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Pieces
Thirty boxes. Thirty body parts. Eighteen turned in to authorities. A forensic technician from a quiet Massachusetts suburb does the unthinkable: stalks a local woman, abducts her, divides her body into thirty pieces, and mails the sections to random Americans across the country. Each white postal box that Dennis Sweeney prepares contains an ambiguous note and a piece of Julie Piedmont. Most of Sweeney’s intended recipients contact the authorities about their gruesome packages, but twelve of the parcels go unreported.
Pieces, the genre-bending hybrid of crime thriller infused with a short story vibe, takes a closer look at the body parts that were never recovered and the possible reasons why their recipients never told anyone about their grotesque discoveries. Weaving the accounts together is Dennis’ story as well as Jackson Matthews’, the reporter to whom Dennis chooses to document his sick game.
Pieces, the genre-bending hybrid of crime thriller infused with a short story vibe, takes a closer look at the body parts that were never recovered and the possible reasons why their recipients never told anyone about their grotesque discoveries. Weaving the accounts together is Dennis’ story as well as Jackson Matthews’, the reporter to whom Dennis chooses to document his sick game.
286 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 2020
4 people are currently reading
495 people want to read
About the author
Michael Aloisi
29 books39 followersMichael Aloisi is the author of over a dozen published books, including his latest, A Life With Ghosts (Simon & Schuster). Having written numerous celebrity biographies, including ones for film legends, Kane Hodder, Tom Savini and Paranormal icon Steve Gonsalves, Michael has had the fortune to book signings in numerous countries and more than half of the states. He has also had his books turned into a reality show, a documentary film, translated into several languages and featured on hundreds of media outlets around the world.
In the fiction world, Michael has written numerous short story collections and novels, including Pieces (co-written with Rebecca Rowland, Dark Ink Books) that was selected as a “Essential Read of 2019 by Rue Morgue Magazine. Under his pen name, Michael Gore, he has released three horror short story collections, the first of which, Tales From a Mortician is in talks to be turned into a film. Two more collections are set to be released under the Gore banner in 2023.
Michael is also the founder and owner of AM Ink Publishing and its imprints, Dark Ink and Spooky Ink. Since opening in 2009, Mike has overseen the publication of over a hundred titles that have sold tens of thousands of books all over the world.
Education wise, Michael has three college degrees, an MFA in Creative Writing, BFA in Film Production and an AS in Television production. Michael currently lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife and their ten-year-old twins.
In the fiction world, Michael has written numerous short story collections and novels, including Pieces (co-written with Rebecca Rowland, Dark Ink Books) that was selected as a “Essential Read of 2019 by Rue Morgue Magazine. Under his pen name, Michael Gore, he has released three horror short story collections, the first of which, Tales From a Mortician is in talks to be turned into a film. Two more collections are set to be released under the Gore banner in 2023.
Michael is also the founder and owner of AM Ink Publishing and its imprints, Dark Ink and Spooky Ink. Since opening in 2009, Mike has overseen the publication of over a hundred titles that have sold tens of thousands of books all over the world.
Education wise, Michael has three college degrees, an MFA in Creative Writing, BFA in Film Production and an AS in Television production. Michael currently lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife and their ten-year-old twins.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 27, 2021
This is a thriller or a Suspense Mystery. I really did not like the characters in this book. I just think there is to much going on and it was hard for me to follow. I think this book was just not for me. I won a kindle edition of this book from a goodreads giveaway, but this review is 100% my own opinion.
August 7, 2019
I just finished this book and I am not even sure how to adequately review it. I am imagining someone else describing it to me and had they told me that there were so many characters my first thought would be this may not work for me. Just as too many cooks spoil the soup, too many characters can make a plot hard to follow. Yet that is not at all the case with Pieces, even though there are so many characters with their own story lines they are all brilliant offshoots of the main plot.
Jax is reporter who is unhappy in his job and dreams of giving it up to pursue his art full time. Just as this dream comes closer to fruition he receives a body part of a murder victim from someone claiming to be his number one fan. Included is a demand that he write the story of a lifetime to propel himself back to award winning journalism. Dennis Sweeny is a twisted individual. I don't think there has been a boy with such an odd relationship with his mom since Psycho. Though he gives a reason for sending a body part to his favorite journalist, his reasons for choosing the other recipients of human remains are less clear. Most people report their deliveries to the authorities, but my favorite parts of the book revolve around the remarkable characters who don't report their packages. I would recommend this book for any fan of horror or psychological thrillers.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
Jax is reporter who is unhappy in his job and dreams of giving it up to pursue his art full time. Just as this dream comes closer to fruition he receives a body part of a murder victim from someone claiming to be his number one fan. Included is a demand that he write the story of a lifetime to propel himself back to award winning journalism. Dennis Sweeny is a twisted individual. I don't think there has been a boy with such an odd relationship with his mom since Psycho. Though he gives a reason for sending a body part to his favorite journalist, his reasons for choosing the other recipients of human remains are less clear. Most people report their deliveries to the authorities, but my favorite parts of the book revolve around the remarkable characters who don't report their packages. I would recommend this book for any fan of horror or psychological thrillers.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
September 12, 2019
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
“Abducting her had been easier than he thought it would have been.”
When this was offered for review, I read the synopsis and jumped on it. The premise is as straight forward as most serial killer stuff appears; a man kills a girl and then mails her body in pieces to people all over the country. He then mails a journalist and tells him that he has thirty days to report about and find all of the pieces, otherwise he’ll start all over again.
This read had so much potential and at the 25% mark, I began to suggest this to friends and family. At that point, I was saying it was a ‘Silence of the Lambs meets Seven’ mash-up. That description held up throughout the entirety of the book.
At first, I really dug the back and forth between finding out where the pieces were mailed too and the real-time work of the journalist and his investigation. We find out about how revered and esteemed the journalist has been throughout his career, at one point going undercover and infiltrating the mob in Chicago.
As the book progresses a subtle change begins to occur.
The focus shifts and the story following each person receiving a piece of the deceased become more and more the focal point, taking up larger and larger sections of the book.
When we hop back into seeing what the journalist is doing, those spots begin to feel like interludes. At times rushed and almost an afterthought.
I kept pushing through, as I was very intrigued by the killer and his back story, but as the book moved closer and closer to the end, that old ‘oh no’ feeling arrived. The feeling that we were running out of space to adequately wrap it up.
The ending, for me at least, was just that. A knee-jerk reaction and finish that really did a disservice to both the story leading up to it as well as the back story of the journalist. For someone who’d infiltrated the mob and lived to tell about it, the ending felt like it involved a completely different character with the same name.
I wished instead of the book wrapping up so quickly that they’d decided to push it into two or three books. The lead up to the ending was worthy of pushing it out, leaving a massive cliff hanger that would force the reader to buy book two.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the plan and it just didn’t sit well with this reader.
Overall this was a really engrossing read, let down by a rushed ending, but some of the horrific stories that detailed the lives of each receiver of a piece were fascinating and I’m glad I checked this one out.
“Abducting her had been easier than he thought it would have been.”
When this was offered for review, I read the synopsis and jumped on it. The premise is as straight forward as most serial killer stuff appears; a man kills a girl and then mails her body in pieces to people all over the country. He then mails a journalist and tells him that he has thirty days to report about and find all of the pieces, otherwise he’ll start all over again.
This read had so much potential and at the 25% mark, I began to suggest this to friends and family. At that point, I was saying it was a ‘Silence of the Lambs meets Seven’ mash-up. That description held up throughout the entirety of the book.
At first, I really dug the back and forth between finding out where the pieces were mailed too and the real-time work of the journalist and his investigation. We find out about how revered and esteemed the journalist has been throughout his career, at one point going undercover and infiltrating the mob in Chicago.
As the book progresses a subtle change begins to occur.
The focus shifts and the story following each person receiving a piece of the deceased become more and more the focal point, taking up larger and larger sections of the book.
When we hop back into seeing what the journalist is doing, those spots begin to feel like interludes. At times rushed and almost an afterthought.
I kept pushing through, as I was very intrigued by the killer and his back story, but as the book moved closer and closer to the end, that old ‘oh no’ feeling arrived. The feeling that we were running out of space to adequately wrap it up.
The ending, for me at least, was just that. A knee-jerk reaction and finish that really did a disservice to both the story leading up to it as well as the back story of the journalist. For someone who’d infiltrated the mob and lived to tell about it, the ending felt like it involved a completely different character with the same name.
I wished instead of the book wrapping up so quickly that they’d decided to push it into two or three books. The lead up to the ending was worthy of pushing it out, leaving a massive cliff hanger that would force the reader to buy book two.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the plan and it just didn’t sit well with this reader.
Overall this was a really engrossing read, let down by a rushed ending, but some of the horrific stories that detailed the lives of each receiver of a piece were fascinating and I’m glad I checked this one out.
October 4, 2019
First, I have to confess: I loved the movie Seven,. I did not watch the movie The Human Centipede. Here’s why I am sharing this. I love dark fiction, and for me as a reader, gory twists can be delightful. I AM selective about what I read and watch, however, because I know my personal preferences and make my choices accordingly. I read the synopsis of THC and knew that nope, it wasn’t for me. The reviewer and his wife who labeled Pieces as “vulgar...beyond the lines of decency” should probably make it a habit to read the summaries as well, especially before they sign up for a free giveaway: this is a book about a madman who sends disarticulated limbs and organs to random recipients through the mail. I can see how the fan of “Rise: In Defense of Judeo-Christian Values and Freedom” might find it “vulgar” (an adjective that, incidentally, likely hasn’t appeared in a book review outside of a mock critique in Fahrenheit 451). Please: don’t enter a free giveaway for a book you don’t want to read. You’ve wasted a copy for someone who actually enjoys horror and thrillers.
I really liked Pieces. It did remind me of Silence of the Lambs, as another reviewer noted. I enjoy short stories, and while the book follows a traditional plot arc of a cohesive story, it breaks off in twelve chapters to delve into the backgrounds of the unfortunate benefactors of Dennis Sweeney’s postal gifts. There are some tongue-in-cheek moments of comic relief as well as some socially relevant elbow nudges (to the #metoo movement, to the barrage of get-thin-quick infomercials, to the opioid crisis, and, in a classy wink, to our morbid fascination with other people’s tragedy), but the real triumph here is the authors’ ability to take a hackneyed concept: a serial killer taunting the media, and America in general, and present it in a fresh and original way. It’s easy to read and to chunk out over the span of a few nights: the focus alternates between the killer, the journalist he contacts, and each of the twelve missing piece stories. Some of the stories are slightly gory, some are chilling, and some are sad. I was undecided about where the ending was going at first, as it wraps in a way I never would have predicted, but after completing the Epilogue last night, I felt satisfied. This is one of the best thrillers of 2019, hands down. I can’t wait to see what these two come up with next (a sequel, perhaps?) Perhaps next time, they should spell out on the cover “This is a work of dark fiction, not an instructional manual on conservative values.” That way, the more confused readers will be more selective in what they trash online.
I really liked Pieces. It did remind me of Silence of the Lambs, as another reviewer noted. I enjoy short stories, and while the book follows a traditional plot arc of a cohesive story, it breaks off in twelve chapters to delve into the backgrounds of the unfortunate benefactors of Dennis Sweeney’s postal gifts. There are some tongue-in-cheek moments of comic relief as well as some socially relevant elbow nudges (to the #metoo movement, to the barrage of get-thin-quick infomercials, to the opioid crisis, and, in a classy wink, to our morbid fascination with other people’s tragedy), but the real triumph here is the authors’ ability to take a hackneyed concept: a serial killer taunting the media, and America in general, and present it in a fresh and original way. It’s easy to read and to chunk out over the span of a few nights: the focus alternates between the killer, the journalist he contacts, and each of the twelve missing piece stories. Some of the stories are slightly gory, some are chilling, and some are sad. I was undecided about where the ending was going at first, as it wraps in a way I never would have predicted, but after completing the Epilogue last night, I felt satisfied. This is one of the best thrillers of 2019, hands down. I can’t wait to see what these two come up with next (a sequel, perhaps?) Perhaps next time, they should spell out on the cover “This is a work of dark fiction, not an instructional manual on conservative values.” That way, the more confused readers will be more selective in what they trash online.
