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The Park Trilogy #1
Olive Park by C. J. Booth
A picture in a small black frame... A knotted rope... An abandoned carnival... The Olive Park Murders. Some say the most horrific unsolved case in California history. 1997 - Olive Park, California - the bodies of three children are found buried in shallow graves, brutally murdered. One of the most intensive investigations in California history fails to find any trace of the killer and the case goes cold. 15 years later - the newly formed Ongoing Investigation Division, charged with closing cold cases, is handed as its very first case - the Olive Park Murders. Detectives Stan Wyld and Jake Steiner, together with assistant Mallory Dimante, reopen the Olive Park case and find nothing new, until their examination of the original burial site turns up one chilling piece of evidence that proves Olive Park is no longer just a cold case about three dead children. The truth is much worse. For the twisted killer of Olive Park has never stopped and has already chosen its next victim. And no one will be able to protect her. No one.
Paperback
First published August 4, 2011
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About the author
C.J. Booth
17 books31 followersC. J. Booth
Following his careers in broadcasting and film and video production, he has brought detectives Stan Wyld, Jake Steiner and Mallory Dimante to life in “Olive Park”, his first novel and the first novel in the series involving Sacramento’s fictional OID – Ongoing Investigation Division, the cold case division.
C. J. has studied with Judith Guest (“Ordinary People”), Rebecca Hill (“A Killing Time in St. Cloud”), Gary Braver (“Tunnel Vision”, “Skin Deep”), and David S. Freeman (“Beyond Structure”).
Olive Park, Crimson Park and Angel Park are all part of the The Park Trilogy, which is available in an e-book box set as the "The Park Trilogy."
C.J. lives with his wife on an island near Seattle, Washington.
Following his careers in broadcasting and film and video production, he has brought detectives Stan Wyld, Jake Steiner and Mallory Dimante to life in “Olive Park”, his first novel and the first novel in the series involving Sacramento’s fictional OID – Ongoing Investigation Division, the cold case division.
C. J. has studied with Judith Guest (“Ordinary People”), Rebecca Hill (“A Killing Time in St. Cloud”), Gary Braver (“Tunnel Vision”, “Skin Deep”), and David S. Freeman (“Beyond Structure”).
Olive Park, Crimson Park and Angel Park are all part of the The Park Trilogy, which is available in an e-book box set as the "The Park Trilogy."
C.J. lives with his wife on an island near Seattle, Washington.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
May 15, 2017
This book came to my attention during the Global eBook Awards; frankly, it's easy to see why it took top honors in its category.
Stan Wyld and Jake Steiner, along with assistant Mallory Dimante, comprise Sacramento's new "Ongoing Investigations Division," aka the cold case team. Their first assignment is the so-called Olive Park case, with its three young victims. The case has been cold for 15 years, but new techniques and information may allow for a break.
Jake is not present for much of the book, being sidelined by an injury. So, we see a great deal of old-timer Stan dealing with young computer expert Mallory, whose skills at connecting the dots in new and previously unconsidered ways lead to the first new clue.
The subplot involves a young man and his sister, sent to live with an aunt in the aftermath of their parents' deaths. The tales do come together eventually, but not necessarily in the way you might think.
The characters are realistic and the situations believable. At no point did I find myself wondering why a given character took a given action. Furthermore, when the 'whodunnit' was revealed, I was surprised. I read a good many mysteries and it's hard to get one past me.
"Olive Park" is a well-constructed police procedural *and* mystery. The author has clearly done his research on modern forensics, and has created a tight, entertaining tale. Those who enjoy the genres to be found here are sure to like C.J. Booth's work.
Stan Wyld and Jake Steiner, along with assistant Mallory Dimante, comprise Sacramento's new "Ongoing Investigations Division," aka the cold case team. Their first assignment is the so-called Olive Park case, with its three young victims. The case has been cold for 15 years, but new techniques and information may allow for a break.
Jake is not present for much of the book, being sidelined by an injury. So, we see a great deal of old-timer Stan dealing with young computer expert Mallory, whose skills at connecting the dots in new and previously unconsidered ways lead to the first new clue.
