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Intrusion
A loving couple, grieving the loss of their son, finds their marriage in free fall when a beautiful, long-lost acquaintance inserts herself into their lives. Kat and Scott Hamilton are dealing with the hardest of the death of their only child. While Scott throws himself back into his law practice in Los Angeles, Kat is hesitant to rejoin the workplace and instead spends her days shell-shocked and confused, unable to focus. When an unwelcome face from Kat’s past in England emerges―the beautiful and imposing Sarah Cherrington―Kat’s marriage is thrown into a tailspin. Now wealthy beyond anything she could have imagined as a girl, Sarah appears to have everything she could need or want. But Sarah has an agenda and she wants one more thing. Soon Kat and Scott are caught up in her devious games and power plays. Against the backdrops of Southern California and Sussex, in spare and haunting prose, Mary McCluskey propels this domestic drama to its chilling conclusion.
256 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2016
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June 1, 2016
3.5 Stars
There were a lot of things that I really did like about McCluskey's Intrusion, and there were enough things about it that bothered me that I couldn't give it a strong 4 stars.
Starting with the thing that I really loved about this novel is McCluskey's character development. Kat, the main character and mother of 17 year old Chris, who recently died in a car accident, was someone that I could really connect with. I think, at some point, all parents wonder, in their heart of hearts, how they would react to the loss of a child. In Kat and her husband, Scott, McCluskey explores two of the extremes that people in the throes of grief can go to. When I allow my mind to explore the awful possibility of losing one of my three boys, all younger than Kat's, I can easily see myself taking a similar self-absorbed and self-destructive path. Kat becomes completely withdrawn, angry and morose; all understandable from an outsider's perspective but very damaging to her marriage. She tries to find things to fill the hole that the death of her son has left her with, seeking ways to start over, so to speak. On the other hand, her husband buries himself in work, not really fulfilling Kat's emotional needs; another form of self-absorbed and self-destructive behavior, as Scott is visibly exhausted and overwhelmed but won't take the time to grieve properly. Both perspectives were easy to identify with and understand, and their grief was palpable through the story. It was easy to find yourself, as the reader, grieving along with them and shedding tears over their pain and loss.
For the most part, the only other character aside from Kat and Scott that dominated the pages of this story was Sarah, Kat's school friend. Sarah presents as an obviously shady character from the get-go. Something is off about everything that she does, from the expressions on her face in response to odd comments to her overt helpfulness in private matters with Kat.
The entire novel really ends up being a build up to the suspenseful scene towards the end of the novel, in which Sarah's real intentions are truly revealed (I feel like that shouldn't be too much of a spoiler, since it is obvious from the description of the book and from very early on in the story that the antagonist here is going to be Sarah, in some shape or form). Unfortunately, said suspense scene felt very rushed and slightly confusing. The whole thing plays out in just a few pages and comes to an abrupt in before you are presented with the very last scene of the book, a sweet ending that only barely wraps everything up in a general sense. I'm not entirely certain what we are supposed to feel regarding Sarah; pity? Disgust? Anger? Sympathy? She made some very extreme plans for revenge for something that she claims to have forgiven Kat for.
In addition to my disappointment in this main scene in the book, the writing could get very choppy in some places, which was frustrating since I found myself going back and re-reading parts just because they didn't flow right. I would also have loved to see some additional character development and relationship development; possibly a scene with Kat and Scott after what happens with Kat and Sarah in which they reunite and begin the process of piecing their lives back together. And I would have loved to have Brooke featured more in the book, as the only bright and shining character throughout the novel. Another scene I was looking for while I was reading and never got was one between Chris's parents and his friends in which they reassured his friends that they weren't at fault for his accident; while Kat and Scott touched on this issue briefly, discussing why Chris's friends (who spent every waking moment in their home, hanging out with Chris) would completely disappear after his death, deciding that maybe they feel guilty for the accident that took his life. Also, some more information on who Chloe was to Chris would have been nice, since Chloe remained an unknown character to Kat for a good portion of the book.
Aside from the issues that I had, I did enjoy reading the book and could see myself reading something my McCluskey again. Her main character development was great and I enjoyed being able to emotionally connect with Kat.
I received Intrustion: A Novel as my June 2016 Kindle First read.
There were a lot of things that I really did like about McCluskey's Intrusion, and there were enough things about it that bothered me that I couldn't give it a strong 4 stars.
Starting with the thing that I really loved about this novel is McCluskey's character development. Kat, the main character and mother of 17 year old Chris, who recently died in a car accident, was someone that I could really connect with. I think, at some point, all parents wonder, in their heart of hearts, how they would react to the loss of a child. In Kat and her husband, Scott, McCluskey explores two of the extremes that people in the throes of grief can go to. When I allow my mind to explore the awful possibility of losing one of my three boys, all younger than Kat's, I can easily see myself taking a similar self-absorbed and self-destructive path. Kat becomes completely withdrawn, angry and morose; all understandable from an outsider's perspective but very damaging to her marriage. She tries to find things to fill the hole that the death of her son has left her with, seeking ways to start over, so to speak. On the other hand, her husband buries himself in work, not really fulfilling Kat's emotional needs; another form of self-absorbed and self-destructive behavior, as Scott is visibly exhausted and overwhelmed but won't take the time to grieve properly. Both perspectives were easy to identify with and understand, and their grief was palpable through the story. It was easy to find yourself, as the reader, grieving along with them and shedding tears over their pain and loss.
For the most part, the only other character aside from Kat and Scott that dominated the pages of this story was Sarah, Kat's school friend. Sarah presents as an obviously shady character from the get-go. Something is off about everything that she does, from the expressions on her face in response to odd comments to her overt helpfulness in private matters with Kat.
The entire novel really ends up being a build up to the suspenseful scene towards the end of the novel, in which Sarah's real intentions are truly revealed (I feel like that shouldn't be too much of a spoiler, since it is obvious from the description of the book and from very early on in the story that the antagonist here is going to be Sarah, in some shape or form). Unfortunately, said suspense scene felt very rushed and slightly confusing. The whole thing plays out in just a few pages and comes to an abrupt in before you are presented with the very last scene of the book, a sweet ending that only barely wraps everything up in a general sense. I'm not entirely certain what we are supposed to feel regarding Sarah; pity? Disgust? Anger? Sympathy? She made some very extreme plans for revenge for something that she claims to have forgiven Kat for.
In addition to my disappointment in this main scene in the book, the writing could get very choppy in some places, which was frustrating since I found myself going back and re-reading parts just because they didn't flow right. I would also have loved to see some additional character development and relationship development; possibly a scene with Kat and Scott after what happens with Kat and Sarah in which they reunite and begin the process of piecing their lives back together. And I would have loved to have Brooke featured more in the book, as the only bright and shining character throughout the novel. Another scene I was looking for while I was reading and never got was one between Chris's parents and his friends in which they reassured his friends that they weren't at fault for his accident; while Kat and Scott touched on this issue briefly, discussing why Chris's friends (who spent every waking moment in their home, hanging out with Chris) would completely disappear after his death, deciding that maybe they feel guilty for the accident that took his life. Also, some more information on who Chloe was to Chris would have been nice, since Chloe remained an unknown character to Kat for a good portion of the book.
Aside from the issues that I had, I did enjoy reading the book and could see myself reading something my McCluskey again. Her main character development was great and I enjoyed being able to emotionally connect with Kat.
I received Intrustion: A Novel as my June 2016 Kindle First read.
June 3, 2016
So-so
Kept waiting for something exciting to happen. There were so many instances where it looked like things were finally going to pick up. Sorry, but this one left me wanting more, and not in a good way.
Kept waiting for something exciting to happen. There were so many instances where it looked like things were finally going to pick up. Sorry, but this one left me wanting more, and not in a good way.
June 21, 2016
Kat's and Scott's seventeen-year-old son Chris was recently killed in a car crash. Devastated by their loss, Scott throws himself into his work as a successful attorney while Kat prefers to retreat from the world. Through Scott's business dealings, Kat is unexpectedly reunited with a face from her past who starts to take an interest in Kat's life.
My problem with this review is that I honestly have nothing much to say about the book. This was an ok read. It was quite short, kept my attention and the writing was ok. There was nothing inventive in this domestic drama, as I have read several similar stories before. I was expecting some suspense, mystery or surprising twist, but the build-up was completely foreseeable and the resolution so abrupt, it just left me feeling completely indifferent.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My problem with this review is that I honestly have nothing much to say about the book. This was an ok read. It was quite short, kept my attention and the writing was ok. There was nothing inventive in this domestic drama, as I have read several similar stories before. I was expecting some suspense, mystery or surprising twist, but the build-up was completely foreseeable and the resolution so abrupt, it just left me feeling completely indifferent.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2016
I highly recommend this book by Mary McCluskey, a writer who knows how to quietly tell powerful stories. I loved Mary McCluskey short stories, and now I love her novels.
A mother and father are devastated by the sudden death of their extraordinary and much loved teenage son. The father pours himself into his work to avoid grief, the mother cannot seem to crawl out of sorrow. The details of how this grief seeps into the soul of characters are expertly drawn. There is this subtle, albeit frank, depiction of emotion that characterizes Mary's writing. Nothing is missed. No detail overlooked, but without drama sometimes seen in big story books. There is never a big ego shouting through words. No pretentious descriptions. No rambling sentences. Just clear, clean prose that allows room for powerful story. It's Mary McCluskey's signature---stark, clear prose, powerful story.
Grief victimizes everyone. And of course it leaves the victim vulnerable to predators who can smell a weak prey miles away. We know more than the character in this story, and we are supposed to know more. But this does not mean the story is not believable. Quite the opposite. I empathized so much with this protagonist that I understood her needs, her choices, and, ultimately, her blindness. Grief blinds.
The energy is steady, strong and keeps the pages turning. But it's not just a good page turner. It's more. It's a book full of the power of the truth behind grief. Clean writing, powerful detail. It's gorgeous. BRAVO
A mother and father are devastated by the sudden death of their extraordinary and much loved teenage son. The father pours himself into his work to avoid grief, the mother cannot seem to crawl out of sorrow. The details of how this grief seeps into the soul of characters are expertly drawn. There is this subtle, albeit frank, depiction of emotion that characterizes Mary's writing. Nothing is missed. No detail overlooked, but without drama sometimes seen in big story books. There is never a big ego shouting through words. No pretentious descriptions. No rambling sentences. Just clear, clean prose that allows room for powerful story. It's Mary McCluskey's signature---stark, clear prose, powerful story.
Grief victimizes everyone. And of course it leaves the victim vulnerable to predators who can smell a weak prey miles away. We know more than the character in this story, and we are supposed to know more. But this does not mean the story is not believable. Quite the opposite. I empathized so much with this protagonist that I understood her needs, her choices, and, ultimately, her blindness. Grief blinds.
The energy is steady, strong and keeps the pages turning. But it's not just a good page turner. It's more. It's a book full of the power of the truth behind grief. Clean writing, powerful detail. It's gorgeous. BRAVO
June 20, 2016
Kirkus reviewed this book, giving it a “starred” (exceptional book) review. But I didn’t need Kirkus to convince me to read Intrusion. I have followed Mary McCluskey’s short stories in magazines like Salon, the Atlantic, and other literary journals on the internet, so I was familiar with the very distinct quality of McCluskey’s prose, (smooth as butter!) and pre-ordered immediately. I wasn’t sorry and I won’t spoil it for you with too much information. This novel is about the heartbreaking struggle of a couple’s marriage after the death of an only son. Intruding into this delicate and nuanced grief is a glamorous, beautiful woman from 20 years in the past. An old school mate of the wife’s, she thrusts herself into their life both professionally and personally in shocking ways, using her money and power to ostensibly help them. Things are not always what they seem, and this story is riveting as it reveals its hidden truths. McCluskey’s clean, polished writing style is a pleasure. She took complex emotional situations and, like the natural storyteller she is, wrapped my heart in the reality of her characters’ drama. I read this book in one sitting, finding it difficult to put down.
June 4, 2016
This book was my Kindle First choice for the month of June.
Kat and Scott are a happily married couple left reeling by the death of their seventeen year old son in a car crash. As a way of trying to cope, Kate pretty much withdraws from the world while Scott throws himself into his work.
In the meantime, a former childhood friend of Kat's suddenly shows up, and inserts herself into Kat and Scott's lives. This friend has an agenda, and the results could be devastating to both Kat and Scott, and their marriage.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I was very pleasantly surprised. I'd only intended to start the book last night, but ended up reading the whole thing in a matter of a few hours. It's a well paced , fast read. I really felt for our two leads, Kat and Scott, and I found myself really wanting for this couple to be able to find some peace together.
I also liked the the author kind of kept me guessing as to where she was taking the story. Like, at one point, I was sure that a particular thing was going to happen, and when it didn't, I was so relieved.
Kat and Scott are a happily married couple left reeling by the death of their seventeen year old son in a car crash. As a way of trying to cope, Kate pretty much withdraws from the world while Scott throws himself into his work.
In the meantime, a former childhood friend of Kat's suddenly shows up, and inserts herself into Kat and Scott's lives. This friend has an agenda, and the results could be devastating to both Kat and Scott, and their marriage.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I was very pleasantly surprised. I'd only intended to start the book last night, but ended up reading the whole thing in a matter of a few hours. It's a well paced , fast read. I really felt for our two leads, Kat and Scott, and I found myself really wanting for this couple to be able to find some peace together.
I also liked the the author kind of kept me guessing as to where she was taking the story. Like, at one point, I was sure that a particular thing was going to happen, and when it didn't, I was so relieved.
June 13, 2016
Intrusion was my Kindle Firsts selection this month, and it was so-so. McCluskey is a strong writer -- we all know that -- but the story just didn't do it for me.
Avid readers know this type of book: slow buildup, seemingly normal interactions, BAM! twist ending. Unfortunately, the twist ending wasn't twisty enough to save the book from mediocrity.
In a nutshell, this book is about two beautiful people living in a world where everyone else is beautiful and rich, and no one has any problems. We enter their lives when they've encountered a problem -- their son has died. Powerful lawyer husband buries himself with work, beautiful British wife goes all sad. Mysterious British friend enters their lives, chaos ensues. Twist ending. That's basically it.
I mentioned before that it felt like a book ripe for a movie adaptation -- I assume Liz Hurley will sub in for Kate Beckinsdale now that I've finished the book. It's a story that might be better as a movie, in fact. Mood music, glitzy settings, and overacting would add the suspense that was sorely lacking in the novel itself.
Avid readers know this type of book: slow buildup, seemingly normal interactions, BAM! twist ending. Unfortunately, the twist ending wasn't twisty enough to save the book from mediocrity.
In a nutshell, this book is about two beautiful people living in a world where everyone else is beautiful and rich, and no one has any problems. We enter their lives when they've encountered a problem -- their son has died. Powerful lawyer husband buries himself with work, beautiful British wife goes all sad. Mysterious British friend enters their lives, chaos ensues. Twist ending. That's basically it.
I mentioned before that it felt like a book ripe for a movie adaptation -- I assume Liz Hurley will sub in for Kate Beckinsdale now that I've finished the book. It's a story that might be better as a movie, in fact. Mood music, glitzy settings, and overacting would add the suspense that was sorely lacking in the novel itself.
June 18, 2016
Not what I was expecting
To preface this, I feel I should state that I would never normally have read this book. Due to my Amazon Prime membership, I got this book for free as one of the June new releases. I wasn't particularly drawn to any of them, but this one seemed to have potential. I have a weakness for books where some deep, dark secret looms over the story to be revealed in the closing paragraph and that seemed to be what the blurb was hinting at. This is not one of those stories, not really. For a long time I wasn't sure what this book wanted to be. It seemed at first to be a book about loss and moving on from grief. Then it seemed to be a tale of the inevitable end of a marriage torn asunder and the betrayal of fidelity. I reached the 80% mark and still couldn't figure it out. That's not to say I wasn't intrigued. The writing style is clean and simple, it just flows, so you're not really conscious of it being in third person, it feels like you're there. Technically speaking, I could find no fault. I didn't even get annoyed at the characters, and I nearly always get frustrated with someone at some point. So, I had 20% of the book to go and I knew one thing; if this ended with some peaceful happy ever after moment of moving on, I would feel deprived...
That's not what happened. At the 95% mark, my yearnings for a dark twist were fulfilled and this book delivered on the story promised in the blurb. I have no wish to spoil the ending, so I will only say that picking up on the clues about a certain character (you will know the one) this was the only way for this story to have ended. This novel was a brief, seductive stroll down a dark path, like strolling deeper and deeper into a forest, until suddenly it's pitch black and you can feel a sinister chill. I got a similar feeling reading Les Enfants Terribles, that knowledge that it's often the most beautiful flower that is deadly, the most attractive person who is rotten inside. This book is a 4.5 for me, if it hadn't taken quite as long to find its feet I would not have hesitated to give it 5*. The beginning does well to cloak the ending however, allowing the reader to be fully susceptible to its close...which in a beautiful way mirrors the manipulations of the characters by the puppeteer of the piece.
To preface this, I feel I should state that I would never normally have read this book. Due to my Amazon Prime membership, I got this book for free as one of the June new releases. I wasn't particularly drawn to any of them, but this one seemed to have potential. I have a weakness for books where some deep, dark secret looms over the story to be revealed in the closing paragraph and that seemed to be what the blurb was hinting at. This is not one of those stories, not really. For a long time I wasn't sure what this book wanted to be. It seemed at first to be a book about loss and moving on from grief. Then it seemed to be a tale of the inevitable end of a marriage torn asunder and the betrayal of fidelity. I reached the 80% mark and still couldn't figure it out. That's not to say I wasn't intrigued. The writing style is clean and simple, it just flows, so you're not really conscious of it being in third person, it feels like you're there. Technically speaking, I could find no fault. I didn't even get annoyed at the characters, and I nearly always get frustrated with someone at some point. So, I had 20% of the book to go and I knew one thing; if this ended with some peaceful happy ever after moment of moving on, I would feel deprived...
That's not what happened. At the 95% mark, my yearnings for a dark twist were fulfilled and this book delivered on the story promised in the blurb. I have no wish to spoil the ending, so I will only say that picking up on the clues about a certain character (you will know the one) this was the only way for this story to have ended. This novel was a brief, seductive stroll down a dark path, like strolling deeper and deeper into a forest, until suddenly it's pitch black and you can feel a sinister chill. I got a similar feeling reading Les Enfants Terribles, that knowledge that it's often the most beautiful flower that is deadly, the most attractive person who is rotten inside. This book is a 4.5 for me, if it hadn't taken quite as long to find its feet I would not have hesitated to give it 5*. The beginning does well to cloak the ending however, allowing the reader to be fully susceptible to its close...which in a beautiful way mirrors the manipulations of the characters by the puppeteer of the piece.
June 22, 2016
Very disappointing and a complete letdown of an ending. Kat was written in such a way that made me feel no sympathy towards her. The only reason I gave an additional star was because the writing was concise enough to not drag the scenes on for too long.
June 5, 2016
I received a copy of this book through the Kindle First program.
Everyone grieves differently. Kat chooses to stay at home and evaluate her life and what could have been. Scott chooses to bury himself in his work. But no matter what, the heartbreak of losing their 17 year old son in a freak accident will never go away. Both Kat and Scott need to heal.
But when a person from Kat's past weasels her way back into Kat's life at the worst possible time, healing becomes extremely delayed and almost feels as if it will never happen.
I wanted to like Intrusion, but I felt as if every time something exciting should have happened, it fell flat. Anytime a twist seemed like it was going to happen, nothing climatic happened at all. It was more of a constant guessing game of "Is something going to happen to help change the plot or is it going to be easily forgotten?" The ending was very predictable and cliche too. This novel did have potential, but it feel flat pretty much halfway through.
Everyone grieves differently. Kat chooses to stay at home and evaluate her life and what could have been. Scott chooses to bury himself in his work. But no matter what, the heartbreak of losing their 17 year old son in a freak accident will never go away. Both Kat and Scott need to heal.
But when a person from Kat's past weasels her way back into Kat's life at the worst possible time, healing becomes extremely delayed and almost feels as if it will never happen.
I wanted to like Intrusion, but I felt as if every time something exciting should have happened, it fell flat. Anytime a twist seemed like it was going to happen, nothing climatic happened at all. It was more of a constant guessing game of "Is something going to happen to help change the plot or is it going to be easily forgotten?" The ending was very predictable and cliche too. This novel did have potential, but it feel flat pretty much halfway through.
June 3, 2016
Disclaimer: While I aim to be unbiased, I received a copy of this for free to review.
This novel surprised me, in a good way – I wasn’t too sure what to expect from it, and so I suppose my expectations were relatively low, but whilst I wasn’t exactly mind-blown, I did get a lot of enjoyment from it.
It follows the story of a married couple who are struggling to deal with the loss of their son when a familiar face from the past emerges and starts to cause all sorts of trouble. That gives a lot of potential scope to the story, and that’s a good thing – there are so many different directions that McCluskey could take it in that you’re always guessing and engaging with the story line.
It’s a relatively quick read, but in a good way – I thought it was just the right length to get the point across, not too short and not too long and the sort of book that you could easily read during your commute. What’s not to like about books like this?
December 7, 2016
We listened to this on a long drive for vacation and it was really engaging. The narrator did a good job and the story itself was very interesting. If I remember correctly, I found the ending particularly satisfying
July 14, 2017
Intrusion is an unflinching portrayal of grief and the fragility of a couple suffering after the death of their teenage son. Both Kat and Scott are grieving after Christopher dies. Whilst grief effects them both differently, they are both exposed to vulnerability, and it makes for unsettling reading as Sarah, a friend from Kat’s past, manipulates her way in between the two of them and tears at the seams of their marriage.
The author’s writing was honest when it came to grief and anyone who is or has been grieving could likely relate to some of the ways both Kat and Scott are feeling. Kat is very isolated and lonely since Chris died. The people she knew before hold too much sympathy and pity towards her and the new people she meets ask too many questions, and she’s not sure how to handle any questions about being a mother. Scott deals with his grief in the opposite way, throwing himself into his work rather than hiding away. He sees less and less of Kat because of this, but sometimes his brave face façade falters and you can see how grief cripples him too.
I felt like the author really realistically identifies grief and its many forms and traits, almost psychologically analysing a person who is grieving and the many ways they can be taken advantage of from people with ulterior motives, who see the overwhelming sadness and vulnerability of others as an easy way to sink their claws in and turn things in their favour. I found Intrusion uncomfortable to read and I think a lot of that is down to the author creating a sadly believable character in Sarah who despite putting on an understanding and caring front, could manipulate and control with the best of them.
The suspense in this book was huge, and little hints are weaved into the plot which give you an idea of where things are going to go. I felt less like a reader and more like a part of the characters’ lives as the book went on. I could feel the crippling tension that came with the threat Sarah possessed, wondering what she was plotting, if anything, and how things wound unfold. Whilst the story was a fascinating one, as I kept on reading I was I suppose waiting for something to really hook me in – to grip me or surprise me or shock me – and for the most part, I didn’t really feel that happened.
Though the ending was satisfyingly fitting for the rest of the novel, I felt Intrusion was lacking that edge to it. The theme and layers of this novel were dark, but the actions of the characters could have been darker. I appreciate the way the author wrote this book as a psychological drama, which built up in tension in the lead-up to the conclusion, but I would have loved the lead up to the explosive end to have been a bit more exciting. The unease and unsettling nature of the story is nailed perfectly, but I would have liked more to have happened.
Regardless of anything else, however, the ending to Intrusion is one I am not likely to forget, very powerful and right for the story. The author does her characters justice and as it’s easy to become invested in their lives, I knew how I wanted things to turn out for them and Mary McCluskey delivers.
The author’s writing was honest when it came to grief and anyone who is or has been grieving could likely relate to some of the ways both Kat and Scott are feeling. Kat is very isolated and lonely since Chris died. The people she knew before hold too much sympathy and pity towards her and the new people she meets ask too many questions, and she’s not sure how to handle any questions about being a mother. Scott deals with his grief in the opposite way, throwing himself into his work rather than hiding away. He sees less and less of Kat because of this, but sometimes his brave face façade falters and you can see how grief cripples him too.
I felt like the author really realistically identifies grief and its many forms and traits, almost psychologically analysing a person who is grieving and the many ways they can be taken advantage of from people with ulterior motives, who see the overwhelming sadness and vulnerability of others as an easy way to sink their claws in and turn things in their favour. I found Intrusion uncomfortable to read and I think a lot of that is down to the author creating a sadly believable character in Sarah who despite putting on an understanding and caring front, could manipulate and control with the best of them.
The suspense in this book was huge, and little hints are weaved into the plot which give you an idea of where things are going to go. I felt less like a reader and more like a part of the characters’ lives as the book went on. I could feel the crippling tension that came with the threat Sarah possessed, wondering what she was plotting, if anything, and how things wound unfold. Whilst the story was a fascinating one, as I kept on reading I was I suppose waiting for something to really hook me in – to grip me or surprise me or shock me – and for the most part, I didn’t really feel that happened.
Though the ending was satisfyingly fitting for the rest of the novel, I felt Intrusion was lacking that edge to it. The theme and layers of this novel were dark, but the actions of the characters could have been darker. I appreciate the way the author wrote this book as a psychological drama, which built up in tension in the lead-up to the conclusion, but I would have loved the lead up to the explosive end to have been a bit more exciting. The unease and unsettling nature of the story is nailed perfectly, but I would have liked more to have happened.
Regardless of anything else, however, the ending to Intrusion is one I am not likely to forget, very powerful and right for the story. The author does her characters justice and as it’s easy to become invested in their lives, I knew how I wanted things to turn out for them and Mary McCluskey delivers.
October 12, 2019
Kat and Scott are reeling from the death of their 17 year old son Christopher. Both are dealing with their grief in different ways. Attorney Scott has thrown himself into his work. Kat has retreated from everything, including her career and aspects of her marriage. She spends her days at home, reliving memories of when her son was alive.
Enter Sarah Cherrington.
Sarah is an old school chum of Kat. Now a widowed heiress, she hires Scott’s firm to represent her. Instantly, Sarah is intent on renewing her friendship with Kat and helping her friend find some semblance of happiness again. As much as Kat welcomes her help, she questions her motives. She remembers Sarah well — and exactly why their friendship ended. Before long, what should have been a happy reunion between two old friends puts Kat and Scott’s marriage in jeopardy.
“Intrusion” by Mary McCluskey has been on my ‘to be read’ list for a couple of years. I bought it with the intention to read it upon its release, but I never got to it. When I spotted it last week, it was like finding buried treasure. I remember how excited I was to find it — and how the blurb alone led me to purchase it. I didn’t even read the free sample.
The book is listed as Psychological Fiction and Suspense on Amazon, and that’s exactly what it is. However, it’s a very slow and light descent into the mind of the character Kat and, with her, Sarah. McCluskey creates a strong and believable character in Kat. The grief feels real. The thoughts that go through Kat’s head are ones you can imagine of a grieving mother. I found my heart breaking for her. The book is paced so that there is time for McCluskey to tell you the story — and pull you into it.
You wonder what’s going on. With Sarah. With Scott.
You think it’s one thing. Because it makes sense based on the characters’ history.
But it’s not. Trust me.
I never lost interest for a second while reading “Intrusion”. Don’t mistake ‘slow and easy’ for cumbersome or boring. This book is neither. It’s well timed, but not slow paced. It’s engrossing, but it’s not a lip biting, edge of your seat tale either. It’s simply good. It’s the perfect book when you’re craving a well written suspense novel that’s easy on the mind just… well… enjoyable.
Enter Sarah Cherrington.
Sarah is an old school chum of Kat. Now a widowed heiress, she hires Scott’s firm to represent her. Instantly, Sarah is intent on renewing her friendship with Kat and helping her friend find some semblance of happiness again. As much as Kat welcomes her help, she questions her motives. She remembers Sarah well — and exactly why their friendship ended. Before long, what should have been a happy reunion between two old friends puts Kat and Scott’s marriage in jeopardy.
“Intrusion” by Mary McCluskey has been on my ‘to be read’ list for a couple of years. I bought it with the intention to read it upon its release, but I never got to it. When I spotted it last week, it was like finding buried treasure. I remember how excited I was to find it — and how the blurb alone led me to purchase it. I didn’t even read the free sample.
The book is listed as Psychological Fiction and Suspense on Amazon, and that’s exactly what it is. However, it’s a very slow and light descent into the mind of the character Kat and, with her, Sarah. McCluskey creates a strong and believable character in Kat. The grief feels real. The thoughts that go through Kat’s head are ones you can imagine of a grieving mother. I found my heart breaking for her. The book is paced so that there is time for McCluskey to tell you the story — and pull you into it.
You wonder what’s going on. With Sarah. With Scott.
You think it’s one thing. Because it makes sense based on the characters’ history.
But it’s not. Trust me.
I never lost interest for a second while reading “Intrusion”. Don’t mistake ‘slow and easy’ for cumbersome or boring. This book is neither. It’s well timed, but not slow paced. It’s engrossing, but it’s not a lip biting, edge of your seat tale either. It’s simply good. It’s the perfect book when you’re craving a well written suspense novel that’s easy on the mind just… well… enjoyable.
January 24, 2024
McCluskey is convincingly good at depicting grief in this short novel, in both overt and subtle ways. When heroine Kat Hamilton is holding a framed photo of her son and his friends all smiling at the camera, the image taken years before his fatal accident, and thinks, "Rewind.... Rewind to that point, right there. Start over," I thought, yeah, it's just like that. When Kat's husband, Scott, is "worried about the inertia that held her in the house," I thought, yeah, inertia is the perfect word there. The writing is almost deceptively good; it doesn't call attention to itself and is often spare, but then you read an offhand comment from a character who's outdoors on a humid morning, saying it's "Like walking into a dog's mouth," and you think, yeah, that's a good way to describe it, that's just what it feels like. The dialogue in this book is almost always just right and believable. And McCluskey is also clearly adept at portraying psychopathy, making this a quick and gripping read right up until the climax, which is where, for me, things went awry. You can see the end coming, but that's not the problem so much as it is the abruptness of it and then its hurriedness, followed by the brief denouement that feels the same. It's almost like a page limit was reached and it was time to put a bow on it, which is too bad because up until then I was with this one.
First line:
"The narrow hotel bar, with its dull, disguising light, ran alongside the crystal ballroom."
First line:
"The narrow hotel bar, with its dull, disguising light, ran alongside the crystal ballroom."
February 8, 2021
There was this so-called "Pig in a poke" sale at our local book store meaning one could get ten books for the price of two BUT the package was prepared by the store employees so the buyer had no idea what they would get. Sadly, I received a copy of this book in my package.
I found it very hard to relate to the characters and the storyline - and not just because of the age difference as the book revolves around middle-aged characters, but because of the lack of in-depth character description and personality expression (it appears that most of them are defined by their emotions instead of their traits) along with the unrelatable plot (e.g. Sarah's noble ancestry and the constant visits to luxurious places), which was rather predictable and had no major revelations or twists. Don't even get me started on Kat and Scott's relationship... I also think the dialogues in the book were generally dull and not life-like at all. This whole thing felt like reading a published fan fiction and not of the good kind. I was really disappointed in the end.
To wrap it up, I don't regret buying that package. What I do regret is the time I wasted reading this particular book that it contained.
I found it very hard to relate to the characters and the storyline - and not just because of the age difference as the book revolves around middle-aged characters, but because of the lack of in-depth character description and personality expression (it appears that most of them are defined by their emotions instead of their traits) along with the unrelatable plot (e.g. Sarah's noble ancestry and the constant visits to luxurious places), which was rather predictable and had no major revelations or twists. Don't even get me started on Kat and Scott's relationship... I also think the dialogues in the book were generally dull and not life-like at all. This whole thing felt like reading a published fan fiction and not of the good kind. I was really disappointed in the end.
To wrap it up, I don't regret buying that package. What I do regret is the time I wasted reading this particular book that it contained.
October 1, 2017
A thriller. Some foreshadowing is apparent throughout this story about a damaged lives. The pace is quick though there was a lot of buildup for a brief bit of thriller "action". This was a free download with Amazon Prime. An interesting diversion from more serious reading. The author has a good command and skill.
July 17, 2019
Easy road trip read
I read this in a few hours riding in the car. It kept my attention and was not 100% predictable.
I read this in a few hours riding in the car. It kept my attention and was not 100% predictable.
July 14, 2016
Kat and Scott Hamilton are reeling from the sudden death of Chris, their son, an only child, aged seventeen. While Scott has thrown himself back into his work, Kat’s job in a PR firm is more than she can handle, unable to be the chirpy person she once was to handle such a role. A few months after Chris’s death, Scott needs Kat to attend a dinner hosted by his Los Angeles law firm. Mary McCluskey’s prose captures this event without overt drama but we are left in no doubt how hard Kat finds the ordeal.
Then comes the entrance we are promised in the synopsis, Sarah Cherrington, a former friend from England surfaces and whilst Kat is initially ambivalent to her appearance, her sister Maggie has strong views on Sarah and shares them voraciously.
At the beginning of this year I said how refreshing it was to read a psychological thriller that dealt with female friendship, well there have been a few of these this year, and this is a worthy addition to the pile. It is clear from the outset that there is unresolved history between Kat and Sarah but with Kat at her most vulnerable, plus the fact that Sarah is putting a lot of work in Scott’s direction it appears that bygones are going to be left just as that.
The author shows fantastic flair in giving an undercurrent of tension whilst simultaneously presenting us with everyday events such as Kat’s interactions with her fun and flirty neighbour Brooke who bakes bread for the couple and keeps an eye on Kat, allowing her space but keeping her connected to those around her.
This of course is also the story of a marriage under immense pressure. With both parties managing their grief in very different ways, Scott on the whole is clearly being as supportive as he feels possible a fact Kat acknowledges by musing that they have almost switched roles since Chris’s death.
Inevitably with this storyline there were parts that spoke loudly to me; Kat’s scenes with her grief counsellor made me smile as she appears to have got the most unsympathetic counsellor on the planet but the words she said, I’m sure are repeated by people in similar roles the whole world over. And she is one of the people in addition to Maggie and Brooke that Kat should listen to, but of course it wouldn’t be much of a story if the characters did the sensible thing! In this book this didn’t feel unrealistic though, as we had the scene set early on to show us Kat’s fragility and therefore her blind spots are far more understandable than may otherwise be the case.
This was one of those books that I consumed at a rate of knots. The storyline moves at a pace and while the premise is not exactly novel, the execution lifts it above some similar books about female friendship. I particularly enjoyed the natural dialogue, the precise scene setting and the slow reveal of what it was that caused the rift between the two young women at the end of their years at university.
I received my copy of Intrusion from Midas PR on behalf of the publishers Little A in return for this my honest opinion.
Then comes the entrance we are promised in the synopsis, Sarah Cherrington, a former friend from England surfaces and whilst Kat is initially ambivalent to her appearance, her sister Maggie has strong views on Sarah and shares them voraciously.
At the beginning of this year I said how refreshing it was to read a psychological thriller that dealt with female friendship, well there have been a few of these this year, and this is a worthy addition to the pile. It is clear from the outset that there is unresolved history between Kat and Sarah but with Kat at her most vulnerable, plus the fact that Sarah is putting a lot of work in Scott’s direction it appears that bygones are going to be left just as that.
The author shows fantastic flair in giving an undercurrent of tension whilst simultaneously presenting us with everyday events such as Kat’s interactions with her fun and flirty neighbour Brooke who bakes bread for the couple and keeps an eye on Kat, allowing her space but keeping her connected to those around her.
This of course is also the story of a marriage under immense pressure. With both parties managing their grief in very different ways, Scott on the whole is clearly being as supportive as he feels possible a fact Kat acknowledges by musing that they have almost switched roles since Chris’s death.
Inevitably with this storyline there were parts that spoke loudly to me; Kat’s scenes with her grief counsellor made me smile as she appears to have got the most unsympathetic counsellor on the planet but the words she said, I’m sure are repeated by people in similar roles the whole world over. And she is one of the people in addition to Maggie and Brooke that Kat should listen to, but of course it wouldn’t be much of a story if the characters did the sensible thing! In this book this didn’t feel unrealistic though, as we had the scene set early on to show us Kat’s fragility and therefore her blind spots are far more understandable than may otherwise be the case.
This was one of those books that I consumed at a rate of knots. The storyline moves at a pace and while the premise is not exactly novel, the execution lifts it above some similar books about female friendship. I particularly enjoyed the natural dialogue, the precise scene setting and the slow reveal of what it was that caused the rift between the two young women at the end of their years at university.
I received my copy of Intrusion from Midas PR on behalf of the publishers Little A in return for this my honest opinion.
February 21, 2017
Too little too late.
It took a long time to get to plot twist in the book and when it did, it was so quick.
It took a long time to get to plot twist in the book and when it did, it was so quick.
July 1, 2016
Scott and Kat Hamilton are still grieving the loss of their teenage son Christopher, each in their separate ways. The closeness they once felt is slowly disappearing as the loss engulfs them.
So when an old former friend from the UK shows up as head of a company that Scott has signed as his client, Kat is stunned. But trying hard to be forgiving for Sarah Cherrington’s betrayal twenty years before.
But Kat’s sister Maggie is not so forgiving and urges Kat to be careful. However, Sarah, now the widow Harrison, is Scott’s client, so she has to try. Right?
When Sarah seemingly shows a generous side, offering support, gifts, and invitations to her gorgeous homes in Ojai and Malibu, Kat is unable to turn her away. Even though Sarah shows up repeatedly, “just for a moment,” inserting herself into their lives, her apparent generosity is hard to resist.
When Sarah offers Kat the key to her Sussex cottage, the one that has such fond memories for Kat, the alarm bells should have gone off. But they didn’t….at least not right away.
Intrusion is a chilling portrayal of a woman hell-bent on revenge, taking down all who have seemingly wronged her so many years ago. Will Kat and Scott be her latest victims?
Of course, in the blurb, we are forewarned about Sarah and her intentions, but even if we hadn’t been, I could see her manipulations and her intrusiveness from miles away. I wanted to shout at Kat to stop allowing this woman to control her, but sometimes, nothing gets through until the last possible moment. I couldn’t stop turning those pages until the very end. 5 stars.
So when an old former friend from the UK shows up as head of a company that Scott has signed as his client, Kat is stunned. But trying hard to be forgiving for Sarah Cherrington’s betrayal twenty years before.
But Kat’s sister Maggie is not so forgiving and urges Kat to be careful. However, Sarah, now the widow Harrison, is Scott’s client, so she has to try. Right?
When Sarah seemingly shows a generous side, offering support, gifts, and invitations to her gorgeous homes in Ojai and Malibu, Kat is unable to turn her away. Even though Sarah shows up repeatedly, “just for a moment,” inserting herself into their lives, her apparent generosity is hard to resist.
When Sarah offers Kat the key to her Sussex cottage, the one that has such fond memories for Kat, the alarm bells should have gone off. But they didn’t….at least not right away.
Intrusion is a chilling portrayal of a woman hell-bent on revenge, taking down all who have seemingly wronged her so many years ago. Will Kat and Scott be her latest victims?
Of course, in the blurb, we are forewarned about Sarah and her intentions, but even if we hadn’t been, I could see her manipulations and her intrusiveness from miles away. I wanted to shout at Kat to stop allowing this woman to control her, but sometimes, nothing gets through until the last possible moment. I couldn’t stop turning those pages until the very end. 5 stars.
July 3, 2016
It's by now an all-too familiar plot: Loss of a child, and coming to grips with it. Kat Hamilton and her husband Scott have lived through the first anniversary of the death of their teenaged son, Christopher. To cope, it would appear that Scott, a busy and rising lawyer, buries himself in work. Kat . . . grieves, never finding the strategy that will allow her life to move forward.
And then there's the mysterious Sarah Cherrington, a very wealthy and self-assured friend from Kat's past. Kat hasn't seen Sarah in some twenty years, but now they're reunited at a conference banquet that Scott is attending and it's almost as if Sarah had never been gone. An old friendship is rekindled, or so it would seem. But for a mystery to be a mystery, there must be more, and there is. Regrettably, the mystery falls shorter than the emotional (and often overdone) quality of the grieving process.
I guessed the "villain" about midway through the novel. I hoped I would be wrong, but I wasn't. And truth be told, I thought the story ran longer than need be, largely because the author—though most assuredly a good writer—overdid her hand in portraying grief, almost to the point of . . . well, boredom.
Botton line? A good enough read, but one that should've delivered a more taut story and one with fewer indications of what the likely outcome would be.
And then there's the mysterious Sarah Cherrington, a very wealthy and self-assured friend from Kat's past. Kat hasn't seen Sarah in some twenty years, but now they're reunited at a conference banquet that Scott is attending and it's almost as if Sarah had never been gone. An old friendship is rekindled, or so it would seem. But for a mystery to be a mystery, there must be more, and there is. Regrettably, the mystery falls shorter than the emotional (and often overdone) quality of the grieving process.
I guessed the "villain" about midway through the novel. I hoped I would be wrong, but I wasn't. And truth be told, I thought the story ran longer than need be, largely because the author—though most assuredly a good writer—overdid her hand in portraying grief, almost to the point of . . . well, boredom.
Botton line? A good enough read, but one that should've delivered a more taut story and one with fewer indications of what the likely outcome would be.
July 7, 2016
This book was good enough that it kept my interest...but it just took way too long to deliver, for me. I felt like 90% of the book just led up to this shocking (kind of) revelation at the end of the book.
Kat and Scott Hamilton lost their 17 year old son in a freak car accident, and the book starts off shortly after..just going through their grieving process. Kat is on the verge of suicide because of all of this. Her husband, Scott, is grieving too, but he throws himself into work, which leads Kat to think he doesn't care... he's having an affair... she thinks a lot of different things, and they just aren't communicating well, their marriage appears to be falling apart. Kat's old friend from school, Sarah, then comes into the picture and for a good 3/4 of the book you are trying to figure out exactly what her motive is, and her significance in the book.
Like I said before, the ending finally got interesting...but it was like, the last few pages. This book actually felt like it really had potential, but maybe McCluskey just ended it too abruptly? I'm not sure what could have been done to improve it, exactly, but the end did feel very rushed.
Overall, decent book... it kept me entertained, or at least engaged. It definitely was not one of those books that will always stand out to me.
Kat and Scott Hamilton lost their 17 year old son in a freak car accident, and the book starts off shortly after..just going through their grieving process. Kat is on the verge of suicide because of all of this. Her husband, Scott, is grieving too, but he throws himself into work, which leads Kat to think he doesn't care... he's having an affair... she thinks a lot of different things, and they just aren't communicating well, their marriage appears to be falling apart. Kat's old friend from school, Sarah, then comes into the picture and for a good 3/4 of the book you are trying to figure out exactly what her motive is, and her significance in the book.
Like I said before, the ending finally got interesting...but it was like, the last few pages. This book actually felt like it really had potential, but maybe McCluskey just ended it too abruptly? I'm not sure what could have been done to improve it, exactly, but the end did feel very rushed.
Overall, decent book... it kept me entertained, or at least engaged. It definitely was not one of those books that will always stand out to me.
June 15, 2016
This was my Kindle First pick for June, and a thoroughly enjoyable low-key thriller.
The intense pain experienced by parents Kat and Scott over the accidental death of their only child is portrayed so realistically, it's almost palpable. To make matters even worse for them, rather than uniting over their shared grief, they're each grieving separately in ways that threaten to tear their marriage apart. Then Kat's former childhood friend shows up, weasels her way into their lives, and from the get-go, it's obvious this beautiful, ultra-rich, powerful woman is hellbent on causing trouble.
For the most part, the characters were well-developed, the writing satisfactory, and the story, enjoyable. My only beef? The long drawn-out build-up is delicious, but the long-awaited climax is... anti-climactic. All of the ends got tied up in a bow way too quickly. I saw the ending coming from a mile away, but I would have liked it to have been a little more satisfying, well-developed and suspenseful. Still, it's a book worth reading. I'd give it three and a half stars, rounded up to four.
The intense pain experienced by parents Kat and Scott over the accidental death of their only child is portrayed so realistically, it's almost palpable. To make matters even worse for them, rather than uniting over their shared grief, they're each grieving separately in ways that threaten to tear their marriage apart. Then Kat's former childhood friend shows up, weasels her way into their lives, and from the get-go, it's obvious this beautiful, ultra-rich, powerful woman is hellbent on causing trouble.
For the most part, the characters were well-developed, the writing satisfactory, and the story, enjoyable. My only beef? The long drawn-out build-up is delicious, but the long-awaited climax is... anti-climactic. All of the ends got tied up in a bow way too quickly. I saw the ending coming from a mile away, but I would have liked it to have been a little more satisfying, well-developed and suspenseful. Still, it's a book worth reading. I'd give it three and a half stars, rounded up to four.
August 12, 2016
Intrusion rated 1.5 stars.
I made it to page 110 before fatigue and depression set in. I was looking for a psychological thriller, instead I got a book that was more about struggling with the loss of a loved one than anything else, which I really don't need in my life. Kat's grief over the death of her son overwhelmed the entire story, there was no escaping the rawness of her devastation.
I felt the book read a little awkward at times, and came across as confused, like it didn't know what it was supposed to be. My copy only had 246 pages, and by 110 I had yet to come across any thrills. Outside of the synopsis, there was no way to tell Intrusion was supposed to be a thriller of any kind.
I didn't care about any of the characters, not even Kat, beyond her grief there wasn't anything of interest. Sarah wasn't entertaining either, which was bad since she was supposed to be the antagonizer. I thought she was kind of dry.
I don't think I'll pick up another offering from Mary McCluskey.
I made it to page 110 before fatigue and depression set in. I was looking for a psychological thriller, instead I got a book that was more about struggling with the loss of a loved one than anything else, which I really don't need in my life. Kat's grief over the death of her son overwhelmed the entire story, there was no escaping the rawness of her devastation.
I felt the book read a little awkward at times, and came across as confused, like it didn't know what it was supposed to be. My copy only had 246 pages, and by 110 I had yet to come across any thrills. Outside of the synopsis, there was no way to tell Intrusion was supposed to be a thriller of any kind.
I didn't care about any of the characters, not even Kat, beyond her grief there wasn't anything of interest. Sarah wasn't entertaining either, which was bad since she was supposed to be the antagonizer. I thought she was kind of dry.
I don't think I'll pick up another offering from Mary McCluskey.
September 15, 2016
When Kate's son is killed she needs to rebuild her life. Her husband throws himself into his work as a top lawyer while she is left at home to cope.
Suddenly her old school friend Sarah turns up as Steven's new client and the story of why they lost touch is gradually revealed through the rest of the novel.
Things happen where Sarah is helping or is she manipulating and trying to be in control as she always was. The whole thing culminates is the sleepy English countryside with drastic consequences.
If you like your thrillers slow burning with a dramatic ending this is the book for you.
I enjoyed this book but the suspense was never quiet there. The question of whether Steven is having an affair with Sarah was never pushed to the maximum level. Sarah never gets truly ingrained with the family and the final scenes are over too quickly.
An enjoyable read but it never made me really worried for the main characters, hence I've only given it 3 stars.
Suddenly her old school friend Sarah turns up as Steven's new client and the story of why they lost touch is gradually revealed through the rest of the novel.
Things happen where Sarah is helping or is she manipulating and trying to be in control as she always was. The whole thing culminates is the sleepy English countryside with drastic consequences.
If you like your thrillers slow burning with a dramatic ending this is the book for you.
I enjoyed this book but the suspense was never quiet there. The question of whether Steven is having an affair with Sarah was never pushed to the maximum level. Sarah never gets truly ingrained with the family and the final scenes are over too quickly.
An enjoyable read but it never made me really worried for the main characters, hence I've only given it 3 stars.
June 6, 2016
This is a new author to me and I bought an advance copy courtesy of Kindle First's programme. I was pleased I picked it as I really enjoyed it. It has some tragedy and sadness but also some mystery and a fair old smattering of evildoing !!
My favourite character is Brooke. Scatty but so kind, the sort of friend we'd all like.
I found it odd we weren't told anything about Joanna till very near the end. I flicked back thinking I'd somehow missed mention of her but I hadn't so that was a little baffling.
It was well presented and edited too. I spotted short list which I'd have written as the one word (as a short list sounds....funny)but that was it !! So that's extremely well done and deserves an extra star alone !!
I went off once I'd finished to look up some of the poetry mentioned so I was educated some as well.
My favourite character is Brooke. Scatty but so kind, the sort of friend we'd all like.
I found it odd we weren't told anything about Joanna till very near the end. I flicked back thinking I'd somehow missed mention of her but I hadn't so that was a little baffling.
It was well presented and edited too. I spotted short list which I'd have written as the one word (as a short list sounds....funny)but that was it !! So that's extremely well done and deserves an extra star alone !!
I went off once I'd finished to look up some of the poetry mentioned so I was educated some as well.
July 22, 2016
This is a baffling book. It's sad at times, and the story goes a little wild at times. And then it ends. This is the story of Kat and Scott. A married couple dealing with the loss of their only child. Kat is really struggling, while her husband Scott throws himself into work. Then comes a surprise from Kat's past who ends up being Scott's new client. Her name is Sarah, and she has her own agenda. As that agenda unfolds, the story just kinda ends. It was built up, then done. Overall this book was just ok.
June 7, 2016
Good first book.
Glad I picked this free book of the month. You know and understand everything about the characters. You feel Kat's devastation and emptiness. Scott's work load mostly created by the Sarah. There are some people carry hate and revenge for decades, some of us know people like that. Ending was what I expected.
Glad I picked this free book of the month. You know and understand everything about the characters. You feel Kat's devastation and emptiness. Scott's work load mostly created by the Sarah. There are some people carry hate and revenge for decades, some of us know people like that. Ending was what I expected.
June 6, 2016
Meh
Indifferent about this book, didn't really care for the main character at all so it was hard to get into the story. I agree with other reviewers that stated the ending was too abrupt. I felt it was wrapped up too nicely, and I should also mention, was totally unbelievable. Wish I had chosen a different book for my Kindle First selection but alas, as least it was free.
Indifferent about this book, didn't really care for the main character at all so it was hard to get into the story. I agree with other reviewers that stated the ending was too abrupt. I felt it was wrapped up too nicely, and I should also mention, was totally unbelievable. Wish I had chosen a different book for my Kindle First selection but alas, as least it was free.
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