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Emma Lawson #1
All That Fall
When Emma Lawson, the youngest lead government-ethics investigator in California's capital, takes a day off to help her best friend, Kate, prepare for the opening of her new preschool, the morning takes a shocking turn. The school's most high-profile enrollee - Vivian Lange, the governor's granddaughter - is kidnapped at the same time Kate's teenage son, Luke, goes missing. Emma is quickly drawn to a web of clues that point toward sordid secrets and a cold-case murder in a shadow world of bigotry and hate. Over a desperate and harrowing 48 hours, Emma races against the clock to solve the most important investigation of her life. But will she be in time to bring the child to safety and to stop a calculating killer whose plan threatens all that Emma holds dear?
Audible Audio
First published April 13, 2021
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About the author
Kris Calvin
5 books76 followersAward-winning author Kris Calvin is a single mom of three and a former elected official who now writes mysteries and thrillers full-time. Kris’s new series features Emma Lawson, an ethics investigator, and Detective Alibi Morning Sun, who together track down corruption and killers in California's capital of Sacramento.
Note: No harm comes to children in Kris's stories.
Kris's writing has received multiple awards, including Best First Novel, Best Female Detective/Sleuth and Best Political Thriller.
Born in Virginia, Kris now lives minutes from Sacramento. She's been honored by the State Assembly and the California Governor's office for her leadership in nonpartisan advocacy on behalf of children.
John Lescroart, author of 19 New York Times bestsellers, has this to say about Kris: "Crisp and entertaining...Kris Calvin sets herself apart..."
About ALL THAT FALL:
Introducing Emma Lawson—an unlikely hero to cheer for!
The body shot and killed in the early morning hours by the Sacramento River would have been an easy case for Detective Alibi Morning Sun to solve, if only his prime suspect weren't already in jail. Across town, Emma Lawson, California's youngest lead government ethics investigator, is enjoying a rare day off to help her best friend, Kate, prepare for the opening of her new business, Rainbow Alley Preschool, when amidst a hail of gunfire, Kate’s 15-yr-old son, Luke goes missing. As Alibi gathers new evidence to determine the identity of the riverside killer and Emma desperately searches for Luke, the two investigations collide. At the heart of both is a diabolical plot with stakes Emma could never have imagined. Will Emma and Alibi be in time to to stop a calculating killer whose plan threatens all that Emma holds dear?
Jess Lourey, Amazon chart-topping author, says: "All That Fall has everything I look for in a thriller!"
About UNDER A BROKEN SKY:
In this Sacramento-set thriller perfect for fans of Meg Gardiner, ethics investigator Emma Lawson uncovers greed and deception for a living, but this time is different. If only she knew this killer can hear her. He can see her.
One year into her prized role as the youngest ethics investigator in California's history, Emma suspects corruption in the state's billion dollar expansion to train travel. That unwittingly puts her on a killer's trail—a killer who will do anything to reach his illicit million dollar payday, including personally eliminating Emma as a threat.
Detective Alibi Morning Sun sees connections where no one else does. For him, a drowning at a lake, a fire in a storage facility and a murder by the river carry a thread soaked in blood.
As Emma follows the money and Alibi traces bullets and bodies, the killer counts down to his grand finale. With each mounting danger, it quickly becomes apparent that the corruption Emma has been digging for is real— and it’s deadly.
Brianna Labuskes, best-selling author, says: "Under A Broken Sky is a suspenseful, emotional page-turner should shoot to the top of everyone’s must-read list!”
Note: No harm comes to children in Kris's stories.
Kris's writing has received multiple awards, including Best First Novel, Best Female Detective/Sleuth and Best Political Thriller.
Born in Virginia, Kris now lives minutes from Sacramento. She's been honored by the State Assembly and the California Governor's office for her leadership in nonpartisan advocacy on behalf of children.
John Lescroart, author of 19 New York Times bestsellers, has this to say about Kris: "Crisp and entertaining...Kris Calvin sets herself apart..."
About ALL THAT FALL:
Introducing Emma Lawson—an unlikely hero to cheer for!
The body shot and killed in the early morning hours by the Sacramento River would have been an easy case for Detective Alibi Morning Sun to solve, if only his prime suspect weren't already in jail. Across town, Emma Lawson, California's youngest lead government ethics investigator, is enjoying a rare day off to help her best friend, Kate, prepare for the opening of her new business, Rainbow Alley Preschool, when amidst a hail of gunfire, Kate’s 15-yr-old son, Luke goes missing. As Alibi gathers new evidence to determine the identity of the riverside killer and Emma desperately searches for Luke, the two investigations collide. At the heart of both is a diabolical plot with stakes Emma could never have imagined. Will Emma and Alibi be in time to to stop a calculating killer whose plan threatens all that Emma holds dear?
Jess Lourey, Amazon chart-topping author, says: "All That Fall has everything I look for in a thriller!"
About UNDER A BROKEN SKY:
In this Sacramento-set thriller perfect for fans of Meg Gardiner, ethics investigator Emma Lawson uncovers greed and deception for a living, but this time is different. If only she knew this killer can hear her. He can see her.
One year into her prized role as the youngest ethics investigator in California's history, Emma suspects corruption in the state's billion dollar expansion to train travel. That unwittingly puts her on a killer's trail—a killer who will do anything to reach his illicit million dollar payday, including personally eliminating Emma as a threat.
Detective Alibi Morning Sun sees connections where no one else does. For him, a drowning at a lake, a fire in a storage facility and a murder by the river carry a thread soaked in blood.
As Emma follows the money and Alibi traces bullets and bodies, the killer counts down to his grand finale. With each mounting danger, it quickly becomes apparent that the corruption Emma has been digging for is real— and it’s deadly.
Brianna Labuskes, best-selling author, says: "Under A Broken Sky is a suspenseful, emotional page-turner should shoot to the top of everyone’s must-read list!”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
April 17, 2021
All That Fall by Kris Calvin was a fast paced, edge of your seat, gripping murder mystery thriller with lots of twists and turns. I was drawn into the story immediately and remained invested until the very end. I listened to the audiobook of All That Fall by Kris Calvin. It was read by Caitlin Davies who did a great job narrating this book. Based on her performance of this audiobook, I would listen to other books she narrated. All That Fall was a stand alone book. It was fast paced and captured my attention immediately. The characters were well developed and complex. The plot centered around mysterious killings and a kidnapping. It was a complex mystery with a big cast of characters. All That Fall was the first book in a new series created by Kris Calvin. The new series will be centered around Emma Lawson, the recently chosen youngest woman ethics investigator in California. I look forward to reading more installments in this series.
