What dark secret is hidden in her past? What evil has been handed down through the generations?
Emily Burton found happiness in a small, picturesque town on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Her sense of peace and security is shattered when she’s brutally attacked, and an innocent person is murdered. The authorities believe the incident is random, until Emily becomes the target of further violence and threats.
With the help of her enigmatic neighbor, she uncovers an eerily similar crime that dates back sixty years. Could there be a connection between the two attacks? Did malevolence stretch its deadly arm across generations?
Emily is convinced there’s a link, but she needs to find it before it finds her.
As an author of mystery suspense novels, A.J. McCarthy is always on the lookout for new ideas. Her friends and family are cautious, concerned they may become a victim in her next novel. Those who are more adventurous offer up ideas and are willing to sacrifice certain family members for the cause. A.J. bides her time, waiting for the right moment and the perfect victim. She hides behind a quiet façade, and few know what she’s really thinking. A.J. grew up reading Agatha Christie, Sidney Sheldon, and many other masters of mystery and suspense. A lifelong love of the genre evolved. She’s a member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. When she isn’t writing, chances are she is reading.
Thrillers are my jam! Living on Vancouver Island and having a book based here made me so excited to dive in!! Legacy Of Fear had my attention from the first page ... the breeze carrying the scent of salt air from the Pacific Ocean, hey! That's my ocean! Too cool! - This is a steady paced thriller/mystery with well developed characters, (though Emily may have you shaking your head at times based on her decisions - you'll see!) a plot that will keep you guessing throughout, and solid descriptions. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, it's highly likely that you're wrong ;) I did not see that ending coming!
A huge thank you to Kate Rock Book Tours & A.J McCarthy for my review copy!
My first A.J. McCarthy novel and I am a fan! First of all, the story setting is absolutely beautiful and opens in the beautiful west coast of Vancouver Island. The juxtaposition of the beauty of the island, with the evil that is lurking, is a brilliant comparison. The suspense and suspicion that builds up makes for an edge of your seat read that kept me turning the pages to a satisfying and surprising ending.
When Emily is attacked the police think it's just a random act of violence but when more threats and violence happens Emily starts trying to connect the pieces. She uncovers a similar crime from sixty years earlier. A fast read. The twists and turns kept me going. This was my first read by this author. I loved the suspense and tension. An excellent read.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writer kept you in suspense throughout the story . A lot of books I’ve read recently have been very repetitious but I did not find this at all. This author had you hooked from the beginning and included a surprise ending.
Thank you NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for the eARC. Having lived in Canada for 20 years, I love books set there, but unfortunately I have never been to the West Coast and it's definitely on my bucket list! Emily is enjoying her life living on the coast with her beloved Lab, Max and making a decent living making pottery. She has a group of great friends and life is good until, while running on the beach, she's attacked and almost strangled to death. A good Samaritan helps, but is killed in the process. All at once her life is ruined as someone seems determined to kill her and she finds herself terrified, not trusting anyone, not even her good friends. A new neighbor decides to look after her and for some reason she trusts him and allows him in her life. While doing some research, she realizes a similar attack occurred 60 years ago...is there a connection? I liked her (loved Max!), although I worried about some of the decisions she made. The setting is wonderful, it made me want to get on a plane and visit the island, it sounds so beautiful. All in all it's a good mystery that made me tear through the book and I definitely recommend it.
This was a quick thriller that kept me guessing the whole time. While I had a pretty good guess who was out to get her, the ending still shocked me. This book was well written with great pacing and had well developed characters. The setting has me convinced I need to take a small vacation and had me missing my wheel throwing days (which are way behind me with bad wrists). If your looking for a novella sized thriller, this book is definitely for you!
Thank you #katerockbooktours and Aj McCarthy for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley and Black Rose Writing for this ARC. A well written and enjoyable mystery. Emily Burton lives in a pretty little town on Vancouver Island. She's attacked while running on the beach in a very similar way to a crime 60 years earlier. She then becomes the victim of more violence. Is there a connection to the decades old crime? With the help of her mysterious new neighbour she searches for the link before it's too late.
I have been reading a lot of thrillers. This was a really good one! Emily is a very strong character and after she is attacked she tries and finds out why! The twists and turns are awesome and I did not see that ending coming!! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
Initially, I was pulled in with this story. The main character was attacked and the hunt was on for the culprit. The primaries had solid chemistry. I enjoyed listening to Dustin and Emily's conversations because I wanted them to just accept the fact that they probably belonged together. The story flowed well and stayed true to its genre. I kept up with the characters and had a couple of suspects lined up in my head while listening. The events that initially took place pulled me in but with the repetitive events thereafter would lead a normal person to believe they were being targeted and Emily seemed oblivious. There were a couple of lines repeated within the same paragraph and that can be a little annoying, but that could just be me. I connected on some level with Emily because she liked her alone time in the beginning, and I like my alone time as well. One moment that stood out to me was when the attacker was finally revealed, I had this character on my mental list, but not that far up on the list. It was a good reveal. The audio production was great! Everything was clear without any interruption or noise. The one thing that kept it from being a 5 star listen was the narrator. His monotone delivery was not the best for this story. All in all, I would recommend this book to fellow mystery/suspense readers.
reviewed by provided by bookshelf team member @theambitiousreader
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from LibraryThing in return for an honest review.
