English teacher Lyn Darrow is dead inside. The driver responsible for the hit and run that took her husband's life three years ago has not been found. Lyn may reside in a home on an isolated nature preserve, but she lives inside her books. Books are safe—until the exact scene of her husband's gruesome death appears in the one she's reading.
Someone wants her terrified, and as the violent acts escalate, Lyn understands that someone wants her dead. No more numbing out with books. Vigilance is the order of the day. Courage. Strategy. A timid widow must rewrite herself if she is to outmaneuver a killer.
Not for the faint of heart, Bookworm readers will be hard pressed to find a blameless soul in Griffiths’ cagey and suspenseful tale that will keep you turning pages late into the night.
At first I wondered if anything exciting was going to happen while the story set up the characters. The rest of the book however, was a nailbiter. It was so exciting I didn't want to stop.
I received a free ARC of this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Bookworm is a twisty, psychological thriller. Teacher Lyn Darrow has isolated herself from the outside world after the traumatic death of her husband. After reading a disturbing passage in a book, she begins questioning her sanity. I think the sheer volume of horrible things that happen to Lyn would have anyone losing their mind and questioning their judgement. I wondered during my reading if the author had based Lyn on someone who had wronged her in some way. The pace is fast and the story keeps you guessing. Not every character will make it to the end and one death in particular will be upsetting to some people.
KL Griffiths had me guessing whodunit throughout Bookworm but not in a way typical murder mysteries do. This was more of a psychological thriller laced with suspense, revenge, love lost and love found (both human and canine), good cop/bad-cop, and a lesson in coping and grief. I had tears in my eyes doing one particular burial scene, which I will leave at that to avoid spoilers. As a foodie I enjoyed the references to fine fare and adult beverages. How can I get my hands on a Chernobyl burger? The dialogue was engaging, especially the flirtation between the MC and one of the officers, and it was done with restraint and class respective of a widower. I loved the outdoor settings and the shooting training got me out to the range for the first time in many months. All in all, this was a great book with lots to reflect on as life with our human and animal companions is short and we’ve all made mistakes and been tempted by revenge, but at what cost comes from seeking the latter?
I won a free copy from LibraryThing. This started off with a bang, so I really had high hopes for this, but it just wasn't enjoyable. The characters are awkward and unlikeable and their dialogue doesn't really draw you in. Lyn is all over the place. She says she can't stand being around people, but she's a teacher. She teaches, but can barely hold a conversation with the local librarian. She can't get over the loss of her husband, yet she's the one that tries to push for more when the opportunity presents itself.
I'm torn about this book. The story started great and had several twists that I didn't see coming. But-it's also not a "happily ever after" story either. I'm going to have to ponder a little longer on whether I actually liked it or not. I'm not sorry I read it but that's all I've got at the moment.
Should be 3.5 but Goodreads doesn't have halves! I love that Lyn is an English teacher and bookworm, but her dark side and irresponsibility with firearms is pretty disturbing. That said, I would love to know more about her relationship with Jude before the accident, as well as what becomes of Delaney in the future. I really loved Delaney's arc in this story and would love to see a story about her path in the future!