Emma’s best friend, Kate, had talked her into opening a preschool with her. The school was designed to attract California’s elite’s children, and children of politicians and legislators. Among the children that would be attending the new school was the granddaughter of the governor. This was not Emma’s primary job but she was happy to support her good friend, Kate, in this endeavor.While the two women were in the last efforts of putting the finishing touches on the school, the community was up in arms because there was a serial killer on the loose. The serial killer was dubbed The Gambler. The Gambler targeted young men of color. His calling card, that distinguished him from others, was that he left several imported playing cards, believed to be of Nazi origin, on the victim’s dead body. The police had taken a suspect into custody. They thought they had apprehended the killer but then another killing occurred and the police were back to square one.
On the day before the grand opening of the preschool, the governor’s granddaughter was scheduled to show up with her nanny at the school for a tour. Unsuspecting, three year old Vivian sat in the back of the car with her headphones on immersed on her I-pad as her nanny exited the car. The nanny was met with gunshots as soon as she stepped out of the car. Somehow, someone had found out that the governor’s granddaughter was expected at the school on that particular day and time. The nanny was killed instantly. Emma’s friend, Kate, ran out of the office to find out what was going on only to be hit by a bullet as well. Luckily, Kate’s son Luke was present at the school that day. He was helping his mother out with last minutes things when he saw that his mother was hurt. When Luke tried to get help for his mother, he was mistaken for one of the team sent to kidnap Vivian, the governor’s granddaughter. He was forced to drive the the car with Vivian in tow to a undisclosed destination. Luke became the calming force and protector for Vivian. He knew he had to find a way to escape from the blue house. The men that were holding them there were bad and dangerous. He knew he had to get a message to Emma. She would save him and Vivian but how could he message her? Would Emma be able to put all the pieces together in time to save Luke and Vivian?
All That Fall by Kris Calvin was a very well written book with a riveting plot and complex characters. It explored white supremacy, racial tensions, greed, friendships, teenage behaviors and defiance, motherly love and kidnapping. It was suspenseful, fast paced and kept me guessing. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Emma’s best friend, Kate, had talked her into opening a preschool with her. The school was designed to attract California’s elite’s children, and children of politicians and legislators. Among the children that would be attending the new school was the granddaughter of the governor. This was not Emma’s primary job but she was happy to support her good friend, Kate, in this endeavor.While the two women were in the last efforts of putting the finishing touches on the school, the community was up in arms because there was a serial killer on the loose. The serial killer was dubbed The Gambler. The Gambler targeted young men of color. His calling card, that distinguished him from others, was that he left several imported playing cards, believed to be of Nazi origin, on the victim’s dead body. The police had taken a suspect into custody. They thought they had apprehended the killer but then another killing occurred and the police were back to square one.
On the day before the grand opening of the preschool, the governor’s granddaughter was scheduled to show up with her nanny at the school for a tour. Unsuspecting, three year old Vivian sat in the back of the car with her headphones on immersed on her I-pad as her nanny exited the car. The nanny was met with gunshots as soon as she stepped out of the car. Somehow, someone had found out that the governor’s granddaughter was expected at the school on that particular day and time. The nanny was killed instantly. Emma’s friend, Kate, ran out of the office to find out what was going on only to be hit by a bullet as well. Luckily, Kate’s son Luke was present at the school that day. He was helping his mother out with last minutes things when he saw that his mother was hurt. When Luke tried to get help for his mother, he was mistaken for one of the team sent to kidnap Vivian, the governor’s granddaughter. He was forced to drive the the car with Vivian in tow to a undisclosed destination. Luke became the calming force and protector for Vivian. He knew he had to find a way to escape from the blue house. The men that were holding them there were bad and dangerous. He knew he had to get a message to Emma. She would save him and Vivian but how could he message her? Would Emma be able to put all the pieces together in time to save Luke and Vivian?
All That Fall by Kris Calvin was a very well written book with a riveting plot and complex characters. It explored white supremacy, racial tensions, greed, friendships, teenage behaviors and defiance, motherly love and kidnapping. It was suspenseful, fast paced and kept me guessing. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
April 16, 2021
This book had a lot more potential than I think it was able to deliver on. But I did really like the character of Emma (although at times she was super dumb for a smart lady. The opening was intriguing and the mystery was good. I did feel that the story could use a little more than blaming all the evil and bad guys on white supremacy, it felt more like a catch phrase answer instead of any real motivation. I also found Alibi to be an interesting character and a decent detective (even if he missed some obvious clues). If anyone else listened to this or read it can you help me understand how Luke’s accent didn’t give him away? Thanks! All in all it was ok. The narrator annoyed me at times and made me tempted to turn the radio on instead...but I would read/listen to the next book.
March 21, 2021
When Janie finds a lot of money under Samson’s, her younger brother, bed and follows him into the woods near a motel. She hears a shot and sees a man with a gun coming out of those woods. When she investigates, her brother is dead. The next morning, she tries to commit suicide in front of 2 police officers. She accuses Tommy, 1 of them, of being the killer and pulls him with her to his death. On the corpse of Samson are 2 playing cards, a supposed link to a white supremacist killer that’s already in jail. That killer tells them that he had nothing to do with the assassination of the Vietnamese boy but that he heard that he was a police informer. This is but the first of several threads; Emma, the ex-girlfriend of the killed policeman is co-director of a new pre-school. When the granddaughter of California’s governor is violently abducted from the premises. There’s also a creepy old high school admirer that wants to run for the senate and has very serious romantic plans for her.
I have the habit to ask for books because I like the blurb or review by a friend and then read them in order of when they’re getting published. So, it does happen that I start a book and don’t have a clue anymore as to what it’s about. That was the case here. With all those different threads it was a bit difficult to establish what exactly is going on. What’s relevant and what not? Who are the key players? That made it extra suspenseful.
With all those different threads it was a bit difficult to establish what exactly is going on. What’s relevant and what not? Who are the key players? The incertitude about the real intentions and nature of certain characters make this a nail-biting experience. And there are several fights with and without guns and a chase, all while the clock is ticking.
Emma is a very engaging and likeable character. She’s sometimes a bit too perfect. She’s got a brilliant career at the ethical commission, has a great relationship with the teenage son of her best friend and is involved in the preschool. Alibi Morning Sun is another original character. I don’t know where or why the author found this name, but it’s great. He’s a bit strange and sees ghosts at some moments. I’m not sure if it’s his subconscious that calls them forth or if they’re real. He doesn’t really interact with them but they make him think about the crimes in which they died.
Luke is another great character, his bravery and courage are an example for anyone, not just teenagers. I can only hope that my own sons would show the same loving care and strength in similar circumstances (which I hope will never occur).
This is the first book in a new series and if the author can keep up this quality and so writing style and strong plots, it’s a winner. I certainly will read the next one. I hope that there will be some romantic developments between Emma and Alibi. Despite his help with finding Luke which put him in a slightly better light, I still don’t trust Dylan’s intentions with her.
I thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the free ARC they provided and this is my honest and unbiased review of it.
I have the habit to ask for books because I like the blurb or review by a friend and then read them in order of when they’re getting published. So, it does happen that I start a book and don’t have a clue anymore as to what it’s about. That was the case here. With all those different threads it was a bit difficult to establish what exactly is going on. What’s relevant and what not? Who are the key players? That made it extra suspenseful.
With all those different threads it was a bit difficult to establish what exactly is going on. What’s relevant and what not? Who are the key players? The incertitude about the real intentions and nature of certain characters make this a nail-biting experience. And there are several fights with and without guns and a chase, all while the clock is ticking.
Emma is a very engaging and likeable character. She’s sometimes a bit too perfect. She’s got a brilliant career at the ethical commission, has a great relationship with the teenage son of her best friend and is involved in the preschool. Alibi Morning Sun is another original character. I don’t know where or why the author found this name, but it’s great. He’s a bit strange and sees ghosts at some moments. I’m not sure if it’s his subconscious that calls them forth or if they’re real. He doesn’t really interact with them but they make him think about the crimes in which they died.
Luke is another great character, his bravery and courage are an example for anyone, not just teenagers. I can only hope that my own sons would show the same loving care and strength in similar circumstances (which I hope will never occur).
This is the first book in a new series and if the author can keep up this quality and so writing style and strong plots, it’s a winner. I certainly will read the next one. I hope that there will be some romantic developments between Emma and Alibi. Despite his help with finding Luke which put him in a slightly better light, I still don’t trust Dylan’s intentions with her.
I thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the free ARC they provided and this is my honest and unbiased review of it.
April 7, 2021
All That Fall by Kris Calvin was a stand-alone, mystery/thriller narrated by Caitlin Davies. The audio version of this was well done. I’d definitely listen to this narrator again.
Secrets, death and kidnapping filled this novel. The mystery kept me listening. It had well developed characters and an interesting plot.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media via Netgalley for this. I’ve voluntarily given my review.
Secrets, death and kidnapping filled this novel. The mystery kept me listening. It had well developed characters and an interesting plot.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media via Netgalley for this. I’ve voluntarily given my review.
July 17, 2022
I finished All That Fall and really enjoyed it. Emma is a strong protagonist and there is a serial killer on the loose that she has to help catch. I listened to this via audio and it was very well done, I'm looking forward to reading the second book, Under A Broken Sky, this way as well. I definitely recommend this one and thought it set the stage well for book 2, but can definitely be read as a standalone.
A huge thank you to the author and Crooked Lane Books for sending me the finished copy to review.
A huge thank you to the author and Crooked Lane Books for sending me the finished copy to review.
March 8, 2021
Emma Lawson is the newly appointed ethics investigator of California, when she decides to take a day off from work to help open her best friend Kate’s new business, a preschool catering to top Californian politicians and legislators children. Meanwhile, a serial killer is targeting young people of color, nicknamed the Gambler and leaving playing cards from Nazi Germany with the bodies. While a suspect is in jail, another murder happens and a beloved cop, Emma’s ex boyfriend Tommy, dies with the victim’s sister who allegedly committed suicide by cop. When the governor of California’s granddaughter, three year old Vivian begins her first day at preschool, she’s kidnapped, along with Kate’s teenage son, Luke. With the clock ticking, Emma must find a way to get both children returned safe and sound, while figuring out what’s happening with the white supremacy gang. Okay y’all know how much I love strong female characters and this one knocks it out of the park. Both Kate and Emma are career goals, doing whatever it takes to make it the top. I also enjoyed the struggle between independence, growing up and still wanting to be mom’s baby, that Luke went through. I will say that I was a little confused about the Tommy situation, although it was cleared up later in the book and the white supremacist thread had potential, yet missed the mark for me. Regardless, I hope to see more books about Emma and Kate in the future.
April 10, 2021
As a standalone book, All That Fall is an intriguing book. As the start of a new series, it’s far more than that.
Calvin introduces us to Emma Lawson, a young lead government ethics investigator. She takes Friday off to help friend Kate put the final touches on their preschool opening set for Monday. The book shows the crazy events of 48 hours loaded with murder, kidnapping, police investigations, and life-and-death situations.
As the main character in a thriller series, Emma Lawson is an appealing character. She’s not perfect. She’s no superhero. She makes mistakes, acts impulsively, and puts blinders on that lead her to poor decisions. But she doesn’t panic in a crisis and is determined to save herself and those she cares about while getting answers.
Learning the book is the start of a series explains why the beginning of the book is bloated with character introductions and establishing connections between them. As the book continues, some characters are introduced that don’t really play much of a role in All That Fall. Some of the motivations are sketchy at best, such as a person Emma barely acknowledged in high school suddenly appearing in her story. His introduction doesn’t make sense. But the main characters are well-developed and interesting.
Is this thrilling 48-hour snapshot worth reading? Yes. Is it worth reading more books in the series as they become available? Definitely.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my review.
Calvin introduces us to Emma Lawson, a young lead government ethics investigator. She takes Friday off to help friend Kate put the final touches on their preschool opening set for Monday. The book shows the crazy events of 48 hours loaded with murder, kidnapping, police investigations, and life-and-death situations.
As the main character in a thriller series, Emma Lawson is an appealing character. She’s not perfect. She’s no superhero. She makes mistakes, acts impulsively, and puts blinders on that lead her to poor decisions. But she doesn’t panic in a crisis and is determined to save herself and those she cares about while getting answers.
Learning the book is the start of a series explains why the beginning of the book is bloated with character introductions and establishing connections between them. As the book continues, some characters are introduced that don’t really play much of a role in All That Fall. Some of the motivations are sketchy at best, such as a person Emma barely acknowledged in high school suddenly appearing in her story. His introduction doesn’t make sense. But the main characters are well-developed and interesting.
Is this thrilling 48-hour snapshot worth reading? Yes. Is it worth reading more books in the series as they become available? Definitely.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my review.
April 3, 2023
Check out my full review and link to spoiler discussion here: https://www.howdidthatbookend.com/all...
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced listener’s copy of All That Fall! The blurb of this one sounded a little like Mother May I, with a woman racing a clock to save a child.
There were a lot of characters introduced in the first few chapters. On audio, it's a little difficult to keep track of this many characters without being able to flip back and forth to remember who's who. As it turns out, many of the characters introduced in the first couple chapters of this book were largely inconsequential to the plot. This all likely would have been clearer reading a physical book, but 25% of the way through this book I was rather confused about who everyone was.
Once I got the hang of who the important characters were, I loved this story. I probably would have enjoyed it more if it just focused on Emma, Vivian, Luke, and the kidnapping plot, without the other confusion.
Luke’s character was amazing--he was quick thinking and smart, as well as sensitive to little Vivian. The ending of this book seemed like it was a setup for more books about Emma and Alibi, and I’m hoping we see more of Luke in the future too.
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced listener’s copy of All That Fall! The blurb of this one sounded a little like Mother May I, with a woman racing a clock to save a child.
There were a lot of characters introduced in the first few chapters. On audio, it's a little difficult to keep track of this many characters without being able to flip back and forth to remember who's who. As it turns out, many of the characters introduced in the first couple chapters of this book were largely inconsequential to the plot. This all likely would have been clearer reading a physical book, but 25% of the way through this book I was rather confused about who everyone was.
Once I got the hang of who the important characters were, I loved this story. I probably would have enjoyed it more if it just focused on Emma, Vivian, Luke, and the kidnapping plot, without the other confusion.
Luke’s character was amazing--he was quick thinking and smart, as well as sensitive to little Vivian. The ending of this book seemed like it was a setup for more books about Emma and Alibi, and I’m hoping we see more of Luke in the future too.
April 13, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC of the audiobook for All That Fall in exchange for an honest review.
First off, this book is really convoluted. There are way too many perspectives and a lot of them are basically useless. You can write a good multi-perspective mystery if the mystery itself is tightly woven enough to necessitate it but All That Fall doesn't. It's generic good guy badass heroes and villains who's only motivation is white supremacy (I'm not saying some people do awful things in the name of white supremacy, but these were cartoon villains, not actual characters. I also really don't understand Calvin's want as a white author to write a book that brings up white supremacy this much while also having an all white hero cast). Were this limited to Emma, Luke and (maybe) Alibi's perspectives and the focus was shifted from the flimsy mystery/thriller to character relationships it might have been okay, but as is, I say nothing special here.
First off, this book is really convoluted. There are way too many perspectives and a lot of them are basically useless. You can write a good multi-perspective mystery if the mystery itself is tightly woven enough to necessitate it but All That Fall doesn't. It's generic good guy badass heroes and villains who's only motivation is white supremacy (I'm not saying some people do awful things in the name of white supremacy, but these were cartoon villains, not actual characters. I also really don't understand Calvin's want as a white author to write a book that brings up white supremacy this much while also having an all white hero cast). Were this limited to Emma, Luke and (maybe) Alibi's perspectives and the focus was shifted from the flimsy mystery/thriller to character relationships it might have been okay, but as is, I say nothing special here.
May 1, 2021
All That Fall by Kris Calvin is marketed as a thriller, but along with being a top notch thriller, it is so much more. The plot revolves around a quest to find who is really behind a string of murders. Are they related or random? The central idea is about the concept of family—how people define and form family in a world where family is not always dad/mom/kids. What they are willing to do to protect those they consider family, and how far they will go to seek justice for perceived crimes against their family.
The theme is best summed up in the words of a small child, “Are you a good guy or a bad guy?” It’s not easy to tell at first glance.
The characters are well developed and realistic. The dialog flows naturally. As their motives become clear we understand the reasons for their behavior.
At the center of all the action, there is a “coming of age” story of a young man on the cusp of his 16th birthday thrust into a situation that would have overwhelmed many adults. Though not the main character, he is my favorite character of them all.
The storytelling is top notch. The plot is complex, but well constructed and developed. What starts out as a series of seemingly random settings and characters gradually starts to come together as each new scene contains a hook that connects it to a previous scene or scenes.
The description is crisp and sharp, with sparse but carefully worded passages that help pull the reader into the surroundings. “Inside the circle of trees, the air was humid and thick with the hum of countless unknown insects. Intertwining branches overhead encased the small space in utter darkness.”
No detail, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, is extraneous. Everything eventually relates back to the central story line. Now that I’ve read the whole book and know the whole story, I want to go back and read it again to study how it all came together.
The theme is best summed up in the words of a small child, “Are you a good guy or a bad guy?” It’s not easy to tell at first glance.
The characters are well developed and realistic. The dialog flows naturally. As their motives become clear we understand the reasons for their behavior.
At the center of all the action, there is a “coming of age” story of a young man on the cusp of his 16th birthday thrust into a situation that would have overwhelmed many adults. Though not the main character, he is my favorite character of them all.
The storytelling is top notch. The plot is complex, but well constructed and developed. What starts out as a series of seemingly random settings and characters gradually starts to come together as each new scene contains a hook that connects it to a previous scene or scenes.
The description is crisp and sharp, with sparse but carefully worded passages that help pull the reader into the surroundings. “Inside the circle of trees, the air was humid and thick with the hum of countless unknown insects. Intertwining branches overhead encased the small space in utter darkness.”
No detail, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, is extraneous. Everything eventually relates back to the central story line. Now that I’ve read the whole book and know the whole story, I want to go back and read it again to study how it all came together.
April 2, 2021
4.5 stars
This is the first book in the Emma Larson mystery series by Kris Calvin.
This was quite a complex mystery with a lot of players. I was quite enjoying the character of Tommy and was preparing to have him be the lead until he died trying to save someone right at the beginning. Then Detective Alias showed up and he wasn’t exactly what I was looking for in a male lead but he did grow on me as the book progressed.
Emma gets pulled into the story when she is made aware of Tommy’s death. Then her connection to Luke, who is the son of her friend, Kate pulls her in deeper still. Luke cones across what looks like a shootout and calls 911. But he is captured by an injured bad guy and forced to drive him and the young granddaughter of the governor to the hide out. There he is mistaken for the dead man from the shootout which helps him to assist young Vivian and keep her safe.
This book is a quick read with an abundant of action and intrigue. It really keeps your attention and makes you curious about what is really going on.
The Dylan character kind of came out of no where and did nothing except decipher the one clue that helped Emma locate Luke. I felt that person was a bit contrived. His integrity was in question too in my mind. His thinking about Emma was kind of concerning to me. I wonder if he will be more developed in a future book and that is why he was introduced here.
Overall it is a great read that I would recommend highly. Unputdownable for sure!
If you love a good mystery/thriller, definitely check this one out.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions are completely my own.
This is the first book in the Emma Larson mystery series by Kris Calvin.
This was quite a complex mystery with a lot of players. I was quite enjoying the character of Tommy and was preparing to have him be the lead until he died trying to save someone right at the beginning. Then Detective Alias showed up and he wasn’t exactly what I was looking for in a male lead but he did grow on me as the book progressed.
Emma gets pulled into the story when she is made aware of Tommy’s death. Then her connection to Luke, who is the son of her friend, Kate pulls her in deeper still. Luke cones across what looks like a shootout and calls 911. But he is captured by an injured bad guy and forced to drive him and the young granddaughter of the governor to the hide out. There he is mistaken for the dead man from the shootout which helps him to assist young Vivian and keep her safe.
This book is a quick read with an abundant of action and intrigue. It really keeps your attention and makes you curious about what is really going on.
The Dylan character kind of came out of no where and did nothing except decipher the one clue that helped Emma locate Luke. I felt that person was a bit contrived. His integrity was in question too in my mind. His thinking about Emma was kind of concerning to me. I wonder if he will be more developed in a future book and that is why he was introduced here.
Overall it is a great read that I would recommend highly. Unputdownable for sure!
If you love a good mystery/thriller, definitely check this one out.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions are completely my own.
April 28, 2021
All That Fall is a complex book that unfortunately doesn't quite reach its potential. First, take note that although the synopsis identifies the main plot as the kidnapping of a high-profile young girl, this doesn't actually happen until almost halfway through the book. The first half suffers from too much world building, showing Emma Lawson, helping her friend Kate Doyle open a preschool while hobnobbing with government officials, and Alibi, a detective, trying to figure out why Emma's ex Tommy, another cop, died shortly after the murder of another teen, AND for some reason a guy Emma jilted in high school has suddenly returned, throwing Emma in a tailspin of regret over her past actions. *Whew!* And all of that is just within a twelve hour period.
Although Emma is supposed to be a lead government ethics investigator, we never actually see her investigating any government ethics (or, if we did, I missed it, but don't worry, it's apparently only important to know that her job puts her in close contact with the Governor and other government officials), although this would actually make for some interesting scenes if we saw more of her actual investigations. Her character feels inconsistent at times. One minute she's terrified, and in the next she's fearlessly fighting for her life. Kate's son, Luke, seems to expect Emma to "burst in with guns blazing" to rescue him, even though Kate barely knows how to use a gun. Emma spends more time grieving over the way she treated Dylan back in High School than she does over her ex's death, while Alibi can't seem to stop pining over the guy.
Alibi, meanwhile, engages in some decent investigative work, but aside from gathering evidence for trial AFTER Emma frees Luke and the girl, the cops seem useless at actually stopping the bad guys (maybe this is an intentional commentary on the police? I doubt it, because then why make a cop one of the POV characters?). They don't even seem to be in a hurry to find the girl or the kidnappers, instead spending most of their time trying to follow leads from Tommy's death, and although a junior cop (cleverly named Jackie O) is always following Alibii around, somehow she disappears altogether in the final act.
Too many POV characters add unnecessary complexity to the storyline. We only see Dylan's POV twice, making him a creepy, manipulative character who is obsessed with winning Emma for himself, but inexplicably by the end he comes off as a nice guy who Emma saved. His role seems contrived, existing only to force Emma into being at the right place at the right time. We also get the POV of the main villain in the second half of the book, which unfortunately serves to give us the answers to all the book's mysteries in one lump sum; once the reader knows who killed Tommy and why, we spend the rest of the book waiting for Alibi to catch up. And then there's Luke, who has a strong Irish accent, which apparently must have been the case for the bad guy he replaced (named Kelly), which again feels contrived at best since Washington DC isn't exactly the Irish hotbed of the country. Later on, with only moments to spare before he's discovered, Luke somehow writes a complex page-long text message to Emma complete with coded clues, which gets repeated over and over again without fully explaining their meaning. Finally, we have the girl, Vivian, who is able to wipe herself, have complex conversations, and understand the complexities of why her nanny told her to carry around her backpack, making her extremely precocious at the age of three.
The characters are somewhat diverse, but the audiobook made it a bit difficult to appreciate all of them. Although the narrator made it easy to tell which character was speaking, Jackie O's tone was so flat it was grating, while for some reason Carlos was always whispering and therefore difficult to understand. Most of the mysteries, like who is The Gambler and how does he tie into all of this, do come together by the end, and there is a lot of action and some good, tense scenes. Many thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to review this ARC.
Although Emma is supposed to be a lead government ethics investigator, we never actually see her investigating any government ethics (or, if we did, I missed it, but don't worry, it's apparently only important to know that her job puts her in close contact with the Governor and other government officials), although this would actually make for some interesting scenes if we saw more of her actual investigations. Her character feels inconsistent at times. One minute she's terrified, and in the next she's fearlessly fighting for her life. Kate's son, Luke, seems to expect Emma to "burst in with guns blazing" to rescue him, even though Kate barely knows how to use a gun. Emma spends more time grieving over the way she treated Dylan back in High School than she does over her ex's death, while Alibi can't seem to stop pining over the guy.
Alibi, meanwhile, engages in some decent investigative work, but aside from gathering evidence for trial AFTER Emma frees Luke and the girl, the cops seem useless at actually stopping the bad guys (maybe this is an intentional commentary on the police? I doubt it, because then why make a cop one of the POV characters?). They don't even seem to be in a hurry to find the girl or the kidnappers, instead spending most of their time trying to follow leads from Tommy's death, and although a junior cop (cleverly named Jackie O) is always following Alibii around, somehow she disappears altogether in the final act.
Too many POV characters add unnecessary complexity to the storyline. We only see Dylan's POV twice, making him a creepy, manipulative character who is obsessed with winning Emma for himself, but inexplicably by the end he comes off as a nice guy who Emma saved. His role seems contrived, existing only to force Emma into being at the right place at the right time. We also get the POV of the main villain in the second half of the book, which unfortunately serves to give us the answers to all the book's mysteries in one lump sum; once the reader knows who killed Tommy and why, we spend the rest of the book waiting for Alibi to catch up. And then there's Luke, who has a strong Irish accent, which apparently must have been the case for the bad guy he replaced (named Kelly), which again feels contrived at best since Washington DC isn't exactly the Irish hotbed of the country. Later on, with only moments to spare before he's discovered, Luke somehow writes a complex page-long text message to Emma complete with coded clues, which gets repeated over and over again without fully explaining their meaning. Finally, we have the girl, Vivian, who is able to wipe herself, have complex conversations, and understand the complexities of why her nanny told her to carry around her backpack, making her extremely precocious at the age of three.
The characters are somewhat diverse, but the audiobook made it a bit difficult to appreciate all of them. Although the narrator made it easy to tell which character was speaking, Jackie O's tone was so flat it was grating, while for some reason Carlos was always whispering and therefore difficult to understand. Most of the mysteries, like who is The Gambler and how does he tie into all of this, do come together by the end, and there is a lot of action and some good, tense scenes. Many thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to review this ARC.
July 15, 2022
This was the case of the right book at the right time. I was in the mood for a murder mystery/thriller that was fast-paced and unputdownable. I have had this book for about a year, and the second book in the series just came out. I am so glad I read this one.
Emma Lawson in the youngest lead investigator for the government ethics department in Sacramento California. She finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation and much more.
I enjoyed the story and the characters. I am off to start the second one.
Emma Lawson in the youngest lead investigator for the government ethics department in Sacramento California. She finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation and much more.
I enjoyed the story and the characters. I am off to start the second one.
April 24, 2021
Amazing audio book with an enjoyable narrator. It was a bit confusing at first but the plot quickly resolves itself. A young man and police officer killed, along with a child kidnapping and shoot out. Emma and Alibi must find out how and if they're connected.This was a pulse pounding story of cat and mouse.
Read
May 23, 2021“All that Fall” by Kris Calvin. One of my favorites this year.
It’s a fast paced thriller that takes you a close journey with the detectives who try to figure out the mystery behind a death, a kidnapping and a shootout at a preschool.
It’s a fast paced thriller that takes you a close journey with the detectives who try to figure out the mystery behind a death, a kidnapping and a shootout at a preschool.
May 31, 2021
Not at all as fast paced as I had hoped. The first half dragged and alternates between disparate characters.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.
August 25, 2021
All That Fall is a fast paced first in series novel with intriguing characters! Recommended for fans of mysteries and thrillers.
April 11, 2021
There is so much wrong with this book. It started off so strong and I was very invested in the characters. But then the storyline got lazy. How many times can you say white supremacy in a book? A lot, evidently. There was minimal character development and the author just seemed to blame everything on race and racially motivated crimes without any real plot or backstory. I mean some characters didn’t even have names, they were just “the white supremacist.”
This book just felt rushed and slightly ludicrous. I won’t spoil the ending, but it was just ridiculous. Like at the the level of an unarmed kid taking on a group of armed mob bosses and winning ridiculous. There are serial killers. Kidnappers. Cops. Drugs. Politicians. Race. Race. Race. There’s so much going on but also nothing going on at the same time. There is almost no character development to understand any of them. It’s like the author just took all current events and smooshed them into one book. It just didn’t flow. There were so many ancillary characters that, even with voice differentiation by the narrator (who was great by the way), I kept having to rewind to try to follow which character we were even discussing.
Ugh I hate giving such negative reviews, but I do accept arc’s with the knowledge that I will always be honest. This book had SO much potential but, unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.
This book just felt rushed and slightly ludicrous. I won’t spoil the ending, but it was just ridiculous. Like at the the level of an unarmed kid taking on a group of armed mob bosses and winning ridiculous. There are serial killers. Kidnappers. Cops. Drugs. Politicians. Race. Race. Race. There’s so much going on but also nothing going on at the same time. There is almost no character development to understand any of them. It’s like the author just took all current events and smooshed them into one book. It just didn’t flow. There were so many ancillary characters that, even with voice differentiation by the narrator (who was great by the way), I kept having to rewind to try to follow which character we were even discussing.
Ugh I hate giving such negative reviews, but I do accept arc’s with the knowledge that I will always be honest. This book had SO much potential but, unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.
April 24, 2021
This was such a compelling read and I was immediately drawn into Emma Lawson's story. Kris Calvin writes with such intent and compassion, yet this doesn't take away from the breakneck pacing of the story. The rich storyteling and nuanced details combined with an action-packed storyline is hard to pull off but somehow she does it. A fantastic start to a winning series!
February 26, 2023
This was a DNF for me. Seemed like ever chapter had a new character being introduced without a proper introduction so it wasn’t easy to figure out who they were. None of the early chapters tied together. It likely comes together at the end but I couldn’t make it that far as I felt like I was reading 3 different books with no exciting stories in any of them.
April 12, 2021
All That Fall by Kris Calvin is a standalone thriller. The story starts off with a young girl watching for her brother late at night, then gunshots can be heard, and she discovers her brother is dead. The following morning, the girl threatens to kill herself, but notices a cop, who she feels is the man who killed her brother. Chaos breaks loose which will begin an investigation that will have so many different elements and characters to follow throughout.
Emma Lawson, our heroine, has just received a promotion as youngest head of the government ethics investigator in California. Emma has the day off, to work to help her best friend, Kate with the grand opening of her new daycare, Rainbow Alley. Emma is a bit late, but Kate has things going smoothly, until people start getting shot at and one of the children is kidnapped. When Emma arrives on the scene, a few people, including a bodyguard for the child, and one of the kidnappers was killed, and Kate is down with a serious head injury. Emma notices that Kate’s son Luke, is missing.
What follows is a wild, exciting, tense story with the police, Detectives, and Emma trying to find the clues to figure out the why and who is behind this attack, which is filled with many secrets and murder. The above book description sounded like Emma Lawson is the main character, however, though she plays an integral part in the book, there are so many characters that lead this story. Emma was a great heroine, especially in the last 1/3 of the book. The lead detective, Alibi was very good and played a major part in the story. I loved Luke, who happened to be at the attack scene, and ended up going with the attackers on a false identity, and watching over the young girl.
Emma is doing everything to find Luke and the kidnapped child, as the danger escalates putting all their lives at risk. It was a wild, exciting and desperate race to the climax, holding my breath as to who will survive. It was during this time that Emma rose up to heroine status to fight the enemies, despite so many enemies. With all that is going on, to say too much more would be spoilers. All that Fall was an exciting and engrossing thriller, and very well written by Kris Calvin. I do suggest if you like mystery thrillers, you should read this book.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
Emma Lawson, our heroine, has just received a promotion as youngest head of the government ethics investigator in California. Emma has the day off, to work to help her best friend, Kate with the grand opening of her new daycare, Rainbow Alley. Emma is a bit late, but Kate has things going smoothly, until people start getting shot at and one of the children is kidnapped. When Emma arrives on the scene, a few people, including a bodyguard for the child, and one of the kidnappers was killed, and Kate is down with a serious head injury. Emma notices that Kate’s son Luke, is missing.
What follows is a wild, exciting, tense story with the police, Detectives, and Emma trying to find the clues to figure out the why and who is behind this attack, which is filled with many secrets and murder. The above book description sounded like Emma Lawson is the main character, however, though she plays an integral part in the book, there are so many characters that lead this story. Emma was a great heroine, especially in the last 1/3 of the book. The lead detective, Alibi was very good and played a major part in the story. I loved Luke, who happened to be at the attack scene, and ended up going with the attackers on a false identity, and watching over the young girl.
Emma is doing everything to find Luke and the kidnapped child, as the danger escalates putting all their lives at risk. It was a wild, exciting and desperate race to the climax, holding my breath as to who will survive. It was during this time that Emma rose up to heroine status to fight the enemies, despite so many enemies. With all that is going on, to say too much more would be spoilers. All that Fall was an exciting and engrossing thriller, and very well written by Kris Calvin. I do suggest if you like mystery thrillers, you should read this book.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
January 3, 2023
All That Fall was a far greater emotional read than I had anticipated. It starts off with a lot of things happening at once which really surprised me. I'm used to thrillers laying out a path in the story and walking you through things rather than hitting you in the forehead the first few minutes into the story. But while it surprised me, that also had me hooked and invested emotionally into everything that happened afterward.
As you meet the characters you are able to relate with everyone on some level. Whether it's through their personal interests, their character traits or the way they look at the world. Alibi (the detective) is one of my favorites in this story. He's perceptive, spiritual and cares about people and helping them. His role is mostly background in the story, but his unique traits bring depth to a story that needs him there piecing it all together.
Calvin is a talented writer that gives you just enough throughout each chapter that you really aren't sure where it's going. Another thing I want to point out is that EVERY CHARACTER MATTERED. This was a stunning ability, honestly, to create not only living characters but ones that are essential to every single piece of the story. You're invested in each one, even the "bad guys"!
"Evil felt tangibly present in those acts and in the subcultures of hatred that enabled them, straining the capacity for empathy of even the most compassionate on Alibi's team."
All That Fall, Kris Calvin
I've never really read a thriller like this where I could feel the importance of every character, was invested in how things turned out for everyone, and was just pulled in so many directions. Not to mention that the context of this one covers a lot of cultural issues that we are all very well aware of but gives them the due justice and attention it deserves. From racism and immigration to the opioid crisis facing millions in this country.
Could it have ended any different? Every book out there has the potential for feedback on how things are concluded, usually from those that love to criticize. For me, I appreciate books as they are without trying to re-write them and this one has a great conclusion. Although I'm a little concerned about how creepy one of the characters was (at least to me) and how he kind of just disappears into the background ... maybe he returns at some point in another book? *shivers* I don't know, but that guy had some issues.
As you meet the characters you are able to relate with everyone on some level. Whether it's through their personal interests, their character traits or the way they look at the world. Alibi (the detective) is one of my favorites in this story. He's perceptive, spiritual and cares about people and helping them. His role is mostly background in the story, but his unique traits bring depth to a story that needs him there piecing it all together.
Calvin is a talented writer that gives you just enough throughout each chapter that you really aren't sure where it's going. Another thing I want to point out is that EVERY CHARACTER MATTERED. This was a stunning ability, honestly, to create not only living characters but ones that are essential to every single piece of the story. You're invested in each one, even the "bad guys"!
"Evil felt tangibly present in those acts and in the subcultures of hatred that enabled them, straining the capacity for empathy of even the most compassionate on Alibi's team."
All That Fall, Kris Calvin
I've never really read a thriller like this where I could feel the importance of every character, was invested in how things turned out for everyone, and was just pulled in so many directions. Not to mention that the context of this one covers a lot of cultural issues that we are all very well aware of but gives them the due justice and attention it deserves. From racism and immigration to the opioid crisis facing millions in this country.
Could it have ended any different? Every book out there has the potential for feedback on how things are concluded, usually from those that love to criticize. For me, I appreciate books as they are without trying to re-write them and this one has a great conclusion. Although I'm a little concerned about how creepy one of the characters was (at least to me) and how he kind of just disappears into the background ... maybe he returns at some point in another book? *shivers* I don't know, but that guy had some issues.
April 17, 2021
3.5 / 5 stars
S U M M A R Y
Emma Lawson is young and successful, the youngest lead government ethics investigator appointed. She's also the silent partner in her best friend, Kate's, new preschool that's just about to open. Just days before the doors open to welcome all the kids, many children of high profile government officials, the granddaughter of the governor is kidnapped from her welcome visit. At the same time, Luke, Kate's teenage son, goes missing and Kate herself is shot. It's up to Emma to figure out what has happened and to find the missing kids.
C H A R A C T E R S
Emma seems really smart and savvy, and I really like her. My favorites have to be Luke and Vivian though. I was unfortunately skeptical about several of the male characters - the villain and the man who connects Emma to him. I'm really not sure either had great motives or believable characters.
P L O T
Aside from what I mentioned above, it seemed mostly sound. I just find it hard to believe in a few places. But the pacing was pretty quick and the POV shifts seemed pretty well timed. I did feel there were a few plot holes, but perhaps I just missed the explanations/resolutions.
N A R R A T I O N
The narrator did an excellent job!
O V E R A L L
An enthralling read with a few things that I think some can overlook. A good read.
S U M M A R Y
Emma Lawson is young and successful, the youngest lead government ethics investigator appointed. She's also the silent partner in her best friend, Kate's, new preschool that's just about to open. Just days before the doors open to welcome all the kids, many children of high profile government officials, the granddaughter of the governor is kidnapped from her welcome visit. At the same time, Luke, Kate's teenage son, goes missing and Kate herself is shot. It's up to Emma to figure out what has happened and to find the missing kids.
C H A R A C T E R S
Emma seems really smart and savvy, and I really like her. My favorites have to be Luke and Vivian though. I was unfortunately skeptical about several of the male characters - the villain and the man who connects Emma to him. I'm really not sure either had great motives or believable characters.
P L O T
Aside from what I mentioned above, it seemed mostly sound. I just find it hard to believe in a few places. But the pacing was pretty quick and the POV shifts seemed pretty well timed. I did feel there were a few plot holes, but perhaps I just missed the explanations/resolutions.
N A R R A T I O N
The narrator did an excellent job!
O V E R A L L
An enthralling read with a few things that I think some can overlook. A good read.
