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The Rumor
ASIN B07KGJ8X8F moved to this edition.
A missing girl. A long-held secret. A couple coming undone.
Beth McCallum and Nick Storvik are attending their twentieth high school reunion when they learn of a disturbing revelation. The bones of Missy Ferguson, a high school classmate who disappeared their Junior year, have been discovered in a Michigan wildlife reserve and an autopsy reveals she was murdered. Suspects are scarce, but when an old rumor resurfaces that Missy was pregnant before she disappeared and Nick was the father, Nick quickly becomes the prime suspect. Beth swears the allegations about her then-boyfriend and Missy were never true, promising she and Nick were together the entire autumn of that year, but the truth is, Beth can’t remember what occurred those last two weeks of October during their Junior year at all. As secrets and lies are exposed, Beth and Nick find their marriage tested as each begins to suspect the other has much to hide - including the possibility that one of them is capable of murder.
A missing girl. A long-held secret. A couple coming undone.
Beth McCallum and Nick Storvik are attending their twentieth high school reunion when they learn of a disturbing revelation. The bones of Missy Ferguson, a high school classmate who disappeared their Junior year, have been discovered in a Michigan wildlife reserve and an autopsy reveals she was murdered. Suspects are scarce, but when an old rumor resurfaces that Missy was pregnant before she disappeared and Nick was the father, Nick quickly becomes the prime suspect. Beth swears the allegations about her then-boyfriend and Missy were never true, promising she and Nick were together the entire autumn of that year, but the truth is, Beth can’t remember what occurred those last two weeks of October during their Junior year at all. As secrets and lies are exposed, Beth and Nick find their marriage tested as each begins to suspect the other has much to hide - including the possibility that one of them is capable of murder.
122 pages, ebook
First published November 12, 2018
198 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Lori Lacefield
13 books240 followersI write suspense thrillers, including the Frankie Johnson FBI Local Profiler Series, and the Women of Redemption Series. Each book in the FBI series features behavioral analysis and crime scene investigation as Frankie is called in to profile and hunt a brutal killer. If you like books by Lisa Gardner, Catherine Coulter, Meg Gardiner, Mike Omer, A.J. Rivers, or Alex Kava, you will like this series.
The Women of Redemption series is a theme-based series that focuses on flawed, but realistic, heroines who must face the consequences of their actions when their past circles back in unexpected ways. These women aren't perfect, but perfectly kick-ass when given a second chance. If you like books by L.T. Ryan, L.T. Vargus, John Grisham, John Ellsworth, or Victor Methos, you'll like this series.
I began my writing journey many, many years ago. S.E. Hinton and V.C. Andrews were early influences, followed by Stephen King and Mary Higgins Clark. I have far too many favorite authors today to make mention of them all, but John Grisham, Michael Connelly, and Dennis Lehane are high on the list. I love reading new authors as well as diverse voices.
I'm a lover of coffee, books, music, yoga, wine, travel, and most of all dogs. I currently live in Colorado with two senior Pomeranians and one feisty Papillion.
The Women of Redemption series is a theme-based series that focuses on flawed, but realistic, heroines who must face the consequences of their actions when their past circles back in unexpected ways. These women aren't perfect, but perfectly kick-ass when given a second chance. If you like books by L.T. Ryan, L.T. Vargus, John Grisham, John Ellsworth, or Victor Methos, you'll like this series.
I began my writing journey many, many years ago. S.E. Hinton and V.C. Andrews were early influences, followed by Stephen King and Mary Higgins Clark. I have far too many favorite authors today to make mention of them all, but John Grisham, Michael Connelly, and Dennis Lehane are high on the list. I love reading new authors as well as diverse voices.
I'm a lover of coffee, books, music, yoga, wine, travel, and most of all dogs. I currently live in Colorado with two senior Pomeranians and one feisty Papillion.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 14 reviews
May 12, 2019
The trouble we cause by keeping secrets is a strong theme in "The Rumor," by Lori Lacefield. This is a short novella, weighing in at 91 pages. Even with the small print, it is a quick, easy read. The chapters are short, only five to six pages at most.
The story is good (not great), but I think it could be improved if fleshed out into a full length novel. I would like to see more character development, especially from the ancillary characters. It also needed some more line editing as there were some grammar issues in the book. This may sound nit picking, but a reader does come to expect a certain level of professionalism in a published book. Also, a couple of the flashbacks were confusing. The entering and exiting of the flashback in the middle of a chapter was not obvious. It became difficult to tell if we were still in the present story or in the flashback. A smoother transition would have been helpful.
I think the book would have been better if written in the third person omnipotent POV. The POV switching from Beth to Nick and back was jarring and by doing so, revealed the mystery at about the halfway point. I won't spoil the ending, but what happened to Missy and who did it were obvious half way through the book based upon the inner thoughts of Nick and Beth. By revealing their inner thoughts, Lacefield revealed the ending prematurely.
The book makes for a quick diversion if one has nothing better to do on a lazy weekend day.
The story is good (not great), but I think it could be improved if fleshed out into a full length novel. I would like to see more character development, especially from the ancillary characters. It also needed some more line editing as there were some grammar issues in the book. This may sound nit picking, but a reader does come to expect a certain level of professionalism in a published book. Also, a couple of the flashbacks were confusing. The entering and exiting of the flashback in the middle of a chapter was not obvious. It became difficult to tell if we were still in the present story or in the flashback. A smoother transition would have been helpful.
I think the book would have been better if written in the third person omnipotent POV. The POV switching from Beth to Nick and back was jarring and by doing so, revealed the mystery at about the halfway point. I won't spoil the ending, but what happened to Missy and who did it were obvious half way through the book based upon the inner thoughts of Nick and Beth. By revealing their inner thoughts, Lacefield revealed the ending prematurely.
The book makes for a quick diversion if one has nothing better to do on a lazy weekend day.
October 17, 2019
This book was extremely well done in the way the story gets darker as you keep reading while the culprit doesn’t become completely obvious (but it’s very guessable, still). I was sucked in and couldn’t stop until I reached the end.
However, the end doesn’t let me give more stars as I really would need a little more justice and less secrets (I would really like to talk more about that but don’t want to spoil too much).
I’m not a thrillers girl as much as I would like to be so this is a pretty good rating for this genre.
You won’t be wasting your time if you pick this book up, so if in doubt, go for it.
However, the end doesn’t let me give more stars as I really would need a little more justice and less secrets (I would really like to talk more about that but don’t want to spoil too much).
I’m not a thrillers girl as much as I would like to be so this is a pretty good rating for this genre.
You won’t be wasting your time if you pick this book up, so if in doubt, go for it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2019
A bit too intense
The Rumor tells the story of a mother, Beth who has a history of going into fugues. The reader, of course, presumes the reason for the retreating from reality quite early in the novel. Her husband, Nick, has vowed to care for her always, takes some of the responsibly for the deed. They are approached at their high school reunion by another class member, Jake, who is the detective trying to solve the murder when Missy's body is finally found, tried to pin the crime in the perpetrator. I found the conclusion a bit disappointing.
The Rumor tells the story of a mother, Beth who has a history of going into fugues. The reader, of course, presumes the reason for the retreating from reality quite early in the novel. Her husband, Nick, has vowed to care for her always, takes some of the responsibly for the deed. They are approached at their high school reunion by another class member, Jake, who is the detective trying to solve the murder when Missy's body is finally found, tried to pin the crime in the perpetrator. I found the conclusion a bit disappointing.
May 30, 2019
This is a good suspenseful short read. It may be a little simple and easy to figure out some of the plot, but still a good read.
It sure says a lot about secrets killing you. The main characters had secrets that had eaten at them for years. Also shows the need for communication in marriage. This is overall a sad story both for the subject of the book and for the main protagonists. So many wasted years from secrets. I am really trying not to spoil but I will say I have a bit of a moral issue with the ending, but it is appropriate for this story.
It sure says a lot about secrets killing you. The main characters had secrets that had eaten at them for years. Also shows the need for communication in marriage. This is overall a sad story both for the subject of the book and for the main protagonists. So many wasted years from secrets. I am really trying not to spoil but I will say I have a bit of a moral issue with the ending, but it is appropriate for this story.
December 10, 2018
This is an entertaining mystery with a twisted and , to me, a surprise ending. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given review.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given review.
January 6, 2019
The previous reviews I saw convinced me to get this book. It is a fast, easy read and was only $0.99 to purchase. With that being said, it read as a bad Lifetime movie with some spelling and grammatical errors.
April 23, 2019
Like a Hallmark movie, not a good one
I don't like leaving a bad review but this was awful. Utterly predictable, written in an amateur style filled with cliches, and an ending that a decent editor would have and should have corrected. Definitely not recommended.
I don't like leaving a bad review but this was awful. Utterly predictable, written in an amateur style filled with cliches, and an ending that a decent editor would have and should have corrected. Definitely not recommended.
May 18, 2019
A Perfect Beach Read
I always love a good suspense novel and this one is no different. This one is filled with enough mystery and suspense to keep the pages turning. I would have loved one crazy twist at the end, but it was full enough of surprises to keep me satisfied.
I always love a good suspense novel and this one is no different. This one is filled with enough mystery and suspense to keep the pages turning. I would have loved one crazy twist at the end, but it was full enough of surprises to keep me satisfied.
April 2, 2025
I enjoyed this quick easy read about a couple of high school sweethearts who married and return to their hometown for their 20th high school reunion. Lots of twists and turns in this enjoyable thriller.
January 9, 2019
Predictable and not very exciting
September 3, 2019
The Rumor
Good story. Not really my kind of mystery but had to keep reading. This writer was good and kept things hard to figure out.
Good story. Not really my kind of mystery but had to keep reading. This writer was good and kept things hard to figure out.
September 1, 2020
Quick read. Kept waiting for a twist. I didn’t feel it ever came. Her novels much better.
August 31, 2020
I received this for free and didn't realize it was a novella until half way through. I think that had the author expanded on more of what was going on, it could have been a really decent book. That being said, it read like a really predictable lifetime movie. You knew what happened within the first couple chapters, but hoped there would be some kind of twist later in the book.
I didn't connect with either of the main characters, and even though they were twenty years out of high school, they seemed extremely naive and immature.
It just wasn't for me.
I didn't connect with either of the main characters, and even though they were twenty years out of high school, they seemed extremely naive and immature.
It just wasn't for me.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 14 reviews