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Agnes Hahn: Book One in the Agnes Hahn Series
At the age of four Agnes Hahn went to live with her great aunts Gert and Ella. Now Gert is deceased and Ella is in a care home in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s. Her life is mundane, her work at the animal shelter routine. And then she is arrested for a string of unimaginably heinous murders. Reporter Jason Powers is covering the murders, but he has more than newspaper copy in mind; this case has bestseller potential. He soon uncovers a tangle of Hahn family secrets and one both shocks and intrigues him—Agnes has a twin. Just when Powers is breaking through Ella’s dementia to put together the puzzle behind the carnage, Ella is murdered by another of the family secrets, Gert and Ella’s brother Eddie. Then Eddie is murdered with clear fingerprint evidence implicating Agnes. When Powers unearths the final family secret he also answers a nagging question: Why did the aunts take only Agnes thirty years ago?
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2008
31 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 18, 2017
Reporter Jason Powers heads off to cover a grisly case called the "Menstrual Murders", which the police believe have been committed by Agnes Hahn. She's a timid, non-exceptional woman, making it hard to believe she could be slicing the penises off her victims. Yes, you read that right! However, there are several secrets in the Hahn family, which Jason tries to obtain from Ella, Agnes' great-aunt - but she is in a care home with Alzheimers! He manages to find out that Agnes has a great-uncle she doesn't know about - and a twin as well! Which certainly complicates the case against her.
The book I had gave away far too much of the story on the back cover blurb. Even so, I was still able to pick out the "twist", which was highly obvious from the very first page! I wouldn't have minded much if the rest of the story was interesting, but it wasn't! Everything in this book seemed designed to hide that "twist", and it just got frustrating for me. Add to that, there's no real cap-off. No exciting climax. Nothing! Once I got to the end, all I could think was - what was the point? An extra star because I was initially interested in the story, but this is otherwise dull, predictable and free of action!
The book I had gave away far too much of the story on the back cover blurb. Even so, I was still able to pick out the "twist", which was highly obvious from the very first page! I wouldn't have minded much if the rest of the story was interesting, but it wasn't! Everything in this book seemed designed to hide that "twist", and it just got frustrating for me. Add to that, there's no real cap-off. No exciting climax. Nothing! Once I got to the end, all I could think was - what was the point? An extra star because I was initially interested in the story, but this is otherwise dull, predictable and free of action!
August 24, 2013
My Review:
Every family has skeletons in the closet. Every family has members who hold their memory dear in their hearts and minds. Some family members are just too delicate with their mental psyche to carry those memories. Sometimes, those memories become too real, too alive, ... sometimes those memories... aren't memories at all.
This book was griping and suspenseful. Agnes is a shy, quiet, meek type of female. When strange, yet graphic and grotesque, murders of men start showing up along the coast towns around her, evidence starts to point at her. Agnes is arrested and questioned opening the segue for an intense murder mystery novel.
Family secrets are ripped wide open. Suspense between the police investigating and a known hated investigative newspaper reporter make for a great read. It's great to read a story where animosity and annoyance with each other can be put aside for the problem at hand: Menstrual Murderer.
I was really into this book. The story line was a bit predictable, but that didn't take away from the enjoyment of continuing the "page turning" on this ebook. It was well thought out, well written and the S-curves in the book were fun to ride along with.
The grammar, spelling and edits were great. I was able to zip through the story within days. I look forward to reading the second book in the series, "Imola".
Negative Aspect:
I am not sure if the author was working through a horrible breakup while writing this book, but I was really confused about the obsession Jason has with his ex-fiance' or why her memory kept creeping up. It really had nothing to do with the book, other than the similarities with the caretaker in Ella's nursing home. I loved Jason's character and development, I just felt this ex took away from the story line a little bit.
Every family has skeletons in the closet. Every family has members who hold their memory dear in their hearts and minds. Some family members are just too delicate with their mental psyche to carry those memories. Sometimes, those memories become too real, too alive, ... sometimes those memories... aren't memories at all.
This book was griping and suspenseful. Agnes is a shy, quiet, meek type of female. When strange, yet graphic and grotesque, murders of men start showing up along the coast towns around her, evidence starts to point at her. Agnes is arrested and questioned opening the segue for an intense murder mystery novel.
Family secrets are ripped wide open. Suspense between the police investigating and a known hated investigative newspaper reporter make for a great read. It's great to read a story where animosity and annoyance with each other can be put aside for the problem at hand: Menstrual Murderer.
I was really into this book. The story line was a bit predictable, but that didn't take away from the enjoyment of continuing the "page turning" on this ebook. It was well thought out, well written and the S-curves in the book were fun to ride along with.
The grammar, spelling and edits were great. I was able to zip through the story within days. I look forward to reading the second book in the series, "Imola".
Negative Aspect:
I am not sure if the author was working through a horrible breakup while writing this book, but I was really confused about the obsession Jason has with his ex-fiance' or why her memory kept creeping up. It really had nothing to do with the book, other than the similarities with the caretaker in Ella's nursing home. I loved Jason's character and development, I just felt this ex took away from the story line a little bit.
June 16, 2010
I enjoyed this thriller... it was pretty exciting and the plot did keep me guessing until nearly the very end. And it did combine some of my favorite plot elements - female serial killers and twins. There were definitely some loose ends left at this book's conclusion, but since there is a sequel, I am hoping that my lingering questions will be answered there. Despite the book's rather self-publishing feel (it's not, the cover art and typography just don't feel.... professional), it was well-written. Other than the holes (which, fingers-crossed, will be answered in Imola), my only real complaint was the rather gratuitous sex scenes. Graphic and rather pointless, they didn't really develop the plot and only made me lose sympathy for the reporter (who contrary to the title is the book's real main character). Still, I am looking forward to reading the sequel, especially since the writing style was much stronger than I expected based on the cover... just going to prove that old adage about books and covers once again!Imola
May 28, 2009
Though the plot centers around her and the book is named for her, Agnes Hahn doesn't have a strong presence in this tale. Agnes lives a very solitary life after her Aunt Ella is placed in a home, suffering from severe Alzheimer's, and her Aunt Gert dies. But all that is shattered when the local police arrest her for a series of gruesome murders.
Enter Jason, a reporter suffering from a broken heart and under pressure from his editor to deliver a good story or else. Agnes might be the central character, but Jason is the lead, whether he's fighting the local cops for the big exclusive or falling for someone who might be a rare female serial killer.
While the tension sometimes falters and the characters are largely ordinary people, the mystery of Agnes Hahn is solid, a twisting tale of police procedure and psychology reflective of the genre's forerunner, Thomas Harris.
Enter Jason, a reporter suffering from a broken heart and under pressure from his editor to deliver a good story or else. Agnes might be the central character, but Jason is the lead, whether he's fighting the local cops for the big exclusive or falling for someone who might be a rare female serial killer.
While the tension sometimes falters and the characters are largely ordinary people, the mystery of Agnes Hahn is solid, a twisting tale of police procedure and psychology reflective of the genre's forerunner, Thomas Harris.
April 23, 2013
Very good book on the subject of Multiple Personality Disorder. The sweet innocent Agnes who lives a very mundane life and her twin the sexy, murderous Lilin. They both "occupy" the same body. Normally Agnes is the one in control, but after the death of her aunt, Lilin takes over. And when she does, she murders and mutilates men out of revenge. The police are trying to figure out who is the female serial killer, while the DNA recollected at the murder-scenes puts them on the trail of Agnes. What gruesome secret from the past does Agnes hide? Will the reporter who covers the murders be able to uncover the truth?
As soon as I had this book finished, I bought the 2nd one "Imola", as I couldn't wait to find out what had really happened to Agnes/Lilin in the past.
As soon as I had this book finished, I bought the 2nd one "Imola", as I couldn't wait to find out what had really happened to Agnes/Lilin in the past.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2012
Another good book done.
This one was well edited (for ebook), which allowed me to keep my mind fully on the storyline. What I enjoyed best about this story was the inventive and well thought out storyline. I was kept guessing a nd flopping around as to who the true murderer was. I had it in mind all along about death of the twin and a personality disorder, as would any good reader, but I wanted and rooted for my journalistic friend and his need for Agnes to be the innocence mission.
I liked how the personalities of all the major players was explored just enough. Not too much...nor too little. Just right.
This one was well edited (for ebook), which allowed me to keep my mind fully on the storyline. What I enjoyed best about this story was the inventive and well thought out storyline. I was kept guessing a nd flopping around as to who the true murderer was. I had it in mind all along about death of the twin and a personality disorder, as would any good reader, but I wanted and rooted for my journalistic friend and his need for Agnes to be the innocence mission.
I liked how the personalities of all the major players was explored just enough. Not too much...nor too little. Just right.
February 5, 2010
I had really wanted to read these books. The next one is Imola. They sounded really good. But it dragged a bit on me. I'm hoping it was a setup for Imola. Multiple Personalities interest me so maybe I'll like it better because it goes more into depth with it than this book did. This book was about finding out that she had the disorder. We'll see what happens next and then I'll decide where I stand on this story.
January 31, 2015
I enjoyed reading this book. It kept me interested. I am anxious to read book number 2
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews