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Brenna Spector #2
Into the Dark
In USA Today bestselling author Alison Gaylin's latest book, Missing Persons Investigator Brenna Spector is back, this time on the case of a performance artist, whereabouts unknown-a case that strikes dangerously close to home.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1999
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2101 people want to read
About the author
Alison Gaylin
44 books1,767 followersUSA Today and international bestselling author Alison Gaylin has won the Edgar and Shamus awards, and has been nominated for many more, including the L.A. Times Book Prize, the ITW Thriller, the Strand Book Award, the Anthony and the Macavity. She is currently at work on her 15th novel.
Series:
* Samantha Leiffer Mystery
* Simone Glass Mystery
Series:
* Samantha Leiffer Mystery
* Simone Glass Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
August 5, 2019
Used Book A Thon: read a new to you author
4.5 Stars
I bought this book from a library book sale for 50 cents but this book was so good I would have paid full price.
Brenna Specter is a private investigator with a special skill.. She can remember every moment of everyday of her whole adult life. But her childhood, those carefree days before her older sister went missing are frustratingly vague.
When Brenna is called in to help find a missing web cam girl, who may be the key to finding her long missing sister.
Into The Dark was surprisingly good. I didn't expect to be sucked into this story so fast. From page one, I wanted to devour this book and when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it.
The only thing that stopped me from giving this a full 5 stars was I thought that the ending was a bit abrupt. But this is a series so maybe the next book expands upon it.
4.5 Stars
I bought this book from a library book sale for 50 cents but this book was so good I would have paid full price.
Brenna Specter is a private investigator with a special skill.. She can remember every moment of everyday of her whole adult life. But her childhood, those carefree days before her older sister went missing are frustratingly vague.
When Brenna is called in to help find a missing web cam girl, who may be the key to finding her long missing sister.
Into The Dark was surprisingly good. I didn't expect to be sucked into this story so fast. From page one, I wanted to devour this book and when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it.
The only thing that stopped me from giving this a full 5 stars was I thought that the ending was a bit abrupt. But this is a series so maybe the next book expands upon it.
January 4, 2013
I was lucky enough to win an ARC of this book on Goodreads. So, first of all I want to say "Thank You" to Goodreads, the author and publisher.
I also hope I'm not committing some kind of faux pas by posting the review before the book is released. However, I just couldn't sit on it that long. This book is not to be missed.
Brenna,is a private Detective, mother of a 13 year old daughter, divorced, and lives with a condition that causes her to remember every moment of every day in vivid detail. However, her memories of childhood remain fuzzy before the disapperance of her sister, Clea.
Now, a web sensation calling herself Lula Belle, begins repeating phrases that Brenna's mother used, and telling stories about her childhood that mirror Brenna's memories. Could Lula Belle be her missing sister?
When Brenna is hired by her former boss to look into the case, Brenna becomes as obsessed as the men addicted to watching Lula Belle's performances. One lead takes her to another lead, to a murder, then another murder. Brenna herself becomes a target as she gets too close to the truth.
I love this trend of mixing literary prose with the mystery novel. This is a dark, moody, mystery/psychological thriller combined with a rich, lush prose that sucks you into the story so deeply you don't even realize you've read half the book already.
Brenna's hyperthymesia (or something like that),is a blessing and a curse. It is useful as a PI, but mostly, it causes her to go off into her own world as she relives each detail of her memories. This makes Brenna a very interesting character. Her personal and professional lives are often difficult to balance. In this case it's even more personal. Brenna hopes to find answers to the questions that have haunted her all these years about her sister.
I think we should be keeping our eyes on this author. I see this author hitting the best seller list in the future. This a very good mystery and then some.
I believe this is the second Brenna Spector novel. I went to Amazon.com and ordered the first book right after I finished this one. .
This one gets an A!
I also hope I'm not committing some kind of faux pas by posting the review before the book is released. However, I just couldn't sit on it that long. This book is not to be missed.
Brenna,is a private Detective, mother of a 13 year old daughter, divorced, and lives with a condition that causes her to remember every moment of every day in vivid detail. However, her memories of childhood remain fuzzy before the disapperance of her sister, Clea.
Now, a web sensation calling herself Lula Belle, begins repeating phrases that Brenna's mother used, and telling stories about her childhood that mirror Brenna's memories. Could Lula Belle be her missing sister?
When Brenna is hired by her former boss to look into the case, Brenna becomes as obsessed as the men addicted to watching Lula Belle's performances. One lead takes her to another lead, to a murder, then another murder. Brenna herself becomes a target as she gets too close to the truth.
I love this trend of mixing literary prose with the mystery novel. This is a dark, moody, mystery/psychological thriller combined with a rich, lush prose that sucks you into the story so deeply you don't even realize you've read half the book already.
Brenna's hyperthymesia (or something like that),is a blessing and a curse. It is useful as a PI, but mostly, it causes her to go off into her own world as she relives each detail of her memories. This makes Brenna a very interesting character. Her personal and professional lives are often difficult to balance. In this case it's even more personal. Brenna hopes to find answers to the questions that have haunted her all these years about her sister.
I think we should be keeping our eyes on this author. I see this author hitting the best seller list in the future. This a very good mystery and then some.
I believe this is the second Brenna Spector novel. I went to Amazon.com and ordered the first book right after I finished this one. .
This one gets an A!
January 13, 2018
This is the second book in the Brenna Spector series. Brenna is very unusual. She has a memory of recall that most of us wish we possessed. I definitely recommend reading the first book so you can follow Brenna as the books delve deeper into her past.
Of course, this has a mystery that is the main focus which Brenna and her partner Trent have to solve. I happened upon this series by chance, and I'm so glad that I did. I love discovering new suspense authors, and I definitely have to read the third book since this one leaves the reader with more questions.
Of course, this has a mystery that is the main focus which Brenna and her partner Trent have to solve. I happened upon this series by chance, and I'm so glad that I did. I love discovering new suspense authors, and I definitely have to read the third book since this one leaves the reader with more questions.
Read
April 1, 2023dnf at pg. 98
June 29, 2022
4 sterren- Nederlandse paperback
In een mooie en ontspannen schrijfstijl ontwikkelt zich een boeiend plot met Lula Belle als middelpunt. Een performance- kunstenaar die de harten van vele mannen sneller doet kloppen. Er blijft veel te raden bij haar half pornografische optredens waarbij haar gezicht altijd in het donker is. Zij is een mysterie, een hype en een cult.
Een moderne Mata Hari.
De personages zijn goed uitgewerkt. Brenna is sympathiek maar zij zal nooit de prijs van moeder van het jaar winnen. De manier waarop zij met haar 13-jarige dochter omgaat irriteert af en toe.
Trent LaSalle, haar assistent en computernerd is achter de fraaie woorden over zijn veroveringen en het vele haargel, een man met een gouden hart. Nick Morasco is de politie-inspecteur die erg behulpzaam is maar iets voor Brenna lijkt te verbergen.
Belangrijk in het verhaal is de neurologische aandoening waaraan Brenna lijdt. Tijdens het onderzoek komen regelmatig herinneringen aan haar jeugd naar de oppervlakte. Ze helpen haar bij het onderzoek, zijn moeilijk te onderdrukken maar maken Brenna kwetsbaar. Ze worden kundig in het verhaal verweven zonder dat ze verwarring veroorzaken. Knap gedaan dus.
Het ontwikkeld zich voor mij tot een boeiende psychologische thriller.
In een mooie en ontspannen schrijfstijl ontwikkelt zich een boeiend plot met Lula Belle als middelpunt. Een performance- kunstenaar die de harten van vele mannen sneller doet kloppen. Er blijft veel te raden bij haar half pornografische optredens waarbij haar gezicht altijd in het donker is. Zij is een mysterie, een hype en een cult.
Een moderne Mata Hari.
De personages zijn goed uitgewerkt. Brenna is sympathiek maar zij zal nooit de prijs van moeder van het jaar winnen. De manier waarop zij met haar 13-jarige dochter omgaat irriteert af en toe.
Trent LaSalle, haar assistent en computernerd is achter de fraaie woorden over zijn veroveringen en het vele haargel, een man met een gouden hart. Nick Morasco is de politie-inspecteur die erg behulpzaam is maar iets voor Brenna lijkt te verbergen.
Belangrijk in het verhaal is de neurologische aandoening waaraan Brenna lijdt. Tijdens het onderzoek komen regelmatig herinneringen aan haar jeugd naar de oppervlakte. Ze helpen haar bij het onderzoek, zijn moeilijk te onderdrukken maar maken Brenna kwetsbaar. Ze worden kundig in het verhaal verweven zonder dat ze verwarring veroorzaken. Knap gedaan dus.
Het ontwikkeld zich voor mij tot een boeiende psychologische thriller.
January 2, 2012
As a young teenager, long before the twilight craze, this was the first vampire novel I ever read. I was completely drawn into the world of this story (a retelling of Dracula) and hung on every word. I loved the created chracter of Ox, and the rewritten character of Mina. I will always remember this book with fondness. After this, I moved on to Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles and, of course, the original Dracula novel, but I will never forget the dark magic of this book.
April 16, 2017
Loved this book. Thrilling and unputdownable. Love Brenna.
March 19, 2013
WON THIS GIVEAWAY COURTESY OF GOODREADS FIRST READS!
Post-Thoughts:
I'll like to start off by listing a few grammatical errors. Since this giveaway book I received is an ARC, I didn't let the mistakes play huge part into my rating.
Pg.88 : "No. That closed I think. This place is called Bacon."
Pg.147: "But I should get home to Maya, and she wouldn't appreciate it if came in trashed."
Pg.263: "Anyway, I'm thinking his not answering me is a little over the top..."
Pg.368: "When Gary had received the phone calls from Gary and begged...
Besides the errors, I found this book quite enjoyable due to its suspenseful mystery and mundane references.
The beginning dialogue had me hooked and entertained initially. I was actually anticipating something humorous to be said at every turn than anything else for a time. And that anticipation involved Trent being in the story. I don't think there was ever a moment when Trent appeared and not say something amusing. The inferences he made about coke bottles, the resemblance of Diandra's (DeeDee) as Jessica Alba only from the neck down, and etc... His facetious remarks are those of a fatuous stereotypical male playboy, but nonetheless he is intelligent, or as he would described himself, "God".
There are other references I would like to point out, such as RJ's supposedly appearance resembles that of Steven Spielberg but he was more of Michael Moore look-alike. There were also instances of Justin Beiber and Rhianna being brought up. Pg. 331 "He heard his own voice in his head-like those drunk Mel Gibson tapes people were making ringtones out of."
Having the story based in a contemporary setting made it easier to grasp and provided a upbeat connection to the book.
One huge problem for me regards to the lack of information explained from the previous book. The Neff's case, Lieberman's book, and the televised show Maid of the Mist had me left in the dark wondering what was they were about. They all played a significant role in a sense, like puzzles, to solving the mystery that I didn't know much about.
Overall, an outstanding book!
Cover:
First thing I notice, her ginormous name that takes up a third of the cover. I'm proud of my name as well but that doesn't mean you should make the font size 200 and everything else microscopic. I wish she switched the font size of her name with the title of the book, but then I realize, that kind of ruins the augury.
The girl exhibits a subtle eeriness striding along a dirt road into the foggy dark forest alone. I also notice behind her there are two beams of light, much like from a car, possibly insinuating a stalking predator perhaps. I like how the girl and her bike are marked blue, providing a great contrast to the darkness environment making her stand out. This is probably why the title is lower cased and the font size being smaller than her name.
My main problem with the cover is the light green spiky circular symbol labeled "Great New Read, Great Low Price!" That just kills the cover. I know that symbol is just an advertising stint, thus the cover would do better without it. Instead, just wait and cover that insert with an award or medal. Until then, that needs to removed.
A very inconspicuous cover and yet very provocative. I'm excited and curious about reading this mystery!
Conclusion:
First time reading a book by Alison Gaylin and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As well as what Harlan Coben said, "label me a big fan." "★★★★"
Post-Thoughts:
I'll like to start off by listing a few grammatical errors. Since this giveaway book I received is an ARC, I didn't let the mistakes play huge part into my rating.
Pg.88 : "No. That closed I think. This place is called Bacon."
Pg.147: "But I should get home to Maya, and she wouldn't appreciate it if came in trashed."
Pg.263: "Anyway, I'm thinking his not answering me is a little over the top..."
Pg.368: "When Gary had received the phone calls from Gary and begged...
Besides the errors, I found this book quite enjoyable due to its suspenseful mystery and mundane references.
The beginning dialogue had me hooked and entertained initially. I was actually anticipating something humorous to be said at every turn than anything else for a time. And that anticipation involved Trent being in the story. I don't think there was ever a moment when Trent appeared and not say something amusing. The inferences he made about coke bottles, the resemblance of Diandra's (DeeDee) as Jessica Alba only from the neck down, and etc... His facetious remarks are those of a fatuous stereotypical male playboy, but nonetheless he is intelligent, or as he would described himself, "God".
There are other references I would like to point out, such as RJ's supposedly appearance resembles that of Steven Spielberg but he was more of Michael Moore look-alike. There were also instances of Justin Beiber and Rhianna being brought up. Pg. 331 "He heard his own voice in his head-like those drunk Mel Gibson tapes people were making ringtones out of."
Having the story based in a contemporary setting made it easier to grasp and provided a upbeat connection to the book.
One huge problem for me regards to the lack of information explained from the previous book. The Neff's case, Lieberman's book, and the televised show Maid of the Mist had me left in the dark wondering what was they were about. They all played a significant role in a sense, like puzzles, to solving the mystery that I didn't know much about.
Overall, an outstanding book!
Cover:
First thing I notice, her ginormous name that takes up a third of the cover. I'm proud of my name as well but that doesn't mean you should make the font size 200 and everything else microscopic. I wish she switched the font size of her name with the title of the book, but then I realize, that kind of ruins the augury.
The girl exhibits a subtle eeriness striding along a dirt road into the foggy dark forest alone. I also notice behind her there are two beams of light, much like from a car, possibly insinuating a stalking predator perhaps. I like how the girl and her bike are marked blue, providing a great contrast to the darkness environment making her stand out. This is probably why the title is lower cased and the font size being smaller than her name.
My main problem with the cover is the light green spiky circular symbol labeled "Great New Read, Great Low Price!" That just kills the cover. I know that symbol is just an advertising stint, thus the cover would do better without it. Instead, just wait and cover that insert with an award or medal. Until then, that needs to removed.
A very inconspicuous cover and yet very provocative. I'm excited and curious about reading this mystery!
Conclusion:
First time reading a book by Alison Gaylin and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As well as what Harlan Coben said, "label me a big fan." "★★★★"
February 1, 2014
" That's the question that haunts Brenna Spector when she first sees footage of missing webcam performer Lula Belle. Naked but hidden in shadow, the "performance artist" shares her deepest, darkest secrets with her unseen male audience . . . secrets that, to Brenna, are chillingly familiar.
Brenna has perfect memory, able to recall in astonishing detail every moment of every day of her adult life. But her childhood—those carefree years before the traumatic disappearance of her sister, Clea—is frustratingly vague. When Brenna listens to the stories Lula Belle tells her audience, stories only Brenna and Clea could know, those years come to life again in vivid detail. Convinced the missing internet performer has ties to her sister, Brenna takes the case—and in her quest for Lula Belle unravels a web of obsession, sex, guilt, and murder that could regain her family . . . or cost her life. "
*** Spoilers***
This book is actually a 3.5 stars for me but since we can't do halves right now I just went with 3.
This is the second Brenna Spector book I have read. The story line was good and for the most part interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat but there were some story flaws I didn't like- or they were flaws to me.
A few things were never explained and seemed to have just been forgotten about.
And in this book, just as in the first book, Brenna is constantly searching for some link to her sister who went missing when they were kids and all these clues keep turning up to her sister yet turn out to be dead ends.
The whole missing sister angle is the part I didn't like. Every time that subject was reintroduced into the chapter I kept thinking... "here we go, back to Mulder and X Files again ". (For those of you who don't' watch X Files, the whole show is based around his sister who was kidnapped when they were children and he is constantly looking for clues to where she might be ).
Alison has great ideas for good books but the continuing search for a missing sister (since childhood) has put me off and I doubt I will read anymore of these books.
There were also a lot of repetitive flashbacks from events that had happened in the first book, but also flashbacks that had been flashbacks in the first book as well- not even new writing, just the same flashback I had read about before.
Brenna has perfect memory, able to recall in astonishing detail every moment of every day of her adult life. But her childhood—those carefree years before the traumatic disappearance of her sister, Clea—is frustratingly vague. When Brenna listens to the stories Lula Belle tells her audience, stories only Brenna and Clea could know, those years come to life again in vivid detail. Convinced the missing internet performer has ties to her sister, Brenna takes the case—and in her quest for Lula Belle unravels a web of obsession, sex, guilt, and murder that could regain her family . . . or cost her life. "
*** Spoilers***
This book is actually a 3.5 stars for me but since we can't do halves right now I just went with 3.
This is the second Brenna Spector book I have read. The story line was good and for the most part interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat but there were some story flaws I didn't like- or they were flaws to me.
A few things were never explained and seemed to have just been forgotten about.
And in this book, just as in the first book, Brenna is constantly searching for some link to her sister who went missing when they were kids and all these clues keep turning up to her sister yet turn out to be dead ends.
The whole missing sister angle is the part I didn't like. Every time that subject was reintroduced into the chapter I kept thinking... "here we go, back to Mulder and X Files again ". (For those of you who don't' watch X Files, the whole show is based around his sister who was kidnapped when they were children and he is constantly looking for clues to where she might be ).
Alison has great ideas for good books but the continuing search for a missing sister (since childhood) has put me off and I doubt I will read anymore of these books.
There were also a lot of repetitive flashbacks from events that had happened in the first book, but also flashbacks that had been flashbacks in the first book as well- not even new writing, just the same flashback I had read about before.
November 29, 2022
4.5 I accidentally read this book first but it didn’t give away spoilers from the first book (which I’m reading now) and I wasn’t confused. Twist and turns galore. Loved it.
Highly recommend for general market readers!
Highly recommend for general market readers!
August 18, 2013
Into the Dark was a fast read for me because I wanted to know what happened to the sister...but I'm not sure I ever connected with the author's writing style. Something was off, missing for me. Not sure if it was the quirky characters, the slap stickiness, the crazy ending, some of the dumb things that Brennan did esp. as it involved her daughter, Trent...although he was a goofy geek I did like him, or that humor was trying to be infused into what I thought was supposed to be a novel of suspense. Understand that Into the Dark is part of a series but not sure I'll be taking the plunge to read other books from this author as I'm not sure her writing style is for me.
September 17, 2016
[ARC Review] Into The Dark: Alright Thriller With An Interesting Protagonist Oops...It's a series. Damn. I have not read the first book with Brenna Spencer, And She Was. I’m a Random Order Reader this time around. Into the Dark works as is reading out of order with no previous knowledge of the author or the characters. Of course, I cannot answer how it works as a series and I can't know how different reading it would be, if I had done it in order. The Neff case, the first book's mystery, itself isn't discussed at all (just referenced to) but there's personal character flashbacks. While reading I kept thinking “This feels like a series...” I wasn’t lost or confused though. Just curious and wondering a bit: “Why this other case is such a big deal?” and “Why everyone started acting differently because of it?” As of now, I do plan on reading the first book and continuing the series, but it's not a burning need. Just keeping an eye out and if I get into the mood for this kind of read, I know which books to turn to. Brenna's condition is an interesting condition for a protagonist to have and it's a difficult one to include in text, as you'll find out.
Can a stranger share your memories?
Series: Brenna Spencer #2 Genre:Mystery, Suspense/Thriller, Age: Adult Format: MMP ARC, 384 pgs. Source: Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for review purposes Rating: 2.5 Recommendable? Conditionally
That's the question that haunts Brenna Spector when she first sees footage of missing webcam performer Lula Belle. Naked but hidden in shadow, the "performance artist" shares her deepest, darkest secrets with her unseen male audience . . . secrets that, to Brenna, are chillingly familiar. Brenna has perfect memory, able to recall in astonishing detail every moment of every day of her adult life. But her childhood—those carefree years before the traumatic disappearance of her sister, Clea—is frustratingly vague. When Brenna listens to the stories Lula Belle tells her audience, stories only Brenna and Clea could know, those years come to life again in vivid detail. Convinced the missing internet performer has ties to her sister, Brenna takes the case—and in her quest for Lula Belle unravels a web of obsession, sex, guilt, and murder that could regain her family . . . or cost her life. How can you forgive and forget when you can never forget?
The Good
The Bad & The Other
Intriguing twist on the “perfect memory” or similar “perfect trait for case-solving with personal drawbacks”
but the execution made it a hard read. Flashbacks were annoying at first and hard to get used to
Tense mystery and suspense, guessing and uncertainty til the end
but if I paid attention and tried solving it while reading, I don't think it'd be as successful
Last sentence rocked
Brenna was stupid and whiny sometimes. Needs character progression or I'm done with the series
The cover
Tacky “Great new read, Great low price!” sticker that ruins the cover
Missing common sense at times, raising minor issues
The opening scene I had to re-read it because it was so jarring trying to figure out WTF. Re-reading and flipping back pages was common because of the massively detailed, hard to parse, constant flashbacks out of nowhere. Most often the flashbacks were pointless, except to properly show what Brenna had to cope with. In that sense, the flashbacks were effective.
I was just as tired, bored and frustrated with the flashbacks as Brenna. It was a rocky start but I pressed on though because I was intrigued by the story. It became more enjoyable further along. I adjusted to Brenna's head and it picked up a bit after 100 pages. Then it really ramped up after another hundred. The ending was as solid as the beginning was unsure.
Brenna & Cast: Great If You Can Get Past Things Like Sexism
Brenna, and I didn't really mesh at first because all the flashbacks. After adjusting, I liked her and wasn't completely annoyed with all her whining due to the problems caused by her hyperthymesia, except about things that were all her fault. Then there were times where I questioned her judgment and wanted to smack some sense into her.
All in all, Brenna was just okay. Considering how it ended I'm hopeful for her character progression in the next book, which shouldn't be such a battle for me to get into. But if it's more of the same, I'll probably DNF it.
Maya, Brenna's daughter, I like and feel for considering she's stuck loving her mother and hating what her mother does. I hope Brenna does step it up in the next book because I don't know if I can deal with more of Brenna's neglect. Yeah, yeah, extenuating circumstances and Brenna means well but it seems like a pattern of behavior to me. And fuck that nonsense.
Trent is a douchebag, even Brenna thinks so. He'd belong on the Jersey Shore with the rest of the Guidos but he's a smart tech geek. Vin Diesel, Trent's idol, is a D&D nerd (I love swooning over THAT guy, seriously) but he's not a douche about dating like Trent. Trent is an often disgusting player, and doesn't stop hitting on women, even after they repeatedly say no. Creepy, harasser, much?
I'd like to get to know Trent under all that false sexist bravado and there's glimpses of him being decent but unless you're a cat or his friend, steer clear of Trent. He's got that “bad boy with a heart of gold” crap going on under all that spray tan and hair gel, which I loathe because far too many people give sexist shit a pass because of that.
Sure, some of the funniest moments comes from Trent (dearly needed in the sad ass case and MC) and he's helpful on the case. However, every time he talks to or about women, I want to smack him quiet. And that's a hard feeling to shake, even when he's not actively spouting bullshit.
Now, Nick I liked except for his "Men do this, women do that" attitude. Gods, far too much sexist crap in this book and coming from characters we're supposed to like no less. Worse yet, I'd like them with no hesitation if it wasn't for this. Brenna isn't having any of it at least. For now anyways, there's some playful banter between the two. I hope it stays this way but a woman MC hardly ever stays single for long and I'm not seeing any other possibilities.
(Un)Surprisingly, I Liked the Mystery but….
The mystery had me turning pages as improbably twisted and convoluted as it was. Perfect crime show hype, just ignore the junk behind the curtain. I didn't guess til the end how it would all come together. Hindsight shows I could have seen it coming but meh. I didn't pay attention to all the pieces when reading. I wouldn't be surprised if someone else does though and finds it obvious. Parts of the ending just rocked, others made me go "Ohhhhhhhh" but nothing really shocked. The last line is killer though.
While I did have to adjust to time jumping, the writing itself was great. Here's some quotes I like: On page 40,
The day had gone where it always went - in and out of wormholes, with Brenna swallowed up by memories, then snapping herself back to reality. Back and forth, back and forth.
On pg. 57,
She would've been hard-pressed to find any item of apparel that tried half as hard as that bag did.
On page 80,
It was a Tudor three-story walk up on a street that happened to be full of them. But it stood out from the others in that it was literally crawling with ivy. Brenna normally liked a little ivy on old buildings - she found it cozy and collegiate-but in this case it just seemed liked a symptom of decay, the plant devouring the frail building, pulling it back into the earth. Someone had put a wreath on the front door, a big, clumsy thing, dripping Christmas bells. But it only added to the feeling-the Ivy Monster's bejeweled sidekick.
Minor Things That Bothered Me:
....How do they expect to keep these violent happenings (with police involvement, no less) hidden from Maya's father and stepmother? They don't watch the news? For crying out loud, Faith (the stepmom) is a reporter!
Speaking of which, the police force seems awfully incompetent since they didn't really investigate the...um...happenings, didn't ask anyone any questions. Of course, it doesn't help that Brenna didn't report half the stuff either. Yeah, smart move Brenna.
Okay, so P.I's going it alone and a bumbling police force are standards in this genre but usually the reasons for not going to the police are talked about. That's the rub, it was never brought up. Silence was just a given. Am I just suppose to assume why? There's two sentences brought up about Brenna's issue with the police force but it wasn't regarding why she doesn't report things like a normal person. Is my answer in the first book? If you don't talk about it, it seems like the characters were too stupid to think of going to police. Whatever the reason, the apparent lack of common sense irritated me.
Bottomline:
For every positive aspect, there's a downside and it didn't get going for me until halfway through. But there's a protagonist with an interesting condition and a crime show type case to follow. Now if only those damn characters didn't make it so hard.
Recommended for:
Mystery and Suspense/Thriller fans if you can accept or ignore some problems. Updated on 9/17/2015 for better editing, new rating system, and formatting with new template.
Can a stranger share your memories?
Series: Brenna Spencer #2 Genre:Mystery, Suspense/Thriller, Age: Adult Format: MMP ARC, 384 pgs. Source: Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for review purposes Rating: 2.5 Recommendable? Conditionally
That's the question that haunts Brenna Spector when she first sees footage of missing webcam performer Lula Belle. Naked but hidden in shadow, the "performance artist" shares her deepest, darkest secrets with her unseen male audience . . . secrets that, to Brenna, are chillingly familiar. Brenna has perfect memory, able to recall in astonishing detail every moment of every day of her adult life. But her childhood—those carefree years before the traumatic disappearance of her sister, Clea—is frustratingly vague. When Brenna listens to the stories Lula Belle tells her audience, stories only Brenna and Clea could know, those years come to life again in vivid detail. Convinced the missing internet performer has ties to her sister, Brenna takes the case—and in her quest for Lula Belle unravels a web of obsession, sex, guilt, and murder that could regain her family . . . or cost her life. How can you forgive and forget when you can never forget?
The Good
The Bad & The Other
Intriguing twist on the “perfect memory” or similar “perfect trait for case-solving with personal drawbacks”
but the execution made it a hard read. Flashbacks were annoying at first and hard to get used to
Tense mystery and suspense, guessing and uncertainty til the end
but if I paid attention and tried solving it while reading, I don't think it'd be as successful
Last sentence rocked
Brenna was stupid and whiny sometimes. Needs character progression or I'm done with the series
The cover
Tacky “Great new read, Great low price!” sticker that ruins the cover
Missing common sense at times, raising minor issues
The opening scene I had to re-read it because it was so jarring trying to figure out WTF. Re-reading and flipping back pages was common because of the massively detailed, hard to parse, constant flashbacks out of nowhere. Most often the flashbacks were pointless, except to properly show what Brenna had to cope with. In that sense, the flashbacks were effective.
I was just as tired, bored and frustrated with the flashbacks as Brenna. It was a rocky start but I pressed on though because I was intrigued by the story. It became more enjoyable further along. I adjusted to Brenna's head and it picked up a bit after 100 pages. Then it really ramped up after another hundred. The ending was as solid as the beginning was unsure.
Brenna & Cast: Great If You Can Get Past Things Like Sexism
Brenna, and I didn't really mesh at first because all the flashbacks. After adjusting, I liked her and wasn't completely annoyed with all her whining due to the problems caused by her hyperthymesia, except about things that were all her fault. Then there were times where I questioned her judgment and wanted to smack some sense into her.
All in all, Brenna was just okay. Considering how it ended I'm hopeful for her character progression in the next book, which shouldn't be such a battle for me to get into. But if it's more of the same, I'll probably DNF it.
Maya, Brenna's daughter, I like and feel for considering she's stuck loving her mother and hating what her mother does. I hope Brenna does step it up in the next book because I don't know if I can deal with more of Brenna's neglect. Yeah, yeah, extenuating circumstances and Brenna means well but it seems like a pattern of behavior to me. And fuck that nonsense.
Trent is a douchebag, even Brenna thinks so. He'd belong on the Jersey Shore with the rest of the Guidos but he's a smart tech geek. Vin Diesel, Trent's idol, is a D&D nerd (I love swooning over THAT guy, seriously) but he's not a douche about dating like Trent. Trent is an often disgusting player, and doesn't stop hitting on women, even after they repeatedly say no. Creepy, harasser, much?
I'd like to get to know Trent under all that false sexist bravado and there's glimpses of him being decent but unless you're a cat or his friend, steer clear of Trent. He's got that “bad boy with a heart of gold” crap going on under all that spray tan and hair gel, which I loathe because far too many people give sexist shit a pass because of that.
Sure, some of the funniest moments comes from Trent (dearly needed in the sad ass case and MC) and he's helpful on the case. However, every time he talks to or about women, I want to smack him quiet. And that's a hard feeling to shake, even when he's not actively spouting bullshit.
Now, Nick I liked except for his "Men do this, women do that" attitude. Gods, far too much sexist crap in this book and coming from characters we're supposed to like no less. Worse yet, I'd like them with no hesitation if it wasn't for this. Brenna isn't having any of it at least. For now anyways, there's some playful banter between the two. I hope it stays this way but a woman MC hardly ever stays single for long and I'm not seeing any other possibilities.
(Un)Surprisingly, I Liked the Mystery but….
The mystery had me turning pages as improbably twisted and convoluted as it was. Perfect crime show hype, just ignore the junk behind the curtain. I didn't guess til the end how it would all come together. Hindsight shows I could have seen it coming but meh. I didn't pay attention to all the pieces when reading. I wouldn't be surprised if someone else does though and finds it obvious. Parts of the ending just rocked, others made me go "Ohhhhhhhh" but nothing really shocked. The last line is killer though.
While I did have to adjust to time jumping, the writing itself was great. Here's some quotes I like: On page 40,
The day had gone where it always went - in and out of wormholes, with Brenna swallowed up by memories, then snapping herself back to reality. Back and forth, back and forth.
On pg. 57,
She would've been hard-pressed to find any item of apparel that tried half as hard as that bag did.
On page 80,
It was a Tudor three-story walk up on a street that happened to be full of them. But it stood out from the others in that it was literally crawling with ivy. Brenna normally liked a little ivy on old buildings - she found it cozy and collegiate-but in this case it just seemed liked a symptom of decay, the plant devouring the frail building, pulling it back into the earth. Someone had put a wreath on the front door, a big, clumsy thing, dripping Christmas bells. But it only added to the feeling-the Ivy Monster's bejeweled sidekick.
Minor Things That Bothered Me:
....How do they expect to keep these violent happenings (with police involvement, no less) hidden from Maya's father and stepmother? They don't watch the news? For crying out loud, Faith (the stepmom) is a reporter!
Speaking of which, the police force seems awfully incompetent since they didn't really investigate the...um...happenings, didn't ask anyone any questions. Of course, it doesn't help that Brenna didn't report half the stuff either. Yeah, smart move Brenna.
Okay, so P.I's going it alone and a bumbling police force are standards in this genre but usually the reasons for not going to the police are talked about. That's the rub, it was never brought up. Silence was just a given. Am I just suppose to assume why? There's two sentences brought up about Brenna's issue with the police force but it wasn't regarding why she doesn't report things like a normal person. Is my answer in the first book? If you don't talk about it, it seems like the characters were too stupid to think of going to police. Whatever the reason, the apparent lack of common sense irritated me.
Bottomline:
For every positive aspect, there's a downside and it didn't get going for me until halfway through. But there's a protagonist with an interesting condition and a crime show type case to follow. Now if only those damn characters didn't make it so hard.
Recommended for:
Mystery and Suspense/Thriller fans if you can accept or ignore some problems. Updated on 9/17/2015 for better editing, new rating system, and formatting with new template.
January 4, 2019
Love this book love this author
January 5, 2020
I liked this one better than the first.
April 5, 2021
Vreemd ... het boek begon zeer sterk, maar op een bepaald moment was ik dit gevoel compleet kwijt en kwam het niet meer terug. Zeer jammer ...
February 8, 2023
Love this series, looks forward to the next one!
October 14, 2023
Big Sue Grafton energy here.
May 23, 2008
It's interesting how at the end of the synopsis of this book it says it's an unforgettable erotic tale giving the impression that it's a vampire erotica. It's anything but that.
It's a vampire novel and yes it does have some erotica in it but not true erotica and that's more towards the end of the story. This is more a general vampire novel about Count Dracula being told from the perspective of Dracula's servant.
Basically it borrows a lot from Bram Stoker's Dracula which is not a rarity in itself but this is to a certain extreme. Kelleher has used characters from Dracula from Mina to Van Helsing, borrowing a lot of the story line which has made the novel remind me a lot of fan fiction.
It's an interesting perspective especially as there is more attention paid to Dracula and the other characters come off as being close to savage heartless men but for someone who has only recently read Bram Stoker's and loved it I find it hard to not get a little peeved with the story. Sure I read it all and I enjoyed the perspective at times but it wasn't exactly ingenious or original. Kelleher has a nice flowing writing style but perhaps if Kelleher hadn't borrowed so much from Bram Stoker's I would give it more credit but as it is I couldn't help be frustrated as it unfolded and neared it's ending. An ending which I thought was ludicrous and unnecessary.
It's a vampire novel and yes it does have some erotica in it but not true erotica and that's more towards the end of the story. This is more a general vampire novel about Count Dracula being told from the perspective of Dracula's servant.
Basically it borrows a lot from Bram Stoker's Dracula which is not a rarity in itself but this is to a certain extreme. Kelleher has used characters from Dracula from Mina to Van Helsing, borrowing a lot of the story line which has made the novel remind me a lot of fan fiction.
It's an interesting perspective especially as there is more attention paid to Dracula and the other characters come off as being close to savage heartless men but for someone who has only recently read Bram Stoker's and loved it I find it hard to not get a little peeved with the story. Sure I read it all and I enjoyed the perspective at times but it wasn't exactly ingenious or original. Kelleher has a nice flowing writing style but perhaps if Kelleher hadn't borrowed so much from Bram Stoker's I would give it more credit but as it is I couldn't help be frustrated as it unfolded and neared it's ending. An ending which I thought was ludicrous and unnecessary.
January 7, 2017
Ahh!! How can it end that way!? I want to know more, I need to know more.
Brenna has been on one heck of a rollercoaster in this one, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. More and more information piled on top of her and she still wasn't close to finding out the truth... and I don't think she really got the WHOLE truth after all that tail chasing.
We again meet Nick Morasco, which I'm glad of, I really like him and Brenna and he work well together in a way. Brenna is definitely a tough cookie to crack and I'm so glad for the flashbacks to the previous book!!
Another amazing book from an phenomenal author.
Brenna has been on one heck of a rollercoaster in this one, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. More and more information piled on top of her and she still wasn't close to finding out the truth... and I don't think she really got the WHOLE truth after all that tail chasing.
We again meet Nick Morasco, which I'm glad of, I really like him and Brenna and he work well together in a way. Brenna is definitely a tough cookie to crack and I'm so glad for the flashbacks to the previous book!!
Another amazing book from an phenomenal author.
May 24, 2020
Although I liked a couple previous books by Gaylin, I wasn't impressed with the previous one in this series. Nevertheless I gave it a try. At first, it was much better than the last one, but for some reason about a third of the way through it just lost me. The characters are ridiculous, the story unfolds in utterly unbelievable ways. I guess I just fail to maintain willing suspension of disbelief in these books.
September 14, 2016
Well, it didn't take long for this series to become unbearably dull. No wonder Brenna hates her crystal clear perfect memory -- I didn't live the experiences the first time, and I found myself speed-reading through her memories of them!
December 22, 2018
This book follows te case of Brenna her missing sister. It is such a good book and the descriptions of all the memories Brenna had Aboutaleb certain parts in her life are so good. I can really recommend this novel.
October 16, 2012
Lucky enough to snag an advance copy at Bouchercon. I loved it! Hope there is another one in the works!
March 19, 2013
Good second book in the series, advances the storyline in an intriguing way, definitely makes me want to read the next installment to see where it will head.
March 12, 2015
Just an ok book. It had a slow start but picked up the pace eventually. 3 stars.
February 15, 2014
I really liked this book until the end. I didn't understand the ending. :(
February 8, 2016
3.5 stars. Though the ending was a bit jumbled/rushed, the book made me want to continue with the series. So far the pacing of the large mystery is well done, and I like the characters.
June 29, 2021
I really loved the journey of this book until the end which I wasn't a fan of.
February 11, 2022
I didn't care for this one as much as the first book. But it's possible that it's because I listened to this one on audiobook and the narrator's voices weren't how I imagined when I read the first.
March 19, 2022
When I reviewed the first book in this trilogy back in January, I said I would read the second one, but that the first book wasn’t all that dazzling. I’m thrilled to report that Gaylin seems to have found her stride and done well in this second book. I found it more powerful and more compelling than the first, and the previews of the third book, which I’ll probably read in late May or early June, look even better than the second one.
A performance artist is missing, and a sleazy detective for whom Brenna Spector once worked wants her to take the case. So does her sex-crazed assistant, Trent. He wants Brenna’s involvement so he has excuses to look at the almost-pornographic antics of the online artist. Initially, Brenna refuses to take the case, but when the woman references stories from Brenna’s childhood as if they were the artist’s experiences, Brenna takes the case. She’s compelled to do it in case the mysterious YouTube artist is indeed her long-missing sister.
The search forces Brenna to brush up against Russian mafia figures, pornographic filmmakers, and at least one individual who desperately wants Brenna and her perfect memory recall dead.
This second book was excellent, and I had no problem staying engaged with it.
A performance artist is missing, and a sleazy detective for whom Brenna Spector once worked wants her to take the case. So does her sex-crazed assistant, Trent. He wants Brenna’s involvement so he has excuses to look at the almost-pornographic antics of the online artist. Initially, Brenna refuses to take the case, but when the woman references stories from Brenna’s childhood as if they were the artist’s experiences, Brenna takes the case. She’s compelled to do it in case the mysterious YouTube artist is indeed her long-missing sister.
The search forces Brenna to brush up against Russian mafia figures, pornographic filmmakers, and at least one individual who desperately wants Brenna and her perfect memory recall dead.
This second book was excellent, and I had no problem staying engaged with it.
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