What do you think?
Rate this book
The Cottage
A widowed mother is terrorized by a stalker with unfathomable intent in a novel of cold-blooded suspense by the Shamus Award–winning author of The Temporary Agent.
When Kate Burke is awakened one night by a sound outside her window, her PTSD is triggered. Was it simply a deer crossing her secluded backyard? Or was it intruders? Because Kate still lives with the dreadful memories of her husband’s murder during a seemingly random home invasion two years before, she knows the answer can mean the difference between life and death.
But when she discovers the unsettling ways her property has been vandalized the next day, Kate is forced to conclude the worst: someone is watching her.
Kate decides to rent out her estranged sister’s onetime cottage, which sits on her property, for the summer. Another set of eyes around the place won’t hurt. And with additional support from friends and family, Kate should be feeling safe.
Instead, the vandalism is escalating. So are the anonymous late-night calls and texts, each one more disturbing and violating than the last. Whoever is targeting Kate, whatever their motive or terrifying endgame, the footsteps in the dark are getting closer.
When Kate Burke is awakened one night by a sound outside her window, her PTSD is triggered. Was it simply a deer crossing her secluded backyard? Or was it intruders? Because Kate still lives with the dreadful memories of her husband’s murder during a seemingly random home invasion two years before, she knows the answer can mean the difference between life and death.
But when she discovers the unsettling ways her property has been vandalized the next day, Kate is forced to conclude the worst: someone is watching her.
Kate decides to rent out her estranged sister’s onetime cottage, which sits on her property, for the summer. Another set of eyes around the place won’t hurt. And with additional support from friends and family, Kate should be feeling safe.
Instead, the vandalism is escalating. So are the anonymous late-night calls and texts, each one more disturbing and violating than the last. Whoever is targeting Kate, whatever their motive or terrifying endgame, the footsteps in the dark are getting closer.
443 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2021
325 people are currently reading
2677 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Judson
19 books150 followersDANIEL JUDSON, a Shamus Award winner and a four-time finalist, is the author of five previous novels, most recently The Violet Hour. He attended Southampton College, and his time in the Hamptons (particularly the parts that don’t make the society pages) was the inspiration for the setting and characters in Voyeur. He now lives in Connecticut.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
March 18, 2022
Oh My Gosh! I feel like it's been forever since I finished a book ... well, 10 days but that's a lot. I have a couple more I'm almost done with but let's start with the not-so-good. 1.5 Stars rounded up.
This is a story featuring Kate, a widow with two adolescent children, twins Max and Callie. Her husband, a police officer, was killed during an attempted robbery at their home a couple of years earlier. Already nervous and jumpy, a series of nighttime incidents and property damage has her on edge so when she gets a chance to rent out a small cottage on her property to Jack, a former resident of the town who wants to move back to the area, she takes advantage of the opportunity.
Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. It was very slow-moving and read more like a screenplay than a novel (for example: "... she stacks the remaining plates together and collects the tableware, which she lays on the top plate before carrying the stack into the kitchen."). That little episode of Kate and her neighbour doing the dishes went on and on and on! That was very early in the book so I wondered what I was in for. From then on I just kept waiting for something/ anything to happen. I was very tempted to DNF the book but I'm stubborn and felt an obligation to finish it even though it was published months ago. The one positive is that this book contains some of the best dialogue I've ever read; not the content necessarily but the tempo and naturalness of it. The last 25-30% of the book was a little better but all hope was lost by then. When I downloaded the book from Netgalley (I believe it was a Read Now), there weren't very many reviews but there have been a fair number of reviews since then and most of the ratings are pretty low. The author has written a number of books so possibly this just isn't his trope.
After giving it further thought, I decided that if the book was tightened up a lot and all the superfluous "stage direction" removed, not only would the book be shorter (it's too long as is for such a mundane mystery) but also it might end up being a more entertaining story. I still don't think it would appeal to me but might to a lot of other people.
My appreciation to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel which was published in November 2021. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is a story featuring Kate, a widow with two adolescent children, twins Max and Callie. Her husband, a police officer, was killed during an attempted robbery at their home a couple of years earlier. Already nervous and jumpy, a series of nighttime incidents and property damage has her on edge so when she gets a chance to rent out a small cottage on her property to Jack, a former resident of the town who wants to move back to the area, she takes advantage of the opportunity.
Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. It was very slow-moving and read more like a screenplay than a novel (for example: "... she stacks the remaining plates together and collects the tableware, which she lays on the top plate before carrying the stack into the kitchen."). That little episode of Kate and her neighbour doing the dishes went on and on and on! That was very early in the book so I wondered what I was in for. From then on I just kept waiting for something/ anything to happen. I was very tempted to DNF the book but I'm stubborn and felt an obligation to finish it even though it was published months ago. The one positive is that this book contains some of the best dialogue I've ever read; not the content necessarily but the tempo and naturalness of it. The last 25-30% of the book was a little better but all hope was lost by then. When I downloaded the book from Netgalley (I believe it was a Read Now), there weren't very many reviews but there have been a fair number of reviews since then and most of the ratings are pretty low. The author has written a number of books so possibly this just isn't his trope.
After giving it further thought, I decided that if the book was tightened up a lot and all the superfluous "stage direction" removed, not only would the book be shorter (it's too long as is for such a mundane mystery) but also it might end up being a more entertaining story. I still don't think it would appeal to me but might to a lot of other people.
My appreciation to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel which was published in November 2021. All opinions expressed are my own.
May 5, 2022
I SLOW WALK FASTER than this story's pace. 😐
Therefore:
Short and sweet, to the point, this review will be! (That's my plan at least. 🙌)
The books description includes several words of a similar theme. All describing a plot that drew me in. Full of terror and suspense. A few examples of the descriptives used:
Terrorized,
Stalker,
Cold-blooded suspense,
Unfathomable intent,
Murder,
Home invasion,
Disturbing,
Violating, and
Terrifying endgame.
What actually describes this book:
Sibling drama,
Best friend drama,
Potential romance,
A widow's monologues on migraine misery & on missing sex life with their deceased spouse;
The OPPOSITE OF Suspense, Terrifying & Terrorizing;
A story that moves AS FAST AS A CAR WITH NO TIRES AND AN EMPTY GAS TANK.
This is a harsh commentary, admittedly. However, appropriate when a book is sold with such a significant degree of misleads.
*Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, Thomas & Mercer for the digital reader copy.
Therefore:
Short and sweet, to the point, this review will be! (That's my plan at least. 🙌)
The books description includes several words of a similar theme. All describing a plot that drew me in. Full of terror and suspense. A few examples of the descriptives used:
Terrorized,
Stalker,
Cold-blooded suspense,
Unfathomable intent,
Murder,
Home invasion,
Disturbing,
Violating, and
Terrifying endgame.
What actually describes this book:
Sibling drama,
Best friend drama,
Potential romance,
A widow's monologues on migraine misery & on missing sex life with their deceased spouse;
The OPPOSITE OF Suspense, Terrifying & Terrorizing;
A story that moves AS FAST AS A CAR WITH NO TIRES AND AN EMPTY GAS TANK.
This is a harsh commentary, admittedly. However, appropriate when a book is sold with such a significant degree of misleads.
*Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, Thomas & Mercer for the digital reader copy.
May 5, 2022
I SLOW WALK FASTER than this story's pace. 😐
Therefore:
Short and sweet, to the point, this review will be! (That's my plan at least. 🙌)
The books description includes several words of a similar theme. All describing a plot that drew me in. Full of terror and suspense. A few examples of the descriptives used:
Terrorized,
Stalker,
Cold-blooded suspense,
Unfathomable intent,
Murder,
Home invasion,
Disturbing,
Violating, and
Terrifying endgame.
What actually describes this book:
Sibling drama,
Best friend drama,
Potential romance,
A widow's monologues on migraine misery & on missing sex life with their deceased spouse;
The OPPOSITE OF Suspense, Terrifying & Terrorizing;
A story that moves AS FAST AS A CAR WITH NO TIRES AND AN EMPTY GAS TANK.
This is a harsh commentary, admittedly. However, appropriate when a book is sold with such a significant degree of misleads.
*Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, Thomas & Mercer for the digital reader copy.
Therefore:
Short and sweet, to the point, this review will be! (That's my plan at least. 🙌)
The books description includes several words of a similar theme. All describing a plot that drew me in. Full of terror and suspense. A few examples of the descriptives used:
Terrorized,
Stalker,
Cold-blooded suspense,
Unfathomable intent,
Murder,
Home invasion,
Disturbing,
Violating, and
Terrifying endgame.
What actually describes this book:
Sibling drama,
Best friend drama,
Potential romance,
A widow's monologues on migraine misery & on missing sex life with their deceased spouse;
The OPPOSITE OF Suspense, Terrifying & Terrorizing;
A story that moves AS FAST AS A CAR WITH NO TIRES AND AN EMPTY GAS TANK.
This is a harsh commentary, admittedly. However, appropriate when a book is sold with such a significant degree of misleads.
*Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, Thomas & Mercer for the digital reader copy.
June 8, 2021
Right now the book reads like a screen plan. "She walks into the room and..." This doesn't allow for a good flow. I'm waiting for the author to give stage directions. It gives the feel of "And then, and then, and then" I want to be in the main characters head, not an audience member. The story is great, there's a lot of potential here but the writing style needs a better flow
July 14, 2021
I absolutely hate not knowing how long the book is and for some inexplicable reason the page count of The Cottage has been made a secret all over the www. So I braved going in, not knowing the length of the commitment, based purely on the fact that the only other boom I read by the author wasn’t terrible. To be fair, this wasn’t terrible either. Just bland. And yes, too long, albeit most of it (an overwhelming majority of it, in fact) is dialogue.
Judson has been at writing thrillers for a while, so he has the basics down, but that’s about it. The plot is pretty thin, when it isn’t far fetched that is. For most of the book is just a recent widow who’s been terrorized by small but escalating acts of aggression, against her and her property. The latter of which includes a small rental cottage ($1500 a month, Connecticut is expensive, people).
So who’s after Kate? Local kids? Or a hunky new tenant? Or her estranged sister that’s come to mend fences? Or her seriously in debt neighbor? Or one of her late man’s brothers in blue? Read and find out…or don’t.
Don’t, if you ask me. There are entirely too many thrillers out there to voluntarily select a mediocrity. It seems I’m not alone in this opinion, going by other reviews on here, reviews that, to be fair, weren’t around when I downloaded this from Netgalley.
Like I said, it isn’t terrible. It’s just terribly mediocre. The author opts for strictly skimming the surface, there’s no character development, no psychological onion levels to play with, it’s all tell, no show, so everyone just tells…hence the amount of dialogue. It’s almost as if the book was deliberately inflated to a certain (mysteriously unknown and unknowable) page count to hit some contact, since this is definitely a case of pay per page not per word.
Quick and mindless and soon to be forgotten. Pass. Thanks Netgalley.
Judson has been at writing thrillers for a while, so he has the basics down, but that’s about it. The plot is pretty thin, when it isn’t far fetched that is. For most of the book is just a recent widow who’s been terrorized by small but escalating acts of aggression, against her and her property. The latter of which includes a small rental cottage ($1500 a month, Connecticut is expensive, people).
So who’s after Kate? Local kids? Or a hunky new tenant? Or her estranged sister that’s come to mend fences? Or her seriously in debt neighbor? Or one of her late man’s brothers in blue? Read and find out…or don’t.
Don’t, if you ask me. There are entirely too many thrillers out there to voluntarily select a mediocrity. It seems I’m not alone in this opinion, going by other reviews on here, reviews that, to be fair, weren’t around when I downloaded this from Netgalley.
Like I said, it isn’t terrible. It’s just terribly mediocre. The author opts for strictly skimming the surface, there’s no character development, no psychological onion levels to play with, it’s all tell, no show, so everyone just tells…hence the amount of dialogue. It’s almost as if the book was deliberately inflated to a certain (mysteriously unknown and unknowable) page count to hit some contact, since this is definitely a case of pay per page not per word.
Quick and mindless and soon to be forgotten. Pass. Thanks Netgalley.
November 27, 2021
Thank you Netgalley and Author Daniel Judson for this ARC.
I didn't much enjoy this book. It was so slow--I kept waiting for something, anything to happen--and it is so dull. The plot was rather weak as well. Very disappointing.
I didn't much enjoy this book. It was so slow--I kept waiting for something, anything to happen--and it is so dull. The plot was rather weak as well. Very disappointing.
February 6, 2022
⭐
I set this one aside at 60% and have no interest in picking it back up (unfortunately), so I am tapping out. I found it to be SO slow, boring, and I wasn't a fan of the writing. However, that is just MY option and I am but one reviewer in a sea of many.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
November 11, 2021
DNF.
Sadly, I just could not get into this one. It did not grabbed my attention and I stopped reading halfway through. When I started it again, I could not bring myself to finish something I was not enjoying. It felt predictable.
Sadly, I just could not get into this one. It did not grabbed my attention and I stopped reading halfway through. When I started it again, I could not bring myself to finish something I was not enjoying. It felt predictable.
November 27, 2021
Nights are scary times for Kate Burke. It hasn’t always been this way. No, with Leif, Kate felt safe. Leif was not just the love of her life; he was a strong and courageous man. A cop. He made her feel secure. But that feeling was shattered two years ago when a home invasion ended in his death. Back then, they had cherished their family and their peace. Then their serenity was tainted with a rash of minor vandalism and harassment. Leif laid it off to teenagers getting back at the local cop for doing his job. However, it was much more serious. These intervening two years haven’t been easy. And for Kate, times are about to get rough again.
She awakens one night to a sound. The motion-activated light in the backyard has come on, too. She sees movement outside her window. A deer? It looks more like two figures. Boys. Before she can make out more detail, they disappear into the shadows. Then the chirp of her phone startles her. Please, not another prank call. With frayed nerves, Kate timidly answers. She hears the voice of her sister, Rebecca, on the other end of the line. Rather than being relieved, Kate is almost as upset as she would have been had it been a prank caller. Becca wants to come and stay in the cottage for the summer, but Kate coldly turns down her request. She can’t forgive her for what she did.
Over the next few days, incidents around the property escalate, along with creepy phone calls. Leif’s friends from the department, his father, Leo --- the one-time chief of police --- and close neighbors Maria and Derek all rally around to help. Yet, Kate still fears for herself and her children. She finds a renter for the cottage, hoping that will further intimidate whoever is harassing her. Still, more needs to be done. Finally, Kate relents and, against her best judgment, invites Becca back. She decides to give her sister another chance and hope she truly has changed.
Meanwhile, the cops work overtime to find out who is threatening Kate and why. Is it a spurned student? Someone she slighted and didn’t realize it? Could it be related to Leif’s murder? Without having any clue to the motive, Kate is left floundering in the dark. Then her stalker ratchets up the fear factor. He follows her to the store. He sends her sick notes. He calls at all hours. He’s watching her. What does he want?
Does she really want to know? Yes. Once Kate understands the reason behind everything that happened, she still has trouble accepting the answer. It’s all so senseless. People didn’t have to die. Kate was never going anywhere. She never meant to hurt anyone. The best part, though, is that Kate and Becca have had a chance to talk things out, make amends and try to move on. But the cost of getting there was high.
Daniel Judson creates a terrifying scenario here in which a young mother recovering from the loss of her husband is beset by psychological terror attacks in her own home. With so much to handle already, she will have to find strength from deep within herself in order to keep her family safe. Fortunately, she has resources and a lot of help, but her tormentor knows how to stay one step away from crossing into criminal territory. You will want to read THE COTTAGE with all the lights on.
Reviewed by Kate Ayers
She awakens one night to a sound. The motion-activated light in the backyard has come on, too. She sees movement outside her window. A deer? It looks more like two figures. Boys. Before she can make out more detail, they disappear into the shadows. Then the chirp of her phone startles her. Please, not another prank call. With frayed nerves, Kate timidly answers. She hears the voice of her sister, Rebecca, on the other end of the line. Rather than being relieved, Kate is almost as upset as she would have been had it been a prank caller. Becca wants to come and stay in the cottage for the summer, but Kate coldly turns down her request. She can’t forgive her for what she did.
Over the next few days, incidents around the property escalate, along with creepy phone calls. Leif’s friends from the department, his father, Leo --- the one-time chief of police --- and close neighbors Maria and Derek all rally around to help. Yet, Kate still fears for herself and her children. She finds a renter for the cottage, hoping that will further intimidate whoever is harassing her. Still, more needs to be done. Finally, Kate relents and, against her best judgment, invites Becca back. She decides to give her sister another chance and hope she truly has changed.
Meanwhile, the cops work overtime to find out who is threatening Kate and why. Is it a spurned student? Someone she slighted and didn’t realize it? Could it be related to Leif’s murder? Without having any clue to the motive, Kate is left floundering in the dark. Then her stalker ratchets up the fear factor. He follows her to the store. He sends her sick notes. He calls at all hours. He’s watching her. What does he want?
Does she really want to know? Yes. Once Kate understands the reason behind everything that happened, she still has trouble accepting the answer. It’s all so senseless. People didn’t have to die. Kate was never going anywhere. She never meant to hurt anyone. The best part, though, is that Kate and Becca have had a chance to talk things out, make amends and try to move on. But the cost of getting there was high.
Daniel Judson creates a terrifying scenario here in which a young mother recovering from the loss of her husband is beset by psychological terror attacks in her own home. With so much to handle already, she will have to find strength from deep within herself in order to keep her family safe. Fortunately, she has resources and a lot of help, but her tormentor knows how to stay one step away from crossing into criminal territory. You will want to read THE COTTAGE with all the lights on.
Reviewed by Kate Ayers
April 5, 2023
3.5 stars rounded to 4 for GR
This was a decent audiobook with a solid audio narrator.
It was a slow burn but I didn’t mind it as it gave me time to really get to know the characters.
You never really knew who to trust in this one. So it’ll definitely keep you guessing.
I wouldn’t classify it as a real thriller. More of a murder mystery with some suspense.
I think it would make a good movie. It sort of reminded me of a solid script from the 90s-early 2000s that would have Denzel as the lead.
I liked how the relationships in this one progressed.
Would be a great book to read if your chilling alone in a cabin, with a warm blanket and a fire burning.
This was a decent audiobook with a solid audio narrator.
It was a slow burn but I didn’t mind it as it gave me time to really get to know the characters.
You never really knew who to trust in this one. So it’ll definitely keep you guessing.
I wouldn’t classify it as a real thriller. More of a murder mystery with some suspense.
I think it would make a good movie. It sort of reminded me of a solid script from the 90s-early 2000s that would have Denzel as the lead.
I liked how the relationships in this one progressed.
Would be a great book to read if your chilling alone in a cabin, with a warm blanket and a fire burning.
August 6, 2024
I enjoyed this for the most part. It was a quick read that gave me a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming along with a few I did. The one thing that dropped it to 3 stars for me was the writing style. There was a bit too much description for things that had no bearing on the story. For instance, I didn't need the way in which the bed was made to be so painstakingly described step by step- who grabbed what corner and who flattened it out when it was done. It reminded me of having to write a paper in school, but needing to hit a specific word count so you just start jamming in whatever you can say to drag it out.
April 20, 2022
I didn't like the story or the characters in this book it was very bland
February 8, 2022
2.5 stars. I struggled with the style; it was like a screenplay. The plot and the characters were ok, but it was all a bit flat with little suspense and nothing really original.
November 17, 2021
Gives perspective on the old adage keep your friends closer.
November 3, 2021
Kate Burke is a widowed mother suffering from PTSD as a result of her husbands murder during what appeared to be a home invasion.
Two years later, Kate is awakened in the middle of the night by a sound outside. Someone has vandalized her property. Convinced someone is watching her, Kate decides to rent out her estranged sisters cottage for the summer. The cottage is located on Kate’s property.
Confident that she made the right decision, Kate should feel safe. Instead, the vandalism is getting worse. In addition, Kate is reviving mysterious, anonymous texts and calls, which get increasingly disturbing and creepy.
Who is targeting Kate and why?
This thriller was creepy and atmospheric! My heart beat faster with every turn of the page as a result of the creepy events happening to Kate. It freaked me out so much that I had to double check my doors were locked.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.
Two years later, Kate is awakened in the middle of the night by a sound outside. Someone has vandalized her property. Convinced someone is watching her, Kate decides to rent out her estranged sisters cottage for the summer. The cottage is located on Kate’s property.
Confident that she made the right decision, Kate should feel safe. Instead, the vandalism is getting worse. In addition, Kate is reviving mysterious, anonymous texts and calls, which get increasingly disturbing and creepy.
Who is targeting Kate and why?
This thriller was creepy and atmospheric! My heart beat faster with every turn of the page as a result of the creepy events happening to Kate. It freaked me out so much that I had to double check my doors were locked.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.
November 16, 2024
This was an interesting mystery - I did this as an audio so, even though the story is long, I was able to speed it up and keep it from feeling too long.
I liked Kate and getting to know her. Even though I was surprised she was living there and what she and her kids had been through, I appreciated learning the backstory. The harassment was just awful and I was shocked by each new turn and reveal. The actual twist and reasoning felt a little light to me but I did like the build up and the ultimate stand off.
But the ending was strung out a bit. I knew something was coming but it took a while to finally conclude. Good story, I was entertained and I liked the audiobook narrator!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
I liked Kate and getting to know her. Even though I was surprised she was living there and what she and her kids had been through, I appreciated learning the backstory. The harassment was just awful and I was shocked by each new turn and reveal. The actual twist and reasoning felt a little light to me but I did like the build up and the ultimate stand off.
But the ending was strung out a bit. I knew something was coming but it took a while to finally conclude. Good story, I was entertained and I liked the audiobook narrator!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
June 17, 2021
I think the story has a lot of potential, but I really struggled with connecting with the writing style. The creep factor was definitely there, but the story didn’t flow as well because of the writing style.
January 8, 2022
Someone is waiting in the dark...
When a sudden commotion outside wakes Kate in the middle of the night, her PTSD is triggered as she recalls the night her husband was murdered in their own yard. Once she calms down, she is convinced that it could have been a deer or a few harmless teenagers. Once the vandalism and harassing text messages begin, though, she isn't so sure. With a new tenant in her on-site cottage, and support from family and her late husband's police buddies, she feels a little bit safer. But as her past comes back to haunt her and the violation escalates, Kate is forced to prepare herself for the possibility of fighting for her life, and protecting her family and her home.
The premise of this novel was promising, but I have to admit that it fell flat for me. Kate's harassment kept me on the edge of my seat, but the catalyst to these events seemed a little lackluster and trivial to me. I enjoyed the twists and turns in this novel, and even found myself fully gasping at one point in the story, but this could have been better without the meticulous play-by-play nature of each scene. I could see this story being more suitable for a movie, which I would gladly watch.
When a sudden commotion outside wakes Kate in the middle of the night, her PTSD is triggered as she recalls the night her husband was murdered in their own yard. Once she calms down, she is convinced that it could have been a deer or a few harmless teenagers. Once the vandalism and harassing text messages begin, though, she isn't so sure. With a new tenant in her on-site cottage, and support from family and her late husband's police buddies, she feels a little bit safer. But as her past comes back to haunt her and the violation escalates, Kate is forced to prepare herself for the possibility of fighting for her life, and protecting her family and her home.
The premise of this novel was promising, but I have to admit that it fell flat for me. Kate's harassment kept me on the edge of my seat, but the catalyst to these events seemed a little lackluster and trivial to me. I enjoyed the twists and turns in this novel, and even found myself fully gasping at one point in the story, but this could have been better without the meticulous play-by-play nature of each scene. I could see this story being more suitable for a movie, which I would gladly watch.
February 23, 2022
The Cottage is a mystery/thriller. It is about a widowed woman who lives in a house with her two children. Kate, the woman; she is being harassed by someone and is just trying to make it day by day. This book also deals with sister conflict.
This book was very boring to me. I wanted to DNF it early but I also wanted to give it a chance. I did not care about any of the characters and it was 443 pages when it could have been way shorter than that. I honestly figured out who was involved by like page 20. When they finally announced it I was just like "oh okay, next".
This book was very boring to me. I wanted to DNF it early but I also wanted to give it a chance. I did not care about any of the characters and it was 443 pages when it could have been way shorter than that. I honestly figured out who was involved by like page 20. When they finally announced it I was just like "oh okay, next".
November 3, 2021
This didn't work for me, unfortunately. The pacing was far too slow and the attention to irrelevant detail, like whether or not the father-in-law sprayed the swing set bolts with WD-40--great God a'mighty--took me out of the story. Also taking me out of the story? Its setting on Old Town Road. Me and the horse I rode in on say c'mon now.
October 21, 2022
I was instantly drawn into this story and the plot and character development were very good. Many people reviewing the book complained that it was a long and slow read and indeed it was but for the first three quarters I was interested in the ultimate resolution. However, after devoting so much time to this lengthy read it was disappointing that the ending did not live up to my expectations and so what began as a 4 star rating ended up a 3 star rating by the time I finished it. I have not read Daniel Judson's books before and I think he is a good writer. I would read future works of his despite my disappointment in this book.
Want to read
April 4, 2022RTC-- thank you to goodreads, won this in a giveaway :)
September 13, 2022
It was an alright story, but I found the "bad guy" to be pretty predictable.
February 22, 2022
While it isn't horrible it is horribly boring.
The characters are just white bread dull and plod along at a snail's pace. And nothing happens.
Tiny, insignificant occurrences in the fabric of the average day suddenly seemed to be taking large numbers of pages to make a point. ANY POINT, just get to it. They make beds, they fold sheets, wash dishes, and eat. Then they do all that again. And again but now the action fighters up to include scrubbing floors. We've all read or escaped these types of stories where everything that's going to happen to wrap things up does so in the final 3 pages. I thought the story began and ended in the final 3 pages. Using my tablet so that might actually be closer to a page and a half.
So many (433) pages of nothing. Fluffy, pointless dialogue. Sinister hang up calls. Memories of what happened 20 years ago.
Cop that never achieved blazing glory. Toss in a couple of pages about a cheating spouse and the formula-like drivel is born.
I almost fell off my chair when I realized the author was not female. This is the stuff of a canceled soap opera show but not as good.
I really wasted my time on this. It might have been successful as a short story of maybe12 pages.
Otherwise there just wasn't much to make a genuinely interesting novel.
Two stars but not able to recommend it.
The characters are just white bread dull and plod along at a snail's pace. And nothing happens.
Tiny, insignificant occurrences in the fabric of the average day suddenly seemed to be taking large numbers of pages to make a point. ANY POINT, just get to it. They make beds, they fold sheets, wash dishes, and eat. Then they do all that again. And again but now the action fighters up to include scrubbing floors. We've all read or escaped these types of stories where everything that's going to happen to wrap things up does so in the final 3 pages. I thought the story began and ended in the final 3 pages. Using my tablet so that might actually be closer to a page and a half.
So many (433) pages of nothing. Fluffy, pointless dialogue. Sinister hang up calls. Memories of what happened 20 years ago.
Cop that never achieved blazing glory. Toss in a couple of pages about a cheating spouse and the formula-like drivel is born.
I almost fell off my chair when I realized the author was not female. This is the stuff of a canceled soap opera show but not as good.
I really wasted my time on this. It might have been successful as a short story of maybe12 pages.
Otherwise there just wasn't much to make a genuinely interesting novel.
Two stars but not able to recommend it.
October 24, 2021
DNF
I am thankful to have received this ARC, but for some reason, it is not going to be one that I am able to finish. It saddens me because I have read books from Mr. Judson in the past and really enjoyed them. Maybe its me, maybe not, but for whatever reason, this is not a book that I can continue with.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.The opinions above are mine and mine alone.
I am thankful to have received this ARC, but for some reason, it is not going to be one that I am able to finish. It saddens me because I have read books from Mr. Judson in the past and really enjoyed them. Maybe its me, maybe not, but for whatever reason, this is not a book that I can continue with.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.The opinions above are mine and mine alone.
December 23, 2021
Kate is left with two children when her husband is killed. She is scared of everything it appears yet she sleeps with the window open on the first floor. She despises her sister yet when she needs help she calls her sister. I found the main character harsh and just a bitch to her sister.
April 2, 2022
This book was off the chain. Grab the wine..popcorn .blanket..put the phone on DO NOT DISTURB and GO IN
January 29, 2023
This book was a 3 ⭐️ for me. It was a bit slow and there were times I felt like the story line was something in a movie that just feels too unrealistic. I think the book could have been a bit shorter with less intricacies that just didn’t work for me. The main character was stubborn but not in a way that exhibited strength It came across as stupidity to me.
It is about a widower who has PTSD and for good reason after her husband was murdered. Vandalism started on her property and every time she thought she was safe It continued to get worse.
It is about a widower who has PTSD and for good reason after her husband was murdered. Vandalism started on her property and every time she thought she was safe It continued to get worse.
November 10, 2022
I received a copy of The Cottage from Net Galley to read and review. My thanks to Net Galley, the publisher abound author.
The Cottage of Daniel Judson’s dark , brooding novel, is the center events that bring terror to the lives of Kate and her two teen children who live on the edge of. New England village. Still struggling wit the death of her policeman husband two years before, Kate is faced with daughter Callie, who has started her teen years with all the willfulness and snarkiness that a girl can have, while her younger brother, Max, has become moody. Then one night Kate sees prowlers around the cottage at the edge of her property.When she enters the cottage the next morning she sees a knife stabbed in wall. That is the beginning of escalating violence that changes the family’s lives.
“ The Cottage” is not only a very good thriller but it is a drama of a family already on a knifes edge of emotional collapse. When Kate’s sister, Rebecca returns home after years of bitter estrangement, it appears enough to break the ties that hold all together. Mr.Judson’s characters are well drawn and complicated people so that nothing is simple. He gives the reader enough reason to suspect nearly everyone in the book as being behind the violence that keeps Kate awake at night and with nerves jangling during the days. The reader , too, has a vicarious emotional involvement that will keep him or her fully involved in ta very good story.
My cautions rating- nothing objectionable.
The Cottage of Daniel Judson’s dark , brooding novel, is the center events that bring terror to the lives of Kate and her two teen children who live on the edge of. New England village. Still struggling wit the death of her policeman husband two years before, Kate is faced with daughter Callie, who has started her teen years with all the willfulness and snarkiness that a girl can have, while her younger brother, Max, has become moody. Then one night Kate sees prowlers around the cottage at the edge of her property.When she enters the cottage the next morning she sees a knife stabbed in wall. That is the beginning of escalating violence that changes the family’s lives.
“ The Cottage” is not only a very good thriller but it is a drama of a family already on a knifes edge of emotional collapse. When Kate’s sister, Rebecca returns home after years of bitter estrangement, it appears enough to break the ties that hold all together. Mr.Judson’s characters are well drawn and complicated people so that nothing is simple. He gives the reader enough reason to suspect nearly everyone in the book as being behind the violence that keeps Kate awake at night and with nerves jangling during the days. The reader , too, has a vicarious emotional involvement that will keep him or her fully involved in ta very good story.
My cautions rating- nothing objectionable.
September 26, 2021
Granted this is an ARC, but there are so many missing and incorrect words I lost count. The missing words weren't a matter of style, but a matter of no proof reading.
I hate present tense as it is hard to carry off well. This book did not carry it off well. It slipped from present tense to past tense and back again. The author kept to mostly dialogue with no tags to try to get around the fact, but still didn't manage.
The author told me every single thing Kate did and was obsessed with her changing her underpants.
In one conversation that would have taken maybe fifteen minutes total, Kate used the word Dad ten times. Who does that in real life? No one. It completely changed the tone of all those conversations. And not in a good way. It made her come off as a bit snarky and sarcastic. Maybe that was intentional and by then I just couldn't care less about her character.
I could go on and on. The plot was obvious and not very thrilling (hard to be on the edge of your seat when you keep being interrupted to watch Kate change her underpants again). I knew who was harassing her from the moment the character was introduced and why.
Surprisingly enough (considering the rest of the book), the writing at the end was tighter and had better pacing--the only thing that kept this from being a one star rating.
I hate present tense as it is hard to carry off well. This book did not carry it off well. It slipped from present tense to past tense and back again. The author kept to mostly dialogue with no tags to try to get around the fact, but still didn't manage.
The author told me every single thing Kate did and was obsessed with her changing her underpants.
In one conversation that would have taken maybe fifteen minutes total, Kate used the word Dad ten times. Who does that in real life? No one. It completely changed the tone of all those conversations. And not in a good way. It made her come off as a bit snarky and sarcastic. Maybe that was intentional and by then I just couldn't care less about her character.
I could go on and on. The plot was obvious and not very thrilling (hard to be on the edge of your seat when you keep being interrupted to watch Kate change her underpants again). I knew who was harassing her from the moment the character was introduced and why.
Surprisingly enough (considering the rest of the book), the writing at the end was tighter and had better pacing--the only thing that kept this from being a one star rating.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews