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Paper Ghosts
Carl Louis Feldman is an old man who was once a celebrated photographer. That was before he was tried for the murder of a young woman and acquitted. before his admission to a care home for dementia. Now his daughter has come to see him, to take him on a trip. Only she's not his daughter and, if she has her way, he's not coming back . . .
Because Carl's past has finally caught up with him. The young woman driving the car is convinced her passenger is guilty, and that he's killed, other young women. Including her sister Rachel. Now they're following the trail of his photographs, his clues, his alleged crimes. To see if he remembers any of it. Confesses to any of it. To discover what really happened to Rachel. Has Carl truly forgotten what he did or is he just pretending? Perhaps he's guilty of nothing and she's the liar. Either way in driving him into the Texan wilderness she's taking a terrible risk. For if Carl really is a serial killer, she's alone in the most dangerous place of all . . .
Because Carl's past has finally caught up with him. The young woman driving the car is convinced her passenger is guilty, and that he's killed, other young women. Including her sister Rachel. Now they're following the trail of his photographs, his clues, his alleged crimes. To see if he remembers any of it. Confesses to any of it. To discover what really happened to Rachel. Has Carl truly forgotten what he did or is he just pretending? Perhaps he's guilty of nothing and she's the liar. Either way in driving him into the Texan wilderness she's taking a terrible risk. For if Carl really is a serial killer, she's alone in the most dangerous place of all . . .
351 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2018
922 people are currently reading
11876 people want to read
About the author
Julia Heaberlin
8 books2,573 followersJulia Heaberlin is the internationally bestselling writer of six thrillers, including WE ARE ALL THE SAME IN THE DARK, a #1 Audible bestseller and the winner of Best Novel by the Writers’ League of Texas. In her latest thriller, NIGHT WILL FIND YOU, an astrophysicist and reluctant psychic explores the controversial, conspiracy-laden case of a lost girl. Heaberlin first broke out with the psychologically dark BLACK-EYED SUSANS, which examines the Texas death penalty and the use of high-tech DNA to identify old bones. SUSANS was published in more than fifteen countries and a top five Times of London bestseller. Heaberlin followed that with the creepy Texas road trip, PAPER GHOSTS, a finalist for Best Hardcover Novel by the International Thriller Writers Awards that has also been optioned for television. Earlier in her career, Heaberlin was an award-winning editor at newspapers that include the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Detroit News, and The Dallas Morning News. She is currently at work on her seventh thriller and lives in Texas, where all her novels are set under its big (and sometimes creepy) sky.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,250 reviews
May 31, 2018
4 Stars.
One woman believes that former photographer Carl Louis Feldman is guilty. Of murder, including the murder of her sister Rachel. He was acquitted of murdering other young women he was accused of and now, he lives in a care home for dementia patients. Yet none of that matters to this young woman, as she knows that Carl is responsible and she is dead set on proving it so that she can finally find out what happened to her sister, twelve years later. How, you ask? It’s quite simple really. She is planning on taking him for a ride. A car ride, that is. All across the State of Texas, visiting sites of his alleged crimes, using the photos he took to hopefully jog his “memory.” This gal poses as his daughter to get him out of his care home and lo’ and behold, it works! Can you say “Yee haw?!” Sounds sketchy to me, and well, to be frank a little dangerous. I, sure as heck wouldn’t voluntarily get into a car with an alleged murderer, but that’s just me. And here you thought I laughed in the face of danger..
What starts out as something of a nightmare, slowly becomes something else altogether. Is Carl’s mind really riddled with dementia? Or could he perhaps be playing his new “friend” like a fiddle? Questions, questions. My mind was racing a mile a minute. Is Carl Louis Feldman really who he seems? No matter how you slice it, Carl is one intriguing man. From all of the conditions he sets, to the things he sees and hears – his thoughts often put a smile on my face and had me laughing out loud. As for the woman? She is interesting, quirky and very determined. She wants someone to pay and she thinks that someone is Carl. She has planned for every contingency and has taken the necessary precautions. Is it enough?
“Paper Ghosts” by Julia Heaberlin is a novel that made my heart beat wildly and my breath catch in my throat. It was a crazy, interesting, wild ride and I enjoyed every second.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and Julia Heaberlin for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley, Goodreads, Twitter and Amazon on 5.31.18.
One woman believes that former photographer Carl Louis Feldman is guilty. Of murder, including the murder of her sister Rachel. He was acquitted of murdering other young women he was accused of and now, he lives in a care home for dementia patients. Yet none of that matters to this young woman, as she knows that Carl is responsible and she is dead set on proving it so that she can finally find out what happened to her sister, twelve years later. How, you ask? It’s quite simple really. She is planning on taking him for a ride. A car ride, that is. All across the State of Texas, visiting sites of his alleged crimes, using the photos he took to hopefully jog his “memory.” This gal poses as his daughter to get him out of his care home and lo’ and behold, it works! Can you say “Yee haw?!” Sounds sketchy to me, and well, to be frank a little dangerous. I, sure as heck wouldn’t voluntarily get into a car with an alleged murderer, but that’s just me. And here you thought I laughed in the face of danger..
What starts out as something of a nightmare, slowly becomes something else altogether. Is Carl’s mind really riddled with dementia? Or could he perhaps be playing his new “friend” like a fiddle? Questions, questions. My mind was racing a mile a minute. Is Carl Louis Feldman really who he seems? No matter how you slice it, Carl is one intriguing man. From all of the conditions he sets, to the things he sees and hears – his thoughts often put a smile on my face and had me laughing out loud. As for the woman? She is interesting, quirky and very determined. She wants someone to pay and she thinks that someone is Carl. She has planned for every contingency and has taken the necessary precautions. Is it enough?
“Paper Ghosts” by Julia Heaberlin is a novel that made my heart beat wildly and my breath catch in my throat. It was a crazy, interesting, wild ride and I enjoyed every second.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and Julia Heaberlin for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley, Goodreads, Twitter and Amazon on 5.31.18.
April 26, 2018
Let's start off by admiring how beautiful the cover is of this book. I LOVE IT!! :)
Our main character Grace was 12 when her sister Rachel went missing and was presumed to be dead but there was no body that was found. As you can imagine, Grace became obsessed with finding out what happened to her sister. Grace's obsession leads her to a man named Carl who used to be a photographer but is now living in a home with other convicts that have dementia. Smart Grace pretends to be Carl's daughter! Super smart on her part right?! :)
The story SLOWLY starts to unravel when Carl and Grace take a road trip together. I feel like I was watching a tennis match between the two.... them playing their own little games with one another back and forth. The author had we wondering does Carl remember more then he is leading on is he truly mentally ill?
The story took off with lighting speed and I thought I was going to enjoy it but unfortunately it just stalled throughout the entire middle and nothing was happening. I was confused a tad throughout the story and was skimming a lot of the middle. The ending just wasn't up to my expectations either and was left wanting more.
I do have to say I loved how the author added photos throughout the novel. I thought this was genius on her part! :)
2.5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine books for the advanced arc.
Published to GR: 4/26/18
Publication date: 5/15/18
Our main character Grace was 12 when her sister Rachel went missing and was presumed to be dead but there was no body that was found. As you can imagine, Grace became obsessed with finding out what happened to her sister. Grace's obsession leads her to a man named Carl who used to be a photographer but is now living in a home with other convicts that have dementia. Smart Grace pretends to be Carl's daughter! Super smart on her part right?! :)
The story SLOWLY starts to unravel when Carl and Grace take a road trip together. I feel like I was watching a tennis match between the two.... them playing their own little games with one another back and forth. The author had we wondering does Carl remember more then he is leading on is he truly mentally ill?
The story took off with lighting speed and I thought I was going to enjoy it but unfortunately it just stalled throughout the entire middle and nothing was happening. I was confused a tad throughout the story and was skimming a lot of the middle. The ending just wasn't up to my expectations either and was left wanting more.
I do have to say I loved how the author added photos throughout the novel. I thought this was genius on her part! :)
2.5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine books for the advanced arc.
Published to GR: 4/26/18
Publication date: 5/15/18
November 10, 2017
"Bad people are to be found everywhere, but even among the worst there may be something good."
Serial Killer or man afflicted with dementia???? That is the question
Carl Feldman is a documentary photographer who is living in a half way house and has been diagnosed with dementia. One day a young woman arrives and claims to be his daughter. She wants to take him on a road trip to see if the trip can jar his memory. She believes he has killed various women who have gone missing or have been killed. He does not believe that she is his daughter, nor doe he have any memory of killing anyone but agrees to her road trip if she will meet his conditions.
She agrees to meet his conditions because she has been waiting/preparing/training for this day. Her older sister, Rachel, went missing when she was 12 years old. Most of her life has been spent obsessing over what happened to her sister. She believes Carl killed her sister as she believes he has killed various young women in the locations where his photographs have been taken.
I read this book in one day. It's not your classic page turner but it does weave quite the story. Is this man a serial killer, is he innocent, does he really have dementia, is he a victim, are her assumptions correct are some of the questions that went through my mind as I read this book. I really loved how the story builds - it is not fast but it is not slow either. This book is like watching a "sleeper" hit movie. It came out of nowhere with hidden truths, revelations, and hidden agendas. This book is a quiet but effective thriller. It never tries to hard or rushes through anything. I found the pacing to be spot on. I never really knew where this book was going. It was also strangely compelling to see two people on a road trip with their newly acquired dog, Barfly, who did not trust each other. Both were wary of the other. Carl did come off as a creepy guy but then there was that nagging question - was he creepy because he was creepy or because he was ill and could not help himself?
This book turned out to be a little gem. A wonderfully written psychological thriller. It starts a little slowly but as the story builds, you get to be part of a creepy road trip to find the truth no matter what the cost.
I look forward to reading more books by this Author.
Thank you to Random House publishing -Ballantine books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
Serial Killer or man afflicted with dementia???? That is the question
Carl Feldman is a documentary photographer who is living in a half way house and has been diagnosed with dementia. One day a young woman arrives and claims to be his daughter. She wants to take him on a road trip to see if the trip can jar his memory. She believes he has killed various women who have gone missing or have been killed. He does not believe that she is his daughter, nor doe he have any memory of killing anyone but agrees to her road trip if she will meet his conditions.
She agrees to meet his conditions because she has been waiting/preparing/training for this day. Her older sister, Rachel, went missing when she was 12 years old. Most of her life has been spent obsessing over what happened to her sister. She believes Carl killed her sister as she believes he has killed various young women in the locations where his photographs have been taken.
I read this book in one day. It's not your classic page turner but it does weave quite the story. Is this man a serial killer, is he innocent, does he really have dementia, is he a victim, are her assumptions correct are some of the questions that went through my mind as I read this book. I really loved how the story builds - it is not fast but it is not slow either. This book is like watching a "sleeper" hit movie. It came out of nowhere with hidden truths, revelations, and hidden agendas. This book is a quiet but effective thriller. It never tries to hard or rushes through anything. I found the pacing to be spot on. I never really knew where this book was going. It was also strangely compelling to see two people on a road trip with their newly acquired dog, Barfly, who did not trust each other. Both were wary of the other. Carl did come off as a creepy guy but then there was that nagging question - was he creepy because he was creepy or because he was ill and could not help himself?
This book turned out to be a little gem. A wonderfully written psychological thriller. It starts a little slowly but as the story builds, you get to be part of a creepy road trip to find the truth no matter what the cost.
I look forward to reading more books by this Author.
Thank you to Random House publishing -Ballantine books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
May 24, 2018
Original and clever. In the twelve years since her sister disappeared, she has been obsessed with finding her body and what happened to her. She has now targeted on a 61 year old, photographer, Carl, a man who took pictures of women she is certain have been his victims. Aquited of the murder of one of the women ,Carl now has dementia and is living in a halfway house. Pretending she is his daughter she decides to take him on a journey to different sites in his photograph, hoping this will spark something in his memory.
Neither of our lead characters are reliable narrators since one has to question if they are always sane. Traveling the state of Texas, many times I wondered if Carl really had dementia, at times he seemed extremely lucid. There is plenty of suspense, had no idea if Carl was guilty or not, though the evidence seemed to suggest his guilt. There was also humor, with the situation itself, with the demands Carl makes, and the ghosts that seem to accompany him. We are even taken to the site of the Davidisns and the markings of the dead. Such a unique albeit strange setup, and one that I thought well done.
I liked this authors previous book, but actually think I liked this one even better. It is hard with so many thrillers and suspense novels being written, to come up with a unique plot as well as unique characters. Haberlin managed to do just that.
ARC from Netgalley.
Neither of our lead characters are reliable narrators since one has to question if they are always sane. Traveling the state of Texas, many times I wondered if Carl really had dementia, at times he seemed extremely lucid. There is plenty of suspense, had no idea if Carl was guilty or not, though the evidence seemed to suggest his guilt. There was also humor, with the situation itself, with the demands Carl makes, and the ghosts that seem to accompany him. We are even taken to the site of the Davidisns and the markings of the dead. Such a unique albeit strange setup, and one that I thought well done.
I liked this authors previous book, but actually think I liked this one even better. It is hard with so many thrillers and suspense novels being written, to come up with a unique plot as well as unique characters. Haberlin managed to do just that.
ARC from Netgalley.
April 18, 2018
Reading Paper Ghosts is like watching a chess game or a tennis match. Back and forth, back and forth. Both individuals have their own agenda and are trying to outwit the other. One, Grace, is the sister of a murder victim who thinks she’s identified her sister’s killer. That man, who may now be suffering from early onset dementia, was formerly a documentary photographer who was acquitted on the one case taken to court. She takes him on a road trip to view sites of murders he supposedly committed. But her stories seem tenuous at best or nonsensical at worst.
The book consists of mixed media. There are photographs, photographer’s notes from Carl’s published book, lists and pages out of a youngster’s notebook. I liked the way this broke up the story and gave an added dimension.
There’s a delicious creep factor to the beginning of the book. It had me squirming. But as the story goes on, the tension comes and goes and in between, the book just seems to sag. Too many scenes that just didn’t seem to make sense. Grace is totally paranoid and not just about Carl and his proclivities. The plot didn’t hang together and the ending seemed anticlimactic and definitely out of left field.
If I rated this book at the beginning it would have been a five star. But by the end, it was down to a three. I felt like the author squandered a great premise.
My thanks to netgalley and Ballantine Books for an advance copy of this novel.
June 4, 2018
I absolutely loved Julia Heaberlin's novel, "Black Eyed Susans", so reading this new release was a no-brainer for me. The premise of "Paper Ghosts" is an original and imaginative one, it grabbed me from the synopsis and continued to captivate me throughout the book. I particularly enjoyed the tagline - "My sister disappeared. I know who took her. Now I've taken him". Oh, and the beautiful cover! You can't underestimate the advantages that come from it being an eyecatching one.
Carl Feldman, a dementia sufferer, made a name for himself as a photographer. That was until he was tried and acquitted of murder. Grace is certain that Carl is her sister's killer and hatches a plan to visit him in care to take him on holiday, whilst pretending that she is his daughter. Her plan? To take him back to the places he is suspected to have killed women - in the hope that it will jog his memory and lead to him confessing that he did, in fact, kill her sister. So, did he actually do it or is he nothing but an old man with dementia?
I found Heaberlin's writing mesmeric, there are twists aplenty and the story is both haunting and compelling in equal measure. I appreciated the way the subject of dementia was addressed, and was exploited to maximum effect creating an endlessly riveting, unique thriller. There is also a sprinkle of sharp as a tack, black humour which was a great contrast to the evocative prose. There were also sinister and creepy undertones right from the beginning - I do delight in those type of titles.
Overall, this is an authentic and chilling read that uses deeper topics as substantial parts of the main hook. I look forward to Heaberlin's future releases and would definitely add them to my to-be-read heap.
I would like to thank Julia Heaberlin, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Carl Feldman, a dementia sufferer, made a name for himself as a photographer. That was until he was tried and acquitted of murder. Grace is certain that Carl is her sister's killer and hatches a plan to visit him in care to take him on holiday, whilst pretending that she is his daughter. Her plan? To take him back to the places he is suspected to have killed women - in the hope that it will jog his memory and lead to him confessing that he did, in fact, kill her sister. So, did he actually do it or is he nothing but an old man with dementia?
I found Heaberlin's writing mesmeric, there are twists aplenty and the story is both haunting and compelling in equal measure. I appreciated the way the subject of dementia was addressed, and was exploited to maximum effect creating an endlessly riveting, unique thriller. There is also a sprinkle of sharp as a tack, black humour which was a great contrast to the evocative prose. There were also sinister and creepy undertones right from the beginning - I do delight in those type of titles.
Overall, this is an authentic and chilling read that uses deeper topics as substantial parts of the main hook. I look forward to Heaberlin's future releases and would definitely add them to my to-be-read heap.
I would like to thank Julia Heaberlin, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2018
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A map marked in red with three dots, a serial killer with dementia and a sister who has waited countless years to find her missing sister embark on an atmospheric journey. What could possibly go wrong?
Imagine preparing for twelve long years, formulating plans, practicing, spending countless hours waiting to entrap the man you think kidnapped and murdered your older sister? Now all that planning comes to fruition as Grace takes Carl, a well known former photographer and who she suspects is the man who murdered her sister away with her. Grace endeavors to find Rachel her sister, dedicating her all to finding her sister. Carl is the man she feels killed her sister and others throughout Texas. And yet, here she sits next to him in a car following a map of death and despair. Grace is ready, she has worked out every scenario, every possible twist, every way that Carl can act until he leads her to where her sister is. Grace is obsessed. For twelve years this need has driven her. She is haunted by memories, driven by photographs she is sure Carl has taken, sure they constitute the dead girls he has left behind.
Grace pretends to be his daughter and as she secures Carl from the home where he lives with other convicts with dementia, she will give her all to find Rachel. Carl has dementia, he doesn’t seem to know much but he is dangerous. But Grace is prepared or is she?
This well done atmospheric story is one that explores not only what serial killers are but also the mind of dementia as it travels down a road of what to believe is real and what is just figments and allusions. Is Grace really the one with delusions or is Carl exactly the person she has pegged him to be, a killer, the man who murdered her sister?
Thank you to Julia Haeberlin, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book
We can alleviate physical pain, but mental pain – grief, despair, depression, dementia – is less accessible to treatment. It’s connected to who we are – our personality, our character, our soul, if you like. (Richard Eyre) Does Carl have a soul or is he a tainted being who has a lust for death? Is Grace always going to bear mental pain? Will this journey into darkness free her or lead her further into the dark world her mind inhabits? How far would you go?
A map marked in red with three dots, a serial killer with dementia and a sister who has waited countless years to find her missing sister embark on an atmospheric journey. What could possibly go wrong?
Imagine preparing for twelve long years, formulating plans, practicing, spending countless hours waiting to entrap the man you think kidnapped and murdered your older sister? Now all that planning comes to fruition as Grace takes Carl, a well known former photographer and who she suspects is the man who murdered her sister away with her. Grace endeavors to find Rachel her sister, dedicating her all to finding her sister. Carl is the man she feels killed her sister and others throughout Texas. And yet, here she sits next to him in a car following a map of death and despair. Grace is ready, she has worked out every scenario, every possible twist, every way that Carl can act until he leads her to where her sister is. Grace is obsessed. For twelve years this need has driven her. She is haunted by memories, driven by photographs she is sure Carl has taken, sure they constitute the dead girls he has left behind.
Grace pretends to be his daughter and as she secures Carl from the home where he lives with other convicts with dementia, she will give her all to find Rachel. Carl has dementia, he doesn’t seem to know much but he is dangerous. But Grace is prepared or is she?
This well done atmospheric story is one that explores not only what serial killers are but also the mind of dementia as it travels down a road of what to believe is real and what is just figments and allusions. Is Grace really the one with delusions or is Carl exactly the person she has pegged him to be, a killer, the man who murdered her sister?
Thank you to Julia Haeberlin, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book
We can alleviate physical pain, but mental pain – grief, despair, depression, dementia – is less accessible to treatment. It’s connected to who we are – our personality, our character, our soul, if you like. (Richard Eyre) Does Carl have a soul or is he a tainted being who has a lust for death? Is Grace always going to bear mental pain? Will this journey into darkness free her or lead her further into the dark world her mind inhabits? How far would you go?
January 6, 2019
THREE STARS
I think I was one of the few that loved the author's previous book, Black-Eyed Susans and I meant to read this newest one for the past year.
VERDICT: hmmm. This is one of those novels that I know is beautifully written, but fails to grab and keep my attention. The premise of a young adult woman more or less kidnapping an old guy from a retirement home and then going on a serial killer hunting road trip....well, I just couldn't buy any of it. And that was before all the ghosts start making their appearances.
I'm still a fan of the wonderful Julia Heaberlin and I can appreciate why so many critics loved this novel. It was definitely unusual, but left me all meh...
Bonus: The audio version was really well done!
I think I was one of the few that loved the author's previous book, Black-Eyed Susans and I meant to read this newest one for the past year.
VERDICT: hmmm. This is one of those novels that I know is beautifully written, but fails to grab and keep my attention. The premise of a young adult woman more or less kidnapping an old guy from a retirement home and then going on a serial killer hunting road trip....well, I just couldn't buy any of it. And that was before all the ghosts start making their appearances.
I'm still a fan of the wonderful Julia Heaberlin and I can appreciate why so many critics loved this novel. It was definitely unusual, but left me all meh...
Bonus: The audio version was really well done!
March 14, 2018
This may well be one of the most batshit crazy books i've read recently, with both the dementia suffering potential serial murderer and his pretend daughter/investigator being contenders for the mad-as-a-hatter crown.
At the outset, I thought this was going to be an easy 5 stars; it begins with a sly to-and-fro between the pair, a subtle and insidious testing of each other, with every conversation seeming to insinuate dangerous knowledge and hidden truths. Then they embark on what felt like one of those wild peyote driven dreamscapes, two people road tripping in the desert, heading ever closer to disaster and lost in mind, body, and spirit.
Yet this journey took both characters beyond the cryptic psychological fencing in to the ridiculous, straying into reams of paranoid internal monologuing. I was snapped out of the mystery- no longer caring about who murdered whom and whether the main narrator is anywhere close to sane, I just wanted them both to get some serious help. The ending arrived from what might have been a different novel altogether, but did offer some solutions if you're prepared to accept the irrelevance of it all.
Overall, the book failed to mix its varied styles, felt too desperately overwritten, and was ultimately unsatisfying.
ARC via Netgalley
At the outset, I thought this was going to be an easy 5 stars; it begins with a sly to-and-fro between the pair, a subtle and insidious testing of each other, with every conversation seeming to insinuate dangerous knowledge and hidden truths. Then they embark on what felt like one of those wild peyote driven dreamscapes, two people road tripping in the desert, heading ever closer to disaster and lost in mind, body, and spirit.
Yet this journey took both characters beyond the cryptic psychological fencing in to the ridiculous, straying into reams of paranoid internal monologuing. I was snapped out of the mystery- no longer caring about who murdered whom and whether the main narrator is anywhere close to sane, I just wanted them both to get some serious help. The ending arrived from what might have been a different novel altogether, but did offer some solutions if you're prepared to accept the irrelevance of it all.
Overall, the book failed to mix its varied styles, felt too desperately overwritten, and was ultimately unsatisfying.
ARC via Netgalley
May 19, 2018
This story is sly, has some unexpected dark humor, great quotes, and creeps along ever so slowly with some chills on the way. For some readers, it'll be too slow. I was fascinated the whole time. The two main characters are incredibly unique and interesting. The back and forth never ends. You'd assume the serial killer would be the cat and the young woman the mouse, but there were moments I wasn't quite sure. They keep you guessing. The games they play with each other are constant, and you never know who will end up on top.
Carl Feldman was a celebrated photographer before accusations of murder and dementia took everything from him. Under the guise of being his daughter, Grace visits him in his care home. She's spent months picking at his brain. He insists he has no memory of much of his past. He doesn't even know if he's a murderer or not. He certainly wouldn't know if he killed Rachel, Grace's sister. She's become convinced that Carl is not only responsible for the murder he was put on trial for, but quite a few others... including her sister. Determined to find the answer to the mystery that's been haunting her since childhood, Grace concocts a crazy plan to help Carl remember: a road trip to places that should stir something in his head. And if he still has a taste for blood... well, she's ready for him. She thinks.
The strangest road trip I've ever read about, and an immensely absorbing tale. Certainly one of the most unique books I've read lately. I've definitely added the author to my "must read" list, as I'm quite enamored with her lovely writing style. 4.5 from me, rounded up to a 5. The wistful, slightly blurred, beautiful photos interspersed throughout the book definitely added something special to it as well. Tiny spoiler:
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Ballantine Books, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
Carl Feldman was a celebrated photographer before accusations of murder and dementia took everything from him. Under the guise of being his daughter, Grace visits him in his care home. She's spent months picking at his brain. He insists he has no memory of much of his past. He doesn't even know if he's a murderer or not. He certainly wouldn't know if he killed Rachel, Grace's sister. She's become convinced that Carl is not only responsible for the murder he was put on trial for, but quite a few others... including her sister. Determined to find the answer to the mystery that's been haunting her since childhood, Grace concocts a crazy plan to help Carl remember: a road trip to places that should stir something in his head. And if he still has a taste for blood... well, she's ready for him. She thinks.
The strangest road trip I've ever read about, and an immensely absorbing tale. Certainly one of the most unique books I've read lately. I've definitely added the author to my "must read" list, as I'm quite enamored with her lovely writing style. 4.5 from me, rounded up to a 5. The wistful, slightly blurred, beautiful photos interspersed throughout the book definitely added something special to it as well. Tiny spoiler:
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Ballantine Books, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
September 15, 2018
Paper ghosts is the second book I've read by Julia Heaberlin.
It starts a little on the slow side and then builds but as it's building up it twists along the way with a few 'oh my god ' moments it's also a little on the creepy side whilst being a good psychological thriller.
It starts a little on the slow side and then builds but as it's building up it twists along the way with a few 'oh my god ' moments it's also a little on the creepy side whilst being a good psychological thriller.
May 15, 2018
Dementia, a photographer, murders...do they all point to and describe Carl? Is Grace wrong about still thinking that Carl murdered her sister and other women even though he was acquitted of murder?
Grace has been looking for her sister and the person who took her and killed her since she disappeared on her way to her babysitting job.
Grace believes Carl took her sister, and she had a plan on how to trap Carl into confessing and leading her to where her sister is by taking Carl on a ten-day trip across Texas trying to jolt his memory.
Carl is smarter than Grace had anticipated, and her job is more difficult than she expected. Grace also seemed a bit disorganized for all the research and planning she did.
Carl was frightening simply because he didn’t seem stable, but did he act the way he did and treat Grace the way he did because he really did have dementia or was he two steps ahead of her for some other reason?
I would have been afraid to be alone with Carl had I been Grace.
Not knowing what to expect next would have had me taking Carl back immediately or not even attempting this trip in the first place. :)
PAPER GHOSTS is very well written, a bit evasive, and chilling. Ms. Heaberlin weaves an absorbing tale with intriguing characters. Her detailed writing is marvelous.
If you think you would enjoy a stressful, not sure why Grace is doing what she is doing “ride,” you won’t be disappointed in the twists and turns and situations that come up.
PAPER GHOSTS is my first book by Ms. Heaberlin, but she definitely knows how to pull you along and keep the suspense going. Dementia was also addressed.
ENJOY if you read this book. 4/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
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December 1, 2017No rating. DNF @ chapter 30 / 43%
I just can't read any further. I read Black-Eyed Susans by this author a few years back and really enjoyed it but this book is SOOOO confusing. Other reviewers seem to really like this one and it makes me feel like I'm reading a completely different book. I don't get it. I don't get any of it.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I just can't read any further. I read Black-Eyed Susans by this author a few years back and really enjoyed it but this book is SOOOO confusing. Other reviewers seem to really like this one and it makes me feel like I'm reading a completely different book. I don't get it. I don't get any of it.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 26, 2017
5 stars--I greatly enjoyed this book.
I really loved this book, which is an anthem to Texas disguised as a suspense novel. What made it stand out for me, in a saturated genre that I read a lot of, were the descriptions of the photographs--and actual black-and-white photos included in the book as well. I also loved trying to puzzle out Carl, who was a fascinating character--is he a killer? How progressed is his dementia? Why is he going along with the narrator's plan?
Each little detail comes back around in this book, and it was well worth suspending my disbelief for. Loved it.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
I really loved this book, which is an anthem to Texas disguised as a suspense novel. What made it stand out for me, in a saturated genre that I read a lot of, were the descriptions of the photographs--and actual black-and-white photos included in the book as well. I also loved trying to puzzle out Carl, who was a fascinating character--is he a killer? How progressed is his dementia? Why is he going along with the narrator's plan?
Each little detail comes back around in this book, and it was well worth suspending my disbelief for. Loved it.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
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September 26, 2020The Hook - Many moons ago I was intrigued by the hype about the book Black-eyed Susans by Julia Heaberline. But like the flowers my black thumb does not nurture neither did this book ever manage to creep off my TBR pile. In addition, Paper Ghosts caught my eye in a list of thrillers (sorry, can't remember where) and also was a 2019 Finalist in ITW's Thriller Awards. Paper Ghosts did not claim the fame which makes me think I ought to read the book that did.
The Line(s) - ”This leaves one percent hope. Or ninety-nine percent despair, It depends on whether my glass is filled with whiskey or tea.”
The Sinker - A common theme that attracts me in thrillers or mystery is a cold case. These are particularly haunting if this involves a family member trying to find a missing loved one in hopes of, if not closure, to provide a place for the missing to rest peacefully. Paper Ghosts explores this genre in a unique and thought-provoking way. Many have described the search to find the victim as cat and mouse, a well orchestrated chess game, or a clever mental game of wits. I see it as a metronome, the click, click, the beats of my heart trying to keep a regular pace as the story unfolds.
When she, whatever her name is, is twelve, her sister fell in a grave. That was the day her sister was cursed. When her sister was nineteen, she disappeared.
“An obsessive young woman has been waiting half her life-since she was twelve years old-for this moment. She has Planned. Researched. Trained. Imagined every scenario.”
She is ready to use these skills to trap the man she suspects of kidnapping and murdering her sister, to admit the crime and lead her to her sisters body.
Carl Louis Feldman, a shadow of the man who was once a journalist photographer, now living in a half-way house suffering from dementia and age. The plan is to lure him out of the home on a road trip to find the truth. To prove her murdered her sister and other cold case murders that have links to his photography.
The pacing was slow, but this just added to the precise, pitch-perfect plotting. Gave me time to think just what the outcome would be. There were times I wondered just who's brain function was more impaired, Carl in his dementia or she with her obsession.
One last thought to keep in mind. A camera can allow you to see if you have the right lens.
The Line(s) - ”This leaves one percent hope. Or ninety-nine percent despair, It depends on whether my glass is filled with whiskey or tea.”
The Sinker - A common theme that attracts me in thrillers or mystery is a cold case. These are particularly haunting if this involves a family member trying to find a missing loved one in hopes of, if not closure, to provide a place for the missing to rest peacefully. Paper Ghosts explores this genre in a unique and thought-provoking way. Many have described the search to find the victim as cat and mouse, a well orchestrated chess game, or a clever mental game of wits. I see it as a metronome, the click, click, the beats of my heart trying to keep a regular pace as the story unfolds.
When she, whatever her name is, is twelve, her sister fell in a grave. That was the day her sister was cursed. When her sister was nineteen, she disappeared.
“An obsessive young woman has been waiting half her life-since she was twelve years old-for this moment. She has Planned. Researched. Trained. Imagined every scenario.”
She is ready to use these skills to trap the man she suspects of kidnapping and murdering her sister, to admit the crime and lead her to her sisters body.
Carl Louis Feldman, a shadow of the man who was once a journalist photographer, now living in a half-way house suffering from dementia and age. The plan is to lure him out of the home on a road trip to find the truth. To prove her murdered her sister and other cold case murders that have links to his photography.
The pacing was slow, but this just added to the precise, pitch-perfect plotting. Gave me time to think just what the outcome would be. There were times I wondered just who's brain function was more impaired, Carl in his dementia or she with her obsession.
One last thought to keep in mind. A camera can allow you to see if you have the right lens.
November 18, 2018
I was instantly drawn to this book by the striking cover and interesting premise.
The main protagonist sister went missing at the age of 12 and she is convinced that Carl Feldman Who had been acquitted of the crime really was the culprit.
Carl now suffering from dementia is taking by her to the various locations to try and help jog he’s memory and finally admit that he killed her.
I liked the idea of them traveling to the various places over the course of 10 days, but felt that the story lulled slightly with the straight forward nature of the plot.
There wasn’t as many twists as I would have hoped for and even though the story was good, it didn’t quite keep me hooked as might I would have liked.
The main protagonist sister went missing at the age of 12 and she is convinced that Carl Feldman Who had been acquitted of the crime really was the culprit.
Carl now suffering from dementia is taking by her to the various locations to try and help jog he’s memory and finally admit that he killed her.
I liked the idea of them traveling to the various places over the course of 10 days, but felt that the story lulled slightly with the straight forward nature of the plot.
There wasn’t as many twists as I would have hoped for and even though the story was good, it didn’t quite keep me hooked as might I would have liked.
April 17, 2018
I loved Paper Ghosts. When I finished it I wanted to cry and I wasn’t sure why or who for. It’s interesting that this is a crime novel that ends up, to my mind, being about nearly everything but the crime.
Paper Ghosts is a dual-edged character drama, two people caught up in a mental game of cat and mouse, in Grace’s case not only with Carl but with herself. She believes he killed her sister, she is not sure if his illness is real or an attempt to hide, for Carl’s part he’s not saying. The interactions and relationship that grows between these two forms the backbone of the novel – it is fascinating, emotional, haunting and occasionally somewhat beautiful.
Grace is obsessed, determined, Carl is…well what is Carl exactly? Julia Heaberlin captures the sense of dementia pitch perfectly – my Mother is declining with every day so I know – that jumpy, unpredictable behaviour, the flashes of coherence within a maelstrom of unconnected memories and comments, never knowing how they’ll be not only from one day to the next but from one moment to the next. As these two move ever onward on their twisted road trip, they have a kind of psychological battle of wills, I just couldn’t look away.
Paper Ghosts is not a thriller, it is a slow burner, it builds the tension with every page. The photography angle is eerily ingrained into the wider narrative, giving the whole thing a strangely nostalgic feel, I shall definitely be buying a copy of this, the visual sense of it with the added pictures is a clever feature that just involves you further.
In the end we have resolution, possibly not in the way you would expect – it left me feeling edgy and slightly disconnected, like I said earlier wanting to cry but not sure why.
The writing is beautiful, the story is both beautiful and eerily sinister, if you are looking for those huge twist moments then you won’t find those here – what you will find is an elegantly constructed mystery, the mystery being one of character rather than event in it’s heart – I thought it was beautifully different, cleverly emotive and completely addictive.
Highly Recommended.
Paper Ghosts is a dual-edged character drama, two people caught up in a mental game of cat and mouse, in Grace’s case not only with Carl but with herself. She believes he killed her sister, she is not sure if his illness is real or an attempt to hide, for Carl’s part he’s not saying. The interactions and relationship that grows between these two forms the backbone of the novel – it is fascinating, emotional, haunting and occasionally somewhat beautiful.
Grace is obsessed, determined, Carl is…well what is Carl exactly? Julia Heaberlin captures the sense of dementia pitch perfectly – my Mother is declining with every day so I know – that jumpy, unpredictable behaviour, the flashes of coherence within a maelstrom of unconnected memories and comments, never knowing how they’ll be not only from one day to the next but from one moment to the next. As these two move ever onward on their twisted road trip, they have a kind of psychological battle of wills, I just couldn’t look away.
Paper Ghosts is not a thriller, it is a slow burner, it builds the tension with every page. The photography angle is eerily ingrained into the wider narrative, giving the whole thing a strangely nostalgic feel, I shall definitely be buying a copy of this, the visual sense of it with the added pictures is a clever feature that just involves you further.
In the end we have resolution, possibly not in the way you would expect – it left me feeling edgy and slightly disconnected, like I said earlier wanting to cry but not sure why.
The writing is beautiful, the story is both beautiful and eerily sinister, if you are looking for those huge twist moments then you won’t find those here – what you will find is an elegantly constructed mystery, the mystery being one of character rather than event in it’s heart – I thought it was beautifully different, cleverly emotive and completely addictive.
Highly Recommended.
July 2, 2019
Crazy good and truly original!
After years of obsessive amateur detective work and training in self-defence and survival, our protagonist - a nameless young woman - kidnaps Carl, an elderly dementia patient. She pretends to be his daughter and takes him on a final (in more than one sense) road trip. Crosses mark her roadmap, places connected to serial killer victims. She hopes to jog her hostage's memory before it dissolves completely, and to provide the family of his victims with closure. Most of all, she wants to find out what happened to her older sister, Rachel, who disappeared years ago.
Even the best-laid plans go awry, though. Almost immediately it becomes clear who is actually in the driver's seat. Carl miraculously gains the use of the arm that was "paralysed" by a stroke. He comes up with a long list of conditions (read "demands"), and is scarily clever, not to mention surprisingly charming. I couldn't help liking him, even while rooting for his kickass yet all-too-vulnerable kidnapper.
Their cat-and-mouse game kept me on the edge of my seat until the final chapter. Is Carl faking dementia? Is he a cold-blooded psychopath or a perceptive photographer with a soft spot for animals - and perhaps even our protagonist? Will he exploit her weakness and lead her into a trap? Might her sister's real killer still be out there? Who is following them, and who are the ghosts on the backseat that Carl keeps talking to?
Julia Heaberlin is one of my favourite authors, and she has outdone herself in Paper Ghosts. She has created unforgettable characters, a page-turning plot, and unrelenting suspense. Buckle up, this road trip is one helluva ride!
After years of obsessive amateur detective work and training in self-defence and survival, our protagonist - a nameless young woman - kidnaps Carl, an elderly dementia patient. She pretends to be his daughter and takes him on a final (in more than one sense) road trip. Crosses mark her roadmap, places connected to serial killer victims. She hopes to jog her hostage's memory before it dissolves completely, and to provide the family of his victims with closure. Most of all, she wants to find out what happened to her older sister, Rachel, who disappeared years ago.
Even the best-laid plans go awry, though. Almost immediately it becomes clear who is actually in the driver's seat. Carl miraculously gains the use of the arm that was "paralysed" by a stroke. He comes up with a long list of conditions (read "demands"), and is scarily clever, not to mention surprisingly charming. I couldn't help liking him, even while rooting for his kickass yet all-too-vulnerable kidnapper.
Their cat-and-mouse game kept me on the edge of my seat until the final chapter. Is Carl faking dementia? Is he a cold-blooded psychopath or a perceptive photographer with a soft spot for animals - and perhaps even our protagonist? Will he exploit her weakness and lead her into a trap? Might her sister's real killer still be out there? Who is following them, and who are the ghosts on the backseat that Carl keeps talking to?
Julia Heaberlin is one of my favourite authors, and she has outdone herself in Paper Ghosts. She has created unforgettable characters, a page-turning plot, and unrelenting suspense. Buckle up, this road trip is one helluva ride!
April 5, 2018
Decidedly underwhelming.
It says it’s a novel of suspense, but what it really is is a constant deluge of internal monologuing by our protagonist. Lots and lots and lots of internal monologuing. We ultimately find out the answers to the burning questions of who murdered the girls, but frankly I was so dull-eyed by the time we got there I was indifferent. A shrug of the shoulder and a, “meh,” was all it got out of me.
This is also due to Carl feeling mostly useless. I don’t really know why the author decided we needed to have him along; in the beginning, it felt very much like a game of wits between Carl and our narrator. But after maybe 75 pages, that died out and became the internal drivel we were consistently subjected to.
I wasn’t impressed by our narrator either. She kept telling all these ways that she had trained for dealing with Carl—she can hold her breath for ten minutes, she was blindfolded and dangled over a chasm, she spent the night in a dumpster with a rotting raccoon carcass—but I don’t really know how any of this matters. It did not seem useful in the slightest for a road trip with a potential serial killer. Especially when it came right down to it—she bungled up in very normal, stupid ways. Shouldn’t that have been beaten out of her at some point?
Not scary, not suspenseful.
It says it’s a novel of suspense, but what it really is is a constant deluge of internal monologuing by our protagonist. Lots and lots and lots of internal monologuing. We ultimately find out the answers to the burning questions of who murdered the girls, but frankly I was so dull-eyed by the time we got there I was indifferent. A shrug of the shoulder and a, “meh,” was all it got out of me.
This is also due to Carl feeling mostly useless. I don’t really know why the author decided we needed to have him along; in the beginning, it felt very much like a game of wits between Carl and our narrator. But after maybe 75 pages, that died out and became the internal drivel we were consistently subjected to.
I wasn’t impressed by our narrator either. She kept telling all these ways that she had trained for dealing with Carl—she can hold her breath for ten minutes, she was blindfolded and dangled over a chasm, she spent the night in a dumpster with a rotting raccoon carcass—but I don’t really know how any of this matters. It did not seem useful in the slightest for a road trip with a potential serial killer. Especially when it came right down to it—she bungled up in very normal, stupid ways. Shouldn’t that have been beaten out of her at some point?
Not scary, not suspenseful.
February 5, 2018
I knew from the very first chapters that I was going to enjoy this book. Grace was only 12 when her older sister went missing, presumed dead when no body turned up. So for years Grace's obsession was to find out what happened to Rachel and find her killer. Her obsession takes her to a man she believes is the killer, a renowned photographer, Carl. So she pretends to be Carl's daughter, because he is now living in a home where convicts with dementia live. This is where the story unfolds as Grace and Carl take a road trip so Grace can get some answers. This was another slow burn type of book. Not a lot happens but you get so invested in the story that you are just dying to know the end result. I enjoyed the stunning pictures that were throughout the book--added to that haunted feeling you get while reading. Another enjoyable read.
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2018
Carl Feldman was a famous photographer whose photos were well-known and whose books sold around the country. Then, he was tried--and acquitted--for the murder of a young mother. Now he lives in a home for wayward folks and criminals with dementia. Supposedly his mind is going, and there's much he doesn't remember about his past. There are tremors in his arm and gaps in his past. But each week a young woman visits, claiming to be his daughter. Eventually, she shows up to take Carl on a trip. But this isn't a father/daughter bonding ritual. She's convinced Carl knows what happened to her sister, Rachel, who disappeared when she was twelve and Rachel nineteen. She's spent years accumulating clues and evidence that point squarely to Carl's guilt--including his own photographs. How much does Carl really remember about those years? And how much is she at risk driving into Texas with a potential killer?
This was really different and odd book--not necessarily in a bad way, but it takes some getting used to and it's hard to explain, especially without spoiling anything. Our characters are few, with a focus on our female protagonist (who isn't named until the end of the book, so I won't name her here) and Carl. Both come alive through Heaberlin's well-written words, but neither are easy to like at times. Our main character is on a quest--one she's been on from the moment Rachel disappeared: to figure out what happened to her beloved sister. Her drive and desperation seep through the pages, and she's a fascinating and dynamic character, if not always a sympathetic or reliable one.
Yet she's completely lovable next to Carl, a potential serial killer who could be whispering to ghosts or plotting to kill her--it's so hard for us to know. What's so intriguing about this book is the bond to the two form as they drive across Texas, whose landscape becomes almost a third character in the novel. While at times I felt the plot dip and drag a bit, wondering where things were going, other times I was struck by the amazing dynamic Heaberlin created between the two. So much of the book is just Carl and our main character, alone in a vehicle in Texas, and it's very interesting, honestly, how she kept that interesting!
The book is creepy and tense at times, with Carl's behavior coming across as spooky and a layer of distrust covering the whole book. Who can we trust or believe? How much does Carl really remember? What is our main character really trying to achieve with this journey with Carl; is she telling us everything? I was left jumping and mistrustful, always wondering what would happen next.
The mixed media aspect of the book helps too, with not only commentary from our main character, but also excerpts from her childhood journal, pictures of Carl's, and snippets from one of his photography books. As such, things unfold slowly and ominously, overlaying the tense atmosphere of the novel. A lot happens and it can get a little perplexing at times, but it's also intriguing and compelling. A few twists and turns made me go "whoa." There's even a few moments between Carl and his "daughter" that are humorous. By the end, you're a little dazed and worn out, and the ending seems shocking. It definitely wasn't what I was expecting, that's for sure. The whole book felt the way, even though I enjoyed it.
Overall, this is slow-burning thriller that takes some time to warm to, but once you get into the rhythm, is interesting and compelling. The main characters are well-faceted, different, and unreliable. It's a creepy and tense read. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
You can read my review of Heaberlin's novel BLACK-EYED SUSANS here.
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This was really different and odd book--not necessarily in a bad way, but it takes some getting used to and it's hard to explain, especially without spoiling anything. Our characters are few, with a focus on our female protagonist (who isn't named until the end of the book, so I won't name her here) and Carl. Both come alive through Heaberlin's well-written words, but neither are easy to like at times. Our main character is on a quest--one she's been on from the moment Rachel disappeared: to figure out what happened to her beloved sister. Her drive and desperation seep through the pages, and she's a fascinating and dynamic character, if not always a sympathetic or reliable one.
Yet she's completely lovable next to Carl, a potential serial killer who could be whispering to ghosts or plotting to kill her--it's so hard for us to know. What's so intriguing about this book is the bond to the two form as they drive across Texas, whose landscape becomes almost a third character in the novel. While at times I felt the plot dip and drag a bit, wondering where things were going, other times I was struck by the amazing dynamic Heaberlin created between the two. So much of the book is just Carl and our main character, alone in a vehicle in Texas, and it's very interesting, honestly, how she kept that interesting!
The book is creepy and tense at times, with Carl's behavior coming across as spooky and a layer of distrust covering the whole book. Who can we trust or believe? How much does Carl really remember? What is our main character really trying to achieve with this journey with Carl; is she telling us everything? I was left jumping and mistrustful, always wondering what would happen next.
The mixed media aspect of the book helps too, with not only commentary from our main character, but also excerpts from her childhood journal, pictures of Carl's, and snippets from one of his photography books. As such, things unfold slowly and ominously, overlaying the tense atmosphere of the novel. A lot happens and it can get a little perplexing at times, but it's also intriguing and compelling. A few twists and turns made me go "whoa." There's even a few moments between Carl and his "daughter" that are humorous. By the end, you're a little dazed and worn out, and the ending seems shocking. It definitely wasn't what I was expecting, that's for sure. The whole book felt the way, even though I enjoyed it.
Overall, this is slow-burning thriller that takes some time to warm to, but once you get into the rhythm, is interesting and compelling. The main characters are well-faceted, different, and unreliable. It's a creepy and tense read. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
You can read my review of Heaberlin's novel BLACK-EYED SUSANS here.
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June 12, 2018
Grace was only 12 when her older sister Rachel disappeared. One moment she was riding her bike down the street to babysit and the next Grace received a phone call that she never made it.
Her entire life is suddenly dedicated to finding Rachel; she spends years learning what she can about the case and researching serial killers who operated near their town. In high school, her art teacher has a photography book that students are allowed to check out. Grace is stunned to find a photograph she recognizes inside the book: two young girls who appear to be twins in white gowns. She'd found this same photograph in an envelope taped to the back of the stairs in her home years ago.
The photographer is Carl Feldman. He was accused of killing a woman in a park but was acquitted due to the lack of a body or any other sufficient evidence. Grace eventually connects other disappearances to Feldman and believes the connection with the photograph she found in her home and in his book links him to Rachel's disappearance as well.
Time has not been kind to Carl Feldman. The once celebrated photographer is still suspected of killing multiple women and now he's living in a care home after being diagnosed with dementia. Grace, now in her 20s, begins to visit him regularly pretending to be his daughter. She eventually talks his caregiver into allowing her to take her "dad" on a short road trip.
Together, Grace and Carl play a dangerous game of cat and mouse across Texas. Grace is determined to make Carl admit his involvement in the disappearances of four women, including her sister, by driving him to locations he photographed near where the women disappeared or bodies were found. She's trained for this for years, to match wits with the suspected serial killer, but Grace soon realizes no amount of time could prepare her for Carl's creepy behavior and evasive answers or denials.
