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17th out of 58 books
—
12 voters
Phobia
by
C.A. Shives (Goodreads Author)
EVERYONE HAS A SECRET FEAR...
Ex-cop Artemis Herne thought he left the grit and crime of the city in the past when he moved to a small town in Pennsylvania. But the discovery of a woman's dead body, bound and covered with snakes, sends panic through his community and ignites his investigative instincts.
As the serial killer continues to target his prey, Herne must confront h...more
Ex-cop Artemis Herne thought he left the grit and crime of the city in the past when he moved to a small town in Pennsylvania. But the discovery of a woman's dead body, bound and covered with snakes, sends panic through his community and ignites his investigative instincts.
As the serial killer continues to target his prey, Herne must confront h...more
Paperback, 324 pages
Published
April 27th 2012
by Firestorm Editions
(first published April 25th 2012)
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521)
Aug 08, 2012
Laima
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
readers who enjoy a great thriller/mystery
Shelves:
first-reads,
2012-reading-challenge
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
So, I started reading this and remembered a movie I watched that was scarily similar to it... Dread... So I got really worried... I was terrified of that movie! And this book was no different! The Healer as the murderer calls himself goes around turning peoples phobia's into a reality.. their death.
Honestly, Phobia has had me gripped and I've loved reading every minute of it. The novel was very well written and addictive. I found myself talking out loud trying, just as the police consultant, He...more
Honestly, Phobia has had me gripped and I've loved reading every minute of it. The novel was very well written and addictive. I found myself talking out loud trying, just as the police consultant, He...more
OMG! This is absolutely, incredibly, super dupppppeeer good material. Oh wait, good is not enough to describe Phobia – Phobia is FANTABULOUS! A must read in the suspense/thriller genre. It was arrrrrrrrrrrr amazing! Men on men I was blown from page one until the very last. It has been a long time since I read a good suspense novel and I am over the top joyous to have read Phobia.
Phobia is a mutiple POV type of book BUT it isn’t confusing, so don’t be afraid. Shives has written it effectively an...more
Phobia is a mutiple POV type of book BUT it isn’t confusing, so don’t be afraid. Shives has written it effectively an...more
Phobia is a gem. From the first page, we are thrown headlong into a race against time. The concept of a serial killer (who does not see himself as a killer) using his victims phobias to kill them is very good, and on the whole, the book is a very satisfying read.
I did find some of the dialogue to be a bit tedious, especially that of Rex Tucker. While I appreciate that the characters are all fully grown adults, and for the most part, male police officers in a stressful situation and buzzing with...more
I did find some of the dialogue to be a bit tedious, especially that of Rex Tucker. While I appreciate that the characters are all fully grown adults, and for the most part, male police officers in a stressful situation and buzzing with...more
"Phobia” reminded me almost of the movie Seven, but with the killer using the victims’ worst fears instead of the seven deadly sins. I was hooked from the opening scene to the very last page as my eyes gobbled down every word, every sentence! The action didn’t slow down for a second, and every page brought new twists and turns to keep my attention. Although it was shown mostly from the police consultant’s perspective, the author utilized multiple POV’s including the killer, which was cool. But t...more
I'm almost nervous when I read a debut novel, especially one which I've already agreed to review and picking up Phobia for the first time was no exception.
I found the book initially read at a slower pace than I was expecting and it took me a few chapters to really get into it, although on reflection that is probably to be expected when you are getting to know new characters and a new writing sytle.
However, suddenly I found that I was hooked and I got completely engrossed in the story which was...more
I found the book initially read at a slower pace than I was expecting and it took me a few chapters to really get into it, although on reflection that is probably to be expected when you are getting to know new characters and a new writing sytle.
However, suddenly I found that I was hooked and I got completely engrossed in the story which was...more
Wow. This book had one of the creepiest opening pages I’ve ever read and just kept on getting creepier and creepier! (in a good way!) This brilliantly executed ‘who-dunnit’ had just the right amount of sick and twistedness to keep me on my toes, mixed in with perfect pacing and believable characters and dialogue. One thing I should mention is that I am a stickler for editing and grammar, and this book was flawless as far as I could tell…a huge plus! I read it in one sitting because I just HAD to...more
Incredible! This was one of the best written books I’ve read all year! I am so impressed with the author’s writing style, and how perfectly he/she managed to lay the groundwork for an exciting and engaging story! From the first pages when the housekeeper Camilla discovers the dead body of her employer covered in snakes, I knew this wasn’t going to be your typical murder mystery novel. This one took the freaky factor up several notches, and hit on the fears that so many suffer from. At times I th...more
This was a relatively quick read which I appreciate in a book honestly. I was hooked from the very beginning, devouring the pages trying to figure out who it was and how they would find and then stop him, even getting irked when I figured out who it was *chapters* before the cops. I loved that there were other elements to it other than just the killings, it focused on a couple main characters and you got into them, their lives, their past and really got to get a feel for them as people.
This book...more
This book...more
The characters in this book were very well built, but the story itself seemed bland. One of the best parts of a crime story is the mystery of who is the culprit. Phobia didn't have mystery for me. Honestly, I think a person would be fairly naive to have not figured out the murderer in this book within the 2-3 murder. I figured it out shortly after the second murder, but was hoping I was wrong. Unfortunately, I was correct. I was so hoping for a twist, but was disappointed. I still give this book...more
This book had me hooked from the beginning! The plot is clever and well thought out, with just the right amount of 'red herrings' ,and kept me guessing for most of the book, something that doesn't happen often.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters and really cared about their fate. The story moved along at a brisk pace and I found myself reading faster as the race to catch the killer intensified. I didn't put it down until I'd finished it.
I love murder mysteries and this one was up there with...more
I enjoyed getting to know the characters and really cared about their fate. The story moved along at a brisk pace and I found myself reading faster as the race to catch the killer intensified. I didn't put it down until I'd finished it.
I love murder mysteries and this one was up there with...more
I received the book free from a facebook group I have joined. So far the books have been hit or miss. This one was definitely a HIT!! I enjoyed the book and stayed up late to finish it. It started with a bang, but slows a bit between the first and second murders. Although I guessed the murderer right away (it takes a lot to lead me astray), there were enough red herrings that I almost second guess myself. I found it very interesting to see which phobias would be used (thought the dentist one was...more
Phobia takes place in Hurricane, a small town with only one psychiatrist and a pitifully small police force. When a woman is found brutally murdered due to snake bites, homicide detective Rex Tucker asks his best friend and former cop, Herne, for help. It doesn’t take the cops long to figure out the victim, Amanda Todd, was murdered by the very thing she was most afraid of – snakes. She had a true phobia for the animals. Although it’s peculiar, it doesn’t strike as a pattern right away, not unti...more
Nov 26, 2012
Steve
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Thriller readers
Recommended to Steve by:
Pixel of Ink
A woman's dead body, bound and covered with poisonous snakes. Enter Artemis Herne, a retired homicide copy, and friend of the small town Police Chief, Rex Tucker.
It becomes clear that there is a serial killer, preying on residents of Hurricane with severe phobias.
Artemis has his own fears, and problems to deal with. He is talked into being a consultant on the case, because he has the uncanny ability to feel what victims do.
There are varying points of view explored as the story unfolds.
I was k...more
It becomes clear that there is a serial killer, preying on residents of Hurricane with severe phobias.
Artemis has his own fears, and problems to deal with. He is talked into being a consultant on the case, because he has the uncanny ability to feel what victims do.
There are varying points of view explored as the story unfolds.
I was k...more
This book is very well written. The lead character has many flaws, of which some we do not know about until the very last minute. I read it on Kindle and was 86% through before I guessed whodunnit!! I was a little disappointed that the detectives did not think about rooms being bugged or wired until very late into the book, however this just added to the build up!! I hope Artemis Herne will be back solving more cases soon. :o)
This book blew me away! I couldn't believe this is a debut novel. It takes place in the small town of Hurricane, Pa. I don't want to give anything away but the opening of the story will suck you in. It starts off strong and only gets better. Great read!
Loved this book from the first page to the last. I can not wait for the next. This is one book you can not put down and are disappointed when it is ended.
I really liked this one. I just wish we had gotten to know some of the victims more and a few loose ends had been tied up at the end. Otherwise, it was a great read.
decent book. quick read. loved the constant change of characters -added to suspense. not to thrilled with ending.
Aug 25, 2012
Aimee
added it
Creeper book!! If you have any secret fears it's best to keep them just that, a secret!!
This is so scary and gruesome. I love these sorts of thrillers.
The premise of this book sounds absolutely horrifying lol!!!
Gritty!
I started this book last night and could not wait to have some time today to finish it. From the opening paragraph it grabbed my attention. I wanted to know what will happen next. It's hard to believe this is the authors 1st novel. For all you thriller/mystery fans out there. Pick up this book, you won't be disappointed.
Aug 16, 2012
* Booksessed * Bec
marked it as to-read
book provided by author
May 14, 2013
Shwetika
marked it as to-read
May 10, 2013
Åsa
marked it as to-read
Apr 30, 2013
Fati Waw
marked it as to-read
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodreads Librari...: Is it possible to combine two versions of the same book? | 3 | 45 | Jun 18, 2012 12:56pm |
C.A. Shives is the author of PHOBIA, a suspense novel based in a small Pennsylvania town.
When not reading, writing, editing, or publishing, C.A. enjoys watching a good action movie. The author also spends time target shooting on the range and raising backyard chickens.
A second book in the Artemis Herne series is scheduled for a 2013 release. C.A.'s upcoming novel weaves a dark tale of horrific vig...more
More about C.A. Shives...
When not reading, writing, editing, or publishing, C.A. enjoys watching a good action movie. The author also spends time target shooting on the range and raising backyard chickens.
A second book in the Artemis Herne series is scheduled for a 2013 release. C.A.'s upcoming novel weaves a dark tale of horrific vig...more
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Aug 08, 2012 08:42am
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