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Strategy
How much can one family take? Jenny Carbrook murdered three people to make it look as though there was a serial killer at work in Lincoln, when the only person she wanted to kill was Ray Carbrook, her father-in-law, who had raped her the week before her marriage to Mark, Ray’s son. Jenny wrote letters detailing her crimes in order to protect everyone she loved, but was forced to go into hiding before retrieving the evidence against her. Not only did she leave the letters behind but also her young daughter, Grace. Now Jenny has a plan, a strategy, to get the letters back. But it’s not only the letters that Jenny has in her sights… Strategy is the follow up to the international best-seller 34 Days , it can be read as a sequel or an unmissable stand-alone. Anita Waller is the best-selling author of Beautiful, Angel, 34 Days & Winterscroft
246 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2017
278 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
About the author
Anita Waller
47 books465 followersI live in Sheffield, UK. I am retired and have recently fulfilled my lifelong ambition of becoming a published author with Bloodhound Books.
I am married (almost 50 years to Dave) with three children and seven grandchildren.
I am a patchwork and quilting tutor as well as a writer.
My first book was Beautiful and my second, a sequel to Beautiful, is called Angel.
I am married (almost 50 years to Dave) with three children and seven grandchildren.
I am a patchwork and quilting tutor as well as a writer.
My first book was Beautiful and my second, a sequel to Beautiful, is called Angel.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 75 reviews
August 16, 2017
Strategy is the follow on from the brilliant 34 Days by the author. Please do read 34 Days before reading Strategy as you will get more from it and I think if you haven’t you will struggle with not knowing events from the previous book.
I was so glad to see that the author had written another book featuring the characters from the first novel. The book and the characters had stayed with me and I had been wondering what would happen next especially where it came to Jenny.
The story flicks between Jenny who is trying to get some incriminating letters back so that she can leave her past behind her and get on with her life and the rest of the family who are still trying to get on with their lives after the death of Anna in the previous novel.
My feelings for Jenny in 34 Days was quite mixed due to what she had been through but I really came to dislike her more in Strategy. She is selfish and puts her needs above and beyond everyone and everything else. I just wanted to grab her and give her a good slap to wake her up to see what she was doing to the people that were once her family.
Mark, Anna’s son and Jenny’s husband, I felt so much empathy for. He has been through a lot and is trying to do the best for his two children and even though lucky to have a good network round him to support him, tragedy never seems to far away.
Strategy is a gripping and tense follow up that is an absolute must read for fans of 34 Days. Full of thrills, shocks and heart breaking moments, readers really are in for a roller coaster of a read.
I was so glad to see that the author had written another book featuring the characters from the first novel. The book and the characters had stayed with me and I had been wondering what would happen next especially where it came to Jenny.
The story flicks between Jenny who is trying to get some incriminating letters back so that she can leave her past behind her and get on with her life and the rest of the family who are still trying to get on with their lives after the death of Anna in the previous novel.
My feelings for Jenny in 34 Days was quite mixed due to what she had been through but I really came to dislike her more in Strategy. She is selfish and puts her needs above and beyond everyone and everything else. I just wanted to grab her and give her a good slap to wake her up to see what she was doing to the people that were once her family.
Mark, Anna’s son and Jenny’s husband, I felt so much empathy for. He has been through a lot and is trying to do the best for his two children and even though lucky to have a good network round him to support him, tragedy never seems to far away.
Strategy is a gripping and tense follow up that is an absolute must read for fans of 34 Days. Full of thrills, shocks and heart breaking moments, readers really are in for a roller coaster of a read.
October 22, 2017
I loved 34 Days and this follow up was fantastic. That poor family.. so much heartache
August 10, 2017
I literally finished reading 34 Days and went straight on to Strategy, it made an epic read but I have never known time go so quickly. These two books make for some superb reading but you really do have to read them in order as although there is some background information about what has gone on before you would miss far too much of how things got to this point. No one could go through what this family has without it making them into different people.
Revenge didn’t turn out sweet for Jenny, far from it, her life in ruins and losing everything and everyone she loved is festering away in her but when she meets the very handsome and wealthy Sebastian West in a small Tearoom she is working, I thought hey perhaps she can have a fresh start here. Three months down the line she is doing just that, only not in a good way.
Jenny must get back the confession letters left behind and now in the possession of her estranged husband and her deceased mother in law’s husband Michael, whom she is focusing all her hate, the only emotion she seems to feel. Just as the family are picking the pieces of their tattered lives Jenny is to resurface with an even greater trail of devastation.
