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Don't Go to Sleep
A seventeen-year old girl goes up against the notorious axeman murderer in 1918 in this suspenseful historical fiction story from the author of The Perfect Place to Die.
Gianna is the average seventeen-year-old girl living in 1918 New Orleans. She worries about her family's store, the great war, and a mysterious illness that's about to take hold of the city she loves.
It doesn't help that there also appears to be a mad man on the loose in her neighborhood. The attacks started as burglaries but soon escalate to cold blooded murder. There's a killer out there, and the police can't seem to figure out how to stop him.
Gianna enlists the help of her friend Jake to investigate. And as they study the crimes, they see a common link between the victims, and Gianna can't help but wonder if it's the same man who attacked her family years before.
As Gianna gets closer to the killer, she discovers a connection between them that she never would have suspected.
Gianna is the average seventeen-year-old girl living in 1918 New Orleans. She worries about her family's store, the great war, and a mysterious illness that's about to take hold of the city she loves.
It doesn't help that there also appears to be a mad man on the loose in her neighborhood. The attacks started as burglaries but soon escalate to cold blooded murder. There's a killer out there, and the police can't seem to figure out how to stop him.
Gianna enlists the help of her friend Jake to investigate. And as they study the crimes, they see a common link between the victims, and Gianna can't help but wonder if it's the same man who attacked her family years before.
As Gianna gets closer to the killer, she discovers a connection between them that she never would have suspected.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 2, 2022
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July 25, 2022
1918 - New Orleans
Gianna is seventeen years old living in a world where WWI has come to an end, people are dying from the 1918 influenza pandemic/Spanish Influenza pandemic, there is anti-Italian sentiment, and an axe man is killing store owners.
Gianna and her family survived the man with the axe, but he is now back, killing with an axe. Gianna and her friend, Enzo decide to investigate the killings for themselves. Gianna has been plagued by nightmares since her parents were attacked. She is motivated to catch him before it's too late!
This book is loosely based on the real serial killer known as the Axeman of New Orleans who killed Italian Immigrants. There is a supernatural element toward the end of the book.
I enjoyed the historical aspect of this book and the quest to find a killer. The author did her research as she depicts the attitude towards Italian Americans at that time as well as the severity of the Spanish flu. This book is in the YA category but can easily be enjoyed by anyone.
I listened to the audiobook and wondered what my experience would have been had I read the book. I was hoping for a little more oomph from the narrator at times.
I found this to be an enjoyable book and appreciated the historical aspect.
#DontGotoSleep #NetGalley
Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Gianna is seventeen years old living in a world where WWI has come to an end, people are dying from the 1918 influenza pandemic/Spanish Influenza pandemic, there is anti-Italian sentiment, and an axe man is killing store owners.
Gianna and her family survived the man with the axe, but he is now back, killing with an axe. Gianna and her friend, Enzo decide to investigate the killings for themselves. Gianna has been plagued by nightmares since her parents were attacked. She is motivated to catch him before it's too late!
This book is loosely based on the real serial killer known as the Axeman of New Orleans who killed Italian Immigrants. There is a supernatural element toward the end of the book.
I enjoyed the historical aspect of this book and the quest to find a killer. The author did her research as she depicts the attitude towards Italian Americans at that time as well as the severity of the Spanish flu. This book is in the YA category but can easily be enjoyed by anyone.
I listened to the audiobook and wondered what my experience would have been had I read the book. I was hoping for a little more oomph from the narrator at times.
I found this to be an enjoyable book and appreciated the historical aspect.
#DontGotoSleep #NetGalley
Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
July 31, 2022
Gianna lives in New Orleans during 1918 just as the influenza pandemic is beginning to break out within the city. But this isn’t the only thing she has to worry about: a killer is on the loose near her home, one who almost killed her and her family seven years earlier. Plagued by dreams and worries, Gianna asks her friend Enzo to help her hunt the killer. But as the killings increase and her dreams become more debilitating, Gianna wonders if she’s taken on more than she is capable of handling.
I enjoyed the premise of this work; it was fun to read a work set in New Orleans during the beginning of the influenza pandemic. I also liked that it was inspired by real events and that between chapters there were little excerpts that seemed as if they were from newspapers. The best parts of this book revolved around the portrayal of typical attitudes towards Italians/Italian Americans at this time in New Orleans. The author included realistic depictions of how people responded to the international outbreak of the flu, though the flu talk became repetitive and began to detract from the work after a certain point. In fact, it seemed as if the work was more focused on the pandemic than the serial killer for much of it, which became frustrating.
The characters fell flat overall. The characters had almost no real depth or development and there was really nothing that made the characters likeable or relatable. Gianna was awfully naïve and silly for a seventeen-year-old, and it made her difficult to tolerate. There were also instances when her internal dialogue would resolve one thing, but then for no explainable reason, she’d go and do something completely different. These inconsistencies were frustrating.
I hated the ending. It was extremely rushed, and nothing was meaningfully resolved. I just read a whole book about a girl trying to hunt down a serial killer for personal reasons, and then within a chapter everything comes to a head and is “resolved.” There was no real discussion or explanation for the mysterious connection between Gianna and the murderer, which was a massive oversight. The supernatural/magical realism bits were also brushed over even though the rest of the book felt firmly grounded in actual historical events, which made for an unsatisfactory read. In fact, there were many plot holes and loose ends that made this work infuriating, as well as many instances of happy accidents that were much too convenient to feel realistic. Not to mention there were many occurrences of anachronisms throughout that were just awful for a work of historical fiction (one example included Gianna’s use of the phrase “skin in the game,” which wasn’t a thing until sometime in the 1980s).
I listened to the audiobook version and did not enjoy it. The narrator was not a good choice for this work. Her voice sounded much older than a 17-year-old’s voice, I had to listen to it at 1.75X speed because it was painfully slow at regular speed, there was no feeling in her voice during most of the reading, and the Italian accents were awful. And almost all of the characters with dialogue in this work were Italian.
Unfortunately, I can’t recommend the audiobook version of this work. I think that those who enjoy historical fiction and murder mysteries may enjoy this book if you don’t think about it too much. My thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for providing a review copy of this work, which will be published August 2, 2022. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I enjoyed the premise of this work; it was fun to read a work set in New Orleans during the beginning of the influenza pandemic. I also liked that it was inspired by real events and that between chapters there were little excerpts that seemed as if they were from newspapers. The best parts of this book revolved around the portrayal of typical attitudes towards Italians/Italian Americans at this time in New Orleans. The author included realistic depictions of how people responded to the international outbreak of the flu, though the flu talk became repetitive and began to detract from the work after a certain point. In fact, it seemed as if the work was more focused on the pandemic than the serial killer for much of it, which became frustrating.
