I finished this book a few days ago and have been digesting it since. I just read thru all the spoilers and agree with the rest of you.
SPOILER: The ending was just too quick and tidy and left me feeling unsatisfied. Perhaps as an effort for a sequel?? I thought Libby was pretty lame and definitely depressed and was so happy to see her coming around at the end. I just don't get the concept of a Kill Club - those folks seemed quite bizarre. On a positive note, the first 90% of the book was compelling and a page turner. I read it in two days but I was also glad when I finished. I need a happy book now.

I FINALLY finished this book. I have a hard time reconciling that such a pretty young woman could write such hideous story. Though I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

SPOILER:

From the start of the book, I thought the killer was Len,the sleezy loan officer, thinking perhaps that Patty had insulted his manhood by spurning his advances...I was a little let down that his role in the murders was peripheral. I really thought Ben, Diondra and Trey were too obvious and never thought for a second that the baby was Ben's. I was very surprised a) that Crystal wasn't born with 3 eyes and legless (how many drugs did Diondra take while preggers???) and b) that she was indeed Ben's child. Whoever Trey was to Diondra, that relationship was really bizarre, I'm still not convinced they weren't having some incestuous thing. I didn't dislike Libby at all. I felt sorry for her. And as someone else mentioned, I think she was beginning to heal. I would have liked to have seen Runner sacrificed instead of the cow...at least the cow had a meaningful purpose in life....I didn't like reading that graphic part and quickly skimmed over it. There's not much to say about Ben...what a freak. He deserved prison as I think it is just as horrible a crime to just sit and watch his family be slaughtered.

I thought the book was good, but way too dark for my taste. It took me two weeks to read b/c of the graphic nature of it. I'm happily moving on to Frankie.......

Wow, I stayed up until midnight finishing this. I thought Libby was healing as well, and I agree, there is no way that Ben could walk out of there and become a happy-go-lucky individual. I also agree that the end of the story was just little too tidy. The whole book was chaos and destruction, and then tidy ending. I knew early on others were involved but I was surprised by the hired killer. I thought that was very good on the part of the author, she mentions that serial killer the first night Libby is at the Kill Club meeting. I will say that it's possibly with a crazy Crystal out and about and Ben walking around there could be a crazy gory sequel. Overall a really good read.

SPOILER
Ok, thank you for validating me Kathryn! I really thought the end might be a bit more believable if they had shown this dark side to him, lurking beneath the shadows. That's his own Dark Place. His character was bubbling just under the surface, a ticking timebomb. And while he didn't physically kill anyone, I never doubted that he could, after reading that whole cow massacre part. He has rage issues.

SPOILER
Michelle, I totally agree with what you said about Ben being nutty when he gets out of prison! Don't be a believer, prison rehabilitates no one. So not only do I think Ben will still be twisted when he gets out, but now he is just better at manipulating people.

Ok, I finished! I really liked it. I read it fast (ok, that was fast for me) so that was a good sign that it was a page-turner. Always wondering who did it. I probably had 3 or 4 suspects going at any given time and it changed with each chapter or so. And I did something I NEVER do, I skipped ahead. The supsense was killing me.

SPOILER-END OF BOOK
I skipped ahead after Trey, Ben, and Diondra left the bar and were getting all ramped up to do something. I had to know what it was so I skipped the 2 chapters that were inbetween so I could skim the next Ben chapter...where they do the drugs and kill the cow. Good grief, that was disturbing. At that point I totally thought Ben was involved in the murders, thinking Trey and Libby probably pushed him to do it so he could prove he was a "man" and not a coward.

So I just read all your comments and agree that Libby is not pathetic. She was damaged, and rightfully so. She had to run for her life twice! (BTW--I totally didn't see the iron coming.) But I think she was starting to heal a little by the end, especially with Lyle as a friend.

I also agree that it was wrapped up a little too neat.

And was I the only one that wondered if Ben was going to get out and be nutty?? He had a bunch of deep twisted thoughts as a teen and I kept wondering if they were going to surface again or if he was really rehabilitated. Maybe I'm not a believer...but I just was waiting for his last chapter to say something about Annihilation but it didn't.

And as much as I like dark, those last 50 pages were pretty gloomy. The description of the murders was particularly disturbing. I was really well written so I really felt like I was feeling Patty's thoughts as she was being killed and then watching her baby get killed. It was awful. I actually had a nightmare last night that I got stabbed!
END SPOLIER

Overall a very good pick and I'm glad I read it!

I have not read Lullaby--sounds like another one I'd like, will add it to my list!!

he is one of those authors that I find myself smirking as I'm reading the craziness on the pages.
One book of his that I did not like though was Snuff, even too out there for me

Deb - if you like Palahniuk, and you loved the movie, you'll like the book. Have you read Lullaby? He's also written a very interesting tour guide to Portland, OR. He occasionally wanders the stacks at Powell's Bookstore too.

I'm reading a Chuck book right now actually! :) and am thoroughly enjoying it!

and yes, he is bizarre, twisted, sick, out there--he's definitely not for everyone and I have to be in the right mood to read him

btw--Fight Club is one of my all-time favorite movies ever, altho... I did not read the book

You can't live in Portland and not read Chuck Palahniuk! Though I doubt Kathryn would like him. I think he's got too much of the bizarre in his writing. Though I loved Lullaby. Mom (Jan), I think you'd also enjoy this book. For reference, Palahniuk also wrote Fight Club A Novel.

Jan wrote: "Kathryn is my daughter, but no, she hasn't mentioned that one yet. I'm sure if she hasn't read anything by that author she soon will :) I don't mind depraved, like you I Have trouble with crimes ag..."

Sorry, I meant that for Michelle, her sister is Deb and Deb told me about Chuck Palahniuk :) But if Kathryn likes dark stuff, she should check him out too. I really don't care much for him as his stuff is really "out there."

Kathryn is my daughter, but no, she hasn't mentioned that one yet. I'm sure if she hasn't read anything by that author she soon will :) I don't mind depraved, like you I Have trouble with crimes against children, especially is it is graphic story telling. I enjoy the good old fashioned serial killer though. I just have moods for reading, and right now I'm in to light and fluffy, but I'll get through this one. I like the author and her writing and intend to read Sharp Objects as well.

I typically like a depraved read as well, as long as it doesn't include crimes against children. I do enjoy true crime story and want to read the book about the motorcycle gangs that was on the poll.

Has your sister turned you on to Chuck Palahniuk yet?....talk about depraved and twisted.....

Oh no not at all, Kathryn is right there with you :)) I'm still reading, but I started Julie & Julia to balance it out.

Wow, I hope it doesn't say something bad about me that I really enjoy this book. I guess dark doesn't bother me since I often read true-crime books. If it's dark and depraved, I'm in. LOL!

I really need to be in the mood to read something this dark, and right now I'm not in the mood. I am not really that far so I'm feeling like I want to set it aside and come back to it later. Maybe I'll start Julie & Julia.

This book is very, very dark and disturbing. I'm going to finish it as I'm half way through even though it provokes an uncomfortable level of anxiety for me. I'm glad next month's reads are light.

I'm having the same problem. It think it's well written and it's not that I don't like it. I just don't think I'm in to anything this dark right now. I did go out and pick up the July selections though :)

So, I just can't get into this book. Maybe it's my mood or the fact that I really can't wait to read July's books. Well, at least two of them. : ) So, Kathryn I'll get this one back to you in case someone else wants to borrow it.

Deb wrote: "Rebecca wrote: "I find this book dark and creepy thus far although I'm only on page 50....

SPOILER...ish
For the Rochesterians in the club, I've pictured the meeting of the Kill Club in the S..."

SPOILER -END OF BOOK
I liked Libby. I didn't feel she was pathetic at all. In fact I thought she was rather strong minded. Clearly she was struggling with depression....but I don't see that as pathetic after what she went through. I think Libby never really addressed what happened with her family until she was basically forced to with the Kill Club. Once she was able to start processing what happened she started to become a person again.

Rebecca wrote: "I find this book dark and creepy thus far although I'm only on page 50....

SPOILER...ish
For the Rochesterians in the club, I've pictured the meeting of the Kill Club in the Spaghetti Warehou..."

it is long gone, and I don't even remember where it was it's been so long.

spoiler
I went and read a bunch of reader reviews of this book---as I often do when I'm done w/ a book to see if other people see it the same way as I did, and so many people thought Libby was pathetic, but I did not see her that way (perhaps it's the social worker in me). I thought she was odd, sad and hopeless with good reason, and I was glad she found a friend in Lyle in the end--I'm probably the only one?

I find this book dark and creepy thus far although I'm only on page 50....

SPOILER...ish
For the Rochesterians in the club, I've pictured the meeting of the Kill Club in the Spaghetti Warehouse area of the city. Does that restaurant even still exist? Did that area ever clean up? I think they were trying to spruce it up in the early 90's.

I agree about the end. I was a good book, but the end was weak, and seemed to wrap up a little too quickly.
SPOILER
I mean in the last 20 years this debt killer is going around killing people, and yet right at the same time Libby finds out the truth that guys just happens to get caught? Also, I think Ben gets off easy....regardless of the fact that he didn't actually so the killings, he watched Diondra kill Michelle, and then watched her hack up his mother's dead body more and play around in her blood. He then decides that she is still worthy of saving, and basically takes the fall.

SPOILER finished book
I did not expect some of the things that happened at the end: Libby being attacked by Diondra and Crystal, who the killer was, how everything went all wrong in the house that night, and how Patty had planned her portion - I went back to re read her chapter when she was resigning from life. I did suspect Diondra had something to do with it somehow. Just like Kathryn, I also wanted to know more about Diondra in the future. I did really like the book but I thought the very end was kind of weak.

I should finish this tonite---only about 30 pages left! can't wait to write my spoilers--and go back and read the others posted!

Woo Hoo! I rec'd an email from the library that this book is now in and on hold for me. Looks like I will finish up by month's end afterall!

Ok so I finished this book last night. I wanted to know the answers so bad that I just couldn't put it down!

**SPOILER ALERT - FINSIHED BOOK**
Overall I really liked the book. The author didn't give away too much throughout so even though I was half right on who did it, there was surprise at the end. However, I was kind of disappointed at the whole thing with the hired debt killer. It is just so lame and doesn't fit reality of a serial killer. Maybe it is just because my body of knowledge is centered around forensics and assessing criminal thinking etc. but it just doesn't fit.
On the other hand Diondra....she is a great example of a psychopath, so her part in the killings was very believable. In fact half way through the book when we got to know her better I was sure she orchestrated the while thing.
That being said I was also disappointed that everything wrapped up so neat at the end, and nothing more on Diondra.
END SPOILER

Rebecca, you have the patience of a saint. I couldn't do it. When I want a book I want it now :)

I liked this book. Like mentioned earlier in the posts, it keeps you guessing. My guess about "who done it" was close, but wrong. I like that it goes back and forth from the present to the past - like Deb says, it keeps you wanting to see what will happen next. It did not end the way I had anticipated however. Overall though, a good summer read.

I'm ticked off....I want to read the book(s) but they are both overdue at the library....and I'm up next on both hold lists. If I don't have them by this weekend, I'll buck up and buy. Ugh....

I an right along there with you Deb

Spoiler Alert On PG 190
I deffintely agree that Diondra had something to do with it. Also at the end of one fo the Ben Day chapters Diondra says she is pregnant. This has to tie into it somewhere. Anyway she seems really twisted and I could see it being her idea, or pressuring Ben to do it. Libby did say she heard Ben's voice and him calling her....I am waiting until that is addressed!
End Spoiler

I just started yesterday. The author definitely has my attention.

I'm also about halfway--we seem to keep a good pace with each other Kathryn--I am really intrigued by this book and the writing of it. So many chapters have ended with me thinking "oh my god, what's next?!"

I have some theories, but I've never been a very good guesser, which is why mysteries are always good books for me :)

***spoiler alert--I'm on page 189
I think Krissy's father molested her and she transferred it to Ben, I think Diondra in some way had something to do w/ the murders (a dare maybe?) and Ben "loved" her so did it, or took the blame, but when Libby says she did not actually see it happen, that makes the reader start speculating........
end spoiler

good book--makes me want to keep going to see what happens

I am about half way through...I expect that there is going to be some shocking ending as to who did the murders.....so far tha author has a done a good job of keeping it unknown. However, I think Libby will find out that it really was her brother afterall.

I started this one last night too, so far so good, makes me want to keep reading. Although I'm not as far along as you yet Kathryn.

I started this last night. So far I am on chapter three, and it really seems to draw you in. Not sure if the goal is to see the main character Libby as a protaganist, but I actually really like her.

This is the place to discuss this book. If your discussion contains spoilers, please preface your note with that, or list what page you're up to