What do you think?
Rate this book
Esme Stuart #1
While Galileo Preys
If there were a God, he would have stopped me.
That's the message discovered atop an elementary school in downtown Atlanta. Across the street are the bodies of fourteen innocent men and women, each quickly and cleanly murdered. The sniper Galileo is on the loose. He can end a human life from hundreds of yards away. And he is just getting started.
Where others see puzzles, Esme Stuart sees patterns, and these outside-the-box inductive skills made her one of the FBI's top field operatives. But she turned her back on all that eight years ago to start a family and live a normal life. She now has a husband and a daughter and a Long Island home to call her own, far removed from the bloody streets of Atlanta.
But Galileo's murders escalate and her beleaguered old boss needs the help of his former protégée. But how can she turn her back on her well-earned quiet life? How would she ever be able to justify such a choice to her husband? To her daughter?
And what will happen when Galileo turns his scope on them?
That's the message discovered atop an elementary school in downtown Atlanta. Across the street are the bodies of fourteen innocent men and women, each quickly and cleanly murdered. The sniper Galileo is on the loose. He can end a human life from hundreds of yards away. And he is just getting started.
Where others see puzzles, Esme Stuart sees patterns, and these outside-the-box inductive skills made her one of the FBI's top field operatives. But she turned her back on all that eight years ago to start a family and live a normal life. She now has a husband and a daughter and a Long Island home to call her own, far removed from the bloody streets of Atlanta.
But Galileo's murders escalate and her beleaguered old boss needs the help of his former protégée. But how can she turn her back on her well-earned quiet life? How would she ever be able to justify such a choice to her husband? To her daughter?
And what will happen when Galileo turns his scope on them?
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
9 people are currently reading
333 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 19, 2011
Joshua Corin, While Galileo Preys (Mira, 2010)
Okay, so. Published by Mira and with a grammatically-awkward pun in the title. What on Earth was I thinking picking this book up? I could almost hear it begging me not to push the “ship me this title” button. I must have been feeling like a masochist that day, though, because press the button I did, and a week-odd later, While Galileo Preys was sitting in my mailbox, giving me that accusing stare that you get from the person you're trying to pick up in the bar, both of you full well aware that the relationship will barely last until sunrise, if it gets anywhere in the first place. Well, loins girded with a few criminally watered-down gin and tonics, I turned my attention to it, world-weary, and got down to the business of seeing if this thing could seduce me. Ultimately, the answer was no, but considering it's a Mira-published title with a grammatically awkward pun in the title (one that, no less, gives away a portion of the big reveal!), it's actually quite well-executed. Which is a polite way of saying “I didn't hate this book nearly as much as I was expecting to.”
Esmeralda Stuart left her job at the FBI (what, exactly, this job was is unspecified, though descriptions dropped here and there make her sound like a profiler) seven years ago in order to start a family. She's been living the good, if dull, life in the swanky Long Island community of Oyster Bay when the news reports that a sniper has killed fourteen people in Atlanta. A few days later, there's more word of him: he's struck in Amarillo, Texas, killing another six. Esme, whose specialty is seeing behavior patterns, starts putting the pieces together. She calls her old boss, Tom Piper, who (not surprisingly) is working the case to feed him a few ideas. He wants her on the team. And thus, the struggle begins. Home and family or job?
Publisher's Weekly calls this dilemma, central to the novel, “sexist overtones.” Which honest to pete just doesn't make sense to me, given, again, the book is published by Mira. I think the PW reviewer and the editor at Mira who accepted this book were reading that dilemma in entirely opposite ways. I didn't care much one way or the other, though in the defense of PW reviewer-person, it did give the book an odd, archaic feel at times. I was much more concerned with what Corin was going to do after the big reveal. And my fears were justified, to an extent; he drags things on about twenty pages too long after everything comes to a head. He did, however, make sure everyone involved had a lot to do during the obligatory “no, wait! We're NOT done yet!” section, so at least it moved relatively quickly. There's also the obligatory “I'm going to set this up as the first book in a series” bit after that. Can't we have standalone thrillers, guys? (I've been told a time or two I should actually be blaming the publishers, who, in one wag's words, “jump four extra feet when you say the word 'series'.”) The latter is a minor, expected niggle. The former is just as expected, but not as minor, and to me it shows a more fundamental flaw in Corin's style: the inability to break away from conventions, no matter how silly, played-out, or downright annoying they might be. Still, this is a first book, and he's got a long career ahead of him in order to get over that, so I'm not knocking off too much for it. If only that career were at a publisher other than Mira. ***
Okay, so. Published by Mira and with a grammatically-awkward pun in the title. What on Earth was I thinking picking this book up? I could almost hear it begging me not to push the “ship me this title” button. I must have been feeling like a masochist that day, though, because press the button I did, and a week-odd later, While Galileo Preys was sitting in my mailbox, giving me that accusing stare that you get from the person you're trying to pick up in the bar, both of you full well aware that the relationship will barely last until sunrise, if it gets anywhere in the first place. Well, loins girded with a few criminally watered-down gin and tonics, I turned my attention to it, world-weary, and got down to the business of seeing if this thing could seduce me. Ultimately, the answer was no, but considering it's a Mira-published title with a grammatically awkward pun in the title (one that, no less, gives away a portion of the big reveal!), it's actually quite well-executed. Which is a polite way of saying “I didn't hate this book nearly as much as I was expecting to.”
Esmeralda Stuart left her job at the FBI (what, exactly, this job was is unspecified, though descriptions dropped here and there make her sound like a profiler) seven years ago in order to start a family. She's been living the good, if dull, life in the swanky Long Island community of Oyster Bay when the news reports that a sniper has killed fourteen people in Atlanta. A few days later, there's more word of him: he's struck in Amarillo, Texas, killing another six. Esme, whose specialty is seeing behavior patterns, starts putting the pieces together. She calls her old boss, Tom Piper, who (not surprisingly) is working the case to feed him a few ideas. He wants her on the team. And thus, the struggle begins. Home and family or job?
Publisher's Weekly calls this dilemma, central to the novel, “sexist overtones.” Which honest to pete just doesn't make sense to me, given, again, the book is published by Mira. I think the PW reviewer and the editor at Mira who accepted this book were reading that dilemma in entirely opposite ways. I didn't care much one way or the other, though in the defense of PW reviewer-person, it did give the book an odd, archaic feel at times. I was much more concerned with what Corin was going to do after the big reveal. And my fears were justified, to an extent; he drags things on about twenty pages too long after everything comes to a head. He did, however, make sure everyone involved had a lot to do during the obligatory “no, wait! We're NOT done yet!” section, so at least it moved relatively quickly. There's also the obligatory “I'm going to set this up as the first book in a series” bit after that. Can't we have standalone thrillers, guys? (I've been told a time or two I should actually be blaming the publishers, who, in one wag's words, “jump four extra feet when you say the word 'series'.”) The latter is a minor, expected niggle. The former is just as expected, but not as minor, and to me it shows a more fundamental flaw in Corin's style: the inability to break away from conventions, no matter how silly, played-out, or downright annoying they might be. Still, this is a first book, and he's got a long career ahead of him in order to get over that, so I'm not knocking off too much for it. If only that career were at a publisher other than Mira. ***
June 3, 2012
"If there were a God, He would have stopped me"... That's the message discovered atop an elementary school in downtown Atlanta. Across the street are fourteen innocent men and women, each quickly and cleanly murdered."
Murdered not by just a random serial killer but by a sniper...someone with field experience but who is it and why is he doing it??
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As usual, I picked up a book that is somewhere in a series lol. There was enough back and forth that I know there were at least a couple of books before this one however it didn't seem to take from or add to this particular story. The back and forth just kinda caught me up to speed on what was going on in lead character Esme's life right now and why she was where she was.
I love the writing style of Joshua Corin and found his storyline easy to follow. The story itself could easily have been plucked from today's headlines.
Good strong female lead character with some depth.
Murdered not by just a random serial killer but by a sniper...someone with field experience but who is it and why is he doing it??
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As usual, I picked up a book that is somewhere in a series lol. There was enough back and forth that I know there were at least a couple of books before this one however it didn't seem to take from or add to this particular story. The back and forth just kinda caught me up to speed on what was going on in lead character Esme's life right now and why she was where she was.
I love the writing style of Joshua Corin and found his storyline easy to follow. The story itself could easily have been plucked from today's headlines.
Good strong female lead character with some depth.
August 17, 2012
Das Buch hat mir richtig gut gefallen. Es ist toll geschrieben und die Handlung geht stets im gleichen Tempo voran. Der Schluss wird auch nicht herausgezögert, was mir bei einigen anderen Büchern von anderen Autoren aufgefallen ist.
Werde auf jeden Fall die kommenden Bücher von ihm lesen.
(Deutscher Titel: Herr, erbarme dich)
Werde auf jeden Fall die kommenden Bücher von ihm lesen.
(Deutscher Titel: Herr, erbarme dich)
May 15, 2012
das buch hat mir richtig gut gefallen. es ist toll geschrieben und die handlung geht stets im gleichen tempo voran. der schluss wird auch nicht herausgezögert, was mir bei einigen büchern von anderen autoren aufgefallen ist.
werde auf jeden fall die kommenden bücher von ihm lesen.
werde auf jeden fall die kommenden bücher von ihm lesen.
Read
April 29, 2010Fast-paced and tension-filled. Loved the heroine.
July 28, 2024
Everything was going along well, as I was unable to figure out why these brutal random murders were taking place. It kept my interest to try and piece together the places and crimes. However, when I found out the motive behind them, it was a complete letdown. I couldn't understand that this reason (I don't want to leave a spoiler) made Galileo do so many murders. Didn't makes sense to be so violent for such a mundane rationale.
I also was unnerved by the continual reference to Democratic politics. Not heavy handed, but plugged in every so often. Could have been either party (it didn't move the story along) but loaded up on Democratic ideals.
I didn't like Esme's husband, very controlling and ignorant of his wife's feelings and wants. He annoyed me.
All in all, a good story, but would have liked a bigger "ah-ha" moment for the motive.
I also was unnerved by the continual reference to Democratic politics. Not heavy handed, but plugged in every so often. Could have been either party (it didn't move the story along) but loaded up on Democratic ideals.
I didn't like Esme's husband, very controlling and ignorant of his wife's feelings and wants. He annoyed me.
All in all, a good story, but would have liked a bigger "ah-ha" moment for the motive.
July 19, 2020
Decent enough, quick-read. One glaring issue though for this Native Ohioan... nobody from Ohio goes to flipping Canada to hunt white-tailed deer. Nobody. Ohioans who want to hunt white-tailed deer need only take drive on a country road in Ohio and bam, you’ll hit one. They are everywhere. Obviously the author has not spent much time in Ohio.
I was glad that Esme -finally- voiced to her schmucky husband that he was selfish. I extremely dislike him. Sorry, but you don’t force your spouse to stop what they love and make them stay at home so you can feel better. Just no.
I was glad that Esme -finally- voiced to her schmucky husband that he was selfish. I extremely dislike him. Sorry, but you don’t force your spouse to stop what they love and make them stay at home so you can feel better. Just no.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2017
I give this a 2 1/2 stars. The overall storytelling and plot was fine but the characters were problematic. Esme, for the main character, has a lot of promise but it's not entirely fulfilled. The idea of a suburban mom with her family background is really interesting, but the husband was so contemptible and I just have trouble liking the whole family. I was unclear why she made that choices that she did when she did.
July 1, 2017
[library ebook]
After the fifth incident of an innocent shot in the head, several from sniper distance, I said enough. Central character, Esme, seemed to be simpering too much about her role in life and marriage.
Won't be tempted to download another free book by this author.
After the fifth incident of an innocent shot in the head, several from sniper distance, I said enough. Central character, Esme, seemed to be simpering too much about her role in life and marriage.
Won't be tempted to download another free book by this author.
April 6, 2019
very good thriller if you can survive a zillion people being murdered
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
February 13, 2011
Don't want to rate this one- Esme is an extremely likable character. For mysterious reasons she ditched a productive and successful career in the FBI, where she alone could see patterns in serial crime that would nab the bad guy, for a stultifying stint in bland, deadly boring suburbia. Ok, not so mysterious, her husband insists that this subsumed version of Esme is his wife. We don't like him, don't understand Esme liking someone who would insist on this. We also don't like his self centered, self satisfied, rigid father who seems to be the source of this nonsense.
Anyway, Galileo pops up- a sniper who takes out a homeless guy as bait to kill 13 police and a teacher (oh, and his dog! what!?) for no apparent reason. Esme is called in for the first time in years to find some bit of evidence that will head this nut off) This kicks off family strife, many more murders, cross country police work, FBI inter office bickering, and ultimately a commentary on our popular politics and sel-centered sensational journalism along with a nod to the fragility of a democratic system that can be usurped by a guy with a gun.
I struggled with the motives and characters. Galileo is too shadowy, his motives are weak, the death count is too high and too random to comprehend. Esme's husband Rafe comes off as a git. Her 'friends' except Tom, are vacuous. Esme alone, pulls the reader through the book.
Anyway, Galileo pops up- a sniper who takes out a homeless guy as bait to kill 13 police and a teacher (oh, and his dog! what!?) for no apparent reason. Esme is called in for the first time in years to find some bit of evidence that will head this nut off) This kicks off family strife, many more murders, cross country police work, FBI inter office bickering, and ultimately a commentary on our popular politics and sel-centered sensational journalism along with a nod to the fragility of a democratic system that can be usurped by a guy with a gun.
I struggled with the motives and characters. Galileo is too shadowy, his motives are weak, the death count is too high and too random to comprehend. Esme's husband Rafe comes off as a git. Her 'friends' except Tom, are vacuous. Esme alone, pulls the reader through the book.
April 8, 2011
While Galileo Preys opens with a bang and the suspense and unraveling to the who and why are gripping. For me, this was a read that I couldn't put down.
Someone is sniper killing innocent people. An ex FBI agent is brought in, Esme Stuart,now a retired homemaker. Esme has a unique way of solving cases and her expertise is called upon to help with the murderous Galileo.
My jaw hit the floor on more than one occasion, all before page 90. I think the writing here is unique in that the writer pushes the envelope in his portrayal of his killer. Not only does he kill ruthlessly but who he kills is unexpected and I didn't see it coming at all.
I enjoyed reading When Galileo Preys a lot and
I am looking forward to reading Before Cain
Strikes, the second book in the Esme Stuart series due out in February of 2011.
Someone is sniper killing innocent people. An ex FBI agent is brought in, Esme Stuart,now a retired homemaker. Esme has a unique way of solving cases and her expertise is called upon to help with the murderous Galileo.
My jaw hit the floor on more than one occasion, all before page 90. I think the writing here is unique in that the writer pushes the envelope in his portrayal of his killer. Not only does he kill ruthlessly but who he kills is unexpected and I didn't see it coming at all.
I enjoyed reading When Galileo Preys a lot and
I am looking forward to reading Before Cain
Strikes, the second book in the Esme Stuart series due out in February of 2011.
December 18, 2011
This was a surprise for a mass market paperback that I grabbed off our library's book sale table.
It's actually a pretty good thriller. Esme is attempting to leave the FBI to be a wife and mother, but a recent shooting may draw her back in, causing family problems and danger to herself.
I'm more of a traditional mystery lover. I prefer knowing all of the characters and figuring out who did it, rather than just chasing down a stranger - but this was really good. It kept me wanting to turn the pages.
The villain was smart and so was Esme. All the characters has shades of good and evil in them - no one was perfect. And there were lots of surprises along the way.
Just one note: It's best if you don't read the back of the book. The first surprise comes early on, and if you read the back of the book - it ruins it.
If you like thrillers, this is worth picking up.
**Language.
It's actually a pretty good thriller. Esme is attempting to leave the FBI to be a wife and mother, but a recent shooting may draw her back in, causing family problems and danger to herself.
I'm more of a traditional mystery lover. I prefer knowing all of the characters and figuring out who did it, rather than just chasing down a stranger - but this was really good. It kept me wanting to turn the pages.
The villain was smart and so was Esme. All the characters has shades of good and evil in them - no one was perfect. And there were lots of surprises along the way.
Just one note: It's best if you don't read the back of the book. The first surprise comes early on, and if you read the back of the book - it ruins it.
If you like thrillers, this is worth picking up.
**Language.
December 6, 2011
As I first started to read this book I was completely thrown off at least three times. I'm glad that the book did not continue in the style that it started because I was beginning to think that there would never be a main plot. Thankfully, the book went in another direction and I became enthralled! At the end of the book I couldn't put it down. My brain was telling me that it was too late and time to call it a night but my eyes weren't listening; I just HAD to know how it all ended. ...and you know what?! I loved the ending. I am a huge skeptic of the ending of a book. In my opinion those final pages make or break the entire story for me, and I was very pleased with the conclusion of "While Galileo Preys". I gave four stars only because the beginning was hard to get into for me.
March 5, 2013
Our heroine has left the FBI in favor of home & family--that would be fine, except that it apparently wasn't her choice--it was her husband's demand. But seven years later, she is THE ONLY PERSON IN THE ENTIRE WORLD who can solve a mystery that has the FBI stymied. Uh, okay. Not buying it. Her dilemma between her family and her career would have made more sense if the book were set in, say, the 1950s.
Too bad the suspense wasn't more... suspenseful, or I'd have gotten over the annoying premise.
Note: the unexplained premise that a character is the only person in the world who can do X is a huge pet peeve with me. Without it, I'd have rated this book 3 stars.
Too bad the suspense wasn't more... suspenseful, or I'd have gotten over the annoying premise.
Note: the unexplained premise that a character is the only person in the world who can do X is a huge pet peeve with me. Without it, I'd have rated this book 3 stars.
December 2, 2011
Interesting descriptive dialogue and believably a story that intrigues mystery readers. A thrilling suspense needs well planted character and details to hold readers esteem when getting to the roots of what the book is about. Esme being a mother of a daughter who drew her in her dress before Esme goes out is a quality many writer may left out because it suggests too many details about what living is all about and its pressures. But this story is catching and that when Esme was one step ahead of a crazed serial killer equally smart this suspense is mixed with the personal life it affected.
June 2, 2014
Adding to the intrigue and interest of this story of a gunman bent on mass murder was the author's skill in introducing a character and encapsulating his/her ambitions/desires/disappointments in life within a single paragraph to the point where I often felt a sense of disappointment when the character was suddenly dispatched by the end of that very same paragraph. I enjoyed the read, but the revelation of the gunman's motivation for all the carnage seemed far-fetched. I'll give this author another try in the future.
August 30, 2010
It was ok. The main character Esme was likable enough but I must say when I found out the big secret, the reason for all these murders I was disappointed. Galileo was a mystery, there was a small look into him. I would have liked there to have been something more to him in the reading. I was intrigued enough by the mail character though that I would read the next book.
May 29, 2014
A serial killer is on the loose. Retired FBI agent is called back into service. Lots of dead bodies in the course of the story. Nothing really deep or new here, but I excerpted one quote as a Facebook status. The characters were interesting enough, and there were enough plot twists to keep the pages turning. Overall, I probably enjoyed it more than it deserved.
June 13, 2011
Esme Stuart is a kick *** FBI agent! Loved this book Never wanted it to end.
A serial Killer going by the name of Galileo made the perfect psychopath! Read this book in one day ... loved it loved it loved!
A serial Killer going by the name of Galileo made the perfect psychopath! Read this book in one day ... loved it loved it loved!
June 27, 2012
It kind of felt like starting in the middle of the series because why Esme leaves the FBI isn't really explained. I did like the two sides of Rafe (prig or bait-and-switched husband) because Esme obviously chose to marry and have a child with him.
June 30, 2012
Picked this up on a whim. Always looking for new authors since I read so quickly. Very good read, draws you in, and while predictable, at times, it shocks and surprises in other times. Give it a read. It's worth the time!
March 7, 2011
Really good suspense novel. A serial killer in the Vatican is pursued by an ex-FBI profiler
June 24, 2012
Excellent book. From page one until the end it is fast past, well written and just a great read.
September 6, 2012
i can't decide if this was good or merely a quick paced wreck.
July 20, 2014
A fast-paced thriller with a smart protagonist who keeps you cheering for her until the terrifying end.
October 5, 2015
Good, but not impressive. I would not recommend this book. Read and forgotten.
June 23, 2016
Awesome book. I couldn't put it down. I don't understand how anyone could give it less than 5! I'm going to the library to get the next book in the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews