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The Empty Room
Rain soaked and dreary, it was a 1901 abandoned Victorian that Dean and Elizabeth hoped would fulfill their dreams, even if the town of Eastbrook, Maine was trapped under a blanket of fog. The first neighbor they meet in town dashes those dreams when he raises a bizarre question: what happened to the last person who lived in their house? Under mounting pressure from the residents of Eastbrook to stop questioning the past, Dean and Elizabeth are driven deeper into the history of the house, and the town. When they discover what happened in Eastbrook, keeping the secret could save their lives, but uncovering the truth might be worth the risk.
A gripping psychological mystery, The Empty Room takes readers on a cat-and-mouse game where some secrets are better off hidden.
A gripping psychological mystery, The Empty Room takes readers on a cat-and-mouse game where some secrets are better off hidden.
212 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 23, 2016
529 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 17, 2016
Newlyweds Dean and Elizabeth Montgomery have bought an old Victorian in the small town of Eastbrook, Maine. The only catch to their dream home is it will take a lot of cleaning out since the previous owner had mysteriously disappeared leaving all of their belongings behind but that's a small price to pay for what they hope will be the ideal life in a small town.
Unfortunately when Dean and Elizabeth arrive in Eastbook the locals are not exactly welcoming to the newcomers. Everywhere they turn they feel the weighty stares and hushed conversations seeming to be directed their way. As the days go by Dean and Elizabeth uncover more and more secrets about this sleepy little unwelcoming town and find themselves grasping to know the truth about their new home.
The Empty Room was a rather Twilight Zone-ish little read that had me intrigued from the very beginning. You can't help but wonder what the heck is up with a town full of people treating the newcomers so horribly, well with the exception of one little girl who welcomes them with open arms which only added to the mystery even more.
As the story unfolded and I got more of a feel for where it was going I began to make my guesses as to how this one would end. When finished reading I can happily say that while I had some tiny suspicion of the direction the final ending took I really didn't figure it out very well and was pleasantly surprised at how gripping the entire read was with a nice surprise to the ending to tie it all together.
Overall, a great little read that reminded me of something along the lines of the Twilight Zone.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Unfortunately when Dean and Elizabeth arrive in Eastbook the locals are not exactly welcoming to the newcomers. Everywhere they turn they feel the weighty stares and hushed conversations seeming to be directed their way. As the days go by Dean and Elizabeth uncover more and more secrets about this sleepy little unwelcoming town and find themselves grasping to know the truth about their new home.
The Empty Room was a rather Twilight Zone-ish little read that had me intrigued from the very beginning. You can't help but wonder what the heck is up with a town full of people treating the newcomers so horribly, well with the exception of one little girl who welcomes them with open arms which only added to the mystery even more.
As the story unfolded and I got more of a feel for where it was going I began to make my guesses as to how this one would end. When finished reading I can happily say that while I had some tiny suspicion of the direction the final ending took I really didn't figure it out very well and was pleasantly surprised at how gripping the entire read was with a nice surprise to the ending to tie it all together.
Overall, a great little read that reminded me of something along the lines of the Twilight Zone.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
July 20, 2016
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
The blurb was intriguing enough to capture my attention. The cover too promised a mystery or suspense tale and I was looking forward to the read. Boy, was I surprised with the story!!! And I mean that in a very good way.
The story started off in a bland way actually with the introduction of Dean and Elizabeth. It was a narration at the beginning which eventually turned into dialogue laden chapters. The characters were well written. Dean was a person with dry humour which could be seen in the various interactions between Elizabeth and him. Elizabeth was his perfect counterpart with her cheerful attitude.
All the other characters were very creepy and the town had a wierd feel with all the staring and non cool conversations. Actually I started thinking it might be a horror tale after all especially with the presence of Rose. The story is very short actually. It took me only an hour or two to read the e-book. The middle was a bit slow and it was essential for the story and the ending. The climax blew my head. Though there were indications, I wasn't able to put them together to know because I was totally immersed in the superficial layer of the story. The author's writing in that aspect is very good. She had my attention scattered with her story telling.
The ending was the part which convinced me that I had to give a 4.5 star rating for this book. I so wasn't expecting it and it had me feeling sad. It isn't often an author makes me feel poignant. I seriously have no words to describe the ending. I can only recommend this book for a poignant short read. I enjoyed and I think others will too,if given a chance.
My rating : 4.5/5
The blurb was intriguing enough to capture my attention. The cover too promised a mystery or suspense tale and I was looking forward to the read. Boy, was I surprised with the story!!! And I mean that in a very good way.
The story started off in a bland way actually with the introduction of Dean and Elizabeth. It was a narration at the beginning which eventually turned into dialogue laden chapters. The characters were well written. Dean was a person with dry humour which could be seen in the various interactions between Elizabeth and him. Elizabeth was his perfect counterpart with her cheerful attitude.
All the other characters were very creepy and the town had a wierd feel with all the staring and non cool conversations. Actually I started thinking it might be a horror tale after all especially with the presence of Rose. The story is very short actually. It took me only an hour or two to read the e-book. The middle was a bit slow and it was essential for the story and the ending. The climax blew my head. Though there were indications, I wasn't able to put them together to know because I was totally immersed in the superficial layer of the story. The author's writing in that aspect is very good. She had my attention scattered with her story telling.
