What do you think?
Rate this book
Pulling Strings
The feeling you're being watched. Knowing what card is next out of the deck. Guessing what someone's thinking... and always being right.Or maybe you can move things. Maybe you can hear people's thoughts. Maybe you can make fire out of nothing. Maybe, just maybe, you're different. Maybe, you're psychicAnd maybe, there's a place for you.Rebecca Colt was different, and used her abilities to become the best psychic Secret Agent in America. She traveled the world, hunted down foreign agents, had wild car chases and adrenaline pumping shoot outs. Until one day, in Austin, Texas, when everything went wrong. When a little girl died. When Agent Colt's life fell apart.Now, she's sitting around a field office in Kansas, thinking of the good old days, begrudgingly awaiting retirement. She just wants one last shot, one thing to put her back on top for a while.So when people start turning up in hospitals nearby, their minds broken into a thousand pieces, she thinks she's found just that chance.But once she starts investigation, every answer she gets only leads to more questions. Things don't add up. She starts to realize she's dealing with something bigger and badder and scarier than she's ever dealt with. It's not a foreign sleeper agent she's tracking. It's a puppeteer, the most dangerous kind of psychic there is.And she has no idea what to do.Or even who it is.But she knows she's alone.She's caught.And she's going to have to fight her way out.
267 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 12, 2017
10 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Nick DeWolf
5 books33 followers(Wait, do I do this in first person? Third person? Ugh, I never know. Do I go with the whole, 'Nick was born very young' thing? It's so awkward. Okay, I've kind of already started in first, so I'm going with first person. Less awkward... probably. Yeah.)
I'm the author of (Oh My God it's already awkward), FRIGHTFULLY EVER AFTER, PULLING STRINGS, VILLAINS NEVER DIE, and BETWEEN DAYS; a Dark Urban Fairy Tale, a psychological thriller, a diverse superhero story, and a collection of dreams (respectively).
Fiction is my thing, and always a little bit sci-fi. I like my stories to have a bit of mystery, and a horror backbone. You won't find much romance here, but be prepared for a generous helping of swearing. And similes. A lot of them.
When I'm not writing, I'm taking care of my brood of children, preparing mass quantities of food (for said brood), brewing my own beer (to help relieve the stress caused by the brood), and occasionally running crazy, overnight relay races with friends.
I'm the author of (Oh My God it's already awkward), FRIGHTFULLY EVER AFTER, PULLING STRINGS, VILLAINS NEVER DIE, and BETWEEN DAYS; a Dark Urban Fairy Tale, a psychological thriller, a diverse superhero story, and a collection of dreams (respectively).
Fiction is my thing, and always a little bit sci-fi. I like my stories to have a bit of mystery, and a horror backbone. You won't find much romance here, but be prepared for a generous helping of swearing. And similes. A lot of them.
When I'm not writing, I'm taking care of my brood of children, preparing mass quantities of food (for said brood), brewing my own beer (to help relieve the stress caused by the brood), and occasionally running crazy, overnight relay races with friends.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 17, 2019
Buckle up and prepare yourself for a ride, because this book will leave you breathless until the final page is turned! Rebecca Colt was a celebrated psychic secret agent, until a case went terribly wrong, and she found herself washed up in the boondocks of Kansas. Looking for a way to redeem herself she gets wind of a case where people are being admitted to hospital in a coma, but these are not just ordinary comas, these patients minds have been shattered into thousands of pieces. The trail leads back to a small town, where Colt must find the perpetrator before they find her. Her adversary turns out to be a puppeteer, the most dangerous kind of psychic, as they can control the minds of those around them, turning them into virtual zombies and controlling their every move, and this psychic seems to be unusually strong. As these two go head to head they leave a wake of destruction behind them, leading up to a literally mind blowing crescendo, where everyone's lives are at stake.
Wow, what a ride this book was, I found it impossible to put down and raced through it very quickly, as I had to know the fate of Colt and those around her. The action is extremely fast paced, and I found myself looking up at the end and wondering what had happened to the day! I highly recommend this book to all lovers of thrillers and suspense.
4.5 stars rounded up.
My thanks to the author Nick DeWolf for a digital copy to read and review. The opinions are entirely my own.
Wow, what a ride this book was, I found it impossible to put down and raced through it very quickly, as I had to know the fate of Colt and those around her. The action is extremely fast paced, and I found myself looking up at the end and wondering what had happened to the day! I highly recommend this book to all lovers of thrillers and suspense.
4.5 stars rounded up.
My thanks to the author Nick DeWolf for a digital copy to read and review. The opinions are entirely my own.
October 31, 2018
Well, I've got myself in a pickle. I rarely do ARCs, and for the most part, the ones I do are for books I intend to read anyway. But every now and then, I'm tempted. Recently, I had been sent a rather awful pitch with purple and poorly chosen prose that resulted in an amusing round of mocking so perhaps I was feeling a bit guilty. Then along came Dewolf with a short little request; no elaborate, fake references to "I see you read The Stand by Stephen King so you may like my book..." Promising nothing except the first chapter, I started and enjoyed it, although I'm not sure 'enjoyed' is the right word for the nail-biting tension I felt while reading it. I actually made it to 30% of the book before I had to quit for the night.
So, take it from me, that's great for an advance reader copy. 'But, carol,' you say, 'what about the pickles?' In this case, the pickle was that as I continued to read, I realized it was evolving into a Not My Type book. The beginning had a strong feel of psychological horror--which I generally don't do--with the supernatural overlay of psychic powers, which helped. However, as it progressed it escalated into thriller territory with detailed fight and chase scenes, and that is just not my thing.
As anyone who follows me knows, I'm not one to give 5 star ratings lightly, and even fours are saved for the really enjoyable books. One of the reasons ARCs are tricky is the question of scale: do you rate a new-published author same as an author who has sold thousands or millions? My answer is, 'mostly.' I try to be slightly nicer in wording, because sometimes authors check reviews (authors: don't do that) and when there are only ten reviews, my rating really weights more heavily than it ought, so occasionally I round up in consideration of averages.
About Pulling Strings: Dewolfe can write. I had absolutely no stutters following the prose and once or twice there was phrasing I really enjoyed. The joy and freedom Vincent had in riding his bike were wonderful. Images were often crystal clear. The same traits tended to be emphasized with the characters, which was unfortunate, because as the story progressed, more character subtly would have better set off necessary plot-related repetition. I liked the diversity of the characters, and I liked the determination of the main character. I did have trouble with how fast the adversary progressed in skill level, which is where the story started to loose that 'horror' feel and run headlong into 'thrill-a-minute.' Once I was past the first fight scene, we quickly headed into carol. 'bored-by-stuff' territory--it's not you, Dewolfe, it's me--I can't stand it in movies either. Not a chase kind of person, tyvm. More than three minutes running through a building or more than five minutes down a highway, and I'm usually out, even if there are zombies involved (note: there are not any here. Not really).
So, being kind, and taking all that above stuff into consideration, it's a three-ish star kind of read, but on my personal enjoyment scale, it was a 3.5 that finished at a 2.
So, take it from me, that's great for an advance reader copy. 'But, carol,' you say, 'what about the pickles?' In this case, the pickle was that as I continued to read, I realized it was evolving into a Not My Type book. The beginning had a strong feel of psychological horror--which I generally don't do--with the supernatural overlay of psychic powers, which helped. However, as it progressed it escalated into thriller territory with detailed fight and chase scenes, and that is just not my thing.
As anyone who follows me knows, I'm not one to give 5 star ratings lightly, and even fours are saved for the really enjoyable books. One of the reasons ARCs are tricky is the question of scale: do you rate a new-published author same as an author who has sold thousands or millions? My answer is, 'mostly.' I try to be slightly nicer in wording, because sometimes authors check reviews (authors: don't do that) and when there are only ten reviews, my rating really weights more heavily than it ought, so occasionally I round up in consideration of averages.
About Pulling Strings: Dewolfe can write. I had absolutely no stutters following the prose and once or twice there was phrasing I really enjoyed. The joy and freedom Vincent had in riding his bike were wonderful. Images were often crystal clear. The same traits tended to be emphasized with the characters, which was unfortunate, because as the story progressed, more character subtly would have better set off necessary plot-related repetition. I liked the diversity of the characters, and I liked the determination of the main character. I did have trouble with how fast the adversary progressed in skill level, which is where the story started to loose that 'horror' feel and run headlong into 'thrill-a-minute.' Once I was past the first fight scene, we quickly headed into carol. 'bored-by-stuff' territory--it's not you, Dewolfe, it's me--I can't stand it in movies either. Not a chase kind of person, tyvm. More than three minutes running through a building or more than five minutes down a highway, and I'm usually out, even if there are zombies involved (note: there are not any here. Not really).
So, being kind, and taking all that above stuff into consideration, it's a three-ish star kind of read, but on my personal enjoyment scale, it was a 3.5 that finished at a 2.
October 3, 2024
In a world of telepaths, psychics, pyromancers, diviners, telekins etc. you have to have some force to police them... the DSI's top agent Colt, a women in her 40s that thought she'd seen everything until the case when 2 whole shifts of workers go into a factory and nobody comes out! Talk about exceeding expectations! I was chatting to the very nice man, author Nick DeWolf on Instagram and ended up buying one of his books, because I liked his concepts - turns out that Pulling Strings is a pretty good read; evidently so, as I just spent four hours after a day's work finishing this - because the way the story ratchets up it's almost impossible to put down (I managed one quick toilet break). This book pulled my strings!
The pros 1- The main 'super powered agent' protagonist being a woman in her 50s; 2 - 75% of this book pretty much being a battle, yet it remains highly engaging and breath taking to read; 3 - the way powers work; really hard to get this right in a world of comic books that do this so well, yet somehow DeWolf has created one of the most compelling pseudo science rationales of how these mind powers would work.
The con (singular) - I feel DeWolf missed a trick in not having better / deeper character building of the leading antagonist - but hey, who am I to judge as he did a cracking job with all the main protagonists.
But I must be careful not to oversell this book,.. because above my personal areas of interest it's a thrilling dark speculative fiction thriller that ticks all the boxes - undoubtedly to be a TV show of this type in the near future; so hoping it's DeWolf that gets optioned! All-in-all, I really enjoyed this book and just loved Rebecca Colt, middle-aged, kick-ass, take no prisoners agent. 8.5 out of 12 fabulous Four Star read.
2019 read
The pros 1- The main 'super powered agent' protagonist being a woman in her 50s; 2 - 75% of this book pretty much being a battle, yet it remains highly engaging and breath taking to read; 3 - the way powers work; really hard to get this right in a world of comic books that do this so well, yet somehow DeWolf has created one of the most compelling pseudo science rationales of how these mind powers would work.
The con (singular) - I feel DeWolf missed a trick in not having better / deeper character building of the leading antagonist - but hey, who am I to judge as he did a cracking job with all the main protagonists.
But I must be careful not to oversell this book,.. because above my personal areas of interest it's a thrilling dark speculative fiction thriller that ticks all the boxes - undoubtedly to be a TV show of this type in the near future; so hoping it's DeWolf that gets optioned! All-in-all, I really enjoyed this book and just loved Rebecca Colt, middle-aged, kick-ass, take no prisoners agent. 8.5 out of 12 fabulous Four Star read.
2019 read
February 4, 2019
Rebecca Colt is an agent is a super secret organization. But get this...she a psychic agent.
She gets involved in a case where some lower level psychic's have had their brains erased. It ends up bringing her to this perfect little town..where everything is clean, everyone is well behaved....and they do as their told.
Now throw is some of this
and this
and you end up with a pretty decent story.
The good:
The main character Colt. I FLIPPING LOVE her. She is an older chick who kicks some major butt. Yes, please.
The story seemed fresh to me. I don't read a ton of sci-fi stuff so I kinda was into it.
The bad:
It's kinda choppy. Several storylines never get answers, even ones that you expected to end. After finishing it I felt like I had eaten food that tasted okay but that I was still hungry.
The last part of the book does feel rushed and doesn't match up to how good the first 2/3rd's of the book is.
I still liked it enough to finish it in one night. (After my slacking butt finally started reading it)
Booksource: I did receive a copy of this book from the author. Which I normally do not do. A friend recommended it though and thought I would like it. I did! And the author probably has a locate going because he is wondering why it takes me a hundred years to read a book.
She gets involved in a case where some lower level psychic's have had their brains erased. It ends up bringing her to this perfect little town..where everything is clean, everyone is well behaved....and they do as their told.
Now throw is some of this
and this
and you end up with a pretty decent story.
The good:
The main character Colt. I FLIPPING LOVE her. She is an older chick who kicks some major butt. Yes, please.
The story seemed fresh to me. I don't read a ton of sci-fi stuff so I kinda was into it.
The bad:
It's kinda choppy. Several storylines never get answers, even ones that you expected to end. After finishing it I felt like I had eaten food that tasted okay but that I was still hungry.
The last part of the book does feel rushed and doesn't match up to how good the first 2/3rd's of the book is.
I still liked it enough to finish it in one night. (After my slacking butt finally started reading it)
Booksource: I did receive a copy of this book from the author. Which I normally do not do. A friend recommended it though and thought I would like it. I did! And the author probably has a locate going because he is wondering why it takes me a hundred years to read a book.
January 31, 2019
3.5 stars
Nick DeWolf approached me to read his book, Pulling Strings. He summed it up as a psychological thriller with a strong female protagonist, a sci-fi slant, and a horror backbone. He got me at strong female protagonist. I'm a sucker for kick-ass ladies. Add the fact that she's not some young flower, and I'm all for it.
I liked Rebecca Colt. She's not in her prime anymore, even if she had been a skilled psychic secret agent in her past. One mistake put an end to her career. Now, she's all about desk work. But her everyday life gets a reboot when people end up in a coma for no apparent reason. And so the magic begins: mind-shattered people, a town full of mind-controlled folks, and a villain so powerful that they are both creepy and unbelievable at the same time. I mean, I find it hard to believe that the villain had so much natural power. They should have had a trainer, a master of some sort to reach that level of influence.
Bottom line is you should give Pulling Strings a try. It's something different from all the perfect-looking heroines now-a-days. And romance is not something important in the book. Really liked that!
*Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Nick DeWolf approached me to read his book, Pulling Strings. He summed it up as a psychological thriller with a strong female protagonist, a sci-fi slant, and a horror backbone. He got me at strong female protagonist. I'm a sucker for kick-ass ladies. Add the fact that she's not some young flower, and I'm all for it.
I liked Rebecca Colt. She's not in her prime anymore, even if she had been a skilled psychic secret agent in her past. One mistake put an end to her career. Now, she's all about desk work. But her everyday life gets a reboot when people end up in a coma for no apparent reason. And so the magic begins: mind-shattered people, a town full of mind-controlled folks, and a villain so powerful that they are both creepy and unbelievable at the same time. I mean, I find it hard to believe that the villain had so much natural power. They should have had a trainer, a master of some sort to reach that level of influence.
Bottom line is you should give Pulling Strings a try. It's something different from all the perfect-looking heroines now-a-days. And romance is not something important in the book. Really liked that!
*Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2019
Dynamic, high suspense action thriller about people with psychic powers. I really liked the beginning, but unfortunately it started losing me in the second half with ‘action over substance’ and completely lost my belief towards the end.
It‘s possibly “Me not You” situation, since I don’t read that many action thrillers and here action part certainly trumps the sci-fi/fantasy element.
The good stuff:
Good, easy flowing prose
Very strong gripping start
Interesting and likable characters (although could use more character depth)
Well written action scenes
High suspense (overdrawn in the second half imo)
Much needed comic relief with Rakesh’s PoV (unfortunately lost in the second half of the book)
Things that didn’t work for me:
The main perpetrator – overpowered, emotionless, omnipresent; motivation “I just want to keep them safe” didn’t cover the damage done or explain the cruelty. Too flat and too godlike powerful for me to believe in.
Non-stop action – Whilst first part of the book is better balanced, second half has so many chases, fights and life-or-death encounters that they lose the impact. High suspense with no release became tiresome.
Damage to main characters – The emotional and physical trauma author puts his characters through, astounding personal loses made me want to detach myself from them, to not care what happens next. Also their ability to bounce back and keep on fighting like nothing happened was too hard to believe.
Overall as an action thriller this is not a terrible read and as a debut is plain impressive. I’m expecting great things from the writer. More wordbuilding and character depth, better balance of action/suspense vs. relaxed moments and grim events vs. hope and humour and we could have something amazing.
It‘s possibly “Me not You” situation, since I don’t read that many action thrillers and here action part certainly trumps the sci-fi/fantasy element.
The good stuff:
Good, easy flowing prose
Very strong gripping start
Interesting and likable characters (although could use more character depth)
Well written action scenes
High suspense (overdrawn in the second half imo)
Much needed comic relief with Rakesh’s PoV (unfortunately lost in the second half of the book)
Things that didn’t work for me:
The main perpetrator – overpowered, emotionless, omnipresent; motivation “I just want to keep them safe” didn’t cover the damage done or explain the cruelty. Too flat and too godlike powerful for me to believe in.
Non-stop action – Whilst first part of the book is better balanced, second half has so many chases, fights and life-or-death encounters that they lose the impact. High suspense with no release became tiresome.
Damage to main characters – The emotional and physical trauma author puts his characters through, astounding personal loses made me want to detach myself from them, to not care what happens next. Also their ability to bounce back and keep on fighting like nothing happened was too hard to believe.
Overall as an action thriller this is not a terrible read and as a debut is plain impressive. I’m expecting great things from the writer. More wordbuilding and character depth, better balance of action/suspense vs. relaxed moments and grim events vs. hope and humour and we could have something amazing.
January 31, 2019
Detective Rebecca Colt is different. She is one of the most powerful psychics working for the Department of Scientific Investigations, a secret government agency much like the FBI... only much better.
Someone is attacking low level psychics in a small town in Kansas. No one has an explanation .. it's almost like no one can see what's happening. The more she investigates, the more questions she has.
Whoever is attacking is much more powerful than Agent Colt ... but who is it and why is it happening? What she does know is that she is alone .. and her life is threatened from all sides.
When I first saw this listed as science fiction, I almost didn't read it .. not my preferred genre. What I found was a crime fiction with a lot of paranormal activity ... suspenseful as all get out ... with characters that are finely drawn. The story premise is excellent ... lots of compelling action that never seems to quit.
Many thanks to the author who provided the digital copy of this most-interesting novel. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Someone is attacking low level psychics in a small town in Kansas. No one has an explanation .. it's almost like no one can see what's happening. The more she investigates, the more questions she has.
Whoever is attacking is much more powerful than Agent Colt ... but who is it and why is it happening? What she does know is that she is alone .. and her life is threatened from all sides.
When I first saw this listed as science fiction, I almost didn't read it .. not my preferred genre. What I found was a crime fiction with a lot of paranormal activity ... suspenseful as all get out ... with characters that are finely drawn. The story premise is excellent ... lots of compelling action that never seems to quit.
Many thanks to the author who provided the digital copy of this most-interesting novel. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
November 9, 2018
Pulling Strings by Nick DeWolf is a book I requested and the review is voluntary. This book has what I like....psychic detectives! How cool is that? This book is also has a bit of a creep factor...lots of suspense, twists, action, and I loved the wild ride! For those out there that like a bit of the unknown, this is for you! This is a gem. If the author had not asked me to read this I would have missed this.
I like a little terror with my morning coffee, don't you?
I like a little terror with my morning coffee, don't you?
January 23, 2019
The author reached out to me to see if I wanted to read this book and give an honest review. So here it is.
..after reading this, I will never name any of my children Mary. Or Vincent. Just gotta play it safe from now on.
Pulling Strings kind of reminded me of like spirits taking over your body. Some books have them or like a doll possessed.. but this book and people being controlled by one little girl. Now I have no idea how that would go but that sounds terrifying to me.
In this book, you will meet Agent Colt. I liked her but I feel like she kind of jumped into a relationship with Carlos pretty quickly. Other than that, I liked her psychic abilities. They made her pretty unique and I was definitely intrigued on how this was going to go down.
Now I loved the psychological horror in this book. Mary and Vincent really delivered. Mostly Mary because she was obviously the evil one of the two... but they always had me second guessing myself. The whole taking over people's bodies was completely creepy and freaked me out. Which definitely made me want to keep reading because I couldn't put this book down. Unless it was to drive to and from work or ya know.. to sleep.
Mary was such a good villain. I can't believe she was that freaking powerful but, of course, I was rooting for Agent Colt to win. The fights were good but I kind of wanted more - which I think I got with the last battle.
Hands down, I'm scared of Mary even after finishing this book. I loved getting a chance to read this and I'm so happy that I found time to do so. Nick DeWolf is a writing genius and I look forward to another one of his books.
..after reading this, I will never name any of my children Mary. Or Vincent. Just gotta play it safe from now on.
Pulling Strings kind of reminded me of like spirits taking over your body. Some books have them or like a doll possessed.. but this book and people being controlled by one little girl. Now I have no idea how that would go but that sounds terrifying to me.
In this book, you will meet Agent Colt. I liked her but I feel like she kind of jumped into a relationship with Carlos pretty quickly. Other than that, I liked her psychic abilities. They made her pretty unique and I was definitely intrigued on how this was going to go down.
Now I loved the psychological horror in this book. Mary and Vincent really delivered. Mostly Mary because she was obviously the evil one of the two... but they always had me second guessing myself. The whole taking over people's bodies was completely creepy and freaked me out. Which definitely made me want to keep reading because I couldn't put this book down. Unless it was to drive to and from work or ya know.. to sleep.
Mary was such a good villain. I can't believe she was that freaking powerful but, of course, I was rooting for Agent Colt to win. The fights were good but I kind of wanted more - which I think I got with the last battle.
Hands down, I'm scared of Mary even after finishing this book. I loved getting a chance to read this and I'm so happy that I found time to do so. Nick DeWolf is a writing genius and I look forward to another one of his books.
December 9, 2018
I love a good thriller but have recently found a lot of books labelled as thriller are simply dramas. Due to this, I have not been reading as many thrillers as I once did. However, when a seemingly interesting thriller grabs my attention, I’m more than happy to dive in. Such was the case with Nick DeWolf’s Pulling Strings.
I had high hopes for Pulling Strings – it promised one of the things I most love, a supernatural thriller – and I was not disappointed.
This was not a drama, this was pure thriller. It was exactly what a thriller should be. Action, suspense, thrills, chills, mystery, and all the goodness that has you turning the pages at a rapid pace. Once I started this one I found it impossible to put down, I was sucked into the story and lost to all that was taking place. It was addictive on so many levels, in all the best ways, and I’m eager to dive into more of Nick DeWolf’s work.
With Pulling Strings, the thriller aspect and the supernatural are blended together in a wonderful way. It isn’t a horror in the classic sense of a horror novel – I’m thinking eighties horror where we had real spooks – but I can easily imaging people putting this into the horror category. For me, I view it more as a chiller. It is a thriller with more chills than usual, the kind of read that will have you looking over your shoulder in case the supernatural world is around you.
There is no doubt in my mind, this book is perfect for fans of supernatural thrillers. It is wonderfully written, the characters are wonderful, the story is addictive, and it has everything necessary to keep you hooked from the very first until the very last page. With countless layers to enjoy, you’ll be sucked into so many different elements of the story.
I’ve said it once, but I’m going to say it again, I need more Nick DeWolf. Nick DeWolf’s Frightfully Ever After sounds wonderful, and I’m certainly eager to dive in, but I have no wish to stop there – as soon as Nick DeWolf releases more work in the future, I’ll be looking to dive in.
I had high hopes for Pulling Strings – it promised one of the things I most love, a supernatural thriller – and I was not disappointed.
This was not a drama, this was pure thriller. It was exactly what a thriller should be. Action, suspense, thrills, chills, mystery, and all the goodness that has you turning the pages at a rapid pace. Once I started this one I found it impossible to put down, I was sucked into the story and lost to all that was taking place. It was addictive on so many levels, in all the best ways, and I’m eager to dive into more of Nick DeWolf’s work.
With Pulling Strings, the thriller aspect and the supernatural are blended together in a wonderful way. It isn’t a horror in the classic sense of a horror novel – I’m thinking eighties horror where we had real spooks – but I can easily imaging people putting this into the horror category. For me, I view it more as a chiller. It is a thriller with more chills than usual, the kind of read that will have you looking over your shoulder in case the supernatural world is around you.
There is no doubt in my mind, this book is perfect for fans of supernatural thrillers. It is wonderfully written, the characters are wonderful, the story is addictive, and it has everything necessary to keep you hooked from the very first until the very last page. With countless layers to enjoy, you’ll be sucked into so many different elements of the story.
I’ve said it once, but I’m going to say it again, I need more Nick DeWolf. Nick DeWolf’s Frightfully Ever After sounds wonderful, and I’m certainly eager to dive in, but I have no wish to stop there – as soon as Nick DeWolf releases more work in the future, I’ll be looking to dive in.
October 29, 2024
Pulling Strings features a strong female lead - Agent Colt. She works for a covert government agency in the US, and she has incredible psychic abilities. Her job is to stop those like her who might use their abilities... well, I didn't want to say it, but FOR EVIL. Or just to cause a little trouble. Or maybe they just don't know how to control their own powers. But, also, they might be CRAZY and EVIL.
Anyway, Colt has been having a hard time over the last few years, and she has been basically relegated to a desk job. And then she comes across a very strange case. People have been falling into comas, and she discovers that there might be a psychic reason behind it. Wanting to prove that she can still be as much use as she was in the old days, she is determined to go out on her own and get to the bottom of what has been happening.
Meanwhile, brother and sister Mary and Vincent live in a small town, where nothing has changed for a long time. Vincent can't control his powers, and sometimes gets in trouble for it. Everyone thinks he is a little strange, and he is tired of hearing their thoughts about him. All the two siblings want is a nice quiet life; for everything to stay the same. Mary, especially, is prepared to take steps to make sure nothing will change ever again.
When I first started reading this, I had no idea what was going on. I hadn't expected there to be anything about psychic detectives or anything like that - I was expecting a psychological thriller, maybe with a little sci-fi twist. To me it seemed like much more of a sci-fi novel. I struggled at first to get into the story. At the beginning of the book you're somewhat thrown into the middle of a situation, and I found it difficult to find my feet and acquaint myself with the characters.
However, that feeling didn't continue. Once I got into the story I really enjoyed it, and I was keen to follow the characters and find out what would happen to them. Although this is one story, it has several different threads. The three or four main characters all have their own issues and personal battles ongoing, which weave together to make the story complete.
I have to say that the main character, Agent Colt, was actually my least favourite character. She was not easy to get along with, was all business and you never really get to know her until quite near the end of the book, when you get to find out more about her and she becomes a bit more human. At that point I did warm to her a little, but she was still my least favourite character in the book. I think my favourite character was actually Rakesh, who seems like a total loser to begin with, but - well, if you read the book you find out that there is a lot more to him and he's actually a pretty funny guy with a lot of personality.
I really enjoyed the writing of the book, particularly from an author who was previously unknown to me. The story was original and tense, with quite a few twists and turns. DeWolf is definitely not shy about injuring his protagonists (or anyone else for that matter) which I loved, and he obviously has a sharp wit which comes across in the personalities of the characters and their interactions. He has just released another book, called Villains Never Die, and I'll be reading that soon. This was a really good read and I would recommend it to sci-fi and detective thriller fans who want something a bit different.
Anyway, Colt has been having a hard time over the last few years, and she has been basically relegated to a desk job. And then she comes across a very strange case. People have been falling into comas, and she discovers that there might be a psychic reason behind it. Wanting to prove that she can still be as much use as she was in the old days, she is determined to go out on her own and get to the bottom of what has been happening.
Meanwhile, brother and sister Mary and Vincent live in a small town, where nothing has changed for a long time. Vincent can't control his powers, and sometimes gets in trouble for it. Everyone thinks he is a little strange, and he is tired of hearing their thoughts about him. All the two siblings want is a nice quiet life; for everything to stay the same. Mary, especially, is prepared to take steps to make sure nothing will change ever again.
When I first started reading this, I had no idea what was going on. I hadn't expected there to be anything about psychic detectives or anything like that - I was expecting a psychological thriller, maybe with a little sci-fi twist. To me it seemed like much more of a sci-fi novel. I struggled at first to get into the story. At the beginning of the book you're somewhat thrown into the middle of a situation, and I found it difficult to find my feet and acquaint myself with the characters.
However, that feeling didn't continue. Once I got into the story I really enjoyed it, and I was keen to follow the characters and find out what would happen to them. Although this is one story, it has several different threads. The three or four main characters all have their own issues and personal battles ongoing, which weave together to make the story complete.
I have to say that the main character, Agent Colt, was actually my least favourite character. She was not easy to get along with, was all business and you never really get to know her until quite near the end of the book, when you get to find out more about her and she becomes a bit more human. At that point I did warm to her a little, but she was still my least favourite character in the book. I think my favourite character was actually Rakesh, who seems like a total loser to begin with, but - well, if you read the book you find out that there is a lot more to him and he's actually a pretty funny guy with a lot of personality.
I really enjoyed the writing of the book, particularly from an author who was previously unknown to me. The story was original and tense, with quite a few twists and turns. DeWolf is definitely not shy about injuring his protagonists (or anyone else for that matter) which I loved, and he obviously has a sharp wit which comes across in the personalities of the characters and their interactions. He has just released another book, called Villains Never Die, and I'll be reading that soon. This was a really good read and I would recommend it to sci-fi and detective thriller fans who want something a bit different.
December 20, 2017
One of the cool things about this book is that after you buy the print copy, you get the Kindle copy as a free download. Which means you don't have to wait until the print version arrives; you can immediately start reading...and reading...and reading...
Trust me, that's what you're going to do. You're going to read the hell out of this book. You'll probably read it all in one sitting (minus bathroom breaks) because you're going to want to see how it all plays out.
Once the print version arrives? You're not going to put it up on a shelf and forget about it. You're not going to sell it on eBay. And you're certainly not going to loan it to a friend.
No, you're going to keep it close by so you can open it from time to time and re-read some of the wild action scenes. Or a line or two that made you laugh out loud. Or a scene that made you squirm.
Because there's plenty of that in this book:
Scenes that will make you sit up and suddenly forget about the outside world.
Scenes that will make you shift uncomfortably in your chair and wonder what kind of dark thoughts the author mined in order to come up with some of the sick, twisted stuff that goes on in this book.
Scenes that will make you wonder if the hero will prevail and the villain will get their comeuppance. (It's not always a guarantee in Nick DeWolf's world.)
What is PULLING STRINGS about? Oh, come on. You can read the plot synopsis yourself. Why would I waste time rehashing what you already know?
The synopsis wasn't enough to get you to buy the book? What about this:
Much like the villain in his book, Nick DeWolf likes to f**k with your head. PULLING STRINGS is like nothing else out there: a trippy, surreal story of suspense where no one is safe, and the next twist in the story is nothing you can predict. The hero is tarnished, the villain is despicable, and the action and set pieces in this book are like nothing you've seen (or read) before. In fact, if there's an author out there that can write a better action scene than Nick DeWolf...
Forget that. There isn't.
Reading PULLING STRINGS is like barreling down a mountain road at a hundred miles an hour, and realizing your driver is a madman. Pick it up and read it before Hollywood gets the rights and screws it up.
Trust me, that's what you're going to do. You're going to read the hell out of this book. You'll probably read it all in one sitting (minus bathroom breaks) because you're going to want to see how it all plays out.
Once the print version arrives? You're not going to put it up on a shelf and forget about it. You're not going to sell it on eBay. And you're certainly not going to loan it to a friend.
No, you're going to keep it close by so you can open it from time to time and re-read some of the wild action scenes. Or a line or two that made you laugh out loud. Or a scene that made you squirm.
Because there's plenty of that in this book:
Scenes that will make you sit up and suddenly forget about the outside world.
Scenes that will make you shift uncomfortably in your chair and wonder what kind of dark thoughts the author mined in order to come up with some of the sick, twisted stuff that goes on in this book.
Scenes that will make you wonder if the hero will prevail and the villain will get their comeuppance. (It's not always a guarantee in Nick DeWolf's world.)
What is PULLING STRINGS about? Oh, come on. You can read the plot synopsis yourself. Why would I waste time rehashing what you already know?
The synopsis wasn't enough to get you to buy the book? What about this:
Much like the villain in his book, Nick DeWolf likes to f**k with your head. PULLING STRINGS is like nothing else out there: a trippy, surreal story of suspense where no one is safe, and the next twist in the story is nothing you can predict. The hero is tarnished, the villain is despicable, and the action and set pieces in this book are like nothing you've seen (or read) before. In fact, if there's an author out there that can write a better action scene than Nick DeWolf...
Forget that. There isn't.
Reading PULLING STRINGS is like barreling down a mountain road at a hundred miles an hour, and realizing your driver is a madman. Pick it up and read it before Hollywood gets the rights and screws it up.
April 11, 2019
First I want to thank the author, Nick DeWolf for sending me an ebook copy if Pulling Strings in exchange for an honest review.
“And when one of those little towers fell, it would take others with it, and soon everything would be broken apart.”
Pulling Strings was the perfect introduction to Nick DeWolf's writing. His prose flowed so smoothly, even when a character stuttered or didn't finish a sentence it never felt jarring or uncomfortable. Fight and chase scenes were aplenty and honestly usually my eyes glaze over and I skim those parts but DeWolf wrote the scenes so I was actually interested. Not only was the writing so smooth, the story itself was so fast paced and intense! If I hadn't had company at my house, I think I could have finished it in less than half the time it actually took me! I sped through the last 50 pages as fast as I could.
While the plot line and action were non-stop, in my opinion, what DeWolf excelled at were the characters. Each character introduced was so fleshed out and real, no detail overlooked. I can't not mention that Colt was such a hardcore, amazing protagonist, and it was insanely refreshing that DeWolf did not sexualize her. Her character was not based on looks, she was just a smart, brave, tough protagonist. Seriously, every character in this book was great! Even the characters who were horrible people were so well written. He was able to mold these characters in such a way that even if their actions were despicable, they were still human and you couldn't help but empathize.
Pulling Strings is psychological horror, a psychic thriller, and also a healthy dose of character study thrown in for good measure.
“And when one of those little towers fell, it would take others with it, and soon everything would be broken apart.”
Pulling Strings was the perfect introduction to Nick DeWolf's writing. His prose flowed so smoothly, even when a character stuttered or didn't finish a sentence it never felt jarring or uncomfortable. Fight and chase scenes were aplenty and honestly usually my eyes glaze over and I skim those parts but DeWolf wrote the scenes so I was actually interested. Not only was the writing so smooth, the story itself was so fast paced and intense! If I hadn't had company at my house, I think I could have finished it in less than half the time it actually took me! I sped through the last 50 pages as fast as I could.
While the plot line and action were non-stop, in my opinion, what DeWolf excelled at were the characters. Each character introduced was so fleshed out and real, no detail overlooked. I can't not mention that Colt was such a hardcore, amazing protagonist, and it was insanely refreshing that DeWolf did not sexualize her. Her character was not based on looks, she was just a smart, brave, tough protagonist. Seriously, every character in this book was great! Even the characters who were horrible people were so well written. He was able to mold these characters in such a way that even if their actions were despicable, they were still human and you couldn't help but empathize.
Pulling Strings is psychological horror, a psychic thriller, and also a healthy dose of character study thrown in for good measure.
December 20, 2017
PULLING STRINGS is easily one of my favorite novels of 2017. Not only is it smart and meaningful, but it's also fun as hell. It is a novel in that place where genre fiction and literary fiction blend, a novel you might see a literature professor and his or her student run into each other and discover they have something in common.
The synopsis goes something like this: Agent Colt has a psychic ability to fire kinetic mind bullets from her fingers. She's a legend at the Department of Scientific Investigation (which doesn't exist ... but it could!), and she has led a storied career that the new recruits talk about in hushed tones. Now, however, she's approaching retirement, working a cushy detail out of a field office in Middle America. It's boring compared to her heyday. Then a new case comes in, and she thinks it could be her swan song. Little does she know the target she's hunting is the most dangerous psychic she's ever encountered.
PULLING STRINGS takes this fantastic-sounding premise and legitimizes it with heart and honesty. It asks readers to accept there are people who can shoot mind bullets from their fingertips, communicate via telepathy over long distances, cut through virtually anything with psychic bolts, tether human appendages with mental ropes, or control others with dominating abilities, and then after you've granted it such permission, it pays off with deeply human characters you care for.
It is a novel that is both familiar and unique. The overall bones of the story make for a recognizable secret agent mystery thriller, but with an alluring world and mythos surrounding psychics and so many tropes relentlessly body slammed on their heads, it claws out a special identity for itself.
One of the most striking aspects of this novel is how DeWolf handles elements of feminism. Where I think this really pays off is in the way PULLING STRINGS doesn't make overt grand statements of gender roles and stereotypes. The story simply subverts them. There are no overblown, self-righteous, or self-referential statements about sexuality and culture. Simply, Colt is this stoic, embattled psychic agent, typical of the grizzled warrior, and DeWolf tells her story with no need for acknowledgement or apology. It is a meta-statement, in a sense, that PULLING STRINGS doesn't just attempt to touch on stereotypes in gender roles; it shatters them, and the story we're reading is years after the dust has settled on that particular fight.
You could ask, "is PULLING STRINGS feminist literature?" I think, if this novel had a body, it would shrug and move on with its life because it just doesn't have time for that question.
Colt is a hero who transcends cultural sexism. It isn't so much a comment on it as it is a guide for how to tell a story in a post-feminist society. It isn't only relevant today in American culture, where public figures seem to be tumbling from trees like over-ripened fruit. It will be relevant in the future when these themes are actually considered the norm.
Essentially, PULLING STRINGS is three storylines that run separately for much of the book. However, when they tangle with each other, that heart becomes apparent.
All of that isn't to say PULLING STRINGS is just an intelligent work that evokes literary ideas about social topics and the human condition. It does that, but the book strikes a balance; it doesn't forget to be fun, moving, and alluring. PULLING STRINGS is one of those rare works of storytelling that touches mind, heart, and soul. As it presents these characters who morph into real people you care about, it spins the world like a ride at an amusement park.
I love this book for what it doesn't do as much as what it does. DeWolf demonstrates an impressive restraint and maturity. Beneath the psychic gun fights, the chase scenes, the mind control, he gets the core of the story right. Other authors that attempted to tell this story may have strayed and pandered. They may have come across as disingenuous or measured in their approach. DeWolf boldly walks the line and crosses the expanse to the other side without faltering or even looking down. It's as if he's done this before many times and it's now routine for him.
If you're looking for a story about a strong female lead character, or if you just like the idea of psychics and secret agents duking it out, or you're down with both of those things, I highly recommend PULLING STRINGS.
The synopsis goes something like this: Agent Colt has a psychic ability to fire kinetic mind bullets from her fingers. She's a legend at the Department of Scientific Investigation (which doesn't exist ... but it could!), and she has led a storied career that the new recruits talk about in hushed tones. Now, however, she's approaching retirement, working a cushy detail out of a field office in Middle America. It's boring compared to her heyday. Then a new case comes in, and she thinks it could be her swan song. Little does she know the target she's hunting is the most dangerous psychic she's ever encountered.
PULLING STRINGS takes this fantastic-sounding premise and legitimizes it with heart and honesty. It asks readers to accept there are people who can shoot mind bullets from their fingertips, communicate via telepathy over long distances, cut through virtually anything with psychic bolts, tether human appendages with mental ropes, or control others with dominating abilities, and then after you've granted it such permission, it pays off with deeply human characters you care for.
It is a novel that is both familiar and unique. The overall bones of the story make for a recognizable secret agent mystery thriller, but with an alluring world and mythos surrounding psychics and so many tropes relentlessly body slammed on their heads, it claws out a special identity for itself.
