What do you think?
Rate this book
Chance
A missing convict, a young woman assaulted and killed, an old man murdered in his home. All in different parts of London. With eight million inhabitants, bad things happen to good people all the time.
Only nine-year-old Cassie Janus knows there’s a connection, because she is the killer … in her nightmares at least.
Cassie has the rare ability to unearth the darkest emotions of others. She sees a past they would rather keep hidden and a future too horrific to comprehend.
Perhaps the killer can be stopped. If only she can make someone - her mother, her friend, her teacher - believe. Her words are dismissed, her sanity questioned. She knows they’ll believe her in the end … but by then, they’ll be facing death.
Can she act to save them, or will their fate be left to chance?
This is an alternative cover edition: B00HJKZ3E2
Only nine-year-old Cassie Janus knows there’s a connection, because she is the killer … in her nightmares at least.
Cassie has the rare ability to unearth the darkest emotions of others. She sees a past they would rather keep hidden and a future too horrific to comprehend.
Perhaps the killer can be stopped. If only she can make someone - her mother, her friend, her teacher - believe. Her words are dismissed, her sanity questioned. She knows they’ll believe her in the end … but by then, they’ll be facing death.
Can she act to save them, or will their fate be left to chance?
This is an alternative cover edition: B00HJKZ3E2
343 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 27, 2013
20 people are currently reading
234 people want to read
About the author
Peter Dudgeon
4 books36 followersPeter Dudgeon started writing short stories at the age of fourteen, inspired Stephen King’s early novels. At twenty-two he graduated in English Language and Literature and has since travelled the length and breadth of the UK (occasionally beyond) as a management consultant. He lives in North East Lincolnshire, with his wife, two daughters and a troublesome Labrador.
His debut novel ‘Ticket’ is available via Amazon Kindle: http://bookShow.me/B00G1Q8N24
‘Chance’ will be available from May 2015 in print and on Kindle. Its sequel, ‘Circle - The Diary of Stella Moore’ will be available in Autumn 2015.
Follow Peter Dudgeon on twitter: http://twitter.com/PDudgeonnovels
Check out his website:
www.peterdudgeon.com
His debut novel ‘Ticket’ is available via Amazon Kindle: http://bookShow.me/B00G1Q8N24
‘Chance’ will be available from May 2015 in print and on Kindle. Its sequel, ‘Circle - The Diary of Stella Moore’ will be available in Autumn 2015.
Follow Peter Dudgeon on twitter: http://twitter.com/PDudgeonnovels
Check out his website:
www.peterdudgeon.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
July 3, 2015
Chance is a terrific novel from the pen of new author Peter Dudgeon. The protagonist is a young girl named Cassie who “sees things”. Her doctors have diagnosed her with seizures, but these aren’t “normal seizures”. During Cassie’s episodes of unconsciousness, visions of bad people doing bad things enter her mind. Sometimes Cassie actually infiltrates the brain of the baddie during these blackouts, making her feel like she is the evil criminal. Only afterwards do these unthinkable things become reality. Can Cassie’s gift help prevent these terrible events from happening? Will her premonitions bring danger to herself and her loved ones? Could it be that Cassie is simply just a little kid with sinister, yet harmless dreams? These questions all have the same answer: Maybe… maybe not.
Mr. Dudgeon has wonderful story-telling skills that engaged me for almost the entire novel. His writing is simple, yet effective. There are no wasted words here, and the story is nicely paced. A very healthy dose of suspense in conjunction with short chapters makes it difficult for the reader not to abandon all other plans in order to finish the book without interruption. I also want to commend the author on his superb writing of Cassie’s “dream” sequences. I am very curious as to how he conducted his research for these scenes.
There is an abundance of characters in Chance, but the wondrous Search button on my iPad Kindle helped me keep them straight. I loved the fact that there are plenty of likeables in this tale, including the 9-year-old protagonist, Cassie; Laura, the social worker; and Aaron, Cassie’s best (and only) friend. Though it does not matter to some readers, I have to have people to cheer for in my books. It’s also worth mentioning that as the tale progressed, determining whether certain players were good or evil proved enjoyably challenging. I liked being kept guessing as to whose side these characters were on.
Though there was much I liked about Chance, there are a couple of aspects that I was not keen on. First of all, though 9-year-old Cassie is described as very mature and perceptive for her age, her friend Aaron, also 9 years old but a regular kid, speaks as if he were a much older child of at least 12 or 13 years. In addition, the final two words of the novel make it very clear that we have entered cliffhanger territory. I do not enjoy reaching the end of a book without knowing in advance that it will not be the final ending; a heads up always makes a cliffhanger more acceptable to me. I will say that I was not as upset as I had been in other cases, as it will be a joy to revisit these characters, especially Cassie and Aaron. And the author does tell us in the “About the Author” section that the sequel will be out soon (in the fall). So I am somewhat appeased, Mr. Dudgeon!
Otherwise, in summation, I was delighted with Chance. I will definitely read the sequel as well as the other book by this writer, Ticket, which I have already downloaded. I see a bright future for new author Peter Dudgeon. I highly recommend that all readers of thrillers and suspense take a chance on Chance. You won’t regret it.
Mr. Dudgeon has wonderful story-telling skills that engaged me for almost the entire novel. His writing is simple, yet effective. There are no wasted words here, and the story is nicely paced. A very healthy dose of suspense in conjunction with short chapters makes it difficult for the reader not to abandon all other plans in order to finish the book without interruption. I also want to commend the author on his superb writing of Cassie’s “dream” sequences. I am very curious as to how he conducted his research for these scenes.
There is an abundance of characters in Chance, but the wondrous Search button on my iPad Kindle helped me keep them straight. I loved the fact that there are plenty of likeables in this tale, including the 9-year-old protagonist, Cassie; Laura, the social worker; and Aaron, Cassie’s best (and only) friend. Though it does not matter to some readers, I have to have people to cheer for in my books. It’s also worth mentioning that as the tale progressed, determining whether certain players were good or evil proved enjoyably challenging. I liked being kept guessing as to whose side these characters were on.
Though there was much I liked about Chance, there are a couple of aspects that I was not keen on. First of all, though 9-year-old Cassie is described as very mature and perceptive for her age, her friend Aaron, also 9 years old but a regular kid, speaks as if he were a much older child of at least 12 or 13 years. In addition, the final two words of the novel make it very clear that we have entered cliffhanger territory. I do not enjoy reaching the end of a book without knowing in advance that it will not be the final ending; a heads up always makes a cliffhanger more acceptable to me. I will say that I was not as upset as I had been in other cases, as it will be a joy to revisit these characters, especially Cassie and Aaron. And the author does tell us in the “About the Author” section that the sequel will be out soon (in the fall). So I am somewhat appeased, Mr. Dudgeon!
Otherwise, in summation, I was delighted with Chance. I will definitely read the sequel as well as the other book by this writer, Ticket, which I have already downloaded. I see a bright future for new author Peter Dudgeon. I highly recommend that all readers of thrillers and suspense take a chance on Chance. You won’t regret it.
November 24, 2015
4.5★s
Nine year old Cassie Janus was different – she knew it and it seemed so did everyone else. The bullying at school was hard to take, but especially from Rachel. She was cruel and vindictive, with followers who were just as mean. The day Cassie tried to escape her tormenter on her best friend Aaron’s bike, was the day her visions intensified. Cassie had a gift, but she didn’t like it at all – her ability to see what was going to happen; to see through the eyes of someone else was at times horrifying. But with the recent murders in various parts of London, and the inability of the police force to apprehend the killer, Cassie was only too aware what was happening, and what would happen.
Cassie’s teacher was impressed with her intelligence; but did she believe in Cassie’s ability? Cassie’s mother had always been sceptical and dismissive – and Aaron; did he believe her? Cassie struggled to make people understand, but she didn’t want people to think she needed to be institutionalised either. As the horrors continued and the police found themselves out of their depth, Cassie didn’t know what to do – should she take a chance? Could she save lives?
Chance by Peter Dudgeon is an intense and terrifying thriller. Gut wrenching, tense, heart pounding – I had to stop to take a breather now and then! But I shouldn’t have read late into the night; when I finished I couldn’t sleep for thinking about it! Chance definitely has that “wow” factor and for anyone after a deeply satisfying thriller which is entertainment plus, I dare you to pick this one up – take a chance! Highly recommended.
With thanks to the author for my copy to read and review.
Nine year old Cassie Janus was different – she knew it and it seemed so did everyone else. The bullying at school was hard to take, but especially from Rachel. She was cruel and vindictive, with followers who were just as mean. The day Cassie tried to escape her tormenter on her best friend Aaron’s bike, was the day her visions intensified. Cassie had a gift, but she didn’t like it at all – her ability to see what was going to happen; to see through the eyes of someone else was at times horrifying. But with the recent murders in various parts of London, and the inability of the police force to apprehend the killer, Cassie was only too aware what was happening, and what would happen.
Cassie’s teacher was impressed with her intelligence; but did she believe in Cassie’s ability? Cassie’s mother had always been sceptical and dismissive – and Aaron; did he believe her? Cassie struggled to make people understand, but she didn’t want people to think she needed to be institutionalised either. As the horrors continued and the police found themselves out of their depth, Cassie didn’t know what to do – should she take a chance? Could she save lives?
Chance by Peter Dudgeon is an intense and terrifying thriller. Gut wrenching, tense, heart pounding – I had to stop to take a breather now and then! But I shouldn’t have read late into the night; when I finished I couldn’t sleep for thinking about it! Chance definitely has that “wow” factor and for anyone after a deeply satisfying thriller which is entertainment plus, I dare you to pick this one up – take a chance! Highly recommended.
With thanks to the author for my copy to read and review.
September 11, 2015
Do you believe in chance? Janus, the Roman god portrayed with two faces, looked both to the past and to the future. Author Peter Dudgeon chose the name Cassie Janus for his nine-year-old prodigy in his thriller novel, Chance. Somehow, I don’t think this was a random choice. Besides suffering from what doctors have called seizures, Cassie foresees terrible events during her spells. An extremely intelligent, articulate child who is much more knowing than one would expect of a girl her age, she fears that telling anyone her secret will result in being taken from her mother, the only family she has.
When Cassie “sees” her visions of these terrible crimes, sometimes she is the victim; sometimes she is the offender. The nightmares that she envisions are actually disappearances and murders that are happening all around London. She finds them so frightening that she finally tells her one and only friend, Aaron Hall. He believes her; they forge an alliance, and they stick together through thick and thin.
The adults in Cassie’s life all have issues: her mother Leanne is single, unemployed, and abuses drugs and alcohol. Her teacher, Miss April, has an abusive boyfriend. Her social worker, Laura Robinson, whose husband is a police officer assigned to the murders, tries to take Carrie under her wing, but does she really believe her? There were a few instances about a third of the way through the book where I felt that I’d had enough of this crazy killer. He picks his victims randomly by leaving a playing card in a public place. When someone finds it, he follows him or her and assaults the person when the opportunity presents itself. I wasn’t exactly bored, but I needed something else to happen. Wait! It was only a matter of time before I was 99% certain that I knew who the culprit was. Each time Cassie had an omen, I knew trouble was just around the corner. My respirations grew shallow. My pulse quickened. Look out!
Mr. Dudgeon creates suspense in a way that I have not encountered in quite some time. He lets it swell to a crescendo, and sometimes, surprisingly, there is a sigh of relief. But not always.
One has to suspend belief in order for the premise to work, of course. Cassie’s gift is extraordinary. Also, one often reads in crime novels that “there are no coincidences,” but in this story, Cassie is the hub, and there are a number of characters whose lives are connected both to Cassie and to this perpetrator. Cassie is a likable girl; although she is bullied by the class bad girl, she is a teacher’s pet, and she is someone who seems to want to do the right thing. Despite having a mother who is beleaguered by personal problems, in the end, Cassie knows that she is loved.
The ending surprised me. It is a way to explain the motive for a killer who otherwise seemed to have none, but I found it to be a unsettling and a bit contrived, nonetheless. The finale was bittersweet as well. None of that diminishes the total effect of this fine reading experience: I am so glad I took a chance on Chance!
5 stars
When Cassie “sees” her visions of these terrible crimes, sometimes she is the victim; sometimes she is the offender. The nightmares that she envisions are actually disappearances and murders that are happening all around London. She finds them so frightening that she finally tells her one and only friend, Aaron Hall. He believes her; they forge an alliance, and they stick together through thick and thin.
The adults in Cassie’s life all have issues: her mother Leanne is single, unemployed, and abuses drugs and alcohol. Her teacher, Miss April, has an abusive boyfriend. Her social worker, Laura Robinson, whose husband is a police officer assigned to the murders, tries to take Carrie under her wing, but does she really believe her? There were a few instances about a third of the way through the book where I felt that I’d had enough of this crazy killer. He picks his victims randomly by leaving a playing card in a public place. When someone finds it, he follows him or her and assaults the person when the opportunity presents itself. I wasn’t exactly bored, but I needed something else to happen. Wait! It was only a matter of time before I was 99% certain that I knew who the culprit was. Each time Cassie had an omen, I knew trouble was just around the corner. My respirations grew shallow. My pulse quickened. Look out!
Mr. Dudgeon creates suspense in a way that I have not encountered in quite some time. He lets it swell to a crescendo, and sometimes, surprisingly, there is a sigh of relief. But not always.
One has to suspend belief in order for the premise to work, of course. Cassie’s gift is extraordinary. Also, one often reads in crime novels that “there are no coincidences,” but in this story, Cassie is the hub, and there are a number of characters whose lives are connected both to Cassie and to this perpetrator. Cassie is a likable girl; although she is bullied by the class bad girl, she is a teacher’s pet, and she is someone who seems to want to do the right thing. Despite having a mother who is beleaguered by personal problems, in the end, Cassie knows that she is loved.
The ending surprised me. It is a way to explain the motive for a killer who otherwise seemed to have none, but I found it to be a unsettling and a bit contrived, nonetheless. The finale was bittersweet as well. None of that diminishes the total effect of this fine reading experience: I am so glad I took a chance on Chance!