The ending was the part which convinced me that I had to give a 4.5 star rating for this book. I so wasn't expecting it and it had me feeling sad. It isn't often an author makes me feel poignant. I seriously have no words to describe the ending. I can only recommend this book for a poignant short read. I enjoyed and I think others will too,if given a chance.
My rating : 4.5/5
March 20, 2017
I really didn't know what to expect* from this short read that was barely 140 pages on the PDF file I received but I certainly did not expect fell so shOOK from the ending alone.
3.5 stars
The prologue was really more of a history lesson than anything else. It started off with a brief introductory paragraph to the small town of Eastbrook and then quickly moved on to talk about Dean’s and Elizabeth’s background, leaving me to wonder whether I was reading a Wikipedia page or an autobiography. I even thought I had accidentally picked up a historical fiction by accident but with names like Dean MONTGOMERY and Elizabeth GEORGIAN it was really hard not to.
Even though the prologue and I got off on a wrong foot, it wasn’t hard for me to become immersed in the story. This was mainly due to the main characters, Dean and Elizabeth, whom I found to be easily likeable. Despite the impression their detached introduction in the prologue gave me, I quickly fell in love with them the moment they opened their mouths. Their friendly bickering is a sight I feel that is not commonly seen in mystery/thriller stories (must everyone be so uptight and intENSE????).
The story, however, is rather passive. For the most of the book, nothing really progresses, and then at the last 15 pages, all the explanations are dumped on you (it’s kinda overwhelming tbh but it will shaKE YOU UP SO MUCH…). The fact that the Eastbrook residents were uncooperative and shunned away from any form of contact with Dean and Elizabeth contributed somewhat to this, but Dean and Elizabeth also lacked the burning desire to uncover the truth behind their newly purchased house. Honestly tho, they came to Eastbrook seeking a peaceful life away from the hustle and bustle of the city so their initial reluctance to look further into the mysteries surrounding their house was understandable.
The ending was good in the sense that it was different, it was unexpected and it left me feeling like a trainwreck. By then, I had already realised that this book had absolutely nothing to do with the supernatural but… ghosts don’t exist only on the physical plane. Though it would be nice to have a more stretched out explanation (give us time to digest pls) or a less cultish ending (what’s the deal of all the residents coming together?? it was… so creepy I honestly thought they were gonna mob the main characters).
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*oh what a lie this is I expected ghosts and spirits but apparently I didn't read the summary or genres properly (another bad habit of mine oops)
3.5 stars
The prologue was really more of a history lesson than anything else. It started off with a brief introductory paragraph to the small town of Eastbrook and then quickly moved on to talk about Dean’s and Elizabeth’s background, leaving me to wonder whether I was reading a Wikipedia page or an autobiography. I even thought I had accidentally picked up a historical fiction by accident but with names like Dean MONTGOMERY and Elizabeth GEORGIAN it was really hard not to.
Even though the prologue and I got off on a wrong foot, it wasn’t hard for me to become immersed in the story. This was mainly due to the main characters, Dean and Elizabeth, whom I found to be easily likeable. Despite the impression their detached introduction in the prologue gave me, I quickly fell in love with them the moment they opened their mouths. Their friendly bickering is a sight I feel that is not commonly seen in mystery/thriller stories (must everyone be so uptight and intENSE????).
The story, however, is rather passive. For the most of the book, nothing really progresses, and then at the last 15 pages, all the explanations are dumped on you (it’s kinda overwhelming tbh but it will shaKE YOU UP SO MUCH…). The fact that the Eastbrook residents were uncooperative and shunned away from any form of contact with Dean and Elizabeth contributed somewhat to this, but Dean and Elizabeth also lacked the burning desire to uncover the truth behind their newly purchased house. Honestly tho, they came to Eastbrook seeking a peaceful life away from the hustle and bustle of the city so their initial reluctance to look further into the mysteries surrounding their house was understandable.
The ending was good in the sense that it was different, it was unexpected and it left me feeling like a trainwreck. By then, I had already realised that this book had absolutely nothing to do with the supernatural but… ghosts don’t exist only on the physical plane. Though it would be nice to have a more stretched out explanation (give us time to digest pls) or a less cultish ending (what’s the deal of all the residents coming together?? it was… so creepy I honestly thought they were gonna mob the main characters).
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August 20, 2016
I applaud the author's originality and spunky sense of humor. I don't typically read many mystery novels (murders are too gruesome and I don't care for paranormal horror), but I connected with the author briefly online and was curious. The story starts off with lots of narration and blocks of snappy character description (no dialogue or thoughts), not the tightly interwoven mix of dialogue, thoughts, action, and descriptive bits one usually sees in commercial fiction these days. But there's a charm to the author's phrasing that lures one to read on.
I knew there was something wrong from the start. Why would a young couple leave good jobs in Chicago to move cross-country to a tiny town that offered no employment? Yes, they want to settle down and start a family, but don't they also have to make a living? And why move so far away from their own families? I had a hard time believing that professionals would buy a house sight unseen even for a ridiculously cheap price. Wouldn't you at least check to make sure the plumbing worked and that the house wasn't contaminated with mold or infested with snakes? (Obviously, I've read too many real-life dramas). But this is a clue.
Why does the little girl (Rose) affectionately greet Dean with "You came back!" and totally ignore Elizabeth? What was the girl's connection to him? Is she his daughter? We never find out. Nor do we know why the girl walks right by Mrs. Jacobs without the nosy neighbor's reaction.
Mystery genre typically demands that the author weave clues throughout the story and surprise the reader with a twist ending. The author does a great job of that. But I felt let-down. Often there's an emotional victory for the reader at the point where the main character discovers the truth and rights a wrong. But not so with this story. There's only the sad realization that Elizabeth is truly gone, the victim of a senseless murder, that Dean's mind is fractured beyond repair, and the townspeople are doomed to relive Dean's ongoing delusions with him.
While we find out what happened in the empty room, we never learn what furniture used to be in the room (was it a nursery?) or why the sixty-year-old Hayden Dobs entered the home and killed Elizabeth Dean with a handgun. What was he after? Why would the town try to hide the disappearance of a murderer? For me, the cemented-in crawl space was hard to picture. The initial antagonistic, creepy reaction of the townspeople didn't make sense, given their compassion and support later. Unreal that 400 people would all crowd around the house and stare at Dean, then let a little girl lead him around the back to his wife's grave. If they care so much, why don't they get him competent psychiatric help?
Nonetheless, it's not easy laying out such a novel. I think the author did an amazing job of unleashing the story bit by bit, weaving in clues that supported her twist ending. I think it's interesting the way she let us see the couple's fractured responses to finding Hayden Dobs' body, an elegant precursor to the way Dean's mind fractures later... an unusually thoughtful or intuitive element. Great potential here. Keep writing, Sarah!
I knew there was something wrong from the start. Why would a young couple leave good jobs in Chicago to move cross-country to a tiny town that offered no employment? Yes, they want to settle down and start a family, but don't they also have to make a living? And why move so far away from their own families? I had a hard time believing that professionals would buy a house sight unseen even for a ridiculously cheap price. Wouldn't you at least check to make sure the plumbing worked and that the house wasn't contaminated with mold or infested with snakes? (Obviously, I've read too many real-life dramas). But this is a clue.
Why does the little girl (Rose) affectionately greet Dean with "You came back!" and totally ignore Elizabeth? What was the girl's connection to him? Is she his daughter? We never find out. Nor do we know why the girl walks right by Mrs. Jacobs without the nosy neighbor's reaction.
Mystery genre typically demands that the author weave clues throughout the story and surprise the reader with a twist ending. The author does a great job of that. But I felt let-down. Often there's an emotional victory for the reader at the point where the main character discovers the truth and rights a wrong. But not so with this story. There's only the sad realization that Elizabeth is truly gone, the victim of a senseless murder, that Dean's mind is fractured beyond repair, and the townspeople are doomed to relive Dean's ongoing delusions with him.
While we find out what happened in the empty room, we never learn what furniture used to be in the room (was it a nursery?) or why the sixty-year-old Hayden Dobs entered the home and killed Elizabeth Dean with a handgun. What was he after? Why would the town try to hide the disappearance of a murderer? For me, the cemented-in crawl space was hard to picture. The initial antagonistic, creepy reaction of the townspeople didn't make sense, given their compassion and support later. Unreal that 400 people would all crowd around the house and stare at Dean, then let a little girl lead him around the back to his wife's grave. If they care so much, why don't they get him competent psychiatric help?
Nonetheless, it's not easy laying out such a novel. I think the author did an amazing job of unleashing the story bit by bit, weaving in clues that supported her twist ending. I think it's interesting the way she let us see the couple's fractured responses to finding Hayden Dobs' body, an elegant precursor to the way Dean's mind fractures later... an unusually thoughtful or intuitive element. Great potential here. Keep writing, Sarah!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2016
Holy crap this one was a complete shocker! My immediate thoughts go to Alfred Hitchcock, Edgar Allen Poe, or even The Twilight Zone… Dean and Elizabeth meet when they are both running late to work one day and he nearly runs her over. They marry a few months later and decide to get away from the city life and buy an old Victorian in Eastbrook, Maine. The people of this small town are less than welcoming and they also realize that the previous resident just up and left everything in his home when he disappeared. The house is full of furniture and even has dirty dishes in the sink. Except there is one room on the main floor that is empty and has wallpaper on the walls. Many of the items they decide to keep because, as luck would have it, their moving van with all of their belongings never showed up.
Everyone they meet is rude and when they start asking about the man that lived there before them, some of them even give sketchy warnings saying, “are you sure you want to know?” Especially troubling to Dean is the elderly woman next door, Mrs. Jacobs. She shows up unannounced on the porch, makes odd comments that he doesn’t understand, and gives off an overall cool demeanor. Despite the others in town that suggest they shouldn’t search for clues about the former resident, Dean and Elizabeth continue trying to figure out who lived there before and what happened to them. What is finally discovered is nowhere near anything that I expected would happen!
So this is one of those books that I plan to re-read now that I know the ending.. Probably tonight. I was completely floored by Clemens’ plot twists and turns and can say 100% that I did not see any of the ending coming. It’s hard to go into too much detail in this review because the LAST thing I want to do is give any spoilers. I can say that I loved Dean and Elizabeth and how funny they were. Dean delivers some hilarious one-liners and Elizabeth is just as funny in her actions. They are a wonderful, funny couple in love despite the reality of what’s happening around them. I must say that there were times when I was confused by some of the writing or details, however, once the ending was revealed, it all fell perfectly in place. It wasn’t an issue with the writing, but rather, you figure out everything in the end.
Even more impressive than the novel itself, is this is Sarah Clemens’ debut novel! The ability to weave a suspenseful, mysterious story in this way with so many surprises is outstanding, but especially from a new author. I so look forward to reading more from her in the future, but as previously stated, I absolutely plan on reading this one again. If you are a fan of mystery/suspense/thriller/a little creepy-type novels then this should be put at the top of your TBR list. Cheers to Sarah Clemens for such an amazing, entertaining novel!
Everyone they meet is rude and when they start asking about the man that lived there before them, some of them even give sketchy warnings saying, “are you sure you want to know?” Especially troubling to Dean is the elderly woman next door, Mrs. Jacobs. She shows up unannounced on the porch, makes odd comments that he doesn’t understand, and gives off an overall cool demeanor. Despite the others in town that suggest they shouldn’t search for clues about the former resident, Dean and Elizabeth continue trying to figure out who lived there before and what happened to them. What is finally discovered is nowhere near anything that I expected would happen!
So this is one of those books that I plan to re-read now that I know the ending.. Probably tonight. I was completely floored by Clemens’ plot twists and turns and can say 100% that I did not see any of the ending coming. It’s hard to go into too much detail in this review because the LAST thing I want to do is give any spoilers. I can say that I loved Dean and Elizabeth and how funny they were. Dean delivers some hilarious one-liners and Elizabeth is just as funny in her actions. They are a wonderful, funny couple in love despite the reality of what’s happening around them. I must say that there were times when I was confused by some of the writing or details, however, once the ending was revealed, it all fell perfectly in place. It wasn’t an issue with the writing, but rather, you figure out everything in the end.
Even more impressive than the novel itself, is this is Sarah Clemens’ debut novel! The ability to weave a suspenseful, mysterious story in this way with so many surprises is outstanding, but especially from a new author. I so look forward to reading more from her in the future, but as previously stated, I absolutely plan on reading this one again. If you are a fan of mystery/suspense/thriller/a little creepy-type novels then this should be put at the top of your TBR list. Cheers to Sarah Clemens for such an amazing, entertaining novel!
October 10, 2016
Dean and Elizabeth meet when they are both running late to work one day and he nearly runs her over. They marry a few months later and decide to get away from the city life and buy an old Victorian in Eastbrook, Maine. The people of this small town are less than welcoming and they also realize that the previous resident just up and left everything in his home when he disappeared. The house is full of furniture and even has dirty dishes in the sink. Except there is one room on the main floor that is empty and has wallpaper on the walls. Many of the items they decide to keep because, as luck would have it, their moving van with all of their belongings never showed up.
Everyone they meet is rude and when they start asking about the man that lived there before them, some of them even give sketchy warnings saying, “are you sure you want to know?” Especially troubling to Dean is the elderly woman next door, Mrs. Jacobs. She shows up unannounced on the porch, makes odd comments that he doesn’t understand, and gives off an overall cool demeanor. Despite the others in town that suggest they shouldn’t search for clues about the former resident, Dean and Elizabeth continue trying to figure out who lived there before and what happened to them. What is finally discovered is nowhere near anything that I expected would happen!
So this is one of those books that I plan to re-read now that I know the ending.. Probably tonight. I was completely floored by Clemens’ plot twists and turns and can say 100% that I did not see any of the ending coming. It’s hard to go into too much detail in this review because the LAST thing I want to do is give any spoilers. I can say that I loved Dean and Elizabeth and how funny they were. Dean delivers some hilarious one-liners and Elizabeth is just as funny in her actions. They are a wonderful, funny couple in love despite the reality of what’s happening around them. I must say that there were times when I was confused by some of the writing or details, however, once the ending was revealed, it all fell perfectly in place. It wasn’t an issue with the writing, but rather, you figure out everything in the end.
Even more impressive than the novel itself, is this is Sarah Clemens’ debut novel! The ability to weave a suspenseful, mysterious story in this way with so many surprises is outstanding, but especially from a new author. I so look forward to reading more from her in the future, but as previously stated, I absolutely plan on reading this one again. If you are a fan of mystery/suspense/thriller/a little creepy-type novels then this should be put at the top of your TBR list. Cheers to Sarah Clemens for such an amazing, entertaining novel!
*Thanks to Xpresso for providing a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Everyone they meet is rude and when they start asking about the man that lived there before them, some of them even give sketchy warnings saying, “are you sure you want to know?” Especially troubling to Dean is the elderly woman next door, Mrs. Jacobs. She shows up unannounced on the porch, makes odd comments that he doesn’t understand, and gives off an overall cool demeanor. Despite the others in town that suggest they shouldn’t search for clues about the former resident, Dean and Elizabeth continue trying to figure out who lived there before and what happened to them. What is finally discovered is nowhere near anything that I expected would happen!
So this is one of those books that I plan to re-read now that I know the ending.. Probably tonight. I was completely floored by Clemens’ plot twists and turns and can say 100% that I did not see any of the ending coming. It’s hard to go into too much detail in this review because the LAST thing I want to do is give any spoilers. I can say that I loved Dean and Elizabeth and how funny they were. Dean delivers some hilarious one-liners and Elizabeth is just as funny in her actions. They are a wonderful, funny couple in love despite the reality of what’s happening around them. I must say that there were times when I was confused by some of the writing or details, however, once the ending was revealed, it all fell perfectly in place. It wasn’t an issue with the writing, but rather, you figure out everything in the end.
Even more impressive than the novel itself, is this is Sarah Clemens’ debut novel! The ability to weave a suspenseful, mysterious story in this way with so many surprises is outstanding, but especially from a new author. I so look forward to reading more from her in the future, but as previously stated, I absolutely plan on reading this one again. If you are a fan of mystery/suspense/thriller/a little creepy-type novels then this should be put at the top of your TBR list. Cheers to Sarah Clemens for such an amazing, entertaining novel!
*Thanks to Xpresso for providing a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
November 5, 2016
** 2.5 Cranky Stars **
Writing reviews like this brings me no joy. I know the amount of work authors put in and they leave a piece of themselves in every book.
I struggled with this book. I struggled to finish it and just when I was about to quit it, the pace picked up.
Set in the small town of Eastbrook, Maine, the story revolves around Dean and Elizabeth Montgomery. They purchase a Victorian era house to begin their newly married life together.
The property, bought as is, includes furnishings and the possessions of the previous owner, who apparently abandoned the property in a hurry. What appears to be good fortune houses a mystery.
As Dean and Elizabeth begin to uncover secrets and mysteries, Elizabeth goes missing. As questions are raised, the close-knit community that once welcomed Dean and Elizabeth become increasingly hostile.
Dean is sure they’re hiding something, not just about Elizabeth, but also the previous owner. Desperate to find the truth and Elizabeth, Dean scrambles to unravel the mystery, but sometimes, one is better off not knowing.
I’d like to start off saying that the premise of this book is a good one. I picked the ending, but it was still a wonderful twist.
Where the book failed for me is that it was slow going. It didn’t pick up speed until about the 80 percent mark. That’s too long for me and I admit that, at times, I was tempted to DNF it. Also, in parts, the writing was rudimentary. There was a lot of tell and I felt the author overly-described, not leaving much room for the imagination of the reader to fill in the blanks.
I wished the author had cut back on the descriptions and instead focused on building both the pace and suspense of the work. Personally, I believe the work would have been better for it.
October 29, 2016
Newlyweds Elizabeth and Dean are excited to move out of the big city and live in a small town to begin their life together. When they find the perfect home online, they know if is the right place for them, regardless of the fact it was abandoned by the previous owner with all his furnishings left inside. Ready for their new adventure, they are surprised by the reception they receive in town. People refuse to talk to them, and when they do it is with anger or threats. The couple refuses to be daunted, and decide to go through the past owner’s possessions to make room for their own. Only to discover that there is one completely empty room in the house. When more questions and strange occurrences start to happen, the couple starts digging for answers.
This will be a short review because I do not like being negative. This was such a slow read! I feel terrible saying that, especially since the premise sounds awesome and I love a good creepy/scary read (which I felt that this had the potential to be). But unfortunately, this did not play out for me as I hoped. I felt like reading the book was a chore that I had to accomplish, instead of the treat I was hoping for. Sure there were moments that were interesting and creepy, but they were buried in the tedium of everyday life that could have been left out in leui of more mystery/creepiness. I just could not connect with the characters or the plot. I did enjoy the cute banter and obvious love between the couple, but I kept hoping for more action or mysterious signs (maybe the signs were there but I missed them). Maybe the author was going for the slow build that is popular in horror movies? I feel that others will really enjoy this story; it just was not for me.
I received this title in return for my honest review.
For more reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
This will be a short review because I do not like being negative. This was such a slow read! I feel terrible saying that, especially since the premise sounds awesome and I love a good creepy/scary read (which I felt that this had the potential to be). But unfortunately, this did not play out for me as I hoped. I felt like reading the book was a chore that I had to accomplish, instead of the treat I was hoping for. Sure there were moments that were interesting and creepy, but they were buried in the tedium of everyday life that could have been left out in leui of more mystery/creepiness. I just could not connect with the characters or the plot. I did enjoy the cute banter and obvious love between the couple, but I kept hoping for more action or mysterious signs (maybe the signs were there but I missed them). Maybe the author was going for the slow build that is popular in horror movies? I feel that others will really enjoy this story; it just was not for me.
I received this title in return for my honest review.
For more reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
January 12, 2017
This is my first book by author Sarah J. Clemens, and it is also my first mystery book in a very long time – I used to love reading Agatha Christie & Mary Higgins Clark mysteries when I was a kid, but lately I haven't been as into the genre as I once was. I think it's mostly because I haven't found a mystery to read that would intrigue me as much as they used to. So needless to say, I was skeptical about posting this review because I was already assuming that I would not like this book. However, that was certainly not the case with The Empty Room. The author had me enthralled from page one; I wanted to know what the big secret that the towns people knew & I wasn't going to put the book down until I figured it out. I absolutely LOVE a good mystery that puts me on edge & has me guessing til the end; I thought I had figured out how this book was going to end – I was expecting XYZ but the author gave me 123.
I don't want to give anything away – but I will say there was that definite curveball at the end. There was a hint that it was coming at about 80-85% of the way through and, even though I didn't want to, I think I finished that last 15-20% the fastest I've ever finished a book. I thought the author's writing style was amazing – she managed to capture the emotions & thoughts of the both Dean & his wife Elizabeth while keeping it in third person. She gave enough detail to make it feel like I was in the story, without being so detailed that it dragged the book. I will say, the pacing was a little slow in the beginning, but it seemed to pick up to a decent pace towards the middle & end of the book. This isn't a very long book – I was able to read it in a day's time, but the author managed to pack quite a bit of suspense & intrigue into these 212 pages. All in all, for my first *recent* mystery read I was very impressed.
I don't want to give anything away – but I will say there was that definite curveball at the end. There was a hint that it was coming at about 80-85% of the way through and, even though I didn't want to, I think I finished that last 15-20% the fastest I've ever finished a book. I thought the author's writing style was amazing – she managed to capture the emotions & thoughts of the both Dean & his wife Elizabeth while keeping it in third person. She gave enough detail to make it feel like I was in the story, without being so detailed that it dragged the book. I will say, the pacing was a little slow in the beginning, but it seemed to pick up to a decent pace towards the middle & end of the book. This isn't a very long book – I was able to read it in a day's time, but the author managed to pack quite a bit of suspense & intrigue into these 212 pages. All in all, for my first *recent* mystery read I was very impressed.
October 20, 2016
The Empty Room was an unusual mystery story and in someways that makes it difficult to review. I received a free copy of this book and I have to admit that had it not been for this, I may not have made it past the prologue. There was little need for this start to the book in my opinion and I think it set the whole story on a bad footing from the beginning.
Once we were into the story proper, things certainly picked up and I got drawn into the mystery itself. I wasn't sure where it was going, although I had one or two ideas that were in the right kind of direction (although I didn't get them totally right).
Had it not been for the ending of this book, I think that I would have awarded it only two stars, but the conclusion was enough to pick it up and made me enjoy overall more than I had done previously.
There were a few things that didn't seem to get answered by the end though, I think that had these things been explained a little better and had the book been slightly edited to remove some of the unnecessary detail and the prologue, this would have been a really good book, rather than just an average read.
Once we were into the story proper, things certainly picked up and I got drawn into the mystery itself. I wasn't sure where it was going, although I had one or two ideas that were in the right kind of direction (although I didn't get them totally right).
Had it not been for the ending of this book, I think that I would have awarded it only two stars, but the conclusion was enough to pick it up and made me enjoy overall more than I had done previously.
There were a few things that didn't seem to get answered by the end though, I think that had these things been explained a little better and had the book been slightly edited to remove some of the unnecessary detail and the prologue, this would have been a really good book, rather than just an average read.
January 21, 2017
Dean and Elizabeth are newlyweds who want to leave the big city so they buy an old Victorian home in Maine. But there is a catch to this adorable and cheaply priced home...they have to take the home 'as is' - looking a bit dusty but lived in - because the previous owner mysteriously disappeared. When Dean and Elizabeth arrive at their new home and new neighborhood, excited to start their new life in their new home, they are unexpectedly met with an unwelcoming town who clearly do not want them - or any other outsiders - with the exception of a single little girl. Days go by and they are constantly met with stares and hushed conversations and secret conversations...but, Dean and Elizabeth are also realizing and learning that this little town has plenty of secrets...what are they?
The cover is very fitting for this read, and eye catcher too. This read kept me intrigued and wondering what was going to happen, what secrets were being kept, especially with the disappearance of that man....from chapter one. This isn't a slow read, it was a bit on the bland side in the beginning, in a contextual sense, but I get it. I thought it was interesting how it started out as a narrative telling the very quick love story beginnings of Elizabeth and Dan before it turns into dialogue between the two love birds and their new life in Maine.
For my full review, go to:
http://bookjunkiemom.blogspot.com/201...
The cover is very fitting for this read, and eye catcher too. This read kept me intrigued and wondering what was going to happen, what secrets were being kept, especially with the disappearance of that man....from chapter one. This isn't a slow read, it was a bit on the bland side in the beginning, in a contextual sense, but I get it. I thought it was interesting how it started out as a narrative telling the very quick love story beginnings of Elizabeth and Dan before it turns into dialogue between the two love birds and their new life in Maine.
For my full review, go to:
http://bookjunkiemom.blogspot.com/201...
July 26, 2016
This is an intriguing murder mystery that is quite short and only took a few hours to read.
To begin with, I felt the prologue was unnecessary, and I didn’t really like the way it was written, so I was relieved to find that the writing style changed when the book got to chapter one.
The author’s writing style was quite good, although at times I felt there were irrelevant details that could have been left out. The characters were not really complex and didn’t feel like they had any depth, and I couldn’t really warm to any of them, although they all played an important role in the story.
My favourite part of the book was the last bit as the mystery started unravelling and I began to put the pieces together. At one point, I was so engrossed in the story that I jumped out of my skin when my husband tapped me on the shoulder to ask me a question! Maybe the story was more atmospheric than I thought!
I commend the author for her creativity and originality, and for writing a mystery without too many red herrings, and I also felt there was nothing too obvious in the book to give away the ending which I found to be somewhat of a surprise.
I’d recommend this short read to anyone who has a couple of hours to kill and likes a good murder mystery with a bit of a Twilight Zone slant.
To begin with, I felt the prologue was unnecessary, and I didn’t really like the way it was written, so I was relieved to find that the writing style changed when the book got to chapter one.
The author’s writing style was quite good, although at times I felt there were irrelevant details that could have been left out. The characters were not really complex and didn’t feel like they had any depth, and I couldn’t really warm to any of them, although they all played an important role in the story.
My favourite part of the book was the last bit as the mystery started unravelling and I began to put the pieces together. At one point, I was so engrossed in the story that I jumped out of my skin when my husband tapped me on the shoulder to ask me a question! Maybe the story was more atmospheric than I thought!
I commend the author for her creativity and originality, and for writing a mystery without too many red herrings, and I also felt there was nothing too obvious in the book to give away the ending which I found to be somewhat of a surprise.
I’d recommend this short read to anyone who has a couple of hours to kill and likes a good murder mystery with a bit of a Twilight Zone slant.
January 14, 2017
>Book review – The Empty Room
>This book is a standalone mystery. Dean and Elizabeth are newlyweds who move to a small town to begin their life. The townspeople are all strange and not welcoming. Their house is filled with someone’s furniture. All but one room is all decorated from a prior owner who disappeared.
>This book has a huge twist at the end, so the review will need to be vague. The story was nicely done, especially the interactions with the townspeople and Elizabeth. I felt the constant walking to town and coming home by Dean and Elizabeth dragged a bit. They kept thinking the town would be more normal, so they kept trying to go out, only to hurry back when the town was more like the Twilight Zone.
>Dean has a very sarcastic sense of humor throughout, providing some much needed humor in such a bizarre story. There are a lot of people who just stare in this story. Dean loves Elizabeth, but sometimes his asides regarding how long she takes to get ready or help carry things inside seemed a bit mean.
>This book is appropriate for a young adult (16+) to adult audience. I am a reviewer for Romance Authors that Rock. I am giving this story 4 stars. I noticed the similarity to a certain movie with the same premise and was able to figure out the twist fairly quickly.
>This book is a standalone mystery. Dean and Elizabeth are newlyweds who move to a small town to begin their life. The townspeople are all strange and not welcoming. Their house is filled with someone’s furniture. All but one room is all decorated from a prior owner who disappeared.
>This book has a huge twist at the end, so the review will need to be vague. The story was nicely done, especially the interactions with the townspeople and Elizabeth. I felt the constant walking to town and coming home by Dean and Elizabeth dragged a bit. They kept thinking the town would be more normal, so they kept trying to go out, only to hurry back when the town was more like the Twilight Zone.
>Dean has a very sarcastic sense of humor throughout, providing some much needed humor in such a bizarre story. There are a lot of people who just stare in this story. Dean loves Elizabeth, but sometimes his asides regarding how long she takes to get ready or help carry things inside seemed a bit mean.
>This book is appropriate for a young adult (16+) to adult audience. I am a reviewer for Romance Authors that Rock. I am giving this story 4 stars. I noticed the similarity to a certain movie with the same premise and was able to figure out the twist fairly quickly.
October 31, 2016
***This book was reviewed for Xpresso Book Tours***
The Empty Room is Sarah Clemens’ debut novel about a pair of newlyweds who move to the sleepy town of Eastbrook, Maine to get away from the drudgery and rat-race of their former jobs with different advertising agencies. Dean and Elizabeth purchase a Victorian style home at a great deal, though it had be purchased 'as-is’, complete with all the former resident’s belongings.
At first, all seems well, even if the townspeople give them the cold shoulder, for the most part. Yet, every attempt they make to find out about the former owner of their new home is met with either silence or cryptic comments, such as 'are you sure you really want to know?’ Yeah, talk about creepy and suspicious. They keep digging, until finally uncovering an extraordinary truth.
I enjoyed this book for the most part. I found the writing to be slow, with far more telling than showing, though The prologue was an especial example of this, being a large information dump of extraneous info. I did enjoy the ending, which I hadn't guessed. Overall, the story had a strong X-Files feel to it for me, and I look forward to seeing more Clemens’ grow as a writer.
The Empty Room is Sarah Clemens’ debut novel about a pair of newlyweds who move to the sleepy town of Eastbrook, Maine to get away from the drudgery and rat-race of their former jobs with different advertising agencies. Dean and Elizabeth purchase a Victorian style home at a great deal, though it had be purchased 'as-is’, complete with all the former resident’s belongings.
At first, all seems well, even if the townspeople give them the cold shoulder, for the most part. Yet, every attempt they make to find out about the former owner of their new home is met with either silence or cryptic comments, such as 'are you sure you really want to know?’ Yeah, talk about creepy and suspicious. They keep digging, until finally uncovering an extraordinary truth.
I enjoyed this book for the most part. I found the writing to be slow, with far more telling than showing, though The prologue was an especial example of this, being a large information dump of extraneous info. I did enjoy the ending, which I hadn't guessed. Overall, the story had a strong X-Files feel to it for me, and I look forward to seeing more Clemens’ grow as a writer.
August 9, 2016
My Review:
Newlyweds Dean and Elizabeth Montgomery buy their first home in Eastbrook Main. They buy it as is with all of the previous owners belongings still in the home. They were told the previous owner just walked away one day. They are excited to be living in a small town, both are from Chicago. They want the close knit living of the small town. What they get is anything but close knit to outsiders.
The town is cold to the pair. Then they discover there are secrets in the town. The more they find out about these secrets the weirder the town seems to react to them. Until Elizabeth goes missing.
This book left me kind of shocked at the ending. I wasn't expecting what happens after Elizabeth disappears. And I am not gonna say in this review.
The book is short but very interesting, at least it was to me. The story flowed and zoomed along at a great pace. I loved how it introduced you to different characters but yet did not tell you their secrets at first. The whole book just left me guessing through out, then explained itself in the end.
Newlyweds Dean and Elizabeth Montgomery buy their first home in Eastbrook Main. They buy it as is with all of the previous owners belongings still in the home. They were told the previous owner just walked away one day. They are excited to be living in a small town, both are from Chicago. They want the close knit living of the small town. What they get is anything but close knit to outsiders.
The town is cold to the pair. Then they discover there are secrets in the town. The more they find out about these secrets the weirder the town seems to react to them. Until Elizabeth goes missing.
This book left me kind of shocked at the ending. I wasn't expecting what happens after Elizabeth disappears. And I am not gonna say in this review.
The book is short but very interesting, at least it was to me. The story flowed and zoomed along at a great pace. I loved how it introduced you to different characters but yet did not tell you their secrets at first. The whole book just left me guessing through out, then explained itself in the end.
July 20, 2016
A completely thought-provoking read that has a huge twist at the end! The story starts off with the happy, perfect couple moving into their mysterious new house. The intrigue layers on as they explore their new residence and it's contents, puzzling over the only empty room in the house. As they venture out into town, the townspeople act just flat out strange and hostile with some pretty odd moments. The characters were very well developed and you can't help but fall in love with the quirky couple and their strong love for each other. The mystery just layers on throughout the story as new secrets are revealed and I was kept on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. Theres a truly surprising ending that had my jaw dropping to the floor and left my mind racing back through all the strange happenings in the book as enlightenment sunk in. This was a spine-tingling tale that had me completely intriguing and left thinking about the occurrences long after finishing it!
January 20, 2017
I chose to read this e-book after receiving a free copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
Dean and Elizabeth are happy newlyweds who decide to move to a small town into an old house that they bought at a bargain basement price. They dream of the small town life with neighbors bringing an apple pie to welcome them and getting to know everyone in the small town. But they soon find out that this town has secrets and the townsfolk are not welcoming at all. Then they start to look into the history of their house and realize that the secrets are even closer to home than they realized.
I like Sarah J. Clemens’ writing style. This book was short but I felt I got to know Dean and Elizabeth. They each had their quirks but don’t we all?
The Empty Room had me guessing until the very end. I would never have guessed the ending but that’s the way I like it! I definitely recommend The Empty Room and look forward to reading more from this author.
Dean and Elizabeth are happy newlyweds who decide to move to a small town into an old house that they bought at a bargain basement price. They dream of the small town life with neighbors bringing an apple pie to welcome them and getting to know everyone in the small town. But they soon find out that this town has secrets and the townsfolk are not welcoming at all. Then they start to look into the history of their house and realize that the secrets are even closer to home than they realized.
I like Sarah J. Clemens’ writing style. This book was short but I felt I got to know Dean and Elizabeth. They each had their quirks but don’t we all?
The Empty Room had me guessing until the very end. I would never have guessed the ending but that’s the way I like it! I definitely recommend The Empty Room and look forward to reading more from this author.
September 27, 2016
The writing was very smooth, with great description that really brought the story to life. The characters are well developed and the main characters are very likeable and relatable. The story is full of suspense, and there are also moments in the book that the main characters made me laugh. It is a mystery and suspense story right out of the likes of the Twiilight Zone. Just like episodes from The Twilight Zone, there's a great twist at the end, but I can't say anything about it without giving it away. Suffice it to say that if you like that type of story, this is right up your alley.
July 7, 2016
Dean and Elizabeth move into a new house in Maine. The house is what they dreamed of, but the previous owner left all their possessions behind. Dean and Elizabeth soon realize that the house holds many secrets and that the locals are not very friendly either. This was an interesting read. Dean and Elizabeth are a typical newlywed couple, just starting out in life, when things go wrong. Although it could be a little tell more than show at times, the story was enjoyable and I would recommend it.
August 5, 2016
**SPOILER FREE**
After running behind on my reviews, I was so glad to finally get to this book. I had been antsy to read it! It's a page turner with all the twist. I wasn't sure how this was going to end but it will take you for a surprise! This book isn't what you would think when you first start reading it. This author's talent is excellent! She knows how to flip things around on you! Very impressive read!
*received for an honest review*
After running behind on my reviews, I was so glad to finally get to this book. I had been antsy to read it! It's a page turner with all the twist. I wasn't sure how this was going to end but it will take you for a surprise! This book isn't what you would think when you first start reading it. This author's talent is excellent! She knows how to flip things around on you! Very impressive read!
*received for an honest review*
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