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Cold Calls: Three Teens Face Blackmail and Bullying in This Suspenseful YA Mystery-Thriller
Three high school students—Eric, Shelly, and Fatima—have one thing in “I know your secret . ” Each one is blackmailed into bullying specifically targeted schoolmates by a mysterious caller who whispers from their cell phones and holds carefully guarded secrets over their heads. But how could anyone have obtained that photo, read those hidden pages, uncovered this buried past? Thrown together, the three teens join forces to find the stranger who threatens them—before time runs out and their shattering secrets are revealed . . . This suspenseful, pitch-perfect mystery-thriller raises timely questions about privacy, bullying, and culpability.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
39 people are currently reading
1600 people want to read
About the author
Charles Benoit
39 books113 followersWhen he's not traveling around the globe in the search of exotic, tax-deductible settings for his mysteries, Charles Benoit spends his days pumping out subliminal-laced advertising.
Nominated for an Edgar and a Barry, Relative Danger won the Franklin award and was the darling of fans and critics alike. Out of Order (2006) is set in modern India while Noble Lies (September 2007) takes place in Thailand.
Nominated for an Edgar and a Barry, Relative Danger won the Franklin award and was the darling of fans and critics alike. Out of Order (2006) is set in modern India while Noble Lies (September 2007) takes place in Thailand.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
April 22, 2019
I won this book through goodreads Firstreads a few years ago. I put it in a pile and found that pile a few weeks ago.
This was a quick, easy read. Not complex, thought provoking or memorable. It's probably good for the young-young adult audience. The writing and character development was very simple and the story line was mind numbingly easy to follow.
This was a quick, easy read. Not complex, thought provoking or memorable. It's probably good for the young-young adult audience. The writing and character development was very simple and the story line was mind numbingly easy to follow.
June 14, 2014
A cryptic phone call from an unlisted number tells a Junior in high school to bully a Freshman or his secret will be outed to all. What else could you do, but commit the crime?
I keep thinking......tell the truth?
This book may appeal to those who like Pretty Little Liars, or I know what you did last Summer? But not me. I found the book silly and not enough to hold my interest. It usually takes me a couple hours to read a book....this one took me over a month. I am a middle school teacher and the mother of five, who loves to read (YA is a great genre!) so you can take my review with a grain of salt. But I can also recommend some great YA (my favorites at the moment: Under the Never Sky trilogy and Shadow and Bone trilogy is fantastic!)
This book looks like it will have a sequel, but when this book calls my number, it will be a busy signal.
I received this ARC book from the publisher through Goodreads.
I'm going to rate book this book on number of eyes.
2 eyes open- good
1 eye open- ok
2 eyes closed- bad
or if it is phenomenal - 3rd eye open.
For me, this was two eyes closed.
I keep thinking......tell the truth?
This book may appeal to those who like Pretty Little Liars, or I know what you did last Summer? But not me. I found the book silly and not enough to hold my interest. It usually takes me a couple hours to read a book....this one took me over a month. I am a middle school teacher and the mother of five, who loves to read (YA is a great genre!) so you can take my review with a grain of salt. But I can also recommend some great YA (my favorites at the moment: Under the Never Sky trilogy and Shadow and Bone trilogy is fantastic!)
This book looks like it will have a sequel, but when this book calls my number, it will be a busy signal.
I received this ARC book from the publisher through Goodreads.
I'm going to rate book this book on number of eyes.
2 eyes open- good
1 eye open- ok
2 eyes closed- bad
or if it is phenomenal - 3rd eye open.
For me, this was two eyes closed.
June 2, 2016
►♥◄ INHALT ►♥◄
Eric, der Fußballer. Shelly, das Goth-Girl. Fatima, die pflichtbewusste Tochter. Drei Teens, drei unterschiedliche Leben, und doch verbindet sie etwas: Ein anonymer Anrufer, der ihre dunkle Vergangenheit kennt und droht, ihr Leben zu zerstören – außer, sie mobben ganz bestimmte Mitschüler … In ihrer Verzweiflung tun sie, was er verlangt. Bis sie sich zum ersten Mal begegnen und beschließen, ihren mysteriösen Feind zur Strecke zu bringen.
►♥◄ MEINE MEINUNG ►♥◄
Himmel, was hatte ich für riesige Erwartungen an diese Geschichte?! Der Klappentext hat mich so neugierig gemacht und zusätzlich auch noch so ein wenig an 'Pretty Little Liars' erinnert (der perfekte Mix aus Teenager-Leben und Krimi! - Was besseres gibt es nicht!) was meine Hoffnung noch mehr wachsen ließ. Ob ich letztlich das erhielt, was ich mir wünschte oder ob es ein absoluter Reinfall war, erfahrt ihr jetzt in dieser Rezension, wie gewohnt, in allen Einzelheiten.
Schon beim Einstieg wurde mir bewusst, dass das Buch sich längst nicht so flüssig lesen lässt, wie ich es gewohnt bin. Als ich mich dann, mehr oder weniger, an Stil sowie Sprache gewöhnt hatte, merkte ich auch direkt, dass es noch mehr Probleme geben wird, als nur der etwas andere Schreibstil. Jedenfalls beginnt das Buch damit, wie wir Eric etwas näher kennen lernen dürfen und kurze Zeit später folgt auch direkt der erste Anruf vom ominösen Unbekannten. So sollte wohl direkt Spannung in die Geschichte gebracht werden, aber ob das dann tatsächlich der Fall war, gibt's weiter unten im Abschnitt "Umsetzung".
Eines der anderen Problemen waren die Figuren. Es gibt insgesamt 3 Hauptfiguren, nämlich Eric, Shelly und Fatima. So wechseln die Sichten des Buches permanent zwischen den drei Teenagern und soll wohl dafür sorgen, dem Leser jeden einzelnen näher zu bringen. Blöd nur, wenn das in die falsche Richtung ausschlägt; denn alle 3 Charaktere waren grauenvoll; allen voran: Eric. Allgemein wirkten die Figuren sehr klischeehaft, oberflächlich und ohne jeglichen Tiefgang. In der Geschichte fiel öfters einmal das Wort "Stereotyp" - und exakt das ist das, was mir zu den drei Teenagern einfällt. Einfältig, grau und scheinbar ohne Herz ausgestattet.
Aber kommen wir zu Eric, dem eigentlichen Hauptcharakter, zurück: Ich habe selten, ja wirklich selten einen Protagonisten getroffen, den ich so wenig ausstehen konnte wie ihn. Seine Art machte mich rasend und jedes Mal wenn er an der Reihe war bezüglich der Perspektiven, hatte ich große Lust, das Buch einfach wegzuwerfen, zu verbrennen, keine Ahnung. Ich kann noch nicht einmal betiteln, was ich so fürchterlich an ihm fand, aber Fakt ist: ich mochte ihn nicht - gar nicht. Obwohl ich gestehen muss, dass sich im Laufe der Zeit doch ein winziges bisschen besserte; aber das zog den Karren dann auch nicht mehr aus dem Dreck.
Anschließend ein paar Worte zu Shelly - einem jungen Mädchen, das einen Neustart machte in der Stadt. Sie bezeichnet sich selbst als Goth-Tussi, ertrinkt in Selbstmitleid und wirkt allgemein recht depressiv; gleichzeitig muss sie aber auch jedem ihren Willen aufquatschen und wirkt äußerst besserwisserisch.
Fatima war von allen dreien noch die liebste - sehr brav, gut erzogen und auf eine gewisse Art auch liebenswert, wenngleich auch sie, wie die beiden anderen, nur sehr oberflächlich dargestellt wurde. Zu dem Nebenfiguren sag ich einfach mal nichts, ich denke, es kann sich jeder ausmalen, was ich von ihnen gehalten habe.
Jetzt nochmal genaueres zum Stil: An und für sich hat sich das Buch echt leicht lesen lassen; ich kam unheimlich flüssig durch die Seiten und war teilweise echt überrascht, wie gut und zügig ich voran kam; aber alles in allem hatte der Stil doch etwas an sich, was mich nicht zufriedenstellte. Vielleicht lag es an den Dialogen, die ich teilweise wirklich unrealistisch fand. Vielleicht lag es auch an den dummen Antworten, die Eric oder eines der beiden Mädchen auf eine Frage hin gab, vielleicht aber auch den Logikfehlern, die sich eingeschlichen hatten. Womöglich lag es aber auch den Sichtenwechseln, die ich nicht immer nachvollziehen konnte - im ersten Satz des nächsten Kapitels geht es um Shelly, im nächsten Satz dann schon wieder um Fatima und ich fand es sehr schwer, dem Geschehen zu folgen. Ich kann einfach nicht genau benennen, was mich störte, aber irgendwas war da, was mich zwar nicht aufhielt, mich aber doch eher negativ stimmte.
Die Idee hatte auf alle Fälle Potential! Mir gefiel der Einfall mit dem anonymen Anrufer, der jeden der drei Teenagern, ganz unabhängig voneinander, zwang, einen Mitschüler zu mobben. So wurde ein brandaktuelles Thema aufgegriffen, das man gerade in Büchern doch viel zu selten antrifft und das viel zu oft totgeschwiegen wird. Auch den Ablauf fand ich einleuchtend, wie erst alles getrennt voneinander ablief und dann immer mehr zueinander fand, sich verstrickte, einander lief und die Figuren später dann ein Team wurden.
Die Umsetzung hingegen war dann wieder totaler Mist. Das Thema Mobbing wurde zwar tatsächlich angeschnitten, aber viel zu schnell wieder fallen gelassen und als nicht so "schlimm" dargestellt, wie es tatsächlich ist. Es wurde einfach nicht deutlich, welche Folgen Mobbing für die Opfer des Ganzen haben kann. Eine Szene, bzw. ein Ereignis, das sich in mehrere Szenen gesplittet hat, blieb mir dabei im Gedächtnis: diese Anti-Mobbing-Therapie.. schon allein wie die Lehrerin dargestellt wurde, schrie ja schon danach, dass das Ganze zwar ziemlich dumm war von den Jugendlichen, aber auch kein Weltuntergang. Die Lehrerin ging mir so gehörig auf den Keks.. Und mal ganz davon abgesehen, muss ich auch mal sagen - dieser Anrufer wusste ja um die Geheimnisse der Protagonisten. Was bitte schön waren das denn für lapidare Geheimnisse?? Ich würde jetzt unheimlich gerne spoilern, aber natürlich tu ich es nicht. Auf alle Fälle fand ich diese Geheimnisse so nichtig, so klein, so unbedeutend. Nie im Leben hat die Geheimhaltung das Mobbing gerechtfertigt! Frei nach dem Motto "Mist, der Anrufer weiß, dass ich zwei verschiedene Socken anhabe - schnell mal den mobben, damit das keiner erfährt" - so als Beispiel. Absoluter Mist, mehr kann ich dazu nicht sagen. Ach doch: Spannung kam zwar hin und wieder kurzzeitig auf, doch wurde die quasi im Keim schon wieder erstickt und es blieb einfach nur sehr lahm und vieles war für mich nicht nachvollziehbar.
Das Ende barg dann nochmal ein wenig Spannung und ich war natürlich neugierig, was noch passierte und wie sich das Ganze auflöste. An und für sich war das alles nicht schlecht geregelt und gesponnen, aber es hat diese ganzen negativen Aspekte einfach nicht wett gemacht. Und (!) so wie es scheint, gibt es wohl doch noch einen Nachfolgeband? Jedenfalls klang es ganz danach, obwohl ich der festen Überzeugung war, dass es sich um einen Einzelband handelt.
►♥◄ FAZIT ►♥◄
Ein Buch, das ich mir hätte getrost sparen können. Unglaublich unsympathische Figuren und eine wirklich misslungene Umsetzung haben mir dem Lesespaß ordentlich vermasselt und ich bin echt erstaunt, es nicht abgebrochen zu haben. Im Endeffekt hätte ich nichts verpasst, aber da es ein Rezensions-Exemplar war, bin ich froh, es nun geschafft zu haben. Oberflächlichkeit und Langatmigkeit gabs übrigens inklusive, ebenso wie Logikfehler, platte, unrealitische Dialoge und nicht nachvollziehbare Gespräche. Das einzig positive war dann wohl der Lesefluss und das doch recht spannend gestaltete Ende.
►♥◄ 2 VON 5 STERNEN ►♥◄
Ich vergebe 2 von 5 möglichen Sternen, aus dem einfachen Grund, dass mir sowohl Lesefluss wie auch das doch recht spannende Ende gefallen haben, alles andere aber überhaupt nicht meinem Lesegeschmack entsprach. Eigentlich käme an dieser Stelle nun 'aber wer gern dieses und jenes liest, dem wird XY gefallen' .. nur hab ich dieses Mal überhaupt keine Ahnung, wem ich es empfehlen sollte.
Eric, der Fußballer. Shelly, das Goth-Girl. Fatima, die pflichtbewusste Tochter. Drei Teens, drei unterschiedliche Leben, und doch verbindet sie etwas: Ein anonymer Anrufer, der ihre dunkle Vergangenheit kennt und droht, ihr Leben zu zerstören – außer, sie mobben ganz bestimmte Mitschüler … In ihrer Verzweiflung tun sie, was er verlangt. Bis sie sich zum ersten Mal begegnen und beschließen, ihren mysteriösen Feind zur Strecke zu bringen.
►♥◄ MEINE MEINUNG ►♥◄
Himmel, was hatte ich für riesige Erwartungen an diese Geschichte?! Der Klappentext hat mich so neugierig gemacht und zusätzlich auch noch so ein wenig an 'Pretty Little Liars' erinnert (der perfekte Mix aus Teenager-Leben und Krimi! - Was besseres gibt es nicht!) was meine Hoffnung noch mehr wachsen ließ. Ob ich letztlich das erhielt, was ich mir wünschte oder ob es ein absoluter Reinfall war, erfahrt ihr jetzt in dieser Rezension, wie gewohnt, in allen Einzelheiten.
Schon beim Einstieg wurde mir bewusst, dass das Buch sich längst nicht so flüssig lesen lässt, wie ich es gewohnt bin. Als ich mich dann, mehr oder weniger, an Stil sowie Sprache gewöhnt hatte, merkte ich auch direkt, dass es noch mehr Probleme geben wird, als nur der etwas andere Schreibstil. Jedenfalls beginnt das Buch damit, wie wir Eric etwas näher kennen lernen dürfen und kurze Zeit später folgt auch direkt der erste Anruf vom ominösen Unbekannten. So sollte wohl direkt Spannung in die Geschichte gebracht werden, aber ob das dann tatsächlich der Fall war, gibt's weiter unten im Abschnitt "Umsetzung".
Eines der anderen Problemen waren die Figuren. Es gibt insgesamt 3 Hauptfiguren, nämlich Eric, Shelly und Fatima. So wechseln die Sichten des Buches permanent zwischen den drei Teenagern und soll wohl dafür sorgen, dem Leser jeden einzelnen näher zu bringen. Blöd nur, wenn das in die falsche Richtung ausschlägt; denn alle 3 Charaktere waren grauenvoll; allen voran: Eric. Allgemein wirkten die Figuren sehr klischeehaft, oberflächlich und ohne jeglichen Tiefgang. In der Geschichte fiel öfters einmal das Wort "Stereotyp" - und exakt das ist das, was mir zu den drei Teenagern einfällt. Einfältig, grau und scheinbar ohne Herz ausgestattet.
Aber kommen wir zu Eric, dem eigentlichen Hauptcharakter, zurück: Ich habe selten, ja wirklich selten einen Protagonisten getroffen, den ich so wenig ausstehen konnte wie ihn. Seine Art machte mich rasend und jedes Mal wenn er an der Reihe war bezüglich der Perspektiven, hatte ich große Lust, das Buch einfach wegzuwerfen, zu verbrennen, keine Ahnung. Ich kann noch nicht einmal betiteln, was ich so fürchterlich an ihm fand, aber Fakt ist: ich mochte ihn nicht - gar nicht. Obwohl ich gestehen muss, dass sich im Laufe der Zeit doch ein winziges bisschen besserte; aber das zog den Karren dann auch nicht mehr aus dem Dreck.
Anschließend ein paar Worte zu Shelly - einem jungen Mädchen, das einen Neustart machte in der Stadt. Sie bezeichnet sich selbst als Goth-Tussi, ertrinkt in Selbstmitleid und wirkt allgemein recht depressiv; gleichzeitig muss sie aber auch jedem ihren Willen aufquatschen und wirkt äußerst besserwisserisch.
Fatima war von allen dreien noch die liebste - sehr brav, gut erzogen und auf eine gewisse Art auch liebenswert, wenngleich auch sie, wie die beiden anderen, nur sehr oberflächlich dargestellt wurde. Zu dem Nebenfiguren sag ich einfach mal nichts, ich denke, es kann sich jeder ausmalen, was ich von ihnen gehalten habe.
Jetzt nochmal genaueres zum Stil: An und für sich hat sich das Buch echt leicht lesen lassen; ich kam unheimlich flüssig durch die Seiten und war teilweise echt überrascht, wie gut und zügig ich voran kam; aber alles in allem hatte der Stil doch etwas an sich, was mich nicht zufriedenstellte. Vielleicht lag es an den Dialogen, die ich teilweise wirklich unrealistisch fand. Vielleicht lag es auch an den dummen Antworten, die Eric oder eines der beiden Mädchen auf eine Frage hin gab, vielleicht aber auch den Logikfehlern, die sich eingeschlichen hatten. Womöglich lag es aber auch den Sichtenwechseln, die ich nicht immer nachvollziehen konnte - im ersten Satz des nächsten Kapitels geht es um Shelly, im nächsten Satz dann schon wieder um Fatima und ich fand es sehr schwer, dem Geschehen zu folgen. Ich kann einfach nicht genau benennen, was mich störte, aber irgendwas war da, was mich zwar nicht aufhielt, mich aber doch eher negativ stimmte.
Die Idee hatte auf alle Fälle Potential! Mir gefiel der Einfall mit dem anonymen Anrufer, der jeden der drei Teenagern, ganz unabhängig voneinander, zwang, einen Mitschüler zu mobben. So wurde ein brandaktuelles Thema aufgegriffen, das man gerade in Büchern doch viel zu selten antrifft und das viel zu oft totgeschwiegen wird. Auch den Ablauf fand ich einleuchtend, wie erst alles getrennt voneinander ablief und dann immer mehr zueinander fand, sich verstrickte, einander lief und die Figuren später dann ein Team wurden.
Die Umsetzung hingegen war dann wieder totaler Mist. Das Thema Mobbing wurde zwar tatsächlich angeschnitten, aber viel zu schnell wieder fallen gelassen und als nicht so "schlimm" dargestellt, wie es tatsächlich ist. Es wurde einfach nicht deutlich, welche Folgen Mobbing für die Opfer des Ganzen haben kann. Eine Szene, bzw. ein Ereignis, das sich in mehrere Szenen gesplittet hat, blieb mir dabei im Gedächtnis: diese Anti-Mobbing-Therapie.. schon allein wie die Lehrerin dargestellt wurde, schrie ja schon danach, dass das Ganze zwar ziemlich dumm war von den Jugendlichen, aber auch kein Weltuntergang. Die Lehrerin ging mir so gehörig auf den Keks.. Und mal ganz davon abgesehen, muss ich auch mal sagen - dieser Anrufer wusste ja um die Geheimnisse der Protagonisten. Was bitte schön waren das denn für lapidare Geheimnisse?? Ich würde jetzt unheimlich gerne spoilern, aber natürlich tu ich es nicht. Auf alle Fälle fand ich diese Geheimnisse so nichtig, so klein, so unbedeutend. Nie im Leben hat die Geheimhaltung das Mobbing gerechtfertigt! Frei nach dem Motto "Mist, der Anrufer weiß, dass ich zwei verschiedene Socken anhabe - schnell mal den mobben, damit das keiner erfährt" - so als Beispiel. Absoluter Mist, mehr kann ich dazu nicht sagen. Ach doch: Spannung kam zwar hin und wieder kurzzeitig auf, doch wurde die quasi im Keim schon wieder erstickt und es blieb einfach nur sehr lahm und vieles war für mich nicht nachvollziehbar.
Das Ende barg dann nochmal ein wenig Spannung und ich war natürlich neugierig, was noch passierte und wie sich das Ganze auflöste. An und für sich war das alles nicht schlecht geregelt und gesponnen, aber es hat diese ganzen negativen Aspekte einfach nicht wett gemacht. Und (!) so wie es scheint, gibt es wohl doch noch einen Nachfolgeband? Jedenfalls klang es ganz danach, obwohl ich der festen Überzeugung war, dass es sich um einen Einzelband handelt.
►♥◄ FAZIT ►♥◄
Ein Buch, das ich mir hätte getrost sparen können. Unglaublich unsympathische Figuren und eine wirklich misslungene Umsetzung haben mir dem Lesespaß ordentlich vermasselt und ich bin echt erstaunt, es nicht abgebrochen zu haben. Im Endeffekt hätte ich nichts verpasst, aber da es ein Rezensions-Exemplar war, bin ich froh, es nun geschafft zu haben. Oberflächlichkeit und Langatmigkeit gabs übrigens inklusive, ebenso wie Logikfehler, platte, unrealitische Dialoge und nicht nachvollziehbare Gespräche. Das einzig positive war dann wohl der Lesefluss und das doch recht spannend gestaltete Ende.
►♥◄ 2 VON 5 STERNEN ►♥◄
Ich vergebe 2 von 5 möglichen Sternen, aus dem einfachen Grund, dass mir sowohl Lesefluss wie auch das doch recht spannende Ende gefallen haben, alles andere aber überhaupt nicht meinem Lesegeschmack entsprach. Eigentlich käme an dieser Stelle nun 'aber wer gern dieses und jenes liest, dem wird XY gefallen' .. nur hab ich dieses Mal überhaupt keine Ahnung, wem ich es empfehlen sollte.
October 19, 2024
4 stars ✨ imo, there were deffo some gaps in this book, but i think the concept was great and the characters were well written. the plot was fairly good, i just think it could have been written a bit better, but all in all, good thriller.
May 22, 2024
2024
2020
I liked the premise of the book the most. Although the whole thing was just a little far-fetched (just a little!). I just thought it was a little crazy.
The three main characters who were forced into bully/victim status were all pretty engaging to read about, though. I liked that each one did feel remorse for their secrets. Or, at least, weren't fully comfortable with the secrets that they carried (they did have some pretty big whoppers). I wish they would have stayed more in contact at the end, though. Especially Shelley since she was the one who brought the whole group together.
And, as much as I enjoyed the majority of the ending, I wish it didn't leave off on a sort of cliffhanger regarding Eric (although he would definitely sort of deserve what was coming to him regarding the whole computer wiping thing).
2018
2020
I liked the premise of the book the most. Although the whole thing was just a little far-fetched (just a little!). I just thought it was a little crazy.
The three main characters who were forced into bully/victim status were all pretty engaging to read about, though. I liked that each one did feel remorse for their secrets. Or, at least, weren't fully comfortable with the secrets that they carried (they did have some pretty big whoppers). I wish they would have stayed more in contact at the end, though. Especially Shelley since she was the one who brought the whole group together.
And, as much as I enjoyed the majority of the ending, I wish it didn't leave off on a sort of cliffhanger regarding Eric (although he would definitely sort of deserve what was coming to him regarding the whole computer wiping thing).
2018
March 23, 2014
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway and am I ever glad that I did! The premise sounded good, but I didn't expect it to be as good as it was. Three high school students receive calls from someone who forces them to bully one student each at their respective high schools or their biggest secrets will be revealed. While the secrets turn out to be not as major as you would think, I realized that I was looking at it from an adult perspective. From a high school perspective, having those types of secrets revealed would be simply awful. The story revolves around how these students feel about executing the bullying instructions, how they meet, and their search for the voice behind the calls. It was fast-paced and interesting; I read most of the book in one day, as I could not put it down.
I didn't read the author bio before I started until I read a reference to Lockport. I then knew that the author had to have local ties and sure enough, I found that he is local to me! How cool is that. His experience as a teacher is probably what made the book feel so authentic.
I am looking forward to reading more by this author (and will also check out his ska band when they play locally!).
I didn't read the author bio before I started until I read a reference to Lockport. I then knew that the author had to have local ties and sure enough, I found that he is local to me! How cool is that. His experience as a teacher is probably what made the book feel so authentic.
I am looking forward to reading more by this author (and will also check out his ska band when they play locally!).
June 5, 2023
Nice, but the ending is rushed. And if I can notice if a book has been rushed then I know that the book won't get a good rating. Nice try though, putting a mystery book in 288 pages.
2 stars.
2 stars.
December 13, 2024
glee caused irreparable damages to society
January 3, 2015
2.5 Messed up Clouds
This is probably the only story I’ve read where I really enjoyed the third person telling. It fits the story really well and the mysterious caller isn’t easy to figure out and I liked that. My biggest problem are the characters and how one-sided they are. It seems that their secrets are their whole lives but even that isn’t well described. I also really liked the moral lesson of how the characters face right and wrong and decide which is which.
Cold Calls has a very exciting beginning but almost instantly in the middle, everything starts to slow down and I felt so damn bored. It’s not intense and the mysterious caller, for the most part leaves them alone during this time and I quickly lost interest in the story all together. However, this isn’t the only reason why my interest left, it was also because of the characters who are, some of the most boring people I’ve ever met. It seems that they don’t have lives other than their secrets. There isn’t much of a back story of how they were before this secret came to be, especially with Shelly and Eric. What was his relationship with April like? We barely get anything except that they have secrets that they don’t want anyone else to know about. The reason for the revenge seemed really silly and I had a hard time finding it realistic.
Like I said before, I think what gave this story a tense, gritty feel for me is the writing and the fact that it’s in third person which I actually cringe when first realizing it when starting a book. It’s awkward and hard to relate to characters but I really enjoyed it here. I liked how the mystery caller is played out in this. It’s not the typical way to find a stalker and I liked that. It sure had me guessing.
Nonetheless, Cold Calls isn’t a bad book it’s just boring after the initial first pages and it’s not scary whatsoever. Instead of feeling scared, I felt like I was watching a really tacky movie about high schoolers. However I still recommend this to anyone who’s looking for something light that has more to do with karma than anything else.
April 6, 2014
Awesome!!!! What a good example of a book about what you would do if you or your child was ever being bullied!!! Wow what a ride!!!
Oh and btw, I won this book in a goodreads giveaway on Valentines Day, hanks for that!!!
Let me start on my review:
In Cold Calls we have ourselves a chilling thriller, an unsettling mystery, and a provocative exploration of bullying, culpability, and the cost of keeping secrets, lie I said before.
That's right we have ALL THAT IN ONE BOOK!!!! And it came out amazing!!!!
Anyway, we have three students Eric, Shelly, and Fatima in high school the most common place people get bullied all the time having one thing in common: "I know your secret."
Are you kidding me??!!! If anyone had said that to me, I would've gotten to the bottom of that before that person can finish his/her sentence!!!
Each one of these kids are getting blackmailed into bullying specifically targeted schoolmates by a mysterious caller who whispers from their cell phones and holds carefully guarded secrets over their heads.
But the question is, how could anyone have obtained a photo, read hidden pages, and uncovered there buried past?
These kids are thrown together, joining forces to find the stranger who threatens them before time runs out and their shattering secrets are revealed . . .
You'll just have to get the book and find out ;)
Oh and btw, I won this book in a goodreads giveaway on Valentines Day, hanks for that!!!
Let me start on my review:
In Cold Calls we have ourselves a chilling thriller, an unsettling mystery, and a provocative exploration of bullying, culpability, and the cost of keeping secrets, lie I said before.
That's right we have ALL THAT IN ONE BOOK!!!! And it came out amazing!!!!
Anyway, we have three students Eric, Shelly, and Fatima in high school the most common place people get bullied all the time having one thing in common: "I know your secret."
Are you kidding me??!!! If anyone had said that to me, I would've gotten to the bottom of that before that person can finish his/her sentence!!!
Each one of these kids are getting blackmailed into bullying specifically targeted schoolmates by a mysterious caller who whispers from their cell phones and holds carefully guarded secrets over their heads.
But the question is, how could anyone have obtained a photo, read hidden pages, and uncovered there buried past?
These kids are thrown together, joining forces to find the stranger who threatens them before time runs out and their shattering secrets are revealed . . .
You'll just have to get the book and find out ;)
July 7, 2018
Three teens receive a mysterious phone call. The caller, their voice altered, makes a single statement."I know your secret".
Eric is a good old boy. A soccer player that goes through girlfriends. There is the one that got away though. April. When he receives the phone call, he knows he must do anything he can to protect his secret. So he goes along with what the caller wants.
Shelly can never repent enough for what she has done. She's changed her name, lives with her absentee, playboy father, and goes to St. Anne's Catholic school. But she's angry about these phone calls and wants to to figure out who is trying to let her secret out.
Fatima is Muslim and she is questioning her faith, something her family can NOT find out right now. And she has written down her secret in the margins of books. Books the caller has found and scanned pages of.
These three characters all go to different schools, but they all meet at an anti-bullying sort of program where they are required to write an essay. The teacher - not really a teacher, more of a volunteer there for the paycheck - tells the security guard posted in the classroom (because all bullies are violently dangerous) what some of the kids wrote in their essays. When she mentions something about a phone call, heads fly up and reactions are noticed.
This is a quick, suspenseful read. The three characters are able to somehow figure out who the caller is and confront them, but I'll admit, the ending made me feel a little bit cheated. Like, really? I'm not sure. I just wanted fully satisfied.
Eric is a good old boy. A soccer player that goes through girlfriends. There is the one that got away though. April. When he receives the phone call, he knows he must do anything he can to protect his secret. So he goes along with what the caller wants.
Shelly can never repent enough for what she has done. She's changed her name, lives with her absentee, playboy father, and goes to St. Anne's Catholic school. But she's angry about these phone calls and wants to to figure out who is trying to let her secret out.
Fatima is Muslim and she is questioning her faith, something her family can NOT find out right now. And she has written down her secret in the margins of books. Books the caller has found and scanned pages of.
These three characters all go to different schools, but they all meet at an anti-bullying sort of program where they are required to write an essay. The teacher - not really a teacher, more of a volunteer there for the paycheck - tells the security guard posted in the classroom (because all bullies are violently dangerous) what some of the kids wrote in their essays. When she mentions something about a phone call, heads fly up and reactions are noticed.
This is a quick, suspenseful read. The three characters are able to somehow figure out who the caller is and confront them, but I'll admit, the ending made me feel a little bit cheated. Like, really? I'm not sure. I just wanted fully satisfied.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2014
This review (and others) can be found on My Full Bookshelf
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I could not put this book down! It was so flipping good and suspenseful.
At first, I was a bit confused as to why this was happening. I wasn't sure exactly why someone would randomly blackmail kids to bully others; just for their own sick enjoyment? As soon as the kids actually find out why this is happening, the plot got more realistic, though, and I literally could not stop reading.
The characters are so good. My favorite character was Shelly, but I liked that all of the characters acted realistically. I was truly rooting for them during the whole book.
But really stands out for this story is not the characters, it's the suspense that goes on for the entire book. It never lets up. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time reading this; I simply had to know what would happen next. There are few books I've read that were this thrilling to read.
I loved how the book ended...with a cliffhanger that could possibly open the door for a second book, but not necessarily. I will definitely read the sequel if there ever is one, and I'm crossing my fingers if there is! This book was a riveting, suspense-filled story, and I would definitely recommend it to teens and adults alike.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I could not put this book down! It was so flipping good and suspenseful.
At first, I was a bit confused as to why this was happening. I wasn't sure exactly why someone would randomly blackmail kids to bully others; just for their own sick enjoyment? As soon as the kids actually find out why this is happening, the plot got more realistic, though, and I literally could not stop reading.
The characters are so good. My favorite character was Shelly, but I liked that all of the characters acted realistically. I was truly rooting for them during the whole book.
But really stands out for this story is not the characters, it's the suspense that goes on for the entire book. It never lets up. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time reading this; I simply had to know what would happen next. There are few books I've read that were this thrilling to read.
I loved how the book ended...with a cliffhanger that could possibly open the door for a second book, but not necessarily. I will definitely read the sequel if there ever is one, and I'm crossing my fingers if there is! This book was a riveting, suspense-filled story, and I would definitely recommend it to teens and adults alike.
April 15, 2017
The literary equivalent of stepping in something slimy and spending 200 pages picking it out of the treads of your sneakers.
This book is patent nonsense. It starts out creepy, with some omniscient caller forcing three teens to bully random kids at their schools or else they'll reveal some big secrets. Then uh... i don't know. It got so boring i skipped 120 pages. Happily, the chapter where i landed is the one where all three teens' horrible transgressions are revealed AND where they figure out why they've been assigned their specific victims. It almost makes me wonder what took 120 pages, other than finally getting the three teens to talk to each other and decide to work together. Heck, when i left them, they were already in the same room, it shouldn't have been much of an effort.
Is the mystery unravels, it gets more and more ridiculous. Without spoilers, i think it's entirely fair to say that if the blackmailer had the skills to torment the three teens into being bullies, they had the skills to exact a much better revenge without the risk of being caught should one of their victims fold and go to the cops.
The writing was uneven, lumpy, and awkward, too. I admit i did like the three main characters, but i don't know if that was some form of book-based Stockholm Syndrome.
This book is patent nonsense. It starts out creepy, with some omniscient caller forcing three teens to bully random kids at their schools or else they'll reveal some big secrets. Then uh... i don't know. It got so boring i skipped 120 pages. Happily, the chapter where i landed is the one where all three teens' horrible transgressions are revealed AND where they figure out why they've been assigned their specific victims. It almost makes me wonder what took 120 pages, other than finally getting the three teens to talk to each other and decide to work together. Heck, when i left them, they were already in the same room, it shouldn't have been much of an effort.
Is the mystery unravels, it gets more and more ridiculous. Without spoilers, i think it's entirely fair to say that if the blackmailer had the skills to torment the three teens into being bullies, they had the skills to exact a much better revenge without the risk of being caught should one of their victims fold and go to the cops.
The writing was uneven, lumpy, and awkward, too. I admit i did like the three main characters, but i don't know if that was some form of book-based Stockholm Syndrome.
June 28, 2014
The back of this book said it was Pretty Little Liars meets The Breakfast Club, and I was sold with that one line. One of my favorite TV series meets one of my favorite movies? Yeah, I'm reading it. I love suspense. The book begins with Eric getting a threatening call from someone who has been inside his house, judging by the photo the caller sends him. It was a great creepy moment to start the story. The caller knows Eric's secret, knows it and has evidence to send to everyone in Eric's phone contact list. That is unless Eric follows a list of tasks targeted at a kid at Eric's school. Eric is bullied into being a bully and winds up getting caught and thrown into a program for bullies.
At the program, Eric meets others who have gotten the same calls. Together they try to figure out who is harassing them and put an end to the sick game before all their secrets are spilled.
I really loved the cast of characters and the variations of their secrets. Finding out who the caller was also kept me turning the pages. And the ending! It was my kind of ending. Perfect for a suspense like this one. I highly recommend this book.
At the program, Eric meets others who have gotten the same calls. Together they try to figure out who is harassing them and put an end to the sick game before all their secrets are spilled.
I really loved the cast of characters and the variations of their secrets. Finding out who the caller was also kept me turning the pages. And the ending! It was my kind of ending. Perfect for a suspense like this one. I highly recommend this book.
June 8, 2014
The cycle of bullying can be endless and impossible to break. Charles Benoit offers an intriguing, unique look at what can drive the cycle – all in a fast-paced page-turner.
Eric, Shelly, & Fatima each have a secret that they would like to stay a secret – and this makes them vulnerable and eager to do what they feel they must to keep their secrets. Should they have told an adult? Well, yes … but it is easy to see why these characters felt that telling anyone would only make everything worse. Think like when you were a teen, folks … did you run and ask/tell an adult when faced with a conundrum? No … you relied on yourself or, sometimes, your friends.
Was it a little unbelievable? Yes. I had a hard time with the caller’s abilities to orchestrate it all. But, it did not make the read any less enjoyable. I burned through this book and, in my mind, any time I’m shouting at the main characters to “just do XXX” – and I was screaming it here – that means an author has succeeded immersing me in the story!
Eric, Shelly, & Fatima each have a secret that they would like to stay a secret – and this makes them vulnerable and eager to do what they feel they must to keep their secrets. Should they have told an adult? Well, yes … but it is easy to see why these characters felt that telling anyone would only make everything worse. Think like when you were a teen, folks … did you run and ask/tell an adult when faced with a conundrum? No … you relied on yourself or, sometimes, your friends.
Was it a little unbelievable? Yes. I had a hard time with the caller’s abilities to orchestrate it all. But, it did not make the read any less enjoyable. I burned through this book and, in my mind, any time I’m shouting at the main characters to “just do XXX” – and I was screaming it here – that means an author has succeeded immersing me in the story!
May 17, 2015
Cold Calls by Charles Benoit is a chilling mystery showing the perspective behind a bully and their fascinating motives. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. I always left me wondering what the solutions to all the mysteries it presented were. Unfortunately, some of them were not very interesting. They had hug build-ups throughout the whole book and little pay-off. I did like that there was a good bit of diversity with one of the main characters being a Muslim. I also liked seeing how these kids, our main characters, who are labeled "bullies", are really just being strung along by a different bully. If you're into mysteries and quick young adult reads with a dark twist, this is not a bad option.
July 3, 2014
"So in the end, we're all victims," Eric said.
"Yeah," Shelly said. " And we're all bullies."
A great suspense filled book that seemed to play out pretty realistically.
"I know your secret"
something that terrifies Eric instantly when it's whispered over the phone. So he is pushed and bullied into....well..that's a part of this book.
reading the story as it all unfolds.
I really hope this is a series. I'd love to find out how this all plays out again. And I think the cast of characters are really entertaining and have great individual personalities.
"Yeah," Shelly said. " And we're all bullies."
A great suspense filled book that seemed to play out pretty realistically.
"I know your secret"
something that terrifies Eric instantly when it's whispered over the phone. So he is pushed and bullied into....well..that's a part of this book.
reading the story as it all unfolds.
I really hope this is a series. I'd love to find out how this all plays out again. And I think the cast of characters are really entertaining and have great individual personalities.
September 11, 2016
The twists and turns in this book had me constantly guessing. I thought I had the caller figured out, but was pleasantly surprised by the actual person and the caller's motives for blackmailing the high school students.
I like how the characters both embraced and rebelled against stereotypes.
Full review to come closer to release.
(Won in a goodreads giveaway.)
I like how the characters both embraced and rebelled against stereotypes.
Full review to come closer to release.
(Won in a goodreads giveaway.)
August 2, 2015
received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Wow this was really good! It kept me hooked and interested the entire time!
With that ending though I am shocked to find that there is no sequel :(
Wow this was really good! It kept me hooked and interested the entire time!
With that ending though I am shocked to find that there is no sequel :(
August 21, 2016
My friend lent me her copy of this book, and it was AWESOME!!
I love mystery, and the ending of this book made me wish there was going to be a sequel to it-but apparently Charles Benoit does not do sequels, even though he TOTALLY SHOULD!
I love mystery, and the ending of this book made me wish there was going to be a sequel to it-but apparently Charles Benoit does not do sequels, even though he TOTALLY SHOULD!
July 13, 2020
Das Buch "Cold Calls" war ein leicht zu lesender Thriller, der aber leider auch nicht besonders spannend war.
Man ist anfangs recht gut in das Buch hineingekommen, da es sofort mitten im Geschehen begonnen hat. Eric, der erste der Protagonisten, den man kennenlernt, war mir das ganze Buch über leider ziemlich egal - ich fand nicht, dass er gut genug ausgebaut war, um zu ihm eine richtige Meinung zu haben. Das Gleiche galt für Fatima und Shelley, wobei man vor allem über Fatima doch mehr Infos erhalten hat.
Die Grundidee an sich fand ich eine gute, hier war es nur wirklich die Umsetzung, die mir nicht gefallen hat - es ist mir alles zu schnell gegangen. Anfangs war dieses Tempo vielleicht noch gut, bald nicht mehr. Seltsamerweise ist trotz der Schnelligkeit, mit welcher Ereignis auf Ereignis gefolgt ist (beispielsweise haben sich die drei furchtbar rasch in dem Anti-Bullying-Programm wiedergefunden) bis zur Mitte des Buches nichts wirklich Spannendes geschehen.
Mir kam es stellenweise so vor, als würde Charles Benoit zwar erzählen, was passiert, der/die Leser*in würde es aber nicht gezeigt bekommen. So fiel es mir auch ziemlich schwer, mich in diesen Thriller einfühlen zu können.
Die Teamarbeit, die sich im Laufe des Romans zwischen Shelley, Fatima und Eric entwickelt hat, hat mir dann aber wieder gut gefallen - auch wenn sie grundverschiedene Charaktere waren, haben sie gut zusammengearbeitet. Mir hat imponiert, dass jede/r ihren/seinen eigenen Teil zur Lösung des "Rätsels" beigetragen hat.
Die eindeutig schwächsten Teile des ganzen Thrillers waren für mich aber leider auch die wichtigsten: die Geheimnisse der drei Jugendlichen und die Identität des Anrufers. Während ich verstehen kann, dass Fatima und Eric ihre beiden Geheimnisse natürlich als schlimm betrachten waren beide ihrer Geheimnisse nichts im Vergleich zu Shelleys. Shelley hatte eindeutig das "schlimmste" der drei und doch habe ich ihre Handlungen deswegen nicht ganz nachvollziehen können - für mich war das Ganze ein wenig zu unrealistisch.
Das zweite, das ich zu bemängeln habe, ist Auch das Motiv für die Anrufe war sehr weit hergeholt.
Der Epilog hat mich gleichermaßen neugierig gemacht und ziemlich verwirrt - allerdings war er, zusammen mit der Teamarbeit zwischen Fatima, Eric und Shelley, doch das Einzige, was ich an "Cold Calls" gelungen fand.
Man ist anfangs recht gut in das Buch hineingekommen, da es sofort mitten im Geschehen begonnen hat. Eric, der erste der Protagonisten, den man kennenlernt, war mir das ganze Buch über leider ziemlich egal - ich fand nicht, dass er gut genug ausgebaut war, um zu ihm eine richtige Meinung zu haben. Das Gleiche galt für Fatima und Shelley, wobei man vor allem über Fatima doch mehr Infos erhalten hat.
Die Grundidee an sich fand ich eine gute, hier war es nur wirklich die Umsetzung, die mir nicht gefallen hat - es ist mir alles zu schnell gegangen. Anfangs war dieses Tempo vielleicht noch gut, bald nicht mehr. Seltsamerweise ist trotz der Schnelligkeit, mit welcher Ereignis auf Ereignis gefolgt ist (beispielsweise haben sich die drei furchtbar rasch in dem Anti-Bullying-Programm wiedergefunden) bis zur Mitte des Buches nichts wirklich Spannendes geschehen.
Mir kam es stellenweise so vor, als würde Charles Benoit zwar erzählen, was passiert, der/die Leser*in würde es aber nicht gezeigt bekommen. So fiel es mir auch ziemlich schwer, mich in diesen Thriller einfühlen zu können.
Die Teamarbeit, die sich im Laufe des Romans zwischen Shelley, Fatima und Eric entwickelt hat, hat mir dann aber wieder gut gefallen - auch wenn sie grundverschiedene Charaktere waren, haben sie gut zusammengearbeitet. Mir hat imponiert, dass jede/r ihren/seinen eigenen Teil zur Lösung des "Rätsels" beigetragen hat.
Die eindeutig schwächsten Teile des ganzen Thrillers waren für mich aber leider auch die wichtigsten: die Geheimnisse der drei Jugendlichen und die Identität des Anrufers. Während ich verstehen kann, dass Fatima und Eric ihre beiden Geheimnisse natürlich als schlimm betrachten waren beide ihrer Geheimnisse nichts im Vergleich zu Shelleys. Shelley hatte eindeutig das "schlimmste" der drei und doch habe ich ihre Handlungen deswegen nicht ganz nachvollziehen können - für mich war das Ganze ein wenig zu unrealistisch.
Das zweite, das ich zu bemängeln habe, ist Auch das Motiv für die Anrufe war sehr weit hergeholt.
Der Epilog hat mich gleichermaßen neugierig gemacht und ziemlich verwirrt - allerdings war er, zusammen mit der Teamarbeit zwischen Fatima, Eric und Shelley, doch das Einzige, was ich an "Cold Calls" gelungen fand.
November 18, 2024
A very capturing book that kept me reading for weeks, although the ending could've been better. This novel follows a group of 3 teens on a journey to find and stop a caller that has been tormenting them and forcing them to torment others. along the way we find out the deep dark secrets of these kids that they so badly wanted to be kept secret. I was very enticed the whole time, it had a great pace through the whole book I never felt lost or off track when reading. I could relate to the characters in small but important ways that kept me engaged the whole time because it felt as though one of my peers was telling the story. The plot was interesting but not too exaggerated to the point it felt exaggerated. the ending was kind of disappointing due to the fact it left me wanting more, but spoiler alert Charles Benoit "doesn't do sequels". Overall this was a really good book for people who like suspense and mystery I think this book sends a good message and could even be read in a group classroom setting. Highly recommend!
July 2, 2018
"I know your secret." In Cold Calls, Eric, Fatima, and Shelly all start getting calls from someone with a computer altered voice that blackmails each of them into bullying a particular student in each of their schools. The final event is to be dumping macaroni and cheese onto the head of each student during lunch on a particular Thursday. After running across each other in a weekend antibullying class, the three decide to find out who is making them ruin their lives and why.
This is a very good mystery, giving the reader insight into the personalities of each character, while sharing why each is being blackmailed. However, the characters are difficult to like because of what has happened in their pasts and how they each handled their situations.
This is a very good mystery, giving the reader insight into the personalities of each character, while sharing why each is being blackmailed. However, the characters are difficult to like because of what has happened in their pasts and how they each handled their situations.
October 14, 2021
Cold Calls is a chilling thriller that includes a mysterious caller who torments these teens by having them do crazy things so that the kids’ secrets don’t get out to the world. Eric doesn’t really seem to care all that much about finding out who it is until Fatima and Shelly talk him into trying to find evidence and clues about who is behind all of this. The caller is smart and strategic about their mental torture. This book is a fast paced story about these kids bullying other students or doing crazy things to make sure that their secret isn’t revealed. They must do what it takes to find who it is without their secret coming out.
May 21, 2022
This was a really quick read, and entertaining. The plot was very fast paced, and kept me wanting to read more. I liked that though the basic plot centered around bullying, the book wasn’t a moral lesson disguised as a novel. I was disappointed in the ending, though. The mastermind “voice” wasn’t fleshed out enough to really explain the events of the novel. Some of the side characters, also, didn’t make sense. The priest was a little creepy, and I didn’t understand why Ian never questioned anything. Overall, though, an entertaining way to spend a weekend.
February 17, 2019
Last Year I had the honor of meeting Benoit in NY at the Rochestester YA Teen Bookfest. I throughly enjoyed listening to him speak and decided to purchase Cold Calls. While my husbands spent the last 3 weeks in ICU fighting for his life I struggled daily and came across this book. Deciding I needed something to distract me and I set about to try this. I was pleasantly suprised how quickly I found myself 100% immersed in the book. Loved it and will be looking forward to reading more.
February 25, 2017
It took me a few chapters to get involved with the characters, but once I did, Cold Calls was hard to put down. There was plenty of suspense and a few laugh out loud moments that made this an enjoyable read through the very last page.
Like all works of fiction, there were several elements that may not have been 100% plausible, but don't let that stop you. For me, a sequel would be appreciated.
Like all works of fiction, there were several elements that may not have been 100% plausible, but don't let that stop you. For me, a sequel would be appreciated.
March 9, 2021
Hardly a page turner. The "cliff hanger" at the end was forced. I gave it two stars because it would be an appropriate starting book for younger or teenage readers. Teach young kids the affects of bullying? I guess it's my fault if I had seen the book was for young adults I would not have bothered .
May 27, 2021
I don’t remember the specifics of this book but remember I loved it!! It was an easy page turner and a great story with a fabulous twist! You’re always guessing and questioning every person that comes into the story! I definitely recommend, especially as an easy read to relax.
September 29, 2023
So far I really like this book a lot and I like how the teenagers are able to connect so easily. I also like that this book is easy to read and is a very fast read. It also picks up right into the plot instantly so you get hooked really fast and you don’t want to put the book down.
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