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Killer Thriller #1
A Secondhand Life
From USA Today bestselling author Pamela Crane comes a twisty thriller about the monsters that hide in plain sight.
During a freak car crash when she was twelve years old, Mia Germaine died alongside her father. A heart transplant from a young murder victim brought her back to life, but not without a price.
Twenty years later, chilling nightmares about that unresolved homicide begin to haunt Mia's dreams. Against her will, she forms a complicated connection to the victim—the girl murdered the night of Mia's accident—due to a scientific phenomenon called "organ memory."
The only way to stop the nightmares is to avenge a dead girl by catching the infamous serial killer dubbed the "Triangle Terror." Only one person is willing to help her, the one person Mia would die for ... and if she's not careful, she just might.
But there's something Mia doesn't know about the girl who was murdered. And even more she doesn't know about her fateful car accident. As she tries to piece together the clues in her nightmares, a killer is just getting started.
During a freak car crash when she was twelve years old, Mia Germaine died alongside her father. A heart transplant from a young murder victim brought her back to life, but not without a price.
Twenty years later, chilling nightmares about that unresolved homicide begin to haunt Mia's dreams. Against her will, she forms a complicated connection to the victim—the girl murdered the night of Mia's accident—due to a scientific phenomenon called "organ memory."
The only way to stop the nightmares is to avenge a dead girl by catching the infamous serial killer dubbed the "Triangle Terror." Only one person is willing to help her, the one person Mia would die for ... and if she's not careful, she just might.
But there's something Mia doesn't know about the girl who was murdered. And even more she doesn't know about her fateful car accident. As she tries to piece together the clues in her nightmares, a killer is just getting started.
312 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2015
559 people are currently reading
2485 people want to read
About the author
Pamela Crane
26 books805 followersTo know PAMELA CRANE, you first need to know her husband. He sleeps with one eye open. He checks the knife block to make sure none are missing. Why? It could be because they have four kids and a farm full of mischievous animals. Or it could be because she writes murder mysteries, and about the occasional woman who has lost her marbles (not based on her real-life psyche, she swears!) Don't worry—her husband is safe...for now. Her books range from witty whodunnits to psychological suspense and even humorous women’s fiction thrown in for good measure. She’s a USA TODAY bestselling author of over a dozen novels (who’s counting?), but her biggest accomplishment is keeping her zoo of animals alive…and her husband in check. Grab a free book at www.pamelacrane.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
February 10, 2017
"A Secondhand Life" (The Killer Thriller Series Book 2) by Pamela Crane is a standalone novel with characters from her short story, "A Secondhand Lie." I would recommend that you read book 1 first, “A Secondhand Lie”, to acquaint yourself with the characters.
This well written who-dun-it mystery book novel has a unique plot, memorable characters and a book you will not be able to put down. I started this book last night and was totally captivated until I finished it early this morning. What an amazing read!
In this book, the author takes on a controversy topic …one of Organ Donation and “Organ Memory”, where the transplant recipient can experience the donor’s thoughts and see the past through their eyes. What a thought-provoking and intriguing concept! I was totally hooked on the story right from the beginning, and I feel the author did it great justice.
Twelve year-old, Mia Germaine was involved in an accident that left her father dead and her in need of a heart transplant. Mia receives a heart transplant from a young murder victim, Alexis, murdered by the Triangle Terror, on the same day… but at a cost! Twenty years later Mia has nightmares about the unsolved murder of her young donor. She forms a link with the murdered girl- the girl killed the night of Mia’s accident due to a scientific phenomenon called “organ memory.
Now Mia and the victim’s brother, Langdon, hunt down the serial killer responsible for the death of her heart donor. Mia feels a need to find the truth and bring the young donor’s killer to justice.
A Secondhand Life is a great read that will have you staying up late into the night to discover who-dun-it! A captivating read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Many thanks to the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity who provided a digital copy.
This well written who-dun-it mystery book novel has a unique plot, memorable characters and a book you will not be able to put down. I started this book last night and was totally captivated until I finished it early this morning. What an amazing read!
In this book, the author takes on a controversy topic …one of Organ Donation and “Organ Memory”, where the transplant recipient can experience the donor’s thoughts and see the past through their eyes. What a thought-provoking and intriguing concept! I was totally hooked on the story right from the beginning, and I feel the author did it great justice.
Twelve year-old, Mia Germaine was involved in an accident that left her father dead and her in need of a heart transplant. Mia receives a heart transplant from a young murder victim, Alexis, murdered by the Triangle Terror, on the same day… but at a cost! Twenty years later Mia has nightmares about the unsolved murder of her young donor. She forms a link with the murdered girl- the girl killed the night of Mia’s accident due to a scientific phenomenon called “organ memory.
Now Mia and the victim’s brother, Langdon, hunt down the serial killer responsible for the death of her heart donor. Mia feels a need to find the truth and bring the young donor’s killer to justice.
A Secondhand Life is a great read that will have you staying up late into the night to discover who-dun-it! A captivating read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Many thanks to the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity who provided a digital copy.
January 18, 2016
This is my first taste of a Pamela Crane book and I found it an excellent read.
This is a book that grabs your attention early on and makes you want to pick it up and continue the read at every opportunity.
The story centres on Mia Germaine who was involved in an accident when she was twelve resulting in her Father's death and the need for a heart transplant. A heart transplant from a young murder victim saves Mia's life but with an unexpected side effect. Twenty years later Mia has nightmares about the unsolved murder of her young doner. She experiences a connection with the murdered girl and recalls chilling memories that start to unravel the actual murder. Mia encounters a phenomenon called 'organ memory' where she can experience the doners thoughts and see the past through her eyes. Mia feels compounded to try and find the truth and bring the young doners killer to justice.
A fascinating read that I thoroughly enjoyed. After recently reading a couple of relatively slow books it was a satisfying change to read this fast paced novel that is different from the average Mystery Thriller novel.
A new author to me but I plan to reads a lot more of Pamela Crane's books.
This is a book that grabs your attention early on and makes you want to pick it up and continue the read at every opportunity.
The story centres on Mia Germaine who was involved in an accident when she was twelve resulting in her Father's death and the need for a heart transplant. A heart transplant from a young murder victim saves Mia's life but with an unexpected side effect. Twenty years later Mia has nightmares about the unsolved murder of her young doner. She experiences a connection with the murdered girl and recalls chilling memories that start to unravel the actual murder. Mia encounters a phenomenon called 'organ memory' where she can experience the doners thoughts and see the past through her eyes. Mia feels compounded to try and find the truth and bring the young doners killer to justice.
A fascinating read that I thoroughly enjoyed. After recently reading a couple of relatively slow books it was a satisfying change to read this fast paced novel that is different from the average Mystery Thriller novel.
A new author to me but I plan to reads a lot more of Pamela Crane's books.
October 22, 2025
3.5★
The author says at the end:
“And for those of you who want to leave a legacy after you depart this world, consider becoming an organ donor. You never know how you’ll impact another person’s life and live on in a powerful way …”
There are anecdotes where people say their new heart (or other organ) has possibly given them not just new life, but new memories as well. Whether it’s true or not is pretty much beside the point. Does it make an interesting premise for a mystery? Sure, why not?
Mia’s story is introduced in the first person by a particularly warped killer who decides the only way to keep girls innocent is to end their lives before they hit their teens. He makes his position clear.
“Girls dressed like whores—acted like them too. Younger and younger they were deflowered, and so many were to blame for the trend. Negligent parents, ego-based media, Facebook, selfies, retailer targeting, schools teaching it in the classroom. Children were trapped at birth to one day succumb to this inflated sense of ego. I had hoped my message would change all that. Slowly but surely the masses would understand their plight. But at each purging, my intent was covered up—by the media, of course. The newspapers called it ‘murder,’ ‘horrendous,’ and ‘sick.’ They girls were ‘victims.’ All lies! The girls were set free, and I was their hero! How could my point be mistaken? Either the media was blind to the truth, or they were in on the scam to corrupt the lost. My bet was on the latter.”
Mia, now in her 20s with a boyfriend and good job, was the recipient of Alexis’s heart years before. Both girls were pre-teens—Mia, critically injured in a car crash that killed her dad, and Alexis, murdered by the Triangle Terror (as we later learn) on the same day.
Lately Mia’s started having odd dreams. She’s also been having some strong reactions to certain objects—a stray beer can, a smell—and it occurs to her that these feel more like memories than the usual stuff of dreams, and she feels compelled to investigate at any cost.
She tells most of the story, with occasional chapters narrated by the killer.
We get some background of the families and other characters, including red herrings, but mostly it’s a whodunit, and we watch and worry about Mia as she tries to piece her flashbacks together with whatever research she can find in social media and old news reports.
There is some peculiar (to me) phrasing, such as when Mia wakes thirsty after her operation and is given a drink: “Water-an oasis to my throat.”
There’s also a fair bit of preaching about organ donation, which is understandable.
Thanks to Booklover Catlady Publicity and the author for a copy for review. It's certainly an intriguing medical topic, and if it can help prompt more organ donation, great!
Another good one based on organ memory is The Recipient, by Aussie author Dean Mayes. He's a paediatric nurse in Adelaide.
(I did review that also. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... )
The author says at the end:
“And for those of you who want to leave a legacy after you depart this world, consider becoming an organ donor. You never know how you’ll impact another person’s life and live on in a powerful way …”
There are anecdotes where people say their new heart (or other organ) has possibly given them not just new life, but new memories as well. Whether it’s true or not is pretty much beside the point. Does it make an interesting premise for a mystery? Sure, why not?
Mia’s story is introduced in the first person by a particularly warped killer who decides the only way to keep girls innocent is to end their lives before they hit their teens. He makes his position clear.
“Girls dressed like whores—acted like them too. Younger and younger they were deflowered, and so many were to blame for the trend. Negligent parents, ego-based media, Facebook, selfies, retailer targeting, schools teaching it in the classroom. Children were trapped at birth to one day succumb to this inflated sense of ego. I had hoped my message would change all that. Slowly but surely the masses would understand their plight. But at each purging, my intent was covered up—by the media, of course. The newspapers called it ‘murder,’ ‘horrendous,’ and ‘sick.’ They girls were ‘victims.’ All lies! The girls were set free, and I was their hero! How could my point be mistaken? Either the media was blind to the truth, or they were in on the scam to corrupt the lost. My bet was on the latter.”
Mia, now in her 20s with a boyfriend and good job, was the recipient of Alexis’s heart years before. Both girls were pre-teens—Mia, critically injured in a car crash that killed her dad, and Alexis, murdered by the Triangle Terror (as we later learn) on the same day.
Lately Mia’s started having odd dreams. She’s also been having some strong reactions to certain objects—a stray beer can, a smell—and it occurs to her that these feel more like memories than the usual stuff of dreams, and she feels compelled to investigate at any cost.
She tells most of the story, with occasional chapters narrated by the killer.
We get some background of the families and other characters, including red herrings, but mostly it’s a whodunit, and we watch and worry about Mia as she tries to piece her flashbacks together with whatever research she can find in social media and old news reports.
There is some peculiar (to me) phrasing, such as when Mia wakes thirsty after her operation and is given a drink: “Water-an oasis to my throat.”
There’s also a fair bit of preaching about organ donation, which is understandable.
Thanks to Booklover Catlady Publicity and the author for a copy for review. It's certainly an intriguing medical topic, and if it can help prompt more organ donation, great!
Another good one based on organ memory is The Recipient, by Aussie author Dean Mayes. He's a paediatric nurse in Adelaide.
(I did review that also. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... )
February 8, 2017
A Secondhand Life has such a unique plot angle that I was hooked very early on. Pamela Crane has done her research into something called "organ memory" which is essentially where there is proof that after a person has received a body organ donated from a deceased person such as a heart or lung that certain things can happen. These things can be like changes in food preferences, TV shows, colour preferences, things that used to be liked now are not, vivid dreams and a sense of having memories of another life that is not one's own. Absolutely fascinating! And a great basis for a plot for a novel.
This is book two in a series and honestly? I would not have noticed, you can absolutely read this one as a stand alone no problem at all. A serial killer has been killing young girls over a long period of years and is still getting away with it. His victims, as young as 12 years old are killed in the same way and a calling card is left to tease the police with. So far, the police are no closer to connecting any dots to get even close to a suspect.
A young victim is murdered, another young woman receives her heart and is never the same again. Our main character begins to experience things relating to organ memory and quite naturally is overwhelmed by it all. As pieces begin to fit together she feels an overwhelming need and desire to do her bit to stop this killer in his/her tracks. Civilian becomes private detective. You would be forgiven for thinking it all sounds a bit far-fetched but honestly the author does a good job of making this an intriguing and fascinating story being told.
There are mixed elements in this book including flashbacks to the murder victim's life and last moments alive that are brilliantly done in my opinion. There is certainly a crime element of course, there is a romantic relationship that doesn't do so well under the pressure of the new hunt for a serial killer (kind of understandably!) and plenty of character who come under the radar of "potential suspect". Our civilian sleuth is a risk-taker and really starts to dig deep, perhaps deeper than she should. What she is going to uncover will change everything - forever.
There are some good twists in this novel as it move along and the pace is really good right from the beginning. This was nearly a 5 star read for me as I truly enjoyed reading it and was eager to know where it was going. It's well written and this is certainly an author I am keen to read more of. My actual rating is a 4.0-4.5 because of a few minot plot holes, and the fact that for some reason I kept picturing the main character as not as a woman in her mid-30's but as a teenager aged about 19. I kept trying to pinpoint why I could not see her in adult form but have not put my finger on it yet. I had to keep reminding myself of her age. At first I thought it was an YA book interestingly.
I guessed the ending and was right but that made the book no less enjoyable and once I was past the halfway point I was not putting the book down until I got to the last word in the book. I would definitely recommend this one to those that like a thriller with a bit of a different in the plot and storyline. The whole concept of organ memory is fascinating and how it plays out in the novel is really something else. A great read!
Many thanks to Pamela Crane for a copy of this novel to read in exchange for a fair, honest and professional book review.
Note: I have review copies of this great book available at the moment for reviews, readers and bloggers. If keen email me at booklovercatlady@gmail.com to express interest.
Thanks for reading my review! For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, author interviews and features come over to join me for book fun at: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
To follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
To enquire about joining my reviewers team: http://goo.gl/forms/GWMOvlofZg
Finally to enquire about my book publicity services: http://goo.gl/forms/eVwa2HFKnK
This is book two in a series and honestly? I would not have noticed, you can absolutely read this one as a stand alone no problem at all. A serial killer has been killing young girls over a long period of years and is still getting away with it. His victims, as young as 12 years old are killed in the same way and a calling card is left to tease the police with. So far, the police are no closer to connecting any dots to get even close to a suspect.
A young victim is murdered, another young woman receives her heart and is never the same again. Our main character begins to experience things relating to organ memory and quite naturally is overwhelmed by it all. As pieces begin to fit together she feels an overwhelming need and desire to do her bit to stop this killer in his/her tracks. Civilian becomes private detective. You would be forgiven for thinking it all sounds a bit far-fetched but honestly the author does a good job of making this an intriguing and fascinating story being told.
There are mixed elements in this book including flashbacks to the murder victim's life and last moments alive that are brilliantly done in my opinion. There is certainly a crime element of course, there is a romantic relationship that doesn't do so well under the pressure of the new hunt for a serial killer (kind of understandably!) and plenty of character who come under the radar of "potential suspect". Our civilian sleuth is a risk-taker and really starts to dig deep, perhaps deeper than she should. What she is going to uncover will change everything - forever.
There are some good twists in this novel as it move along and the pace is really good right from the beginning. This was nearly a 5 star read for me as I truly enjoyed reading it and was eager to know where it was going. It's well written and this is certainly an author I am keen to read more of. My actual rating is a 4.0-4.5 because of a few minot plot holes, and the fact that for some reason I kept picturing the main character as not as a woman in her mid-30's but as a teenager aged about 19. I kept trying to pinpoint why I could not see her in adult form but have not put my finger on it yet. I had to keep reminding myself of her age. At first I thought it was an YA book interestingly.
I guessed the ending and was right but that made the book no less enjoyable and once I was past the halfway point I was not putting the book down until I got to the last word in the book. I would definitely recommend this one to those that like a thriller with a bit of a different in the plot and storyline. The whole concept of organ memory is fascinating and how it plays out in the novel is really something else. A great read!
Many thanks to Pamela Crane for a copy of this novel to read in exchange for a fair, honest and professional book review.
Note: I have review copies of this great book available at the moment for reviews, readers and bloggers. If keen email me at booklovercatlady@gmail.com to express interest.
Thanks for reading my review! For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, author interviews and features come over to join me for book fun at: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
To follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
To enquire about joining my reviewers team: http://goo.gl/forms/GWMOvlofZg
Finally to enquire about my book publicity services: http://goo.gl/forms/eVwa2HFKnK
July 25, 2016
Mia Germaine received a heart transplant when she was 12 years old after being in a horrific auto accident that also took her father’s life. Twenty years later, she begins having nightmares about a young girl she doesn’t know. Following the clues, she picks up during these visions, she finds the young girl was a murder victim. The murderer has never been found. Are these dreams/visions in reality organ memory? Memories of a girl who has been dead for more than 20 years?
Thus begins a journey full of mystery and suspense as Mia and the victim’s brother, Langdon, hunt down the serial killer responsible for the death of her heart donor.
The story is extremely well-written, with an original plot, and characters you won’t readily forget anytime soon. The suspense builds from the first page and doesn’t stop until the explosive ending. There are several twists and turns that will have you questioning what you’ve been thinking.
This is an excellent psychological thriller and I highly recommend it!
**"A Secondhand Life" is a standalone psychological thriller featuring characters also found in the companion novella, "A Secondhand Lie."**
Many thanks to the author / Booklover Catlady Publicity who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Thus begins a journey full of mystery and suspense as Mia and the victim’s brother, Langdon, hunt down the serial killer responsible for the death of her heart donor.
The story is extremely well-written, with an original plot, and characters you won’t readily forget anytime soon. The suspense builds from the first page and doesn’t stop until the explosive ending. There are several twists and turns that will have you questioning what you’ve been thinking.
This is an excellent psychological thriller and I highly recommend it!
**"A Secondhand Life" is a standalone psychological thriller featuring characters also found in the companion novella, "A Secondhand Lie."**
Many thanks to the author / Booklover Catlady Publicity who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
November 14, 2017
Superb
Mia Germaine was a recipient of a heart donor she was in an accident that killed her father.
Twenty years later Mia starts to have nightmares and flashbacks about Alexis Worthington who was killed very much like similar other girls and they dubbed the killer as the triangle terror.
Mia feels compelled to find out what happened and who killed Alexis so she enlists the help of Alexis brother, Mia also seeks medical help because she feels like she is going mad trying to track down what happened to Alexis it is also effecting her relationship with her boyfriend, there she fins out about Organ Memory the preservation of personality traits.
The book was so great and I really enjoyed it the story is recounted from Mia and the Killers perspective it is a wonderful book a must read.
Thank you to the Author, Publisher and Book Lover Catlady Publicity for a copy of this book.
Mia Germaine was a recipient of a heart donor she was in an accident that killed her father.
Twenty years later Mia starts to have nightmares and flashbacks about Alexis Worthington who was killed very much like similar other girls and they dubbed the killer as the triangle terror.
Mia feels compelled to find out what happened and who killed Alexis so she enlists the help of Alexis brother, Mia also seeks medical help because she feels like she is going mad trying to track down what happened to Alexis it is also effecting her relationship with her boyfriend, there she fins out about Organ Memory the preservation of personality traits.
The book was so great and I really enjoyed it the story is recounted from Mia and the Killers perspective it is a wonderful book a must read.
Thank you to the Author, Publisher and Book Lover Catlady Publicity for a copy of this book.
August 18, 2016
At the age of 12, Mia is involved in a serious road accident that kills her father. She is so seriously injured herself, that she needs a heart transplant. But the victim is the result of a tragedy, namely murder.
Some twenty years later, Mia starts to have terrifying nightmares which don't make any sense, until she works out who her heart belonged to and the circumstances. The donor was also a 12 years old but not a random victim. It appears that she was one of the Triangle Terror's victims and the culprit still, hasn't been caught.
She is driven to find answers as her nightmares become more and more frightening. She is seeing scenes of Alexis's murder and slowly puts the pieces together. When the night terrors start, her boyfriend is unable to understand or help. but she gets close to Alexis's brother and they share their tortured thoughts, mainly in the night, when neither can sleep.
The policeman who was the first on the scene at Alexis's murder has information that only the killer and Alexis knew, and certainly not Mia. There is no documented proof of this, but she finds out that Alexis's brother has a criminal record for involuntary manslaughter - the accident that killed Mia's father. When she confronts him she finally gets the truth. He took responsibility for the accident as he was shielding Evan, who had a great deal to lose - his job amongst other things. They follow up 2 other leads, thinking they may have found the killer, but this doesn't work out.
This story's intriguing and the plot is fast-paced. Organ memory has received a great deal of media interest and Ms. Crane really does do it justice. As Alexis's murder is one of at least 4, and the killer needs to be found, and fast. She realises that she is fighting for her life and she will be the next victim.
I was surprised to learn that Mia is in her 30's and not a teenager. She obviously needs to grow up a bit. I thought that I had worked out who the Terror was, but I was wrong ...
With thanks to Booklover Catlady for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Some twenty years later, Mia starts to have terrifying nightmares which don't make any sense, until she works out who her heart belonged to and the circumstances. The donor was also a 12 years old but not a random victim. It appears that she was one of the Triangle Terror's victims and the culprit still, hasn't been caught.
She is driven to find answers as her nightmares become more and more frightening. She is seeing scenes of Alexis's murder and slowly puts the pieces together. When the night terrors start, her boyfriend is unable to understand or help. but she gets close to Alexis's brother and they share their tortured thoughts, mainly in the night, when neither can sleep.
The policeman who was the first on the scene at Alexis's murder has information that only the killer and Alexis knew, and certainly not Mia. There is no documented proof of this, but she finds out that Alexis's brother has a criminal record for involuntary manslaughter - the accident that killed Mia's father. When she confronts him she finally gets the truth. He took responsibility for the accident as he was shielding Evan, who had a great deal to lose - his job amongst other things. They follow up 2 other leads, thinking they may have found the killer, but this doesn't work out.
This story's intriguing and the plot is fast-paced. Organ memory has received a great deal of media interest and Ms. Crane really does do it justice. As Alexis's murder is one of at least 4, and the killer needs to be found, and fast. She realises that she is fighting for her life and she will be the next victim.
I was surprised to learn that Mia is in her 30's and not a teenager. She obviously needs to grow up a bit. I thought that I had worked out who the Terror was, but I was wrong ...
With thanks to Booklover Catlady for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
November 8, 2016
Organ memory. I can't claim to know much about the subject matter. The first thought that jumped to mind was a 90s film in which the protagonist loses an arm and has it replaced with a limb that belonged to a serial killer (I believe it was called Body Parts); which in turn stirred up a concern that this story would be somewhat formulaic. I am happy to report that Ms. Crane has put her own fresh spin on it and avoided tropes and cliches during the process. The writing is engaging and the pacing is taut. The choice of using first person narrative for both the protagonist and the killer also worked quite well. The reader is left wondering as to the identity of the killer throughout. I enjoyed it.
October 8, 2017
Sorry to say I was slightly disappointed.
First off let me say the book had good bones, however everything happened way to fast.
A girl gets a heart transplant, and years later seems to be having complications. However it took one time for her to realize she was having memories of the previous owner of the heart, who just happened to be murdered? So why nothing before, and why was it just instant? I would think she would have been confused, and it would have taken her awhile to figure it out.
Her boyfriend is lame, and so is the relation ship, seemed way to childish.
If I wasn't asked to do a review, I probably would not have finished...
First off let me say the book had good bones, however everything happened way to fast.
A girl gets a heart transplant, and years later seems to be having complications. However it took one time for her to realize she was having memories of the previous owner of the heart, who just happened to be murdered? So why nothing before, and why was it just instant? I would think she would have been confused, and it would have taken her awhile to figure it out.
Her boyfriend is lame, and so is the relation ship, seemed way to childish.
If I wasn't asked to do a review, I probably would not have finished...
August 9, 2017
i received an audible copy of this book from the author Pamela Crane. wow... loved it! such a great book, fast paced and great characters. will definitely be reading more.
June 27, 2017
4.5*
Had I known how much I would enjoy it, I wouldn't have left this book unread in my kindle for over a year. Now I'm just so glad to have finally decided to pick it up and read it.
1992. Durham, North Carolina. Twelve-year-old Mia Germaine survives a fatal car accident in which her father is killed. When she gains consciousness she's told she now has a new heart beating inside her chest. She has undergone a heart transplant.
Twenty-two years go by and now Mia is a healthy woman with a good job and in a relationship with a man who adores her. A young girl is found murdered, and after watching the horrible news, Mia begins to experience vivid terrifying nightmares, in which she's being attacked and murdered. What's happening to her? What do these nightmares mean? How come have they started now? Soon she realises that her borrowed heart is trying to tell her something. She suddenly feels the urge to find out who her heart belonged to. To her horror she discovers that it was the heart of a murdered girl called Alexis... murdered in very similar circumstances to the one she saw on the news... and in her dreams.
Guided by her heart, nightmares and hunches, Mia becomes obsessed to try the impossible... find the killer (now dubbed The Triangle Terror) and stop him from killing any more innocent girls. She wants to finally give Alexis and the other murdered girls justice. But this is no joke. Mia will have to piece together a complicated puzzle and risk everything she has... including her own life to do so. How can she do what the police force has failed to do in over two decades?
I was pleasantly surprised to how much I enjoyed this book. Thanks to the author's fresh, pacey and articulate prose, I found myself flying through the pages on a suspenseful journey alongside Mia as she tries to catch this elusive psychopath killer who has vowed to clean the world from its filth and to save young girls from the impurities of the world.
Does 'organ memory' really exist? Or is it just science fiction? Well, there seem to be recorded cases of people from around the world who have changed their tastes, ideas and even began to talk in foreign languages following an organ transplant. This book is based on this phenomenon, and whether it's true or not, I absolutely loved the idea behind this plot.
All characters are realistic and brought to life in vivid colour. I liked Mia and her determined spirit and I found myself suffering with her and feeling her anguish and fear. Though Alexis was murdered in the first chapter, her heart still beating inside Mia ensured that she was present throughout the whole book as if she were still alive.
Though I wasn't 100% sure, I guessed the killer's identity before it was revealed but this didn't make the story any less enjoyable, and when it was finally confirmed at the end, the reality of what was actually at play and the reason behind the murders just blew me away. The truth was much more deep and complex than I could've imagined.
From the terrifying blood-curdling prologue in which the killer claims his first innocent young victim to the heart-pounding finale, this book kept me hooked and intrigued all the time. The numerous twists and turns, frightening murder scenes, multiple suspects and the odd chilling chapter from the pov of the killer made sure I was kept entertained and on my toes. Great read! Well done!
This was my first Pamela Crane book but it certainly won't be my last and I highly recommend it.
With thanks to the author for a review copy of this book that I voluntarily accepted to read and review.
Had I known how much I would enjoy it, I wouldn't have left this book unread in my kindle for over a year. Now I'm just so glad to have finally decided to pick it up and read it.
1992. Durham, North Carolina. Twelve-year-old Mia Germaine survives a fatal car accident in which her father is killed. When she gains consciousness she's told she now has a new heart beating inside her chest. She has undergone a heart transplant.
Twenty-two years go by and now Mia is a healthy woman with a good job and in a relationship with a man who adores her. A young girl is found murdered, and after watching the horrible news, Mia begins to experience vivid terrifying nightmares, in which she's being attacked and murdered. What's happening to her? What do these nightmares mean? How come have they started now? Soon she realises that her borrowed heart is trying to tell her something. She suddenly feels the urge to find out who her heart belonged to. To her horror she discovers that it was the heart of a murdered girl called Alexis... murdered in very similar circumstances to the one she saw on the news... and in her dreams.
Guided by her heart, nightmares and hunches, Mia becomes obsessed to try the impossible... find the killer (now dubbed The Triangle Terror) and stop him from killing any more innocent girls. She wants to finally give Alexis and the other murdered girls justice. But this is no joke. Mia will have to piece together a complicated puzzle and risk everything she has... including her own life to do so. How can she do what the police force has failed to do in over two decades?
I was pleasantly surprised to how much I enjoyed this book. Thanks to the author's fresh, pacey and articulate prose, I found myself flying through the pages on a suspenseful journey alongside Mia as she tries to catch this elusive psychopath killer who has vowed to clean the world from its filth and to save young girls from the impurities of the world.
Does 'organ memory' really exist? Or is it just science fiction? Well, there seem to be recorded cases of people from around the world who have changed their tastes, ideas and even began to talk in foreign languages following an organ transplant. This book is based on this phenomenon, and whether it's true or not, I absolutely loved the idea behind this plot.
All characters are realistic and brought to life in vivid colour. I liked Mia and her determined spirit and I found myself suffering with her and feeling her anguish and fear. Though Alexis was murdered in the first chapter, her heart still beating inside Mia ensured that she was present throughout the whole book as if she were still alive.
Though I wasn't 100% sure, I guessed the killer's identity before it was revealed but this didn't make the story any less enjoyable, and when it was finally confirmed at the end, the reality of what was actually at play and the reason behind the murders just blew me away. The truth was much more deep and complex than I could've imagined.
From the terrifying blood-curdling prologue in which the killer claims his first innocent young victim to the heart-pounding finale, this book kept me hooked and intrigued all the time. The numerous twists and turns, frightening murder scenes, multiple suspects and the odd chilling chapter from the pov of the killer made sure I was kept entertained and on my toes. Great read! Well done!
This was my first Pamela Crane book but it certainly won't be my last and I highly recommend it.
With thanks to the author for a review copy of this book that I voluntarily accepted to read and review.
August 1, 2016
This would be a good beach book. Despite some violent subject matter, it's an easy read. I was really intrigued by the idea of "organ memory". Apparently there are many cases where a recipient of an organ donation feels like they get memories or preferences of the donor. Tastes in food or television may change dramatically, or they may even have some memories that don't belong to them. It's really interesting and a very unique idea to use in a novel.
Mia received a donor heart after a car accident that claimed the life of her father when she was twelve. She's always been curious where it came from, but since hospital policy insists on privacy, she never followed up on it much. Until now. After hearing news about a vicious murder of a twelve year old girl who seems to be the work of a serial killer that's been operating for years, her heart reacts painfully in a way it never has before. Could it be trying to tell her something? The dreams start soon after, memories seen through someone else's eyes that leave her needing answers. After figuring out who died and gave her the gift of life, she starts her own investigation. She's determined to find the killer before more young girls die.
It was hard for me to picture Mia as a 34 year old woman. She acts and speaks more like a headstrong teenager and her decision making skills aren't exactly solid. Thanks to the trauma in her early life, she still has a lot of growing up to do. She's very judgemental (including judging someone without a job when she cares very little about her own or judging solely based on appearance) and flawed, but it's kind of nice to follow along with a character that is nowhere near perfect. I did see the ending (or most of it) coming but I still enjoyed the ride enough to recommend this book. 3.5-4 out of 5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
Mia received a donor heart after a car accident that claimed the life of her father when she was twelve. She's always been curious where it came from, but since hospital policy insists on privacy, she never followed up on it much. Until now. After hearing news about a vicious murder of a twelve year old girl who seems to be the work of a serial killer that's been operating for years, her heart reacts painfully in a way it never has before. Could it be trying to tell her something? The dreams start soon after, memories seen through someone else's eyes that leave her needing answers. After figuring out who died and gave her the gift of life, she starts her own investigation. She's determined to find the killer before more young girls die.
It was hard for me to picture Mia as a 34 year old woman. She acts and speaks more like a headstrong teenager and her decision making skills aren't exactly solid. Thanks to the trauma in her early life, she still has a lot of growing up to do. She's very judgemental (including judging someone without a job when she cares very little about her own or judging solely based on appearance) and flawed, but it's kind of nice to follow along with a character that is nowhere near perfect. I did see the ending (or most of it) coming but I still enjoyed the ride enough to recommend this book. 3.5-4 out of 5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
March 30, 2018
Okay, whew, that took longer to read than expected. I kept putting it aside for other stuff for one thing and secondly I just hated it. I really rarely write bad reviews and I don't like doing it. But here's why I didn't like it:
For one, I hated the characters. They were just boring and they weren't anything special. The main character was the worst of all. I didn't like her personality (did she even really have one?)
The story felt slow. Nothing really happened that was scary or exciting. It just crept along for me. The reasoning for the killings didn't go into too much detail and didn't seem like an important part of the story. Which it should have been because this was a book about the killings/serial killer.
The killer hardly shows up much which I thought was super lame. Not much went into the killer's life/personality/reasoning. I wanted to know WHY he had that reason for killing. Was he influenced in some way to bring that about? Was his family religious or did he have some sort of experience to make that reason important to him? The book reveals nothing of the sort.
The ending was just ridiculous. And (spoilers maybe?) but you don't applaud suicide! I feel like the author maybe wanted to rush the ending because there were odds and ends thrown in there that seemed just... wrong I guess? I don't know but I just felt the last few chapters were disappointing.
The premise to this book is so neat and that's why I was so disappointed. It could have been something so interesting but instead I was just bored.
For one, I hated the characters. They were just boring and they weren't anything special. The main character was the worst of all. I didn't like her personality (did she even really have one?)
The story felt slow. Nothing really happened that was scary or exciting. It just crept along for me. The reasoning for the killings didn't go into too much detail and didn't seem like an important part of the story. Which it should have been because this was a book about the killings/serial killer.
The killer hardly shows up much which I thought was super lame. Not much went into the killer's life/personality/reasoning. I wanted to know WHY he had that reason for killing. Was he influenced in some way to bring that about? Was his family religious or did he have some sort of experience to make that reason important to him? The book reveals nothing of the sort.
The ending was just ridiculous. And (spoilers maybe?) but you don't applaud suicide! I feel like the author maybe wanted to rush the ending because there were odds and ends thrown in there that seemed just... wrong I guess? I don't know but I just felt the last few chapters were disappointing.
The premise to this book is so neat and that's why I was so disappointed. It could have been something so interesting but instead I was just bored.
April 12, 2018
Finished reading: April 11th 2018
"How could anyone determine one person''s value over another based on where they lived and how much money they had?"
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Tabella House in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
June 15, 2017
What happens when two souls are entwined?
The life of a young woman Mia changes overnight when the horrible fate of the Savior, from her past, overwhelms Mia's present.
There is a killer on the lose and Mia is a threat to him because she has seen things and knows things that no one else has seen or knows.
A Secondhand life- is a well fleshed out nail-biting thriller, with all the requisite twists and turns. As Mia takes her fate into her own hands and sets off hunting a serial killer, she finds herself entangles in a web of deceit, lies, and betrayals. Everyone she knows is hiding something, and there is no one she can trust.
I didn't agree with certain sections of the conclusion, but all in all the book was so engaging that I didn't mind. Besides a difference of opinion between writer and reader, do crop up.
Pamela Crane has flair for fleshing out details and scenarios in a way that will leave you wanting more. A second-hand Life is an engrossing, page turner that you need to pick up if you haven't already.
The life of a young woman Mia changes overnight when the horrible fate of the Savior, from her past, overwhelms Mia's present.
There is a killer on the lose and Mia is a threat to him because she has seen things and knows things that no one else has seen or knows.
A Secondhand life- is a well fleshed out nail-biting thriller, with all the requisite twists and turns. As Mia takes her fate into her own hands and sets off hunting a serial killer, she finds herself entangles in a web of deceit, lies, and betrayals. Everyone she knows is hiding something, and there is no one she can trust.
I didn't agree with certain sections of the conclusion, but all in all the book was so engaging that I didn't mind. Besides a difference of opinion between writer and reader, do crop up.
Pamela Crane has flair for fleshing out details and scenarios in a way that will leave you wanting more. A second-hand Life is an engrossing, page turner that you need to pick up if you haven't already.
October 26, 2025
Mia Germaine was in an accident when she was twelve. In order to survive she was given someone else's heart. The heart belonged to a 12-year old murder victim. Suddenly, several years later she is having dreams of this girl's murder and decides it is up to her to solve it. This at the risk of losing her boyfriend. More girls were killed in the same manner and Mia had to come to the truth.
Mia came across a few suspects along the way. Though she was certain one guy was guilty, I was sure it was another one (again I was wrong). And the killer did not like Mia investigating. He threatened her, threatened her "on a break" boyfriend. Mia had to find the truth fast.
This was a fast-paced thriller filled with suspense and intrigue. It is part of a series and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Mia came across a few suspects along the way. Though she was certain one guy was guilty, I was sure it was another one (again I was wrong). And the killer did not like Mia investigating. He threatened her, threatened her "on a break" boyfriend. Mia had to find the truth fast.
This was a fast-paced thriller filled with suspense and intrigue. It is part of a series and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
September 2, 2018
Great read!
April 1, 2025
An interesting mystery featuring organ donation as a gift and offering new abilities
December 17, 2025
not bad!! kept you interested the entire time and then the reveal??? didn't see that coming!!!
May 22, 2018
I've received this eBook ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Caution: This review is written by a not english native speaker, be kind.
ENG: I knew about this novel almost by accident and the cover and the plot seemed immediately appealing. Finding it on NetGalley, I thought it was worth giving it a chance.
Unfortunately, however, this time I got it wrong, even if lately in the genre thriller is quite a norm.
Honestly, I would prefer not to write the review, but since I had the eBook through NetGalley I feel compelled to respect the agreement.
How can we not start from the protagonist, Mia Germaine who immediately turns out to be a total Mary Sue: opinionated but loved by everyone, with a tragic past including dead parent, scar on the chest by a heart transplant urgent operation, acts like all though but always afraid if the story gets worse, boring details about her clothes... Ah, and obviously she has a perfect boyfriend: he cooks very well, is jealous of other men, disappears when the plot requires it, he's always ready to forgive all of her because he is just wrong.
Mia is one of the most stereotypical and boring characters I've read about in last months and the story of this novel is equally stereotyped and boring: at the age of thirteen, Mia, with her father, gets involved in a car accident in which her father dies and she undergoes a heart transplant, a heart that comes from a murdered girl.
We also relate a summary of the murder in the eyes of the killer, who is far from being an intelligent and logical human being and the only reason he is still free after twenty years seems to me quite obvious that I don't have to reveal anything else about the investigation.
After twenty years, Mia begins to remember the murder, seeing it in the first person thanks the theory of the organic memory. Of course she begins to investigate... more or less randomly and condemning obviously innocent people instead of focusing on real evidences of guilt. Actually, in this novel the author was not smart enough to divert the reader's attention and this is a lack that tends to ruin any thriller.
Her writing is elementary, sometimes confusing, and certainly almost entirely predictable. Dialogues, interior monologues, introduction of the characters: everything seems to be based on clichés of the genre, without any attempt at personalization.
If I did not have to finish it, "A secondhand life" would definitely be a DNF.
-.-.-.-
ITA: Mi sono imbattuta in questo romanzo quasi per caso e la copertina e la trama mi sono sembrate subito accattivanti. Ritrovandolo su NetGalley, ho pensato che valesse la pena dargli una possibilità.
Purtroppo, però, questa volta ho preso proprio un bel granchio, anche se ultimamente nel genere thriller è abbastanza una norma.
Sinceramente, preferirei non scriverne la recensione, ma avendo avuto l'eBook tramite NetGalley mi sento in dovere di rispettare l'accordo.
Come si può non partire dalla protagonista, Mia Germaine che risulta subito essere una Mary Sue più calzanti: supponente ma amata da tutti, con un tragico passato comprendente genitore morto, cicatrice sul petto di un intervento di trapianto d'urgenza di cuore, atteggiamento da dura che se la fa sotto appena la vicenda si aggrava, noiosi dettagli a proposito del suo vestiario... Ah, e ovviamente un fidanzato perfetto: cucina benissimo, è geloso degli altri uomini, sparisce quando la trama lo richiede, pronto a perdonarle qualsiasi cosa perché in realtà è lui ad avere sempre torto.
Mia è uno dei personaggi più stereotipato e noioso di cui ho letto negli ultimi mesi e altrettanto stereotipata e noiosa è la storia di questo romanzo: a tredici anni Mia, con il padre, viene coinvolta in un incidente d'auto in cui il padre muore e lei subisce un trapianto di cuore, un cuore che proviene da una ragazzina assassinata proprio quella sera.
Riviviamo un sunto anche dell'omicidio dagli occhi del killer, che è tutt'altro che un essere umano intelligente e logico e l'unico motivo per cui è ancora in libertà dopo vent'anni mi pare abbastanza scontato da non dover rivelare altro dell'indagine.
Dopo vent'anni, Mia incomincia a ricordare l'omicidio, vedendolo in prima persona attraverso la teoria della memoria organica. Ovviamente incomincia a indagare... più o meno a caso e condannando persone evidentemente innocenti invece di concentrarsi sulle vere prove di colpevolezza. Infatti, in questo caso l'autrice non è stata abbastanza astuta nello sviare l'attenzione del lettore ed è una carenza che tende a rovinare qualsiasi thriller.
La scrittura è elementare, a volte confusa, e di sicuro quasi del tutto prevedibile. Dialoghi, monologhi interiori, introduzione dei personaggi: tutto sembra ricalcato dai cliché del genere, senza alcun tentativo di personalizzazione.
Se non mi fossi costretta a concluderlo, "A secondhand life" sarebbe stato decisamente un DNF.
Caution: This review is written by a not english native speaker, be kind.
ENG: I knew about this novel almost by accident and the cover and the plot seemed immediately appealing. Finding it on NetGalley, I thought it was worth giving it a chance.
Unfortunately, however, this time I got it wrong, even if lately in the genre thriller is quite a norm.
Honestly, I would prefer not to write the review, but since I had the eBook through NetGalley I feel compelled to respect the agreement.
How can we not start from the protagonist, Mia Germaine who immediately turns out to be a total Mary Sue: opinionated but loved by everyone, with a tragic past including dead parent, scar on the chest by a heart transplant urgent operation, acts like all though but always afraid if the story gets worse, boring details about her clothes... Ah, and obviously she has a perfect boyfriend: he cooks very well, is jealous of other men, disappears when the plot requires it, he's always ready to forgive all of her because he is just wrong.
Mia is one of the most stereotypical and boring characters I've read about in last months and the story of this novel is equally stereotyped and boring: at the age of thirteen, Mia, with her father, gets involved in a car accident in which her father dies and she undergoes a heart transplant, a heart that comes from a murdered girl.
We also relate a summary of the murder in the eyes of the killer, who is far from being an intelligent and logical human being and the only reason he is still free after twenty years seems to me quite obvious that I don't have to reveal anything else about the investigation.
After twenty years, Mia begins to remember the murder, seeing it in the first person thanks the theory of the organic memory. Of course she begins to investigate... more or less randomly and condemning obviously innocent people instead of focusing on real evidences of guilt. Actually, in this novel the author was not smart enough to divert the reader's attention and this is a lack that tends to ruin any thriller.
Her writing is elementary, sometimes confusing, and certainly almost entirely predictable. Dialogues, interior monologues, introduction of the characters: everything seems to be based on clichés of the genre, without any attempt at personalization.
If I did not have to finish it, "A secondhand life" would definitely be a DNF.
-.-.-.-
ITA: Mi sono imbattuta in questo romanzo quasi per caso e la copertina e la trama mi sono sembrate subito accattivanti. Ritrovandolo su NetGalley, ho pensato che valesse la pena dargli una possibilità.
Purtroppo, però, questa volta ho preso proprio un bel granchio, anche se ultimamente nel genere thriller è abbastanza una norma.
Sinceramente, preferirei non scriverne la recensione, ma avendo avuto l'eBook tramite NetGalley mi sento in dovere di rispettare l'accordo.
Come si può non partire dalla protagonista, Mia Germaine che risulta subito essere una Mary Sue più calzanti: supponente ma amata da tutti, con un tragico passato comprendente genitore morto, cicatrice sul petto di un intervento di trapianto d'urgenza di cuore, atteggiamento da dura che se la fa sotto appena la vicenda si aggrava, noiosi dettagli a proposito del suo vestiario... Ah, e ovviamente un fidanzato perfetto: cucina benissimo, è geloso degli altri uomini, sparisce quando la trama lo richiede, pronto a perdonarle qualsiasi cosa perché in realtà è lui ad avere sempre torto.
Mia è uno dei personaggi più stereotipato e noioso di cui ho letto negli ultimi mesi e altrettanto stereotipata e noiosa è la storia di questo romanzo: a tredici anni Mia, con il padre, viene coinvolta in un incidente d'auto in cui il padre muore e lei subisce un trapianto di cuore, un cuore che proviene da una ragazzina assassinata proprio quella sera.
Riviviamo un sunto anche dell'omicidio dagli occhi del killer, che è tutt'altro che un essere umano intelligente e logico e l'unico motivo per cui è ancora in libertà dopo vent'anni mi pare abbastanza scontato da non dover rivelare altro dell'indagine.
Dopo vent'anni, Mia incomincia a ricordare l'omicidio, vedendolo in prima persona attraverso la teoria della memoria organica. Ovviamente incomincia a indagare... più o meno a caso e condannando persone evidentemente innocenti invece di concentrarsi sulle vere prove di colpevolezza. Infatti, in questo caso l'autrice non è stata abbastanza astuta nello sviare l'attenzione del lettore ed è una carenza che tende a rovinare qualsiasi thriller.
La scrittura è elementare, a volte confusa, e di sicuro quasi del tutto prevedibile. Dialoghi, monologhi interiori, introduzione dei personaggi: tutto sembra ricalcato dai cliché del genere, senza alcun tentativo di personalizzazione.
Se non mi fossi costretta a concluderlo, "A secondhand life" sarebbe stato decisamente un DNF.
September 17, 2016
I received a free copy from the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
Mia Germaine received a heart transplant many years ago. She is now having nightmares that don't belong to her and that may help her find a serial killer. How? Well, they seem to come from her heart, which used to belong to a victim of the Triangle Terror murderer. Mia needs to find out more, putting her life on the line if necessary. This starts a game of cat and mouse with the killer, and there are many, many suspects. The plot is tight and very suspenseful. The characters are all suspicious enough to make you wonder and the twists are quite unexpected. Some parts were a little too implausible (the police sharing murder intel with a civilian?) but apparently what I found the most unbelievable might actually be true. And this is the scary part: Organ Memory is for real. According to the book (and my internet research), people who receive organ transplants some times change. Obviously, A Secondhand Life is an extreme version of this, but the fact that it is possible is quite freaky. Regardless of whether this could happen, this is an engrossing tale.
Mia Germaine received a heart transplant many years ago. She is now having nightmares that don't belong to her and that may help her find a serial killer. How? Well, they seem to come from her heart, which used to belong to a victim of the Triangle Terror murderer. Mia needs to find out more, putting her life on the line if necessary. This starts a game of cat and mouse with the killer, and there are many, many suspects. The plot is tight and very suspenseful. The characters are all suspicious enough to make you wonder and the twists are quite unexpected. Some parts were a little too implausible (the police sharing murder intel with a civilian?) but apparently what I found the most unbelievable might actually be true. And this is the scary part: Organ Memory is for real. According to the book (and my internet research), people who receive organ transplants some times change. Obviously, A Secondhand Life is an extreme version of this, but the fact that it is possible is quite freaky. Regardless of whether this could happen, this is an engrossing tale.
September 15, 2016
My thanks to Booklover Catlady for the opportunity to read and review this title.
12-year-old Mia Germaine loses her father in a freak accident. At the same time, she gains a new heart. As she grows older it would appear that her heart is trying to tell her something. She dreams of her heart's past life, a girl the same age as her who was murdered.
Mia becomes obsessed with the idea of catching the killer of the girl whose heart now keeps her alive. The dreams are becoming more vivid and when she gains validation from a dream interpreter she feels that there is nothing to stop her doing a little detective work. After all, this isn't a cold case. Whoever killed her heart's former owner is still out there, dubbed "The Triangle Terror" he has never been caught, and what's more, he's still killing.
This novel takes the crime genre into completely new territory. There have been cases where psychics have been called in, but although there is evidence of organ memory, to use it to catch a killer is a unique angle.
It's a well-written book. Mia is really likeable. Her passion and bravery coupled with her insecurities make her an endearing character and you want to see her succeed. You see the level of her passion when she gives up the man she loves to pursue these leads her dreams are giving her, as well as putting herself in potential danger.
4 stars for the unique angle, the character of Mia (although she reads a lot younger than she is, maybe because of her insecurities) and the occasional red herring giving it that extra spice!
12-year-old Mia Germaine loses her father in a freak accident. At the same time, she gains a new heart. As she grows older it would appear that her heart is trying to tell her something. She dreams of her heart's past life, a girl the same age as her who was murdered.
Mia becomes obsessed with the idea of catching the killer of the girl whose heart now keeps her alive. The dreams are becoming more vivid and when she gains validation from a dream interpreter she feels that there is nothing to stop her doing a little detective work. After all, this isn't a cold case. Whoever killed her heart's former owner is still out there, dubbed "The Triangle Terror" he has never been caught, and what's more, he's still killing.
This novel takes the crime genre into completely new territory. There have been cases where psychics have been called in, but although there is evidence of organ memory, to use it to catch a killer is a unique angle.
It's a well-written book. Mia is really likeable. Her passion and bravery coupled with her insecurities make her an endearing character and you want to see her succeed. You see the level of her passion when she gives up the man she loves to pursue these leads her dreams are giving her, as well as putting herself in potential danger.
4 stars for the unique angle, the character of Mia (although she reads a lot younger than she is, maybe because of her insecurities) and the occasional red herring giving it that extra spice!
July 5, 2024
When I first got to know my characters for this story, I wrote Mia as part me and part who I wish I could be. She's weak and self-destructive, which I can relate to. My scars may not be as outward as Mia's, but I have my own internal scars that haven't faded with time or age. Yet she possesses a strength I wish I had--the courage to face difficult choices and sacrifice whatever is needed for those who cannot. I wish I was so bold. I hide behind my computer sharing her tale of sacrifice because it's easier than facing it in reality. I'm spoiled in that way, I guess.
Some readers didn't like Mia. Who likes someone whose self-esteem causes them to hurt those she loves and yet be so doggedly determined to "fix" situations that she'll leave those she loves hanging in the balance? It's not a likeable trait, especially being on the receiving end of her neglect, but Mia has the guts to give up everything in order to do the right thing.
I wrote her to be who I hope to become--a woman who can handle what isn't easy, no matter the cost. I don't want easy. Easy doesn't challenge personal growth. So as you get to know Mia, and perhaps get frustrated at her choices, understand that she's in a growing process, trying to figure herself out...just like I'm doing.
Some readers didn't like Mia. Who likes someone whose self-esteem causes them to hurt those she loves and yet be so doggedly determined to "fix" situations that she'll leave those she loves hanging in the balance? It's not a likeable trait, especially being on the receiving end of her neglect, but Mia has the guts to give up everything in order to do the right thing.
I wrote her to be who I hope to become--a woman who can handle what isn't easy, no matter the cost. I don't want easy. Easy doesn't challenge personal growth. So as you get to know Mia, and perhaps get frustrated at her choices, understand that she's in a growing process, trying to figure herself out...just like I'm doing.
June 10, 2015
When I first got to know my characters for this story, I wrote Mia as part me and part who I wish I could be. She's weak and self-destructive, which I can relate to. My scars may not be as outward as Mia's, but I have my own internal scars that haven't faded with time or age. Yet she possesses a strength I wish I had--the courage to face difficult choices and sacrifice whatever is needed for those who cannot. I wish I was so bold. I hide behind my computer sharing her tale of sacrifice because it's easier than facing it in reality. I'm spoiled in that way, I guess.
Some readers didn't like Mia. Who likes someone whose self-esteem causes them to hurt those she loves and yet be so doggedly determined to "fix" situations that she'll leave those she loves hanging in the balance? It's not a likeable trait, especially being on the receiving end of her neglect, but Mia has the guts to give up everything in order to do the right thing.
I wrote her to be who I hope to become--a woman who can handle what isn't easy, no matter the cost. I don't want easy. Easy doesn't challenge personal growth. So as you get to know Mia, and perhaps get frustrated at her choices, understand that she's in a growing process, trying to figure herself out...just like I'm doing.
Some readers didn't like Mia. Who likes someone whose self-esteem causes them to hurt those she loves and yet be so doggedly determined to "fix" situations that she'll leave those she loves hanging in the balance? It's not a likeable trait, especially being on the receiving end of her neglect, but Mia has the guts to give up everything in order to do the right thing.
I wrote her to be who I hope to become--a woman who can handle what isn't easy, no matter the cost. I don't want easy. Easy doesn't challenge personal growth. So as you get to know Mia, and perhaps get frustrated at her choices, understand that she's in a growing process, trying to figure herself out...just like I'm doing.
April 22, 2018
The secondhand life was a very interesting premise for a book and I quite enjoyed the majority of the title. The idea of using organ memory was both eerie and captivating. The plot was delivered well and I had a mild attachment to the main character but as the book went along it became less enjoyable. In the lead up to the big reveal of who the Triangle Killer (why he was called this is beyond me) there was a number of people who it could be so that was good. The plot that was chosen to ahead with was the most predictable and frankly unsatisfying for readers who read crime fiction as one of their genres regularly. The mental illness aspect of it all was unbelievable and felt like it was there to plug a few holes. Up until this point the book had captured me and I was reading with gusto. After the reveal I honestly did not want to finish because I could already see what was happening and that scene where she came home from a police interview after witnessing someone take their own life and she hooks up with her boyfriend in an explicit scene. Seriously? Even if the person was a murder shouldn't you feel something for the loss of human life and not be so flippant, especially when it was supposed to be a moving scene. No, the ending ruined the book for me.
February 17, 2021
I had high hopes for A Secondhand Life, for two main reasons. One, I am a huge fan of thrillers and the premise to this novel promised a roller coaster of highs and lows. Two, A Secondhand Life garnered such acclaim that I was sure that I would be drawn in by the characters and the story. Sadly, I was disappointed on both fronts.
The biggest failure to me was the way in which the characters spoke, especially the killer and Mia. Between poor word choices and awkward phrasing, the syntax often seemed wrong. There was a lot going on in the book at once, but not much really happened in the end. Overall, I just could not find a connection with the characters or their stories, though Mia's should have been compelling. For these reasons, I would not recommend A Secondhand Life to other readers.
Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of A Secondhand Life by NetGalley and the publisher, Tabella House. The choice to review this book was my own.
The biggest failure to me was the way in which the characters spoke, especially the killer and Mia. Between poor word choices and awkward phrasing, the syntax often seemed wrong. There was a lot going on in the book at once, but not much really happened in the end. Overall, I just could not find a connection with the characters or their stories, though Mia's should have been compelling. For these reasons, I would not recommend A Secondhand Life to other readers.
Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of A Secondhand Life by NetGalley and the publisher, Tabella House. The choice to review this book was my own.
August 5, 2016
This is one gripping read! 20 years ago Mia had a heart transplant and recently has been having dreams that “don’t belong to her”. In the accident that caused her to have the transplant she lost her Father and now feels that she has gained something from this- but what? Her boyfriend is against her “discovery” and leaves her to get on with things, something she feels destined to do.
This is one of those tales that draws you in rapidly. Intrigue, murder, relationships and life- that heady mix that written in the correct way can keep you on the edge of your seat- and this is. Each chapter gives a new slice of action of what went before in a very different way, with interspersed chapters from the killers’ perspective which are written in a very intriguing way. A highly recommended, slightly chilling read.
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review
This is one of those tales that draws you in rapidly. Intrigue, murder, relationships and life- that heady mix that written in the correct way can keep you on the edge of your seat- and this is. Each chapter gives a new slice of action of what went before in a very different way, with interspersed chapters from the killers’ perspective which are written in a very intriguing way. A highly recommended, slightly chilling read.
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review
December 4, 2015
This is a well written and captivating story. I was drawn into the mystery being solved by the protagonist and unable to put the book down until I found out where the story was going. Thank you to Pamela Crane for this book, I enjoyed it.
September 5, 2016
Started out slow but held my interest until I couldn't stop reading.
Very good - suspenseful and very intriguing. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
Very good - suspenseful and very intriguing. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
November 7, 2017
Mia was just 12 years old when a tragic accident took her father's life and left her in need of a heart transplant. Mia got Alexis's heart. Alexis was a young girl who was murdered by a serial killer. Lately Mia's been having dreams about Alexis's last minutes. Mia feels compelled to act on those memories. She starts an investigation on her own, trying to find out who killed Alexis. Will Mia be in over her head with a serial killer on the loose? What will happen when she gets too close?
The heart transplant left Mia with a big scar and she feels terribly insecure about it. She tries to cover it up at all times. Mia still struggles with everything that happened and she can't deny her secondhand heart the truth. Her boyfriend doesn't understand why she's so determined in her quest and he isn't too supportive. I loved how Mia holds her own. She feels so strongly about this and is not backing down. Alexis deserves justice and I loved Mia for wanting to give that to the girl who saved her life.
A Secondhand Life is a gripping story that kept me on the edge of my seat. What Mia is experiencing is organ memory. This is not uncommon and I found this subject incredibly intriguing. I believe that the heart is part of someone's soul and to receive a heart from someone else must be really weird. Pamela Crane knows exactly what she is writing about and her story grabbed me from the very beginning. It can be a bit confusing when a story has a lot of flashbacks, but I had no troubles at all keeping track because the writing is so clear.
Pamela Crane surprised me more than once with the direction of her story and I love it when a writer can do that. A Secondhand Life has a fast pace, which made me fly through the pages. After I finished I looked up organ memory on the internet since I wanted to know more about it, that's how real A Secondhand Life felt for me. This was my first book by Pamela Crane, but I can't wait to read another one of her thrilling emotional rollercoasters.
The heart transplant left Mia with a big scar and she feels terribly insecure about it. She tries to cover it up at all times. Mia still struggles with everything that happened and she can't deny her secondhand heart the truth. Her boyfriend doesn't understand why she's so determined in her quest and he isn't too supportive. I loved how Mia holds her own. She feels so strongly about this and is not backing down. Alexis deserves justice and I loved Mia for wanting to give that to the girl who saved her life.
A Secondhand Life is a gripping story that kept me on the edge of my seat. What Mia is experiencing is organ memory. This is not uncommon and I found this subject incredibly intriguing. I believe that the heart is part of someone's soul and to receive a heart from someone else must be really weird. Pamela Crane knows exactly what she is writing about and her story grabbed me from the very beginning. It can be a bit confusing when a story has a lot of flashbacks, but I had no troubles at all keeping track because the writing is so clear.
Pamela Crane surprised me more than once with the direction of her story and I love it when a writer can do that. A Secondhand Life has a fast pace, which made me fly through the pages. After I finished I looked up organ memory on the internet since I wanted to know more about it, that's how real A Secondhand Life felt for me. This was my first book by Pamela Crane, but I can't wait to read another one of her thrilling emotional rollercoasters.
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