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Long Hill Home
A suspenseful and emotional crime thriller that also confronts important social issues (such as sexual violence, criminal justice and immigration).
Kelly Malloy is a wife, a mother and a successful lawyer whose world is shattered when she is brutally attacked while running along the banks of the Brandywine River. Chad McCloskey, a lonely teenage boy from a dysfunctional home, stumbles upon Kelly Malloy’s unconscious body immediately after the assault, and he is falsely accused of the crime after he tries to help her. Maria Hernandez, a young woman who emigrated illegally from Mexico, is reluctantly thrust into the role of witness to the crime, putting her in jeopardy of deportation only weeks before she is to give birth to her child.
Kelly, Chad and Maria all suffer tremendous adversity in the wake of the crime, and they ultimately discover that their lives and their fate are inextricably and permanently connected. Long Hill Home is a story of crime, mystery and the legal process—but it is also a story about the human condition, and how, regardless of vast differences in background or circumstances, all people strive for the same things—love, security and a fulfilling life.
Described by reviewers as "simultaneously heart wrenching and heart welling," a "page turner" that readers "cannot put down," an "emotional" read and "an incredible novel, all the more so as a debut work."
Kelly Malloy is a wife, a mother and a successful lawyer whose world is shattered when she is brutally attacked while running along the banks of the Brandywine River. Chad McCloskey, a lonely teenage boy from a dysfunctional home, stumbles upon Kelly Malloy’s unconscious body immediately after the assault, and he is falsely accused of the crime after he tries to help her. Maria Hernandez, a young woman who emigrated illegally from Mexico, is reluctantly thrust into the role of witness to the crime, putting her in jeopardy of deportation only weeks before she is to give birth to her child.
Kelly, Chad and Maria all suffer tremendous adversity in the wake of the crime, and they ultimately discover that their lives and their fate are inextricably and permanently connected. Long Hill Home is a story of crime, mystery and the legal process—but it is also a story about the human condition, and how, regardless of vast differences in background or circumstances, all people strive for the same things—love, security and a fulfilling life.
Described by reviewers as "simultaneously heart wrenching and heart welling," a "page turner" that readers "cannot put down," an "emotional" read and "an incredible novel, all the more so as a debut work."
260 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2015
1 person is currently reading
2034 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Pincus
1 book69 followersKathryn Pincus was raised in the New York metropolitan area, received her undergraduate degree (B. A., Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Delaware, and her law degree (J. D.) from the Georgetown University Law Center. Kathryn honed her writing skills in her law practice, presenting complex factual and legal matters in clear, compelling and persuasive writings. Since her “early retirement” from the practice of law, she has filled her days taking care of a busy household and family, supporting numerous charitable and community causes and writing fiction.
Long Hill Home is her debut novel, and another novel and a collection of short stories are in the works. When not engaged in all of the above, Kathryn enjoys running, biking, traveling, watching her sons compete in sports and spending her summers with friends and family at the Jersey Shore.
Long Hill Home is her debut novel, and another novel and a collection of short stories are in the works. When not engaged in all of the above, Kathryn enjoys running, biking, traveling, watching her sons compete in sports and spending her summers with friends and family at the Jersey Shore.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
March 31, 2015
REVIEW: LONG HILL HOME by Kathryn Pincus
Deep and compelling, simultaneously heartwrenching and heartwelling, LONG HILL HOME is an incredible novel, all the more so as a debut work. The story of a psychopath allowed loose in the world, a man who chooses to follow his own desires while considering other humans chattel, and the strong, empowered woman he decides is his foe. So he chooses to punish her in the most primitive, brutal manner.
Although there is plenty of action--before, during, and after the assault on Kelly--the efforts of the author in characterization are what made the book so important to me. It's not easy to examine all sorts of disparate characters: a woman brutalized, her loving husband, the narcissistic psychopath, a young man emotionally oppressed and abandoned by a severely depressed mother, a family of Hispanics despised by society. But author Kathryn Pincus doesn't just juggle these: she fully delineates. I give a full 12 stars to LONG HILL HOME.
18+ for adult content and issues.
Deep and compelling, simultaneously heartwrenching and heartwelling, LONG HILL HOME is an incredible novel, all the more so as a debut work. The story of a psychopath allowed loose in the world, a man who chooses to follow his own desires while considering other humans chattel, and the strong, empowered woman he decides is his foe. So he chooses to punish her in the most primitive, brutal manner.
Although there is plenty of action--before, during, and after the assault on Kelly--the efforts of the author in characterization are what made the book so important to me. It's not easy to examine all sorts of disparate characters: a woman brutalized, her loving husband, the narcissistic psychopath, a young man emotionally oppressed and abandoned by a severely depressed mother, a family of Hispanics despised by society. But author Kathryn Pincus doesn't just juggle these: she fully delineates. I give a full 12 stars to LONG HILL HOME.
18+ for adult content and issues.
February 21, 2015
Rating 3.5
Coming home can have many different feelings and scenarios for each of us. Maybe you have experienced a coming home. With our three protagonists they each experienced a coming home that was how ever different was tied to a horrific crime. Kelly a successful lawyer, mother and a loving wife is brutally attacked. Marie who witnessed the crime from a distance, is here illegally and is pregnant. Chad who initially found Kelly near death is in a dilemma of how to help her. He has problems of his own and lives in fear.