December 17, 2019
Super interesting crime novel! Each chapter is written as its own short story, and they each have a Twilight Zone feel. I love how unique this writing style is and would love to read more novels by this author.
October 8, 2019
Great read
Psychopath, killed a woman. Dismembered her, and mailed pieces of her body, to random people. He also included a poem. Interesting concept.
Psychopath, killed a woman. Dismembered her, and mailed pieces of her body, to random people. He also included a poem. Interesting concept.
September 27, 2021
Pieces by Michael Aloisi & Rebecca Rowland is a very unsettling tale about a man who has shipped thirty packages all across the United States. But what is inside these boxes isn’t what anyone could possibly expect…
While I absolutely hated all of the characters, I read through each piece of the story antsy to try to learn more. When I hit the ending, I will admit, at first I felt a bit let down as it did feel rushed and unfinished. But the longer I thought about the work overall, the more that made sense, and the more brilliant I thought it was!
Don’t pick this one up if you’re looking for a story that goes from Point A to Point B and wraps up nicely. Reading this book is like looking at a quilt. Each chapter is like a square of the quilt; each chapter is its own story, but it’s all stitched together in one piece and connected by the same underlying thread.
I highly recommend this to horror fans that aren’t shy when it comes to the darkness of humanity and how wicked we can be.
More here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
While I absolutely hated all of the characters, I read through each piece of the story antsy to try to learn more. When I hit the ending, I will admit, at first I felt a bit let down as it did feel rushed and unfinished. But the longer I thought about the work overall, the more that made sense, and the more brilliant I thought it was!
Don’t pick this one up if you’re looking for a story that goes from Point A to Point B and wraps up nicely. Reading this book is like looking at a quilt. Each chapter is like a square of the quilt; each chapter is its own story, but it’s all stitched together in one piece and connected by the same underlying thread.
I highly recommend this to horror fans that aren’t shy when it comes to the darkness of humanity and how wicked we can be.
More here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
October 4, 2019
First, I have to confess: I loved the movie Seven. I did not watch the movie The Human Centipede. Here’s why I am sharing this. I love dark fiction, and for me as a reader, gory twists can be delightful. I AM selective about what I read and watch, however, because I know my personal preferences and make my choices accordingly. I read the synopsis of THC and knew that nope, it wasn’t for me. The reviewers who labeled Pieces as “vulgar” should probably make it a habit to read the summaries as well, especially before they sign up for a free giveaway: this is a book about a madman who sends disarticulated limbs and organs to random recipients through the mail. I can see how the fan of “Rise: In Defense of Judeo-Christian Values and Freedom” might find it “vulgar” (an adjective that, incidentally, likely hasn’t appeared in a book review outside of a mock critique in Fahrenheit 451). Please: don’t enter a free giveaway for a book you don’t want to read. You’ve wasted a copy for someone who actually enjoys horror and thrillers.
I really liked Pieces. It did remind me of Silence of the Lambs, as another reviewer noted. I enjoy short stories, and while the book follows a traditional plot arc of a cohesive story, it breaks off in twelve chapters to delve into the backgrounds of the unfortunate benefactors of Dennis Sweeney’s postal gifts. There are some tongue-in-cheek moments of comic relief as well as some socially relevant elbow nudges (to the #metoo movement, to the barrage of get-thin-quick infomercials, to the opioid crisis, and, in a classy wink, to our morbid fascination with other people’s tragedy), but the real triumph here is the authors’ ability to take a hackneyed concept: a serial killer taunting the media, and America in general, and present it in a fresh and original way. It’s easy to read and to chunk out over the span of a few nights: the focus alternates between the killer, the journalist he contacts, and each of the twelve missing piece stories. Some of the stories are slightly gory, some are chilling, and some are sad. I was undecided about where the ending was going at first, as it wraps in a way I never would have predicted, but after completing the Epilogue last night, I felt satisfied. This is one of the best thrillers of 2019, hands down. I can’t wait to see what these two come up with next (a sequel, perhaps?) Perhaps next time, they should spell out on the cover “This is a work of dark fiction, not an instructional manual on conservative values.” That way, the more confused readers will be more selective in what they trash online.
I really liked Pieces. It did remind me of Silence of the Lambs, as another reviewer noted. I enjoy short stories, and while the book follows a traditional plot arc of a cohesive story, it breaks off in twelve chapters to delve into the backgrounds of the unfortunate benefactors of Dennis Sweeney’s postal gifts. There are some tongue-in-cheek moments of comic relief as well as some socially relevant elbow nudges (to the #metoo movement, to the barrage of get-thin-quick infomercials, to the opioid crisis, and, in a classy wink, to our morbid fascination with other people’s tragedy), but the real triumph here is the authors’ ability to take a hackneyed concept: a serial killer taunting the media, and America in general, and present it in a fresh and original way. It’s easy to read and to chunk out over the span of a few nights: the focus alternates between the killer, the journalist he contacts, and each of the twelve missing piece stories. Some of the stories are slightly gory, some are chilling, and some are sad. I was undecided about where the ending was going at first, as it wraps in a way I never would have predicted, but after completing the Epilogue last night, I felt satisfied. This is one of the best thrillers of 2019, hands down. I can’t wait to see what these two come up with next (a sequel, perhaps?) Perhaps next time, they should spell out on the cover “This is a work of dark fiction, not an instructional manual on conservative values.” That way, the more confused readers will be more selective in what they trash online.
September 3, 2019
Serial killer Dennis Sweeney had a really bad idea: kill a young woman, divide her into parts, and mail them to 30 randomly selected, unsuspecting people all across the United States. Who doesn’t like a surprise package? There’s 30 people in this novel who would never open another one.
Sweeney sends an anonymous letter to over-the-hill reporter Jackson Matthews, whom he admires, describing what he’s done and proving it with pictures. He invites Jax to cover the story, “to be the voice of my actions.” If all the pieces of the girl are found, Sweeney promises to turn himself in. If not? He says, “All the King’s horses and All the King’s men, will force me to start all over again.” Jax calls the police. It seems the letter isn’t a hoax, and reports of the macabre parcels begin to appear in the news media.
Bizarrely and, you may think, predictably, only eighteen of the grisly packages are turned in to the authorities. That’s 12 people who received a body part and did something else with it. The stories of what happened to these dozen packages make up most of the book. The authors treat those twelve chapters as short stories, with quirky back-stories for the recipients—character studies of people who, for wildly varied reasons, are incapable of the correct response. (Apparently none of them listen to the news to know there’s a bigger picture here.)
In between these stories are chapters that let you catch up with Jax and his efforts to identify Sweeney, and what else Sweeney is up to. The stakes increase dramatically when Sweeney threatens Jax’s wife, if the reporter doesn’t start writing about him. Early on Jax is approached by a young man who introduces himself as a police detective. Jax soon unmasks him as the creator of a serial killer website with lagging viewership who hopes the inside scoop on this story can renew its popularity. He claims to have an algorithm that can find the killer, and it certainly unearths some unsavory folk.
Between the chapters about the missing body parts, Jax’s investigations, and Sweeney’s story, past and present, the authors have a lot of balls to keep in the air, yet the tale is never confusing. I liked the diabolically varied missing pieces stories, although perhaps two or three fewer would have worked as well, as the rhythm of the chapters gets a little exhausting. On the whole, Pieces has a clever premise, innovative format, and quite capable writing that kept me engaged. Not for the faint of heart.
Sweeney sends an anonymous letter to over-the-hill reporter Jackson Matthews, whom he admires, describing what he’s done and proving it with pictures. He invites Jax to cover the story, “to be the voice of my actions.” If all the pieces of the girl are found, Sweeney promises to turn himself in. If not? He says, “All the King’s horses and All the King’s men, will force me to start all over again.” Jax calls the police. It seems the letter isn’t a hoax, and reports of the macabre parcels begin to appear in the news media.
Bizarrely and, you may think, predictably, only eighteen of the grisly packages are turned in to the authorities. That’s 12 people who received a body part and did something else with it. The stories of what happened to these dozen packages make up most of the book. The authors treat those twelve chapters as short stories, with quirky back-stories for the recipients—character studies of people who, for wildly varied reasons, are incapable of the correct response. (Apparently none of them listen to the news to know there’s a bigger picture here.)
In between these stories are chapters that let you catch up with Jax and his efforts to identify Sweeney, and what else Sweeney is up to. The stakes increase dramatically when Sweeney threatens Jax’s wife, if the reporter doesn’t start writing about him. Early on Jax is approached by a young man who introduces himself as a police detective. Jax soon unmasks him as the creator of a serial killer website with lagging viewership who hopes the inside scoop on this story can renew its popularity. He claims to have an algorithm that can find the killer, and it certainly unearths some unsavory folk.
Between the chapters about the missing body parts, Jax’s investigations, and Sweeney’s story, past and present, the authors have a lot of balls to keep in the air, yet the tale is never confusing. I liked the diabolically varied missing pieces stories, although perhaps two or three fewer would have worked as well, as the rhythm of the chapters gets a little exhausting. On the whole, Pieces has a clever premise, innovative format, and quite capable writing that kept me engaged. Not for the faint of heart.
January 25, 2021
Rebecca Rowland knocks it out of the park again. Yes, there are a ton of characters. But it works because you don't have to remember them all, which pleases my short-term-memory impaired brain. I've been known to print character lists to refer to as I read books with this many people. But I didn't have to do that here. The enormous cast is presented as vignettes around a central plot. This could easily have been a collection of short stories, as each tale of one of the pieces is entertaining and unique. My favorite was the mother who took her children on an outing to the desert. I won't spoil anything here, but Rebecca, if you're reading this, please make this into a novella. I LOVE this character and the ending is just perfect.
Regarding the co-author Michael Aloisi, the writing was seamless and you would never know it was by two authors. I will definitely look up other works by Aloisi, as Rowland is already on my automatically-read list.
Fantastic, entertaining, and one-of-a-kind read.
Regarding the co-author Michael Aloisi, the writing was seamless and you would never know it was by two authors. I will definitely look up other works by Aloisi, as Rowland is already on my automatically-read list.
Fantastic, entertaining, and one-of-a-kind read.
October 4, 2019
I loved this book. What a refreshing take on the serial killer/crime thriller genre. Instead of just following the cops hunting the killer or the killer evading the cops, the reader is treated to vignettes of the effects of the crime and how it disrupts the lives of the random people that receive pieces of the victim in the mail. These asides are interspersed with the story of the killer and the journalist charged with investigating the identity of the killer. The story always keeps you wondering what is coming next with moments of horror that will make you squirm.
October 4, 2019
Let me start by saying I have read Books By Rebecca Rowland. When i heard about this book coming out I quickly ordered it. It has everything I Love about Horror Books. This Book keeps you guessing right from the start and when you finished it you are hoping for a second one.If you Love Horror this is for you.
February 5, 2020
Strange story. Started out interesting but then got repetitious. Felt like the story was unfinished.
November 8, 2025
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of the opinions are my own and this did not affect my review in any way.
I received a copy of this book and was immediately intrigued by the premise. It sounded genuinely creepy and disturbing — exactly the kind of thriller that keeps you hooked just by the sheer shock factor. And in many ways, it did keep me on my toes. But it also left me with more questions than answers, and not necessarily in a good way.
The story centers on an unimaginable crime:
Thirty boxes. Thirty body parts. A forensic technician from a quiet Massachusetts town abducts a local woman, dismembers her, and mails her body in separate parcels to random people across the country. Each box contains a cryptic note and one piece of Julie Piedmont. Eighteen of those boxes reach the authorities… the remaining twelve vanish into the world, unreported and unclaimed. The concept is chilling, unique, and instantly grabs your attention.
I gave the book 3 stars. It was undeniably interesting — unsettling, eerie, and tense — but it also felt unfinished. By the time I reached the end, I realized I had more questions than answers. I struggled to fully understand the motivations behind the killer’s actions, and the psychological explanations the book hinted at never felt fully developed or satisfying. Instead of feeling like a deliberate ambiguity, it just felt incomplete.
The idea behind the novel is fantastic — dark, original, and full of potential. But for me, the execution didn’t quite land. I was left with a lingering feeling of dissatisfaction, like I had only read half the story or missed a crucial chapter that would tie everything together.
Still, I appreciate the boldness of the concept and the uncomfortable tension the book maintains from start to finish. It’s a quick, disturbing read with a unique premise… but I just wish the narrative had gone deeper, explored more nuances, and tied up its loose ends.
I received a copy of this book and was immediately intrigued by the premise. It sounded genuinely creepy and disturbing — exactly the kind of thriller that keeps you hooked just by the sheer shock factor. And in many ways, it did keep me on my toes. But it also left me with more questions than answers, and not necessarily in a good way.
The story centers on an unimaginable crime:
Thirty boxes. Thirty body parts. A forensic technician from a quiet Massachusetts town abducts a local woman, dismembers her, and mails her body in separate parcels to random people across the country. Each box contains a cryptic note and one piece of Julie Piedmont. Eighteen of those boxes reach the authorities… the remaining twelve vanish into the world, unreported and unclaimed. The concept is chilling, unique, and instantly grabs your attention.
I gave the book 3 stars. It was undeniably interesting — unsettling, eerie, and tense — but it also felt unfinished. By the time I reached the end, I realized I had more questions than answers. I struggled to fully understand the motivations behind the killer’s actions, and the psychological explanations the book hinted at never felt fully developed or satisfying. Instead of feeling like a deliberate ambiguity, it just felt incomplete.
The idea behind the novel is fantastic — dark, original, and full of potential. But for me, the execution didn’t quite land. I was left with a lingering feeling of dissatisfaction, like I had only read half the story or missed a crucial chapter that would tie everything together.
Still, I appreciate the boldness of the concept and the uncomfortable tension the book maintains from start to finish. It’s a quick, disturbing read with a unique premise… but I just wish the narrative had gone deeper, explored more nuances, and tied up its loose ends.
November 15, 2019
I received this as a goodreads giveaway, and I actually would have liked this better if it had just been macabre short stories, with the "killer" part as a start to it but no follow through on the killer or just a short blurb at the end. OR if the focus was on the killer part and a slight blurb on the pieces. Putting the focus on both equally just didn't work well. This book is adequately named Pieces, as the story is exactly that. There is inner dispersed the core story-the writer trying to find the killer-but MOST of the book is the story of each and every piece being delivered. Little side stories into each person. A couple of them aren’t terrible people, but most are the worst people, and conveniently, each one gets a piece that means something to them, even though they are all supposed to be random. I actually really enjoyed the macabre side stories for more than half the book, but it also made me not care one bit about the core story. And by about 3/4ths of the way through, I was soooooooo over reading about who got the pieces. I actually did like the concept, there were just too many “Peices” parts, and not enough of the whole.
October 5, 2019
I hated this book.
It started out with a very interesting premise- a killer seeking notoriety kills a girl and sends pieces of her to 30 different random citizens. Additionally, he sends a note to his favorite journalist saying to cover the story so they both become famous. Awesome. Very interesting.
Unfortunately, 80% of the book was backstory and set up for each of the 30 people who received a piece of the victim. Many of the people were disturbing (to the point where it’s distracting—- no one that received one is normal?) and none of them had anything to do with the larger story of the killer/journalist. For example, several pages are devoted to introducing the character who receives the victim’s vocal chords. It goes into great detail about the mans life and his sexual escapades and his suicidal tendencies and explains why he got the vocal chords, specially. However, there’s no clue to the killer, nothing to be learned from the off shoot story.
It started out with a very interesting premise- a killer seeking notoriety kills a girl and sends pieces of her to 30 different random citizens. Additionally, he sends a note to his favorite journalist saying to cover the story so they both become famous. Awesome. Very interesting.
Unfortunately, 80% of the book was backstory and set up for each of the 30 people who received a piece of the victim. Many of the people were disturbing (to the point where it’s distracting—- no one that received one is normal?) and none of them had anything to do with the larger story of the killer/journalist. For example, several pages are devoted to introducing the character who receives the victim’s vocal chords. It goes into great detail about the mans life and his sexual escapades and his suicidal tendencies and explains why he got the vocal chords, specially. However, there’s no clue to the killer, nothing to be learned from the off shoot story.
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