H. K. Christie

Started reading this on a whim. Got a message on my Kindle that I could read it for free if I started in the next 24 hours. The first few pages grabbed me so I kept on. Turned out to be a solid, if unexceptional little mystery. Almost immediately there are a lot of balls in the air—multiple mystery threads to be followed. The author does a good job keeping the story lines moving along and me moving from short chapter to short chapter. While reading I kept having the thought—maybe one more rewrite would have helped shore up the characterizations, fix some dialogue and add in some scenes that seemed to be missing. Later I realized the author had written nine books in this series in three years. Kinda shows. This is a good set up for the other books, some angsty character territory to mine but the tone and tenor of this one does not tell me they will be mined very deeply. For a book about detective work, not nearly as much of the story is detected as it is exposition dumped by suspects or suicide notes. And how many hired killers weapon of choice is to blunt object their victims. Speaks to me of possible job dissatisfaction.… (més)

Martina is a widowed single parent struggling with alcoholism and the need to show the people that she works for that she can still do her job. It's the first book in a new series...but I understand that the character is built on another character in another series by this author. The characters were so flawed that it actually gave them creditability. The story was interesting and was built on a captivating idea. If you like stories that are filled with secrets, mystery, suspense, and danger then this will probably be something you would enjoy.… (més)

Not Like Her by H. K. Christie, a domestic abuse thriller, sure does tell about how a person can be drawn into an abusive life. Selena Bailey, a seventeen year old, has grown up with a mother who is abused by her boyfriend. Selena escapes by going to Starbucks and meets Zeek, who eventually kidnaps her and takes her to a remote cabin. What happens to Selena is a powerful portrait of domestic abuse. The author captivates how abuse starts, the violence a person goes through and the ways she tries to escape the abusive relationship! A friend of mine lived through an abusive relationship and thankfully escaped after a life of abuse, so I was sure rooting for Selena. Not Like Her is well worth your time reading and I look forward to reading more books by H. K. Christie!… (més)