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Five Days to Die
Your time is up...
Emily Parker is missing, kidnapped from a car park in broad daylight and the police are clueless as to her whereabouts.The only man her family can turn to for help is retired FBI profiler John Geary. But Geary suspects she's been taken by a serial killer who targets mothers. Every seven years he strikes, enacting a gruesome ritual. And Geary knows that there's much worse to come....Emily has five days left. Five days of waiting. Five days of hell. Five days before the killer returns for her son...
450 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2004
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688 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
August 28, 2023
This novel is a well written, well composed, suspenseful psychological thriller in which you can always feel the author’s sympathy for her sometimes quite damaged, but mostly likeable characters. There’s much going on between the lines, too. I was engrossed in the story until the end. 4 Stars.
August 31, 2020
Five Days in Summer
This book was suspenseful. The kidnapping of a mother and the disruption of her family. Just when you thought you’d figured it out, the plot thickens. I’ve read so many of Katia’s books and they are all great.
This book was suspenseful. The kidnapping of a mother and the disruption of her family. Just when you thought you’d figured it out, the plot thickens. I’ve read so many of Katia’s books and they are all great.
July 2, 2012
Katia Lief (also known as Kate Pepper) has written lots of books but I quite enjoyed her book Hide and Seek which was released in 2010. This new stand alone (in the US published under the Title Five Days In Summer) sounded interesting and I was looking forward to reading it. Emily Parker is enjoying time with her three young children and decides to make a quick run top the grocery store. That is the last time her children see her, and pretty soon it becomes clear to her husband Will and mother Sarah that something is wrong.
Will ends up turning to a retired FBI profiler John Geary for help in finding her. The start was pretty fast paced with Emily going missing and the reader sees her family’s worst fears become reality. The story was easy to get into and the way it was written was very easy to go along with. However, with the introduction of John Geary, I couldn’t help but feel that this was not going to be a book that stayed on my radar for too long.
At around the halfway mark I was certainly reading it quick enough and found myself keen to keep reading. However, some of the characters just lacked something. Maybe I have read too many characters that are unmemorable but it seems that it has to be something very different to stand out from the crowd. Towards the end there were a few plot twists which I enjoyed, although sadly it seemed too obvious a solution to the plot for me. I guessed who the killer was, and the ending therefore was slightly less enjoyable for me.
It is certainly a good book, but just not original enough for me to remember it by. I enjoyed the Karin Schaeffer book and look forward to reading another in that series. Otherwise, I would say this was a run of the mill book although enjoyable just not that special!
Will ends up turning to a retired FBI profiler John Geary for help in finding her. The start was pretty fast paced with Emily going missing and the reader sees her family’s worst fears become reality. The story was easy to get into and the way it was written was very easy to go along with. However, with the introduction of John Geary, I couldn’t help but feel that this was not going to be a book that stayed on my radar for too long.
At around the halfway mark I was certainly reading it quick enough and found myself keen to keep reading. However, some of the characters just lacked something. Maybe I have read too many characters that are unmemorable but it seems that it has to be something very different to stand out from the crowd. Towards the end there were a few plot twists which I enjoyed, although sadly it seemed too obvious a solution to the plot for me. I guessed who the killer was, and the ending therefore was slightly less enjoyable for me.
It is certainly a good book, but just not original enough for me to remember it by. I enjoyed the Karin Schaeffer book and look forward to reading another in that series. Otherwise, I would say this was a run of the mill book although enjoyable just not that special!
November 27, 2011
The ending was a surprise but not justified.
June 28, 2012
It isn't very often that I read a book that I have to put down and walk away from in order to collect myself emotionally before continuing to read it. However, with this book, I found myself only able to read about 15 pages before having to set it aside and go kiss, love and squeeze every single one of my children--and yes that includes the dog! LOL. I'm not sure what it was about this book that made me feel this way, it isn't as though I've never read books that follow this same basic plot line. I think it was the idea of knowing I have two boys of my own, and that I could have easily substituted them for Sammie and David in this story.
As a mother, I can't imagine anything more horrible, more devastating than wanting to prevent harm from coming to your child and for your brain to scream and command your body do something...and your body just be physically incapable of doing it.
As much as the book tortured me as a parent, it also intrigued me as a reader and I found myself in a constant battle of wanting to know how it ended and not wanting to read what had to happen to get to the end. There were scenes in which my heart raced, my hands were clammy and I almost forgot to breathe! I was in serious need of a hug upon finishing this!
I also enjoyed the twist at the end of the story. Some have said they figured it out from the beginning and weren't surprised at all...but I didn't. Perhaps that makes me slow and counter-intuitive;but I think I was so wrapped up in the emotion of Emily and the boys that I almost forgot there was an actual "who dunnit" part to the story.
So, as much as I loved it, why 4 stars and not 5? Well, I wasn't really a fan the grandmother. She was a weak character and honestly, did little to add to the story. Also, I felt as though the author introduced characters and then didn't get back to them for a long time and by the time they showed up again, I'd just about forgotten who they were. This is in specific reference to Daisy and her parents. They played a crucial role in the climax of the story. However, they had a very brief introductory scene and then weren't heard from again until that critical moment in the story when everything begins to come together.
All in all though, it is a story that I recommend. If you're a mother though, I advise you to brace yourself and hold on to your heart, because it will rip it out and tear it up! (I'll let you read it and see whether or not it puts it back together again!)
As a mother, I can't imagine anything more horrible, more devastating than wanting to prevent harm from coming to your child and for your brain to scream and command your body do something...and your body just be physically incapable of doing it.
As much as the book tortured me as a parent, it also intrigued me as a reader and I found myself in a constant battle of wanting to know how it ended and not wanting to read what had to happen to get to the end. There were scenes in which my heart raced, my hands were clammy and I almost forgot to breathe! I was in serious need of a hug upon finishing this!
I also enjoyed the twist at the end of the story. Some have said they figured it out from the beginning and weren't surprised at all...but I didn't. Perhaps that makes me slow and counter-intuitive;but I think I was so wrapped up in the emotion of Emily and the boys that I almost forgot there was an actual "who dunnit" part to the story.
So, as much as I loved it, why 4 stars and not 5? Well, I wasn't really a fan the grandmother. She was a weak character and honestly, did little to add to the story. Also, I felt as though the author introduced characters and then didn't get back to them for a long time and by the time they showed up again, I'd just about forgotten who they were. This is in specific reference to Daisy and her parents. They played a crucial role in the climax of the story. However, they had a very brief introductory scene and then weren't heard from again until that critical moment in the story when everything begins to come together.
All in all though, it is a story that I recommend. If you're a mother though, I advise you to brace yourself and hold on to your heart, because it will rip it out and tear it up! (I'll let you read it and see whether or not it puts it back together again!)
December 19, 2011
Mother disappears while on a grocery shopping errand. Involves dad, grandma, two children and some unlikely cops. Keeps you turning the pages, but the grandmother was a little too stupid for my taste.
June 20, 2024
For five days the kidnapper keeps his victims. Then he subjects the women to their worst nightmare. Emily Parker was just making a quick trip to the supermarket before their return home from their holiday at her mother's beach house when she was abducted.
The race to find her is on.
The race to find her is on.
April 8, 2021
Eine ungeklärte Mordserie von damals kann gelöst werden
In dem Buch 5 Tage im Sommer von Kate Pepper, geht es um Emily, welche mit Will verheiratet ist und Mutter von zwei Jungs und einem Mädchen ist. Nach dem Einkauf im Supermarkt wird sie mit einem Lappen auf dem Mund bewusstlos gemacht. Nach einer Weile meldet Emilys Mutter Sarah, Emily als vermisst bei der Polizei und bekommt Abends endlich Will ans Telefon, aber der weiß auch nicht wo Emily ist. Wurde sie entführt und war es der Mann vom Supermarkt, der Emily so nervös gemacht hat ? Oder jemand anderes ? Gleichzeitig ist Will auf dem Polizeirevier um beim Detektive Al Snow Nachzufragen, wie weit er ist und John Geary Ex-FBI-Agent bekommt das Ganze mit und erinnert sich an einen alten Fall. Hängen die beiden Fälle zusammen oder nicht ?
Meine Meinung:
Die Geschichte ist spannend geschrieben und flüssig zu lesen, was mich dazu gebracht hat, sie schnell zu beenden. Auch der Hörbuchsprecher hat die Geschichte gut wiedergegeben. Die Charaktere wurden glaubhaft beschrieben und ich konnte mich in sie gut hineinversetzen. Außerdem passt der Titel vom Buch "5 Tage im Sommer" sehr gut zur Geschichte, was mir gut gefällt. Auf den Täter wäre ich nicht gekommen, weil die Autorin mich auf eine falsche Fährte gelenkt hat. Deshalb war ich sehr überrascht, wer der Täter am Ende war und das zum Glück eine ungeklärte Mordserie von damals aufgelöst werden konnte. Bis jetzt konnte mich die Autorin Kate Pepper schon zweimal mit ihren Geschichten überzeugen, daher freue ich mich auf die nächste Geschichte von ihr.
Fazit:
Ich kann das Buch der Autorin nur empfehlen, es ist spannend gewesen und schnell zu lesen. Alle Fragen im Buch wurden beantwortet und wer gerne Thriller liest, dem könnte die Geschichte gut gefallen.
In dem Buch 5 Tage im Sommer von Kate Pepper, geht es um Emily, welche mit Will verheiratet ist und Mutter von zwei Jungs und einem Mädchen ist. Nach dem Einkauf im Supermarkt wird sie mit einem Lappen auf dem Mund bewusstlos gemacht. Nach einer Weile meldet Emilys Mutter Sarah, Emily als vermisst bei der Polizei und bekommt Abends endlich Will ans Telefon, aber der weiß auch nicht wo Emily ist. Wurde sie entführt und war es der Mann vom Supermarkt, der Emily so nervös gemacht hat ? Oder jemand anderes ? Gleichzeitig ist Will auf dem Polizeirevier um beim Detektive Al Snow Nachzufragen, wie weit er ist und John Geary Ex-FBI-Agent bekommt das Ganze mit und erinnert sich an einen alten Fall. Hängen die beiden Fälle zusammen oder nicht ?
Meine Meinung:
Die Geschichte ist spannend geschrieben und flüssig zu lesen, was mich dazu gebracht hat, sie schnell zu beenden. Auch der Hörbuchsprecher hat die Geschichte gut wiedergegeben. Die Charaktere wurden glaubhaft beschrieben und ich konnte mich in sie gut hineinversetzen. Außerdem passt der Titel vom Buch "5 Tage im Sommer" sehr gut zur Geschichte, was mir gut gefällt. Auf den Täter wäre ich nicht gekommen, weil die Autorin mich auf eine falsche Fährte gelenkt hat. Deshalb war ich sehr überrascht, wer der Täter am Ende war und das zum Glück eine ungeklärte Mordserie von damals aufgelöst werden konnte. Bis jetzt konnte mich die Autorin Kate Pepper schon zweimal mit ihren Geschichten überzeugen, daher freue ich mich auf die nächste Geschichte von ihr.
Fazit:
Ich kann das Buch der Autorin nur empfehlen, es ist spannend gewesen und schnell zu lesen. Alle Fragen im Buch wurden beantwortet und wer gerne Thriller liest, dem könnte die Geschichte gut gefallen.
January 12, 2013
This book had a lot of promise, but fell short of my expectations. Where the writing crackles in one scene (and it really can be excellent), it fizzles in the next, overwrought and inevitably pointless (in terms of plot, that is; paragraphs of detail on the young cop's heritage or the elderly mother's past do not help me solve mysteries). The mystery element of the book, especially the ending, was unsatisfying for me as I felt the reader was hand-fed clues so it was inevitable and still kind of unbelievable. There are inconsistencies with the killer that really frustrated me, but I'll avoid them here so as not to have "spoilers" for other readers. This was a very character driven story and not enough plot for my taste, but some people like that. And that's not to say some of the characters weren't enjoyable (although I started to get worn out by how many there were in the latter half of the book); I enjoyed David's perspective and Will's most of the time. I grew to sincerely dislike Geary, but that's a whole other review. If you like character driven stories and don't mind a mystery you as a reader don't actually solve because its basically solved for you (kind of ridiculously) then you might enjoy. Otherwise, SKIP.
November 23, 2021
Emily and Will have three children. Emily and the children are staying on Cape Cod with her mother, Sarah, who is a recent widow. Will is in the city, until Emily doesn’t come home from grocery shopping one Monday afternoon. The search begins. A retired FBI agent, criminologist, book author, and a young new detective, Amy, all have to try to catch the kidnapper within 3 days because if this serial killer strikes again, it won’t be Emily he’s really after, it will be her 7-year-old son, Sammy. For some reason, which was never explained well enough for me, some real slob on the police force, Al Snow, is the killer. It was a real page turner and had a few twists.
December 4, 2012
This was really good. When you think you knew who the bad guy was you were proven wrong. Emily, wife and mother of 3 heads to the grocery store. And doesn't come back. Will, the husband finds himself in the worst possible nightmare once he finds out about his wife. The story is told over a period of 5 days and every chapter , leaves you yearning for more. The only thing I was a bit off on was the ending. But even then, I still liked the ending. If you like crime, suspense and a good story telling, this is for you !
November 15, 2011
Beautifully written, compelling, expertly plotted. Lief's ability to get inside her characters' heads during an incredibly tense and disturbing case means that her readers have a front-row seat through the twists and turns of a mother's abduction by a serial kidnapper/killer. The characters are well-drawn and believable, the pacing is tight, and the plot itself is a nail-biter, to say the least. Highly recommended to anyone who appreciates a well-crafted mystery.
June 21, 2023
How have I never read this book before!!? Incredible and intense and had me guessing all the way to the end, and then I still did not guess!!
Have you ever been afraid at the local market while shopping for lunch? Have you ever felt uncomfortable while picking out fresh produce and you notice a very strange and creepy man looking at you and making your same moves? Well, if not, you most definitely will after reading this debut novel by Kate Pepper!
Emily, and her 3 kids ages 1, 8 and 11 are visiting her mother in Cape Cod and as their last day is approaching, she decides to go to the local market and get the items to make their last lunch before returning home. Her husband left a few days earlier because of his business. She never thought that this would be the scariest day of her life!.
As she is shopping, she notices a strange white haired man who is watching her. He starts to follow her around, as she turns the corner; so does he. She starts picking out fresh ears of corn, and as she looks up he is there and he is doing the same. But he is touching the ears of corn in numbers of 3, and as he touches them he mumbles weird things. She tries to pay no attention to her, with no luck.
Little did she know, her silver charm bracelet; with all the charms that respresent each of her family, the charms that her Mother gave her when their first son was born, falls off. She walks away not catching it. As she heads to the check outs to get away, she sees him get in the same checkout, but then a new checker comes and she immediately moves over. Just then a woman comes up to her with her bracelet. She takes it and tells the lady 'Thanks so much for finding it...' and then she hurries out to her car to get back to the kids and her mother. As she lifts the tailgate, and goes to put the groceries in the car....a drug soaked rag is over her face, and she disappears!
This is the starting of a story of a killer who every seven years has struck by first kidnapping a mother of a young boy, then 5 days later her boy disappears and is murdered. Little does Emily know, the man is ready to take her oldest son!
This book reads so quickly, you are immediately hooked and taken on a fast paced and terrifying ride that starts and ends both horrifically and intense, leaving you freaked out with who and why is this person doing this. You will love this book, i guarantee you. That is if you like your fear thrown at you while shopping for produce. Wanna go to Cape Cod?
Highly recommended.
4.5 🩸🩸🩸🩸
Have you ever been afraid at the local market while shopping for lunch? Have you ever felt uncomfortable while picking out fresh produce and you notice a very strange and creepy man looking at you and making your same moves? Well, if not, you most definitely will after reading this debut novel by Kate Pepper!
Emily, and her 3 kids ages 1, 8 and 11 are visiting her mother in Cape Cod and as their last day is approaching, she decides to go to the local market and get the items to make their last lunch before returning home. Her husband left a few days earlier because of his business. She never thought that this would be the scariest day of her life!.
As she is shopping, she notices a strange white haired man who is watching her. He starts to follow her around, as she turns the corner; so does he. She starts picking out fresh ears of corn, and as she looks up he is there and he is doing the same. But he is touching the ears of corn in numbers of 3, and as he touches them he mumbles weird things. She tries to pay no attention to her, with no luck.
Little did she know, her silver charm bracelet; with all the charms that respresent each of her family, the charms that her Mother gave her when their first son was born, falls off. She walks away not catching it. As she heads to the check outs to get away, she sees him get in the same checkout, but then a new checker comes and she immediately moves over. Just then a woman comes up to her with her bracelet. She takes it and tells the lady 'Thanks so much for finding it...' and then she hurries out to her car to get back to the kids and her mother. As she lifts the tailgate, and goes to put the groceries in the car....a drug soaked rag is over her face, and she disappears!
This is the starting of a story of a killer who every seven years has struck by first kidnapping a mother of a young boy, then 5 days later her boy disappears and is murdered. Little does Emily know, the man is ready to take her oldest son!
This book reads so quickly, you are immediately hooked and taken on a fast paced and terrifying ride that starts and ends both horrifically and intense, leaving you freaked out with who and why is this person doing this. You will love this book, i guarantee you. That is if you like your fear thrown at you while shopping for produce. Wanna go to Cape Cod?
Highly recommended.
4.5 🩸🩸🩸🩸
January 28, 2023
Five Days in Summer by Kate Pepper
published on May 27, 2011
setting Cap Cod Massachusetts
She was supposed to be right back...Before the long drive home from vacation on Cap Cod, Emily Parker made a quick trip to the grocery store...and disappeared. When her car was found abandoned in the parking lot, her husband, Will, turns to a retired FBI profiler named John Geary for help. As her family scours the Cape for her, Emily's thoughts are not on her own safety. Kept helpless in a madman's lair, she watches him prepare a five-day countdown that will bring him to his real victim- her young son.
Holy Moly! OMG! i read thrillers all the time and some get to you and some stick! This one sticks and it won't let go! It has just prepared me for a whole other phase in my already paranoid self of being even more hyper aware of strangers! I loved this short style of writing. Getting to the point over a short time frame was great.
I got this book out of a book box library in my neighborhood. Now I want to check out more of Kate Peppers works and see if she writes in the same style!!
published on May 27, 2011
setting Cap Cod Massachusetts
She was supposed to be right back...Before the long drive home from vacation on Cap Cod, Emily Parker made a quick trip to the grocery store...and disappeared. When her car was found abandoned in the parking lot, her husband, Will, turns to a retired FBI profiler named John Geary for help. As her family scours the Cape for her, Emily's thoughts are not on her own safety. Kept helpless in a madman's lair, she watches him prepare a five-day countdown that will bring him to his real victim- her young son.
Holy Moly! OMG! i read thrillers all the time and some get to you and some stick! This one sticks and it won't let go! It has just prepared me for a whole other phase in my already paranoid self of being even more hyper aware of strangers! I loved this short style of writing. Getting to the point over a short time frame was great.
I got this book out of a book box library in my neighborhood. Now I want to check out more of Kate Peppers works and see if she writes in the same style!!
September 28, 2017
Actually this was pretty good. Started it assuming I wouldn't like it or care about the woman in it (can't say I really thought much about her at all anyway) but none of that mattered really. This book was mostly about guys. The guys in the missing woman's life - her husband and two sons (grandma was a dull old bag, daughter just a whiny baby), the police officers and FBI agents and the perp (who I did actually have pegged). Sure there's a female cop helping to drive the investigation, but all I remember about her is that she was a brunette if Portuguese descent. Otherwise typical boring chick.
But the pacing was well mapped out...possibly using a well-trodden, plot-by-numbers formula, to lead the reader from beginning to denouement in the tried and tested steps we've come to expect from crime fiction.
Nothing particularly inventive, unique or mold-breaking, but an easy to read, well executed piece of crime-fiction fluff. Good escapist nonsense, but nothing to really dwell upon.
But the pacing was well mapped out...possibly using a well-trodden, plot-by-numbers formula, to lead the reader from beginning to denouement in the tried and tested steps we've come to expect from crime fiction.
Nothing particularly inventive, unique or mold-breaking, but an easy to read, well executed piece of crime-fiction fluff. Good escapist nonsense, but nothing to really dwell upon.
September 26, 2017
Ich weiß nicht, ob ich es nicht so gut gefunden habe, weil ich lerne Deutsch gerade (aber ich habe fast alle verstanden) oder weil das Buch nicht ausgezeichnet ist.
Ich meine, es ist gut aber nicht so gut. Das Ende war eine Überraschung. Trotzdem war das Rest des Buches nur eben, flach.
Kaum Spannung, keine Angst vor dem Täter als ich gelesen habe.
Keine Ahnung, vielleicht war nur ich, vielleicht ist das Buch.
Ich meine, es ist gut aber nicht so gut. Das Ende war eine Überraschung. Trotzdem war das Rest des Buches nur eben, flach.
Kaum Spannung, keine Angst vor dem Täter als ich gelesen habe.
Keine Ahnung, vielleicht war nur ich, vielleicht ist das Buch.
January 7, 2022
Awesome book. Total surprise ending. For the last chapter of the book, I could not turn the pages fast enough to find out how this was going to turn out. I was engaged throughout and the author did a fabulous job of keeping you guessing. I cannot imagine this happening to me. I will read more of her books.
June 3, 2022
Such a captivating plot this one held! I had gotten this from a book sale and nearly passed it up, but boy! The twist near the end through me for a loop! I would not have seen it coming that Mr. Snow (he was on the police force) was the perpetrator all along! I was thinking it was the man from the grocery store, then Mr. Bell, but nope.
Kate Pepper, you got me.
Highly recommend this!
Kate Pepper, you got me.
Highly recommend this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2018
don't understand the motive of the killer .. kidnapped, tortured and killed the victim's children .. and the mother being kept naked and make them see their son being tortured.
doesn't tell much the killer life background .. I wasn't expected the other party is the real killer ... dang!
doesn't tell much the killer life background .. I wasn't expected the other party is the real killer ... dang!
September 10, 2018
This was pretty good. I picked it because of the Cape Cod location and it had lots of twists and was pretty creepy but had a good ending although I thought more could be said about the family at the end
January 24, 2021
I read the Katia Lief version called Five days to Die and I wonder if it was published under that name to feed the scandì-noir desire in the uk.
I found it only ok and there wasn’t enough explanation about the art of profiling to make it believe able for me.
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I found it only ok and there wasn’t enough explanation about the art of profiling to make it believe able for me.
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November 22, 2022
Although this is your average thriller/crime book, I still very much enjoyed it! The plot was great and not that easily predictable.
I was very much on the edge of my seat throughout most of the pages.
I was very much on the edge of my seat throughout most of the pages.
August 11, 2023
Suspenseful, I enjoyed this thriller. I’ve really enjoyed some other books by this author and I do have to say I’ve liked others more. Good plot twists that kept you on your toes. You won’t be able put it down during the last 80 or so pages!
August 24, 2017
This book was awesome!!!!
January 20, 2019
The middle was slow & boring. I found myself speed reading to get to the end
June 2, 2020
Enjoyed this a few twists to keep you guessing
October 7, 2020
Brilliant, would never have guessed the final twist
July 18, 2022
This fast paced countdown to a serial killer's next victim held my attention. It made for a page turner of a read.
February 19, 2023
Very good book. Lots of suspense. Definitely will read more from this author.
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