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A hetedik ház
Mikor írta be utoljára a nevét a Google-ba?
Will Frostot, a jómódú üzletembert egy éjszaka telefonhívás ébreszti álmából, és az ismeretlen telefonáló ezt a kérdést teszi fel neki. Will rákeres a nevére, és talál egy weboldalt, amelyen fényképek láthatók az otthonáról és hat másik házról – belülről.
Az első házban könyörtelen gyilkosság történik. A rejtélyes telefonáló ekkor újra jelentkezik, és közli Willel, hogy a lánya halálos veszélyben van. A férfi egyetlen esélye, hogy megmentse, ha sorra látogatja a honlapon található házakat, mielőtt a rendőrség odaér, és felfedezi a hullákat.
Will Frostot, a jómódú üzletembert egy éjszaka telefonhívás ébreszti álmából, és az ismeretlen telefonáló ezt a kérdést teszi fel neki. Will rákeres a nevére, és talál egy weboldalt, amelyen fényképek láthatók az otthonáról és hat másik házról – belülről.
Az első házban könyörtelen gyilkosság történik. A rejtélyes telefonáló ekkor újra jelentkezik, és közli Willel, hogy a lánya halálos veszélyben van. A férfi egyetlen esélye, hogy megmentse, ha sorra látogatja a honlapon található házakat, mielőtt a rendőrség odaér, és felfedezi a hullákat.
374 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
31 people are currently reading
1526 people want to read
About the author
Richard Jay Parker
13 books168 followersR J Parker's creative career began as a TV script writer, script editor and producer. It was this background that fed into a series of cinematic, high-concept thrillers that grabs the reader from the very first page and doesn't release them until the last. R J Parker now lives in Salisbury. One More Chapter/HarperCollins have published THE DINNER PARTY, WHILE YOU SLEPT and THE GOOD NEIGHBOUR. Out April 29th 2022 -THE REMOVAL MAN.
As Richard Jay Parker he has written the thriller STOP ME and as Richard Parker - SCARE ME, STALK ME, FOLLOW YOU, HIDE AND SEEK, KEEP HER SAFE, NEVER SAY GOODBYE and THE SONGBIRD GIRLS.
Check out: www.richard-parker.com
Insta: bemykiller
Twitter @Bookwalter
As Richard Jay Parker he has written the thriller STOP ME and as Richard Parker - SCARE ME, STALK ME, FOLLOW YOU, HIDE AND SEEK, KEEP HER SAFE, NEVER SAY GOODBYE and THE SONGBIRD GIRLS.
Check out: www.richard-parker.com
Insta: bemykiller
Twitter @Bookwalter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
May 16, 2020
spooky-month float:
this is one of the first books from angry robot's new crime imprint, exhibit a, and it is a pretty solid foray into the genre.
number one: i love the title.
number two: i love the synopsis. let's take a moment, shall we?
right?? awesome. this is the kind of stuff i like in my crime fiction: the psychological suspense that builds with each page, the ever-tightening circle of discovery and possibility of being discovered at a crime scene and prevented from fulfilling the rest of the task, the frustration of having to fly all over the globe, knowing that at the end of each flight, there will be one more gruesome tableau to confront and wearily endure, while the psychological toll escalates because of not knowing what will be waiting at the end-end of the journey, and how this will all play out, and if he and his family will still be alive. phoar.
and for the most part, it's great. terrific pacing, very bloody and horrifying, plenty of tension and obstacles and close calls, plenty of different POVs, so you get that "noo, i want to know what is going to happen next for this character; don't give me another tam chapter!" but in a good, delayed-gratification kinda way.
and then the ending. it wasn't bad, not at all. stuff gets resolved, for the most part. you will not be unsatisfied. and it's not that it is ambiguous - there is one piece of the puzzle "missing" in on-the-page words, but you know what's what. however, he decides to pull a girl with curious hair move on the last page (the short story itself, not the collection as a whole) and it is just
but still in a good way.
i just don't like it when authors try to get tricky with a "you will remember this ending!" when it hasn't been that kind of tricky for the whole of the book. it seems unearned, unnecessary.
but still - a lot of fun, a lot of ick, and if this is indicative of the quality of thriller coming out of the angry robot house, i may have to become a thriller-fan.
come to my blog!
this is one of the first books from angry robot's new crime imprint, exhibit a, and it is a pretty solid foray into the genre.
number one: i love the title.
number two: i love the synopsis. let's take a moment, shall we?
“When did you last Google yourself?”
Wealthy businessman, Will Frost, gets woken in the middle of the night by an anonymous caller, asking him exactly this.
When Will goes online, he finds a website has been set up in his name, showing photographs of the inside of his home, along with photographs of six houses he’s never seen before.
In the first of these strange houses, a gruesome murder has already taken place.
Will is then told that his own family is in mortal danger.
The only way he can keep them safe is to visit each of the houses on the website in person – before the police discover what has happened there.
Seven houses.
Seven gruesome homicides.
Seven chances to save his daughter’s life…
right?? awesome. this is the kind of stuff i like in my crime fiction: the psychological suspense that builds with each page, the ever-tightening circle of discovery and possibility of being discovered at a crime scene and prevented from fulfilling the rest of the task, the frustration of having to fly all over the globe, knowing that at the end of each flight, there will be one more gruesome tableau to confront and wearily endure, while the psychological toll escalates because of not knowing what will be waiting at the end-end of the journey, and how this will all play out, and if he and his family will still be alive. phoar.
and for the most part, it's great. terrific pacing, very bloody and horrifying, plenty of tension and obstacles and close calls, plenty of different POVs, so you get that "noo, i want to know what is going to happen next for this character; don't give me another tam chapter!" but in a good, delayed-gratification kinda way.
and then the ending. it wasn't bad, not at all. stuff gets resolved, for the most part. you will not be unsatisfied. and it's not that it is ambiguous - there is one piece of the puzzle "missing" in on-the-page words, but you know what's what. however, he decides to pull a girl with curious hair move on the last page (the short story itself, not the collection as a whole) and it is just
but still in a good way.
i just don't like it when authors try to get tricky with a "you will remember this ending!" when it hasn't been that kind of tricky for the whole of the book. it seems unearned, unnecessary.
but still - a lot of fun, a lot of ick, and if this is indicative of the quality of thriller coming out of the angry robot house, i may have to become a thriller-fan.
come to my blog!
April 22, 2015
3.5
There IS a lot to love about the book SCARE ME...
An interesting plot:
A wealthy business man is sent on a hunt around the world trying to save his kidnapped daughter- Libby -from a diabolical serial killer. The only way he has a chance of doing this, is to follow a website set up in his name that feeds him addresses one by one where murders have taken place- and find an item left at each scene.
![]()
Interesting likable main characters in peril:
Will Frost-the father
Carla Frost-the mother
Libby Frost-the daughter
and...
A frightening psychopath with unknown motives:
Poppy-the vicious killer
SCARE ME is a thrilling on the edge of your seat read. Once I got into it I had a hard time putting it down...but it is not for the squeamish...That means you Ivonne!
![]()
I find that TV, movie, and fiction novel serial killers are getting even more over the top than real life serial killers. I will use the movie SeVen, Season 6 Dexter, and this book as examples. How often in real life do you see a serial killer acting out their version of Dante's Divine Comedy?
![]()
Whaaaaaaaaat's in the BOOOOOOX???
...or sewing body parts onto mannequins and sending them into the public on horses- recreating parts of The Book of Revelation??
![]()
... or in this case acting out some kind of sick and twisted Easter egg hunt through dead bodies to find the prize??
....Hmmmmmmmm...ummm...never. Most serial killers are not that imaginative or creative and...not that interesting. They are probably not going to spend crazy amounts of money- hire kidnappers- create fancy schmancy web pages- travel first or business class on air planes to seek out victims...and they are, for the most part- not attractive or glamorous.
![]()
But hey this is fiction isn't it? So what the heck- lay back and enjoy the demented and disgusting ride.
There IS a lot to love about the book SCARE ME...
An interesting plot:
A wealthy business man is sent on a hunt around the world trying to save his kidnapped daughter- Libby -from a diabolical serial killer. The only way he has a chance of doing this, is to follow a website set up in his name that feeds him addresses one by one where murders have taken place- and find an item left at each scene.
Interesting likable main characters in peril:
Will Frost-the father
Carla Frost-the mother
Libby Frost-the daughter
and...
A frightening psychopath with unknown motives:
Poppy-the vicious killer
SCARE ME is a thrilling on the edge of your seat read. Once I got into it I had a hard time putting it down...but it is not for the squeamish...That means you Ivonne!
I find that TV, movie, and fiction novel serial killers are getting even more over the top than real life serial killers. I will use the movie SeVen, Season 6 Dexter, and this book as examples. How often in real life do you see a serial killer acting out their version of Dante's Divine Comedy?
Whaaaaaaaaat's in the BOOOOOOX???
...or sewing body parts onto mannequins and sending them into the public on horses- recreating parts of The Book of Revelation??
... or in this case acting out some kind of sick and twisted Easter egg hunt through dead bodies to find the prize??
....Hmmmmmmmm...ummm...never. Most serial killers are not that imaginative or creative and...not that interesting. They are probably not going to spend crazy amounts of money- hire kidnappers- create fancy schmancy web pages- travel first or business class on air planes to seek out victims...and they are, for the most part- not attractive or glamorous.
But hey this is fiction isn't it? So what the heck- lay back and enjoy the demented and disgusting ride.
November 22, 2016
Please note: I have this great book available for review, to grab your review copy email me at booklovercatlady@gmail.com.
What a really fantastic book! I whizzed through this one being enticed page by page by what was going to be the next phase in a series of horrendously scary events. How far will one family go to save another? Quite a long way it seems!
A young couple have been taken, abducted, gone and a cryptic message alerts a worried Father to what he is required to do if he ever wants to see his daughter alive again. It's game on and this really is a game where the perp is toying with the emotions and feelings of it's prey. One wrong move and this could all go horribly wrong in so many ways.
The book kicks off with keen action and a tight plot and the pace is whizzing along taking you with it. There is no slowing down either and some aspects of this book I really loved. The book switches perspectives between the perp (that's the bad dude), the family and the victim and then we get an added character in the mix that just really made this storyline "pop" in so many ways. The characters overall as all done really well, it was a book where I connected with the reality of their situation despite me sometimes yelling at the book depending on what choices were getting made.
With each new instruction the game gets more and more dangerous and the scenes more and more gruesome. There is quite obviously no mercy along the way and a father is desperate to see his daughter again alive. It seems to be quite hopeless. He is up against people with no mercy, no heart, no normality - just psychopathic, sick tendencies that make this book such good reading.
This book will appeal to thriller lovers, crime lovers and psychological thriller loves, if not just about anyone. I enjoyed the writing of the author and it's his first book I have ever read, but not the last that's for sure. Not all books have happy endings, does this one? You need to find out. I do give kudos for the massive twist towards the end of the book that knocked me off my seat! Didn't see that one coming my way at all. A recommended and highly engaging novel. 5 stars from me.
Many thanks to Endeavour Press for my copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest book review.
Thanks for reading my review! For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, author interviews and features come over to join me for book fun at: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
To follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
To enquire about joining my reviewers team: http://goo.gl/forms/GWMOvlofZg
Finally to enquire about my book publicity services: http://goo.gl/forms/eVwa2HFKnK
What a really fantastic book! I whizzed through this one being enticed page by page by what was going to be the next phase in a series of horrendously scary events. How far will one family go to save another? Quite a long way it seems!
A young couple have been taken, abducted, gone and a cryptic message alerts a worried Father to what he is required to do if he ever wants to see his daughter alive again. It's game on and this really is a game where the perp is toying with the emotions and feelings of it's prey. One wrong move and this could all go horribly wrong in so many ways.
The book kicks off with keen action and a tight plot and the pace is whizzing along taking you with it. There is no slowing down either and some aspects of this book I really loved. The book switches perspectives between the perp (that's the bad dude), the family and the victim and then we get an added character in the mix that just really made this storyline "pop" in so many ways. The characters overall as all done really well, it was a book where I connected with the reality of their situation despite me sometimes yelling at the book depending on what choices were getting made.
With each new instruction the game gets more and more dangerous and the scenes more and more gruesome. There is quite obviously no mercy along the way and a father is desperate to see his daughter again alive. It seems to be quite hopeless. He is up against people with no mercy, no heart, no normality - just psychopathic, sick tendencies that make this book such good reading.
This book will appeal to thriller lovers, crime lovers and psychological thriller loves, if not just about anyone. I enjoyed the writing of the author and it's his first book I have ever read, but not the last that's for sure. Not all books have happy endings, does this one? You need to find out. I do give kudos for the massive twist towards the end of the book that knocked me off my seat! Didn't see that one coming my way at all. A recommended and highly engaging novel. 5 stars from me.
Many thanks to Endeavour Press for my copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest book review.
Thanks for reading my review! For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, author interviews and features come over to join me for book fun at: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
To follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
To enquire about joining my reviewers team: http://goo.gl/forms/GWMOvlofZg
Finally to enquire about my book publicity services: http://goo.gl/forms/eVwa2HFKnK
November 21, 2016
SCARE ME by Richard Parker is a dark psychological/serial killer thriller. This novel reminds me of the movie Se7en, a smart scavenger hunt that would make an exceptional movie. But in this novel we know the killer right from the beginning…and her name is POPPY. But who is POPPY?
Will Frost, the successful CEO of Ingram International in the UK and his wife, Carla, are looking forward to the return of their 19 year old daughter, Libby, from a trip in Thailand with her boyfriend, Luke. Libby is pregnant and will be moving in with Luke, the baby’s father, soon after they return.
But on the night before Libby and Luke are to return from their trip, Will gets a terrifying phone call that said:
“When did you last Google yourself Mr. Frost?”
Will goes online, and finds a website in his name, containing pictures of Libby and Luke, bound and muzzled, inside his home? There were also pictures of six other houses he’s never seen before.
Will and Carla’s worst nightmare…their daughter Libby has been kidnapped!
Will is told to go to seven different homes and recover items that supposedly belong to Libby… and he must get to those houses before the police do. This is his only chance of seeing his daughter alive again. Will and Carla are told that if they involve the police, Libby will be killed, so Will heads to Florida to the first address. Once he completes his task at the first home, that he’ll be given the address to the next, and so on. Carla uses GPS to keep track of him back in the UK. It doesn’t make any sense…No Ransom Demands? Why them?
In the first of these strange houses, a horrific murder has already taken place
The novel goes back and forth between Will, Carla, Libby’s captivity, as well as the killer. The reader will not understand the killer’s motivations, or identity, until the end.
I don’t want to reveal any more for risk of spoilers. Scare Me is a fast-paced thriller with high level tension that will have you gripped right from the beginning.
Many thanks to Booklover Catlady Publicity who provided a digital copy of this book, and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
Will Frost, the successful CEO of Ingram International in the UK and his wife, Carla, are looking forward to the return of their 19 year old daughter, Libby, from a trip in Thailand with her boyfriend, Luke. Libby is pregnant and will be moving in with Luke, the baby’s father, soon after they return.
But on the night before Libby and Luke are to return from their trip, Will gets a terrifying phone call that said:
“When did you last Google yourself Mr. Frost?”
Will goes online, and finds a website in his name, containing pictures of Libby and Luke, bound and muzzled, inside his home? There were also pictures of six other houses he’s never seen before.
Will and Carla’s worst nightmare…their daughter Libby has been kidnapped!
Will is told to go to seven different homes and recover items that supposedly belong to Libby… and he must get to those houses before the police do. This is his only chance of seeing his daughter alive again. Will and Carla are told that if they involve the police, Libby will be killed, so Will heads to Florida to the first address. Once he completes his task at the first home, that he’ll be given the address to the next, and so on. Carla uses GPS to keep track of him back in the UK. It doesn’t make any sense…No Ransom Demands? Why them?
In the first of these strange houses, a horrific murder has already taken place
The novel goes back and forth between Will, Carla, Libby’s captivity, as well as the killer. The reader will not understand the killer’s motivations, or identity, until the end.
I don’t want to reveal any more for risk of spoilers. Scare Me is a fast-paced thriller with high level tension that will have you gripped right from the beginning.
Many thanks to Booklover Catlady Publicity who provided a digital copy of this book, and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
August 16, 2017
This book was an entertaining read but I just could not get into it for some reason the synopsis was excellent & was very gory in parts but for me it just lacked that certain something that pulls the reader in.
The writer is very clever & the pacing moves nicely.
The writer is very clever & the pacing moves nicely.
December 13, 2019
Seven houses
Seven gruesome murders
Seven chances to save his daughter`s life
Successful business man Will Frost is woken by a midnight caller who asks him a very strange question.
When did you last Google yourself Mr Frost?
When Will goes online,he finds a website has been set up in his name,showing photographs of seven houses including his own.
In the first of these houses a gruesome murder has taken place.
Will is then told that his own family is in danger and the only way to save them is to visit each of the houses on the website in person.
Will must embark on his twisted journey and obey the rules of his tormentors sick scavenger hunt.
But can Will ever save this pregnant daughter Libby`s life.
I am not surprised that apparently there is going to be a movie version of this book,it certainly has the elements that you would expect to feature in a action thriller.Plenty of action,cliff hangers,twists and turns,very gory murders,a very twisted killer,the action hero and his ever supportive feisty wife,kidnapped pregnant daughter,there was even a seven year old boy thrown in to ramp up the fear for someone's life factor.If it was ever made into a movie I would definitely watch it.
The story is narrated from the point of view of a several characters,Will and his wife Clara,their daughter Libby,the killer,two reporters Pope and Weaver ( was Mr Parker a fan of Falling Skies? ) and seven year old Tam.Most of the chapters are voiced from more than one characters perspective and I did occasionally find myself losing track of which character I was reading about because the swapping between characters was so abrupt.It was hard to feel any connection or empath for any of the characters because they were all so one dimensional.At least three of them could have been omitted from the story completely,they served no purpose and added nothing whatsoever to the story.
There was no mystery to who the killer was because that was revealed in the very first chapter.Why Will and his family where targeted and the reasons for the killings where believable but some questions where left unanswered and the book ended on a bit of a cliff hanger,could Mr Parker be planning on writing a sequel.
It's certainly a fast paced thriller that was quite gripping at times but it also had a few unrealistic elements,mobile phones that never lost their signals or ran out of battery power and a laptop that never needed charging.It's taken me quite a long time to finish this book,it was ok but I honestly enjoyed Stalk Me a lot more than this one.
Many thanks to Endeavour Press for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review
Seven gruesome murders
Seven chances to save his daughter`s life
Successful business man Will Frost is woken by a midnight caller who asks him a very strange question.
When did you last Google yourself Mr Frost?
When Will goes online,he finds a website has been set up in his name,showing photographs of seven houses including his own.
In the first of these houses a gruesome murder has taken place.
Will is then told that his own family is in danger and the only way to save them is to visit each of the houses on the website in person.
Will must embark on his twisted journey and obey the rules of his tormentors sick scavenger hunt.
But can Will ever save this pregnant daughter Libby`s life.
I am not surprised that apparently there is going to be a movie version of this book,it certainly has the elements that you would expect to feature in a action thriller.Plenty of action,cliff hangers,twists and turns,very gory murders,a very twisted killer,the action hero and his ever supportive feisty wife,kidnapped pregnant daughter,there was even a seven year old boy thrown in to ramp up the fear for someone's life factor.If it was ever made into a movie I would definitely watch it.
The story is narrated from the point of view of a several characters,Will and his wife Clara,their daughter Libby,the killer,two reporters Pope and Weaver ( was Mr Parker a fan of Falling Skies? ) and seven year old Tam.Most of the chapters are voiced from more than one characters perspective and I did occasionally find myself losing track of which character I was reading about because the swapping between characters was so abrupt.It was hard to feel any connection or empath for any of the characters because they were all so one dimensional.At least three of them could have been omitted from the story completely,they served no purpose and added nothing whatsoever to the story.
There was no mystery to who the killer was because that was revealed in the very first chapter.Why Will and his family where targeted and the reasons for the killings where believable but some questions where left unanswered and the book ended on a bit of a cliff hanger,could Mr Parker be planning on writing a sequel.
It's certainly a fast paced thriller that was quite gripping at times but it also had a few unrealistic elements,mobile phones that never lost their signals or ran out of battery power and a laptop that never needed charging.It's taken me quite a long time to finish this book,it was ok but I honestly enjoyed Stalk Me a lot more than this one.
Many thanks to Endeavour Press for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review
October 6, 2016
Will Frost is a well off businessman, married with a daughter and about to become a grandfather. At 3am one morning Will's mobile rings and a female voice at the end of the phone asks Will if he has ever googled himself. This is the beginning of a very rough ride for Will and his family. Will goes online and finds a website set up in his name, scarily showing the inside of his house and photos of six other houses he has never seen. He is then told that a murder has taken place at the first house and he must find his way there and pick up a piece of clothing from the house before the police arrive. Will and his family will only survive if he manages to get to all six houses where deaths have occurred. Although this is a very farfetched story, the premise is good and if you can suspend your disbelief it is quite a gripping and addictive story. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 11, 2016
One word Poppy
One name Poppy
The opening chapter was Amazeballs
This put a whole new view on "Lets Google it"
Will Frost is hunting for his kidnapped daughter somewhere around the world.
The daughters name is Libby.
He knows she's been kidnapped by a serial killer so time is of the essence.
The intriguing bit is where is is having to go to a website, his own website by Googling himself and bit by bit he is being lead......
to murder scenes and there he gets to pick up something left for him.
The killer however didn't turn out to be what I expected, no flaws and the motivation for the "crime" wasn't as intense as what I would have expected for a hyped up book.
As someone who doesn't usually read horror, I did expect more.
I do have to mention that the 3 stars means it was an OK book for me and I did read it and enjoy it, but just wasn't a wowser to me it was more like a wild goose chase. With all the suspense, I expected more at the end I guess
I received this from Booklover Publicity
One name Poppy
The opening chapter was Amazeballs
This put a whole new view on "Lets Google it"
Will Frost is hunting for his kidnapped daughter somewhere around the world.
The daughters name is Libby.
He knows she's been kidnapped by a serial killer so time is of the essence.
The intriguing bit is where is is having to go to a website, his own website by Googling himself and bit by bit he is being lead......
to murder scenes and there he gets to pick up something left for him.
The killer however didn't turn out to be what I expected, no flaws and the motivation for the "crime" wasn't as intense as what I would have expected for a hyped up book.
As someone who doesn't usually read horror, I did expect more.
I do have to mention that the 3 stars means it was an OK book for me and I did read it and enjoy it, but just wasn't a wowser to me it was more like a wild goose chase. With all the suspense, I expected more at the end I guess
I received this from Booklover Publicity
November 22, 2016
Please note: I have this great book available for review, to grab your review copy email me at booklovercatlady@gmail.com.
What a really fantastic book! I whizzed through this one being enticed page by page by what was going to be the next phase in a series of horrendously scary events. How far will one family go to save another? Quite a long way it seems!
A young couple have been taken, abducted, gone and a cryptic message alerts a worried Father to what he is required to do if he ever wants to see his daughter alive again. It's game on and this really is a game where the perp is toying with the emotions and feelings of it's prey. One wrong move and this could all go horribly wrong in so many ways.
The book kicks off with keen action and a tight plot and the pace is whizzing along taking you with it. There is no slowing down either and some aspects of this book I really loved. The book switches perspectives between the perp (that's the bad dude), the family and the victim and then we get an added character in the mix that just really made this storyline "pop" in so many ways. The characters overall as all done really well, it was a book where I connected with the reality of their situation despite me sometimes yelling at the book depending on what choices were getting made.
With each new instruction the game gets more and more dangerous and the scenes more and more gruesome. There is quite obviously no mercy along the way and a father is desperate to see his daughter again alive. It seems to be quite hopeless. He is up against people with no mercy, no heart, no normality - just psychopathic, sick tendencies that make this book such good reading.
This book will appeal to thriller lovers, crime lovers and psychological thriller lovers, if not just about anyone. I enjoyed the writing of the author and it's his first book I have ever read, but not the last that's for sure. Not all books have happy endings, does this one? You need to find out. I do give kudos for the massive twist towards the end of the book that knocked me off my seat! Didn't see that one coming my way at all. A recommended and highly engaging novel. 5 stars from me.
Many thanks to Endeavour Press for my copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest book review.
Thanks for reading my review! For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, author interviews and features come over to join me for book fun at: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
To follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
To enquire about joining my reviewers team: http://goo.gl/forms/GWMOvlofZg
Finally to enquire about my book publicity services: http://goo.gl/forms/eVwa2HFKnK
What a really fantastic book! I whizzed through this one being enticed page by page by what was going to be the next phase in a series of horrendously scary events. How far will one family go to save another? Quite a long way it seems!
A young couple have been taken, abducted, gone and a cryptic message alerts a worried Father to what he is required to do if he ever wants to see his daughter alive again. It's game on and this really is a game where the perp is toying with the emotions and feelings of it's prey. One wrong move and this could all go horribly wrong in so many ways.
The book kicks off with keen action and a tight plot and the pace is whizzing along taking you with it. There is no slowing down either and some aspects of this book I really loved. The book switches perspectives between the perp (that's the bad dude), the family and the victim and then we get an added character in the mix that just really made this storyline "pop" in so many ways. The characters overall as all done really well, it was a book where I connected with the reality of their situation despite me sometimes yelling at the book depending on what choices were getting made.
With each new instruction the game gets more and more dangerous and the scenes more and more gruesome. There is quite obviously no mercy along the way and a father is desperate to see his daughter again alive. It seems to be quite hopeless. He is up against people with no mercy, no heart, no normality - just psychopathic, sick tendencies that make this book such good reading.
This book will appeal to thriller lovers, crime lovers and psychological thriller lovers, if not just about anyone. I enjoyed the writing of the author and it's his first book I have ever read, but not the last that's for sure. Not all books have happy endings, does this one? You need to find out. I do give kudos for the massive twist towards the end of the book that knocked me off my seat! Didn't see that one coming my way at all. A recommended and highly engaging novel. 5 stars from me.
Many thanks to Endeavour Press for my copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest book review.
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October 2, 2015
WOW! This story line is exceptional! It grabs you by throat and keeps you there for the duration.
We know from the very first page who the antagonist is ... a girl named Poppy. The real question is WHO is Poppy and WHY is she doing what she's doing.
Will and Carla have been happily married for 19 years. They have a daughter, Libby, who is 18 and pregnant. Libby and her boyfriend are on a mini-vacation and Will and Carla will be celebrating their anniversary in just a few days.
When Will gets a phone call in the middle of the night, all their lives are forever changed.
Someone has kidnapped their daughter and set up a kind of scavenger hunt that Will must follow in order to save his daughter. He is sent to different houses in Florida to find things that belong to his daughter...and he must get to those houses before the police do.
The first house holds four dead bodies ... and it just gets more bizarre from there.
I kept wanting to flip through the pages to see what was coming, but couldn't because I needed to see what was happening now! The author does a fine job in sustaining the suspense. The ending was quite unexpected.
5 Stars!
My thanks to the author / NetGalley / Angry Robot / Exhibit A who furnished a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
We know from the very first page who the antagonist is ... a girl named Poppy. The real question is WHO is Poppy and WHY is she doing what she's doing.
Will and Carla have been happily married for 19 years. They have a daughter, Libby, who is 18 and pregnant. Libby and her boyfriend are on a mini-vacation and Will and Carla will be celebrating their anniversary in just a few days.
When Will gets a phone call in the middle of the night, all their lives are forever changed.
Someone has kidnapped their daughter and set up a kind of scavenger hunt that Will must follow in order to save his daughter. He is sent to different houses in Florida to find things that belong to his daughter...and he must get to those houses before the police do.
The first house holds four dead bodies ... and it just gets more bizarre from there.
I kept wanting to flip through the pages to see what was coming, but couldn't because I needed to see what was happening now! The author does a fine job in sustaining the suspense. The ending was quite unexpected.
5 Stars!
My thanks to the author / NetGalley / Angry Robot / Exhibit A who furnished a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
May 14, 2020
“When did you last google yourself, Mr Frost?”
I love a thriller that uses modern technology to creep the bejeezus out of you. "Scare me" by Richard Parker does just that. It's the gory, creepy type of thriller that you love. But unlike its peers in the book world, "Scare Me" doesn't sprint to a conclusion. It pulls you deep into its fictional world full of breath-stealing suspense and shocking irony. The result is a well told story that leaves you speechless because -- after all is said and done -- whew, it's just that good.
Will Frost is a successful businessman and a devoted family man. He and his wife Carla have worked hard to give their eighteen year old daughter the good childhood they never had. But all that changes in the wee hours of the morning following their nineteenth wedding anniversary when an unknown female caller asks him that question.
At first, Will thinks it's a twisted prank call and goes back to sleep. His pregnant daughter and her boyfriend are scheduled to arrive home from vacation later that day, and thoughts of her return dominate his mind. Curiosity wins out, however, and Will goes online to google himself. What he finds threatens his family and shatters the lies Will's been telling himself about his life.
His daughter Libby and her boyfriend Luke have been abducted.
A website has been set up under his name. There are seven homes, including his, pictured on the website. In order to save his daughter, he must visit each home and retrieve items that belong to his daughter. The last one he visits will be his own.
It's a demented scavenger hunt with a sick twist. The residents of the first six homes are mutilated and murdered. If he wants Libby to survive, he must stay one step behind the killer... and one step ahead of the police.
"Scare Me" by Richard Parker is gory and dripping with blood from the very first house Will visits until the last. The book is full of nail-biting, gasp-inducing suspense, to say the least. However, it's not as fast paced as books of its type usually are. Author Richard Parker strays from the cookie cutter type of thriller that floods the market today. He inserts characters that seemingly interrupt the pace of the novel and detract from the growing suspense.
Yet, every character is there for a reason. What Parker does with "Scare Me" is create much more than a typical propulsive thriller. He creates a story about lives, the lies we tell ourselves about our lives, and how easily innocence can be shattered. The book is as full of irony as it is suspense -- with some symbolism and foreshadowing thrown in. It's as good of a thriller as any, but it's also a fully baked, well written story too.
Warning. "Scare me" can seem too long and winding in places. However, you will never regret sticking with it. Every scene contributes to the end, as does every character. The pace quickens before you know it and takes you through to the final, jaw-dropping, WTF twists.
I love a thriller that uses modern technology to creep the bejeezus out of you. "Scare me" by Richard Parker does just that. It's the gory, creepy type of thriller that you love. But unlike its peers in the book world, "Scare Me" doesn't sprint to a conclusion. It pulls you deep into its fictional world full of breath-stealing suspense and shocking irony. The result is a well told story that leaves you speechless because -- after all is said and done -- whew, it's just that good.
Will Frost is a successful businessman and a devoted family man. He and his wife Carla have worked hard to give their eighteen year old daughter the good childhood they never had. But all that changes in the wee hours of the morning following their nineteenth wedding anniversary when an unknown female caller asks him that question.
At first, Will thinks it's a twisted prank call and goes back to sleep. His pregnant daughter and her boyfriend are scheduled to arrive home from vacation later that day, and thoughts of her return dominate his mind. Curiosity wins out, however, and Will goes online to google himself. What he finds threatens his family and shatters the lies Will's been telling himself about his life.
His daughter Libby and her boyfriend Luke have been abducted.
A website has been set up under his name. There are seven homes, including his, pictured on the website. In order to save his daughter, he must visit each home and retrieve items that belong to his daughter. The last one he visits will be his own.
It's a demented scavenger hunt with a sick twist. The residents of the first six homes are mutilated and murdered. If he wants Libby to survive, he must stay one step behind the killer... and one step ahead of the police.
"Scare Me" by Richard Parker is gory and dripping with blood from the very first house Will visits until the last. The book is full of nail-biting, gasp-inducing suspense, to say the least. However, it's not as fast paced as books of its type usually are. Author Richard Parker strays from the cookie cutter type of thriller that floods the market today. He inserts characters that seemingly interrupt the pace of the novel and detract from the growing suspense.
Yet, every character is there for a reason. What Parker does with "Scare Me" is create much more than a typical propulsive thriller. He creates a story about lives, the lies we tell ourselves about our lives, and how easily innocence can be shattered. The book is as full of irony as it is suspense -- with some symbolism and foreshadowing thrown in. It's as good of a thriller as any, but it's also a fully baked, well written story too.
Warning. "Scare me" can seem too long and winding in places. However, you will never regret sticking with it. Every scene contributes to the end, as does every character. The pace quickens before you know it and takes you through to the final, jaw-dropping, WTF twists.
January 24, 2021
Or don't even scare me, I am, after all, a seasoned reader of horror. How about just entertain me. And thus, with the bar considerably lowered, this book still leaves much to be desired. Although, to be fair, it is in no small way attributed the horridly formatted (words are stuck together, chapters aren't properly separated) copy Endeavor publishers offered as an ARC. I, for one, fail to see the logistics of offering previews of marginal fiction in a barely readable form. Aside from that and on its own this is a very average kidnapping thriller , where a man must visit murder scenes around the world because the person who took his 18 year old pregnant daughter tells him to. The main characters are fairly bland and the side characters are almost completely tangential and unnecessary. The first chapter is so cheesy and cheap that a noncompletist might have put it down right there, but the book does improve from there with ending being its best feature, surprise twist on the motivations (and gasp, how progressive Mr. Parker) of the culprit. If you're in a mood for a kidnapping thriller, you'll have a lot more fun with Taken, even the sequels. This was just slightly entertaining, though a quick (would have been quicker without having to trip on formatting snafus) read. Thanks Netgalley.
April 29, 2013
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2013/04/...
Will Frost, the successful CEO of Ingram International in the UK, and his wife, Carla, are excited about the return of their 19 year old daughter, Libby, from a trip in Thailand with her boyfriend, Luke. They’re hoping to spend some time with her, since she’ll soon be having a baby, and surely moving in with Luke, the baby’s father. They’re in the midst of installing a high tech security system in their renovated sixteenth century hunting lodge since someone had lit a bonfire on their front steps. Will thinks it may have been a prank, but he wants to be able to identify any trespassers on the property from now on. Not only is he excited to see his daughter, but he’s hoping her visit may take Carla’s mind off of a recent tragedy. Little does he know, but Will is about to have more to worry about than bonfires.
In the dead of night, the night before Libby and Luke are to return from Thailand, Will receives a phone call asking if he’d Googled himself lately. He does indeed Google himself, and finds a website containing pictures of Libby and Luke, but these aren’t vacation photos of a happy couple, they’re horrible pictures depicting them bound and gagged, along with pictures of the inside of his own home. Soon, he’s instructed to go to seven different homes and retrieve items that supposedly belong to Libby. Only then will there be any chance of seeing his daughter alive again. Will and Carla are terrified, but they’ve been told that if they involve the police, Libby will be killed, so Will heads to Florida to the first address. It’s only after he completes his task at the first home, that he’ll be given the address to the next, and so on. The carnage at the Florida house is unspeakable, but Will steels himself to his task while Carla uses GPS to keep track of him back in the UK, and also tries to find any connection they might have with the victims, and why they might have been targeted, since no ransom demands have been made. What could the killer possibly hope to achieve by playing such a sick game? How far will Will go to save his daughter, and how far can he go before he loses his sanity?
I dare you to read three pages of Scare Me and put it down. I’ve seen Scare Me described as Se7en-esque, and I suppose that’s a decent comparison. The similarities mostly lie in the grisly scenes that Will must navigate in order to collect each item. The novel goes back and forth between Will, Carla, Libby’s ordeal, and yes, we even get to follow along with the killer (as well as a few other surprises.) He even gives us a name, but you won’t understand the killer’s motivations, or identity, until the end. Parker isn’t cruel, though. You won’t have to wait until the very end before he drops a big clue about the killer’s identity, and I started to have inklings earlier on, but there’s good reason for that. You’ll see what I mean. If it seems like I’m being coy, it’s because I am. Revealing too much would be spoiling the fun of this fantastic thriller. Granted, I’m usually of the “call-the-cops-if-someone-is-kidnapped-no-matter-what” camp, but I’m a parent, and I certainly can’t tell you for sure what I would do if it was my child that’s been taken. I can tell you that I would be desperate and terrified, which Will and Carla certainly are, and Parker does a keen job exploring Will’s motivations as well as Carla’s, and they aren’t always the same. They’re definitely on the same page about getting their daughter back, but sometimes they don’t quite agree on the “how.” Through it all, though, they remain firmly united and although Will is in the thick of things, traveling literally around the world, one step behind a brutal killer, Carla proves just as capable back home.
As for the killer… Scare Me actually opens with the first murders, and you’ll get a really good idea of what you’re dealing with, or, at least, you think you will. By the time you get to the end, you will want to see this sick, evil, diabolical person meet their end in the most horrid way. However… Think you can’t have sympathy for a psychopath? Richard Parker may make you change your mind, and he’ll take you on a wild ride in the process. Scare Me is not only an effective, fast paced thriller, but it also mines some very uncomfortable and sometimes tragic territory, which adds depth that you sometimes don’t find in conventional thrillers. There’s a reason why Scare Me has already been optioned for film-and it’s not even out yet! Lock your doors, keep the lights on and plan to stay up late, because this is one very clever scavenger hunt from hell that you won’t want to miss!
Will Frost, the successful CEO of Ingram International in the UK, and his wife, Carla, are excited about the return of their 19 year old daughter, Libby, from a trip in Thailand with her boyfriend, Luke. They’re hoping to spend some time with her, since she’ll soon be having a baby, and surely moving in with Luke, the baby’s father. They’re in the midst of installing a high tech security system in their renovated sixteenth century hunting lodge since someone had lit a bonfire on their front steps. Will thinks it may have been a prank, but he wants to be able to identify any trespassers on the property from now on. Not only is he excited to see his daughter, but he’s hoping her visit may take Carla’s mind off of a recent tragedy. Little does he know, but Will is about to have more to worry about than bonfires.
In the dead of night, the night before Libby and Luke are to return from Thailand, Will receives a phone call asking if he’d Googled himself lately. He does indeed Google himself, and finds a website containing pictures of Libby and Luke, but these aren’t vacation photos of a happy couple, they’re horrible pictures depicting them bound and gagged, along with pictures of the inside of his own home. Soon, he’s instructed to go to seven different homes and retrieve items that supposedly belong to Libby. Only then will there be any chance of seeing his daughter alive again. Will and Carla are terrified, but they’ve been told that if they involve the police, Libby will be killed, so Will heads to Florida to the first address. It’s only after he completes his task at the first home, that he’ll be given the address to the next, and so on. The carnage at the Florida house is unspeakable, but Will steels himself to his task while Carla uses GPS to keep track of him back in the UK, and also tries to find any connection they might have with the victims, and why they might have been targeted, since no ransom demands have been made. What could the killer possibly hope to achieve by playing such a sick game? How far will Will go to save his daughter, and how far can he go before he loses his sanity?
I dare you to read three pages of Scare Me and put it down. I’ve seen Scare Me described as Se7en-esque, and I suppose that’s a decent comparison. The similarities mostly lie in the grisly scenes that Will must navigate in order to collect each item. The novel goes back and forth between Will, Carla, Libby’s ordeal, and yes, we even get to follow along with the killer (as well as a few other surprises.) He even gives us a name, but you won’t understand the killer’s motivations, or identity, until the end. Parker isn’t cruel, though. You won’t have to wait until the very end before he drops a big clue about the killer’s identity, and I started to have inklings earlier on, but there’s good reason for that. You’ll see what I mean. If it seems like I’m being coy, it’s because I am. Revealing too much would be spoiling the fun of this fantastic thriller. Granted, I’m usually of the “call-the-cops-if-someone-is-kidnapped-no-matter-what” camp, but I’m a parent, and I certainly can’t tell you for sure what I would do if it was my child that’s been taken. I can tell you that I would be desperate and terrified, which Will and Carla certainly are, and Parker does a keen job exploring Will’s motivations as well as Carla’s, and they aren’t always the same. They’re definitely on the same page about getting their daughter back, but sometimes they don’t quite agree on the “how.” Through it all, though, they remain firmly united and although Will is in the thick of things, traveling literally around the world, one step behind a brutal killer, Carla proves just as capable back home.
As for the killer… Scare Me actually opens with the first murders, and you’ll get a really good idea of what you’re dealing with, or, at least, you think you will. By the time you get to the end, you will want to see this sick, evil, diabolical person meet their end in the most horrid way. However… Think you can’t have sympathy for a psychopath? Richard Parker may make you change your mind, and he’ll take you on a wild ride in the process. Scare Me is not only an effective, fast paced thriller, but it also mines some very uncomfortable and sometimes tragic territory, which adds depth that you sometimes don’t find in conventional thrillers. There’s a reason why Scare Me has already been optioned for film-and it’s not even out yet! Lock your doors, keep the lights on and plan to stay up late, because this is one very clever scavenger hunt from hell that you won’t want to miss!
March 10, 2017
This is the first book that I have read by Richard Parker and certainly wont be my last. After hearing this story is actually going to be made into a movie, I couldn't wait to read it. Knowing all good films start from a book, in most cases.
Well I sure has hell wasn't disappointed... OMG what a book and what a film this would make! Scare Me is actually better than I imagined it would be. With one hell of an opening I was hooked.
We have all Googled ourselves haven't we?
The Question is when was the last time you did Google yourself? Will Frost is asked this question when he woken in the night by a disturbing caller just hoping he is a victim of a prank call. As the saying goes curiosity killed the cat... Will actually goes online to find a website set up in his name. Showing photographs of his home and six others that he has never seen before.
A murder has taken place in each of the houses. Will has to go to each house in person to keep his family safe. Seven houses....Seven gruesome murders....and seven chances to save his daughter.
What an absolute brilliant thriller. This story is so well written and face paced the author takes you on a roller coaster ride of your life. Reading it with one eye open I cannot describe how tense this story is but it is a book not to be missed which I highly recommend giving it 5 massive stars.
Thank you to Maxine Groves for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Well I sure has hell wasn't disappointed... OMG what a book and what a film this would make! Scare Me is actually better than I imagined it would be. With one hell of an opening I was hooked.
We have all Googled ourselves haven't we?
The Question is when was the last time you did Google yourself? Will Frost is asked this question when he woken in the night by a disturbing caller just hoping he is a victim of a prank call. As the saying goes curiosity killed the cat... Will actually goes online to find a website set up in his name. Showing photographs of his home and six others that he has never seen before.
A murder has taken place in each of the houses. Will has to go to each house in person to keep his family safe. Seven houses....Seven gruesome murders....and seven chances to save his daughter.
What an absolute brilliant thriller. This story is so well written and face paced the author takes you on a roller coaster ride of your life. Reading it with one eye open I cannot describe how tense this story is but it is a book not to be missed which I highly recommend giving it 5 massive stars.
Thank you to Maxine Groves for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 14, 2015
“When did you last Google yourself?” That was what wealthy businessman, Will Frost was asked by an anonymous late night caller. When Will got online, he found a website with photographs of his home along with six other houses he’s never seen before. Within the first house a gruesome murder has already taken place. His family is in danger and the only way to save them is to visit all seven houses, discover their connection before the police discovers him.
First of all, I decided to google Richard Parker just to get an idea of who he was. If you were wondering, Richard Parker is not the sailor and president of the Floating Republic, Peter Parker’s (Spiderman) dad, a Bengal tiger or from Weekend at Bernie’s. Richard Parker is in fact an English writer who spent over twenty years writing for TV (nothing I’ve heard of). He was nominated for the Crime Writers Associations John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Award in 2010 for is dark thriller Stop Me.
Scare Me is his second book (and if you were wondering they are both standalone novels) and Will Frost’s struggle to save his daughter’s life from a twisted and sadistic psychopath. This novel has all the typical thriller tropes and you can pretty much match this against your expectations and come up with the exact plot in your head. This is something I found rather frustrating; I was never surprised, everything seemed obvious and expected.
This wasn’t the major problem I had with this novel; my issue was with the characters. Will Frost is so two dimensional and inherently good there was nothing interesting or complex about him, I found this boring. I like characters that are complex and flawed; I didn’t even find this in the killer either. Their motivation came a little too late into the novel, there was no hints (although you can guess easily) and when you find out, it was too late to save the novel.
You also have major plot problems, which is a shame since the idea of scavenger hunt of dead bodies is a great one. An example, all phones work in every country, no need for international roaming (this isn’t a big problem but when you make a deal of buying a new phone you could mention something). Also there is the fact Will’s old phone was amazing; He hides it on the killer to track it and the phone never goes flat. I struggle to last a day with my phone, so I’m keen to get my hands on a phone that lasts so long.
You add all these up, with the basic writing style and you have a novel that didn’t work for me. I liked the premise and had high hopes but I was let down. I wish I abandoned this novel and moved on to something different but unfortunately I pushed myself. I know of a few people that have read and enjoyed this novel, I’m happy for them, I wish I was one of them but there was too much I couldn’t let go.
This review originally appeared on my blog; http://literary-exploration.com/2013/...
First of all, I decided to google Richard Parker just to get an idea of who he was. If you were wondering, Richard Parker is not the sailor and president of the Floating Republic, Peter Parker’s (Spiderman) dad, a Bengal tiger or from Weekend at Bernie’s. Richard Parker is in fact an English writer who spent over twenty years writing for TV (nothing I’ve heard of). He was nominated for the Crime Writers Associations John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Award in 2010 for is dark thriller Stop Me.
Scare Me is his second book (and if you were wondering they are both standalone novels) and Will Frost’s struggle to save his daughter’s life from a twisted and sadistic psychopath. This novel has all the typical thriller tropes and you can pretty much match this against your expectations and come up with the exact plot in your head. This is something I found rather frustrating; I was never surprised, everything seemed obvious and expected.
This wasn’t the major problem I had with this novel; my issue was with the characters. Will Frost is so two dimensional and inherently good there was nothing interesting or complex about him, I found this boring. I like characters that are complex and flawed; I didn’t even find this in the killer either. Their motivation came a little too late into the novel, there was no hints (although you can guess easily) and when you find out, it was too late to save the novel.
You also have major plot problems, which is a shame since the idea of scavenger hunt of dead bodies is a great one. An example, all phones work in every country, no need for international roaming (this isn’t a big problem but when you make a deal of buying a new phone you could mention something). Also there is the fact Will’s old phone was amazing; He hides it on the killer to track it and the phone never goes flat. I struggle to last a day with my phone, so I’m keen to get my hands on a phone that lasts so long.
You add all these up, with the basic writing style and you have a novel that didn’t work for me. I liked the premise and had high hopes but I was let down. I wish I abandoned this novel and moved on to something different but unfortunately I pushed myself. I know of a few people that have read and enjoyed this novel, I’m happy for them, I wish I was one of them but there was too much I couldn’t let go.
This review originally appeared on my blog; http://literary-exploration.com/2013/...
October 19, 2016
I will start by saying that this COULD have been an incredible book! The idea behind the plot is attention grabbing and reading it should be highly addictive. Imagine you are watching the 1980s tv series Treasure Hunt but it's being directed by a psychopath- that's how Scare Me felt to me! And when we meet this chilling and terrifyingly evil antagonist whilst committing murder for the first of a series of "clues" I knew that this was unlike any book I had read for a while.
Now most of us have probably googled ourselves at some point, nowadays we all have online footprints due to the recent increase in the amount of social media sites out there. But to be woken up out of the blue in the middle of the night by an unknown person and told to Google yourself...that's just creepy! Still, Will Frost gets up and following the callers instructions he finds himself on a website that has a row of houses on it. He is advised that he needs to go to the address of the first house as the caller has apparently kidnapped his daughter Libby and if he doesn't comply, Libby will die. So leaving his wife at his office, a safe environment for her but also for her to aid his warped scavenger hunt, Will gets on a plane and heads to the USA. So far so good! The gruesome discovery of a murdered family at the first house shows that someone means business but who are they and what is the connection to Will and his family?
What a brilliant idea for a book, the blurb attracted me straight away and I knew I had to read it. But for me, the plot was probably the best thing about this book. I didn't connect with Will and his wife much and felt I would have liked a lot more depth to their POV rather than follow the pair of reporters or Tan. Both those threads seems to run on too long spoiling the addictive rhythm of the chase. It just didn't flow in the adrenaline pumping rush that I would have liked and the ending didn't quite work for me once we found out who was behind everything. But I can totally see why this has been optioned for a movie and actually think it's one of those books that will work BETTER as a film! It needs a more visual media to bring home the full horror of Libby in captivity and to show the sheer determination of Will as he is being forced to perform these ghoulish tasks. In the right hands this plot will hopefully be developed into the hugely successful bestseller it could have been here.
I did like this book, I just didn't love it. Something was missing, for me personally, that could have taken it to the ultimate level of terror that should have been there. I was living through someone's worst nightmare but the nerve-racking tension just didn't mount up for me. This is garnering some rave reviews though at the moment so if you're a fan of fast paced thriller authors like Simon Kernick then it might be worth your while checking it out.
Now most of us have probably googled ourselves at some point, nowadays we all have online footprints due to the recent increase in the amount of social media sites out there. But to be woken up out of the blue in the middle of the night by an unknown person and told to Google yourself...that's just creepy! Still, Will Frost gets up and following the callers instructions he finds himself on a website that has a row of houses on it. He is advised that he needs to go to the address of the first house as the caller has apparently kidnapped his daughter Libby and if he doesn't comply, Libby will die. So leaving his wife at his office, a safe environment for her but also for her to aid his warped scavenger hunt, Will gets on a plane and heads to the USA. So far so good! The gruesome discovery of a murdered family at the first house shows that someone means business but who are they and what is the connection to Will and his family?
What a brilliant idea for a book, the blurb attracted me straight away and I knew I had to read it. But for me, the plot was probably the best thing about this book. I didn't connect with Will and his wife much and felt I would have liked a lot more depth to their POV rather than follow the pair of reporters or Tan. Both those threads seems to run on too long spoiling the addictive rhythm of the chase. It just didn't flow in the adrenaline pumping rush that I would have liked and the ending didn't quite work for me once we found out who was behind everything. But I can totally see why this has been optioned for a movie and actually think it's one of those books that will work BETTER as a film! It needs a more visual media to bring home the full horror of Libby in captivity and to show the sheer determination of Will as he is being forced to perform these ghoulish tasks. In the right hands this plot will hopefully be developed into the hugely successful bestseller it could have been here.
I did like this book, I just didn't love it. Something was missing, for me personally, that could have taken it to the ultimate level of terror that should have been there. I was living through someone's worst nightmare but the nerve-racking tension just didn't mount up for me. This is garnering some rave reviews though at the moment so if you're a fan of fast paced thriller authors like Simon Kernick then it might be worth your while checking it out.
April 8, 2013
DISCLAIMER: I received Scare Me as a publisher ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This review can also be found at The Title Page
Rating: 2 Stars
Before you read my review, I want you to know something about me. I am a very technical person. Things that don't matter to other people mean a lot to me. A lot of the negatives in this review will reflect the technical issues in this book.
It should be mentioned before you read this book that the protagonist and his family live in the UK. It isn't mentioned until about 80% through the book, and it threw me off completely.
Scare Me is a genius idea. If serial killing wasn't a horrible crime, I'd say the author has quite a talent for it. (Kidding, of course, it takes a lot more to kill someone than coming up with a murder-filled scavenger hunt).
The way the plot for Scare Me was planned out was incredibly interesting, and what drew me to the book in the first place.
The things that brought the book down are (again) the technical aspects of it. Mostly, the phone calls and internet access that the protagonist seemed to have an unlimited supply of. He travels across continents, ditches and purchased phones, and keeps track of mobile devices through GPS, all without losing an internet connection or phone service. This is just completely unrealistic.
The author uses many different POVs to the point where it gets hard to follow. Throughout the book, we are following 6 different people at any given time. It's thoroughly confusing and obnoxious, you can't get more than a few pages before being thrown into another story-line.
Maybe that's how mystery novels are supposed to be, and maybe that's why I tend to stay away from the genre, but it took a 4 star book down a few notches, and that's always sad to see.
This review can also be found at The Title Page
Rating: 2 Stars
Before you read my review, I want you to know something about me. I am a very technical person. Things that don't matter to other people mean a lot to me. A lot of the negatives in this review will reflect the technical issues in this book.
It should be mentioned before you read this book that the protagonist and his family live in the UK. It isn't mentioned until about 80% through the book, and it threw me off completely.
Scare Me is a genius idea. If serial killing wasn't a horrible crime, I'd say the author has quite a talent for it. (Kidding, of course, it takes a lot more to kill someone than coming up with a murder-filled scavenger hunt).
The way the plot for Scare Me was planned out was incredibly interesting, and what drew me to the book in the first place.
The things that brought the book down are (again) the technical aspects of it. Mostly, the phone calls and internet access that the protagonist seemed to have an unlimited supply of. He travels across continents, ditches and purchased phones, and keeps track of mobile devices through GPS, all without losing an internet connection or phone service. This is just completely unrealistic.
The author uses many different POVs to the point where it gets hard to follow. Throughout the book, we are following 6 different people at any given time. It's thoroughly confusing and obnoxious, you can't get more than a few pages before being thrown into another story-line.
Maybe that's how mystery novels are supposed to be, and maybe that's why I tend to stay away from the genre, but it took a 4 star book down a few notches, and that's always sad to see.
March 23, 2013
Fear is motivation in Richard Parker’s SCARE ME, a thriller where the blue collar meets coppery red violence. This gripping and intense story of one man’s plight to save his daughter from her twisted captures pulls no punches.
Will Frost, a wealthy businessman is awoken in the early hours of the morning by a mysterious caller asking if he’s googled himself. From that moment on, life as he knows it ceases to exist with dreams making way for a living nightmare as he travels half way around the world to bring his pregnant daughter and her boyfriend home to safety.
The killer in this story is sadistic, inventive, and overtly cruel using not only visual aides to demonstrate their habit but also employing tactics to further deep emotional trauma on their victims.
Will is an endearing protagonist anchored by his wife and business associates. He maintains humility despite an abundance of wealth with family and friends the most important aspect of his life. The killer knows and exploits this in an all too realistic and devilish manner.
SCARE ME is an engrossing, addictive, and all consuming thriller by an author who looks to have mastered the craft of suspense and heart pounding action. I highly recommend SCARE ME.
Will Frost, a wealthy businessman is awoken in the early hours of the morning by a mysterious caller asking if he’s googled himself. From that moment on, life as he knows it ceases to exist with dreams making way for a living nightmare as he travels half way around the world to bring his pregnant daughter and her boyfriend home to safety.
The killer in this story is sadistic, inventive, and overtly cruel using not only visual aides to demonstrate their habit but also employing tactics to further deep emotional trauma on their victims.
Will is an endearing protagonist anchored by his wife and business associates. He maintains humility despite an abundance of wealth with family and friends the most important aspect of his life. The killer knows and exploits this in an all too realistic and devilish manner.
SCARE ME is an engrossing, addictive, and all consuming thriller by an author who looks to have mastered the craft of suspense and heart pounding action. I highly recommend SCARE ME.
November 29, 2016
Will Frost is woken from his sleep by his ringing phone as he listens his worse nightmare is coming true his daughter Libby and her boyfriends have been kidnapped.
Will is instructed to Google himself where he finds pictures of all the rooms in his house , how have they been taken?He gets a flight to the first address he is given and embarks on a series of trips each leading to the next he finds some of his daughters possessions which means she has been there.
This is the first book I have read by this author but not the last.
The writing was great.
A firm 5 stars.
Thank you Netgalley the Author and Publisher for a chance to read this book.
Will is instructed to Google himself where he finds pictures of all the rooms in his house , how have they been taken?He gets a flight to the first address he is given and embarks on a series of trips each leading to the next he finds some of his daughters possessions which means she has been there.
This is the first book I have read by this author but not the last.
The writing was great.
A firm 5 stars.
Thank you Netgalley the Author and Publisher for a chance to read this book.
June 3, 2020
I am amazed how some authors have such twisted imagination to pen gory, creepy thrillers that slowly draw its readers deep into a fictional world and leave them speechless because passing time with them is such a thrill…yes this one is that good
“When did you last Google yourself”. Aren’t you a bit curious?
This is the story of a wealthy businessman, Will Frost, who after being woken up in the middle of the night by a mysterious caller goes online to find a site in his name showing photos inside his home along with six other houses he has never seen before. A murder was committed in the first house and then he is told his daughter has been kidnapped and to save her he needed to visit each of the houses before the police shows up. Given tidbits of information Will is then on a wild chase around the world and founds himself running the deserted streets and smack into violence and murder…..is it scary…maybe…maybe not…
What a read. This psychological thriller has kept my full attention throughout. This story is so full of tension and intrigue I simple had to push on to see what would happen next. There is so much action and so many unexpected twists and turns to keep us on our toes, I had little chance to get off. It is such a very hard story to put down. Vividly said, the images described are imprinted in my mind. I definitely wouldn’t want to be in Will shoes.
Mr. Parker’s background as a TV script writer shines in this story and shows how skilled he is in portraying action and his characters’ emotion with the right words. Ok, I admit this story is far-fetched borders implausible but it makes for a very entertaining read. I love how the suspense exceeds the last words….Maybe a sequel….hope so..
I received “Scare Me” as a complimentary book from Lume Books with no obligations to write a review.
“When did you last Google yourself”. Aren’t you a bit curious?
This is the story of a wealthy businessman, Will Frost, who after being woken up in the middle of the night by a mysterious caller goes online to find a site in his name showing photos inside his home along with six other houses he has never seen before. A murder was committed in the first house and then he is told his daughter has been kidnapped and to save her he needed to visit each of the houses before the police shows up. Given tidbits of information Will is then on a wild chase around the world and founds himself running the deserted streets and smack into violence and murder…..is it scary…maybe…maybe not…
What a read. This psychological thriller has kept my full attention throughout. This story is so full of tension and intrigue I simple had to push on to see what would happen next. There is so much action and so many unexpected twists and turns to keep us on our toes, I had little chance to get off. It is such a very hard story to put down. Vividly said, the images described are imprinted in my mind. I definitely wouldn’t want to be in Will shoes.
Mr. Parker’s background as a TV script writer shines in this story and shows how skilled he is in portraying action and his characters’ emotion with the right words. Ok, I admit this story is far-fetched borders implausible but it makes for a very entertaining read. I love how the suspense exceeds the last words….Maybe a sequel….hope so..
I received “Scare Me” as a complimentary book from Lume Books with no obligations to write a review.
May 28, 2013
As Exhibit A's first signed title and as one of the launch titles for the imprint, Richard Parker's Scare Me already had some major expectations attached to it. When the news broke in March that the film rights for Scare Me had been acquired by Relativity Media – the people behind Despicable Me, The Social Network, and Paul, to name a few – and they'd contracted Wentworth Miller – he of Prison Break fame – to write the script, expectations, well my expectations anyway, sky-rocketed. So did Scare Me take flight or did it crash and burn? It definitely soared and it flew by too, because it was nail-bitingly good and I had to keep reading to see how it would end. As Scare Me is so much a mystery thriller where the discovery of the how and why of the events is so central to the plot, it's hard to talk about it without going into spoiler territory. I'm going to try and avoid spoilers though, so if I'm coming off as vague forgive me, but I'm trying not to mess up anyone's experience with the book.
The book starts out with a bang as we witness someone called Poppy getting ready for what seems to be a web cam date, but which ends up to be a blood bath. Afterwards it continues calmly enough, introducing us to our main characters, Will and Carla Frost. Successful business people, proud parents of teenage daughter Libby, they seem to have the perfect life. However, their perfect life has been marred in the recent past by the loss of an unborn child, a daughter named Jessie, and they are still struggling to give this loss a place, when their life is turned upside-down once again, by a midnight phone call; a phone call where Will is asked: “When did you last google yourself?” From the moment Will gets up to google himself the book turns into a non-stop action story, where Will is constantly kept on the go by the people who've kidnapped Libby during her Thailand vacation. The book is brutal; the suspense is heart-thumping and some of the scenes are incredibly scary and claustrophobic. Some of the murders are grizzly and they're all horrible.
Beyond Will and Carla's points of view, we also get points of view from the killer, from Libby, from two American journalists, Weaver and Pope, who discover the website through which Will receives his instructions, and from Tam, a young Thai boy, who witnesses what he shouldn't have and so becomes part of this dangerous game. Because to the killer it is most definitely a game, albeit a cruel and bloody one, of cat-and-mouse. While these point-of-view characters are the only ones we really get to know, beyond names and description that is, and Will and Carla are the only ones we get to know really well, we do learn enough about the other three to come to care for them in the case of Tam and Libby, and be horrified at how disturbed a person can become in the case of the killer. All six, Weaver isn't given that much background, of them are given believable motivations and histories, though Will and Carla's are the most extensive. Parker succeeds in getting the reader invested in his protagonists and to make them believe the emotions the characters feel. In some ways Tam's storyline feels superfluous, he could have easily been left out. On the other hand he's vital for giving us an extra set of eyes on Libby and to set up the ending of the book. Similarly, Weaver and Pope are an extra set of eyes on the ground, who can give an outside perspective on what happens.
The plot is very well-done, littered with red herrings, which made me change my theory on what was happening a couple of times. In addition, Parker's writing is very vivid and visual; it's easy to see why film producers would be attracted to the book. He's not only able to evoke emotions clearly, he also imbues his writing with a sense of place, which makes the story feel grounded and despite all the plane-hopping I never lost sight of where we were on the planet. He also had me genuinely frightened for some of the characters at different points, thinking they'd come to harm. The story comes together back where it a started, at the Frost estate, in a crescendo of tension, drama and a tragic revelation, only to be followed by a satisfying, deliciously creepy end.
Together with its launch sister Penance , Richard Parker's Scare Me is a great promise of Exhibit A's future editorial choices and luckily they were wise enough to sign Richard Parker for two books, so we can look forward to another book from him next year. If you're looking for a fast, thrilling read Scare Me is a perfect choice. Just be sure to block out enough time to finish it in one sitting as you won't want to put it down.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
The book starts out with a bang as we witness someone called Poppy getting ready for what seems to be a web cam date, but which ends up to be a blood bath. Afterwards it continues calmly enough, introducing us to our main characters, Will and Carla Frost. Successful business people, proud parents of teenage daughter Libby, they seem to have the perfect life. However, their perfect life has been marred in the recent past by the loss of an unborn child, a daughter named Jessie, and they are still struggling to give this loss a place, when their life is turned upside-down once again, by a midnight phone call; a phone call where Will is asked: “When did you last google yourself?” From the moment Will gets up to google himself the book turns into a non-stop action story, where Will is constantly kept on the go by the people who've kidnapped Libby during her Thailand vacation. The book is brutal; the suspense is heart-thumping and some of the scenes are incredibly scary and claustrophobic. Some of the murders are grizzly and they're all horrible.
Beyond Will and Carla's points of view, we also get points of view from the killer, from Libby, from two American journalists, Weaver and Pope, who discover the website through which Will receives his instructions, and from Tam, a young Thai boy, who witnesses what he shouldn't have and so becomes part of this dangerous game. Because to the killer it is most definitely a game, albeit a cruel and bloody one, of cat-and-mouse. While these point-of-view characters are the only ones we really get to know, beyond names and description that is, and Will and Carla are the only ones we get to know really well, we do learn enough about the other three to come to care for them in the case of Tam and Libby, and be horrified at how disturbed a person can become in the case of the killer. All six, Weaver isn't given that much background, of them are given believable motivations and histories, though Will and Carla's are the most extensive. Parker succeeds in getting the reader invested in his protagonists and to make them believe the emotions the characters feel. In some ways Tam's storyline feels superfluous, he could have easily been left out. On the other hand he's vital for giving us an extra set of eyes on Libby and to set up the ending of the book. Similarly, Weaver and Pope are an extra set of eyes on the ground, who can give an outside perspective on what happens.
The plot is very well-done, littered with red herrings, which made me change my theory on what was happening a couple of times. In addition, Parker's writing is very vivid and visual; it's easy to see why film producers would be attracted to the book. He's not only able to evoke emotions clearly, he also imbues his writing with a sense of place, which makes the story feel grounded and despite all the plane-hopping I never lost sight of where we were on the planet. He also had me genuinely frightened for some of the characters at different points, thinking they'd come to harm. The story comes together back where it a started, at the Frost estate, in a crescendo of tension, drama and a tragic revelation, only to be followed by a satisfying, deliciously creepy end.
Together with its launch sister Penance , Richard Parker's Scare Me is a great promise of Exhibit A's future editorial choices and luckily they were wise enough to sign Richard Parker for two books, so we can look forward to another book from him next year. If you're looking for a fast, thrilling read Scare Me is a perfect choice. Just be sure to block out enough time to finish it in one sitting as you won't want to put it down.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
September 20, 2020
One crazy scary roller coaster ride! Yikes!
February 21, 2017
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This was a very interesting psychological thriller. I liked the premise, I liked the scare/gore factor, and I liked Will, the main character who is sent on this around the world scavenger hunt in order to try and get his abducted daughter back. I was not crazy about all the different side stories that just seemed to make the book longer than it had to be and didn't really bring any suspense to the story. All in all, it was a good read.
May 19, 2013
Richard Parker’s Scare Me is a clever story making use of today’s technological society. With a wealth of technology (computers, the world wide web, GPS etc) to draw upon, the characters are either using it to stay one step ahead or using it to play catch-up. Of course, using technology in a book may make it seem dated in a decade’s time, but right now it’s up-to-date, edgy and a fantastic way of executing a crime thriller.
One or two of the technical aspects/terms did nag at me as they didn’t seem quite right, that and the fact that the protagonist always seemed to be able to connect to the internet no matter where he was. However, those are just small issues and they really didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book.
The book’s opening chapter immediately gets straight to the point and paves the way for the rest of the story. There’s no messing around or filler here. Just like the characters, the reader is thrown from one situation to the next. Its relentless pace is certainly one that will keep readers on their toes! It’s non-stop, with barely a breather, and you want to find out what’s going to happen next just as much as the protagonist and his wife do.
When I began reading Scare Me I had no idea where it would take me and I certainly didn’t envision the journey it took me on. Just like the protagonist, I could never really prepare myself for what scene he would walk in upon at each location he was sent to. The author certainly has quite an imagination!
Creepy, menacing, tramatic, and full of supense and tension, this book is definitely a keeper. I easily read over half of it in one go and definitely recommend it to fellow thriller readers. Scare Me is the first release from Angry Robot’s Exhibit A imprint and I can’t wait to read more by both author and publisher.
One or two of the technical aspects/terms did nag at me as they didn’t seem quite right, that and the fact that the protagonist always seemed to be able to connect to the internet no matter where he was. However, those are just small issues and they really didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book.
The book’s opening chapter immediately gets straight to the point and paves the way for the rest of the story. There’s no messing around or filler here. Just like the characters, the reader is thrown from one situation to the next. Its relentless pace is certainly one that will keep readers on their toes! It’s non-stop, with barely a breather, and you want to find out what’s going to happen next just as much as the protagonist and his wife do.
When I began reading Scare Me I had no idea where it would take me and I certainly didn’t envision the journey it took me on. Just like the protagonist, I could never really prepare myself for what scene he would walk in upon at each location he was sent to. The author certainly has quite an imagination!
Creepy, menacing, tramatic, and full of supense and tension, this book is definitely a keeper. I easily read over half of it in one go and definitely recommend it to fellow thriller readers. Scare Me is the first release from Angry Robot’s Exhibit A imprint and I can’t wait to read more by both author and publisher.
December 12, 2016
I have to start off by saying I absolutely love the cover of this book. It jumped out at me as soon as I saw it and then I read the synopsis and I knew I had to read this book.
The book got off to a great start and by the end of chapter one I was left sitting wide-mouthed and wondering what the heck was going to happen next. Unlike a lot of books where we have to read through to the end, Scare Me tells us who the antagonist is at the beginning, a girl called Poppy. What we don't know is, who Poppy is and why is she doing what she's doing?
Poppy seriously gave me the heebie jeebies, a character to fear and totally ruthless in her mission to destroy Will Frost. I often found myself holding my breath at some of her antics and still can't get the pictures this book conjured up out of my mind. This book has a few characters in it and we get to hear the point of view from each one as the story goes along which I really enjoyed. I felt it gave a little extra to the story and made it a bit more intense.
Richard Parker has cleverly written an edge of you seat psychological thriller. It's gruesome, heart stopping and with quite a few red herrings you wont want to put this book down. As I was reading I was thinking to myself what a great film this would make so was totally delighted to find this out on Goodreads SCARE ME has been snapped up by major Hollywood studio, Relativity Media. Wentworth (Prison Break/Stoker) Miller has just completed the screenplay.
So if you like a good thriller then I definitely recommend Scare Me, but just make sure you have an empty diary and some peace and quiet as you really wont want to put this book down.
The book got off to a great start and by the end of chapter one I was left sitting wide-mouthed and wondering what the heck was going to happen next. Unlike a lot of books where we have to read through to the end, Scare Me tells us who the antagonist is at the beginning, a girl called Poppy. What we don't know is, who Poppy is and why is she doing what she's doing?
Poppy seriously gave me the heebie jeebies, a character to fear and totally ruthless in her mission to destroy Will Frost. I often found myself holding my breath at some of her antics and still can't get the pictures this book conjured up out of my mind. This book has a few characters in it and we get to hear the point of view from each one as the story goes along which I really enjoyed. I felt it gave a little extra to the story and made it a bit more intense.
Richard Parker has cleverly written an edge of you seat psychological thriller. It's gruesome, heart stopping and with quite a few red herrings you wont want to put this book down. As I was reading I was thinking to myself what a great film this would make so was totally delighted to find this out on Goodreads SCARE ME has been snapped up by major Hollywood studio, Relativity Media. Wentworth (Prison Break/Stoker) Miller has just completed the screenplay.
So if you like a good thriller then I definitely recommend Scare Me, but just make sure you have an empty diary and some peace and quiet as you really wont want to put this book down.
October 4, 2016
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Endeavour Press!
What an addictive read! I don't know if the author read the critical reviews and fixed the novel, or if the reviewers were discussing a different book. The technical inconsistencies were non-existent - at least to me, I'm not an IT expert, but I'm not computer-illiterate and, while the plot requires some suspension of disbelief, it all made sense. I love treasure hunts and stories involving them. I would not like to take part in one involving dead people, but that is exactly what Will Frost has to do if he wants to see his daughter again. The final explanation would probably have been more rounded, but it was compelling. The bad guy is a girl (not a spoiler, you learn that from the beginning, you just don't know why she's doing this) and she is a little over-the-top, but Will and his relationship with his wife is as realistic as the extreme situation will allow. It is a fun, edge-of-your-seat thriller and I'm giving it 4 stars.
What an addictive read! I don't know if the author read the critical reviews and fixed the novel, or if the reviewers were discussing a different book. The technical inconsistencies were non-existent - at least to me, I'm not an IT expert, but I'm not computer-illiterate and, while the plot requires some suspension of disbelief, it all made sense. I love treasure hunts and stories involving them. I would not like to take part in one involving dead people, but that is exactly what Will Frost has to do if he wants to see his daughter again. The final explanation would probably have been more rounded, but it was compelling. The bad guy is a girl (not a spoiler, you learn that from the beginning, you just don't know why she's doing this) and she is a little over-the-top, but Will and his relationship with his wife is as realistic as the extreme situation will allow. It is a fun, edge-of-your-seat thriller and I'm giving it 4 stars.
November 1, 2016
Will Frost is woken in the night by his phone ringing. His worst nightmare is unraveling as he listens. His precious daughter, Libby, and her boyfriend have been kidnapped.
He is instructed to Google himself and this leads him to a website where he finds pictures of all the rooms in his house. How were they taken without their knowledge? Chilling!!
He catches a flight to the first address he is given and embarks on a series of trips with each one leading him to the next. The narration changes throughout, from Father to perpetrator, to victim and to others. He begins to find some of his daughter's possessions which mean that she has been there, or they are left deliberately for him to find.
Although the pace is good but sadly the characters were not very believable. I am a great fan of murder thrillers but felt this one let the side down.
However, I will read other books by Richard Parker, as this has not completely put me off.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book courtesy of Booklover Catlady.
He is instructed to Google himself and this leads him to a website where he finds pictures of all the rooms in his house. How were they taken without their knowledge? Chilling!!
He catches a flight to the first address he is given and embarks on a series of trips with each one leading him to the next. The narration changes throughout, from Father to perpetrator, to victim and to others. He begins to find some of his daughter's possessions which mean that she has been there, or they are left deliberately for him to find.
Although the pace is good but sadly the characters were not very believable. I am a great fan of murder thrillers but felt this one let the side down.
However, I will read other books by Richard Parker, as this has not completely put me off.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book courtesy of Booklover Catlady.
October 28, 2014
A tightly plotted thriller which is a cut above much of what I read in the genre. We start with the usual, a wealthy couple (note to self: when you become rich bad things happen to you) learns their pregnant daughter has been kidnapped and Will is sent on a chase throughout the world trying to save her, just as he becomes involved in a string of grisly murders committed by the kidnappers. Wife Carla orchestrates from the home office and is a constant presence. There were a couple of B stories that were OK, but didn't really add much, but Parker skillfully elevates the standard thriller with fully realized characters, each with significant back stories and the resolution was a bit convoluted, but still satisfying (although I'm not sure about the final scene - I hope it wasn't to set up a sequel and I liked this enough that I'm afraid to check).
A perfect airplane read, for reasons that will become apparent quite quickly.
A perfect airplane read, for reasons that will become apparent quite quickly.
April 24, 2013
The main story line of this book is very good. The plot revolves around Will trying to find his kidnapped daughter. Will is sent on a scavenger hunt set up through an internet website by the kidnapper. Will is sent all over the world and finds many grizzly murder scenes in his wake as he collects what he thinks are personal effects of his daughter. Like I said, this part of the story is very good.
I did not care for the additional storylines that kept popping up in the book. The 6-year-old Tam did nothing to enhance the story. The crab metaphor was not well written. The reporter storyline could have been a good addition if the reporters had done anything significant to change the story, but they did not.
I wanted to give the book a higher rating, but there were so many distractions to the main storyline that did nothing to enhance the story.
I did not care for the additional storylines that kept popping up in the book. The 6-year-old Tam did nothing to enhance the story. The crab metaphor was not well written. The reporter storyline could have been a good addition if the reporters had done anything significant to change the story, but they did not.
I wanted to give the book a higher rating, but there were so many distractions to the main storyline that did nothing to enhance the story.
May 25, 2013
My first introduction to Richard Jay Parker was with Stop Me. I thought this was a good read. Scare Me, has surpassed Stop Me. Once again Mr. Parker has taken that which has become so much a part of our world and made it a very unnerving place. Who googles themselves and finds that they have become part of a serial killers revenge filled game. None of us I would hope.
From the beginning until the final ending you will wonder what the connection is, when you get that answer you will hopefully think “Wow did not see that one coming”. As a reader you will see the ruthlessness of the news people chasing a story and be amazed at the courage of a small child.
You need to read this, you will not be disappointed in anyway. So once more I say thank you for sharing your wonderful imagination. Till the next book, I will be waiting.
From the beginning until the final ending you will wonder what the connection is, when you get that answer you will hopefully think “Wow did not see that one coming”. As a reader you will see the ruthlessness of the news people chasing a story and be amazed at the courage of a small child.
You need to read this, you will not be disappointed in anyway. So once more I say thank you for sharing your wonderful imagination. Till the next book, I will be waiting.
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