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Jacqueline Willoughby
A string of mysterious murders rocks Birmingham, Alabama, in the page-turner Jacqueline Willoughby. At first glance, the murders seem to be connected to the Ten Commandments, but FBI agents Kason McAlester and Troy Stephens see that there is more to the story—and that a rare book written decades ago by a woman named Jacqueline Willoughby may have the answer to solving the crimes.
Will the two agents be able to follow the trail of the old book and find the killer responsible for these grisly murders? You’ll have to read Jacqueline Willoughby to find out.
Will the two agents be able to follow the trail of the old book and find the killer responsible for these grisly murders? You’ll have to read Jacqueline Willoughby to find out.
- GenresFiction
105 pages, Paperback
Published December 8, 2017
19 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 14, 2018
Jacqueline Willoughby is a book about a serial killer on the loose in Birmingham, Alabama, who appears to be motivated to right wrongs upper-class, well known citizens have committed against others. They seem to be inspired by the Ten Commandments and an old book, each victim is found with something in their mouth and/or hand stating in a word their sin. I think the story holds great promise, and would like to see the story and characters developed more, and the tale expanded from a novella to a novel. Maybe from time to time in the story, just a glimpse of the vigilante executioner (not revealing too much-- just a scene now and then), throughout the story, what he/she is thinking, etc. without letting the reader know the killer's identity. I think that would add to it as well. I wish to thank Mr. Randall for sharing this book with me!
Read for twogalsandabook.com
Read for twogalsandabook.com
January 1, 2018
This is a contemporary murder mystery novella set in Birmingham, Alabama. Two FBI agents follow a string of murders that seem to be linked to the Ten Commandments. The serial killer leaves notes either by the bodies or in their mouths saying which commandment the victim was killed for breaking. Coveting. Lying. Adultery. Theft. Murder. More and more people are showing up dead. Can Agents Kason and Troy discover the perpetrator before it is too late?
For the most part, the characters in this book seem bland, boring, and lacking in personality. They all speak like slang-using, annoying millennial robots, bro. Not only that, but for a murder mystery there isn't a very somber mood to the story. Or really, any mood or emotion at all. It reads like a description of the actions and words of an assortment of boring characters. And when somebody speaks in the story, there are a hundred other ways to say "so-and-so says", you don't need to say "says" every single time! The reading level, according to the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level test, is around 5.5, and yet the book contains much too much cursing for a 5th grader. I saw who the murderer was from the time he/she was first introduced, even though the author's intention was to keep you guessing. Really, there was no other reason for that character to have been in the book. Also, the book comes off as being very incomplete, between its shortness and the fact that it leaves several of the most important questions unanswered. Maybe there will be a sequel?
This book had a great storyline, which is why I gave it two stars instead of one. It had the potential to be a really good story, but it needs more emotion, description, depth, and personality injected into it.
For the most part, the characters in this book seem bland, boring, and lacking in personality. They all speak like slang-using, annoying millennial robots, bro. Not only that, but for a murder mystery there isn't a very somber mood to the story. Or really, any mood or emotion at all. It reads like a description of the actions and words of an assortment of boring characters. And when somebody speaks in the story, there are a hundred other ways to say "so-and-so says", you don't need to say "says" every single time! The reading level, according to the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level test, is around 5.5, and yet the book contains much too much cursing for a 5th grader. I saw who the murderer was from the time he/she was first introduced, even though the author's intention was to keep you guessing. Really, there was no other reason for that character to have been in the book. Also, the book comes off as being very incomplete, between its shortness and the fact that it leaves several of the most important questions unanswered. Maybe there will be a sequel?
This book had a great storyline, which is why I gave it two stars instead of one. It had the potential to be a really good story, but it needs more emotion, description, depth, and personality injected into it.
September 15, 2018
No closure.
The reader is left to finish the story.
Maybe the author is leaving to write a sequel? But not enough left for that. The reader is left with as big a question as was solved at the end.
The reader is left to finish the story.
Maybe the author is leaving to write a sequel? But not enough left for that. The reader is left with as big a question as was solved at the end.
February 22, 2018
Jacqueline Willoughby is a crime novella that reads quickly and is a good short book to pick up if you’re looking for an afternoon of entertainment. It’s what I might call a beach read: It’s easy to understand and straightforward.
The novel revolves around a series of murders in Birmingham, Alabama, in current day. FBI agents Kason McAlester and Troy Stephens investigate these murders and quickly come to the conclusion that they are connected. The murderer is following the Ten Commandments to carry them out. The victims are always purposefully placed and left with a wadded up piece of paper in their mouths that says what their crime is that they were killed for, plus the initials J.W.
For several chapters, the story follows a simple convention: The FBI agents and other police show up at the crime scene to find the victims. Kason smells a perfume fragrance left by the killer. The papers are recovered from the victims' mouths.
This repetition begins to feel a bit overdone, but luckily, the author breaks up the chapters by having the agents meet with others who may have some knowledge of what happened. I enjoyed these segments more, especially the visits to a Mrs. Madison and her elderly aunt, Dr. Moore, who is interesting and sometimes humorous to read. Dr. Moore is the one who gives the agents the information about a book written by Jacqueline Willoughby that may be connected to these murders. The book describes similar murders that happened in the 1930s and were done by Willoughby's daughter, Raina.
The dialogue from some of the minor characters was more realistic than what came out of the agents’ mouths most of the time. Of course, it’s expected the FBI agents would be all business while investigating a crime, but I would have liked to have seen more personality worked into Kason and Troy. We get some glimpses of their personal lives, like when they are with their wives or at church, but I would have liked to have seen more.
I don’t read many crime novels (or novellas), so this genre isn’t very familiar to me. It felt very formulaic. As a novella, it is shorter than a novel, but I would have liked it to be fleshed out more. I think more background on the agents and more time spent with them when they weren’t just investigating crimes would have made them more relatable and interesting. Many of the characters just spoke in bland dialogue, maybe even feeling robotic at times.
I am more into character-driven stories. This one is definitely more plot-driven. More motives and background on the killer would have been great as well. Everything seems almost too easy. I figured out who the killer was about halfway through the book. Throw in some red-herrings next time. Make me guess more. Don’t make it so easy.
While this is a good book for entertainment, I think it would have worked better as a full novel with more details. It feels like something is missing for me, but maybe that’s just my bias. Readers of crime novels and plot-driven stories would likely enjoy this book.
Grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure are all near perfect, which is a breath of fresh air after the last couple of indie authors I’ve read.
The novel revolves around a series of murders in Birmingham, Alabama, in current day. FBI agents Kason McAlester and Troy Stephens investigate these murders and quickly come to the conclusion that they are connected. The murderer is following the Ten Commandments to carry them out. The victims are always purposefully placed and left with a wadded up piece of paper in their mouths that says what their crime is that they were killed for, plus the initials J.W.
For several chapters, the story follows a simple convention: The FBI agents and other police show up at the crime scene to find the victims. Kason smells a perfume fragrance left by the killer. The papers are recovered from the victims' mouths.
This repetition begins to feel a bit overdone, but luckily, the author breaks up the chapters by having the agents meet with others who may have some knowledge of what happened. I enjoyed these segments more, especially the visits to a Mrs. Madison and her elderly aunt, Dr. Moore, who is interesting and sometimes humorous to read. Dr. Moore is the one who gives the agents the information about a book written by Jacqueline Willoughby that may be connected to these murders. The book describes similar murders that happened in the 1930s and were done by Willoughby's daughter, Raina.
The dialogue from some of the minor characters was more realistic than what came out of the agents’ mouths most of the time. Of course, it’s expected the FBI agents would be all business while investigating a crime, but I would have liked to have seen more personality worked into Kason and Troy. We get some glimpses of their personal lives, like when they are with their wives or at church, but I would have liked to have seen more.
I don’t read many crime novels (or novellas), so this genre isn’t very familiar to me. It felt very formulaic. As a novella, it is shorter than a novel, but I would have liked it to be fleshed out more. I think more background on the agents and more time spent with them when they weren’t just investigating crimes would have made them more relatable and interesting. Many of the characters just spoke in bland dialogue, maybe even feeling robotic at times.
I am more into character-driven stories. This one is definitely more plot-driven. More motives and background on the killer would have been great as well. Everything seems almost too easy. I figured out who the killer was about halfway through the book. Throw in some red-herrings next time. Make me guess more. Don’t make it so easy.
While this is a good book for entertainment, I think it would have worked better as a full novel with more details. It feels like something is missing for me, but maybe that’s just my bias. Readers of crime novels and plot-driven stories would likely enjoy this book.
Grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure are all near perfect, which is a breath of fresh air after the last couple of indie authors I’ve read.
May 26, 2018
This novella was short and sweet. The writing style was simplistic using basic declarative sentences and there wasn't much if any descriptive elements or flowery dialogue. Occasionally the author went off on a short tangent incorporating items that didn't really flow with the overall story arc. Overall it was straightforward and easy to read, although, there might be a little too much cursing for some younger readers.
The story itself was interesting. After the unpopular demolition of a housing development to make way for an auto-parts megastore comes a series of murders. FBI agents Stephens and McAlester are sent to investigate and despite what appears to be a biblical connection to the Ten Commandments they become convinced that there's something more going on. Sure, the bodies are posed, sure there are messages proclaiming their sins. But still...
An interview with a dotty, old, lady sends them on the trail of a very rare book. Is this antique volume somehow connected to the crimes? Will they discover the secret the serial killer is hiding before it's too late?
Narrator Scott Ellis did a great job voicing the story. There were a couple of sections where the sound effects, such as a voice on the phone sounding like it was speaking into a tunnel, got talked over by the main narration. Not Ellis' fault, that was poor sound editing.
I could give a recommendation for someone who likes mysteries and who is looking for a short read or listen. It's not that difficult to figure out who the murderer is but his motive is a little more hidden.
I requested and received this book for free from Audiobookboom in return for my promise of an honest and unbiased review. 3.5 stars.
The story itself was interesting. After the unpopular demolition of a housing development to make way for an auto-parts megastore comes a series of murders. FBI agents Stephens and McAlester are sent to investigate and despite what appears to be a biblical connection to the Ten Commandments they become convinced that there's something more going on. Sure, the bodies are posed, sure there are messages proclaiming their sins. But still...
An interview with a dotty, old, lady sends them on the trail of a very rare book. Is this antique volume somehow connected to the crimes? Will they discover the secret the serial killer is hiding before it's too late?
Narrator Scott Ellis did a great job voicing the story. There were a couple of sections where the sound effects, such as a voice on the phone sounding like it was speaking into a tunnel, got talked over by the main narration. Not Ellis' fault, that was poor sound editing.
I could give a recommendation for someone who likes mysteries and who is looking for a short read or listen. It's not that difficult to figure out who the murderer is but his motive is a little more hidden.
I requested and received this book for free from Audiobookboom in return for my promise of an honest and unbiased review. 3.5 stars.
March 16, 2018
Jacqueline Willougby by Schuyler Randall is a murder mystery under investigation by FBI agents Kason and Troy which involves what appears to be religious connotations. The premise of the novel is a good one however it feels to be missing heart. The first paragraph drew me in however following that the beginning is very choppy. This is resolved a few chapters in as Randall seems to find his groove but perhaps during drafting should have gone back to fine tune the start. The murders seem to get lost in translation due to the very matter of fact way that we come to them. There is a repetitive introduction to the investigators at each crime scene and though it is understood that the author is attempting to establish that there is a pattern it feels very unnecessary to state the specifics over and over again.
What I did enjoy was the inclusion of the novel that had been written in the past and connections there. I don’t want to go into much detail here as I don’t want to give away too many spoilers but for me that is when things really became more interesting. This is a quick read but with an expansion into the past and this portion of the book it really could have driven the plot a step further. I would have liked to have seen more development of the characters and though there was an attempt to incorporate more scenes that would have provided more depth they seemed a little too late in the story. You get a glimpse in the beginning and then much later into the story.
What I did enjoy was the inclusion of the novel that had been written in the past and connections there. I don’t want to go into much detail here as I don’t want to give away too many spoilers but for me that is when things really became more interesting. This is a quick read but with an expansion into the past and this portion of the book it really could have driven the plot a step further. I would have liked to have seen more development of the characters and though there was an attempt to incorporate more scenes that would have provided more depth they seemed a little too late in the story. You get a glimpse in the beginning and then much later into the story.
July 3, 2018
Disclaimer.
I had requested and received audible version of this book for free from the narrator, in exchange for an unbiased review.
What I liked about the book -
It has a strong premise and very promising story line. I did enjoy what I listened to, even though I was slightly disappointed by the end.
What I disliked about the book -
The book runs for three and a quarter hour and tries to do too much within that time. The story feels rushed and doesn't quite develop properly. The characters don't have much depth either. Had the book been longer and plot had more time to develop, it would've been so much better.
Narration -
Narration by Scott Ellis was done well. He handled the fast pace of the story progression very well. And the different voices were also delivered perfectly.
I had requested and received audible version of this book for free from the narrator, in exchange for an unbiased review.
What I liked about the book -
It has a strong premise and very promising story line. I did enjoy what I listened to, even though I was slightly disappointed by the end.
What I disliked about the book -
The book runs for three and a quarter hour and tries to do too much within that time. The story feels rushed and doesn't quite develop properly. The characters don't have much depth either. Had the book been longer and plot had more time to develop, it would've been so much better.
Narration -
Narration by Scott Ellis was done well. He handled the fast pace of the story progression very well. And the different voices were also delivered perfectly.
May 31, 2018
This book had promise. If it was longer and had really expanded on the mystery with more background and moments of story building between the killings, it could have been really good. What really put me off was the way the book was read and the dialog of the characters. Normally if I don't like the way a story is narrated, I can see myself reading it and alter the way I process it a bit. I am not sure that this was all on Scott Ellis because the way the characters interacted was not natural in any way and that drew my attention away from the mystery more than the way it was read. It looks like this is the first book from Schuyler Randall, I am looking forward to seeing how the next one turns out.
This book was given to me for free at my request for my voluntary and unbiased review.
This book was given to me for free at my request for my voluntary and unbiased review.
June 2, 2018
I was gifted this book with the understanding that I would leave an honest review.
I didn't hate the book but I can't say I really liked it either. First off it is very short book. Second the characters are very one dimensional. I kept waiting to get into them but they were never really defined. I would say if you have an afternoon that you would like to do a little gardening or something and have this playing in the background it would be a great choice. Scott Ellis does a really good job of narrating this book. In fact if I had been reading the book instead of listening I most likely would not have finished it.
I didn't hate the book but I can't say I really liked it either. First off it is very short book. Second the characters are very one dimensional. I kept waiting to get into them but they were never really defined. I would say if you have an afternoon that you would like to do a little gardening or something and have this playing in the background it would be a great choice. Scott Ellis does a really good job of narrating this book. In fact if I had been reading the book instead of listening I most likely would not have finished it.
January 31, 2018
Jacqueline Willoughby
This book keep me on the edge of my seat. The plot was well written. I enjoyed this. It made me think I was watching one of my favorite crime shows.
This came highly recommended from a friend. I enjoyed this and will recommend this to all my mystery suspense readers.
This was my first read from the author and I’m hoping to read more.
This book keep me on the edge of my seat. The plot was well written. I enjoyed this. It made me think I was watching one of my favorite crime shows.
This came highly recommended from a friend. I enjoyed this and will recommend this to all my mystery suspense readers.
This was my first read from the author and I’m hoping to read more.
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February 7, 2018I didn't finish this book. I don't think I am the right kind of audience member for this book.
I received this book from the author for promotional purposes.
Full review: https://janepedia.com/jacqueline-will...
I received this book from the author for promotional purposes.
Full review: https://janepedia.com/jacqueline-will...
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews