What do you think?
Rate this book
Dead Ringers #1
Illusion
A paranormal mystery serial for young adults on up. All nine 25,000-word volumes now available individually and in boxed sets of three!
Jade Greene remembers nothing from the time she went missing except a blinding headache and an evil clown with a syringe. Not exactly the stuff to convince others of her sanity.
Nobody at the summer carnival where she works even believes Jade was abducted except her secretive co-worker Max Harper. When Jade and Max stumble across a body on the beach, only two things are certain. People in town aren't who they seem to be. And things for Jade are about to get much, much worse.
Jade Greene remembers nothing from the time she went missing except a blinding headache and an evil clown with a syringe. Not exactly the stuff to convince others of her sanity.
Nobody at the summer carnival where she works even believes Jade was abducted except her secretive co-worker Max Harper. When Jade and Max stumble across a body on the beach, only two things are certain. People in town aren't who they seem to be. And things for Jade are about to get much, much worse.
100 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 14, 2013
5 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Darlene Gardner
90 books46 followersDarlene Gardner left her life as a newspaper sportswriter behind for love and romance. She has more than 30 books in print, from single-title romantic comedies to emotionally charged family dramas. She’s currently self publishing updated editions from her backlist and working on a series of Young Adult romances with paranormal elements. That is, when she’s not playing tennis.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 26, 2018
2.5 stars
Illusion promised to be a mysterious horror story with knife-wielding clowns and creepy carnival fun-houses but sadly, it did not deliver. Well, there was one fun-house but that was about it. Personally, I have never really been that into the horror genre - I cannot even bring myself to watch scary movies - so this was even more of a disappointment to me. If it cannot even remotely scare a self-confessed scaredy cat, how is this supposed to play in the big leagues with the horror buffs? The answer is that it won't.
The writing felt rushed and hastily put together. It didn't have a fluidity to it that would have made it easier to get into. Jade seemed to run from one point to another and this really put the pacing off and it was a struggle to see how each part connected. I wish the general plotline and mystery had been more intriguing but too much was left unexplored. This was supposed to be a thriller but that got lost between all of Jade’s Hunter-swooning and Adair-bitching. The plot didn't seem to pull together and I felt like each incident was isolated, with no real relevance to anything else. Maybe further on everything will come together? I don't know but I sure hope so.
The characters weren't all that great either. They were all a little weird and I hate how all the guys have to be described as hot and perfect - there other adjectives that can be used to describe the male race, you know? Our protagonist, Jade Greene, was rather strange. I couldn't get a read on her. She was obviously scarred from the incident in February but I didn't feel that we got to explore that side of her much, or any side of her really. She was a bit bitchy and unusual for my tastes but I am hoping to warm up to her in the next book.
Overall, this was not a great thriller. It was a little too dull for my liking and a little too slow for such a short and hastily written book. I am hoping that more will become clear in Invertigo. That was quite a cliffhanger to end on!
Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review. Please note this was read as a part of Dead Ringers: Volumes 1-3.
Illusion promised to be a mysterious horror story with knife-wielding clowns and creepy carnival fun-houses but sadly, it did not deliver. Well, there was one fun-house but that was about it. Personally, I have never really been that into the horror genre - I cannot even bring myself to watch scary movies - so this was even more of a disappointment to me. If it cannot even remotely scare a self-confessed scaredy cat, how is this supposed to play in the big leagues with the horror buffs? The answer is that it won't.
The writing felt rushed and hastily put together. It didn't have a fluidity to it that would have made it easier to get into. Jade seemed to run from one point to another and this really put the pacing off and it was a struggle to see how each part connected. I wish the general plotline and mystery had been more intriguing but too much was left unexplored. This was supposed to be a thriller but that got lost between all of Jade’s Hunter-swooning and Adair-bitching. The plot didn't seem to pull together and I felt like each incident was isolated, with no real relevance to anything else. Maybe further on everything will come together? I don't know but I sure hope so.
The characters weren't all that great either. They were all a little weird and I hate how all the guys have to be described as hot and perfect - there other adjectives that can be used to describe the male race, you know? Our protagonist, Jade Greene, was rather strange. I couldn't get a read on her. She was obviously scarred from the incident in February but I didn't feel that we got to explore that side of her much, or any side of her really. She was a bit bitchy and unusual for my tastes but I am hoping to warm up to her in the next book.
Overall, this was not a great thriller. It was a little too dull for my liking and a little too slow for such a short and hastily written book. I am hoping that more will become clear in Invertigo. That was quite a cliffhanger to end on!
Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review. Please note this was read as a part of Dead Ringers: Volumes 1-3.
December 12, 2013
i got this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review..
these are a couple of volumes of short stories and they are amazing. it had horror, suspense, crime, mystery, and honestly i had a hard time guessing who the killer was.
Jade had a hard life. Her mother was crazy. she heard voices and would never take her medication. well, one day her mother up and left their family and never said anything. Jade was left with her step dad to help take care of her brother and sister. That was until her father held up a store with a unloaded gun. Now he was in jail, and she was left to tend to the kids. Thankfully her aunt came to help.
one night when Jade was walking to her best friend Becky's house she never got there. She woke up at the carnival were she works with a horrible headache and no idea what happened. The cops found here because it was off season, and took her to the hospital for a head injury. She found out she was missing for 2 days!. She can't remember where she was..
now out of the blue Jade's mother comes home and tells her that she is better and they are going to be a family again. Jade has a lot of resentment towards her mom. ( well wouldn't you if you were abandoned and had to step up instead of go to college) Her mother told her that she returned because the enemies were back. This time they were going to get Jade not her mother.
everyone at the Carnival thought Jade was crazy like her mother. She lost lots of friends and even her boyfriend Hunter. He was now dating her ex best friend. Hunter and Jade are still friends and she still can't get over him. Jade starts to remember bits and pieces of where she was but no one believes her. That is until Jades ex best friend comes missing she decides to look for herself. She finds a guy wondering around the cabin. His name is Max.
Max shows up for a job a couple days later and leaves Jade very suspicious. She is mean to him, and he is all but friendly. Everyone started to take a liking to him. Jade now has her sights set on Hunter because he broke up with his girlfriend.
here is the fun part. There was a deadly murder in this town and the woman was called the black widow. She was out on bail and she was missing.
everything will change when Max tells Jade a secret..
these are a couple of volumes of short stories and they are amazing. it had horror, suspense, crime, mystery, and honestly i had a hard time guessing who the killer was.
Jade had a hard life. Her mother was crazy. she heard voices and would never take her medication. well, one day her mother up and left their family and never said anything. Jade was left with her step dad to help take care of her brother and sister. That was until her father held up a store with a unloaded gun. Now he was in jail, and she was left to tend to the kids. Thankfully her aunt came to help.
one night when Jade was walking to her best friend Becky's house she never got there. She woke up at the carnival were she works with a horrible headache and no idea what happened. The cops found here because it was off season, and took her to the hospital for a head injury. She found out she was missing for 2 days!. She can't remember where she was..
now out of the blue Jade's mother comes home and tells her that she is better and they are going to be a family again. Jade has a lot of resentment towards her mom. ( well wouldn't you if you were abandoned and had to step up instead of go to college) Her mother told her that she returned because the enemies were back. This time they were going to get Jade not her mother.
everyone at the Carnival thought Jade was crazy like her mother. She lost lots of friends and even her boyfriend Hunter. He was now dating her ex best friend. Hunter and Jade are still friends and she still can't get over him. Jade starts to remember bits and pieces of where she was but no one believes her. That is until Jades ex best friend comes missing she decides to look for herself. She finds a guy wondering around the cabin. His name is Max.
Max shows up for a job a couple days later and leaves Jade very suspicious. She is mean to him, and he is all but friendly. Everyone started to take a liking to him. Jade now has her sights set on Hunter because he broke up with his girlfriend.
here is the fun part. There was a deadly murder in this town and the woman was called the black widow. She was out on bail and she was missing.
everything will change when Max tells Jade a secret..
August 27, 2013
Illusion is the first episode in Darlene Gardner's nine-part New Adult serial entitled Dead Ringers and I am thoroughly, completely, already-started-the-next-story hooked. Gardner has created a creepy, compelling world, made genuine by its portrayal of typical teenage angst, made appealing by the main character's self-deprecating point of view and made striking by the story's layered characters, stellar writing and fresh-from-the-box premise. The beachside carnival backdrop adds a gritty, atmospheric slant and the humor is subtle but delightfully effective. And the series' evocative covers pledge a level of suspense the story more than delivers.
My breathing comes in short, audible gasps. There's another sound, too. The footsteps have started up again.
I right myself and stumble toward my car. Something's missing. The keys. I've dropped the keys.
I bend over and squint, trying to pick out the metallic glint of the keys. It's darker now than when I arrived. The loblolly pines surrounding the clearing cast long shadows that make it seem more like night than dusk.
The crunching noise is getting louder.
I crouch down so whoever's coming can't see me. The darkness seems more absolute at ground level. I feel around, the palms of my hand scraping over the fine gravel. Something jangles, and I close my fingers over the keys.
The footsteps get louder, then stop. My relief gives way to panic.
This series has me so intrigued! I can't wait to find out why Jade has flashbacks involving a clown and a syringe, whether she's inherited her mother's schizophrenia, if she'll team up with the mysterious Max and what really happened to the Black Widow. And where does the series' title come in?
After traditionally publishing more than 30 romances, this is Gardner's first foray into indie publishing. Talk about successful ventures! The Dead Ringers serial is standout New Adult fiction, and I can guarantee you'll never look at a carnival — or its staff — the same way again. And I've just discovered there are so many surprises in store in the second episode, Invertigo…
My breathing comes in short, audible gasps. There's another sound, too. The footsteps have started up again.
I right myself and stumble toward my car. Something's missing. The keys. I've dropped the keys.
I bend over and squint, trying to pick out the metallic glint of the keys. It's darker now than when I arrived. The loblolly pines surrounding the clearing cast long shadows that make it seem more like night than dusk.
The crunching noise is getting louder.
I crouch down so whoever's coming can't see me. The darkness seems more absolute at ground level. I feel around, the palms of my hand scraping over the fine gravel. Something jangles, and I close my fingers over the keys.
The footsteps get louder, then stop. My relief gives way to panic.
This series has me so intrigued! I can't wait to find out why Jade has flashbacks involving a clown and a syringe, whether she's inherited her mother's schizophrenia, if she'll team up with the mysterious Max and what really happened to the Black Widow. And where does the series' title come in?
After traditionally publishing more than 30 romances, this is Gardner's first foray into indie publishing. Talk about successful ventures! The Dead Ringers serial is standout New Adult fiction, and I can guarantee you'll never look at a carnival — or its staff — the same way again. And I've just discovered there are so many surprises in store in the second episode, Invertigo…
January 28, 2014
[So, fair disclaimer, this is my mom’s new series. It also happens to be the first time mom’s dabbling in a genre I actually read, so I'm pretty excited about it. She’s got a huge number of published novels to her name, so those of you wary of indie books can put aside those fears because I promise Darlene Gardner can write.]
It all starts in a deserted carnival as Jade Green, stumbles out disoriented and missing days of her life. The holes in her memory drive the story as does a mysterious newcomer and the fresh corpse of a known killer. There’s a pretty good cast of characters, mostly workers in the beach town carnival, some of which are seriously quirky or just all around creepy. Which is a plus for me. The setting’s a nice change from the usual high school dramas. Despite the pseudo horror from a lot of the setting, the dialogue is snappy, the horror-movie loving heroine carries the narration well and there are some moments in here that are really genuinely funny. I don’t much care for the romantic aspects, but then again, I’m not really a romance reader.
A really solid start to a series. The plan is nine 25K volumes so the thing has an episodic quality which really helps the pacing. I’m not one to sing out false praise, even for family. This is a good story. You’re going to want to pick it up.
It all starts in a deserted carnival as Jade Green, stumbles out disoriented and missing days of her life. The holes in her memory drive the story as does a mysterious newcomer and the fresh corpse of a known killer. There’s a pretty good cast of characters, mostly workers in the beach town carnival, some of which are seriously quirky or just all around creepy. Which is a plus for me. The setting’s a nice change from the usual high school dramas. Despite the pseudo horror from a lot of the setting, the dialogue is snappy, the horror-movie loving heroine carries the narration well and there are some moments in here that are really genuinely funny. I don’t much care for the romantic aspects, but then again, I’m not really a romance reader.
A really solid start to a series. The plan is nine 25K volumes so the thing has an episodic quality which really helps the pacing. I’m not one to sing out false praise, even for family. This is a good story. You’re going to want to pick it up.
May 7, 2014
Jade a slightly sarcastic, slightly snarky, and a whole like of a likeable character. Jade had gone missing and had no recollection of where she went, who took her, or what happened. Jade only has freaky flash backs and déjà-vu memories of a clown and a pointy syringe plunging into her. Most think she’s crazy or just full up it, especially the other teens around her, except for the local hottie, Max Harper. Max seems to believe her and even interested in more than her mysterious past, but he becomes slightly obsessed with the murder of a local wealthy woman. Suddenly, Jade is battling fierce flash back and warning signs that she’s in danger and it’s coming quickly. Bodies start showing up and the creepy carnival she works at might harvest more memories than Jade is ready to face.
This book is an easy read to get sucked into and I’m dying to read the next of this serial series. Jade is a totally likeable character. The mystery swirling around her is haunting and addictive. Pick up this short novel and be ready to wonder if your secret (or not so secret) fear or clowns has real meaning…
This book is an easy read to get sucked into and I’m dying to read the next of this serial series. Jade is a totally likeable character. The mystery swirling around her is haunting and addictive. Pick up this short novel and be ready to wonder if your secret (or not so secret) fear or clowns has real meaning…
July 2, 2013
The writing moved the story along quickly. I was swept up in the intrigue of what had happened to Jade, the heroine, during her lost time and this kept me turning the pages to find out—and find out who the new mysterious guy in town was. I felt Jade's character was a realistic portrayal of an older teen, especially one who has dealt with the myriad of difficulties she had experienced with her family. I'm curious to see where the author is taking this story. She's done a great job setting up the mystery with many suspects and many different scenarios. Now I need to read the rest to find out ...
July 14, 2014
When I first started this, I was pretty confused. As chapters went on and on with little explanation, I was getting frustrated. But the last few chapters really started to pull the story together and give a clear direction for the story to go.
The horror part wasn't quite scary enough for me, but I watch a lot of horror (and really enjoy reading it!) so maybe I'm a tough sell on it! I think the crazy clowns and missing time may really spook others
Max, Hunter, Adair and Jade really have me wondering where this goes from here. I will definitely read more!!
The horror part wasn't quite scary enough for me, but I watch a lot of horror (and really enjoy reading it!) so maybe I'm a tough sell on it! I think the crazy clowns and missing time may really spook others
Max, Hunter, Adair and Jade really have me wondering where this goes from here. I will definitely read more!!
April 14, 2017
I received free ebook copies of Illusion #1, Invertigo #2 and The Spider #3 from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Jade has lost forty-eight hours of her life; she believes that she was kidnapped but no one else believes that except Max. At first she thinks that he might be involved in kidnapping her but she also seems to have these feelings for him...
Jade has lost forty-eight hours of her life; she believes that she was kidnapped but no one else believes that except Max. At first she thinks that he might be involved in kidnapping her but she also seems to have these feelings for him...
August 21, 2013
review to follow...
August 14, 2014
Dead
ahhh great start to this series....the author creates wonderful characters .... some I'd be happy to abuse! leaves you totally hanging looking for #2.
ahhh great start to this series....the author creates wonderful characters .... some I'd be happy to abuse! leaves you totally hanging looking for #2.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews