What do you think?
Rate this book
What Happened in Granite Creek
What readers are saying about What Happened in Granite Creek...
"I couldn't put it down."
"This book will have you guessing from beginning to end."
"Forget Gone Girl."
It begins as a simple act of goodwill. Koty Fowler agrees to sit with a wounded war veteran named Jamie Briggs, a quadruple amputee who resents having "charity babysitters." But Koty isn't like all the other volunteers in Granite Creek. She sees beyond Jamie's injuries to the man he is and the man he wants to become.
Jamie falls hard. So does Koty. And that's when things get complicated.
Back at home, Koty faces a loveless marriage with an alcoholic husband and three smart, yet troubled daughters. Iris, the middle child, is especially worrisome as she wanders down a destructive path filled with fights, truancy, and worse. Iris hates that Koty's affection has shifted to Jamie, and so she sets out to teach her mother a lesson. What happens next leaves everyone in the small New Hampshire town reeling. The Fowler family, battered and broken, must learn how to move forward, even as they struggle to understand what happened in their own backyard.
Told in multiple viewpoints and spanning across nearly two decades, What Happened in Granite Creek brings readers on a journey of intrigue filled with unexpected twists...and reminds us that nothing is ever what it seems.
"I couldn't put it down."
"This book will have you guessing from beginning to end."
"Forget Gone Girl."
It begins as a simple act of goodwill. Koty Fowler agrees to sit with a wounded war veteran named Jamie Briggs, a quadruple amputee who resents having "charity babysitters." But Koty isn't like all the other volunteers in Granite Creek. She sees beyond Jamie's injuries to the man he is and the man he wants to become.
Jamie falls hard. So does Koty. And that's when things get complicated.
Back at home, Koty faces a loveless marriage with an alcoholic husband and three smart, yet troubled daughters. Iris, the middle child, is especially worrisome as she wanders down a destructive path filled with fights, truancy, and worse. Iris hates that Koty's affection has shifted to Jamie, and so she sets out to teach her mother a lesson. What happens next leaves everyone in the small New Hampshire town reeling. The Fowler family, battered and broken, must learn how to move forward, even as they struggle to understand what happened in their own backyard.
Told in multiple viewpoints and spanning across nearly two decades, What Happened in Granite Creek brings readers on a journey of intrigue filled with unexpected twists...and reminds us that nothing is ever what it seems.
362 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2011
58 people are currently reading
776 people want to read
About the author
Robyn Bradley
7 books49 followersRobyn Bradley is a Short Story Seductress and Novelist Ninja. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University and won a short story award in 2007. Her work has appeared in FictionWeekly.com, Metal Scratches, The Breakwater Review, Writer's Digest, and The MetroWest Daily News, among other places. When she's not writing or sleeping, Robyn enjoys watching Law & Order marathons, drinking margaritas, and determining how many degrees really separate her from George Clooney.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
March 20, 2016
What did happen?
An electrifying book that keeps you wondering exactly what did happen. Koty is married, unhappily, bossed around by her husband. She has 3 daughters Rosie, Daisy and Lily whom she loves very much. In comes Jamie a friend of her husbands who returned from the war without limbs. But what happens when Koty and Jamie get together as friends and turns into a romance is an accident waiting to happen.
The book explodes when Koty's husband finds out they are having an affair along with the girl's involvement and then Koty goes missing. As we follow along everyone's thoughts on what happened to Koty we get entangled in a web that only makes us perplexed and surprised at the same time.
An electrifying book that keeps you wondering exactly what did happen. Koty is married, unhappily, bossed around by her husband. She has 3 daughters Rosie, Daisy and Lily whom she loves very much. In comes Jamie a friend of her husbands who returned from the war without limbs. But what happens when Koty and Jamie get together as friends and turns into a romance is an accident waiting to happen.
The book explodes when Koty's husband finds out they are having an affair along with the girl's involvement and then Koty goes missing. As we follow along everyone's thoughts on what happened to Koty we get entangled in a web that only makes us perplexed and surprised at the same time.
July 30, 2012
Well! I had to eat my words—again! I have been known to say that I don’t like novels written in the present tense. When I started to read this, I thought, oh no…
BUT, within a few pages, I was drawn into this novel, and my apprehension and misgivings about the present tense vanished into thin air.
Koty is forced by her husband, Wayne, to ‘babysit’ an amputee Iraqi war veteran, Jamie—her husband’s idea of patriotism and the dues that should be paid to those that fight for their country. Koty’s marriage to Wayne was a default due to an unexpected teen pregnancy. Three children later, she finds herself unhappily married to a drunkard and control-freak.
Her ‘duty’ towards the quadruple amputee is met by resentment on both sides. Koty is tired at being ordered around by her sometimes violent husband, and Jamie, quite naturally, is finding it hard to come to terms with his situation, while only a young man. Koty’s only option is make the best of the situation and, in a battle of wills, aims to fight through his barrier of bitterness and sense of hopelessness. But they are both victims of losses of different kinds, and this common bond leads them down an unexpected path.
I very much enjoyed the development of Koty and Jamie’s relationship. It was charged, poignant—Jamie is superbly portrayed—but then Bradley drops an almighty, jaw-dropping bombshell. The story takes a different turn and what started off as a good page-turner becomes an engrossing, compelling, and powerful story of intrigue and what parents will do to protect their children.
The writing was superb, each character was utterly believable, the tension was honed to perfection, and a whole gamut of emotions exudes from the pages.
And the absolute icing on the cake was the simply perfect editing of this book. I’m getting so tired of saying ‘good book, shame about the editing’, that this was an added bonus to my excellent reading experience. I found only a few very, very minor errors which was so very refreshing. Every author (and editor) should read this book and learn!
Outstanding, Robyn Bradley—I have ensured I have your other full-length novel (Forgotten April) on my Kindle.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.
BUT, within a few pages, I was drawn into this novel, and my apprehension and misgivings about the present tense vanished into thin air.
Koty is forced by her husband, Wayne, to ‘babysit’ an amputee Iraqi war veteran, Jamie—her husband’s idea of patriotism and the dues that should be paid to those that fight for their country. Koty’s marriage to Wayne was a default due to an unexpected teen pregnancy. Three children later, she finds herself unhappily married to a drunkard and control-freak.
Her ‘duty’ towards the quadruple amputee is met by resentment on both sides. Koty is tired at being ordered around by her sometimes violent husband, and Jamie, quite naturally, is finding it hard to come to terms with his situation, while only a young man. Koty’s only option is make the best of the situation and, in a battle of wills, aims to fight through his barrier of bitterness and sense of hopelessness. But they are both victims of losses of different kinds, and this common bond leads them down an unexpected path.
I very much enjoyed the development of Koty and Jamie’s relationship. It was charged, poignant—Jamie is superbly portrayed—but then Bradley drops an almighty, jaw-dropping bombshell. The story takes a different turn and what started off as a good page-turner becomes an engrossing, compelling, and powerful story of intrigue and what parents will do to protect their children.
The writing was superb, each character was utterly believable, the tension was honed to perfection, and a whole gamut of emotions exudes from the pages.
And the absolute icing on the cake was the simply perfect editing of this book. I’m getting so tired of saying ‘good book, shame about the editing’, that this was an added bonus to my excellent reading experience. I found only a few very, very minor errors which was so very refreshing. Every author (and editor) should read this book and learn!
Outstanding, Robyn Bradley—I have ensured I have your other full-length novel (Forgotten April) on my Kindle.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.
October 25, 2011
Quite an emotional experience, reading this book. It was not what I had expected going in. I read the short story on which it is based and was looking forward to an interesting romance.
The book it became is much more complex. It takes a sharp left turn half way through that I did not see coming. It did allow the story to explore something so much bigger: the way memory works, the way people try to put together lives based on just pieces.
The language was beautiful and the characters were achingly believable. The author's ability to show the point of view of so many different people at different times in their lives is very impressive.
A couple of uses of language that really stood out to me: "...with a voice that reminds me of the rumble strip on a highway" and "I sensed she'd been distant, drifting away from us the same way you can be standing still in the ocean, thinking you're not moving, and then you look up and realize you've drifted far from where you thought you were."
I'm a little bit heartbroken right now, a lot shook. This book is a powerful experience.
The book it became is much more complex. It takes a sharp left turn half way through that I did not see coming. It did allow the story to explore something so much bigger: the way memory works, the way people try to put together lives based on just pieces.
The language was beautiful and the characters were achingly believable. The author's ability to show the point of view of so many different people at different times in their lives is very impressive.
A couple of uses of language that really stood out to me: "...with a voice that reminds me of the rumble strip on a highway" and "I sensed she'd been distant, drifting away from us the same way you can be standing still in the ocean, thinking you're not moving, and then you look up and realize you've drifted far from where you thought you were."
I'm a little bit heartbroken right now, a lot shook. This book is a powerful experience.
July 21, 2012
I bought this for my Kindle, because it was on sale and seemed mildly interesting. I REALLY enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more by this up and coming author. The story revolves around a young family that is suffering from the effects of poor circumstances and loss. In the midst of the family's turmoil enters an unlikely friendship between the mother and an injured war veteran who has returned home to their small town. Where this friendship leads and how it changes the mother and father yet destroys a family is heartbreaking. The story was originally published as a short story and through encouragement from her professors and friends Bradley developed it into a novel. You can see the promise in her writing and I have high hopes for her future work.
February 12, 2017
Amazingly well written and edited. I absolutely loved this story about a neglected and abused wife who forms a brief relationship, under orders from her husband, with a quadriplegic amputee recently returned from the gulf war.
The first part of the book is centred around these two characters and there are some extremely sensuous moments. We are also given glimpses into Kody's relationship with her husband before things turned sour.
The characters are so well developed that I believed what they thought and did. I genuinely felt sadness, compassion and frustration for them. The complexities of each characters' personality and life experiences, thoughts, actions and behaviour were so well drawn out, I did not dislike any of them even if I did not agree and want something different for them. I wanted everything to turn out well for them and couldn't wait to find out how life was panning out for them all.
The first part ended quite abruptly and I was stunned.
The second half concentrated on the personal accounts of each individual and what they were thinking and doing and why they had behaved in a particular way.
During the course of reading the first half I remembered an old film (1946) 'The Time Of Our Lives' about the return of three WW2 veterans one of which was a double amputee returning to his fiancé. I remember having similar feelings when I watched this film in my teens. The impact was all the more profound as the actor was a double amputee himself. I think 'What Happened In Granite Creek' is a worthy current equivalent in its raising of current issues that service men suffer during the Gulf War and how they may or may not come to terms with such loss.
I won't go into more as I don't want to spoil anything in this absolute gem. All I will say is that this was definitely a thought provoking story for me and that I can definitely recommend that you give it a go.
The first part of the book is centred around these two characters and there are some extremely sensuous moments. We are also given glimpses into Kody's relationship with her husband before things turned sour.
The characters are so well developed that I believed what they thought and did. I genuinely felt sadness, compassion and frustration for them. The complexities of each characters' personality and life experiences, thoughts, actions and behaviour were so well drawn out, I did not dislike any of them even if I did not agree and want something different for them. I wanted everything to turn out well for them and couldn't wait to find out how life was panning out for them all.
The first part ended quite abruptly and I was stunned.
The second half concentrated on the personal accounts of each individual and what they were thinking and doing and why they had behaved in a particular way.
During the course of reading the first half I remembered an old film (1946) 'The Time Of Our Lives' about the return of three WW2 veterans one of which was a double amputee returning to his fiancé. I remember having similar feelings when I watched this film in my teens. The impact was all the more profound as the actor was a double amputee himself. I think 'What Happened In Granite Creek' is a worthy current equivalent in its raising of current issues that service men suffer during the Gulf War and how they may or may not come to terms with such loss.
I won't go into more as I don't want to spoil anything in this absolute gem. All I will say is that this was definitely a thought provoking story for me and that I can definitely recommend that you give it a go.
December 9, 2016
I'm not sure what to think about this book. It was a quick read, and I found it completely predictable the minute part 2 happens. Part one is 2008, Part two is 2014. There was no mystery in it for me, other than the 'details' of how, not the who, or the why (details were revealed in the 2nd to last chapter) Part two starts at about 60%, and the rest of the book till the end tries to lead you to different thoughts of "what happened". The story is told on various POVs. Characters are introduced that didn't go anywhere - or maybe they did and were edited out. Not that it takes away from the entire book, it's just something I noticed.
There was a lot going on with homophobia, racism, war, alcohol abuse, spousal abuse, rape, teen pregnancy, sex, murder, creepy teen fantasy, pet mutilation, serial killer, bad marriages - so with a title like it has, the answer is there was a lot happening in Granite Creek.
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
With so much going on, I didn't understand the need for characters that didn't do much - why emphasize the cop, the large woman in pink, Jamie's high school buddy.. Also, I didn't understand the fact that Rosie is in love with Jamie, and she is the spitting image of Koty, which is pretty creepy. The mother's revelation was disturbing and psychopathic, and seemed very rushed, but it had to be to kind of make this suspenseful. I can't understand as a parent (thought I'm not one) why you would let your child torture themselves with a horrible memory, because you think you're protecting them.
There was a lot going on with homophobia, racism, war, alcohol abuse, spousal abuse, rape, teen pregnancy, sex, murder, creepy teen fantasy, pet mutilation, serial killer, bad marriages - so with a title like it has, the answer is there was a lot happening in Granite Creek.
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
With so much going on, I didn't understand the need for characters that didn't do much - why emphasize the cop, the large woman in pink, Jamie's high school buddy.. Also, I didn't understand the fact that Rosie is in love with Jamie, and she is the spitting image of Koty, which is pretty creepy. The mother's revelation was disturbing and psychopathic, and seemed very rushed, but it had to be to kind of make this suspenseful. I can't understand as a parent (thought I'm not one) why you would let your child torture themselves with a horrible memory, because you think you're protecting them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2020
"Facts. The fact is no matter how we try, we don't have the power to empty our heads of bad memories. Only the memories themselves can decide when enough is enough."
This was a very well written book that tackled some big issues. It was more than just the story of an unhappy housewife who has an affair, and not just because he's a recently returned war veteran & amputee. The first half of the book being in Koty's voice really brings you into the circumstances that went into their lives and the place they found themselves, all the way back to Koty and Wayne's childhoods. As in life, there's no one thing that pointed them to where they ended up, but the author does a great job of showing the whole picture and I was pulled right along. I liked the twists she throws at you at the end. I won't spoil them for you, but they make sense and pull the book to a good close. Seeing the story from the girl's viewpoints was especially interesting.
There were a couple things I didn't like that I thought I'd mention. I grit my teeth a little at the right wing stereotype that was Wayne's family. I also would have liked to know a little more about Carl's murder. I'm not giving anything away that it's a major plot point, and the moment where Wayne changes. I guess it's part of the story that we're not supposed to know because the focus is more on how everyone comes to terms with that incident rather than the incident itself, but I think it might have had more of an emotional charge if we knew more about what happened.
This was a very well written book that tackled some big issues. It was more than just the story of an unhappy housewife who has an affair, and not just because he's a recently returned war veteran & amputee. The first half of the book being in Koty's voice really brings you into the circumstances that went into their lives and the place they found themselves, all the way back to Koty and Wayne's childhoods. As in life, there's no one thing that pointed them to where they ended up, but the author does a great job of showing the whole picture and I was pulled right along. I liked the twists she throws at you at the end. I won't spoil them for you, but they make sense and pull the book to a good close. Seeing the story from the girl's viewpoints was especially interesting.
There were a couple things I didn't like that I thought I'd mention. I grit my teeth a little at the right wing stereotype that was Wayne's family. I also would have liked to know a little more about Carl's murder. I'm not giving anything away that it's a major plot point, and the moment where Wayne changes. I guess it's part of the story that we're not supposed to know because the focus is more on how everyone comes to terms with that incident rather than the incident itself, but I think it might have had more of an emotional charge if we knew more about what happened.
April 16, 2016
A quadruple amputee war veteran; a battered woman, her mean-spirited husband, and the three daughters they are devoted to: these are the players at the heart of this savage, compelling drama. What makes this thriller special? It focuses on what many of its genre skip out on: character development.
The story begins when Jamie, a 26-year-old veteran, returns home from a tour in Iraq to Granite Creek, New Hampshire, minus his arms and legs. Because his schoolteacher mother can’t always be home to care for him, the neighbors take turns “visiting” with Jamie for a few hours at a time—though they are quickly driven away by his rage and bitterness. But Koty Fowler, a bullied mother of three, is able to connect with him in ways that the others cannot. What begins as friendship soon turns into something more, leading to a tragic whirlwind of events that leaves no one’s lives untouched. At the novel’s conclusion, the reader is left to question: who exactly is to blame for what happened in Granite Creek? An excellent thriller, highly recommended.
The story begins when Jamie, a 26-year-old veteran, returns home from a tour in Iraq to Granite Creek, New Hampshire, minus his arms and legs. Because his schoolteacher mother can’t always be home to care for him, the neighbors take turns “visiting” with Jamie for a few hours at a time—though they are quickly driven away by his rage and bitterness. But Koty Fowler, a bullied mother of three, is able to connect with him in ways that the others cannot. What begins as friendship soon turns into something more, leading to a tragic whirlwind of events that leaves no one’s lives untouched. At the novel’s conclusion, the reader is left to question: who exactly is to blame for what happened in Granite Creek? An excellent thriller, highly recommended.
December 2, 2011
This novel was recommended by a friend and I must say I'm glad I took my friend's advice. Robyn Bradley is an excellent writer with skills in characterization, internal dialogue, and description. The plot moved well throughout the first part, where I found myself emotionally involved. For me though, the next section bounced between characters and lost most of the tension and momentum. Still, the mystery presented was intriguing, so I read on with great desire to see what had happened. By the time the events were revealed, I was more intellectually curious, like a detective, rather than heart-wrenched, which I had been at the end of part 1.
Still, What Happened in Granite Creek is a good read for a rainy day, nice and complex and emotionally meaty. I look forward to reading more by Ms. Bradley.
Still, What Happened in Granite Creek is a good read for a rainy day, nice and complex and emotionally meaty. I look forward to reading more by Ms. Bradley.
August 22, 2015
A depressing downward spiral. When you hit the bottom, hardly any of the characters are redeemable. Everyone's a little bit scumbaggy, except maybe Jamie.
And to top it off, there's no justice. Not really.
I continued to struggle with character voice. The chapters narrated by the daughters were especially awkward for me. They were well written for the most part, but every so often the author would throw in a "so totally not" or a "like, whatever," just to remind us that we were reading from the perspective of a 13 year old. I found it annoying and almost insulting, like she didn't trust us to recall who was narrating.
An okay mystery-ish sort of book, but I didn't like it well enough to recommend it. I really don't agree with or understand any of the 5 star reviews.
And to top it off, there's no justice. Not really.
I continued to struggle with character voice. The chapters narrated by the daughters were especially awkward for me. They were well written for the most part, but every so often the author would throw in a "so totally not" or a "like, whatever," just to remind us that we were reading from the perspective of a 13 year old. I found it annoying and almost insulting, like she didn't trust us to recall who was narrating.
An okay mystery-ish sort of book, but I didn't like it well enough to recommend it. I really don't agree with or understand any of the 5 star reviews.
December 10, 2013
I wasn't sure I could get into this because I thought was a romance novel, not my usual genre. However, this was so much more! It was suspenseful and well written. The characters absolutely came to life, and the book explored tough themes about what it means to be a daughter, a spouse, a parent, a child, and what you "owe" to those in your life that you may have once loved but now are forever linked. It was full of twists! I thought the beginning gave away too much, too soon, but it was written so well that each chapter revealed a bit more. It was one of those rare books that I couldn't put down and I'm actually happy I finished it so I can get back to my regular sleep schedule!
March 3, 2016
The description of the plot intrigued me. I found the first half of the book interesting and I really liked the main character and was cheering for her to prevail. But then the story abruptly changed points of view, jumped 5 years ahead and became a whodunnit. I felt cheated. This book couldn't seem to decide whether it was a personal drama, a mystery or a romance novel. It would have been better if the author started the book 5 years in the future and then showed the events leading up to the foregone conclusion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2016
The story is told from multiple viewpoints, by Koty, her husband Wayne, and daughters Rosie, Iris and Daisy. There are other characters as well, that play important roles in this intriguing story that spans nearly two decades.
When doing a good deed turns into something more. When a marriage is on the rocks. When people meet their breaking point. This was an interesting story with very real characters and a fast moving plot. I was imagining all kinds of endings, but not THIS ending! What a great read!
When doing a good deed turns into something more. When a marriage is on the rocks. When people meet their breaking point. This was an interesting story with very real characters and a fast moving plot. I was imagining all kinds of endings, but not THIS ending! What a great read!
December 25, 2011
Started and completed this book in a 12 hour shift. While I thought I had it figured out early on, I ended up being wrong. The only thing I didn't care for, personally, was just the jumping from character to character (even though it help tell the story) for the same period but different perspectives. Would reccommend this book to others.
February 23, 2016
Emotionally engaging novel packed with the grit of life and the choices that define us. A fabulous book option for book clubs as no one will walk away unscathed by choices of the characters and the impact a similar choice affects the reader. The story hasn't left me and doubt it will for a while. Bradley's powerful tale earned four stars.
February 10, 2016
What an awesome book. Definitely recommend this book and the author whom I have never read.
September 18, 2016
Hated it. Very white trash, soap opera. I'm embarrassed I finished it.
October 30, 2018
I must have downloaded this book to my kindle ages ago. When or why, I don't remember. I came across it in my library last week and thought, eh, why not give it a go.
I was pleasantly surprised! With the exception of a few extremely odd scenarios, it's very well written. I would have loved to have given it five stars, but there were a few areas where this story just felt all wrong.
The story is told in two parts and from multiple viewpoints. The firs half of the story is told from the viewpoint of a woman named Koty Fowler. She's in a loveless, abusive marriage and sticks around solely for the purpose of her three daughters. Her husband Wayne informs her one day that it is her "duty" to visit their neighbor Jamie Briggs, a quadruple amputee war veteran. She wants nothing to do with it but feels she is left with no choice. Either do what Wayne says or feel is wrath. Again.
WARNING - POTENTIAL SPOILER AHEAD
On one of her earliest visits to Jamie, she walks in on him unexpectedly and sees him reading porn while he's attempting to relieve himself. A difficult job considering his unfortunate circumstances. She simply approaches him and helps him finish the job. This whole scenario unfolds so quickly that it made my head spin. I also found it hard to believe that she would willingly do this to a man she barely knew. I'm not a prude, but it just seemed unbelievable to me and didn't fit in well to Koty's character profile at all. But hey, that's just me. I mean, Koty has been a manservant since the day she married Wayne. I just found it hard to believe she'd be so willing to do something like this. This is the first huge, gaping hole in the plotline for me.
Long story short - their friendship grows in to a believable and well told love affair. Jamie figures out very early on that Koty's husband is an abusive alcoholic and he tries to help her dig deep to find the strength to leave him. She refuses and disaster ultimately follows. What happens in Granite Creek has rippling effects that touch more people than either of them could have ever imagined.
The second half of the book is told from the viewpoint of her husband, three children, and Jamie himself. It fast forwards six years ahead and here's where I find the second gaping hole. One of Koty's daughters is now in love with Jamie. Seriously? What in hell was the author thinking? I find it hard to imagine that any woman, no matter how young and impressionable, would ever want to strike up an intimate relationship with a man who had a relationship with her own mother. Had that element been removed, the story would still have played out exceptionally well. Instead, it just felt all wrong to me.
In the end, what happened in Granite Creek is finally revealed. It's completely unexpected and will keep you hooked until the very last page.
I was pleasantly surprised! With the exception of a few extremely odd scenarios, it's very well written. I would have loved to have given it five stars, but there were a few areas where this story just felt all wrong.
The story is told in two parts and from multiple viewpoints. The firs half of the story is told from the viewpoint of a woman named Koty Fowler. She's in a loveless, abusive marriage and sticks around solely for the purpose of her three daughters. Her husband Wayne informs her one day that it is her "duty" to visit their neighbor Jamie Briggs, a quadruple amputee war veteran. She wants nothing to do with it but feels she is left with no choice. Either do what Wayne says or feel is wrath. Again.
WARNING - POTENTIAL SPOILER AHEAD
On one of her earliest visits to Jamie, she walks in on him unexpectedly and sees him reading porn while he's attempting to relieve himself. A difficult job considering his unfortunate circumstances. She simply approaches him and helps him finish the job. This whole scenario unfolds so quickly that it made my head spin. I also found it hard to believe that she would willingly do this to a man she barely knew. I'm not a prude, but it just seemed unbelievable to me and didn't fit in well to Koty's character profile at all. But hey, that's just me. I mean, Koty has been a manservant since the day she married Wayne. I just found it hard to believe she'd be so willing to do something like this. This is the first huge, gaping hole in the plotline for me.
Long story short - their friendship grows in to a believable and well told love affair. Jamie figures out very early on that Koty's husband is an abusive alcoholic and he tries to help her dig deep to find the strength to leave him. She refuses and disaster ultimately follows. What happens in Granite Creek has rippling effects that touch more people than either of them could have ever imagined.
The second half of the book is told from the viewpoint of her husband, three children, and Jamie himself. It fast forwards six years ahead and here's where I find the second gaping hole. One of Koty's daughters is now in love with Jamie. Seriously? What in hell was the author thinking? I find it hard to imagine that any woman, no matter how young and impressionable, would ever want to strike up an intimate relationship with a man who had a relationship with her own mother. Had that element been removed, the story would still have played out exceptionally well. Instead, it just felt all wrong to me.
In the end, what happened in Granite Creek is finally revealed. It's completely unexpected and will keep you hooked until the very last page.
October 15, 2017
A mystery. What happened to Koty. Flashbacks and time jumps. An explanation that isn't like others I've read- because this book acknowledges that sometimes, there isn't one simple explanation but a series of events that led to something big.
March 8, 2019
I loved this book. I love the writing, the characters, the sometimes brutal reality of life. The book is straight forward and twisted at the same time. I basically read this in a day and already miss the book.
May 25, 2017
Good read
I had trouble getting into the book when I first started reading it but it quickly turned into something i couldn't put down
I had trouble getting into the book when I first started reading it but it quickly turned into something i couldn't put down
June 24, 2017
Wasn't sure I was going to like this at first but really liked it in the end..Gray character development.
June 12, 2023
Started out great. Then it got not so great. Ending kind of sucked.
March 3, 2017
Mystery from many perspectives
I must admit that I am very disappointed if I read a mystery and figure out whodunnit. I thought I had it figured it out but I was very wrong. The story kept me engaged to the very end. Good read.
I must admit that I am very disappointed if I read a mystery and figure out whodunnit. I thought I had it figured it out but I was very wrong. The story kept me engaged to the very end. Good read.
April 8, 2014
This is a fabulous read and had me hooked from the beginning. This book will be yanking your emotions in all different directions. At times, you’re going to be pissed, sometimes it will be pulling at your heart strings, and a lot of times, you’ll be heartbroken. I thought about this book and its characters when I wasn’t reading. When I had spare time, even just a few minutes, I would pick this up and read. It is definitely a story that you have to know what will happen next. And it will positively stay with you long after you’ve finished.
At about 82%, I still didn’t know what the hell happened in Granite Creek. I had no idea how it was going to end – NONE. I thought I knew at a few different places in the book, but then was proved wrong again and again. Many times I was saying “whoa, didn’t see that coming.”
Bravo on the characters – great job on their development and making me feel like I knew them. Some you will hate, some you will love, and definitely some you will want to punch in the face – hard. The ability to make the reader feel these emotions toward the characters proves to me the talent of an author.
If you love a beautifully written thriller, a suspenseful nail-biter that will put you on a roller coaster of emotions, read this book! I easily & gladly give this 5 stars! I will definitely be reading more from this author.
Added bonus – I know editing is important to a lot of people. I can honestly say I do not remember any errors – grammatical or typographical. Very nice!
At about 82%, I still didn’t know what the hell happened in Granite Creek. I had no idea how it was going to end – NONE. I thought I knew at a few different places in the book, but then was proved wrong again and again. Many times I was saying “whoa, didn’t see that coming.”
Bravo on the characters – great job on their development and making me feel like I knew them. Some you will hate, some you will love, and definitely some you will want to punch in the face – hard. The ability to make the reader feel these emotions toward the characters proves to me the talent of an author.
If you love a beautifully written thriller, a suspenseful nail-biter that will put you on a roller coaster of emotions, read this book! I easily & gladly give this 5 stars! I will definitely be reading more from this author.
Added bonus – I know editing is important to a lot of people. I can honestly say I do not remember any errors – grammatical or typographical. Very nice!
May 5, 2015
Forget "Gone Girl" -- This Novel Leaves It in the Dust
I have never read a novel in which memory, guilt, rationalization and truth weave such a tangled web. In a small New Hampshire town, Koty and Wayne Fowler's marriage was never a fairy tale. Begun with an unplanned pregnancy and marred by family tragedy and broken dreams, it is held together mostly by their three daughters. When Wayne's misguided "patriotism" forces Koty to "volunteer" to help Jamie Briggs, a local quad-amputee veteran of the Gulf War, their marriage suffers unintended consequences --IN SPADES.
There are so many twists, turns and surprises, it is liked being locked in a carnival Fun House. Whose truth is real? Whose guilt is deserved? Whose memory is correct? Is anyone truly innocent?
This novel takes psychological suspense into heartbreaking emotional terrotory. Once you begin reading, you won't be able to put it down and even after you read the last sentence, the story will echo in your mind for days.
I have never read a novel in which memory, guilt, rationalization and truth weave such a tangled web. In a small New Hampshire town, Koty and Wayne Fowler's marriage was never a fairy tale. Begun with an unplanned pregnancy and marred by family tragedy and broken dreams, it is held together mostly by their three daughters. When Wayne's misguided "patriotism" forces Koty to "volunteer" to help Jamie Briggs, a local quad-amputee veteran of the Gulf War, their marriage suffers unintended consequences --IN SPADES.
There are so many twists, turns and surprises, it is liked being locked in a carnival Fun House. Whose truth is real? Whose guilt is deserved? Whose memory is correct? Is anyone truly innocent?
This novel takes psychological suspense into heartbreaking emotional terrotory. Once you begin reading, you won't be able to put it down and even after you read the last sentence, the story will echo in your mind for days.
November 3, 2011
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a review. The description of this book really intrigued me and is what made me decide to choose this book to review and I'm glad I did! From the very beginning, the book drew me in and kept me interested throughout the whole story. I really liked how the book spanned several years and was most interested in how the first half of the book was written from the main characters view point and the latter half was written from each of the other characters. I felt I really got to know each character. The mystery of "who done it" kept me intrigued to the very end where I was so surprised! Wonderfully written. This is one very talented writer! Get this book, you'll be glad you did.
July 5, 2012
This is a great summer read! I really enjoyed how the author, Robyn, built the characters. The first half of the book is purely from Koty's perspective and then the second half bounces between perspectives of all the other characters. She did an excellent job of demonstrating the chain reaction of major, and minor, events on our lives and the lives of the people in our circle, directly and by dotted line. My only somewhat negative remark would be is that I wanted to know more. I feel like we only skimmed the surface of some of the characters and I wanted to know more. Kudos to Robyn for making me want more. I would recommend this book to friends for sure.
April 14, 2015
Unexpectedly good
I saw this book in an ad on Facebook, and something about the brief synopsis caught my eye - that, and the fact that it was an extra-low price on Kindle (LOL).
I don't want to give anything away, but it's a really GOOD mystery. Every few chapters you think you've solved it, and then something changes and you're back to square one. The story is told in the first person; however, the speaker changes almost every chapter. The timeline skips around, too, but it's not as confusing as that might sound.
I read this one quickly because I couldn't wait to see what happened next.
I saw this book in an ad on Facebook, and something about the brief synopsis caught my eye - that, and the fact that it was an extra-low price on Kindle (LOL).
I don't want to give anything away, but it's a really GOOD mystery. Every few chapters you think you've solved it, and then something changes and you're back to square one. The story is told in the first person; however, the speaker changes almost every chapter. The timeline skips around, too, but it's not as confusing as that might sound.
I read this one quickly because I couldn't wait to see what happened next.
August 9, 2016
This was a surprisingly good read. It appeared on my Facebook feed and after reading the preview provided on Amazon, I was hooked enough to want to continue reading and purchased it. The author creates very believable characters and the plot involves a great deal of tension. There's a romance, but the book is really a thriller/mystery. It has a very surprise ending as many of the other reviewers have mentioned. Just when you think you knew what happened, another piece of the puzzle appears, changing everything. Lots of disfunctional people, but believably written. Warning on language. Highly recommended: 4.9/5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews