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Don't Look Back
When seventeen-year-old Katherine McCall awakened one morning to find her beloved sister, Sara, brutally murdered, her whole life changed in the blink of an eye. Kat was named the prime suspect and, on a string of circumstantial evidence, charged and tried. While the jury found her innocent, not everyone else agreed, and her only choice was to go into hiding. But she carried a dark secret with her, one that made her worry she might actually have had something to do with Sara’s death . . .
Now, years later, Kat is still haunted by her sister’s unsolved murder and continues to receive chilling anonymous letters, but she has tried to move on with her life. Until, on the tenth anniversary of Sara’s death, she receives a letter that makes the past impossible to ignore: "What about justice for Sara?" What about justice for Sara? And for herself? Kat realizes that going back to Liberty, Louisiana, might be the only way to move forward and find some peace. And there’s a killer out there who was never caught.
But the town she’s come back to is hardly different from the one she left. The secrets and suspicions still run deep. Kat has an ally in Detective Luke Tanner, son of the former Liberty police chief, but he may be her only one. With plenty of enemies, no one to trust and a killer determined to keep a dark secret buried, Kat must decide if justice is worth fighting—and dying—for.
Now, years later, Kat is still haunted by her sister’s unsolved murder and continues to receive chilling anonymous letters, but she has tried to move on with her life. Until, on the tenth anniversary of Sara’s death, she receives a letter that makes the past impossible to ignore: "What about justice for Sara?" What about justice for Sara? And for herself? Kat realizes that going back to Liberty, Louisiana, might be the only way to move forward and find some peace. And there’s a killer out there who was never caught.
But the town she’s come back to is hardly different from the one she left. The secrets and suspicions still run deep. Kat has an ally in Detective Luke Tanner, son of the former Liberty police chief, but he may be her only one. With plenty of enemies, no one to trust and a killer determined to keep a dark secret buried, Kat must decide if justice is worth fighting—and dying—for.
341 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 6, 2013
124 people are currently reading
4938 people want to read
About the author
Erica Spindler
99 books2,551 followersA New York Times and International bestselling author, Erica Spindler's skill for crafting engrossing plots and compelling characters has earned both critical praise and legions of fans. Her stories have been lauded as “thrill-packed page turners, white- knuckle rides and edge-of-your-seat whodunits.”
Erica loves meeting and interacting with her fans, both in person and online. She has a wicked sense of humor, an optimistic spirit and loves coffee, chocolate and red wine, not necessarily in that order.
In 2002 her novel Bone Cold won the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence. A Romance Writers of America Honor Roll member, she received a Kiss of Death Award for her novels Forbidden Fruit and Dead Run and was a four-time RITA® Award finalist. In 1999 Publishers Weekly awarded the audio version of her novel Shocking Pink a Listen Up Award, naming it one of the best audio mystery books of 1998.
Erica lives just outside New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband and two sons.
Erica loves meeting and interacting with her fans, both in person and online. She has a wicked sense of humor, an optimistic spirit and loves coffee, chocolate and red wine, not necessarily in that order.
In 2002 her novel Bone Cold won the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence. A Romance Writers of America Honor Roll member, she received a Kiss of Death Award for her novels Forbidden Fruit and Dead Run and was a four-time RITA® Award finalist. In 1999 Publishers Weekly awarded the audio version of her novel Shocking Pink a Listen Up Award, naming it one of the best audio mystery books of 1998.
Erica lives just outside New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband and two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 514 reviews
September 9, 2015
****This book has two different titles "Don't look Back" and "Justice for Sara"
They say you can't go home again....
Katherine McCall was a rebellious seventeen-year-old when her sister and guardian, Sara was brutally murdered. Due to the fact that her parents were also deceased and she was to inherit all of the family money, Katherine (Kat) was named as the prime suspect. She was charged but released as the jury found her innocent. However, not everyone agreed with this and she decided to go into hiding.
Years later the murder is still unsolved and Kat is receiving anonymous letters. On the tenth anniversary the most recent letter arrives that says "What about justice for Sara?" and Kat realizes that going home to Liberty might be the only way she can find out what happened for both her sister and herself. Plus the fact that there is a killer that has never been found and brought to justice.
Right away Kat realizes that though she's changed the town has barely changed and people still look at her with suspicion. Many quite vocal about their feelings about her sister's murder. Kat wants to open her own bakery but with all that's happening this is proving difficult to do. She feels she can only trust the son of the former Police chief who is now a Detective. But can Detective Luke Tanner really be trusted? Can anyone be trusted?
I really liked Kat right from the start. A once rebellious girl now grown and strong enough to try and take on the task of finding out who killed her sister. At the same time dealing with her own guilt and people who still believe she is a murderer. The relationship between Kat and Luke may have seemed a bit cliche at times but it was still a nice addition to the story. Plenty of other characters to add to the mystery of who did it. I wasn't able to guess right off who it was. Although. I did figure it out around the halfway mark I still found the book interesting enough to keep going as it came to it's conclusion.
I found it to be a quick and easy read. The chapters set in present day alternating with flashbacks to ten years before when the murder took place. As I read I saw what led up to the the murder and a cast of characters with lots of different motives. It did take a little bit of time for me to keep track of who was who as the chapters went to past to present but it wasn't long before that was resolved and I was fully immersed in the story.
I have read and enjoyed many of Erica Spindler's books and I am now adding this one to the list. A great book with a clever plot that held my interest right until the end.
They say you can't go home again....
Katherine McCall was a rebellious seventeen-year-old when her sister and guardian, Sara was brutally murdered. Due to the fact that her parents were also deceased and she was to inherit all of the family money, Katherine (Kat) was named as the prime suspect. She was charged but released as the jury found her innocent. However, not everyone agreed with this and she decided to go into hiding.
Years later the murder is still unsolved and Kat is receiving anonymous letters. On the tenth anniversary the most recent letter arrives that says "What about justice for Sara?" and Kat realizes that going home to Liberty might be the only way she can find out what happened for both her sister and herself. Plus the fact that there is a killer that has never been found and brought to justice.
Right away Kat realizes that though she's changed the town has barely changed and people still look at her with suspicion. Many quite vocal about their feelings about her sister's murder. Kat wants to open her own bakery but with all that's happening this is proving difficult to do. She feels she can only trust the son of the former Police chief who is now a Detective. But can Detective Luke Tanner really be trusted? Can anyone be trusted?
I really liked Kat right from the start. A once rebellious girl now grown and strong enough to try and take on the task of finding out who killed her sister. At the same time dealing with her own guilt and people who still believe she is a murderer. The relationship between Kat and Luke may have seemed a bit cliche at times but it was still a nice addition to the story. Plenty of other characters to add to the mystery of who did it. I wasn't able to guess right off who it was. Although. I did figure it out around the halfway mark I still found the book interesting enough to keep going as it came to it's conclusion.
I found it to be a quick and easy read. The chapters set in present day alternating with flashbacks to ten years before when the murder took place. As I read I saw what led up to the the murder and a cast of characters with lots of different motives. It did take a little bit of time for me to keep track of who was who as the chapters went to past to present but it wasn't long before that was resolved and I was fully immersed in the story.
I have read and enjoyed many of Erica Spindler's books and I am now adding this one to the list. A great book with a clever plot that held my interest right until the end.
January 3, 2017
This is a new author to me and I enjoyed it very much. I actually read it in one sitting but that's partly because it was so absorbing and partly because I am on holiday and so I had lots of free time:)
I found the writing to be very good, the characters were well drawn and the story was fast paced and interesting. Kat was maybe a bit casual with her own life from time to time but then she had reason to be. The love interest was played just right - it did not take over the whole story and Luke was a very charming man.
Altogether a very enjoyable read and I am going to look out for more books from this author.
Oops. Just realised I have read a previous book by this same author. See Jane Die. That one was very good too:)
I found the writing to be very good, the characters were well drawn and the story was fast paced and interesting. Kat was maybe a bit casual with her own life from time to time but then she had reason to be. The love interest was played just right - it did not take over the whole story and Luke was a very charming man.
Altogether a very enjoyable read and I am going to look out for more books from this author.
Oops. Just realised I have read a previous book by this same author. See Jane Die. That one was very good too:)
August 6, 2019
Erica Spindler's novel, Justice for Sara, is the story of a complex and compelling relationship between two sisters, one that ends in a violent death.
Ten years ago Katherine (Kat) McCall, a rebellious teenager, wakes to find her sister, Sara, brutally murdered. Kat was the prime suspect, charged with the crime, but was found innocent at the trial. But not everyone in Liberty agreed with the verdict so she was left with no choice but to leave her hometown and try to move on with her life, still carrying a dark secret with her.
Ten years later, Kat is still haunted by the unsolved murder of her sister and when she receives an anonymous letter asking "What about justice for Sara? " Kat knows that she must return to find her sister's killer.
Kat returns to a town where everyone still believes she is a murderer -- but the true culprit is still out there somewhere and she's determined to find the identity of Sara's killer. As she digs into the past, investigating the day's surrounding her sister's death, Kat begins to learn that the search for the truth has put her in the murder's path and that the cost of justice may be too high. Kat's only ally seems to be Luke Tanner but he is the son of the former police chief who still believes he got it right all those years ago and that she got away with murder.
Kat's journey for justice hits close to home and she is filled with riveting flashbacks, emotions and revelations that she must confront if she is to find Sara's killer.
This is a well crafted novel with a story line that is very believable with a fast pace and numerous twists and turns before reaching the startling conclusion.
The plot is full of a cast of fascinating characters, combined with gripping suspense, blended with several hints of obsession, intense family secrets, and a kiss of romance.
I enjoyed the book immensely and once I sat down to read it I couldn't put it down! Even though I did have an inkling of how it would end, it was gratifying to be partially correct, and it didn't take anything away from enjoying the book.
I will definitely be reading another novel I have in my library, The Other Girl, penned by Erica Spindler. I definitely recommend it.
Ten years ago Katherine (Kat) McCall, a rebellious teenager, wakes to find her sister, Sara, brutally murdered. Kat was the prime suspect, charged with the crime, but was found innocent at the trial. But not everyone in Liberty agreed with the verdict so she was left with no choice but to leave her hometown and try to move on with her life, still carrying a dark secret with her.
Ten years later, Kat is still haunted by the unsolved murder of her sister and when she receives an anonymous letter asking "What about justice for Sara? " Kat knows that she must return to find her sister's killer.
Kat returns to a town where everyone still believes she is a murderer -- but the true culprit is still out there somewhere and she's determined to find the identity of Sara's killer. As she digs into the past, investigating the day's surrounding her sister's death, Kat begins to learn that the search for the truth has put her in the murder's path and that the cost of justice may be too high. Kat's only ally seems to be Luke Tanner but he is the son of the former police chief who still believes he got it right all those years ago and that she got away with murder.
Kat's journey for justice hits close to home and she is filled with riveting flashbacks, emotions and revelations that she must confront if she is to find Sara's killer.
This is a well crafted novel with a story line that is very believable with a fast pace and numerous twists and turns before reaching the startling conclusion.
The plot is full of a cast of fascinating characters, combined with gripping suspense, blended with several hints of obsession, intense family secrets, and a kiss of romance.
I enjoyed the book immensely and once I sat down to read it I couldn't put it down! Even though I did have an inkling of how it would end, it was gratifying to be partially correct, and it didn't take anything away from enjoying the book.
I will definitely be reading another novel I have in my library, The Other Girl, penned by Erica Spindler. I definitely recommend it.
February 24, 2016
Well, now. This was an unexpectantly good cat and mouse mystery. I don't believe that I've read anything by Erica Spindler, but I'm certainly familiar with the name.
Kat McCall returns to her hometown after a long absence of ten years. Why, you ask? Small sidestep. She had been accused of the murder of her older sister, Sara, when Kat was seventeen years old. There was bad blood between the two sisters. (Oops! Forgive me for that one.) Sara had been raising Kat upon the death of their parents. It just wasn't workin' out.
Although the jury never convicted Kat, the town's people still do. Kat insists on standing her ground and has the desire to open up a health food bakery there. (I would have personally texted Kat that San Francisco may have been a better location....less stress and less critics.) But the author uses this as a strong impetus for Kat to break free of the ties that bind. And these ties are determined to do Kat in.
Kat befriends Luke Tanner who is the son of the local police chief. Luke, a police officer, re-opens the case in order to clear Kat's name and to find the real killer. He even questions the prior police procedures of his own father in regard to the case. What follows is an attention-getting mystery that unravels the specifics of a murder cover-up. The case had been sitting on the kitchen counter with a long overdue expiration date like sour milk. Someone will be forced to drink it in the finale.
This was a fast read without a lot of heavy lifting. I will certainly be looking into the other books written by Erica Spindler. She's a quick-stepped author that tap dances her way through a very enjoyable read.
Kat McCall returns to her hometown after a long absence of ten years. Why, you ask? Small sidestep. She had been accused of the murder of her older sister, Sara, when Kat was seventeen years old. There was bad blood between the two sisters. (Oops! Forgive me for that one.) Sara had been raising Kat upon the death of their parents. It just wasn't workin' out.
Although the jury never convicted Kat, the town's people still do. Kat insists on standing her ground and has the desire to open up a health food bakery there. (I would have personally texted Kat that San Francisco may have been a better location....less stress and less critics.) But the author uses this as a strong impetus for Kat to break free of the ties that bind. And these ties are determined to do Kat in.
Kat befriends Luke Tanner who is the son of the local police chief. Luke, a police officer, re-opens the case in order to clear Kat's name and to find the real killer. He even questions the prior police procedures of his own father in regard to the case. What follows is an attention-getting mystery that unravels the specifics of a murder cover-up. The case had been sitting on the kitchen counter with a long overdue expiration date like sour milk. Someone will be forced to drink it in the finale.
This was a fast read without a lot of heavy lifting. I will certainly be looking into the other books written by Erica Spindler. She's a quick-stepped author that tap dances her way through a very enjoyable read.
September 20, 2015
Katherine aka Kat McCall returns to the place where she had grown up, the small town of Liberty in Louisiana, which she had left 10 years previously after being charged and found not guilty, for the murder of her sister, Sarah.
She needs to find closure for the guilt she has about her sister’s death, which was not caused by her, and is also determined to find out who had killed her.
Once again, the author sets the story in a small town that holds secrets and people who are determined to stop her from finding out the truth.
Family secrets, betrayals, a killer determine to stop anyone from finding what happened all those years ago, lies and a bit of suspense and romance.
I did enjoy this book and the characters but I guessed soon into the story who the guilty parties were…although there was a bit of an unexpected revelation at the end that I never expected.
I would have probably given this book a 4 star rating because I was kept pretty interested most of the time but there was one thing that nagged me….the part when the heroine’s home is torched so that her sister’s journals, that might contain clues to the murderer’s identity, are destroyed.
This was exactly the same what happened in the previous book I read from this author…In Silence https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... the heroine’s house is burnt down to destroy her mother’s journal, which may have information on the real killer’s identity.
However, this was a rather pleasant and enjoyable romantic suspense story.
She needs to find closure for the guilt she has about her sister’s death, which was not caused by her, and is also determined to find out who had killed her.
Once again, the author sets the story in a small town that holds secrets and people who are determined to stop her from finding out the truth.
Family secrets, betrayals, a killer determine to stop anyone from finding what happened all those years ago, lies and a bit of suspense and romance.
I did enjoy this book and the characters but I guessed soon into the story who the guilty parties were…although there was a bit of an unexpected revelation at the end that I never expected.
I would have probably given this book a 4 star rating because I was kept pretty interested most of the time but there was one thing that nagged me….the part when the heroine’s home is torched so that her sister’s journals, that might contain clues to the murderer’s identity, are destroyed.
This was exactly the same what happened in the previous book I read from this author…In Silence https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... the heroine’s house is burnt down to destroy her mother’s journal, which may have information on the real killer’s identity.
However, this was a rather pleasant and enjoyable romantic suspense story.
August 14, 2014
After ten long years Katherine McCall (Kat) is returning to her home in Liberty, Louisiana. This is where her sister, Sara was brutally murdered. Although Kat had been acquitted of Sara's murder she knew there would be people in the town who would still want nothing to do with her and believed she killed her own sister. But Kate wanted to prove those people wrong and she was determined to find the real killer.
In the meantime, Kat decides she wants to start up her own bakery business, but it seems there are some that aren't to happy about that either. At least Kat knows she has the support and help of Detective Luke Tanner. Kat is hoping that between the two of them they can find out who really killed Sara. Once the case is reopened and they start to search for answers they soon discover long buried secrets, but will this lead them to finding justice for Sara?
This book has it all with suspense, twists, intrigue and romance. An absolute page turner which I thoroughly enjoyed. This is the first book I've read by this author and it definitely won't be my last. Highly recommended.
In the meantime, Kat decides she wants to start up her own bakery business, but it seems there are some that aren't to happy about that either. At least Kat knows she has the support and help of Detective Luke Tanner. Kat is hoping that between the two of them they can find out who really killed Sara. Once the case is reopened and they start to search for answers they soon discover long buried secrets, but will this lead them to finding justice for Sara?
This book has it all with suspense, twists, intrigue and romance. An absolute page turner which I thoroughly enjoyed. This is the first book I've read by this author and it definitely won't be my last. Highly recommended.
July 23, 2014
Katherine McCall was finally returning to the cottage she had lived in with Sara ten years previously. After their parents had died, Sara became Kat’s guardian – they had always been close but then Kat suddenly became a rebellious teenager. She fully acknowledged the horrible, tormenting teen she had been, and knew that at seventeen years of age, Kat’s life had changed forever. Now with her return to Liberty, she hoped (but didn’t expect) the townsfolk would have moved on…
As she discovered graffiti scrawled across the front of the house, her heart sank – but she was determined to find Sara’s killer; the fact that many still believed Kat had murdered her own sister, even though she had been acquitted, caused Kat grief, but she would not let it sway her. Unexpectedly though she had a staunch ally in Detective Luke Tanner. The shock was that Luke was the son of the police chief who had looked no further than Kat for his conviction – and he still believed she had gotten away with murder.
But as Kat started digging into long held secrets, she realized the killer might be closer than she had thought. Everywhere she turned she found bitterness and vitriol – she felt she had no-one she could trust. Even people whom she had called friends would have nothing to do with her. What would Kat do? Would she leave Liberty to all the hatred or would she find justice for Sara?
This was a brilliant thriller! The pace was intense, the plot was excellent. This is my first read of this author’s and it won’t be my last. (Thanks Vicki for the recommendation). The twists and turns were remarkable and really well done. I have no hesitation in recommending this novel highly.
As she discovered graffiti scrawled across the front of the house, her heart sank – but she was determined to find Sara’s killer; the fact that many still believed Kat had murdered her own sister, even though she had been acquitted, caused Kat grief, but she would not let it sway her. Unexpectedly though she had a staunch ally in Detective Luke Tanner. The shock was that Luke was the son of the police chief who had looked no further than Kat for his conviction – and he still believed she had gotten away with murder.
But as Kat started digging into long held secrets, she realized the killer might be closer than she had thought. Everywhere she turned she found bitterness and vitriol – she felt she had no-one she could trust. Even people whom she had called friends would have nothing to do with her. What would Kat do? Would she leave Liberty to all the hatred or would she find justice for Sara?
This was a brilliant thriller! The pace was intense, the plot was excellent. This is my first read of this author’s and it won’t be my last. (Thanks Vicki for the recommendation). The twists and turns were remarkable and really well done. I have no hesitation in recommending this novel highly.
March 14, 2018
I'm a recent Erica Spindler fan and have been catching up on her novels. This one was a fast and solid read. I liked Kat and Luke. They did have a romance and I liked them together. They were both strong, intelligent characters although Kat had a few TSTL moments. The focus of the book was not their romance but who killed Kat's sister 10 years ago.
The story went back and forth between the past and who was doing what and why they could be the killer and the present as Kat stirs up the past looking for her sister's killer. I'm not really big on past/present jumping but worked fairly well in this book.
There weren't a lot of surprises or twists but the story telling was interesting.
The story went back and forth between the past and who was doing what and why they could be the killer and the present as Kat stirs up the past looking for her sister's killer. I'm not really big on past/present jumping but worked fairly well in this book.
There weren't a lot of surprises or twists but the story telling was interesting.
October 13, 2021
This gives C list lifetime movie vibes.
August 8, 2013
I sort of wished that I had given this one up. The heroine pulled so many TSTL stunts that I can’t believe that my eyes aren’t permanently in my head from rolling them. I have a hard time believing that Kat was so naïve as to believe that her going back home wouldn’t cause trouble.
I did like the relationship between Kat and Luke, but am not sure if I can buy into Luke not thinking of her as a criminal.
It seemed like the author wanted to put doubt on every character possible to be the killer. In the end my first guess very early on was true, even the reason behind.
By the time that I got to the end I was just glad to be done with this one.
I did like the relationship between Kat and Luke, but am not sure if I can buy into Luke not thinking of her as a criminal.
It seemed like the author wanted to put doubt on every character possible to be the killer. In the end my first guess very early on was true, even the reason behind.
By the time that I got to the end I was just glad to be done with this one.
August 27, 2013
Kat McCall comes back to the Louisiana small town where, ten years ago, she was tried and acquitted for the brutal murder of her sister and guardian, Sara. There's huge hostility from the locals, almost all of whom believe she dunnit. With the local acting sheriff, Luke Tanner -- son of the now terminally ill sheriff who did his utmost to get her put away -- Kate solves the mystery and sees justice finally done.
Although I found this a very fast read, I also found it a very irritating one -- and not just because I spotted the baddies more or less at the outset.
No.
The problem I had was with the dumbed-down writing style.
Lots of short little paragraphs.
Even shorter sentences.
Often without verbs.
And gratuitous use of italics.
For unnecessary emphasis.
Or just to repeat things in case we missed them first time.
There's also what seems a whopper of a plot hole.
One night Kat's cottage is attacked by an arsonist; the destruction's relatively minor.
But still.
Much later that night, rather than stay with her cousin and his wife, she goes back to look at the debris.
There she finds one of the possible suspects in Sara's murder.
Who attacks her.
Luckily the old lady across the road calls the cops even as Kat is laying her assailant low in the traditional fashion.
It's a fairly crucial scene in the book, because it's what enables Luke to throw that suspect in jail and subject him to extended questioning not just about the attack but about Sara's murder.
Except . . .
Except, can we really believe the cops would, after an arson attack, just all go home and leave the house unattended so that any souvenir hunter could grab what they wanted or, of course, the arsonist could return and finish the job off?
Um.
April 6, 2019
Kat's sister Sara was murdered ten years ago. Now Kat's back in town to find justice for her sister.
Sara had money. It was the greed of some family members to keep their life style. When Sara refused to loan them money, they brutally killed her.
It was a total surprise to Kat who the killers were.
In the end there was justice.
Sara had money. It was the greed of some family members to keep their life style. When Sara refused to loan them money, they brutally killed her.
It was a total surprise to Kat who the killers were.
In the end there was justice.
January 24, 2018
I didn't like this book nearly as much as all the others....
August 23, 2019
Lol no
July 7, 2015
Oh my goodness what a brilliant book, brilliant characters, a brilliant plot and plenty of twists and turns right to the very end.
Kat McCall's sister Sara was murdered ten years ago and everyone thinks it was Kat as they were known to have a very turbulent relationship. But Kat is found not guilty but then she moves back home to Liberty to find her sisters killer.
I liked Kat from the start and I loved police officer Luke Tanner,he's her perfect knight in shiny armour ready to help her find the killer and through in a bit of romance too making them perfect together.
Full of many more characters, from Kats cousin Jeremy and his wife Lilith, her old friend Bitsy and old boyfriend Ryan and her sisters boyfriend at the time Danny...they all have their secrets and it could be any one of them couldn't it.
I had an idea who it would turn out to be though with so many twists and turns I wouldn't have been surprised to be proven wrong and even the eventual killer wasn't as straightforward as you'd think.
A really brilliant read that I couldn't put down till I'd finished it.
Would highly recommend to anyone who likes a bit of mysterious crime with some drama.
Kat McCall's sister Sara was murdered ten years ago and everyone thinks it was Kat as they were known to have a very turbulent relationship. But Kat is found not guilty but then she moves back home to Liberty to find her sisters killer.
I liked Kat from the start and I loved police officer Luke Tanner,he's her perfect knight in shiny armour ready to help her find the killer and through in a bit of romance too making them perfect together.
Full of many more characters, from Kats cousin Jeremy and his wife Lilith, her old friend Bitsy and old boyfriend Ryan and her sisters boyfriend at the time Danny...they all have their secrets and it could be any one of them couldn't it.
I had an idea who it would turn out to be though with so many twists and turns I wouldn't have been surprised to be proven wrong and even the eventual killer wasn't as straightforward as you'd think.
A really brilliant read that I couldn't put down till I'd finished it.
Would highly recommend to anyone who likes a bit of mysterious crime with some drama.
March 20, 2019
I won my copy of Justice for Sara by Erica Spindler through GoodReads FirstReads, and I LOVED it!! This masterfully constructed mystery is about a murder that happened ten years previously, the main suspect being the sister of the victim. After being acquitted of murdering her sister and leaving town, 27 year old Kat McCall moves back to her hometown ten years after the crime to seek the truth and get justice for her sister and hopefully reveal the real culprit. Kat has been receiving cryptic taunting letters from her "fan", a person that she believes is the killer, daring her to come back and solve the crime. The mystery was so well constructed that everyone Kat believed to once be her friend could be the killer, and every time Kat thought someone did it there was compelling evidence and intriguing flashbacks that revealed what went on with that person during, before, and after the murder took place and the investigation to solve it. This was one of the hardest books to put down, and well worth every minute it takes you to read it!
June 24, 2015
While I did enjoy it, there were moments where the heroine made me upset. She was constantly playing investigator and putting her life on the line. The story is a bit predictable but I like the romantic elements. This is not my favorite by Ms. Spindler but I'll continue to pick up more of her books.
December 29, 2014
True Spindler fashion!
A long time can of Ms. Erica.. I couldn't wait to read this book. Kept me engaged and I felt a connection to each character. She never fails to impress me. Put this or any of her books in your rotation you will not be disappointed!
A long time can of Ms. Erica.. I couldn't wait to read this book. Kept me engaged and I felt a connection to each character. She never fails to impress me. Put this or any of her books in your rotation you will not be disappointed!
May 6, 2016
It was an interesting book, but I guessed who was responsible (and why) about a third of the way into the book. Also, I found present-day Kat annoying as she tried to play amateur detective.
April 26, 2019
I got this book but it had been given a different title, "Don't Look Back."
A cracking story, plenty to keep the reader turning the pages. The author has given us a cauldron of possible bad guys or gals to pick from, each one being tossed up as a possible solution, only to have another tossed in front of it again.
Perhaps because I have written a bit myself, I had picked the winner with about a third of the book to go, but that still didn't detract from my enjoyment. Good build up to a very satisfying end. All in all a well balanced read which I enjoyed.
A cracking story, plenty to keep the reader turning the pages. The author has given us a cauldron of possible bad guys or gals to pick from, each one being tossed up as a possible solution, only to have another tossed in front of it again.
Perhaps because I have written a bit myself, I had picked the winner with about a third of the book to go, but that still didn't detract from my enjoyment. Good build up to a very satisfying end. All in all a well balanced read which I enjoyed.
June 10, 2016
I always feel a little stab of sadness when I read a book that has a compelling premise, but it ends up having a disappointing delivery. Such is the case with Justice for Sara, one of the cheesiest thrillers I've read, ever.
Look, I'm all for an old fashioned type of mystery with a limited set of suspects, a small town setting and a little side romance. But all of those are at best done in a mediocre way here, except for the romance which is actually right down dumb.
I'm going to start with the good point of this book. It's an easy, quick read. Umm I think that's it? I've been trying to think of something else to say, but nothing came to me.
Now for the bad... There's a whole lot of that. First, the writing is very basic. The author jumps between present time and ten years ago, when the murder of Sara McCall happened and her younger sister Kat became the main suspect. The "past" chapters are written focusing on the point of view of the different characters involved in the drama, which gives the readers a good chunk of information about them. I think this ends damaging the story, because the mystery and suspicions vanish and it ends up being quite obvious who is the murderer way before it's revealed in the story.
We have our main character, Kat McCall, who might be the stupidest heroine I've seen in a while. Kat used to be a rebellious teenager who made all kind of bad choices until her sister died. The author seems to think that "her parents died when she was young!!" is explanation enough for Kat's behavior, but it's not. As her older self, Kat has a completely different personality but sadly her neurons didn't reactivate. She keeps doing shockingly moronic things all through the book. Seriously, she's the type of character you'd find in a cheesy horror movie, that would become the first victim of any slasher. It's hard to relate with such a brainless, two dimensional protagonist.
Then there's Luke, the conveniently young and handsome acting chief of the local police. He's described by our heroine as a "Hugh Jackman" type, which doesn't say much about the author's talent for descriptions. Luke and Kat suffer of a case of insta-love and apparently it doesn't cross either of their minds the fact that their flirting and inappropriate relationship can ruin Kat's quest for justice for her sister and Luke's reopening of the case. Can you imagine what would happen in a trial if it was revealed that the chief of the police who caught a killer was in a romantic relationship with the main alternative suspect/witness? And I'm not exaggerating when I say it doesn't cross their minds. A few other characters mention it during an interrogation, but our dashing policeman never ever thinks "hey, maybe I should wait until after I solve this case to try to get into this woman's pants!". A true example of professional and trustworthy law enforcement.
The other characters are all stereotypical and several fall into the category of being there just as red herrings, but they aren't interesting at all. The resolution of the case, while obvious to the reader, comes out of nowhere for the protagonist, and the twist after the twist is sadly very foreseeable too. Perhaps the saddest part of all is that the titular Sara, who might be the most intriguing character of all, barely gets any time to be fleshed out and make us care about finding her murderer. Not much justice for her after all.
Look, I'm all for an old fashioned type of mystery with a limited set of suspects, a small town setting and a little side romance. But all of those are at best done in a mediocre way here, except for the romance which is actually right down dumb.
I'm going to start with the good point of this book. It's an easy, quick read. Umm I think that's it? I've been trying to think of something else to say, but nothing came to me.
Now for the bad... There's a whole lot of that. First, the writing is very basic. The author jumps between present time and ten years ago, when the murder of Sara McCall happened and her younger sister Kat became the main suspect. The "past" chapters are written focusing on the point of view of the different characters involved in the drama, which gives the readers a good chunk of information about them. I think this ends damaging the story, because the mystery and suspicions vanish and it ends up being quite obvious who is the murderer way before it's revealed in the story.
We have our main character, Kat McCall, who might be the stupidest heroine I've seen in a while. Kat used to be a rebellious teenager who made all kind of bad choices until her sister died. The author seems to think that "her parents died when she was young!!" is explanation enough for Kat's behavior, but it's not. As her older self, Kat has a completely different personality but sadly her neurons didn't reactivate. She keeps doing shockingly moronic things all through the book. Seriously, she's the type of character you'd find in a cheesy horror movie, that would become the first victim of any slasher. It's hard to relate with such a brainless, two dimensional protagonist.
Then there's Luke, the conveniently young and handsome acting chief of the local police. He's described by our heroine as a "Hugh Jackman" type, which doesn't say much about the author's talent for descriptions. Luke and Kat suffer of a case of insta-love and apparently it doesn't cross either of their minds the fact that their flirting and inappropriate relationship can ruin Kat's quest for justice for her sister and Luke's reopening of the case. Can you imagine what would happen in a trial if it was revealed that the chief of the police who caught a killer was in a romantic relationship with the main alternative suspect/witness? And I'm not exaggerating when I say it doesn't cross their minds. A few other characters mention it during an interrogation, but our dashing policeman never ever thinks "hey, maybe I should wait until after I solve this case to try to get into this woman's pants!". A true example of professional and trustworthy law enforcement.
The other characters are all stereotypical and several fall into the category of being there just as red herrings, but they aren't interesting at all. The resolution of the case, while obvious to the reader, comes out of nowhere for the protagonist, and the twist after the twist is sadly very foreseeable too. Perhaps the saddest part of all is that the titular Sara, who might be the most intriguing character of all, barely gets any time to be fleshed out and make us care about finding her murderer. Not much justice for her after all.
July 16, 2014
This book will have you trying to figure out who the killer is, with the turn of each page. As I read I would think, AHA! I KNOW WHO THE KILLER IS. Umm, no I didn't. I was so blindsided by the end. This story took so many unexpected turns that I felt suspicious of EVERYONE. haha
If you want a good crime mystery book, this one is it! I absolutely loved it. I have only read one other Spindler book, Shoking Pink (also a very good read)!
I will definitely be rereading this book in the future.
Looking forward to read Spindler's earlier work.
If you want a good crime mystery book, this one is it! I absolutely loved it. I have only read one other Spindler book, Shoking Pink (also a very good read)!
I will definitely be rereading this book in the future.
Looking forward to read Spindler's earlier work.
September 3, 2020
Funny story..I listened to this on audio. The narrator is Tavia Gilbert. She is the same one who narrates The Night Huntress Books by Jeaniene Frost. What was funny is that the character's name in Justice for Sara was Kat, the same name as the main character in The Night Huntress Books. In the beginning I was a little confused every time she said Kat. I was waiting for something supernatural to happen or for Bones to speak and when it didn't I got confused for a minute. I'm like, crap, wrong book. Anyways, it was an interesting mystery thriller. The twist was easily guessable, but the story was well written and Tavia is an awesome narrator.
August 18, 2013
What would you do if you’d been charged and acquitted for the grisly murder of your sister? You’d probably run off, lick your wounds, and learn to live a life as far away from the stress of your past as possible. That’s what I would do. But that’s not the case for Erica Spindler’s strong, independent, and determined protagonist in “Justice for Sara.” Spindler’s heroines are created with depth and an intensity of character that makes them a force to be reckoned with.
Katherine ‘Kat’ McCall was a selfish seventeen-year-old girl when she woke to find her sister and legal guardian, Sara, sprawled in a pool of blood in their home. A sequence of fights over Kat’s lies and very vocal hatred of her sister, made her the obvious suspect with the small town sheriff and the local gossipmongers. However, a jury found the circumstantial evidence lacking and Kat was a free young woman.
Kat left town and headed for Portland and the life she hoped to build, but knew she’d need to eventually face her past. In fact, someone wouldn’t let her forget it. Anonymous letters arrived. She moved. They swiftly found her again and again. On the tenth anniversary of Sara’s death, she received a special letter from the person she’s deemed the “fan.” A dare to come home to Liberty and face the past. Kat is no longer that young girl, but a courageous and successful woman. She agrees with the “fan,” it’s time for justice for Sara.
Liberty hasn’t changed and Kat is not welcomed. In fact, only one man—acting chief and the son of the sheriff—is interested in the truth. He’s willing to go the distance to help Kat find the truth.
Spindler offers dual storylines as the past and the present run seamlessly and simultaneously throughout “Justice for Sara.” It’s a powerful cocktail of seeking the truth and finding your path, all while racing towards the climactic ending. Spindler without a doubt keeps fans on the edge of their seats.
Reviewed by Shannon Raab for Suspense Magazine ■
Katherine ‘Kat’ McCall was a selfish seventeen-year-old girl when she woke to find her sister and legal guardian, Sara, sprawled in a pool of blood in their home. A sequence of fights over Kat’s lies and very vocal hatred of her sister, made her the obvious suspect with the small town sheriff and the local gossipmongers. However, a jury found the circumstantial evidence lacking and Kat was a free young woman.
Kat left town and headed for Portland and the life she hoped to build, but knew she’d need to eventually face her past. In fact, someone wouldn’t let her forget it. Anonymous letters arrived. She moved. They swiftly found her again and again. On the tenth anniversary of Sara’s death, she received a special letter from the person she’s deemed the “fan.” A dare to come home to Liberty and face the past. Kat is no longer that young girl, but a courageous and successful woman. She agrees with the “fan,” it’s time for justice for Sara.
Liberty hasn’t changed and Kat is not welcomed. In fact, only one man—acting chief and the son of the sheriff—is interested in the truth. He’s willing to go the distance to help Kat find the truth.
Spindler offers dual storylines as the past and the present run seamlessly and simultaneously throughout “Justice for Sara.” It’s a powerful cocktail of seeking the truth and finding your path, all while racing towards the climactic ending. Spindler without a doubt keeps fans on the edge of their seats.
Reviewed by Shannon Raab for Suspense Magazine ■
February 19, 2017
It was a really good book with lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed reading it so much, very engulfing and never felt bored while reading it.
I despised Lilith from the beginning but liked Jeremy and his taking care of Kat. The love between Kat and Luke was kind of hmm how to put it in words? Maybe cliche is the right word for it. But it was heartwarming.
I despised Lilith from the beginning but liked Jeremy and his taking care of Kat. The love between Kat and Luke was kind of hmm how to put it in words? Maybe cliche is the right word for it. But it was heartwarming.
August 30, 2013
First things first, now depending which cover you pick up this book is written under two different titles - the first is the book I had which was "Don't Look Back" , the second which we also have in our library just to confuse patrons is "Justice for Sara". As a love of this type of genre, I can be quite fussy and the book needs to do two things - it needs to be fast-paced and keep me interested and wanting to flip the pages and it needs to have an awesome storyline. I started Don't Look Back this morning on my 15 minute morning tea break and could not put it down and was holding out for my hour lunch to come around so I could continue reading and WOW it was such an awesome book and took me 1hr 15 minutes to read :) The novel features Kat who is twenty-seven years old , she has returned home after ten years and people aren't happy to see her walking the streets.This is because ten years ago, Kat's older sister Sara was murdered and Kat was the prime suspect/ the only suspect and she was found innocent. Now ten years later, Kat is ready to face the music and find out who killed her sister really and along with the help of new police officer Luke Tanner - she doesn't care whose toes she steps on in order to find out what really happened that fateful night .
This book whichever title you receive, was amazing and truly worth the read for fans of mystery fiction.
This book whichever title you receive, was amazing and truly worth the read for fans of mystery fiction.
March 15, 2015
This was a book I needed to read in order to tick off a challenge task, but I probably would have picked it up on my own if I had come across it. It sounded like it was right up my ally. I like suspense....I like thrillers....and who doesn't like a great whodunnit? But this was just okay for me. Inspite of my list of dislikes with this one, there were things I felt that were done well, so I will go with 3 stars.
The ending wasn't a surprise, but I liked how things shifted. That was actually the part that made me say, "Nice." I wish there had been more of those moments though. I also liked some of the characters, even the awful ones. They were all so different, which is always appreciated it. The descriptive strokes felt purposeful.
But there were other things that didn't work for me. Many elements were so improbable...I kept asking myself, "WHY?" And when I wasn't asking myself that question, I was shaking my head at the 'denseness' of some of the characters. It felt like the author was prolonging the story by having them ignore the obvious. It also came across as cliche....and a little on the repetitive side.
The ending wasn't a surprise, but I liked how things shifted. That was actually the part that made me say, "Nice." I wish there had been more of those moments though. I also liked some of the characters, even the awful ones. They were all so different, which is always appreciated it. The descriptive strokes felt purposeful.
But there were other things that didn't work for me. Many elements were so improbable...I kept asking myself, "WHY?" And when I wasn't asking myself that question, I was shaking my head at the 'denseness' of some of the characters. It felt like the author was prolonging the story by having them ignore the obvious. It also came across as cliche....and a little on the repetitive side.
June 17, 2013
[Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher]
When I started this book, I have to admit that I wasn't sure I was going to like it. Keeping the characters straight was a problem (keeping Sara and Kat straight was a big issue-- I had to keep looking at the title for a friendly reminder) and the style of jumping back and forth in time wasn't my favorite. However, the book quickly became a story I didn't want to put down. And I suspected the killer of Sara quite early in the story so it was fun to see all the pieces come together. The author is a great storyteller, going into heart-wrenching detail at key opportunities and skipping over the boring details when needed. I am quite interested in reading some of the other books she has written and hope that they also have the perfect blend of mystery/thriller with a touch of slight romance as this book.
I would highly recommend this book to friends looking for sharp writing that isn't full of fluff.
When I started this book, I have to admit that I wasn't sure I was going to like it. Keeping the characters straight was a problem (keeping Sara and Kat straight was a big issue-- I had to keep looking at the title for a friendly reminder) and the style of jumping back and forth in time wasn't my favorite. However, the book quickly became a story I didn't want to put down. And I suspected the killer of Sara quite early in the story so it was fun to see all the pieces come together. The author is a great storyteller, going into heart-wrenching detail at key opportunities and skipping over the boring details when needed. I am quite interested in reading some of the other books she has written and hope that they also have the perfect blend of mystery/thriller with a touch of slight romance as this book.
I would highly recommend this book to friends looking for sharp writing that isn't full of fluff.
August 2, 2015
If there are any lovers of mystery out there that love guessing who the killer is from the very first page, and love being taken down many twists and turns, then I’d say ‘Justice For Sara’ may be the book for you. I was expecting this book to be mediocre but it ticked off so many of my boxes!! I had my suspicions on who I thought the killer was but it wasn’t till about page 50 where I was pretty sure I was right. Cut to a few days later, I’m sitting in the living room hitting the sofa with such enthusiasm and force BECAUSE I WAS RIGHT. I was honestly on such a high that I couldn’t sit still for the rest of the night. I wouldn’t classify this as a mystery/thriller only because I didn’t have that feeling of suspense and dread, like the killer was outside my bedroom door waiting to kill me once I learnt of their identity. So that would be my only reason for giving this book 4.5 star instead of a full 5. But thriller or not, I’d recommend this book to any mystery lover out there.
April 9, 2013
In two words LOVE THIS BOOK- ok that's three, but true none the less!!! It starts with Katherine McCall returning to her hometown, the scene of the crime so to speak, where she was wrongly accused and acquitted for murdering her sister 10 years before. As "Kat" tries to find the real murderer and "Justice for Sara" she is seeking redemption not only from the people of her hometown but also forgiveness for herself and her troubled past!! Love the small town feel of everyone knows everyone, but do they??? Enough twist and turns to keep you guessing, didn't want it to end. I also loved that the chapters were short because it makes it easier to stop for stuff like well...eating, going to work, sleeping.... Highly recommend this book!!!
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