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The Gingerbread Man
Since the day her baby sister was taken, Holly’s mind hasn’t been the same. PTSD, panic attacks, nightmares and blocked memories have plagued her ever since. And now they’ve returned.
Hard-edged Detective Vince O’Malley’s most recent case penetrated even his protective shell. Ordered to take time off to recover, he can’t let go, and on his own, follows the clues to Holly’s small upstate NY town.
His presence stirs ghosts from the past, shadows of a little girl lost, the suspicions of some tight-lipped locals with secrets to hide, and more than that inside Holly’s fragile mind and untouched heart.
Hard-edged Detective Vince O’Malley’s most recent case penetrated even his protective shell. Ordered to take time off to recover, he can’t let go, and on his own, follows the clues to Holly’s small upstate NY town.
His presence stirs ghosts from the past, shadows of a little girl lost, the suspicions of some tight-lipped locals with secrets to hide, and more than that inside Holly’s fragile mind and untouched heart.
328 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2001
583 people are currently reading
3610 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Shayne
257 books2,571 followersI live in the teeny, tiny town of Taylor, NY, (Alliteration Alert!) though my mailing address is Cincinnatus, my telephone exchange is Truxton and I pay taxes and vote in Cuyler. All of these are at least in the same rural county in the southern hills of New York State; Cortland County. There are more cattle than people here. The nearest “big” cities are Syracuse and Binghamton and they are an hour away, in different directions, and not really all that big by most standards, though they both seem humongous to me. I look out my window to see rolling, green, thickly forested hills, wildflower laden meadows and wide open blue, blue skies. My road is barely paved. The nearest neighboring place is a 700 acre dairy farm.
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 549 reviews
October 16, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. Was more of a 3 1/2 star for me. I didn't guess the outcome until late in the book. The story involved some heavy material but it was dealt with well...did not get too deep into it. Was a quick, easy read and enjoyed the Halloween aspect of the story, especially this time of year.
December 1, 2015
Loved this book! Great read! I got it free one weekend while I was searching for new books and I'm so glad I downloaded it. It was suspenseful, mysterious, and had a killer plot! Lots of twists and turns made for one hell of a read. Highly recommend!
August 28, 2013
This is the first time I have read this Author even though I do have a couple of her books. I got this one as an e-book free off of Amazon and I am so glad I did. Maggie Shayne can write a very compelling story. And this just happens to be one of my favorite genres. I was pretty hooked from the beginning.
The plot of story is a rather scary one, because in today's world it can ring very true. The plot develops in a small town setting, which I love. I think mainly because it can make for a terrifying story when it gets right down to it. I also lived in small towns for most of my life, so it made the story very realistic for me.
Holly, a woman who has been trying to come to terms with the loss of her baby sister 18 years before, begins to grow into her courage and helps to solve the mystery that surrounded her sister's disappearance. And it was just when she thought she had put it all behind her.
There were some great twists in the story right when I thought it was going to be very predictable. Boy was I wrong. The story definitely kept me guessing. And right when I thought I knew, I was proven wrong.
Definitely a great story for the mystery lovers out there. I look forward to reading more Of this Authors work.
The plot of story is a rather scary one, because in today's world it can ring very true. The plot develops in a small town setting, which I love. I think mainly because it can make for a terrifying story when it gets right down to it. I also lived in small towns for most of my life, so it made the story very realistic for me.
Holly, a woman who has been trying to come to terms with the loss of her baby sister 18 years before, begins to grow into her courage and helps to solve the mystery that surrounded her sister's disappearance. And it was just when she thought she had put it all behind her.
There were some great twists in the story right when I thought it was going to be very predictable. Boy was I wrong. The story definitely kept me guessing. And right when I thought I knew, I was proven wrong.
Definitely a great story for the mystery lovers out there. I look forward to reading more Of this Authors work.
November 13, 2013
Managed to finish with a lot of skimming. I had read another book by Maggie Shayne and really enjoyed that, so I had high hopes for this one.
However, this story failed to deliver. The writing is overly simplistic, as if written for children. There is a lot of repetition. Sometimes several sentences say the same thing over and over again, or the same information is regurgitated in scene after scene.
For example, when the hero figures out a link between the current and past crimes, he explains it to his boss. Then he explains it to the chief of police in another town. Then he explains it to the heroine. Then he explains it to the heroine's mother. And so on...
The heroine is a difficult character to relate to. She is totally broken up, even though she was never a victim of violence, or forced to witness someone else being abused.
I'm not sure that much survivor guilt after 20 years is realistic. Neither is it realistic that this woman, who is prone to panic attacks and follows strict routines, suddenly wants to go with a near-stranger in a rowing boat into the middle of a lake with a huge storm brewing up. Or that she suddenly gets all fired up to have sex with a man she barely knows.
The reluctance of the cop hero to become involved with the heroine is hammered in again and again. She is the kind of needy woman he wants to avoid. Nothing good would come from him getting tangled up with her. He can't deal with another needy woman. He is afraid that he'll just want to promise to make things better for her, and then he'll fail to keep his promise. He must keep away from this needy woman. So, he tells her, I can't get involved with you. I don't do relationships. I don't want to get involved with a woman like you. I can't get involved because I'll just let you down. I'm no good with relationships. All I have is quick one night stands. All I have is sex with professionals who don't expect anything. I can't give you what you want. I can't get involved with you.
Whoops. I'm having sex with you. And wow, one time did the trick - I think I'm in love with you. So ignore everything I've said about not doing relationships and not wanting to get involved with you.
That's how it came across to me - all that resistance and then instant love.
The twist with Amanda's identity was clear a mile away. I can't believe that no one recognized her, either as a child, or as a grown up. She was already in preschool when she was snatched, so her features would have been fairly well formed and hence recognizable. It seems odd that her own family failed to figure out who she was.
But the worst for me was the uneasy mix of relatively grim content of child abuse, mixed with a typical category romance of damsel in distress and gruff hero reluctant to commit, told using typical romance clichés. The combination just jarred. I guess the author had tried to bridge the gap by making the sex scene fairly graphic and hard boiled, but to me it just came across as crass.
So, a huge disappointment, however most others seem to have enjoyed the book.
However, this story failed to deliver. The writing is overly simplistic, as if written for children. There is a lot of repetition. Sometimes several sentences say the same thing over and over again, or the same information is regurgitated in scene after scene.
For example, when the hero figures out a link between the current and past crimes, he explains it to his boss. Then he explains it to the chief of police in another town. Then he explains it to the heroine. Then he explains it to the heroine's mother. And so on...
The heroine is a difficult character to relate to. She is totally broken up, even though she was never a victim of violence, or forced to witness someone else being abused.
I'm not sure that much survivor guilt after 20 years is realistic. Neither is it realistic that this woman, who is prone to panic attacks and follows strict routines, suddenly wants to go with a near-stranger in a rowing boat into the middle of a lake with a huge storm brewing up. Or that she suddenly gets all fired up to have sex with a man she barely knows.
The reluctance of the cop hero to become involved with the heroine is hammered in again and again. She is the kind of needy woman he wants to avoid. Nothing good would come from him getting tangled up with her. He can't deal with another needy woman. He is afraid that he'll just want to promise to make things better for her, and then he'll fail to keep his promise. He must keep away from this needy woman. So, he tells her, I can't get involved with you. I don't do relationships. I don't want to get involved with a woman like you. I can't get involved because I'll just let you down. I'm no good with relationships. All I have is quick one night stands. All I have is sex with professionals who don't expect anything. I can't give you what you want. I can't get involved with you.
Whoops. I'm having sex with you. And wow, one time did the trick - I think I'm in love with you. So ignore everything I've said about not doing relationships and not wanting to get involved with you.
That's how it came across to me - all that resistance and then instant love.
The twist with Amanda's identity was clear a mile away. I can't believe that no one recognized her, either as a child, or as a grown up. She was already in preschool when she was snatched, so her features would have been fairly well formed and hence recognizable. It seems odd that her own family failed to figure out who she was.
But the worst for me was the uneasy mix of relatively grim content of child abuse, mixed with a typical category romance of damsel in distress and gruff hero reluctant to commit, told using typical romance clichés. The combination just jarred. I guess the author had tried to bridge the gap by making the sex scene fairly graphic and hard boiled, but to me it just came across as crass.
So, a huge disappointment, however most others seem to have enjoyed the book.
October 5, 2013
I have a book recommendation for all of you suspense lovers out there - especially if you like an interesting heroine. Gingerbread Man by Maggie Shayne is an intriguing story that kept me guessing, and as regular readers know, that's pretty hard to do. The red herring was obvious early on, but it wasn't until well into the second half of the story that I was certain of the killer. There was also an element I didn't see coming until probably the final quarter of the novel. I really like stories that keep me guessing.
Be warned - the storyline centers around a pedophile serial killer and the cop who jumps on the trail. This trail takes him to a small lakeside town where he meets a woman shattered by tragic events from the past. But it's this woman who could be his greatest asset in hunting down the sick pervert who preys on the innocent - if only he could get her to remember.
Like I said, this was a surprising freebie and I ended up enjoying the mystery element in the storyline. The overall writing style, however, needs strengthening. Too much pronoun usage kept me gritting my teeth, but once the story grabbed and got moving it wasn't quite as grating. The love story aspect between the hero and heroine also was a bit much, but that's likely just because I find most romance annoyingly sappy and unrealistic.
So there you have it, folks! With the Halloween season rapidly approaching, Gingerbread Man might be your ticket
Be warned - the storyline centers around a pedophile serial killer and the cop who jumps on the trail. This trail takes him to a small lakeside town where he meets a woman shattered by tragic events from the past. But it's this woman who could be his greatest asset in hunting down the sick pervert who preys on the innocent - if only he could get her to remember.
Like I said, this was a surprising freebie and I ended up enjoying the mystery element in the storyline. The overall writing style, however, needs strengthening. Too much pronoun usage kept me gritting my teeth, but once the story grabbed and got moving it wasn't quite as grating. The love story aspect between the hero and heroine also was a bit much, but that's likely just because I find most romance annoyingly sappy and unrealistic.
So there you have it, folks! With the Halloween season rapidly approaching, Gingerbread Man might be your ticket
June 4, 2009
Aside from a short story on a paranormal anthology that I don't really remember this was my first read by Shayne. I really enjoyed her suspense.
Detective Vince O'Mally is investigating a disappearance of 2 children. Removed from the case after they are found murdered he follows a lead to a small town in search of more clues. There he finds Holly Newman, a young woman who's sister was kidnapped and is presumed dead while she managed to get away.
Holly was very traumatised by what happened to her and her sister and because she was the oldest and couldn't save Ivy. Vince's questions will make her think about the past once more and look for answers to try and save other children.
This is primarily a suspense story. There's a romantic subplot about Vince and Holly but for most of the book the important thing is their investigation. I liked that Holly was a strong character, she has to confront a few fears before she is ready to face the new facts that suggest her sister's killer is still out there but once she does it she is the one who cracks the case.
Vince is also an interesting character, he is the one who really starts the investigation and he is an experienced detective who let a difficult case get to him. At first he is a bit wary of being involved with Holly when she seemed so fragile but he is the first one to recognise her strengh.
The small town atmosphere is really well done and the set of secondary characters very interesting. I had no idea who the real killer was till it comes up and the surprise twist in the end was really well done.
A B+!
Detective Vince O'Mally is investigating a disappearance of 2 children. Removed from the case after they are found murdered he follows a lead to a small town in search of more clues. There he finds Holly Newman, a young woman who's sister was kidnapped and is presumed dead while she managed to get away.
Holly was very traumatised by what happened to her and her sister and because she was the oldest and couldn't save Ivy. Vince's questions will make her think about the past once more and look for answers to try and save other children.
This is primarily a suspense story. There's a romantic subplot about Vince and Holly but for most of the book the important thing is their investigation. I liked that Holly was a strong character, she has to confront a few fears before she is ready to face the new facts that suggest her sister's killer is still out there but once she does it she is the one who cracks the case.
Vince is also an interesting character, he is the one who really starts the investigation and he is an experienced detective who let a difficult case get to him. At first he is a bit wary of being involved with Holly when she seemed so fragile but he is the first one to recognise her strengh.
The small town atmosphere is really well done and the set of secondary characters very interesting. I had no idea who the real killer was till it comes up and the surprise twist in the end was really well done.
A B+!
September 12, 2016
This book wasn't bad, it wasn't good either.
It would be so much better without the romance.
The subject was pretty grim, child abuse, rape, murders, and them BAM! Insta-love. PLEASE. I knew that there will be LOOOOOOOVE as soon as Holly noticed Vince's hair and Vince was kind enough to tell us for the fifth time that he tries to escape from needy women.
Ekm, ekm, what is that supposed to mean "needy women"? Women that need support and attention from their partner? Is that it?
Vince, you're an asshole with a hero complex.
Anyways.
Holly is really hard to relate to. i know that she struggles with survivors guilt and i totally get it. She got meds prescribed for her mental issues, but after a while she stopped taking them because she felt fine. You know who does that? People with mental disorders before spiraling even more deep into their black holes. You just can't decide on your own that you just don't want to take them and flush them down the toilet. These are prescribed meds, not your secret stash of PCP.
The mystery part of that book was promising, but didn't deliver.
I knew what happened to Holly's sister around 30% of the book, I figured Amanda's secret like 5 minutes after she was introduced, I was KINDA surprised when I found out who the kidnapper was, but it wasn't as shocking as I hoped it to be.
The writing was terrible. Seriously. TERRIBLE. Short sentenced that were supposed to enhance the dark, mysterious mood. They didn't. They annoyed the crap out of me. Made me want to scream. Of annoyance.
See what I did there?
The end.
I just don't want to review it anymore.
It would be so much better without the romance.
The subject was pretty grim, child abuse, rape, murders, and them BAM! Insta-love. PLEASE. I knew that there will be LOOOOOOOVE as soon as Holly noticed Vince's hair and Vince was kind enough to tell us for the fifth time that he tries to escape from needy women.
Ekm, ekm, what is that supposed to mean "needy women"? Women that need support and attention from their partner? Is that it?
Vince, you're an asshole with a hero complex.
Anyways.
Holly is really hard to relate to. i know that she struggles with survivors guilt and i totally get it. She got meds prescribed for her mental issues, but after a while she stopped taking them because she felt fine. You know who does that? People with mental disorders before spiraling even more deep into their black holes. You just can't decide on your own that you just don't want to take them and flush them down the toilet. These are prescribed meds, not your secret stash of PCP.
The mystery part of that book was promising, but didn't deliver.
I knew what happened to Holly's sister around 30% of the book, I figured Amanda's secret like 5 minutes after she was introduced, I was KINDA surprised when I found out who the kidnapper was, but it wasn't as shocking as I hoped it to be.
The writing was terrible. Seriously. TERRIBLE. Short sentenced that were supposed to enhance the dark, mysterious mood. They didn't. They annoyed the crap out of me. Made me want to scream. Of annoyance.
See what I did there?
The end.
I just don't want to review it anymore.
May 31, 2019
Good murder mystery with a little romance. I never guessed the killer until it was revealed.
October 14, 2013
Wow !!! 'Gingerbread Man' by Maggie Shayne is a truly magnificent thriller. It is an emotional roller coaster and a whirlpool that drags you in the story from page 1. Whilst reading it you feel sadness, pain, anger, fear and excitement, each emotion being immediately replaced by another as you turn the pages.
The author made a wonderful job character wise. All characters are brilliantly brought to life and you almost feel that you are there amongst them, listening and talking to them. You suffer with them. I had pity for, loved and hated these characters as they were real persons. The locations are also very vividly depicted and again you can visualise everything.
The twists and turns in this story are numerous and you never know what will happen next. I tried to and thought that I guessed who the perpetrator was early on in the book, however as I kept on reading I realized how mistaken I was.
The final part caught me by surprise and made the hairs at the back of my neck stand on end.
This was one of the best books I have ever read and I highly recommend it.
Well Done Maggie Shayne !!
The author made a wonderful job character wise. All characters are brilliantly brought to life and you almost feel that you are there amongst them, listening and talking to them. You suffer with them. I had pity for, loved and hated these characters as they were real persons. The locations are also very vividly depicted and again you can visualise everything.
The twists and turns in this story are numerous and you never know what will happen next. I tried to and thought that I guessed who the perpetrator was early on in the book, however as I kept on reading I realized how mistaken I was.
The final part caught me by surprise and made the hairs at the back of my neck stand on end.
This was one of the best books I have ever read and I highly recommend it.
Well Done Maggie Shayne !!
August 15, 2016
Fourth book of my holiday reads.
Really enjoyed this thriller. I had worked out part of it early on but it still holds some surprises. Will certainly read more by the author.
Really enjoyed this thriller. I had worked out part of it early on but it still holds some surprises. Will certainly read more by the author.
April 30, 2019
I love Maggie Shayne's Brown and De Luca series, so I thought I give a try to her earlier work and this seemed like a nice choice! And it was!
It has a "feeling" of being written more than a decade before, but it was still enjoyable!
Holly and her PTSD and Vincent and his feeling of failing and the perfect couple: both damaged.
The mystery is very actual: pedophilia and serial killer. And how these monsters just get worse and worse as the time passes and they're not apprehended! It just gives you goosebumps!
It has a "feeling" of being written more than a decade before, but it was still enjoyable!
Holly and her PTSD and Vincent and his feeling of failing and the perfect couple: both damaged.
The mystery is very actual: pedophilia and serial killer. And how these monsters just get worse and worse as the time passes and they're not apprehended! It just gives you goosebumps!
April 30, 2012
Vince O'Mally is a police detective who gets too emotionally involved in his work. When he is tasked with finding two missing kids, his promises to their mother and the discovery of their tortured bodies nearly send him over the edge...especially when the FBI is called in and he is taken off the case. On his month of forced vacation, he continues to work the case. This takes him to upstate New York and into the path of Holly Newman, a woman who continues to face the demons of her own childhood brought on by the abduction of her little sister. Sounds like a great mystery, right? It was - up until about page 70 or so. Once I figured out the villain and "surprise" plot twist, I just wanted it to end. This is probably the closest I've ever come to a DNF where I still managed to finish the book. Except for the brief sex and some subject matter (the darker parts are left to the reader's imagination with little or no description), this reads like a young adult mystery given the language used and pacing of the story. Television shows like Criminal Minds and CSI have given me a high tolerance for unrealistic police work, but seriously...less than an hour for a conclusive DNA match? Two characters are able to enter and trample over a child abduction scene (and the lead suspect's home) within two hours of the crime and there isn't even a policeman stationed at the door to stop them much less an evidence crew on site?
And the romance? Don't get me started on the romance or the omnipotent bad guy. Young adult mystery readers looking to shift to slightly more adult material might find this enjoyable. As someone who enjoys Val McDermid, Jillian Hoffman, and Alex Kava, I don't think I'll be reading any more Maggie Shayne.
And the romance? Don't get me started on the romance or the omnipotent bad guy. Young adult mystery readers looking to shift to slightly more adult material might find this enjoyable. As someone who enjoys Val McDermid, Jillian Hoffman, and Alex Kava, I don't think I'll be reading any more Maggie Shayne.
April 8, 2009
I've added Maggie Shayne to my list of 'favourite' authors! She writes an excellent suspense novel!
Back cover:
"Detective Vincent O'Mally has always been able to remain calm and objective while investigating even the most gruesome of crimes. But when he finds two missing children dead in an abandoned house, his well ordered life turns upside down.
When the FBI takes over the case, a traumatized Vince reluctantly agrees to take some time off-but vows to find the murderer on his own. With a piece of crime scene evidence to guide his investigation, he travels to a small town in upstate New York, where he meets Holly Newman, a fragile woman whose sister was abducted and killed years ago. Vince is convinced that her sister's death is linked to the recent murders and that essential clues are hidden deep in Holly's mind. Now, desperate to solve the one case he just can't let go, he must find a way to reach this lovely, lonely woman and help her confront the searing memories that have haunted her all these long, painful years."
Back cover:
"Detective Vincent O'Mally has always been able to remain calm and objective while investigating even the most gruesome of crimes. But when he finds two missing children dead in an abandoned house, his well ordered life turns upside down.
When the FBI takes over the case, a traumatized Vince reluctantly agrees to take some time off-but vows to find the murderer on his own. With a piece of crime scene evidence to guide his investigation, he travels to a small town in upstate New York, where he meets Holly Newman, a fragile woman whose sister was abducted and killed years ago. Vince is convinced that her sister's death is linked to the recent murders and that essential clues are hidden deep in Holly's mind. Now, desperate to solve the one case he just can't let go, he must find a way to reach this lovely, lonely woman and help her confront the searing memories that have haunted her all these long, painful years."
October 1, 2013
Sometimes a gal needs a break in her normal book review routine. Sometimes a gal just needs to read a book she wants to read!! I found the plot line interesting so I picked this book up for free on Amazon when they had a promotion. I am absolutely glad I did. This book was gripping, twisted, and left you wondering who it was all the way until the end.
But the twists didn't end there.
Holly with her stubborn but strong, PTSD but will-to-live and her painful past...
Vince with his ego, brawn and absolute desire to stay away from "needy" women...
Are both pulled together in this story of a child pedophile/killer who is still killing after 18 years. A small town who has never seen crime like this and a reclusive old famous "horror movie star." A rogue cop makes good, a woman overcomes her fears, and a killer....found?
There was only one part of the book that made me raise and eyebrow. There was one chapter, which consisted of maybe 20 sentences, that was from the view of the killer's. It was the only time in the book it was mentioned. I think it was confusing to throw in there. The author is a superb author in how writes a windy, twisted road of suspense and mystery. But this once paragraph was either unneeded, or should have been expanded on throughout the book.
This book was a quick read and free on Amazon. It was totally work downloading if you're into suspense/killer/crime novels.
But the twists didn't end there.
Holly with her stubborn but strong, PTSD but will-to-live and her painful past...
Vince with his ego, brawn and absolute desire to stay away from "needy" women...
Are both pulled together in this story of a child pedophile/killer who is still killing after 18 years. A small town who has never seen crime like this and a reclusive old famous "horror movie star." A rogue cop makes good, a woman overcomes her fears, and a killer....found?
There was only one part of the book that made me raise and eyebrow. There was one chapter, which consisted of maybe 20 sentences, that was from the view of the killer's. It was the only time in the book it was mentioned. I think it was confusing to throw in there. The author is a superb author in how writes a windy, twisted road of suspense and mystery. But this once paragraph was either unneeded, or should have been expanded on throughout the book.
This book was a quick read and free on Amazon. It was totally work downloading if you're into suspense/killer/crime novels.
September 26, 2013
Wow, As part of a kindle/ebook group on facebook, this was recommended, however I had downloaded it previously and not realised. Absolutely hooked through the majority of this book, it is the genre I prefer, a nice thriller to keep you on edge and when you have a good imagination like myself, you can almost picture yourself living through the book, being there and seeing it all happen, when I get this feeling, to me it is a fabulous book and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thanks to the ebook apps etc you get on smartphones I have managed to read a heck of a lot of books in the past couple of years, now owning a kindle I am getting through lots more, it is really good to get back into reading like I have, and if there are more books like this from such authors as Maggie Shayne I feel my kindle will soon burn out with over use in a good way.
Thanks to the ebook apps etc you get on smartphones I have managed to read a heck of a lot of books in the past couple of years, now owning a kindle I am getting through lots more, it is really good to get back into reading like I have, and if there are more books like this from such authors as Maggie Shayne I feel my kindle will soon burn out with over use in a good way.
October 21, 2013
I was looking for a quick yet dark and suspenseful read, in the spirit of the Halloween season. This was almost perfect in that regard. A good deal of it actually takes place during the last couple weeks of October, with descriptions of the crisp autumn air, scents of falling leaves, and a big Halloween party where the climax begins. I just wasn't thrilled that child abduction and murder were main topics. But it was balanced out with likeable, for the most part, characters and some light humor. Not sure I would read this author again, though--the writing was a little simple in my opinion.
January 13, 2014
This book sounded very much like a book I would enjoy, but I found it quite hard going. I didn't like the characters as much as I wanted to, which no doubt was why I found the book so hard going and it was unfortunately, for me, very predictable. The pace varied too much and stalled about 50% of the way through.
This didn't quite work for me possibly because I have read much better in this genre.
This didn't quite work for me possibly because I have read much better in this genre.
August 27, 2013
I have always loved Maggie Shayne's books and this one was gripping. As a fan of mystery I thought I knew who done it partway through the book and was wrong but was right on one thing. Can't say what or would give the story away. A very good read and the excerpt of Sleep With the Lights On has me in a hurry to get to reading it as well.
February 22, 2019
Great thrilling read
This book had me guessing at every turn. I had my suspicions about somethings in the book but was never quite given enough information until the right time. Definitely give this author a go
This book had me guessing at every turn. I had my suspicions about somethings in the book but was never quite given enough information until the right time. Definitely give this author a go
February 12, 2015
This story was fraught with plot holes, unrealistic police action/scenes, inconsistency, one-dimensional characters and childish prose.
The writing was my main point of contention - it really bugged me.
Most of the time I was thinking "just get to the point" - the "twist" was really predictable. In fact most most of the story was predictable but the author just dragged out the action by including really inappropriate scenes (like an I LOVE YOU moment - sod your I LOVE YOU's!!!).
======================
The Writing
The writing style was hilarious.As per another reviewer noted: "repetitive short sentences, atmospheric cliches -shadows follow the protagonist around like Pig-Pen's cloud of dirt".
The author endeavours to create a dark and dramatic setting by doing the whole short sentences to emphasis things which aren't even note worthy. Or she just writes funny because I was cracking up. Examples:
'He pierced her eyes with his. He just said, "Black." And for some reason the word sent a chill right up her spine.'
Yep I'm puzzling over the "some reason" too. All he did was respond to her question on how he likes his coffee. And it's "piercing" gazes and whatnot. I wonder what would occur if she asked him how he likes his chili!
'There was something dark living inside that man. It peeked out at her just now. Holly recognised it at once, because she had seen it many times.
In the mirror.'
I guess all that black coffee darkened his insides - poor dear. If he took sugar with it - I wonder what else would be peeking out at her - gosh the mind boggles.
Just say he had a dark and mysterious (cue: evil music) aura and be done with it.
'Her impressions were three. Big. Dark. And moody.'
I cracked up reading this. I just couldn't take anything seriously.
'"What is what?"
"The reason you've been watching Amanda all night."
He looked at her sharply. "Just curious, I guess."
"Why?"
"Why do you want to know?" he asked.
"Just curious, I guess."
She was good at sparring, witty and quick.'
If that's his idea of 'good at sparring' and 'witty and quick' then clearly Syracuse is far more remote than I'd suspected.
Anyway there are some epic fails to be typed up on here but I don't have the time or inclination. Nuff said.
========================
The Characters
If you were looking for the cliche Detective and his love interest than look no further.
Detective Vince O’Malley is described as "Hard-edged" - I think the blurb was referring to his head because this dude is not the brightest bulb. He's such a cliche with his Irish name, dark, brooding looks and tough-man "I'm haunted by ghosts" broken man persona.
Holly Newman, heroine extraordinaire is really irritating. Her defensive attacks, irrational thinking and just blatant stupidity is beyond anything that's bearable. Short, skinny and ginger - she reminds me of those skinny overbearing secretaries in Detective films.
==================
DUMB. DUMB. DUMB. SO DUMB IT HURTS.
JUST SHUT UP. YOU'RE STUPID.
NO MORE PLEASE! YOU DUMB B****
***SNORE**** BORING *****
The Crime/ Suspense
If you don't mind plot holes, clues that are so blatant and incorrect police and forensic information than you'll be ok with this. Some of the clues are so obvious and childish it became ridiculous.
Additionally, the whole Police Cop vs FBI thing was reckless, stupid and illogical too. The Protagonist, Vince, actually kept a crucial piece of evidence. I cant believe how stupid this is.
There are loads of plot holes, inconsistent evidence taking (certain things happen too quickly and certain other things are SLOW) which makes no sense.
The writing was my main point of contention - it really bugged me.
Most of the time I was thinking "just get to the point" - the "twist" was really predictable. In fact most most of the story was predictable but the author just dragged out the action by including really inappropriate scenes (like an I LOVE YOU moment - sod your I LOVE YOU's!!!).
======================
The Writing
The writing style was hilarious.As per another reviewer noted: "repetitive short sentences, atmospheric cliches -shadows follow the protagonist around like Pig-Pen's cloud of dirt".
The author endeavours to create a dark and dramatic setting by doing the whole short sentences to emphasis things which aren't even note worthy. Or she just writes funny because I was cracking up. Examples:
'He pierced her eyes with his. He just said, "Black." And for some reason the word sent a chill right up her spine.'
Yep I'm puzzling over the "some reason" too. All he did was respond to her question on how he likes his coffee. And it's "piercing" gazes and whatnot. I wonder what would occur if she asked him how he likes his chili!
'There was something dark living inside that man. It peeked out at her just now. Holly recognised it at once, because she had seen it many times.
In the mirror.'
I guess all that black coffee darkened his insides - poor dear. If he took sugar with it - I wonder what else would be peeking out at her - gosh the mind boggles.
Just say he had a dark and mysterious (cue: evil music) aura and be done with it.
'Her impressions were three. Big. Dark. And moody.'
I cracked up reading this. I just couldn't take anything seriously.
'"What is what?"
"The reason you've been watching Amanda all night."
He looked at her sharply. "Just curious, I guess."
"Why?"
"Why do you want to know?" he asked.
"Just curious, I guess."
She was good at sparring, witty and quick.'
If that's his idea of 'good at sparring' and 'witty and quick' then clearly Syracuse is far more remote than I'd suspected.
Anyway there are some epic fails to be typed up on here but I don't have the time or inclination. Nuff said.
========================
The Characters
If you were looking for the cliche Detective and his love interest than look no further.
Detective Vince O’Malley is described as "Hard-edged" - I think the blurb was referring to his head because this dude is not the brightest bulb. He's such a cliche with his Irish name, dark, brooding looks and tough-man "I'm haunted by ghosts" broken man persona.
Holly Newman, heroine extraordinaire is really irritating. Her defensive attacks, irrational thinking and just blatant stupidity is beyond anything that's bearable. Short, skinny and ginger - she reminds me of those skinny overbearing secretaries in Detective films.
==================
DUMB. DUMB. DUMB. SO DUMB IT HURTS.
JUST SHUT UP. YOU'RE STUPID.
NO MORE PLEASE! YOU DUMB B****
***SNORE**** BORING *****
The Crime/ Suspense
If you don't mind plot holes, clues that are so blatant and incorrect police and forensic information than you'll be ok with this. Some of the clues are so obvious and childish it became ridiculous.
Additionally, the whole Police Cop vs FBI thing was reckless, stupid and illogical too. The Protagonist, Vince, actually kept a crucial piece of evidence. I cant believe how stupid this is.
There are loads of plot holes, inconsistent evidence taking (certain things happen too quickly and certain other things are SLOW) which makes no sense.
September 15, 2013
Ok where to start?
I got this free on Kindle. Sometimes when you get freebies you wonder about them. I mean if it's free can it be that good? Anyway I sat down on a rainy afternoon and devoured it. The pacing was good as was the storytelling. I would have liked to have seen a bit more depth with the character of 'Vince' as we saw with 'Holly' but there was enough there to provide me with his characterisation and reasons for the way he was.
Parts of the story were predictable. Not sure if that was because I'm a writer too and could see how the plot was evolving or because you could tell what was going to happen. It didn't spoil the story though, and there were enough surprises to keep you going.
The focus was kept on the crime/investigation so the romantic aspects although pertinent to the story did not take over, lending it the right amount of balance.
The story tackles a distressing issue with light touches so although you know the darkness of the subject matter and although you are drawn into the story you know that it isn't making a mockery of the subject matter.
All I can say in conclusion is read this book.
I got this free on Kindle. Sometimes when you get freebies you wonder about them. I mean if it's free can it be that good? Anyway I sat down on a rainy afternoon and devoured it. The pacing was good as was the storytelling. I would have liked to have seen a bit more depth with the character of 'Vince' as we saw with 'Holly' but there was enough there to provide me with his characterisation and reasons for the way he was.
Parts of the story were predictable. Not sure if that was because I'm a writer too and could see how the plot was evolving or because you could tell what was going to happen. It didn't spoil the story though, and there were enough surprises to keep you going.
The focus was kept on the crime/investigation so the romantic aspects although pertinent to the story did not take over, lending it the right amount of balance.
The story tackles a distressing issue with light touches so although you know the darkness of the subject matter and although you are drawn into the story you know that it isn't making a mockery of the subject matter.
All I can say in conclusion is read this book.
February 15, 2009
I am glad to finally get to this book and read a well written suspense mystery. I look forward to reading more of Maggie Shayne's books, even her paranormal romance which isn't usually my cuppa....
I had a hard time getting past the premise that began the story, child abduction and murder. Once I got past that, I really liked Maggie's writing.
Vince O'Malley is a police detective in New York state. He is in the middle of a child abduction case that he feels is going south and he is proved right. The case goes to the FBI when the children are found murdered.
Vince goes to upstate New York with the only clue he can find, a library book, the children's book THE GINGERBREAD MAN. He goes to the town the book came from many years ago and meets up with Holly, the sister of an abducted child who had checked out the library book. Vince feels the cases are connected and Holly knows something.
Several suspects are thrown at the reader and I had my pick, but I wanted to make sure I was right. I liked the pace of the book, the characters, and mystery solved.
I had a hard time getting past the premise that began the story, child abduction and murder. Once I got past that, I really liked Maggie's writing.
Vince O'Malley is a police detective in New York state. He is in the middle of a child abduction case that he feels is going south and he is proved right. The case goes to the FBI when the children are found murdered.
Vince goes to upstate New York with the only clue he can find, a library book, the children's book THE GINGERBREAD MAN. He goes to the town the book came from many years ago and meets up with Holly, the sister of an abducted child who had checked out the library book. Vince feels the cases are connected and Holly knows something.
Several suspects are thrown at the reader and I had my pick, but I wanted to make sure I was right. I liked the pace of the book, the characters, and mystery solved.
November 12, 2013
Reading the reviews of this being really dark I was a little worried it would not be the greatest night reading!
However it was well written and evenly paced not providing all the details at once, meaning you went on the same journey of discovery and memory as the characters.
Holly saw her sister abducted and she has never been found - this has left Holly a troubled soul with coping mechanisms of routines a plenty and dread that something similar will happen if she breaks the routines
Vince is a copper who has just promised the mother of missing children that everything is going to be OK. When it turns out that this was a promise he couldn't keep he decides to break protocol and go searching for the man who has abducted and killed her babies.
Found myself reaching for this book at every opportunity and was gunning for the characters throughout
However it was well written and evenly paced not providing all the details at once, meaning you went on the same journey of discovery and memory as the characters.
Holly saw her sister abducted and she has never been found - this has left Holly a troubled soul with coping mechanisms of routines a plenty and dread that something similar will happen if she breaks the routines
Vince is a copper who has just promised the mother of missing children that everything is going to be OK. When it turns out that this was a promise he couldn't keep he decides to break protocol and go searching for the man who has abducted and killed her babies.
Found myself reaching for this book at every opportunity and was gunning for the characters throughout
June 5, 2015
I started this book earlier today and couldn't put it down. It was an exciting non-stop thriller with police investigations, serial killers, and a decades old mystery.
December 17, 2019
I only own this book because it was on the 'free withdrawals' table at the library and I am a book hoarder.
I only read this book because it's December and the title was thematic and I'm a huge dork.
I would never voluntarily read "romantic suspense." Just, ew. (To be fair, I didn't know that's what the genre was until I was a few chapters in. I thought it was just a crime novel. Oops.)
Overall I can't rightly call this a bad book. The writing is very good and pleasant to read (though nothing "special" in my opinion). The plot was hard to believe though. It was pretty heavily relying on shock value, I think.
And honestly? I was so bored of nothing actually happening that I was skimming from around 20% in. I don't think I missed out on too much.
Also! Something that really bothers me is the lack of description of the first crime scene. The author kept saying how gruesome and brutal it was, and how nobody--especially anyone with children--should have to see that. I'm a sicko! I want to know what the crime scene looked like! And Maggie Shayne, if you're not gonna tell me then I'll go read someone else's books!
Anyway, this was a good book to kill some time reading. Actually, I got a lot of chores that I'd been putting off done by procrastinating reading this book.
I only read this book because it's December and the title was thematic and I'm a huge dork.
I would never voluntarily read "romantic suspense." Just, ew. (To be fair, I didn't know that's what the genre was until I was a few chapters in. I thought it was just a crime novel. Oops.)
Overall I can't rightly call this a bad book. The writing is very good and pleasant to read (though nothing "special" in my opinion). The plot was hard to believe though. It was pretty heavily relying on shock value, I think.
And honestly? I was so bored of nothing actually happening that I was skimming from around 20% in. I don't think I missed out on too much.
Also! Something that really bothers me is the lack of description of the first crime scene. The author kept saying how gruesome and brutal it was, and how nobody--especially anyone with children--should have to see that. I'm a sicko! I want to know what the crime scene looked like! And Maggie Shayne, if you're not gonna tell me then I'll go read someone else's books!
Anyway, this was a good book to kill some time reading. Actually, I got a lot of chores that I'd been putting off done by procrastinating reading this book.
November 11, 2020
Started off strong and progressively got worse. I knew the twist instantly and then the “romance” kicked in. The mystery itself wasn’t bad, a good red herring in the mix kept me from being totally sure. Not a bad read, just not as solid as I’d hoped.
March 18, 2024
Had me on edge and screaming at my phone. For my first read, a good read.
September 11, 2016
To be honest, the summary blurb above doesn't really do this book any justice. But I suppose that's what blurbs are anyway: they just hit upon a very brief description of certain elements in the book. It would never mention the creepiness of the serial kidnapper/rapist/killer lurking in the background, watching our heroine as she struggles through her returning feelings of trauma--the feelings she's never been able to let go of since she watched her baby sister get snatched from right in front of her. It wouldn't mention the intriguing side characters in the small town of Dilmun--from the good Chief Jim Mallory, to the grandfatherly Doc Graycloud, to Dilmun's very own reclusive celebrity, Reginald D'Voe.
Because outside of our main couple, there is so much more going on in this little town in the background of the story than many would know to look for. Of course, while the book DOES touch on all of these background events and background characters, they don't linger. This is first and foremost a creepy crime thriller involving Holly Newman and Vince O'Malley; and while I DID love following them as the main characters, I would have also liked to see more about the rest of the characters in this book.
Maggie Shayne creates a very attention-hooking crime thriller with a great balance of romance. While the story and the romance itself felt kind of dated, and while I was less than enamored with our hero detective, I really found myself absorbed into this book and the crime thriller. The mystery had me really guessing; because I had my suspicions about the possible culprit as well as other characters in the Dilmun community, but some of the revelations really did have me quite excited.
The relationship between Holly and Vince was pretty good in a non-romantic sense. Their romantic relationship, on the other hand, could use some work. But I think a lot of that has to do with Vince and his preconceptions about Holly and the small town of Dilmun--it rubbed me the wrong way and I'm still a bit chafed by his snap judgments borne from his own inner turmoil, his own problems. And also, their romance felt a bit dated as well--yes, even though there's a lot of sexual tension and a lot of lusting going around.
But all-in-all, I really DID enjoy reading this book--one of Maggie Shayne's older works. Again, what I DID love about this were the characters of Dilmun, and how well the balance between romance and mystery was kept.
Only the ending kind of settled awkwardly with me. I felt like the resolution was a little rushed, and that there were some loose ends that needed to be tied up. I also felt like the ending came about kind of... well, the dialogue and some of the scenes felt really unnatural and almost cheesy. "Awkward" would be a really great word to use to describe those last couple of chapters, maybe.
***
2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
Because outside of our main couple, there is so much more going on in this little town in the background of the story than many would know to look for. Of course, while the book DOES touch on all of these background events and background characters, they don't linger. This is first and foremost a creepy crime thriller involving Holly Newman and Vince O'Malley; and while I DID love following them as the main characters, I would have also liked to see more about the rest of the characters in this book.
Maggie Shayne creates a very attention-hooking crime thriller with a great balance of romance. While the story and the romance itself felt kind of dated, and while I was less than enamored with our hero detective, I really found myself absorbed into this book and the crime thriller. The mystery had me really guessing; because I had my suspicions about the possible culprit as well as other characters in the Dilmun community, but some of the revelations really did have me quite excited.
The relationship between Holly and Vince was pretty good in a non-romantic sense. Their romantic relationship, on the other hand, could use some work. But I think a lot of that has to do with Vince and his preconceptions about Holly and the small town of Dilmun--it rubbed me the wrong way and I'm still a bit chafed by his snap judgments borne from his own inner turmoil, his own problems. And also, their romance felt a bit dated as well--yes, even though there's a lot of sexual tension and a lot of lusting going around.
But all-in-all, I really DID enjoy reading this book--one of Maggie Shayne's older works. Again, what I DID love about this were the characters of Dilmun, and how well the balance between romance and mystery was kept.
Only the ending kind of settled awkwardly with me. I felt like the resolution was a little rushed, and that there were some loose ends that needed to be tied up. I also felt like the ending came about kind of... well, the dialogue and some of the scenes felt really unnatural and almost cheesy. "Awkward" would be a really great word to use to describe those last couple of chapters, maybe.
***
2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
August 26, 2014
I think this was a free kindle book. A detective thriller with a little romance thrown in. A good fast read.
Syracuse police detective Vince O'Mally oversteps the bounds of his profession and becomes too involved in his latest case. Two children are found murdered, and the only clue he discovers is an old library edition of THE GINGERBREAD MAN. That one clue leads him to Dilmun, New York, a small town on Cayuga Lake.
There, Vince encounters Holly Newman, last-known borrower of THE GINGERBREAD MAN, and secretary to the Dilmun Chief of Police. Vince and Holly's paths keep crossing, and he senses that she could provide a connection to his recent case. Holly, deftly portrayed as the fragile, yet strong heroine, can't decide whether she is attracted to or disturbed by the very forthright Vince.
Suddenly, many of Holly's old fears return as strange happenings grip the town of Dilmun leaving Holly and Vince in the eye of the storm. With a truly skillful manifestation of clues and possible suspects, the reader is kept guessing as much as any of the players. As Holly and Vince get closer to the truth and to each other, an eerily familiar series of events forces Holly to come to terms with her past. Can they catch the killer before it is too late?
In some novels, the suspense is over long before the book is finished. Not so in this case, as the answer to "who done it?" is made known when it should be, at the novel's conclusion. The nail-biting conclusion will leave readers white-knuckled for some time to come.
True romance readers won't be disappointed, either, as the love scenes become more memorable because they are not overplayed. With sizzling love scenes and suspense that just won't quit, Ms. Shayne has created a praise-worthy novel truly deserving of its classification as romantic suspense.
Syracuse police detective Vince O'Mally oversteps the bounds of his profession and becomes too involved in his latest case. Two children are found murdered, and the only clue he discovers is an old library edition of THE GINGERBREAD MAN. That one clue leads him to Dilmun, New York, a small town on Cayuga Lake.
There, Vince encounters Holly Newman, last-known borrower of THE GINGERBREAD MAN, and secretary to the Dilmun Chief of Police. Vince and Holly's paths keep crossing, and he senses that she could provide a connection to his recent case. Holly, deftly portrayed as the fragile, yet strong heroine, can't decide whether she is attracted to or disturbed by the very forthright Vince.
Suddenly, many of Holly's old fears return as strange happenings grip the town of Dilmun leaving Holly and Vince in the eye of the storm. With a truly skillful manifestation of clues and possible suspects, the reader is kept guessing as much as any of the players. As Holly and Vince get closer to the truth and to each other, an eerily familiar series of events forces Holly to come to terms with her past. Can they catch the killer before it is too late?
In some novels, the suspense is over long before the book is finished. Not so in this case, as the answer to "who done it?" is made known when it should be, at the novel's conclusion. The nail-biting conclusion will leave readers white-knuckled for some time to come.
True romance readers won't be disappointed, either, as the love scenes become more memorable because they are not overplayed. With sizzling love scenes and suspense that just won't quit, Ms. Shayne has created a praise-worthy novel truly deserving of its classification as romantic suspense.
November 16, 2013
What do a child killer, a beautifully flawed redhead, and a broken cop have in common? Read Gingerbread Man and find out. Shayne takes interesting characters, an intriguing plot line and molds them together in this story. The Gingerbread Man chronicles the story of Detective Vince O'Mally and his search for a the man behind the murder of two children. Unbeknownst to him, he's hunting a sick repeat offender who is hiding in plain sight.
Gingerbread Man by Maggie Shayne is the first book of Maggie's that I read that is not of the paranormal genre. So, going into this I was a bit worried that I would not like it, as I often worry that authors will disappoint when switching genres. While Gingerbread Man followed some rather predictable plot lines, especially for this specific genre I felt the book as a whole was rather good. I do however remember using the "report content error" function on my Kindle a few times, and to be honest, I don't often catch typos. I'm usually too engrossed in my reading and my mind sort of just figures out what is supposed to be there... Crap I'm rambling.
To my point: This book has it's flaws, but I still consider it a good book and would give it a recommendation to anyone who enjoyed other works by Maggie. I am not sure if this was Maggie Shayne's first book for this genre, but I truly hope she sharpens her skills delivers a better story next time. I have high hopes for her!
Gingerbread Man by Maggie Shayne is the first book of Maggie's that I read that is not of the paranormal genre. So, going into this I was a bit worried that I would not like it, as I often worry that authors will disappoint when switching genres. While Gingerbread Man followed some rather predictable plot lines, especially for this specific genre I felt the book as a whole was rather good. I do however remember using the "report content error" function on my Kindle a few times, and to be honest, I don't often catch typos. I'm usually too engrossed in my reading and my mind sort of just figures out what is supposed to be there... Crap I'm rambling.
To my point: This book has it's flaws, but I still consider it a good book and would give it a recommendation to anyone who enjoyed other works by Maggie. I am not sure if this was Maggie Shayne's first book for this genre, but I truly hope she sharpens her skills delivers a better story next time. I have high hopes for her!
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