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Drie graven vol
Meer dan een jaar geleden vermoordde de vriendelijke Jason Getty een man die hij nooit had willen leren kennen. Het probleem begroef hij vervolgens iets te dichtbij. Wanneer hij eindelijk leert leven met de realiteit van zijn daad vindt de politie twee andere lijken in zijn tuin.
384 pages, Paperback
First published February 12, 2013
104 people are currently reading
4741 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Mason
3 books329 followersJamie Mason was born in Oklahoma City, but grew up in Washington, D.C. She's most often reading and writing, but in the life left over, she enjoys films, Formula 1 racing, football, traveling, and, conversely, staying at home.
Jamie lives with her husband and two daughters in the mountains of western North Carolina.
Jamie lives with her husband and two daughters in the mountains of western North Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 811 reviews
May 1, 2020
There is very little peace for a man with a body buried in his backyard.
which is a great opening line for a book, you ask me.
seventeen months ago, jason getty killed a man and buried him in his backyard. jason is a wimpy blushing pushover of a man who had allowed himself to be bullied until he couldn't take it anymore, and killed his antagonist in the heat of the moment. he lives with the guilt and the fear of discovery every day, letting his life fall apart around him until he finally decides to get his shit together and hire someone to clean up his yard, which has been grievously neglected in his guilt-stasis, and which he is emotionally unprepared to tackle himself.
which you can see might cause problems.
but don't you worry about jason - he has left instructions that the back yard is not to be touched, just the front part (nervous laughter). which would have been fine, except the landscapers discovered a body buried in the front yard. and then, another body. uh-oh.
so now jason's yard has become a crime scene, and his nervousness about the potential discovery of the body he actually did put in the ground is being noted by the detective assigned to the case, a man of uncanny abilities, and things are looking pretty bad for jason, indeed.
and then leah tamblin comes into the story. she was the fiancée of one of the bodies found in jason's front yard. the other was the wife of the man who used to live in the house. leah had no illusions about reid's fidelity, but still, they were high-school sweethearts and were going to be married thirteen days before he went missing. she has spent years wondering what happened to him and wrestling with her own guilty feelings but now at least she knows where he's been. but she still wants to know more.
so this becomes a story about closure, and how we simultaneously long for it, and are terrified that we will actually get it.
jason is waiting for them to find that third body, leah is waiting to find out what really happened to her fiancé , and detective bayard is waiting to solve the mystery and figure out what jason is hiding. and the killer may still be nearby...
things will get messy. no, i mean really messy. if you have ever wondered what a body that has been buried for seventeen months looks and smells like, wonder no more. there is a scene of such gleeful repulsiveness in this book, it was even making me squirm a little. serious wonderful grossout. and that scene goes on fo-re-ver.
if you are into psychological thrillers, stories about the way guilt can break a person down, stories about very good dogs, this one will fit your bill.
one note: i did not really like the way leah's traumatizing "forest story" was so anticlimactic in the reveal, considering how often it was trotted out in the foreshadowing, nor how quickly it was resolved. it seemed really unnecessary. but that's just a quibble. it is an enjoyable thriller.
come to my blog!
which is a great opening line for a book, you ask me.
seventeen months ago, jason getty killed a man and buried him in his backyard. jason is a wimpy blushing pushover of a man who had allowed himself to be bullied until he couldn't take it anymore, and killed his antagonist in the heat of the moment. he lives with the guilt and the fear of discovery every day, letting his life fall apart around him until he finally decides to get his shit together and hire someone to clean up his yard, which has been grievously neglected in his guilt-stasis, and which he is emotionally unprepared to tackle himself.
which you can see might cause problems.
but don't you worry about jason - he has left instructions that the back yard is not to be touched, just the front part (nervous laughter). which would have been fine, except the landscapers discovered a body buried in the front yard. and then, another body. uh-oh.
so now jason's yard has become a crime scene, and his nervousness about the potential discovery of the body he actually did put in the ground is being noted by the detective assigned to the case, a man of uncanny abilities, and things are looking pretty bad for jason, indeed.
and then leah tamblin comes into the story. she was the fiancée of one of the bodies found in jason's front yard. the other was the wife of the man who used to live in the house. leah had no illusions about reid's fidelity, but still, they were high-school sweethearts and were going to be married thirteen days before he went missing. she has spent years wondering what happened to him and wrestling with her own guilty feelings but now at least she knows where he's been. but she still wants to know more.
so this becomes a story about closure, and how we simultaneously long for it, and are terrified that we will actually get it.
jason is waiting for them to find that third body, leah is waiting to find out what really happened to her fiancé , and detective bayard is waiting to solve the mystery and figure out what jason is hiding. and the killer may still be nearby...
things will get messy. no, i mean really messy. if you have ever wondered what a body that has been buried for seventeen months looks and smells like, wonder no more. there is a scene of such gleeful repulsiveness in this book, it was even making me squirm a little. serious wonderful grossout. and that scene goes on fo-re-ver.
if you are into psychological thrillers, stories about the way guilt can break a person down, stories about very good dogs, this one will fit your bill.
one note: i did not really like the way leah's traumatizing "forest story" was so anticlimactic in the reveal, considering how often it was trotted out in the foreshadowing, nor how quickly it was resolved. it seemed really unnecessary. but that's just a quibble. it is an enjoyable thriller.
come to my blog!
December 29, 2012
I love dark humor when it is done right, which I'm sure is hard to do. But, Jamie Mason has nailed it in "Three Graves Full".
Dark, twisty, mysterious and suspenseful. I couldn't put it down.
Jason Getty is a plain vanilla, ordinary guy most people probably would't pay much attention to. But, driven to the extreme of what he could bear, Jason commits murder. He buries the body on his property and then sweats out the consequences. After a while, Jason relaxes just a little and decides to have his garden and lawn cleaned up and landscaped. But, his worst fears are realized when a body is found by the workers. Only, this was not the guy Jason killed. Then another body is found..... still not Jason's handiwork.
When the cops are called, the investigation opens up a can of worms that no one could have imagined.
Leah and Boyd both have a connection to the dead bodies found on Jason's property. Leah just wanted to visit the grave and finally feel some closure. But, Boyd may have a secret to two himself.
This was a really unique mystery suspense novel, with great characters and even better- a great dog as part of the cast.
The pacing is perfect. Slow enough to build suspense, fast enough to keep you turning pages. Very cleverly plotted with realistic dialogue, and sharp wit. Make no mistake, this is a dark mystery, but you won't be able to stop laughing at these flawed characters and the domino effect of their actions.
I highly recommend this novel. I recieved this book from netgalley in ebook format in exchange for an honest review.
Dark, twisty, mysterious and suspenseful. I couldn't put it down.
Jason Getty is a plain vanilla, ordinary guy most people probably would't pay much attention to. But, driven to the extreme of what he could bear, Jason commits murder. He buries the body on his property and then sweats out the consequences. After a while, Jason relaxes just a little and decides to have his garden and lawn cleaned up and landscaped. But, his worst fears are realized when a body is found by the workers. Only, this was not the guy Jason killed. Then another body is found..... still not Jason's handiwork.
When the cops are called, the investigation opens up a can of worms that no one could have imagined.
Leah and Boyd both have a connection to the dead bodies found on Jason's property. Leah just wanted to visit the grave and finally feel some closure. But, Boyd may have a secret to two himself.
This was a really unique mystery suspense novel, with great characters and even better- a great dog as part of the cast.
The pacing is perfect. Slow enough to build suspense, fast enough to keep you turning pages. Very cleverly plotted with realistic dialogue, and sharp wit. Make no mistake, this is a dark mystery, but you won't be able to stop laughing at these flawed characters and the domino effect of their actions.
I highly recommend this novel. I recieved this book from netgalley in ebook format in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2013
This book had a lot of promise. The blurb completely sold me to the story. Jason killed a man and buried the body in his yard. And in a (very stupid) decision to get his front yard landscaped, two more bodies are found. The catch? He didn't kill them.
And that's where the interesting plot ends.
From here we get the backstory of the other two dead people, the person who killed them, and the woman who remained, plus Jason and why he killed. Oh, and the police officers investigating...and their dog, and one guy's wife.
Initially, the backstories are alright. And then there are simply too many.
The only good part of this book is the beginning. Reading about Jason's worries of being caught and his emotions after-the-fact was intriguing. I love a novel involving murder and focusing on the murderer rather than the "who-done-it" investigation.
The worst part by far was the writing. Where was all the "witty" and "dark" humour that was supposed to be in there? This novel lacks these two things. The blurb and provided reviews sold me on the novel, and they did not deliver. (Note, when writing blurbs for novels, do not lie, actually read the book, and know what you're talking about.) Additionally, the reading experience is slow. It made me feel like weights were chained to my ankles. It is blogged down with unnecessary words. I know she is trying to be...clever and intelligent-sounding, but it comes off as bad writing. I received this book for free from Netgalley, but the awful writing made the experience feel like I was slowly ripping duct-tape from my arm with no hope of getting it over with. I missed the cut-off date for giving feedback to the publisher, so I hope this suffices.
And that's where the interesting plot ends.
From here we get the backstory of the other two dead people, the person who killed them, and the woman who remained, plus Jason and why he killed. Oh, and the police officers investigating...and their dog, and one guy's wife.
Initially, the backstories are alright. And then there are simply too many.
The only good part of this book is the beginning. Reading about Jason's worries of being caught and his emotions after-the-fact was intriguing. I love a novel involving murder and focusing on the murderer rather than the "who-done-it" investigation.
The worst part by far was the writing. Where was all the "witty" and "dark" humour that was supposed to be in there? This novel lacks these two things. The blurb and provided reviews sold me on the novel, and they did not deliver. (Note, when writing blurbs for novels, do not lie, actually read the book, and know what you're talking about.) Additionally, the reading experience is slow. It made me feel like weights were chained to my ankles. It is blogged down with unnecessary words. I know she is trying to be...clever and intelligent-sounding, but it comes off as bad writing. I received this book for free from Netgalley, but the awful writing made the experience feel like I was slowly ripping duct-tape from my arm with no hope of getting it over with. I missed the cut-off date for giving feedback to the publisher, so I hope this suffices.
June 22, 2020
Read on a Friday the 13th, Three Graves Full is a tribute to the fertile imagination of Ms. Mason, whose conjured-up images are vile and gruesome and smelly. The cover art is particularly good as it is the silhouette of the top branches of a tree which you might see from a grave as you are looking up.
Jason Getty, the protagonist, is a lonely, insignificant nobody who attracts a vicious psychopath, named Gary Harris, who soon steals from and blackmails Jason into robbery and continues to menace him. This is a great mystery and goes in odd directions that you don't see coming, if an ordinary person came into contact with a homicidal maniac this is what could happen.
Jason Getty, the protagonist, is a lonely, insignificant nobody who attracts a vicious psychopath, named Gary Harris, who soon steals from and blackmails Jason into robbery and continues to menace him. This is a great mystery and goes in odd directions that you don't see coming, if an ordinary person came into contact with a homicidal maniac this is what could happen.
February 2, 2014
I’d like to thank my friend Delee for throwing down the gauntlet and shoving me with both hands toward the finish line. I couldn’t help but accept her challenge, and now I’d like to offer up one to you, my friends. If you haven’t read her reviews, you need to do so right now. I’ll wait twiddles thumbs and taps foot…and we’re back.
If that wasn’t enough history on this novel, I have a bit more for you. I met the lovely Jamie Mason at Bouchercon where we briefly discussed Goodreads—and no I didn’t mention that I was a card-carrying member—although I suppose I could have, and then puffed out my chest accordingly, only to be smacked from behind by the next guy in line. While her smiling personality didn’t persuade me in any way with this review, it’s one of those nice-to-know pieces of information that I like to keep in my hip pocket for emergency purposes.
I don’t really know what to think of THREE GRAVES FULL. Smarter people than me have rated it four stars, but since I’m not that smart I’m going to rate it at three, and end up in the same boat as Switzerland and Canada headed toward the Arctic Circle.
On the one hand, the writing popped higher than a jack-in-the-box, and I was left wishing God had actually granted me a few more IQ points, so that my prose might be wonderful and lyrical and fantastical. And I could form more than a coherent thought or two before—squirrel—the next distraction. There was plenty to distract my mind, and more than one storyline to keep things extra interesting, but then again, that might have been why I ended up seeing a scurry of squirrels around nearly every bend, and instead of taking me a few days (like Delee), this novel took me a few months, and I even added an additional one on for good measure.
On the other hand, I would have preferred a bit more action with my lyrical prose, and a stronger spine on Jason Getty, instead of one that bent rather abruptly at the slightest provocation. It really felt as though this novel tried to do a bit too much amidst its 320 pages—a darkly humorous literary novel with a clever twist and a tense pace. But I’m also fairly certain this is one of those it’s not you, it’s me instances.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
If that wasn’t enough history on this novel, I have a bit more for you. I met the lovely Jamie Mason at Bouchercon where we briefly discussed Goodreads—and no I didn’t mention that I was a card-carrying member—although I suppose I could have, and then puffed out my chest accordingly, only to be smacked from behind by the next guy in line. While her smiling personality didn’t persuade me in any way with this review, it’s one of those nice-to-know pieces of information that I like to keep in my hip pocket for emergency purposes.
I don’t really know what to think of THREE GRAVES FULL. Smarter people than me have rated it four stars, but since I’m not that smart I’m going to rate it at three, and end up in the same boat as Switzerland and Canada headed toward the Arctic Circle.
On the one hand, the writing popped higher than a jack-in-the-box, and I was left wishing God had actually granted me a few more IQ points, so that my prose might be wonderful and lyrical and fantastical. And I could form more than a coherent thought or two before—squirrel—the next distraction. There was plenty to distract my mind, and more than one storyline to keep things extra interesting, but then again, that might have been why I ended up seeing a scurry of squirrels around nearly every bend, and instead of taking me a few days (like Delee), this novel took me a few months, and I even added an additional one on for good measure.
On the other hand, I would have preferred a bit more action with my lyrical prose, and a stronger spine on Jason Getty, instead of one that bent rather abruptly at the slightest provocation. It really felt as though this novel tried to do a bit too much amidst its 320 pages—a darkly humorous literary novel with a clever twist and a tense pace. But I’m also fairly certain this is one of those it’s not you, it’s me instances.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
April 19, 2013
This book had so much potential that never came to fruition. What could be better than the discovery of two bodies but neither body is the one the homeowner buried. And that's where the story stopped being interesting. I waited and waited for "the thriller with a dash of sharp humor" to show up. But all I seemed to find was alot of confusion about who was talking and why was it necessary for us to know what the Tessa was thinking. At times it felt like I was reading a book about Lassie. I have to say that I was relieved to finally find out what happened to Harris' motorcycle. That nagged at me the whole time that I was reading this book.
March 6, 2013
Cleverly written, a dark comedy about three graves found on the property of a hapless man(Jason). He had no idea that there were two graves already there when he purchased his home. He is responsible for the third grave. He is a loner and mild manner, and was scammed by a fast talking grifter. Long story short, the grifter abuses him, there's a struggle, and the napless man remarkably (and unfortunately) kills him. He panics and buries him at the back of his back yard. A couple of earnest local cops gets involved, one having a "Lassie" sort of dog who becomes a main character. Chaos begins with all the fun characters, stories begin to unravel. Very clever with some twists. This isn't an ordinary crime novel. I'll read more of her work.
March 25, 2013
Others have summarized the story so I'll skip straight to my opinion.
The story: I read a lot of crime fiction, and I write it, too. Originality, true originality, is rare but we have it here. Once an author comes up with a unique premise like this, the reader is inevitably going to be hooked and I was. It's a clever double-hook, too, with Jason's body in the back yard and two unknown ones in the front--that's two mysteries that the reader wants to investigate.
Having hooked me, the plot continued to pull me along, not because the author throws in manufactured twists (which can be annoying) but because the story flowed like a river (one of those white-water, excitingly bubbly ones) and I couldn't help but find myself on the cusp of another disaster and desperate to know how it turned out. But also, the characters...
The characters: here's a challenge: write a story where the main character is a wimp. How do you hold the reader's interest when your central figure is kind of a passive, soft-spined, scaredy-cat? Well, you write this book. See, the other characters become extensions of him, moulding his mind and actions and pressing him into activities that create conflict, which is the essence of a good book. And those surrounding characters are themselves original, interesting, and real.
The other thing that happens, is that you as the reader start to donate spine to the main man. I felt anger on behalf of Jason as one of the characters bullied him, and Jason's flaws let me root for him when I wasn't directly identifying with him.
I reserve a special nod for one character, though, because Mason manages to pull off something that normally irritates me, something that will by itself make me put down a book and roll my eyes. See, there's a dog in the book, Tessa, a dog you come to love very much and Mason tells part of the story (a small part) from Tessa's point of view. Not only did she pull that off, but left me wishing more of the story came from Tessa's POV. (That said, it wouldn't have made sense to do so, I just love how she did it.)
The writing: I probably should have started with this, because the writing was perhaps the greatest pleasure for me. This book has been billed as a kind of Coen brothers movie in book form. I happen to think that's an apt description because this book has a literary flair that elevates it above others in the genre. I've seen reviews calling THREE GRAVES FULL literary and I concur. Paragraph after paragraph, page after page, I reveled in the beauty of the language. Mason has a way with words that, as a writer, delights you and makes you envious, and as a reader is beyond charming. Think of a book as a meal, with the plot as the recipe, the characters as the ingredients, and the writing as the process of combining those two and cooking. Mason is a master chef.
The story: I read a lot of crime fiction, and I write it, too. Originality, true originality, is rare but we have it here. Once an author comes up with a unique premise like this, the reader is inevitably going to be hooked and I was. It's a clever double-hook, too, with Jason's body in the back yard and two unknown ones in the front--that's two mysteries that the reader wants to investigate.
Having hooked me, the plot continued to pull me along, not because the author throws in manufactured twists (which can be annoying) but because the story flowed like a river (one of those white-water, excitingly bubbly ones) and I couldn't help but find myself on the cusp of another disaster and desperate to know how it turned out. But also, the characters...
The characters: here's a challenge: write a story where the main character is a wimp. How do you hold the reader's interest when your central figure is kind of a passive, soft-spined, scaredy-cat? Well, you write this book. See, the other characters become extensions of him, moulding his mind and actions and pressing him into activities that create conflict, which is the essence of a good book. And those surrounding characters are themselves original, interesting, and real.
The other thing that happens, is that you as the reader start to donate spine to the main man. I felt anger on behalf of Jason as one of the characters bullied him, and Jason's flaws let me root for him when I wasn't directly identifying with him.
I reserve a special nod for one character, though, because Mason manages to pull off something that normally irritates me, something that will by itself make me put down a book and roll my eyes. See, there's a dog in the book, Tessa, a dog you come to love very much and Mason tells part of the story (a small part) from Tessa's point of view. Not only did she pull that off, but left me wishing more of the story came from Tessa's POV. (That said, it wouldn't have made sense to do so, I just love how she did it.)
The writing: I probably should have started with this, because the writing was perhaps the greatest pleasure for me. This book has been billed as a kind of Coen brothers movie in book form. I happen to think that's an apt description because this book has a literary flair that elevates it above others in the genre. I've seen reviews calling THREE GRAVES FULL literary and I concur. Paragraph after paragraph, page after page, I reveled in the beauty of the language. Mason has a way with words that, as a writer, delights you and makes you envious, and as a reader is beyond charming. Think of a book as a meal, with the plot as the recipe, the characters as the ingredients, and the writing as the process of combining those two and cooking. Mason is a master chef.
January 2, 2015
Jason Getty murdered a man last year and buried him in the backyard, but where did the bodies buried in his front yard come from? That's the question that bugs him and annoys him when the Stillwater Police digs up his yard to unearth the dead bodies and try to pin it on him when he only killed one person. Can Jason get away clean or will chaos and mayhem happen to him? Read this book and find out.
This was a pretty good Murder Mystery Thriller I got at a 5 used books for $20 sale at the Hastings book store. I read this through the new year and finished it early today and it was a pretty good read. If you enjoy Mystery Thrillers, definitely check this book out for yourself.
This was a pretty good Murder Mystery Thriller I got at a 5 used books for $20 sale at the Hastings book store. I read this through the new year and finished it early today and it was a pretty good read. If you enjoy Mystery Thrillers, definitely check this book out for yourself.
January 30, 2013
This, as the title states, involves three graves, three dead people.
This is not a mystery told in a conventional way, which is not a bad thing, it's original.
A story with a cast of characters who are associated with the why and how those bodies got there in the first place is written with a skilful craftsmanship with words and sentences.
The whole dilemma of the bodies presented quite a dark comical and confusing macabre of a vista, this is what has you by the grip and won't let you go until the whole unravelling of the demons.
I was absorbed in the story, there was a couple of occasions where I felt unhooked from the tale and slightly felt it drifted on in places.
The author has churned out a successful debut novel.
http://more2read.com/review/three-graves-full-by-jamie-mason/
This is not a mystery told in a conventional way, which is not a bad thing, it's original.
A story with a cast of characters who are associated with the why and how those bodies got there in the first place is written with a skilful craftsmanship with words and sentences.
The whole dilemma of the bodies presented quite a dark comical and confusing macabre of a vista, this is what has you by the grip and won't let you go until the whole unravelling of the demons.
I was absorbed in the story, there was a couple of occasions where I felt unhooked from the tale and slightly felt it drifted on in places.
The author has churned out a successful debut novel.
http://more2read.com/review/three-graves-full-by-jamie-mason/
January 17, 2013
Imagine someone finds a body buried on your property... then they find another body... and neither body is one you buried on your property. The story begins with Jason Getty anxiously hoping that the landscapers he has payed to fix his lawn, won't find the body he has buried on his property. Lo and behold, of course they find the body, just not THE body Jason placed on his yard. Just to add insult to injury, a second body is found, yet still isn't the body Jason placed on his property.
Jamie Mason did a wonderful job of crafting this psychological thriller that just gripped me from the moment I read the first line. There is so much insight to the minds of Jason Getty, Leah Tamblin, and Boyd Montgomery. The mystery of how these three are connected is what keeps the reader engaged and how their personal struggles with the unearthing of things long buried, causes them to react in the present.
Mason managed to write a debut thriller without the niggle in the back of my mind thinking, this is definitely the work of an amateur. The writing style flows nicely. Her imagery is spot on and the characters are strongly developed. I especially felt bad for Jason Getty who's one moment of standing up for his self turns out to be the one cross he will have to bear for the rest of his life. He's truly a guy worth feeling sorry for and loathe at the same time just because he has yet to grow a pair.
Overall, I am happy that I read this book. If I've learned anything at all from this novel it is not to bury my secrets in the front or back yard of anyone's house. And also that Mason is an author to be on the look out for. The one thing I didn't care for too much in the end was how Dean Koontz-y it got with the dog but I see how it was necessary to move the story forward. I recommend this book for anyone who's a fan of the psychological thriller genre.
Jamie Mason did a wonderful job of crafting this psychological thriller that just gripped me from the moment I read the first line. There is so much insight to the minds of Jason Getty, Leah Tamblin, and Boyd Montgomery. The mystery of how these three are connected is what keeps the reader engaged and how their personal struggles with the unearthing of things long buried, causes them to react in the present.
Mason managed to write a debut thriller without the niggle in the back of my mind thinking, this is definitely the work of an amateur. The writing style flows nicely. Her imagery is spot on and the characters are strongly developed. I especially felt bad for Jason Getty who's one moment of standing up for his self turns out to be the one cross he will have to bear for the rest of his life. He's truly a guy worth feeling sorry for and loathe at the same time just because he has yet to grow a pair.
Overall, I am happy that I read this book. If I've learned anything at all from this novel it is not to bury my secrets in the front or back yard of anyone's house. And also that Mason is an author to be on the look out for. The one thing I didn't care for too much in the end was how Dean Koontz-y it got with the dog but I see how it was necessary to move the story forward. I recommend this book for anyone who's a fan of the psychological thriller genre.
August 24, 2022
So so bad.
I bought this book because I was intrigued by the summary on the back. The first pages took off well. But after I read a little in to the book. It was bad - it was boring - it was not a book for me to enjoy.
I could not finish this book without scipping pages unfortunately.
I bought this book because I was intrigued by the summary on the back. The first pages took off well. But after I read a little in to the book. It was bad - it was boring - it was not a book for me to enjoy.
I could not finish this book without scipping pages unfortunately.
April 12, 2013
I literally read this book only because Tana French is quoted on the cover praising it. Oh Tana. Don't lie to me.
...I don't get it. Either I am reading way too much into the ending, or I missed something entirely. No, seriously. If someone could please explain the very end to me, that would be great. Because all the reviews I'm reading talk about how the book has amazing twists and turns until the very last page, and the ending is so great and blah blah. So, please. Help me out here.
All that being said, this is clearly a debut novel, and it's not as good as people claim it is. It was fun and I enjoyed it and I liked it enough to see what else she writes, but the writing was subpar and over ambitious. It speaks more to her inexperience as a writer than anything else. Maybe she'll settle down in the future.
Lots of the book seemed out of place. The entire climax starting with Leah going to the house and ending with the chase through the woods seemed like a bizarrely out of place comedy of errors. It wasn't "dark and macabre" like the endorsements promised, it was more Hitchcock meets SNL meets Three Stooges. Too exaggerated, too drawn out, too confusing and boring.
Like always, the dog was my favorite character.
...I don't get it. Either I am reading way too much into the ending, or I missed something entirely. No, seriously. If someone could please explain the very end to me, that would be great. Because all the reviews I'm reading talk about how the book has amazing twists and turns until the very last page, and the ending is so great and blah blah. So, please. Help me out here.
All that being said, this is clearly a debut novel, and it's not as good as people claim it is. It was fun and I enjoyed it and I liked it enough to see what else she writes, but the writing was subpar and over ambitious. It speaks more to her inexperience as a writer than anything else. Maybe she'll settle down in the future.
Lots of the book seemed out of place. The entire climax starting with Leah going to the house and ending with the chase through the woods seemed like a bizarrely out of place comedy of errors. It wasn't "dark and macabre" like the endorsements promised, it was more Hitchcock meets SNL meets Three Stooges. Too exaggerated, too drawn out, too confusing and boring.
Like always, the dog was my favorite character.
July 25, 2015
I got to put this book in the "okay" category. I liked the storyline to a point, but the main reason for not giving it more than 3 stars is because I had no main character to root for in this novel. The author does keep you guessing at the plot line, and the story takes a few turns you may not expect. That part did hold my interest. In the end, my like for the characters was iffy, excepting one. I won't spoil it with a name.
February 28, 2013
I got this from Netgalley- they shot me an e-mail and I was intrigued. I loved the idea of this book. A guy kills someone, buries the body on his property. A year later, bodies (plural) are found on his property, neither of which are the body he buried.
Fantastic premise and a really great idea for a mystery.
Except, this isn’t a mystery. I’m not entirely sure what this is, but a mystery it isn’t. Everything is laid out pretty clearly almost immediately and if there is a bit of mystery, it doesn’t stay that way for very long. You know which person killed which other person, when, why, and how before you reach the middle of the book.
What, then, is the book supposed to be about? You got me. I have no clue. It could be a character study, but if so, it’s about a bunch of really boring people that I couldn’t care less about. I’m not really sure if it’s about a character journey for anyone, although a few weak arguments could be made about Leah, or Jason.
What it really boils down to for me is this- the writing needs some serious work. Don’t get me wrong, I think the prose is beautiful. The author clearly has talent on that level, although the amount of $0.50 words is a bit ridiculous- we get it, you’re smart. Fantastic. Can you quit showing off and tell the stupid story now?
What I mean when I say the writing needs work is that there are some fiction fundamentals that were really lacking for me here that the authors editor, agent, etc. should have picked up on and polished but clearly did not.
The first major example would be POINT OF VIEW. The author jumps from point of view to point of view- from Jason to Leah to Boyd to Tim back to Jason to Tessa the freaking DOG like a flea in a kennel. There were numerous occasions where I had to backtrack just to determine whose POV I was actually in, because there was no indication that I had moved from one character to another. In writing circles this can be known as head hopping and it bugs the crap out of me. It can be done well- some say Nora Roberts does it well, although I don’t always agree with that statement, but here it was just annoying.
It was never clear in every case why the POV shift happened and sometimes it felt gratuitous, like there was no reason at all, the author just wanted to change from one to the other. That was when it was the most frustrating of all.
A second element I think needed some work as all the telling, as opposed to showing. We got a lot of backstory for a number of characters that we just didn’t need, told in long passages of prose that was just boring. I’m not sure what it added to the story, mostly because I’m not really sure what the story really was, to be honest, but I know that I was bored and I didn’t care, and it just felt like I was getting all of this out of place history that had no real context or meaning when placed next to everything else that had happened.
Maggie’s smoking story, about her and Ford not being able to have kids- what did that have to do with anything? At the point in the book we were getting that story, it didn’t add anything for me and it didn’t move the plot forward or add to the tension of the moment, it just slowed everything down and TOLD me about Maggie, it didn’t SHOW me anything about her as a person or a character.
I found myself growing more and more frustrated with the book as I read further, trying to figure out just what the author was trying to do with the story, what they were trying to say. What, I asked myself, was the point? I stayed with it because I was hoping there was some kind of twist ending or something new and different I was waiting for… and then I got to the end and thought to myself, THAT WAS IT? THAT’S WHAT I WAS WAITING FOR? And the last paragraph- what? I don’t know what you’re trying to say with that. Is he a monster? What?
This is what I got from this book: Sometimes you have to do bad things. Sometimes bad things are actually kind of okay things. It’s fine to blame your bad actions on dead people if they are bad people too. It’s okay if you try to kill someone, if you didn’t REALLY mean it. Going on the run is a great plan. And get a dog.
I hate getting to the end of a book and feeling more frustrated than when I started it. I read for pleasure, for enjoyment, for relaxation. I don’t need a book to be simple or easy, but I want it to make sense and to have something to say. This one doesn’t, at least not as far as I can tell.
The author wants to have written a Cohen Brothers’ movie in book form. This is not that book.
Fantastic premise and a really great idea for a mystery.
Except, this isn’t a mystery. I’m not entirely sure what this is, but a mystery it isn’t. Everything is laid out pretty clearly almost immediately and if there is a bit of mystery, it doesn’t stay that way for very long. You know which person killed which other person, when, why, and how before you reach the middle of the book.
What, then, is the book supposed to be about? You got me. I have no clue. It could be a character study, but if so, it’s about a bunch of really boring people that I couldn’t care less about. I’m not really sure if it’s about a character journey for anyone, although a few weak arguments could be made about Leah, or Jason.
What it really boils down to for me is this- the writing needs some serious work. Don’t get me wrong, I think the prose is beautiful. The author clearly has talent on that level, although the amount of $0.50 words is a bit ridiculous- we get it, you’re smart. Fantastic. Can you quit showing off and tell the stupid story now?
What I mean when I say the writing needs work is that there are some fiction fundamentals that were really lacking for me here that the authors editor, agent, etc. should have picked up on and polished but clearly did not.
The first major example would be POINT OF VIEW. The author jumps from point of view to point of view- from Jason to Leah to Boyd to Tim back to Jason to Tessa the freaking DOG like a flea in a kennel. There were numerous occasions where I had to backtrack just to determine whose POV I was actually in, because there was no indication that I had moved from one character to another. In writing circles this can be known as head hopping and it bugs the crap out of me. It can be done well- some say Nora Roberts does it well, although I don’t always agree with that statement, but here it was just annoying.
It was never clear in every case why the POV shift happened and sometimes it felt gratuitous, like there was no reason at all, the author just wanted to change from one to the other. That was when it was the most frustrating of all.
A second element I think needed some work as all the telling, as opposed to showing. We got a lot of backstory for a number of characters that we just didn’t need, told in long passages of prose that was just boring. I’m not sure what it added to the story, mostly because I’m not really sure what the story really was, to be honest, but I know that I was bored and I didn’t care, and it just felt like I was getting all of this out of place history that had no real context or meaning when placed next to everything else that had happened.
Maggie’s smoking story, about her and Ford not being able to have kids- what did that have to do with anything? At the point in the book we were getting that story, it didn’t add anything for me and it didn’t move the plot forward or add to the tension of the moment, it just slowed everything down and TOLD me about Maggie, it didn’t SHOW me anything about her as a person or a character.
I found myself growing more and more frustrated with the book as I read further, trying to figure out just what the author was trying to do with the story, what they were trying to say. What, I asked myself, was the point? I stayed with it because I was hoping there was some kind of twist ending or something new and different I was waiting for… and then I got to the end and thought to myself, THAT WAS IT? THAT’S WHAT I WAS WAITING FOR? And the last paragraph- what? I don’t know what you’re trying to say with that. Is he a monster? What?
This is what I got from this book: Sometimes you have to do bad things. Sometimes bad things are actually kind of okay things. It’s fine to blame your bad actions on dead people if they are bad people too. It’s okay if you try to kill someone, if you didn’t REALLY mean it. Going on the run is a great plan. And get a dog.
I hate getting to the end of a book and feeling more frustrated than when I started it. I read for pleasure, for enjoyment, for relaxation. I don’t need a book to be simple or easy, but I want it to make sense and to have something to say. This one doesn’t, at least not as far as I can tell.
The author wants to have written a Cohen Brothers’ movie in book form. This is not that book.
February 12, 2013
There is very little peace for a man with a body buried in his backyard.
But it could always be worse. . . .
Q: How do you resist a book with this opening?
A: You (okay, I) don't.
At the risk of gushing, I don't know where to focus my praise for Three Graves Full - the plot or the prose. Between the twists and turns, well-placed red herrings, and characters so real you'd swear you've met them, it all simply makes my heart sing.
Hmmm. Looks like there will be gushing, after all.
Immediately grabbing your attention and imagination, the author does not let go. It is virtually impossible to imagine that Jason Getty could ever rouse the intestinal fortitude, the level of emotion required to harm, let alone kill, another human being. So, from the very start, I just had to know how he got there.
But it wasn't to be that easy. Before I knew it, bodies were uncovered, police were everywhere, and another mystery was afoot. I had a moment's concern that the other story, and its characters, would dilute the impact of Jason's nightmare. There was no need to worry.
Ms. Mason paints word pictures so vivid that I could see, hear, feel, and smell - which is not always a good thing - every part of the story. I lost many hours of sleep, waiting for a convenient place to stop for the night. Bless her!
Although I would love to share a few (dozen) quotes, Simon & Schuster insists that my copy is an uncorrected proof. To which I can only say: such authors must make an editor's life a dream.
Oh, but I can share my favorite character: Tessa, hands down.
~*~*~
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary electronic galley of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com professional readers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
But it could always be worse. . . .
Q: How do you resist a book with this opening?
A: You (okay, I) don't.
At the risk of gushing, I don't know where to focus my praise for Three Graves Full - the plot or the prose. Between the twists and turns, well-placed red herrings, and characters so real you'd swear you've met them, it all simply makes my heart sing.
Hmmm. Looks like there will be gushing, after all.
Immediately grabbing your attention and imagination, the author does not let go. It is virtually impossible to imagine that Jason Getty could ever rouse the intestinal fortitude, the level of emotion required to harm, let alone kill, another human being. So, from the very start, I just had to know how he got there.
But it wasn't to be that easy. Before I knew it, bodies were uncovered, police were everywhere, and another mystery was afoot. I had a moment's concern that the other story, and its characters, would dilute the impact of Jason's nightmare. There was no need to worry.
Ms. Mason paints word pictures so vivid that I could see, hear, feel, and smell - which is not always a good thing - every part of the story. I lost many hours of sleep, waiting for a convenient place to stop for the night. Bless her!
Although I would love to share a few (dozen) quotes, Simon & Schuster insists that my copy is an uncorrected proof. To which I can only say: such authors must make an editor's life a dream.
Oh, but I can share my favorite character: Tessa, hands down.
~*~*~
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary electronic galley of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com professional readers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
January 1, 2013
“Three Graves Full”” by Jamie Mason, published by Gallery Books.
Category – Mystery/Thriller
Tired of the same old, same old books you have been reading? Looking for something different, something original, and something that changes from chapter to chapter. If so, put your order in, the book doesn’t come out until February 12th, and be one of the first to read “Three Graves Full”.
Jason Getty has just murdered a man, albeit under dubious circumstances, and buries him in his backyard. Although he is bothered by this, he is starting to accept it – until
Jason hires a lawn service to do his “front” lawn. The lawn service unearths a skeleton, no, not one but two skeletons. Now these skeletons have nothing to do with Jason because they have been in the ground for over two years and Jason hasn’t lived in the house but two years. However, he knows that the police will search his property for more bodies and will find the body he buried. Damn, talk about bad luck.
Jason knows that he must now under cover of darkness exhume the body and rebury it.
This may be all well and good except that the first two bodies found turn out to be two married couples involved in a love triangle. Not only that, but another buried body is found that relates to the first two murders.
Nuff said! This is a wonderful read that will keep you guessing and entertained throughout the book. The book does contain a little sexual content and strong language.
Category – Mystery/Thriller
Tired of the same old, same old books you have been reading? Looking for something different, something original, and something that changes from chapter to chapter. If so, put your order in, the book doesn’t come out until February 12th, and be one of the first to read “Three Graves Full”.
Jason Getty has just murdered a man, albeit under dubious circumstances, and buries him in his backyard. Although he is bothered by this, he is starting to accept it – until
Jason hires a lawn service to do his “front” lawn. The lawn service unearths a skeleton, no, not one but two skeletons. Now these skeletons have nothing to do with Jason because they have been in the ground for over two years and Jason hasn’t lived in the house but two years. However, he knows that the police will search his property for more bodies and will find the body he buried. Damn, talk about bad luck.
Jason knows that he must now under cover of darkness exhume the body and rebury it.
This may be all well and good except that the first two bodies found turn out to be two married couples involved in a love triangle. Not only that, but another buried body is found that relates to the first two murders.
Nuff said! This is a wonderful read that will keep you guessing and entertained throughout the book. The book does contain a little sexual content and strong language.
August 9, 2019
I have to add another book to my "could not finish" list. This book was not the worst I've picked up but it was not at all to my liking. If I have to lay blame somewhere it's in the over zealous prose. It's like the author took 25 words to say things that could have been said much more effectively with 5. A little bit of that is ok but an entire book is too much. It also would work better with a different kind of story. This one was about a guy who killed someone and buried him in the backyard... Definitely not a beautiful lyrical story.
I read 99 pages before throwing in the towel. However I felt compelled to skim through to see how it ended and for that I'm bumping up my normal 1 star for DNFs.
2*/3.22*
True read date was 8/9/19
I read 99 pages before throwing in the towel. However I felt compelled to skim through to see how it ended and for that I'm bumping up my normal 1 star for DNFs.
2*/3.22*
True read date was 8/9/19
March 11, 2013
What a disappointment this book has become. The excitement lasted less than 100 pages, at which point I became totally disgusted with Jason, what a wuss. There wasn't anything to hold my interest. The cast of characters didn't seem to connect to the circumstances, as if there were different story lines going on within this book and I got the impression they never would. The comical pair of detectives with the K9 didn't fit the story, either.
October 22, 2015
This book was filled with some crazy plot twists and I liked the way the characters all came together. It was a little long though, and I found by the end I was skimming to finish.
January 30, 2019
I'm getting a dog and naming her Tessa.
February 10, 2014
There is very little peace for a man with a body buried in his backyard.
That's how you begin a novel worth spending a snow day reading.
Jason Getty had grown accustomed to the strangling night terrors, the randomly prickling palms, the bright, aching surges of adrenaline at the sight of Mrs. Truesdell's dog trotting across the lawn with some unidentifiable thing clamped in its jaws. It had been seventeen months since he'd sweated over the narrow trench he'd carved at the back border of his property; since he'd rolled the body out of the real world and into his dreams.
Jason is not a strong man in any respect, not the type you'd expect to have a body buried in the yard. The anxiety of his secret, not guilt but fear of being found out, is tearing him apart. He can't even bring himself to work on his yard, so he finally hires landscapers to take care of the front...just the front. Unfortunately for Jason, there are two bodies buried there, which causes the police to start digging up his yard, searching his house, and otherwise disturbing the quiet life of anonymity he's been clinging to so desperately.
In her acknowledgements, Mason thanks Tana French, who "extended encouragement and friendship when she was too busy to do so. She treated a fan like a peer, and I don't know why she did it, but it's one of the finest things that's ever happened to me." I can see how Mason might be influenced by French, in that both write addictive, gritty prose with flawed, but sympathetic characters. However, Mason's writing is in no way derivative of French's. The mysteries, such as they are, are solved pretty quickly, at least for the reader. Instead, this is the story of the aftermath of murder, for the murderers and those left behind. The detectives are mostly along for the ride, not driving the story. That said, I think fans of Ms. French will enjoy this. I certainly did, and I look forward to seeing what Ms. Mason writes next.
Warning: There's a fair amount of gore. Bodies that have been in the ground for 17 months are neither pretty nor fragrant.
That's how you begin a novel worth spending a snow day reading.
Jason Getty had grown accustomed to the strangling night terrors, the randomly prickling palms, the bright, aching surges of adrenaline at the sight of Mrs. Truesdell's dog trotting across the lawn with some unidentifiable thing clamped in its jaws. It had been seventeen months since he'd sweated over the narrow trench he'd carved at the back border of his property; since he'd rolled the body out of the real world and into his dreams.
Jason is not a strong man in any respect, not the type you'd expect to have a body buried in the yard. The anxiety of his secret, not guilt but fear of being found out, is tearing him apart. He can't even bring himself to work on his yard, so he finally hires landscapers to take care of the front...just the front. Unfortunately for Jason, there are two bodies buried there, which causes the police to start digging up his yard, searching his house, and otherwise disturbing the quiet life of anonymity he's been clinging to so desperately.
In her acknowledgements, Mason thanks Tana French, who "extended encouragement and friendship when she was too busy to do so. She treated a fan like a peer, and I don't know why she did it, but it's one of the finest things that's ever happened to me." I can see how Mason might be influenced by French, in that both write addictive, gritty prose with flawed, but sympathetic characters. However, Mason's writing is in no way derivative of French's. The mysteries, such as they are, are solved pretty quickly, at least for the reader. Instead, this is the story of the aftermath of murder, for the murderers and those left behind. The detectives are mostly along for the ride, not driving the story. That said, I think fans of Ms. French will enjoy this. I certainly did, and I look forward to seeing what Ms. Mason writes next.
Warning: There's a fair amount of gore. Bodies that have been in the ground for 17 months are neither pretty nor fragrant.
January 16, 2013
Review of Three Graves Full by Jamie Mason
NetGalley
5 stars
What an exceptional novel, and more so because it is a debut. Ms. Mason has a truly amazing capacity of imagination. Usually discovering character is like the spiral of peeling an onion, but it is so much more here: when we think we have already learned an individual down to the bone, we find there is more, deeper, to be revealed. And the plotting! I throw up my hands in awe: if the situation weren’t so tragic, this would be almost a farce, a comedy of errors. Truly it seems in life that “some can’t ever win,” and for those, life seems poised behind a door with a baseball bat ready to clobber.
One such individual is Jason Getty, a man who almost-got-divorced by his wife of seven years-but she died first. He almost didn’t inherit, but managed to; he moves away, buys a house, and oh, was that ever a mistake. Like any upstanding citizen, he attempts a good deed—and embroils himself and his life in a morass of tragic intent from which he will never recover.
Then there’s Leah, who picked the wrong lover, but gets his family in return. And Boyd Montgomery, the man who thinks he is right and doing right, but can’t see his way to compassion for others; so he barrels on through life doing as he wills, like an Appalachian Aleister Crowley (but without the magick rituals)—for Boyd, Will is all-his Will at least.
I absolutely cannot wait for the next Jamie Morgan mystery!
NetGalley
5 stars
What an exceptional novel, and more so because it is a debut. Ms. Mason has a truly amazing capacity of imagination. Usually discovering character is like the spiral of peeling an onion, but it is so much more here: when we think we have already learned an individual down to the bone, we find there is more, deeper, to be revealed. And the plotting! I throw up my hands in awe: if the situation weren’t so tragic, this would be almost a farce, a comedy of errors. Truly it seems in life that “some can’t ever win,” and for those, life seems poised behind a door with a baseball bat ready to clobber.
One such individual is Jason Getty, a man who almost-got-divorced by his wife of seven years-but she died first. He almost didn’t inherit, but managed to; he moves away, buys a house, and oh, was that ever a mistake. Like any upstanding citizen, he attempts a good deed—and embroils himself and his life in a morass of tragic intent from which he will never recover.
Then there’s Leah, who picked the wrong lover, but gets his family in return. And Boyd Montgomery, the man who thinks he is right and doing right, but can’t see his way to compassion for others; so he barrels on through life doing as he wills, like an Appalachian Aleister Crowley (but without the magick rituals)—for Boyd, Will is all-his Will at least.
I absolutely cannot wait for the next Jamie Morgan mystery!
October 5, 2014
Very much a Richard Laymon sort of book, with Ruth Rendell as Barbara Vine running through it.
Ordinary people caught in bizarre situations that cause them to commit crimes and try to hide these crimes, hence the three bodies buried in Jason Getty's yard.
Fantastic scenes, horrible but captivating and even funny. The action never lets up.
If you like horror and have a sense of humor about it, then this is recommended.
Ordinary people caught in bizarre situations that cause them to commit crimes and try to hide these crimes, hence the three bodies buried in Jason Getty's yard.
Fantastic scenes, horrible but captivating and even funny. The action never lets up.
If you like horror and have a sense of humor about it, then this is recommended.
January 15, 2018
The jacket sounded good, but this book has nothing to offer except the concept you can read in the jacket.
March 4, 2019
DNF @ page 240.
What a great idea for a book. I dare you to read that blurb and not get interested. But the writing style is so annoying that I can’t read any more. It’s just so…..cluttered. It doesn’t read smoothly at all. I had to do a lot of re-reading to make sense of things or because I had zoned out.
Here’s a brief sample:
The first time, after several minutes of brow furrowing and mental rummaging for his bearings, Jason had to concede that, once again, he’d missed his mark. Of course, there was nowhere to turn around. Just as the maddening tingle in his bladder had worked around to an honest debate on the merits of using the ditch for a quick pit stop, a confident swath of fresh asphalt branched off to the right and back, more or less, in the direction he’d come.
Maybe it doesn’t seem that bad, but the cumulative effect of nothing ever being stated in a straight forward manner is a bit maddening.
What a great idea for a book. I dare you to read that blurb and not get interested. But the writing style is so annoying that I can’t read any more. It’s just so…..cluttered. It doesn’t read smoothly at all. I had to do a lot of re-reading to make sense of things or because I had zoned out.
Here’s a brief sample:
The first time, after several minutes of brow furrowing and mental rummaging for his bearings, Jason had to concede that, once again, he’d missed his mark. Of course, there was nowhere to turn around. Just as the maddening tingle in his bladder had worked around to an honest debate on the merits of using the ditch for a quick pit stop, a confident swath of fresh asphalt branched off to the right and back, more or less, in the direction he’d come.
Maybe it doesn’t seem that bad, but the cumulative effect of nothing ever being stated in a straight forward manner is a bit maddening.
February 19, 2013
Three Graves Full
By Jamie Mason
What do you do when you have a body buried in your backyard? What do you do when two more bodies are found? I can guarantee you go off the deep-end, especially since you buried one of the bodies. Jason Getty has just gone off the deep end.
Jamie Mason’s debut novel had me wondering why it took her so long to let us get a look at her writing. Her work in “Three Graves Full” is refreshing in that not only is the book a noir thriller, but often has humorous self-dialogue that will have any reader chuckling. Picture Hitchcock’s The Trouble with Harry and you will get the idea.
The hapless protagonist Jason Getty inadvertently commits murder in the midst of being bullied; the moment in time that changes life as he knows it. Does he call the police? No, instead he buries the body at the back of his property and worries for over a year that someone will find it. When Getty calls a landscaping crew to redesign his yard his worries come true when the crew finds two bodies in his garden bed. With police investigating the murders, Getty knows he needs to move HIS body before they find it. Problem is, the killer of the other two shows up in the middle of the night finding Getty in flagrante setting off a chain of shootings, kidnapping, and wild chases to both get away, and catch the bad guy.
Well-developed characters and plot are tantamount to a good thriller; Jamie Mason gives readers that in spades. She captures the little traits of each character’s personalities that combined, bring them to life. An ability to seamlessly shift from one scenario to the other keeps the book flowing and the reader engaged. The twist Mason throws into the end of the book is completely unexpected and well rounds out the story.
Final thought, “Three Graves Full” is just plain entertaining. It’s storytelling like it should be done. 4 stars.
Reviewed by Jodi Hanson (Chaptersandchats.com) for Suspense Magazine
By Jamie Mason
What do you do when you have a body buried in your backyard? What do you do when two more bodies are found? I can guarantee you go off the deep-end, especially since you buried one of the bodies. Jason Getty has just gone off the deep end.
Jamie Mason’s debut novel had me wondering why it took her so long to let us get a look at her writing. Her work in “Three Graves Full” is refreshing in that not only is the book a noir thriller, but often has humorous self-dialogue that will have any reader chuckling. Picture Hitchcock’s The Trouble with Harry and you will get the idea.
The hapless protagonist Jason Getty inadvertently commits murder in the midst of being bullied; the moment in time that changes life as he knows it. Does he call the police? No, instead he buries the body at the back of his property and worries for over a year that someone will find it. When Getty calls a landscaping crew to redesign his yard his worries come true when the crew finds two bodies in his garden bed. With police investigating the murders, Getty knows he needs to move HIS body before they find it. Problem is, the killer of the other two shows up in the middle of the night finding Getty in flagrante setting off a chain of shootings, kidnapping, and wild chases to both get away, and catch the bad guy.
Well-developed characters and plot are tantamount to a good thriller; Jamie Mason gives readers that in spades. She captures the little traits of each character’s personalities that combined, bring them to life. An ability to seamlessly shift from one scenario to the other keeps the book flowing and the reader engaged. The twist Mason throws into the end of the book is completely unexpected and well rounds out the story.
Final thought, “Three Graves Full” is just plain entertaining. It’s storytelling like it should be done. 4 stars.
Reviewed by Jodi Hanson (Chaptersandchats.com) for Suspense Magazine
March 4, 2013
This book held a great deal of promise that wasn't fully realized. It seemed irresistible: police unearth two bodies on a man's property, neither of which is the one HE buried -- well, I was already hooked! Hitchcockian (is that really a word?) in its approach, it started off quite well, but lost some of its luster and got a bit over the top in the last act. It ended rather nicely, however, and was well written so I still rate it three stars. The main character, being a person who is rather mild, bland and rather disappointed in who he has become, he is prone to letting other's personalities overtake him and shine a light on his own deficiencies. At times, it makes it hard to root for such a person, even when you understand why he is driven to such an extreme as murder. It is more that you wish for him to become a better person, a more fulfilled individual with a purpose, but then I guess he wouldn't be in such a predicament if he was already such a man. Some secondary characters are well-written: I would enjoy another read that includes the cop tandem of Bayard and Ford. They were a smart, but understated pair, that helped propel the narrative without making this a police procedural.
This is the author's first novel, which makes it a more impressive read, in my opinion. Some tighter editing and some additional dark/light humor, I feel, could have elevated this to a four-star rating.
This is the author's first novel, which makes it a more impressive read, in my opinion. Some tighter editing and some additional dark/light humor, I feel, could have elevated this to a four-star rating.
February 2, 2013
Jason Getty still has nightmares about the crime he committed. He murdered a man and buried him on his property. For this reason, Jason has let his property get overgrown. He knows he has to do something soon or the neighbors will complain. So Jason hires a crew to fix up his yard.
Jason is relaxing until the crew calls for Jason. They have dug up a body. Jason knows the end is now for him. That is until Jason learns that it is not his body but another body and it is two bodies not one. Whose bodies are they and what are they doing on Jason’s property?
Wow. If this is what a debut novel is like from new author, Jamie Mason, then I can not wait to see what her next novel will be like. This book was way more then just a suspense/mystery novel. It had great depth and a good psychological aspect to it. The first third of the book was the mystery and then the story quickly picked up to and turned into a psychological thriller. This is where I admit that I did get a bit confused trying to keep everything straight. Luckily I got back on track fairly quickly. However as the story played out, I was wondering if Jason was really as bad as I first thought he was. When the end happened and the story was revealed I was not surprised by parts of the ending. I knew what was going on but I was still intrigued. Three Graves Full will have you hooked for a thrilling ride!
Jason is relaxing until the crew calls for Jason. They have dug up a body. Jason knows the end is now for him. That is until Jason learns that it is not his body but another body and it is two bodies not one. Whose bodies are they and what are they doing on Jason’s property?
Wow. If this is what a debut novel is like from new author, Jamie Mason, then I can not wait to see what her next novel will be like. This book was way more then just a suspense/mystery novel. It had great depth and a good psychological aspect to it. The first third of the book was the mystery and then the story quickly picked up to and turned into a psychological thriller. This is where I admit that I did get a bit confused trying to keep everything straight. Luckily I got back on track fairly quickly. However as the story played out, I was wondering if Jason was really as bad as I first thought he was. When the end happened and the story was revealed I was not surprised by parts of the ending. I knew what was going on but I was still intrigued. Three Graves Full will have you hooked for a thrilling ride!
May 26, 2014
It was a gaudy exhibit to the barbaric instinct that lay curled at the core of every tainted human brain. Evolution had brought us out of the trees, then culture had neutered the beast, but even a eunuch can get angry.
After a year of suffering from fear and guilt after murdering a man and burying him in his backyard, mild mannered Jason Getty is starting to get his life back into order. He's sleeping better, smiling more, and definitely not thinking as much about the body in his backyard. But when a gardening crew unearths not one grave, but three...they are not the only ones completely surprised.
This was a quick, fun read. I thought the character development was actually pretty awesome for a book like this. You really start to feel for the main two protagonists, despite their flawed natures. The storyline was decent, lots of action and thrills to keep me interested. The only aspect of this story that detracted from my enjoyment was the fact that the so called 'twist' wasn't really a twist at all and I saw it coming a mile away. I am usually horrible at figuring out plots in murder mysteries like this, so if I saw right through it you know it must have been pretty bad!
After a year of suffering from fear and guilt after murdering a man and burying him in his backyard, mild mannered Jason Getty is starting to get his life back into order. He's sleeping better, smiling more, and definitely not thinking as much about the body in his backyard. But when a gardening crew unearths not one grave, but three...they are not the only ones completely surprised.
This was a quick, fun read. I thought the character development was actually pretty awesome for a book like this. You really start to feel for the main two protagonists, despite their flawed natures. The storyline was decent, lots of action and thrills to keep me interested. The only aspect of this story that detracted from my enjoyment was the fact that the so called 'twist' wasn't really a twist at all and I saw it coming a mile away. I am usually horrible at figuring out plots in murder mysteries like this, so if I saw right through it you know it must have been pretty bad!
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