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Purified
When a mutilated body of an African American girl is found in a park sandbox, the media shows no interest. Instead, their attention is riveted on the disappearance of Olivia Safra, a college student and only child of the powerful and dangerous Richard Safra. Suspended ADA, Beck Oldman, demoted to a rookie PI is assigned her first cases to find a missing teenager and Olivia Safra.Leads connect the murders to the Safra case. The investigation into her client's private life reveals a dark side in the relationship between a father and daughter and exacts his wrath against Beck. More girls are found murdered, putting Beck in a race to stop a serial killer and stop her own client from destroying herPURIFIED is a thrilling story that explores many dark subjects, including what it does to those who have to live in the world of killers in order to stop them.
233 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 20, 2015
Restricted till July 29:
Review: PURIFIED by Elizabeth Sullivan
A significantly twisted mystery-crime-thriller set in urban Chicago, PURIFIED exposes racism, bigotry, and religious fundamentalism. Also exposed is a widespread practice which will turn the hearts and stomachs of many readers. In fact, this practice is at the core of the book, propelling acts both violent and obscene. I'm hard pressed to think of even one straight-and-narrow character here; even the protagonists are mentally or emotionally twisted. More than one character is beyond twisted and heading I to unspeakable [including characters who remain offstage]. PURIFIED is a rage against practices that dishonor individuals and the human species.
Review: PURIFIED by Elizabeth Sullivan
A significantly twisted mystery-crime-thriller set in urban Chicago, PURIFIED exposes racism, bigotry, and religious fundamentalism. Also exposed is a widespread practice which will turn the hearts and stomachs of many readers. In fact, this practice is at the core of the book, propelling acts both violent and obscene. I'm hard pressed to think of even one straight-and-narrow character here; even the protagonists are mentally or emotionally twisted. More than one character is beyond twisted and heading I to unspeakable [including characters who remain offstage]. PURIFIED is a rage against practices that dishonor individuals and the human species.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2016
Suspenseful thriller that revolves around a broken suspended ADA, Beck Oldman and an up and coming homicide detective. When the story begins you are intrigued with who killed the girl and that they could be tied to others that are missing. Beck is a trainwreck and does not want to be on this case, but she is forced to do it. I had a hard time warming up to her.
I liked the beginning but as it progressed I felt like it was dragging a bit. I think any book that involves children being victims is hard to process and that lead to my not getting into the story as much as I wanted to. The writing was excellent, just not for me.
I liked the beginning but as it progressed I felt like it was dragging a bit. I think any book that involves children being victims is hard to process and that lead to my not getting into the story as much as I wanted to. The writing was excellent, just not for me.
January 20, 2016
My rating of Purified reflects my frustration and my enjoyment. I could easily have gone down to 2 stars or up to 4.
A 2 star rating is partly because of the Kindle formatting. This made the book incredibly difficult to read. But setting this aside I found a other areas that made Purified frustrating. The main character Beck is a rabid Rottwieler of a person. The explanation for this is somewhat empty of reason unless you consider she may have deeprooted mental issues, which is possibly alluded to but never fully developed. She alienates everyone around her except those characters that are needed to push the storyline forward.
The corrupt "system" that is owned by the emotionally cold and controlling billionaire seems to be a cookie cutter of many other books and/or movies. Everyone except the protagonists are involved in this corruption.
And lastly the book doesn't really have a conclusion. It ends but there are huge unresolved questions that give me the impression that this book was never meant to stand on its own. The sequel(s) will answer more.
But wait, this could also have moved into the 4 star category with Beck being a character that is so dysfunctional that you never know which way she will attack the next problem. Will her issues draw her down a path the will drive her deeper into her madness or allow her to find resolution and begin to draw her towards a plateau of normalcy? Do we want her to be normal? Or would we prefer to see her crash and burn, the rise from her own ashes? This gives her a depth that wasn't necessarily plumbed in this book but could well be expanded upon in the sequel(s). While the supporting characters could use more depth, they do counterbalance Beck well enough to make her demons seem more real.
Another enjoyable area is Beck being completely wrong in many of her assumptions. Most procedural novels have a protagonist that doesn't make many mistakes. Beck makes more than her fair share. She doesn't let these deflect her from her ultimate goal of finding the missing woman and establish who is the killer of the children. She becomes interesting in her failures.
Did I like Purified? The million dollar question. My answer is, I'll tell you after I've read the next installment.
I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.
A 2 star rating is partly because of the Kindle formatting. This made the book incredibly difficult to read. But setting this aside I found a other areas that made Purified frustrating. The main character Beck is a rabid Rottwieler of a person. The explanation for this is somewhat empty of reason unless you consider she may have deeprooted mental issues, which is possibly alluded to but never fully developed. She alienates everyone around her except those characters that are needed to push the storyline forward.
The corrupt "system" that is owned by the emotionally cold and controlling billionaire seems to be a cookie cutter of many other books and/or movies. Everyone except the protagonists are involved in this corruption.
And lastly the book doesn't really have a conclusion. It ends but there are huge unresolved questions that give me the impression that this book was never meant to stand on its own. The sequel(s) will answer more.
But wait, this could also have moved into the 4 star category with Beck being a character that is so dysfunctional that you never know which way she will attack the next problem. Will her issues draw her down a path the will drive her deeper into her madness or allow her to find resolution and begin to draw her towards a plateau of normalcy? Do we want her to be normal? Or would we prefer to see her crash and burn, the rise from her own ashes? This gives her a depth that wasn't necessarily plumbed in this book but could well be expanded upon in the sequel(s). While the supporting characters could use more depth, they do counterbalance Beck well enough to make her demons seem more real.
Another enjoyable area is Beck being completely wrong in many of her assumptions. Most procedural novels have a protagonist that doesn't make many mistakes. Beck makes more than her fair share. She doesn't let these deflect her from her ultimate goal of finding the missing woman and establish who is the killer of the children. She becomes interesting in her failures.
Did I like Purified? The million dollar question. My answer is, I'll tell you after I've read the next installment.
I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.
August 30, 2015
3.5 Stars
Purified is a gritty and gripping mystery that delves into the dark side of society and religion. Although the plot develops slowly, it holds your attention with interesting characters and an intricate and multifaceted story. Facts and clues are gradually and deliberately introduced and unraveled.
The writing style was, at times, hard to follow. I enjoy mysteries in third person narration, it allows the reader a wider view of the story. You are able to see more pieces of the puzzle. In this story, the narration was a little confusing at times, as the POV would change so often, sometimes even mid-sentence.
One aspect that drew me in was the characters. This story was filled with imperfect and damaged people. Our main protagonist, Beck, was a disgraced and suspended attorney who is relegated to taking up work as a private investigator. She is stubborn, relentless, single-minded and driven. Will, on the other hand, is a bit of a contradiction. He is a detective who has seen some of the worst the world has to offer but yet he's still somewhat naive and a bit of an idealist. They both have something in common though, a need for justice. We follow these two on their journey to stop a sick serial killer while navigating a corrupt system with enemies at every turn.
I became so emotionally invested in this story. My heart hurt for the victims, their loved ones, and Beck and Will. I experienced a variety of emotions: anger, frustration, sadness, excitement, fear, and anxiety. When I read the last sentence, I wanted to scream. I need more! This story isn't over and I need to know the outcome.
~Erin
Purified is a gritty and gripping mystery that delves into the dark side of society and religion. Although the plot develops slowly, it holds your attention with interesting characters and an intricate and multifaceted story. Facts and clues are gradually and deliberately introduced and unraveled.
The writing style was, at times, hard to follow. I enjoy mysteries in third person narration, it allows the reader a wider view of the story. You are able to see more pieces of the puzzle. In this story, the narration was a little confusing at times, as the POV would change so often, sometimes even mid-sentence.
One aspect that drew me in was the characters. This story was filled with imperfect and damaged people. Our main protagonist, Beck, was a disgraced and suspended attorney who is relegated to taking up work as a private investigator. She is stubborn, relentless, single-minded and driven. Will, on the other hand, is a bit of a contradiction. He is a detective who has seen some of the worst the world has to offer but yet he's still somewhat naive and a bit of an idealist. They both have something in common though, a need for justice. We follow these two on their journey to stop a sick serial killer while navigating a corrupt system with enemies at every turn.
I became so emotionally invested in this story. My heart hurt for the victims, their loved ones, and Beck and Will. I experienced a variety of emotions: anger, frustration, sadness, excitement, fear, and anxiety. When I read the last sentence, I wanted to scream. I need more! This story isn't over and I need to know the outcome.
~Erin
August 25, 2015
Beck Oldman is a disbarred attorney that is trying to make amends by working as a PI. But Beck is a mess both emotionally and physically. She is assigned to look into the disappearance of teenagers. But the deeper she digs, the more connections she finds to other disappearances. The question is if she can catch the serial killer before her own time gets cut short.
This is one dark story. As I was reading I figured that there would be you usual murdered girls, a serial killer with some sick plot, and Beck being in the sights of that serial killer. That would over simplifying this story. There are layers upon layers of sick stuff happening and damaged Beck is the right person to discover the truth.
This is a great, messed up story. It’s scary to think that things like this happen in stories but even worse when you think about how it happens in real life. If you want a great thriller, you have found your book.
I received a copy of Purified from Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours for free in exchange for an honest review.
This is one dark story. As I was reading I figured that there would be you usual murdered girls, a serial killer with some sick plot, and Beck being in the sights of that serial killer. That would over simplifying this story. There are layers upon layers of sick stuff happening and damaged Beck is the right person to discover the truth.
This is a great, messed up story. It’s scary to think that things like this happen in stories but even worse when you think about how it happens in real life. If you want a great thriller, you have found your book.
I received a copy of Purified from Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours for free in exchange for an honest review.
December 31, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my opinion.
A serial killer is abducting, mutilating and murdering teenaged black females. Beck Oldman is a private investigator hired to find a missing college student and a teenage female athlete. There didn't seem to be a connection. One missing person was too old to fit the killers type but the mystery doesn't stop there.
Beck along with homicide detective William Blake share information and the consequences that come with having the information.
I liked the book. It was an interesting read. Beck was an emotional wreck but she got the job done.
A serial killer is abducting, mutilating and murdering teenaged black females. Beck Oldman is a private investigator hired to find a missing college student and a teenage female athlete. There didn't seem to be a connection. One missing person was too old to fit the killers type but the mystery doesn't stop there.
Beck along with homicide detective William Blake share information and the consequences that come with having the information.
I liked the book. It was an interesting read. Beck was an emotional wreck but she got the job done.
March 21, 2016
Fast and Easy read.
This was an easy read. There were a few typos but, that really didn't distract me from the book very much. I did hope feel for Beck our main character and wanted her to find some peace. I am a hopeless romantic though. I would recommend this as a book to read as a break from studies or during long periods of waiting.
This was an easy read. There were a few typos but, that really didn't distract me from the book very much. I did hope feel for Beck our main character and wanted her to find some peace. I am a hopeless romantic though. I would recommend this as a book to read as a break from studies or during long periods of waiting.
April 3, 2016
One of the more interesting protagonists in the mystery genre lately. Harsh spoken, brash, tough, slightly crazy, a LOT crazy, determined against all odds, Beck, a former attorney suspended, now a private investigator, sets in motion a pretty wild ride. I hope she doesn't disappear with the ending of this book.
February 8, 2015
Female prosecutor, female P.I, second chances, compulsive stealing, female circumcision, muslim fathers vs daughters. This novel has some interesting topics but it will sound alot like something else you have read.
May 4, 2016
I reread it again and I enjoyed the suspense and the style of the author. The writing was even better the second time!
January 4, 2016
review to come soon
August 28, 2015
Reviewed for Nerdy Dirty & Flirty
Link to come...
Link to come...
April 19, 2016
The writing was good but character development wasn't great for secondary characters making it a bit hard to follow sometimes. Not a bad story just didn't flow was well as some.
January 23, 2019
Bullshit lead in to next book.
Hate when authors are so needy. They can't end the book without it leading to a sequel.......three more words required
Hate when authors are so needy. They can't end the book without it leading to a sequel.......three more words required
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews