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Detective Kerri Blasco #1
Fear Dreams
Liddy Barron, an artist, was injured in a hit-and-run accident that left her with recurring nightmares, partial amnesia, and an increasing obsession in the disappearance of a coed named Sasha Perry. Was Sasha murdered? Insecure and nervous, Liddy's turmoil grows as she begins seeing ghostly images. Her husband Paul tries to help but suspects it's just her imagination...while intuitive Detective Kerri Blasco, also obsessed with young Sasha's disappearance, senses that Liddy may have a key to solving the case, and tries to unravel the shocking truth of what really haunts her.
218 pages, Paperback
First published March 28, 2016
834 people are currently reading
1392 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Schneider
17 books572 followersWheaton College, Norton MA (French Lit Major, Minor in Spanish & squeezed in Russian.)
Sorbonne, Jr. Year in Paris
Exchange student in the Soviet Union, where I got arrested for spreading anti-Soviet propaganda - ugh. Caught with friends laughing at their pea-green-colored drinking water; that was the offense; four of us arrested. Let go after a day, guess they decided we weren't worth an international incident...
Now excited about my new upcoming thriller, THE GIRL THIEF! Release May 30!
Former writer at Newsweek Magazine. Author of the 6-book EMBRYO medical thriller series; the 4-book Detective Kerri Blasco Police/Psychological Thrillers FEAR DREAMS, HER LAST BREATH, WATCHING YOU, & SHOELESS CHILD.
Also 7 standalone thrillers: INTO THE DARK, GIRL WATCHING YOU, WHAT YOU'VE DONE, CRY TO ME, THE WIFE LIST & THE GIRL THIEF. Also the U.S. Civil War thriller, KATE WARNE'S SISTER IS MISSING. (She was America's first female detective and a Pinkerton. The story takes place in NYC - a pro-South hotbed - at the outbreak of the Civil War.)
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joyce.schnei...
Twitter https://twitter.com/JoyceSchneider1
Website: https://jaschneiderauthor.net
Sorbonne, Jr. Year in Paris
Exchange student in the Soviet Union, where I got arrested for spreading anti-Soviet propaganda - ugh. Caught with friends laughing at their pea-green-colored drinking water; that was the offense; four of us arrested. Let go after a day, guess they decided we weren't worth an international incident...
Now excited about my new upcoming thriller, THE GIRL THIEF! Release May 30!
Former writer at Newsweek Magazine. Author of the 6-book EMBRYO medical thriller series; the 4-book Detective Kerri Blasco Police/Psychological Thrillers FEAR DREAMS, HER LAST BREATH, WATCHING YOU, & SHOELESS CHILD.
Also 7 standalone thrillers: INTO THE DARK, GIRL WATCHING YOU, WHAT YOU'VE DONE, CRY TO ME, THE WIFE LIST & THE GIRL THIEF. Also the U.S. Civil War thriller, KATE WARNE'S SISTER IS MISSING. (She was America's first female detective and a Pinkerton. The story takes place in NYC - a pro-South hotbed - at the outbreak of the Civil War.)
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joyce.schnei...
Twitter https://twitter.com/JoyceSchneider1
Website: https://jaschneiderauthor.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
April 22, 2018
Well, that escalated quickly; what a breath taking ride that was! This is my first experience with Joyce’s work but certainly not my last. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I knew the book was fairly short, but the reviews were all high star ratings and I just couldn’t pass this one by. I’m pleased to report that it was as exciting and enjoyable a read as I had hoped. Unfortunately, I was so engrossed in this one that I forgot about collecting quotes along the way! This book came out to 218 pages (per my kindle) and was surprisingly well-developed for its size.
The POV switched back and forth between Liddy, an artist who was recently in an accident and is struggling to gain her memory of that dreadful night, and Kerri, a detective investigating the disappearance of college student Sasha Perry. The two stories seem unconnected at first, but as the story builds, they slowly become intertwined and have you holding your breath until the conclusion (but more on that later). I liked the characters overall; sometimes I just wanted to smack Liddy over the head with one of her paintbrushes but overall sympathized with her. Here is the second book I’ve read this month to feature a protagonist involved in a slow descent into madness. Or is she crazy? That’s the question throughout the book. Is Liddy hallucinating things or is she really seeing all the things she questions? Kerri was a great detective; I would like to see a follow up book (maybe a new series?! pretty please?!) with a new case and getting to know her personal life a bit more.
This was a book that drew me in from the first page and was dubbed the infamous “unputdownable”. I kept trying to sneak away from all the festivities this July 4th to squeeze in more of this story! If time had allowed, this was easily a one-sitting read. The author knew just how to draw you in, building on the massive suspense and questions slowly and meticulously. I was worried toward the 50% mark that she was going to take the easy road out with the ending, but she didn’t. I pieced together a few aspects, only because there are limited characters to choose from, but overall was surprised by the ending and who was involved in which parts of the mystery. I had a “WAIT WHAT?! OH NO WAIT WHAT NOW?!” moment which was fantastic! The ending might be a little tricky in who accepts it well; I was content with it, but it was unexpected. Sorry that’s so vague but NO SPOILERS!!
Thank you so much Joyce for my copy and I’m looking forward to your next book!! (slowly chants *series…series…SERIES!!*)
The POV switched back and forth between Liddy, an artist who was recently in an accident and is struggling to gain her memory of that dreadful night, and Kerri, a detective investigating the disappearance of college student Sasha Perry. The two stories seem unconnected at first, but as the story builds, they slowly become intertwined and have you holding your breath until the conclusion (but more on that later). I liked the characters overall; sometimes I just wanted to smack Liddy over the head with one of her paintbrushes but overall sympathized with her. Here is the second book I’ve read this month to feature a protagonist involved in a slow descent into madness. Or is she crazy? That’s the question throughout the book. Is Liddy hallucinating things or is she really seeing all the things she questions? Kerri was a great detective; I would like to see a follow up book (maybe a new series?! pretty please?!) with a new case and getting to know her personal life a bit more.
This was a book that drew me in from the first page and was dubbed the infamous “unputdownable”. I kept trying to sneak away from all the festivities this July 4th to squeeze in more of this story! If time had allowed, this was easily a one-sitting read. The author knew just how to draw you in, building on the massive suspense and questions slowly and meticulously. I was worried toward the 50% mark that she was going to take the easy road out with the ending, but she didn’t. I pieced together a few aspects, only because there are limited characters to choose from, but overall was surprised by the ending and who was involved in which parts of the mystery. I had a “WAIT WHAT?! OH NO WAIT WHAT NOW?!” moment which was fantastic! The ending might be a little tricky in who accepts it well; I was content with it, but it was unexpected. Sorry that’s so vague but NO SPOILERS!!
Thank you so much Joyce for my copy and I’m looking forward to your next book!! (slowly chants *series…series…SERIES!!*)
May 10, 2016
I was provided a digital copy of Fear Dreams by J.A. Schneider for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.
Watercolor visions.
Beads of color begin to travel and to intrude. Oh, so slowly at first, blending and separating hues into a paradigm of sensations for the eye. Elements of light and dark focus into corners best not ventured into. And yet, the mind knows no limits.
Liddy Barron is a talented book cover artist living in New York City. She's been sidelined because of an automobile accident nine weeks prior that resulted in a severely broken leg. Instead of her paintbrushes, Liddy reaches for her crutches. Instead of lucidity, she is left with gaps in memory from that night. Instead of lulling dreams, Liddy is plagued with constant, mind- boggling nightmares that visit her relentlessly. Although her husband, Paul, assures her that these intruding night visitors will eventually fade, Liddy is not too sure.
And time seems to be Liddy's enemy. She has plenty of it since Paul, a research scientist at NYU, spends almost all of his waking hours with his partner, Carl, at the lab. They have deadlines to meet and grant money draining. Beth, Liddy's friend and a realtor, helps the couple find a new apartment in Soho for a fresh start. Schneider uses a snappy, quirky phrase to describe life there: "Throw a stone in Soho and you'll hit ten bars."
Liddy visits one of those bars when she can finally leave the hampering grip of those crutches. She begins sketching faces with amazing detail. Random faces....or perhaps not. Liddy later finds to her dismay that one of her drawings is that of a missing NYU co-ed. Liddy has never met this woman before. How can this be? And then the encounters begin. On the street and in reflections in the windows. Sasha Perry has taken up residence in Liddy's psyche with her own demanding zip code.
Schneider has a handle on police procedures when she introduces the character of Detective Kerri Blasco. Blasco is a strong female lead. This is a smart read and Schneider knows when to procede and when to draw back. Liddy meets up with someone and Schneider offers: "He reached one of his hands to smooth her hair back. His fingers were cold." Just enough. Just enough.
You will peer over Liddy's shoulder and see those droplets of color swirling, too. Will Liddy re-surface before it is too late or will she be submerged into the depths where the prisms of light fail to enter? Read on.....
Watercolor visions.
Beads of color begin to travel and to intrude. Oh, so slowly at first, blending and separating hues into a paradigm of sensations for the eye. Elements of light and dark focus into corners best not ventured into. And yet, the mind knows no limits.
Liddy Barron is a talented book cover artist living in New York City. She's been sidelined because of an automobile accident nine weeks prior that resulted in a severely broken leg. Instead of her paintbrushes, Liddy reaches for her crutches. Instead of lucidity, she is left with gaps in memory from that night. Instead of lulling dreams, Liddy is plagued with constant, mind- boggling nightmares that visit her relentlessly. Although her husband, Paul, assures her that these intruding night visitors will eventually fade, Liddy is not too sure.
And time seems to be Liddy's enemy. She has plenty of it since Paul, a research scientist at NYU, spends almost all of his waking hours with his partner, Carl, at the lab. They have deadlines to meet and grant money draining. Beth, Liddy's friend and a realtor, helps the couple find a new apartment in Soho for a fresh start. Schneider uses a snappy, quirky phrase to describe life there: "Throw a stone in Soho and you'll hit ten bars."
Liddy visits one of those bars when she can finally leave the hampering grip of those crutches. She begins sketching faces with amazing detail. Random faces....or perhaps not. Liddy later finds to her dismay that one of her drawings is that of a missing NYU co-ed. Liddy has never met this woman before. How can this be? And then the encounters begin. On the street and in reflections in the windows. Sasha Perry has taken up residence in Liddy's psyche with her own demanding zip code.
Schneider has a handle on police procedures when she introduces the character of Detective Kerri Blasco. Blasco is a strong female lead. This is a smart read and Schneider knows when to procede and when to draw back. Liddy meets up with someone and Schneider offers: "He reached one of his hands to smooth her hair back. His fingers were cold." Just enough. Just enough.
You will peer over Liddy's shoulder and see those droplets of color swirling, too. Will Liddy re-surface before it is too late or will she be submerged into the depths where the prisms of light fail to enter? Read on.....
August 18, 2021
Whew! A Thrilling Story That Will Have You Wondering About Your Husband Or Friends!!
What a great story that captured my interest right away and through every grueling experience Liddy Barron goes through! Liddy had been in a bad car accident, hurt, concussed with a broken leg, and is having a real hard time remembering anything that happened. Her dear husband, Paul, stays right with her as she rehabs, helping her fill the gaps in her memory while saying any weird thing she remembers is just her imagination. Liddy starts hallucinating, but always one young lady...
As she gets stronger she draws a sketch of a girl, who others tell her is a girl who disappeared several weeks ago. Liddy actually goes to a police woman she saw on a report, who listens to her and wonders about her information.
This is a cracking story that I could Not put down, is the 'wonderful' husband really helping her?! If you enjoy a fantastic psychological mystery grab this book Today!!
What a great story that captured my interest right away and through every grueling experience Liddy Barron goes through! Liddy had been in a bad car accident, hurt, concussed with a broken leg, and is having a real hard time remembering anything that happened. Her dear husband, Paul, stays right with her as she rehabs, helping her fill the gaps in her memory while saying any weird thing she remembers is just her imagination. Liddy starts hallucinating, but always one young lady...
As she gets stronger she draws a sketch of a girl, who others tell her is a girl who disappeared several weeks ago. Liddy actually goes to a police woman she saw on a report, who listens to her and wonders about her information.
This is a cracking story that I could Not put down, is the 'wonderful' husband really helping her?! If you enjoy a fantastic psychological mystery grab this book Today!!
March 20, 2016
Three months after the terrible hit and run accident which had left Liddy Barron on crutches and with severe amnesia, she continued with horrific nightmares. Her husband Paul was at his wit’s end trying to help her to heal – her physical injuries were gradually improving but it was the mental trauma which wouldn’t let her – them – be at peace.
Relaxing at a café on one of her first outings since the accident, Liddy idly sketched passers-by. She was a prolific artist and only needed a glance to draw an uncanny resemblance to the person she had seen. But when she spotted the same face on the television screen accompanied by Detective Kerri Blasco, she was astounded. Was the missing Sasha Perry the woman in her sketch? And why did Liddy feel so uneasy but so positive about the image?
With Liddy so uncertain about her thoughts and memories, she still felt it her duty to inform the Detective of what had happened. And what was continuing to happen – but was Liddy going mad? Was she full of psychotic paranoia? Her fear of going to sleep at night; of dreaming the horrible, but unexplained happenings night after night left her exhausted. Kerri though was sure Liddy held the answers – would Liddy’s memory return or would she continue to fear dreams?
Fear Dreams is the new standalone psychological thriller by author J.A. Schneider and what a doozy it is! Gripping, intense and unputdownable, the plot is electric! The fast pace makes it a quick read, and for thriller lovers, a thoroughly enjoyable one as well. Highly recommended.
With thanks to the author for this ecopy to read in exchange for my honest review.
Relaxing at a café on one of her first outings since the accident, Liddy idly sketched passers-by. She was a prolific artist and only needed a glance to draw an uncanny resemblance to the person she had seen. But when she spotted the same face on the television screen accompanied by Detective Kerri Blasco, she was astounded. Was the missing Sasha Perry the woman in her sketch? And why did Liddy feel so uneasy but so positive about the image?
With Liddy so uncertain about her thoughts and memories, she still felt it her duty to inform the Detective of what had happened. And what was continuing to happen – but was Liddy going mad? Was she full of psychotic paranoia? Her fear of going to sleep at night; of dreaming the horrible, but unexplained happenings night after night left her exhausted. Kerri though was sure Liddy held the answers – would Liddy’s memory return or would she continue to fear dreams?
Fear Dreams is the new standalone psychological thriller by author J.A. Schneider and what a doozy it is! Gripping, intense and unputdownable, the plot is electric! The fast pace makes it a quick read, and for thriller lovers, a thoroughly enjoyable one as well. Highly recommended.
With thanks to the author for this ecopy to read in exchange for my honest review.
May 8, 2018
Not a bad start
Only 3 stars for this one. Would love to give more based on future books in the series, that I have read, but for me nothing much happened in first 80% of the book. All the excitement was in last 20-30 minutes.
Also as a first book in the series, there wasn't enough about the main character Kerri for me. She was almost an afterthought. As said earlier book 2 is very good, and book 4 is superb. I will be reading the 3rd one at some point, hopefully it is better than this one!
Only 3 stars for this one. Would love to give more based on future books in the series, that I have read, but for me nothing much happened in first 80% of the book. All the excitement was in last 20-30 minutes.
Also as a first book in the series, there wasn't enough about the main character Kerri for me. She was almost an afterthought. As said earlier book 2 is very good, and book 4 is superb. I will be reading the 3rd one at some point, hopefully it is better than this one!
April 7, 2016
The title says it all. The lethal combination of dreams/nightmares and fear of realities. This psychological thriller is full of suspense, twists and turns. The author is very crafty and keeps you guessing all the way to the end.
The main protagonist, Liddy, is an artist recovering from physical and psychological traumas from a car accident. Her husband is very supportive, but works long hours, leaving Liddy alone for long periods of time. Liddy is struggling with memory loss, and despite all the positive changes in her life, her intuition is pulling her in another direction.
Liddy makes a sketch of a woman, resembling a missing college student, Sasha Perry. She has no obvious connection to her, but still feels compelled to report it to the investigating detective. J.A. Schneider leaves small crumbs for the reader to connect, and still manages to stir and confuse you.
There are two other strong female characters: Liddy’s best friend Beth, and detective Kerri Blasco. When Liddy’s nightmares start spilling into her day realities, she starts questioning her own sanity, confiding into these two women. Can they be trusted?
The author did an amazing job with developing these characters, her plot structure is excellent and her writing is a page turner. Besides an excellent thrilling story, J.A. Schneider touches upon that one Universal human craving we all seek, in good or bad, a VALIDATION. And a reminder that some things are just better left unexplained.
It was my first read from J.A. Schneider and she has a new fan.
The main protagonist, Liddy, is an artist recovering from physical and psychological traumas from a car accident. Her husband is very supportive, but works long hours, leaving Liddy alone for long periods of time. Liddy is struggling with memory loss, and despite all the positive changes in her life, her intuition is pulling her in another direction.
Liddy makes a sketch of a woman, resembling a missing college student, Sasha Perry. She has no obvious connection to her, but still feels compelled to report it to the investigating detective. J.A. Schneider leaves small crumbs for the reader to connect, and still manages to stir and confuse you.
There are two other strong female characters: Liddy’s best friend Beth, and detective Kerri Blasco. When Liddy’s nightmares start spilling into her day realities, she starts questioning her own sanity, confiding into these two women. Can they be trusted?
The author did an amazing job with developing these characters, her plot structure is excellent and her writing is a page turner. Besides an excellent thrilling story, J.A. Schneider touches upon that one Universal human craving we all seek, in good or bad, a VALIDATION. And a reminder that some things are just better left unexplained.
It was my first read from J.A. Schneider and she has a new fan.
August 29, 2016
Fear Dreams is a intreguing mystery that hooks the reader in from the first sentence until the very differant surprising ending.
Liddy Barron a talented artist has recently been released from hospital after a hit and run accident in which she sustained damaged ribs,a broken leg and memory loss due to concussion.She is in a cafe with her best friend Beth when Liddy draws a sketch of a young girl that she insists has just walked past the cafe.When she shows the sketch to Beth her friend is sure that she recognizes the girl.It turns out that the sketch bears a striking resemblance to Sasha Perry a coed who has been missing since the time of Liddys accident.After Liddy starts having visions and the nightmares that she has been having worsen she decides to ignore her husband Paul who insists that she is being paranoid and needs to see her psychiatrist more often and begins an obsessive quest to find out what happened to Sasha.
Detective Kerri Blisco is also obsessed with finding out what has happened to Sasha.The case has just been closed because there has been no new leads recently and Sasha has been labelled as a run away but Kerri is determined that no matter how exhausted she feels she is going to solve the mystery.
I really liked Kerri,she was very understanding and willing to listen to Liddy and not just dismiss her claims are nonsense or just plain crazy.She and her team worked well together and she was treated with respect by other colleagues.
As someone who suffers from paranoia and major anxiety issues myself I must say that J A Schneider is spot on with her descriptions of how dehabilitating these conditions can be.The up and down mood swings,total lack of trust in everyone and feelings of being totally lost and disconnected from reality can be very frightening and upsetting and I fully understood and sympathized with how Liddy was feeling throughout the story.
It's a well written gripping mystery,no parts felt like they were added to pad out the story and I really enjoyed reading it.It looks like this may be the first in a series of Kerri Blisco thrillers and I look forward to reading more of her adventures in the future.
Liddy Barron a talented artist has recently been released from hospital after a hit and run accident in which she sustained damaged ribs,a broken leg and memory loss due to concussion.She is in a cafe with her best friend Beth when Liddy draws a sketch of a young girl that she insists has just walked past the cafe.When she shows the sketch to Beth her friend is sure that she recognizes the girl.It turns out that the sketch bears a striking resemblance to Sasha Perry a coed who has been missing since the time of Liddys accident.After Liddy starts having visions and the nightmares that she has been having worsen she decides to ignore her husband Paul who insists that she is being paranoid and needs to see her psychiatrist more often and begins an obsessive quest to find out what happened to Sasha.
Detective Kerri Blisco is also obsessed with finding out what has happened to Sasha.The case has just been closed because there has been no new leads recently and Sasha has been labelled as a run away but Kerri is determined that no matter how exhausted she feels she is going to solve the mystery.
I really liked Kerri,she was very understanding and willing to listen to Liddy and not just dismiss her claims are nonsense or just plain crazy.She and her team worked well together and she was treated with respect by other colleagues.
As someone who suffers from paranoia and major anxiety issues myself I must say that J A Schneider is spot on with her descriptions of how dehabilitating these conditions can be.The up and down mood swings,total lack of trust in everyone and feelings of being totally lost and disconnected from reality can be very frightening and upsetting and I fully understood and sympathized with how Liddy was feeling throughout the story.
It's a well written gripping mystery,no parts felt like they were added to pad out the story and I really enjoyed reading it.It looks like this may be the first in a series of Kerri Blisco thrillers and I look forward to reading more of her adventures in the future.
March 3, 2018
Ok, confession...I hate with passion the books that feel the need to describe what they are in the most clichéd ways. Is it really the most thrilling of all thrillers? Would I not be able to tell that from reading a description alone? Do I need to be sold that blandly and aggressively on a book? Anyway, outside of that and the fact that it's a series, this one got good enough reviews to pique my interest. Plus it was free. Huge bonus, much more inviting that those descriptors. And it turned out in fact to be quite decent. Blend of a murder mystery with detective procedural with relationship drama with (pleasantly) very mild chick lit elements and a dash of supernatural. Sounds like a lot, but it works due to likeable characters (including the friendly detective Blasco), a dynamic narrative and considerably above average writing. The plot is guessable to an extent, but it's twisted around enough times to provide a surprise or two. Fun read and a pretty quick one. Not necessarily the sort of thing to send one immediately tracking down the rest of the books in the series, but in a free digital form it might well be worth the time. Evening entertainment accomplished.
April 18, 2016
Liddy Barron is being stalked by a ghost.... or is she?
Liddy was severely injured in a hit and run accident that she doesn't remember. Even a few months afterwards she still has memory loss, night terrors, and the absolute knowledge that the ghost of a missing woman is trying to tell her something.
The biggest problem she has is that no one really believes her, Her husband, Paul, says it's related to the severe concussion she had.
When she goes to Detective Kerrie Blasco, lead investigator in the case of the missing woman, Sasha Perry, with her story of seeing her and the sketch she has drawn, Kerrie feels that Liddy holds the secret to the missing woman.
Do you believe in ghosts? Is Liddy being haunted by something she doesn't remember... or is she losing her mind? Or is there something more sinister going on?
Great psychological twists and turns. Nice character development. Suspense that didn't let me put the book down. Great reading! Surprising ending!
Many thanks to the author who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Liddy was severely injured in a hit and run accident that she doesn't remember. Even a few months afterwards she still has memory loss, night terrors, and the absolute knowledge that the ghost of a missing woman is trying to tell her something.
The biggest problem she has is that no one really believes her, Her husband, Paul, says it's related to the severe concussion she had.
When she goes to Detective Kerrie Blasco, lead investigator in the case of the missing woman, Sasha Perry, with her story of seeing her and the sketch she has drawn, Kerrie feels that Liddy holds the secret to the missing woman.
Do you believe in ghosts? Is Liddy being haunted by something she doesn't remember... or is she losing her mind? Or is there something more sinister going on?
Great psychological twists and turns. Nice character development. Suspense that didn't let me put the book down. Great reading! Surprising ending!
Many thanks to the author who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
May 18, 2016
Fear Dreams felt like a mixture of genres. For one I loved the ghostly aspect of it but it also felt like a story of mystery and suspense mixed with a psychological thriller with a crime series thrown in for good measure.
It certainly makes for some intriguing reading that starts off steady then picks up speed until before you know it, your hurtling towards the end.
Liddy is still recovering from a pretty horrific road accident. Physically she is on the mend but mentally she seems to be losing it. At times I actually thought I was going crazy along with Liddy. Her obsession with missing Sasha soon became my obsession as I wanted to know as much as Liddy why Sasha has disappeared.
I liked detective Kerri, she seems to work a lot on gut instinct and she goes above and beyond her role as a detective. I liked how she genuinely cares about Liddy and I enjoyed seeing the friendship growing between the two women.
Fear Dreams I believe may be part of a crime series but as I haven't read any of the authors other novels, it can easily be read as a stand alone. The author certainly keeps the reader on their toes with some twists in there so that your never quite sure who is responsible for the disappearance of Sasha up until the author is ready to reveal it to them.
Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It certainly makes for some intriguing reading that starts off steady then picks up speed until before you know it, your hurtling towards the end.
Liddy is still recovering from a pretty horrific road accident. Physically she is on the mend but mentally she seems to be losing it. At times I actually thought I was going crazy along with Liddy. Her obsession with missing Sasha soon became my obsession as I wanted to know as much as Liddy why Sasha has disappeared.
I liked detective Kerri, she seems to work a lot on gut instinct and she goes above and beyond her role as a detective. I liked how she genuinely cares about Liddy and I enjoyed seeing the friendship growing between the two women.
Fear Dreams I believe may be part of a crime series but as I haven't read any of the authors other novels, it can easily be read as a stand alone. The author certainly keeps the reader on their toes with some twists in there so that your never quite sure who is responsible for the disappearance of Sasha up until the author is ready to reveal it to them.
Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
July 15, 2016I received this book today as a Goodreads giveaway prize! Awesome I love Goodreads. I enter for new books every day at midnight and check my email to see if I won anything at the same time. Its so much fun getting free new books in the mail!!!!
December 9, 2017
Good thriller
Just when I thought I had it all worked out....nope. Then the second time......nope. I was not expecting the actual killer at all. Great story that was well paced with enough twists and turns for a case of whiplash
Just when I thought I had it all worked out....nope. Then the second time......nope. I was not expecting the actual killer at all. Great story that was well paced with enough twists and turns for a case of whiplash
March 28, 2016
Here is a thriller that leaves an impact, just like the previous books (in the Raney & Levine series) which I have read by this author. FEAR DREAMS grabs you by the guts and evokes strong reactions. Its main character is artist Liddy Barron, who is trying to separate nightmare and reality, after being injured in an accident that left gaps in her memory. She calls on her art to help her place into context not only the crime but her own role in it, as well as the roles of the other characters. So the ‘who done it’ aspect is explored internally, exploring memories ‘on the inside’, as well as ‘on the outside’ by Detective Kerri Blasco who is examining clues and witnesses in a cool, rational manner.
“It shouldn’t have been there in the water, Paul said they’d go away, these things she kept seeing, but the current smacked the shirt tight to her face and she couldn’t breathe.” And there you have it, in a single opener: her fear of being suffocated, which we sense in our guts, her confusion about the meaning of the images she sees, trying desperately to interpret these phantoms of forgotten events, and her dependence on her husband, which may soon be called into question if she is to come into herself. She must save herself, somehow, and reshape her memory of the night of the accident, the crime, and her role in it, all of which determines who she is.
Liddy paints an image of the victim after her death, and of her plea, “Help me, said the words,” which has a profound effect on several of the players. The use of art captures my imagination. “Behind him, glowing, the painting he hadn’t seen. The face was different; the eyes glared at him.” This painting come to life reminds me of The Picture of Dorian Gray and of Pygmalion, both of which illustrate how art mirrors life. But in this story, art mirrors the Great Beyond, and the victim’s call for vindication. J.A. Schneider is informed by classic literature and she turns classic ideas to her own advantage in this thriller.
Five stars.
“It shouldn’t have been there in the water, Paul said they’d go away, these things she kept seeing, but the current smacked the shirt tight to her face and she couldn’t breathe.” And there you have it, in a single opener: her fear of being suffocated, which we sense in our guts, her confusion about the meaning of the images she sees, trying desperately to interpret these phantoms of forgotten events, and her dependence on her husband, which may soon be called into question if she is to come into herself. She must save herself, somehow, and reshape her memory of the night of the accident, the crime, and her role in it, all of which determines who she is.
Liddy paints an image of the victim after her death, and of her plea, “Help me, said the words,” which has a profound effect on several of the players. The use of art captures my imagination. “Behind him, glowing, the painting he hadn’t seen. The face was different; the eyes glared at him.” This painting come to life reminds me of The Picture of Dorian Gray and of Pygmalion, both of which illustrate how art mirrors life. But in this story, art mirrors the Great Beyond, and the victim’s call for vindication. J.A. Schneider is informed by classic literature and she turns classic ideas to her own advantage in this thriller.
Five stars.
March 28, 2016
I was absolutely thrilled when the author, J.A. Schneider contacted me to ask if I'd like to read and review her first standalone novel.
"Fear Dreams" is a psychological thriller with a dash of supernatural drama eased in.
For fans of her "Embryo" series - which is absolutely brilliant - you will recognise the police Kerri and Alex in this, it is great to get more background on them both.
"Fear Dreams" is a suspenseful read, I was kept glued to my iPhone and iPad for a few nights, some of the scenes really creeped me out, to the extent where I thought I was seeing things in my windows which weren't actually there! This book really makes your mind work overtime.
I got to the last couple of chapters and thought "No, No, No!!" Then was relieved to realise it wasn't what the reader is led to believe.....
Thank You for another excellent read Joyce, I cannot wait for your next instalment of "Embryo" and believe that "Fear Dreams" could also be extended if you wanted.... 5 stars for a fabulous book.
"Fear Dreams" is a psychological thriller with a dash of supernatural drama eased in.
For fans of her "Embryo" series - which is absolutely brilliant - you will recognise the police Kerri and Alex in this, it is great to get more background on them both.
"Fear Dreams" is a suspenseful read, I was kept glued to my iPhone and iPad for a few nights, some of the scenes really creeped me out, to the extent where I thought I was seeing things in my windows which weren't actually there! This book really makes your mind work overtime.
I got to the last couple of chapters and thought "No, No, No!!" Then was relieved to realise it wasn't what the reader is led to believe.....
Thank You for another excellent read Joyce, I cannot wait for your next instalment of "Embryo" and believe that "Fear Dreams" could also be extended if you wanted.... 5 stars for a fabulous book.
November 10, 2016
I was well into this book from the very first page, interesting and intriguing, the storyline had me guessing all the way through with a twist at the end I definitely didn't predict. It was ghostly and chilling at times. It is described as a "shocking psychological thriller" - I wouldn't quite describe it as that but it was a good thriller and well worth a read. The writing style takes a bit of getting used to but doesn't effect the story - I did really enjoy it and would recommend!
Thank you to The Book Club on FB and Joyce Schneider for the opportunity to read the book in return for an honest review.
Thank you to The Book Club on FB and Joyce Schneider for the opportunity to read the book in return for an honest review.
July 13, 2017
I couldn't get on with Fear Dreams if I'm honest. I figured the way it was going very early, and the supernatural element just didn't work for me at all. The writing is fine, and I can see how the plot was meant to be, but it just didn't do anything for me I'm afraid.
Won't be reviewing on the blog!
Won't be reviewing on the blog!
March 28, 2016
One of the best psychological thrillers I have read in the past year! I am a fan of Schneider's Embryo series but this book just stands above all of them. It is well written and enthralling. The only reason it took me so long to read was because of physical problems I had.
Liddy is a young artist who awakens with terrible nightmares; usually involving water, drowning and a young woman. Liddy is recovering from a hit and run accident three months earlier and has gaps in her memory regarding the accident and other things and this loss of memory and confusion about what is real or imagined is just as frightening as the dreams themselves.
One day Liddy sketches a picture of a woman who has passed her on the street and her best friend points out that it looks like a young woman who has been missing. Two detectives (first met in the Embryo series ) Kerri and Alex were on the case and the missing persons case is now being closed.
Liddy is confused even more when strange things begin to happen, seeing the image of the woman in other places, through a telescope, on the street, in the mist in her shower. Are these just the results of her accident and a fragmented mind? But why this particular woman?
Liddy finally contacts Detective Kerri who really listens to her and believes her. Meanwhile Liddy and her husband Paul are going through a strained time in their relationship as Paul is working non-stop with his colleague Carl on a break-through drug study. When Liddy goes to the police Paul and Carl are not very happy with her and Kerri is discovering that that Carl may indeed have had something to do with Sasha's disappearance. With the help of Kerri and her best friend, Liddy tries to sort through what is happening to her. What happened to Sasha? How does Liddy fit into the picture? Why is she having these experiences?
A terrific thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat and anxious to feel better to be able to continue reading.
Liddy is a young artist who awakens with terrible nightmares; usually involving water, drowning and a young woman. Liddy is recovering from a hit and run accident three months earlier and has gaps in her memory regarding the accident and other things and this loss of memory and confusion about what is real or imagined is just as frightening as the dreams themselves.
One day Liddy sketches a picture of a woman who has passed her on the street and her best friend points out that it looks like a young woman who has been missing. Two detectives (first met in the Embryo series ) Kerri and Alex were on the case and the missing persons case is now being closed.
Liddy is confused even more when strange things begin to happen, seeing the image of the woman in other places, through a telescope, on the street, in the mist in her shower. Are these just the results of her accident and a fragmented mind? But why this particular woman?
Liddy finally contacts Detective Kerri who really listens to her and believes her. Meanwhile Liddy and her husband Paul are going through a strained time in their relationship as Paul is working non-stop with his colleague Carl on a break-through drug study. When Liddy goes to the police Paul and Carl are not very happy with her and Kerri is discovering that that Carl may indeed have had something to do with Sasha's disappearance. With the help of Kerri and her best friend, Liddy tries to sort through what is happening to her. What happened to Sasha? How does Liddy fit into the picture? Why is she having these experiences?
A terrific thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat and anxious to feel better to be able to continue reading.
June 9, 2016
Fear Dreams opens in the aftermath of an accident, one that has left Liddy, a talented designer and artist, with a damaged memory and psychological trauma. Her husband, working a scientific breakthrough, is increasingly distant, stressed, and rarely available. When Liddy sees a news broadcast concerning a cold murder case, the face of the murder victim begins to show up in her dreams, in her sketches, and in the corner of her eye across the street. In conjunction with her post-accident trauma, Liddy begins to fear that she's losing her mind - until a dedicated police detective catches a detail in one of her sketches that was never publicly released, and which has the potential to break the case wide open.
J A Schneider's vivid characterisation and strong portrayal of inner doubt and intense fear makes this book a contagious read, giving a tense and gripping story that makes it entirely clear how even the most rational of us can end up doubting our senses, our deductions, and our own memories. Built on stress dreams and fractured images, the evidence trickles in to coalesce into a damning picture where the finger of possible guilt points to one after another of the principals, building suspicion and creating rifts between the characters. Fear Dreams is one of the best psychological mysteries I've read this year, filled with tension and doubt and spiced with unexpected twists.
J A Schneider's vivid characterisation and strong portrayal of inner doubt and intense fear makes this book a contagious read, giving a tense and gripping story that makes it entirely clear how even the most rational of us can end up doubting our senses, our deductions, and our own memories. Built on stress dreams and fractured images, the evidence trickles in to coalesce into a damning picture where the finger of possible guilt points to one after another of the principals, building suspicion and creating rifts between the characters. Fear Dreams is one of the best psychological mysteries I've read this year, filled with tension and doubt and spiced with unexpected twists.
January 20, 2020
Fear Dreams, which was copyrighted in 2016, is not an original work. The story and its advertised “killer twist” were lifted part and parcel from a popular motion picture sixteen years before called What Lies Beneath, and suffers from a poor retelling by J. A. Schneider, the author of Fear Dreams. Her prose is shallow and missing pronouns, her narrative is repetitive, her dialogue is amateurish, and her narrative is repetitive. (See what I mean?)
I was at least able to amuse myself counting how often the hearts of the two main female characters thudded, pounded, hammered, banged, throbbed, lurched, leaped, whammed, slammed, exploded, raced, rocketed and racketed. I finally lost count so I had to settle for “a lot.” I suppose Schneider deserves a star for exhausting every verb a stressful heart could do.
But save yourself the time and trouble of slogging through her book and just go enjoy the film.
I was at least able to amuse myself counting how often the hearts of the two main female characters thudded, pounded, hammered, banged, throbbed, lurched, leaped, whammed, slammed, exploded, raced, rocketed and racketed. I finally lost count so I had to settle for “a lot.” I suppose Schneider deserves a star for exhausting every verb a stressful heart could do.
But save yourself the time and trouble of slogging through her book and just go enjoy the film.
November 10, 2016
Well...Wow! What a truly breathtaking journey the reader is taken on in this brilliant, fast paced psychological thriller. Now, i say psychological thriller, but that doesn't quite do it the justice it deserves. Yes, it is that but it is actually so much more also. This story when reading it, has the feeling of touching on the paranormal genre as well. It cleverly encompasses both and does so successfully, all credit to the author here.
The story starts around an injured artist called Liddy. Liddy was seriously hurt in a hit and run a few months prior to us meeting her. She is, physically, well on the road to recovery. Liddys' problems however, are apparent in other ways. Since the accident happened Liddy has suffered with things such as memory loss and nightmares. This in itself may not add up to much more than side effects of the original accident and dismissed as such. However, the nightmares and visions that are recurring appear to relate to the case of a missing person. That of a missing co-ed, presumed dead. Liddy sees this woman in visions that have graduated from just in her sleep, to seeing these visions during her waking, lucid moments also. In her dreams she is shown the woman drowning, wanting help. In the bathroom, the lady is in the mist. In her paintings the womans face starts coming through. Liddy needs to talk, but talking to her husband is out of the question.
The only person is an officer investigating the case. Here we meet Detective Kerrie Blasco. A highly capable leading lady.
What follows is a wonderful, well thought out story. An extremely well written novel. The book, as well written as it is, maybe can appear disjointed in places, jumpy perhaps. Although this style of writing won't be to everyones tastes, in my opinion, it works in this particular story. I feel that due to the nature of it and the at times, blurred moments, it lends itself well to the whole atmosphere of the book and storyline.
I hope it won't be long before we see more of Detective Kerrie Blasco. I'll be interested to see how her character develops.I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and although its my first by J.A. Schneider i will be looking out for more from this author. So, just in case it needs saying, yes. I would be happy to recommend this book.
The story starts around an injured artist called Liddy. Liddy was seriously hurt in a hit and run a few months prior to us meeting her. She is, physically, well on the road to recovery. Liddys' problems however, are apparent in other ways. Since the accident happened Liddy has suffered with things such as memory loss and nightmares. This in itself may not add up to much more than side effects of the original accident and dismissed as such. However, the nightmares and visions that are recurring appear to relate to the case of a missing person. That of a missing co-ed, presumed dead. Liddy sees this woman in visions that have graduated from just in her sleep, to seeing these visions during her waking, lucid moments also. In her dreams she is shown the woman drowning, wanting help. In the bathroom, the lady is in the mist. In her paintings the womans face starts coming through. Liddy needs to talk, but talking to her husband is out of the question.
The only person is an officer investigating the case. Here we meet Detective Kerrie Blasco. A highly capable leading lady.
What follows is a wonderful, well thought out story. An extremely well written novel. The book, as well written as it is, maybe can appear disjointed in places, jumpy perhaps. Although this style of writing won't be to everyones tastes, in my opinion, it works in this particular story. I feel that due to the nature of it and the at times, blurred moments, it lends itself well to the whole atmosphere of the book and storyline.
I hope it won't be long before we see more of Detective Kerrie Blasco. I'll be interested to see how her character develops.I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and although its my first by J.A. Schneider i will be looking out for more from this author. So, just in case it needs saying, yes. I would be happy to recommend this book.
October 17, 2016
Fear Dreams is an enjoyable book, but I think calling it a "shocking psychological thriller" is being overly charitable. The story revolves around Liddy, who has lost her memory following an accident and her sightings of a missing girl. Now, I did enjoy reading it, but I knew what had happened by the third chapter. It was interesting to read to see how the author was going to make all the pieces of this jigsaw drop into place. This is done by suspending any form of reality and moving into the realm of a fantasy novel. I had another issue with the language. I kept having to return and reread bits of the book because the English wasn't quite right. It was if whilst being printed a number of words had fallen out of the book and, consequently, the sentences didn't quite make sense. The first time this happened I put it down to misprinting, by the tenth time I decided that maybe this is a quirk of the author's, by the end I was irritated by it. I cannot put my hand on my heart and say this is a good read and you must rush out and buy it. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't great
May 7, 2016
Thanks to the author for sending me a free copy of this book to read.
Liddy Barron is an artist recovering from a nasty accident. She cannot remember the accident and what led up to it and is plagued by nightmares. Liddy takes her sketchpad with everywhere she goes. One day she is having coffee with a friend and draws a girl that walks past. Later it becomes apparent that the girl she had drawn has been missing for some months. Liddy then starts to see the girl everywhere. Is she slowly unravelling? Is she seeing ghosts? Or is the girl alive and well?
Liddy passes her concerns to the police and is taken seriously by Detective Kerri Blasco. Blasco is still trying to find the missing girl and zeroes in on Liddy's husband's partner, Carl Finn. But her husband Paul has also been acting strangely. This is a tautly plotted mystery in which you are not quite sure how it will end - the best kind.
Liddy Barron is an artist recovering from a nasty accident. She cannot remember the accident and what led up to it and is plagued by nightmares. Liddy takes her sketchpad with everywhere she goes. One day she is having coffee with a friend and draws a girl that walks past. Later it becomes apparent that the girl she had drawn has been missing for some months. Liddy then starts to see the girl everywhere. Is she slowly unravelling? Is she seeing ghosts? Or is the girl alive and well?
Liddy passes her concerns to the police and is taken seriously by Detective Kerri Blasco. Blasco is still trying to find the missing girl and zeroes in on Liddy's husband's partner, Carl Finn. But her husband Paul has also been acting strangely. This is a tautly plotted mystery in which you are not quite sure how it will end - the best kind.
May 30, 2016
FEAR DREAMS
This was a great book and turned out being not who I first thought it was but at least Liddy was able to help Sasha at the end...
This was a great book and turned out being not who I first thought it was but at least Liddy was able to help Sasha at the end...
October 7, 2019
This is book 1 in the Kerry Blasco series and the first book I read was book 4: Shoeless Child so I can confirm it works well as stand alone.
Liddy was in a road accident where she was knocked down leaving her with concussion and a badly fractured leg. She is recovering slowly but lost her memory so she has no recollection of the accident or the events preceding it. Her husband Paul is very supportive as is her friend Beth.
Liddy suffers from terrible nightmares and moving to a new apartment doesn't help. She keeps seeing Sasha a missing coed and she knows things about Sasha that were not made public. Kerry Blasco has been investigating Sasha's disappearance for a while but with no leads the funding has been pulled and she is left doing what she can in her own time. When Liddy turns up Kerry is thrilled that at last they have something new but how does Liddy know these things?
As Liddy and her friends fear for her sanity the dreams and visions continue she keeps seeing Sasha in water pleading for help. Is she a ghost or has Liddy gone mad?
This is a twisty turny book as we follow Liddy and Kerry as they try to make sense of the dreams.
I love the characters they are realistic personalities that all bring something to the story and I like how the relationship between Kerry and Liddy develops.
There are several red herrings and curve balls as the fast paced story develops and the reader is taken on an adrenaline pumping ride to the very climatic ending where we receive an even bigger shock as the truth is revealed.
A brilliant read and well worth the 5 stars.
Liddy was in a road accident where she was knocked down leaving her with concussion and a badly fractured leg. She is recovering slowly but lost her memory so she has no recollection of the accident or the events preceding it. Her husband Paul is very supportive as is her friend Beth.
Liddy suffers from terrible nightmares and moving to a new apartment doesn't help. She keeps seeing Sasha a missing coed and she knows things about Sasha that were not made public. Kerry Blasco has been investigating Sasha's disappearance for a while but with no leads the funding has been pulled and she is left doing what she can in her own time. When Liddy turns up Kerry is thrilled that at last they have something new but how does Liddy know these things?
As Liddy and her friends fear for her sanity the dreams and visions continue she keeps seeing Sasha in water pleading for help. Is she a ghost or has Liddy gone mad?
This is a twisty turny book as we follow Liddy and Kerry as they try to make sense of the dreams.
I love the characters they are realistic personalities that all bring something to the story and I like how the relationship between Kerry and Liddy develops.
There are several red herrings and curve balls as the fast paced story develops and the reader is taken on an adrenaline pumping ride to the very climatic ending where we receive an even bigger shock as the truth is revealed.
A brilliant read and well worth the 5 stars.
May 6, 2019
This is the first time I’ve read anything by this talented author and it won’t be the last I can assure you.
This was a thriller that made you think and search for clues, and it kept this reader glued to her Kindle.
Painter, Liddy has recently had an accident which has a devastating affect on her life. She’s looking for an apartment in New York and this is where the plot becomes sinister. I’m not one for spoilers, you’ll have to read a copy to see what I mean.
Enter Detective Kerri Blasco and her partner whose task it is to unravel this mystery/paranormal story.
Great characters, dialogue and the writing flowed wonderfully.
Fabulous read which I highly recommend.
This was a thriller that made you think and search for clues, and it kept this reader glued to her Kindle.
Painter, Liddy has recently had an accident which has a devastating affect on her life. She’s looking for an apartment in New York and this is where the plot becomes sinister. I’m not one for spoilers, you’ll have to read a copy to see what I mean.
Enter Detective Kerri Blasco and her partner whose task it is to unravel this mystery/paranormal story.
Great characters, dialogue and the writing flowed wonderfully.
Fabulous read which I highly recommend.
March 19, 2016
Sometimes there are things in a book that connect to the reader on a personal level that actually have nothing to do with the story. Nevertheless, it creates this unintended intimacy between author and reader. This happened to me while reading FEAR DREAMS. When my daughter was an infant, I had a downstairs neighbor named Liz who also had a daughter a couple of months younger than mine. The girls grew up together, started walking and talking together. My daughter called my friend Lidz. One of the main characters in FEAR DREAMS is Liddy; her husband calls her Lids. It's a small world thing that really has nothing to do with anything, except it reminded me of a really happy time in my life.
J. A. Schneider has a knack for drawing her readers in and keeping them wanting more. I have read five of the six Embryo series books and found that each one of just a bit better than the one that came before. FEAR DREAMS is less nail biter and more mystery.
FEAR DREAMS examines ways in which the mind copes, or fails to cope. Sanity feels like a fleeting thing when memory isn't there. Try to imagine that all you think you know about a person you trust is wrong. Then imagine that same person professing to want to help while doing everything possible not to help. It might just make you imagine that you had truly lost your mind.
FEAR DREAMS is a murder mystery, and if you have read any of the Embryo books you will recognize Kerri Blasco and Alex Brand as a pair of NYPD detectives. Throughout the book, Kerri is bent on solving the case of Sasha Perry... missing coed? murder victim?
I mentioned that this book is less an adrenalin rush, and this is true, until you get to the nitty gritty ending. That's when the pages start to turn themselves. Don't be surprised if your eyes start to well up with tears like mine did.
You will meet some well developed characters here whose realism continues to build with every page. You will feel sympathy and outrage before you reach the last page. As with any good mystery there are twists and turns along with a red herring or two just to keep it all interesting.
I am hoping that this means a new series from J. A. Schneider. I will certainly read it.
I received an ARC from the author for the purpose of review.
J. A. Schneider has a knack for drawing her readers in and keeping them wanting more. I have read five of the six Embryo series books and found that each one of just a bit better than the one that came before. FEAR DREAMS is less nail biter and more mystery.
FEAR DREAMS examines ways in which the mind copes, or fails to cope. Sanity feels like a fleeting thing when memory isn't there. Try to imagine that all you think you know about a person you trust is wrong. Then imagine that same person professing to want to help while doing everything possible not to help. It might just make you imagine that you had truly lost your mind.
FEAR DREAMS is a murder mystery, and if you have read any of the Embryo books you will recognize Kerri Blasco and Alex Brand as a pair of NYPD detectives. Throughout the book, Kerri is bent on solving the case of Sasha Perry... missing coed? murder victim?
I mentioned that this book is less an adrenalin rush, and this is true, until you get to the nitty gritty ending. That's when the pages start to turn themselves. Don't be surprised if your eyes start to well up with tears like mine did.
You will meet some well developed characters here whose realism continues to build with every page. You will feel sympathy and outrage before you reach the last page. As with any good mystery there are twists and turns along with a red herring or two just to keep it all interesting.
I am hoping that this means a new series from J. A. Schneider. I will certainly read it.
I received an ARC from the author for the purpose of review.
March 28, 2016
Fear Dreams is an intense and gripping psychological thriller. From the first pages, I could not put it down – to the point of doing an extra twenty minutes on my recumbent bike without even realizing it. Wow. There is never a lull in this fast-paced story.
The book opens with a nightmare that has haunted Liddy since she was hit by a drunk driver three months ago. Her physical and emotional recovery has been tough, but Liddy, an artist, is anxious to get back her life back. Her husband Paul and best friend Beth are supportive, she’s seeing a psychiatrist, so everything should work out, she tells herself. But when her nighttime terrors start showing up in the daylight, Liddy is thrown into an abyss of fear and uncertainty and starts to doubt her own sanity. Think Alfred Hitchcock meets meets Girl on the Train. It’s that good.
Well-written and expertly-plotted, the novel maintains a taut thread of suspense and intrigue throughout. The author does an excellent job of slowly unraveling the lives of this once-carefree young couple, starting with their move into a fabulous apartment in New York City’s trendy SoHo neighborhood. It’s a great loft space, but the demise of the last occupant sets a menacing tone and overshadows their new digs like a monster under the bed. The tension escalates as Liddy finds her life inextricably and mysteriously linked to missing NYU coed Sasha Perry.
The author has a gift for bringing readers into a scene. A great example of this is a nail-biting police ambush of a serial killer. Watching the action unfold is Police Det. Kerrie Blasco, a strong, smart and empathetic character who refuses to give up the search for Sasha Perry despite pressure from police brass. Blasco’s determination is crucial to helping Liddy discover the source of her demons. The subplot about Blasco’s relationship with colleague Alex Brand is an enjoyable interlude in this high-voltage drama.
A superb thriller that simmers with suspense and intrigue!
The book opens with a nightmare that has haunted Liddy since she was hit by a drunk driver three months ago. Her physical and emotional recovery has been tough, but Liddy, an artist, is anxious to get back her life back. Her husband Paul and best friend Beth are supportive, she’s seeing a psychiatrist, so everything should work out, she tells herself. But when her nighttime terrors start showing up in the daylight, Liddy is thrown into an abyss of fear and uncertainty and starts to doubt her own sanity. Think Alfred Hitchcock meets meets Girl on the Train. It’s that good.
Well-written and expertly-plotted, the novel maintains a taut thread of suspense and intrigue throughout. The author does an excellent job of slowly unraveling the lives of this once-carefree young couple, starting with their move into a fabulous apartment in New York City’s trendy SoHo neighborhood. It’s a great loft space, but the demise of the last occupant sets a menacing tone and overshadows their new digs like a monster under the bed. The tension escalates as Liddy finds her life inextricably and mysteriously linked to missing NYU coed Sasha Perry.
The author has a gift for bringing readers into a scene. A great example of this is a nail-biting police ambush of a serial killer. Watching the action unfold is Police Det. Kerrie Blasco, a strong, smart and empathetic character who refuses to give up the search for Sasha Perry despite pressure from police brass. Blasco’s determination is crucial to helping Liddy discover the source of her demons. The subplot about Blasco’s relationship with colleague Alex Brand is an enjoyable interlude in this high-voltage drama.
A superb thriller that simmers with suspense and intrigue!
October 28, 2016
This book has many glowing reviews, but I'm afraid it didn't really grab me. I didn't like the writing style - I found it quite disjointed and jerky. Some of the sentences didn't seem finished, almost as if there were some words missing. The plot was very transparent. I'd had my suspicions about what really happened very early on, so I had to continue reading to see if they were correct. They were! It also very much reminded me of a film I watched a few years ago and this helped with my deductions.
Other readers seem to have really enjoyed it. Unfortunately it didn't hit the right notes for me.
Other readers seem to have really enjoyed it. Unfortunately it didn't hit the right notes for me.
October 14, 2016
Fear Dreams By Joyce Schneider is a psychological thriller read.
A harrowing psychological thriller about a troubled artist, an intuitive detective, and a missing coed... Liddy Barron, a painter, was injured in a hit-and-run accident that left her with recurring nightmares, partial amnesia, and an increasing obsession in the disappearance of a coed named Sasha Perry.
An fantastic read with great characters in loved the story too. Kept me guessing who and why? Highly recommended. 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from tbc on fb.
A harrowing psychological thriller about a troubled artist, an intuitive detective, and a missing coed... Liddy Barron, a painter, was injured in a hit-and-run accident that left her with recurring nightmares, partial amnesia, and an increasing obsession in the disappearance of a coed named Sasha Perry.
An fantastic read with great characters in loved the story too. Kept me guessing who and why? Highly recommended. 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from tbc on fb.
March 9, 2017
I struggled to connect with this book. I forced myself to finish since I have had a string of not so gripping books. This got a ton of great reviews so I was wondering what I was missing. It grabbed me for a short while at around 70% and lost me again at 90%. I did finish but this just wasn't my cup of tea I guess.
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