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What Jennifer Saw
Jim Harris, a wealthy businessman and philanthropist, and his wife, Mary Beth, along with their four beautiful children, are beloved as the "Jack and Jackie" of Monroeville, Missouri, a small town which considers itself "The Camelot of the Midwest." The murder of Jim Harris in time reveals the moral decay festering beneath this family's golden surface. Following the murder of her husband, Mary Beth Harris has metamorphosed suspiciously from a mousy hausfrau doting on her family to a newly energized vamp hurrying to a secret rendezvous with a mysterious lover. Her 24-year-old son later discovers a letter from her paramour, written shortly before his father's murder, and begins to agonize over the unthinkable. Self-absorbed, Mary Beth fails to recognize the desperate plight of her 15-year-old daughter, the ethereal Jennifer, who witnessed her father's murder, but is suffering post traumatic stress syndrome and cannot recall it. A brilliant but maverick psychiatrist, Dr. Timothy Adler, wrestling demons of his own, is brought in to treat her and discovers she is also in the grip of Multiple Personality Disorder. He gambles everything on one high-risk roll of the dice to decipher her psyche, which harbors a grotesque mélange of angry "personas", one of whom holds the key to the identity of the killer and also possesses shocking knowledge about the murder victim as well. Dr. Adler knows that his battle against the cunning and malevolent alter egos who wish to possess Jennifer's soul must be successful, or else she may rapidly descend into madness and even death.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 8, 2015
ARC for review.
Here's a perfect example of what started out as a decent plot idea but was lost in the execution. The town of Monroeville, Missouri is shocked by the murder of one of its most prominent citizens, James "Big Jim" Harris. He was generally considered a beloved, benevolent man, and left to mourn are his wife, Mary Beth and children Dax, Whizzer, Axel and Jenny (Whizzer and Axel are mentioned about twice and you never see them again).
So, it's your standard murder mystery, only Monroeville, despite a population of about 35,000 people has more shady characters than Chicago in its heyday. Everyone is on the take, and I would say that no one is what they seem, but most of them actually seem like horrible, untrustworthy people, so there's no telling how they achieved positions of power.
Unfortunately, this was but one of the unlikely occurrences that plague the book. There's a female reporter for the local paper who is treated like a figure from a 1950s movie - in fact the book was so full of casual racism and sexism by the various citizens I actually went back to the beginning of the book to see if maybe I had been wrong about the century in which is was set. She's a cipher and her story never really goes anywhere.
Also, tamper your gag reflex because there are a number of references to , some of which aren't even germane to the story. In another example a psychotic police offer for no apparent reason...it doesn't even really pertain to the plot.
A miracle doctor agrees to come in (for no good reason at all), and, while I don't pretend to know much about .
Schweig isn't really a bad writer - there are enough good ideas in here for a couple of books. However, he throws them all in this one, whether they make sense or not and he is NOT a master of dialogue. Writers, I beg of you, read some of your conversations aloud and see if they sound like things people would actually say. Ever. And there was no set up for the eventual big reveal - we spend Big Jim's last hours with him, and he never has any thought about the things we learn later, which makes absolutely no sense.
I wish this book had been better. Good bones, but no finesse.
Here's a perfect example of what started out as a decent plot idea but was lost in the execution. The town of Monroeville, Missouri is shocked by the murder of one of its most prominent citizens, James "Big Jim" Harris. He was generally considered a beloved, benevolent man, and left to mourn are his wife, Mary Beth and children Dax, Whizzer, Axel and Jenny (Whizzer and Axel are mentioned about twice and you never see them again).
So, it's your standard murder mystery, only Monroeville, despite a population of about 35,000 people has more shady characters than Chicago in its heyday. Everyone is on the take, and I would say that no one is what they seem, but most of them actually seem like horrible, untrustworthy people, so there's no telling how they achieved positions of power.
Unfortunately, this was but one of the unlikely occurrences that plague the book. There's a female reporter for the local paper who is treated like a figure from a 1950s movie - in fact the book was so full of casual racism and sexism by the various citizens I actually went back to the beginning of the book to see if maybe I had been wrong about the century in which is was set. She's a cipher and her story never really goes anywhere.
Also, tamper your gag reflex because there are a number of references to , some of which aren't even germane to the story. In another example a psychotic police offer for no apparent reason...it doesn't even really pertain to the plot.
A miracle doctor agrees to come in (for no good reason at all), and, while I don't pretend to know much about .
Schweig isn't really a bad writer - there are enough good ideas in here for a couple of books. However, he throws them all in this one, whether they make sense or not and he is NOT a master of dialogue. Writers, I beg of you, read some of your conversations aloud and see if they sound like things people would actually say. Ever. And there was no set up for the eventual big reveal - we spend Big Jim's last hours with him, and he never has any thought about the things we learn later, which makes absolutely no sense.
I wish this book had been better. Good bones, but no finesse.
March 3, 2015
I will read anything that has my name in the title. I mean come on I'm curious. Plus this sounded interesting. Mental illness, dysfunctional family and a dash of murder. The first gets your attention then it plumpets to the ground and stays without looking around to see if anyone was looking. Horrible. Not good book.
March 13, 2015
When people are so desperate to prove something that they take chances with their lives against all common sense, disastrous things can happen.
(I received this ARC from the author thru Buzzfeed in exchange for an honest review)
First of all, can I just say how beautiful the cover is! Because the moment I laid my eyes on it, I already fell in love. It’s just so eerie and mysterious that when you look at it, you just want to grab the book. I wish I could say the same praises about the insides thou. . .
I like how the whole scene is build up at the beginning wherein there’s a big question that’s making you predict things, however, even thou I can say that this is a fast paced book, I can say that I’m reading it fast because I’m just scanning the book and not really reading it. The beginning is so good that the next scenes that followed it goes downhill for me. It’s predictable and I just forced myself to finish the book just to prove that my hunch is right.
I think this book has a potential, I think that there’s just something wrong with the dialogues and the characters build because as a mystery book, it’s not strong enough. Overall, I kinda enjoyed it and I wouldn’t mind talking a little bit about it with my friends.
March 4, 2015
My thanks goes to BookBuzz.net via Net Galley for my copy to read and review
We have the title What Jennifer Saw, apt title because its all based around what Jennifer actually DID see. She saw her Father killed in the most horrible disgusting nature. This has left Jennifer traumatized, so much so, that she needs help. At first her Mother doesn't accept that she needs assistance at all, eventhough she is waking with terrible nightmares and shouting out in the night.
It has to be faced, Jennifer needs Psychiatric help to overcome and rationalize [if there is such a thing as rationalizing a killing] to move on with her young life.
Her Father Jim Harris was known by everyone has a family man, lovely wife, four children, a good solid man of the community. But what is festering beneath all this? Why did someone want him dead?
A maverick psychiatrist, Dr. Timothy Adle is brought in to help Jennifer. Although his ways are new ways, will they work or send Jennifer over the edge and eventually fatal?
He discovers though that Jennifer has an illness of her own.
My Thoughts
As this book opens its pages pick up quite fast and you stay with it well. I feel the author has done a good job on the story line, and although some reviewers are not 100% happy with some of the reading agility, I would tend to agree with them on some. I think the book lost its pace now and again. Not enough to not stick with it though, I also feel [for me anyway] that the story was well thought out and presented well. I certainly didn't get lost or veered off track towards how the author wanted the reader to respond.
All in all, I liked this book. If I could have 'felt' the pace more, [for example] turning my pages fast and not wanting to put it down, this would have merited a 5 star. I am quite reserved with my 5 stars and don't give them away freely unless the book really moved me and/or stands out on its own among the zillion books that are being written at the moment.
**This review is my own opinion. Reviews are just that....a persons opinion and I give my reviews to help readers get a balance of the book by reading ALL reviews that others choose to make too. I also write review for feedback to the author. Never with malice and always with good intent**
July 20, 2015
My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
A riveting tale of mystery and suspense. From prologue to epilogue, the story kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next.
First off for the record: There are many mixed reviews out there. Clearly anyone giving this novel a bad review doesn't like the mystery/thriller genre and shouldn't be reading it in the first place…just saying. Though I do typically stay in the paranormal/contemporary romance genre, occasionally I want to read something that will give me chills and keep me up at night. This one did not disappoint.
Jennifer or Jenny Harris is the fifteen year old daughter of wealthy businessman Jim Harris. On one fateful night Jim is murdered, execution style, in his own home. The only witness to his murder is Jennifer. Suffering from PTSD she can not seem to remember the face of the killer. Distraught she falls into a deep depression.
The murder of Jim Harris has the entire town of Monroeville, Missouri in an uproar. In comes in Lt. Braun….that is one sick bastard if you ask me. Teaspoon…is all I'm saying…wow. He is pure evil but unfortunately beside his wife, whom he abuses regularly, there is only one other person that knows his true nature and he's too afraid to tell anyone.
The town wants answers so they hire Psychologist Dr. Simon to help Jennifer remember the killer. It doesn't take Dr. Simon long to determine that Jennifer is suffering from not only PTSD but multi-personality disorder as well. I wish I could tell you more about her different personalities but it would really ruin the story for you. Let's just say that after some things come to surface you find out what drove her to have the mental disorder.
Dr. Simon knows that he is in way over his head, so in order to save his patients mentality he asks for assistance from former renowned Psychiatrist Dr. Adler. He used to be a brilliant therapist with experience in dealing with patients with MPD before his daughter committed suicide. Now he is just a washed up recluse hiding from reality and living with guilt.
After sometime Dr. Adler finally travels to Monroeville to help save Jennifer from herself.
Reporter Kay Cutler is waiting for her big break. She knows she is better than just writing women's features in the Clarion. When Jim's murder occurred she knows this could be her ticket to the front page. But her boss is a real jackass and will not listen to any thing she says. So she takes a chance and tries to discover the killer herself. She gets a tip from a very reliable source that Lt. Braun and Jim Harris knew one another and had a shady history together.
When the source comes up murdered is when the book really kicks it up a notch. Every chapter leaves you thinking a different person did it lol. There are several people with motives. Secrets are revealed, lives are forever changed and poor Jennifer is stuck in the middle of all of it. The ending WHEW was a real rollercoaster ride. If someone were to try to touch my book then I would have bitten their arm off [image error]
Favorite Scene: The last chapter.
Favorite Quote:
"I keep a diary which I write in everyday, but no one at home knows that because I keep it locked in my desk and I wear the key around my neck, but sometimes I've read things in the diary I don't remember writing, about things that never happened to me. And it's not in my handwriting!
January 30, 2015
Redundant and ridiculous. Despite a quick page turning scene in the first half, this book went on a rocketlike descent into "Oh, God...you've GOT to be kidding me". I found myself skimming, and rushing to the end for the big reveal which was Lifetime Television scripted.
April 11, 2015
I saw the book's blurb while looking through the offerings at NetGalley and decided to give it a try due to the dark, mysterious scenario it presented. It took a little while to settle into the rhythm of the book and to figure out which time period it took place. The setting wasn't present day but it was after the 1950s because of the various references to WWII and the clashing of cultures within the United States. I went back and reread the beginning of the book to see if I missed a sentence where it had been pointed out, but didn't find an exact time frame. That left me somewhat puzzled until I was more than halfway through the book when the stereotypes, dialogue and the fact that psychologists were in the beginning stages of understanding multiple personality disorder (MPD).
As with many books, there were a number of characters that made up the whole of the book. The spotlight was split between Jennifer, the poor daughter who found her father; Kay, an ambitious reporter stuck in a field dominated by men; Lt. Braun, a man haunted by his past which collides with the present during the investigation; and Dr. Tim Adler, once renowned child psychologist who abruptly quit when his own daughter lost her life. Each of these and the secondary characters were well-described and had their own distinct personalities and reactions to the world around them. They certainly didn't blend with on another or lose the reader in the dialogue or action.
The book began with a portrait of the Harris family as the patriarch came home from work and greeted the others who had waited for his arrival before eating dinner. When the murder occurred a short time later, its impact on the family and community appeared quickly. An undercurrent of gossip flowed through the people of Monroeville as the investigation took months to reach its conclusion. For me the book began at a steady, but slow pace. It began to build in intensity and speed after the murder, but I found some scenes slowed the pace akin tapping the brakes on one's car. With the action, mystery and even some romance, a little something for everyone was available between the cover pages. Be advised that graphic violence and sexual scenes were including within the book. While they did serve to advance the plot at times, I thought some of the others were too over-the-top to match the tone of the book as I found it.
All in all, I felt the story was interesting and pretty good. There was a solid foundation to the story, but I felt it went away from the heart of the novel. The build-up to the reveal of the killer focused on a couple of suspects, one a little more obvious than the others. Before the end I guessed what happened, but I still enjoyed the ride and being proved right. If you're looking for a book that's one part dark, one part mystery or simply something a little different, this book is one you should consider.
As with many books, there were a number of characters that made up the whole of the book. The spotlight was split between Jennifer, the poor daughter who found her father; Kay, an ambitious reporter stuck in a field dominated by men; Lt. Braun, a man haunted by his past which collides with the present during the investigation; and Dr. Tim Adler, once renowned child psychologist who abruptly quit when his own daughter lost her life. Each of these and the secondary characters were well-described and had their own distinct personalities and reactions to the world around them. They certainly didn't blend with on another or lose the reader in the dialogue or action.
The book began with a portrait of the Harris family as the patriarch came home from work and greeted the others who had waited for his arrival before eating dinner. When the murder occurred a short time later, its impact on the family and community appeared quickly. An undercurrent of gossip flowed through the people of Monroeville as the investigation took months to reach its conclusion. For me the book began at a steady, but slow pace. It began to build in intensity and speed after the murder, but I found some scenes slowed the pace akin tapping the brakes on one's car. With the action, mystery and even some romance, a little something for everyone was available between the cover pages. Be advised that graphic violence and sexual scenes were including within the book. While they did serve to advance the plot at times, I thought some of the others were too over-the-top to match the tone of the book as I found it.
All in all, I felt the story was interesting and pretty good. There was a solid foundation to the story, but I felt it went away from the heart of the novel. The build-up to the reveal of the killer focused on a couple of suspects, one a little more obvious than the others. Before the end I guessed what happened, but I still enjoyed the ride and being proved right. If you're looking for a book that's one part dark, one part mystery or simply something a little different, this book is one you should consider.
February 25, 2015
I received this book via NetGalley to give an honest review. May contain spoilers.
After reading the blurb and seeing the cover it seemed like this book was going to be amazing. But it seemed to fall flat for me. I literally could not connect to the story line or the main character, at times I had no clue as to what was going on.
There was times that we would be in the office with Jennifer and her doctor only to then be reading about the reporter Kay or something else. I felt that the author could have done a better job at letting us know when we were flipping the script to something or someone.
It was a book that I could just put down and do other things then come back to it. I wasn't in a rush to read it to find out what was going to happen next and for me that is not good.
Now the book started off good, you have a small town that becomes shell shocked at a murder that happens. The only person who can help solve the murder is the man's daughter who happen to see it go down. Hence what Jennifer saw. But it is not all that easy, she can not remember. Okay so now she needs the help of a doctor to help her remember the town is insisted on her remembering. But of course if she can't remember then what happens will the murderer go free?
So you see the plot is there and it seems juicy. And Jennifer oh boy she has some issues going on with her poor thing but we don't really find out anything until towards the end. I would have liked more insight on Jennifer and what she was going through.
Now there were some things I didn't truly understand what was the point of these scenes being part of the story.
There is a part with Dax and his mother Mary Beth this scene I believed could have been omitted because it seemed to be on the verge of incest. Not saying they did anything but just the thought you know.
The police officer who took out a suspects eyeball. Which I have to say was pretty bad ass but what was the point? To prove he was crazy? As he seems crazy through out the whole story.
It seemed the author had a lot of good ideas within the story to build things upon but none of them really involved the main character so it was kind of like what was the point of adding that in there.
I would like to read more by this author and see if he improves or has improved. This story is just not one that I liked it was just to flat and not evolved enough to make it a book to remember.
After reading the blurb and seeing the cover it seemed like this book was going to be amazing. But it seemed to fall flat for me. I literally could not connect to the story line or the main character, at times I had no clue as to what was going on.
There was times that we would be in the office with Jennifer and her doctor only to then be reading about the reporter Kay or something else. I felt that the author could have done a better job at letting us know when we were flipping the script to something or someone.
It was a book that I could just put down and do other things then come back to it. I wasn't in a rush to read it to find out what was going to happen next and for me that is not good.
Now the book started off good, you have a small town that becomes shell shocked at a murder that happens. The only person who can help solve the murder is the man's daughter who happen to see it go down. Hence what Jennifer saw. But it is not all that easy, she can not remember. Okay so now she needs the help of a doctor to help her remember the town is insisted on her remembering. But of course if she can't remember then what happens will the murderer go free?
So you see the plot is there and it seems juicy. And Jennifer oh boy she has some issues going on with her poor thing but we don't really find out anything until towards the end. I would have liked more insight on Jennifer and what she was going through.
Now there were some things I didn't truly understand what was the point of these scenes being part of the story.
There is a part with Dax and his mother Mary Beth this scene I believed could have been omitted because it seemed to be on the verge of incest. Not saying they did anything but just the thought you know.
The police officer who took out a suspects eyeball. Which I have to say was pretty bad ass but what was the point? To prove he was crazy? As he seems crazy through out the whole story.
It seemed the author had a lot of good ideas within the story to build things upon but none of them really involved the main character so it was kind of like what was the point of adding that in there.
I would like to read more by this author and see if he improves or has improved. This story is just not one that I liked it was just to flat and not evolved enough to make it a book to remember.
February 26, 2017
This was recommended by the Huffington Post for fans of Gone Girl. One has to wonder if anyone at the Huffington Post actually read the book before recommending it?
October 30, 2015
First let me say that I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review..
First let me start off by saying I love the cover of the book. It made me think what did she see? I wanna know, that what made me reach out and request this book.
Ok so as the story goes Jim Harris is a wealthy business man who is beloved by everyone in his town, one night he is killed in cold blood in his own home and the only one to see who did it was Jennifer.and she is in a state of shock and cannot remember anything..even with the help of therapists.
But see the only thing that got me about the book was there were two chapters that didn't fit in, except to be there as the two old ladies in town gossiping over tea. They just didn't fit in anywhere..
Basically the book is about everyone trying to figure out who Jennifer saw and how the shady dealing going within the town would be tied to it in some way.. We saw Jennifer here and there and start to see that she ends up with MPD.. This is when her story starts, what happened to her started at a young age and now besides trying to figure out who she saw we are trying to figure out what happened or who did something to cause this..
My first guess, which I will not state was correct as to what happened to her, but the who did I was way off, and I like that about this book, I thought I knew but I was wrong.
Really there are many things going on and it does make sense at the time because it seems out of place, but toward the end of the book it makes perfect sense.
Well except for the two old ladies gossiping.. But I think that was to give you a feel of how the town lived..
Anyway I read some very conflicting reviews, some negative some positive about this book, and I wanted to give it a chance and not let that effect me.. It didn't, I like the way it was written, and for the most part the story flowed very well..
I would say it was a suspense who done it read.. My reason for 4 stars is because even thought the story is about Jennifer and what she saw it doesn't really follow her, I think had it followed her and her therapy a little more or gave her backstory as to what or why she became who she was it would have made the story even better.. More details of her discovery of having MPD..
But like I said if ur wondering about the book give it a try it's definitely worth the read.
First let me start off by saying I love the cover of the book. It made me think what did she see? I wanna know, that what made me reach out and request this book.
Ok so as the story goes Jim Harris is a wealthy business man who is beloved by everyone in his town, one night he is killed in cold blood in his own home and the only one to see who did it was Jennifer.and she is in a state of shock and cannot remember anything..even with the help of therapists.
But see the only thing that got me about the book was there were two chapters that didn't fit in, except to be there as the two old ladies in town gossiping over tea. They just didn't fit in anywhere..
Basically the book is about everyone trying to figure out who Jennifer saw and how the shady dealing going within the town would be tied to it in some way.. We saw Jennifer here and there and start to see that she ends up with MPD.. This is when her story starts, what happened to her started at a young age and now besides trying to figure out who she saw we are trying to figure out what happened or who did something to cause this..
My first guess, which I will not state was correct as to what happened to her, but the who did I was way off, and I like that about this book, I thought I knew but I was wrong.
Really there are many things going on and it does make sense at the time because it seems out of place, but toward the end of the book it makes perfect sense.
Well except for the two old ladies gossiping.. But I think that was to give you a feel of how the town lived..
Anyway I read some very conflicting reviews, some negative some positive about this book, and I wanted to give it a chance and not let that effect me.. It didn't, I like the way it was written, and for the most part the story flowed very well..
I would say it was a suspense who done it read.. My reason for 4 stars is because even thought the story is about Jennifer and what she saw it doesn't really follow her, I think had it followed her and her therapy a little more or gave her backstory as to what or why she became who she was it would have made the story even better.. More details of her discovery of having MPD..
But like I said if ur wondering about the book give it a try it's definitely worth the read.
March 15, 2015
I received this book through NetGalley.
“What Jennifer Saw” by Hal Schweig had me thinking two things. The first is; who is Hal Schweig? And the second was; when is be publishing again?
In this psychological thriller by a refreshing new author, we are introduced to a wide array of eclectic characters. The plot begins when one of these characters, a well-known and community-loved businessman named Jim Harris, is shot dead in his home. A reader is led on many different paths throughout this novel, which I loved, and many different characters are believed to be the culprit. Initially, the blame is cast on the lead investigator (isn’t it always?) and in fact, this character is almost so believable as the murderer, that I was left feeling disappointed that the killer had been revealed so soon! However, I should’ve had more faith in Schweig’s storytelling, as it was indeed not whom I expected. Schweig takes a seemingly utopian suburban community and turns it on its heels. We are led to trust no one, and are reassured that no one is whom they appear to be. Adultery, secrets and scandal are just some of the clandestine vices that our seemingly perfect characters display.
This book, in its structure and character formulation, reminded me a little bit of “Under the Dome” by Stephen King. I saw this because “What Jennifer Saw” starts with an overly large large collection of characters, and it is not until the character selection is narrowed down to a couple prominent players, that a reader is able to keep better track of the plot line. Then the book basically becomes completely “un-put-down-able”. The story line in itself is original and creative, and the characters are passionate and very literally unstable (which make them fascinating). As I came to the end of the book I began to panic, as the pages were getting fewer but the plot line was not slowing down. I expected an abrupt, unfinished ending and was extremely satisfied when this turned out not to be the case. The epilogue even provided a comforting ending for all the important players. I will be keeping an eye out for more of Schweig’s work!
“What Jennifer Saw” by Hal Schweig had me thinking two things. The first is; who is Hal Schweig? And the second was; when is be publishing again?
In this psychological thriller by a refreshing new author, we are introduced to a wide array of eclectic characters. The plot begins when one of these characters, a well-known and community-loved businessman named Jim Harris, is shot dead in his home. A reader is led on many different paths throughout this novel, which I loved, and many different characters are believed to be the culprit. Initially, the blame is cast on the lead investigator (isn’t it always?) and in fact, this character is almost so believable as the murderer, that I was left feeling disappointed that the killer had been revealed so soon! However, I should’ve had more faith in Schweig’s storytelling, as it was indeed not whom I expected. Schweig takes a seemingly utopian suburban community and turns it on its heels. We are led to trust no one, and are reassured that no one is whom they appear to be. Adultery, secrets and scandal are just some of the clandestine vices that our seemingly perfect characters display.
This book, in its structure and character formulation, reminded me a little bit of “Under the Dome” by Stephen King. I saw this because “What Jennifer Saw” starts with an overly large large collection of characters, and it is not until the character selection is narrowed down to a couple prominent players, that a reader is able to keep better track of the plot line. Then the book basically becomes completely “un-put-down-able”. The story line in itself is original and creative, and the characters are passionate and very literally unstable (which make them fascinating). As I came to the end of the book I began to panic, as the pages were getting fewer but the plot line was not slowing down. I expected an abrupt, unfinished ending and was extremely satisfied when this turned out not to be the case. The epilogue even provided a comforting ending for all the important players. I will be keeping an eye out for more of Schweig’s work!
March 3, 2015
Gruesome suspense. This book had me wanting to skip scenes. Now.. Don’t get me wrong, I love suspense, murder mysteries, but this one had me cringing, and of course these incidents could very well happen in the real world, but… well, just continue.
I thought it would be a pretty normal murder mystery, but it came to be this gruesome tale about every flawed character in the book: Jennifer having a mental health issues, the detective’s abuse, the mother who seems to be whore, etc. There was also a lot of scenes in the book that would make anyone’s stomach turned, take Gone Girl and up the notch about 3x.
At the beginning of the book, I felt there was lot of useless information, we just didn’t need to know every detail to get to the know the characters, for example: he went down 7 carpeted steps. Why is it we have to know this detail? Also, the rape scenes, child abuse, oh my goodness I could go on and on. This book would have been a wonderful read if it was just a normal suspense murder mystery, take out all the junk (all the flawed characters), and build rounded characters, and characters who had backbones.
I personally have never dealt with multiple-personality disorders, but it seems the book would have been great with just that one thing, Built around Jennifer, and do not give too many characters too many things that go wrong. To be honest I got lost through most of it, and started skipping scenes or pages, because it just felt forced or out of place.
Who knows, maybe I am just a contemporary romance type of girl or some cozy mystery.
If you like murder mystery, gruesome, child abuse, rape, etc.. maybe you would like this book. As for me and myself, I will pass it along to someone who will enjoy it more than I did.
Disclosure: I was gifted this book from the author. I did not have to do the review, and this review is my honest opinion.
We're Jumpin Books
I thought it would be a pretty normal murder mystery, but it came to be this gruesome tale about every flawed character in the book: Jennifer having a mental health issues, the detective’s abuse, the mother who seems to be whore, etc. There was also a lot of scenes in the book that would make anyone’s stomach turned, take Gone Girl and up the notch about 3x.
At the beginning of the book, I felt there was lot of useless information, we just didn’t need to know every detail to get to the know the characters, for example: he went down 7 carpeted steps. Why is it we have to know this detail? Also, the rape scenes, child abuse, oh my goodness I could go on and on. This book would have been a wonderful read if it was just a normal suspense murder mystery, take out all the junk (all the flawed characters), and build rounded characters, and characters who had backbones.
I personally have never dealt with multiple-personality disorders, but it seems the book would have been great with just that one thing, Built around Jennifer, and do not give too many characters too many things that go wrong. To be honest I got lost through most of it, and started skipping scenes or pages, because it just felt forced or out of place.
Who knows, maybe I am just a contemporary romance type of girl or some cozy mystery.
If you like murder mystery, gruesome, child abuse, rape, etc.. maybe you would like this book. As for me and myself, I will pass it along to someone who will enjoy it more than I did.
Disclosure: I was gifted this book from the author. I did not have to do the review, and this review is my honest opinion.
We're Jumpin Books
February 6, 2015
Could also have been titled Facade or What Lies Beneath--the plot involves so many characters with veneers of respectability.
The perfect Harris family is shattered by the death of "Big Jim" Harris. When the beloved pillar of the community is murdered, the entire town is in shock. "Big Jim" was admired and respected by everyone for his generosity of time and money; the reader, however, gets a creepy vibe from the first page.
As it turns out, the personas adopted by many of the characters are only skin deep. The novel spends a great deal of time introducing characters that we are instinctively leery of even before we get the less attractive details.
Anyway, Jennifer Harris may have seen the intruder, but she is so traumatized that she can't recall any helpful details. Her older brother becomes more and more concerned about her, insisting that she receive counseling before her depression and apathy lead to self-harm.
Who could have wanted Jim Harris dead and why? In spite of the way the man has been idolized by his family and community, as information about various characters comes to light, the reader realizes that there may have been more than one person who would have liked to see Jim Harris dead.
The DSM might be handy for all of the psychiatric diagnoses covered in this book. A Garden Carried in the Pocket
NetGalley/BookBuzz.net
Mystery. 2013. 278 pages.
The perfect Harris family is shattered by the death of "Big Jim" Harris. When the beloved pillar of the community is murdered, the entire town is in shock. "Big Jim" was admired and respected by everyone for his generosity of time and money; the reader, however, gets a creepy vibe from the first page.
As it turns out, the personas adopted by many of the characters are only skin deep. The novel spends a great deal of time introducing characters that we are instinctively leery of even before we get the less attractive details.
Anyway, Jennifer Harris may have seen the intruder, but she is so traumatized that she can't recall any helpful details. Her older brother becomes more and more concerned about her, insisting that she receive counseling before her depression and apathy lead to self-harm.
Who could have wanted Jim Harris dead and why? In spite of the way the man has been idolized by his family and community, as information about various characters comes to light, the reader realizes that there may have been more than one person who would have liked to see Jim Harris dead.
The DSM might be handy for all of the psychiatric diagnoses covered in this book. A Garden Carried in the Pocket
NetGalley/BookBuzz.net
Mystery. 2013. 278 pages.
March 8, 2015
I was provided a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
What Jennifer Saw by Hal Schweig- There really is no easy way to put this so I’m just going to go with my pro/con list…
Pro- the cover is rockin. Black and white, covering her face… it draws you in.
The idea, a basic mystery, is good. A very well to-do man in a small town is murdered and now the residence and police are trying to not only find the person responsible for his death but also come to terms with it. Also I liked that throughout the course of the book you start by thinking it was one person, then by the end you’ve changed your mind several times as to who the murderer was.
Con- This book is so overloaded with details I found I skimmed at least 30%-40% of it. Also all the little side stories didn’t really add much to the overall story. Yes, I do understand that it is sometimes necessary to have other characters living their lives, but not like this. Every chapter was about a different person in the town. It got to be way too much and I became bored often. Lastly it was very graphic at times. Now I’m not talking about (only about) physical violence, I mean aside from the murder there was also rape, brutality, sexual assault… incestuous thoughts between family members. I understand that life or the real world isn’t all sunshine and roses, but this was a bit much.
Because of all this I have to go with 2 stars. I really wanted to like What Jennifer Saw, but I just couldn’t.
What Jennifer Saw by Hal Schweig- There really is no easy way to put this so I’m just going to go with my pro/con list…
Pro- the cover is rockin. Black and white, covering her face… it draws you in.
The idea, a basic mystery, is good. A very well to-do man in a small town is murdered and now the residence and police are trying to not only find the person responsible for his death but also come to terms with it. Also I liked that throughout the course of the book you start by thinking it was one person, then by the end you’ve changed your mind several times as to who the murderer was.
Con- This book is so overloaded with details I found I skimmed at least 30%-40% of it. Also all the little side stories didn’t really add much to the overall story. Yes, I do understand that it is sometimes necessary to have other characters living their lives, but not like this. Every chapter was about a different person in the town. It got to be way too much and I became bored often. Lastly it was very graphic at times. Now I’m not talking about (only about) physical violence, I mean aside from the murder there was also rape, brutality, sexual assault… incestuous thoughts between family members. I understand that life or the real world isn’t all sunshine and roses, but this was a bit much.
Because of all this I have to go with 2 stars. I really wanted to like What Jennifer Saw, but I just couldn’t.
March 29, 2015
http://deeceesbooks.blogspot.co.uk/20...
After reading the description for this book and seeing the cover picture I was really excited to read this book and after the first chapter or so I really thought it was quite promising but sadly it's quite a muddled story. One minute you're in the Dr's office with Jennifer and the next minute it's jumped to Lt Braun, so I found myself a few times going back and checking I hadn't missed something.
A few of the characters in the book have some sort of mental disorder, with Jennifer having Multiple Personality Disorder which is quite an eye opener at some points it just seemed a bit crazy to me sometimes and hard to believe.
Don't get me wrong, this is a good story and I found myself wanting to find out what happened next but I feel if the story had a few tweaks and a bit more structure it would be a fantastic book and also a bit more about the main character and a little less about some of the others would be nice.
It has some shock factors and I will never look at a teaspoon in the same way again.
It will be interesting to see how this writer progresses in the future as the story is definitely there it's just the writings not on the same level which is a real shame.
After reading the description for this book and seeing the cover picture I was really excited to read this book and after the first chapter or so I really thought it was quite promising but sadly it's quite a muddled story. One minute you're in the Dr's office with Jennifer and the next minute it's jumped to Lt Braun, so I found myself a few times going back and checking I hadn't missed something.
A few of the characters in the book have some sort of mental disorder, with Jennifer having Multiple Personality Disorder which is quite an eye opener at some points it just seemed a bit crazy to me sometimes and hard to believe.
Don't get me wrong, this is a good story and I found myself wanting to find out what happened next but I feel if the story had a few tweaks and a bit more structure it would be a fantastic book and also a bit more about the main character and a little less about some of the others would be nice.
It has some shock factors and I will never look at a teaspoon in the same way again.
It will be interesting to see how this writer progresses in the future as the story is definitely there it's just the writings not on the same level which is a real shame.
March 4, 2015
This was a great read. The plot was well written and i was hooked from the first chapter. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the unexpected end. I won't give away the plot, it's better to watch it unfold for yourself. I will say I stayed up late reading to see what would happen next. A great murder mystery. The main characters are well written, the good and the bad. A few of the minor characters could have been fleshed out a bit more.
The only thing I didn't really like is I thought Kay and Dr. Cutler got together rather quickly, but then again, if there is a strong attraction it is hard to deny. So a small point really in the overall plot of the book.
I did have some formatting issues but an e mail from the author assured me these were my issues alone and no one else would have these issues.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a great murder mystery that will grab you from the first chapter and keep you guessing until the end. I will be looking for more books by this author.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not effect my review one way or the other.
The only thing I didn't really like is I thought Kay and Dr. Cutler got together rather quickly, but then again, if there is a strong attraction it is hard to deny. So a small point really in the overall plot of the book.
I did have some formatting issues but an e mail from the author assured me these were my issues alone and no one else would have these issues.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a great murder mystery that will grab you from the first chapter and keep you guessing until the end. I will be looking for more books by this author.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not effect my review one way or the other.
March 31, 2015
What Jennifer Saw is a murder mystery. When the most prominent, popular man in town, Jim Harris, is murdered, the whole town is shocked and scared. Who could've gone into the home of such a wonderful business man, husband, and father and committed such a heinous act.
The murder was witnessed by Jims 15 yr old daughter, Jennifer, who cannot remember a thing. She has blocked the entire memory, and has sunk into a deep depression. Jennifer's mother is in denial of her daughters condition. And seems to only be looking out for herself, which raises questions, and suspicions.
The town therapist can't seem to break her silence. After discovering Jennifer has multiple personality disorder, he enlists the help of another dr better educated in this sort of instance. The new dr has his own demons to face.
Specialist Dr. Adler, delves deep into Jennifer's personalities, and conquers the demons deep inside of her.
Secrets, murder, multiple personalities, keep this book gripping and exciting.
I didn't want to put it down, I needed to know what happened.
The murder was witnessed by Jims 15 yr old daughter, Jennifer, who cannot remember a thing. She has blocked the entire memory, and has sunk into a deep depression. Jennifer's mother is in denial of her daughters condition. And seems to only be looking out for herself, which raises questions, and suspicions.
The town therapist can't seem to break her silence. After discovering Jennifer has multiple personality disorder, he enlists the help of another dr better educated in this sort of instance. The new dr has his own demons to face.
Specialist Dr. Adler, delves deep into Jennifer's personalities, and conquers the demons deep inside of her.
Secrets, murder, multiple personalities, keep this book gripping and exciting.
I didn't want to put it down, I needed to know what happened.
January 7, 2016
I was drawn to this book by its plot. The summary sounded phenomenal and I was very excited to read it. Once I started reading and even after I finished I can simply say that it was just so-so. It is your typical murder mystery book. Nothing that really stood out and made me think "wow". There were also times the dialog between characters sounded too made up (if that makes sense). I felt like they said things no one would ever say in real life. There was also no big set up to the reveal. It just kind of flowed with the rest of the book. I was waiting for a moment of "this is it-get ready!" and it just never happened. The bones for a great book were all there- murder, mental illness, and dysfunctional family. It just didn't quite deliver.
Thanks to Netgalley and BookBuzz.net for allowing me an eARC to read and review.
Thanks to Netgalley and BookBuzz.net for allowing me an eARC to read and review.
November 9, 2014
At the beginning of the book there is a lot of character development and for some a little too much. As you read the book you are wondering why some of the characters are even mentioned. As you get into the book more things are revealed but it's not until the end that most things are tied together. The book ends with some things that you expect and some that are a surprise. For those that you think are a surprise you sit back and then it comes to you, oh, that's why they acted that way. While I liked the book, you are left hanging for some of the story lines that are not part of the ending.
February 12, 2015
I really do not like writing a negative review/recommendation, I respect the writing process and the effort put forth in writing a novel. But this was just awful. I can only assume that the author was making an attempt at "hard-boiled" noir, in the language used. However, the book is filled with gratuitous slurs, including the N word, dangerous stereotypes, spousal abuse, and spousal rape. And these incidents do not even involve the main character, who suffers from dissociative identity disorder. Moreover, it is, in my opinion, poorly written in sentence structure and plot development. I cannot recommend this book.
March 3, 2015
I received this story from Netgally for a review:
This story was an interesting story, but I had a very hard time reading the story in ebook format. I liked the story and found it interesting, and was glad I finished the book. I felt the author did a great job of describing the characters and was intrigued enough to keep on reading to find out who the murderer was. I had some suspicions but there were hints in the story that tried to throw the reader off a little. The obvious villain was so evil that I wanted him to be the murderer. You will have to read the story to find out if he was though!
This story was an interesting story, but I had a very hard time reading the story in ebook format. I liked the story and found it interesting, and was glad I finished the book. I felt the author did a great job of describing the characters and was intrigued enough to keep on reading to find out who the murderer was. I had some suspicions but there were hints in the story that tried to throw the reader off a little. The obvious villain was so evil that I wanted him to be the murderer. You will have to read the story to find out if he was though!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2014
Finished this book on a long plane ride, and it was the right time because once the action gets going it's hard to put down. Schweig nails most aspects of his character's lives, from the wealthy family with perfect children to the journalist who's looking for something more out of life to the tawdriness on the wrong side of town. The reader learns just enough about each character to continually wonder who will finally be unmasked as the killer, and the plot climaxes in an unexpected way. It will make you think twice about making assumptions based on appearances!
February 16, 2015
ARC provided by NetGalley:
This had the potential to be a very good book. The description was promising, and the basic storyline is good enough to stand on its own. However, the story fell flat for me because of the writing. The style is very basic, told matter-of-factly without much emotion coming through the pages. While the book has all the ingredients of a true psychological thriller, the story was too straight-forward for my tastes.
This had the potential to be a very good book. The description was promising, and the basic storyline is good enough to stand on its own. However, the story fell flat for me because of the writing. The style is very basic, told matter-of-factly without much emotion coming through the pages. While the book has all the ingredients of a true psychological thriller, the story was too straight-forward for my tastes.
December 29, 2015
I liked this book although I did have some problems wanting to finish the book but once I did I was happy I got this book from the author himself so I thank him for giving me this book to review after I requested it all and all though besides the thoughts of not wanting to finish the book and the lack of motivation to pick up the book at the end I do give this book 3 1/2 stars and do hope I get to read some of this authors other works in the furture
February 19, 2015
This book was a good book. Lots of mystery in it and made you want to find out what happens next. This book had a little bit of everything added into it. There was just so much about it that I liked. You should check this book out and see what you think! . * I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
March 4, 2015
The blurb on this book sounded AWESOME and while it was a decent book, it just didn't hold my attention. I normally love mysteries but there was just something about it I just couldn't get into, maybe the graphic scenes? If you like intense mysteries (definitely not a cozy) with a good bit of gruesomeness thrown in, you probably would enjoy it. It was just a little too over the top for me.
March 4, 2015
I found this book difficult to get into because of the writing. In my opinion, it didn't flow very well. I can't give too much input into the plot because I was so bored with the writing that I don't even remember it.
February 24, 2015
I really didn't like the writing style. The plot sounded intriguing but it was so boring. I was expecting something completely different, something passionate and emotional, something with suspense and intrigue, but it was dragged out.
I gave up at 20% and added to DNF shelf.
I gave up at 20% and added to DNF shelf.
December 28, 2014
Excellent a great find I will never look at a teaspoon the same way again!
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