One of the most striking aspects of this novel is how DeWolf handles elements of feminism. Where I think this really pays off is in the way PULLING STRINGS doesn't make overt grand statements of gender roles and stereotypes. The story simply subverts them. There are no overblown, self-righteous, or self-referential statements about sexuality and culture. Simply, Colt is this stoic, embattled psychic agent, typical of the grizzled warrior, and DeWolf tells her story with no need for acknowledgement or apology. It is a meta-statement, in a sense, that PULLING STRINGS doesn't just attempt to touch on stereotypes in gender roles; it shatters them, and the story we're reading is years after the dust has settled on that particular fight.
You could ask, "is PULLING STRINGS feminist literature?" I think, if this novel had a body, it would shrug and move on with its life because it just doesn't have time for that question.
Colt is a hero who transcends cultural sexism. It isn't so much a comment on it as it is a guide for how to tell a story in a post-feminist society. It isn't only relevant today in American culture, where public figures seem to be tumbling from trees like over-ripened fruit. It will be relevant in the future when these themes are actually considered the norm.
Essentially, PULLING STRINGS is three storylines that run separately for much of the book. However, when they tangle with each other, that heart becomes apparent.
All of that isn't to say PULLING STRINGS is just an intelligent work that evokes literary ideas about social topics and the human condition. It does that, but the book strikes a balance; it doesn't forget to be fun, moving, and alluring. PULLING STRINGS is one of those rare works of storytelling that touches mind, heart, and soul. As it presents these characters who morph into real people you care about, it spins the world like a ride at an amusement park.
I love this book for what it doesn't do as much as what it does. DeWolf demonstrates an impressive restraint and maturity. Beneath the psychic gun fights, the chase scenes, the mind control, he gets the core of the story right. Other authors that attempted to tell this story may have strayed and pandered. They may have come across as disingenuous or measured in their approach. DeWolf boldly walks the line and crosses the expanse to the other side without faltering or even looking down. It's as if he's done this before many times and it's now routine for him.
If you're looking for a story about a strong female lead character, or if you just like the idea of psychics and secret agents duking it out, or you're down with both of those things, I highly recommend PULLING STRINGS.
May 7, 2018
I was sent Pulling Strings by the author, Nick DeWolf, to review. Every opinion in this review is completely my own and completely honest.
I really enjoyed Pulling Strings! It’s definitely not my kind of book, meaning that it’s not something that I would have picked up after seeing it on a shelf in a bookstore or anything. It's the first psychological thriller-esque book I've ever read. So, I haven’t read any well-known books that I can compare it to. But I was pleasantly surprised!
Pulling Strings focuses on psychic secret agent, Rebecca Colt, but there are so many characters and perspectives! That’s one of this novel’s strongest points – the many POVs it’s told from. We follow a few different sides of the story, yet they all flow together so well and each have a unique voice.
The writing in this book is excellent! I’m a total grammar nerd, but I found no fault in the author’s writing (not that I’m an expert or anything)! His sentence structure was amazing, and the metaphors and descriptive words he used painted the picture of the story and characters so well. There were many times where I would read, stop for a minute, and think, “wow, that’s a good sentence.” Even if I wasn’t a huge fan of the sci-fi and plot, the writing was great!
As I mentioned before, the characters were designed very well. They’re all round characters, and they all had motives for the extreme actions they took throughout the novel. For several characters, such as Rebecca Colt, Vincent, and Mary, their backgrounds are what led them to become what they became. Agent Colt, for instance, had an abusive father, which led her to become the master psychic and secret agent that she became, and that aspect of her character really added to the story.
The sci-fi elements of this story were very interesting. Goodreads classifies this book as science fiction fantasy, but there are no new worlds, no space settings, and no magic. It’s just the psychics and their powers. I found the psychic powers interesting but a little confusing at times. Like I said, this kind of sci-fi isn’t really my thing. I would also say it's a psychological thriller, a genre I'd never ventured into before this book.
The plot was very intriguing and thrilling. And super action-packed. I have to say there was almost too much action, because the action scenes went on for a really long time. It seemed like we were just jumping from action scene to action scene, and it was sometimes hard to keep up with the different psychic powers flying back and forth. But the intensity and thrill of the action kept me completely immersed in the story!!
The plot overall was very well-developed and almost creepy at times. The premise is super unique and interesting, as you can probably tell if you've read the synopsis! I don’t want to spoil it for you, but I think if you read this book, you would agree that some of the things that went down were mind-blowing! This totally worked for the story, and it added a layer of darkness that made up the atmosphere of the settings and story.
Also, I need to make a note about the cover and title of this novel, which I think are GENIUS. You wouldn’t realize this unless you’ve read the book, but the title, Pulling Strings, is very symbolic and gives me chills when I think of it in relation to the story.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Thank you, Nick DeWolf, for reaching out to me. Psychological thrillers are definitely not my cup of tea, but I know some sci-fi lovers who would really like it! I recommend Pulling Strings if you’re looking for a short, intense, sci-fi read!
I really enjoyed Pulling Strings! It’s definitely not my kind of book, meaning that it’s not something that I would have picked up after seeing it on a shelf in a bookstore or anything. It's the first psychological thriller-esque book I've ever read. So, I haven’t read any well-known books that I can compare it to. But I was pleasantly surprised!
Pulling Strings focuses on psychic secret agent, Rebecca Colt, but there are so many characters and perspectives! That’s one of this novel’s strongest points – the many POVs it’s told from. We follow a few different sides of the story, yet they all flow together so well and each have a unique voice.
The writing in this book is excellent! I’m a total grammar nerd, but I found no fault in the author’s writing (not that I’m an expert or anything)! His sentence structure was amazing, and the metaphors and descriptive words he used painted the picture of the story and characters so well. There were many times where I would read, stop for a minute, and think, “wow, that’s a good sentence.” Even if I wasn’t a huge fan of the sci-fi and plot, the writing was great!
As I mentioned before, the characters were designed very well. They’re all round characters, and they all had motives for the extreme actions they took throughout the novel. For several characters, such as Rebecca Colt, Vincent, and Mary, their backgrounds are what led them to become what they became. Agent Colt, for instance, had an abusive father, which led her to become the master psychic and secret agent that she became, and that aspect of her character really added to the story.
The sci-fi elements of this story were very interesting. Goodreads classifies this book as science fiction fantasy, but there are no new worlds, no space settings, and no magic. It’s just the psychics and their powers. I found the psychic powers interesting but a little confusing at times. Like I said, this kind of sci-fi isn’t really my thing. I would also say it's a psychological thriller, a genre I'd never ventured into before this book.
The plot was very intriguing and thrilling. And super action-packed. I have to say there was almost too much action, because the action scenes went on for a really long time. It seemed like we were just jumping from action scene to action scene, and it was sometimes hard to keep up with the different psychic powers flying back and forth. But the intensity and thrill of the action kept me completely immersed in the story!!
The plot overall was very well-developed and almost creepy at times. The premise is super unique and interesting, as you can probably tell if you've read the synopsis! I don’t want to spoil it for you, but I think if you read this book, you would agree that some of the things that went down were mind-blowing! This totally worked for the story, and it added a layer of darkness that made up the atmosphere of the settings and story.
Also, I need to make a note about the cover and title of this novel, which I think are GENIUS. You wouldn’t realize this unless you’ve read the book, but the title, Pulling Strings, is very symbolic and gives me chills when I think of it in relation to the story.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Thank you, Nick DeWolf, for reaching out to me. Psychological thrillers are definitely not my cup of tea, but I know some sci-fi lovers who would really like it! I recommend Pulling Strings if you’re looking for a short, intense, sci-fi read!
December 10, 2018
[Disclaimer: I was asked by the author to read and review this book, and received a free copy for my troubles]
In retrospect, I probably should have declined reviewing this. Not because it's a bad book (it isn't), but because it's not really my style of literature. But! It was the first time I was ever asked to read an ARC, so here we are.
On to the book. Opening is a bit rocky -- the first few pages are quite intriguing, one of the better openers I've read recently. Then it dips as Colt shows up on screen (so to speak), with a bit too much emphasis on her Issues. Then it smooths out again once they first action scene starts.
Writing is high quality. Very clear, very lucid, flows nicely. Characterization is solid if a trifle... I don't want to say thin, exactly, but a little overly straightforward. Painted with primary colors rather chiaroscuro. Antagonists were properly intimidating, mind, and I did like the range of characters (particularly Vincent).
Plot was likewise solid but not quite exceptional, a little too standard-Action-Thriller-y for my tastes, despite some horror and urban fantasy elements.
Ultimately I suspect this just isn't my genre, and while it's a solid example of the genre, it isn't so exceptional as to convert me. So, thank you for the book, Mr. DeWolfe, and I wish you the very best of future luck, but not my cup of tea.
In retrospect, I probably should have declined reviewing this. Not because it's a bad book (it isn't), but because it's not really my style of literature. But! It was the first time I was ever asked to read an ARC, so here we are.
On to the book. Opening is a bit rocky -- the first few pages are quite intriguing, one of the better openers I've read recently. Then it dips as Colt shows up on screen (so to speak), with a bit too much emphasis on her Issues. Then it smooths out again once they first action scene starts.
Writing is high quality. Very clear, very lucid, flows nicely. Characterization is solid if a trifle... I don't want to say thin, exactly, but a little overly straightforward. Painted with primary colors rather chiaroscuro. Antagonists were properly intimidating, mind, and I did like the range of characters (particularly Vincent).
Plot was likewise solid but not quite exceptional, a little too standard-Action-Thriller-y for my tastes, despite some horror and urban fantasy elements.
Ultimately I suspect this just isn't my genre, and while it's a solid example of the genre, it isn't so exceptional as to convert me. So, thank you for the book, Mr. DeWolfe, and I wish you the very best of future luck, but not my cup of tea.
January 8, 2018
I got this book for a fair review. Pulling Strings is not a bed time read, because I only got 4 hours sleep as I could not put it down. The chase is exhilarating, the stakes are high and the ending is really awesome!
This definitely should be in your TBR, because it has thrills, twisted relationships and a lot of creepy elements that makes you question everything in the book. If you are in a book club, there are a lot of discussion points in relation to events and the ending.
This definitely should be in your TBR, because it has thrills, twisted relationships and a lot of creepy elements that makes you question everything in the book. If you are in a book club, there are a lot of discussion points in relation to events and the ending.
January 27, 2018
Exhausting
It's hard to breath reading this book. The enormity of Mary's power is completely frightening. I would like to find out how Vincent comes into his own and perhaps take over at the agency. Interesting subject.
It's hard to breath reading this book. The enormity of Mary's power is completely frightening. I would like to find out how Vincent comes into his own and perhaps take over at the agency. Interesting subject.
March 25, 2018
A great psychic thriller. Well worth the read.
March 3, 2019
Another 5 star rating as I finish out the trifecta of current DeWolf offers. And I've got to say: 'Pulling Strings' was the best of the bunch to me! Wowzers! One of my faves since I started posting here on 'goodreads'!
I'll put it this way: I have a love-hate relationship between the worlds of literature and movie-making (which includes any form of small-screen '...and chill' you want to add to the mix). And yet, from Page 1 of 'Pulling Strings', one of my main reactions as I was reading was 'oh man, I would love to see this made into a fimed series!' No, not a Michael Bay CGI-puked out clusterfudge but instead a 'true-to-the-original, blow your mind, this is going to be so cool!' filmed version. It reads that well and that convincingly and that Netflixally. Seriously, if they're going to make shows out of stories like 'Spoonbenders' (which while not bad was not this good in terms of action and drama) or particularly the recent release of the edgy 'Umbrella Academy', well...
I guess what I'm trying to say is that DeWolf has created a world so convincingly illustrated and rich that you can't help but visualize that clearly in your mind as the plot races along, no matter how weird some of it gets. Even more than his other offers - both of which were quite satisfying - this book keeps parallel characterizations and plot twists racing aside the front-line in the battle with aplomb and a level of tension that you will rarely find being accomplished today, particularly in the world of 'one-off' formats (eg when the author knows he doesn't have another 2 books lined up on contract to straighten things out).
For example, the flashbacks - none of which ever seem to be 'complete' in terms of giving the entire background when they happen - throughout were just awesome additions in each and every way! Also, the scenes we're treated to in the DSI HQ were equally gratifying, taking us almost into a true zombie-esque situation! And even though this tale takes place in just this one gathered ebook, you feel the loss, you feel the love and you feel the overwhelming pain of the characters without needing to wait another year (or 5 if you're into George R.R. Martin) to see how the cliffhanger brings it all together in a way that not only satisfies but that makes sense! I'm not saying trilogies (or more) are bad per se, but they are becoming more the rule than the exception these days. But I digress...
As with DeWolf's other offers, again the plot is tight without wasting time on origin stories beyond what is necessary for the action taking place. Look: people can do this - be it super powers, magick, or telekinewhatsits. 'Nuff said, now let's get to it! Add to that is the fact that DeWolf's prose is smooth as damned glass and he can damn well put together some damned awesome action sequences. Dammit. And because so much of it seems to take place in 'Anywhere, USA' (even though this time we do get a bit more specific about locations), it's all far too relatable. I'm sure somewhere in here you can identify yourself in some of these scenes (noting I'd probably be one of the guys crushed on the escalator but still).
If you're looking for comparative, um, comparisons, I would really rate 'Pulling Strings' favorably along the lines of the offers I've been lucky enough to read by Blake Crouch, Marcus Sakey and even edging into Joe Hill territory (excluding anything to do with fire, he grumbled ... but not too loudly because it was still pretty good...). I sincerely hope then that Mr. DeWolf is working on new story-lines to help establish him as a regular member in this club because I'd damn well like to read some more!
Enjoy.
I'll put it this way: I have a love-hate relationship between the worlds of literature and movie-making (which includes any form of small-screen '...and chill' you want to add to the mix). And yet, from Page 1 of 'Pulling Strings', one of my main reactions as I was reading was 'oh man, I would love to see this made into a fimed series!' No, not a Michael Bay CGI-puked out clusterfudge but instead a 'true-to-the-original, blow your mind, this is going to be so cool!' filmed version. It reads that well and that convincingly and that Netflixally. Seriously, if they're going to make shows out of stories like 'Spoonbenders' (which while not bad was not this good in terms of action and drama) or particularly the recent release of the edgy 'Umbrella Academy', well...
I guess what I'm trying to say is that DeWolf has created a world so convincingly illustrated and rich that you can't help but visualize that clearly in your mind as the plot races along, no matter how weird some of it gets. Even more than his other offers - both of which were quite satisfying - this book keeps parallel characterizations and plot twists racing aside the front-line in the battle with aplomb and a level of tension that you will rarely find being accomplished today, particularly in the world of 'one-off' formats (eg when the author knows he doesn't have another 2 books lined up on contract to straighten things out).
For example, the flashbacks - none of which ever seem to be 'complete' in terms of giving the entire background when they happen - throughout were just awesome additions in each and every way! Also, the scenes we're treated to in the DSI HQ were equally gratifying, taking us almost into a true zombie-esque situation! And even though this tale takes place in just this one gathered ebook, you feel the loss, you feel the love and you feel the overwhelming pain of the characters without needing to wait another year (or 5 if you're into George R.R. Martin) to see how the cliffhanger brings it all together in a way that not only satisfies but that makes sense! I'm not saying trilogies (or more) are bad per se, but they are becoming more the rule than the exception these days. But I digress...
As with DeWolf's other offers, again the plot is tight without wasting time on origin stories beyond what is necessary for the action taking place. Look: people can do this - be it super powers, magick, or telekinewhatsits. 'Nuff said, now let's get to it! Add to that is the fact that DeWolf's prose is smooth as damned glass and he can damn well put together some damned awesome action sequences. Dammit. And because so much of it seems to take place in 'Anywhere, USA' (even though this time we do get a bit more specific about locations), it's all far too relatable. I'm sure somewhere in here you can identify yourself in some of these scenes (noting I'd probably be one of the guys crushed on the escalator but still).
If you're looking for comparative, um, comparisons, I would really rate 'Pulling Strings' favorably along the lines of the offers I've been lucky enough to read by Blake Crouch, Marcus Sakey and even edging into Joe Hill territory (excluding anything to do with fire, he grumbled ... but not too loudly because it was still pretty good...). I sincerely hope then that Mr. DeWolf is working on new story-lines to help establish him as a regular member in this club because I'd damn well like to read some more!
Enjoy.
March 22, 2019
I loved this book so much!! There is a lot of suspense to the story and contains lots of adventures! There is a good flow to the prose throughout the book and the start is very gripping. The characters are attention grabbing and are very likable! The action in this book is just kick-ass. This is one of the few books that I read more than once!!
March 18, 2019
I had this constant shiver running down my spine the whole time!
the concept of the story is both horrifying and breathtaking. it's not sth u pull out and read while walking sown the street because you'll get hit by a car. it will make you hold your breath the eentire time. the book literally has it all. it has thrills, twisted relationships and a lot of creepy elements that makes you question everything in the book an will blow uo your assumptions on minutely basis. (it reminded me a lot if that NETLIX show "black mirror".)
so to anyone who is reading this; i dare you to read the pulling strings because u'll going to love it.
full review on my blog
the concept of the story is both horrifying and breathtaking. it's not sth u pull out and read while walking sown the street because you'll get hit by a car. it will make you hold your breath the eentire time. the book literally has it all. it has thrills, twisted relationships and a lot of creepy elements that makes you question everything in the book an will blow uo your assumptions on minutely basis. (it reminded me a lot if that NETLIX show "black mirror".)
so to anyone who is reading this; i dare you to read the pulling strings because u'll going to love it.
full review on my blog
February 22, 2019
“There was nothing. No thought. No soul. They were empty. Hollow. They were puppets.”
I LOVED LOVED LOVED all the ideas of this book! The psychic powers were SO cool and extremely well explained, as if DeWolf were speaking from his own experiences! My favourite character was Rakesh! All the characters were very well thought out, and the villain was absolutely terrifying!!
I had a bit of trouble wrapping my head around Mary’s motivation, however. I would’ve liked to know more about her, seen more of her life, and perhaps have more dialogue with her, so as to better understand the character.
Although mostly spot-on, there were also a couple of awkward sentences, with confusing sentence structure. A few typos, and extra periods that slipped into the final draft, no doubt. But thankfully there wasn’t even close to enough of these little blemishes to take away at all from the story.
Very well written, and I recommend to those of you interested in psychic powers! Very cool and very fun 😁
I LOVED LOVED LOVED all the ideas of this book! The psychic powers were SO cool and extremely well explained, as if DeWolf were speaking from his own experiences! My favourite character was Rakesh! All the characters were very well thought out, and the villain was absolutely terrifying!!
I had a bit of trouble wrapping my head around Mary’s motivation, however. I would’ve liked to know more about her, seen more of her life, and perhaps have more dialogue with her, so as to better understand the character.
Although mostly spot-on, there were also a couple of awkward sentences, with confusing sentence structure. A few typos, and extra periods that slipped into the final draft, no doubt. But thankfully there wasn’t even close to enough of these little blemishes to take away at all from the story.
Very well written, and I recommend to those of you interested in psychic powers! Very cool and very fun 😁
August 17, 2019
Thank you to the author for providing me with this book, in exchange for my honest opinion. This book, and others by Nick DeWolf, are available now.
How to describe my feelings about this book? I can’t say I’ve ever read a book that gave me such a physical reaction. I had to set it down on a few occasions because I could feel myself working up to a panic attack (I don’t say this disrespectfully; I have an anxiety disorder). I think I mean this as a compliment. The fact that the author was able to create such a visceral reaction is pretty stinking amazing.
That being said, I didn’t love this book. The main character, Rebecca, had a chip on her shoulder the size of Texas. She’d been through a lot and was tough as nails, but she was kind of a jerk to people that didn’t deserve it in any way, which made her an unpleasant character to read.
While the book has a supernatural premise, it quickly becomes more of an action book than anything else. The idea of the Puppeteer was truly terrifying, and the writing was confident and solid.
If you like heart pounding action, and characters that kick butt, this book is for you.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
How to describe my feelings about this book? I can’t say I’ve ever read a book that gave me such a physical reaction. I had to set it down on a few occasions because I could feel myself working up to a panic attack (I don’t say this disrespectfully; I have an anxiety disorder). I think I mean this as a compliment. The fact that the author was able to create such a visceral reaction is pretty stinking amazing.
That being said, I didn’t love this book. The main character, Rebecca, had a chip on her shoulder the size of Texas. She’d been through a lot and was tough as nails, but she was kind of a jerk to people that didn’t deserve it in any way, which made her an unpleasant character to read.
While the book has a supernatural premise, it quickly becomes more of an action book than anything else. The idea of the Puppeteer was truly terrifying, and the writing was confident and solid.
If you like heart pounding action, and characters that kick butt, this book is for you.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
January 18, 2019
If you want one of those books you simply cannot put down, then this is it. From the very first line to the last word it will have you hooked.
December 17, 2018
Since I'd reviewed a previous book of his, Nick reached out to me to see if I'd be willing to read and review a new book of his if he gave me a copy of it. Since I'd really enjoyed FRIGHTFULLY EVER AFTER, I was more than happy to do such. This review is my own, unbiased opinion.
(Though amusingly enough, a writer friend of mine who knows Nick asked me to do the same thing just after I'd finished reading it.) That being said, I'd really only read one piece of DeWolf's before, so I wasn't sure what I was walking into--but it sounded up my alley.
And sure enough, it's just the right combination of supernatural whodunit and heart-pounding thriller to keep you on edge and not want to put the book down. I was absolutely fascinated by the psychic powers described in the book, and how all the different individuals used those powers either for good or ill. DeWolf has a hell of a way with words, and he's not afraid to put down exactly the words he wants--a refreshing change from some authors I've seen. It's intense, it's nerve-wracking, it's everything you want from a thriller. And it doesn't give you a nice happy pat ending, which is again a nice change.
Nick DeWolf is definitely on my list of authors to watch, and he should be on yours as well. (Sorry this took so long, Nick!!)
(Though amusingly enough, a writer friend of mine who knows Nick asked me to do the same thing just after I'd finished reading it.) That being said, I'd really only read one piece of DeWolf's before, so I wasn't sure what I was walking into--but it sounded up my alley.
And sure enough, it's just the right combination of supernatural whodunit and heart-pounding thriller to keep you on edge and not want to put the book down. I was absolutely fascinated by the psychic powers described in the book, and how all the different individuals used those powers either for good or ill. DeWolf has a hell of a way with words, and he's not afraid to put down exactly the words he wants--a refreshing change from some authors I've seen. It's intense, it's nerve-wracking, it's everything you want from a thriller. And it doesn't give you a nice happy pat ending, which is again a nice change.
Nick DeWolf is definitely on my list of authors to watch, and he should be on yours as well. (Sorry this took so long, Nick!!)
July 18, 2018
Full of intrigue and action I really enjoyed this book.
The detail of action drew me into scenes so much I felt I was actually watching a movie.... something few books have done previously.
I think that Pulling Strings would make a fabulous movie.
I was reminded of The Tomorrow People television series of the 1970s which I loved, not that I would want to lull other readers into thinking Pulling Strings is akin to it's stories. Pulling Strings is much more dramatic and more fast paced.
The detail of action drew me into scenes so much I felt I was actually watching a movie.... something few books have done previously.
I think that Pulling Strings would make a fabulous movie.
I was reminded of The Tomorrow People television series of the 1970s which I loved, not that I would want to lull other readers into thinking Pulling Strings is akin to it's stories. Pulling Strings is much more dramatic and more fast paced.
May 5, 2018
3.75 or 4 stars. Review coming soon.
July 20, 2018
Review to come.
March 23, 2024
This was such a good story. I'd say it was an enjoyable read, but DeWolf maintained such tension throughout the story that I had to set it aside at times, because I could feel the characters' stress. It's an interesting story and so well executed. DeWolf paints just enough of a picture of this world--our world but where a government agency investigates psychic activity gone wrong--that I was drawn in. I learned enough about the characters without extensive backstory that I felt I knew them. A satisfying ending that has me imagining what the characters will do next and reflecting on what they've learned, my favorite kind of ending.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews