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The Screaming
What causes an adolescent - straight A student Brandon P Marshall - to walk downstairs naked, armed with a pair of Glocks, and go all Charles Manson on his family? This is only one in the horrifying trail of incidents that brings together Detective Sergeant Dale Franklin of the Kansas City Police Department and his poster-boy rookie, Steve Abrams.
Meanwhile, across the pond, Dai Williams, in Battersea London, safe inside his improvised Faraday cage, is coming to terms with his special talents - talents that will take 'getting-into-the-mind-of-the-killer' to a whole new level.
Al-Qaeda? Drugs Cartels? Internet freaks? David Graham's The Screaming leaves no possibility untouched as Dai enters a bizarre and horrifying world where kids scream.
Meanwhile, across the pond, Dai Williams, in Battersea London, safe inside his improvised Faraday cage, is coming to terms with his special talents - talents that will take 'getting-into-the-mind-of-the-killer' to a whole new level.
Al-Qaeda? Drugs Cartels? Internet freaks? David Graham's The Screaming leaves no possibility untouched as Dai enters a bizarre and horrifying world where kids scream.
- GenresThriller
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2014
About the author
David Graham
1 book12 followersThe author lives in an ostensibly carbon zero house with his two cats amidst fields of apples and poly-tunnels of strawberries. When he isn’t enjoying the Kentish landscape and torrential rain, his mind is drawn to strange imaginings about what lurks beneath the surface of the world around him.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 1, 2015
Holy mother of Gods.
The Screaming by David Graham.
What the hell is there to say about this book? It was intense -- CRAZY, even! I gobbled up the last 35% of this book on the edge of my seat, er...bed, and couldn't sleep until it was over. The story was awesome. A mystery illness is taking over some teenagers around the world and making them kill their parents before killing themselves. It is an intense story that brings together people who are trying to solve this mystery and see what is happening -- only to discover that people are essentially being brainwashed by someone through their electronic devices, like phones and computers, which the brainwash-ees try to destroy before killing themselves, essentially killing the evidence. There were mind-readers - EVEN THE QUEEN, FOR GODS SAKES - and loads of scientific talk. While I will admit that much of that scientific talk did go over my head a little, I tried my best to understand and see where the story was going and I am beyond glad I stuck with it.
A solid four stars -- DEFINITELY.
And that ain't no hocus focus.
I am terrible with remembering to do this: This was a lovely gift from NG -- thanks, friends!!
The Screaming by David Graham.
What the hell is there to say about this book? It was intense -- CRAZY, even! I gobbled up the last 35% of this book on the edge of my seat, er...bed, and couldn't sleep until it was over. The story was awesome. A mystery illness is taking over some teenagers around the world and making them kill their parents before killing themselves. It is an intense story that brings together people who are trying to solve this mystery and see what is happening -- only to discover that people are essentially being brainwashed by someone through their electronic devices, like phones and computers, which the brainwash-ees try to destroy before killing themselves, essentially killing the evidence. There were mind-readers - EVEN THE QUEEN, FOR GODS SAKES - and loads of scientific talk. While I will admit that much of that scientific talk did go over my head a little, I tried my best to understand and see where the story was going and I am beyond glad I stuck with it.
A solid four stars -- DEFINITELY.
And that ain't no hocus focus.
I am terrible with remembering to do this: This was a lovely gift from NG -- thanks, friends!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2014
I was struck by the cover: a teenager, headphones clamped to his ears, his mouth wide open and with a bizarre doorway into his head. Great design. Then the first chapter hits like an express. The opening is like a psychotic train of thought - but leading to gruesome consequences. The arrival of the neighbours on the scene - and then the police - is perfectly described. How it all plays out after that is just so inventive. Yes, there's something nasty lurking in the ether, although I was kept guessing. But never in a million years would I have guessed there'd be a role for Her Majesty the Queen - or that paranormal talents would save the day. It's great, really great, and I'm hoping there'll be a sequel.
September 4, 2015
2.5 stars!
I waited 2 days to read this book because it was too late to start it, and, according to the blurbs, it was pretty scary. Well, that's the way I read it anyway. I didn't have to wait. It wasn't that scary. Actually it wasn't scary at all. For me, it was just an okay read. I probably would have put it down, but I was interested in what was causing this phenomenon. Now, I just wish I'd went to bed. The beginning was okay, the ending not so much. I guess I am in the minority looking at the other reviews on here, but I just didn't care for the ending at all. Or should I say, the last half of the book.
Thanks to Austin McCauley Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
I waited 2 days to read this book because it was too late to start it, and, according to the blurbs, it was pretty scary. Well, that's the way I read it anyway. I didn't have to wait. It wasn't that scary. Actually it wasn't scary at all. For me, it was just an okay read. I probably would have put it down, but I was interested in what was causing this phenomenon. Now, I just wish I'd went to bed. The beginning was okay, the ending not so much. I guess I am in the minority looking at the other reviews on here, but I just didn't care for the ending at all. Or should I say, the last half of the book.