5 stars
December 8, 2015
What an absolutely amazing new novel from an amazing new up and coming author.
My coveted 5 stars has come out of the woodwork again. I am very reserved with my star ratings for different reasons.
1. There are a LOT of authors trying to make it
2. So their book has to stand out among a crowd
3. It has to be something different not 'following the crowd'
4. It brings out emotions in me, ie. Gasping, biting my nails, crying, angst.....for example
THIS BOOK HAD ALL OF THAT.
I read over 400 books a year on average and some can blur into another if they are not different and unique.
Peter Dudgeon [in my humble opinion as a reader] has smashed it
Just opening the book and starting to read it, you get drawn in right away. [For those that follow my reviews or know me, this is something I absolutely love]. As I settled down to read further in, I couldn't help notice the quality of the writing, the expertise that burst from its pages when relaying this story. When characters were introduced they immediately became part of the scenes.
The utter suspense within the confines of the pages really kept your brain alert, I think I was as alert as someone preying on me at times, who is it, where is he? My good, is it my turn now?
Cassie is a 9 year old girl who 'sees things' she is so matter of fact about it. When she has 'seizures' its a time when she 'sees things happen before they happen'. But who is going to listen to a young child, children have the most imaginative of imaginations anyway, right?
When her Mother was attacked, well, she had to listen. She had to listen to her daughter, because what she had 'saw' came true.
By the time I got to 40% of the book I just didn't want to do anything else but finish this read, I was lapping this up like a puppy at a water dish.
However, this week has been full of appointments, things happening and it seemed like everything got in the way of my reading, for the first time in ages I was frustrated. Why? Because this wasn't just 'any' book I was reading, this was a BRILLIANTpiece of craftsmanship.
Its well thought out.
You can tell the author has thought everything through from beginning to end. It starts excellently and it builds up to a crescendo without dropping you once, not once
Although I was unable to read from start to finish in one sitting, I found myself actually thinking about this book, talking about this book to book buddies. I loved the comments of several guys following my review waiting to see if I liked it.
Well, I didn't "like" it, I LOVED it.
When one of my book buddies said...."have you finished it yet? I have just finished it and its marvelous, I so enjoyed it, its ended in a cliffhanger" I was "what! what!"
It does end in a sort of 'cliffhanger' because you wonder what happens to certain people after all of this. You wonder about Cassie and how she would be when older. You wonder how some of the characters 'get over' their ordeals. You also wonder about some other stuff too, but I just don't want my review giving anything away.
I usually talk a bit about the book, but because of the reviews here and the blurb, I am giving hardly NOTHING away, I was just totally blown away by this book.
YOU should read it. And if anyone else likes a good book, something to get your "teeth" into that is written well, plus you want to discover a new author, ONE CLICK IT. I don't know anyone who hasn't enjoyed this book yet.
I understand the author is bringing out a follow up to this one in the Autumn/Fall. I really personally cannot wait, I'd read it in draft if I was allowed. I'm used to beta reading so that wouldn't bother me.
This is an up and coming author who needs a break in the crowd of potential authors out there, this guy is a shinning light to a brilliant suspense, a brilliant hooking storyline. You can tell the difference between an author and a writer, this author gives his all.
I'm gonna be stalking him for his books.
NB....Yes I got this book offered to me from the author to read, but read any of my reviews, if I have purchased a book, if I lent a book from the library, if a publishing house sends me a book, if my regular authors who I read for send me arcs, drafts, beta, and I get them for free, I STILL give my open and honest opinion on what I personally have taken from a book. Nothing sways me from being honest with my thoughts and opinions, my reviews would be worthless if I wasn't true.
December 1, 2015
Cassie Janus is 9 years old but she is different & she & her teacher knows it she has the ability to see things before they happen terrible unimaginable things murders.
She is bullied & teased by Rachel a school friend she takes off on her best friends Arron's bike& together they look into her ability.
Her mother Leanne is a alcoholic who does not believe her about her powers but eventually she does as her daughters life is put in danger this brings Cassie& leanne's relationship back together as they never had a normal one.
Who was after her & why did the perp pick Cassie out??
I enjoyed this book was a good page turning thriller that had a twist at the end i didn't see coming.
Peter Dudgeon is a new up comoing author with a lot of promise 4 stars
She is bullied & teased by Rachel a school friend she takes off on her best friends Arron's bike& together they look into her ability.
Her mother Leanne is a alcoholic who does not believe her about her powers but eventually she does as her daughters life is put in danger this brings Cassie& leanne's relationship back together as they never had a normal one.
Who was after her & why did the perp pick Cassie out??
I enjoyed this book was a good page turning thriller that had a twist at the end i didn't see coming.
Peter Dudgeon is a new up comoing author with a lot of promise 4 stars
June 20, 2015
WOW! I have been blessed this year to read so many 5-star books by new authors to me. And this one certainly did not disappoint.
Nine-year-old Cassie has the gift ... or a curse. She can see terrible things happening but getting someone to believe her is another story. There have been several monstrous murders and only Cassie knows that they are all connected ... because she sees herself as the killer during her visions.
This was truly a book that held my attention beginning with page 1. There were times when reading, I actually was holding my breath and turning pages just as fast as I could read. All of the characters were brilliantly described ... I have them all fixed in my mind... where I'm sure they will stay for a very long time.
I truly thank the author for supplying a copy of his novel in return for an honest review. I am so glad I did not miss this one!
I will be first in line when the sequel comes out.
Nine-year-old Cassie has the gift ... or a curse. She can see terrible things happening but getting someone to believe her is another story. There have been several monstrous murders and only Cassie knows that they are all connected ... because she sees herself as the killer during her visions.
This was truly a book that held my attention beginning with page 1. There were times when reading, I actually was holding my breath and turning pages just as fast as I could read. All of the characters were brilliantly described ... I have them all fixed in my mind... where I'm sure they will stay for a very long time.
I truly thank the author for supplying a copy of his novel in return for an honest review. I am so glad I did not miss this one!
I will be first in line when the sequel comes out.
February 7, 2016
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I wavered between 3 and 4 stars. It mostly held my interest, but sometimes I got confused with the names (too many A's). Good thing this was an ebook so I could search and figure out who was who. In hindsight, I realize much of the beginning of the book was to convince people to trust Cassie's "ability." I had already accepted it, so perhaps that's why I was eager for more action. It took awhile for any adults to believe Cassie. It's a shame that not all adults listen to children.
Cassie was an adorable character. She didn't have a great home life, and I was really upset with her mother. It broke my heart to see her reaction to staying at Aaron's home and then having to leave it. She handles some pretty gruesome events and images that a child that age shouldn't even know exist.
I questioned what was happening in the end. I even re-read to be sure I understood. I'm left with questions, so I'm going to have to read Circle, which I just happen to have.
Cassie was an adorable character. She didn't have a great home life, and I was really upset with her mother. It broke my heart to see her reaction to staying at Aaron's home and then having to leave it. She handles some pretty gruesome events and images that a child that age shouldn't even know exist.
I questioned what was happening in the end. I even re-read to be sure I understood. I'm left with questions, so I'm going to have to read Circle, which I just happen to have.
May 31, 2015
Chance – Peter Dudgeon
Received in exchange for an honest review.
This is a new author to me. I have one of Peter’s previous books Ticket in my TBR list but hadn’t got round to reading it yet – that has now change, it has been moved up the list and is now sat in the folder on my kindle awaiting me to start which trust me after reading Chance won’t be long!!!
Info from the book:
“A missing convict, a young woman assaulted and killed, an old man murdered in his home. All in different parts of London. With eight million inhabitants, bad things happen to good people all the time.
Only nine-year-old Cassie Janus knows there’s a connection, because she is the killer … in her nightmares at least.”
Now who couldn’t want to read this book, if you like thrillers, crime and books that have you hanging onto every word the author writes.
My review
When I first started reading this book I was hooked, despite finding it a bit confusing at first, trying to remember who the characters were and what relationship they had in the book. This wasn’t because of the style of the writing more that Peter is a new author to me and can sometimes take me a while to get use to how they write etc.
CHANCE is a fantastic book and is centred round a girl called Cassie Janus who has the unfortunate ability (due to being a child) to be able to see what is about to happen around. Trust me when I say if this was an adult who was seeing these things you would be scared out of your life!!!
Cassie experiences visions of future events, and despite telling those closest to her a few are very unsure whether these are bad dreams or a little girl with a vivid imagination.
The book is fantastic and I am at a loss for words as to how good it was without going into too much detail and giving the plot away and I hate spoilers in reviews. Peter is an excellent writer and made the story feel very real to me and had me feeling like I was a character in the book and not sure what would happen with each turn of the page.
I can’t think of one thing that I didn’t like about this book …. Oh hang on yes I can, once I got to 40% of the book on my kindle I was hooked and then on completing the book was left with the feeling of having to wait until Autumn for his next book featuring Cassie Janus to be released.
This is one book that will stay with me this year and one of the best I have read that has gripped me and one that had to be completed. I am pleased to note that Peter managed to get in the Top 100 with this book and that is so deserved. If you want to read a book and like crime / thriller books then this is one for you to take a CHANCE on and read.
I rated this book 5 stars and it is definitely worthy of all 5 of those stars.
September 2, 2015
Chance is a brilliant crime thriller, it does jump around quite a bit to start with but it doesn't take long to get used to it and then it does settle down as you get further into the story.
From the very start of this story the author had me totally hooked.
I have to say that the biggest star in Chance for me is Cassie. From the very start when we are introduced to Cassie the reader can not help but be drawn to her. She hasn't got the best start in life. She is being bullied at school and her mother prefers to stay at home drinking rather than come to school to pick her daughter up.
Not only does Cassie have so much already to deal with in her young life but she also sees things. Things to do with the recent murders.
The friendship between Cassie and her school friend Aaron is really lovely to read and just really pulled at my heart strings even more. To start with I did think Cassie's mum was a total waste of space and she really annoyed me but as the story went on my opinion of her totally changed. Laura is another very strong character through out this book who in her role as Cassie's social worker does her best to make sure that things for Cassie get better and very much takes on the challenge of trying to protect her.
Chance is certainly a book that will grab you straight away with the brilliant storyline that the author has created. I literally could not put it down. It is fast paced throughout even getting faster towards the end which made me feel like I was on one truly thrilling ride. A definite must read for thrill seekers, you certainly won't be disappointed with this one.
Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
From the very start of this story the author had me totally hooked.
I have to say that the biggest star in Chance for me is Cassie. From the very start when we are introduced to Cassie the reader can not help but be drawn to her. She hasn't got the best start in life. She is being bullied at school and her mother prefers to stay at home drinking rather than come to school to pick her daughter up.
Not only does Cassie have so much already to deal with in her young life but she also sees things. Things to do with the recent murders.
The friendship between Cassie and her school friend Aaron is really lovely to read and just really pulled at my heart strings even more. To start with I did think Cassie's mum was a total waste of space and she really annoyed me but as the story went on my opinion of her totally changed. Laura is another very strong character through out this book who in her role as Cassie's social worker does her best to make sure that things for Cassie get better and very much takes on the challenge of trying to protect her.
Chance is certainly a book that will grab you straight away with the brilliant storyline that the author has created. I literally could not put it down. It is fast paced throughout even getting faster towards the end which made me feel like I was on one truly thrilling ride. A definite must read for thrill seekers, you certainly won't be disappointed with this one.
Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2015
This is a new author to me and I was very kindly given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Where do I start? This book had me hooked from the opening line "With no strangers to kill, I killed time instead; surveying suburbia through wooden slats" My first thought was I wanted to know who this person was and why they were killing strangers.
Chance is the story of Cassie Janus who has the ability to connect to the emotions of others and unfortuntely sees things that no nine-year-old should have to see especially when you find out that one of the people she connects with is a killer.
If you enjoy reading crime thrillers then you can't afford to miss this book. The characters are well rounded and the storyline grabs you with both hands and pulls you along so that at the end you're left feeling like you've just got off a roller coaster.
Peter Dudgeon has a lot to answer for as I was still awake at midnight last night chanting that well known reader's mantra of "just one more chapter" but the next short chapter finished with such a cliffhanger I was complelled to carry on until I managed to force myself to put it down. I've spent the whole day at my desk wishing the hours away just so that I could get home to find out what was going to happen next. I wasn't disappointed but the wait until Autumn and the sequel might be a long one!
Where do I start? This book had me hooked from the opening line "With no strangers to kill, I killed time instead; surveying suburbia through wooden slats" My first thought was I wanted to know who this person was and why they were killing strangers.
Chance is the story of Cassie Janus who has the ability to connect to the emotions of others and unfortuntely sees things that no nine-year-old should have to see especially when you find out that one of the people she connects with is a killer.
If you enjoy reading crime thrillers then you can't afford to miss this book. The characters are well rounded and the storyline grabs you with both hands and pulls you along so that at the end you're left feeling like you've just got off a roller coaster.
Peter Dudgeon has a lot to answer for as I was still awake at midnight last night chanting that well known reader's mantra of "just one more chapter" but the next short chapter finished with such a cliffhanger I was complelled to carry on until I managed to force myself to put it down. I've spent the whole day at my desk wishing the hours away just so that I could get home to find out what was going to happen next. I wasn't disappointed but the wait until Autumn and the sequel might be a long one!
September 30, 2015
I’m going to come right out and say it – Chance knocked me sideways. It’s one of those books I couldn’t stop myself wanting to read more of.
How utterly cliché, I hear you scoff. Well, yes. Usually, I can put a book down and wait to return to it until next time, but this one had me reading until half past two in the morning, something I haven’t been compelled to do for quite some time!
Be prepared to run into a few disturbing scenes, all of which channel an all-consuming suspense as an unhinged, cold-blooded killer is casually selecting people to die. Rather, the victims select themselves when they happen across something random, you might say quite by ‘chance’.
The regular characters are introduced little by little in the early chapters with a brief snapshot of their day and are revisited throughout to build a picture of their lives layer upon layer. As we are invited further into their world the story exposes a few skeletons tucked away at the back of a rickety closet or two, and offers a suspect for us to focus on. The victims carefully appear between these chapters of normal life, so everything clicks into place nicely when they overlap one another.
Cassie Janus is undoubtedly the star of the show. She’s one tough kid and can be spotted a mile off, as she’s the one wearing trousers flapping at half-mast. In addition to being bullied at school she bravely suffers with Epilepsy. Her domestic arrangements are at best questionable and a life or death situation quickly draws the attention of social services. But Cassie has a secret that she privately tries to conceal, as her intuitive behaviour allows her to ‘see’ things that no nine year-old should ever witness.
Her seizures open the door to some very bad things. Something she can’t explain is happening and the thoughts won’t stop rattling about in her head. Cassie must find someone to confide in, so she can free herself of the information she can’t understand. The problem is, she has no one to tell.
The victim’s desperate situations are echoed within Cassie and the impact is immense. As the story progresses her relationship with those around her changes, as they react to the ‘knowledge’ she selectively imparts in unexpected ways.
Chance rips your heart out then takes it along for the ride of its life. Seriously, just read it – it’s so cleverly executed. And by the way, that cover is right on the money.
(HUGE thanks to the author for providing a paperback copy of his book for review.)
How utterly cliché, I hear you scoff. Well, yes. Usually, I can put a book down and wait to return to it until next time, but this one had me reading until half past two in the morning, something I haven’t been compelled to do for quite some time!
Be prepared to run into a few disturbing scenes, all of which channel an all-consuming suspense as an unhinged, cold-blooded killer is casually selecting people to die. Rather, the victims select themselves when they happen across something random, you might say quite by ‘chance’.
The regular characters are introduced little by little in the early chapters with a brief snapshot of their day and are revisited throughout to build a picture of their lives layer upon layer. As we are invited further into their world the story exposes a few skeletons tucked away at the back of a rickety closet or two, and offers a suspect for us to focus on. The victims carefully appear between these chapters of normal life, so everything clicks into place nicely when they overlap one another.
Cassie Janus is undoubtedly the star of the show. She’s one tough kid and can be spotted a mile off, as she’s the one wearing trousers flapping at half-mast. In addition to being bullied at school she bravely suffers with Epilepsy. Her domestic arrangements are at best questionable and a life or death situation quickly draws the attention of social services. But Cassie has a secret that she privately tries to conceal, as her intuitive behaviour allows her to ‘see’ things that no nine year-old should ever witness.
Her seizures open the door to some very bad things. Something she can’t explain is happening and the thoughts won’t stop rattling about in her head. Cassie must find someone to confide in, so she can free herself of the information she can’t understand. The problem is, she has no one to tell.
The victim’s desperate situations are echoed within Cassie and the impact is immense. As the story progresses her relationship with those around her changes, as they react to the ‘knowledge’ she selectively imparts in unexpected ways.
Chance rips your heart out then takes it along for the ride of its life. Seriously, just read it – it’s so cleverly executed. And by the way, that cover is right on the money.
(HUGE thanks to the author for providing a paperback copy of his book for review.)
May 28, 2015
Wow, where to start if I didn't have children I wouldn't have put this down until I'd finished it
I was hooked from page one and can't wait for the sequel...
This story follows the character of nine year old Cassie Janus who has visions of future events, at this point I must commend the author on how well written these vision episodes were and would guess that either he or someone close to him has personal experience of this as I don't think research alone would give such a perfect understanding of this experience and as someone who has been through it personally I can 100% say this is as accurate as I've ever read in a fiction novel
From the character of Cassie we are interlinked to several other characters who either connect to her through a physical or psychic connection and several that intertwine as the story unfolds, these are very well written and whereas in many books the story may have felt jumpy this flowed beautifully and pulled me into the story as a reader wanting to be right in the book with the characters as we watched the plot unravel.
The police case was intriguing and twists and turns along the way opened up the story bit by bit and led to many late nights reading what was meant to be just one more chapter.
I loved so many of the characters for different reasons but obviously felt a bond with the character of Cassie willing her along and understanding the complications of getting people to listen when what comes out of your mouth sounds bizarre and uncomprehendable
Completely worthy of five star rating (and so much more) a new author to me that I will now be keeping tabs on
I was hooked from page one and can't wait for the sequel...
This story follows the character of nine year old Cassie Janus who has visions of future events, at this point I must commend the author on how well written these vision episodes were and would guess that either he or someone close to him has personal experience of this as I don't think research alone would give such a perfect understanding of this experience and as someone who has been through it personally I can 100% say this is as accurate as I've ever read in a fiction novel
From the character of Cassie we are interlinked to several other characters who either connect to her through a physical or psychic connection and several that intertwine as the story unfolds, these are very well written and whereas in many books the story may have felt jumpy this flowed beautifully and pulled me into the story as a reader wanting to be right in the book with the characters as we watched the plot unravel.
The police case was intriguing and twists and turns along the way opened up the story bit by bit and led to many late nights reading what was meant to be just one more chapter.
I loved so many of the characters for different reasons but obviously felt a bond with the character of Cassie willing her along and understanding the complications of getting people to listen when what comes out of your mouth sounds bizarre and uncomprehendable
Completely worthy of five star rating (and so much more) a new author to me that I will now be keeping tabs on
June 17, 2015
Wow!
I saw "Chance" popping up all over my Facebook feed and knew it was going to be just my kind of read. The book has a number of different characters interwoven through but at no point did I get confused, the author has cleverly blended their stories into one. "Chance" is a brilliant thriller that has short snappy chapters, this made it very hard to put the book down as it just made me want to carry on! I tend to read a lot on my mobile as I'm walking home from dropping my children at school, luckily I've got a good sense of direction as I got completely lost in this book!
The cover really depicts the story well ~ eerily creepy. I highly recommend "Chance" to all my book loving friends and I cannot wait to read more from this great author.
I saw "Chance" popping up all over my Facebook feed and knew it was going to be just my kind of read. The book has a number of different characters interwoven through but at no point did I get confused, the author has cleverly blended their stories into one. "Chance" is a brilliant thriller that has short snappy chapters, this made it very hard to put the book down as it just made me want to carry on! I tend to read a lot on my mobile as I'm walking home from dropping my children at school, luckily I've got a good sense of direction as I got completely lost in this book!
The cover really depicts the story well ~ eerily creepy. I highly recommend "Chance" to all my book loving friends and I cannot wait to read more from this great author.
June 6, 2015
I was kindly offered this book to read for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this, the storyline was really good with lots of twists and turns along the way. It's about a girl called Cassie Janus who has visions of murders in the future. She sees these visions through the eyes of the killer. There are lots of characters but you are soon able to work out who is who and they are all linked together by the storyline. All of the characters were very believable and I found myself reading quicker as the book was drawing to a close. I'm looking forward reading the follow on book in the Autumn.
I really enjoyed this, the storyline was really good with lots of twists and turns along the way. It's about a girl called Cassie Janus who has visions of murders in the future. She sees these visions through the eyes of the killer. There are lots of characters but you are soon able to work out who is who and they are all linked together by the storyline. All of the characters were very believable and I found myself reading quicker as the book was drawing to a close. I'm looking forward reading the follow on book in the Autumn.
May 22, 2015
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/
Well what can I say - this book well and truly gripped me, I raced through the last half of the book and I didn't want it to end. Its an excellent piece of work. Peter Dudgeon is a new author to me and I was introduced to him by a friend in an online book group, and I'm so glad I was.
After reading the description of the book, seeing the cover and reading the start of the opening line I couldn't wait to get started, clearly murders would be coming with lots of twists and turns!
The story focusses on Cassie Janus, a young girl of 9 who has the ability to see things that would greatly disturb an adult. She has the unlucky ability to see things that have just happended or something tragic still to come, and she sees these through the eyes of the killer, at any age seeing images of this nature would be disturbing but for a 9 year old in a broken home it is even more tragic as she fights these images which come along with epileptic fits.
I love a good crime thriller and this is one of the best written that I have read so far this year, and I have already read and reviewd an awful lot of books.
I was very kindly given a free copy in exchange for an honest review and would truly like to thank Peter for the opportunity and privlege to review his book. I am already looking forward to the sequel that is due out this Autumn.
Well what can I say - this book well and truly gripped me, I raced through the last half of the book and I didn't want it to end. Its an excellent piece of work. Peter Dudgeon is a new author to me and I was introduced to him by a friend in an online book group, and I'm so glad I was.
After reading the description of the book, seeing the cover and reading the start of the opening line I couldn't wait to get started, clearly murders would be coming with lots of twists and turns!
The story focusses on Cassie Janus, a young girl of 9 who has the ability to see things that would greatly disturb an adult. She has the unlucky ability to see things that have just happended or something tragic still to come, and she sees these through the eyes of the killer, at any age seeing images of this nature would be disturbing but for a 9 year old in a broken home it is even more tragic as she fights these images which come along with epileptic fits.
I love a good crime thriller and this is one of the best written that I have read so far this year, and I have already read and reviewd an awful lot of books.
I was very kindly given a free copy in exchange for an honest review and would truly like to thank Peter for the opportunity and privlege to review his book. I am already looking forward to the sequel that is due out this Autumn.
February 8, 2016
This is more like 4.5 stars.
The story was a little bit slow at the beginning. But that helped me to feel familiar with the characters. I felt connected to Cassie from the beginning. A gifted child, confronted to horrible visions with no real family support! That was too much for a child, which made the character of Aaron, her friend, more than welcome.
The story became more interesting as i kept reading and i was speculating all the time about what will happen, the connection between these events and characters and i liked that.
The characters were over all very interesting, i liked Laura and i felt she was a person of interest in this story, her life was intriguing and mostly i felt sorry for her.
The end, though, was very intriguing. I read the final chapter twice and still have many questions. I think the answers will be in the sequel, but i liked how it ended.
The story was a little bit slow at the beginning. But that helped me to feel familiar with the characters. I felt connected to Cassie from the beginning. A gifted child, confronted to horrible visions with no real family support! That was too much for a child, which made the character of Aaron, her friend, more than welcome.
The story became more interesting as i kept reading and i was speculating all the time about what will happen, the connection between these events and characters and i liked that.
The characters were over all very interesting, i liked Laura and i felt she was a person of interest in this story, her life was intriguing and mostly i felt sorry for her.
The end, though, was very intriguing. I read the final chapter twice and still have many questions. I think the answers will be in the sequel, but i liked how it ended.
June 8, 2015
What a gripping storyline - a perfect blend of crime mixed with a dash of horror. The pace builds up throughout the book and by the end I was hanging off the edge of my chair - the characters are so vibrant and convincing, and the plot always catches you by surprise. I hope to read more from this author soon.
August 4, 2016
Peopled with well drawn and interesting characters, this book was pleasantly different from your average serial killer thriller.
The heroine of the story is nine year old Cassie Janus who is a pretty cool and switched on kid. But Cassie has epileptic fits which often trigger pre-cognitive visions of sometimes horrific events. Meanwhile of course there IS a serial killer on the loose. As Cassie's visions become more disturbing she's wondering if there's anything she can do to help stop the killer. But will people believe her about the visions, or take her away from her less than perfect mother?
Long story short, gradually Cassie convinces some people to believe her. Which is a good thing soon she'll need them to rescue her from the clutches of the killer. And that's my only bugbear - the killer was oh so obvious. But wait, there's more, right at the end we get a sense that this whole thing might be bigger than anyone thought. Which is an obvious pointer to a sequel which I'll have to read soon.
The heroine of the story is nine year old Cassie Janus who is a pretty cool and switched on kid. But Cassie has epileptic fits which often trigger pre-cognitive visions of sometimes horrific events. Meanwhile of course there IS a serial killer on the loose. As Cassie's visions become more disturbing she's wondering if there's anything she can do to help stop the killer. But will people believe her about the visions, or take her away from her less than perfect mother?
Long story short, gradually Cassie convinces some people to believe her. Which is a good thing soon she'll need them to rescue her from the clutches of the killer. And that's my only bugbear - the killer was oh so obvious. But wait, there's more, right at the end we get a sense that this whole thing might be bigger than anyone thought. Which is an obvious pointer to a sequel which I'll have to read soon.
December 29, 2016
Three threads of different people intermingle to bring this story together. A young girl suffers fits and within the fit “sees” things that others know nothing about. Short chapters keep this book moving and the characters are well written. A suspenseful novel that has you intrigued at who is/are the bad guys. Are things as they first appear? Are others involved or innocent? Threads and webs, twists and turns.A gripping novel with a touch of the supernatural in Cassie’s “power”.
January 1, 2016
A really good book with a good plot and interesting characters. Likeable characters,even Cassies mum became a favourite by the end.
It was quite predictable who the killer was which was disappointing as would have been better with more of a question mark over that.
The ending was unexpected and sad.
It was quite predictable who the killer was which was disappointing as would have been better with more of a question mark over that.
The ending was unexpected and sad.
June 22, 2015
Loved this one. Kept me gripped & guessing.
April 24, 2021
I just dont think I could quite give this one 4 stars but only for 2 reasons.
1) For me it was a little obvious who the killer was, pretty much calling it from the beginning, I was entirely happy with the ending and despite knowing I was still eagerly turning the pages and enthralled nonetheless however as I always say, when you call an ending and especially so early on in a book it does take away that shock factor and surprise, I love nothing more than getting to the finale and being genuinely shocked at the 'twist' or the 'big reveal' it just didnt happen here so took away that extra excitement.
2) I feel like I'm definitely in the minority here and haven't seen anyone else mention this in the reviews I have looked at after reading, I thought Cassie was a brilliant character, smart, weird, relatable and endearing to read and I appreciate that she was meant to be beyond her years but I did occasionally feel like for a 9 year old some of the dialogue and general actions didn't portray her as someone so young. It felt like she was a young teen of 13/14
Aside from the the two snags, I very much found 'Chance' a truly gripping read, I'm starting to realise these short chapters are my thing, it creates that fast paced action which I love in a book, it keeps me engrossed and holds my attention over the longer chapters which sometimes can feel like a slog if there isn't much happening. All of the characters were solid with no weak links at all, Cassie's mum became a favourite in the end, hell I guess I even loved to hate the killer, of course special mentions to Laura and the sidecop who plays a major role in the books conclusion who's name sadly has escaped my mind.
Chance was a great read and you can see with all the positive reviews I'm not the only one who thought so, while my 3 stars may seem low in comparison please don't let it deter you, the issues I had were more my own personal gripes. I'd highly and openly recommend anyone to pick it up if they have it sitting on their 'to read'
1) For me it was a little obvious who the killer was, pretty much calling it from the beginning, I was entirely happy with the ending and despite knowing I was still eagerly turning the pages and enthralled nonetheless however as I always say, when you call an ending and especially so early on in a book it does take away that shock factor and surprise, I love nothing more than getting to the finale and being genuinely shocked at the 'twist' or the 'big reveal' it just didnt happen here so took away that extra excitement.
2) I feel like I'm definitely in the minority here and haven't seen anyone else mention this in the reviews I have looked at after reading, I thought Cassie was a brilliant character, smart, weird, relatable and endearing to read and I appreciate that she was meant to be beyond her years but I did occasionally feel like for a 9 year old some of the dialogue and general actions didn't portray her as someone so young. It felt like she was a young teen of 13/14
Aside from the the two snags, I very much found 'Chance' a truly gripping read, I'm starting to realise these short chapters are my thing, it creates that fast paced action which I love in a book, it keeps me engrossed and holds my attention over the longer chapters which sometimes can feel like a slog if there isn't much happening. All of the characters were solid with no weak links at all, Cassie's mum became a favourite in the end, hell I guess I even loved to hate the killer, of course special mentions to Laura and the sidecop who plays a major role in the books conclusion who's name sadly has escaped my mind.
Chance was a great read and you can see with all the positive reviews I'm not the only one who thought so, while my 3 stars may seem low in comparison please don't let it deter you, the issues I had were more my own personal gripes. I'd highly and openly recommend anyone to pick it up if they have it sitting on their 'to read'
July 13, 2021
Chance - Buy yourself a Ticket and the express-ride!
September 6, 2015
I'm really getting spoilt with all of these gripping books I'm unable to put down and Chance is certainly one of those. The cover was a bit creepy and I wasn't sure how relevant it was to the story until I started reading. It reminds us that Cassie is a child who has had to grow up so quickly due to the things that she has seen and experienced, so it makes perfect sense to have Katie on the front.
Aside from the murders, there are loads of tough topics covered in the book, including school bullying, child neglect, physical abuse and drug use. So there's an abundance of events to play with our emotions in between the killings. The story revolving around Cassie's mum, Leanne is exceptional. At the beginning of the book she couldn't care less about how Cassie gets home from school but she certainly turns into a lioness protecting her cub at the end. This turned my feelings for Leanne from exasperation to admiration - I really didn't think I could experience such a broad spectrum of emotions in one book, never mind for one character!
I enjoyed the story of Laura Robinson, the social worker assigned to Cassie's case. Laura has struggled with her own problems, giving her the ability to empathise with every one of her cases. She really looks out for Cassie and goes above and beyond the call of duty. I held my breath (no pun intended) and gritted my own teeth during one of her scenes, I was so absorbed in the book!
Cassie seeing and feeling the emotions of the killer was an absolutely brilliant idea for a book. Whether you believe in people having such an ability or not, we are left in no doubt that Cassie is experiencing some things that no 9 year-old should ever experience and my heart went out to her. Although I guessed who the killer was, I really didn't see the explosive ending coming. To say any more would spoil the story but you really must add Chance to your reading list and experience this rollercoaster for yourself.
This is such a well-written, flawless book with an exceptional storyline that I would not hesitate to recommend it.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Aside from the murders, there are loads of tough topics covered in the book, including school bullying, child neglect, physical abuse and drug use. So there's an abundance of events to play with our emotions in between the killings. The story revolving around Cassie's mum, Leanne is exceptional. At the beginning of the book she couldn't care less about how Cassie gets home from school but she certainly turns into a lioness protecting her cub at the end. This turned my feelings for Leanne from exasperation to admiration - I really didn't think I could experience such a broad spectrum of emotions in one book, never mind for one character!
I enjoyed the story of Laura Robinson, the social worker assigned to Cassie's case. Laura has struggled with her own problems, giving her the ability to empathise with every one of her cases. She really looks out for Cassie and goes above and beyond the call of duty. I held my breath (no pun intended) and gritted my own teeth during one of her scenes, I was so absorbed in the book!
Cassie seeing and feeling the emotions of the killer was an absolutely brilliant idea for a book. Whether you believe in people having such an ability or not, we are left in no doubt that Cassie is experiencing some things that no 9 year-old should ever experience and my heart went out to her. Although I guessed who the killer was, I really didn't see the explosive ending coming. To say any more would spoil the story but you really must add Chance to your reading list and experience this rollercoaster for yourself.
This is such a well-written, flawless book with an exceptional storyline that I would not hesitate to recommend it.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
January 29, 2017
This is one of the most sober paranormal thrillers I’ve ever devoured. It could easily be read and enjoyed by someone just into conventional thrillers without any paranormal element. I say that because for much of the book, no one believes our young heroine, Casey, and her abilities to predict horrific crimes before they happen. If there’s anything worse than having her gift, it’s being made to see crimes ahead of time whose outcomes she can’t affect precisely because adults won’t take her seriously. But Casey’s compounding terror doesn’t stop there. Her own life is a nightmare between an absentee mommy who has a thing for abusive male partners, and her stand-in father figure doing drugs and beating the crap out of mommy. She’s got more baggage than she can carry without tuning in with her psychic radar to other people’s nightmares.
Nine-year-old Casey, not even out of middle school, has some handholds to get her through; they are like lights at the end of the tunnel. Her one friend at school, as it turns out, has a thing for serial killers. He takes the local tours where people like Jack the Ripper did their crimes. So as hopelessly outmatched sidekicks go, she could do worse. Aaron, her friend, comes from a well-adjusted upscale family and lives a dream life compared to Casey, and when she gets injured at school—yes, she’s being victimized there too. Believe me when I say this kid’s plate is full—she gets to hole up for a while at Aaron’s parents’ home, where she can get a brief taste of how the other side lives. I mean, how better to play up her torment than to show her how life could be, versus how it is for her, right?
Could things get any worse? As it turns out, they can, as the killer gets closer to people she loves and ultimately closer to her.
This is an extremely well executed thriller that I’m happy to give a zealous recommend to. As it’s part psychological thriller, part social drama, part paranormal thriller, part police procedural, it has something for most everybody.
Nine-year-old Casey, not even out of middle school, has some handholds to get her through; they are like lights at the end of the tunnel. Her one friend at school, as it turns out, has a thing for serial killers. He takes the local tours where people like Jack the Ripper did their crimes. So as hopelessly outmatched sidekicks go, she could do worse. Aaron, her friend, comes from a well-adjusted upscale family and lives a dream life compared to Casey, and when she gets injured at school—yes, she’s being victimized there too. Believe me when I say this kid’s plate is full—she gets to hole up for a while at Aaron’s parents’ home, where she can get a brief taste of how the other side lives. I mean, how better to play up her torment than to show her how life could be, versus how it is for her, right?
Could things get any worse? As it turns out, they can, as the killer gets closer to people she loves and ultimately closer to her.
This is an extremely well executed thriller that I’m happy to give a zealous recommend to. As it’s part psychological thriller, part social drama, part paranormal thriller, part police procedural, it has something for most everybody.
October 5, 2015
Ask yourself what you would do if your were able to see crimes being committed before they had actually happened. Being fully aware of the fact that if you do intervene in a future event, you may actually be changing future itself and something worse could happen instead.
Now put yourself in the place of a child in this position. Everyone puts your visions down to childish fantasies and an overactive imagination. Spot on predictions are called coincidences and blown off by the adults in her life.
They seem to think a lot of her 'stories' are related to her less than stellar home life. Her mother is dealing with addiction issues, because of this Cassie suffers from the neglect and bad decision-making of her parent.
Cassie has quite a good understanding of what she can see and how, despite being so young. She knows that her visions are events and people she can see through the eyes of another person. Unfortunately for Cassie she is seeing through the eyes of a sadistic killer. A dangerous, ruthless killer with no remorse and a taste for pain.
I'm going to leave it at that lest I reveal some of the twists in the plot.Well maybe just a few more things. It was interesting to see how the lack of trust between parent and child changed throughout the story, and how the mother regains it.
Dudgeon has created a fast paced thriller with an unexpected ending. Despite his main character being a very young girl, the story never veers from the well thought through adult plot. It could do with a little more smoothness in the dialogues, but the author makes up for it with the creative twists.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of the author.
Now put yourself in the place of a child in this position. Everyone puts your visions down to childish fantasies and an overactive imagination. Spot on predictions are called coincidences and blown off by the adults in her life.
They seem to think a lot of her 'stories' are related to her less than stellar home life. Her mother is dealing with addiction issues, because of this Cassie suffers from the neglect and bad decision-making of her parent.
Cassie has quite a good understanding of what she can see and how, despite being so young. She knows that her visions are events and people she can see through the eyes of another person. Unfortunately for Cassie she is seeing through the eyes of a sadistic killer. A dangerous, ruthless killer with no remorse and a taste for pain.
I'm going to leave it at that lest I reveal some of the twists in the plot.Well maybe just a few more things. It was interesting to see how the lack of trust between parent and child changed throughout the story, and how the mother regains it.
Dudgeon has created a fast paced thriller with an unexpected ending. Despite his main character being a very young girl, the story never veers from the well thought through adult plot. It could do with a little more smoothness in the dialogues, but the author makes up for it with the creative twists.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of the author.
August 10, 2016
A tense crime thriller I was unable to put down. The story begins with a killer who picks his victims by playing a game of chance; leaving playing cards or dice around and watching to see who picks them up. I instantly wanted to know more. Cassie is a 9 year old girl with the world on her shoulders. Not only is she bullied at school and neglected at home, she is able to see into the future if something awful is going to happen to someone. Being in close proximity to both the killer and some of his potential victims, allows Cassie a disturbing glimpse into his warped mind and she soon realises the police are on the wrong track completely. I liked the character of Cassie, but I do agree with another reviewer who thought the dialogue and behavior of her and her 9 year old friend Aaron was unrealistic. They do talk and behave more like thirteen year old's would, in my view. However, I was still drawn to her plight and hooked on every page. The writing is terrific, the plot more complex than you first imagine, and the ending hints at a far darker story to be told in the sequel, which I shall be downloading right away. If you enjoy thrillers which are brilliantly plotted, and keep you on the edge of your seat, then I advise you to read this book. It is dark, gripping, frightening and a page turner from start to finish.
November 8, 2015
I purchased this book online because I've heard so much about it on Goodreads.com. Every time I logged on, someone was raving about it. Overall, I agree. This book was very difficult to put down and it grabbed me right from the beginning.
The police are stumped about the killer in several murder cases and Cassie, a nine-year old girl with seizures, thinks she has the answers to capturing the killer. She sees the murders through his eyes and she knows the intimate details of his horrible actions. The problem is...who would believe her? With the help of a close friend, she tackles the dilemma of convincing people that she is telling the truth and not just a kid with a wild imagination. But time is running out as the killer closes in on her.
Overall, I loved this book and I would have given it 5 stars. However, there was a twist at the end and I don't think I like where this is headed. I am keeping my eye out for the next book and hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised!
The police are stumped about the killer in several murder cases and Cassie, a nine-year old girl with seizures, thinks she has the answers to capturing the killer. She sees the murders through his eyes and she knows the intimate details of his horrible actions. The problem is...who would believe her? With the help of a close friend, she tackles the dilemma of convincing people that she is telling the truth and not just a kid with a wild imagination. But time is running out as the killer closes in on her.
Overall, I loved this book and I would have given it 5 stars. However, there was a twist at the end and I don't think I like where this is headed. I am keeping my eye out for the next book and hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised!
July 13, 2018
Peter Dudgeon started writing at the age of fourteen, inspired by Stephen King’s early novels, I knew I was in for a thrilling ride through out reading Chances. The doll on the front certainly looks a little creepy and edged me to read it at once.
The nice short chapters keep you turning pages after pages. The story is dark and creepy it make you want to read on to find out what will happen next.
A missing convict, a young woman assaulted and killed, an old man murdered in hiome.
Cassie’s doll Katie was her only companion. When Cassie mummy is hospital Laura Robinson notices the most creepiest doll in Cassie wardrobe while getting some clothes for Cassie to stay with her. So much happens in this well written creepy tale.
The nice short chapters keep you turning pages after pages. The story is dark and creepy it make you want to read on to find out what will happen next.
A missing convict, a young woman assaulted and killed, an old man murdered in hiome.
Cassie’s doll Katie was her only companion. When Cassie mummy is hospital Laura Robinson notices the most creepiest doll in Cassie wardrobe while getting some clothes for Cassie to stay with her. So much happens in this well written creepy tale.
December 16, 2015
I downloaded Chance immediately after completing The Ticket as I loved the author's style and imagination. I will say, had I looked at the cover with the creepy doll I may have thought twice through fear!!!! Thankfully the doll only features now and again!!!
WHAT a story. What could've verged on the unbelievable sucks you in, completely and entirely. This book is disturbingly brilliant, filled with very believable characters. It's so visual, fast paced, gritty... What more can I say.
I have already recommended this to all of my friends... I can't wait for the sequel!!!
WHAT a story. What could've verged on the unbelievable sucks you in, completely and entirely. This book is disturbingly brilliant, filled with very believable characters. It's so visual, fast paced, gritty... What more can I say.
I have already recommended this to all of my friends... I can't wait for the sequel!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews