Bestselling author Terri Blackstock presents another stand-alone novel, Predator. The murder of Krista Carmichael’s fourteen-year-old sister by an online predator has shaken her faith and made her question God’s justice and protection. Desperate to find the killer, she creates an online persona to bait the predator. But when the stalker turns his sights on her, will Krista be able to control the outcome? Ryan Adkins started the social network GrapeVyne in his college dorm and has grown it into a billion-dollar corporation. But he never expected it to become a stalking ground for online Predators. One of them lives in his town and has killed two girls and attacked a third. When Ryan meets Krista, the murders become more than a news story to him, and everything is on the line. Joining forces, he and Krista set out to stop the killer. But when hunters pursue a hunter, the tables can easily turn. Only God can protect them now.
Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over seven million books sold worldwide.. She has had over thirty years of success as a novelist.
Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in a U.S. Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual “new kid,” her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.
In 1994 Terri was writing romance novels under two pseudonyms for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening prompted her to switch gears. At the time, she was reading more suspense than romance, and felt drawn to write thrillers about ordinary people in grave danger. Her newly awakened faith wove its way into the tapestry of her suspense novels, offering hope instead of despair. Her goal is to entertain with page-turning plots, while challenging her readers to think and grow. She hopes to remind them that they’re valued by God and that their trials have a purpose.
The story starts with Krista's younger sister missing, and a city-wide search for her. When her body was identified by Krista she becomes the hunter. She will find the person responsible and make them pay!
The last thing Ella did before she disappeared was type a thought bubble in her social media profile (GrapeVyne) saying where she was and where she was headed. Because of this Krista made it her mission to warn everyone about predators using GrapeVyne to choose their victims.
The creator of this social media outlet was on her radar, targeting him as well.
This was probably my favorite Terri Blackstock book. It’s hard to portray God as loving when something horrendous happens in our lives to cause doubts. Ms. Blackstock worked it out through characters' conversations. Well done and thought provoking.
I'd especially recommend this to parents thinking of their child's involvement in online chats or social media.
Terri Blackstock does it again with another fantastic suspense novel! Predator really gets your mind whirling from the first page and causes you to think about the intimate, personal things you share on social media. It was eye-opening! Krista and Ryan were relatable characters and the fact that Ryan stepped up to do what was right regardless of what it did to his professional career made him even more respectable as a character. This story was so good and as always, I look forward to the next Terri Blackstock novel I get my hands on!
Wonderful Thriller with a bit of romance. My husband and I listened together and we both give it 5 stars. The story was an on the edge of your seat thriller. The narrator did a fabulous job.
Whoa! This book grabbed me from the opening scene and didn't let go. While I figured out 'whodunnit' fairly quickly, the twists and turns that Ryan, Krista, and others needed to face to pinpoint the killer were *intense*. I also really appreciated the look at what it means to have faith and trust in God when things go horribly, horribly wrong. To understand that there are things that happen in this world simply because evil exists, but to do all we can to fight against that evil and darkness. 4.5 stars
A man is targeting young women using a social media site to do it. Krista's sister was a victim and Krista sets out to find the man responsible. Ryan is the CEO of the social media site and get involved after Krista confronts him for opening the girls to the online danger. Krista doesn't make some of the best decisions in the midst of her anger and grief but I liked how Ryan tried to do the right thing. Krista's dad is dealing with his anger and grief and his point of view made me very concerned for what he might do. There are some truly frightening moments detailed included in the attacks the girls. This is gritty and raw with dark details shared. I did feel like the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly. It highlights the dangers of sharing too much information online but it also includes discussions of the positive side of social media sites. It felt very realistic.
Christian-based thriller with twists enough to keep the hardcore lovers interest up. Author’s getting better with time and she started off terrific. Well narrated.
A great read but I figured it out early in the book. Otherwish I would have rated it a 4****. Good suspense and a wonderful lesson about how to guard yourself and your children from predators who will log into your Facebook, Twitter or other profiles and how you could be in danger. Terri uses this to write a good suspense novel about a stalking predator.
Kristsa Carmichael had to identify her dead sister Ella found in the woods after an online predator stalks and kills her. Now she is on a crusade to tell young women not to post personal info online. Her father David, is spiraling down into irrationality and depression.
Ryan Atkins CEO of social media site Grapevine sold his company and now is kicked out of it as the BOD is unhappy he wants to edit their website.
Krista and Ryan team together to fight a cyber world of predators and money. When Krista creates a fake account Ella's stalker has a new target.
Was book club (1) choice under current premise of one word titles.
A page turner basic thriller but obvious who culprit was. Saying that it was easy to read and quiet a compelling story about the users of social media and information that young people innocently share. Given it was written several years ago, it was fairly accurate in identifying issues.
Would not go out of my way to recommend but not the worse book I’ve read this year 😂
No, wait it was intense! I am a Terri Blackstock fan, and this book was definitely an eye-opener. I already knew about social media and its dangers, but this book took it to a whole new level.
My Review:
Did you ever know something that could be considered as dangerous but do it anyway?
Like driving. Everyone drives, yet accidents do happen from time to time. Yet that doesn't stop people from driving.
This is how I kind of felt about this book. I knew that there are dangers with social media and that you should be careful of what you post. This is something that I always practice with when on the Internet.
So why did this book put chills up my spine???
We first begin this book with the main character Krista looking for her sister. Her sister was posting information about where she was and what she was doing on a social media site known as GrapeVine when she was suddenly kidnapped. The police believe that the killer was following her GrapeVine Bubbles to find out where she was.
If the above isn't scary, then what happens next is.
And it gets worse before it gets better.
Social media is something big in our lives. We connect with long lost friends or even make friends who we have never seen before. This can be fun and even used for good. I mean even the main character uses social media for good in this book.
And it even though this book has a very strong message about the dangers of social media, it does talk about the good from time to time. I also believe that this book is important to read for what it discusses.
That said, I do believe that this book is very scary and possibly a little graphic without showing too much.
And then I understand that the things in this book needed to happen left and right, there was one scene where I thought it was a little unbelievable towards the end.
Content In Book:
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4. Attacking other people.
5. Thoughts about suicide.
6. Mentions of drugs.
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Who I Would Recommend This Book To:
(Please note that this book, in my mind, was a little disturbing, scary, and thought-provoking, so I would not recommend it to everyone. Even though the message in this book is very important for almost everyone, teens, moms, dads, and everyone in between. Basically social media needs to be used in a friendly, careful, and without disclosing too much personal information about yourself or your family and friends kind of matter.)
But here the types of people I think would enjoy reading this book: people who used social media for personal use and/or business use. People who like intense thriller/mysteries.
Wow!! I thought Terri Blackstock's other books were all wonderful, but this one is a true page-turner, full of suspense from beginning to end. I wouldn't recommend reading it right before you go to bed. The contemporary theme of internet predators is a relevant topic for both teenagers and adults, and Ms. Blackstock expertly weaves that together with how individuals at different places in their Christian walk might respond in a variety of ways when confronted with tragedy and/or danger. Parents of adolescents or teenagers who use social networking sights should definitely read this novel. It will truly open your eyes to how easily information given to strangers could be used against you, but afterward I did not find myself terrified of the internet, just appropriately cautious. The writing gift that Terri Blackstock has been given may save some lives because of this story.
I have fallen in love with Blackstock’s book. I have started the habit of listening to books on my way to work, since I’m a teacher, I take my 5th grader to school with me, so she is also in the car; it’s been a bit of a challenge to find something appropriate for her to hear, as well. Predator was not only appropriate, but I was also pleasantly surprised to find her liking the book too! The message was a bonus. I’m positive she will practice internet safety, but she also gained a better understanding of why I was so adamant about it already.
I highly recommend this book to all readers, or listeners, regardless of their age. As always, Blackstock’s writing was exceptional, the characters developed, and the story a smooth and easy read.
I always love Terri Blackstock. This one I recommend for anyone who uses social networks like Facebook and Twitter, especially if you have children using them!! Every parent should know how to protect their children on these networks.
It's a very fast paced novel, like most of hers are and my only complaint is I usually want them to last a little longer. She seems to rush at the end and then leaves you hanging a little on the characters at the end. What can I say, I like a little romance too!
There's something wrong when I can read a 300+ page book in 2 sittings. But just like her other book that I read as quickly, it's because there isn't much depth to the characters. That said, it's nice to read a little short story once in a while. Like watching a 1-hr Law & Order. Predator was relevant, and even made me check my Facebook privacy settings. The characters were likeable.
This has spoilers in it so stop now if you don't want to know how the book ends.
I thought this was a really good book. Until the end. I hate when authors rush endings. It's like they can't figure out how they want to end the book so they just pull something out of a hat. Rabid dogs in the forest? Really? Why not a mountain lion or a random snake bite? That part just seemed so unbelievable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Amazing book! I could not put it down. Terri Blackstock has a gift! This is the 5th of her books that I have read, and all have been riveting. I can't wait to read more from this author!
I really liked this book even though it is not a book from my usual Genre. ( I usually favor a Light Romance book) This is only the second book I read by this author, I will definitely read more.
High tension and intense action with a touch of romance. I usually read Blackstock's books/singles on the plane, because they're page-turners and I don't necessarily have to pay a ton of attention to the plot. Sometimes, like in her novel Intervention, I get pretty wrapped up in the actual plot rather than just the action. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for Predator.
This novel covers some heavy themes. In the story, our MC, Krista Carmichael, is grieving the loss of her little sister who was recently murdered. She delves after this killer with determination, still grieving, and there's a lot of focus on that emotion throughout the novel. There are also heavy themes of being careful of your social media presence, to make sure you aren't sharing too much personal information that a predator could use to find you IRL--which is a method a killer used to find a victim within the novel. It's also implied he SA'd the victims before killing them. Like I said--pretty heavy stuff.
Blackstock combats the heaviness with a touch of romance and themes of trusting God through the hard parts of life. Good messages, but... I don't know. This was intense. And I didn't like the pacing or the writing style... I couldn't get caught up in the story or the romance. I just read for the tension and to see if they'd catch the guy.
Overall, I think this could've been written better. It has good messages, like trusting in God and not plastering your entire Social Security or address onto the internet. And it covers some tricky content. But it almost felt preachy, and definitely felt rushed. When the killer was revealed, I was kinda just like... oh no. What a shame. Hopefully they catch them.
If you're looking for a quick page-turner or plane read... this is okay. Check out some of her other books instead.
I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars, because I only read for the action. I recommend for readers 15+, but I'd recommend her other books instead.
Content Warnings: gun violence, stalkers, violence, heavy implictions of rape and SA, light romance
3.4 I downed loaded this novel as I recently read and like Terri Blockstock. The topic is sure current. As a high school guidance counselor it totally scares me the type of personal things teens put out on their social media sites. I did like that it is Christian based but it is a little more than I would like to read on a regular basis but it sure much nicer than reading all the nasty foul-language that it is most of the best selling popular novels.
OMG! This one grabbed me from the start and had my heart racing in the end!
Krista’s younger sister is found murdered. The killer was able to track her every move because of her posts and pics on her social media page! Now Krista is doing all she can to keep this from happening to another girl and another family. She is trying to get the social media platform to make changes while she tries to get the killer to come after her. How will she maintain her faith in God while she deals with such a tragic loss that she may never understand?
I have read several books by Terri Blackstock and this is, by far, my favorite one!
loved this book it was bit more graphic and a bit more scary than the other Blackstock books I've read...but it was awesome. Again I figured out whodunit pretty early in the book but I usually do. I really enjoyed this book. I was anxious to get back to the story every time I had to stop...
This book was very good and it have me on the edge of my seat it was that good she should make more of like these books it was so good and the details were on point really recommend reading
This is a thrilling, bone-chilling story. It serves as a great warning, but approach it cautiously. It deals with very heavy topics. Trigger warnings: SA, murder, suicide