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Samariter
Stell dir vor, du kannst ein Leben retten. Stell dir vor, du tust es nicht. Ein schwerer Tropensturm tobt durch Süd-Florida, als Faith Saunders eines Nachts von einer Party nach Hause fährt. Ihre vierjährige Tochter schläft auf dem Rücksitz. Am Rande eines Waldes hält Faith an - und sieht durch den Regen eine Gestalt das Auto zutaumeln. Eine junge Frau, offenbar auf der Flucht. Sie fleht Faith um Hilfe an. Dann taucht ein Mann auf und führt sie weg. Starr vor Angst begeht Faith einen folgenschweren Fehler. Denn sie tut ... nichts. Später erfährt sie: Die Frau wurde ermordet. Der Vorfall und ihr eigenes feiges Verhalten geraten an die Öffentlichkeit, und Faith verliert ihr Gesicht, ihr Ansehen, ihren Respekt vor sich selbst. Doch Faith hat niemandem erzählt, was sie in dieser Nacht noch beobachtet hat: einen zweiten Täter. Ist das die Chance, ihre Ehre wiederzuerlangen? Und welchen Preis wird sie zahlen müssen?
480 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2015
47 people are currently reading
1701 people want to read
About the author
Jilliane Hoffman
27 books632 followersJilliane P. Hoffman began her professional career as an Assistant State Attorney prosecuting felonies in Florida from 1992 to 1996 with special assignments to the Domestic Violence and the Legal Extradition Units. Originally from Long Island, she currently lives in South Florida with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
January 14, 2017
4.5 stars rounded up to 5!
I'm a huge fan of Jilliane Hoffman and I have loved all of her books thus far. I have been looking forward to reading this one for quite a while now. The blurb sucked me right in and after a few chapters I was already totally hooked. This story is another crazy page turner and I wasn't able to stop reading.
All the Little Pieces isn't a classical thriller and that's what might disappoint some readers. It is not about finding out who's the murderer - it's about all the consequences one single decision can have. And Jilliane Hoffman managed to illustrate these consequences in a truely intriguing way. The plot is moving quite fast and we are faced by a number of time jumps, but it didn't bother me. The characters and their reactions were incredibly realistic and I couldn't stop wondering - wondering about one very important question: What would I have done?
Once again, Jilliane Hoffman introduced juridical aspects into her story and I truely loved them. That's what making her books so special and different from many other stories out there. I loved the ending and I hope that I am not the only one hoping for a sequel!
I'm a huge fan of Jilliane Hoffman and I have loved all of her books thus far. I have been looking forward to reading this one for quite a while now. The blurb sucked me right in and after a few chapters I was already totally hooked. This story is another crazy page turner and I wasn't able to stop reading.
All the Little Pieces isn't a classical thriller and that's what might disappoint some readers. It is not about finding out who's the murderer - it's about all the consequences one single decision can have. And Jilliane Hoffman managed to illustrate these consequences in a truely intriguing way. The plot is moving quite fast and we are faced by a number of time jumps, but it didn't bother me. The characters and their reactions were incredibly realistic and I couldn't stop wondering - wondering about one very important question: What would I have done?
Once again, Jilliane Hoffman introduced juridical aspects into her story and I truely loved them. That's what making her books so special and different from many other stories out there. I loved the ending and I hope that I am not the only one hoping for a sequel!
August 5, 2016
Something had hit the window Help me a voice said!! Faith's blood turned to ice she pressed her facew up to the glass & the nightmare began!!
Girls are disappearing in Palm Beach County prostitutes, strippers girls who don't have a loving home to miss them they disappear into the cracks.
Detective Bryan Nill cannot prove its a serial killer but he knows in his gut it is all he needs is evidence but without any witnesses he has nothing but the more he digs into the brutal killings a suspect is found Dereck Poole the women are raped tortured mutilated but he finds that Poole may have an accomplice BUT did he do it that is the question??
Meanwhile Faith has her own demons to contend with & the case is getting on top of her will she get on top or will the bottle drag her deeper into the dark side.
This was an enjoyable read & my first read by Jilliane Hoffman she writes a fast paced serial killers legal thriller that will keep you turning the pages.
Girls are disappearing in Palm Beach County prostitutes, strippers girls who don't have a loving home to miss them they disappear into the cracks.
Detective Bryan Nill cannot prove its a serial killer but he knows in his gut it is all he needs is evidence but without any witnesses he has nothing but the more he digs into the brutal killings a suspect is found Dereck Poole the women are raped tortured mutilated but he finds that Poole may have an accomplice BUT did he do it that is the question??
Meanwhile Faith has her own demons to contend with & the case is getting on top of her will she get on top or will the bottle drag her deeper into the dark side.
This was an enjoyable read & my first read by Jilliane Hoffman she writes a fast paced serial killers legal thriller that will keep you turning the pages.
June 19, 2015
This is one of those scenarios that will make you wonder 'what would I do?' If you were driving home on a dark stormy night, lost and heavens know where, with a young child in the back, would you let a young woman into your car knowing that whilst she may be in danger, you could be in even more danger by letting her in? This is the situation that Faith faced and in those few moments it took for her to decide to drive away, her life changed.
Unbeknown to Faith, her young daughter was not asleep in the car, as she had thought and when later, young Maggie reveals what happened, Faith loses a vital opportunity to tell the whole truth and one omission leads to a whole lot of trouble.
I have read a few books by Jilliane Hoffman and have enjoyed them all. She can always be relied on to provide a suspenseful story. I have to admit that as the story progressed, I did begin to lose some sympathy for Faith. The decisions she made seemed to go from bad to worse and although I can accept that, because of her personal circumstances, she may not have been able to think or act rationally, there were many times when I thought 'WHY did you do that'?
This was a fast paced and well written story with realistic characters. I particularly had a lot of time for the detective, Bryan Nill. He was rather stereotypical in that he was facing a crisis in his personal life with marital and family problems etc but he was sympathetic and non-judgemental (as much as he could be) in his dealings with Faith. He could see that she had far deeper issues affecting her life and I liked him for that.
There was one occasion later in the book when I thought that there was a missed opportunity to rack up the tension even more but that might have been just my slightly twisted mind!
I really enjoyed this thriller, the premise was original and the story certainly kept my interest all the way through. I was especially pleased to see the return of C.J. Townsend, having met her in previous books. I have the feeling that there is more to come from this story, perhaps as part of a future book?
Unbeknown to Faith, her young daughter was not asleep in the car, as she had thought and when later, young Maggie reveals what happened, Faith loses a vital opportunity to tell the whole truth and one omission leads to a whole lot of trouble.
I have read a few books by Jilliane Hoffman and have enjoyed them all. She can always be relied on to provide a suspenseful story. I have to admit that as the story progressed, I did begin to lose some sympathy for Faith. The decisions she made seemed to go from bad to worse and although I can accept that, because of her personal circumstances, she may not have been able to think or act rationally, there were many times when I thought 'WHY did you do that'?
This was a fast paced and well written story with realistic characters. I particularly had a lot of time for the detective, Bryan Nill. He was rather stereotypical in that he was facing a crisis in his personal life with marital and family problems etc but he was sympathetic and non-judgemental (as much as he could be) in his dealings with Faith. He could see that she had far deeper issues affecting her life and I liked him for that.
There was one occasion later in the book when I thought that there was a missed opportunity to rack up the tension even more but that might have been just my slightly twisted mind!
I really enjoyed this thriller, the premise was original and the story certainly kept my interest all the way through. I was especially pleased to see the return of C.J. Townsend, having met her in previous books. I have the feeling that there is more to come from this story, perhaps as part of a future book?
January 10, 2018
Die Protagonistin fand ich etwas anstrengend, anderseits muß es sehr hart für sie gewesen sein. Es wird viel aus der Sicht der Staatsanwaltschaft geschildert, als der Fall zu Gericht kommt. Auf jeden Fall ein tolles Buch. Nun greife ich zu 'Cupido' und lese wohl alle Bücher auf meinem Sub der Autorin weg. 🤗
May 5, 2018
All The Little Pieces by Jilliane Hoffan is a first-rate thriller. No one writes thrillers like Jilliane Hoffman. All fans of serial killer investigations will want to add this thriller to their book case.
Girls are disappearing in Palm Beach County. Detective Bryan Nil can't prove it's a serial killer.
The story opens up with your heart beating fast as a young woman is running with bare feet through the sugar cane fields away from someone.
Faith Saunders is the perfect wife, mother and sister who is loved and admired by everyone that knows her.
When Faith's sister Charity has a birthday party, loving sister Faith travels two-hundred miles in a tropical storm to be there for her sister. At the party Faith can't help her self, she doesn't like Charity's husband Nick, and she doesn't like the damage he inflicted with his words to Charity on her birthday. Faith thinks that Charity should pull her self together and tell her husband to go to hell. As an argument snaps in Charity wants Faith to take her four-year-old daughter Maggie and to get out of her house.
As Faith is driving home with the rain pounding on her roof and rain the size of quarters Faith has got lost driving home in the storm. As Faith pulls over and rest for a while until the worst of the rain passes, a disheveled young girl bangs on the car window pleading for help shouting 'Help me! He's coming'. What Faith sees next is a man dragging the girl away.
Faith is feeling guilty as she did nothing to help the girl and the scene that happened that night haunt's her.
But Faith wasn't the only one in the car that night. Faith's four- year-old daughter identifies the girl in the news as the young girl screaming at her mother's car window for help.
So much happens in this unputdownable thriller, your heart will keep pounding throughout!
I hope all thriller readers enjoy reading All The Pieces as much as what I did.
May 21, 2016
Zwar von Andrea Sawatzki ausgesprochen gut vorgelesen, ist die Handlung von "Samariter" leider schwer zu ertragen. Weniger aufgrund der brutalen Morde, als wegen der ewigen Wiederholungen. Obwohl ich die gekürzte Fassung gehört habe, hat sich das Buch gezogen wie Kaugummi. Die Charaktere waren mir zu clichéhaft und die stereotypen Beziehungs- und Geschlechterrollen haben mich genervt.
May 6, 2018
niet uitgelezen een week tegen aangelezen op 59% dichtgedaan. Wat een onnozele hoofdpersoon. Het irriteerde me zo mateloos dat ik gewoon niet aan lezen toe kwam deze week. Op naar het volgende boek
December 19, 2015
I did not want this book to end and I was so worried that the ending when it did come would be an outcome that I didn't want!! I became so involved in this roller coaster thriller that I really came to care about Faith and Maggie and wanted to follow their story for longer than the book allowed!! It takes a brilliant author to make that happen.
This book is a stunningly well researched plot that is part serial killer thriller, part courtroom drama but combined throughout with a detailed study of a family in crisis. Faith is visiting her sister for a birthday celebration but when things kick off she decides to drive home instead of stay the night as she had originally planned. With her 4 year old daughter Maggie in the car, a rather intoxicated Faith ends up getting lost in the middle of the night without her bag or phone with her. It's then that she sees a young girl, bloodied and scared, banging on her window asking for help. Two men are about to drag her off into the woods but Maggie is so scared she drives off, trying to convince herself that what she has just witnessed had a plausible explanation. Telling no-one, she trys to forget what happened but then Maggie spots the girls photo on the news-the murdered girls photo.
I loved Maggie, the little girl has so much to contend with and struggles with her emotions. The courtroom scenes when she is giving evidence were absolutely heartbreaking and I felt physically sick at what she was put through. The author has done a lot of research and you can tell that she has a background in the legal system as she brings a total authenticity to those scenes in this book.
Told in short, easy to follow chapters, this book is unputdownable at times and I loved it! I loved all the gritty characterisation and the way it gave my goosebumps with the creepiest serial killers I have come across in a long while.
I think this author is often overlooked so do check this out if you enjoy Karin Slaughter or Patricia Cornwell and I am sure you won't be disappointed.
I received a copy of this book from Goodreads as part of their First Read giveaways.
This book is a stunningly well researched plot that is part serial killer thriller, part courtroom drama but combined throughout with a detailed study of a family in crisis. Faith is visiting her sister for a birthday celebration but when things kick off she decides to drive home instead of stay the night as she had originally planned. With her 4 year old daughter Maggie in the car, a rather intoxicated Faith ends up getting lost in the middle of the night without her bag or phone with her. It's then that she sees a young girl, bloodied and scared, banging on her window asking for help. Two men are about to drag her off into the woods but Maggie is so scared she drives off, trying to convince herself that what she has just witnessed had a plausible explanation. Telling no-one, she trys to forget what happened but then Maggie spots the girls photo on the news-the murdered girls photo.
I loved Maggie, the little girl has so much to contend with and struggles with her emotions. The courtroom scenes when she is giving evidence were absolutely heartbreaking and I felt physically sick at what she was put through. The author has done a lot of research and you can tell that she has a background in the legal system as she brings a total authenticity to those scenes in this book.
Told in short, easy to follow chapters, this book is unputdownable at times and I loved it! I loved all the gritty characterisation and the way it gave my goosebumps with the creepiest serial killers I have come across in a long while.
I think this author is often overlooked so do check this out if you enjoy Karin Slaughter or Patricia Cornwell and I am sure you won't be disappointed.
I received a copy of this book from Goodreads as part of their First Read giveaways.
April 26, 2018
I listened to the audiobook and boy this was one scary story. The narration was brilliant and had me looking over my shoulder when I was listening late at night.
I have never read anything before by this author but I will definitely be looking for more books.
Really impressed and just sorry when I completed the book. Highly recommended.
I have never read anything before by this author but I will definitely be looking for more books.
Really impressed and just sorry when I completed the book. Highly recommended.
July 24, 2015
Very rarely do I read mainstream crime fiction that I simply don't want to end. ALL THE LITTLE PIECES by Jillian Hoffman is one such rarity.
Faith Saunders is a mother and wife, trying to put the shattered pieces of her life together following her husbands infidelity and the troubles the couple is having with their young daughter Maggie - both at school and home, when all sense of normalcy is destroyed by a chance encounter with a pair of serial killers and a victim who managed to escape.
Escape, only to find a locked car door and a reluctant Faith determined to keep the outside night terrors at bay from her semi drunk self and sleeping daughter in the back seat of their parked car. The middle of the night small town stop off to rest her head following a heated argument with her sister wasn't meant to be the thing that would threaten everything she'd ever known - that was meant to be done with, the cheating husband outed, the broken marriage sticky-tapped together. This one event, the pleading in the young woman's eyes, the harshness of the man who snatched her away - the fear of repercussion and endangerment too much to bare. Two weeks later her actions are out in the open for all to judge, and for the killers to remedy their mistake of letting a witness live. Of letting two witnesses live.
ALL THE LITTLE PIECES switches gears from family drama to police procedural to family drama and back again without missing a beat. The murder police and the Saunders family don't battle for page time with each character type complimentary to the plot. This book has a real human feel to it which adds layers of depth and emotional characterization that accurately portrays three sides of a criminal investigation; the suspected, the witness, and the law, not to mention victims and public backlash Faith experiences. The story just feels well-rounded and real.
I couldn't help but think ALL THE LITTLE PIECES is beginning of a new series - fingers crossed on that one.
ALL THE LITTLE PIECES was published this month by Harper Collins and is a book I strongly recommend for readers of crime fiction and legal dramas.
http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
Faith Saunders is a mother and wife, trying to put the shattered pieces of her life together following her husbands infidelity and the troubles the couple is having with their young daughter Maggie - both at school and home, when all sense of normalcy is destroyed by a chance encounter with a pair of serial killers and a victim who managed to escape.
Escape, only to find a locked car door and a reluctant Faith determined to keep the outside night terrors at bay from her semi drunk self and sleeping daughter in the back seat of their parked car. The middle of the night small town stop off to rest her head following a heated argument with her sister wasn't meant to be the thing that would threaten everything she'd ever known - that was meant to be done with, the cheating husband outed, the broken marriage sticky-tapped together. This one event, the pleading in the young woman's eyes, the harshness of the man who snatched her away - the fear of repercussion and endangerment too much to bare. Two weeks later her actions are out in the open for all to judge, and for the killers to remedy their mistake of letting a witness live. Of letting two witnesses live.
ALL THE LITTLE PIECES switches gears from family drama to police procedural to family drama and back again without missing a beat. The murder police and the Saunders family don't battle for page time with each character type complimentary to the plot. This book has a real human feel to it which adds layers of depth and emotional characterization that accurately portrays three sides of a criminal investigation; the suspected, the witness, and the law, not to mention victims and public backlash Faith experiences. The story just feels well-rounded and real.
I couldn't help but think ALL THE LITTLE PIECES is beginning of a new series - fingers crossed on that one.
ALL THE LITTLE PIECES was published this month by Harper Collins and is a book I strongly recommend for readers of crime fiction and legal dramas.
http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
August 24, 2017
Listened to in audio format.
Faith Saunders is married to Nick a successful lawyer. On the surface they seem a successful couple, but Nick had an affair with his intern and although Faith and Nick are still together she is finding hard to cope with his betrayal. Although Faith was always a very heavy drinker, she is relying on it more and more to cope everyday.
One weekend Faith goes to her sister Charity's birthday party, taking her daughter 4 year old Maggie along. There is a storm brewing so Faith and Maggie intend to spend the night at Charity's house.
However Faith and Charity have a huge row and Faith already drunk drives back to Florida with Maggie. When Faith's car hits something the road is empty, then a young women approaches the car and shouts 'please help me'. Maggie is asleep in the back of the car and Faith is reluctant to let this woman in her car. Then a man approaches the car and drags the woman into the woods.
Faith doesn't understand what happened. She intends to call the police from the nearest town but doesn't because she has been drinking and already been prosecuted in the past for a DUI. Weeks later the young woman's body is found, Faith is afraid to tell the police what she did, instead young Maggie sees a picture on TV and tells Nick' that is the lady mum wouldn't help'.
When Faith finally contacts the police she and Maggie become star eyewitnesses and Faith's reputation is destroyed by the media. Although the killer is quickly arrested the police they suspect he was not working alone. Faith puts herself in a vulnerable situation and is almost kidnapped by the killers accomplice.
Wow, the first few chapters in this book were scary and left me with goosebumps. I enjoyed this book because it was also about the consequences of Faith's actions. I also liked Detective Brian Nill who was very sympathetic to Faith.
The courtroom scenes when little Maggie was interviewed in court were particularly distressing. I felt sorry for Faith for being in a situation that was out of her control, but she kept making bad decisions to try to save her marriage which made it hard to care about her..
I highly recommend this book it was so much more than a standard courtroom thriller.
Faith Saunders is married to Nick a successful lawyer. On the surface they seem a successful couple, but Nick had an affair with his intern and although Faith and Nick are still together she is finding hard to cope with his betrayal. Although Faith was always a very heavy drinker, she is relying on it more and more to cope everyday.
One weekend Faith goes to her sister Charity's birthday party, taking her daughter 4 year old Maggie along. There is a storm brewing so Faith and Maggie intend to spend the night at Charity's house.
However Faith and Charity have a huge row and Faith already drunk drives back to Florida with Maggie. When Faith's car hits something the road is empty, then a young women approaches the car and shouts 'please help me'. Maggie is asleep in the back of the car and Faith is reluctant to let this woman in her car. Then a man approaches the car and drags the woman into the woods.
Faith doesn't understand what happened. She intends to call the police from the nearest town but doesn't because she has been drinking and already been prosecuted in the past for a DUI. Weeks later the young woman's body is found, Faith is afraid to tell the police what she did, instead young Maggie sees a picture on TV and tells Nick' that is the lady mum wouldn't help'.
When Faith finally contacts the police she and Maggie become star eyewitnesses and Faith's reputation is destroyed by the media. Although the killer is quickly arrested the police they suspect he was not working alone. Faith puts herself in a vulnerable situation and is almost kidnapped by the killers accomplice.
Wow, the first few chapters in this book were scary and left me with goosebumps. I enjoyed this book because it was also about the consequences of Faith's actions. I also liked Detective Brian Nill who was very sympathetic to Faith.
The courtroom scenes when little Maggie was interviewed in court were particularly distressing. I felt sorry for Faith for being in a situation that was out of her control, but she kept making bad decisions to try to save her marriage which made it hard to care about her..
I highly recommend this book it was so much more than a standard courtroom thriller.
February 21, 2016
Also nach jedem Kapitel musste ich mich zusammenreißen, das Buch nicht wegzulegen und komplett aufzuhören es zu lesen! So ein langweiliges Buch habe ich schon lange nicht mehr gelesen! Spannung ist gleich null! Und das für mich Mühsamste: die Kapitel sind nicht in zeitlicher Abfolge sondern z.T. findet die Handlung Monate nach dem vorherigen Kapitel statt. Das lässt die Luft allgemein aus der Geschichte ganz schön raus. Das halb offene Ende ist einfach doof! 1 Stern!
March 6, 2020
Faith is married to Jarrod, has her own business and a four-year-old daughter, Maggie. Maggie has behavioural issues, Jarrod cheated on Faith, and Faith's sister Charity is married to a loser. Faith also has an alcohol addiction. After one too many verbal arguments, Faith leaves a party at her sister's home and attempts to drive home, with her daughter in the back seat, after drinking.
During a storm she swears she hits a deer or something but when she gets out to look, nothing is there. As the storm worsens, Faith pulls over in an almost deserted town and falls asleep. She is awakened by a woman banging on the car windows begging to be let in. Faith is scared and refuses to let her in, then two men appear, threaten Faith and drag the woman off. Faith doesn't call the police as she doesn't want to be charged with a DUI, but the woman's body is found a few days later. When Maggie sees the woman on the TV, she tells Jarrod that she saw her, and Faith's life is torn apart.
This is one of those books whose main character keeps making decisions that make the reader want to tear their hair out! Talk about frustrating. Jarrod was also annoying ("I don't know why I cheated on you with that hot younger woman"). Really?! The plot was interesting, but I've read better thrillers.
During a storm she swears she hits a deer or something but when she gets out to look, nothing is there. As the storm worsens, Faith pulls over in an almost deserted town and falls asleep. She is awakened by a woman banging on the car windows begging to be let in. Faith is scared and refuses to let her in, then two men appear, threaten Faith and drag the woman off. Faith doesn't call the police as she doesn't want to be charged with a DUI, but the woman's body is found a few days later. When Maggie sees the woman on the TV, she tells Jarrod that she saw her, and Faith's life is torn apart.
This is one of those books whose main character keeps making decisions that make the reader want to tear their hair out! Talk about frustrating. Jarrod was also annoying ("I don't know why I cheated on you with that hot younger woman"). Really?! The plot was interesting, but I've read better thrillers.
April 21, 2024
Gelezen als luisterboek via de bibliotheek.
Ideaal boek als luisterboek, niet te veel verhaallijnen of wisselende perspectieven, maar toch constant boeiend! Bepaalde aspecten wel redelijk voorspelbaar, maar zaten absoluut ook wat twists in die ik niet had zien aankomen. De personages voelen echt en hebben genoeg diepgang. Enige minpunt vond ik dat de achterflap al ongeveer 50% van het boek omvat 🙈 Waren wel nog paar nieuwe dingen en ook de tweede helft heeft nog genoeg verrassingen… Maar toch jammer…
Ideaal boek als luisterboek, niet te veel verhaallijnen of wisselende perspectieven, maar toch constant boeiend! Bepaalde aspecten wel redelijk voorspelbaar, maar zaten absoluut ook wat twists in die ik niet had zien aankomen. De personages voelen echt en hebben genoeg diepgang. Enige minpunt vond ik dat de achterflap al ongeveer 50% van het boek omvat 🙈 Waren wel nog paar nieuwe dingen en ook de tweede helft heeft nog genoeg verrassingen… Maar toch jammer…
February 21, 2020
Wat nu als je 's avonds laat, in het donker, terwijl het regent en stormt, naar huis rijdt met je slapende 4-jarige dochter op de achterbank en je heel even stopt waarna er een meisje compleet in paniek op je ramen slaat en je vraagt haar binnen te laten. Achter haar zie je een man verschijnen. Zou jij het doen? Zou jij haar binnen laten? Faith doet het niet. Ze rijdt door en ziet dat het meisje meegesleurd wordt door de man. Even later blijkt het meisje vermist en blijkt dat haar dochter helemaal niet sliep en alles gezien heeft.
Dit is mijn eerste kennismaking met Jilliane Hoffman en ik verwacht dat dit niet mijn laatste zal zijn. Dit boek was echt heel beklemmend. Het voelt als een psychologische thriller. Ik las dit boek terwijl het buiten donker was en ook hier in Nederland de regen uit de lucht kwam vallen. Hoewel het verhaal zelf niet eens heel spannend is, voelde ik de onderhuidse spanning enorm! Doodsbenauwd werd ik er van. Ik ging me hierdoor compleet inleven in Faith.
Wat een onwijs lastige situatie en je kunt gewoon echt níet voorspellen hoe je zelf gereageerd zou hebben. Vanaf de zijkant is het altijd makkelijk.
Een goed boek, vol verdenkingen, verwensingen en schuldgevoelens. Er zitten geen enorme wendingen in dit boek, waardoor over de helft de spanning er wel enigszins uit is, maar toch bleef ik gemotiveerd om door te lezen. Heel interessant en ik ben blij dat ik hem op mijn 2020 priority list had gezet!
Dit is mijn eerste kennismaking met Jilliane Hoffman en ik verwacht dat dit niet mijn laatste zal zijn. Dit boek was echt heel beklemmend. Het voelt als een psychologische thriller. Ik las dit boek terwijl het buiten donker was en ook hier in Nederland de regen uit de lucht kwam vallen. Hoewel het verhaal zelf niet eens heel spannend is, voelde ik de onderhuidse spanning enorm! Doodsbenauwd werd ik er van. Ik ging me hierdoor compleet inleven in Faith.
Wat een onwijs lastige situatie en je kunt gewoon echt níet voorspellen hoe je zelf gereageerd zou hebben. Vanaf de zijkant is het altijd makkelijk.
Een goed boek, vol verdenkingen, verwensingen en schuldgevoelens. Er zitten geen enorme wendingen in dit boek, waardoor over de helft de spanning er wel enigszins uit is, maar toch bleef ik gemotiveerd om door te lezen. Heel interessant en ik ben blij dat ik hem op mijn 2020 priority list had gezet!
August 6, 2017
3,5 Stern
Hat mir echt Spaß gemacht!
Aber gut dass ich es als Hörbuch gehört habe. Als Buch wäre es mir zu langweilig gewesen. ☺️👍🏼
Werde wohl Juliane Hoffman nur noch hören.
Hat mir echt Spaß gemacht!
Aber gut dass ich es als Hörbuch gehört habe. Als Buch wäre es mir zu langweilig gewesen. ☺️👍🏼
Werde wohl Juliane Hoffman nur noch hören.
January 11, 2018
Jedno špatné rozhodnutí za druhým...
Očividně se nám tu rozjíždí velmi slušná krimi série! See You, Florida!
https://kniznidenicek.blogspot.cz/201...
Očividně se nám tu rozjíždí velmi slušná krimi série! See You, Florida!
https://kniznidenicek.blogspot.cz/201...
October 27, 2023
dnf @58%
July 13, 2023
4.5 stars!
May 16, 2021
This book tries to be a serial killer thriller, a courtroom thriller and a psychological thriller all at once.
Suffice to say, it fails at all three.
Faith Saunders is driving home (drunk) from her sister's party, after having a massive argument with her. She hits something, but doesn't see a body, and parks in an isolated town to sleep it off and wait out the storm. She is awoken by a girl asking to be let into the car. Faith refuses. She sees the girl taken away by two men as she drives off.
Faith is a weak and pitiful woman, and desperately fears her husband will leave her if he finds out she was driving drunk with their daughter in the car. He had an affair, and she is still paranoid and resentful about this. So she remains silent about what she saw. When she recognises the girl in a missing poster, she frets and frets about speaking up. The choice is taken away from her by her daughter, who wasn't asleep in the car after all, and saw everything.
Even so, Faith still lies to the police. It turns out her daughter didn't see the second man, so Faith stays silent about that too! The detectives soon find a viable suspect, little realising that their case is being jeopardised by their star witness, the insufferable, moronic Faith, who is more concerned about her husband leaving her than anything else. She's also worried about the fact the killers know who she is.
You would think that having two killers know who the star witness is and how to find her would be a suspenseful set-up for a thriller, but this lame-brained book completely flubs it. Other than occasionally muse about doing away with Faith, Derrick and Ed do very little to be proactive about it. The focus of the book is on Detective Bryan Nill's investigation into finding the killers. But we the reader already know there are two killers and their identities. And Bryan's breakthroughs in the case are all completely coincidental. So there's zero suspense.
The other focus is on Faith and how her web of lies and her alcoholism leads to her undoing. But even this doesn't play out believably. Faith is presented as your typical functional alcoholic. Yet as the book progresses, apparently her alcoholism is so bad that she would Who Faith is at the start of the book doesn't entirely gel with the way she is at the end.
I also questioned the veracity of allowing the identity of major witnesses in a murder trial to be made available to the public. (One of the major contributing factors to Faith's psychological breakdown.) Or a defence lawyer being allowed to badger a child witness to the point where she's self-harming right on the stand! They both seemed screamed, "Law suit!" to me.
This so-called thriller was very slow-paced, repetitive and free of any suspense or any plot twists. For me, a major element for any thriller to work is having a sense that your protagonist is in real, palpable danger. Other than being a complete numbskull who is at risk of harm through being too stupid to live, I didn't get that sense with Faith at all. The whole book just...happened, with no suspense or any feelings of urgency. It was a real waste of time.
It looks as if Jilliane Hoffman was dropped by her English/American publishers after this travesty. There seems to be a couple of subsequent books she has written, but they've only been published in German. I doubt I would have bothered anyway. Which is a pity, because her first book Retribution was an absolute corker.
Suffice to say, it fails at all three.
Faith Saunders is driving home (drunk) from her sister's party, after having a massive argument with her. She hits something, but doesn't see a body, and parks in an isolated town to sleep it off and wait out the storm. She is awoken by a girl asking to be let into the car. Faith refuses. She sees the girl taken away by two men as she drives off.
Faith is a weak and pitiful woman, and desperately fears her husband will leave her if he finds out she was driving drunk with their daughter in the car. He had an affair, and she is still paranoid and resentful about this. So she remains silent about what she saw. When she recognises the girl in a missing poster, she frets and frets about speaking up. The choice is taken away from her by her daughter, who wasn't asleep in the car after all, and saw everything.
Even so, Faith still lies to the police. It turns out her daughter didn't see the second man, so Faith stays silent about that too! The detectives soon find a viable suspect, little realising that their case is being jeopardised by their star witness, the insufferable, moronic Faith, who is more concerned about her husband leaving her than anything else. She's also worried about the fact the killers know who she is.
You would think that having two killers know who the star witness is and how to find her would be a suspenseful set-up for a thriller, but this lame-brained book completely flubs it. Other than occasionally muse about doing away with Faith, Derrick and Ed do very little to be proactive about it. The focus of the book is on Detective Bryan Nill's investigation into finding the killers. But we the reader already know there are two killers and their identities. And Bryan's breakthroughs in the case are all completely coincidental. So there's zero suspense.
The other focus is on Faith and how her web of lies and her alcoholism leads to her undoing. But even this doesn't play out believably. Faith is presented as your typical functional alcoholic. Yet as the book progresses, apparently her alcoholism is so bad that she would Who Faith is at the start of the book doesn't entirely gel with the way she is at the end.
I also questioned the veracity of allowing the identity of major witnesses in a murder trial to be made available to the public. (One of the major contributing factors to Faith's psychological breakdown.) Or a defence lawyer being allowed to badger a child witness to the point where she's self-harming right on the stand! They both seemed screamed, "Law suit!" to me.
This so-called thriller was very slow-paced, repetitive and free of any suspense or any plot twists. For me, a major element for any thriller to work is having a sense that your protagonist is in real, palpable danger. Other than being a complete numbskull who is at risk of harm through being too stupid to live, I didn't get that sense with Faith at all. The whole book just...happened, with no suspense or any feelings of urgency. It was a real waste of time.
It looks as if Jilliane Hoffman was dropped by her English/American publishers after this travesty. There seems to be a couple of subsequent books she has written, but they've only been published in German. I doubt I would have bothered anyway. Which is a pity, because her first book Retribution was an absolute corker.
June 6, 2015
What would you do if you were in a car with your young daughter and a young woman knocked on your window and asked for help? Would you risk letting her into your car? Or would you, as Faith Saunders did, ignore the plea even though the girl in question was soon joined by two men. The moral dilemmas posed by this novel present the reader with a superb premise and this promise is realised in the execution.
This is a story of how a single lie by omission can have devastating consequences. Faith kept quiet unaware that Maggie aged just four had seen everything, and when the truth comes out Faith doesn’t only have to explain to the police why she kept quiet but to her husband Nick.
The girl who asked Faith for help was found dead in a field and Detective Bryan Nil is convinced that the perpetrator is a serial killer but no-one else in Palm Beach police department is convinced, but as links are made to previous bodies and with the help of Maggie’s testimony a series of shocking events are revealed. When the media run with the story Faith’s guilt for not acting sooner is magnified. All The Little Pieces manages to recreate the way that the media follow the public; at first the murder of a girl who is a dancer in a gentleman’s club wouldn’t be newsworthy, but as soon as they realise that the witness is a four-year old girl the focus switches and it isn’t long before everyone Faith knows is making judgement on her decisions.
Jilliane Hoffman expertly avoids falling into clichés or stereotypes with a book that is much about the witness as the hunt for the perpetrator. It soon becomes apparent that Faith’s personal life was far from that she presented to the world before the drive that catastrophically changed her life. This is an unusual take on crime fiction, the witness usually serves their purpose by giving a statement so it was great to read a book which concentrates on a different perspective.
With a mixture of viewpoints including Faith, the perpetrator and DI Nils the reader gets to see the story from multiple angles. I particularly liked DI Nils who came across as a level-headed investigator determined to get to the bottom of the mystery but not unsympathetic to the woman who had delayed it.
At first the author felt the need to over-emphasise certain points by means of repetition which I always feel is unnecessary and slightly annoying especially as this book clocked in at just under 450 pages a few of which could easily have been discarded. I was pleased that this tendency lessened as the pace picked up and the author trusted her readers to remember the key bits of information.
This is a superb thriller, well-written with a great array of characters. The tension is there from the start but ratchets up to unbearable levels as the story progresses to its satisfying conclusion.
I want to say a big thank you to Lovereading UK who arranged for me to receive a copy of this book in return for my review.
This is a story of how a single lie by omission can have devastating consequences. Faith kept quiet unaware that Maggie aged just four had seen everything, and when the truth comes out Faith doesn’t only have to explain to the police why she kept quiet but to her husband Nick.
The girl who asked Faith for help was found dead in a field and Detective Bryan Nil is convinced that the perpetrator is a serial killer but no-one else in Palm Beach police department is convinced, but as links are made to previous bodies and with the help of Maggie’s testimony a series of shocking events are revealed. When the media run with the story Faith’s guilt for not acting sooner is magnified. All The Little Pieces manages to recreate the way that the media follow the public; at first the murder of a girl who is a dancer in a gentleman’s club wouldn’t be newsworthy, but as soon as they realise that the witness is a four-year old girl the focus switches and it isn’t long before everyone Faith knows is making judgement on her decisions.
Jilliane Hoffman expertly avoids falling into clichés or stereotypes with a book that is much about the witness as the hunt for the perpetrator. It soon becomes apparent that Faith’s personal life was far from that she presented to the world before the drive that catastrophically changed her life. This is an unusual take on crime fiction, the witness usually serves their purpose by giving a statement so it was great to read a book which concentrates on a different perspective.
With a mixture of viewpoints including Faith, the perpetrator and DI Nils the reader gets to see the story from multiple angles. I particularly liked DI Nils who came across as a level-headed investigator determined to get to the bottom of the mystery but not unsympathetic to the woman who had delayed it.
At first the author felt the need to over-emphasise certain points by means of repetition which I always feel is unnecessary and slightly annoying especially as this book clocked in at just under 450 pages a few of which could easily have been discarded. I was pleased that this tendency lessened as the pace picked up and the author trusted her readers to remember the key bits of information.
This is a superb thriller, well-written with a great array of characters. The tension is there from the start but ratchets up to unbearable levels as the story progresses to its satisfying conclusion.
I want to say a big thank you to Lovereading UK who arranged for me to receive a copy of this book in return for my review.
July 31, 2018
Laten we zeggen dat ik hier meer van verwacht had … veel meer zelfs.
Al tijdens het lezen heb ik me talloze malen geërgerd. Je weet niet wat je aan het lezen bent: een thriller, een detective, een sociaal drama, een psychologische studie, een rechtbankdrama? Hoffman probeert het allemaal maar de mayonaise pakt niet helaas.
En hoe zeer Hoffman nog haar best doet om het gedrag van Faith, het hoofdpersonage, uit te leggen en te kaderen (Faith was bang, Faith is alcoholist en neemt geen rationele beslissingen, Faith’s man heeft haar bedrogen en daar ziet ze nu nog van af, Faith wou haar dochter beschermen, Faith is al eens veroordeeld geweest, enz.) het blijft een niet goed te maken fout dat ze de politie niet verwittigde na het eerste contact met het ontvoerde meisje.
En doordat ik als lezer al bij het begin van het boek een afkeer had opgebouwd voor Faith werd het zeer moeilijk om de rest van het boek nog goed te vinden. Spijtig …
Al tijdens het lezen heb ik me talloze malen geërgerd. Je weet niet wat je aan het lezen bent: een thriller, een detective, een sociaal drama, een psychologische studie, een rechtbankdrama? Hoffman probeert het allemaal maar de mayonaise pakt niet helaas.
En hoe zeer Hoffman nog haar best doet om het gedrag van Faith, het hoofdpersonage, uit te leggen en te kaderen (Faith was bang, Faith is alcoholist en neemt geen rationele beslissingen, Faith’s man heeft haar bedrogen en daar ziet ze nu nog van af, Faith wou haar dochter beschermen, Faith is al eens veroordeeld geweest, enz.) het blijft een niet goed te maken fout dat ze de politie niet verwittigde na het eerste contact met het ontvoerde meisje.
En doordat ik als lezer al bij het begin van het boek een afkeer had opgebouwd voor Faith werd het zeer moeilijk om de rest van het boek nog goed te vinden. Spijtig …
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2015
I felt there was a lot of padding in this book, too much detail at times. I loved the idea of the storyline, but I can't say it ever really grabbed my attention and made me sit up and take notice. I enjoy reading a book where the unexpected happens, and I could pretty much guess what was coming next. I read the book as part of an online book club 'book of the month' so it's probably not something I would normally have chosen, although the blurb sounded promising. Having said that, it's good solid story telling and I wouldn't rule out giving another one of Jilliane Hoffman's books a try.
July 20, 2020
A very good psychological crime thriller, I enjoyed it very much.
Would recommend to all who love crime novels.
Won this book in the Goodreads First-read giveaway.
Would recommend to all who love crime novels.
Won this book in the Goodreads First-read giveaway.
June 18, 2017
Leuk boek! Mooi verhaallijn en boeiend geschreven. Ik hou alleen niet van open einde dus daarom 1 ster minder
March 16, 2025
Inhaltlich gar nicht so viel passiert, aber das ganze Buch durchzieht eine angespannte, aufwühlende Atmosphäre, was einen zum zügigen Weiterlesen anregt.
April 24, 2020
Ich hab endlich mal wieder ein Buch vom SuB befreit - Samariter von Jilliane Hoffman 🐈 Es lag da viel zu lange, denn es war richtig richtig gut! Spannend und fesselnd von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite.
Welchen Einfluss haben unsere Entscheidungen auf ein anderes Leben? Was ist überhaupt eine richtige Entscheidung - wenn ich mein Kind und mich selbst schütze oder wenn ich nachts in einem ausgestorbenen Kaff eine wildfremde junge Frau rette, die an mein Autofenster klopft? Faith entscheidet sich aus Angst für erstere Variante und ahnt nicht, welche Konsequenzen sie tragen muss.
Drei tote junge Frauen im Zuckerrohrfeld. Geschändet, vergewaltigt, zerstückelt. Und keine Spur zum Täter. Bis Faith und ihre Tochter nachts auf die junge Frau treffen, die Tage später Opfer Nummer 4 sein wird. Erst als die Tochter sich ihrem Vater offenbart und von den nächtlichen Ereignissen im Auto berichtet, wendet sich die Familie an die Polizei. Ist es bereits zu spät oder kommen ihre Aussagen rechtzeitig, um den Täter zu finden und anzuklagen? Hat Faith damals richtig gehandelt oder wird ihr das lange Schweigen und Wegschauen zum Verhängnis?
Jilliane Hoffman hat mit Samariter wieder einen äußerst gelungenen Pageturner geschrieben - ein durch und durch spannender Justiz-Thriller, der sich diesmal auch um das Thema Moral und Entscheidungen dreht. Hoffman schafft wieder einmal eine äußerst authentische Story mit fein geschliffenen Charakteren, in die man wunderbar abtauchen kann. 5 ⭐️ und eine klare Leseempfehlung!
Welchen Einfluss haben unsere Entscheidungen auf ein anderes Leben? Was ist überhaupt eine richtige Entscheidung - wenn ich mein Kind und mich selbst schütze oder wenn ich nachts in einem ausgestorbenen Kaff eine wildfremde junge Frau rette, die an mein Autofenster klopft? Faith entscheidet sich aus Angst für erstere Variante und ahnt nicht, welche Konsequenzen sie tragen muss.
Drei tote junge Frauen im Zuckerrohrfeld. Geschändet, vergewaltigt, zerstückelt. Und keine Spur zum Täter. Bis Faith und ihre Tochter nachts auf die junge Frau treffen, die Tage später Opfer Nummer 4 sein wird. Erst als die Tochter sich ihrem Vater offenbart und von den nächtlichen Ereignissen im Auto berichtet, wendet sich die Familie an die Polizei. Ist es bereits zu spät oder kommen ihre Aussagen rechtzeitig, um den Täter zu finden und anzuklagen? Hat Faith damals richtig gehandelt oder wird ihr das lange Schweigen und Wegschauen zum Verhängnis?
Jilliane Hoffman hat mit Samariter wieder einen äußerst gelungenen Pageturner geschrieben - ein durch und durch spannender Justiz-Thriller, der sich diesmal auch um das Thema Moral und Entscheidungen dreht. Hoffman schafft wieder einmal eine äußerst authentische Story mit fein geschliffenen Charakteren, in die man wunderbar abtauchen kann. 5 ⭐️ und eine klare Leseempfehlung!
October 12, 2025
Eigentlich fand ich das Buch sehr gut, sowie alle Bücher von J.Hoffman bisher, aber hat dann eben doch nicht für 5 Sterne gereicht.
Was mir an diesem Buch nicht so gut gefallen hat, war das Familiendrama und dass es etwas langgezogen an der ein oder anderen Stelle wurde.
Ich fand es auch ein wenig realitätsfern. Gehe jetzt aber nicht weiter drauf ein, um nicht zu spoilern.
Aber insgesamt wieder ein sehr guter Krimi. 👍🏼👍🏼
Was mir an diesem Buch nicht so gut gefallen hat, war das Familiendrama und dass es etwas langgezogen an der ein oder anderen Stelle wurde.
Ich fand es auch ein wenig realitätsfern. Gehe jetzt aber nicht weiter drauf ein, um nicht zu spoilern.
Aber insgesamt wieder ein sehr guter Krimi. 👍🏼👍🏼
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