Emily Burton loves her quiet life on Vancouver Island, a place where there is virtually no crime and you don't have to lock your doors. However that illusion is shattered when Emily is brutally attacked while running on the beach. They only reason she survived the attack was because an innocent bystander steps in and is murdered in her place. The police think it is a random attack until Emily finds herself being threatened and attacked again. With the protection and help of her new neighbor, Dustin, she uncovers a similar crime that occurred sixty years ago. But how does that crime connect to what is happening today? And is her new neighbor who he appears to be?
This mystery kept me guessing till the end. I did not see the murder coming. I did find the protagonist to be a little too naïve but overall I enjoy this book.
I enjoyed the fast pace and the red herrings scattered about making it impossible to know who our heroine Emily could trust. Liked the setting and isolation of this small community on Vancouver Island and the mystery tied to historical events. The plot had an implausible near miss too many times feel to it and the local cops were more condescending then useful but it was still a fun read.
I was skeptical of this book because of the number of reviews. But, I'm glad I read it. I think it was a little slow in a couple parts, but still compelling and kept me motivated to get to the ending. Solid 3.5.
Emily Burton is a sweet girl thrown into a world of fear that she never imagined to find in such a small & perfect island town. I loved Emily. I loved her innocence, yet strength. More so, I loved the way this story was written. It flowed beautifully from one scene to another. You really feel like you are there and in Emily’s shoes. Do not make the mistake of thinking you will know where this story goes. It’s twisted in such a good way that you won’t wanna stop reading! If you like murder mystery, this is your book!
I received this ARC from Publisher for honest Review. What a great thrill and suspense it was to read. What a great psychological thrill! This novel had everything in it. The thrill, the suspense, the psychological, romance and the twist is crazy. This novel will keep you thinking and guessing. When you think you right, well let me just say that you might be wrong. This had me all over the place. My heart beating so fast! I couldn't believe what I was reading. If had me in shock. Every page, every chapter was a page turner. I couldn't believe my eyes what I was reading. I highly recommend everybody get this book and read it. It will surprise you in every way.
The storyline was very good! The theme and setting was well put together. The characters was well put together in the story. This story will have in a rollercoaster with all the spooky and secrets. Was so well put in the story. Everything all in one book. It was just perfect! I highly recommend everybody get this and read it. What a great read! This had me hooked from the beginning. What a Rollercoaster! The sitting, theme, and the Characters had me pulled so in. Everything was well put together and it was just perfect. This novel would have you guess and thinking all the way to the end. What a great thrill and suspense. I love a great suspense that would have me think and guessing. This novel did just that to me. To the point that am wrong. When the ending comes am on shock. I wouldn't of never believe or guess. Like OMG! Highly recommend everybody get this book and read it. Its so good! Can't wait for her next book.
This was not a large book, it took me awhile to finish because I did not want it to end. I was truly enjoying getting to know the characters and really basking in the location. Beach town locations always get me, they're the perfect settings for any kind of story especially, suspense and thrillers. It's my family's dream to actually move to the gulf coast, hmm.. maybe one day?
Emily Burton is a strong character who is happily content doing her own thing and not looking for a relationship. Then she's attacked and her new, mysterious next door neighbor helps her investigate. Will it bring them closer? Will she find out who almost killed her and why?
You will love this novel, you'll devour it and want more. Well written and hits that "scary" and "creepy" note several times.
This wonderfully addictive read releases on NOVEMBER 7 so make sure you grab it when it's available. Let me know your thoughts!!
AND stay tuned to my blog and instagram page, I will be on book tour for this gem on November 4!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A huge thanks to Kate Rock and AJ McCarthy for the advanced readers copy!! I truly loved it and cannot wait to read more from Ms McCarthy!! You've gotten a new fan for sure!!!
Legacy of fear is a story written about Emily. Her life appears to be regular with no issues until she is brutally attacked, and another person is killed. It takes her to be struck one more time to realize that this is not just a random incident. Questions begin to generate in her mind, and as she finds help in solving the mystery, her journey begins.
I found the story to be intensely filled with mystery, thrilling plotline, and good character interaction dialogue. Emily is a smart girl, and the relationships she had with characters such as Will, Francie, Trevor were all very well drawn. Romance is also another added factor to the mix of the story.
The pace of the story was steady, and the scenes were descriptive enough for the reader to picture. From reading many similar types of stories, one thing has to be spot on, and that is the thrilling nature of the content. The author, in this story, managed to keep the mind of the reader intrigued. He made you question what is going on up until the end of the book. Keeping the reader hooked was very important, and he succeeded in that.
I would recommend this story to people who like to read mystery, fiction, thriller stories.
You can’t help but feel bad for Emily. Her sense of security is shattered after her attack. Now she doesn’t know who to trust. Emily has a tight group of friends, but she begins to look at them differently, and she doesn’t like it.
Then there’s the new neighbor, Dustin, who showed up at the most perfect time. For some reason he’s always there. I was glad he felt protective of her, but it was a little too much too soon for my taste. I would go on the defense too if my new neighbor, who is a stranger, insisted on sleeping in my spare bedroom to take care of my independent self.
The pace picks up when Emily and her neighbor discover that the same type of attack happened sixty years prior. It hits close to home for Emily. The more the duo look into the past, the more the killer tries to stop her.
This is a fast paced book falling in at only 226 pages. A little bit of romance and a whole lot of suspense. Everyone, male and female, is a suspect in Emily’s eyes, but the reveal of who the killer is was surprising.
It’s the weekend and I can’t think of anything better than staying in and reading a thriller! Legacy of Fear is a short thriller that you won’t want to put down until you are done! I’m so excited to share this one with you guys as @a.j._mccarthy is a new author to me. I love finding new authors! .
What dark secret is hidden in her past? What evil has been handed down through generations? Emily Burton found happiness in a small, picturesque town on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Her sense of peace and security is shattered when she’s brutally attacked, and an innocent person is murdered. The authorities believe the incident is random, until Emily becomes the target of further violence and threats. .
With the help of her enigmatic neighbor, she uncovers an eerily similar crime that dates back sixty years. Could there be a connection between the two attacks? Did malevolence stretch its deadly arm across generations? Emily is convinced there’s a link, but she needs to find it before it finds her. .
Thanks to @katerocktours and @a.j._mccarthy for this review copy!
Legacy of Fear is a fun, fast thriller that wraps up neatly in the end. I have not read any Agatha Christie that I can recall, but this book definitely fits with my impression of what her stories are like.
***Spoilers ahead*** Emily is the likable but (in my opinion) somewhat dim-witted protagonist. The biggest issues I had with the story were how quickly and easily she allowed Dustin to infiltrate her life and how naive she seems the entire time. I mean, she never uses her phone to call for help, she immediately trusts a complete stranger who happens to appear right after she is attacked, and she just generally seemed way less concerned for her well-being than I thought was realistic. ***End of spoilers***
The plot moved quickly, though parts of it were a little redundant and some conclusions seemed to be arrived at without reason. Ultimately I was satisfied with the conclusion. Without an further spoilers, I’ll say it didn’t end as I had expected.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Thank You Kate Rock for including me in the book tour!
I love a good thriller. And this book definitely lived up to that. You have Emily a woman who is pretty self sustaining. She lives on her own in a house by the ocean. She is well known within the small town that she lives in and has lots of friends. But who could possibly be wanting to kill her? Other than her ex-husband there is no when she can think of. And even her ex-husband would be a stretch. However she will not leave this up to the authorities to figure out. Her and her new neighbor team together to figure out who may want her dead.
McCarthy has penned another great story. Legacy of Fear is a remarkably written story that shows off the storytelling talents of this author. It's one of those edge-of-your-seat page turners, making you not want to stop until the very last word. Emily is an interesting character who is stronger than first let on. I really thought she grew as a character, and that shows how people may have turning points in life that affect them forever, even changing them. The characters, all of them, were well developed, and the story just pulls the reader right in. I look forward to reading more by this author. This read is definitely recommended by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.
Wow, rarely do I read a book in one sitting but once I started Legacy of Fear, I could not put it down. This fast paced thriller/suspense had me hooked to the end. I love trying to figure out who did the crime, but this book kept me guessing to the very end and boy was I wrong. If you love fast paced thriller/suspense, I highly recommend Legacy of Fear. Thank you to AJ McCarthy and Kate Rock Book Tours for a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
Wowzers! Talk about a heart pounding read! I love when a book takes place on my side of the map! Pacific Northwest! Holla! The main character is buritlaly attacked and another person killed. Was it an innocent one time thing or was Emily targeted? A.J. McCarthy has another hit out of the park. You will think you know how it ends only to be shocked!
I liked a lot of this book, but there are a couple of important weak points. I really liked the location descriptions, the character presentations, the overall mystery structure, and most of the lead character development and single POV. What I found weak were many of the actions by the LC. Many questionable decisions concerning her own safety, a police investigation, and especially who to trust. SPOILERS: I can't see how it took over 100 pages for Emily (the LC) to suddenly question, based on her sister's advice, whether Dustin was trustworthy, or even a criminal threat. Why she allowed him into effectively controlling her life with such little knowledge about him is either unrealistic or makes her a very weak woman. As a reader, I didn't trust him from the beginning, and I can't believe Emily, her friends, and the police didn't consider Dustin a strong suspect all along. The entire "twist" at the end didn't convince me. The author was heavy-handed in finally presenting Dustin as a likely suspect, but then bringing in another character as the actual bad guy almost out of the blue. The whole ending seemed rushed and forced.