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Empty Rooms
Richie Krebbs is an ex-cop, a walking encyclopedia of crime and criminals who chafes at bureaucracy. Frank Robey quit the FBI and joined the Detroit PD, obsessed with the case of a missing child and unwilling to leave the city before she was found. When Richie unearths a possible clue in one of Detroit’s many abandoned homes, it puts him on a collision course with Frank—and with depths of depravity that neither man could have imagined. How do people who dwell in the darkest places—by profession or predilection—maintain their connection to the world of light and humanity? Richie and Frank will need every coping mechanism at their disposal to survive their descent into darkness and emerge unbroken on the other side. With Empty Rooms, bestselling award-winning novelist Jeffrey J. Mariotte introduces crime savant Krebbs and obsessive comic book fan Robey, who will quickly join the ranks of the most beloved heroes of thriller literature.
385 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2014
1 person is currently reading
600 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey J. Mariotte
161 books163 followersAlso writes as Jeff Mariotte
Jeffrey J. Mariotte is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 70 novels, including the Cody Cavanaugh western series, historical western epic Blood and Gold: The Legend of Joaquin Murrieta (with Peter Murrieta), thrillers Empty Rooms and The Devil's Bait, supernatural thrillers Season of the Wolf, Missing White Girl, River Runs Red, and Cold Black Hearts, horror epic The Slab, and the Dark Vengeance teen horror quartet. With wife and writing partner Marsheila (Marcy) Rockwell, he wrote the sf/horror/thriller 7 SYKOS and Mafia III: Plain of Jars, the authorized prequel to the bestselling video game. His most recent release is the short story collection Byrd's Luck & Other Stories, comprising five "traditional" Western tales and five horror-Western stories, two of them brand-new for this edition.
He also writes occasional nonfiction, short fiction (some of which is collected in Nine Frights), and comic books, including the long-running horror/Western comic book series Desperadoes and graphic novels Fade to Black and Zombie Cop. With Marsheila Rockwell, he has published several short stories and is working on more. He has worked in virtually every aspect of the book business, as a writer, editor, marketing executive, and bookseller.
Learn more at www.jeffmariotte.com, and follow him at https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyJMari... and @JeffMariotte on Twitter.
Also writes as Jeff Mariotte
Jeffrey J. Mariotte is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 70 novels, including the Cody Cavanaugh western series, historical western epic Blood and Gold: The Legend of Joaquin Murrieta (with Peter Murrieta), thrillers Empty Rooms and The Devil's Bait, supernatural thrillers Season of the Wolf, Missing White Girl, River Runs Red, and Cold Black Hearts, horror epic The Slab, and the Dark Vengeance teen horror quartet. With wife and writing partner Marsheila (Marcy) Rockwell, he wrote the sf/horror/thriller 7 SYKOS and Mafia III: Plain of Jars, the authorized prequel to the bestselling video game. His most recent release is the short story collection Byrd's Luck & Other Stories, comprising five "traditional" Western tales and five horror-Western stories, two of them brand-new for this edition.
He also writes occasional nonfiction, short fiction (some of which is collected in Nine Frights), and comic books, including the long-running horror/Western comic book series Desperadoes and graphic novels Fade to Black and Zombie Cop. With Marsheila Rockwell, he has published several short stories and is working on more. He has worked in virtually every aspect of the book business, as a writer, editor, marketing executive, and bookseller.
Learn more at www.jeffmariotte.com, and follow him at https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyJMari... and @JeffMariotte on Twitter.
Also writes as Jeff Mariotte
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 23, 2015
When ex-cop and true crime aficionado Richie Krebs interrupts an act of vandalism at an abandoned house, his curiosity gets the better of him, and he uncovers a clue that spins a cold case in a dark new direction, and places Richie in an uneasy alliance with Detective Frank Robey of the Detroit PD.....a man obsessed with bringing a missing little girl home. Together, they will go off the grid, as they try to solve a mystery that holds a darkness neither expected, one that leaves it's mark from the shattered remains of Detroit, across the country and back again
A taut, fast paced thriller that delivers in spades, a work of solid suspense, white knuckle twists, breakneck action and believable characters who are full fleshed and engagingly human. The duo of Krebs and Robey are a refreshing addition to the mystery scene and I look forward to reading more about them.
Mr. Mariotte has truly outdone himself.
Highly recommended.
A taut, fast paced thriller that delivers in spades, a work of solid suspense, white knuckle twists, breakneck action and believable characters who are full fleshed and engagingly human. The duo of Krebs and Robey are a refreshing addition to the mystery scene and I look forward to reading more about them.
Mr. Mariotte has truly outdone himself.
Highly recommended.
January 16, 2017
Well, honestly, I could not put this down....not willingly anyhow :)
This is a great thriller/suspense novel that begins with former-cop Richie Krebs and current Detroit Detective Frank Robey "bumping" into each other in the abandoned house of a family whose daughter went missing some 13 years earlier.
The girl was never found, and the family moved away, also disappearing. Something strike Krebs while in the house and he and Robey begin a tentative partnership that quickly grows into one of mutual respect. I won't spoil anything for you. Jeff's writing really makes you "feel" the characters- even the bad guys. I hope you read it and enjoy it as much as I did!!
This is a great thriller/suspense novel that begins with former-cop Richie Krebs and current Detroit Detective Frank Robey "bumping" into each other in the abandoned house of a family whose daughter went missing some 13 years earlier.
The girl was never found, and the family moved away, also disappearing. Something strike Krebs while in the house and he and Robey begin a tentative partnership that quickly grows into one of mutual respect. I won't spoil anything for you. Jeff's writing really makes you "feel" the characters- even the bad guys. I hope you read it and enjoy it as much as I did!!
January 19, 2015
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of Empty Rooms and what a hell of a read it was. The book follows the investigation of a cold case by an older detective and younger private security worker with a good portion of the novel set in Detroit Michigan, a city I have a love hate relationship with. Once the core of American manufacturing might, now a broken shell of its former glory. The city itself almost seems alive, like a character as interesting, broken and battered as some of the actual people in the story.
I will admit this book kept me up to the early hours of morning just promising myself that I would go to bed after one more page. The partnership between the protagonists is exceptionally fun to follow and the small chapters from the antagonists point of view are down right chilling with evil. They were intense, believable and creepy enough that at one point I put the book down and went over stranger safety again with my son.....just to put my mind at ease.
Whether it was the authors intent or not, the book seemed full of cyclical themes to me. The city of Detroit expressed in growth and decline. The repetition of history in the actions of people. The circle of violence and how difficult it is to break. The self-fulfilling circle of depression. The metaphorical death and rebirth of characters. If you are the kind of reader that looks for things beneath the surface of a story there is a lot here to enjoy. The main narrative itself was highly captivating and entertaining and well worth the read just for that!
If you are looking for a criminal chase thriller you will really enjoy this book. If you also happen to like philosophical flavor and undercurrent to the main story, you will love this book. I hope we get more novels in this series. As I finished the last page, I wanted more. For me that is the best sign of a great book!
I will admit this book kept me up to the early hours of morning just promising myself that I would go to bed after one more page. The partnership between the protagonists is exceptionally fun to follow and the small chapters from the antagonists point of view are down right chilling with evil. They were intense, believable and creepy enough that at one point I put the book down and went over stranger safety again with my son.....just to put my mind at ease.
Whether it was the authors intent or not, the book seemed full of cyclical themes to me. The city of Detroit expressed in growth and decline. The repetition of history in the actions of people. The circle of violence and how difficult it is to break. The self-fulfilling circle of depression. The metaphorical death and rebirth of characters. If you are the kind of reader that looks for things beneath the surface of a story there is a lot here to enjoy. The main narrative itself was highly captivating and entertaining and well worth the read just for that!
If you are looking for a criminal chase thriller you will really enjoy this book. If you also happen to like philosophical flavor and undercurrent to the main story, you will love this book. I hope we get more novels in this series. As I finished the last page, I wanted more. For me that is the best sign of a great book!
January 15, 2015
Empty Rooms is the best book I've read in a long time. It's one of those books that keeps you reading on and on -- you just can't put it down. I really enjoyed it. It's the first book I've read by Jeffrey Mariotte and it definitely will not be the last. Read it --you will not be disappointed.
July 31, 2015
Great read. Characters might not carry series.
Depicting the coast-to-coast hunt for a missing child, Empty rooms delivers a slick and fast-paced a thriller. The single thread of the main case reveals a web far more sticky and complex, one that threatens to unravel the marriages of both detectives involved.
One of the detectives, Richie Krebs, isn't even a detective. He's an out-of-work, former policeman posing as a cop. Krebs wants to find out what happened to eleven-year-old Angela Morton, who went missing from an abandoned house in his neighborhood more than a decade before. The other is veteran homicide detective Frank Robie, who worked the original Morton investigation.
Mariotte makes abandoned houses, and neighborhood decay central themes in Empty rooms, real issues in Detroit where neighborhoods recycle through generations of abandonment, gentrification, decay and abandonment all over again. I lived there in the eighties and worked on campaigns with ACORN so I'm well aware of the problem. Children were routinely abducted, raped and murdered in those houses. Empty rooms isn't too far from fiction.
When Krebs, working a substandard job with neighborhood watch, discovers a rape room in the abandoned Morton house, he breathes new life into the Morton investigation. Unfortunately, the only detective interested in reopening the case is Robie. The two of them launch a new campaign which leads away from Detroit and across the country. Since Robie can't leave his desk, Krebs must quit his job and investigate on Robie's dime.
As readers might guess, the cost of the investigation wears on Kreb's marriages and Robie's relationship with the nurse he's seeing. Here is where the book shows it's shortcomings. Mariotte's characters bring nothing fresh to the table. Other than the fact that Robie reads DC comic books passionately (not Marvel, but the straight and true, no irony DC), the characters and their issues are cut and paste from characters we've met before.
None of this detracts from the book, but it does mean there is nothing about Krebs, Robie and their families that leaves me waiting anxiously for book 2 in the casefiles.
As a consequence, Kreb's and Robie's family lives (and the passages where Robie reads from Superman comics over the phone to Krebs) serve as little more than filler between the scenes where Krebs tracks down Angela Morton's kidnapper, possibly murderer and definitely the man who is murdering a number of other little angels across America. I say this because essentially Krebs does the detecting. Robie remains in Detroit dealing with family issues and only resurfaces at the end to tie up the plot.
Could Mariotte have better involved Robie in the search for the kidnapper/killer? Yes. Could he have fleshed out his characters so they would be fresher and more appealing? Yes. Does it make the book any less worth reading? Not really. Empty rooms is still a hell of a read, a hell of thrill ride and that's what readers want.
Does he deliver enough to pull off a series? On that we'll have to wait and see.
Phillip T. Stephens is the author of Cigerets, Guns & Beer and Raising Hell. You can follow him @stephens_pt.
Depicting the coast-to-coast hunt for a missing child, Empty rooms delivers a slick and fast-paced a thriller. The single thread of the main case reveals a web far more sticky and complex, one that threatens to unravel the marriages of both detectives involved.
One of the detectives, Richie Krebs, isn't even a detective. He's an out-of-work, former policeman posing as a cop. Krebs wants to find out what happened to eleven-year-old Angela Morton, who went missing from an abandoned house in his neighborhood more than a decade before. The other is veteran homicide detective Frank Robie, who worked the original Morton investigation.
Mariotte makes abandoned houses, and neighborhood decay central themes in Empty rooms, real issues in Detroit where neighborhoods recycle through generations of abandonment, gentrification, decay and abandonment all over again. I lived there in the eighties and worked on campaigns with ACORN so I'm well aware of the problem. Children were routinely abducted, raped and murdered in those houses. Empty rooms isn't too far from fiction.
When Krebs, working a substandard job with neighborhood watch, discovers a rape room in the abandoned Morton house, he breathes new life into the Morton investigation. Unfortunately, the only detective interested in reopening the case is Robie. The two of them launch a new campaign which leads away from Detroit and across the country. Since Robie can't leave his desk, Krebs must quit his job and investigate on Robie's dime.
As readers might guess, the cost of the investigation wears on Kreb's marriages and Robie's relationship with the nurse he's seeing. Here is where the book shows it's shortcomings. Mariotte's characters bring nothing fresh to the table. Other than the fact that Robie reads DC comic books passionately (not Marvel, but the straight and true, no irony DC), the characters and their issues are cut and paste from characters we've met before.
None of this detracts from the book, but it does mean there is nothing about Krebs, Robie and their families that leaves me waiting anxiously for book 2 in the casefiles.
As a consequence, Kreb's and Robie's family lives (and the passages where Robie reads from Superman comics over the phone to Krebs) serve as little more than filler between the scenes where Krebs tracks down Angela Morton's kidnapper, possibly murderer and definitely the man who is murdering a number of other little angels across America. I say this because essentially Krebs does the detecting. Robie remains in Detroit dealing with family issues and only resurfaces at the end to tie up the plot.
Could Mariotte have better involved Robie in the search for the kidnapper/killer? Yes. Could he have fleshed out his characters so they would be fresher and more appealing? Yes. Does it make the book any less worth reading? Not really. Empty rooms is still a hell of a read, a hell of thrill ride and that's what readers want.
Does he deliver enough to pull off a series? On that we'll have to wait and see.
Phillip T. Stephens is the author of Cigerets, Guns & Beer and Raising Hell. You can follow him @stephens_pt.
March 2, 2015
Empty Rooms by Jeffrey J Mariotte
Richie Krebbs is an ex police officer and obsessed with criminology. Frank Robey ex-FBI and Detroit Police, officer is obsessed with a missing child's case for years. In an abandoned house, Richie stumbles upon what he believes to be a clue in in the case and seeks the help of Frank. Together the two decide they are going to try to solve this years old crime at any cost.
Richie not knowing what he wants out of life, being at maybe his all time low is very likable. He is flawed, unsure of what his future holds, but solving this case could be the glue that holds him together. Frank a comic book loving Cop, reluctantly gets involved in a cold case, he too is very likable. The two make an unlikely pair, having opposite personalities. But the teaming up of Richie and Frank, makes a fascinating read.
An exciting, intense tale of suspense. There are some secrets revealed, some (plot) twists, that make the story exciting. Watching Richie and Frank so close to the truth provides the perfect amount of page turning suspense, drama and action. I feel those who love a great suspense will enjoy Empty Rooms.
Richie Krebbs is an ex police officer and obsessed with criminology. Frank Robey ex-FBI and Detroit Police, officer is obsessed with a missing child's case for years. In an abandoned house, Richie stumbles upon what he believes to be a clue in in the case and seeks the help of Frank. Together the two decide they are going to try to solve this years old crime at any cost.
Richie not knowing what he wants out of life, being at maybe his all time low is very likable. He is flawed, unsure of what his future holds, but solving this case could be the glue that holds him together. Frank a comic book loving Cop, reluctantly gets involved in a cold case, he too is very likable. The two make an unlikely pair, having opposite personalities. But the teaming up of Richie and Frank, makes a fascinating read.
An exciting, intense tale of suspense. There are some secrets revealed, some (plot) twists, that make the story exciting. Watching Richie and Frank so close to the truth provides the perfect amount of page turning suspense, drama and action. I feel those who love a great suspense will enjoy Empty Rooms.
February 1, 2015
This is not the sort of book I normally read--my usual reads are Fantasy, Science Fiction and Romance, but I got an ARC of this and decided, "Okay, what the heck."
This is a "trigger" book for me -- as a mother and a teacher, stories about child sexual predators are hard for me to read, so I took it slow, only reading 8 chapters a night... at least, that was my plan. I read it in three chunks, and the first night, I was able to stick to the 8 chapters. Then, because of work and other things, I missed a night, so I decided to read 16 chapters to make up for the lost time. Then, I ended up missing another night, so I thought I'd just read another 16 chapters--I ended up reading 32 and finishing the book.
From that you can infer how good a book it is. A book that should send me screaming and unable to finish, I ended up finishing rather sooner than I thought. This is a taut thriller of book, but it's not focused on just the case--we get to know Richie "Maynard" Krebs and Frank Robey.
Each of them are haunted by the case of Angela Morton, a little girl who was abducted from her Detroit home. Thirteen years later, circumstances bring them together at her old house and have them unofficially re-opening the cold case files of her disappearance.
This is an excellent book--believe me, if I couldn't put it down, despite it's subject matter, I don't think you'll be able to either. Excellent writing, compelling story, flawed heroes doing the best they can.
This is a "trigger" book for me -- as a mother and a teacher, stories about child sexual predators are hard for me to read, so I took it slow, only reading 8 chapters a night... at least, that was my plan. I read it in three chunks, and the first night, I was able to stick to the 8 chapters. Then, because of work and other things, I missed a night, so I decided to read 16 chapters to make up for the lost time. Then, I ended up missing another night, so I thought I'd just read another 16 chapters--I ended up reading 32 and finishing the book.
From that you can infer how good a book it is. A book that should send me screaming and unable to finish, I ended up finishing rather sooner than I thought. This is a taut thriller of book, but it's not focused on just the case--we get to know Richie "Maynard" Krebs and Frank Robey.
Each of them are haunted by the case of Angela Morton, a little girl who was abducted from her Detroit home. Thirteen years later, circumstances bring them together at her old house and have them unofficially re-opening the cold case files of her disappearance.
This is an excellent book--believe me, if I couldn't put it down, despite it's subject matter, I don't think you'll be able to either. Excellent writing, compelling story, flawed heroes doing the best they can.
Read
April 3, 2021Dark and compelling
In 2017, I received a copy of Empty Rooms by Jeff Mariotte for an honest opinion. At the time, I put my review on Amazon but as we talk more about the wonderful authors that we work with, I wanted to give another look at this amazing book.
Richie Krebbs is an ex-cop, a walking encyclopedia of crime and criminals who chafes at bureaucracy. Frank Robey quit the FBI and joined the Detroit PD, obsessed with the case of a missing child and unwilling to leave the city before she was found. When Richie unearths a possible clue in one of Detroit’s many abandoned homes, it puts him on a collision course with Frank—and with depths of depravity that neither man could have imagined.
How do people who dwell in the darkest places—by profession or predilection—maintain their connection to the world of light and humanity? Richie and Frank will need every coping mechanism at their disposal to survive their descent into darkness and emerge unbroken on the other side.
While I don’t normally read much crime fiction, Jeff Mariotte had me hooked from the first sentence. Dark and gritty, realistic and at times a bit disturbing, “Empty Rooms” weaves a story of the darker side of human nature but also reveals the hope that we all have for things to be better.
I could not recommend this book higher. It kept me on the edge of my seat while I wondered if the main characters would achieve their goals. And I wasn’t left wanting. It was a very satisfying story with a compelling ending and anybody looking for a dark, realistic mystery thriller should pick it up. I still remember the story two years later and want to read it again.
5 out 5 stars.
In 2017, I received a copy of Empty Rooms by Jeff Mariotte for an honest opinion. At the time, I put my review on Amazon but as we talk more about the wonderful authors that we work with, I wanted to give another look at this amazing book.
Richie Krebbs is an ex-cop, a walking encyclopedia of crime and criminals who chafes at bureaucracy. Frank Robey quit the FBI and joined the Detroit PD, obsessed with the case of a missing child and unwilling to leave the city before she was found. When Richie unearths a possible clue in one of Detroit’s many abandoned homes, it puts him on a collision course with Frank—and with depths of depravity that neither man could have imagined.
How do people who dwell in the darkest places—by profession or predilection—maintain their connection to the world of light and humanity? Richie and Frank will need every coping mechanism at their disposal to survive their descent into darkness and emerge unbroken on the other side.
While I don’t normally read much crime fiction, Jeff Mariotte had me hooked from the first sentence. Dark and gritty, realistic and at times a bit disturbing, “Empty Rooms” weaves a story of the darker side of human nature but also reveals the hope that we all have for things to be better.
I could not recommend this book higher. It kept me on the edge of my seat while I wondered if the main characters would achieve their goals. And I wasn’t left wanting. It was a very satisfying story with a compelling ending and anybody looking for a dark, realistic mystery thriller should pick it up. I still remember the story two years later and want to read it again.
5 out 5 stars.
January 26, 2019
Detroit detective Frank Robey (ex-FBI) and security guard Richie Krebbs (ex-cop) stumble across a new lead in the case of a girl who went missing thirteen years earlier. Richie impresses Frank enough that the two partner up to work on the cold case, even though it costs Richie his job. The two become convinced that the killer was actually the girl’s father, and that the man is still out there, preying on other little girls. Thus starts a race to track him down and stop him.
Richie is not my favorite main character. For instance, he sleeps with a woman who is not his wife, then justifies it to himself as not being a threat to his marriage because he won’t see her again. He doesn't even seem to feel particularly guilty about it. There are a lot of slow bits to this tale, and various side-journeys, and at times I found myself starting to skim portions of it. I think if it had been a bit tighter it would have been a more interesting read.
Consider my rating a 3.5
Richie is not my favorite main character. For instance, he sleeps with a woman who is not his wife, then justifies it to himself as not being a threat to his marriage because he won’t see her again. He doesn't even seem to feel particularly guilty about it. There are a lot of slow bits to this tale, and various side-journeys, and at times I found myself starting to skim portions of it. I think if it had been a bit tighter it would have been a more interesting read.
Consider my rating a 3.5
June 5, 2018
Great book. Just sent the author an email at his web site asking for him to consider a series because the two protagonists, Richie Krebbs and Frank Robey, are the most interesting, original, and perfect pairing I’ve come across in years. Both characters are so believably flawed, it just makes you love them more. The novel reads like a film noir; gritty, with mostly moral shades of grey between the absolute of no moral ambiguity, Black and white of a ring of pedophiles. The good guys are heartrendingly human, and the bad guys are sick fucks. The author, I guess, does graphic novels, and that is how this novel comes across; you can easily picture the scenes in your head. Whatever or however, the style and tone really works. Want some more, please.
October 27, 2017
This was a good read. I was a little disappointed that the majority of the book was build-up and the ending and resolution felt rushed.
February 18, 2015
Free book for honest review. juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
There is so much I can say about Empty Rooms, this book was beyond awesome!
Rich, an ex cop of 6 years, finds himself intrigue with a house close to his new one. One that is named the "Morton House". Seems there was a child that one lived there, Angela Morton. Thirteen years ago Angela Morton went to get ice cream. She never made it to the Ice Cream Truck, but where she went is one that no one has figured out. No body and no ransom note. The mystery that surrounds this house and story is one that Rich can not let go. When Rich meets up with Frank Robey they compare info on this disturbing case. Rich and Robey decide to take matters into their own hands and find out what actually happen to Angela that day.
What they find will be so disturbing, but will find out the truth before another innocent child disappears ???
Two thumbs up for this wonderful novel ! ! This is the first Mariotte novel I have read and I will be looking for more. I was hooked just by reading the title. This is one you will not want to put down. Its well written and the characters are strong and fit the story line. Words flow and puzzles fit together, just as they should. I enjoyed the ride I took on the thrilling roller coaster ride.
5 Thrilling stars :)
Wende
There is so much I can say about Empty Rooms, this book was beyond awesome!
Rich, an ex cop of 6 years, finds himself intrigue with a house close to his new one. One that is named the "Morton House". Seems there was a child that one lived there, Angela Morton. Thirteen years ago Angela Morton went to get ice cream. She never made it to the Ice Cream Truck, but where she went is one that no one has figured out. No body and no ransom note. The mystery that surrounds this house and story is one that Rich can not let go. When Rich meets up with Frank Robey they compare info on this disturbing case. Rich and Robey decide to take matters into their own hands and find out what actually happen to Angela that day.
What they find will be so disturbing, but will find out the truth before another innocent child disappears ???
Two thumbs up for this wonderful novel ! ! This is the first Mariotte novel I have read and I will be looking for more. I was hooked just by reading the title. This is one you will not want to put down. Its well written and the characters are strong and fit the story line. Words flow and puzzles fit together, just as they should. I enjoyed the ride I took on the thrilling roller coaster ride.
5 Thrilling stars :)
Wende
July 4, 2015
I enjoyed this book, even though I was hesitant to read it after finding out it was about a missing kid. There are so many missing kid books out there, or books about killing kids, I often feel like the subject is overused. This book however, had a twist that made it worth reading. In fact I have become so used to knowing what was going to happen before the end of the book I was happy to read this book.
The main characters, Richie and Frank complement each other well. The book begins with Richie searching through empty house that was once a crime scene. From there Richie gets involved in a twisted set of lies and surprises that lead him further down a hole he isn't sure he really wants to venture down.
Besides one scene in this book that involves Richie and a young woman who helps him, I love the interaction between the characters, especially a young tortured soul named Wil and the kindhearted officer Frank. There were twists in the book I was not expecting, and the fact that things fit in a circle and everything had something to do with the main story was great. Not many books do that. I look forward to reading another book by Mr. Mariotte.
The main characters, Richie and Frank complement each other well. The book begins with Richie searching through empty house that was once a crime scene. From there Richie gets involved in a twisted set of lies and surprises that lead him further down a hole he isn't sure he really wants to venture down.
Besides one scene in this book that involves Richie and a young woman who helps him, I love the interaction between the characters, especially a young tortured soul named Wil and the kindhearted officer Frank. There were twists in the book I was not expecting, and the fact that things fit in a circle and everything had something to do with the main story was great. Not many books do that. I look forward to reading another book by Mr. Mariotte.
February 21, 2015
I won this book as part of a giveaway on goodreads. I usually read mostly non-fiction crime, so I wasn't sure how I would pan on fictional crime. I shook my head sometimes at the typical storyline / over-exaggerations, but I could not put this book down. I finished it in two days, snowed in from work. If you like crime novels, you'll love this one. For those like me with masters degrees in CJ, maybe not. I am glad I read it, and I look forward to passing it along to a friend to check out and review.
March 6, 2015
A Great Book!
This is the third book by Mr. Mariotte that I have read, and like the first two this was a captivating and exciting story. I loved the interaction between Frank and "Maynard", and the way we got to learn about each of them as the story progressed. I look forward to more books in this series, and have become a big fan of this author. He is just simply a great storyteller!
This is the third book by Mr. Mariotte that I have read, and like the first two this was a captivating and exciting story. I loved the interaction between Frank and "Maynard", and the way we got to learn about each of them as the story progressed. I look forward to more books in this series, and have become a big fan of this author. He is just simply a great storyteller!
February 26, 2015
Hard to put this book down.
Empty Rooms kept me up reading past my bedtime and nearly made me late for work a couple of times. It was hard to put down. I would have liked to known more about Wil... Maybe we will see him in another book?
Empty Rooms kept me up reading past my bedtime and nearly made me late for work a couple of times. It was hard to put down. I would have liked to known more about Wil... Maybe we will see him in another book?
March 20, 2015
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
A rather chilling story. Made me want to keep a closer eye on my kids.
Well written with interesting characters. There were a couple of incidents in the middle of the book that seemed out of place. All in all a great book.
A rather chilling story. Made me want to keep a closer eye on my kids.
Well written with interesting characters. There were a couple of incidents in the middle of the book that seemed out of place. All in all a great book.
May 13, 2015
thought I'd try a new author--sounded promising--not enough suspense--and would authors quit writing about children being abducted?
December 15, 2016
Excellent. Kept me involved, and had me just a little worried at the end. THAT's a good thriller!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews