What do you think?
Rate this book
Pieces of Stone
Emma Simms moves past a troubling childhood in small-town Clare, Michigan, to become a successful writer. After being abandoned by her father and losing her mother to drugs, Emma raises her younger sister, Kate, and maintains her emotional and mental equilibrium by keeping the friendly residents of Clare at a safe distance. In fact, in all her relationships, Emma plays it cool, choosing to break up with boyfriends before things get “too serious” and keeping only one close, true friend. She’s been hurt before and isn’t willing to get hurt again, so she keeps her heart under lock and key and refuses to let anyone in too deep. This strategy works well enough until a mysterious man comes to town, and Emma’s life—and the lives of the people she cares about—begin to unravel, forcing her to confront painful questions about love and loss. A suspenseful, fast-paced psychological thriller, Pieces of Stone is about the desire to belong, family ties, and the fears and needs that plague us all.
248 pages, Paperback
Published December 5, 2015
84 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
L.M. Kaye
1 book3 followersI have spent over twenty years of my career working in a locked psychiatric hospital. My experience has given me insight into what motivates people to do the things they do. I hope to entertain, as well as show how the mind can be our worst enemy, sometimes causing more pain than the outside world could ever inflict.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 19, 2020
"Sometimes dreams take us to places we'd never choose to be in our awake hours. And with them, they drag the rest of our faculties into places where, sometimes, no matter what we do, we can't win."
Pieces of stone L.M. Kaye
OK..Here's one that is not for me but that I would recommend because it is SCARY and well written. But I am just not the target audience.
But if you like really frightening gory and stabby books...paging DITA!! THIS ONE'S FOR YOU!
I think it is a book more for fans of real thrillers having to do with violent stalkers and/or serial killers. It wasn't really my type of book. I prefer domestic Noir and less..well..to be frank..gore.
But it is also really disturbing. The stalker here is genuinely scary and powerfully written. There really is not anything wrong with the book except I am not its target audience.
Also..and I wonder..am I alone in this? I did not adore Emma. She was whiny and sort of a pain. I also felt so sorry for David. I mean..the guy had so much happen to him.
The beginning is ominous. I sure had my pick of quotes to choose from! But I will be frank. This is a book I picked, not really knowing how I'd really feel about it. We all have those books we are not sure about. It was a bit to Criminal Mindsey for me but then again I stopped watching that show for the same reasons I did not love this book. I wish I were one who could power through books like these and all the criminal minds episodes but that just is not me.
The ending WITHOUT SPOILERS..fucked with my head.
Pieces of stone L.M. Kaye
OK..Here's one that is not for me but that I would recommend because it is SCARY and well written. But I am just not the target audience.
But if you like really frightening gory and stabby books...paging DITA!! THIS ONE'S FOR YOU!
I think it is a book more for fans of real thrillers having to do with violent stalkers and/or serial killers. It wasn't really my type of book. I prefer domestic Noir and less..well..to be frank..gore.
But it is also really disturbing. The stalker here is genuinely scary and powerfully written. There really is not anything wrong with the book except I am not its target audience.
Also..and I wonder..am I alone in this? I did not adore Emma. She was whiny and sort of a pain. I also felt so sorry for David. I mean..the guy had so much happen to him.
The beginning is ominous. I sure had my pick of quotes to choose from! But I will be frank. This is a book I picked, not really knowing how I'd really feel about it. We all have those books we are not sure about. It was a bit to Criminal Mindsey for me but then again I stopped watching that show for the same reasons I did not love this book. I wish I were one who could power through books like these and all the criminal minds episodes but that just is not me.
The ending WITHOUT SPOILERS..fucked with my head.
November 17, 2018
Confused
I really liked the story line and would have given a higher rating but Kate was the unmarried older sister, the writer.
Emma was the younger sister, the mother of Jeremy and wife of Paul. She was the counselor and happier of the sisters.
Some how the names and professions changed places when Luke took Jeremy. This just totally threw me off as I kept waiting and reading for the mistake to be corrected. It never was.
I really liked the story line and would have given a higher rating but Kate was the unmarried older sister, the writer.
Emma was the younger sister, the mother of Jeremy and wife of Paul. She was the counselor and happier of the sisters.
Some how the names and professions changed places when Luke took Jeremy. This just totally threw me off as I kept waiting and reading for the mistake to be corrected. It never was.
March 20, 2017
"Evil Arrives In Clare, Michigan"
This is an outstanding psychological thriller. It's suspenseful, fast-paced, well written, and will keep you entertained. It is mostly about fear: of others, and of relationships. But it's also about loss and love. Emma Simms had a troubled childhood ... her father left the family, her mother took to drugs, and Emma was tasked with raising her younger sister. She's become a successful author, but still her emotions and equilibrium keep the residents of her town at a distance. Until, that is, a mysterious man comes to town and lives begin to unravel. Emma now has to face herself, her emotions, and perhaps change her life. A great read; highly recommend.
This is an outstanding psychological thriller. It's suspenseful, fast-paced, well written, and will keep you entertained. It is mostly about fear: of others, and of relationships. But it's also about loss and love. Emma Simms had a troubled childhood ... her father left the family, her mother took to drugs, and Emma was tasked with raising her younger sister. She's become a successful author, but still her emotions and equilibrium keep the residents of her town at a distance. Until, that is, a mysterious man comes to town and lives begin to unravel. Emma now has to face herself, her emotions, and perhaps change her life. A great read; highly recommend.
April 17, 2021
Excellent reading 📚
Due to eye issues Alexa reads to me, a very will written romantic thriller mystery novel. The characters are interesting and will developed. The story line is set in Michigan where a sociopath stalks a family. I would recommend this novel to readers of mysteries. Enjoy reading 🔰 2021 😢
Due to eye issues Alexa reads to me, a very will written romantic thriller mystery novel. The characters are interesting and will developed. The story line is set in Michigan where a sociopath stalks a family. I would recommend this novel to readers of mysteries. Enjoy reading 🔰 2021 😢
March 15, 2017
Pieces of stone
This book captivated me from the beginning. It is not something I normally read but I was hooked from the beginning. Great plot, great characters . A . Must read author and book.
This book captivated me from the beginning. It is not something I normally read but I was hooked from the beginning. Great plot, great characters . A . Must read author and book.
May 20, 2018
Psychological thriller, Emma kept all people at a distance. Having lost parents early, one left, one to drugs, leaving her to raise a sister. A stranger man comes and disrupt her world. The plot reveals and breaks the wall for Emma, the fears, loneliness for others to be close. A good thriller.
July 15, 2018
Too Scary
This story is complicated just as family relationships can be complicated. The intrigue compels the reader onward to figure out the mysteries hidden. The only thing it lAcked was a proper ending.
This story is complicated just as family relationships can be complicated. The intrigue compels the reader onward to figure out the mysteries hidden. The only thing it lAcked was a proper ending.
June 16, 2022
Not one of my favorites
I didn't like the beginning and almost quit reading the book. But it finally got interesting enough to keep reading. The main thing I didn't like was way Ms. Kaye wrote the dialogue with the poor guy's crazy thoughts. I think I'll stick with westerns.
I didn't like the beginning and almost quit reading the book. But it finally got interesting enough to keep reading. The main thing I didn't like was way Ms. Kaye wrote the dialogue with the poor guy's crazy thoughts. I think I'll stick with westerns.
December 29, 2023
Dark Minds
This is a story of Emma. Her life, the past, the future and her present. How Luke tried to become family like it felt when Emma was there. She sticking up to the bullies that teased him, his hero. Emma, his family, then and now regardless of how demented he saw it.
This is a story of Emma. Her life, the past, the future and her present. How Luke tried to become family like it felt when Emma was there. She sticking up to the bullies that teased him, his hero. Emma, his family, then and now regardless of how demented he saw it.
March 17, 2019
Awesome book
Once you start reading this you don’t want to put it down. It is a page turner with interesting characters
Once you start reading this you don’t want to put it down. It is a page turner with interesting characters
May 27, 2019
Good story
A good read and deals really well with the mental health issues that's surrounding the world now. It's a big issue these days.
A good read and deals really well with the mental health issues that's surrounding the world now. It's a big issue these days.
July 3, 2020
Kept it interesting
This was a really good story about a guy with mental illness trying to find a family if his own
This was a really good story about a guy with mental illness trying to find a family if his own
August 12, 2020
Poor Luke, I found the book to be really good. Lots of action and twist and turns. Great surprise ending 😊
January 6, 2016
Great book !!! Suspenseful with a good story.
March 22, 2017
The voices in our head.
The premise and plot was good, I just think it took way too long to get to some of the major points in the book. Luke has been planning for years how to make his family with Emma and her sister Kate. Too bad none of the other players knew about his plan. Things are not going well for Luke, which means he has to do something about those he perceives are I his way. There is some really good tension between the characters, and the ending is---, sorry no spoilers.
The premise and plot was good, I just think it took way too long to get to some of the major points in the book. Luke has been planning for years how to make his family with Emma and her sister Kate. Too bad none of the other players knew about his plan. Things are not going well for Luke, which means he has to do something about those he perceives are I his way. There is some really good tension between the characters, and the ending is---, sorry no spoilers.
March 25, 2017
Promising
Ms. Kaye, I enjoyed your book. You have a flair for writing and obviously good ideas for subjects of books. You were able to bring the characters to life, especially Emma. I have a feeling Pieces of Stone is your first novel, and I'm confident that your writing ability will improve with each future book. Don't give up writing!
Ms. Kaye, I enjoyed your book. You have a flair for writing and obviously good ideas for subjects of books. You were able to bring the characters to life, especially Emma. I have a feeling Pieces of Stone is your first novel, and I'm confident that your writing ability will improve with each future book. Don't give up writing!
April 16, 2017
“How am I going to keep my mind on food with you dressed like that?”
Michigan author L. M. Kaye may be sharing her debut published book but her background for the subject matter has been brewing and locked into her psyche for more than twenty years. Her career has been one of working in a locked psychiatric hospital helping patients return to their optimal level of functioning. These experiences were invaluable and gave her good insight into people's motivations for their actions. She has seen, firsthand, how the mind can be our worst enemy, sometimes causing more pain than the outside world could ever inflict.
The quality of Kaye’s writing is readily apparent in her opening paragraphs – ‘Sometimes dreams take us to places we’d never choose to be in our awake hours. And with them, they drag the rest of our faculties into places where sometimes, no matter what we do, we can’t win. Like when you’re trying to outrun some ominous force, knowing the whole time that you can’t. Even though it never catches you, there is never a doubt in your mind, not even for a minute that it eventually will. And that is the minute, those seconds frozen in time, when a nightmare is born. Adrenaline burned hot, sending fiery spikes into her chest fueled by the expectation that they’d be caught. But being dragged away, or worse, wasn’t an option. The thin material of her hospital scrub pants was no match for the thick, thorny shrubs and weeds that tore mercilessly through them. Pain coursed through her already injured shoulder as she raced through the woods. The right way to go… left— no— right. Stay low, but keep running.’ Rarely has an author been able to place our minds in the mind of a character with such facility.
The storyline is important (this is a novel) and it is summarized for us – ‘Emma Simms moves past a troubling childhood in small-town Clare, Michigan, to become a successful writer. After being abandoned by her father and losing her mother to drugs, Emma raises her younger sister, Kate, and maintains her emotional and mental equilibrium by keeping the friendly residents of Clare at a safe distance. In fact, in all her relationships, Emma plays it cool, choosing to break up with boyfriends before things get “too serious” and keeping only one close, true friend. She’s been hurt before and isn’t willing to get hurt again, so she keeps her heart under lock and key and refuses to let anyone in too deep. This strategy works well enough until a mysterious man comes to town, and Emma’s life—and the lives of the people she cares about—begin to unravel, forcing her to confront painful questions about love and loss.’
The author uses her observations from her work In psychiatric hospitals to not only shape her characters, but to also offer some very valuable insight as to the dysfunction of the bruised mind. Yes this is a fine novel, but it also serves as a lesson in psychiatric illness – and variations thereof. PIECES OF STONE is about the desire to belong, family ties, and the fears and needs that plague us all. Highly Recommended.
Michigan author L. M. Kaye may be sharing her debut published book but her background for the subject matter has been brewing and locked into her psyche for more than twenty years. Her career has been one of working in a locked psychiatric hospital helping patients return to their optimal level of functioning. These experiences were invaluable and gave her good insight into people's motivations for their actions. She has seen, firsthand, how the mind can be our worst enemy, sometimes causing more pain than the outside world could ever inflict.
The quality of Kaye’s writing is readily apparent in her opening paragraphs – ‘Sometimes dreams take us to places we’d never choose to be in our awake hours. And with them, they drag the rest of our faculties into places where sometimes, no matter what we do, we can’t win. Like when you’re trying to outrun some ominous force, knowing the whole time that you can’t. Even though it never catches you, there is never a doubt in your mind, not even for a minute that it eventually will. And that is the minute, those seconds frozen in time, when a nightmare is born. Adrenaline burned hot, sending fiery spikes into her chest fueled by the expectation that they’d be caught. But being dragged away, or worse, wasn’t an option. The thin material of her hospital scrub pants was no match for the thick, thorny shrubs and weeds that tore mercilessly through them. Pain coursed through her already injured shoulder as she raced through the woods. The right way to go… left— no— right. Stay low, but keep running.’ Rarely has an author been able to place our minds in the mind of a character with such facility.
The storyline is important (this is a novel) and it is summarized for us – ‘Emma Simms moves past a troubling childhood in small-town Clare, Michigan, to become a successful writer. After being abandoned by her father and losing her mother to drugs, Emma raises her younger sister, Kate, and maintains her emotional and mental equilibrium by keeping the friendly residents of Clare at a safe distance. In fact, in all her relationships, Emma plays it cool, choosing to break up with boyfriends before things get “too serious” and keeping only one close, true friend. She’s been hurt before and isn’t willing to get hurt again, so she keeps her heart under lock and key and refuses to let anyone in too deep. This strategy works well enough until a mysterious man comes to town, and Emma’s life—and the lives of the people she cares about—begin to unravel, forcing her to confront painful questions about love and loss.’
The author uses her observations from her work In psychiatric hospitals to not only shape her characters, but to also offer some very valuable insight as to the dysfunction of the bruised mind. Yes this is a fine novel, but it also serves as a lesson in psychiatric illness – and variations thereof. PIECES OF STONE is about the desire to belong, family ties, and the fears and needs that plague us all. Highly Recommended.
April 29, 2017
Slow start
Takes time to set the story in motion. Once that happens the story begins. But the real story book began many years before when a misunderstanding puts a final confrontation in motion.
Takes time to set the story in motion. Once that happens the story begins. But the real story book began many years before when a misunderstanding puts a final confrontation in motion.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews