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Extreme Malice
She was found with a guitar string still wrapped tightly around her soft neck. Eighteen year old Josh Anderson, the college boy from next door, is charged with her murder. It was his guitar string around her neck. His footprints are found inside her house. Her earring found under his bed. Donna Gardner's husband Jack was hundreds of miles away on business. Was it the perfect Murder?
201 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 4, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
October 10, 2012
It is actually a really good book. I couldn't stop reading it. I loved the ending.. It was not the typical crime thriller that I have read. From the get go you know who the killer is (I don't think it was meant to be hidden), but you are hungry to know how the hell did he do it.
September 13, 2012
This book needs an editor and then it could be really decent. Names get mixed up often especially concerning Donna (the murdered wife) and Brenda (her mother). There's a lot of punctuation errors and often the wrong tense will be used for one word in a sentence. Some of the vocab feels forced to sound smarter, using uncommon words sometimes feels contrived. Not all too many spelling errors considering. Story is in the third person, but that's not too bad, just a little unusual. I don't think it hurts the book. The villian honestly scares me. We like to believe we can't be anything like murderers, but sometimes they're not all that different. Even with all the mistakes, I still wanted to know who did it and once I knew that, I needed to know if he/she got away with it. I'm glad it was free, but I'm also glad I didn't give up on it.
February 27, 2013
This had the potential to be a really good perfect murder story. It suffered from some poor editing and some inconsistencies, but it really kept the pages turning.
Extremely interesting story about a cop (Dean) obsessed with finding his good friend (Jack) guilty of the murder of his wife. There is evidence that Jack was three hundred miles away when the strangulation occurred and the evidence against the neighbor teen (Josh) appears overwhelming. There was DNA evidence proving that Josh was having an affair with Jack's wife. There was evidence that Josh had used his guitar strings to commit the crime. There was phone call tracing that showed phone calls between the murdered woman and Josh. Yet Dean remembered a conversation from months before when Jack had insisted he could commit a crime with impunity and Dean's gut telling him Josh could not have killed anyone, but he's totally stumped as to how the crime was committed. And then there's the 3.5 million in insurance. And why is that kid taking photographs? It's really quite clever.
The author's premise is that we have become so reliant on DNA evidence with its certainty that perhaps sometimes that sure thing might be used against us. Maybe.
It unfortunate that the ebook was marred by several grammatical errors that should have been caught, e.g. possessives instead of plurals. There were also some legal errors. It was always my impression that witnesses who had yet to testify were not permitted in the courtroom until after they had given testimony, yet here, Jack sits in and makes some decisions based on what he hears, all before he has been called to the stand. I checked a couple of sources and that's also the rule in Canada where the trial takes place. Still giving it 3 stars for a great plot.
Extremely interesting story about a cop (Dean) obsessed with finding his good friend (Jack) guilty of the murder of his wife. There is evidence that Jack was three hundred miles away when the strangulation occurred and the evidence against the neighbor teen (Josh) appears overwhelming. There was DNA evidence proving that Josh was having an affair with Jack's wife. There was evidence that Josh had used his guitar strings to commit the crime. There was phone call tracing that showed phone calls between the murdered woman and Josh. Yet Dean remembered a conversation from months before when Jack had insisted he could commit a crime with impunity and Dean's gut telling him Josh could not have killed anyone, but he's totally stumped as to how the crime was committed. And then there's the 3.5 million in insurance. And why is that kid taking photographs? It's really quite clever.
The author's premise is that we have become so reliant on DNA evidence with its certainty that perhaps sometimes that sure thing might be used against us. Maybe.
It unfortunate that the ebook was marred by several grammatical errors that should have been caught, e.g. possessives instead of plurals. There were also some legal errors. It was always my impression that witnesses who had yet to testify were not permitted in the courtroom until after they had given testimony, yet here, Jack sits in and makes some decisions based on what he hears, all before he has been called to the stand. I checked a couple of sources and that's also the rule in Canada where the trial takes place. Still giving it 3 stars for a great plot.
August 26, 2012
Extreme Malice makes you question everything you read until you get to a certain point in the book, then your perspective changes. I thought the story had a little too much tell and not enough show, but I see why the author did that. Very good story!
May 28, 2020
Ugh! The description had me thinking this was going to be really good, not to mention I’m like trying out new authors. This book could’ve been so much better! It started off really good, then became weird, then was so far fetched, it was unbelievable. A bunch of editing issues didn’t help matters either. Words misspelled, left out, or repeated in the same sentence.
Can’t believe I wasted my time with this! I read it fairly quickly, if only to get it over and done.
The only upside: it was free.
Can’t believe I wasted my time with this! I read it fairly quickly, if only to get it over and done.
The only upside: it was free.
August 13, 2012
throughly enjoying this book
December 15, 2012
The perfect murder or is it, this book held me from beginning to end and has a surprise twist at the end. Couldn't put the book down until I finished it.
August 23, 2020
I've rated Extreme Malice 3 stars because while I was incredibly intrigued and drawn into this book, and I didn't put it down until I'd finished it out of pure need to know what was going on, but, I did really struggle with some parts of it.
I had seen some reviews stating that the book needed an editor and proof reader, but I had no issues that I could see with the book.
I think my favourite part of it was the chapter headings, which sounds sad, but they were like diary entries with the date and time at the top, which helped me visualise how much time was passing during the investigation.
The author builds the idea of a perfect life for Jack and Donna, and you'd be forgiven for thinking here we go again with another murder mystery, but you would be mistaken... The deeper we delve into the story the more that starts to unravel, but it's pretty clear that we can't trust anyone and I definitely feel the author built that suspicion up well.
I disliked how the author really honed in on the narrative that Jack must have killed his wife. I felt it was shoved down our throats and we were being forced to believe this without being allowed to make our own assumptions.
Most crime thriller books I've read will plant lots of little clues to keep you guessing until the very end, whereas Swirsky didn't give us that chance.
At points, I also felt it was hard to determine who was speaking. There was a lot of dialogue without any clear indicator and I found myself having to go back through the page and restart the conversation to keep track.
I was definitely curious about what was going on, but once everything was revealed it was very anticlimactic and I felt let down. And once we reached this point, I felt Swirsky was grasping at straws to keep the book going and kept repeating unnecessary parts.
The ending itself was inspired though and actually redeemed this book quite a bit for me! I was shocked to say the least. (I don't want to go into too much detail and give anything away haha).
On the whole, I did enjoy Extreme Malice, I just wouldn't read it again, as while I was intrigued and shocked by the ending it just wasn't the best crime thriller I've ever read.
I had seen some reviews stating that the book needed an editor and proof reader, but I had no issues that I could see with the book.
I think my favourite part of it was the chapter headings, which sounds sad, but they were like diary entries with the date and time at the top, which helped me visualise how much time was passing during the investigation.
The author builds the idea of a perfect life for Jack and Donna, and you'd be forgiven for thinking here we go again with another murder mystery, but you would be mistaken... The deeper we delve into the story the more that starts to unravel, but it's pretty clear that we can't trust anyone and I definitely feel the author built that suspicion up well.
I disliked how the author really honed in on the narrative that Jack must have killed his wife. I felt it was shoved down our throats and we were being forced to believe this without being allowed to make our own assumptions.
Most crime thriller books I've read will plant lots of little clues to keep you guessing until the very end, whereas Swirsky didn't give us that chance.
At points, I also felt it was hard to determine who was speaking. There was a lot of dialogue without any clear indicator and I found myself having to go back through the page and restart the conversation to keep track.
I was definitely curious about what was going on, but once everything was revealed it was very anticlimactic and I felt let down. And once we reached this point, I felt Swirsky was grasping at straws to keep the book going and kept repeating unnecessary parts.
The ending itself was inspired though and actually redeemed this book quite a bit for me! I was shocked to say the least. (I don't want to go into too much detail and give anything away haha).
On the whole, I did enjoy Extreme Malice, I just wouldn't read it again, as while I was intrigued and shocked by the ending it just wasn't the best crime thriller I've ever read.
July 25, 2018
Interesting premise
Beginning very good but then when he returns from trip seems as if written by different author.
Desperately needs editor - way too many grammatical and spelling errors. For a seasoned editor, this was distracting from reading.
Beginning very good but then when he returns from trip seems as if written by different author.
Desperately needs editor - way too many grammatical and spelling errors. For a seasoned editor, this was distracting from reading.
December 15, 2018
Wow
Wow did not see that coming .Great read.Kept me on the edge of my seat. Deffently hard to put down .
Wow did not see that coming .Great read.Kept me on the edge of my seat. Deffently hard to put down .
January 15, 2019
Very good book. Read it in one sitting. A great who done it with a big kick at the end!!
April 24, 2019
Despite the numerous editing problems, the problem mentioned in my spoiler, and the reader knowing early on who the perpetrator was, the story played out pretty well.
Editing problems:
Wrong word usage. For instance: “There were a number of younger spectators sitting at the back of the gallery whom Jack didn’t recognized.”
“a couple of deep breathes.”
“I didn't think you counselors were so supposed to get personally involved with clients outside of the office."
Missing words:
“I don't see the harm in us talking if needs to talk to someone."
“Public hair” instead of pubic
I thought the story was a bit convoluted, however I was definitely intrigued and wanted to know how it would play out. I was bummed by the ending. I would have liked for something else to have happened and not simply end the way it had.
.
*** 1/2 stars
Editing problems:
Wrong word usage. For instance: “There were a number of younger spectators sitting at the back of the gallery whom Jack didn’t recognized.”
“a couple of deep breathes.”
“I didn't think you counselors were so supposed to get personally involved with clients outside of the office."
Missing words:
“I don't see the harm in us talking if needs to talk to someone."
“Public hair” instead of pubic
I thought the story was a bit convoluted, however I was definitely intrigued and wanted to know how it would play out. I was bummed by the ending. I would have liked for something else to have happened and not simply end the way it had.
.
*** 1/2 stars
September 3, 2013
The mystery aspect of this book was good...you definitely could not predict how it was going to end.
That, however, is the last good thing I can really say. The writing style was not my cup of tea--reading page after page of "Jack did this. It was this time. He felt this because of that. Then he did this." just gets really old, really fast. The character development was also lacking for my tastes...I never really felt like I got attached to any of the characters. If anything, I was continuously repulsed by the main character. The ending felt rushed, disjointed, and unfinished in multiple places. I'm not sure that I would ever read something by this author again...it felt more like a chore to finish the book than a pleasure.
That, however, is the last good thing I can really say. The writing style was not my cup of tea--reading page after page of "Jack did this. It was this time. He felt this because of that. Then he did this." just gets really old, really fast. The character development was also lacking for my tastes...I never really felt like I got attached to any of the characters. If anything, I was continuously repulsed by the main character. The ending felt rushed, disjointed, and unfinished in multiple places. I'm not sure that I would ever read something by this author again...it felt more like a chore to finish the book than a pleasure.
March 31, 2016
Failure on all counts
Despite using flashbacks to describe the planning and execution of the crime, this book is essentially a chronological narrative of a perfect murder with characters that are mannequins clothed only to the extent necessary to fit into the plot. Carrying out this crime required extraordinary capabilities in an otherwise ordinary individual. Still, two men were able to sniff out the crime. One failed to prevent the completion of the scheme; his inclusion seemed to be only a means of spicing up the book. The other appears from nowhere on the last page with unspecified evidence to negate completely the entire scheme.
Despite using flashbacks to describe the planning and execution of the crime, this book is essentially a chronological narrative of a perfect murder with characters that are mannequins clothed only to the extent necessary to fit into the plot. Carrying out this crime required extraordinary capabilities in an otherwise ordinary individual. Still, two men were able to sniff out the crime. One failed to prevent the completion of the scheme; his inclusion seemed to be only a means of spicing up the book. The other appears from nowhere on the last page with unspecified evidence to negate completely the entire scheme.
Read
January 30, 2014Surprise Surprise!
The story was painstakingly developed, leaving no doubt in the reader's mind that he was innocent. You can feel a mounting crisis. Enter more details, more characters and suddenly, the balance of incriminating evidence shifts. Is he guilty?
I almost never give a book a perfect 5 star rating. This book dragged momentarily in spots but I was compelled to finish. The ending was, on one hand, anticipated and on the other, unexpected.
Read at your own risk.
The story was painstakingly developed, leaving no doubt in the reader's mind that he was innocent. You can feel a mounting crisis. Enter more details, more characters and suddenly, the balance of incriminating evidence shifts. Is he guilty?
I almost never give a book a perfect 5 star rating. This book dragged momentarily in spots but I was compelled to finish. The ending was, on one hand, anticipated and on the other, unexpected.
Read at your own risk.
May 31, 2015
An interesting read. Got this as a NOOK freebie so wasn't expecting much, but I was rather pleased with all the way through. Format wise there were minimal errors, & writing wise the plot kept me interested although in some instances names were a bit over used. About 2/3 of the way in there was an unexpected plot twist that completely turned the story around. It was well done . I wouldn't mind reading another story by this author.
October 17, 2013
This book takes a lot of twist and turns. It basically deals with a wife's murder and the behavior of her husband with several interesting characters including a photographer who always seems to show up at the weirdest times.
Frank
Frank
November 19, 2013
A wife is murdered while her husband is away on business. Evidence points at a next door neighbor. The case seems pretty cut and dry, or is it? Anyone who has read or seen Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution will enjoy this book.
November 18, 2014
Well written
I found it hard to feel any sympathy for the main character in this book. He was ruthless, remorseless, hedonist, and not a very good person all around. However, he did have a fairly good plan. Too bad it wasn't perfect. Interesting though.
I found it hard to feel any sympathy for the main character in this book. He was ruthless, remorseless, hedonist, and not a very good person all around. However, he did have a fairly good plan. Too bad it wasn't perfect. Interesting though.
February 4, 2013
What an awsome plot!! This story will keep you on the edge of your seat.
If you are looking for a real good mystery this book is for you.
If you are looking for a real good mystery this book is for you.
March 16, 2013
I did not like how the book ended at all
March 20, 2013
Interesting story, fairly predictable. Some of the content was more descriptive than necessary.
May 9, 2013
Couldn't finish this one. Made it to chp 2 and just didn't enjoy the writing style.
May 27, 2013
Was a really good book. I agree with everyone else that it did need an editor, though. Also loved the ending! Overall, a good read.
June 21, 2013
The main character was patient and thorough while plotting his crime. Nice to see the bad guy win every once in awhile...or did he? Terrific read.
January 5, 2014
This was a difficult read for me; couldn't get to a point where I liked the main character, in fact I couldn't empathize with any character except maybe Josh. Giving this one only 3 stars.
January 4, 2015
Great murder mystery. Characters were well written.
August 30, 2013
Excellent! Not the same ol' same ol'.
October 22, 2013
I started out liking the main character until the story progressed and I realized he was the bad guy. Loved the ending. Maybe he won't get away with this after all.
December 14, 2014
Blown away
I was in the dark the entire book and so surprised by how it ended. I really didn't see that coming. Great book!!!!
I was in the dark the entire book and so surprised by how it ended. I really didn't see that coming. Great book!!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews