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Emma Frost #1
Itsy Bitsy Spider
A mother desperate to escape her past. An island full of deadly secrets…
Reaching the imposing beach house she’s inherited on Fanoe Island, reporter Emma Frost holds on tightly to her children’s hands. She promised to give them a fresh start in her grandmother’s old home. But she soon suspects that her grandmother was murdered. And everyone, including the police, refuses to talk about what happened…
Then Emma hears the devastating news that another woman has been killed just a few doors down. A bloody number was painted on the wall above her body, and it looks exactly like a faint red mark in Emma’s grandmother’s old bedroom.
Is this a serial killer’s deadly calling card?
Emma can’t leave Fanoe; the house is the only thing she owns. There is nowhere else she can take her children. Her only choice is to stop this killer herself, before he targets her family again.
On a close-knit, isolated island full of decades-old secrets, can Emma unravel the past and keep her children safe as a killer stalks the shores?
An unputdownable, dark and gripping crime series, which will draw you into a remote island and never let you go. Fans of Lisa Regan, Kendra Elliot and Rachel Caine won’t stop turning the pages.
Reaching the imposing beach house she’s inherited on Fanoe Island, reporter Emma Frost holds on tightly to her children’s hands. She promised to give them a fresh start in her grandmother’s old home. But she soon suspects that her grandmother was murdered. And everyone, including the police, refuses to talk about what happened…
Then Emma hears the devastating news that another woman has been killed just a few doors down. A bloody number was painted on the wall above her body, and it looks exactly like a faint red mark in Emma’s grandmother’s old bedroom.
Is this a serial killer’s deadly calling card?
Emma can’t leave Fanoe; the house is the only thing she owns. There is nowhere else she can take her children. Her only choice is to stop this killer herself, before he targets her family again.
On a close-knit, isolated island full of decades-old secrets, can Emma unravel the past and keep her children safe as a killer stalks the shores?
An unputdownable, dark and gripping crime series, which will draw you into a remote island and never let you go. Fans of Lisa Regan, Kendra Elliot and Rachel Caine won’t stop turning the pages.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 16, 2013
7755 people are currently reading
4849 people want to read
About the author
Willow Rose
227 books2,686 followersWillow Rose is a multi-million-copy best-selling Author and an Amazon ALL-star Author of more than 70 novels.
Several of her books have reached the top 10 of ALL books on Amazon in the US, UK, and Canada. She has sold more than three million books all over the world.
She writes Mystery, Thriller, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense, Horror, Supernatural thrillers, and Fantasy.
Willow's books are fast-paced, nail-biting pageturners with twists you won't see coming. That's why her fans call her The Queen of Scream.
Willow lives on Florida's Space Coast. When she is not writing or reading, you will find her surfing and watch the dolphins play in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
*NEW RELEASES*:
☞ - All The Good Girls (Harry Hunter Mystery #1) - Just released
☞ - Run Girl Run (Harry Hunter Mystery #2) coming soon, pre-order today!
☞ - No Other Way (Harry Hunter#3) coming soon, pre-order today!
☞ - Let Me Go (Eva Rae Thomas #5) - Just released!
Connect with Willow online:
http://www.facebook.com/willowredrose
https://twitter.com/madamwillowrose
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/willo...
Sign up for Willow's VIP email list, and you'll automatically be notified as soon as her next book is released: www.willow-rose.net
Inbox already stuffed? Send the word: “ebooks” to 31996 to get a text alert with news about new releases, giveaways, and bargains from Willow.
Several of her books have reached the top 10 of ALL books on Amazon in the US, UK, and Canada. She has sold more than three million books all over the world.
She writes Mystery, Thriller, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense, Horror, Supernatural thrillers, and Fantasy.
Willow's books are fast-paced, nail-biting pageturners with twists you won't see coming. That's why her fans call her The Queen of Scream.
Willow lives on Florida's Space Coast. When she is not writing or reading, you will find her surfing and watch the dolphins play in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
*NEW RELEASES*:
☞ - All The Good Girls (Harry Hunter Mystery #1) - Just released
☞ - Run Girl Run (Harry Hunter Mystery #2) coming soon, pre-order today!
☞ - No Other Way (Harry Hunter#3) coming soon, pre-order today!
☞ - Let Me Go (Eva Rae Thomas #5) - Just released!
Connect with Willow online:
http://www.facebook.com/willowredrose
https://twitter.com/madamwillowrose
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/willo...
Sign up for Willow's VIP email list, and you'll automatically be notified as soon as her next book is released: www.willow-rose.net
Inbox already stuffed? Send the word: “ebooks” to 31996 to get a text alert with news about new releases, giveaways, and bargains from Willow.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 650 reviews
April 9, 2025
Well, that was disgusting! I was going along happily at 3 or 4 stars when suddenly I was hit with something I totally didn't expect! I won't be reading anymore of this series, or this author!
Emma Frost inherited an old house from a grandmother she hadn't seen since she was four years old. Located on Fanoe Island, Denmark, she arrived with her two children, her daughter a teenager, and her son, Victor, with special needs. Emma was a reporter, and when first one, then another murder happened on the island, Emma's reporting instincts kicked in...
Set in two time frames, 1977 and 2012, it was hard to see how they would connect for awhile. But connect they did, then it went down hill from there. Itsy Bitsy Spider is the 1st in the Emma Frost series by Willow Rose and I thought it was a crime novel, with the catchy title and enticing cover drawing me in. With gruesome and gory, freaky and creepy, plus cannibalism (just by the way!) I was glad - oh, so glad - when I turned the final page!
Emma Frost inherited an old house from a grandmother she hadn't seen since she was four years old. Located on Fanoe Island, Denmark, she arrived with her two children, her daughter a teenager, and her son, Victor, with special needs. Emma was a reporter, and when first one, then another murder happened on the island, Emma's reporting instincts kicked in...
Set in two time frames, 1977 and 2012, it was hard to see how they would connect for awhile. But connect they did, then it went down hill from there. Itsy Bitsy Spider is the 1st in the Emma Frost series by Willow Rose and I thought it was a crime novel, with the catchy title and enticing cover drawing me in. With gruesome and gory, freaky and creepy, plus cannibalism (just by the way!) I was glad - oh, so glad - when I turned the final page!
February 6, 2018
Emma Frost is a divorce mother of two children who has recently inherited a house from her grandmother on Fanoe island. After her arrival members of the "Home Mission" church are being killed in a gruesome fashion. Their organs are being removed while their still alive.
Emma Frost is starting to write a book about the killings and doing her own private investigation. The killer starts to turn on her. Read how Emma confronts the situation with the skill of a mother saving her children.
Quote
"You need to let your kids make their own mitakes. You can't always keep them within your control just because you want to protect them."
I was forced to be with these old men night after night at the orphanage but in the end it was the best for me, since they ended up protecting me when I killed one of the older boys who was harassing me.
"It's all very nice and all, but..." Officer Dan said. "All this family love is getting a little old. I'm tired of it."
Emma Frost is starting to write a book about the killings and doing her own private investigation. The killer starts to turn on her. Read how Emma confronts the situation with the skill of a mother saving her children.
Quote
"You need to let your kids make their own mitakes. You can't always keep them within your control just because you want to protect them."
I was forced to be with these old men night after night at the orphanage but in the end it was the best for me, since they ended up protecting me when I killed one of the older boys who was harassing me.
"It's all very nice and all, but..." Officer Dan said. "All this family love is getting a little old. I'm tired of it."
February 7, 2025
Was an impulse read . The title attracted me the most as Itsy bitsy spider was a favourite rhyme , both mine as well as son's .
But a very delectable beginning turned out bizarre and atrocious as pages progressed.
If the story had stuck to one abnormal theme and tried to develop on it I would have liked it much more
The various games incorporated:
ESP
Captivity in isolation
Cannibalism
Attempt at portrayal of autism
Single parenthood with children of nearly a dozen fathers
physical abuse
mental issues
teen tantrums
Gist:
Emma Frost inherits an ancestral bungalow in Farow island from her paternal grandmother who was estranged from her father. . Being a writer and single mother with two children, the younger son, a seven year old autistic. she shifts here as an.essential part of cost cutting.. meets abnormal as well as normally behaving neighbours , finds that her son can predict things .. and gets entangled with murders of old people and also with spiders.
Finally, she encounters the bizarre murderer and pieces things together.
Wasn't a convincing tale. Was quite illogical. .
But a very delectable beginning turned out bizarre and atrocious as pages progressed.
If the story had stuck to one abnormal theme and tried to develop on it I would have liked it much more
The various games incorporated:
ESP
Captivity in isolation
Cannibalism
Attempt at portrayal of autism
Single parenthood with children of nearly a dozen fathers
physical abuse
mental issues
teen tantrums
Gist:
Emma Frost inherits an ancestral bungalow in Farow island from her paternal grandmother who was estranged from her father. . Being a writer and single mother with two children, the younger son, a seven year old autistic. she shifts here as an.essential part of cost cutting.. meets abnormal as well as normally behaving neighbours , finds that her son can predict things .. and gets entangled with murders of old people and also with spiders.
Finally, she encounters the bizarre murderer and pieces things together.
Wasn't a convincing tale. Was quite illogical. .
May 31, 2020
3.5 stars
This one was good - I listened to the audio book. It has a Room vibe, but worse. I was in the car and others were listening - they wanted to finish it too. The spider thing was creepy.
This one was good - I listened to the audio book. It has a Room vibe, but worse. I was in the car and others were listening - they wanted to finish it too. The spider thing was creepy.
February 4, 2020
Oh Astrid. My heart is breaking and I’ve only read the Prologue. I am one of those people that love Prologues and Epilogues.
Emma Frost is new to the island due to an inheritance, a house from her grandmother. let’s see what kind of trouble will come her way, seeing I know Willow Rose from other stories of hers I have read and she tends to blow my mind.
There’s a murder next door. “Welcome to the neighborhood.”
Willow has a way of grabbing me by the throat, gaining my full attention as I struggle like the characters to survive the evil.
WTF! Sure led me down a twisted, horrifying path to the killer.
Willow Rose draws me in slowly…I know it’s hard to come up with something new..and BAM, in your face, but Willow seems able to do that many times over!
From past to present an evil secret in Emma’s family is exposed.
Blew me away. Saying OMG, Omg, omg…
fundinmental
Emma Frost is new to the island due to an inheritance, a house from her grandmother. let’s see what kind of trouble will come her way, seeing I know Willow Rose from other stories of hers I have read and she tends to blow my mind.
There’s a murder next door. “Welcome to the neighborhood.”
Willow has a way of grabbing me by the throat, gaining my full attention as I struggle like the characters to survive the evil.
WTF! Sure led me down a twisted, horrifying path to the killer.
Willow Rose draws me in slowly…I know it’s hard to come up with something new..and BAM, in your face, but Willow seems able to do that many times over!
From past to present an evil secret in Emma’s family is exposed.
Blew me away. Saying OMG, Omg, omg…
fundinmental
May 25, 2015
would give it less than one star if that were possible!
July 8, 2017
So this is where it all began for the Emma Frost series ...... it all makes more sense now and I really should have read the series in order, but I only picked the books up as they came on sale.
I SO enjoyed this book and being slowly introduced to all the new characters. The author does flesh out the characters in the following books in the series but I can't expand on that without giving super spoilers away.
The plot was mesmerising and having come from a small town I can attest to the small mindedness of certain groups of people that live within these confines. The fact that the author separates and alternates the chapters of the book between the present and the past makes for a quick read that holds your attention and speeds you on to find out what happens next.
I didn't see the reveal of the culprit and that's what packs a wallop in the finale. I still find that Willow Rose's novels do feel a bit rushed towards the end and finish abruptly, but that is my only complaint. Highly recommended.
** As an aside, I still can't work out why Emma hasn't joined the dots re Victor's condition and how Jack possibly ties in with that. I can't wait to see what develops there.
I SO enjoyed this book and being slowly introduced to all the new characters. The author does flesh out the characters in the following books in the series but I can't expand on that without giving super spoilers away.
The plot was mesmerising and having come from a small town I can attest to the small mindedness of certain groups of people that live within these confines. The fact that the author separates and alternates the chapters of the book between the present and the past makes for a quick read that holds your attention and speeds you on to find out what happens next.
I didn't see the reveal of the culprit and that's what packs a wallop in the finale. I still find that Willow Rose's novels do feel a bit rushed towards the end and finish abruptly, but that is my only complaint. Highly recommended.
** As an aside, I still can't work out why Emma hasn't joined the dots re Victor's condition and how Jack possibly ties in with that. I can't wait to see what develops there.
December 29, 2014
I didn't start this series in order so I'm now backtracking! They are so freakishly creepy. I love how the bad guy is someone you never expect. I loved reading how Emma and her family moved to the island, but holy crow, that was some crazy stuff she walked into! These are awesome mystery thrillers!
March 13, 2025
An unusual story, with some bizarre plot choices.
The portrayal of ‘light autism’ was poorly depicted. The cannibalism elements felt illogical.
The portrayal of ‘light autism’ was poorly depicted. The cannibalism elements felt illogical.
September 15, 2024
Yikes. This was...not good. You know those books where it turns out an unhinged guy is lurking around, and there are absolutely bizarre elements that no amount of suspension of disbelief will help fix it? Yeah that's this.
Utterly bizarre and badly written. I've read some other reviews of this, and some of the issues they had with the writing seem to have been fixed. It still has a lot of issues though. Like there is the usage of British slang, but American spellings. We see "mom" but also "maths".
The main character is completely dislikable. She pulls her kids (including her son who has "light autism" I'll get to that later) out of their life in Copenhagen to live on a tiny island in her grandmother's house. Despite being well aware that her own father has always hated the place and there is no hospital nearby to help her son's seizures. We meet another character, Sophia, who tells us she has five kids all by different fathers and then immediately jokes about how she always forgets her kids and it must be "wishful thinking". Emma's reaction to that is "Cooooolll new bestieee". Yuck. The teen daughter character is made to seem like a villain, but she's right. Her mom doesn't care about her, she doesn't even seem to like her and is instead obsessed with her son.
The son. This woman does not understand autism. And I mean the author. This kid only has autism so she can fulfill the ablist trope of an autistic boy who is lost in his own world but also somehow has extra sensory powers. The author first tells us he has autism, then no it's not autism. Then she says it isn't autism, it isn't "asperger syndrome" (she means Asperger's syndrome) it's something else. It's "light autism". She has no clue about the terminology or how to write someone with a neurodivergence, let alone a child. And he really has nothing beyond being autistic. At one point Emma looks into the eyes of the neighbor guy who is always stuttering around her and sees her son in them, and thinks he must be autistic too. 🙄
There are lots of inaccuracies, especially about medical issues and the body. But Emma also magically can hack a whole police database and read police reports at leisure because an ex boyfriend once taught her.
On top of it, there is a whole host of topics not done well. Uncomfortable or disturbing topics do have their place in books. It's how it's done that is important. Here it was done badly...and bizarrely.
Heavy spoilers below:
This book deals with so many topics. We have a pregnant woman trapped in a bunker and forced to give birth alone down there. We have her dying of starvation and her child son *eating her* to survive. We have a group of people conspiring to keep the woman and child down there. And if that's not enough, a priest character is also hiding people in his bunker, except in his case it's "hundreds of" "brown faces" of immigrants. He then proceeds to rape one, a 14 year old girl, in graphic detail, luxuriating over her assumed virginity. And after that scene it's never circled back to. It serves nothing for the plot or the story. We never find out about the "hundreds" of immigrants again. Then we have Sophia, pregnant with her sixth child, being beaten up by her boyfriend. Emma finds her naked and nearly dead in the backyard with her kids running amock. And it just goes on and on and on. One of the most bizarre parts is when the villain traps Emma and her son in his house, then attempts to sexually assault her son and use a knife on his penis. Only for the 7 year old hie's assaulting to have a seizure in the middle of it. Don't worry, stuttering neighbor Jack, somehow knows what's up (he must have ESP like the other autistic character) , down to the room! He throws a vase through the window, right on the bad guy's head!
I cannot recommend this less. The only good thing is that I got it for free on Amazon.
Utterly bizarre and badly written. I've read some other reviews of this, and some of the issues they had with the writing seem to have been fixed. It still has a lot of issues though. Like there is the usage of British slang, but American spellings. We see "mom" but also "maths".
The main character is completely dislikable. She pulls her kids (including her son who has "light autism" I'll get to that later) out of their life in Copenhagen to live on a tiny island in her grandmother's house. Despite being well aware that her own father has always hated the place and there is no hospital nearby to help her son's seizures. We meet another character, Sophia, who tells us she has five kids all by different fathers and then immediately jokes about how she always forgets her kids and it must be "wishful thinking". Emma's reaction to that is "Cooooolll new bestieee". Yuck. The teen daughter character is made to seem like a villain, but she's right. Her mom doesn't care about her, she doesn't even seem to like her and is instead obsessed with her son.
The son. This woman does not understand autism. And I mean the author. This kid only has autism so she can fulfill the ablist trope of an autistic boy who is lost in his own world but also somehow has extra sensory powers. The author first tells us he has autism, then no it's not autism. Then she says it isn't autism, it isn't "asperger syndrome" (she means Asperger's syndrome) it's something else. It's "light autism". She has no clue about the terminology or how to write someone with a neurodivergence, let alone a child. And he really has nothing beyond being autistic. At one point Emma looks into the eyes of the neighbor guy who is always stuttering around her and sees her son in them, and thinks he must be autistic too. 🙄
There are lots of inaccuracies, especially about medical issues and the body. But Emma also magically can hack a whole police database and read police reports at leisure because an ex boyfriend once taught her.
On top of it, there is a whole host of topics not done well. Uncomfortable or disturbing topics do have their place in books. It's how it's done that is important. Here it was done badly...and bizarrely.
Heavy spoilers below:
This book deals with so many topics. We have a pregnant woman trapped in a bunker and forced to give birth alone down there. We have her dying of starvation and her child son *eating her* to survive. We have a group of people conspiring to keep the woman and child down there. And if that's not enough, a priest character is also hiding people in his bunker, except in his case it's "hundreds of" "brown faces" of immigrants. He then proceeds to rape one, a 14 year old girl, in graphic detail, luxuriating over her assumed virginity. And after that scene it's never circled back to. It serves nothing for the plot or the story. We never find out about the "hundreds" of immigrants again. Then we have Sophia, pregnant with her sixth child, being beaten up by her boyfriend. Emma finds her naked and nearly dead in the backyard with her kids running amock. And it just goes on and on and on. One of the most bizarre parts is when the villain traps Emma and her son in his house, then attempts to sexually assault her son and use a knife on his penis. Only for the 7 year old hie's assaulting to have a seizure in the middle of it. Don't worry, stuttering neighbor Jack, somehow knows what's up (he must have ESP like the other autistic character) , down to the room! He throws a vase through the window, right on the bad guy's head!
I cannot recommend this less. The only good thing is that I got it for free on Amazon.
December 18, 2017
This book is an easy read. There's a crime puzzle to solve and the jumps between the past and present definitely kept me reading - I wanted to know how the two came together. The writing style was quite simple and I read the whole thing in a day.
However:
It lacked depth. There are no real descriptions of anybody (unless they happened to be male and good looking) or character building. Bland normality is punctuated with grisly and bloody scenes with lots of spiders. There is little sense of place... we're told the setting is beautiful but we get little meaningful description... the plot is mildly interesting but some elements are just too unealistic and the ending was just too neat and bland.
The book IS ok as a light read though and would be worth 2.5 stars to me, if such a rating existed.
However:
It lacked depth. There are no real descriptions of anybody (unless they happened to be male and good looking) or character building. Bland normality is punctuated with grisly and bloody scenes with lots of spiders. There is little sense of place... we're told the setting is beautiful but we get little meaningful description... the plot is mildly interesting but some elements are just too unealistic and the ending was just too neat and bland.
The book IS ok as a light read though and would be worth 2.5 stars to me, if such a rating existed.
November 16, 2018
Sometimes secrets can kill. This little town of Fanoe has a history that can do some serious damage. Their religious beliefs go beyond the norm.
When Emma inherits her Grandmother's home it seems that it may be an answer to her struggling. The only thing is that she had inherited more than just the house and land. Just as her and her children Maya and Victor arrive the town is thrown into a murder mystery and Emma's reporter/writer instincts have her gathering some pretty gruesome clues.
It isn't long before the case becomes cases and Emma finds her family in the middle of the tension. The killer is a little to close for comfort and Emma is about to find out just how close to danger and death she has always been.
There were a few editing issues that I caught, but the writing was so suspenseful, it kept me turning pages and guessing who it could be. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was blindsided by the end results. What almost happens to Victor had me reeling. I wanted to jump into the book. Great writing I was a bit put off that the excerpt for , "Hit the Road Jack" was so lengthy. I don't typically read an excerpt because when i got the next book The excerpts stay with me and make me feel like I've read the book already. This read was bone chilling and reminded me of another book, but went far beyond.
When Emma inherits her Grandmother's home it seems that it may be an answer to her struggling. The only thing is that she had inherited more than just the house and land. Just as her and her children Maya and Victor arrive the town is thrown into a murder mystery and Emma's reporter/writer instincts have her gathering some pretty gruesome clues.
It isn't long before the case becomes cases and Emma finds her family in the middle of the tension. The killer is a little to close for comfort and Emma is about to find out just how close to danger and death she has always been.
There were a few editing issues that I caught, but the writing was so suspenseful, it kept me turning pages and guessing who it could be. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was blindsided by the end results. What almost happens to Victor had me reeling. I wanted to jump into the book. Great writing I was a bit put off that the excerpt for , "Hit the Road Jack" was so lengthy. I don't typically read an excerpt because when i got the next book The excerpts stay with me and make me feel like I've read the book already. This read was bone chilling and reminded me of another book, but went far beyond.
April 10, 2015
I am on a quest to read books sitting in my kindle cloud. Most of them I got as a kindle freebie. This is one of them. It did have a few spelling and grammar errors, but wasn't littered with them.
The author has some good things going. I might consider picking up other books by her. This particular book wasn't terrible, but there were some issues. Some of the good things were that the pacing was quick. I did want to keep reading so she somehow had kept me interested. Mostly I wanted to find out what happened to Astrid and how she connects to the present day happenings. The bad guy parts were gory and horrific. I know some don't like that, but in this book that's suppposed to happen.
The issues I had that dropped the rating for me. It felt like too much trying to be squeezed in. I'm not sure if it was suppose to be distractions or character build for this to be a series, but it just didn't work for me. Some of the too much were things that obviously were misdirections, but it was mre misdirection for the characters then for the readers. Itt madee some thngs for the ending possible. The end felt rushed, forced and too unbelievable. Most of the character interactions felt forced and didn't always make sense.
I wish I could recommend this author. Perhaps some other book would be better than this one. It did start out good and had a promising plot and build up. It just didn't quite hit the mark for me. Decent mystery (if you don't mind horror aspects), but the end, if you read just suspend belief there. I would almost consider checking out more of the series, not becuase something here grabbed me that well or left me wanting more, but because I'm curious as how this turns to a series. However, if a different series by this author was put in front of me, I wouldn't turn away from it, I'd give i a shot.
The author has some good things going. I might consider picking up other books by her. This particular book wasn't terrible, but there were some issues. Some of the good things were that the pacing was quick. I did want to keep reading so she somehow had kept me interested. Mostly I wanted to find out what happened to Astrid and how she connects to the present day happenings. The bad guy parts were gory and horrific. I know some don't like that, but in this book that's suppposed to happen.
The issues I had that dropped the rating for me. It felt like too much trying to be squeezed in. I'm not sure if it was suppose to be distractions or character build for this to be a series, but it just didn't work for me. Some of the too much were things that obviously were misdirections, but it was mre misdirection for the characters then for the readers. Itt madee some thngs for the ending possible. The end felt rushed, forced and too unbelievable. Most of the character interactions felt forced and didn't always make sense.
I wish I could recommend this author. Perhaps some other book would be better than this one. It did start out good and had a promising plot and build up. It just didn't quite hit the mark for me. Decent mystery (if you don't mind horror aspects), but the end, if you read just suspend belief there. I would almost consider checking out more of the series, not becuase something here grabbed me that well or left me wanting more, but because I'm curious as how this turns to a series. However, if a different series by this author was put in front of me, I wouldn't turn away from it, I'd give i a shot.
February 3, 2017
Oh dear....I "think" this is a translated book but if so, it's horribly done. I've got to 15% and called it a day. Too much like hard work to get through, I'm afraid. The story seemed a good one but I find all the mistakes just distract me too much and totally ruin it.
There were some puzzling things....also quite unbelievable as well. At the beginning a girl is locked into an underground bunker. There just happened to be tins of food in there and she "finds" some plastic spoons, then a flashlight, then batteries too !! How fortuitous, I thought !
There were a few cases where things got lost in translation-like this-"Do you really want to live in some dead woman's old furniture" then Emma meets a policeman in the police station but then it's said that "I hadn't noticed until then, but he was quite handsome". They'd only just met a minute prior to her thinking this !! Emma's son goes out to play in their new garden and then he "came storming inside with the biggest smile on his face", someone is "about my age, the beginning or middle of her thirties, maybe a little more"....well, THAT covers the decade, I'd say !!
She used her and not here and dropped speechmarks and finally I packed it up after reading this-"...she had bought a huge mansion, much to the island-people's discussion" !! Too much was just too badly written or translated and I couldn't hack any more, I'm afraid.
The first I ever read by her, One Two, I'm Coming For You was a terrific book but this is the third I've tried since in her other series' and I've packed in all of them. I will avoid any more now.
There were some puzzling things....also quite unbelievable as well. At the beginning a girl is locked into an underground bunker. There just happened to be tins of food in there and she "finds" some plastic spoons, then a flashlight, then batteries too !! How fortuitous, I thought !
There were a few cases where things got lost in translation-like this-"Do you really want to live in some dead woman's old furniture" then Emma meets a policeman in the police station but then it's said that "I hadn't noticed until then, but he was quite handsome". They'd only just met a minute prior to her thinking this !! Emma's son goes out to play in their new garden and then he "came storming inside with the biggest smile on his face", someone is "about my age, the beginning or middle of her thirties, maybe a little more"....well, THAT covers the decade, I'd say !!
She used her and not here and dropped speechmarks and finally I packed it up after reading this-"...she had bought a huge mansion, much to the island-people's discussion" !! Too much was just too badly written or translated and I couldn't hack any more, I'm afraid.
The first I ever read by her, One Two, I'm Coming For You was a terrific book but this is the third I've tried since in her other series' and I've packed in all of them. I will avoid any more now.
August 10, 2023
The first 50% of this book: oh, it feels like a Hallmark mystery movie, I like the vibes/atmosphere
Last 50% of this book: what in the actual fuck did I just read
I have whiplash. Wowza. I found it hard to remember this book was set in Denmark, it didn’t feel very Danish, I guess? There were times I felt the dialogue was a little odd, but the characters felt realistic enough. And then the mystery. It’s dual timeline and it’s fucking bananas, for lack of a better term. I was left guessing up until the end and was so shook by how this ended. I’m gonna include trigger warnings because the murder and disemboweling of victims was the least of the things I found problematic 😅
CW: murder, on page sexual assault, child sexual abuse (multiple counts), cannibalism, human trafficking/forced labor, religious cult
Last 50% of this book: what in the actual fuck did I just read
I have whiplash. Wowza. I found it hard to remember this book was set in Denmark, it didn’t feel very Danish, I guess? There were times I felt the dialogue was a little odd, but the characters felt realistic enough. And then the mystery. It’s dual timeline and it’s fucking bananas, for lack of a better term. I was left guessing up until the end and was so shook by how this ended. I’m gonna include trigger warnings because the murder and disemboweling of victims was the least of the things I found problematic 😅
CW: murder, on page sexual assault, child sexual abuse (multiple counts), cannibalism, human trafficking/forced labor, religious cult
September 19, 2017
Kindle Unlimited, although own 9 of the 10 and possibly some of the sets; wondering if should buy 10 so going to read on ku but first going to read 1 NOPE ALL GARBAGE.
Emma Frost inherits a house on Fanoe Island when her grandmother dies. She decides to move there with her family, much to her teenage daughter's regret. One morning a wealthy old woman in her street is found murdered and soon Emma finds herself wrapped in a mystery uncovering the island's dark secrets reaching all the way into her own family.
This is, by far, one of stupidest things have ever read in entire life, and that's thousands of books across every genre. Did person writing this have English skills, because sure doesn't seem that way, and if it was translated that person needs fired, whoever edited this crap as well because there are misspellings, run on sentences, words in weird places, missing words, wrong syntax, pretty much unreadable mess. Don't put the word time next to the word thyme. Don't talk about someone kneeling down then next sentence 'stand up' when it's supposed to indicate being helpful with things all the sudden not physical movement. The switching of perspective in telling this mess is ridiculous. Switching tenses is ridiculously confusing and definitely wrong. When a 'story' is this bad, it makes it worse if that's even possible, when can't tell who is saying what or talking to or about who. This whole piece of junk should have warning label for graphic garbage.
NO, someone did NOT 'bleed out' because their liver, lungs, and heart were removed, they DIED, because you can't pump blood without a heart, you can't breathe without lungs which would keep circulation going. You also can't hack something hooked up to main police database just by small quick evidently almost totally unprotected system, which it wouldn't be, being hooked up to main system. A serial killer is not 4 and up, it's 3 or more, and supposed cop should know that. Someone's water breaking does not mean there's no turning back 'now', there's no turning back once any part of labor starts. She supposedly was given baby/birthing books, did she actually even look at any of them. One does not 'eat' from breasts {milk}, one drinks/nurses. How stupid flaky slutty does chick have to be to have not 1 but 5 kids ALL by different fathers, oh wait, 5 then 6th on way by different fathers. So your kid gets hurt on what's basically a shelter door leading down somewhere, yet never look at it.
She's supposed to have been reporter, yet guessing things and filling in when has no actual facts yeah whatever. Painting numbers on his victim's walls NOT on the walls of his victims, houses have walls not victims. She's already had most of bottle of wine, no food, and then decides the glass being poured with dinner should be her last even though she still hasn't eaten anything, hey idea how about water, THEN after eating couple bites thinks meat icky so downs rest of wine and leaves without eating. One does not fry bacon ON pan, it's IN pan. No, non medical person wouldn't 'just know' they'd been paralyzed, in fact no way to be paralyzed that easy as even very long knife which wasn't would have to go through fat, muscle and organs to even possibly come close to affecting spinal column. It's also not called a motive of a painting, it's motif. For someone who doesn't talk when he first wakes up he sure talks a lot. Never saw her leave a dirty diaper on any of the kids, uh what how many freaking kids does she have in diapers at one time. The oldest of SIX kids all with different baby daddy is 7, and there's 6 kids and 1 on way so what pop 1 out a year.
One does NOT run in snow, it's not as if it's rain pouring, plus no way to know if it's hiding ice patches. Driving in then backing out just so many minutes later, no, there is not going to be a big pile of snow behind you and no there is not going to ice all over the roads to make you swerve if that was the same road you just drove over. You kidnap someone and yet you leave curtains open in that room so anyone can see in. You get away, with your kid, and then without calling any police with a maniac in your house you go over there. You father's life and your daughter's as well as 5 kids in the house are all on the line because they could be murdered at any time, and you 'carefully' remove broken glass from a broken window? NO 'she' didn't tell her, 'she' was dead by that time and all the girl remembered was finding the son, didn't see the dead mother. Her father faints, but he can still mumble right afterwards? How could the gun be resting in his lap when he was standing up.
Series: Emma Frost [Willow Rose]
1–12 of 12
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Miss Polly Had a Dolly
Run Run As Fast As You Can
Emma Frost Mystery Series Volume 1-3
Cross Your Heart and Hope To Die
Peek a Boo I See You
Tweedledum and Tweedledee
Easy as One Two Three
There's No Place Like Home
Slenderman
Emma Frost Mystery Series vol 7-9
Where the Wild Roses Grow
Works (12) None
Titles Order
Itsy Bitsy Spider by Willow Rose 1
Miss Polly Had a Dolly by Willow Rose 2
Run Run As Fast As You Can by Willow Rose 3
Emma Frost Mystery Series Volume 1-3 by Willow Rose Box Set 1-3
Cross Your Heart and Hope To Die by Willow Rose 4
Peek a Boo I See You by Willow Rose 5
Tweedledum and Tweedledee by Willow Rose 6
Easy as One Two Three by Willow Rose 7
There's No Place Like Home by Willow Rose 8
Slenderman by Willow Rose 9
Emma Frost Mystery Series vol 7-9 by Willow Rose Box Set 7-9
Where the Wild Roses Grow by Willow Rose
Emma Frost inherits a house on Fanoe Island when her grandmother dies. She decides to move there with her family, much to her teenage daughter's regret. One morning a wealthy old woman in her street is found murdered and soon Emma finds herself wrapped in a mystery uncovering the island's dark secrets reaching all the way into her own family.
This is, by far, one of stupidest things have ever read in entire life, and that's thousands of books across every genre. Did person writing this have English skills, because sure doesn't seem that way, and if it was translated that person needs fired, whoever edited this crap as well because there are misspellings, run on sentences, words in weird places, missing words, wrong syntax, pretty much unreadable mess. Don't put the word time next to the word thyme. Don't talk about someone kneeling down then next sentence 'stand up' when it's supposed to indicate being helpful with things all the sudden not physical movement. The switching of perspective in telling this mess is ridiculous. Switching tenses is ridiculously confusing and definitely wrong. When a 'story' is this bad, it makes it worse if that's even possible, when can't tell who is saying what or talking to or about who. This whole piece of junk should have warning label for graphic garbage.
NO, someone did NOT 'bleed out' because their liver, lungs, and heart were removed, they DIED, because you can't pump blood without a heart, you can't breathe without lungs which would keep circulation going. You also can't hack something hooked up to main police database just by small quick evidently almost totally unprotected system, which it wouldn't be, being hooked up to main system. A serial killer is not 4 and up, it's 3 or more, and supposed cop should know that. Someone's water breaking does not mean there's no turning back 'now', there's no turning back once any part of labor starts. She supposedly was given baby/birthing books, did she actually even look at any of them. One does not 'eat' from breasts {milk}, one drinks/nurses. How stupid flaky slutty does chick have to be to have not 1 but 5 kids ALL by different fathers, oh wait, 5 then 6th on way by different fathers. So your kid gets hurt on what's basically a shelter door leading down somewhere, yet never look at it.
She's supposed to have been reporter, yet guessing things and filling in when has no actual facts yeah whatever. Painting numbers on his victim's walls NOT on the walls of his victims, houses have walls not victims. She's already had most of bottle of wine, no food, and then decides the glass being poured with dinner should be her last even though she still hasn't eaten anything, hey idea how about water, THEN after eating couple bites thinks meat icky so downs rest of wine and leaves without eating. One does not fry bacon ON pan, it's IN pan. No, non medical person wouldn't 'just know' they'd been paralyzed, in fact no way to be paralyzed that easy as even very long knife which wasn't would have to go through fat, muscle and organs to even possibly come close to affecting spinal column. It's also not called a motive of a painting, it's motif. For someone who doesn't talk when he first wakes up he sure talks a lot. Never saw her leave a dirty diaper on any of the kids, uh what how many freaking kids does she have in diapers at one time. The oldest of SIX kids all with different baby daddy is 7, and there's 6 kids and 1 on way so what pop 1 out a year.
One does NOT run in snow, it's not as if it's rain pouring, plus no way to know if it's hiding ice patches. Driving in then backing out just so many minutes later, no, there is not going to be a big pile of snow behind you and no there is not going to ice all over the roads to make you swerve if that was the same road you just drove over. You kidnap someone and yet you leave curtains open in that room so anyone can see in. You get away, with your kid, and then without calling any police with a maniac in your house you go over there. You father's life and your daughter's as well as 5 kids in the house are all on the line because they could be murdered at any time, and you 'carefully' remove broken glass from a broken window? NO 'she' didn't tell her, 'she' was dead by that time and all the girl remembered was finding the son, didn't see the dead mother. Her father faints, but he can still mumble right afterwards? How could the gun be resting in his lap when he was standing up.
Series: Emma Frost [Willow Rose]
1–12 of 12
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Miss Polly Had a Dolly
Run Run As Fast As You Can
Emma Frost Mystery Series Volume 1-3
Cross Your Heart and Hope To Die
Peek a Boo I See You
Tweedledum and Tweedledee
Easy as One Two Three
There's No Place Like Home
Slenderman
Emma Frost Mystery Series vol 7-9
Where the Wild Roses Grow
Works (12) None
Titles Order
Itsy Bitsy Spider by Willow Rose 1
Miss Polly Had a Dolly by Willow Rose 2
Run Run As Fast As You Can by Willow Rose 3
Emma Frost Mystery Series Volume 1-3 by Willow Rose Box Set 1-3
Cross Your Heart and Hope To Die by Willow Rose 4
Peek a Boo I See You by Willow Rose 5
Tweedledum and Tweedledee by Willow Rose 6
Easy as One Two Three by Willow Rose 7
There's No Place Like Home by Willow Rose 8
Slenderman by Willow Rose 9
Emma Frost Mystery Series vol 7-9 by Willow Rose Box Set 7-9
Where the Wild Roses Grow by Willow Rose
August 6, 2024
It was good but kinda creepy and distracting
May 12, 2019
I have to say this is one creepy book. For people to willingly do things like this to another person is just something I can't understand. I really wish there was a bit more world and character building. The creep factor made up for some that. I put together some of it as the book progressed but I was still surprised at the reveal. I had part of it right but I was missing a small piece. Overall, a creepy book that will keep you trying to figure out who-dunnit.
March 30, 2025
This book was a little too gory for me...but it kept me reading until the very end. In my book, that's a test of a good book.
Read
December 9, 2024I couldn’t wait to be through with this book and almost didn’t bother. It is a long rant of macabre events, completely devoid of any true emotion. A waste of time as far as I’m concerned.
January 17, 2014
Wow I was going through my kindle looking at some of the books Id had stored on there for awhile when I came across this one, it had to have been on there for like a year LOL. I started to read the 1st page for some reason and didn't look up until I realised I was 20% in and I read this whole book in less than 12 hours (including life breaks lol)...This book was fantastic ans Willow Rose just got herself a new fan. The thing is this book was just one of those easy reads that you just glide through and just when you think you have the plot sorted and know "who dun it" BAM! full on twist to finish it of.
Awesome read!!
Awesome read!!
September 7, 2016
It was strange reading this book after having read the One, Two series. The plot line and characters are eerily similar. A single mom, who's close with her dad, is a writer, has the ability to hack into police databases, moved from the big city to a small town, and finds herself in the middle of a serial killer's twisted revenge game. All points that are exactly the same in the two series. Maybe if I'd read this one first I'd like it more, but I enjoyed the One, Two series much more.
Also had the typical Kindle typos and editing errors.
Also had the typical Kindle typos and editing errors.
March 22, 2018
Wow, I absolutely loved this book infact I couldn't stop reading! I loved the plot and how the bad guy is someone you never expect. In the beginning I started reading this book as the title made me curious, but the more I read it the more I had to continue as it was so full of suspense I really couldn't stop as i had to see what was going to happen next. This was an awesome mystery thriller and such a page-turner! In one word: Great. I absolutely recommend it.
September 13, 2021
The first book in the Emma Frost series. Emma inherited a house on Fanoe Island from her grandmother, and Emma and her two children relocate to live in it. Soon a couple of gruesome murders occur and Emma gets involved. Suspenseful, graphic, and intense.
May 21, 2015
Creepy spiders.
Gory, grotesque family story. Suspenseful to the very end. Yes it's bloody but you'll be turning the pages, and when you see a spiders you'll remember this book.
Gory, grotesque family story. Suspenseful to the very end. Yes it's bloody but you'll be turning the pages, and when you see a spiders you'll remember this book.
July 1, 2021
A quick, easy read, but just too far-fetched to suspend my disbelief.
April 17, 2017
1978, Astrid (16, Irene’s daughter) had sex outside of marriage & now she was PG.
Months later the baby had arrived.
1985, Sebastian loved his mother. He enjoyed playing with spiders.
2012, Fanoe Island. Officer Dan Toft was investigating the death of Mrs. Heinrichsen (Parish Council chairwoman).
It was later found out she was murdered & her organs were taken.
Nordbo (town). Maya (13, daughter), & Victor (7, son, lived with their mom Emma Frost (writer, narrator).
Sophia (35+, mother) is their neighbor & she has 5 kids.
Stephan comes to see her/kids often.
Clara Hermansen (German) sort of cleaned the house/gym for Irene Justesen (Denmark, Queen of Fitness).
Come to find out Irene had been murdered also. Clara had found her.
Irene like the other brutal killing had her lungs, heart, & liver cut out.
Pastor Gotfredsen was doing the funeral service for Irne. He was late.
The clerk went to summon him at his house.
Pastor Gotfredsen had been gutted also.
Grandpa (Dr.) wanted Victor (7) to go with him to Esbjerg. There was a boat he wanted to buy.
Johan (2, Sophia’s youngest son), Ida (daughter), Christoffer (7, oldest son), had found Sophie out in the yard brutally beaten up but still alive.
Emma came to help the family out.
Sebastian’s mother had died. Where will the young boy go now?
A home was found he grew up & graduated HS.
Why did Sebastian need to find Mrs. Frost?
Is Officer Dan Toft hiding anything?
Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive to some readers.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. Wow, a very well written psychological horror book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great murder psychological horror, or better yet a mini TV series. Very Creepy! To be continued. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free instafreebie; bookdealstoday; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Months later the baby had arrived.
1985, Sebastian loved his mother. He enjoyed playing with spiders.
2012, Fanoe Island. Officer Dan Toft was investigating the death of Mrs. Heinrichsen (Parish Council chairwoman).
It was later found out she was murdered & her organs were taken.
Nordbo (town). Maya (13, daughter), & Victor (7, son, lived with their mom Emma Frost (writer, narrator).
Sophia (35+, mother) is their neighbor & she has 5 kids.
Stephan comes to see her/kids often.
Clara Hermansen (German) sort of cleaned the house/gym for Irene Justesen (Denmark, Queen of Fitness).
Come to find out Irene had been murdered also. Clara had found her.
Irene like the other brutal killing had her lungs, heart, & liver cut out.
Pastor Gotfredsen was doing the funeral service for Irne. He was late.
The clerk went to summon him at his house.
Pastor Gotfredsen had been gutted also.
Grandpa (Dr.) wanted Victor (7) to go with him to Esbjerg. There was a boat he wanted to buy.
Johan (2, Sophia’s youngest son), Ida (daughter), Christoffer (7, oldest son), had found Sophie out in the yard brutally beaten up but still alive.
Emma came to help the family out.
Sebastian’s mother had died. Where will the young boy go now?
A home was found he grew up & graduated HS.
Why did Sebastian need to find Mrs. Frost?
Is Officer Dan Toft hiding anything?
Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive to some readers.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. Wow, a very well written psychological horror book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great murder psychological horror, or better yet a mini TV series. Very Creepy! To be continued. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free instafreebie; bookdealstoday; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2021
Another great read by Willow Rose! Willow Rose is a master at writing thrillers that have plots & twists that are mind blowing. I can't imagine how she comes up with her stories other than she was just born with an amazing gift. I can't wait to read the rest of this series!
Emma Frost inherits a house on an island from a grandmother she only met one time when she was 4 years old. She decides to move there with her children because she had lost her job and was on the verge of losing her flat. Shortly after moving into the home a neighbor is found murdered. Emma is a writer and decides she wants to right a book about the death of her neighbor. As Emma begins to research the neighbors death she quickly decides their is a lot more to her own grandmother's death than she has been told. As more deaths begin to happen Emma finds herself and her family in the middle of a mystery that has been going on for decades and involves several of the long time residents of the island. A mystery that is very dangerous for her to be trying to solve. The old adage "some things are better left buried" comes to mind but someone has to find the killer since the local law enforcement doesn't seem to be working hard enough to find this very gruesome killer. A serial killer is on the loose and the local police are telling the islanders and media the cases aren't related. Multiple murders that the victims were killed the exact same way.
Excellent read.
Emma Frost inherits a house on an island from a grandmother she only met one time when she was 4 years old. She decides to move there with her children because she had lost her job and was on the verge of losing her flat. Shortly after moving into the home a neighbor is found murdered. Emma is a writer and decides she wants to right a book about the death of her neighbor. As Emma begins to research the neighbors death she quickly decides their is a lot more to her own grandmother's death than she has been told. As more deaths begin to happen Emma finds herself and her family in the middle of a mystery that has been going on for decades and involves several of the long time residents of the island. A mystery that is very dangerous for her to be trying to solve. The old adage "some things are better left buried" comes to mind but someone has to find the killer since the local law enforcement doesn't seem to be working hard enough to find this very gruesome killer. A serial killer is on the loose and the local police are telling the islanders and media the cases aren't related. Multiple murders that the victims were killed the exact same way.
Excellent read.
April 3, 2021
Great plot. It's so well woven together it actually kept my interest all through the book. I literally had no clue who Mr Serial Killer would be, and spent the whole book swaying between different characters! 🤷🏻♀️
Even though I'm not a big fan of the main character -- the way she belittled ASD got on my nerves -- I actually finished reading it, and rather quickly. I guess that says a lot about how well-written it was, huh? 🙂 Anyway, we've all written characters who don't think like us so... benefit of the doubt there, and I'll go with that.
Even though I'm not a big fan of the main character -- the way she belittled ASD got on my nerves -- I actually finished reading it, and rather quickly. I guess that says a lot about how well-written it was, huh? 🙂 Anyway, we've all written characters who don't think like us so... benefit of the doubt there, and I'll go with that.
July 30, 2024
I'm very surprised by all of the negative reviews. I enjoyed this book. In the beginning, I was sort of confused with the going back and forth between the years, but once I got a handle on that, it was okay. I started to put things together early on, but like I said, it all came together around halfway through, and I think it was more exciting after that.
I don't like to give away plots in reviews, but I wouldn't necessarily call this an overwhelming mystery, but it was a good story. But all in all, it was a great read that can be done in a day because you don't want to put it down.
I don't like to give away plots in reviews, but I wouldn't necessarily call this an overwhelming mystery, but it was a good story. But all in all, it was a great read that can be done in a day because you don't want to put it down.
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