The Preservationist

by Justin Kramon

To Sam Blount, meeting Julia is the best thing that has ever happened to him.Working at the local college and unsuccessful in his previous relationships, he’d been feeling troubled about his approaching fortieth birthday, “a great beast of a birthday,” as he sees it, but being with Julia makes him feel young and hopeful. Julia Stilwell, a freshman trying to come to terms with a recent tragedy that has stripped her of her greatest talent, is flattered by Sam’s attention. But their relationship is tested by a shy young man with a secret, Marcus Broley, who is also infatuated with Julia.Told in alternating points of view, The Preservationist is the riveting tale of Julia and Sam's relationship, which begins to unravel as the threat of violence approaches and Julia becomes less and less sure whom she can trust.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Book Club

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Justin Kramon is the author of the novel Finny, published by Random House in July, 2010.

A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, he has published stories in Glimmer Train, Story Quarterly, Boulevard, Fence, TriQuarterly, and others. He has received honors from the Michener-Copernicus Society of America, Best American Short Stories, the Hawthornden International Writers’ Fellowship, and the Bogliasco Foundation. He teaches at Gotham Writers’ Workshop in New York City and at the Iowa Young Writers’ Workshop.

Justin's website is http://www.justinkramon.com

Reviews

[Lectus · Rating 1 out of 5]

Is Julia a robot, or is she just following a script? Julia doesn't show ANY emotions whatsoever! I know when she is upset because the author is telling me she is, not showing me.

Julia lives in another world where nothing gets through to her. The mystery was okay, but I couldn't enjoy it because ALL the characters are empty, monotonous, insipid, bland and so on.

Let me try to slow down and explain why I found this book and writing weird.

#1. Julia and Marcus: I thought they were adults, but half way through the book Kramon mentioned Julia is 18 and Marucs is 'a boy.' When I read this, I had to shift my perspective, because it is one thing to read a story imagining the characters are adults, and another one to think of them as teenagers.

#2. Julia started dating Marcus and then switched to Sam. All good until Kramon started pulling Julia away from Sam. And I say that "Kramon started pulling Julia away" because I never felt Julia was a real character, or that she was doing anything.

The story is all tell: "He decided to visit Julia;" "Julia decided to go for a walk;" "He went to wait for Julia;" "now he started walking through the courtyard." Frankly, the characters don't do anything by themselves.

#3. Going back to the robotic part (this is a little chat on page 109):
Sam waits for Julia in the parking; when she arrives, he tells her "I was worried for you."
- "I',m fine. Really. You don't need to check up on me. I'm very safe." Hmmm, a girl was raped, and he IS your boyfriend so he needs to worry about you.

Sam: "I do it because I care about you, Julia. No other reason. You know that. I'm concerned. I love you."

Julia: "I understand. I know you're concerned about me. I just need some space." Let me pause again here. The guy just told you he loves you... a little emotion, please? What about that her face showed surprise or something? No, robotic Julia keeps her line and adds "I want to break up. Please don't call me..." and blah blah blah, and runs away.

Now THAT was intense! why the hell did you break up with him all out of the blue? Oh! In the next page, robotic Julia gave an insipid explanation that left me even more confused.

So who is the psycho in this story? Marcus or Sam? I skipped pages like there was no tomorrow to find out. Note: just to find out who the real psycho was, I wasn't interested in the why at all.

I want to go on and on about how these characters had no depth or soul. They felt like empty lines filling the pages to create a plot. Which brings me to the plot.

It was interesting, really, I just stopped caring about it when I realized that monotonous Julia and Sam were giving me an ulcer. I wanted to scream and tear up the book. I have never felt so infuriated with a character; or should I say the lack of it?

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a classic psychological thriller, but with the twist that you get to see into the minds of all the characters, not just the victim or a detective. I enjoyed getting the different perspectives, and the way the characters deepened over time in the book. Sam ("the preservationist") was probably the most interesting to me. He's a quirky character, with a distinctive life philosophy, and different from anyone I've ever read about. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew him personally. Julia was a little "flatter" to me, but maybe she needed to be for the story. Marcus's background also made him understandable. All the characters have major past issues to work out.

The one thing I'd say is that the writing style is very spare, so the reader has to put in some energy to understand all the people and the "book behind the book." But I felt like it was worth my time, especially since the ending really brought it all together for me. I even underlined some lines in the book, because they just stuck out as well-written. Julia is described as "perched on the fragile edge of happiness." Sam says that his version of the world and the real world "were like two strips of film, one laid on top of the other" and sometimes "one peeled back, parted from the other enough that you could make out the difference between the two, a blurring at the edges." And there's a great line at the end of the book, "How could a world like this not exist somewhere, in the boundless wealth of creation?" I thought Mr. Kramon had a way of saying complicated things in deceptively simple language.

I also found myself turning pages more and more quickly the more I read. I love books that take you deep into a quirky character's world, and this book definitely did that. It made you want to know exactly why these people had all become the way they had, and even though I had ideas about where the story might go, I wanted to keep going to see exactly how it would work out, and I was glad I did!

[Pamela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Julia is a student at Stradler College when she meets Sam, a 40-year old man who works at the student union snack bar. Meanwhile, Julia is already dating Marcus, a fellow student in her music theory class. She quickly becomes enamored with Sam and tells Marcus the situation. What follows is a series of harrassment between Marcus and Sam, including threats and text messages. Strange things are also happening around Julia's dorm, with her roommate's boyfriend searching the room and a dead cat on the floor. When Julia faces unexpected circumstances, she ends up finding out which man truly has something to hide.

I have to say I'm not a big mystery/thriller reader, and now I see why. To me, the book seemed simplistic... like this was the author's first attempt at a novel. The story was basic, and the dialogue didn't seem real... including the constant cursing and sexual innuendos from supporting characters. For the most part, I always felt like I knew what was going to happen next... although I was completely surprised by the epilogue.

In addition, I didn't feel like there was any character development. Sure, we learn all about Julia's past, but I never felt like I really knew Julia (or Sam or Marcus for that matter). I didn't understand their motivations or what made them tick. Again, this made me think that this was the author's first attempt at a novel. The author had a way of telling me what the characters were thinking, but I never understood the cause between their words or their actions. And although the author mentioned the tragedy in Julia's family, I didn't get a sense of how she felt about the tragedy... just the consequence that she didn't get to be a famous trumpet player.

I don't like books where I say 'that could NEVER happen', and this book had a lot of those situations. Could a 40ish year old guy really blend in with the students enough to go to their parties? Would an 18-year old girl really go for a 40ish guy who worked at the campus snack bar? I don't think so. The author should have put some time into making these situations -- among others -- believable.

The book wasn't terrible, it just wasn't good. If I'm going to read a thriller, I want to be enthralled by the characters, the plot, and the dialogue. To me, this book didn't have any of the three.

[Carrie Ardoin · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I thought this book started off interestingly enough, it took quite some time for it to engage me again after the beginning. I actually almost gave up on reading it a couple of times.

There are only three main characters in the book: college freshman Julia, her would-be paramour Marcus, and the guy she actually ends up hooking up with, Sam. I'll tell you first and foremost the thing that bothered me about Sam: he's 39 years old and he works in a college diner. Not only does NO ONE think this is creepy, but in fact he gets invited to campus parties by students and often picks up college girls. Now I don't care how good you look, there is just no freaking way an almost 40 year old man is passing for a 21 year old.

So from the get go, I had my suspicions that something was quite wrong with Sam. But the author did his best to cast suspicion on Marcus as well. He comes off as introverted and clingy, which are of course hallmarks of many killers. When the twist came and we found out who the real bad guy was, I can say that the author did a good enough job that I didn't see it coming.

The main downfall of this novel was the characters. God, Julia was so boring, I honestly didn't see why two very different men had any interest in her. I thought there would be a good angle with the death of her brother, but that wasn't really explored in regards to it shaping her personality. She had a bad habit of letting things happen to her, rather than questioning them or really fighting back in any way.

To me, the end was just OK; some of it was cliched and I wish it would have been a bit happier. Maybe I'm just not a big enough fan of the psychological thriller genre to have fully enjoyed this book.

[Ayesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful. Compulsively readable. Stunningly written. A must read.

[Reeka (BoundbyWords) · Rating 3 out of 5]

As seen on my blog:



3.5 STARS
The Preservationist was a disturbing portrayal of how extreme desperation could lead to false trust. The characters were one-tiered, but held enough baggage for you to become invested in their lives, and the situations they got themselves into. Justin Kramon must have been an American Psycho fan, because there were some noted quirks that mirrored the actions of our good ol' Mr. Bateman.

I caught on, quite early in the book, to the intents and purposes of a certain main character, and felt like there could have been more in the way of subtlety. However, that qualm aside, this book read, for the most part, exactly the way I think the author intended it to. Julia Stilwell's, the main female lead, wasn't given an elaborate back story, but with perfect reason. If I had known any more about her, I wouldn't have reached the level of frustration that I did-would not have been able to comprehend her naivety and lack of self-awareness. Her lost-in-the-woods personality, her exact level of desperation, was very well done. I yelled out loud at these pages more than I can count, and had trouble feeling anything but disturbed when I wasn't reading. The Preservationist crept into my bloodstream, and created an atmosphere that was hard to shake free from.

It's hard to delve any further into the story line without completely revealing what's behind the curtain, but for anyone that's new to psychological thrillers, or even to suspense, The Preservationist is a great jump-off book. The elements of mystery, mixed with a darker undertone, mixed with just the right amount of shock-value, will turn you into a fan of this genre, and like me, a new fan of Justin Kramon's.

Recommended for Fans of: American Psycho, Gillian Flynn, Elizabeth Hayes, Psychological Thrillers, Suspense, Mystery.


----------
*DISCLAIMER* I received this book as a print copy from the publisher, in order to participate in the blog tour

[Gina Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this thriller down! The characters are so thoughtfully developed; they stay with you long after you've finished the novel. Each character reveals deep dimension with unexpected aspects that let you know you're reading something fresh. Kramon populates an imperfect world with imperfect characters that force the reader to expect more than the usual. He writes a thriller for the modern age complete with heart pounding google searches and desperate text messages...definitely this generation's voice. The text echoes with rich layers of dark psychological landscape and textures of sight and sound woven throughout.

The main character, Julia, comes deeply flawed, but she is smart, funny, and though vulnerable, she displays a great strength. The conflicts in the novel are complex, and just when you think you know where it will all lead, there is a new twist.
The shifting points of view allow the reader glimpses into each character's world of secrets which only deepens the impact of their collisions with each other.

The novel addresses the fact that we can make mistakes that affect our own lives and the lives of others in ways that sometimes lead to redemption, and sometimes to utter darkness. In exploring the loss each character experiences, Kramon writes, "How could death be so final? How could you want something with all your heart, and yet know it would never be? The universe should crack under the force of all our wanting." His writing is witty, beautiful, strange, profound and always intelligent.

I highly recommend The Preservationist

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Preservationist is a heart pounding dark psychological thriller that keeps the reader sitting on the edge of their seats. Set in Pennsylvania, author Justin Kramon weaves a riveting tale that follows the intricate love triangle between Julia Stilwell, Sam Blount, and Marcus Broley. Told in alternating points of view, the readers follows the blossoming relationship between eighteen year old college freshman Julia Stilwell and thirty-nine college snack bar employee Sam Blount, and how the relationship starts to unravel when college student Marcus Broley becomes infatuated with Julia and wants her for himself.

This fast paced edgy tale has enough suspenseful twists and turns that keeps the reader on their toes as they try to guess what would happen next. Julia, Sam and Marcus each have issues and dark secrets in their lives that makes their intertwined relationships intriguing as the tension builds and obsession, deception and trust becomes an issue. You can't help but get caught up in this chilling story of obsession as the tangled web that these three people weave becomes destructive. The suspense is palpable and keeps the reader turning the pages until the satisfying yet very twisted ending.

The Preservationist has all the elements that psychological thriller fans crave. Author Justin Kramon provides the reader with an intriguing dark tale that takes the reader on one hell of a heart pounding roller coaster ride.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like this book; the characters were not well developed and Lonnie’s language had no place in the book and would never be tolerated at a school snack shack. It was completely implausible when 18 year old introverted, shy, and mousy Julia acted against character by losing her virginity on her first date with 39 year old Sam; which was unprotected by the way. She goes on one date with Marcus a shy, quiet kid in one of her classes. After a party she kisses Sam and Marcus witnesses the kiss, so Julia then stalks him leaving 6+ phone messages and an e-mail begging for forgiveness only to meet up with Marcus later and dump him – hello I didn’t realize one date meant people are exclusive these days. Back to the unprotected sex part, she later says Sam seemed to fiddle with something so she assumed it was a condom – how did this girl get into college at all? Then there’s Drew, the weird boyfriend of the roommate, who is looking through Julia’s desk drawers, supposedly for a camera, an event which is not later explained in the book. Also there’s the description of Sam – I would pay to see a 39 year man, who has worked manual labor since he graduated college, pass for a 25 year recent college graduate. It’s not like his income afforded him Guerlain Orchidee Imperiale Cream Next Generation or Orlane Crème Royale, he probably could not even afford Creme de La Mer. And Marcus has flashbacks of his first cousin Tree and he feels the same way about Julia – he wants to lay on her and say “hey baby” . . . GROSS! I only read it because it was a book club selection and luckily I only wasted two days on it – thank God for the snow that forced me to stay inside and push through this book!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I read it in one day, basically one sitting that was interrupted by doing laundry. I didn't even use a bookmark. If you've read his other novel, this is nothing like it. Once I laughed aloud and my husband said "Isn't that book kind of murdery?" And I responded, "Yeah, but kind of funny, too."