The journey highlights the obsessions of both Grace and Carl and soon the pair settle into an uneasy alliance when they realize someone is following them. Grace has to trust the man she believes without a doubt is responsible for her sister's disappearance. Will Carl lead her to the truth or will his mind betray them both?
Paper Ghosts is a compulsively readable novel that is filled with what I like to call "quiet suspense". The story is packed with tension and unease but it unfolds slowly and rises to fever pitch in the final pages. Heaberlin expertly executes this unique spin on a serial killer tale, weaving together the coin toss of coincidence/opportunity and plan/chance with two memorable characters!
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
Her entire life is suddenly dedicated to finding Rachel; she spends years learning what she can about the case and researching serial killers who operated near their town. In high school, her art teacher has a photography book that students are allowed to check out. Grace is stunned to find a photograph she recognizes inside the book: two young girls who appear to be twins in white gowns. She'd found this same photograph in an envelope taped to the back of the stairs in her home years ago.
The photographer is Carl Feldman. He was accused of killing a woman in a park but was acquitted due to the lack of a body or any other sufficient evidence. Grace eventually connects other disappearances to Feldman and believes the connection with the photograph she found in her home and in his book links him to Rachel's disappearance as well.
Time has not been kind to Carl Feldman. The once celebrated photographer is still suspected of killing multiple women and now he's living in a care home after being diagnosed with dementia. Grace, now in her 20s, begins to visit him regularly pretending to be his daughter. She eventually talks his caregiver into allowing her to take her "dad" on a short road trip.
Together, Grace and Carl play a dangerous game of cat and mouse across Texas. Grace is determined to make Carl admit his involvement in the disappearances of four women, including her sister, by driving him to locations he photographed near where the women disappeared or bodies were found. She's trained for this for years, to match wits with the suspected serial killer, but Grace soon realizes no amount of time could prepare her for Carl's creepy behavior and evasive answers or denials.
The journey highlights the obsessions of both Grace and Carl and soon the pair settle into an uneasy alliance when they realize someone is following them. Grace has to trust the man she believes without a doubt is responsible for her sister's disappearance. Will Carl lead her to the truth or will his mind betray them both?
Paper Ghosts is a compulsively readable novel that is filled with what I like to call "quiet suspense". The story is packed with tension and unease but it unfolds slowly and rises to fever pitch in the final pages. Heaberlin expertly executes this unique spin on a serial killer tale, weaving together the coin toss of coincidence/opportunity and plan/chance with two memorable characters!
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
May 18, 2018
★★½
Paper Ghosts had sooooo much potential. I was super excited to start this book and I stayed excited throughout its solid beginning. Then, the flow became a bit monotonous in my opinion and I personally found the ending quite underwhelming given what this premise was capable of. I had so many theories running in my head as the story progressed, just waiting it out because I was certain the ending was going to make it all worth it.
Regardless of my overall reading experience, I applaud the author for bringing attention to the thief that is dementia.
Note: I listened to the audiobook version of Paper Ghosts so I cannot comment on the paper/ebook version from personal experience, but I have read that there are interesting visual components added. I recommend exploring this first before deciding which version you borrow/purchase.
Paper Ghosts had sooooo much potential. I was super excited to start this book and I stayed excited throughout its solid beginning. Then, the flow became a bit monotonous in my opinion and I personally found the ending quite underwhelming given what this premise was capable of. I had so many theories running in my head as the story progressed, just waiting it out because I was certain the ending was going to make it all worth it.
Regardless of my overall reading experience, I applaud the author for bringing attention to the thief that is dementia.
"It steals someone for no reason. It taunts us with bits and pieces of the person we love like a kidnapper holding up a phone so we can briefly hear the voice. Dementia is like any other serial killer – except there's no way to fight back. Not yet."It should be noted that based on the acknowledgements at the end, most components in this story appear to have been inspired by personal/family experiences or subjects the author is clearly passionate about. Entertainment wise, Paper Ghosts didn't do it for me, but it may click perfectly with another reader. I genuinely hope you are that reader. ♥
Note: I listened to the audiobook version of Paper Ghosts so I cannot comment on the paper/ebook version from personal experience, but I have read that there are interesting visual components added. I recommend exploring this first before deciding which version you borrow/purchase.
May 15, 2018
"When the camera sees happy smiles, I imagine the worms wriggling underneath."
Paper Ghosts was my first Julia Heaberlin book, and I loved it so much. This is a serial killer novel set on a road trip through Texas, and this is perfect for me. I live in (and love) Texas, and you can always hook me with a serial killer storyline.
This book is a slow burn, and I would probably call it more of a suspense novel than a thriller. However, I was so intrigued by the story that this book was really a page-turner for me. I also loved getting to see the characters travel throughout my state.
The ending was different than what I expected, but I still found the book to be enjoyable as a whole. I can understand why people may be frustrated by the ending, though. This book may leave you with more questions than answers, but I still feel like I got enough.
Paper Ghosts was my first Julia Heaberlin book, and I loved it so much. This is a serial killer novel set on a road trip through Texas, and this is perfect for me. I live in (and love) Texas, and you can always hook me with a serial killer storyline.
This book is a slow burn, and I would probably call it more of a suspense novel than a thriller. However, I was so intrigued by the story that this book was really a page-turner for me. I also loved getting to see the characters travel throughout my state.
The ending was different than what I expected, but I still found the book to be enjoyable as a whole. I can understand why people may be frustrated by the ending, though. This book may leave you with more questions than answers, but I still feel like I got enough.
May 26, 2018
Paper Ghosts is not a thriller. Per the cover, it is a novel of suspense.
I think it’s a UNIQUE, clever, slow burn novel of suspense.
Before:
Rachel disappeared. Her body never found.
Younger sister, Grace has never fully recovered from her loss.
She begins keeping a journal: (entries peppered throughout the book)
“My Survival Notebook, age 8, How to be as brave as my sister”
Present Day:
Grace has shown up at home for patients with dementia. It’s the place where the once award winning photographer, Carl Louis Feldman, now resides.
She has had his book of photographs since she stole it from the library as a young girl. She thinks he killed her sister.
“My Survival Notebook, age 12”
1. Make a plan.
2. Be willing to die.
It is time to put that plan into action. She has been training for this day. She believes she is ready.
Posing, as Carl’s daughter, she is going to check him out of the home for dementia and take him on a ten day road trip, to the places where his pictures were taken, the places where the bodies of other victims were found. Hoping to trigger a memory..hoping to get a confession.
Carl has a list of “29 conditions” which must be met, before he will go. Sweet tea, like his grandmother made, books, *hardcover only, and a shovel, are just a few...
Each “day” of this road trip begins with another haunting photo of the twins from the book’s cover (created by real life photographer and journalist, Jill Johnson), and most with a description of Carl’s photographs from his book, “Time Travel: The Photographs of Carl Louis Feldman.
Does Carl have dementia? Is he a serial killer? Will Grace find the answers she is looking for? Will she become a victim like her sister?
It may seem like it takes awhile to reach its conclusion (hence the mixed reviews) but the author brilliantly wraps up this story in the epilogue, and I recommend you also read the “acknowledgments” when you have finished the book, as well.
A “road trip” worth taking!
August 21, 2018
Paper Ghosts was my most anticipated read this month, and I am so disappointed. This is going to be FULL of spoilers, because I need to vent a little. So, apologies for any rambling nonsense I type out- I’m still trying to come to grips with why exactly this book was such a huge let down.
For a thriller, this book had no suspense whatsoever. The main character, Grace, takes a man, Carl, who she suspects of murdering her sister and other young women, on a road trip that is somehow suppose to make him tell her what happened to her sister. One- I’m still unsure how she planned to get him to confess and two- we aren’t told until well over 100 pages in why she suspects Carl. When her reason is revealed it is so flimsy and unlikely that I never once felt like Carl would be any real danger to her. So all the tension and suspense I thought I was going to get was completely absent.
Grace also tells us, repeatedly, that she has trained with some special “dark web” trainer to be ready for any life threatening situation, but spends the majority of the book maybe ridiculous mistakes! She misplaced her gun multiple times, let Carl drink the last of her water in the woods, forgot her Maglite in another car, and literally lost Carl more than once. We’re also told that she has prepared and planned extensively for this, but within the first half a day she is breaking the rules she set for herself and deviating completely from her “meticulous plan”.
The writing style, which I really enjoyed in the author’s previous book Black Eyed Susans, felt so disjointed and I was often confused and struggling to place the characters within the scene.
I also felt that the ending was way too easy- everyone involved in the cold case murders just up and confessed! It felt so unsatisfying after plodding through 300 odd pages with Carl to have everything wrapped up so quickly and neatly. With zero ramifications for all the illegal crap Grace pulled.
Also- Rachel had spent the vast majority of her life tracking down anyone she thinks might be a suspect, to the point of complete obsession. But Carl manages to figure it out in a few days?? Rachel even says she thought about this guy, but after a few phone calls that went unanswered she gave him up as a suspect. It just didn’t ring true at all.
Overall just a very disappointing book, that definitely had the potential to be amazing.
(Also, they refer to Native Americans as Indians and it made me so uncomfortable)
For a thriller, this book had no suspense whatsoever. The main character, Grace, takes a man, Carl, who she suspects of murdering her sister and other young women, on a road trip that is somehow suppose to make him tell her what happened to her sister. One- I’m still unsure how she planned to get him to confess and two- we aren’t told until well over 100 pages in why she suspects Carl. When her reason is revealed it is so flimsy and unlikely that I never once felt like Carl would be any real danger to her. So all the tension and suspense I thought I was going to get was completely absent.
Grace also tells us, repeatedly, that she has trained with some special “dark web” trainer to be ready for any life threatening situation, but spends the majority of the book maybe ridiculous mistakes! She misplaced her gun multiple times, let Carl drink the last of her water in the woods, forgot her Maglite in another car, and literally lost Carl more than once. We’re also told that she has prepared and planned extensively for this, but within the first half a day she is breaking the rules she set for herself and deviating completely from her “meticulous plan”.
The writing style, which I really enjoyed in the author’s previous book Black Eyed Susans, felt so disjointed and I was often confused and struggling to place the characters within the scene.
I also felt that the ending was way too easy- everyone involved in the cold case murders just up and confessed! It felt so unsatisfying after plodding through 300 odd pages with Carl to have everything wrapped up so quickly and neatly. With zero ramifications for all the illegal crap Grace pulled.
Also- Rachel had spent the vast majority of her life tracking down anyone she thinks might be a suspect, to the point of complete obsession. But Carl manages to figure it out in a few days?? Rachel even says she thought about this guy, but after a few phone calls that went unanswered she gave him up as a suspect. It just didn’t ring true at all.
Overall just a very disappointing book, that definitely had the potential to be amazing.
(Also, they refer to Native Americans as Indians and it made me so uncomfortable)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2018
Unpopular opinion- I loved this book. I don’t know if it’s because I had such low expectations after most of my friends disliked it. I thought it was clever and unique and kept me guessing. It was super creepy, and I didn’t want to put it down. Glad I gave it a chance.
January 5, 2018
3.5 stars, rounding to 4 for Goodreads. (Also, please note the publication date is extended to 5/15/18)
Grace's older sister, Rachel, goes missing, is presumed dead and the person who likely is responsible for this, Carl, has dementia, barely remembers where he is and so is acquitted and put into an assisted-living facility. Grace spends years training and researching. Researching all the missing girls that may be tied to Carl. Training to make sure she can pursue her plan and be aware of any pending situations that may occur.
Pretending to be his daughter, she takes him cross-country searching for answers. Hoping various stopping points where women have vanished will jog his memory. As the trip progresses, she sees moments of lucidity and how he's keen on detail... making her wonder if he's just fooling everyone. Does he even really have dementia? Will this game she's playing turn around and bit her in the ass or will she finally get the answers she needs?
The little things in this book really made an impact for me. The pictures for each chapter. The various pages taken out of Grace's survival notebook as she was growing up. The pictures that Carl took along with the title and photographer's note. All of these things really brought this book to life and made you feel like you were really in this with Grace. My favorite part of this book are the interactions between Grace and Carl. The growth she has as each day passes, dealing with her frustration, Carl's dementia and conditions and her "patience" in waiting for her answers are very human.
The only thing that did not quite work for me was that it became confusing in certain parts. At a fairly moderate pace, there were certain parts that almost felt like a record scratch and I would have to rewind and reread to try and wrap my head around what just happened. I also felt like some of the resolutions that came toward the end were almost too easy. It's hard to explain fully without giving anything away so I'll just stop here. However, it is the unreliable narrator that absolutely makes this story and you truly are kept on your toes about what is really going on throughout.
What strikes me the most is the author's portrayal of dementia. I did some research on this in my study in Social Work back in my bachelors and also did a short volunteer stint at a VA center and was witness to this type of behavior. Also, as a person who always reads the Acknowledgements at the end of the book, I really enjoyed where the author received her inspiration and the journey she took us on with her.
Those who love the works of Megan Abbott and Gillian Flynn will love this story. At a certain point, it stopped being about whether or not Carl was a serial killer or not, but about the relationship that built between him and Grace - no matter how tormented.
Thanks so much to Ballantine Books for this copy in return for my honest review.
Grace's older sister, Rachel, goes missing, is presumed dead and the person who likely is responsible for this, Carl, has dementia, barely remembers where he is and so is acquitted and put into an assisted-living facility. Grace spends years training and researching. Researching all the missing girls that may be tied to Carl. Training to make sure she can pursue her plan and be aware of any pending situations that may occur.
Pretending to be his daughter, she takes him cross-country searching for answers. Hoping various stopping points where women have vanished will jog his memory. As the trip progresses, she sees moments of lucidity and how he's keen on detail... making her wonder if he's just fooling everyone. Does he even really have dementia? Will this game she's playing turn around and bit her in the ass or will she finally get the answers she needs?
The little things in this book really made an impact for me. The pictures for each chapter. The various pages taken out of Grace's survival notebook as she was growing up. The pictures that Carl took along with the title and photographer's note. All of these things really brought this book to life and made you feel like you were really in this with Grace. My favorite part of this book are the interactions between Grace and Carl. The growth she has as each day passes, dealing with her frustration, Carl's dementia and conditions and her "patience" in waiting for her answers are very human.
The only thing that did not quite work for me was that it became confusing in certain parts. At a fairly moderate pace, there were certain parts that almost felt like a record scratch and I would have to rewind and reread to try and wrap my head around what just happened. I also felt like some of the resolutions that came toward the end were almost too easy. It's hard to explain fully without giving anything away so I'll just stop here. However, it is the unreliable narrator that absolutely makes this story and you truly are kept on your toes about what is really going on throughout.
What strikes me the most is the author's portrayal of dementia. I did some research on this in my study in Social Work back in my bachelors and also did a short volunteer stint at a VA center and was witness to this type of behavior. Also, as a person who always reads the Acknowledgements at the end of the book, I really enjoyed where the author received her inspiration and the journey she took us on with her.
Those who love the works of Megan Abbott and Gillian Flynn will love this story. At a certain point, it stopped being about whether or not Carl was a serial killer or not, but about the relationship that built between him and Grace - no matter how tormented.
Thanks so much to Ballantine Books for this copy in return for my honest review.
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June 30, 2018Twelve years ago, Grace's older sister, Rachel, disappeared thought to have been murdered. Grace believes that she has discovered who killed her sister and she sets up an elaborate plan to prove she is correct.
Claiming to be the daughter of Carl Louis Feldman, a once-famous photographer, now a dementia patient in a nursing home Grace decides to abduct him as she believes he murdered her sister. What ensues is a wild trek across Texas. What follows is a compelling story of a woman taking a lot of crazy risks to bring to a close the mystery of what happened to her sister.
While I had a little trouble getting into the story, once it caught my attention I had a hard time putting the book down.
This review was originally posted on The Pfaeffle Journal
Claiming to be the daughter of Carl Louis Feldman, a once-famous photographer, now a dementia patient in a nursing home Grace decides to abduct him as she believes he murdered her sister. What ensues is a wild trek across Texas. What follows is a compelling story of a woman taking a lot of crazy risks to bring to a close the mystery of what happened to her sister.
While I had a little trouble getting into the story, once it caught my attention I had a hard time putting the book down.
This review was originally posted on The Pfaeffle Journal
November 8, 2018
Really enjoyed, much better than I expected...... the ending completely threw me.
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