The subplot involves a young man and his sister, sent to live with an aunt in the aftermath of their parents' deaths. The tales do come together eventually, but not necessarily in the way you might think.
The characters are realistic and the situations believable. At no point did I find myself wondering why a given character took a given action. Furthermore, when the 'whodunnit' was revealed, I was surprised. I read a good many mysteries and it's hard to get one past me.
"Olive Park" is a well-constructed police procedural *and* mystery. The author has clearly done his research on modern forensics, and has created a tight, entertaining tale. Those who enjoy the genres to be found here are sure to like C.J. Booth's work.
May 3, 2021
Disturbing cold case about a serial killer of children in a suburb of Sacramento that I found somewhat difficult to read. The two detectives and their IT associate Mallory were strong characters, especially Mallory and two young recently orphaned kids trying to survive in a creepy environment. I thought the pace of the overall investigation was sluggish but overall an OK, first in a trilogy, cold case mystery/thriller.
September 17, 2023
Very interesting mystery, but I got a little confused at the end and there were some unnecessary sexual undertones throughout the story. Also, there was a ton of language that was just not needed. But the actual mystery was good and it kept me guessing. 3.5/5 ⭐️
February 25, 2021
Two Sacramento PD detectives, joined by a young female IT specialists , embark on a seemingly hopeless effort to solve the 15 year old murder of three young children
Left buried in the foothills. Well written with good character descriptions and a clever plot, "Olive Park" is an intriguing mystery that's tough to put down.
Left buried in the foothills. Well written with good character descriptions and a clever plot, "Olive Park" is an intriguing mystery that's tough to put down.
September 23, 2011
Pleasantly surprised by this one, well written, well developed characters. Looking forward to more by this author.
November 20, 2020
Crime made cutsie because it's a kid protagonist. A lot of scene building that is theoretically chilling, but is, in actuality, just boring. Absolute drivel.
July 27, 2023
The first of the Park Trilogy, Olive Park introduces the Ongoing Investigation Division - an effort to devote manpower to cold cases and reallocate resources to work the cases to their natural conclusion. The department is made up of Detectives Stan Wyld and Jake Steiner and I.T. specialist, Mallory Dimante. Their first case is one that has stumped the police department for fifteen years - the Olive Park murders - three young children found buried in shallow graves with no discernable pattern, little evidence and no viable suspects.
This was fantastic. It started slow but steadily built up speed until the explosive conclusion. It wasn't perfect - some bits felt rush and unexplained and the timeline was a bit hard to gauge but generally it was a really enjoyable read with interesting and mostly likeable characters and a complex case.
Stan was great. Jake was average. And Mallory started off fantastic and steadily devolved into a complete ass.
In addition to the police, the narrative follows M and his little sister, Jessie who have recently moved in with their aunt after their parent's deaths. I adored M. He was smart and protective and brave and a total badass. The ending where he was epic. The alternating viewpoints between the OID and M could have been a disaster but it worked well to drive the plot onwards and reveal otherwise unknown information. And I came to be heavily invested in M's story - even more so than that of the OID.
I did not remotely see the ending coming. The twist was awesome and I loved it. It's so rare to be surprised by crime fiction these days - you tend to read one and have read most, so it was fantastic to be genuinely taken aback. I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy. I can't quite justify 5 stars, but it was a bit better than 4 and not quite 4.5 - so splitting the difference - 4.25 stars.
This was fantastic. It started slow but steadily built up speed until the explosive conclusion. It wasn't perfect - some bits felt rush and unexplained and the timeline was a bit hard to gauge but generally it was a really enjoyable read with interesting and mostly likeable characters and a complex case.
Stan was great. Jake was average. And Mallory started off fantastic and steadily devolved into a complete ass.
In addition to the police, the narrative follows M and his little sister, Jessie who have recently moved in with their aunt after their parent's deaths. I adored M. He was smart and protective and brave and a total badass. The ending where he was epic. The alternating viewpoints between the OID and M could have been a disaster but it worked well to drive the plot onwards and reveal otherwise unknown information. And I came to be heavily invested in M's story - even more so than that of the OID.
