My wifey bought me a brand spanking new copy of this very old classic story for my birthday. Just after I finished Rage of Richard Bacman. So, I thought, why not read it now.
Do not read Richrd Bacman books consecutively, you’ll crack mentally. For those of you who had done it before…. a famous quote: “We are all mad here!” Hahahaha.
Anyhow, I read the book. Just as in the long walk and rage, nothing spectacular happens. Really. No action, drama. No serial killer. No excruciating detail of crime scenes. The main character is just losing weight. That’s what happens. That is the very, very scary part of this book. This is what keeps you nailed to it. This is what drives you mad. Because how much is enough?
Billy Halleck, good husband and loving father, is both beneficiary and victim of the American good life: He has an expensive home, a nice family, and a rewarding career as a lawyer…but he is also fifty pounds overweight and edging into heart attack country.
As I can gather from other reviews on this book it is in principle only a collection of open source information regarding the Fritzl family and the tragedy brought upon them by the very man that was supposed to protect them.
I found the book interesting and captivating and as disturbing as a true crime book can be. I knew about the story obviously but did not have the time or access at the time to follow it with this much detail to it. I had a quick look around and see that he has been sentenced etc and that Elizabeth is making a new life for herself. For that I am delighted.
How much her new life is normal after this ordeal is however something nobody will ever truly know. I am sorry for her and her six remaining children. They will live with this shadow over them for the rest of their lives. But at the very least they are alive to live as they wish.
This is not exactly my first book shot but I have not read that many either. However. The best thing about this book is the cover. IT IS SOOOOOOO GIRLY…. I love it.
So the book had potential. It really did. But apart from the cover the best thing about this book was that it was short. The ending was totally a let down and although sweet it was flat.
Totally flat. So, now I am left wondering if the rest would be better. It better be because I own a few of them now and I will be horribly disappointed if all the books end in something so predictable and …. and ….. and flat. Where was the twist. A bit of intrigue. A bit of a risk even. Absolutely nowhere. Like I said. Cool cover on this edition whilst on the other editions I can not say the same so not even that comes standard.
We still do adore Patterson and that is why we have some of his books for sale. Check this one out!
Over to the wifey who is bound to give it even less stars than I am.
2 * from me. One for the cover and the other because it was at least short so I did not suffer long.
Wifey here…
So this little book. I read it alongside my wifey. When it was done I gave a round of applause, because it was done. In a perfect world this story would happen exactly the way it did. In a perfect world you would meet the bachelor of your dreams, very wealthy, very attractive, very smart, very shy. And you would fall in love instantaneously. In a perfect world. I have no doubt about the writer’s ability to write. Hilary Liftin. I am sure she would go very far amongst the romance readers. But for me, it’s a definite no. I would not read this again. If you want to try it, go ahead. A 1 star from me. Sorry Hilary and James.
Ek het die boek gelees. En alhoewel ek nie so mag praat in die publiek nie, sal ek dit ook nie hier doen nie. Julle salmaar self moet lees om my woede en frustrasie te verstaan. Ek gaan nie n vreeslike uitgebreide resensie lewer nie, want ek mag dalk lasterlik raak. Dr Lemmer, ek’s bitter bly jy het die boek uit gegee deur jou werksplek. Dit sou waaragtig nie deur enige ander editor verby gekom het nie.
Voordat ek verder gaan, sal ek net hier ophou. Lees die boek.
My genade mense. Kom ek haak sommer net op twee punte vas.
Volgens die geleerde man en studies wat hy aanhaal is mishandeling slegs mishandeling – en ek haal hier sommer direk aan – TWO DEFINITIONS OF ABUSE – *An abusive relationship is one in which substantial physical, mental, or emotional harm is inflicted, that is not temporary in nature, and is not clearly compensated for by positive and loving experiences over a long period of time. By Louise, 1997
So mense Barbie was vergoed. Baie goed vergoed. Sy het gedoen wat sy gedoen het en gebly waar sy gebly het oor die geld en aandag wat sy gekry het. Sy het die mite van Adv Barbie werklik geniet en wil nou se dit was ‘n maaksel van Dirk Prinsloo. NIEMAND seg die ou is all there nie, mense. Hy is GLAD nie kosher nie, maar sy biologiese pa word nie bespreek in die boek nie. Sy biologiese ma, die vrou wat met die ou met al die afkortings getrou het…. word deur die selfde man met al die afkortings onder die bus ingegooi. Dit was haar skuld jul. Als. Sy moes nooit by haar eerste man gebly het nie, sy moes dit en dat. Want haar dogtertjie het by haar geleer hoe ‘n mens ‘n man hanteer en dat mishandeling net nog ‘n ding is wat gebeur. Ja, die brose vrou van 24 en nou al seker 44, 45 word nou nog deur haar ma se rokspante beskerm.
Die tweede punt, van seker ‘n goeie honderd wat ek kan aanspreek. Barbie, ‘n maagd op 24 was die onskuld van self, toe sy haar in die verhouding begewe het maar… die veertien jarige tiener wat al gedrink, gerook, dwelms en seks misbruik het… sy. Ja SY, mense, ons moet onthou dat vandag se 14 jariges ook nie meer kinders is nie en hul is glad nie naastenby so onskuldig nie. Is jy egter ‘n skamele 10 jaar ouer dan, ja dan is jy so vars soos ‘n lente blommetjie
Dankie aan die oom met die afkortings en sy eie dogter se blatante manipulasie sommer vanaf die begin van die boek…. geen regdenkende mens…. Is die soort van manupilasie nie al lank terug uit die mode nie? Verskoon my dom vrae. Ek glo eerder aan die redelikke-mens-toets as die regdenkende-mens-toets. So ek dop al weer die toets.
Maar nou ja.
Die sterre wat die boek verdien….
Vir die manipulasie en die “condescending tone” van die sproki… ag ek meet boek. 0* van my en my vrou af.
Vir die manipulasie op die voorblad met daai vreeslikke onskuldige gesiggie, ek meen mense. Botter kan nie in daai mondjie smelt nie, 0*.
Vir die “entertainment value” van die boek. 5*. Dit het ure se diskussie in ons huishouding veroorsaak. Ons het gelag, ons het gevloek. Ons het dit bitter baie geniet om punt vir punt uitmekaar te trek. Te dissekteer. Om dit om en om te draai en dan om te vloek en skel oor die blatante manupilasie van die nie regdenkende leser nie.
Vir die vloek en skel gee ek die boek 3*. Ek sal ten minste tot jaar eind ‘n uur elke aand ekstra langs my bed moet kniel. My vrou mag heel moontlik nooit weer opstaan nie a.g.v. die taal wat sy gebruik het gedurende die lees van die boek.
So. In totaal, as jy die boek wil lees om die ware storie te hoor sal ek dalk nie die boek aanbeveel nie. Sou jy die boek wil lees om beter insig te kry in hoe arme Barbie selfs nou nog deur mans gebruik word, jip stief pappa se akademiese stempel word goed gevoed deur die boek en Barbie kry net mooi niks daaruit nie…. dan lees die boek.
Die boek kry 3* in totaal. Dog is dit deur en deur die moeite werd. Dit is beter as enige sit-com op tv.
Four crime-solving friends face off against a killer in San Francisco in the Women’s Murder Club novel that started James Patterson’s thrilling series.
Each one holds a piece of the puzzle: Lindsay Boxer is a homicide inspector in the San Francisco Police Department, Claire Washburn is a medical examiner, Jill Bernhardt is an assistant D.A., and Cindy Thomas just started working the crime desk of the San Francisco Chronicle.
But the usual procedures aren’t bringing them any closer to stopping the killings. So these women form a Women’s Murder Club to collaborate outside the box and pursue the case by sidestepping their bosses and giving each other a hand. The four women develop intense bonds as they pursue a killer whose crimes have stunned an entire city. Working together, they track down the most terrifying and unexpected killer they have ever encountered–before a shocking conclusion in which everything they knew turns out to be devastatingly wrong.
Full of the breathtaking drama and unforgettable emotions for which James Patterson is famous, 1st to Die is the start of the #1 New York Times bestselling series of crime thrillers.
I loved this book. It is twisty and turney but not overly complicated. I liked the basics of the characterization that was set into place in this book and am looking forward to learn to know the four women better.
I can not really say more about the book. It is light reading and fun at that. What more do you want?
We had a copy for sale but it sold. As soon as we get another we will list it. Over to my wifey…
Wifey here!!
Suddenly there was a murder, suddenly there was another. Lol. Well, to be honest, the word didn’t come across that much as in a usual James Patterson book. I enjoyed this book. I listened to it while I worked. At some point I had to stop working and had to listen. The book grabbed me. It was a good book. I liked it and would recommend it to all James Patterson fans.
Yes, we now have a copy. For only R20 it is a steal. It is well used though. Here is the link!
How hard must a man fight when the apocalypse arrives?
Civil war ravishes the country. The economy collapses. A plague spreads like fire, and pollution darkens the sky. This is the toxic world of Robert Ashton. A wasteland of broken dreams, death, tech, and mutants. But he is not alone.
He and his partner navigate life underground, where it is safer. Society has buckled, and working as a smuggler, Robert builds a criminal life to keep the two of them fed. But nothing lasts forever, and he is forced to return to the surface when the underground suffers a brutal military raid. What he discovers shocks a man who thinks he cannot be shocked anymore.
He emerges into the hellscape of the Third World War…
I received this book on Audio for an honest review via Netgalley and wishes to thank them for the opportunity to listen to this book for free and to leave a voluntary review.
Let us start this review with Craig Bowles, the narrator.
He did a fine job. His pace was appropriate. His voice matched the character and the situation but not necessarily the location.
He sounded awfully British to me while the book plays off in the US. Note though. I live in Africa so I may be mistaken about the location but he did not sound very American to me.
The plot.
The plot was entertaining but predictable. There was nothing particularly new or fresh regarding the plot.
The Dialogue.
Apparently when you can die at any second you cuss a lot. I do not really blame them but it got to be a bit much.
The world building.
Now here is where the book wins points. The world building was really well done. The desolation, desperation etc really came to life with a pop.
