Anne FrasierRessenyes

A psychological thriller about a killed B movie star and her daughter and husband. I feel this book had potential but it was not realized. 269 pages

The deranged serial killer/grizzled detective/psychological profiler is hardly a new genre in the world of thrillers and suspense. What sets one apart from another is the depth of the characters and how adept the author is at getting the reader into the head of the serial killer. Anne Frasier it batting a thousand on this one.

Ivy Dunlap now lives in Canada when she gets a call from an old acquaintance in Chicago with a cryptic message: "It's happening again". 'It' is the resurfacing of The Madonna Murderer, someone Ivy has intimate knowledge of from 16 years past. How does Abraham Sinclair know Ivy? He worked the case when she, the soul survivor, was assaulted by the serial killer.

Ivy has had one thing on her mind for 16 years: Kill the man responsible for killing her newborn and changed the entire scope of her life forever.

Enter Max Irving. Single father, one of the best on the force..grizzled veteran. Almost sounds cliched but his back story is as interesting as Ivy's when considering his adopted son, Ethan, was born by a woman Max only knew for several weeks. She died and Max adopted him and has treated him like his own son ever since. Ethan is 16 now and Max is waging a personal war of attrition:that of dealing with a teenage son who wants to know about his real father.

It's that depth of characterization that really sets this book apart from other thrillers that follow a similar formula. Hush is filled with many great characters, even the bit players having their own emotional baggage that made me interested in them, even if they had minimal page time.

Of course the serial killer is super deranged. Convinced that he's saving people and is acting righteously. But when the point of view shifts over to him Frasier makes it chillingly apparent how deranged the inner workings of his mind are.

I really can't say enough good things about this book. It flows great, is paced fantastically, has just enough police procedure in it but not enough to bog the story down in technicalities and jargon. The character interactions are believable and the subplots are great.

I've been reading through my backlog of kindle downloads recently (Pilfering as many new, recommended, free and deal e books as I can) going from author to author but I think I'm going to spend a little more time in Anne Frasier's neck of the woods before moving on to the to be read pile, hush was that good.

The Night I Died by Anne Frasier

This wasn’t easy for me to get into, so I read reviews for the book and found a mixed bag that included some that were glowing and some that were quite the opposite…so…I read the end and took time away from the story and then went back in to try again rather than giving up as I thought about doing. And I did finish the book and came away feeling better about it than I did in the first few chapters.

What I liked:
* Olivia Welles: survivor of a train wreck, flat-lined/died more than once, private investigator, actress, dog lover, has holes in her memory, intelligent, liked her but also felt a bit sorry for her
* Will LaFever: journalist, has big writing goals, one-time swimming athlete, interested in the possible multiple child killings that took place in Finney County, intrigued by Olivia
* Dorothy: a rescue dog that Olivia takes under her wing
* Ezra: a young man that Olivia took responsibility for who know works for and with her
* The creep-factor of the Kansas town and its citizens - how can so many be clueless and blind to some of the goings on in town
* The way the story unfolded…it definitely grew on me as Olivia started to piece things together
* Wondering if there is something in the air or water in some places that increases the number of killers
* Wasn’t sure about the many references to The Wizard of Oz and True Blood. For some they might be wonderful but for others a bit much. I also thought of murders in cornfields and had to look up the movie Children of the Corn and found its setting was neighboring Nebraska and not Kansas
* Thinking about LONG rides from Des Moines to California that went through the flatlands of the Midwest but also remembering some beautiful scenery, too.
* That I actually finished the book

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about killers and what motivates them
* That I felt I needed more backstory on Olivia and Will and wondered if this is the beginning of a series and more will be provided later or if I will be left wondering

Did I enjoy this book? Eventually
Would I read more by this author? I think so

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars½

I had some major issues with this book. It probably doesn't help that I'm pregnant with my first child and reading this book was like scraping every raw nerve and exposing every fear I've ever had as a mom-to-be. But aside from my emotional issues coming into play, I found the plot rather contrived and coincidental. I also didn't much care for the characters. Max's instant dislike of Ivy grated on my nerves, as did Ethan's sudden initial hatred of his step-father for no good reason that I could see. Sure, maybe it's a realistic portrayal of a teenager's behaviour, but I still had to grit my teeth every time his character showed up on the page. Ultimately, I struggled to finish this book

FOUND OBJECT was an excellent thriller with an intriguing and vulnerable main character. Jupiter Bellarose is an investigative journalist who was hospitalized for depression after an undercover assignment went wrong. She never expected to fall in love with the subject of her investigation nor to watch him commit suicide by walking into the ocean and swimming away.

Jupiter's editor offers her a puff piece about a cosmetics company turning 100 to get her back into journalism. But doing the story will take her back to Savannah which was the site of her life's greatest tragedy. When Jupiter was sixteen, her mother television star Marie Nova was murdered and dismembered. A man was convicted of the crime but Jupiter still has questions and isn't convinced that he was guilty.

Detective Ian Griffin whose first day on the job was marred by discovering the dismembered body of Marie Nova also still has questions. He and Jupiter get together to investigate and, somehow, Marie finds her two investigations coming together.

Marie Nova was the face of Lumet, the cosmetics company Jupiter is supposed to be writing about. As Jupiter uncovers things the company doesn't want the public to know like radioactive face cream and face creams with human fat as a part of the formula, she also learns more about her mother's death.

Jupiter has always feared that her father who was estranged from her mother finally snapped and murdered her. And she learns that he has always feared that Jupiter had a sleepwalking session and murdered her mother since he was sent a recording of his car at the scene of the crime and knows he wasn't the one driving it.

This was an engaging and twisty thriller about a woman nearly drowning in guilt about a case gone wrong who is also determined to finally find out the truth about her mother's death. The narrators did an excellent job with the story.

I could not put this one down. So GOOD! I really didn't know who the bad guy was until Jude figured it out. I feel there was so much going on that it kept it interesting. No romance is involved. The abuse is graphic at times for any with triggers.

I'm shocked this is rated higher than the first book because I couldn't put it down. This one moved so incredibly slow! I started skimming early on. Jude's crazy behavior made no sense to me and wasn't fun to read about. I think I'll stop right here. The first book is one of my all time favorites.

What a trip, wow! I love good twists in books, and this one did not disappoint. The end shocked me, which is excellent because it wasn't what I was expecting. This is a new to me author, first time reading any of her books, but not the last for sure. Her writing style and character development were fantastic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I'm struggling to see how this book rated so high with so many five stars. This is the second new release I've recently read where I feel the ratings were purchased and not earned.

The beginning of this book was exciting and started to develop into a really good story. The story went from great to falling off a cliff when Ben jumped. The story became predictable, inane and somewhat ridiculous. The mother has been normal for 30 years and then just goes back to killing like turning off/on a switch. The detective has sudden revelations that carry the story. The daughter only suspected her mother near the end. The neighbor and that relationship and his suicide. Ugh..

I actually enjoyed a book with an unreliable narrator?!?!

I, quite literally, could not put this down. Short chapters with compelling characters and story. It's been a while since I read a book that when I wasn't reading it, I wished that I was.

Neatly wraps up all the loose ends from the first book. It ends in a satisfying way, but also open enough that there could be future entries in the series.

Once again I find myself unsure of how I came to be reading this book but I'm reasonably certain that the cover art had a lot to do with it. I also had a hard time trying to rate this book and ended up at 3 because I couldn't reasonably give it a 4 alongside other books that I felt had much more depth and which affected me in a more challenging way. But, for what it is, it was pretty fun and would have a higher rating if the scale were lower (does that make sense?).

Reni Fisher is a former FBI agent and the grown daughter of famous serial killer Benjamin Fisher. As a child Reni was used by her father as bait for her father's victims. Who would deny or suspect a lost child asking for help to find her mommy.

After 30 years of silence Benjamin Fisher contacts detective Daniel Ellis and agrees to lead him to the graves of his victims... With the stipulation that his estranged daughter accompanies him.

Still feeling responsible for her role in her father's murders and looking for closure Reni agrees. Detective Ellis is also looking for closure as he believes his own mother may have been one of Fisher's victims.

That's the set up. Obviously there are twists and turns and one reason for the lower score is that it took me about 9 seconds to call it. And I mean the

Well, if you can ignore all the murder, this was a fun read. Anne Frasier writes easy to read stories and this one has southern witch doctor bits thrown in ... all in all a good read.

Anne Frasier writes very readable stories. This is the second in a series, and is very engaging. There are some things that are a bit beyond belief - but the writing is good enough that it goes unnoticed.

Daniel Ellis is a detective with the SBPD and is obsessed with finding his mother, who went missing when he was six—thirty years ago. When he's summoned to San Quinton prison by Benjamin Fisher, the famous Inland Empire serial killer, he thinks he might finally find out if his mother was one of his victims. But, what Fisher wants is to make a deal. He'll show Daniel where the bodies are, but only if his estranged daughter, Reni, agrees to come along. What follows is a far cry from closure for Daniel as the web of lies Ben Fisher has kept for years comes back to haunt everyone Reni loves.

I live in San Bernardino, California—the largest county in the USA—so I can relate to many things in this book. The area, referred to commonly as the Inland Empire, has over 20,000 square miles and contains a vast amount of open desert. The city of Palm Springs, where most of the story takes place, is represented quite well by the author. The story is very suspenseful, and the plot twists are many. Find Me is a well-written thriller that was definitely worth the time invested.

I really hope Anne Frasier continues this series. So fantastic!!

#2 in the Jude Fontaine series is just as phenomenal as the first book, The Body Reader.

When I order books, I read the preview to make sure I am going to like it, beyond the book description. Sometimes, very rarely, when I read the preview, I don't want to stop. Since I am a book-in-hand girl, waiting for The Body Reader was agony. I devoured this book, and am so thankful I got the remaining 2 in the series. I really hope Anne Frasier plans on continuing this series, because it is phenomenal.

This is worth the walk through the dark.

Most of this story is told from Jude's point of view and that is perfect. I wasn't sure I would make it through the story because this dark sort of tale hasn't been appealing to me. But Jude made me read. I needed to know what happened. I am glad to have read it, and if you're not sure...try it anyway. Know there's a glimmer at the end, and try it anyway.

I can not wait to jump into Tell Me!
I read Find Me in 2020 and it was amazing.
Reni and Daniels character I absolutely loved here.
Very excited to see after Find Me ended the way it did, how this one picks up!
Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this advance ebook copy!

Thank You NetGalley & Publisher for this amazing ARC Novel!
Find Me..... I loved everything about this book.
The storyline, the plot, the ending! This was a very well written book!
That I stayed up all night trying to finish!
Reni was the bait to lure unsuspecting women to their deaths. By her serial killer father!!!
I have not read a book with so much twist and turns before!
A thriller job very well done!

Found Object by Anne Frasier is a very highly recommended psychological thriller. I could not put this found object down, which counts for a lot. Arguably Found Object might have a few flaws, but I was totally engrossed in the story, start to finish, and, oh my, what a finish!

In the opening Jupiter Bellarose, an investigative journalist, is leaving the hospital after recovering from a breakdown brought on by her latest investigation. Now 36 years-old, Jupiter is no novice to adversity. At sixteen she and her father went to her famous actress mother's house only to find the police there and her mother's dismembered body in the backyard. Her editor, hoping to give her a lighter story, is sending Jupiter to Savannah to cover the 100th anniversary of the cosmetic company Luminescent. It's not as simple as it sounds. Savannah is where Jupiter grew up, her semi-estranged father still lives there in her mother's home, and Luminescent is the beauty company her mother, Marie Nova, was the "face of." With all of this in play, it is doubtful Jupiter's homecoming is going to be as relaxing as her editor hoped.

Every clue, every new development is handled masterfully. I was completely engaged in the entire novel and savored the clues provided, Jupiter's observations, and the advancements in the investigation. Jupiter may seem like a chameleon with conflicting actions and emotions as a character, but with her background it seems like she has learned over the years to perform her role well. Plus, the clues are all there for the detailed oriented reader to follow.

The well-written narrative moves along at a brisk pace and follows story lines set in the past and present with adept skill while providing great character development. All the loose ends and story lines were provided with closure. Now, admittedly, the ending was a maelstrom of exciting new information and developments evolving at a riotous pace. I set all my disbelief and misgivings aside, went with it, and really enjoyed the entire novel, including the sudden, multiple twists at the end.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/10/found-object.html

This novel is billed as the beginning of a Gothic/zombie/paranormal series featuring homicide detective Elise Sandburg working in Savannah. However it is a series that I won't be following. This book was just not my cup of tea and we nearly parted company early on when the author was trying to "educate" me about zombieism and voodooism. There were police procedural aspects which I thought were the book's salvation but in general I struggled, although I got to the end.

I must acknowledge though that my feelings are not echoed by other exuberant reviewers on Amazon.

TW/CW: Mental health, suicide, murder, brutal violence, family death, misogynistic language

REVIEW:

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Found Object is the story of a young woman and journalist named Jupiter who after a difficult assignment returns to her hometown of Savannah, Georgia after twenty years and begins looking in to the brutal murder of her famous mother.

This book was up and down to me. There would be times I was totally enthralled, really enjoying myself and chapters that went really fast. But there were also things that threw me out of my happy reading state – things like walking into a guy’s house (who you BARELY know), and going right into his kitchen and cleaning and cooking? Who does that? Several things like that just made me really shake my head as I was reading. I found a lot of the phrasing to be flowery and redundant. And the ending…well, it kind of reminded me of the ending of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, where it just keeps coming and when you think it’s over wait there’s more! And seriously, what was even the motive at the end?

I didn’t hate this book, but I think it has some issues that would need to be addressed before I can give it a higher rating.

I haven't read the first book in this series, The Body Reader, but you get enough information in this book to get the gist of that story. Detective Jude Fontaine was kidnapped and held captive for three years. But, she got away and is now working again, although her ordeal is still causing problems like nightmares and a dislike of people touching her.

In The Body Counter is she and her partner Uriah Ashby, (Yeah I can't stop thinking Uriah Heep) after a madman that is killing people, at first what it seems like a random pattern. Then, a math professor tells them his theory. Which makes a frightening pattern with increasing numbers of murders.

The book is good, I found the story interesting and engaging. However, part of me feels that this wounded heroine theme, a female detective with demons in the past (not actually demons, unfortunately, that would have been interesting) is everywhere now. I read a lot of books like this and that means that they have to really feel different, or at least truly grab me for me to really like it. This one just didn't grab me. I didn't feel like I needed to read the first book right away or long for the next book. It's OK, but the book wasn't that thrilling nor truly surprising. Would I recommend it? Yes, because the writing is good and just because I didn't love the book doesn't it mean that it won't pull other readers in. If I get the chance to read the next book would I do it because I did enjoy the story and the partnership between Jude and Uriah.

I want to thank Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!