Reading in 3 voices, you are rooting for justice. I thought it was predictable on who the perpetrator was and how he was brought to justice. However predictable, it was a thrilling read. The strength of this brutal crime is how Kelly fought back. Fought for her marriage, her family and most important for herself.
A special thank you, Smith Publicity,
Koehler Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Coming home can have many different feelings and scenarios for each of us. Maybe you have experienced a coming home. With our three protagonists they each experienced a coming home that was how ever different was tied to a horrific crime. Kelly a successful lawyer, mother and a loving wife is brutally attacked. Marie who witnessed the crime from a distance, is here illegally and is pregnant. Chad who initially found Kelly near death is in a dilemma of how to help her. He has problems of his own and lives in fear.
Reading in 3 voices, you are rooting for justice. I thought it was predictable on who the perpetrator was and how he was brought to justice. However predictable, it was a thrilling read. The strength of this brutal crime is how Kelly fought back. Fought for her marriage, her family and most important for herself.
A special thank you, Smith Publicity,
Koehler Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2015
OH MY GRACIOUS! This incredible book looks at the victim of a sexual attack during the whole process of hospital, legal, psychological. We see two witnesses who are reluctant to come forward for two very understandable reasons. We see a perpetrator who is cocky and sure of himself and almost feels himself entitled. We see what the prison system is like for a young man who is wrongly accused. We ache for a husband who just does not know what to do to help his broken wife. And through it all, we suffer with Kelly Malloy, wife, mother, lawyer, who seems powerless to overcome the memory of this brutal attack until a wonderful rape counselor and Blind Justice help her get back on track. A truly remarkable book.
I read this e-ARC courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher.
I read this e-ARC courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher.
May 28, 2015
I won Long Hill Home through Goodreads First Reads Giveaways. It is Kathryn Pincus's debut novel. It is an exciting crime novel with great characters. Each chapter is written by a different character and I especially enjoyed the chapters about Chad.I really enjoyed this book and looking forward to more books from this author in the future.
May 17, 2015
I was highly disappointed with Long Hill Home. I honestly tried to enjoy it, but it felt so wrong.
First off, it was totally rushed. It takes a long time for victims of sexual abuse to recover - even the bravest ones struggle. In Long Hill Home, it took such victim - Kelly - two weeks to go back to more or less where she started. Also, I find it hard to believe that victims realize the seriousness of their mental health problems five days after the attack! Add to that the "suffering" of her family. Yes, it's all a big shock, but it takes time to sink in.
Kathryn, as a former lawyer should have also realized that the arrest and trial don't happen as quickly as described in the book. Also, very rushed. She also could've done a better job in shattering rape myths rather than simply ignoring their existence, added some suspense (I swear I was waiting for an unexpected plot twist - e g falsification or disappearance of DNA) and created a stronger and more consistent rapist (have you seen SVU? good example at how crinimals don't just give up).
Then there's an issue with Kelly's social support. I can see how her children would be of little help and I can see how their behaviour can be altered by their mother's distress (though not at this pace, but from now on I'll ignore the speed of the book). After all, I know what it feels like, though I had different circumstances and I actually witnessed it rather than hear about it, like Anna and Grace did. Dan, Kelly's husband, and Sam, her friend and I'm-in-love-with-Kelly-yet-I-never-admitted-it-to-her-type-of-men, were two jealous-type of angry men, typical for abuse survivor. I didn't like them both so much because of their behaviour. Dan, though, was the worst with his controlling behaviour and supposed innocence. His behaviour either should have been addressed better or changed entirely to show how social support providers need to react to the disclosure of the abuse and survivor's cooperation with it. Instead, the author showed Kelly as a wife guilty of basically being raped and, in turn, being so fucked up. He is a typical I-m-a-nice-guy-and-shit-but-as-long-as-everything-is-ok-and-you-r-the-same-person-I-married. Yet, as soon as there's a problem - he doesn't understand his wife and seem to not want to be married to her. W T F?
Thanks to this book, I think I'll never be able to look at the phrase "I miss you" the same way... Because the "I miss you" they both give each other is, apparently, not the kind you'd expect but purely sexual. So, basically, as soon as two people don't have sex, they can be in the same room, sleep in the same bed and breathe the same air, and they'll still "miss" each other? I honestly snorted at this.
Long Hill Home is about finding home, right? So, when Dan and Kelly finally have "normal" sex, they both feel home. So, all goes back to sex and sexual intercourse between a man and a woman with the man having his penis in the woman's vagina. That's home. Ugh.
Now to a slight review of the other two characters.
Let's start with Chad. An 18-year-old who knows what he's supposed to do when he finds Kelly and he even thinks of the right thing to do, yet fails completely. And he's not smart enough to understand that his airplane ticket he buys right after he supposedly saves Kelly will make him look guilty af. In addition, he doesn't even mention the ticket. I understand that he may not have Inet (or even computer as a matter of fact), TV, credit card or anything... He has a driver's license and a high school diploma, and he was even able to figure out what happened to his mother, so he should be smart, right? Well, apparently he's not. Instead, he makes many mistakes, ends up in prison, almost gets raped - and suddenly he's changed! Also, why does he have to meet a girl-he-falls-in-love-with-immediately on a plane to his mother's new home? Can't it be a boy, who will become his friend? Because, obviously, the author planned Chad and the girl to be together happily ever after. She is very clear with that. But: 1) love doesn't come so fast, 2) HE NEVER HAD ANY FRIENDS/DATES AND NOW HE'S CHANGED AND IN LOVE? 3) how does he meet attractive fully abled straight girl on a plane who, obviously, sits next to him and decides to talk to him and then help him? This nonsense just makes me feel uncomfortable.
Maria... First off, her comment about her being uncomfortable with her huge belly makes me feel uncomfortable. She's on the last week of her pregnancy, with the guy who loves her regardless of how she looks or feels, but she still feels shame for her "ugly" body. Pregnancy should be more than just about being fat. It IS more than just about being fat. Oh, wait - it ISN'T even about being fat. Such statements only bring out sexism and "perfect body" notions. While we at it, let me just say that her boyfriend's behaviour is so controlling! Run, Maria, run!
I'm too lazy and uninterested in addressing other issues I had with the book - and they're minor and caused less confusion in my mind. The last thing I want to look at is the narration. It was super weird, with one character being a narrator, yet less relevant one narrating as well. For example, here you have Kelly - the narrator - talking to Sam over the phone, yet you know when he scratches his head or sth and what he feels. Or, you have Maria as narrator, yet she's not even in the same room when the author describes the actions or feelings of a detective or Maria's boyfriend. Timing of the book also inconsistent: here you have 9:15 am, and the next chapter it's back to 8:30 or sth.
First off, it was totally rushed. It takes a long time for victims of sexual abuse to recover - even the bravest ones struggle. In Long Hill Home, it took such victim - Kelly - two weeks to go back to more or less where she started. Also, I find it hard to believe that victims realize the seriousness of their mental health problems five days after the attack! Add to that the "suffering" of her family. Yes, it's all a big shock, but it takes time to sink in.
Kathryn, as a former lawyer should have also realized that the arrest and trial don't happen as quickly as described in the book. Also, very rushed. She also could've done a better job in shattering rape myths rather than simply ignoring their existence, added some suspense (I swear I was waiting for an unexpected plot twist - e g falsification or disappearance of DNA) and created a stronger and more consistent rapist (have you seen SVU? good example at how crinimals don't just give up).
Then there's an issue with Kelly's social support. I can see how her children would be of little help and I can see how their behaviour can be altered by their mother's distress (though not at this pace, but from now on I'll ignore the speed of the book). After all, I know what it feels like, though I had different circumstances and I actually witnessed it rather than hear about it, like Anna and Grace did. Dan, Kelly's husband, and Sam, her friend and I'm-in-love-with-Kelly-yet-I-never-admitted-it-to-her-type-of-men, were two jealous-type of angry men, typical for abuse survivor. I didn't like them both so much because of their behaviour. Dan, though, was the worst with his controlling behaviour and supposed innocence. His behaviour either should have been addressed better or changed entirely to show how social support providers need to react to the disclosure of the abuse and survivor's cooperation with it. Instead, the author showed Kelly as a wife guilty of basically being raped and, in turn, being so fucked up. He is a typical I-m-a-nice-guy-and-shit-but-as-long-as-everything-is-ok-and-you-r-the-same-person-I-married. Yet, as soon as there's a problem - he doesn't understand his wife and seem to not want to be married to her. W T F?
Thanks to this book, I think I'll never be able to look at the phrase "I miss you" the same way... Because the "I miss you" they both give each other is, apparently, not the kind you'd expect but purely sexual. So, basically, as soon as two people don't have sex, they can be in the same room, sleep in the same bed and breathe the same air, and they'll still "miss" each other? I honestly snorted at this.
Long Hill Home is about finding home, right? So, when Dan and Kelly finally have "normal" sex, they both feel home. So, all goes back to sex and sexual intercourse between a man and a woman with the man having his penis in the woman's vagina. That's home. Ugh.
Now to a slight review of the other two characters.
Let's start with Chad. An 18-year-old who knows what he's supposed to do when he finds Kelly and he even thinks of the right thing to do, yet fails completely. And he's not smart enough to understand that his airplane ticket he buys right after he supposedly saves Kelly will make him look guilty af. In addition, he doesn't even mention the ticket. I understand that he may not have Inet (or even computer as a matter of fact), TV, credit card or anything... He has a driver's license and a high school diploma, and he was even able to figure out what happened to his mother, so he should be smart, right? Well, apparently he's not. Instead, he makes many mistakes, ends up in prison, almost gets raped - and suddenly he's changed! Also, why does he have to meet a girl-he-falls-in-love-with-immediately on a plane to his mother's new home? Can't it be a boy, who will become his friend? Because, obviously, the author planned Chad and the girl to be together happily ever after. She is very clear with that. But: 1) love doesn't come so fast, 2) HE NEVER HAD ANY FRIENDS/DATES AND NOW HE'S CHANGED AND IN LOVE? 3) how does he meet attractive fully abled straight girl on a plane who, obviously, sits next to him and decides to talk to him and then help him? This nonsense just makes me feel uncomfortable.
Maria... First off, her comment about her being uncomfortable with her huge belly makes me feel uncomfortable. She's on the last week of her pregnancy, with the guy who loves her regardless of how she looks or feels, but she still feels shame for her "ugly" body. Pregnancy should be more than just about being fat. It IS more than just about being fat. Oh, wait - it ISN'T even about being fat. Such statements only bring out sexism and "perfect body" notions. While we at it, let me just say that her boyfriend's behaviour is so controlling! Run, Maria, run!
I'm too lazy and uninterested in addressing other issues I had with the book - and they're minor and caused less confusion in my mind. The last thing I want to look at is the narration. It was super weird, with one character being a narrator, yet less relevant one narrating as well. For example, here you have Kelly - the narrator - talking to Sam over the phone, yet you know when he scratches his head or sth and what he feels. Or, you have Maria as narrator, yet she's not even in the same room when the author describes the actions or feelings of a detective or Maria's boyfriend. Timing of the book also inconsistent: here you have 9:15 am, and the next chapter it's back to 8:30 or sth.
March 27, 2015
So this book isn't very long, only 244 pages if you don't count the very interesting question and answer section at the back. Though it isn't long, it is jam packed with drama. I so very appreciate when a book doesn't screw around and give you a ton of back story that just isn't needed in the beginning and gets right to the meat of the story, and that's what happens here. The quick and dirty of this book is that Kelly is brutally attacked on a morning run. She's drugged, beaten up, brutally raped, and seemingly left on her own unconscious. She's found by Chad, who is coming from a highly dysfunctional family and he makes some pretty damn poor choices when he finds Kelly. Basically, anyone who has EVER seen an episode of Law & Order knows you don't mess with the original crime scene and you sure as hell don't move a body, even if you are hoping that means she's found faster. You could, you know, call 911 yourself. Enter Maria, an illegal from Mexico working nearby who happens to not only see Kelly get shot with the dart that drugged her but she later sees Chad leaving Kelly's body. Her fiance, Juan, is adamant that she absolutely not call the police no matter how awful she feels because they aren't here legally and he fears they'll be sent back to Mexico, or worse. Maria, being a good person, pretty much goes against what Juan says and doesn't understand that the police can track you down, there really isn't such a thing as an anonymous call anymore. So that sets it up.
But since every character's day is basically intertwined, we go back and forth in the different points of views as each of them try to come to grips with what happened to them, their role, and what their individual outcome is going to be. I mean, it's really a story about how fate brings people into your lives in mysterious ways and how those people make an everlasting impact on you. I will say, shortly after Kelly is discovered and she's going through the process of evidence collection and examination at the hospital, I got a little angry at her. I KNOW she's the victim and we should be sympathetic towards her but her level of anger towards her husband is just awful. I mean, it's not like he did this to her. He's a guy, and guys are dumb, and he was clearly so upset seeing his wife in this condition and who even knows what is the right way to handle a situation? So I was getting a little irritated with her and it took me a long while of reading to come around to that character. I also felt bad for Chad. I mean, he isn't the brightest crayon in the box, and he made some really poor choices but at the heart, I felt like he means well. And his experience in jail is pretty horrific and I just felt terrible for this kid. Like you knew this was all 100% preventable and it makes you wonder how many others are in similar situations because of dumb decisions, not because of actual guilt?
The only complaint about the book is that some of the dialogue feels a little unnatural. I get what is being conveyed, but the way the conversations flow doesn't always sound like they way it would come out if you were having it in your living room, for instance. Does that make sense? It's definitely not a reason to not read the book, it was more of an after thought when I had finished and then re-read some sections.
Overall this was a really great book. It's basically a Law & Order episode, like an extended length episode, with so much information and knowledge of the legal system put to good use. I couldn't put it down and finished this in one evening. If you are a fan of crime dramas, you are definitely going to enjoy this one!
But since every character's day is basically intertwined, we go back and forth in the different points of views as each of them try to come to grips with what happened to them, their role, and what their individual outcome is going to be. I mean, it's really a story about how fate brings people into your lives in mysterious ways and how those people make an everlasting impact on you. I will say, shortly after Kelly is discovered and she's going through the process of evidence collection and examination at the hospital, I got a little angry at her. I KNOW she's the victim and we should be sympathetic towards her but her level of anger towards her husband is just awful. I mean, it's not like he did this to her. He's a guy, and guys are dumb, and he was clearly so upset seeing his wife in this condition and who even knows what is the right way to handle a situation? So I was getting a little irritated with her and it took me a long while of reading to come around to that character. I also felt bad for Chad. I mean, he isn't the brightest crayon in the box, and he made some really poor choices but at the heart, I felt like he means well. And his experience in jail is pretty horrific and I just felt terrible for this kid. Like you knew this was all 100% preventable and it makes you wonder how many others are in similar situations because of dumb decisions, not because of actual guilt?
The only complaint about the book is that some of the dialogue feels a little unnatural. I get what is being conveyed, but the way the conversations flow doesn't always sound like they way it would come out if you were having it in your living room, for instance. Does that make sense? It's definitely not a reason to not read the book, it was more of an after thought when I had finished and then re-read some sections.
Overall this was a really great book. It's basically a Law & Order episode, like an extended length episode, with so much information and knowledge of the legal system put to good use. I couldn't put it down and finished this in one evening. If you are a fan of crime dramas, you are definitely going to enjoy this one!
October 17, 2016
This was a very well written book. I had a hard time putting it down with all the suspense. This book was just the right length and I would definitely recommend reading this book and any other's by this author. The main character in this book, Kelly, was brutally attacked by a madman and it tells of her "uphill battle" to save her sanity and her family.
February 13, 2016
Once you start reading this book you will not be able to put it down!!
Fast paced and chilling, quite a thrill ride! Emotional to boot....
I really enjoyed reading this. I could not put it down.
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway, thank you!
Fast paced and chilling, quite a thrill ride! Emotional to boot....
I really enjoyed reading this. I could not put it down.
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway, thank you!
March 24, 2015
In Delaware a brutal assault brings strangers together in this debut legal thriller from an author that knows the US justice system.
Kelly Malloy - wife, mother of two young daughters, and hardworking, successful lawyer at a downtown firm - is brutally attacked while running along the wooded banks of the tranquil Brandywine River. A dart at the back of her thigh is followed by dizziness, nausea, and darkness. On coming round she realises she’s been restrained and gagged. She’s about to be raped. Her body discarded.
Finding Kelly’s unconscious body is Chad McCloskey. The troubled Good Samaritan is falsely accused of the crime after trying to help. Chad is a likable lad and garners sympathy straight away. A lonely teenage boy from a dysfunctional home (his depressed mother is gone, his father is an abusive drunk). Bullied at school, Chad (or Sad Chad as he was known) was left by his mother around the time of his graduation. She left him a note. Now a lonely eighteen-year-old, Chad - my favourite character - is put in a maximum security prison pending trial.
The third key player in the novel is a young Mexican woman Maria Hernandez, an illegal immigrant, who witnessed the crime. She saw a gunman fire and scoop up the attorney but Maria is due to give birth and at risk of deportation if she talks. She knows she must do something but what? She can’t risk her unborn child’s chance of growing up in the States.
The structure worked well. The alternating chapters, focusing on the different main characters were effective. It didn’t take long before I felt I knew them and was interested in their individual stories (told in third person with their backstories handled well). Kelly, Chad and Maria all suffer tremendous adversity in the wake of the initial crime and their very different lives become connected.
There is a strong legal element, with the author calling upon her own experience of the processes of law. I especially liked the scenes when Chad and Maria (separately) were first questioned. But ultimately this as a story about coping: about decisions, justice, class, family and love. The theme of home is strong and the book shows how one incident can change the lives of many, impacting upon the strangers in life-changing ways, showing how challenges can define who we are and become.
Kelly Malloy - wife, mother of two young daughters, and hardworking, successful lawyer at a downtown firm - is brutally attacked while running along the wooded banks of the tranquil Brandywine River. A dart at the back of her thigh is followed by dizziness, nausea, and darkness. On coming round she realises she’s been restrained and gagged. She’s about to be raped. Her body discarded.
Finding Kelly’s unconscious body is Chad McCloskey. The troubled Good Samaritan is falsely accused of the crime after trying to help. Chad is a likable lad and garners sympathy straight away. A lonely teenage boy from a dysfunctional home (his depressed mother is gone, his father is an abusive drunk). Bullied at school, Chad (or Sad Chad as he was known) was left by his mother around the time of his graduation. She left him a note. Now a lonely eighteen-year-old, Chad - my favourite character - is put in a maximum security prison pending trial.
The third key player in the novel is a young Mexican woman Maria Hernandez, an illegal immigrant, who witnessed the crime. She saw a gunman fire and scoop up the attorney but Maria is due to give birth and at risk of deportation if she talks. She knows she must do something but what? She can’t risk her unborn child’s chance of growing up in the States.
The structure worked well. The alternating chapters, focusing on the different main characters were effective. It didn’t take long before I felt I knew them and was interested in their individual stories (told in third person with their backstories handled well). Kelly, Chad and Maria all suffer tremendous adversity in the wake of the initial crime and their very different lives become connected.
There is a strong legal element, with the author calling upon her own experience of the processes of law. I especially liked the scenes when Chad and Maria (separately) were first questioned. But ultimately this as a story about coping: about decisions, justice, class, family and love. The theme of home is strong and the book shows how one incident can change the lives of many, impacting upon the strangers in life-changing ways, showing how challenges can define who we are and become.
April 17, 2016
*I won this awesome book through GoodReads Giveaways!!!
The author also included a handwritten note with my name and signed it for me! I think this is totally awesome of authors to do, to take time and do these giveaways and autograph them that means a lot to the fans of reading and you never know – the littlest things you do can gain you a fan for life! Just saying authors!! And thank you to GoodReads for allowing authors, publishers etc.. to be able to do this for fans of reading! Its amazing!
****SPOILERS MAY BE AHEAD****
I finished this book rather quickly! I was intrigued right away with the story line. I was kind of upset that the rapist is pretty much given away quickly. However, I did find myself rather terrified for Kelly, Maria and Chad as it was all going down.. The author makes you wonder what you would do in the same terrifying situation. Maria being an illegal immigrant and Chad being a young man with a sad history making him the suspect. I actually found myself feeling more sorry for Chad than the victim, honestly. I was wanting to know how long he was going to be in Prison, was he going to find his mom, was she going to see him in Prison, WHY she really left from her own mouth and why she didn't take her own son etc.. I think I felt this way because it seemed Kelly had her days of depression but after seeing the doctor she seemed to really snap out of it and go back to life while Chad, the innocent sat in prison. I was almost hoping for a plot twist, where it turned out to be Sam or something hahah. The least expected person. But, as I said it was almost given away who the bad guy was right away.
Overall, I did enjoy the book and would definitely read more from Kathryn. :)
The author also included a handwritten note with my name and signed it for me! I think this is totally awesome of authors to do, to take time and do these giveaways and autograph them that means a lot to the fans of reading and you never know – the littlest things you do can gain you a fan for life! Just saying authors!! And thank you to GoodReads for allowing authors, publishers etc.. to be able to do this for fans of reading! Its amazing!
****SPOILERS MAY BE AHEAD****
I finished this book rather quickly! I was intrigued right away with the story line. I was kind of upset that the rapist is pretty much given away quickly. However, I did find myself rather terrified for Kelly, Maria and Chad as it was all going down.. The author makes you wonder what you would do in the same terrifying situation. Maria being an illegal immigrant and Chad being a young man with a sad history making him the suspect. I actually found myself feeling more sorry for Chad than the victim, honestly. I was wanting to know how long he was going to be in Prison, was he going to find his mom, was she going to see him in Prison, WHY she really left from her own mouth and why she didn't take her own son etc.. I think I felt this way because it seemed Kelly had her days of depression but after seeing the doctor she seemed to really snap out of it and go back to life while Chad, the innocent sat in prison. I was almost hoping for a plot twist, where it turned out to be Sam or something hahah. The least expected person. But, as I said it was almost given away who the bad guy was right away.
Overall, I did enjoy the book and would definitely read more from Kathryn. :)
March 18, 2015
Wow what a very emotional storyline. I felt so bad for Kelly and all that happened to her. I also felt bad for Chad. Why I feel that Chad should have handle things different than he did, I understood why, plus he was a young man. Kelly wow I loved her strength once she started to try and fix her life, after she saw it was starting to fall apart.
When you saw everything that happened to Chad since he came upon Kelly after her attack you can somewhat understand why Somme individuals might just walk away and not get involved. I still would have, since I hate when someone gets attacked on a movie and wish I was in the movie so I could help the person.
I would give the book 4 1/2 stars if that was a possibility. I was very happy with how the story ended, and I really loved Chad and couldn't stand his dad at all. When you see how his home life was it makes you really fall for him. And with Kelly I felt really sad for her husband and two children also. It really show you what happens to a family when someone in that family gets attack. I was given this book for free from NetGallery, The Author and publisher for the sole purpose of my honest opinion, in regards to how I felt about the book I received. I would definitely buy more books to read by this Author.
When you saw everything that happened to Chad since he came upon Kelly after her attack you can somewhat understand why Somme individuals might just walk away and not get involved. I still would have, since I hate when someone gets attacked on a movie and wish I was in the movie so I could help the person.
I would give the book 4 1/2 stars if that was a possibility. I was very happy with how the story ended, and I really loved Chad and couldn't stand his dad at all. When you see how his home life was it makes you really fall for him. And with Kelly I felt really sad for her husband and two children also. It really show you what happens to a family when someone in that family gets attack. I was given this book for free from NetGallery, The Author and publisher for the sole purpose of my honest opinion, in regards to how I felt about the book I received. I would definitely buy more books to read by this Author.
March 21, 2015
Kelly's story is actually quite terrifying - attacked whilst running alone, she then has the battle of returning to her former self, battered and bruised both inside and out, and Kathryn Pincus deals with this issue in a very sensitive manner. I did enjoy this novel, and I enjoyed the way the stories of the three main characters were told in alternating chapters, each putting their own perspective on events, however it did feel a little rushed in places - I perhaps would have enjoyed it more if it was a slightly longer novel, but not quite as pacey. I felt for Chad, a guy who tried to do the right thing, even though to most of us, what he did was the opposite of anything we would have done! He came across as very naive, and even a little simple in some places, which meant that he appeared as a very vulnerable character, which did make my heartstrings tug a little for him. Some of the characters could have been a little more fleshed out - I would have liked to have learnt a little bit more about Dan, but overall I really enjoyed the story, (it reminded me in places of early Mark Gimenez) and look forward to reading more by Kathryn Pincus.
**GIVEAWAY** one paperback copy! http://reading-room-with-a-view.blogs...
**GIVEAWAY** one paperback copy! http://reading-room-with-a-view.blogs...
February 22, 2015
An enjoyable book that I read in one sitting. This was an interesting page turner that surprised me in how much I enjoyed it. The story itself is based around the brutal rape of the main character but is actually more about how she and the two main witnesses deal with the aftermath. The characters were interesting: I didn’t at first feel any empathy for Chad as his actions seemed so strange but by the end was really intrigued by his story and rooting for a good outcome for him. Maria’s story and the risk she took to do the right thing was heat-warming. This, I think is the main strength of the book. The rape investigation almost becomes a secondary to the story of how the characters deal with the impact on their lives, but there was also enough of it to remain interesting as a crime procedural. There were parts where I felt more detail was needed and I didn’t really get to grips with the timeline, so at some points I felt that it was all being tied up very quickly. However, when I reached the end I realised that I did actually care about the characters. Nicely written, engaging and quite pacey, it is a really enjoyable read.
July 12, 2015
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I really liked this book. Fast read but it was very moving. Kelly Malloy is an attorney with two young daughters. While running she is brutally raped and left for dead. Chad McCloskey, a young troubled teenager finds her and moves her to where she will be found and helped. Maria Hernandez, an illegal Mexican immigrant sees what happens and reports it on a tip line even though it means her illegal status may come to the attention of the authorities. Unfortunately, Chad ends up arrested for the crime because he was leaving town to look for his mother who had left home without him.But when Kelly realizes she knows her attacker, she tells an old friend Sam from law school days and he goes to work on solving the case. Lucky for Kelly, they find enough DNA on her clothes to get a positive ID on her attacker. Now they go to work to prepare a case against him even though he is a respected. powerful member of the Delaware bar. The story finishes telling of their efforts to convict the rapist and make some amends to Chad and Maria for disrupting their lives.I truly enjoyed this story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2016
I won this book in a Goodreads.com first reads giveaway. I am excited to have received a signed copy.
Kelly was attacked one morning on her daily jog and it changed everything. Kelly is plunged into a world of anger and fear and is unable to pull herself out of it even for the sake of her family. A young woman was a witness to the attack but it conflicted about coming forward because of her immigration status. A young man becomes involved in the case by mistake and finds himself wrongfully imprisoned for the crime. These three people become deeply involved in each others lives through this one heinous crime.
The story is told in the alternating perspectives of the three individuals. I enjoyed this story. It did, however, have that debut author feel to it. There wasn't a whole lot of depth to either the plot or the characters, it was easily predictable, and I felt like all of the issues wrapped up way too quickly and neatly. I think this author has future potential so I will keep her in mind for future publications.
Thank you to Goodreads.com and to Kathryn Pincus for this opportunity.
Kelly was attacked one morning on her daily jog and it changed everything. Kelly is plunged into a world of anger and fear and is unable to pull herself out of it even for the sake of her family. A young woman was a witness to the attack but it conflicted about coming forward because of her immigration status. A young man becomes involved in the case by mistake and finds himself wrongfully imprisoned for the crime. These three people become deeply involved in each others lives through this one heinous crime.
The story is told in the alternating perspectives of the three individuals. I enjoyed this story. It did, however, have that debut author feel to it. There wasn't a whole lot of depth to either the plot or the characters, it was easily predictable, and I felt like all of the issues wrapped up way too quickly and neatly. I think this author has future potential so I will keep her in mind for future publications.
Thank you to Goodreads.com and to Kathryn Pincus for this opportunity.
May 2, 2015
A very quick and easy read. I felt like I was reading a mix between a Law and Order SVU episode and a Lifetime movie. Not that that's a bad thing, I enjoy both of these things immensely, however it was VERY predictable and didn't do anything new about the themes of sexual assult, immigration or false imprisonment/ guilt by media. It was very obvious who the rapist was immediately, but I don't think it was meant to be a mystery, and when the rapist was reveled I knew he would be brought to justice with no friction. Everything just worked out without any real conflict.
I also knew everything was going to work out for the three leads about 1/3 of the way through, so I didn't really worry or care about them. There were some really interesting themes in the novel and they were all handle in a very obvious, and cliché way, but it was nice to read something knowing it'd have a happy ending.
Overall, it was written well and it was easy to read quickly but it doesn't bring any new insights into three real problems in our society.
I also knew everything was going to work out for the three leads about 1/3 of the way through, so I didn't really worry or care about them. There were some really interesting themes in the novel and they were all handle in a very obvious, and cliché way, but it was nice to read something knowing it'd have a happy ending.
Overall, it was written well and it was easy to read quickly but it doesn't bring any new insights into three real problems in our society.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2015
Received this as a Goodreads First Read. Thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. A mother was raped whilst out jogging one morning and each chapter - in order of sequence I'm pleased to say - concentrates on the mother, the boy who was accused and a witness. It was heart wrenching to read the emotions and difficulties faced by each of these three as the police tried to find the rapist. What I also really liked about this book was the fact that ALL the loose ends were tied up - i.e. I didn't have to guess what happened to each person after the court case. Brilliant - would thoroughly recommend.
July 28, 2015
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I did enjoy this book. It's a fast read, easy to digest. I did have some misgivings about the chronology however. I find it hard to believe that a case could be solved and processed in such a short time span. Two weeks from the commission of the crime to having the perpetrator convicted and jailed seems a little fanciful. I realize Ms. Pincus is a lawyer and knows more than I but it was still a stretch of the imagination to me. Part of the enjoyment of any novel can involve suspension of disbelief but I usually reserve that for lower forms of entertainment like films or television dramas.
I would read Ms. Pincus's work in the future.
I did enjoy this book. It's a fast read, easy to digest. I did have some misgivings about the chronology however. I find it hard to believe that a case could be solved and processed in such a short time span. Two weeks from the commission of the crime to having the perpetrator convicted and jailed seems a little fanciful. I realize Ms. Pincus is a lawyer and knows more than I but it was still a stretch of the imagination to me. Part of the enjoyment of any novel can involve suspension of disbelief but I usually reserve that for lower forms of entertainment like films or television dramas.
I would read Ms. Pincus's work in the future.
August 1, 2017
Long Hill Home gets into the drama straight away when Kelly is attacked quite brutally. She is then found in the woods.
Chad had a difficult upbringing, his father was no good and his mother unhappy, he was teased by the other kids then his mother left leaving him bereft.
It is a story of tragedy and of deep love that will entertain its reader. The characters are likable and I lost myself in their individual tales.
Long Hill Home is a fab mystery, full of twists. it is a story with a moral that readers will enjoy.
Chad had a difficult upbringing, his father was no good and his mother unhappy, he was teased by the other kids then his mother left leaving him bereft.
It is a story of tragedy and of deep love that will entertain its reader. The characters are likable and I lost myself in their individual tales.
Long Hill Home is a fab mystery, full of twists. it is a story with a moral that readers will enjoy.
May 13, 2016
I liked this book. It was difficult to put down. The author took the subject of sexual assault very seriously and showed how one brutal act affected many people. I liked the style and different points of view. The only thing I questioned was the pace of the events. I had to check the dates to see that everything took place over about a two week period. I thought that bringing the rapist to justice and the victim's recovery would take months not a few weeks.
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks!
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks!
July 10, 2015
I won my copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
When I first started reading this book it felt to me like the author was trying to cram in too many little details to have the story feel right. After 3 or 4 chapters, after the main characters where introduced, the flow really picked up and the story moved along at a great pace.
I really enjoyed this book, it was a good story that was easy to follow with characters that you could relate to.
I am looking forward to her next book.
When I first started reading this book it felt to me like the author was trying to cram in too many little details to have the story feel right. After 3 or 4 chapters, after the main characters where introduced, the flow really picked up and the story moved along at a great pace.
I really enjoyed this book, it was a good story that was easy to follow with characters that you could relate to.
I am looking forward to her next book.
June 12, 2015
Parts of this book are excellent. Others: the plot is too pat. I liked many of the characters, but did not become attached to Kelly, the main character. I think this dimmed my enjoyment of the book a bit.
Having said that, this is a first novel. I was fortunate enough to hear the author speak, and I understand more about what she was going for as a result. I do think her second effort will be worth a look.
Having said that, this is a first novel. I was fortunate enough to hear the author speak, and I understand more about what she was going for as a result. I do think her second effort will be worth a look.
February 24, 2015
This was a pretty good book. I liked most of the characters. It was about a woman Kelly who was kidnapped and raped. The writing was clear and engaging. I kind of figured out who did it pretty soon after it happened. But, I think I was meant to. It was the right length. There wasn't too much empty readyng or lags in the book. I am reviewing this for netgalley.
August 20, 2015
I found this plot very interesting and how the story line involves the lives of three different people and how they became entwined. It sure brings up some very interesting questions in the area of how sometimes people who want to help, don't really know what to do when faced with a situation outside there normal day to day.
August 13, 2019
This was a disappointment. From the summary on the book, I was expected a more in depth story. It didn't really dig into the social issues that I thought it would. It was very difficult to like some of the characters.
May 5, 2018
Loved this novel. Couldn't put it down. Loved the different viewpoints. Author really did a great job of explaining what Kelly was going through. Loved that everything tied up neatly at the end.
November 12, 2018
Maybe a 3.5 pretty solid story.
November 16, 2018
Reads like a Hallmark mystery.
November 10, 2015
I haven't actually finished this--I had just a little bit left when I left for Spain and had to return it to the library. I will get it again and finish it, but there was a long wait to get it the first time, and looks like another long wait to come. I had gotten to the denouement, so just need to finish seeing the loose ends tied.
It was kind of fun/kind of strange to read a book featuring Wilmington and seeing familiar places mentioned. The story follows three characters whose lives become intertwined: a teenage boy who wants to get away from an abusive father; the female attorney he is accused of assaulting as she is out for a morning jog; and an undocumented pregnant worker who is a reluctant witness. The author is herself a Wilmington lawyer.
This is very much a first novel--the plot is okay, but there is no dramatic tension or narrative motion; it kind of plods along. The dialogue somehow doesn't ring true. By the end it reminded me of the kind of movie that is created to give information in the guise of telling a story. In this case, you get an overview of the court system and criminal investigations. The outcome is predictable--but that's okay. After all, it seems clear that the ending will be either happy or sad; there weren't enough complicating elements to make the direction of the story hard to see.
It was kind of fun/kind of strange to read a book featuring Wilmington and seeing familiar places mentioned. The story follows three characters whose lives become intertwined: a teenage boy who wants to get away from an abusive father; the female attorney he is accused of assaulting as she is out for a morning jog; and an undocumented pregnant worker who is a reluctant witness. The author is herself a Wilmington lawyer.
This is very much a first novel--the plot is okay, but there is no dramatic tension or narrative motion; it kind of plods along. The dialogue somehow doesn't ring true. By the end it reminded me of the kind of movie that is created to give information in the guise of telling a story. In this case, you get an overview of the court system and criminal investigations. The outcome is predictable--but that's okay. After all, it seems clear that the ending will be either happy or sad; there weren't enough complicating elements to make the direction of the story hard to see.
December 3, 2015
"I received this book for free though Goodreads First Reads"
Long Hill home follows the lives of Kelly, Chad and Maria who all suffer tremendous adversity in the wake of Kelly’s brutal rape while out running early one morning, leaving their fates connected. A good stab as a début book, though for me it seemed very similar to other books of this particular genre unfortunately. The plot flowed and there was no blazing unbelievable sections; except for how fast from initial attack to the jail sentence which was just two weeks, for me that seemed too fast and over exaggerated for reality. Overall I did enjoy the book.
Long Hill home follows the lives of Kelly, Chad and Maria who all suffer tremendous adversity in the wake of Kelly’s brutal rape while out running early one morning, leaving their fates connected. A good stab as a début book, though for me it seemed very similar to other books of this particular genre unfortunately. The plot flowed and there was no blazing unbelievable sections; except for how fast from initial attack to the jail sentence which was just two weeks, for me that seemed too fast and over exaggerated for reality. Overall I did enjoy the book.
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