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201st out of 308 books
—
203 voters
The Cold Kiss
by
John Rector (Goodreads Author)
This amazing psychological thriller debut pits a young couple against moral corruption, greed, betrayal, and love. Its a pulse-pounding plot with a twist ending. Remember the name John Rector.
Audio CD, 8 pages
Published
July 1st 2010
by Blackstone Audiobooks
(first published June 29th 2010)
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Noir in Nebraska?? Yes, and it’s pretty damn good noir, too.
Nate and Sara have loaded up their car and are headed to Reno from Minnesota to start a life together. At a diner in rural Nebraska, they meet a man named Syl with a wicked cough who pays them $500 for a ride to Omaha. A severe blizzard forces them to take shelter in a rundown hotel well off the interstate, but as they check in, they discover that Syl is dead of a gunshot wound and had $2 million in a suitcase.
Good girl Sara initially t...more
Nate and Sara have loaded up their car and are headed to Reno from Minnesota to start a life together. At a diner in rural Nebraska, they meet a man named Syl with a wicked cough who pays them $500 for a ride to Omaha. A severe blizzard forces them to take shelter in a rundown hotel well off the interstate, but as they check in, they discover that Syl is dead of a gunshot wound and had $2 million in a suitcase.
Good girl Sara initially t...more
Although this is Rector's first novel, it's the second of his I read (see my review of "Already Gone"). I love Rector's straightforward writing style. It's unpretentious, yet it clearly has its own voice. He uses first-person narrative superbly to tell the story in a consistent manner. Some readers might dislike his style as being perhaps "too simplistic," but that's where the strength of it lies. It's no-nonsense prose, yet it goes right to character. Never once does Rector lose the personality...more
There's plenty to like about The Cold Kiss. As one of the characters remarks, there's something of an old-fashioned whodunit feel to things when a group of strangers become stranded in a motel and things start to go wrong.
Nate and his girlfriend Sara are heading to Reno to get married. There's a baby on the way and they're hoping to make a fresh start. As things unfold, we'll come to realise that this is certainly a good idea as far as Nate is concerned.
On the way, stopping of for coffee, they e...more
Nate and his girlfriend Sara are heading to Reno to get married. There's a baby on the way and they're hoping to make a fresh start. As things unfold, we'll come to realise that this is certainly a good idea as far as Nate is concerned.
On the way, stopping of for coffee, they e...more
"The Cold Kiss" is a lean, tightly wound, claustrophobic, competent thriller. It's only got one drawback, but it's a big one: It's so derivative of "A Simple Plan" that Scott Smith could probably sue author John Rector if so inclined and probably win a whopping settlement (say, a bag filled with $2 million in cash). Also, with a cast of seven people stranded together, Rector might also have to pay off the creators of "Gilligan's Island" as well.
That said, if you're not fatally distracted by pla...more
That said, if you're not fatally distracted by pla...more
Nate and his pregnant girlfriend Sara are driving from Minnesota to Reno, seeking a new life for themselves and their baby. On a snowy night in Nebraska, they see a man in a cafe who is obviously very sick. Sara takes pity on the man and when the stranger offers them $500 for a ride into Omaha, the kids accept.
The three drive off into a major winter storm and are forced to seek refuge in a run-down motel out in the middle of nowhere. On getting out of the car, Nate and Sara discover to their hor...more
The three drive off into a major winter storm and are forced to seek refuge in a run-down motel out in the middle of nowhere. On getting out of the car, Nate and Sara discover to their hor...more
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My review: I absolutely loved this audiobook. From the beginning, author John Rector plots a suspenseful story about Nate and Sara who have fled Minnesota for a new life. Pregnant Sara is young and innocent while Nate has lived a rougher life, but together they vow to make it to Reno to wed and welcome their child.
The plot thickens when the couple agrees to take a man, Syl, along for the ride. Syl, a rough man, has an awful cough and after questioning the couple, drifts to sleep. Sara worries ab...more
The plot thickens when the couple agrees to take a man, Syl, along for the ride. Syl, a rough man, has an awful cough and after questioning the couple, drifts to sleep. Sara worries ab...more
Money is the root of all evil...
"The Cold Kiss" is one of those very rare finds, a great novel that jumps off the shelf at you when your at the store to buy something else, the kind of novel that "finds" you. For me it's always nice to find out how great a new author is on my own, starting with their debut!
Many reviewers and authors will often say that great characters make or break a novel, bad characters with a strong story usually ends in a mild read, whereas great characters can often keep...more
"The Cold Kiss" is one of those very rare finds, a great novel that jumps off the shelf at you when your at the store to buy something else, the kind of novel that "finds" you. For me it's always nice to find out how great a new author is on my own, starting with their debut!
Many reviewers and authors will often say that great characters make or break a novel, bad characters with a strong story usually ends in a mild read, whereas great characters can often keep...more
Two young lovers, Nate and Sara, are on their way to Reno when they stop for food. They don't have much money and are trying to leave their past behind and start a new life.
A man in the tavern tells them that his car has died and offers $500. if they would drive him to Reno. Uncomfortable with the situation, they look at the money and accept.
On the way, the may appears ill and tells them that there is a woman named Lilith after him.
They are driving through a bad snow storm and pull into a run-do...more
A man in the tavern tells them that his car has died and offers $500. if they would drive him to Reno. Uncomfortable with the situation, they look at the money and accept.
On the way, the may appears ill and tells them that there is a woman named Lilith after him.
They are driving through a bad snow storm and pull into a run-do...more
Damn you Rector, damn you! I should have known I was in for a treat when I began reading John Rector’s “The Cold Kiss”. The jacket cover is enticing and mesmerising – much like the book itself – I couldn’t put it down!
“The Cold Kiss” is the début book from Rector and if there was a better way to introduce oneself to the publishing world I honestly can’t think of one, it had me gripped from the very moment we are introduced to Nate and Sara and the mysterious stranger.
We have a young couple on th...more
“The Cold Kiss” is the début book from Rector and if there was a better way to introduce oneself to the publishing world I honestly can’t think of one, it had me gripped from the very moment we are introduced to Nate and Sara and the mysterious stranger.
We have a young couple on th...more
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I don’t read tons of crime fiction, so I won’t compare THE COLD KISS to a slew of other books out there, but I’m guessing the storyline is fairly familiar to regular fans of the genre. A person – or a couple in this case – without much money or future prospects suddenly find themselves in possession of a suitcase full of cash. As is usually the case, it’s blood money and someone is looking for it. In this type of story, there’s the setup, the moment of truth (when they decide to keep the money),...more
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The Cold Kiss is one of those wonderful thriller gems that most people miss. I came across it and its blurb was enticing enough. What sealed the deal for me was the spectacular thrill ride that this book provided.
This book starts in a diner as Nate & Sara seem to escaping their past however a chance encounter helps them pick up a kindred soul & on their way they get locked in a blizzard which forces them to stop in a motel. By now you will be smirking as to where this tale might be he...more
The Cold Kiss by John Rector is extremely disturbing and dark, however, I was glued to it for 4 solid hours. Nate and Sara are on the road heading to Reno and a new beginning. At a stop at a diner, they encounter Syl a mysteriously, sick and bleeding man. Sara by nature wants to help him; Nate does not. Some instinct is telling Nate that he shouldn't listen to Sara, however, Sara wins out and for the price of $500 they take Syl along with them. As the weather turns ugly, they are forced to stop...more
brief synopsis with no spoilers: Sara and Nate, a young couple, give a stranded motorist, who has a terrible cough and seems very sick, a ride during a winter storm; the blizzard forces them to take shelter at a remote motel on a rural highway; after registering at the motel, which has only a few other guests, Sara discovers that Syl, the man whom they were helping, has no pulse; then, Nate discovers $2 million in Syl's suitcase; did they strike it rich, or is the money cursed? you won't believe...more
This was a good read. It was quick, easy to follow and very entertaining. The finale was a bit predictable but still had many options and directions it could have gone so it wasn't a let down at the end. I give it only 4 stars because after such a grand conclusion of guns, smoke and blood it just seemed to trickle off in my opinion. Iread it pretty quick only giving it a couple of hours each night that I read. I'm a slow reader so it was a quick read even for me.
I did dig all the characters exce...more
I did dig all the characters exce...more
Great roller-coaster-ride of a debut novel. Very suspenseful and relentless. Loved the ending.
A fun and well-written page-turner. My expectations weren't high, but I was (pleasantly) surprised and impressed. Recommended.
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I thought this was a great book. I picked it up very cheap at a stall in a shopping centre by chance. I bought it just because the cover appealed to me.
I was halfway through another book when I started cold kiss, and I ended up giving my full attention to this one. It grabbed me from the get go and I couldn't put it down. The two main characters kept making the wrong choices and it frustrated me at times, but I suppose it was Rector's intention.
Throughout the book I was thinking it was nothing...more
The writing was pretty good but I found it frustrating as the main character kept doing the wrong thing. I also felt that the book was trying to make the horrible act of dragging an injured person into the snow and leaving them to die into an immature mistake of a basically good person instead of the cruel and inhumane act it would be. It reminded me of the woman who hit a man with her car and then left him dying on her windshield in her garage. The whole time I read the book I was debating whet...more
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I was a tad disappointed with this book. I loved how it began with descriptions of how the man at the counter coughed. Some pretty decent visuals. Ugh. The build up was pretty decent but it began to implode when "everyone" jumped into the scheme. His descriptions of the cold landscape and of some rather brutal killings were......unique and quite visual. The ending was a bit of a cop out, though. Why go to all the trouble of describing the characters (except for the girl-didn't get why she was so...more
For a fast paced and well written book Cold Kiss is just the thing - I couldn't put it down and read it in a few hours New Years' morning. The story centres around a motel in the middle of nowhere, refuge from a raging snowstorm, for Nate and Sara and a couple of other travellers. Through a chance enounter with a guy a few miles back, Nate & Sara are now stuck in the middle of a horror story with seemingly no way to redeem themselves and get back to how they were before the whole sorry mess...more
Ex-Häftling Nate und seine schwangere Freundin Sara sind mit Hab und Gut auf dem Weg in den Süden, als sie während eines Schneesturms in einem Diner auf Syl treffen. Der bietet ihnen 500 Dollar, wenn sie ihn bis Reno mitnehmen. Todkrank und ständig hustend sitzt er auf ihrer Rückbank, während sie immer weiter in den Blizzard geraten. Als sie schliesslich in einem Motel unterkommen wollen, ist Syl offensichtlich tot. Da entdecken sie 2 Millionen Dollar in seinem Koffer und treffen
eine fatale Ents...more
eine fatale Ents...more
"Cold Kiss" is Rector's debut and like its name sake sends a chill through you with every page. The rawness of the story and its characters grab you and pull you into the middle of their world and the extreme numbing emotions that they face as they brace a wintery storm.
Although a short fictional novel, it doesn't hold back and entices you from the start with real intrigue, creepiness and true horror film scenarios. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone but wrap up warm it's a chilly one!
Although a short fictional novel, it doesn't hold back and entices you from the start with real intrigue, creepiness and true horror film scenarios. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone but wrap up warm it's a chilly one!
Fast, tight novel about what happens to a young couple who go against their gut feelings about a stranger on the road, make bad choices and bring a fresh Hell down on themselves for it. I would have given it four stars except that it almost reads like a screenplay as much as it does a novel. That doesn't make it less an enjoyable and gripping ride but I think there was an opportunity missed at times to dig deeper into the characters and settings. Still, I'd easily recommend it to fans of Noir.
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This is one of those types of books that I love. The crap hits the fan early and often and the reader gets taken on a roller coaster ride all the way through. Written in a similar vein of works like Koontz' "Intensity", Smith's "Simple plan" and Crouch's "Desert Places". It's great when character's get put into situations that are unbelievable and totally screwed up and then they manage to totally make it worse. This is a really fun, quick, highly enjoyable read.
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This books reminds me of the violence and double-crossing in a Tarantino movie. It is not Tarantino-like in that the timeline is straightforward and it's not as surreal or funny. But you also aren't sure who's going to end up dead next. I thought the end was very well done; suited the story and left just enough to the reader's imagination.
The storytelling is crisp and flows well. It's also easy to read and I didn't want to put it down.
The storytelling is crisp and flows well. It's also easy to read and I didn't want to put it down.
Actually 4.5 Stars
From my book review blog Rundpinne...."John Rector’s debut novel Cold Kiss is a riveting story from beginning to end. While the story may sound vaguely similar to other works, Rector’s flawed yet believable characters, his superb use of dialogue and his eloquent writing style sets him apart from similar type novels."...The full review is here.
From my book review blog Rundpinne...."John Rector’s debut novel Cold Kiss is a riveting story from beginning to end. While the story may sound vaguely similar to other works, Rector’s flawed yet believable characters, his superb use of dialogue and his eloquent writing style sets him apart from similar type novels."...The full review is here.
A thought provoking book in which the tension builds up in every chapter until you get to the shocking finale.i cant say i felt any sympathy for any of the characters apart from Marcus and maybe poor Nate who was only trying to do what he thought was right and keep his miserable moaning girlfriend happy.i have also read John Rector's other book Already gone which is also a very good book and well worth reading if you enjoyed this book.
This was a selection for my book club. It read quickly - one Sunday afternoon. My group chose the book because it is by a Nebraska author, John Rector, and because it is set in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska. I can only say the Syl White is the unluckiest and hardiest survivor I've seen in a book in a long time. I wouldn't recommend this book even though it was full of plot turns and devious, murderous characters.
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John Rector is a prize winning short story writer and author of the novels THE COLD KISS (optioned for a feature film now in development), and THE GROVE. He lives in Omaha, Nebraska.
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“It's okay, baby" she said. "We all bounce till we break.”
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