Boy does Anita Waller get me every time because it isn’t that she feeds me red herrings, it is just that I simply don’t see anything coming, a bit like real life. The actions of just one person can change someone else’s life without them even moving a muscle. I loved the first book but this just goes that step further again. Jenny is one hell of a mixed up character but it was more than her body Ray had ruined. The events of the past had created her madness that made her make irrational impulsive decisions that just destroyed everything so touched. A super follow on from 34 Days.
Revenge didn’t turn out sweet for Jenny, far from it, her life in ruins and losing everything and everyone she loved is festering away in her but when she meets the very handsome and wealthy Sebastian West in a small Tearoom she is working, I thought hey perhaps she can have a fresh start here. Three months down the line she is doing just that, only not in a good way.
Jenny must get back the confession letters left behind and now in the possession of her estranged husband and her deceased mother in law’s husband Michael, whom she is focusing all her hate, the only emotion she seems to feel. Just as the family are picking the pieces of their tattered lives Jenny is to resurface with an even greater trail of devastation.
Boy does Anita Waller get me every time because it isn’t that she feeds me red herrings, it is just that I simply don’t see anything coming, a bit like real life. The actions of just one person can change someone else’s life without them even moving a muscle. I loved the first book but this just goes that step further again. Jenny is one hell of a mixed up character but it was more than her body Ray had ruined. The events of the past had created her madness that made her make irrational impulsive decisions that just destroyed everything so touched. A super follow on from 34 Days.
August 12, 2017
Absolutely loved this follow up to 34 Days. There were some unanswered questions from the brilliant 34 Days especially concerning Jenny Carbrook. In Strategy we once again meet Jenny and learn of her intentions. This book is every bit as good as the first. It is an edge of the seat read from start to finish. Knowing what Jenny was capable and guilty of, the suspense throughout was nerve wracking. Highly recommend this book.
January 8, 2018
Strategy is the sequel to 34 Days, and although this book can be read as a stand alone, I'd recommend reading 34 Days first so that all the characters actions and motivations are fully understood.
This really is a page turner of a read. Just when you think one character couldn't get any more devious, they do, and I couldn't get over how much tension was built into the plot. My opinion of Jenny couldn't be more of a polar opposite now in comparison to the beginning of 34 Days. Manipulative and devious just don't do her justice!
If you like a mix of complex personalities, tension and raw emotion, then I highly recommend this book. One already on my top reads of 2018 list.
This really is a page turner of a read. Just when you think one character couldn't get any more devious, they do, and I couldn't get over how much tension was built into the plot. My opinion of Jenny couldn't be more of a polar opposite now in comparison to the beginning of 34 Days. Manipulative and devious just don't do her justice!
If you like a mix of complex personalities, tension and raw emotion, then I highly recommend this book. One already on my top reads of 2018 list.
August 18, 2017
My Review
A Plan of Action, A Game Plan, A Ploy, Above all a STRATEGY
Moving forward from 34 Days Anita has written Strategy, a sequel which deals with the aftermath of the murders committed by Jenny and how the rest of the family try to protect one another. Jenny had written letters detailing her crimes and now she will do anything to get them back.
Anita has written about various hard-hitting themes in 34 Days and Strategy, rape, domestic abuse, murder, blackmail, kidnapping and even a two-timing rat. Each scenario is suggestively written but not full on where you could feel uncomfortable or aghast at what is unfolding before your eyes.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading and discovering all about the characters, old and new, having read 34 Days I was left with questions which were unanswered about some of the characters, Strategy fulfils these and gives an insight into the family dynamics. Anita has been very clever in pulling both books together and bridging the gap when introducing new characters without the feeling that they have just been inserted in to fill out Strategy.
Strategy is a well planned and thought out psychological thriller which had me trying to plan my life around the book hoping I would get to read uninterrupted so I could absorb and digest the plot fulfilling my appetite for crime.
I would like to thank BloodHound Books, Anita Waller and Sarah Hardy for the opportunity to read and review an Advanced Readers Copy of Strategy in exchange of an honest review.
A Plan of Action, A Game Plan, A Ploy, Above all a STRATEGY
Moving forward from 34 Days Anita has written Strategy, a sequel which deals with the aftermath of the murders committed by Jenny and how the rest of the family try to protect one another. Jenny had written letters detailing her crimes and now she will do anything to get them back.
Anita has written about various hard-hitting themes in 34 Days and Strategy, rape, domestic abuse, murder, blackmail, kidnapping and even a two-timing rat. Each scenario is suggestively written but not full on where you could feel uncomfortable or aghast at what is unfolding before your eyes.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading and discovering all about the characters, old and new, having read 34 Days I was left with questions which were unanswered about some of the characters, Strategy fulfils these and gives an insight into the family dynamics. Anita has been very clever in pulling both books together and bridging the gap when introducing new characters without the feeling that they have just been inserted in to fill out Strategy.
Strategy is a well planned and thought out psychological thriller which had me trying to plan my life around the book hoping I would get to read uninterrupted so I could absorb and digest the plot fulfilling my appetite for crime.
I would like to thank BloodHound Books, Anita Waller and Sarah Hardy for the opportunity to read and review an Advanced Readers Copy of Strategy in exchange of an honest review.
August 14, 2017
This is the third Anita Waller book that I have read and I will definitely be reading more. When I heard that the author had written a sequel to 34 Days, I knew that I had to read it. I had really enjoyed 34 Days and was intrigued to know what had happened after.
I have to admit that when I started to read Strategy I did wonder whether 34 Days had really warranted a sequel, was there really enough left to tell about the Carbrook family? Well, I should have trusted the author and the publishers Bloodhound Books, who have a solid reputation for producing excellent books.
I do recommend that you don’t read Strategy until you have read 34 Days as although the book provides plenty of reminders about what had happened in the first book I think that you would miss out, not only on a great read but also truly understanding the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Strategy, it really did complete the story from 34 Days and, like the original, it provided plenty of twists and turns. It isn’t a long book but it is long enough to suck the reader back into the lives of the Carbrook family, reminding us what the family have been through and truly caring about what happens to them next and once again Waller hasn’t given them an easy ride.
I have to admit that when I started to read Strategy I did wonder whether 34 Days had really warranted a sequel, was there really enough left to tell about the Carbrook family? Well, I should have trusted the author and the publishers Bloodhound Books, who have a solid reputation for producing excellent books.
I do recommend that you don’t read Strategy until you have read 34 Days as although the book provides plenty of reminders about what had happened in the first book I think that you would miss out, not only on a great read but also truly understanding the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Strategy, it really did complete the story from 34 Days and, like the original, it provided plenty of twists and turns. It isn’t a long book but it is long enough to suck the reader back into the lives of the Carbrook family, reminding us what the family have been through and truly caring about what happens to them next and once again Waller hasn’t given them an easy ride.
August 15, 2017
Most family are dysfunctional, but none more than Jenny Carbrook and her family. Anita Waller harnessed this with great success in 34Days, and has taken it to a new level in Strategy. The author certainly knows how to hold the readers attention. When I finally put the book down I felt very satisfied. No spoilers. Enough to say that Jenny takes a bit of watching! Great stuff again and again from Anita Waller.
August 11, 2017
Following the devastating events of ’34 Days’, Mark does his best to raise his son and daughter whilst reconnecting with his father, but then his world collapses once again…
| Introduction |
If you have read ’34 Days’ you know what happened – why Anna walked out of her 30-year marriage and her luxurious life. Only then did she find out what had been going on and that she was not the only one living a lie. Now, somehow, the loose ends have to be tied up. Someone is planning a dangerous strategy…
| Storyline |
Mark and his two children, Adam and Grace, are putting their lives back on track and Mark is only too happy to be establishing a good relationship with his father. This is entirely reciprocated and, despite his feelings of sorrow and loss, his father is welcoming the chance to be a grandfather. If only .. But he knows better than to wish for the impossible. As Mark’s business is booming, his father steps in to help with Adam and Grace. Their lives seem comfortably settled now, until that fateful day when Grace tells them she spotted her mother outside their school. Will Jennie try to come back into their lives, despite the warnings and the consequences?
Jennie knows, Mark has the evidence needed to put her away for a long time and she is desperate to get it back. She has her strategy all worked out and the plan seems flawless, but then things start falling apart. Feelings get in the way and, just when she thinks she has it all worked out, fate strikes with devastating consequences. Meanwhile, the family, even though they feel closer than in the past, is divided as they try to make sense of what happened (34 Days). When secrets are kept and evidence is hidden, evidence not known to most, it makes you wonder just how close the family really is. Are they able to face the truth together or will they, as in the past, fall out? When evil strikes with a vengeance how will it end?
| My Thoughts |
I loved ’34 Days’ and could not wait for the sequel! ‘Strategy’ is all I could have asked for – and more! I loved how the family pulls together and reunites – something good coming from the tragic events in ’34 Days’. But, at the same time, the closeness of the family is deceptive as the truth is left unspoken. Anita Waller has skillfully created the different characters within the family, giving insight into their interaction and, thus, providing us with much-needed answers to the questions we were left with after ’34 Days’. Although a few connections were in my eyes too coincidental and I hated what happened, this did not detract from the storyline. ‘Strategy’ is an entertaining and intriguing psychological thriller, best to dive into straight after ’34 Days’, but it can be read as a stand alone.
Read the review on my website: https://www.bitsaboutbooks.net/strate...
| Introduction |
If you have read ’34 Days’ you know what happened – why Anna walked out of her 30-year marriage and her luxurious life. Only then did she find out what had been going on and that she was not the only one living a lie. Now, somehow, the loose ends have to be tied up. Someone is planning a dangerous strategy…
| Storyline |
Mark and his two children, Adam and Grace, are putting their lives back on track and Mark is only too happy to be establishing a good relationship with his father. This is entirely reciprocated and, despite his feelings of sorrow and loss, his father is welcoming the chance to be a grandfather. If only .. But he knows better than to wish for the impossible. As Mark’s business is booming, his father steps in to help with Adam and Grace. Their lives seem comfortably settled now, until that fateful day when Grace tells them she spotted her mother outside their school. Will Jennie try to come back into their lives, despite the warnings and the consequences?
Jennie knows, Mark has the evidence needed to put her away for a long time and she is desperate to get it back. She has her strategy all worked out and the plan seems flawless, but then things start falling apart. Feelings get in the way and, just when she thinks she has it all worked out, fate strikes with devastating consequences. Meanwhile, the family, even though they feel closer than in the past, is divided as they try to make sense of what happened (34 Days). When secrets are kept and evidence is hidden, evidence not known to most, it makes you wonder just how close the family really is. Are they able to face the truth together or will they, as in the past, fall out? When evil strikes with a vengeance how will it end?
| My Thoughts |
I loved ’34 Days’ and could not wait for the sequel! ‘Strategy’ is all I could have asked for – and more! I loved how the family pulls together and reunites – something good coming from the tragic events in ’34 Days’. But, at the same time, the closeness of the family is deceptive as the truth is left unspoken. Anita Waller has skillfully created the different characters within the family, giving insight into their interaction and, thus, providing us with much-needed answers to the questions we were left with after ’34 Days’. Although a few connections were in my eyes too coincidental and I hated what happened, this did not detract from the storyline. ‘Strategy’ is an entertaining and intriguing psychological thriller, best to dive into straight after ’34 Days’, but it can be read as a stand alone.
Read the review on my website: https://www.bitsaboutbooks.net/strate...
September 6, 2017
I totally devoured Strategy, very almost in one sitting and only not all in one because I started it at 11.30 p.m. one night!
Picking up a few months after the events of 34 Days, Strategy throws us straight back in to the lives of the Carbrooks.
Mark is still getting over the breakdown of his marriage but he's not actually finding it that hard considering his ex, Jenny, murdered his dad, Ray, and a couple of other people to make it look a serial killer was at large.
As things are starting to settle down for him and his children, Jenny is quietly watching them and plotting on ways to retrieve her letters; the ones she wrote to exonerate all her family in the murders she committed; the ones Mark is keeping to stop her from taking his children; the ones which see her locked up for a VERY long time if they are ever in the hands of the wrong person.
I wasn't entirely certain that this follow up would happen when I finished 34 Days, it was left wide open so I was delighted when I found out that it was coming out! As soon as it hit my Kindle I devoured it and I was NOT disappointed, Waller takes back in to the fold of the Carbrooks as they are starting to put their lives back together following the devastation that we left them in at the end of 34 Days.
It's so hard to talk about the plot of either book without spoiling it for those who have yet to read them though!
Strategy is sleek, the writing from Waller is once again intelligent, perfectly executed, and completely enthralling. I could not put this down!
Waller is definitely one of my favourite writers; she has a way of dragging you on to the pages, plonking you right inside the pages and making you live in the world she has created. We follow a cast of three-dimensional characters as they try to come to terms with the past, the present, and the very uncertain future.
With a pace that never lets up, chapters that will hook you in and force you to keep reading, make sure you have no plans before you starting this one!
Picking up a few months after the events of 34 Days, Strategy throws us straight back in to the lives of the Carbrooks.
Mark is still getting over the breakdown of his marriage but he's not actually finding it that hard considering his ex, Jenny, murdered his dad, Ray, and a couple of other people to make it look a serial killer was at large.
As things are starting to settle down for him and his children, Jenny is quietly watching them and plotting on ways to retrieve her letters; the ones she wrote to exonerate all her family in the murders she committed; the ones Mark is keeping to stop her from taking his children; the ones which see her locked up for a VERY long time if they are ever in the hands of the wrong person.
I wasn't entirely certain that this follow up would happen when I finished 34 Days, it was left wide open so I was delighted when I found out that it was coming out! As soon as it hit my Kindle I devoured it and I was NOT disappointed, Waller takes back in to the fold of the Carbrooks as they are starting to put their lives back together following the devastation that we left them in at the end of 34 Days.
It's so hard to talk about the plot of either book without spoiling it for those who have yet to read them though!
Strategy is sleek, the writing from Waller is once again intelligent, perfectly executed, and completely enthralling. I could not put this down!
Waller is definitely one of my favourite writers; she has a way of dragging you on to the pages, plonking you right inside the pages and making you live in the world she has created. We follow a cast of three-dimensional characters as they try to come to terms with the past, the present, and the very uncertain future.
With a pace that never lets up, chapters that will hook you in and force you to keep reading, make sure you have no plans before you starting this one!
August 30, 2017
After reading 34 Days, I was really hoping that Anita Waller was going to write a sequel....and here it is!
Strategy is a complex, nail-biting tale of one woman's bid to get away with murder, and the ensuing tsunami of a mess it makes within her family. Jenny Carbrook isn't a bad person at the end of the day (I know, a strange thing to say about a murderer) but I couldn't help but have a certain amount of sympathy for her, for the things that had happened to her in the past. During the reading of this book, however, I felt incredibly sorry for her extended family and it was interesting to see how Jenny's actions had so much of an impact on so many people!
I had no idea how this was all going to end up, I got a few shocks along the way but mostly I just read this book very quickly because it was such a good read :)
Highly recommended read from me, 4.5 stars.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Thank you to Bloodhound Books.
Strategy is a complex, nail-biting tale of one woman's bid to get away with murder, and the ensuing tsunami of a mess it makes within her family. Jenny Carbrook isn't a bad person at the end of the day (I know, a strange thing to say about a murderer) but I couldn't help but have a certain amount of sympathy for her, for the things that had happened to her in the past. During the reading of this book, however, I felt incredibly sorry for her extended family and it was interesting to see how Jenny's actions had so much of an impact on so many people!
I had no idea how this was all going to end up, I got a few shocks along the way but mostly I just read this book very quickly because it was such a good read :)
Highly recommended read from me, 4.5 stars.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Thank you to Bloodhound Books.
August 12, 2017
Sequel to 34 Days. Loved this book. The characters are fantastic and I really felt for them in places
August 13, 2017
Wow and wow again, after reading 34 Days and thoroughly enjoying it, I was satisfied with the ending... Anita Waller took on the task and has written an astonishing follow up that is astoundingly heart breaking and twisted.
We got right in to the minds of the characters from the aftermath of 34 Days and it packed a punch.
I found Strategy highly addictive reading, that was such a page turner I couldn't put it down, and with such deliverance in emotional trauma!
Highly recommend these two books that will take you on a journey you don't expect. With tension running deep throughout.
We got right in to the minds of the characters from the aftermath of 34 Days and it packed a punch.
I found Strategy highly addictive reading, that was such a page turner I couldn't put it down, and with such deliverance in emotional trauma!
Highly recommend these two books that will take you on a journey you don't expect. With tension running deep throughout.
July 31, 2017
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed 34 Days, of which Strategy is a sequel, I was very much looking forward to reading this book, and I am very grateful to Bloodhound Books for the chance to have an ARC. I was in no way disappointed; this is a fast-paced, engrossing and intriguing follow-up, resolving as it does the questions which arose at the end of 34 days. The only shock is to discover what really goes on in Hartsholme Park, the childhood playground of this Lincoln lad!!
August 14, 2017
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I really enjoyed reading 34 Days so I was delighted to be able to get my hands on this book, the follow up, and to be able to take part in the blog tour! I thought that the pace was spot on for 34 Days and I was hooked after the first few pages so I was interested to see of Anita could do it again with this one… The book was spot on and I loved where this story took you.
After reading 34 Days I desperately wanted to see what would happen to Jenny, would justice prevail or would she get away with everything?? I wasn’t disappointed with the ending and this book took me on a real rollercoaster, I felt all sorts of emotions and it literally had me gripped. I read it in just a few hours and didn’t want to put it down. Highly recommended and so glad I was able to take part in the blog tour – 5 stars from me!!
I really enjoyed reading 34 Days so I was delighted to be able to get my hands on this book, the follow up, and to be able to take part in the blog tour! I thought that the pace was spot on for 34 Days and I was hooked after the first few pages so I was interested to see of Anita could do it again with this one… The book was spot on and I loved where this story took you.
After reading 34 Days I desperately wanted to see what would happen to Jenny, would justice prevail or would she get away with everything?? I wasn’t disappointed with the ending and this book took me on a real rollercoaster, I felt all sorts of emotions and it literally had me gripped. I read it in just a few hours and didn’t want to put it down. Highly recommended and so glad I was able to take part in the blog tour – 5 stars from me!!
August 14, 2017
Brilliant
Brilliant read it in two sittings could not put it down. This is the fifth book of Anita's and have enjoyed them all.:-)
Brilliant read it in two sittings could not put it down. This is the fifth book of Anita's and have enjoyed them all.:-)
September 8, 2017
So, as most of you may know, Strategy is the follow up to Anita's bestseller '34 Days'.
In 34 Days we are first introduced to the Carbrook family. After a deep hidden family secret is exposed we were left with an explosive finale that was just screaming for a sequel! Strategy is the result, and OMG...how absolutely, freaking awesome was it?!? This is one of those very rare things, the sequel (unbelievably, in my opinion) just has an edge on the first.
We meet Jenny again 3 months later, living and working a few miles away from her old family home, almost in exile. Whilst working in the historic market town of Newark, she is planning her revenge. However, is it as sweet as we are led to believe?
What follows is a fast paced, anxiety inducing, heart clenching thriller of a read. I found with this that i couldn't actually read as quickly as i would have liked. Once i'd started, with each chapter i found myself desperate to read just that bit more, i couldn't put it down and it cost me a nights sleep such was the level of anticipation and longing i felt whilst reading this.
I was happy with the ending, if i can actually say that. But my word....did Anita deliver a shock! I can honestly say, i did not see that coming and it left me feeling numb before all my emotions then ran riot. I applaud you Anita, really well done. It takes a skilled writer to be able to do that to a reader. Me in particular as I'm not known as a crier amongst my friends. All kudos to the author here, well done Anita, another triumph!
In 34 Days we are first introduced to the Carbrook family. After a deep hidden family secret is exposed we were left with an explosive finale that was just screaming for a sequel! Strategy is the result, and OMG...how absolutely, freaking awesome was it?!? This is one of those very rare things, the sequel (unbelievably, in my opinion) just has an edge on the first.
We meet Jenny again 3 months later, living and working a few miles away from her old family home, almost in exile. Whilst working in the historic market town of Newark, she is planning her revenge. However, is it as sweet as we are led to believe?
What follows is a fast paced, anxiety inducing, heart clenching thriller of a read. I found with this that i couldn't actually read as quickly as i would have liked. Once i'd started, with each chapter i found myself desperate to read just that bit more, i couldn't put it down and it cost me a nights sleep such was the level of anticipation and longing i felt whilst reading this.
I was happy with the ending, if i can actually say that. But my word....did Anita deliver a shock! I can honestly say, i did not see that coming and it left me feeling numb before all my emotions then ran riot. I applaud you Anita, really well done. It takes a skilled writer to be able to do that to a reader. Me in particular as I'm not known as a crier amongst my friends. All kudos to the author here, well done Anita, another triumph!
November 10, 2017
I read this as a stand alone and to be honest I'm surprised I was able to finish it. The character creation did nothing for me and I found the whole concept to be beyond even my talent for excusing fiction.
January 26, 2019
Strategy
This one was well written yes and normally I really like this authors works. Sorry, but these characters were not my favorite except maybe Grace and Adam. Just didn't do for me one bit.😥
This one was well written yes and normally I really like this authors works. Sorry, but these characters were not my favorite except maybe Grace and Adam. Just didn't do for me one bit.😥
January 28, 2018
I read Strategy immediately after reading 34 Days so I'm not sure if this book should/could be read as a "stand alone." I liked the continuation of the story and was very happy with the conclusion.
Everything was wrapped up very well, but I must say I couldn't understand Sebastian's acceptance of Jenny's actions so easily. I also was appalled by the "wave of applause" by the persons gathered for the daughter's cremation. Is that actually done in England?
Although I am a lawyer in the U.S., I know nothing about English criminal law. The reason for so much of the secrecy in 34 Days and Strategy was to protect the son. Had this occurred in the U.S., there would've been a few different ways the family could've dealt with the "letters" and still protect the son. That being said, I'm going to defer to the author's resolution of the problem, because, like I said, English law may very well be very different.
Lastly, as I did in my review of 34 Days, I'm going to ask whether kissing adults on the top of their heads is a cultural thing. I am 66 years old and have never kissed an adult on the top of their head in my entire life. Lots of hugs, lots of kissing on the cheeks, but never kissing on the top of heads.
Everything was wrapped up very well, but I must say I couldn't understand Sebastian's acceptance of Jenny's actions so easily. I also was appalled by the "wave of applause" by the persons gathered for the daughter's cremation. Is that actually done in England?
Although I am a lawyer in the U.S., I know nothing about English criminal law. The reason for so much of the secrecy in 34 Days and Strategy was to protect the son. Had this occurred in the U.S., there would've been a few different ways the family could've dealt with the "letters" and still protect the son. That being said, I'm going to defer to the author's resolution of the problem, because, like I said, English law may very well be very different.
Lastly, as I did in my review of 34 Days, I'm going to ask whether kissing adults on the top of their heads is a cultural thing. I am 66 years old and have never kissed an adult on the top of their head in my entire life. Lots of hugs, lots of kissing on the cheeks, but never kissing on the top of heads.
June 6, 2018
Anita Waller's '34 Days' was the book that I just didn't want to let go, and the sequel 'Strategy' more than fulfilled my need to continue with this compelling story.
Jenny Carbrook having been identified as a serial killer by her family due to incriminating letters now in the family's possession has been told to leave the country and never come back or the letters will be handed over to the police. The family decision was made to ensure young Adam Carbrook did not find out that his real father raped his mother, who more recently had been killed by Jenny and he could continue to believe Mark Carbrook was his father.
However, Jenny does not go, and believes she may be able to use her daughter Grace to get hold of the letters.
I can't tell you how believable all of these characters were to me, and the story continued turning unexpected corners. This story is what the psychological thriller genre is all about.
Jenny Carbrook having been identified as a serial killer by her family due to incriminating letters now in the family's possession has been told to leave the country and never come back or the letters will be handed over to the police. The family decision was made to ensure young Adam Carbrook did not find out that his real father raped his mother, who more recently had been killed by Jenny and he could continue to believe Mark Carbrook was his father.
However, Jenny does not go, and believes she may be able to use her daughter Grace to get hold of the letters.
I can't tell you how believable all of these characters were to me, and the story continued turning unexpected corners. This story is what the psychological thriller genre is all about.
June 27, 2019
Hooked from the very first page.
What can I say?
Apart from this is another excellent book by the author who hooked me with Malignant and thankfully, the follow- up Strategy was ready and waiting on Amazon.
From the very first page I was once again immersed in the lives of the Carbrook family, due mostly to the excellent portrayal of their relationships and the tragedy that surrounded them. But it was the drip drip effect of hidden menace that drew me in further, and at times I wanted to shout at them all to wise up and take care.
As always, the author told a fast paced tale that left no stone unturned and on the final page, tied everything up neatly, just as I like a book to be.
Well done Anita. Can’t wait for the next one.
What can I say?
Apart from this is another excellent book by the author who hooked me with Malignant and thankfully, the follow- up Strategy was ready and waiting on Amazon.
From the very first page I was once again immersed in the lives of the Carbrook family, due mostly to the excellent portrayal of their relationships and the tragedy that surrounded them. But it was the drip drip effect of hidden menace that drew me in further, and at times I wanted to shout at them all to wise up and take care.
As always, the author told a fast paced tale that left no stone unturned and on the final page, tied everything up neatly, just as I like a book to be.
Well done Anita. Can’t wait for the next one.
October 9, 2019
Jenny Carbrook murdered three people to make it look as though there was a serial killer at work in Lincoln when the only person she wanted to kill was Ray Carbrook, her father-in-law, who had raped her the week before her marriage to Mark, Ray's son.
Jenny wrote letters detailing her crimes in order to protect everyone she loved but was forced to go into hiding before retrieving the evidence against her. Not only did she leave the letters behind but also her young daughter, Grace.
Now Jenny has a plan, a strategy, to get the letters back. But it's not only the letters that Jenny has in her sights...
Wow, wow, wow. I had no idea of where this book was going. Such a sad book, but wonderfully written. Again, no spoilers, but a really good book. 5*
Jenny wrote letters detailing her crimes in order to protect everyone she loved but was forced to go into hiding before retrieving the evidence against her. Not only did she leave the letters behind but also her young daughter, Grace.
Now Jenny has a plan, a strategy, to get the letters back. But it's not only the letters that Jenny has in her sights...
Wow, wow, wow. I had no idea of where this book was going. Such a sad book, but wonderfully written. Again, no spoilers, but a really good book. 5*
November 4, 2017
Well, you can pick your friends but not your relatives, and if you just happen to be a member of the Carbrook family, tragedy can't be far off.
As thousands of readers who enjoyed Anita Waller's best-selling 34 Days can attest, the story screamed for a followup. The author delivered it with Strategy, sensing we wanted and needed to know more about the Carbrooks and the skeletons in their closet.
Strategy is a thriller with plenty of tension and suspense. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, I'd suggest picking up 34 Days beforehand because it'll whet your appetite for more Carbrook shenanigans.
As thousands of readers who enjoyed Anita Waller's best-selling 34 Days can attest, the story screamed for a followup. The author delivered it with Strategy, sensing we wanted and needed to know more about the Carbrooks and the skeletons in their closet.
Strategy is a thriller with plenty of tension and suspense. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, I'd suggest picking up 34 Days beforehand because it'll whet your appetite for more Carbrook shenanigans.
August 19, 2017
Good read.
I couldn't remember reading the first book in the series, but it didn't take long for the story to cone back to me reading this. I would recommend reading both books even though this one could be read as a stand alone, there is so much more to the background of the story that you can only get by reading both.
The first book received massively conflicting reviews more so than most and on w I have finished Strategy I have to say I fall into the category in favour. I enjoyed both and this book defiantly brings all the loose ends and questions together. X
I couldn't remember reading the first book in the series, but it didn't take long for the story to cone back to me reading this. I would recommend reading both books even though this one could be read as a stand alone, there is so much more to the background of the story that you can only get by reading both.
The first book received massively conflicting reviews more so than most and on w I have finished Strategy I have to say I fall into the category in favour. I enjoyed both and this book defiantly brings all the loose ends and questions together. X
January 26, 2018
Another amazing read from Anita Waller
This author writes the most awesome books and gets better and better!
Strategy is a fast paced follow on from 34 days. It continues withe the Carbrook family , Jenny is desperate to get the letters returned to her and will go to extremes to get them
I would recommend reading 34 days first then continue with this brilliant follow on.
It made me gasp in places. To rate read. Highly recommend.
This author writes the most awesome books and gets better and better!
Strategy is a fast paced follow on from 34 days. It continues withe the Carbrook family , Jenny is desperate to get the letters returned to her and will go to extremes to get them
I would recommend reading 34 days first then continue with this brilliant follow on.
It made me gasp in places. To rate read. Highly recommend.
March 26, 2019
Anita Waller does it again! This follow up to her novel "34 Days" was just as good. What is Jenny up to this time? You would think someone who has done as much damage as she did would just quietly go away, she WAS given a get out of jail free card by Mark so why stick around? This book had me turning the pages as fast as I could read them not knowing what I was going to find at the end! What she thought was love will be her undoing.
June 12, 2021
Excellent but so sad
I don't think I've shouted out loud at a book as much as this one. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Jenny as she had kept what had happened to her for so long it obviously messed with her head. If only she had spoken out when it happened but unfortunately a lot of people don't and try to bury their head in the sand but it just festers. So sad everything that happened as a result of what Ray did to her and the tragic consequences.
I don't think I've shouted out loud at a book as much as this one. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Jenny as she had kept what had happened to her for so long it obviously messed with her head. If only she had spoken out when it happened but unfortunately a lot of people don't and try to bury their head in the sand but it just festers. So sad everything that happened as a result of what Ray did to her and the tragic consequences.
January 2, 2023
Great
Was so happy when I found out there was a sequel to 34 days and this didn't disappoint. What I really admire and like about this author is the fact she is not afraid to shock. I was getting a bit bored with happy endings from other authors, with unrealistic stories. Anita writes with truth, helping the story to feel like real life. As its not a bed of roses with great outcomes all the time.
Was so happy when I found out there was a sequel to 34 days and this didn't disappoint. What I really admire and like about this author is the fact she is not afraid to shock. I was getting a bit bored with happy endings from other authors, with unrealistic stories. Anita writes with truth, helping the story to feel like real life. As its not a bed of roses with great outcomes all the time.
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