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Silver Falls
Rachel is finally getting it right. After years of wandering, she's married the perfect man and settled into the ideal life. But as her sleepy little town turns into a killing ground, she realizes that this new life might come at too high a price.
Caleb Middleton says he's returned home to set things right. But as her husband's dangerous brother circles like a hungry wolf, poking holes in her perfect world, Rachel draws her young daughter in close. The rain and violence keep coming, and Rachel must decide whether to trust her dream life or her instincts…before the town of Silver Falls becomes her grave.
Caleb Middleton says he's returned home to set things right. But as her husband's dangerous brother circles like a hungry wolf, poking holes in her perfect world, Rachel draws her young daughter in close. The rain and violence keep coming, and Rachel must decide whether to trust her dream life or her instincts…before the town of Silver Falls becomes her grave.
377 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 28, 2009
16 people are currently reading
439 people want to read
About the author
Anne Stuart
204 books2,062 followersAnne Stuart is a grandmaster of the genre, winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, survivor of more than thirty-five years in the romance business, and still just keeps getting better.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
April 24, 2009
Right off the bat I'm going to say it--not everyone is going to like this book, even if you're a fan of romantic suspense. Anne Stuart has such a unique take on romance...let's just say she's not for everyone. Her heroes are NOT your typical romance heroes--at times they can be downright nasty! They don't always do the typical romance hero thing, either. I mean in this book, at one point the hero actually leaves the heroine to die. Not your typical action for a hero. It's true that the heroine tells him to leave her (in order to save her daughter), but jeez...I was expecting something more heroic, or more romantic, like "No, I'm not leaving you to die!"
So, even with all that, I've got to admit I enjoyed this book. I didn't like everything about it (the heroine got on my nerves, big time), but I found it strangely compelling. The book is about a serial killer from the Pacific Northwest (a la Ted Bundy) who preys on young, slim blondes. Almost immediately Stuart tells you who he is, so there's no suspense there. The suspense is will his recent bride figure out that she's married to a psychopath before he preys on her young, 13 year old blonde daughter. And will she use her head and listen to the clues her bad-boy brother-in-law, who recently returned home to try to put a stop to the killings, is trying to tell her? The answer to that would be a big fat spoiler.
To tell any more would reveal the whole plot and some big spoilers, so I'll have to tread lightly. I will say that the heroine's reasons for marrying this guy in the first place were just plain stupid--I never thought that she loved him and she certainly didn't need him, at least for the reasons that she had convinced herself. She was probably the worst judge of character that I've read about in quite a while. Her own 13 yr. old was more savvy than her.
I did like the sexy bad boy hero, Caleb. He had some typical Anne Stuart bad boy dialogue and actions, which in turn infuriated Rachel, the heroine, and turned her on. But because he had a bit of a chip on his shoulder and an intense sibling rivalry with his brother David that went on for years, I wasn't quite sure if his reasons for wanting Rachel were because he genuinely liked her, or because she was David's wife. I'm not sure if I was entirely convinced that he was falling for her. They had some sexual tension, which led to one pretty smokin' hot sex scene, but that was about it in the romance department. This book was almost entirely about the suspense.
There were a few things in this book that kind of irked me--and one in particular. The author kept referring to Rachel as a big, sturdy girl, taller than her husband and almost Amazonian. Rachel, who was fond of the "f' word, didn't seem delicate at all; the author described her as stomping around, and being quite loud. I figured she was around 5'9" and kind of hefty. So at one point Caleb carries her to the bed, and it's mentioned that she weighs about 130 lbs. I don't know about you, but 5'9", 130 lbs. sounds far from Amazonian to me!
There were some funny moments too, especially when Rachel described her husband's orderly life and his eating habits (he was a vegetarian) and her own cravings for an In-n-Out burger. Also, Rachel and her daughter Sophie's feelings about her husband's blowhard father were kind of amusing. Rachel's character was often described as impulsive, and she must have been to marry this guy who was so totally wrong for her. I couldn't believe that she put up with the things that he made her do, and for that reason alone I had a hard time respecting her. Plus she was just totally clueless when it came to judging people.
So why did I like it? Pure and simple--it entertained me. Could it have been better? Yes, I think the idea to reveal the killer's identity so early in the book was a bad idea. If Stuart was trying to be different then she certainly accomplished that. I did enjoy reading about the mind of a serial killer. There were some unique plot twists, and the book was definitely suspenseful, so I'll give her high marks for that. The romantic scenes were few, but hot, but didn't quite convince me that the H/H were in love. But I've come across that in a few of Stuart's other books, so it didn't surprise me. That's just how she writes romance.
This wasn't the best romantic suspense I've ever read, or even the best I've read from Stuart, but it did entertain me and I enjoyed it enough to recommend it to her fans. Fans of typical romance may have a hard time with it, but if you're looking for something different, and you can get past the frustrating heroine, you may enjoy it. 4 stars.
So, even with all that, I've got to admit I enjoyed this book. I didn't like everything about it (the heroine got on my nerves, big time), but I found it strangely compelling. The book is about a serial killer from the Pacific Northwest (a la Ted Bundy) who preys on young, slim blondes. Almost immediately Stuart tells you who he is, so there's no suspense there. The suspense is will his recent bride figure out that she's married to a psychopath before he preys on her young, 13 year old blonde daughter. And will she use her head and listen to the clues her bad-boy brother-in-law, who recently returned home to try to put a stop to the killings, is trying to tell her? The answer to that would be a big fat spoiler.
To tell any more would reveal the whole plot and some big spoilers, so I'll have to tread lightly. I will say that the heroine's reasons for marrying this guy in the first place were just plain stupid--I never thought that she loved him and she certainly didn't need him, at least for the reasons that she had convinced herself. She was probably the worst judge of character that I've read about in quite a while. Her own 13 yr. old was more savvy than her.
I did like the sexy bad boy hero, Caleb. He had some typical Anne Stuart bad boy dialogue and actions, which in turn infuriated Rachel, the heroine, and turned her on. But because he had a bit of a chip on his shoulder and an intense sibling rivalry with his brother David that went on for years, I wasn't quite sure if his reasons for wanting Rachel were because he genuinely liked her, or because she was David's wife. I'm not sure if I was entirely convinced that he was falling for her. They had some sexual tension, which led to one pretty smokin' hot sex scene, but that was about it in the romance department. This book was almost entirely about the suspense.
There were a few things in this book that kind of irked me--and one in particular. The author kept referring to Rachel as a big, sturdy girl, taller than her husband and almost Amazonian. Rachel, who was fond of the "f' word, didn't seem delicate at all; the author described her as stomping around, and being quite loud. I figured she was around 5'9" and kind of hefty. So at one point Caleb carries her to the bed, and it's mentioned that she weighs about 130 lbs. I don't know about you, but 5'9", 130 lbs. sounds far from Amazonian to me!
There were some funny moments too, especially when Rachel described her husband's orderly life and his eating habits (he was a vegetarian) and her own cravings for an In-n-Out burger. Also, Rachel and her daughter Sophie's feelings about her husband's blowhard father were kind of amusing. Rachel's character was often described as impulsive, and she must have been to marry this guy who was so totally wrong for her. I couldn't believe that she put up with the things that he made her do, and for that reason alone I had a hard time respecting her. Plus she was just totally clueless when it came to judging people.
So why did I like it? Pure and simple--it entertained me. Could it have been better? Yes, I think the idea to reveal the killer's identity so early in the book was a bad idea. If Stuart was trying to be different then she certainly accomplished that. I did enjoy reading about the mind of a serial killer. There were some unique plot twists, and the book was definitely suspenseful, so I'll give her high marks for that. The romantic scenes were few, but hot, but didn't quite convince me that the H/H were in love. But I've come across that in a few of Stuart's other books, so it didn't surprise me. That's just how she writes romance.
This wasn't the best romantic suspense I've ever read, or even the best I've read from Stuart, but it did entertain me and I enjoyed it enough to recommend it to her fans. Fans of typical romance may have a hard time with it, but if you're looking for something different, and you can get past the frustrating heroine, you may enjoy it. 4 stars.
October 1, 2009
4 stars – Romantic Suspense
If ever there was a heroine worthy of winning an award for being the most clueless, oblivious, in denial, stupid, and choke worthy female, Rachel from Silver Falls would definitely be top in the running. Good lord, but the woman’s idiocy drove me absolutely ‘throw the book across the room’ flippin’ nuts.
Oh yeah, and throw in an uber creeptastic, psycho serial killer villain who strangles then rapes his victims post mortem and a classic Stuart gamma anti-hero for the romantic lead, and you get this totally dark, eerie suspense thriller. But it actually works, mainly due to Anne Stuart’s crafty writing and because despite some imperfections, it’s still a gripping and entertaining read. 4 stars.
If ever there was a heroine worthy of winning an award for being the most clueless, oblivious, in denial, stupid, and choke worthy female, Rachel from Silver Falls would definitely be top in the running. Good lord, but the woman’s idiocy drove me absolutely ‘throw the book across the room’ flippin’ nuts.
Oh yeah, and throw in an uber creeptastic, psycho serial killer villain who strangles then rapes his victims post mortem and a classic Stuart gamma anti-hero for the romantic lead, and you get this totally dark, eerie suspense thriller. But it actually works, mainly due to Anne Stuart’s crafty writing and because despite some imperfections, it’s still a gripping and entertaining read. 4 stars.
September 23, 2009
The first chapter of this book details a young woman meeting up with a man she thinks is her lover and she ends up being strangled, raped, and thrown over a waterfall.
Rachel is a free spirit that roams the globe with her daughter, Sophie. They are supported by Rachel’s photography. Now that Sophie is thirteen, Rachel is starting to feel she needs to give her more stability. She ends up meeting a man she thinks will provide this kind of stability for herself and her daughter and quickly marries him. She never consults Sophie on the matters of settling down and marrying this virtual stranger. New husband David appears to be a mild mannered professor, and the perfect husband. However after a few months, Rachel begins to feel restless and unhappy with her decision, but she tries to push the thoughts away. The reader immediately gets a feeling that David is a controlling jerk, but she doesn’t see it that way quite yet. Sophie does not really like David. Sophie doesn’t know what it is exactly that is off about him, but she feels compelled to sleep with her bedroom door locked at night.
One night, at David’s father’s home, his black sheep brother, Caleb, returns to town after a long absence. He is the virtual opposite of David. Tall, rugged, dangerously handsome. However, there is tension immediately between the brothers. Rachel is attracted to Caleb right away but is angry at her self for even having that feeling. There is a lifelong rivalry between the brothers. This same night, the sheriff shows up and tells them there has been a murder. The sheriff suspects one of the brothers is the killer.
We begin to learn there is a serial killer in the area, which may have murdered women all over the country. Did Rachel marry a serial killer while trying to give her daughter a better life? Is bad boy Caleb the murderer?
This book moves along a very quick pace. I enjoyed Alpha Caleb, and the way he gets under Rachel’s skin. He can be a bit a brute, but then Rachel was sometimes annoying. One gripe I have about the book is that Rachel is constantly referred to as being “an Amazon”, “heavy footed”, “large”, “curvy”. Later in the book we learn she is 130 pounds and nearly 6 feet tall. I was totally appalled at this! Those proportions on a woman would be quite slim!
Other than that small issue, I highly recommend this book. I would not really call it a suspense thriller. The killer is known early on. It is more about how long it will take Rachel to figure it out. I want to warn that the killer rapes his victims post mortem. It is not extremely detailed, but if that makes you squeamish—just a heads up.
Rachel is a free spirit that roams the globe with her daughter, Sophie. They are supported by Rachel’s photography. Now that Sophie is thirteen, Rachel is starting to feel she needs to give her more stability. She ends up meeting a man she thinks will provide this kind of stability for herself and her daughter and quickly marries him. She never consults Sophie on the matters of settling down and marrying this virtual stranger. New husband David appears to be a mild mannered professor, and the perfect husband. However after a few months, Rachel begins to feel restless and unhappy with her decision, but she tries to push the thoughts away. The reader immediately gets a feeling that David is a controlling jerk, but she doesn’t see it that way quite yet. Sophie does not really like David. Sophie doesn’t know what it is exactly that is off about him, but she feels compelled to sleep with her bedroom door locked at night.
One night, at David’s father’s home, his black sheep brother, Caleb, returns to town after a long absence. He is the virtual opposite of David. Tall, rugged, dangerously handsome. However, there is tension immediately between the brothers. Rachel is attracted to Caleb right away but is angry at her self for even having that feeling. There is a lifelong rivalry between the brothers. This same night, the sheriff shows up and tells them there has been a murder. The sheriff suspects one of the brothers is the killer.
We begin to learn there is a serial killer in the area, which may have murdered women all over the country. Did Rachel marry a serial killer while trying to give her daughter a better life? Is bad boy Caleb the murderer?
This book moves along a very quick pace. I enjoyed Alpha Caleb, and the way he gets under Rachel’s skin. He can be a bit a brute, but then Rachel was sometimes annoying. One gripe I have about the book is that Rachel is constantly referred to as being “an Amazon”, “heavy footed”, “large”, “curvy”. Later in the book we learn she is 130 pounds and nearly 6 feet tall. I was totally appalled at this! Those proportions on a woman would be quite slim!
Other than that small issue, I highly recommend this book. I would not really call it a suspense thriller. The killer is known early on. It is more about how long it will take Rachel to figure it out. I want to warn that the killer rapes his victims post mortem. It is not extremely detailed, but if that makes you squeamish—just a heads up.
October 11, 2024
This is a re-release of a prior published work. Anne Stuart's heroes and heroines have always been not your typical RS types. That is so true in this book. I've been hit or miss with her work and that is probably a good reason why. I tend to like my H/h more on the stereotypical end of the spectrum. Everyone around the heroine is engaged in psychological warfare and all she wants is the safe sanctuary she thought she was getting when she married and moved the Silver Falls. I did like that aspect of this book, but didn't care for a heroine who jumped first and took her daughter with her into a nightmare of a situation.
Rachel has raised her daughter, Sophie, by herself and their home has been wherever they happened to be in the world. As a professional photographer she has taken a job in San Francisco to give her teen daughter some stability. When Sophie's best friend is brutally murdered all Rachel wants to do is escape to somewhere safe. She meets a man who offers all that and after a month, she marries him and moves to Silver Falls, Washington, a small college town. Unfortunately, David is not the safe harbor Rachel was looking for. There are problems and they are just not a good match. When Rachel meets the black sheep brother, Caleb, there is an instant attraction which Rachel tries to fight.
On the heels of the return of the prodigal Caleb, another young woman is found brutally murdered and tossed over the falls. Rachel is even more unsure of the decisions she has made, but unwilling to do anything about it. Her desire that Sophie have a normal life may just get them both killed.
3 1/2-Stars
My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
Rachel has raised her daughter, Sophie, by herself and their home has been wherever they happened to be in the world. As a professional photographer she has taken a job in San Francisco to give her teen daughter some stability. When Sophie's best friend is brutally murdered all Rachel wants to do is escape to somewhere safe. She meets a man who offers all that and after a month, she marries him and moves to Silver Falls, Washington, a small college town. Unfortunately, David is not the safe harbor Rachel was looking for. There are problems and they are just not a good match. When Rachel meets the black sheep brother, Caleb, there is an instant attraction which Rachel tries to fight.
On the heels of the return of the prodigal Caleb, another young woman is found brutally murdered and tossed over the falls. Rachel is even more unsure of the decisions she has made, but unwilling to do anything about it. Her desire that Sophie have a normal life may just get them both killed.
3 1/2-Stars
My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
August 11, 2014
I liked Silver Falls. There were certain elements that some readers may not like but to me the story worked. There is no real mystery because the author lets the reader know what is going on pretty much from the beginning. Still the story moved at a good pace and kept me reading to the end.
June 14, 2010
Thank God I got this from the library and didn't actually pay for it. Quite a disappointment for me. The premise was good, but I have no idea what happened to the author when she went to write it. It's a muddled up mess. It's like a Tami Hoag novel for people who don't like character development, violence or sex.
The heroine is TSTL in a BIG way - I can accept stupid people, but they have to still be believable in their stupidity. This one was not. The hero had huge potential but the author doesn't give us anything to work with. Barely any background or description. No real lead-in to the "need" he has to be with the TSTL heroine. We're just supposed to accept that it is so. Sorry, I don't like being told what to do.
There is no whodunnit - she tells us in the first chapter. The rest of the book seems to be about how everyone knows except the heroine and I can't believe she can't figure it out. The hero won't tell his story to clear things up but the author doesn't tell us why.
Ugh. I should stop -- reviews are supposed to be positive, right? To be fair, others have loved this book so maybe it's just me.
The heroine is TSTL in a BIG way - I can accept stupid people, but they have to still be believable in their stupidity. This one was not. The hero had huge potential but the author doesn't give us anything to work with. Barely any background or description. No real lead-in to the "need" he has to be with the TSTL heroine. We're just supposed to accept that it is so. Sorry, I don't like being told what to do.
There is no whodunnit - she tells us in the first chapter. The rest of the book seems to be about how everyone knows except the heroine and I can't believe she can't figure it out. The hero won't tell his story to clear things up but the author doesn't tell us why.
Ugh. I should stop -- reviews are supposed to be positive, right? To be fair, others have loved this book so maybe it's just me.
January 6, 2011
I found it hard to believe that this is the same author who wrote the wonderful romantic suspense novel Black Ice. The heroine is one of the hands down dumbest I have ever come across. She could be outwitted by a thirteen year old. Maybe mature ten year olds.
August 13, 2014
Silver Falls by Anne Stuart is one of those novels by her that I have tried to steer clear of because of the bad reviews this one has received. Even fans of Anne Stuart seems to have one reason or the other for giving this a bad rating which made me reluctant to pick this up for a read because I didn’t want to ruin the fascination that I harbor for Anne Stuart as an author. Perhaps I should have trusted a bit more in an author, even whose novels that can be classified as “mediocre” have wooed me more than any other author in the romance genre. From the moment I picked this up to read till I was done and beyond, I couldn’t help but wonder why most readers found this read to be so lackluster.
Based in Silver Falls of Washington where its always gloomy and always rains, Silver Falls tells the story of a creepy serial killer and the heroine Rachel Chapman Middleton and her daughter who gets caught in the web of deceit that the killer weaves so thoroughly. Up till four months prior to the start of the story, Rachel had brought up her daughter Sophie all by herself, having led a nomadic existence, traveling all over the world which had seemed to suite them both. Tragedy sends Rachel into the arms of David Middleton, who materializes at just the right time and woos Rachel into believing that its time that she settle down somewhere in order to give Sophie a more stable home.
When the murder of a young girl sends fear rolling through Silver Falls, along with it comes home the black sheep of the Middleton family; Caleb Middleton. A war correspondent who has traveled extensively around the world, Caleb comes home to put the demons that have haunted him to rest once and for all. The truth that has been staring him in his face for more than half of his life, a truth that he had been unable to get on board with and come to terms with, Caleb realizes that he has already left it to chance for far too long.
The minute Caleb crosses paths with Rachel, his brother’s wife, sparks fly between the two. Rachel doesn’t want to care overly much about how Caleb makes every cell in her come alive with his presence, nor does she want to acknowledge the fiery attraction that simmers and makes her want Caleb and no one but him. Caleb’s intentions aren’t that clear to Rachel who suspects him of being the one behind that vague sense of discomfiture and feeling of being unknowingly hunted that had been the norm ever since Rachel had moved to Silver Falls. And when the inevitable happens, there is no going back for Rachel who would do anything to keep her daughter safe.
Silver Falls is a tad different from most of Anne Stuart’s romantic suspense novels. From the beginning of the story, readers know who the killer is. Didn’t make an iota of a difference where the creepy factor was concerned as Anne Stuart managed to reel the me in with that hypnotic talent of hers that only she is capable of weaving. The town itself and the killer whose seemingly normal facade that fools Rachel into believing otherwise sent chills up and down my spine and I enjoyed the thrill that aspect of the story gave me.
One factor that seems to have not worked for most readers turned out to be Rachel. She was too stubborn and TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) in a lot of readers’ opinions. But I think Rachel fit into the mould of a typical Anne Stuart heroine. They tend to be pretty stubborn, independent and refuse to give into the hero’s demands until there is no fight left in them. And I think Rachel being a wife together with the fact that she thought she was doing what was best for her daughter played a huge role in her reluctance to face the truth which was glaringly obvious to everyone but her.
I loved Sophie. It would be hard for anyone to find fault with someone who is as intelligent, sweet and the perfect daughter for someone like Rachel. Sophie is wise beyond her years; there is a grace and poise to her character that is charming in itself. Caleb of course turned out to be sexy and just the right amount of “bad boy” in my opinion. Caleb might think he is just using Rachel to further his agenda, but as it turns out he is way more smitten and drawn into Rachel than he would like to admit. Caleb is a bit more toned down than the usual variety of Anne Stuart heroes. Nevertheless he appealed to my senses just the same.
Recommended for fans of Anne Stuart.
For more reviews & quotes, visit www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
Based in Silver Falls of Washington where its always gloomy and always rains, Silver Falls tells the story of a creepy serial killer and the heroine Rachel Chapman Middleton and her daughter who gets caught in the web of deceit that the killer weaves so thoroughly. Up till four months prior to the start of the story, Rachel had brought up her daughter Sophie all by herself, having led a nomadic existence, traveling all over the world which had seemed to suite them both. Tragedy sends Rachel into the arms of David Middleton, who materializes at just the right time and woos Rachel into believing that its time that she settle down somewhere in order to give Sophie a more stable home.
When the murder of a young girl sends fear rolling through Silver Falls, along with it comes home the black sheep of the Middleton family; Caleb Middleton. A war correspondent who has traveled extensively around the world, Caleb comes home to put the demons that have haunted him to rest once and for all. The truth that has been staring him in his face for more than half of his life, a truth that he had been unable to get on board with and come to terms with, Caleb realizes that he has already left it to chance for far too long.
The minute Caleb crosses paths with Rachel, his brother’s wife, sparks fly between the two. Rachel doesn’t want to care overly much about how Caleb makes every cell in her come alive with his presence, nor does she want to acknowledge the fiery attraction that simmers and makes her want Caleb and no one but him. Caleb’s intentions aren’t that clear to Rachel who suspects him of being the one behind that vague sense of discomfiture and feeling of being unknowingly hunted that had been the norm ever since Rachel had moved to Silver Falls. And when the inevitable happens, there is no going back for Rachel who would do anything to keep her daughter safe.
Silver Falls is a tad different from most of Anne Stuart’s romantic suspense novels. From the beginning of the story, readers know who the killer is. Didn’t make an iota of a difference where the creepy factor was concerned as Anne Stuart managed to reel the me in with that hypnotic talent of hers that only she is capable of weaving. The town itself and the killer whose seemingly normal facade that fools Rachel into believing otherwise sent chills up and down my spine and I enjoyed the thrill that aspect of the story gave me.
One factor that seems to have not worked for most readers turned out to be Rachel. She was too stubborn and TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) in a lot of readers’ opinions. But I think Rachel fit into the mould of a typical Anne Stuart heroine. They tend to be pretty stubborn, independent and refuse to give into the hero’s demands until there is no fight left in them. And I think Rachel being a wife together with the fact that she thought she was doing what was best for her daughter played a huge role in her reluctance to face the truth which was glaringly obvious to everyone but her.
I loved Sophie. It would be hard for anyone to find fault with someone who is as intelligent, sweet and the perfect daughter for someone like Rachel. Sophie is wise beyond her years; there is a grace and poise to her character that is charming in itself. Caleb of course turned out to be sexy and just the right amount of “bad boy” in my opinion. Caleb might think he is just using Rachel to further his agenda, but as it turns out he is way more smitten and drawn into Rachel than he would like to admit. Caleb is a bit more toned down than the usual variety of Anne Stuart heroes. Nevertheless he appealed to my senses just the same.
Recommended for fans of Anne Stuart.
For more reviews & quotes, visit www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
May 9, 2012
(2009) 2.5* **SPOILERS!!** I have read many Anne Stuart books, and have liked them all. This, however, was a mess! You have a heroine who was kicked out of her family for having a baby at 17 - she managed to make a life all over the world for the two of them, raising her daughter in her strong, independent footsteps - but all of a sudden she's a complete idiot doormat? She doesn't get that her daughter is uncomfortable around her new hubby? Daughter is so smart but honestly thinks mom is "madly in love" w/new hubby - yet as we read we never see any sign of happiness between them, so where did daughter get this idea? Police chief suspects hubby of being serial rapsit/murderer, but does nothing about it? Wife tries to convince herself she is happy, even though she's disgusted with her husband's way of eating, the fact that they have NO sex life, his overall weird, controlling, passive-agressive personality, and feels the need to hide all her thoughts, feelings, even her favorite clothing, from this controlling psychopath? Yet she is thinking of letting him adopt her 13 year old daughter? B-I-L shows up and...boom! She's hot for him, vice versa, and at the end, although they've really spent no time together at all, they are in love, and daughter is on board with the whole thing, no residue anxiety about the fact that her former best friend was killed by step dad (who was basically stalking daughter as well), leaving new bff, getting new step dad, and off to New Zealand?? Arggggg! I could not believe this was Anne Stuart! Where were the intriguing characters w/backstories, fast moving but believable plot, etc.? I would not recommend this to anyone!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2019
Most of the rating is due to personal nit: I loath stupidity and this heroine was the perfect example of a TSTL woman and not because of her marriage to a killer. She was overall stupid in every sense. And a pushover for most of the book.
But I honestly think this isn't such a good RS, you know from the start he is a serial killer and being a romance there is no doubt of the end. So that didn't leave much else to focus on. Except the weather I guess. As I wasn't invested in the heroine and I knew who was the real bad guy it wasn't a pleasant read as everything underlined what I didn't like in her. The choice of the murderer Pov killed the book for the above reason, unless you really like her and get in her shoes.
The instalove didn't help too.
But I honestly think this isn't such a good RS, you know from the start he is a serial killer and being a romance there is no doubt of the end. So that didn't leave much else to focus on. Except the weather I guess. As I wasn't invested in the heroine and I knew who was the real bad guy it wasn't a pleasant read as everything underlined what I didn't like in her. The choice of the murderer Pov killed the book for the above reason, unless you really like her and get in her shoes.
The instalove didn't help too.
May 23, 2020
A true thriller. Very well written and crafted. The characters were fantastic. The romance could have been stronger; it didn't really hit properly until the last 40 or so pages, but it also wasn't the focus of the story. There were also elements of it that I personally didn't like. Overall, it's a great story, and I'd quite like to read more of Anne Stuart's stories.
January 15, 2026
Full review to come, but I didn't think Rachel was TSTL. Anne Stuart wrote a bit more nuanced book than I think a lot gave her credit for.
April 30, 2020
Un bon suspense
J ai bcp apprécié les deux opposés de ce triangle et l histoire familiale complexe
Tres prenant
J ai bcp apprécié les deux opposés de ce triangle et l histoire familiale complexe
Tres prenant
February 4, 2013
I am a huge fan of Anne Stuart and I was so disappointed in this book, which I reread hoping I would find something new that would make me maybe like it a bit more. But no, it did not!!!!
It wasn't so much that we know right from the beginning who the villainous serial killer is but the fact the heroine, Rachel has to be one of the most stupidest women ever!!!!!!!! A world traveler who is suppose to be independent, strong and adventurous and spends the whole time in total bliss…..everyone knows that her bland and boring husband is the killer except her!!!! You figure that out!!!!!!!!!
And Caleb, the dark and good and sexy brother to the killer….I wanted to get so much more about him….but instead there’s so little about him except that he’s the good guy who wants his brother’s wife!!!!!! I wanted more hotness, more sexiness but each scene between Rachel & Caleb just fell flat for me……because I had these thoughts in my head………”come on Rachel, wake up!!! Get real!!!”
Thank heavens for her daughter Sophie, who was the one character I really liked and despite the initial dislike for Caleb & David’s (yes the said serial killer husband of Rachel) father, I kind of warmed up to him in the end…….at least he gave us readers a bit of a surprise……..you’re gonna have to read to the book to find out what it was!!!!!!!!!!!
So, whilst not being an awful or horrible book, it’s certainly not one of this author’s amazing books….and I have to be honest and say that I didn’t exactly hate it……..I did learn a bit about the Northwest “liquid” sunshine!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It wasn't so much that we know right from the beginning who the villainous serial killer is but the fact the heroine, Rachel has to be one of the most stupidest women ever!!!!!!!! A world traveler who is suppose to be independent, strong and adventurous and spends the whole time in total bliss…..everyone knows that her bland and boring husband is the killer except her!!!! You figure that out!!!!!!!!!
And Caleb, the dark and good and sexy brother to the killer….I wanted to get so much more about him….but instead there’s so little about him except that he’s the good guy who wants his brother’s wife!!!!!! I wanted more hotness, more sexiness but each scene between Rachel & Caleb just fell flat for me……because I had these thoughts in my head………”come on Rachel, wake up!!! Get real!!!”
Thank heavens for her daughter Sophie, who was the one character I really liked and despite the initial dislike for Caleb & David’s (yes the said serial killer husband of Rachel) father, I kind of warmed up to him in the end…….at least he gave us readers a bit of a surprise……..you’re gonna have to read to the book to find out what it was!!!!!!!!!!!
So, whilst not being an awful or horrible book, it’s certainly not one of this author’s amazing books….and I have to be honest and say that I didn’t exactly hate it……..I did learn a bit about the Northwest “liquid” sunshine!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 20, 2010
I am an Anne Stuart "groupie". I read a few of her earlier books...loved them....and went on to purchase her entire backlist. I've been slowly and surely been working my way through all her earlier books. When I saw that she just came out with Silver Falls, I decided to fast forward to her newest work of fiction. I should have stayed in the past!!!!!!!
This just isn't that great of a book.....(shocking coming from a reviewer who at worst gives Stuart 4 star reviews). There is very little suspense, and David is just downright creepy. Rachel is a character I never connected to. She seemed a little "to stupid to live" and claimed to want what was best for her daughter while making all the wrong decisions. Her language is vulgar, and her "tough girl" act just didn't work for me at all.
Caleb is another one of Stuart's bad boys, and I have to admit that I liked him...but I like all of Stuart's heroes. His arrival to the plot is this book's only redeeming quality, but I did question why he was into Rachel....was it because she was David's wife or in spite of the fact?... I just don't know.
I'd skip this one....or check it out from the library if you must read it. Early Stuart books like Nightfall, Ritual Sins, and Lord of Danger made me a fan for life. Luckily Silver Falls wasn't my first Stuart book because I would've missed the brilliance of this author's breath of talent.
This just isn't that great of a book.....(shocking coming from a reviewer who at worst gives Stuart 4 star reviews). There is very little suspense, and David is just downright creepy. Rachel is a character I never connected to. She seemed a little "to stupid to live" and claimed to want what was best for her daughter while making all the wrong decisions. Her language is vulgar, and her "tough girl" act just didn't work for me at all.
Caleb is another one of Stuart's bad boys, and I have to admit that I liked him...but I like all of Stuart's heroes. His arrival to the plot is this book's only redeeming quality, but I did question why he was into Rachel....was it because she was David's wife or in spite of the fact?... I just don't know.
I'd skip this one....or check it out from the library if you must read it. Early Stuart books like Nightfall, Ritual Sins, and Lord of Danger made me a fan for life. Luckily Silver Falls wasn't my first Stuart book because I would've missed the brilliance of this author's breath of talent.
January 20, 2010
This book was ok. My biggest complaint is that I found the main character, Rachel, to be very weak. Through most of the book we follow her around listening to her miss the sunshine, try to conform to a controlling husband, and have EVERYONE tell her to keep an eye on her daughter and not trust ANYONE. Blah, blah, blah. The sex scene walked a fine line between reluctance and rape to begin with… I don’t know which partner in that scene pissed me off more; him for continuing to push sex on a woman that was saying “no” with every word that came out of her moth, or her for saying “no” while pulling him closer. Luckily, by the time the big event took place they were on the same page. I guess the verdict is – not rape – just a pushy man hooking up with a weak woman.
Overall, I wasn’t very impressed and will not be seeking out other books by the author.
Overall, I wasn’t very impressed and will not be seeking out other books by the author.
May 9, 2010
I was very disappointed by this book, this author can and has done so much better, this book was just dreadful. She exposed the bad guy right away and then pitted the brothers against each other with the wife in the middle. And the wife, Rachel, OMG, she is one of the worst, stupid, put your head in the sand heroines I have encountered! I wanted to reach in the book and thump her head like a melon hoping that would make her get a clue. The only somewhat interesting person in the book was the kid, Sophie, who unlike her mother did actually have a clue with what was going on. So why did I keep reading, I ask myself that now, knowing how much I love this authors other books I kept hoping that this one would get better, sadly it didn't. Take my advice, if you are a Anne Stuart fan skip this one!
February 16, 2011
This book was okay, but it was definitely not of the caliber of Anne Stuart's older titles. While there was the 'dark' hero, he wasn't as dark as others that Ms Stuart has written.
Also, there wasn't the element of 'could it possibly have been the hero who did the bad deeds' to the story. At least there wasn't to me. There was just too much 'creepy' behavior from Richard and the father.
The heroine, Rachel, kind of annoyed me. She made poor decisions in the name of 'doing the best thing for her daughter' and talked herself out of seeing the truth many times. I couldn't believe that, after realizing what was really happening, she turned around and 'believed' that it was the hero doing the murders.
I didn't completely want to throw the book against the wall, but it is definitely not a keeper/re-read for me.
Also, there wasn't the element of 'could it possibly have been the hero who did the bad deeds' to the story. At least there wasn't to me. There was just too much 'creepy' behavior from Richard and the father.
The heroine, Rachel, kind of annoyed me. She made poor decisions in the name of 'doing the best thing for her daughter' and talked herself out of seeing the truth many times. I couldn't believe that, after realizing what was really happening, she turned around and 'believed' that it was the hero doing the murders.
I didn't completely want to throw the book against the wall, but it is definitely not a keeper/re-read for me.
May 18, 2009
The more of Anne Stuart's books that I read the more I realize I really only love her ICE series. The rest of her books are okay but there's just something about her ICE series that's better than her standalones.
This particular book is more of a suspense than a romance. You know within the first couple of pages who the killer is. The main character doesn't until almost the end of the book. I guess I like my books to be romance with a splash of suspense not a suspense with a splash of romance.
This particular book is more of a suspense than a romance. You know within the first couple of pages who the killer is. The main character doesn't until almost the end of the book. I guess I like my books to be romance with a splash of suspense not a suspense with a splash of romance.
December 28, 2013
Not for me.
October 11, 2024
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
Anne Stuart’s “Silver Falls” is a chilling psychological thriller that masterfully blends suspense, mystery, and a touch of romance. Set in the perpetually gloomy town of Silver Falls, Washington, this novel explores the dark secrets lurking beneath the surface of a seemingly perfect life.
The story follows Rachel Chapman Middleton, who has finally found stability after years of wandering. She’s married the seemingly perfect man, Caleb Middleton, and settled into an idyllic life with her daughter. However, the tranquility of Silver Falls is shattered when the town becomes the hunting ground for a serial killer. As Rachel delves deeper into the mystery, she questions everything she thought she knew about her husband.
Stuart excels at creating complex, multi-dimensional characters. Rachel is a relatable protagonist whose journey from contentment to suspicion is both compelling and believable. Her daughter adds an emotional depth to the story, highlighting Rachel’s vulnerability and strength. Caleb Middleton is an enigmatic figure whose intentions remain shrouded in mystery, keeping readers guessing.
Stuart’s writing is atmospheric and evocative, perfectly capturing the eerie, rain-soaked setting of Silver Falls. The pacing is expertly managed, with tension building steadily as the plot unfolds.
“Silver Falls” explores themes of trust, deception, and the hidden darkness within people. The novel delves into the psychological impact of living with secrets and the lengths to which individuals will go to protect their facades.
“Silver Falls” is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Anne Stuart has crafted a story that is emotionally resonant and suspenseful, with well-developed characters and a plot full of twists and turns.
Whether you’re a fan of psychological thrillers or just looking for a book, “Silver Falls” is a must-read.
Anne Stuart’s “Silver Falls” is a chilling psychological thriller that masterfully blends suspense, mystery, and a touch of romance. Set in the perpetually gloomy town of Silver Falls, Washington, this novel explores the dark secrets lurking beneath the surface of a seemingly perfect life.
The story follows Rachel Chapman Middleton, who has finally found stability after years of wandering. She’s married the seemingly perfect man, Caleb Middleton, and settled into an idyllic life with her daughter. However, the tranquility of Silver Falls is shattered when the town becomes the hunting ground for a serial killer. As Rachel delves deeper into the mystery, she questions everything she thought she knew about her husband.
Stuart excels at creating complex, multi-dimensional characters. Rachel is a relatable protagonist whose journey from contentment to suspicion is both compelling and believable. Her daughter adds an emotional depth to the story, highlighting Rachel’s vulnerability and strength. Caleb Middleton is an enigmatic figure whose intentions remain shrouded in mystery, keeping readers guessing.
Stuart’s writing is atmospheric and evocative, perfectly capturing the eerie, rain-soaked setting of Silver Falls. The pacing is expertly managed, with tension building steadily as the plot unfolds.
“Silver Falls” explores themes of trust, deception, and the hidden darkness within people. The novel delves into the psychological impact of living with secrets and the lengths to which individuals will go to protect their facades.
“Silver Falls” is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Anne Stuart has crafted a story that is emotionally resonant and suspenseful, with well-developed characters and a plot full of twists and turns.
Whether you’re a fan of psychological thrillers or just looking for a book, “Silver Falls” is a must-read.
September 7, 2024
Rachel got pregnant when she was a teenager. Her parents kicked her out. The father left as soon as he found out she was pregnant. She has been traveling all over with her daughter Sophie. Taking and selling her photographs. Then she meets David in San Francisco after Sophie’s best friend goes missing and is found dead. Rachel thinks her daughter needs stability, so she marries David and moves to Silver Falls, Washington. A sleepy little college town that rains all the time. When a murdered college girl turns up, the police question David’s brother Caleb. Caleb left town years ago and has traveled to all the war torn countries. He’s came back a few times but never stays but a couple of days. Now he’s back because Davis has married and she has a daughter. A blonde, long haired girl. The exact attributes that the other girls have. Caleb has decided to put an end to the serial killer. Will Rachel finally realize what she married before it’s too late?
I read this in a couple of hours. It tells you right off who the killer is but the problem is proving it. I couldn’t put it down. Sex. A little action. Several errors. This book was first published in 2009.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed for Netgalley *
I read this in a couple of hours. It tells you right off who the killer is but the problem is proving it. I couldn’t put it down. Sex. A little action. Several errors. This book was first published in 2009.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed for Netgalley *
September 30, 2024
After her daughter's best friend is murdered, Rachel decides to marry the perfect man, David, to give her daughter the stability and life she deserves. Things start to get interesting when David's adopted brother and town bad boy, Caleb, comes back to town. As the murdered start to pile up, Rachel must decide which of the brothers to trust.
Overall, I liked this book. I will say that 90% of the problems would be solved if the characters would communicate. Between a mother and a teenage daughter that both experienced a horrific tragedy, the lack of communication is plausible. The MC seems very clueless and makes stupid decisions, which lends to some very frustrating moments. Even with a few minor annoyances, the book was fast-paced and kept me quite entertained. I would definitely recommend this for a quick, entertaining read.
Overall, I liked this book. I will say that 90% of the problems would be solved if the characters would communicate. Between a mother and a teenage daughter that both experienced a horrific tragedy, the lack of communication is plausible. The MC seems very clueless and makes stupid decisions, which lends to some very frustrating moments. Even with a few minor annoyances, the book was fast-paced and kept me quite entertained. I would definitely recommend this for a quick, entertaining read.
March 16, 2015
Hero: Caleb Middleton
Heroine: Rachel MIddleton
Warning: Adultery & Pedophile content. No Suspense.
I want to start off by saying that this book doesn't sound like Anne Stuart wrote it. Anne Stuart is a good writer. I like her Ice Series and her voice in her Ice Series is totally different than it's in this book. It seems as if someone else wrote this book. This isn't the first book that I have read by an author, where the book seemed as if it was written by someone else.
The story is about someone going around killing young women. Not only is the man killing young women, he is having sex with them after he kills them. The man is a pedophile. But, who is he? I like a good suspense rather it's a movie or book. I don't like to guess or even know right off the bat, who the killer is. Well, in this book, the killer is known right off the bat. That's not suspense!
Characters:
David Middleton: Husband and killer.
Rachel Middleton: The wife
Sophie: Rachel's daughter, David's stepdaughter.
Stephen Henry Middleton: Father.
Caleb Middleton: Bad boy. Brother
Maggie: Police
Rachel gotten pregnant when she was 17 years old and because of it, her parents kicked her out of the house. She traveled with her daughter, but that came to an end, after her daughter's best friend Tess - who was 15 years old, was killed. Rachel met David and married him. Little did she know that the man was a serial killer and so happen to come into her life through Tess. He wanted Sophie. He wanted her to be his next victim, but was willing to wait until she gotten older to kill her. He married Rachel - a woman he didn't love, just so that he could get Sophie. He constantly bugged Rachel to let him adopt Sophie. He wanted to become Sophie's father and if that would have happen, he would have killed Rachel to get her out of the picture. The man was truly sick.
As for Rachel, she wasn't thinking clear as to what she was getting herself into. She married David for security for her daughter. She wanted the best for her daughter - who was smart in math. She didn't love David either. But why marry the man? When a woman and man marry for the wrong reason, they will never be happy. Rachel was David's puppet. She would do things to please him. He was a vegetarian and she wasn't, but she had to be a vegetarian in his present. She had to do other things in his present as well. She had to live uncomfortable in his house. They slept in separate rooms. The only time they would get together is when they wanted to be intimate, but even that was weird. David couldn't perform, because he was used to having sex with dead women.
Rachel was annoying and her mouth needed to be washed. She tried to be tough, but she wasn't.
Caleb was David's older brother. He was adopted, because Stephen and his wife was told that they couldn't have any children, but it wasn't long after the adoption that Stephen's wife has gotten pregnant with David. Caleb was the black sheep of the family. He left Silver Falls, when he was a teenager and never looked back, until he came back to correct a wrong that was done 20 years ago. Caleb was blamed for killing his mother in a car accident, but it wasn't his fault. The day he returned back to Silver Falls, a young woman's body was found and immediately he was suspected of being the one that killed her. Three people knew that Caleb didn't kill the woman and they were: Caleb, David and Stephen. Caleb and Stephen knew that David was the killer. That had known for years that David was sick and going around killing people, but it was a family secret. Well, up until Caleb decided that he wanted to put an end to the killing. He came back to meet his sister-in-law and niece. He came to warn Rachel about David.
Caleb was the bad boy. Every woman that David went out with, wind up with Caleb. David knew about it and in a way he didn't care and in a way he did. He claimed to have had feelings with the woman, after seeing her with Caleb, but he didn't have feelings for Rachel. Because, every woman that David was interested in fell for Caleb, Rachel had to be warned about Caleb stealing David's women and become Caleb's woman. Caleb basically told Rachel that he was going to sleep with her and they did. Rachel did tell Caleb no, but the sex wasn't rape, because she wanted it. She was just trying to fight the sexual feelings for Caleb. They had sex more than once. There was no chemistry between the two of them what so ever and plus, they shouldn't have been thrown together, because she was married and although, she didn't love her husband - she still was committing adultery. Rachel didn't love Caleb. They were just thrown together and the words "I love you." were added to them. The relationship was forced.
Caleb was supposed to be the bad boy, but what didn't make him the bad boy? David's women falling for him or even him talking nasty to Rachel or even being around to rescue Rachel from danger. He really didn't have to return back to Silver Falls, so that the police could capture David. Caleb was away from Silver Falls for 20 years and although, he did visit David prior to his return - it didn't leave room for him being the killer. Right off the bat, the reader finds out that David is the killer - even David's POV lets this be known, but for some reason and although it's impossible for Caleb to be the killer - Caleb is thought as being the killer, even Stephen is thought as being the killer, because after all the man was pretending to be in a wheel chair, when he could walk. There was no twist. There was never going to be a twist.
Rent this book from the library. I bought it at a library sale.
Heroine: Rachel MIddleton
Warning: Adultery & Pedophile content. No Suspense.
I want to start off by saying that this book doesn't sound like Anne Stuart wrote it. Anne Stuart is a good writer. I like her Ice Series and her voice in her Ice Series is totally different than it's in this book. It seems as if someone else wrote this book. This isn't the first book that I have read by an author, where the book seemed as if it was written by someone else.
The story is about someone going around killing young women. Not only is the man killing young women, he is having sex with them after he kills them. The man is a pedophile. But, who is he? I like a good suspense rather it's a movie or book. I don't like to guess or even know right off the bat, who the killer is. Well, in this book, the killer is known right off the bat. That's not suspense!
Characters:
David Middleton: Husband and killer.
Rachel Middleton: The wife
Sophie: Rachel's daughter, David's stepdaughter.
Stephen Henry Middleton: Father.
Caleb Middleton: Bad boy. Brother
Maggie: Police
Rachel gotten pregnant when she was 17 years old and because of it, her parents kicked her out of the house. She traveled with her daughter, but that came to an end, after her daughter's best friend Tess - who was 15 years old, was killed. Rachel met David and married him. Little did she know that the man was a serial killer and so happen to come into her life through Tess. He wanted Sophie. He wanted her to be his next victim, but was willing to wait until she gotten older to kill her. He married Rachel - a woman he didn't love, just so that he could get Sophie. He constantly bugged Rachel to let him adopt Sophie. He wanted to become Sophie's father and if that would have happen, he would have killed Rachel to get her out of the picture. The man was truly sick.
As for Rachel, she wasn't thinking clear as to what she was getting herself into. She married David for security for her daughter. She wanted the best for her daughter - who was smart in math. She didn't love David either. But why marry the man? When a woman and man marry for the wrong reason, they will never be happy. Rachel was David's puppet. She would do things to please him. He was a vegetarian and she wasn't, but she had to be a vegetarian in his present. She had to do other things in his present as well. She had to live uncomfortable in his house. They slept in separate rooms. The only time they would get together is when they wanted to be intimate, but even that was weird. David couldn't perform, because he was used to having sex with dead women.
Rachel was annoying and her mouth needed to be washed. She tried to be tough, but she wasn't.
Caleb was David's older brother. He was adopted, because Stephen and his wife was told that they couldn't have any children, but it wasn't long after the adoption that Stephen's wife has gotten pregnant with David. Caleb was the black sheep of the family. He left Silver Falls, when he was a teenager and never looked back, until he came back to correct a wrong that was done 20 years ago. Caleb was blamed for killing his mother in a car accident, but it wasn't his fault. The day he returned back to Silver Falls, a young woman's body was found and immediately he was suspected of being the one that killed her. Three people knew that Caleb didn't kill the woman and they were: Caleb, David and Stephen. Caleb and Stephen knew that David was the killer. That had known for years that David was sick and going around killing people, but it was a family secret. Well, up until Caleb decided that he wanted to put an end to the killing. He came back to meet his sister-in-law and niece. He came to warn Rachel about David.
Caleb was the bad boy. Every woman that David went out with, wind up with Caleb. David knew about it and in a way he didn't care and in a way he did. He claimed to have had feelings with the woman, after seeing her with Caleb, but he didn't have feelings for Rachel. Because, every woman that David was interested in fell for Caleb, Rachel had to be warned about Caleb stealing David's women and become Caleb's woman. Caleb basically told Rachel that he was going to sleep with her and they did. Rachel did tell Caleb no, but the sex wasn't rape, because she wanted it. She was just trying to fight the sexual feelings for Caleb. They had sex more than once. There was no chemistry between the two of them what so ever and plus, they shouldn't have been thrown together, because she was married and although, she didn't love her husband - she still was committing adultery. Rachel didn't love Caleb. They were just thrown together and the words "I love you." were added to them. The relationship was forced.
Caleb was supposed to be the bad boy, but what didn't make him the bad boy? David's women falling for him or even him talking nasty to Rachel or even being around to rescue Rachel from danger. He really didn't have to return back to Silver Falls, so that the police could capture David. Caleb was away from Silver Falls for 20 years and although, he did visit David prior to his return - it didn't leave room for him being the killer. Right off the bat, the reader finds out that David is the killer - even David's POV lets this be known, but for some reason and although it's impossible for Caleb to be the killer - Caleb is thought as being the killer, even Stephen is thought as being the killer, because after all the man was pretending to be in a wheel chair, when he could walk. There was no twist. There was never going to be a twist.
Rent this book from the library. I bought it at a library sale.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2023
I’m not much of a reader but I read this book in a week. The begin was a little slow and I thought I wouldn’t get into it and just put it away with all the other books I’ve only read a few chapters in. But I kept reading and about half way though I couldn’t put it down! I had to keep reading to find out what happens at the end. It was surprisingly good. I was worried with all the mixed reviews.
I may not be the book for everyone but it wasn’t too bad. I’m passing it along to a friend who loves books. So we will see what her review is.
I may not be the book for everyone but it wasn’t too bad. I’m passing it along to a friend who loves books. So we will see what her review is.
April 4, 2021
First time reading this author and will be last time if this book is anything to go by.
There was zero mystery to it as we knew early on who the killer was and everything else that happened was so easy to guess.
The characters, especially Rachel, had too many boring inner monologues that did nothing for the story except cement in particular how stupid she was.
The premise was great but the execution was poor.
There was zero mystery to it as we knew early on who the killer was and everything else that happened was so easy to guess.
The characters, especially Rachel, had too many boring inner monologues that did nothing for the story except cement in particular how stupid she was.
The premise was great but the execution was poor.
September 4, 2024
What a psychological thriller! We have 2 brothers and a father with secrets in a small town that start to unravel when big brother the town bad boy comes back. The issue is our main character Rachel who is married to David has no clue that he has a brother and that he has a shady past. This was my first Anne Stuart book and now I’m so intrigued and will be adding her others to my TBR list.
March 26, 2018
Entertaining story, had a certain creepiness to it that I really enjoyed. The wet and rainy setting added to that eerie feeling. Characters were fun. This was a real quick read. Almost like watching a movie on a the Lifetime Network.
February 3, 2025
An adventurous read
this was an incredible reading experience. Not a typical storyline for Anne Stuart which went along very nicely with the storyline. It was one of those classic novels from her that you simply did not want it to end. It was a mesmerizing read.
this was an incredible reading experience. Not a typical storyline for Anne Stuart which went along very nicely with the storyline. It was one of those classic novels from her that you simply did not want it to end. It was a mesmerizing read.
July 9, 2017
I kept thinking I had read this story before. The plot was familiar and I knew where it was headed.
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