The characters fell flat overall. The characters had almost no real depth or development and there was really nothing that made the characters likeable or relatable. Gianna was awfully naïve and silly for a seventeen-year-old, and it made her difficult to tolerate. There were also instances when her internal dialogue would resolve one thing, but then for no explainable reason, she’d go and do something completely different. These inconsistencies were frustrating.
I hated the ending. It was extremely rushed, and nothing was meaningfully resolved. I just read a whole book about a girl trying to hunt down a serial killer for personal reasons, and then within a chapter everything comes to a head and is “resolved.” There was no real discussion or explanation for the mysterious connection between Gianna and the murderer, which was a massive oversight. The supernatural/magical realism bits were also brushed over even though the rest of the book felt firmly grounded in actual historical events, which made for an unsatisfactory read. In fact, there were many plot holes and loose ends that made this work infuriating, as well as many instances of happy accidents that were much too convenient to feel realistic. Not to mention there were many occurrences of anachronisms throughout that were just awful for a work of historical fiction (one example included Gianna’s use of the phrase “skin in the game,” which wasn’t a thing until sometime in the 1980s).
I listened to the audiobook version and did not enjoy it. The narrator was not a good choice for this work. Her voice sounded much older than a 17-year-old’s voice, I had to listen to it at 1.75X speed because it was painfully slow at regular speed, there was no feeling in her voice during most of the reading, and the Italian accents were awful. And almost all of the characters with dialogue in this work were Italian.
Unfortunately, I can’t recommend the audiobook version of this work. I think that those who enjoy historical fiction and murder mysteries may enjoy this book if you don’t think about it too much. My thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for providing a review copy of this work, which will be published August 2, 2022. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
August 1, 2022
An axe murderer on the loose and Gianna finds herself linked to him in an unimaginable way. I found this one fast paced with a good catchy storyline. It did need a bit more development around the characters as I did not fully connect with all of them. I really liked the add in on the 1981 Influenza pandemic. The narrator was a bit monotone at times and wished she could do more voice changes at times. Overall a nice little book with something unexpected. Thank you Netgalley and Tantor Audio for this ARC.
April 1, 2022
Thanks to sourcebook fire and netgally for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 02.08.22
A seventeen-year old girl goes up against the notorious axeman murderer in 1918 in this suspenseful historical fiction story from the author of The Perfect Place to Die.
First of all, I liked that the book portrayed real events that I knew nothing about. It was also fitting that the murders described was at the same time as the influenza epidemic, when we’ve just experienced an epidemic. It made the story easier to relate to.
I didn’t love the supernatural angle, but that is all on me, but I can’t deny that it made the read less pleasurable to read personally. For others this might not be the case however.
Putting that aside, the book was well-written and the story unfolded logically. I loved Enzo and Gia, the courage they showed. But I didn’t get as invested in what happened to them and their families as I had hoped. I also found the description of the murders hard to stomach, maybe that shut off my emotions generally, making it harder to feel the fear and sadness that I otherwise might have felt.
Overall I enjoyed the book, but not so much that I would have read it again.
A seventeen-year old girl goes up against the notorious axeman murderer in 1918 in this suspenseful historical fiction story from the author of The Perfect Place to Die.
First of all, I liked that the book portrayed real events that I knew nothing about. It was also fitting that the murders described was at the same time as the influenza epidemic, when we’ve just experienced an epidemic. It made the story easier to relate to.
I didn’t love the supernatural angle, but that is all on me, but I can’t deny that it made the read less pleasurable to read personally. For others this might not be the case however.
Putting that aside, the book was well-written and the story unfolded logically. I loved Enzo and Gia, the courage they showed. But I didn’t get as invested in what happened to them and their families as I had hoped. I also found the description of the murders hard to stomach, maybe that shut off my emotions generally, making it harder to feel the fear and sadness that I otherwise might have felt.
Overall I enjoyed the book, but not so much that I would have read it again.
April 12, 2022
This book was a fresh change of pace. I liked that it took inspiration from real historical events and put an interesting twist on it. I didn’t enjoy the characters but the book held my interest.
What started as a series of burglaries in 1918 in New Orleans quickly escalated to murder. These murders are being committed by a man known as the Axe Man. The town is on edge. Seventeen year old Gianna and her family encountered the Axe Man in their home and survived.
The police investigation is slow going and as the Axe Man strikes again, Gianna is plagued by nightmares of that night. She decides she can’t sit by and do nothing and enlists the help of her friend Enzo to track him down. As the pair investigate they discover a pattern to the murders and Gianna comes to the realization that she knows the Axe Man better than she thinks.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
What started as a series of burglaries in 1918 in New Orleans quickly escalated to murder. These murders are being committed by a man known as the Axe Man. The town is on edge. Seventeen year old Gianna and her family encountered the Axe Man in their home and survived.
The police investigation is slow going and as the Axe Man strikes again, Gianna is plagued by nightmares of that night. She decides she can’t sit by and do nothing and enlists the help of her friend Enzo to track him down. As the pair investigate they discover a pattern to the murders and Gianna comes to the realization that she knows the Axe Man better than she thinks.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
August 1, 2022
3.5 stars
An interesting YA spin on the historic true story of the New Orleans Axe Man murders, with some 1918 flu pandemic elements thrown in.
Concept: ★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★
Characters: ★★★
New Orleans, 1918. Giana is a teenage Italian American living in the city, plagued by nightmares of her parents' brutal axe murder several years earlier. Her recurring nightmare of that fateful night never changes... until it does. "I'm coming," the dream spells out in blood.
As Giana tries her best to ignore her terrifying dream, people are starting to die from influenza. And to make matters worse, the New Orleans newspapers are talking of a deranged killer on the loose. With an axe.
Giana's nightmare might be more than a childhood fear after all...
With her friend, Enzo, Giana decides enough is enough—it's time for her to confront her past demons by catching this new killer on the loose. Retribution and revenge, all in one. But what exactly is waiting for Giana at the end of this deadly puzzle?
Whew, what a doozy of a plot setup, y'all. Don't Go to Sleep was a novel that I was quite excited to read. I'd enjoyed this author's previous book on the horrors of H.H. Holmes and his murder hotel in Chicago, The Perfect Place to Die, so when I heard that they were tackling the Axe Man I signed right the frick up to review this one. I loved the modern take in the American Horror Story TV show (season three is my favorite, where it's New Orleans and Axe Man and witches) and thought this would deliver on more of those vibes.
This was a lot of fun.
I will admit, I think a portion of this story did not work for me due to its age range and writing style—despite Giana being 17 years old in this story, the writing and emotional palate made it seem like it was made for a younger YA audience. So I struggled to relate to a lot of the dialogue and emotions. As a late 20-something reader, this was a me issue and not the fault of the book meant for actual teens, but it did affect my ability to connect with the characters and larger emotional storyline.
I think there's a market for readers who enjoy the macabre history of our American true crime past and are craving more adventure stories like Stalking Jack the Ripper, etc. Don't Go to Sleep is the perfect read for Maniscalco fans—especially the younger ones.
Definitely pick this up for yourself or the young historic crime reader in your life!
Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
An interesting YA spin on the historic true story of the New Orleans Axe Man murders, with some 1918 flu pandemic elements thrown in.
Concept: ★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★
Characters: ★★★
New Orleans, 1918. Giana is a teenage Italian American living in the city, plagued by nightmares of her parents' brutal axe murder several years earlier. Her recurring nightmare of that fateful night never changes... until it does. "I'm coming," the dream spells out in blood.
As Giana tries her best to ignore her terrifying dream, people are starting to die from influenza. And to make matters worse, the New Orleans newspapers are talking of a deranged killer on the loose. With an axe.
Giana's nightmare might be more than a childhood fear after all...
With her friend, Enzo, Giana decides enough is enough—it's time for her to confront her past demons by catching this new killer on the loose. Retribution and revenge, all in one. But what exactly is waiting for Giana at the end of this deadly puzzle?
Whew, what a doozy of a plot setup, y'all. Don't Go to Sleep was a novel that I was quite excited to read. I'd enjoyed this author's previous book on the horrors of H.H. Holmes and his murder hotel in Chicago, The Perfect Place to Die, so when I heard that they were tackling the Axe Man I signed right the frick up to review this one. I loved the modern take in the American Horror Story TV show (season three is my favorite, where it's New Orleans and Axe Man and witches) and thought this would deliver on more of those vibes.
This was a lot of fun.
I will admit, I think a portion of this story did not work for me due to its age range and writing style—despite Giana being 17 years old in this story, the writing and emotional palate made it seem like it was made for a younger YA audience. So I struggled to relate to a lot of the dialogue and emotions. As a late 20-something reader, this was a me issue and not the fault of the book meant for actual teens, but it did affect my ability to connect with the characters and larger emotional storyline.
I think there's a market for readers who enjoy the macabre history of our American true crime past and are craving more adventure stories like Stalking Jack the Ripper, etc. Don't Go to Sleep is the perfect read for Maniscalco fans—especially the younger ones.
Definitely pick this up for yourself or the young historic crime reader in your life!
Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
March 16, 2023
Overall Rating : D
It really says something when you're rooting for the antagonist to win before the book ends. What a waste of an MC
It really says something when you're rooting for the antagonist to win before the book ends. What a waste of an MC
April 13, 2022
All you have to say is true-crime retelling and I'll read it.
This is based off of the Axeman of New Orleans. Gianna's parents were attacked years ago by the axeman. Now he's back in the city going after Italian grocery store owners and Gianna is tormented with nightmares and visions of where the axeman is going to strike next. She enlists her best friend Enzo to help her find the murderer to stop the attacks and her horrifying visions. All the while this is going on, the influenza pandemic is closing in on the city.
I really appreciate the authors decision not to stray far from the real life details with this book. I feel like I learned some things about the case, the time period, and the outbreak of influenza. It's so interesting that each chapter begins with an excerpt from a newspaper of the time. It captures a little bit of the public fear at the time of both the murderer and the virus. The descriptions of the attacks/murders get pretty gruesome for a YA. I love the vibe the descriptions combined with the supernatural elements of this book gave. It felt like a historical slasher, but with a slice of paranormal.
I do wish some of the explanation of the connection with the dreams/visions was a little less vague at the end. But overall a solid story.
Release date: Aug 08
Thank you so much to NetGalley & the publisher for kindly providing an arc in exchange for my honest review!
3.5
This is based off of the Axeman of New Orleans. Gianna's parents were attacked years ago by the axeman. Now he's back in the city going after Italian grocery store owners and Gianna is tormented with nightmares and visions of where the axeman is going to strike next. She enlists her best friend Enzo to help her find the murderer to stop the attacks and her horrifying visions. All the while this is going on, the influenza pandemic is closing in on the city.
I really appreciate the authors decision not to stray far from the real life details with this book. I feel like I learned some things about the case, the time period, and the outbreak of influenza. It's so interesting that each chapter begins with an excerpt from a newspaper of the time. It captures a little bit of the public fear at the time of both the murderer and the virus. The descriptions of the attacks/murders get pretty gruesome for a YA. I love the vibe the descriptions combined with the supernatural elements of this book gave. It felt like a historical slasher, but with a slice of paranormal.
I do wish some of the explanation of the connection with the dreams/visions was a little less vague at the end. But overall a solid story.
Release date: Aug 08
Thank you so much to NetGalley & the publisher for kindly providing an arc in exchange for my honest review!
3.5
June 7, 2024
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Don't Go to Sleep was interesting. In this, you will meet Gianna. She's seventeen years old and her family runs a grocery store. Her family narrowly escaped an axe-wielding attacker's attack approximately seven years ago. She constantly deals with nightmares from this attack, and they get worse once the axe man is back in action. Maybe with help from her best friend, Enzo, they might be able to figure out who is behind it all. Or maybe they will end up being the next two victims.
Knowing that this is a retelling of an actual true crime definitely made this book a bit creepier. For the longest time, I kept thinking Gianna was possibly the axe murderer because she could see into the other person's head. Then I realized that I was an idiot because this was probably a fantasy, paranormal, or supernatural twist. It just took me a bit longer than I would have liked to come to that conclusion because I was suspicious of her for so freaking long.
In the end, I actually ended up enjoying this book. The mystery behind who the axe murderer truly was definitely kept me going. The romance was okay but not really present either which I liked. One could only assume that Enzo and Gianna are happily living their life.
Real rating: 3.5
"The future isn't something you can force into being. You coax it toward you. Tempt it."
Don't Go to Sleep was interesting. In this, you will meet Gianna. She's seventeen years old and her family runs a grocery store. Her family narrowly escaped an axe-wielding attacker's attack approximately seven years ago. She constantly deals with nightmares from this attack, and they get worse once the axe man is back in action. Maybe with help from her best friend, Enzo, they might be able to figure out who is behind it all. Or maybe they will end up being the next two victims.
Knowing that this is a retelling of an actual true crime definitely made this book a bit creepier. For the longest time, I kept thinking Gianna was possibly the axe murderer because she could see into the other person's head. Then I realized that I was an idiot because this was probably a fantasy, paranormal, or supernatural twist. It just took me a bit longer than I would have liked to come to that conclusion because I was suspicious of her for so freaking long.
In the end, I actually ended up enjoying this book. The mystery behind who the axe murderer truly was definitely kept me going. The romance was okay but not really present either which I liked. One could only assume that Enzo and Gianna are happily living their life.
Real rating: 3.5
August 15, 2022
Rating: 2.5
Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. I started listening to the audiobook and quickly found that the narrator wasn’t right for this book. She spoke so slow and was very breathy at certain points. The voice she was putting on did not match the age or personality of the main character. I stopped listening about 5 chapters in and decided to read the physical book hoping that would be better. Sadly, it wasn’t. My main issue with this book is the writing. It felt way too basic and didn’t have a good flow in my opinion. The pacing was all over the place and the reader can really feel it in the end with how rushed it felt. I will say the author did a great job writing the gore/murder scenes but that’s about it. The main characters weren’t my favorite and I struggled to relate or find any care for them. They felt very flat and didn’t have any unique qualities. While this claims to be historical fiction as a reader I never felt like I was transported to a different time. When that happens it's always harder to connect to a story that claims to be from years ago. Ultimately, I just had too many issues with this one to find it enjoyable.
What I did love about this one is the creative cover and the story idea. I wished it would have been executed better. I think I would recommend it to teens because I feel as though they would find it fun. I’m not sure if I would recommend it to adults or older young adults. However, if you find it intriguing definitely give it a try and let me know what you think!
Thank you so much @sourcebooksfire for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. I started listening to the audiobook and quickly found that the narrator wasn’t right for this book. She spoke so slow and was very breathy at certain points. The voice she was putting on did not match the age or personality of the main character. I stopped listening about 5 chapters in and decided to read the physical book hoping that would be better. Sadly, it wasn’t. My main issue with this book is the writing. It felt way too basic and didn’t have a good flow in my opinion. The pacing was all over the place and the reader can really feel it in the end with how rushed it felt. I will say the author did a great job writing the gore/murder scenes but that’s about it. The main characters weren’t my favorite and I struggled to relate or find any care for them. They felt very flat and didn’t have any unique qualities. While this claims to be historical fiction as a reader I never felt like I was transported to a different time. When that happens it's always harder to connect to a story that claims to be from years ago. Ultimately, I just had too many issues with this one to find it enjoyable.
What I did love about this one is the creative cover and the story idea. I wished it would have been executed better. I think I would recommend it to teens because I feel as though they would find it fun. I’m not sure if I would recommend it to adults or older young adults. However, if you find it intriguing definitely give it a try and let me know what you think!
Thank you so much @sourcebooksfire for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 7, 2022
Low 3 for this one because I wasn't fully engaged until the end where all the action happened. This poor girl's hand is all im saying lol. Also, you can really tell that Bryce Moore has some opinions about masks during covid 😶
The main character's cool & relatable though so that helped keep this from falling to a 2 star overall. This took me almost a whole week to read and almost put me in a slump which sucks but something about it clearly led me to see it through, so there's that.
The main character's cool & relatable though so that helped keep this from falling to a 2 star overall. This took me almost a whole week to read and almost put me in a slump which sucks but something about it clearly led me to see it through, so there's that.
July 27, 2022
After reading the second book by Bryce Moore I have learned a few things. 1) I love the historical murder retellings 2) there isn't ENOUGH murder/darkness for me apparently. His first book was really good but I felt like something was missing. This book was also really good but I felt it lacked something. I will keep reading him in hopes of finding the one book that feels complete for me. Either way, his books are highly enjoyable.
I had no idea the Axeman even existed until I watched American Horror Story so having an author write about lesser known murderers is awesome. I know it's not lesser known but I'd love to see the author do Jack the Ripper.
I also LOVED the audiobook narrator, Daniela Acitelli. She gave Gianna such an authentic Italian feel. Hell, she gave the entire book an authentic feel. I haven't listened to her before this but I will definitely keep an eye out for her in the future.
4/5 stars.
I had no idea the Axeman even existed until I watched American Horror Story so having an author write about lesser known murderers is awesome. I know it's not lesser known but I'd love to see the author do Jack the Ripper.
I also LOVED the audiobook narrator, Daniela Acitelli. She gave Gianna such an authentic Italian feel. Hell, she gave the entire book an authentic feel. I haven't listened to her before this but I will definitely keep an eye out for her in the future.
4/5 stars.
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July 16, 2022
Don't Go to Sleep didn't quite work for me, unfortunately? I really enjoyed the premise and how Bryce Moore tackled the historical aspect bits. It was an interesting approach to the true crime stories involving the Axeman of New Orleans murders as well as the 1918 flu pandemic. I guess a content warning for discussions of and pandemic-related deaths are needed considering... the world etc.
Despite that interest, I found the execution to be lacking some. The way a paranormal aspect was introduced quite early (and abruptly) in the story rubbed me the wrong way and made it difficult for me to fully connect with the narrative. I thought that was an odd link to add and explore? Even more so considering the murders here were based on true life events.
I also didn't like Gia as a main character. The story was told entirely from her perspective and I found her rather silly and naive at times. There were some inconsistency from her as well in regard to her internal monologues and decisions she kept making throughout and that became frustrating as the book went on.
The ending was... a big question mark and a little rushed. I'm not sure why Moore decided to wrap things up in that way. There was a lot of hand-waving in regard to the connection Gia had to the Axeman and I thought that was disappointing--why insist on that if there wasn't going to be an explanation for it? And I guess I got too hung up on the real life aspects of the Axeman and its status as an unsolved case, so I really didn't like how the book tried to get around that so Gia could have her big "I'm using an axe!" moment.
*
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Despite that interest, I found the execution to be lacking some. The way a paranormal aspect was introduced quite early (and abruptly) in the story rubbed me the wrong way and made it difficult for me to fully connect with the narrative. I thought that was an odd link to add and explore? Even more so considering the murders here were based on true life events.
I also didn't like Gia as a main character. The story was told entirely from her perspective and I found her rather silly and naive at times. There were some inconsistency from her as well in regard to her internal monologues and decisions she kept making throughout and that became frustrating as the book went on.
The ending was... a big question mark and a little rushed. I'm not sure why Moore decided to wrap things up in that way. There was a lot of hand-waving in regard to the connection Gia had to the Axeman and I thought that was disappointing--why insist on that if there wasn't going to be an explanation for it? And I guess I got too hung up on the real life aspects of the Axeman and its status as an unsolved case, so I really didn't like how the book tried to get around that so Gia could have her big "I'm using an axe!" moment.
*
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2022
Don't Go to Sleep is a historical fiction based on the Axe murderer of New Orleans who went on a killing spree against the Italian immigrants living in New Orleans while the city was in the grips of the 1918 influenza pandemic.
I listened to the audiobook and I feel I should have opted for the printed version instead. When I listen to audiobooks I put a lot of importance on how the narrator narrates the story and I felt Daniela Acitelli's narration was not for this book. Her narration for the most part was slow, breathy and almost robotic and when she did try to infuse some emotions during the intense scenes, it just came out very loud and I had to constantly decrease and increase the volume throughout the audiobook.
The historical aspects of the book (the city of New Orleans in 1918 and the fear gripping the community as a result of the pandemic and the murders) were described very well as was the gory attack/murder scenes. I admit I was confused about the supernatural aspect of the book though and didn't fully understand how it came about. Maybe I missed it while listening to the audiobook. I was also a bit disappointed when the axe murderer was not identified in the end but then I googled about him and found out he (like Jack the Ripper) was never identified in real life as well!
I think the book might have worked better for me if I had read it instead.
My thanks to NetGalley, the audiobook publisher Tantor Audio and the author for the audio Arc of the book.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫
Goodreads does not have the audiobook edition up as yet so I am leaving my review under the paperback edition.
I listened to the audiobook and I feel I should have opted for the printed version instead. When I listen to audiobooks I put a lot of importance on how the narrator narrates the story and I felt Daniela Acitelli's narration was not for this book. Her narration for the most part was slow, breathy and almost robotic and when she did try to infuse some emotions during the intense scenes, it just came out very loud and I had to constantly decrease and increase the volume throughout the audiobook.
The historical aspects of the book (the city of New Orleans in 1918 and the fear gripping the community as a result of the pandemic and the murders) were described very well as was the gory attack/murder scenes. I admit I was confused about the supernatural aspect of the book though and didn't fully understand how it came about. Maybe I missed it while listening to the audiobook. I was also a bit disappointed when the axe murderer was not identified in the end but then I googled about him and found out he (like Jack the Ripper) was never identified in real life as well!
I think the book might have worked better for me if I had read it instead.
My thanks to NetGalley, the audiobook publisher Tantor Audio and the author for the audio Arc of the book.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫
Goodreads does not have the audiobook edition up as yet so I am leaving my review under the paperback edition.
July 30, 2022
TW: Murder, gory scenes, death of child, loss of parent, death of parent
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Gianna is the average seventeen-year-old girl living in 1918 New Orleans. She worries about her family's store, the great war, and a mysterious illness that's about to take hold of the city she loves. It doesn't help that there also appears to be a mad man on the loose in her neighborhood. The attacks started as burglaries but soon escalate to cold blooded murder. There's a killer out there, and the police can't seem to figure out how to stop him. Gianna enlists the help of her friend Enzo to investigate. And as they study the crimes, they see a common link between the victims, and Gianna can't help but wonder if it's the same man who attacked her family years before. As Gianna gets closer to the killer, she discovers a connection between them that she never would have suspected.
Release Date: August 2nd, 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 320
Rating:
What I Liked:
1. The cover is to die for
What I Didn't Like:
1. Tons of holes in the plot
2. The writing wasn't good
Overall Thoughts:I love that this story played on the Axeman of New Orleans.
I feel like the Spanish flu was a fill in for Covid. When she talks it's all the same things that people said about covid. It really gets annoying after the 1000 time it is mentioned. This book should have been titled “The Spanish flu during the Axeman murders because that's what this book felt like it was about”. I feel like I’ve heard more about the flu then I have about the murderer, which is odd because the synopsis makes it out like it’s murder forward and flu in the background. Feeling hoodwinked on that front.
How ridiculous is it that when Gianna is in this dream like stage that she knows to look for tattoos. Like we are in 1918 and that is not something that she would normally be looking for. Then she comes out the trance saying she had the most important piece of the clue to finding out where the Axeman is; the curtains! The curtains?..I laughed at that. Her and Enzo then find the place that has the curtains in like 3 minutes. She just HAPPENS to know all of New Orleans and they can walk it all in 30 minutes or less. She also HAPPENS to catch the wind blowing a curtain on a second floor room and sees the maroon and stripes. They enter the room and meet the landlord who tells them what the guy looks like, his profession, and that he left that day. The dude tells them that the “axeman” had a large scar on his forearm but how did she not see it?
Some of my issues with this book are the things the author put into it. It’s not from that time period. Gianna says that they have skin in the game and that wasn’t even a saying until the 80’s of the 20th century, so unless she is a time traveler then she wouldn’t be quoting that. The book did not feel as though we were in the early 20th century. The writing made me feel as though I was reading a book talking about that time period. It took me out of this historical book.
Gianna is so concerned about catching the Influenza but she just keeps putting herself outside and around as many people as she can.
So the killer is a cop that was in her house but how did she not recognize him when they had already seen each other on the road and she heard his voice? Makes little sense.
Final Thoughts: I wish this book was better but it wasn't. I didn't care for the writing nor what direction the book took. The ending was predictable and made no sense.
Recommend For:
• True Crime rewritte
• Supernatural elements
• Relatable scenes with covid
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Gianna is the average seventeen-year-old girl living in 1918 New Orleans. She worries about her family's store, the great war, and a mysterious illness that's about to take hold of the city she loves. It doesn't help that there also appears to be a mad man on the loose in her neighborhood. The attacks started as burglaries but soon escalate to cold blooded murder. There's a killer out there, and the police can't seem to figure out how to stop him. Gianna enlists the help of her friend Enzo to investigate. And as they study the crimes, they see a common link between the victims, and Gianna can't help but wonder if it's the same man who attacked her family years before. As Gianna gets closer to the killer, she discovers a connection between them that she never would have suspected.
Release Date: August 2nd, 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 320
Rating:
What I Liked:
1. The cover is to die for
What I Didn't Like:
1. Tons of holes in the plot
2. The writing wasn't good
Overall Thoughts:I love that this story played on the Axeman of New Orleans.
I feel like the Spanish flu was a fill in for Covid. When she talks it's all the same things that people said about covid. It really gets annoying after the 1000 time it is mentioned. This book should have been titled “The Spanish flu during the Axeman murders because that's what this book felt like it was about”. I feel like I’ve heard more about the flu then I have about the murderer, which is odd because the synopsis makes it out like it’s murder forward and flu in the background. Feeling hoodwinked on that front.
How ridiculous is it that when Gianna is in this dream like stage that she knows to look for tattoos. Like we are in 1918 and that is not something that she would normally be looking for. Then she comes out the trance saying she had the most important piece of the clue to finding out where the Axeman is; the curtains! The curtains?..I laughed at that. Her and Enzo then find the place that has the curtains in like 3 minutes. She just HAPPENS to know all of New Orleans and they can walk it all in 30 minutes or less. She also HAPPENS to catch the wind blowing a curtain on a second floor room and sees the maroon and stripes. They enter the room and meet the landlord who tells them what the guy looks like, his profession, and that he left that day. The dude tells them that the “axeman” had a large scar on his forearm but how did she not see it?
Some of my issues with this book are the things the author put into it. It’s not from that time period. Gianna says that they have skin in the game and that wasn’t even a saying until the 80’s of the 20th century, so unless she is a time traveler then she wouldn’t be quoting that. The book did not feel as though we were in the early 20th century. The writing made me feel as though I was reading a book talking about that time period. It took me out of this historical book.
Gianna is so concerned about catching the Influenza but she just keeps putting herself outside and around as many people as she can.
So the killer is a cop that was in her house but how did she not recognize him when they had already seen each other on the road and she heard his voice? Makes little sense.
Final Thoughts: I wish this book was better but it wasn't. I didn't care for the writing nor what direction the book took. The ending was predictable and made no sense.
Recommend For:
• True Crime rewritte
• Supernatural elements
• Relatable scenes with covid
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 21, 2023
3.75⭐️
Summery
When Gianna was 10, her parents were the victims of the "axman" in the room where they all slept. Only a curtain separated her from the brutality unleashed upon her mom and dad. She has never been able to escape the nightmares. The same dream over and over. Hearing the woodscraping, the footsteps, her parent's screams, mixed with the wet sound of blood. Now, the dreams are changing. Now, in the dream, she holds the axe, and she is the killer, not the victim.
Years later, people are dying again. The murders seem to be eerily similar to the ones from her past. Together with her (boyfriend?) Enzo, another attempted victim of the axeman, they team up to find out what is going on. Is it the same unknown assailant from seven years ago?
My Thoughts
This story takes place in New Orleans in about 1918, during the beginning of the influenza pandemic. The author truly captures the essence of the music scene that flows through the city. Bringing it to life in a very authentic way.
Being that the main characters are teenage Italians, the book is peppered with italian speech and phrases. I had to Google what they were saying more often than was enjoyable. It's easy to get thrown out of the narrative when every few paragraphs there are words I don't understand and don't know whether they are important to the plot. (If you choose to read this book, skip the look up, the words add nothing to the story, and don't need to be understood)
Every time a murder occurs, the police blame it on Italian organized crime. They seem to believe that just because of the victims' nationality , they have to be involved in something underhanded. The blatant racism towards Italians was a tad bit overkill in the story.
This book definitely has a supernatural element to it. Our FMC appears to be linked to the "axeman" through her dreams and a psychic connection when she enters places he has just killed. The way it's written can be jarring. One minute, you're following her as her, and the next, it's still her, but seeing through his eyes and feelings. There is no break in the train of thought. Just one sentence, she is herself and the next not. Often, I had to reread sentences and paragraphs just to figure out what was going on. The premise is neat, but the execution could have used work. It does get easier and become italic the further you get in, and the stronger her connection is. I did like the way the author wrapped up the supernatural element and gave possible reasons for the psychic link.
The use of "voodoo" and psychic readings was interesting, to say the least.🔮 the foretelling of evil and murder all wrapped up in confusion and misdirection. It made me shake my head while still convincing me to read on.
All in all, I found it an adequate read. I might be a little "old" for the book. It was obviously written for a younger demographic, but I believe a younger teen would greatly enjoy it. There are no real triggers to worry about. The writing is simple but engaging. The plot flows fluently with no real editing errors.
** This is based on a true story, and each chapter heading is a real headline from a newspaper at the time the murders and epidemic were happening. I greatly appreciated the authors attention to detail with this.
Summery
When Gianna was 10, her parents were the victims of the "axman" in the room where they all slept. Only a curtain separated her from the brutality unleashed upon her mom and dad. She has never been able to escape the nightmares. The same dream over and over. Hearing the woodscraping, the footsteps, her parent's screams, mixed with the wet sound of blood. Now, the dreams are changing. Now, in the dream, she holds the axe, and she is the killer, not the victim.
Years later, people are dying again. The murders seem to be eerily similar to the ones from her past. Together with her (boyfriend?) Enzo, another attempted victim of the axeman, they team up to find out what is going on. Is it the same unknown assailant from seven years ago?
My Thoughts
This story takes place in New Orleans in about 1918, during the beginning of the influenza pandemic. The author truly captures the essence of the music scene that flows through the city. Bringing it to life in a very authentic way.
Being that the main characters are teenage Italians, the book is peppered with italian speech and phrases. I had to Google what they were saying more often than was enjoyable. It's easy to get thrown out of the narrative when every few paragraphs there are words I don't understand and don't know whether they are important to the plot. (If you choose to read this book, skip the look up, the words add nothing to the story, and don't need to be understood)
Every time a murder occurs, the police blame it on Italian organized crime. They seem to believe that just because of the victims' nationality , they have to be involved in something underhanded. The blatant racism towards Italians was a tad bit overkill in the story.
This book definitely has a supernatural element to it. Our FMC appears to be linked to the "axeman" through her dreams and a psychic connection when she enters places he has just killed. The way it's written can be jarring. One minute, you're following her as her, and the next, it's still her, but seeing through his eyes and feelings. There is no break in the train of thought. Just one sentence, she is herself and the next not. Often, I had to reread sentences and paragraphs just to figure out what was going on. The premise is neat, but the execution could have used work. It does get easier and become italic the further you get in, and the stronger her connection is. I did like the way the author wrapped up the supernatural element and gave possible reasons for the psychic link.
The use of "voodoo" and psychic readings was interesting, to say the least.🔮 the foretelling of evil and murder all wrapped up in confusion and misdirection. It made me shake my head while still convincing me to read on.
All in all, I found it an adequate read. I might be a little "old" for the book. It was obviously written for a younger demographic, but I believe a younger teen would greatly enjoy it. There are no real triggers to worry about. The writing is simple but engaging. The plot flows fluently with no real editing errors.
** This is based on a true story, and each chapter heading is a real headline from a newspaper at the time the murders and epidemic were happening. I greatly appreciated the authors attention to detail with this.
July 22, 2022
DON'T GO TO SLEEP is a compelling fictional narrative of a long-standing. fascinating, true crime cold case, "the Axeman of New Orleans," the brutal serial killer who terrorized the Italian community of New Orleans and nearby cities in 1918-1919. Much has been written about this reign of terror, but the killer's identity never uncovered.
DON'T GO TO SLEEP examines this time period from the viewpoint of a child survivor, orphaned, who later determines to uncover the truth and enlists her childhood companion to assist. The audio version really vivified the narrative, making it seem to be in real time, not dry History.
DON'T GO TO SLEEP examines this time period from the viewpoint of a child survivor, orphaned, who later determines to uncover the truth and enlists her childhood companion to assist. The audio version really vivified the narrative, making it seem to be in real time, not dry History.
January 29, 2024
Knowing this is a historical event (on some level) definitely helped me enjoy this a bit more. That said, the creative liberties taken by the author were a bit...flat. Trite. Contrived.
The parallels between the influenza epidemic and COVID are interesting. Also, the cultural aspect of immigrant Italians living in New Orleans piqued my curiousity.
Beyond that, while it was a speedy read, I struggled to find myself engaged in the story. The connection between Gianna and The Axeman felt forced and shallow. I think the voodoo/spiritism was honestly the piece that sank it for me. The influenza outbreak also seemed to overshadow The Axeman's role in the story after a while, making the pacing imbalanced. To top it off, Gianna made some dumb, dumb decisions that didn't necessarily fit her internal dialogue. Out of the blue she would do something that conflicted with the conclusion to which I thought she had just arrived.
I'd rate this an R for gore and violence, horror, mild swearing, and mildly adult themes. The Axeman's gore is really what carries this rating. Otherwise it may lean towards a light PG-13.
Original review written 1/8/24.
The parallels between the influenza epidemic and COVID are interesting. Also, the cultural aspect of immigrant Italians living in New Orleans piqued my curiousity.
Beyond that, while it was a speedy read, I struggled to find myself engaged in the story. The connection between Gianna and The Axeman felt forced and shallow. I think the voodoo/spiritism was honestly the piece that sank it for me. The influenza outbreak also seemed to overshadow The Axeman's role in the story after a while, making the pacing imbalanced. To top it off, Gianna made some dumb, dumb decisions that didn't necessarily fit her internal dialogue. Out of the blue she would do something that conflicted with the conclusion to which I thought she had just arrived.
I'd rate this an R for gore and violence, horror, mild swearing, and mildly adult themes. The Axeman's gore is really what carries this rating. Otherwise it may lean towards a light PG-13.
Original review written 1/8/24.
August 1, 2022
Don’t Go To Sleep by Bryce Moore is a compelling psychological thriller about an serial killing axe man targeting Italian American families. Based on true crime, this story takes place in New Orleans during the war and Spanish influenza outbreak.
I was captivated by Moore’s vivid depiction of Gianna’s dreams and could not decipher if the events were real or fantasy. Gianna and her friend Enzo’s family were attacked by the same man and lived to tell their story. On a quest to find the man that harmed her family Gianna relives the night her family was attacked and picks up something that was dropped by the axe man unbeknown by her family. What started out as help from a seer soon turned into a dire warning. Not heeding her warning leads to a brutal life or death situation for Gianna and Enzo.
I enjoyed all the characters and Gianna had a teenager invincibility attitude. The mother and daughter scene towards the end of the book was priceless. A mother always knows. I thought Enzo was a true friend and grounded Gianna. Daniela Acitelli does a wonderful job narrating and giving Gianna a voice. I recommend this book to fans of true crime, mystery and psychological thrillers.
4.5 stars
#NetGalley #DontGoToSleep
Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooksfire and Tantor Audio for providing me with a complementary electronic copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving this review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I was captivated by Moore’s vivid depiction of Gianna’s dreams and could not decipher if the events were real or fantasy. Gianna and her friend Enzo’s family were attacked by the same man and lived to tell their story. On a quest to find the man that harmed her family Gianna relives the night her family was attacked and picks up something that was dropped by the axe man unbeknown by her family. What started out as help from a seer soon turned into a dire warning. Not heeding her warning leads to a brutal life or death situation for Gianna and Enzo.
I enjoyed all the characters and Gianna had a teenager invincibility attitude. The mother and daughter scene towards the end of the book was priceless. A mother always knows. I thought Enzo was a true friend and grounded Gianna. Daniela Acitelli does a wonderful job narrating and giving Gianna a voice. I recommend this book to fans of true crime, mystery and psychological thrillers.
4.5 stars
#NetGalley #DontGoToSleep
Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooksfire and Tantor Audio for providing me with a complementary electronic copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving this review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
August 23, 2024
6.9/10
I have mixed feelings about fictionalized true crime stories, and I'm not entirely sure why I had this book on my shelf, but I figured I'd give it a try. And given that, I did enjoy it more than I expected. It's generally well crafted, handles the crimes generally decently, and has some solid spooky vibes across the book.
The characters are a little boring. The whodunnit was a little predictable. Or at least, I saw it coming. I had some alternate ideas I would have been more interesting to take the story there, but I didn't actually expect that, so it's fine. In general I think the sort of magic system the book used was a bit vague and uninteresting/unexplained, but I assume it's not supposed to be a "magic system" so the author assumed it didn't need establishment the way I feel like it should have been.
But yeah, I enjoyed it overall, and now I'm heading down a research spiral based on some other cases mentioned in the book and in the author's note. Which I do appreciate.
I have mixed feelings about fictionalized true crime stories, and I'm not entirely sure why I had this book on my shelf, but I figured I'd give it a try. And given that, I did enjoy it more than I expected. It's generally well crafted, handles the crimes generally decently, and has some solid spooky vibes across the book.
The characters are a little boring. The whodunnit was a little predictable. Or at least, I saw it coming. I had some alternate ideas I would have been more interesting to take the story there, but I didn't actually expect that, so it's fine. In general I think the sort of magic system the book used was a bit vague and uninteresting/unexplained, but I assume it's not supposed to be a "magic system" so the author assumed it didn't need establishment the way I feel like it should have been.
But yeah, I enjoyed it overall, and now I'm heading down a research spiral based on some other cases mentioned in the book and in the author's note. Which I do appreciate.
April 21, 2024
Content warnings: blood, gore, murder, body horror, death of a parent, pandemic, grief, mentions of war, medical trauma, xenophobia, xenophobic slurs
3.75 stars
I read and loved Moore's last foray into a historical thriller inspired by true events - The Perfect Place to Die - a year or so ago and was hooked from the get-go. So I was THRILLED when I saw that he'd published this one. There's just something so clever about the way he mixes fiction and actual events while remaining sympathetic to the stories of the actual victims.
This one was, perhaps, slightly less compelling than the first for me, if only because I knew little about the case itself. But the combination of murder and the flu pandemic and a slight hint of magic/paranormal worked effectively. I liked the characters, and while there were times when this was a tad slower than I would have liked, I really enjoyed it nonetheless.
3.75 stars
I read and loved Moore's last foray into a historical thriller inspired by true events - The Perfect Place to Die - a year or so ago and was hooked from the get-go. So I was THRILLED when I saw that he'd published this one. There's just something so clever about the way he mixes fiction and actual events while remaining sympathetic to the stories of the actual victims.
This one was, perhaps, slightly less compelling than the first for me, if only because I knew little about the case itself. But the combination of murder and the flu pandemic and a slight hint of magic/paranormal worked effectively. I liked the characters, and while there were times when this was a tad slower than I would have liked, I really enjoyed it nonetheless.
January 5, 2023
Thank you Goodreads for this blurb.
A seventeen-year-old girl goes up against the notorious axe man murderer in 1918 in this suspenseful historical fiction story from the author of The Perfect Place to Die.
Gianna is the average seventeen-year-old girl living in 1918 New Orleans. She worries about her family's store, the great war, and a mysterious illness that's about to take hold of the city she loves.
It doesn't help that there also appears to be a mad man on the loose in her neighborhood. The attacks started as burglaries but soon escalate to cold blooded murder. There's a killer out there, and the police can't seem to figure out how to stop him.
Gianna enlists the help of her friend Enzo to investigate. And as they study the crimes, they see a common link between the victims, and Gianna can't help but wonder if it's the same man who attacked her family years before.
As Gianna gets closer to the killer, she discovers a connection between them that she never would have suspected.
Read more about the author Bryce Moore https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... here!
Daniela Acitelli.
My review
First off. Thank you, Goodreads for the audiobook in exchange of an honest and fair review.
I like the plot. I liked the writing but I have come to the conclusion that this must be a YA book because of the lack of character development etc. in the story. It has a lot of action; it is violent and explicit with the details of the violence at times and that may very well appeal to a young reader group. It is still suitable for young adults and it contains no sexual references but the supernatural and the violence is something I think parents should take note off before purchase. I know at the age of 11 onward this book would have suited me fine. But it will depend on a specific child.
The rest of the story was really good. The final fight was nail-biting and I really enjoyed it.
As for the narrator Daniela Acitelli. Well, her voice is far too old for the main characters age. She reads slow and her voice is clear and professional but it suits the older Italian characters in the book far better than our 17-year-old heroin. Not a bad narrator at all but not suitable for this book.
I could put the book down for a day or two thus not a five-star read for me.
The characters are not well fleshed out, the effort has been put into the action scenes instead which is fine if it is meant as a young adult book. If, however it was aimed at adults and since I am adulty sometimes the book lost another star from me. The audio rendition loses two stars as well, one for the fact that the narrator was inappropriately picked and secondly for the slow speed in which the book was narrated. So, in total a three-star read and not at all a bad book or a bad audiobook to read.
July 16, 2022
I read this ARC via Netgalley Shelf.
Years ago, Gianna's parents were attacked by a murderer known only as the Axman. Luckily, they survived, but Gianna witnessed the event and still keeps a coin she found left by the killer, who was never caught. This summer she's looking forward to going to jazz clubs with her best friend Enzo, until the axe murders begin again. Only now Gianna is having visions similar to the nightmares she had after her parents were attacked - and it seems these visions give her a window into the killer's mind. Can she stop him before he kills again?
As in The Perfect Place to Die, Bryce Moore takes a real life serial killer from history and weaves a story around it. I'm not sure I liked the paranormal aspect of this story, as there was so much else going on: between the Axman murders and the Spanish Influenza and the discrimination toward Italian immigrants, the other historical aspects which could have been just as intriguing, such as World War I and the jazz scene, were shoved to the background. I wasn't really aware that there was a large group of Italian-Americans in New Orleans, so that was interesting, but the more well-known aspects of New Orleans (the Creole culture, voodoo culture, etc) were absent. I think the paranormal aspect was exciting and fun but also made this feel less like factually-based historical fiction. I did enjoy learning about this killer I'd never heard about, and the story was a thrilling, fast read.
Years ago, Gianna's parents were attacked by a murderer known only as the Axman. Luckily, they survived, but Gianna witnessed the event and still keeps a coin she found left by the killer, who was never caught. This summer she's looking forward to going to jazz clubs with her best friend Enzo, until the axe murders begin again. Only now Gianna is having visions similar to the nightmares she had after her parents were attacked - and it seems these visions give her a window into the killer's mind. Can she stop him before he kills again?
As in The Perfect Place to Die, Bryce Moore takes a real life serial killer from history and weaves a story around it. I'm not sure I liked the paranormal aspect of this story, as there was so much else going on: between the Axman murders and the Spanish Influenza and the discrimination toward Italian immigrants, the other historical aspects which could have been just as intriguing, such as World War I and the jazz scene, were shoved to the background. I wasn't really aware that there was a large group of Italian-Americans in New Orleans, so that was interesting, but the more well-known aspects of New Orleans (the Creole culture, voodoo culture, etc) were absent. I think the paranormal aspect was exciting and fun but also made this feel less like factually-based historical fiction. I did enjoy learning about this killer I'd never heard about, and the story was a thrilling, fast read.
February 17, 2026
Didn't love the supernatural elements at all. The Perfect Place to Die was a much stronger fictionalized historical retelling. More gore, more terror, more dread.
July 23, 2022
I did not resenate with the narrator, maybe I need to pick up the physical copy
August 3, 2022
I really liked this!
RTC
Thanks to Tantor Audio for an Advanced Copy of this book!
RTC
Thanks to Tantor Audio for an Advanced Copy of this book!
June 21, 2022
Read the ARC copy from TLA Conference. The real life cases blended so seemlesy into a fictional story that I didn't realize until the end author note how much of the story was based on real cases, and living through the 1918 pandemic resonated so clearly with life the last few years as well. Well written characters, suspense, and twists that will surprise you to the very end.
June 4, 2023
I actually liked this book. I am familiar with the axe murders that took place in New Orleans back in 1918 to 1919. So this was a kinda refreshing read. Meaning something different.
July 24, 2022
Gianna is the average seventeen-year-old girl living in 1918 New Orleans. She worries about her family's store, the great war, and a mysterious illness that's about to take hold of the city she loves. It doesn't help that there also appears to be a mad man on the loose in her neighborhood. The attacks started as burglaries but soon escalate to cold blooded murder. There's a killer out there, and the police can't seem to figure out how to stop him.
Gianna enlists the help of her friend Jake to investigate. And as they study the crimes, they see a common link between the victims, and Gianna can't help but wonder if it's the same man who attacked her family years before. As Gianna gets closer to the killer, she discovers a connection between them that she never would have suspected.
This was a slow burner, but boy did it build up the tension and suspense. A nice blend of the thriller/slasher genre with some supernatural vibes gave this book a unique spin. Also being set in early 20th century New Orleans it was able to deal with issues like a pandemic (so relevant), racism and class as well as themes of loyalty, family, friendship and community.
This book was slow to start off but definitely worth sticking with because Moore’s feisty protagonist Gianna is an amazing character full of tenacity, bravery and courage. I hope he writes another book featuring her soon.
Gianna enlists the help of her friend Jake to investigate. And as they study the crimes, they see a common link between the victims, and Gianna can't help but wonder if it's the same man who attacked her family years before. As Gianna gets closer to the killer, she discovers a connection between them that she never would have suspected.
This was a slow burner, but boy did it build up the tension and suspense. A nice blend of the thriller/slasher genre with some supernatural vibes gave this book a unique spin. Also being set in early 20th century New Orleans it was able to deal with issues like a pandemic (so relevant), racism and class as well as themes of loyalty, family, friendship and community.
This book was slow to start off but definitely worth sticking with because Moore’s feisty protagonist Gianna is an amazing character full of tenacity, bravery and courage. I hope he writes another book featuring her soon.
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