"New York Times" bestselling and award-winning author Joy Fielding tells the story of an ambitious journalist whose foray into the mind of a killer...
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Apr 01, 2008
Sfdreams
rated it: 
I REALLY enjoyed this book!
I read a lot of mysteries, and this kept me engrossed and guessing up until the last moment.
The main character is a reporter with the Palm Beach Post, and the emails she receives from the readers of her column are interspersed throughout the book, and were interesting to read.
I highly recommend this to anyone who likes a suspenseful mystery with engaging characters and great writing.
I read a lot of mysteries, and this kept me engrossed and guessing up until the last moment.
The main character is a reporter with the Palm Beach Post, and the emails she receives from the readers of her column are interspersed throughout the book, and were interesting to read.
I highly recommend this to anyone who likes a suspenseful mystery with engaging characters and great writing.
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Apr 01, 2009
Charley-Shieedah
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I absolutely loved this book. Had me completely engrossed from the very first line: “Hey, Charley: Just a brief note to let you know that aside from being THE WORST COLUMNIST WHO EVER LIVED!!! you are quite THE MOST SELF-ABSORBED WOMAN ON THE PLANET!!!”
What’s not to love about a mystery that starts like that? Everything. I really enjoyed reading this.
Charley {Charlotte} Webb, mother of two—Franny and James—is a controversial journalist for the Palm Beach Post that’s alway More...
What’s not to love about a mystery that starts like that? Everything. I really enjoyed reading this.
Charley {Charlotte} Webb, mother of two—Franny and James—is a controversial journalist for the Palm Beach Post that’s alway More...
Jun 09, 2010
Denise
rated it: 
3.0 out of 5 stars 3 stars for Fielding's latest, August 27, 2008
This review is from: Charley's Web: A Novel (Hardcover)
This was a novel that, despite its predictability, provided enough depth and entertainment to keep me reading even after I had figured out the denouement. The story -- a convicted child killer wants a book written about the crimes and holds out some tantalizing information that she may not have acted alone though she was the only one tried, convicted More...
This review is from: Charley's Web: A Novel (Hardcover)
This was a novel that, despite its predictability, provided enough depth and entertainment to keep me reading even after I had figured out the denouement. The story -- a convicted child killer wants a book written about the crimes and holds out some tantalizing information that she may not have acted alone though she was the only one tried, convicted More...
Feb 09, 2011
Michelle
rated it: 
Being a new reader to Joy Fielding's work, I was not sure what to expect of 'Charley's Web', and was less than thrilled when I read the synopsis. At the library I would have steered clear from this book giving it a cursory glance and resuming my search. You see, as a reader I have this growing apprehension about reading novels where the main character is a reporter. You might be asking yourself why? and to be perfectly honest I don't know the answer--in my reading world it just is--what can I sa
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Jul 15, 2009
Suzanne
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This book had me hooked from page 1. Charley is a newspaper columnist who writes about fluffy/frilly subject,i.e., Brazillian waxing, clothing,shoes, whatever's on her mind at the time. She, of course, gets fan mail daily. Some people like her;some don't. One particular email really grabs her attention when the writer tells her to "DIE, BITCH, DIE" and to watch very closely over your kids. She is also a single mother of 2 children.
Several days later, another email comes her way t More...
Several days later, another email comes her way t More...
Feb 08, 2011
Marie
rated it:
I read this book a long time ago, but for some reason never reviewed it here on Goodreads before now. Perhaps I did not belong to this club when I read this book. I am a huge fan of Joy Fielding. She has written some really great books, this being one of them. Although, I found the subject matter very distasteful (child abuse), I read the book anyway. I have been known to put books down that contain either child abuse or animal abuse, but this book does us the favor of not dwelling on that subje
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Apr 07, 2008
Rhonda
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I just happen to love Joy Fielding. She has the best suspense fiction and I was hooked immediately to the story when I started listening. I was so engrossed by the story that I had forgot that it was a whodunit so it was nearly the end of the book before I realized I needed to try and figure out who did it. It was a quick read for me, and if you enjoy suspense then you will enjoy this book
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Jun 23, 2009
Jery
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Really enjoyed this story. Although I found Charlotte (Charley) to be sometimes unsympathetic, she is vividly drawn and all too human. The never-married mother of two (with two different fathers) is a journalist searching for her own true voice. She is offered a once in a lifetime chance to work with a convicted serial killer to tell the true story of the horrific murders committed by this woman. Along the way, she attempts to keep her younger brother sober and reunite all the siblings (said bro
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Jun 12, 2010
Justin
rated it:
This is my first stab at the thriller subcategory of the mystery genre. This book is okay. Not great, by any stretch of the imagination, but it kept me turning pages despite my qualms with it.
The story follows Charlotte “Charley” Webb, an op-ed/lifestyle columnist in Florida, as she suddenly finds herself at a career-defining crossroads. She receives a letter from Jill Rohmer, a young woman on death row for the brutal rape and murder of three children she once babysat. The letter rev More...
The story follows Charlotte “Charley” Webb, an op-ed/lifestyle columnist in Florida, as she suddenly finds herself at a career-defining crossroads. She receives a letter from Jill Rohmer, a young woman on death row for the brutal rape and murder of three children she once babysat. The letter rev More...
Apr 10, 2009
Louise
rated it:
Very good novel. I went back and forth as to who I thought Jill's partner-in-crime was and ended up, ultimately, guessing correctly, but I was fooled for a minute near the end!
From dust jacket:
New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Joy Fielding tells the story of an ambitious journalist whose foray into the mind of a killer puts her own family in jeopardy.
Charley Webb is a beautiful single mother who writes a successful and controversial column fo More...
From dust jacket:
New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Joy Fielding tells the story of an ambitious journalist whose foray into the mind of a killer puts her own family in jeopardy.
Charley Webb is a beautiful single mother who writes a successful and controversial column fo More...
Mar 22, 2008
Betsy
rated it:
Yeah, it's complete mindless popcorn, but it's skillful mindless popcorn. And a very fast read. And even though I thought I'd figured out the villain's identity, I hadn't.
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May 12, 2010
Sarah
rated it:
"Eine Psychopathin in der Todeszelle. Eine Frau auf der Suche nach der Wahrheit. Und ein perfides Spiel, bei dem nur einer gewinnen kann."
Charley Webb, Kolumnistin und alleinerziehende Mutter zweier Kinder bekommt einen Brief von Jill, einer Frau, die drei Kinder auf bestialische Weise gequält und ermordet haben soll. Jill möchte die ganze Wahrheit erzählen und Charley soll ein Buch darüber schreiben. Nach einigen Bedenken willigt sie schließlich ein, bekommt während ihrer More...
Charley Webb, Kolumnistin und alleinerziehende Mutter zweier Kinder bekommt einen Brief von Jill, einer Frau, die drei Kinder auf bestialische Weise gequält und ermordet haben soll. Jill möchte die ganze Wahrheit erzählen und Charley soll ein Buch darüber schreiben. Nach einigen Bedenken willigt sie schließlich ein, bekommt während ihrer More...
Aug 08, 2009
Jen
rated it:
Charley Webb is a reporter; she is loved by some and hated by others. She gets threatening email often, and this often leaves her worried about her 2 young kids, Franny & James.
However, one day she gets a letter from a serial killer. This woman, Jill, killed 3 kids, and she wants Charley to write a book about it.
Charley accepts, but that is when her life starts to turn crazy. She doesn't know who she can trust and she is scared to death that her kids are in dange More...
Apr 13, 2009
Shani
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Oct 02, 2011
Tracy B. (personal account)
rated it:
I was surprised at how much I liked this. I don't think I've ever read anything from Joy Fielding before (at least, for which I can remember her as the author), and I wasn't expecting anything more than your average thriller. But it was that and more. It was better written than I'd anticipated, and where some of these have somewhat unrealistic dialog, that wasn't the case here. The plot grabbed me right away (and I want it on the record that I knew whodunit about 3/4 of the way through but was n
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Apr 14, 2009
Judy
rated it: 
I picked this up in the library by chance while looking for a detective story, and was tempted because the style seemed witty and it was partly set in a newspaper office - as I work in one myself this tends to appeal to me. However, I was disappointed with the book as a whole - I liked the style of writing and there are some fun literary references, but the plot is far-fetched and there is a lot of nasty stuff about child abuse which to me doesn't sit very well with the humour. Not really my kin
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Feb 04, 2011
Linda
rated it:
Charlie’s Web is a psychological thriller novel with suspense, romance and mystery. It was not one of my favorite Joy Fielding novels. The main character, Charley is not a strong character and did not invoke feelings of interest in me as a reader. It was light and entertaining but not believable.
Charlie is a writer who is assigned to fluff newspaper columns when she becomes connected with Jill, a woman on death row. The idea of a book deal and the possible fame and money that would accompa More...
Charlie is a writer who is assigned to fluff newspaper columns when she becomes connected with Jill, a woman on death row. The idea of a book deal and the possible fame and money that would accompa More...
Nov 27, 2010
Sharal
rated it:
Not my favorite Joy Fielding story, but was definitely time well spent. Initially, I had a difficult time liking Charley. She comes across as very unapproachable and harsh. But after spending time with her, I was able to see beneath the hard exterior that surrounds her. At first glance, you see a woman who is career driven, raising two children by two different men on her own, is estranged from her family, disliked by her neighbors and disrespected by her boss and coworkers. What ultimately
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May 30, 2009
Teresa in Ohio
rated it:
THis book is closer to 3.5 than a 4. Charley writes a bi weekly column for a Florida paper. She is contacted by a death row inmate convicted of torturing and killing 3 small children. She agrees to write the book and is drawn into a socialpath's demented world. Jill plays her, lies to her and only dribbles out the truth to keep her hooked. The problems I had with this book is Charley can be irresponible and does some stupid things. On the other hand the story is written at a pace that keeps you
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Mar 29, 2008
Pam
rated it:
03/29/08
TITLE/AUTHOR: CHARLEY'S WEB by Joy Fielding
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Suspense/2008/437 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: Stand-Alone
TIME/PLACE: Present/Palm Beach County, FL
CHARACTERS: Charlotte Webb/newspaper columnist
FIRST LINES: Hey, Charley: Just a brief not to let you know that aside from bieng the worst columnist who ever lived!! you are quite possibly the most self-absorbed woman on the planet!!!
COMMENTS: library book. More...
TITLE/AUTHOR: CHARLEY'S WEB by Joy Fielding
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Suspense/2008/437 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: Stand-Alone
TIME/PLACE: Present/Palm Beach County, FL
CHARACTERS: Charlotte Webb/newspaper columnist
FIRST LINES: Hey, Charley: Just a brief not to let you know that aside from bieng the worst columnist who ever lived!! you are quite possibly the most self-absorbed woman on the planet!!!
COMMENTS: library book. More...
Dec 21, 2010
Jaime
rated it:
I thought this was a good read. Charley is very independent, and uses her independence to build up a wall that protects her from getting emotionally involved with other people, whether they be her neighbors, the mother who was gone for most of her life, her sisters, or even the fathers of her children. When she begins to dig into Jill Rohmer’s damaged world, cracks appear in her own wall. Despite the tweeness of the title of her newspaper column ("Webb Site", which the author tries pai
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Nov 09, 2009
Robin
rated it:
I used to love all of this author's "domestic thrillers" but the last two I read were a little disappointing. However, this was a good suspenseful read although I suspected who the stalker/killer/threat was about halfway through the story. That being said, though, it was a good book for the long drive back from Lake Tahoe. Recommended for anyone who likes their suspense/thrillers a little more complicated than Mary Higgins Clark but not as violent as James Patterson or other serial
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Mar 07, 2010
Glenn
rated it:
I stopped reading the damsel in distress/suspense genre when Mary Higgins Clark got so predictable. Our book club chose this book and I went at it with a little trepidation. Boy was I surprised - its a really good book, good characters and suspense without being incredibly gruesome. I like an author who leaves some of the gory details to your imagination. I figured out the 'bad guy' pretty early on, but the subplots were interesting enough to keep me going to the end.
Mar 27, 2008
Annie
rated it:
Jill Rohmer, a convicted child killer with a borderline personality disorder, lures Charlotte Charley Webb, a popular columnist for the Palm Beach Post and single mom, into a web of danger and deceit in this spine-tingler. When Jill invites Charley to collaborate on the true story of what really happened to the three children she was convicted of murdering, Charley at first thinks it sounds like a great idea. Her sister Anne is, after all, a bestselling romance author, so why couldn't Charley ha
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Aug 25, 2010
Pete
rated it:
Joy Fielding is dark, web building, suck-you-in author. After the first two chapters I didn't want to put the box down. While weaving through the dark mind of a killer, working on a weekly column, and dealing with annoyed neighbors, Charley Webb has enough on her plate. But then someone threatens her children. I ended this book with my hands clenched, and a sigh of relief. I really, truly enjoyed. As my first Fielding novel, it was a great choice.
Dec 21, 2011
Arthur
rated it:
I enjoy Joy Fielding and again in search of something by the same author I found Charley’s Web. Whether it’s solid character development, again convincing points-of-view or just suspense that appeals to you, a thrilling quick round of a suspenseful whodunit – Charley’s plausible life, her self fashioned personal column articles from her personal experiences make this seamlessly intriguing reading, well worth picking up for a fast read.
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Sep 25, 2009
Amber
rated it:
Charley works as a journalist, and isn't taken seriously. Then a woman on death row asks her to write a book about her and the life she has lived. The woman is on death row for a horrendous crime of torture and murder for 3 kids. Charley doesn't know what to do and in a series of twists and turns finds herself not wanting to know just what the devient minds of people can do.
EXCELLENT BOOK, kept me interested until the end.
EXCELLENT BOOK, kept me interested until the end.
Mar 18, 2010
Petula
rated it:
This one was quite unexpected in many ways. It starts off feeling kind of like a light, somewhat comedic romance novel and ends up being a rather squicky and dark mystery with a conclusion that definitely took me by surprise.
We spent a little too much time in Charley's head, and her kids made me want to double up on contraceptives, but overall this was an engrossing psychological thriller that also made me laugh out loud.
We spent a little too much time in Charley's head, and her kids made me want to double up on contraceptives, but overall this was an engrossing psychological thriller that also made me laugh out loud.
Jul 04, 2009
Laura
rated it:
I have no idea why this book is a bestseller. Or why its on anyone's must read list.
To call it "meh", is to be generous.
Glad that I read this after I read Midnight's Children - because I really needed something light, and easy.
The writing is as disturbing as the topic of this book (sexual killing of children- ok sub topic)
Pass this one up.
By the way, I have a signed copy that I am willing to give away.
To call it "meh", is to be generous.
Glad that I read this after I read Midnight's Children - because I really needed something light, and easy.
The writing is as disturbing as the topic of this book (sexual killing of children- ok sub topic)
Pass this one up.
By the way, I have a signed copy that I am willing to give away.
Aug 28, 2011
Linh
rated it:
An interesting plot idea but the book and the characters really didn't do it for me. I found myself reading the book because I was bored but not because I was captivated or was looking forward to finding out what happens. Too much time was spent discussing Charley's broken family and not the main story line. Jill was not manipulative or menacing as I would've liked. All in all, not bad for a weekend read.