I did not remotely see the ending coming. The twist was awesome and I loved it. It's so rare to be surprised by crime fiction these days - you tend to read one and have read most, so it was fantastic to be genuinely taken aback. I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy. I can't quite justify 5 stars, but it was a bit better than 4 and not quite 4.5 - so splitting the difference - 4.25 stars.
October 23, 2019
Review of the Audible edition:
One of the best things about this gritty hard-boiled, cold case tale is the fact that for much of the book, it is telling two tales concurrently - both interesting - cutting back and forth from one to the other at just the right times to keep you in suspense. The fact that the two tales seem to be entirely unrelated to one another just adds to that suspense, as your mind tries to deduce how they fit together.
I will say that as the story unfolded, there were a couple times where I had a hunch about something that ended up being revealed further on. However, this did not diminish the story for me at all, and in fact added to the suspense as I waited to find out if I was right or not. And that to me is a sign of a good mystery - when you, as reader or listener, want to be part of the investigation.
Other than some occasional references to modern technology, there is a definite retro pulp quality to the narrative and the dialog. The choice of narrator adds to this aspect, as his voice has a good, authoritative tone (in an “Unsolved Mysteries” sort of way).
Another reviewer got hung up on the narrator mispronouncing “Placerville”. And while sure, it’s mispronounced, it’s also a completely logical mispronunciation for a non-local, and doesn’t diminish the story one bit.
In the climax of the book, as the two plot lines come together, the author’s skill with suspense, and the narrator’s talent at verbally conveying that suspense, make for one heck of a final act.
I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. And I was impressed enough to want to continue on, to the next book in the author’s Park Trilogy, on my own dime.
One of the best things about this gritty hard-boiled, cold case tale is the fact that for much of the book, it is telling two tales concurrently - both interesting - cutting back and forth from one to the other at just the right times to keep you in suspense. The fact that the two tales seem to be entirely unrelated to one another just adds to that suspense, as your mind tries to deduce how they fit together.
I will say that as the story unfolded, there were a couple times where I had a hunch about something that ended up being revealed further on. However, this did not diminish the story for me at all, and in fact added to the suspense as I waited to find out if I was right or not. And that to me is a sign of a good mystery - when you, as reader or listener, want to be part of the investigation.
Other than some occasional references to modern technology, there is a definite retro pulp quality to the narrative and the dialog. The choice of narrator adds to this aspect, as his voice has a good, authoritative tone (in an “Unsolved Mysteries” sort of way).
Another reviewer got hung up on the narrator mispronouncing “Placerville”. And while sure, it’s mispronounced, it’s also a completely logical mispronunciation for a non-local, and doesn’t diminish the story one bit.
In the climax of the book, as the two plot lines come together, the author’s skill with suspense, and the narrator’s talent at verbally conveying that suspense, make for one heck of a final act.
I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. And I was impressed enough to want to continue on, to the next book in the author’s Park Trilogy, on my own dime.
September 28, 2023
Excellent!
Amazon 1,554 ratings 4.5 Avg
Goodreads 951 ratings 4.43 Avg
Nice slow cook... I must be careful because the surprises were good, and I don't want to spoil the book.
The story is about a new cold case team in Sacramento with two seasoned cops and a smart young ballsy female computer tech. And their first 15-year cold case of three young children tortured, murdered, and buried side by side.
What I liked:
-I almost always like the high-action pace (like my own novels), but this was a different pace, I hate to say slow, but maybe deliberate.
-The characters are well-developed. M, a 12-13 yo boy has an attitude, but his heart is in the right place.
-The old carnival backdrop, including the trailer park and old fortune teller, all made it very interesting.
-I must admit, even though I kept reading with interest, I did not see the twists and turns coming. I remember thinking that I see where this is going, but that's okay, it's interesting.
-I hope I've said enough to express how much I liked this book. I do not want to say anymore not to give away the story.
-Good solid ending.
What I didn't like:
-Nothing. And I am picky.
BE CAREFUL READING OTHER REVIEWS:
-If you read my review first, you might avoid other reviews. The surprises could be given away in other reviews.
Kudos to the author...well crafted. I hope I haven't oversold this, I do not know the author, I was just impressed.
Have a great day,
Mike
mikeslavinauthor.com
Amazon 1,554 ratings 4.5 Avg
Goodreads 951 ratings 4.43 Avg
Nice slow cook... I must be careful because the surprises were good, and I don't want to spoil the book.
The story is about a new cold case team in Sacramento with two seasoned cops and a smart young ballsy female computer tech. And their first 15-year cold case of three young children tortured, murdered, and buried side by side.
What I liked:
-I almost always like the high-action pace (like my own novels), but this was a different pace, I hate to say slow, but maybe deliberate.
-The characters are well-developed. M, a 12-13 yo boy has an attitude, but his heart is in the right place.
-The old carnival backdrop, including the trailer park and old fortune teller, all made it very interesting.
-I must admit, even though I kept reading with interest, I did not see the twists and turns coming. I remember thinking that I see where this is going, but that's okay, it's interesting.
-I hope I've said enough to express how much I liked this book. I do not want to say anymore not to give away the story.
-Good solid ending.
What I didn't like:
-Nothing. And I am picky.
BE CAREFUL READING OTHER REVIEWS:
-If you read my review first, you might avoid other reviews. The surprises could be given away in other reviews.
Kudos to the author...well crafted. I hope I haven't oversold this, I do not know the author, I was just impressed.
Have a great day,
Mike
mikeslavinauthor.com
June 23, 2025
Based on Audible audio version.
First in a trilogy that' certainly worth continuing with. The story following the 3 members of a newly formed cold case squad in Sacramento, 2 detectives Sam and Jake and a computer analyst Mallory. In reality most of the first book centres on Sam and Mallory as Jake is recovering from a broken leg. They are given the case of the bodies of 3 young children who were all found buried in a clearing in 'Olive Park'. For me the book was a little difficult to follow is it kept switching back and forth between the investigation and the story of 2 young children M and Jess who are now orphans as a result of their Father murdering their mother and of M the killing is dad to protect Jess. They are sent to live with the aunt (their dad's sister) who openly resents M and blames him for her brother's death. Whilst the non investigation storyline does resolve, it was not clear (certainly in the audio book) if the M & Jess storyline was pre the original killings so they were going to be victims, way earlier than the original killings and one or other was going to be the killers or contemporary with the investigation in which case they were going to be pivotal in the solution.
Besides this I found that the book moves at a good pace and the investigation is detailed enough so that it appears genuine and not just a 'fluke solution' but at the same time not filled with technical stuff that slows down the story.
Looking forward to the 2nd book in the series.
First in a trilogy that' certainly worth continuing with. The story following the 3 members of a newly formed cold case squad in Sacramento, 2 detectives Sam and Jake and a computer analyst Mallory. In reality most of the first book centres on Sam and Mallory as Jake is recovering from a broken leg. They are given the case of the bodies of 3 young children who were all found buried in a clearing in 'Olive Park'. For me the book was a little difficult to follow is it kept switching back and forth between the investigation and the story of 2 young children M and Jess who are now orphans as a result of their Father murdering their mother and of M the killing is dad to protect Jess. They are sent to live with the aunt (their dad's sister) who openly resents M and blames him for her brother's death. Whilst the non investigation storyline does resolve, it was not clear (certainly in the audio book) if the M & Jess storyline was pre the original killings so they were going to be victims, way earlier than the original killings and one or other was going to be the killers or contemporary with the investigation in which case they were going to be pivotal in the solution.
Besides this I found that the book moves at a good pace and the investigation is detailed enough so that it appears genuine and not just a 'fluke solution' but at the same time not filled with technical stuff that slows down the story.
Looking forward to the 2nd book in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2021
Follow the feelings, not just the clues
Jessie and M have suffered too much in their short lives. Living with an abusive parent can break a child. Watching that parent kill your mother can momentarily turn you into a monster. Much of the story centers on M, a victim and a killer. After the death if both parents they are placed with their aunt, who is not only unprepared for parenthood, but also mourning the death of her brother while holding his son responsible.
The children are quickly placed in the care of a retired Carney, now a fortune teller. Ruby has agreed to 'watch' the children. However there is more to the abandoned carnival site than run down trailers and misfits.
Enter the new Open Unsolved Case team. In an attempt to solve the ten year old case of three missing and murdered children, the detectives (and their IT member) cross paths with the carnival and the children. It is thus interaction which leads to the horrific facts of the location and the eventual solutions.
Jessie and M have suffered too much in their short lives. Living with an abusive parent can break a child. Watching that parent kill your mother can momentarily turn you into a monster. Much of the story centers on M, a victim and a killer. After the death if both parents they are placed with their aunt, who is not only unprepared for parenthood, but also mourning the death of her brother while holding his son responsible.
The children are quickly placed in the care of a retired Carney, now a fortune teller. Ruby has agreed to 'watch' the children. However there is more to the abandoned carnival site than run down trailers and misfits.
Enter the new Open Unsolved Case team. In an attempt to solve the ten year old case of three missing and murdered children, the detectives (and their IT member) cross paths with the carnival and the children. It is thus interaction which leads to the horrific facts of the location and the eventual solutions.
June 9, 2025
I purchased this book as a buy one get one free Audible sale, but ALL three books in the series came with it. So it was a great deal. I probably wouldn’t have purchased it otherwise. And the only reason I’m giving it four instead of five stars is because some of the dialogue was a little cheesy or forced(basically a man writing how they think a woman or a child would sound), and the narrator was kind of robotic, even though I warmed up to him. That being said, there were a lot of moving parts… it was a nice slow burn, and several reveals I did NOT see coming and I got kind of emotional at the end, so I was evidently invested. Kind of caught me off guard.
Some of the imagery was pretty brutal, and stayed with me, but overall, as a huge fan of Steven King, (to give you an indication of my taste) this one was fantastic & I would totally recommend. I’ve just started the 2nd in the series.
PS by the end of the review, I decided to give it five stars, and didn’t feel like editing my review. lol
Some of the imagery was pretty brutal, and stayed with me, but overall, as a huge fan of Steven King, (to give you an indication of my taste) this one was fantastic & I would totally recommend. I’ve just started the 2nd in the series.
PS by the end of the review, I decided to give it five stars, and didn’t feel like editing my review. lol
July 3, 2024
The newly formed team, Ongoing Investigation Division, for the Sacramento Police is taking on cold cases. Stan is the lead detective and his partner, Jake, is in the hospital right now, so he has been assigned Mallory Dimante. She is a data expert and Stan doesn't think she can offer much. But, with a new office space, this is going to be an easy assignment. Stan thanks they can take it easy, solve some and be on their own. But, Mallory has other hopes. She wants the case assigned to them, three missing children that for years the police have been trying to solve. Stan thinks it is hopeless, but Mallory pushes on and finds some evidence never before found.
This was an exciting, twisty, novel and you never lose interest. I love the boy, M and his sister, Jessie. Can't wait to read the next in this series. Love the three detectives and can't wait for them to solve the next cold case!!!
This was an exciting, twisty, novel and you never lose interest. I love the boy, M and his sister, Jessie. Can't wait to read the next in this series. Love the three detectives and can't wait for them to solve the next cold case!!!
December 22, 2020
Firstly let me point out olive park is not a trilogy in my opinion, it is with crimson park and angel park, one complete story.When you finish olive park it is left in midair as is crimson park it would have been better as one large book.Obviously for commercial purposes this is what the publisher wanted,money ,money, money.Having no stated that it, is without doubt one of the best most exciting thillers i have ever read easily in my top twenty, we have three detectives and two children, also various villians and teddy bear(no spoilers). So if you want a big book to get your teeth into, just go out and BUY all three books (reading one will make no sense).
February 17, 2021
Interedting
A beautiful computer tech with a secret orchestrates an assignment with the cold case squad andcthe investigation into the horrific murders of three children. With two reluctant but experienced detectives they come to the realization that the killer did not stop at three. The race is on to bring justice for the children and to protect other lives.
This is an interesting police procedural. Interwoven is the story of a brother and sister orphaned by domestic violence. That portion is compelling. I wasn't crazy about Mallory the tech. She was not especially believable. But the unfolding of the case was well done with a crescendo at the end.
A beautiful computer tech with a secret orchestrates an assignment with the cold case squad andcthe investigation into the horrific murders of three children. With two reluctant but experienced detectives they come to the realization that the killer did not stop at three. The race is on to bring justice for the children and to protect other lives.
This is an interesting police procedural. Interwoven is the story of a brother and sister orphaned by domestic violence. That portion is compelling. I wasn't crazy about Mallory the tech. She was not especially believable. But the unfolding of the case was well done with a crescendo at the end.
March 29, 2021
Wow!What a story! Two children,left alone after a family tragedy,go live with their aunt.She is not a stable person.So many screw ups from so many adults leave the kids vulnerable to a killer.Cold Case oficers come into the picture when they are assigned the search for young children gone missing years ago.How this plays out is amazing! James Romick was a terrific narrator.I could not put down this series.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'
July 20, 2023
I wasn't sure whether I was going to like this book. I kept reading it and it kept growing on me.
Two detectives and their new partner are assigned to a new cold case unit. Their first case is a set of murdered children. There is also the other story about a boy and his sister that grew up in an abusive family and the father and mother were both murdered.
There is a lot of story here and I thought it was well done, even though the subject matter was grim and so terrible.
The only issue is that it is set in Sacramento and some of the streets/areas they mention are not real.
Two detectives and their new partner are assigned to a new cold case unit. Their first case is a set of murdered children. There is also the other story about a boy and his sister that grew up in an abusive family and the father and mother were both murdered.
There is a lot of story here and I thought it was well done, even though the subject matter was grim and so terrible.
The only issue is that it is set in Sacramento and some of the streets/areas they mention are not real.
January 23, 2024
Olive Park was the most engaging and intriguing novel I've read in 2023. C.J. Booth created well-defined characters who energetically live to navigate the story so very believably. His finely-tuned and intricate plot enticed me to continue reading well beyond a few chapters at a time. In fact, I found it hard to put the book down. Booth's dialogue is authentic and spot on. I will eventually read the other two books in the trilogy, of course. I am a novelist myself and can definitely identify all of the elements of expert writing. Bravo C.J. Booth and thank you for a great adventure!
March 16, 2021
I did enjoy this book, and I want to read the next one.
I am thisclose to giving it four stars except for one thing: the sexist descriptions of the main characters. There is one adult female lead. I am VERY familiar with how nice her butt and boobs are at this point. They're really nice. I have no clue how either of the adult male leads butts look in their khakis. Why is this? Neither the female character's butt nor her boobs played any direct role in the story or helped the plot...
I am thisclose to giving it four stars except for one thing: the sexist descriptions of the main characters. There is one adult female lead. I am VERY familiar with how nice her butt and boobs are at this point. They're really nice. I have no clue how either of the adult male leads butts look in their khakis. Why is this? Neither the female character's butt nor her boobs played any direct role in the story or helped the plot...
March 19, 2021
I liked this book and its author. The book has many unexpected twists and turns while still being a mellow read. The storyline involves cold cases of missing children in California. I cannot say more for fear of spoilers. The author‘s writing mechanics were excellent. He kept the main characters busy in minor stories that eventually tied into the main story.
Thank you, Mr. Booth, for a good read.
This book was free on Bookbub.
Thank you, Mr. Booth, for a good read.
This book was free on Bookbub.
April 14, 2021
So normally I get a bit jaded with this genre, mostly because I can see what's happening a mile away. It takes the enjoyment away.
Not so with this. While I did see certain things, a few big fat clues sitting for all to see, there was still enough to make it interesting and the writing keeps you drawn in. You may see what's coming but you want to see how it all actually comes together. I look forward to reading more exploits of Stan, Jake and Mallory.
Not so with this. While I did see certain things, a few big fat clues sitting for all to see, there was still enough to make it interesting and the writing keeps you drawn in. You may see what's coming but you want to see how it all actually comes together. I look forward to reading more exploits of Stan, Jake and Mallory.
August 16, 2022
Beware the things that sparkle and promise you endless riches
An edge of your seat mystery - great character development and the story pace neither lags nor races. You will care about the characters, you will root for their accomplishments and you will want them to survive their brush with the killer; but most of all you will want the to solve the Olive Park cold case because no one should have to wait 15 years for justice, especially children.
An edge of your seat mystery - great character development and the story pace neither lags nor races. You will care about the characters, you will root for their accomplishments and you will want them to survive their brush with the killer; but most of all you will want the to solve the Olive Park cold case because no one should have to wait 15 years for justice, especially children.
August 26, 2022
Maybe 10 stars instead of 5. Very good. Page turner. If you are a parent of young children you might come away with dread. A well written story. The characters are so believable. You will be well into the story before you realize how the two stories running every other chapter are related to each other. Also has a young women fighting to prove she is worthy of working with two seasoned detectives.
September 28, 2022
very good book
This was a very good book. It starts as two stories until they finally come together. Toward the end one story was nerve racking as you didn’t know what would happen. It was easier to read about the cops. When I finally got to the end, I had questions about what happened to the aunt, where did the kids go and what was the Chinese lady saying. I hope it is answered in the second book.
This was a very good book. It starts as two stories until they finally come together. Toward the end one story was nerve racking as you didn’t know what would happen. It was easier to read about the cops. When I finally got to the end, I had questions about what happened to the aunt, where did the kids go and what was the Chinese lady saying. I hope it is answered in the second book.
May 30, 2023
I stayed up till 3:20 AM reading
A lot of mysteries/police procedurals are flawed with inconsistencies that take you out of the moment. I didn't find a one in this book. And the tension and suspense kept me reading past 3:00 in the morning. The "who" part of who done it seemed fairly obvious early on, but the how and why, and many other elements, were still surprises.
There are two more books in the trilogy, and I plan to read both.
A lot of mysteries/police procedurals are flawed with inconsistencies that take you out of the moment. I didn't find a one in this book. And the tension and suspense kept me reading past 3:00 in the morning. The "who" part of who done it seemed fairly obvious early on, but the how and why, and many other elements, were still surprises.
There are two more books in the trilogy, and I plan to read both.
August 5, 2023
The author gave a little too much description of places in the first half of the book and this really slowed the pace of the book. The plot followed two parallel story lines, one involving police procedures, the other dealing with two newly orphaned children. I was hooked once connections were made and the focus was on the characters and the pace of the plot quickened. There were some good surprises and I was very satisfied with the conclusion.
February 20, 2021
Couldn't put it down.
I almost quit reading a short way in. I was offput by the terrible language, and also that the story involved murdered children. Neither of these got better, but I could not quit reading the well written mystery that twisted and turned its way to a heart pounding ending.
I almost quit reading a short way in. I was offput by the terrible language, and also that the story involved murdered children. Neither of these got better, but I could not quit reading the well written mystery that twisted and turned its way to a heart pounding ending.
March 2, 2021
The ugly, the bad and finally the good.
Children taken, tortured, killed and buried. A stone physio killer living in the open. Finally, three members of the police department, along with one of the children, bring everything to a stop and end it all. He'd trouble putting it down.
Children taken, tortured, killed and buried. A stone physio killer living in the open. Finally, three members of the police department, along with one of the children, bring everything to a stop and end it all. He'd trouble putting it down.
July 30, 2021
Could not put it down
A true mystery from beginning to end. The story unfolds at first slowly, then the intensity and twists pulled me in. The trailer park, strange people, mysterious happenings and a truly "gotcha" ending. I highly recommend this to anyone who feels for children in bad situations. Definitely want more by C J Booth...as soon as my pulse slows a little.
A true mystery from beginning to end. The story unfolds at first slowly, then the intensity and twists pulled me in. The trailer park, strange people, mysterious happenings and a truly "gotcha" ending. I highly recommend this to anyone who feels for children in bad situations. Definitely want more by C J Booth...as soon as my pulse slows a little.
July 30, 2021
Gripping is the perfect description
Well written police procedural from a cold case perspective. Although this is a 15 year old cold case, it does not lack edge of your seat moments and has plenty of twists and turns. The two seasoned detectives and the newby IT tech make for an enjoyable read as they put the pieces together to solve a mystery that seems unsolvable.
Well written police procedural from a cold case perspective. Although this is a 15 year old cold case, it does not lack edge of your seat moments and has plenty of twists and turns. The two seasoned detectives and the newby IT tech make for an enjoyable read as they put the pieces together to solve a mystery that seems unsolvable.
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