling as your mind will waver to and from and have you guessing until you will come to realise that you are walking on the wrong path and by then the truth has hit you, hard. I simply had no description for it and well, this probably explains how that hashtag comes about. This is possibly one of the most unsettling thrillers I read this year (and half of the year isn't even over, mind you.) 

 

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

How Will I Know You? by Jessica Treadway

Sphere | December 2016 | 407 pgs

Source: Library

How Will I Know You? may seem like any other suspense thrillers but the topics in this book are often thought-provoking and mostly revolve around families, causes and consequences and a murder case with implications pertaining to race.

In a close-knit community of a small town where everyone seems to know everyone's life, they are shaken by the news of teenage Joy Enright's death. Believed to be drown in a frozen pond, the autopsy later revealed that she was strangled first before her body was found at the edge of the pond. Her death is a mystery to all; her parents couldn't understand who would want to harm their daughter and her best friend, Harper, is puzzled over Joy's cool demeanour towards her before her death. Joy's mother, Susanne, has a little secret involving her younger teaching assistant, an African American named Martin Willett and things began to escalate quickly after he is accused for causing Joy's death.

The story's background also tells another tale of Tom, who is a rescue diver and son-in-law of the town police chief, Doug, who is in charge of Joy's case. Doug is adamant about Martin being guilty but Tom doubts his own perceptions as well as his father-in-law's belief. As the story moves along, the truth unravels towards the end will make us question everything we thought we know about the ones we love.

While this is very much a suspense thriller, I thought it was also a story about family dynamics and of perceptions which would either make or break a person. The characters here are well defined and the mystery surrounding Joy's death was a huge draw to this story as readers are well aware from the beginning that Martin is wrongly convicted but what really happened and why? I also liked how the story was told in both 'Before' and 'After' the incident, as well as Martin's narrative throughout some parts of the book, allowing readers to get into his mind and to understand what he has gone through being a person of colour. Overall it was a great read and I would be curious to find out what the author would come up with next.

© 2017 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.