April 29, 2021
All That Fall by Kris Calvin was a very fast paced, investigative crime thriller, which isn't typically my favorite type of thriller and my rating is affected by that. After reading the description I thought it would be right up my alley despite the genre, but it didn't actually get into the main plot until nearly halfway through the book. I did listen to the audiobook narrated by Caitlin Davies and really enjoyed her narration so I would listen to others narrated by her. However, there was so many names to keep track of that it took away from the story a bit for me. I think a bit too much time was spent setting up the world in which this occurs because I was bored for the first part of the book. I did think the story tied together nicely at the end and think this was a pretty good first installment in Kris Calvin's newest series but I'm not sure I'll be reading the rest because of my dislike for investigative crime thrillers. I don't like being tied down in the minute details of an investigation so this isn't my cup of tea. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for advanced access to this title.
April 21, 2021
⭐⭐⭐
I have to say that this book started off like a bullet! It was action packed, fast paced, and murder filled. However, I felt that the author was scared of leaving something out and tried to cram all of the information in the first few chapters of the book. So many characters were introduced right away, at times it was very confusing. I also thought it was kind of odd that so many of the characters had accents, especially taking place in Sacramento. I really did enjoy Emma and Alibi's characters and the amount of detail the author gave us. I liked how Alibi got his name and the little tid-bits the author added. I really wouldn't classify this a thriller, just a run of the mill murder mystery that had moments of action. I really didn't enjoy the narrator, something about her voice just really got to me. All in all, this was a pretty good start to a new series. I would definitely give the second book a chance! I would not attempt the audio version again.
Thank you to @netgally and @dreamscape_media for gifting me this audio book of #Allthatfall.
I have to say that this book started off like a bullet! It was action packed, fast paced, and murder filled. However, I felt that the author was scared of leaving something out and tried to cram all of the information in the first few chapters of the book. So many characters were introduced right away, at times it was very confusing. I also thought it was kind of odd that so many of the characters had accents, especially taking place in Sacramento. I really did enjoy Emma and Alibi's characters and the amount of detail the author gave us. I liked how Alibi got his name and the little tid-bits the author added. I really wouldn't classify this a thriller, just a run of the mill murder mystery that had moments of action. I really didn't enjoy the narrator, something about her voice just really got to me. All in all, this was a pretty good start to a new series. I would definitely give the second book a chance! I would not attempt the audio version again.
Thank you to @netgally and @dreamscape_media for gifting me this audio book of #Allthatfall.
April 10, 2021
A young man is murdered leaving evidence behind that links his death to a previous killer called the Gambler. Is this the work of a copycat killer? Emma Lawson, a government ethics investigator, will face her toughest cases. The first is the death of her ex who was killed while investigating the murder of the young man. The second is the kidnapping of Vivian, a three-year old from Emma’s and her partners preschool. Her partner, Kate Doyle, is in the hospital fighting for her life and the three-year old is the granddaughter of the governor. Kate’s teen son, Luke, was working at the preschool when Vivian was taken and he was forced at gun point to go along. Will they kill Luke or will he be able to keep Vivian safe? I found the story confusing from the very beginning as each chapter seemed to introduce an event or character without really tying them together until later. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
May 1, 2021
This is more like a 4.5, but rounded up to a 5 because I was genuinely surprised at some of the twists (which is very rare). I would not classify this as a thriller but it was action packed. The 4.5 part is because a few of the angles seemed thrown in. This was ok but a couple weren't expanded on or wrapped up nicely. This may be a deal breaker for some, but I enjoyed being surprised more.
The main characters were dynamic and interesting. There were too many characters for anyone do be developed but it did give them each a nice overview. It was annoying how some made out of character choices in order to further the plot. There is alot happening and it is very fast paced.
I listened to the audiobook. I liked Caitlin Davis, the narrator, she did a good job with emotions and different voices.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this book. I am excited for the next one in the series.
The main characters were dynamic and interesting. There were too many characters for anyone do be developed but it did give them each a nice overview. It was annoying how some made out of character choices in order to further the plot. There is alot happening and it is very fast paced.
I listened to the audiobook. I liked Caitlin Davis, the narrator, she did a good job with emotions and different voices.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this book. I am excited for the next one in the series.
May 14, 2021
All That Fall by Kris Calvin was a very fast-paced, crime thriller, The first half of the book seems like it is just introducing the characters, and to be honest, I had a hard time keeping track of them all. The second half is when the plot finally takes off.
Emma Lawson decides to take a day off work to help her best friend with the opening of her new daycare. Everything is going fine until one of the children gets kidnapped and Emma’s son goes missing. Now relying on her son to give her clues about where they are being held, Emma uses the skills from her job as a politician to piece together what is going on. .I did listen to the audiobook narrated by Caitlin Davies and really enjoyed her narration. However, there were so many names to keep track of that it took away from the story a bit for me. .
Emma Lawson decides to take a day off work to help her best friend with the opening of her new daycare. Everything is going fine until one of the children gets kidnapped and Emma’s son goes missing. Now relying on her son to give her clues about where they are being held, Emma uses the skills from her job as a politician to piece together what is going on. .I did listen to the audiobook narrated by Caitlin Davies and really enjoyed her narration. However, there were so many names to keep track of that it took away from the story a bit for me. .
December 20, 2021
The book kept my attention even though I felt there were some holes in the plot. I liked characters Emma, Alibi, and Luke. I even liked Tommy but felt he was removed from the story too soon. I wasn't crazy about Dylan (stalker mentality) and felt he was added to the story just to help Emma find out what was going on.
The biggest hole in the plot was the lack of attention paid to the kidnapping of the governor's granddaughter. The police appear to be more interested in the murder of a young man and even the accidental death of one of their own, Tommy. Everyone seems to be overlooking big clues that Luke is in trouble.
I enjoyed the read and look forward to the next book in the Emma Lawrence series.
The biggest hole in the plot was the lack of attention paid to the kidnapping of the governor's granddaughter. The police appear to be more interested in the murder of a young man and even the accidental death of one of their own, Tommy. Everyone seems to be overlooking big clues that Luke is in trouble.
I enjoyed the read and look forward to the next book in the Emma Lawrence series.
April 25, 2021
This is the first book in a new series of Emma Lawson, crime thrillers and it's a good one!
It hit me hard within the first few chapters; I don't want to give any spoilers, but, it's a real twist and it hooked me immediately into wanting to know more. It's a cracking read with interesting characters. I lost interest about 50/60 percent through the book when it seemed to lapse into an action movie. However, all in all, it's a really good read that is summarised well as a lead into future stories.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to preview.
A solid, strong 3* Good Read. I'd recommend.
It hit me hard within the first few chapters; I don't want to give any spoilers, but, it's a real twist and it hooked me immediately into wanting to know more. It's a cracking read with interesting characters. I lost interest about 50/60 percent through the book when it seemed to lapse into an action movie. However, all in all, it's a really good read that is summarised well as a lead into future stories.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to preview.
A solid, strong 3* Good Read. I'd recommend.
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