Thanks to Austin McCauley Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2014
Something is causing teenagers worldwide to go berserk and calmly kill their parents, then themselves. But no one knows why. As different agencies try to zero in on the cause, they wonder how to detect the ones affected. That is where Dai comes in. He has the ability to scan the inside of other people’s brains. But is it enough to find out the cause, and put an end to it?
This story is a thriller, drama, mystery, horror, and even a love story all rolled into one. The first page grabbed me and didn’t let go until the end. As the plot started revealing the source of the occurrences, I couldn’t help but think that this could happen in real life. I think that is what makes the story so gripping. With bold characters and monarch secrets, this story makes a big impact on the reader.
This story is a thriller, drama, mystery, horror, and even a love story all rolled into one. The first page grabbed me and didn’t let go until the end. As the plot started revealing the source of the occurrences, I couldn’t help but think that this could happen in real life. I think that is what makes the story so gripping. With bold characters and monarch secrets, this story makes a big impact on the reader.
September 14, 2015
What is happening to teenagers? OK one minute and the next killing themselves after slaughtering their parents in gruesome ways. Help is at hand in the form of Dai and a few other experts. I really liked the beginning and the premise of this but then romance set in so was it a thriller or a romance book! The U.S. Officers were verging on the unprofessional, kissing at a crime scene and should they have even been working together at all after embarking on a relationship? I liked the book, characters but wasn't entirely gripped by what happened. Wish this had had less romance and a few more scary bits! Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
March 12, 2016
Kat Mandu says...
What I liked: The idea is great – that cops have to team up with the CDC, MI5, and other exciting agents (one who has mind-reading abilities) to figure out why teens are committing patricide and suicide. Within the first couple chapters, you meet a character named Brandon Marshall who sets things in full stride for the plot when he kills his parents and then himself. When I first read the summary, that was what drew me in. Combine that with a few characters who are trying to figure out what’s going on while dealing with new romances, a threat to teens and families across the continents, and a little bit of telepathy and Graham has a great set up going.
What I didn’t like: Pretty much everything else sadly. It was just…too much crammed into one book. The plot falls through 3/4ths of the way because the attention turns away to focus on the characters and their relationships. Just too much. Too much focus on gay characters – trust me, I love gay characters – but this went too overboard when it came down to it. You have one character who learns how to deal with coming out of the closet within hours at most when he was super awkward about it to begin with. That’s not very…realistic for me. I’ve known people who have dealt with coming out for years. It’s a process, not a temporary shyness, especially with new flings. Too much attention to the tiny details and how shrewdly the characters view each other – quite often people are described as “fat” and that bothers me.
Also though I’m not a hater of profanity, the cursing was too much here too. If you’re not a fan of profanity, sexually explicit scenes, and crude violence, I wouldn’t recommend this one at all to you. But if you don’t mind it, you should be fine.
This had so much potential and it just didn’t meet my expectations whatsoever. I’m only giving it a two.
That being said, the reviewer part of me knows it’s good to be honest when it comes down to it. The writer part of me knows it’s tough work getting a story, getting it published, and then trying to connect with readers. And sometimes a bad rating and review can hurt.
So here’s my writerly advice to the author.
Stay focused on the story. It slips and seems to become “unimportant” because the character relationships take over. You have an amazing set up here, albeit violent. But a “virus” that makes kids go homicidal and the people trying to solve the mystery have no idea whether it’s an airborne virus or related to technology? That’s a great idea! But like I said, a little over halfway through the book, it just goes from THIS IS BAD to “Oh, that? What was that again? Did that happen?” It loses its thriller appeal. Stick with your genre, bud. The thriller feel shouldn’t become an “aww, that’s so cute” feel.
You have too many characters trying to share the spotlight. Sure, George R.R. Martin has a billion or so perspectives. But he also controls the flow so that the story doesn’t get lost in the process. I’d say stick with the KCPD officers and Dai. Leave the rest as side characters who come into the story through said characters. Kathy and Jacob’s point of view should have been intermingled within the plot, not set separately to confuse the arc even more.
You can have subplots without having SUBPLOTS. There’s romance? Sure, that’s great. It lets readers into the minds of their characters. It helps them relate. But you have too many that again, the plot gets buried under histories, spy tactics, and relationship developments.
The main advice is this: STAY FOCUSED. I honestly don’t want to feel like I need an ADHD kind of brain to be able to understand how this story goes. It starts out strong, compact, and intense. Then it just falls apart. When the big bad guy is revealed near the end, it was disappointing. And then nothing was really done about it except for a minor sentence that said what would happen to said bad guy. Spend more time developing the mystery or switch to a new genre so that people can understand the point you’re trying to make. Do YOU know the point you’re trying to make? That’s what’s important.
What I liked: The idea is great – that cops have to team up with the CDC, MI5, and other exciting agents (one who has mind-reading abilities) to figure out why teens are committing patricide and suicide. Within the first couple chapters, you meet a character named Brandon Marshall who sets things in full stride for the plot when he kills his parents and then himself. When I first read the summary, that was what drew me in. Combine that with a few characters who are trying to figure out what’s going on while dealing with new romances, a threat to teens and families across the continents, and a little bit of telepathy and Graham has a great set up going.
What I didn’t like: Pretty much everything else sadly. It was just…too much crammed into one book. The plot falls through 3/4ths of the way because the attention turns away to focus on the characters and their relationships. Just too much. Too much focus on gay characters – trust me, I love gay characters – but this went too overboard when it came down to it. You have one character who learns how to deal with coming out of the closet within hours at most when he was super awkward about it to begin with. That’s not very…realistic for me. I’ve known people who have dealt with coming out for years. It’s a process, not a temporary shyness, especially with new flings. Too much attention to the tiny details and how shrewdly the characters view each other – quite often people are described as “fat” and that bothers me.
Also though I’m not a hater of profanity, the cursing was too much here too. If you’re not a fan of profanity, sexually explicit scenes, and crude violence, I wouldn’t recommend this one at all to you. But if you don’t mind it, you should be fine.
This had so much potential and it just didn’t meet my expectations whatsoever. I’m only giving it a two.
That being said, the reviewer part of me knows it’s good to be honest when it comes down to it. The writer part of me knows it’s tough work getting a story, getting it published, and then trying to connect with readers. And sometimes a bad rating and review can hurt.
So here’s my writerly advice to the author.
Stay focused on the story. It slips and seems to become “unimportant” because the character relationships take over. You have an amazing set up here, albeit violent. But a “virus” that makes kids go homicidal and the people trying to solve the mystery have no idea whether it’s an airborne virus or related to technology? That’s a great idea! But like I said, a little over halfway through the book, it just goes from THIS IS BAD to “Oh, that? What was that again? Did that happen?” It loses its thriller appeal. Stick with your genre, bud. The thriller feel shouldn’t become an “aww, that’s so cute” feel.
You have too many characters trying to share the spotlight. Sure, George R.R. Martin has a billion or so perspectives. But he also controls the flow so that the story doesn’t get lost in the process. I’d say stick with the KCPD officers and Dai. Leave the rest as side characters who come into the story through said characters. Kathy and Jacob’s point of view should have been intermingled within the plot, not set separately to confuse the arc even more.
You can have subplots without having SUBPLOTS. There’s romance? Sure, that’s great. It lets readers into the minds of their characters. It helps them relate. But you have too many that again, the plot gets buried under histories, spy tactics, and relationship developments.
The main advice is this: STAY FOCUSED. I honestly don’t want to feel like I need an ADHD kind of brain to be able to understand how this story goes. It starts out strong, compact, and intense. Then it just falls apart. When the big bad guy is revealed near the end, it was disappointing. And then nothing was really done about it except for a minor sentence that said what would happen to said bad guy. Spend more time developing the mystery or switch to a new genre so that people can understand the point you’re trying to make. Do YOU know the point you’re trying to make? That’s what’s important.
September 11, 2015
"The Screaming" by David Graham is a Netgalley read.
When 18 year old, Brandon P Marshall shoots his parents, performs a sexual act on himself (which he videos and uploads onto You tube) before killing himself all in front of his three baby siblings, Sergeant Dale Franklin and Officer Steve Abrams think they've seen everything. However, this is only the beginning of a spate of atrocious murders being carried out across America by troubled teenagers gone bad. Over in London, Tania Goldman has just burnt her parents alive before setting herself on fire and Lady Leandra has digested rat poison and also given it to her parents.
Government agencies across both side of the Atlantic are at a loss as to why this is happening or how it can be stopped. However, there is hope in a young man called Dai Williams who is able to read minds and attempts to enter the brains of the troubled teens to find out exactly what is going on.
This book was absolutely brilliant! The descriptions of the murders were very detailed and explicit and the behaviours surrounding the troubled teens before their crimes was first class. The relationship (both professional and eventually romantic) between Officers Dale and Steve was funny, emotional and brave considering they were gay men working in a macho law enforcement field. Their colleague and good friend, Cathy Svenstrom who worked at the Centre for Disease Control was gutsy and dominant and I liked the fact that she was given an important status as a female based in a male dominated hierarchy.
My only criticism was the layout of the story. There were no speech marks to indicate who was talking and at times I kept getting confused as to whether a character was talking or having a thought. I'm not sure if this was structure was due to the book being a draft copy but it did complicate the storyline and was not helpful.
On the whole, this book was witty, thought-provoking and one that I couldn't put down. It's definitely one to be recommended especially for anyone that likes suspense, thriller, guts and gore!
A fantastic read!
When 18 year old, Brandon P Marshall shoots his parents, performs a sexual act on himself (which he videos and uploads onto You tube) before killing himself all in front of his three baby siblings, Sergeant Dale Franklin and Officer Steve Abrams think they've seen everything. However, this is only the beginning of a spate of atrocious murders being carried out across America by troubled teenagers gone bad. Over in London, Tania Goldman has just burnt her parents alive before setting herself on fire and Lady Leandra has digested rat poison and also given it to her parents.
Government agencies across both side of the Atlantic are at a loss as to why this is happening or how it can be stopped. However, there is hope in a young man called Dai Williams who is able to read minds and attempts to enter the brains of the troubled teens to find out exactly what is going on.
This book was absolutely brilliant! The descriptions of the murders were very detailed and explicit and the behaviours surrounding the troubled teens before their crimes was first class. The relationship (both professional and eventually romantic) between Officers Dale and Steve was funny, emotional and brave considering they were gay men working in a macho law enforcement field. Their colleague and good friend, Cathy Svenstrom who worked at the Centre for Disease Control was gutsy and dominant and I liked the fact that she was given an important status as a female based in a male dominated hierarchy.
My only criticism was the layout of the story. There were no speech marks to indicate who was talking and at times I kept getting confused as to whether a character was talking or having a thought. I'm not sure if this was structure was due to the book being a draft copy but it did complicate the storyline and was not helpful.
On the whole, this book was witty, thought-provoking and one that I couldn't put down. It's definitely one to be recommended especially for anyone that likes suspense, thriller, guts and gore!
A fantastic read!
September 28, 2015
So this was medical thriller (that I thought was going to be a horror) that took on a paranormal aspect.
I liked the story but the romances just made me roll my eyes. I found them to be so unbelievable and over the top. Everyone in this book is "so damn cute". There's no wooing its I like you, let's go to bed.
The mystery made suffering through all the romance worth it (barely). I was intrigued on why teenagers would suddenly kill their parents then commit suicide. Separate countries was experiencing the problem and there was several agencies working on the cause. I had an idea but the reason so was complicated that I wouldn't have ever guessed it.
I did have a problem with the ending however, it was just weird and too farfetched. Also how did Jacob send a text with an inactive phone?
I was sent a copy by the author through Book Review Buzz in exchange for a honest review. Thank you.
This review can also be found on my page The Fiction Fanatics
I liked the story but the romances just made me roll my eyes. I found them to be so unbelievable and over the top. Everyone in this book is "so damn cute". There's no wooing its I like you, let's go to bed.
The mystery made suffering through all the romance worth it (barely). I was intrigued on why teenagers would suddenly kill their parents then commit suicide. Separate countries was experiencing the problem and there was several agencies working on the cause. I had an idea but the reason so was complicated that I wouldn't have ever guessed it.
I did have a problem with the ending however, it was just weird and too farfetched. Also how did Jacob send a text with an inactive phone?
I was sent a copy by the author through Book Review Buzz in exchange for a honest review. Thank you.
This review can also be found on my page The Fiction Fanatics
December 11, 2014
My review is too lengthy to post here; please see it at
http://archiestandwoodsreviewsandwrit...
http://archiestandwoodsreviewsandwrit...
September 1, 2015
Sergeant Dale Franklin and his partner Stephen are called to the scene of a horrendous crime. A teenage boy has murdered his parents and then committed suicide in front of his triplet siblings. And unfortunately, this is not the only case within these parameters.
It's a deadly virus and it's infecting teens all over the world.
An international team is put together and it's a race to find the cause and stop the madness and killing.
I'm sorry to say this was not a book I enjoyed reading. The premise was good, but at times it came across more like horror than a medical thriller/mystery. And while I didn't mind that the main characters were attracted to each other, the gay connection was a little overdone. There were times it was inappropriate ... like talking to the medical examiner, and Steven is thinking to himself how cute Dale is. Just seemed out of context to me.
I gave it 3 stars.
My thanks to NetGalley / Austin Macauley Publishers for the opportunity to read and review.
It's a deadly virus and it's infecting teens all over the world.
An international team is put together and it's a race to find the cause and stop the madness and killing.
I'm sorry to say this was not a book I enjoyed reading. The premise was good, but at times it came across more like horror than a medical thriller/mystery. And while I didn't mind that the main characters were attracted to each other, the gay connection was a little overdone. There were times it was inappropriate ... like talking to the medical examiner, and Steven is thinking to himself how cute Dale is. Just seemed out of context to me.
I gave it 3 stars.
My thanks to NetGalley / Austin Macauley Publishers for the opportunity to read and review.
February 13, 2015
A horror story of epic mobile proportions. It starts with one murder/suicide by one deranged teen ... then it spreads ... more and more cases land in the lap of Dale Franklin and partner, and soon their case goes global. As well as the obvious thread of murder and mayhem, and the worrisome indications that mobile phones are frying brains, this story also has a touch of love and a lot of humour. The characters, world-building, scene-building, plot, and pacing are all done very well. The story is set in both the US and the UK, and the author has done a great job at transatlantic writing. I can't wait to see more from this author. Bravo. Full marks from me.
December 5, 2014
Graham has written a very unique international horror story that will definitely give you chills. The viral video of Brandon Marshal’s actions somehow begins to breed terror throughout the world. David Graham has created a horrific mystery that has to be solved quickly, before more teens slaughter their families. This book is some serious, descriptive horror, and is not for the faint of heart. Graham gives no mercy in his describing the ‘indescribable bloodlust and violence,’ that America and Britain’s finest must face. Highly recommended for the serious horror/mystery fan.
July 30, 2015
The opening chapter will have you hooked, a sci-fi /horror with a twist. The Royal family, murdering teenagers, and a love story, and the author's quick wit makes this unforgettable good read.
October 12, 2015
2.5 stars!
This book had everything.. Romance, big girls, HBTQ-theme, mindblowing stuff and weird events! Although the last 50 pages was really slow and that made the rating down to 2,5!
This book had everything.. Romance, big girls, HBTQ-theme, mindblowing stuff and weird events! Although the last 50 pages was really slow and that made the rating down to 2,5!
September 21, 2015
Well what can I say about The Screaming by David Graham? In one sentence it’s absolutely brilliant and riveting, one that I could not put down!
The Screaming is a supernatural thriller blended with horror and a love story. Teenage children across the world are losing their minds and killing their parents before committing suicide.
In the USA, 18 year old Brandon P Marshall, a straight A student, wakes up one morning and takes two handguns and walks downstairs and kills both his parents before killing himself in front of his 3 1 year old siblings. There is no reason why this should have happened.
In the UK, teenager Tania Goldman takes aerosol cans and uses them to set fire to her parents and then herself after her siblings have gone to school. Again no reason can be ascertained.
In London, Dai Williams has a very special talent and can look into the minds of people, he calls this “Hocus Focus”. But with this talent comes a huge cost; he has to live inside his own Faraday cage to shield out electromagnetic interference. He considers himself to be some sort of superhero and when reporting to the police that Tania was going to commit a violent crime his life changes forever.
Detective Sergeant Dale Franklin from the Kansas City Police Department in the US, the Centre for Disease Control, MI5 and Dai are tasked with finding out why these kids are killing themselves and if the world is under a very new and deadly terrorist attack and if so from who and why?
Overall, as I said at the beginning of this review The Screaming is absolutely brilliant and riveting, one that I could not put down! It has a quirky storyline involving murder, the dangers of invisible threats from electronic devices, telepaths and romance.
The characters have some depth to them and Her Majesty the Queen even has a starring role and it even manages to squeeze in a DeLorean DMC-12 (the car from Back to the Future).
Along with the gruesome violence, that is very well portrayed without taking it into the absurd or over the top, there is also room for humour.
A very unique and fascinating story that is extremely well-written, easy flowing and thrilling. Despite all the different genres being introduced into the story it works very well.
If you love horror or supernatural thrillers then I can highly recommend reading this.
The Screaming is a supernatural thriller blended with horror and a love story. Teenage children across the world are losing their minds and killing their parents before committing suicide.
In the USA, 18 year old Brandon P Marshall, a straight A student, wakes up one morning and takes two handguns and walks downstairs and kills both his parents before killing himself in front of his 3 1 year old siblings. There is no reason why this should have happened.
In the UK, teenager Tania Goldman takes aerosol cans and uses them to set fire to her parents and then herself after her siblings have gone to school. Again no reason can be ascertained.
In London, Dai Williams has a very special talent and can look into the minds of people, he calls this “Hocus Focus”. But with this talent comes a huge cost; he has to live inside his own Faraday cage to shield out electromagnetic interference. He considers himself to be some sort of superhero and when reporting to the police that Tania was going to commit a violent crime his life changes forever.
Detective Sergeant Dale Franklin from the Kansas City Police Department in the US, the Centre for Disease Control, MI5 and Dai are tasked with finding out why these kids are killing themselves and if the world is under a very new and deadly terrorist attack and if so from who and why?
Overall, as I said at the beginning of this review The Screaming is absolutely brilliant and riveting, one that I could not put down! It has a quirky storyline involving murder, the dangers of invisible threats from electronic devices, telepaths and romance.
The characters have some depth to them and Her Majesty the Queen even has a starring role and it even manages to squeeze in a DeLorean DMC-12 (the car from Back to the Future).
Along with the gruesome violence, that is very well portrayed without taking it into the absurd or over the top, there is also room for humour.
A very unique and fascinating story that is extremely well-written, easy flowing and thrilling. Despite all the different genres being introduced into the story it works very well.
If you love horror or supernatural thrillers then I can highly recommend reading this.
November 28, 2015
Review can be read at It's About The Book
What the heck did I just read? It was advertised as a thriller, and that’s what I was expecting. What I got was something else, but I’m not sure what. A little bit paranormal with a good bit of pretty juvenile sexual tension thrown in. “Cute as a cupcake” was used a couple of times for one of the protagonists to describe the other. What? I have heard more interesting talk from 14 year old boys.
And there was boy on boy as well as boy on girl relationships in the story. Neither of those parings were concerning to me…love is love and attraction is attraction. That had potential, and I have to applaud any author with the courage to mix the romance in that way. But, dang it, they all just seemed so immature, and they were young-ish, but their internal musings and dialog needed to…grow…up.
As for the book itself? It’s a mess. I didn’t know from one page to the next who’s pov I was reading… if they were thinking it or saying it out loud. I backtracked a lot trying to figure that out. I didn’t know which town they were in or what case they were looking at…there were several…without more backtracking. And the story can be summarized quite easily…
SPOILER ALERT!
I started to close this book several times and just give it up. I was, however, really pleased to see an author use both m/m and m/f relationships in a single story. It does happen, but not often, so I read every page as a courtesy to the author. If you are thinking of reading this book because of the excellent blurb, my advice is to….
Avoid!
What the heck did I just read? It was advertised as a thriller, and that’s what I was expecting. What I got was something else, but I’m not sure what. A little bit paranormal with a good bit of pretty juvenile sexual tension thrown in. “Cute as a cupcake” was used a couple of times for one of the protagonists to describe the other. What? I have heard more interesting talk from 14 year old boys.
And there was boy on boy as well as boy on girl relationships in the story. Neither of those parings were concerning to me…love is love and attraction is attraction. That had potential, and I have to applaud any author with the courage to mix the romance in that way. But, dang it, they all just seemed so immature, and they were young-ish, but their internal musings and dialog needed to…grow…up.
As for the book itself? It’s a mess. I didn’t know from one page to the next who’s pov I was reading… if they were thinking it or saying it out loud. I backtracked a lot trying to figure that out. I didn’t know which town they were in or what case they were looking at…there were several…without more backtracking. And the story can be summarized quite easily…
SPOILER ALERT!
I started to close this book several times and just give it up. I was, however, really pleased to see an author use both m/m and m/f relationships in a single story. It does happen, but not often, so I read every page as a courtesy to the author. If you are thinking of reading this book because of the excellent blurb, my advice is to….
Avoid!
December 5, 2015
Go read the synopsis and then come back.
Ok, so what did you think? You're expecting a scary thriller that will keep you awake at night until you finish this book and grab a romantic and cute contemporary to get it out of your mind, right? At least that's what I thought when I read The Screaming's synopsis. And that's what disappointed me mostly about this book.
David Graham's characters are nice, so is his writting, the cover is appealing and the storyline is very different and starts off really well! We have this really scary first scene that got me super excited about this so-called thriller. But really The Screaming's plot just develops to become more of a policial book rather than a thriller... It's not a bad, it just really disappoint whoever starts it expecting a good scary reading.
But moving on from that point, we had some interesting characters (the Queen of England included!) but with the way the plot develop I really think we could've seen more of some of them. For example, there's a Kenyan kid called Jacob that solves the whole problem that the story revolves around but we only get to see him giving the answer to the problem and then getting a reward for it. I truly believe it would've made wonder for The Screaming if we could've seen him cracking the case! This is my biggest suggestion really!
Regarding the relationships between the characters, I really enjoyed them and their simplicity - I think this is really refreshing since most characters nowadays have super dramatic relationships. They are bit too much sex-centered though...
Now, if I would recommend this book? Well, maybe... But definitely only if you go into it expecting a policial with a scary start! David Graham's The Screaming is something I would qualify as an out of the ordinary book. So, read it if you're curious!
Ok, so what did you think? You're expecting a scary thriller that will keep you awake at night until you finish this book and grab a romantic and cute contemporary to get it out of your mind, right? At least that's what I thought when I read The Screaming's synopsis. And that's what disappointed me mostly about this book.
David Graham's characters are nice, so is his writting, the cover is appealing and the storyline is very different and starts off really well! We have this really scary first scene that got me super excited about this so-called thriller. But really The Screaming's plot just develops to become more of a policial book rather than a thriller... It's not a bad, it just really disappoint whoever starts it expecting a good scary reading.
But moving on from that point, we had some interesting characters (the Queen of England included!) but with the way the plot develop I really think we could've seen more of some of them. For example, there's a Kenyan kid called Jacob that solves the whole problem that the story revolves around but we only get to see him giving the answer to the problem and then getting a reward for it. I truly believe it would've made wonder for The Screaming if we could've seen him cracking the case! This is my biggest suggestion really!
Regarding the relationships between the characters, I really enjoyed them and their simplicity - I think this is really refreshing since most characters nowadays have super dramatic relationships. They are bit too much sex-centered though...
Now, if I would recommend this book? Well, maybe... But definitely only if you go into it expecting a policial with a scary start! David Graham's The Screaming is something I would qualify as an out of the ordinary book. So, read it if you're curious!
January 2, 2015
Teenagers are mysteriously and creatively coming up with ways to murder their parents and commit suicide, and no one can figure out the impetus. When officer Dale Franklin with the Kansas City Police Department walks in on a gruesome scene and finds himself an unwitting extra in the deceased’s YouTube video, a multinational whirlwind investigation leads to his partnering with the CDC, MI5, and a boy genius from Kenya to uncover the reason these teenagers brains are shrinking and causing them to commit vile acts.
The Screaming is a thriller that is fast paced and graphic (for those of you with weak stomachs, this might be one to preview first.) Both the murder-suicides are written in gruesome detail, but also the scenes inside the teenager’s heads depict an awful environment that leads to their own destruction, which is necessary but intensely sad. While well written, I still found myself having to willfully suspend my disbelief at some points, as it felt like a rehash of the whole cell phones will melt your brain urban legend that surfaces every so often, and the pop culture references, while amusing, made me wonder if the plot could be just a little more sonic… In short if you are pro-gay love and anti tech, this story will resonate (pardon the pun.) If not it’s still a good fast read, with insight into the British royal family that will make you wonder if they are both telepathic AND werewolves. And for those of you Americans reading this, yes the author is British. He did a good job, but as a native Missourian who knows how Kansas City operates, I pick up on these things, in addition to the British spelling and terms, so I’m afraid both Dale and Steve at best sounded like Captain Jack Harkness in my head. An apt comparison, now that I think about it!
The Screaming is a thriller that is fast paced and graphic (for those of you with weak stomachs, this might be one to preview first.) Both the murder-suicides are written in gruesome detail, but also the scenes inside the teenager’s heads depict an awful environment that leads to their own destruction, which is necessary but intensely sad. While well written, I still found myself having to willfully suspend my disbelief at some points, as it felt like a rehash of the whole cell phones will melt your brain urban legend that surfaces every so often, and the pop culture references, while amusing, made me wonder if the plot could be just a little more sonic… In short if you are pro-gay love and anti tech, this story will resonate (pardon the pun.) If not it’s still a good fast read, with insight into the British royal family that will make you wonder if they are both telepathic AND werewolves. And for those of you Americans reading this, yes the author is British. He did a good job, but as a native Missourian who knows how Kansas City operates, I pick up on these things, in addition to the British spelling and terms, so I’m afraid both Dale and Steve at best sounded like Captain Jack Harkness in my head. An apt comparison, now that I think about it!
November 7, 2015
Why I chose this book.
1. The cover is amazing!
2. A thriller, I love thrillers.
3. The first line of the synopsis: What causes an adolescent - straight A student Brandon P Marshall - to walk downstairs naked, armed with a pair of Glocks, and go all Charles Manson on his family?
The first chapter was awesome and grabbed me. Then (sighs) sadly it went downhill for me. For example @ the 25% mark the two primary investigating officers are in a bathroom eating donuts named “oxynuts”, “glenn-bnut”, “go-gogaynut” and “gaynut.” Then a comment by Steve (one of the officers) “Sorry, just kidding. We tried jizz in one batch but it didn’t quite taste right.” (Ewww!). Then the medical examiner calls to report his autopsy findings and we still have the two cops in the bathroom flirting and eating donuts during the call. (!!)
At this point I wanted to stop reading and add it to my DNF pile. But the concept of the story was uniquely intriguing and I wanted to know what was causing kids from all over the world to murder their parents and then commit suicide.
However, after repeated “He is just so damn cute” comments, the theatrical, corny romances, and other extremely odd characters and happenings, which I found annoyingly distracting I started skimming.
Well I did find my answer along with an ending that was just plain weird! My expectation of a scary, thrilling story (which it was not) ended in disappointment.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
1. The cover is amazing!
2. A thriller, I love thrillers.
3. The first line of the synopsis: What causes an adolescent - straight A student Brandon P Marshall - to walk downstairs naked, armed with a pair of Glocks, and go all Charles Manson on his family?
The first chapter was awesome and grabbed me. Then (sighs) sadly it went downhill for me. For example @ the 25% mark the two primary investigating officers are in a bathroom eating donuts named “oxynuts”, “glenn-bnut”, “go-gogaynut” and “gaynut.” Then a comment by Steve (one of the officers) “Sorry, just kidding. We tried jizz in one batch but it didn’t quite taste right.” (Ewww!). Then the medical examiner calls to report his autopsy findings and we still have the two cops in the bathroom flirting and eating donuts during the call. (!!)