I couldn't put it down. I stayed up until midnight to finish it. I wish I had stretched it out longer because it was that good. The perfect book to read while I'm still in the middle of Anna Karenina. (Mr. Tolstoy might have benefited from Mr. Kramon's editor.)

The characters were so real. I think I knew Julia in college. (In fact, I think it was my college.) And the story was absolutely HAUNTING. Yes, that is in caps because I just yelled it. But seriously, while I was reading I kept getting a creepy sense of deja vu (maybe a Stephen King novel I read too young?). And even now, the book keeps strangely echoing in my mind.

I won't spoil the ending -- but I really enjoyed it.

Edit: I forgot to say that I won a free copy of this book. Also, I forgot to say DO NOT watch the book trailer because its so weird it might put you off reading this. I just watched it again after reading the book and it still didn't make any sense at all.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books where I put it down thinking, "Wow, that was SO GOOD!" I loved the way it moved between the different characters. You really get to know them and they are all crazy but interesting and have alot of sides to them. I wasn't sure at first what kind of story it would be, because at first it seemed like a love story. But then you find out more about Julia's past and Sam and it changes. I stayed up reading until 4 o'clock and the end was AMAZING! I definately would watch the movie!

[Golda]

Julia really needed to read The Gift of Fear.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Preservationist: Justin Kramon

Images can be created to suit whatever situations we face and all too often we can adjust these images the same way a photographer adjusts the lens in his/her camera before taking a picture and that final image appears within that camera’s lens. Julia Stilwell created a image for those she met in college as a quiet, shy and guarded young woman trying to cope with a tragedy in her life yet never letting her guard down or allowing others to get too close. Reflecting about her life and her dates she began to shift gears many times deciding just what to bring along with her on a date with a new young man. Accidents happen and cannot be prevented no matter how hard you beat yourself up after the fact the event has occurred and you cannot change the course of history. Julia’s guilt, her refusal to let go of what happened to her brother and the accident that caused his death, remains foremost in her mind, uppermost in her thoughts and is preserved and secured so tightly holding the key to her heart as if it were in a safety deposit box under lock and key or displayed in museum preserving it forever.

Sam Blount is entering a turning point in his life and hopes to find some consolation in developing a relationship with Julia as he turns 40. A new decade, a lifetime of memories that is shared with readers and a man whose life is a total mystery caught in the memories of his youth, his mother’s teachings and his father’s neglect. Odd in his appearance, his demeanor and living in the past, Sam is what most would call a Preservationist, as he holds on to his memories, keeps them stored in a box, never parted with his mother’s possessions and lives within a world created and orchestrated so well that no one really knows who Sam really is. Impressions are often what you want others to think about you as some would think Sam is a polite man, boyish looking for his 39 years, oddly dressed and filled with dark thoughts and hidden shadows that linger over him.

Marcus Broley is a college student who seems interested in Julia but whose appearance although quite handsome seems to give off an aura of secrecy. Hoping to get to know Julia better they begin to date but something about him seems off to her and the thoughts drift to Sam. Wanting to see Marcus again he encounters Sam and the incident leaves them both cold and confused. A college student with hopes for a bright future yet seems to have a dark past that he is not sharing with anyone. Dealing with disappointment was difficult for him and using physical activity and running a good from of release. As he and Julia began a relationship it ended just as fast. Reliving the phone calls and trying to win her back did not help to preserve what little they had. Realizing that Sam was the wrong choice for her and not being able to put his finger on why makes readers wonder if her judgment was really flawed, if she was looking for a different type of father figure other than her own or she was just naïve. Plans were made as a result of an incident or just seeing something that would set your ideas in motion. As Julia and Sam seemed to becoming closer you wonder what Marcus was planning to help change that and why? You also wonder just what in his past is linked to wanting to get to have Julia in his future.

Each Chapter is presented by either the character stating his/her feelings and goals or an events that one or more attend allowing readers to get inside the minds of all three of these interesting characters. Julia seems changed after getting close to Sam and having her father pay her a surprise visit. Backing off on pressuring her to live at home we learn more about Sam, the lies that he creates in order to get Julia to spend time with him, the feeling that something about his mother’s death has yet to be revealed and why someone is out to scare not only Julia but Sam too. Her window left opened twice, a dead cat mangled and left in her room, someone called Sam with a threat, Marcus seems to be bent on watching him and she finds Leanette’s boyfriend in her room out of nowhere. Several red flags but something that was missing about Drew’s attire surprised Julia and made her wonder just what he was looking for and where he hid the key to her room that he claimed he had. One girl is raped on campus and Julia is given news that might change her life. When another girl comes forward that she was attacked and the similarities between her and the rape at Julia’s school come to light just who is behind it and why accuse Sam?

Sam seems to be crowding Julia and this would give anyone pause for thought as he claims to be concerned about her or is there another reason he showed up without her wanting him there? Over powering, overbearing and definitely mishandling the relationship, Julia begins to take more than just a few steps back from Sam but why? Age could be one thing as she is 18 and he is 40 or is there something about him that is sending her more than just one red flag? Blunt, to the point, insistent that he stays away from her will he get the message or is their relationship gone? What about the news she received? Plus, who keeps calling him and saying he was the rapist?

Images change and perceptions often too as Sam’s whole world seems to be shattering as one man has made it is mission to destroy him. Approaching Marcus, Sam gets no satisfaction in his reaction but what hidden truth lies beneath Marcus’s demeanor. When Julia goes home and tries to confide in her mother, why does he lash out at her for her brother’s death and much more? Preservation: Many meanings within the layers of this intricate novel as Sam tries to live his life within the confines of his own mind and how he thinks each day she progress. Julia is living her life regretting one night, her friend’s reaction to her wanting to leave a party and hoping that she would find comfort once more if she returned to the place where decisions were made for her. Her mother locked within the hate she harbors for Julia and wanting her anywhere but living at home and a father overprotective and only trying to keep his family together but at what cost?

Sam’s mind is filled with what he thinks should happen with his relationship with Julia. Just how far will he go to make her think that Marcus is stalking him, creating dangerous situations for him and falsely accusing him of many things. As we hear his innermost thoughts and learn some harsh truths about his past actions we wonder why Julia did not go with her first reaction and why she decides to follow a dangerous path. An abusive father, a mother who refused to fight back and one young man scarred for life as we learn that being a preservationist is not just saving and hoarding the items from his past but someone who refuses to move on, cannot take reject, change and feels as the author relates that he takes a “ loss as a great betrayal.”

Getting to know Marcus we learn about his past, the one girl that he truly loved and the reason he is so attracted to Julia. But, hearing him play some of my favorite pieces, Bach, Chopin, fugues and etudes I can hear the piano’s voice as Marcus finds himself buried within the music, memories come flooding back as he plays progressions, chords and more.

But, Julia is now trapped within an isolated cabin with Sam and his feelings are coming out, his true colors quite frightening and what will the end result be and what about the appointment she has made? Who is Sam? What is his motive and why is Julia concerned about the missing shoebox?

A painting, drawing, picture or photograph of a person can change over the years or even over a short period of time. Stress, fear, disease, illness and just daily life can create many different images within these photos as they are taken over different time spans. Sam reflects on the truth behind his father’s death. He remembers the huge cloud that should have formed when you lose someone you are supposed to care about. But, the author reveals many hidden truths about Sam and we learn what really lies behind the outer portrait and within the framework of what most would say his mind, brain or gray matter.

There are many different images and portraits that change within this novel but one that is so evil and so cunning he makes the image of Dorian Gray seem perfect even though at the end of the novel or movie we realize that each act of reflects on your soul and with each sin that is committed the portrait reflects it in his face as his disfigurement of form is not just a sign of aging but in this case creates the evil within the person whose image has greatly changed. Author Justin Kramon takes readers inside the mind of a killer so delusional he believes his end justifies the means. The ending is so powerful and the lives of many are at stake. When the cold hard facts come crashing down on Julia just who will be there to rescue her from the chill as she races the clock hoping to safe her own life? One man can be compared to Dr. Jekyll and the other so easily transformed to Mr. Hyde. Which one you won’t find out until you read this outstanding novel and hopefully will learn that images are deceiving, safety in numbers is vital and preservation comes at a really high price. Possessions: when is it time to move on and let go?
Fran Lewis: reviewer

[Alina Colleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me preface my review by saying that I do NOT like “thriller” books, or TV shows for that matter. But distaste would be a generous way to describe my feelings toward this novel.

Because I work in a library where there is a Preservation Department, I expected The Preservationist to be about someone who spent his or her days repairing paintings, attaching new spines to tattered books, and painstakingly restoring damaged maps and other artifacts. Not so. As we learn several chapters into the book, Justin Kramon is using the term in its most basic sense to describe someone who “preserves” memories and trinkets. But really, he is using it as a euphemism for the sickness that inhabits the sub-consciousness, and sometimes consciousness, of a serial killer.

Yes, you read that right. Here I was expecting a mild story about librarians, and possibly some perceptive thoughts on the interplay between decay and life, and instead I got multiple rapes, mutilated cats, and a psychopath.

This book closely reminds me of something else horrible that I once made the mistake of reading: Intensity by Dean Koontz. In that book, a girl is entrapped by a man who intends to rape and murder her. She escapes by the skin of her teeth. It’s all very shocking, and yes, it will give you that stab of fear in your gut, but in the end that sickness was dreamed up by someone living a passive life as a novelist, which was possibly the most disturbing thing about it. I think that book was one of five in my life that I have ever thrown away (the others, in case you were curious, were Prep, two terrible-looking “forbidden love” religious romance books that I didn’t read, and, worst of all, An Egg on Three Sticks). The Preservationist will be the sixth.

There is a lot of talk going around right now about the “rape culture” that pervades every stratum of contemporary America. I believe that this book fits squarely into that sick mindset. It is not okay to use the rape and murder of girls as a plot device. No—it’s worse than that. It is not okay to make the rape and murder of women the primary focus of your book for the sake of convenience. Want to write a book about those subjects for the right reasons? Great, I suggest you read about Stieg Larsson and find out why he was motivated to write the excellent Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. It is sickening to me that The Preservationist falls within the “thriller” genre—what, exactly, is thrilling about a story in which a lonely girl makes a series of bad decisions, only to end up in a deserted cabin on a mountaintop with her killer waiting outside clutching a six-inch knife? It is beyond sick that something like this is considered entertainment. Did I feel nauseated while reading this book? Did adrenaline pump through my veins? Was I turning the pages as quickly as possible, dreading the ending yet unable to turn away? Yes. I was complicit. But now I refuse to be any longer.

I find it difficult to believe that the nice man I spoke with briefly at the American Library Association conference, who wrote “So nice to meet you!” on the title page where he signed his name, could have produced something like this. I am doubly surprised by my seemingly contradictory response to Taxi Driver, which I watched last weekend, where an uneducated, impulsive man is rejected by an intelligent girl and spirals into insanity. Taxi Driver is excellent. The Preservationist is not. So there must be something else going on here, some egregious quality to the book, that enrages me in a way that Taxi Driver left me feeling disturbed and disconcerted.

It is not, after all, just about the subject matter. It is about how the subject is treated, how it is explored, how it is explained, analyzed, and presented. It is also partly because The Preservationist is not well-written. That is, it is not poorly written, but Kramon’s writing has no distinguishing features apart from some oddly-phrased metaphors. Julia, Sam, and Marcus are stock characters. The story is set at a fictional college, and the plot seems to take place in a void. Kramon throws in so many red herrings (one of which certainly fooled me), but that does not change the fact that all of the men in the book, with the exception of Julia’s father, are beyond creepy. A 40-year-old who strikes up a relationship with a college freshman? An abusive, alcoholic, and adulterous father? An unhelpful, untrusting doctor at a psych clinic? A seemingly normal boy who played strange sexual games with his first cousin, then ignored her as she died of cancer? A boyfriend with a crush on his girlfriend’s roommate, who goes rifling through her possessions? Disaster, from every angle.

Taxi Driver probes. It disturbs, and forces one to reflect on what could have made someone so twisted. There are conversations in which people try to reason with Travis Bickle, to show him the fault in his thinking. That is part of what makes Jodie Foster’s scene in the cafe so memorable–Martin Scorsese is fully aware that a 12-year-old prostitute can know more about certain things than a fully-grown man. The Preservationist, despite the horrifying violence and unfulfilling sex, seems to be written from an old-fashioned perspective. Julia is a girl who is necessarily weak. She is lonely, she is innocent-looking (I won’t even go into why that’s problematic), she is easily ensnared by a male predator, and she is ultimately spared via the sacrifice of another man. If you wanted to write a colorless character with very little agency and an astounding lack of self-awareness, Julia would be the archetype. For Kramon, Julia represents not just the average too-trusting college female who ought to know better than to go walking across the campus alone late at night because there could be rapists about (ugh), but also all of the other girls that the serial killer has murdered. Again, I ask, why it is considered entertainment to read about women being lured to their deaths? There is no complexity in this book, no real exploration of motives. The killer is simply a sick man. Julia is simply a woman. Ergo, sick killer must attempt to kill simple woman.

I will not be reading another book like this ever again.

[Coleen]

Julia is a freshman at a Pennsylvania college, still recovering from the death of her brother. She meets another student, Marcus, who expresses interest and they begin to casually date. However, an older man, Sam, who works at a local snack bar, also expresses interest in Julia and sets out to win her over. But something is not quite right with one or both of these men.

Those who read audiobooks fairly often know that the narrator/reader of the audio can make a huge difference in the enjoyment of the story, whether that be to absolutely love the book or to be completely turned off by it, or somewhere in between. Unfortunately, for me this was a case of being completely turned off and I only made it about one and half discs in before giving up. The reader's voice was slow and monotonous, with an odd & predictable emphasis on every 4th or 5th word. It drove me crazy and I just couldn't continue. Had this been a digital copy and not on CD, I probably could've sped it up and it would've been more bearable. But alas, it wasn't. So I'm not going to star rate this one because it may have been a good story otherwise. I blame this one on the audiobook reader.

[marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great storyline

Enjoyed this book very much. Great characters. Quite scary at times!!! . Believable.
Recommended if you enjoy a good thriller.

[JK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy but good

[Donnelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book very quickly introduces the reader to the three main characters -- Julia, Sam, and Marcus -- and it becomes clear immediately that all three are dealing with myriad issues that range from dealing with tragedy and the varied emotions - including massive amounts of guilt and self-hatred - and reactions that have resulted, to the disturbing and even nefarious. You know from the get-go that one of these people will be the so-called villain of the piece, and it's possible to figure out who that is just a few pages into the story. What's interesting, though, is that the author uses every bit of his considerable skill to make you doubt yourself repeatedly once you've reached that conclusion. He reveals drips, drabs, and snippets of information via thoughts and memories (and, yes, even what I'd consider to be some red herrings) that are relayed through the perspectives of each of the three individuals. This has the effect of not only allowing the reader to get to know the characters' innermost mental processes and feelings, but it casts each of them (and after a certain point, just two of them), by turns, in something of a nefarious light. This is masterfully done, as it keeps the readers on their toes, progressively ramps up the tension and foreboding, and makes the reader feel compelled to read on to see how it will play out.

That this all revolves around three characters the likes of whom one could encounter at any given point in real life serves to make the story that much more unsettling. Julia could be essentially any typical college freshman, albeit one who's dealing (not necessarily very well) with a recent trauma, and whose go-to defense mechanism is to fall back on snark and sarcasm, which is something to which many, including myself, can relate. Sam is an attractive though mostly nondescript man who seemingly navigates through life relatively well, yet is alone and dealing with his own set of issues. Marcus is an uber-quiet, gangly, introverted boy who doesn't seem to pose a threat to anyone or anything, at least on the surface, yet he, too, is dealing with a complicated, messily emotional past that haunts him and informs his present-day behavior. All three appear at first to be relatively typical, yet as the story progresses and the author delves into their problems, the reader is made to feel ever-growing sympathy for a character or two, while the dread with which another one or two is viewed increases considerably with each page that is turned, particularly as certain psychoses are revealed.

At its core, the story is one that explores the human condition and how different types of people deal with and process some incredibly traumatic events. It is also a chilling study of the motivations, emotions (or lack thereof), and actions of a serial killer. The behavior of this character - more than the other two, from a certain point in the story onward - is increasingly odd, making the sense of foreboding felt by the reader intensify until the true depths and horrors of this person's mind and actions are made crystal clear when the story finally reaches the point where the mask comes off, and the life of at least one character hangs in the balance.

This a true psychological thriller because it really messes with the reader's mind, as Kramon seemingly leads us to one conclusion, only to double back and reveal how events unfolded from another point of view, and he will often add more details to an event in the recent past, forcing the reader to constantly reevaluate his or her perception of who is in danger, and where and in whom the danger lies.

It's a story that unfolds slowly, yet still manages to capture and continually increase the reader's interest, which makes this a very quick read. Its hallmarks are a great deal of sadness, uncertainty, and a tremendous amount of creepiness and suspense - the latter of which really comes into play from around page 180 onward. There are twists aplenty throughout the entire story, even after readers believe they've reached the calm after the storm. In fact, as other reviews have mentioned, there's a twist by way of a lie on the very last page that some may see as extremely unsettling, as it could conceivably portend a cycle of untruth and mental issues (particularly as one considers the nature versus nurture debate) just beginning for a character. In my view, this is not a story that ever leaves the reader with warm and fuzzy feelings, and that continues to hold true once the last line has been read.

I got a copy of this book, because I'm always interested in finding books that really deliver on the "psychological thriller" label. This one certainly does so. And then some. The twists, confusion, and creepiness keep readers engaged and interested from beginning to end, and I wound up being extremely impressed by how well Justin Kramon juggled the layers of the characters and the story, while doing his level best to keep the readers guessing. It's a very good, very chilling read, and one that I absolutely recommend.

[Alyisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read "The Preservationist" because I LOVED "Finny" (Kramon's debut novel), but the author's second book was *so* not my thing.

To be fair, the book probably doesn't deserve a low rating. It's not poorly-written. There are a lot of things about it that were very well done. The characters are convincingly-drawn. Julia's defense mechanism quick wit and her father's false cheerfulness in the face of tragedy just about broke my heart. His unconditional love for her was exactly what it should have been and it left me pretty emotional, I'll admit.

The prose doesn't lack poetry or style, either. I especially felt it in the quiet places - when Julia's observing the sky, or characters are lost in their own thoughts:

"Outside, it was gorgeous. Cloudless and warm, the air felt like a shirt just out of the dryer... She took a long breath, enjoying the weather and her anticipation, perched on the fragile edge of happiness" (4).

"The image he saw was of himself, holding [her] by the hair and beating her head against the side of the bathtub. He saw himself do it over and over again, heard the crack of her teeth on the porcelain, until her head was nothing more than a bloody sponge in his hand. He shook himself free of this distasteful image. Why should such a sight appear before him now? He had no idea. The mind held an infinite store of images, and who could say why one rose to the surface at any given moment? It was one of the great mysteries of life, part of its bizarre poetry, the alluring magic of this star-sprinkled universe, and he preferred not to examine the topic closely" (177).

Despite being totally repulsed, objectively I know how smart & effective it was to place such great ugliness against such vast beauty, and Kramon does it more than once.

The quality that I felt was lacking in the writing, however, was grace. There were a couple of moments where it FELT like I was reading a sophomoric effort. Specifically, I was unimpressed with the effort to infuse a meta-quality into the text (and usually, I eat that shit up). It was done in a very obvious, heavy-handed, unoriginal way. One of the characters notes that he'll never be able to offer up a proper defense of his actions, since "only the people in books ever got to explain themselves" (252); of course, he then goes on to explain himself to the reader (since he IS a character in a book). It's meant to be flippant and funny but I found myself asking, "Really?" instead of laughing. Plenty of moments that were meant to be humorous DID strike their mark, though, so it's nothing for Kramon to be *too* ashamed of. Everyone makes a joke that flops once in awhile. This one just happens to be immortalized in writing forever. Ouch. I was also unimpressed with the title, its origin, and the repetition of the phrase "preservationist." It was too much.

Most importantly, the reason I didn't like this novel is that it's a thriller. Which I should have known, I know. And I should have paid attention to, I know. And I probably shouldn't have read the book in the first place, I know. But I couldn't NOT read something by Justin Kramon. And I'd never really read a thriller before... I just had a totally unexplored feeling that I wouldn't enjoy the genre. Well, I've explored that feeling and it was spot-on. It's confirmed: I completely despise thrillers (and if I were to like one, this would have been it). I don't want to read about rape, or sociopaths torturing small animals, or people being stabbed and murdered. I don't want a pervasive sense of unease and distrust. (There was a lot of that. Kramon makes you doubt everyone, then question whether it was wrong to doubt them, and then doubt them again. He's very good at the back & forth, toying with your convictions, bringing you right into Julia's headspace). But I don't want to have to stay up until 1 o'clock in the morning finishing the book because I'm certain that if I go to bed, not knowing if everything's resolved/if characters are safe that I won't be able to sleep. There are much better, happier, healthier reasons to stay up late finishing a book. Fear's not one of them. I don't get satisfaction out of noting that something was "disturbing" or "fucked up." I'm thankful that my life isn't. I don't need the contrast to be appreciative.

I don't need my reading material to be all sunshine and roses - some rain & shit is just FINE. But as a general rule, I don't want my books to contain kitten corpses or urine-soaked fingernails, either. I think that's reasonable, don't you?

If you like thrillers, you'll probably like "The Preservationist." If you think that what's really missing from the fictional universe is a combination between Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" and Walt Disney's "Peter Pan," you'll LOVE it. For my part, I'd rather fly first star to the right and straight on to a different book.

Blech. Shake it off.

[Seirra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5/5 stars

A review copy was provided for an honest review. The Preservationist is an unusual psychological thriller suffused with intrigue. It opens with the central character Julia Stilwell's POV and from there takes off in a dark direction. At a moderate pace it introduces three characters alternating perspectives and twines their lives together. It's unexpectedly engrossing and suspenseful. It engaged me from the first few chapters, curiosity will promptly incite readers forward.

All of the characters revolve around Julia, they gravitate and fixate on her. I wanted to be able to connect with her but it just didn't happen. As a reader I couldn't see what made Julia so unique, and I didn't feel any of her or the other character's emotions. That was the most disappointing aspect of The Preservationist—I felt disconnected—but oddly still drawn into the story. What it lacks in character development it makes up for in storytelling. It tells a chilling tale of obsession and shows the lengths unstable individuals are willing to go to. It's for the most part predictable although some little things may surprise you. There are a few unanswered questions that should have been resolved but unfortunately weren't.

Julia Stilwell is an eighteen year-old freshman in college trying to overcome a tragedy from her past. Sam Blount is nearly 40, serves food on a college campus, and feels lonely and lost until he meets Julia. He sees something in her that is special and he compulsively lies in order to win her over. Julia loves how Sam looks at her and how she can be herself around him. He's the only person she feels who truly understands what she's going through. Marcus Broley—Julia's ex—is obsessed with winning her back and exposing Sam for who he thinks he really is but Marcus is harboring secrets himself. As Julia and Sam take their relationship further terrible crimes are being committed on campus, Sam is being threatened, and lies are getting exposed. Julia begins to fear for her life and she doesn't know who she can turn to or who to trust anymore.

Even though The Preservationist is missing a lot of elements that could have made it better, it's still an impressive thriller. Kramon's writing is pinpoint in prime detail. The writing and how the story is told is what pulls you in. The conclusion is twisted and satisfying. The Preservationist is presented as a classic psychological thriller but departs from it with a fresh approach. All in all I loved the level of deception from the characters, their veiled pasts, and the creepy undertone of the story. It's a captivating novel well worth reading!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia is a freshman in college. She is coming out of an unimaginable year in which she lost her brother, and her life is finally beginning to feel normal once again. Then she meets two men. One man, Marcus, is a young man she met in class. He's cute and seems sweet, and she is comfortable talking with him, bantering lightheartedly.

The second man is an older man she met at a cafe on campus, and she feels a shared sympathy with him, as he seems to understand her pain over losing her brother. Sam is intense and almost ingratiatingly easy to get along with.

Julia makes her choice between these two men, but then begins to wonder whether she made the right choice. Both men accuse the other of dishonesty and dangerous behavior. At the same time, there are rapes occurring on campus, and both men appear as possible suspects. Could either of them be guilty of such a thing? And then there is a third man thrown into the mix, just to confuse things further.

Before you know it, Julia is being consumed with paranoia, trusting no one. She no longer can trust her own judgements, and doubts her own decisions. And then she finds herself in real danger, and doesn't know which way to turn.

I think this story was really character-driven. It flits through alternating perspectives, and you are always inside of the head of one of the characters, seeing things through their eyes. You are fed little bits of the story, and it builds slowly. And even though you are in the heads of the characters, you still aren't sure what the truth really is.

This is one of those stories that I feel seems to have a moral or lesson to be learned from it, but I'm not really sure what it is. What is to be learned from all of this? I don't know. How NOT to be? Where poor judgement will get you? How foolish the young can be? Perhaps it isn't intended to have a moral to the story, but it has that feeling.

The story felt a little choppy at times. There were some things that sort of left off unfinished or vague or simply alluded to. But overall it had a good flow.

My final word: This book was very easy to read, and the characters were pretty well developed. I found myself on the edge of my seat for much of it, not sure where it was going to go. There were so many suspicious characters introduced that you just weren’t sure “whodunit”. It was enjoyable, yet left me with a frustratingly disappointed feeling that I can't quite put a finger on. Although I was left with the feeling that the story was somewhat...insubstantial, I found it overall to be a worthwhile read, and I would give the author another go-around.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's a line Marcus says toward the end of the book "I'm such a goddamn waste" when his rental car is caught in a snowdrift on his way to rescue Julia.

This is kind of how I felt about the book. It was a waste. A waste of my time and the poor trees converted into paper on which the words were printed on.

It was an easy, fast read - one saving grace; there were some beautiful descriptions and phrases, second saving grace but alas, not enough to save this novel, which felt more of a novella.

I felt like I was watching a 90s Lifetime movie in which Neve Campbell is Julia, Andrew Shue is Sam and Jason London is Marcus. The setting is a nondescript college campus. Julia and Marcus meet in music class. She meets Sam in the cafeteria and the 'plot' moves forward in a predictable fashion. The movie is called "almost every movie made about a stalker preying on a young woman in the 90s."

1. The characters were lifeless, shallow and rudimentary. No exposition, no details, no summary of who these people are, just brief recaps of why they are f**ked up. I neither liked or disliked Julia, Sam or Marcus. I just did not care.

2. What is up with the damsel in distress who is also an idiot and needs to be saved? This is not the zombie apocalypse. You still have a brain. I don't mind the young lady/woman being rescued but does she have to be an a zom-idiot?

OK, your bro died, that is terrible (boo-hoo, how tragic - this also seems to be the trend in YA books in which the main character wants to commit suicide, thinks about suicide, contemplates what it might be like to attempt suicide, because of the death of a sib and at this point when I read why the main character is acting the way he or she is, I just roll my eyes and think, now I'm thinking about suicide but its true, its official, originality is dead) but does that excuse the fact that you have no personality? OK, wait, that's not your fault. It's the author's.

3. Nothing new or original or amusing about the story or, to a much,much lesser extent, the characters. Honestly, I think all three of them are nuts in their own way but aren't we all?

4. This has got to be the seventh book, give or take, where the main character is being stalked by a guy who is handsome and charming but is anything but. Now, after wading through and (unfortunately reading some, not all) FSoG knockoffs, Gone Girl wannabees, Hunger Game copycats, now its these imitations (see: You by Caroline Kepnes, Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes and The Book of You by Claire Kendal, just to name a few).

Next week, I'm going to go watch J.Lo in The Boy Next Door.

[Neon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book…. I was looking forward to reading this book for years. Did I like it? Yes… was it as I imagined no…. The storytelling was better than 3 stars but the the story is 3 stars. I read it in 2 days so it was an interesting read but the story had lot of loopholes.

Not sure what didn’t make me happy about this book but something I can’t explain. I was teeny tiny bit disappointed. The ending was half baked. The whole thing was. Even one was mentally ill in someway. No one was sane enough for this book. The climax was just plain putty.

[nomadreader (Carrie D-L) · Rating 3 out of 5]

(originally published at http://nomadreader.blogspot.com)

The basics: Julia, a first-year student at a small Pennsylvania College, is recovering from tragedy. Sam, a loner who works at the college and harbors a fascination with Julia, is struggling to come to terms with turning forty. Marcus, a fellow first-year student, seems to have secrets of his own, as well as a fascination with Julia.

My thoughts: Everybody seemed to rave about Finny, Justin Kramon's debut novel I somehow never got around to reading. When I heard he wrote a thriller for his second book, I was intrigued. When I began the novel, I was enchanted. Kramon succinctly and beautifully described characters as he introduced them, and as characters observed one another. The stage was set for a creepy, literary novel, and this time of year is perfect.

Unfortunately, the novel soon began to flounder for me. The well-described characters soon began acting more like fictional characters than believable people. Kramon seemed to be letting intrigue drive the story rather than characters. There were too many obvious tropes and too few characters to shoulder their burden. Soon before the reveal, there were a few too many red herrings that detracted from the overall creepiness. (And unless I missed something, there was one glaring red herring left unexplained that frustrates me.) Once Kramon confirmed my suspicions, the novel was more intriguing, but I'd stop short of calling it a true thriller. Despite its flaws, I enjoyed the novel enough to read it in two sittings. I was always engaged with it, but too often I found myself pondering Kramon's motivations rather than being swept away by the story and characters.

Favorite passage: "What do you write?" "Just stories. Some of them are things that happened to me. Some are things I made up. There's so much to write about in the world."

The verdict: Kramon thoroughly demonstrates a talent for describing characters, world building and constructing sentences. Unfortunately, the plot falls flat due its unsurprising twists. While readers who haven't read many psychological thrillers may be surprised, too many of the twists were too easily figured out to satisfy me. Kramon did, however, make me a fan of his writing, and while I wait for his next novel, I'll finally take the time to read Finny. 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

[Laurie Treacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

(From a blog tour stop: http://www.readergirlsblog.com/2013/1...) The Preservationist by Justin Kramon is one of those sneaky psychological thrillers--the type with simple language which is far from simple and 'quiet' characters with huge secrets trying to lead quiet, simple lives. Julia, 18, is a college freshman adjusting to a new way of life after suffering a family tragedy and the loss of her brother. She meets fellow student Marcus and she likes his 'quiet' ways, but she is also drawn to the guy at the snack shop, Sam. Facing his fortieth birthday, Sam is an interesting character, a grown up in a young adult world. He accepts flyers for parties and feels like he's needed and happy to be included.

Each character, of course, is not what they seem to be. Or are they? What really spoke to me was Mr. Kramon's writing--often times ambiguous, other times lovely in its simplicity. Many times I felt as though there was this undercurrent beneath what was going on in this thriller that is hard to fully explain. It was pretty cool though. The story is told from the points of view of these three characters in third person so the reader feels a sense of individual fulfillment while still feeling incomplete. One may think the characters aren't fully developed enough to connect with and that is where the author gets his point across. My understanding is do we ever really know anyone? Even when being honest, isn't it possible to also deceive?

Each character has a unique way of viewing the world which plays into the building mystery of what is going on. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep anyone invested and the pace is quick enough through most of the book until it takes off at the end. The Preservationist is not the kind of in-your-face thriller, it works better beneath the scenes or behind-the-curtains per say, which only adds to its quirky, offbeat, and deceptive charm. I haven't read a book like this in quite some time. The story grows on the reader, sneaky and effective, and has undeniable staying power. There were so many beautiful lines to re-read and appreciate the glory of the wording or its imagery. I would call The Preservationist a quiet but powerful gem.

[Stephanie Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

'The Preservationist' is a gripping psychological thriller that tells the story of Julia as she attempts to create a normal life as a freshman at college. Things seem to be working out well and she's even dating a cute guy named Marcus. Then there's Sam, the cute guy who works at the campus snack bar. Julia and Sam begin to form a friendship and their relationship quickly escalates into something more serious. All the major characters in the book - Julia, Marcus, and Sam - are keeping secrets; some much more sinister than others. Julia's life has gone from nonexistent to intense relationships with two very different guys. When things between Julia and both guys spiral out of control, she realizes that they aren't the people she thought they were. Now things are about to get violent and scary - and Julia has no idea who to trust any more.

This was an edgy thriller that had me hooked from the first page. I loved that the book is told from various points of view. I think it gives the book a depth that most others can't achieve with the characters, since the reader gets a glimpse into their minds and emotions while things are happening throughout the story. The characters were all well written with unique personalities and dark secrets. I liked Julia as a character, although I felt at times that she was blind to what was in front of her. The plot of the story was intriguing and I loved the suspense that the author creates. There's a bit of a mystery in the book as Julia attempts to figure out Marcus' and Sam's secrets and then trying to decide what to do and who to trust. Things get really intense the further into the story you go and I was eagerly reading the pages to see what was going to happen next. There are a lot of twists and turns in the book that I didn't see coming, which is always a nice surprise in a thriller. Overall, this was a chilling psychological thriller that deals with important life issues such as abuse and grief, along with the heart-pounding suspense that fans of the genre will love.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Preservationist by Justin Kramon is a psychological thriller due to be released on October 10, 2013. Julia Stilwell, a freshman at Pennsylvania’s Stradler College, recently experienced a family tragedy that she is trying to keep secret. She is still struggling with the emotional ramifications of this major event when she meets Marcus Broley, a fellow student who seems genuinely interested in her. When 39 year old Sam Blount also shows an interest in her and secretly arranges a way for them to meet socially, Julia immediately connects with Sam and breaks up with Marcus. Marcus tries to warn her about his suspicions of Sam, but instead sounds like a jealous, spurned boyfriend. When a serial rapist strikes on campus and strange things begin to happen, it seems that either Marcus or Sam could be responsible.

The Preservationist is a quick read with a plot that follows a pretty tried and true format. The story is told between the characters in alternating chapters. While it is suspenseful, it is also relatively easy to figure out what is happening in the plot. The character development was indifferent. The characters felt like they were acting or reacting in almost robotic ways to simple move the formulaic plot along it's course. There simply was no good compelling reason presented for Julia to instantly connect with much older Sam. The combination of a predictable plot with lackluster character development resulted in my indifferent reading to the end simply to confirm my predictions.

However, The Preservationist does work in many ways. It works precisely because it is an easy, quick read that follows a known format. It's a known format because, duh, it works. The excitement and tension did build. You knew something was going to happen. Kramon is a good writer technically, so even with what I perceived as shortcomings in the plot and character development, I was never annoyed by his actual writing.

Recommended

Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Pegasus via Netgalley for review purposes.

[Sabriena · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Preservationist was not what I was expecting. I was expecting a young girl meets older guy with a guy on the side type book. Nothing to out of the ordinary and just your average college story.

I got none of that. This was about a college girl and 2 guys but, not so much in the gushy romance way. Julia is the girl and I have to say that I think she was void of real emotion. She made silly decisions where a rational person wouldn't have made. She is kind of messed up from grieving over her brother which you think plays a huge part in the book, but really doesn't.

Marcus is the classmate whom she goes on dates with and seems to get along well with. He's a bit of a loner and deals with his own grief. He's a shy kind of guy which kind of makes him a bit weird sometimes.

Sam, he's the older guy. Turning 40 and feeling like his youth is gone, he hangs around college campuses because he likes the energy from the students and has done this since he was out of high school. He's a very odd character and you like him well enough.
When Julia picks Sam over Marcus I felt like it was a bit rushed. She only talked to him a few times and they weren't much of a conversation really, just a few sentences. I don't understand the draw Julia had to Sam at all since it wasn't really explained much.

About halfway through the book I pegged what was the deal with Marcus and Sam and how the author was making it look with the rapes on campus. Kind of clever really.

The ending, I felt, was realistic in the way that you can see situations playing out the way it did. It was heartbreaking but, well done.

I never got to liking Julia. She fell flat. She was emotionless when the situation called for some emotion and when she had emotions they were odd ones. I won't understand it but, the book was a good one and I was very interested in it the whole time.

[Barbara Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes I wonder why I continue to read psychological thrillers. I nearly had a heart attack reading this one. When I know a character has a mental disorder so no one can predict what he or she might do next, it just scares the heck out of me. In this expertly crafted thriller, I couldn't even decide which of my suspects was the threat for sure until late in the book.

The heroine is Julia Stilwell, a freshman at Stradler College in Pennsylvania. She's a bit of a loner and certainly not like the other girls in that she doesn't care about make-up, the latest gossip, or even chatting about classes. She does get along well with her roommate, and the fact that she always has a witty comeback to any remark helps. Her roommate's boyfriend seems to have an eye for Julia but only once does he cross the line, and he has an excuse for that.

Then a girl is raped on campus and everyone is extra careful about only walking around with others. Julia lives just off campus and ignores the need for caution but is nervous walking alone. She has made a friend at music classes named Marcus and another one who works at the snack bar. His name is Sam. Both are a little odd, definitely not popular, and that makes Julia more comfortable with them.

Julia's background provides the explanation for why she is the way she is. I don't want to spoil the book by telling you about it except to say it gives her very low self esteem and a scar on her upper lip that inhibits her from playing her beloved trumpet. In fact she had planned to play professionally.

All through the book I knew something horrible was going to happen, probably to Julia, but I didn't know when, how, or even why. I read carefully, gleaning clues, and still I was surprised at the way it turned out. This is really a good story, but don't read it at night alone.

Highly recommended
Source: Publisher via Partners in Crime Book Tours

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's fall, and new students have arrived on campuses across the nation, each ready to start a new chapter in their life. This is a time for making new friends, for learning to make your own decisions about how you'll spend your time and studies, for finding a new group and attempting to fit in, maybe for a new love.

Julia, Sam and Marcus have all arrived at the college town, each bringing with them hopes and dreams as well as the baggage of their past lives. Each is a bit introverted, preferring their own company to that of the frantic parties and socializing that many freshman fall into. Julia and Marcus are both students, each with a musical background. Sam is something different. About to turn forty, he drifts from college town to college town, always searching for what he missed in his youth, and for a woman who can make him whole.

Both men fall in love with Julia. She is torn between them, and a rivalry develops. Marcus is sure Sam is bad news, and Sam is determined to keep Marcus from compromising his relationship with Julia. Things are tense and the atmosphere is not helped by a series of attacks on women on the campus. Both men accuse the other of being the rapist, and both try to get Julia to stop seeing the other. Is this a common rivalry or is one man correct in his assessment of the other as a threat?

Justin Kramon has written a taut, compelling thriller. The reader is introduced to the characters and then slowly incidents and bits of past history are revealed that make one wonder if their thoughts about each person are correct. By the end of the book, the reader is determined to discover who is doing what, and who can be trusted, if anyone. The themes are self-forgiveness for past mistakes, and learning to trust your own decisions. This book is recommended for thriller lovers who won't be disappointed in this believable step into a nightmare.