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Detective Leah Teal #4
Sticks and Stones
A case from the past sparks a nightmare for Detective Leah Teal in Michael Hiebert's masterful new novel of suspense.
Fifteen years ago, a serial killer tagged by the media as The Stickman spread terror throughout Alabama and became Alvin police officer Joe Fowler's obsession. After six months and at least fifteen victims, Harry Stork was identified as the Stickman and Fowler shot him dead. The killings stopped. For a while.
Now, more bodies are turning up, each staked through the chest with a stick-figure drawing in the killer's signature style. Detective Leah Teal--Joe Fowler's daughter and Alvin's sole detective--receives a letter before each victim is found, just like her late father did. The only people who knew about the letters were the cops on the taskforce back then--and the killer himself. Did Joe shoot the wrong man, or was one of the detectives he handpicked involved all along? As a single mother, Leah tries to balance an increasingly disturbing case and a new relationship with caring for her children--bright, perceptive Abe, and teenaged Caroline, who's in the first flush of young love. But with each menacing communication, each gruesome discovery, Leah realizes just how personal, and how devastating, the truth may be.
Weaving lyrical prose and emotional richness into a taut, gripping mystery, Michael Hiebert creates a fascinating novel of life, love, and death in a small Southern town.
Fifteen years ago, a serial killer tagged by the media as The Stickman spread terror throughout Alabama and became Alvin police officer Joe Fowler's obsession. After six months and at least fifteen victims, Harry Stork was identified as the Stickman and Fowler shot him dead. The killings stopped. For a while.
Now, more bodies are turning up, each staked through the chest with a stick-figure drawing in the killer's signature style. Detective Leah Teal--Joe Fowler's daughter and Alvin's sole detective--receives a letter before each victim is found, just like her late father did. The only people who knew about the letters were the cops on the taskforce back then--and the killer himself. Did Joe shoot the wrong man, or was one of the detectives he handpicked involved all along? As a single mother, Leah tries to balance an increasingly disturbing case and a new relationship with caring for her children--bright, perceptive Abe, and teenaged Caroline, who's in the first flush of young love. But with each menacing communication, each gruesome discovery, Leah realizes just how personal, and how devastating, the truth may be.
Weaving lyrical prose and emotional richness into a taut, gripping mystery, Michael Hiebert creates a fascinating novel of life, love, and death in a small Southern town.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2016
93 people are currently reading
1149 people want to read
About the author
Michael Hiebert
28 books99 followersMichael Hiebert is the award-winning author of many books and short stories. He is the author of Dream with Little Angels, the first book of his acclaimed Alvin, Alabama Mystery Series. His recent work includes The Rose Garden Arena Incident (A Serial Thriller in Seven Parts) and Sometimes the Angels Weep, his first collection of short stories. He won the Surrey International Writers’ Conference Storyteller Award two years running, and his story My Lame Summer Journal by Brandon Harris, Grade 7 was listed by Joyce Carol Oates as one of the top fifty most distinguished mystery stories published in The Best American Mystery Stories. He lives in British Columbia, Canada, with his three children and dog, Chloe.
Be sure to check out his website at http://www.michaelhiebert.com and sign up for VIP access and be eligible for all sorts of free stuff. Michael can be contacted by email at michael@michaelhiebert.com
Be sure to check out his website at http://www.michaelhiebert.com and sign up for VIP access and be eligible for all sorts of free stuff. Michael can be contacted by email at michael@michaelhiebert.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
February 16, 2017
WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
Dear Mr Hiebert.
I read and enjoyed the previous book in this series, A Thorn Among the Lilies. Well, I enjoyed it more than this one.
In your acknowledgements you thank your editor, John Scognamiglio for allowing you to come in at nearly double your contracted word count so that you could tell the story the way you wanted to tell it. A pity you didn't listen to him, or that he didn't wield his red pen anyway.
Sticks and Stones is very wordy - far too wordy. You could lose 1/3 of the book and it would be better for it. There are pages devoted to Noah Stokes explaining the theory of his book explaining the relationship of schizophrenia to Judges and some other book in the bible.
I don't need, or necessarily want, to know how luminol, or a myriad of other chemicals, or security lights work. I know they do. That's enough. If I am curious, I will use Google.
And writing lines like '...nor did Leah/Dan/Abe/Jonathon (take your pick) have any way of knowing at that very moment.......' It KILLS the suspense!
As did the following line .....'So it's a race, he thought, between a fluorescent bulb and the girl of my dreams.' I mean, really...how cheesy is that? And at that point in the story, it doesn't need cheesy. At this point Jonathon's girlfriend Caroline (Carry) is in the clutches of a killer and Jonathon is trying to rescue her. The light bulb isn't mentioned again, and then he goes into long memories about his grandfather.......the point being???
I lost count of the times we are told that the streets in Blue Jay Maples are all named after birds, that they wind and wend endlessly and have deep ditches on both sides, and that Noah Stokes house is baby blue with white trim.
And yet Mr Heibert, you can write, and write well. The final action scene is wonderful. Do yourself a favour and stick to the story. Lose all the extraneous stuff.
2.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley via Kensington Books for providing a digital ARC for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Dear Mr Hiebert.
I read and enjoyed the previous book in this series, A Thorn Among the Lilies. Well, I enjoyed it more than this one.
In your acknowledgements you thank your editor, John Scognamiglio for allowing you to come in at nearly double your contracted word count so that you could tell the story the way you wanted to tell it. A pity you didn't listen to him, or that he didn't wield his red pen anyway.
Sticks and Stones is very wordy - far too wordy. You could lose 1/3 of the book and it would be better for it. There are pages devoted to Noah Stokes explaining the theory of his book explaining the relationship of schizophrenia to Judges and some other book in the bible.
I don't need, or necessarily want, to know how luminol, or a myriad of other chemicals, or security lights work. I know they do. That's enough. If I am curious, I will use Google.
And writing lines like '...nor did Leah/Dan/Abe/Jonathon (take your pick) have any way of knowing at that very moment.......' It KILLS the suspense!
As did the following line .....'So it's a race, he thought, between a fluorescent bulb and the girl of my dreams.' I mean, really...how cheesy is that? And at that point in the story, it doesn't need cheesy. At this point Jonathon's girlfriend Caroline (Carry) is in the clutches of a killer and Jonathon is trying to rescue her. The light bulb isn't mentioned again, and then he goes into long memories about his grandfather.......the point being???
I lost count of the times we are told that the streets in Blue Jay Maples are all named after birds, that they wind and wend endlessly and have deep ditches on both sides, and that Noah Stokes house is baby blue with white trim.
And yet Mr Heibert, you can write, and write well. The final action scene is wonderful. Do yourself a favour and stick to the story. Lose all the extraneous stuff.
2.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley via Kensington Books for providing a digital ARC for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
September 25, 2024
Fifteen years ago there were a string of murders in Alvin, Alabama and the media dubbed the killer The Stickman. Police officer Joe Fowler fronted a special task force dedicated to finding the murderer and capturing him. When the killer was found Joe Fowler shot and killed him ending the spree that ran for six months and totaled at least fifteen victims. That is until another body shows up now fifteen years later.
One of the things the Stickman always did was to leave a note for Joe Fowler as to where to look to find the body of the victims. Now years later the police receive a note but this time it is addressed to Joe's daughter Leah Teal. Leah is now a detective herself and with more bodies showing up in the same style as the murderer her father had killed Leah is questioning whether it's a copy cat or did her father kill the wrong man?
Sticks and Stones is actually told from several point of views, those of Leah and her children as each are involved in the new investigation. It was really an OK read but one that I didn't find myself overly excited and drawn into as I do with some books.
I do think one thing about this story that I didn't quite love was Leah herself. There was something a bit off with her character to me that I struggled to find myself connecting with her the way I should with a supposed to be strong female lead in a story. Sometimes her actions seemed a bit off as a detective and perhaps it was referring to her father as Pa it made her feel younger.
Also, I think sometimes this story got a bit too technical for my taste. Sure I love to understand the forensics and cases when reading something like this but I also sometimes found it just lingered a bit too long explaining things that I would start to get bored.
Overall, I found this one just OK in the end. The part of the kids helping to tell the story was a bit different which I did like.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
One of the things the Stickman always did was to leave a note for Joe Fowler as to where to look to find the body of the victims. Now years later the police receive a note but this time it is addressed to Joe's daughter Leah Teal. Leah is now a detective herself and with more bodies showing up in the same style as the murderer her father had killed Leah is questioning whether it's a copy cat or did her father kill the wrong man?
Sticks and Stones is actually told from several point of views, those of Leah and her children as each are involved in the new investigation. It was really an OK read but one that I didn't find myself overly excited and drawn into as I do with some books.
I do think one thing about this story that I didn't quite love was Leah herself. There was something a bit off with her character to me that I struggled to find myself connecting with her the way I should with a supposed to be strong female lead in a story. Sometimes her actions seemed a bit off as a detective and perhaps it was referring to her father as Pa it made her feel younger.
Also, I think sometimes this story got a bit too technical for my taste. Sure I love to understand the forensics and cases when reading something like this but I also sometimes found it just lingered a bit too long explaining things that I would start to get bored.
Overall, I found this one just OK in the end. The part of the kids helping to tell the story was a bit different which I did like.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
June 28, 2016
Detective Leah Teal is following in her dad’s footsteps. Fifteen years ago, Detective Joe Fowler shot and killed a serial killer…the man they called The Stickman. He would kill his victim, then leave a stake through their chest with a picture of a stick person. The one piece of information that was never released is that he would also send a letter to the detective letting him know when and where he could find his latest victim.
Leah now has her own Stickman down to receiving a letter personally addressed to her after the killing. Did her father shoot and kill the wrong man? Is this a copycat? Did the Stickman have a partner? Why has he waited 15 years to start again? And how does he know about the letters?
It’s a rip-roaring race to find answers before there is another death in Alvin, Alabama. Leah’s boyfriend, FBI Agent Dan Pruitt, gets in on the chase.
The book is well written. Everything from police procedures in following not only the clues for the recent victim, but also following the case from 15 years prior is extremely well done. This novel also explores the private life of Leah and Dan and Leah’s two teenagers, who add a bit of humor to all the bad that cops normally see.
The characters are well defined. It’s obvious that Leah idolized her father and knowing that he might have killed an innocent man is tearing her apart. Dan is a great guy for the most part. But in order to do his job, he’s become dependent on booze to sleep without nightmares. I like Leah’s relationships with her boss, who was her dad’s best friend and the two other officers she works with. Even though she is the only ‘real’ detective she doesn’t lord it over them nor are they resentful of her superiority.
I look forward to seeing what Michael Hiebert has in mind for his next book. Sticks and Stones is the 4th in this most interesting series.
Many thanks to the author \ Kensington Books \ NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Leah now has her own Stickman down to receiving a letter personally addressed to her after the killing. Did her father shoot and kill the wrong man? Is this a copycat? Did the Stickman have a partner? Why has he waited 15 years to start again? And how does he know about the letters?
It’s a rip-roaring race to find answers before there is another death in Alvin, Alabama. Leah’s boyfriend, FBI Agent Dan Pruitt, gets in on the chase.
The book is well written. Everything from police procedures in following not only the clues for the recent victim, but also following the case from 15 years prior is extremely well done. This novel also explores the private life of Leah and Dan and Leah’s two teenagers, who add a bit of humor to all the bad that cops normally see.
The characters are well defined. It’s obvious that Leah idolized her father and knowing that he might have killed an innocent man is tearing her apart. Dan is a great guy for the most part. But in order to do his job, he’s become dependent on booze to sleep without nightmares. I like Leah’s relationships with her boss, who was her dad’s best friend and the two other officers she works with. Even though she is the only ‘real’ detective she doesn’t lord it over them nor are they resentful of her superiority.
I look forward to seeing what Michael Hiebert has in mind for his next book. Sticks and Stones is the 4th in this most interesting series.
Many thanks to the author \ Kensington Books \ NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
June 20, 2016
Joe Fowler's career as a detective was shaped by the hunt for The Stickman, a serial killer who terrorized Alabama in 1973/74. Fowler identified Harry Stork, and in a classic showdown, shot and killed him. 15 years later, a murder scene reminiscent of the stickman's leads Fowler's daughter, Detective Leah Teal, to look into her father's old case. Is she dealing with a copycat murder? Or did her father kill the wrong man and the stickman has returned?
This had the hallmarks of a character-driven mystery where you get a comprehensive insight into the relationships, thoughts, and activities of Leah and of Leah's thirteen-year-old son, Abe, and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Carry. The story is mostly told from third-person-perspective but switches to the first person for Abe's perspective. His was the most enjoyable because it was amusing in parts. He didn't seem consistent, though. On the one hand, he looked up words he didn't understand in a dictionary and on the other hand, his first person perspective contained words that didn't fit with his thirteen-year-old teenage boy persona. It's little things like this that made the character not very authentic.
Sticks and Stones is the fourth book in the Detective Leah Tale series, but the first one I have read. That is perhaps why I was struggling to connect with these characters.
Leah mostly annoyed me. She came across as weak and incompetent: a not-so-friendly inmate needs interviewing and Leah... 'better let my detective boyfriend do that while I observe how it's done'. There was an instance where she nearly fainted. Good job she had three strong males by her side....eye roll. Her monologs became repetitive: 'What if my father shot the wrong man?' 'My boyfriend is an alcoholic, and I really should be dealing with it'. But she didn't.
With some taut editing, this could have been an interesting mystery, but it was just overly long and dragged. For example, Abe reads a book on forensics and so we are given a complete basic introduction into forensic procedures. Then we get the entire timeline of the cases. Too detailed for me and it didn't help the plot. I was getting really impatient with this, and when I started counting the instances when "near on" and "on account of" was used (roughly 50 and 70 times), I knew maybe I should give up.
I love Southern mysteries, which is why I really wanted to read this, but it wasn't as gripping as I had hoped. Sorry. 2.75 stars if I could, but rounding up to 3 because once Leah finally works out the identity of the killer, there were a couple of engaging chapters and a daring development I hadn't seen coming.
Thanks to Kensington who provided me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This had the hallmarks of a character-driven mystery where you get a comprehensive insight into the relationships, thoughts, and activities of Leah and of Leah's thirteen-year-old son, Abe, and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Carry. The story is mostly told from third-person-perspective but switches to the first person for Abe's perspective. His was the most enjoyable because it was amusing in parts. He didn't seem consistent, though. On the one hand, he looked up words he didn't understand in a dictionary and on the other hand, his first person perspective contained words that didn't fit with his thirteen-year-old teenage boy persona. It's little things like this that made the character not very authentic.
Sticks and Stones is the fourth book in the Detective Leah Tale series, but the first one I have read. That is perhaps why I was struggling to connect with these characters.
Leah mostly annoyed me. She came across as weak and incompetent: a not-so-friendly inmate needs interviewing and Leah... 'better let my detective boyfriend do that while I observe how it's done'. There was an instance where she nearly fainted. Good job she had three strong males by her side....eye roll. Her monologs became repetitive: 'What if my father shot the wrong man?' 'My boyfriend is an alcoholic, and I really should be dealing with it'. But she didn't.
With some taut editing, this could have been an interesting mystery, but it was just overly long and dragged. For example, Abe reads a book on forensics and so we are given a complete basic introduction into forensic procedures. Then we get the entire timeline of the cases. Too detailed for me and it didn't help the plot. I was getting really impatient with this, and when I started counting the instances when "near on" and "on account of" was used (roughly 50 and 70 times), I knew maybe I should give up.
I love Southern mysteries, which is why I really wanted to read this, but it wasn't as gripping as I had hoped. Sorry. 2.75 stars if I could, but rounding up to 3 because once Leah finally works out the identity of the killer, there were a couple of engaging chapters and a daring development I hadn't seen coming.
Thanks to Kensington who provided me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2016
I was looking forward to reading this book BUT once I started reading I realized it did not appeal to me. I could not relate to Leah or her relationship with Dan. I did not get the dynamics at the police department in Alvin, Alabama and wonder if it would really be as portrayed even in small town 1999. I liked Carry and Johnathan together but feel they got a rough deal. Abe, at 13, was an interesting character. I have to admit that I skimmed the middle to reach the end and believe it will probably appeal some but it did not appeal to me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 28, 2016
It felt like work getting through this book...
It seemed like this book had all the components needed to make for an enjoyable read but I found out quickly that it was like fingernails on a chalkboard trying to get through this book. I usually am a fan of mysteries with serial killers but...
First of all, I realize that what I read was an Advanced Reading Copy of the actual book and I shouldn't expect all the mistakes to be fixed. But there were two that just made me cringe every time I saw them. The first is the daughter's name, Caroline. The nickname for Caroline is Carrie but in this book they made it Carry (*pulls hair out in big clumps*). And Carry's name was used a lot in the book.
Next Police Officer Leah Teal, the main protagonist of the story, was always talking about her deceased Pa, a former Police Officer. I felt like I was reading LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE every time I saw it.
I could have gotten by these two things because they can be fixed before the book is published (although time is getting short) but there were just too many other things wrong with the story: juvenile, clunky dialogue; a wishy-washy protagonist; a whole LONG section that appeared to be taken word for word from a forensics textbook; two clumsy romances; the ending held no big surprises...and I could go on but I won't.
There were a few bright spots, which is why I rated this two stars rather than one. I liked Abe, the young son of the protagonist. Hmmm, let me try to think of any other things I liked. There were a few - enough to keep me reading until the end of the book - but it's hard naming them.
Sorry, folks...this is a book I can't recommend.
I received it from Kensington Books through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.
It seemed like this book had all the components needed to make for an enjoyable read but I found out quickly that it was like fingernails on a chalkboard trying to get through this book. I usually am a fan of mysteries with serial killers but...
First of all, I realize that what I read was an Advanced Reading Copy of the actual book and I shouldn't expect all the mistakes to be fixed. But there were two that just made me cringe every time I saw them. The first is the daughter's name, Caroline. The nickname for Caroline is Carrie but in this book they made it Carry (*pulls hair out in big clumps*). And Carry's name was used a lot in the book.
Next Police Officer Leah Teal, the main protagonist of the story, was always talking about her deceased Pa, a former Police Officer. I felt like I was reading LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE every time I saw it.
I could have gotten by these two things because they can be fixed before the book is published (although time is getting short) but there were just too many other things wrong with the story: juvenile, clunky dialogue; a wishy-washy protagonist; a whole LONG section that appeared to be taken word for word from a forensics textbook; two clumsy romances; the ending held no big surprises...and I could go on but I won't.
There were a few bright spots, which is why I rated this two stars rather than one. I liked Abe, the young son of the protagonist. Hmmm, let me try to think of any other things I liked. There were a few - enough to keep me reading until the end of the book - but it's hard naming them.
Sorry, folks...this is a book I can't recommend.
I received it from Kensington Books through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.
June 3, 2016
This was my first book by Michael Hiebert. I liked how he told the story from the perspective of Det Leah “Fowler” Teal’s whole family, first hers, then her son’s and daughter’s. Fifteen years ago Leah’s father had shot and killed the Stickman serial killer which solved the case of his career. But did he actually kill the Stickman? Now there is another Stickman murder and the letters are addresses to Leah but in her maiden name of “Fowler” making these killings personal. With the help of her fellow Detective Dan Truitt, her new romantic interest, who takes time off to come to Alvin and assist her, she investigates these new murders while he also continues work on his other cases. As more and more details come out Leah doubts that her father killed the real Stickman but will her bias for her father’s memory allow her to solve this case before there are more murders. Great read. I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.
July 7, 2016
I received a copy for my honest opinion.
Sticks and Stones started off ok. Leah is a detective who's pa killed the Stickman killer. Now shes working a case that could be a copycat. Between her and her FBI agent boyfriend who visits to help her on her case they try to uncover the truth.
There were a few parts that engaged me but for the most part the book was TERIBBLY repetitive. The same questions without answers. A shred of something interesting then right back to the same thing. I wanted to like it more.
Sticks and Stones started off ok. Leah is a detective who's pa killed the Stickman killer. Now shes working a case that could be a copycat. Between her and her FBI agent boyfriend who visits to help her on her case they try to uncover the truth.
There were a few parts that engaged me but for the most part the book was TERIBBLY repetitive. The same questions without answers. A shred of something interesting then right back to the same thing. I wanted to like it more.
June 28, 2016
A special thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Nice cover. 3.5 Stars
A fan of the Michael Hiebert’s southern series (have read them all), he returns following (2015) A Thorn Among the Lilies (Detective Leah Teal series #3) with #4 in the series STICKS AND STONES –From beauty to brutality; A Southern Gothic psychological crime mystery suspense. A serial killer. A new case, similar to a fifteen-year-old case of Leah’s then, Detective father.
Raising all sorts of questions: Was the wrong man shot, a copycat, or someone on the inside gone bad? Why has the killer been sitting dormant all these years?
(2015) A Thorn Among the Lilies (#3)
(2014) Close To the Broken Hearted (#2)
(2013) Dream with Little Angels (#1)
Picking up from earlier books, set in the small rural town of Alvin, Alabama, (pop. 6,000) police officer Leah Teal, daughter of Joe Fowler, a former detective back in 1974. Joe was involved in an intense case tagged by the media as "Stickman."
The brutal case involved wooden staves hammered through chest, and pieces of paper affixed to the stave, a drawing of a stickman made in black permanent market.
Victims ranged from mid- twenties to early forties, both men and women. Every killing brought in more cops and a task force. The case was long and arduous with nine in total. Harry Stork, The Stickman. Joe Fowler gave his life. Leah’s dad killed him. It lasted from Feb, 1973-July 22, 1974.
He made sure, his daughter Leah would follow in his footsteps. She needed to be able to take care of her family.
Now fifteen years later, it is 1989 --Leah is a single mom. Her husband Billy was killed years ago in an automobile accident. She is now dating Dan Truitt, a Detective from nearby Birmingham.
Detective Leah Teal is the only detective in the town of Alvin and raising two children, we met from earlier books. Abe (love him), age thirteen, and daughter, Caroline, age sixteen. They always become involved in the cases. Also, we get to catch up with Abe’s partner in crime and best friend, Dewey. The adventure always unfolds with this duo: Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.
Now, she receives the news Stickman Strikes again. Her pa shot him through the heart. How could this be? The killings stopped, so now why start again fifteen years later? He is dead.
Unless there is a copycat, or someone related. OR worst still, did her dad kill the wrong man? Why would a copycat start fifteen years later? The dead do not come back. Now everyone is panicked. The murders have started and now she is the one receiving the letters, like her dad received. Prior to finding the victims. Warning: A storm is approaching
What is the truth? She recalled the details when her dad was involved. It has to be someone who knew his MO and his signature. They knew to send the letter ahead of time. Leah cannot accept her father made a mistake. His legacy. The Stickman had to be someone else. Maybe it took fifteen years to find a new partner.
A serial killer is on the loose. Through cop procedures and forensics, we meet a colorful cast of characters and suspects. From a twin brother Tommy and a pa named Noah. There was also an honorable discharge due to psychological trauma and his own medical waste management company. Following clues, schizophrenia, psych wards, a suicide, Jonathan, plus more crazy names: Stickman, Stranger, Duck, Buzzman, plus more.
In between trying to keep everyone safe from the killer, trying to solve the crime mystery, Teah is also juggling two teens, which is no easy task and a boyfriend who drinks too much. What about Dan’s dark monsters. Why does he drink so much?
From tragedy and the road to healing. Life's torrential storms. Protection for those things, and people we hold so precious to our hearts. I really enjoyed the first two books in the series; however, the latest two additions, are not quite as engaging or lyrical, as the series started. The first two seemed to be more emotional and gripping, and always enjoy the humor from the kids, mixed with the forensics.
A few notations: Hopefully if there is another installment, we can get some of original groove back. I enjoyed more of the, coming-of-age tales with Abe and Dewey’s character taking the lead, which adds a nice balance. Also, Leah seemed to be a bit disconnected. Some of the Southern flair was missing which was apparent in the earlier books in the series. Recommend reading the first, and working your way through the series.
Hiebert is a talented and gifted writer, however, want to see more of his earlier, bold, literary storytelling style -(less cop procedures). Complex, psychological, heart-wrenching effects on the human psyche--Wiley Cash, David Joy, and John Hart true Southern Grit/Gothic. Of course, we know Hiebert is not from the South, as these mentions.
JDCMustReadBooks
A fan of the Michael Hiebert’s southern series (have read them all), he returns following (2015) A Thorn Among the Lilies (Detective Leah Teal series #3) with #4 in the series STICKS AND STONES –From beauty to brutality; A Southern Gothic psychological crime mystery suspense. A serial killer. A new case, similar to a fifteen-year-old case of Leah’s then, Detective father.
Raising all sorts of questions: Was the wrong man shot, a copycat, or someone on the inside gone bad? Why has the killer been sitting dormant all these years?
(2015) A Thorn Among the Lilies (#3)
(2014) Close To the Broken Hearted (#2)
(2013) Dream with Little Angels (#1)
Picking up from earlier books, set in the small rural town of Alvin, Alabama, (pop. 6,000) police officer Leah Teal, daughter of Joe Fowler, a former detective back in 1974. Joe was involved in an intense case tagged by the media as "Stickman."
The brutal case involved wooden staves hammered through chest, and pieces of paper affixed to the stave, a drawing of a stickman made in black permanent market.
Victims ranged from mid- twenties to early forties, both men and women. Every killing brought in more cops and a task force. The case was long and arduous with nine in total. Harry Stork, The Stickman. Joe Fowler gave his life. Leah’s dad killed him. It lasted from Feb, 1973-July 22, 1974.
He made sure, his daughter Leah would follow in his footsteps. She needed to be able to take care of her family.
Now fifteen years later, it is 1989 --Leah is a single mom. Her husband Billy was killed years ago in an automobile accident. She is now dating Dan Truitt, a Detective from nearby Birmingham.
Detective Leah Teal is the only detective in the town of Alvin and raising two children, we met from earlier books. Abe (love him), age thirteen, and daughter, Caroline, age sixteen. They always become involved in the cases. Also, we get to catch up with Abe’s partner in crime and best friend, Dewey. The adventure always unfolds with this duo: Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.
Now, she receives the news Stickman Strikes again. Her pa shot him through the heart. How could this be? The killings stopped, so now why start again fifteen years later? He is dead.
Unless there is a copycat, or someone related. OR worst still, did her dad kill the wrong man? Why would a copycat start fifteen years later? The dead do not come back. Now everyone is panicked. The murders have started and now she is the one receiving the letters, like her dad received. Prior to finding the victims. Warning: A storm is approaching
What is the truth? She recalled the details when her dad was involved. It has to be someone who knew his MO and his signature. They knew to send the letter ahead of time. Leah cannot accept her father made a mistake. His legacy. The Stickman had to be someone else. Maybe it took fifteen years to find a new partner.
A serial killer is on the loose. Through cop procedures and forensics, we meet a colorful cast of characters and suspects. From a twin brother Tommy and a pa named Noah. There was also an honorable discharge due to psychological trauma and his own medical waste management company. Following clues, schizophrenia, psych wards, a suicide, Jonathan, plus more crazy names: Stickman, Stranger, Duck, Buzzman, plus more.
In between trying to keep everyone safe from the killer, trying to solve the crime mystery, Teah is also juggling two teens, which is no easy task and a boyfriend who drinks too much. What about Dan’s dark monsters. Why does he drink so much?
From tragedy and the road to healing. Life's torrential storms. Protection for those things, and people we hold so precious to our hearts. I really enjoyed the first two books in the series; however, the latest two additions, are not quite as engaging or lyrical, as the series started. The first two seemed to be more emotional and gripping, and always enjoy the humor from the kids, mixed with the forensics.
A few notations: Hopefully if there is another installment, we can get some of original groove back. I enjoyed more of the, coming-of-age tales with Abe and Dewey’s character taking the lead, which adds a nice balance. Also, Leah seemed to be a bit disconnected. Some of the Southern flair was missing which was apparent in the earlier books in the series. Recommend reading the first, and working your way through the series.
Hiebert is a talented and gifted writer, however, want to see more of his earlier, bold, literary storytelling style -(less cop procedures). Complex, psychological, heart-wrenching effects on the human psyche--Wiley Cash, David Joy, and John Hart true Southern Grit/Gothic. Of course, we know Hiebert is not from the South, as these mentions.
JDCMustReadBooks
October 1, 2019
This book is essentially a Criminal Minds episode if it was written by a high schooler. The story had so much potential had it been well written. I just couldn't get over the authors writing style - the characters spoke the broken dialect of the south and then turned around and spit out complex terminology about crime scenes, DNA and medical conditions? Then the author went on random page-long side stories and tangents that never led up to anything. And the detectives always seemed so slow and five steps behind. It was a frustrating and drawn out read.
November 23, 2024
I did enjoy the story and the characters, but wow this was very long winded. Halfway through the book and we still only have a background on the previous killings and the story is leading up to character build up. The ending was satisfying though which is why I’m giving it 3 stars. This could have been cut in half though. 693 pages wow 🤯
May 14, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and Kensington Books for an advance copy of Sticks And Stones, a police procedural set in the rural town of Alvin, Alabama in 1989. Leah Teal is the only detective on the Alvin police force and one of only three officers so they are woefully underequipped when a body is found bearing all the hallmarks of the Stickman series murders which occurred 15 years earlier and only ended when Leah's pa shot the perpetrator, Henry Stork. Now they have to decide if it is a copycat or if they got the wrong man the last time.
Sticks And Stones is a long and unusual novel and I can't say I found it particularly engrossing for a variety of reasons. I guessed the perpetrator almost immediately as Mr Hiebert doesn't do a very good job of disguising him. Leah's lack of investigative nous is initially charming and unusual but soon grates as she flounders around and ignores the basics. There is far too much extraneous detail from the explanation of forensic detail to her daughter Carrie's relationship with her boyfriend Jonathon.
I thought the best bits in the novel were when it switched from a straightforward third person narrative of everything to the first person narrative by Leah's 13 year old son Abe who is a bright and inquisitive teenager who reads his mother's case files and carries out his own forensic investigation.
I prefer a grittier, sharper read than Sticks And Stones but it has a real folksy, naive tone which will appeal to many readers.
Sticks And Stones is a long and unusual novel and I can't say I found it particularly engrossing for a variety of reasons. I guessed the perpetrator almost immediately as Mr Hiebert doesn't do a very good job of disguising him. Leah's lack of investigative nous is initially charming and unusual but soon grates as she flounders around and ignores the basics. There is far too much extraneous detail from the explanation of forensic detail to her daughter Carrie's relationship with her boyfriend Jonathon.
I thought the best bits in the novel were when it switched from a straightforward third person narrative of everything to the first person narrative by Leah's 13 year old son Abe who is a bright and inquisitive teenager who reads his mother's case files and carries out his own forensic investigation.
I prefer a grittier, sharper read than Sticks And Stones but it has a real folksy, naive tone which will appeal to many readers.
January 28, 2022
I bought this book in middle school and as a recent college graduate I finally got around to reading it. While I could say I might’ve enjoyed it more at the age I bought it, I don’t think that’d be true. This is one of the worst books I’ve read in my two decades of reading.
I’m sure I thought I was so cool buying such a thick book at that age but the 500 pages could’ve easily been cut down to at least 300. The author describes things in excruciating detail, even when it’s not necessary for the plot or foreshadowing (specifically an entire paragraph description of a fish tank in a restaurant that was only mentioned that one time).
The characters fell flat (the only interesting one being the one brutally murdered at the end). But I must specifically mention the main characters son’s age was told to me far too late in the text. Finding out nearly halfway through the book that he was 13 was shocking as the author wrote him to seem no older than 10. I mean he literally wrote multiple paragraphs of this kid looking up words in a dictionary including “analyze” and “preserve”. Is the Alabama school district really that bad that a teenager has never heard either of those words?
Finally, I leave you with a quote from the book followed by a question:
“Above them a pumpkin pie stretched wide overhead.”
What the fuck is that even trying to say?
I’m sure I thought I was so cool buying such a thick book at that age but the 500 pages could’ve easily been cut down to at least 300. The author describes things in excruciating detail, even when it’s not necessary for the plot or foreshadowing (specifically an entire paragraph description of a fish tank in a restaurant that was only mentioned that one time).
The characters fell flat (the only interesting one being the one brutally murdered at the end). But I must specifically mention the main characters son’s age was told to me far too late in the text. Finding out nearly halfway through the book that he was 13 was shocking as the author wrote him to seem no older than 10. I mean he literally wrote multiple paragraphs of this kid looking up words in a dictionary including “analyze” and “preserve”. Is the Alabama school district really that bad that a teenager has never heard either of those words?
Finally, I leave you with a quote from the book followed by a question:
“Above them a pumpkin pie stretched wide overhead.”
What the fuck is that even trying to say?
June 16, 2016
Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington books for the ARC!
Michael Hiebert's first novel was impressive. I enjoyed the varying viewpoints to push the story forward. However, I felt something lacking the entire time I was reading and had trouble connecting with any of the characters. I kept reacting to dialogue that I just didn't believe would come out of real people's mouths - HEAVY in southern dialect. Leah's internal and external use of the reference Pa, in particular, just ground on my nerves after a while. Maybe it's because I'm a northerner??? *Shrugs* Also, when we first meet Leah at the police station I was shocked how she interacted with her colleague and in particular her boss - Insubordinate, over the top emotional, flat out denial. And she's supposed to be a detective? It seemed like this female character was written by a man it was so heavy handed. At that point I stopped reading to check. Yep. All of these points made this a little hard for me to get through. What saved it for me? Hiebert succeeded in setting up a mystery that I very much wanted to know what the outcome would be. 3 stars for that alone.
Michael Hiebert's first novel was impressive. I enjoyed the varying viewpoints to push the story forward. However, I felt something lacking the entire time I was reading and had trouble connecting with any of the characters. I kept reacting to dialogue that I just didn't believe would come out of real people's mouths - HEAVY in southern dialect. Leah's internal and external use of the reference Pa, in particular, just ground on my nerves after a while. Maybe it's because I'm a northerner??? *Shrugs* Also, when we first meet Leah at the police station I was shocked how she interacted with her colleague and in particular her boss - Insubordinate, over the top emotional, flat out denial. And she's supposed to be a detective? It seemed like this female character was written by a man it was so heavy handed. At that point I stopped reading to check. Yep. All of these points made this a little hard for me to get through. What saved it for me? Hiebert succeeded in setting up a mystery that I very much wanted to know what the outcome would be. 3 stars for that alone.
May 5, 2017
Seriously one of the worst books I've read in ages. I'm bitter I wasted life on it. Let me name all the things I hate about this book:
- out of 500 pages, only 75 were interesting.
- I thought I reread parts of the book. Nope. The characters constantly repeat themselves.
- every sentence was "I reckon" and "my pa..."
- from a psychological stand point, it makes zero sense
- the ending was awful and pointless and I didn't care who lived or died.
- i will repeat myself again since the book repeated itself a million times. Repeat sentence. Repeat. Seriously, nothing happened except the same thing over and over again.
- this character needs to be retired and author needs to rethink his writing.
- out of 500 pages, only 75 were interesting.
- I thought I reread parts of the book. Nope. The characters constantly repeat themselves.
- every sentence was "I reckon" and "my pa..."
- from a psychological stand point, it makes zero sense
- the ending was awful and pointless and I didn't care who lived or died.
- i will repeat myself again since the book repeated itself a million times. Repeat sentence. Repeat. Seriously, nothing happened except the same thing over and over again.
- this character needs to be retired and author needs to rethink his writing.
June 20, 2016
Thank you to Penguin Random House for the ARC. I found Sticks and Stones to be a bit dragging. Personally, I did not like the reference "pa" to Leah's late father. At times, "pa" became repetitive. Also when a chapter was written in first person by a specific character, I think that chapter should have been identified as such at the beginning. For example, when Abe is the chapter lead, "Abe" should be indicated at the beginning. Story line was good but, as mentioned, a wee bit long.
June 28, 2016
I liked Abe best of all the characters in this novel- and I liked the concept of telling the story from a variety of viewpoints. I didn't however, really enjoy the plot, which seemed heavy on old fashioned (I know but 1999 is not THAT long ago) attitudes. I understand there are earlier books featuring Leah, who I found a little annoying but that wasn't a problem for this book, which I think might have benefited from a distanced editor. Thanks to netgalley for the Arc.
January 27, 2017
I really liked the previous books in this series, but, this one plodded along. The plot was drawn out for far too long, and the 525 pages was about 100-150 too much! Also, as with many other authors who have series, as each additional book is added, so is a lot of unnecessary profanity. I was disappointed!
February 1, 2019
I felt this was a great book, part of the Detective Leah Teal series, set in Alvin, Alabama. The author is Michael Hiebert from British Columbia, Canada. This is the fourth in the series, and after reading this part, I will read the three books preceding it. The main character, Leah, is wonderful. She's lost a lot in her life, but she is a strong and loving woman. All the detective work in the story - serial killers - was super interesting. I especially liked Abe, Leah's thirteen-year old son, who already has the knack for forensic science and is a sweet, insightful son. It wasn't an "easy" read, but the nuances in the book were very satisfying. For people interested in mystery-thrillers, this is a wonderful choice.
Judy Levis
Judy Levis
October 13, 2023
I’d give this book 3.5 stars. I’m pretty torn on the rating because the last few chapters were pretty good. However, I think over 500 pages is just a little much. 76 chapters is EXCESSIVE! I learned more about lock picking than I ever wanted to learn about. The book was very long, winded and wordy. I feel like this book could’ve been 200 pages less.
May 20, 2025
I was born and raised in Alabama. I hadn’t read five pages when I said to myself, “He is not Southern.” Far from it. The author is Canadian. A Canadian trying to write with a Southern tone made me laugh out loud at times, made me roll my eyes a lot, and really annoyed me.
1. I have never said “reckon” in my life; and yet, it is on every other page and sometimes on a page three times! What in the world? Not one relative or friend of mine has said “reckon.”
2. Ain’t may be in a child’s vocabulary, but you won’t find educated adults use the word ain’t. These were supposed to be smart, educated people, but these fictional Alabamians had poor grammar at times that made me cringe.
3. Mite. No one uses this word. It’s not like I’m some spring chicken. I’m 54-years-old, and I have NEVER heard people in Alabama or even the South in general speak this way.
4. The kids went to the “cinema.” No they didn’t! They went to the movies.
5. “Hot, hey?” Tell me you’re not from the South without saying you aren’t from the South.
6. The 13-year-old kid, Abe, never knows what anything means. He is constantly saying so. Yet, he says, “Voila,” perfectly. Everyone knows that people who don’t know French say, “Walla!” It’s a huge pet peeve of mine.
7. No one calls their parents Ma and Pa. That was so annoying. Mama and Daddy would have been far more realistic.
There is so much more, but enough about the vernacular. The storyline plodded. I don’t care about how to pick a lock, how luminal works, the multitude of memories from different characters. I skipped past the nonsense.
The cops wasted so much time playing around, making plans they never followed through with. It was irritating.
Dan was extremely unprofessional. I didn’t care much for him.
Leah has a potty mouth. It made me sick reading her dialogue. She passed it down to her daughter who was horrible to her brother.
The Abe and Dewey and Carry and Jonathan storylines didn’t do anything to move the story forward. They were pretty dull.
I wanted to know who the murderer was so I kept reading. I had picked him out long before the cops did. Crazy.
I give this 2.5 stars rounded up.
1. I have never said “reckon” in my life; and yet, it is on every other page and sometimes on a page three times! What in the world? Not one relative or friend of mine has said “reckon.”
2. Ain’t may be in a child’s vocabulary, but you won’t find educated adults use the word ain’t. These were supposed to be smart, educated people, but these fictional Alabamians had poor grammar at times that made me cringe.
3. Mite. No one uses this word. It’s not like I’m some spring chicken. I’m 54-years-old, and I have NEVER heard people in Alabama or even the South in general speak this way.
4. The kids went to the “cinema.” No they didn’t! They went to the movies.
5. “Hot, hey?” Tell me you’re not from the South without saying you aren’t from the South.
6. The 13-year-old kid, Abe, never knows what anything means. He is constantly saying so. Yet, he says, “Voila,” perfectly. Everyone knows that people who don’t know French say, “Walla!” It’s a huge pet peeve of mine.
7. No one calls their parents Ma and Pa. That was so annoying. Mama and Daddy would have been far more realistic.
There is so much more, but enough about the vernacular. The storyline plodded. I don’t care about how to pick a lock, how luminal works, the multitude of memories from different characters. I skipped past the nonsense.
The cops wasted so much time playing around, making plans they never followed through with. It was irritating.
Dan was extremely unprofessional. I didn’t care much for him.
Leah has a potty mouth. It made me sick reading her dialogue. She passed it down to her daughter who was horrible to her brother.
The Abe and Dewey and Carry and Jonathan storylines didn’t do anything to move the story forward. They were pretty dull.
I wanted to know who the murderer was so I kept reading. I had picked him out long before the cops did. Crazy.
I give this 2.5 stars rounded up.
June 30, 2016
This was a tightly woven, complicated, interesting story. Leah is a detective in a small town, having followed in her late father's footsteps. Maybe a little too closely, in fact... as she begins receiving letters directing her to murder victims just as her father did many years ago. That case was closed with a bullet to the heart... a bullet shot by her father into the man determined to be the "Stickman", a serial killer who shot his many victims in the head before staking them to the ground along with a crude drawing of a stick figure for the police to find. Stopping those brutal murders was thought to be her father's crowning achievement... so how have they started again? Did the murderer have an accomplice? Is it a copycat killer? Or did her father, a man that Leah idolized, shoot and kill the wrong man?
What I really liked about this book is that we also get some perspectives from the main character's two teenage children, who lost their father when they were very young. At times these parts were welcome breaks from all the police work, glimpses into these kid's lives running around a small town entertaining themselves. There were also some twists that I didn't expect. What I didn't like was how very very emotional and immature Leah seems, so much that it seems unlikely that she would have ever made it as a cop. I also think there's quite a few pages that could be cut, as the story does take quite a while to get through and some of the technical explanations seemed very long winded. Overall, though, I enjoyed my visit to Alvin, Alabama. Rating: 3.5.
I received an advanced copy of this story from Net Galley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
What I really liked about this book is that we also get some perspectives from the main character's two teenage children, who lost their father when they were very young. At times these parts were welcome breaks from all the police work, glimpses into these kid's lives running around a small town entertaining themselves. There were also some twists that I didn't expect. What I didn't like was how very very emotional and immature Leah seems, so much that it seems unlikely that she would have ever made it as a cop. I also think there's quite a few pages that could be cut, as the story does take quite a while to get through and some of the technical explanations seemed very long winded. Overall, though, I enjoyed my visit to Alvin, Alabama. Rating: 3.5.
I received an advanced copy of this story from Net Galley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
July 24, 2016
Beautiful cover and interesting plot, but I felt there were some issues fulfilling the promises the blurb made.
This could have been a very exciting thriller, but instead, I found it to be overly technical in the descriptions of the crime scenes and processing. I like CSI as much as the next kid, but some of this was so explanatory that it lost my interest.
Leah...there were times when I liked her and thought she was perfectly capable of being the lead role in a heavy book like this, but other times when she seemed like a bit of a twit and I wondered if she was capable of even caring for herself. There were some interesting twists in this story and I did manage to finish it, but I still felt a lot could have been cut out to move the pace along a bit and make it more exciting for the reader.
Whilst I enjoy these books, I didn't like this one quite as much as the others.
This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
This could have been a very exciting thriller, but instead, I found it to be overly technical in the descriptions of the crime scenes and processing. I like CSI as much as the next kid, but some of this was so explanatory that it lost my interest.
Leah...there were times when I liked her and thought she was perfectly capable of being the lead role in a heavy book like this, but other times when she seemed like a bit of a twit and I wondered if she was capable of even caring for herself. There were some interesting twists in this story and I did manage to finish it, but I still felt a lot could have been cut out to move the pace along a bit and make it more exciting for the reader.
Whilst I enjoy these books, I didn't like this one quite as much as the others.
This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
February 13, 2017
oh, Hiebert, Hiebert, Hiebert. I really wanted to enjoy Sticks and Stones, I really did, but there were just too many weaknesses and not enough strengths to deliver a successful conclusion.
Despite the fact that Sticks and Stones is a part of a series, it does work alone as a stand-alone novel. But I'm afraid that's all that worked in Hiebert's favor. The story, as intriguing as the synopsis makes it sound, falls short of a thrilling read. Not to mention duller than watching paint dry. The characters - and I do mean all of them - are emotionless and two-dimensional at best. There was zero connection with any of them, so I could care less where the end found them. The reveal of whodunit wasn't even that surprising. However, I could have forgiven all of that if Hiebert's writing style was a bit stronger. Needless to say, the writing was so lacking, that I couldn't help but groan during various scenes. I honestly couldn't wait to finish this in order for my ordeal to be concluded (as I never leave a book unread).
Now on to something completely different...
Despite the fact that Sticks and Stones is a part of a series, it does work alone as a stand-alone novel. But I'm afraid that's all that worked in Hiebert's favor. The story, as intriguing as the synopsis makes it sound, falls short of a thrilling read. Not to mention duller than watching paint dry. The characters - and I do mean all of them - are emotionless and two-dimensional at best. There was zero connection with any of them, so I could care less where the end found them. The reveal of whodunit wasn't even that surprising. However, I could have forgiven all of that if Hiebert's writing style was a bit stronger. Needless to say, the writing was so lacking, that I couldn't help but groan during various scenes. I honestly couldn't wait to finish this in order for my ordeal to be concluded (as I never leave a book unread).
Now on to something completely different...
August 9, 2016
I was given a copy of Sticks and Stones from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
I really had a hard time getting into this book and I found myself not connecting with the characters or the story. Maybe the writing style was something I am not use to but there was something there that just made it hard for me to dig into this book and soak it up like I wanted too, in no way am I blaming the author for this, the book was just not one that I connect with.
The story idea was great and if I could have made that connection I think the book would have been really good but the the southern tone I think is what I was struggling with. I am not use to it and I had trouble with it. As I said, it is a personal preference and not a reflection on the author at at all.
I am giving Sticks and Stones three out of five stars.
I really had a hard time getting into this book and I found myself not connecting with the characters or the story. Maybe the writing style was something I am not use to but there was something there that just made it hard for me to dig into this book and soak it up like I wanted too, in no way am I blaming the author for this, the book was just not one that I connect with.
The story idea was great and if I could have made that connection I think the book would have been really good but the the southern tone I think is what I was struggling with. I am not use to it and I had trouble with it. As I said, it is a personal preference and not a reflection on the author at at all.
I am giving Sticks and Stones three out of five stars.
August 28, 2016
The storyline in this novel was gripping. A detective faces the rebirth of a serial killer that she believed her father had shot dead 15 years ago and he makes sure it's personal to her. Unfortunately the repetition, horrible grammar and incorrect reference to characters made it excruciating to read. In parts of this story Hiebert used the wrong characters names or the wrong gendered pronouns. I continuously had to reread entire pages because I was so confused. This could have also been about 200 pages shorter if Hiebert didn't constantly repeat the same information. 4 pages of learning how to lock pick - totally unnecessary. A page and a half talking about how one person is sweating -completely useless information. Again the story was so interesting and I liked the characters but unfortunately the storytelling voice was just unbearable.
July 3, 2016
I received this as an advanced readers copy from the publisher.I struggled a bit with this one. I found the story to be a good one but I was just not a fan of this authors style. I found the inclusion of the narration from the perspective of the main characters children, to serve very little purpose and it was a distraction from the main story line. My biggest challenge came from the characters themselves. I just did not find them to be believable. Dialogue seemed awkward and there was a whole lot of information dumping going on. That being said, I liked it enough to finish it. Probably more like a two and a half out of five.
December 29, 2017
The cover of this book caught my attention when I saw it at Target. I read the description and it sounded very intriguing. I was definitely disappointed with the book. The writing was very dry and just boring. It should not have been a boring read, but somehow it was. Even though the book is over 500 pages long, I still didn't care about the characters or feel like I really knew them. It could have been a really suspenseful story....it was just drawn out far too long. The book was repetitive and spent far too long explaining every little detail.
June 6, 2016
I was really looking forward to this book, and to be honest I found it a bit of a let down. The story seemed dragged out at some points and when eventually it ended I didn't feel much really, which is disappointing. I was hoping for more from it and I guess it just didn't happen for me. Sorry.
I was given an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was given an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2016
I was drawn to this book by it's cover. It looked interesting and the description on the inside flap lured me in. I seriously struggled to concentrate on reading the story due to the horrible attempt at adding humor and sarcasm where I found myself actually rolling my eyes. This poor writing style and unrelated details made it distracting. A brutal read.
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