At this point I wanted to stop reading and add it to my DNF pile. But the concept of the story was uniquely intriguing and I wanted to know what was causing kids from all over the world to murder their parents and then commit suicide.
However, after repeated “He is just so damn cute” comments, the theatrical, corny romances, and other extremely odd characters and happenings, which I found annoyingly distracting I started skimming.
Well I did find my answer along with an ending that was just plain weird! My expectation of a scary, thrilling story (which it was not) ended in disappointment.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 13, 2015
This book was a crazy and wild ride from page one. Normal kids all over the world begin killing their families and then themselves. Detectives are in a race against time to find out why these once normal kids have gone crazy.
I really enjoyed this book. Its definitely not your normal thriller. It was very hard to put down. It was, at first, a bit hard to understand because it seemed to jump around, but once you get into the story you understand why it does this. I have to say I really liked Dai. His talent is an amazing gift that would be awesome to have in the real world, even if the affects are somewhat hard to deal with. He was by far my favorite character.
The writing was also good. I will warn some things are a bit gruesome, but it made the book so much easier to get into. It was full of action, mystery, and intrigue. So really this was overall a very good book!...Stormi
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I really enjoyed this book. Its definitely not your normal thriller. It was very hard to put down. It was, at first, a bit hard to understand because it seemed to jump around, but once you get into the story you understand why it does this. I have to say I really liked Dai. His talent is an amazing gift that would be awesome to have in the real world, even if the affects are somewhat hard to deal with. He was by far my favorite character.
The writing was also good. I will warn some things are a bit gruesome, but it made the book so much easier to get into. It was full of action, mystery, and intrigue. So really this was overall a very good book!...Stormi
http://www.boundlessbookreviews.com
https://www.facebook.com/BBReviews
January 26, 2015
A truly fabulous horror story. The Screaming is a horrific mystery with plenty of blood lust and violence. A deadly viral trend has spread across the ocean. It seems teens are killing their families and than committing suicide. The only thing left behind is a video and a haunting scream. An international team is assembled with some of America's finest and Britain's clandestine services are racing to find the cause so they can stop the slaughter before it's to late. I highly recommend for hard core horror fans.
September 16, 2015
The story starts with Brandon shooting his parents in front of his 3 siblings then undressing lying on the kitchen table and doing sexual acts while doing this he is filming it and it uploads to YouTube for all the world to see.
Enter the police where they try to find out what is happening and to stop more teenagers killing there parents then themselves what is going on with them all?
A bit gruesome but that all adds to the story.
Thank you David Graham and Netgalley for a chance to read this book.
Enter the police where they try to find out what is happening and to stop more teenagers killing there parents then themselves what is going on with them all?
A bit gruesome but that all adds to the story.
Thank you David Graham and Netgalley for a chance to read this book.
October 9, 2015
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love the premise of the book. It starts off on a crazy wild ride and builds up from there.
I would of given this book a five star review but I felt that after all the build up it rushed to tie things up and end.
It was like someone else came along and said you have to finish this story in the next ten pages.
A shame as I was really enjoying it and then felt let down by the ending.
I love the premise of the book. It starts off on a crazy wild ride and builds up from there.
I would of given this book a five star review but I felt that after all the build up it rushed to tie things up and end.
It was like someone else came along and said you have to finish this story in the next ten pages.
A shame as I was really enjoying it and then felt let down by the ending.
August 9, 2016
I reviewed this book for NetGalley.
Mr. Graham has concocted a novel that begins as a gore fest, goes into thriller, paranormal and romance and ends kind of cyberpunky. Very entertaining.
The action and plot move very well, with some interesting twists. The !are interesting, some a little quirky, and the dialogue fits the characters and plot well.
I found the book to be an entertaining and unusual read. A lot of fun
Mr. Graham has concocted a novel that begins as a gore fest, goes into thriller, paranormal and romance and ends kind of cyberpunky. Very entertaining.
The action and plot move very well, with some interesting twists. The !are interesting, some a little quirky, and the dialogue fits the characters and plot well.
I found the book to be an entertaining and unusual read. A lot of fun
June 19, 2016
I received this as an arc from net galley in exchange for an honest review. What causes an adolescent straight a student Brandon P Marshall to walk down stairs naked, armed with a pair of glocks-and go all Charles Manson on his family. Good read. It was slow for me. Different and slow. Halfway through I was gripped as I wanted to know how it ended. Just 4 * from me.
April 1, 2015
Um...
This book was odd, and yet I couldn't seem to stop reading it, but not sure I would have wanted to anyways...it was different I kind of liked it...
This book was odd, and yet I couldn't seem to stop reading it, but not sure I would have wanted to anyways...it was different I kind of liked it...
October 1, 2015
Not a great read, but a solid story that kept me interested. End gets a bit wonky, but I will not say anything about that (spoilers!). A summer read.
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