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All The Broken People
Alice Bennett knows what it means to suffer. After burying her abusive childhood and reinventing herself, Alice is living a life she never imagined could be hers. She's married to a perfect Southern gentleman. She has a challenging job she loves--writing for a woman's magazine. But when her past comes back with a vengeance, Alice finds herself on the outs with her husband, her perfect life crumbling around her feet.
Desperate to get things back to where they were, Alice travels to the mountains of North Georgia to care for her mother-in-law who was injured in a bad fall. Her motives aren't purely altruistic; she's hoping to get back into her husband's good graces. When she arrives, Alice discovers that the fall was no accident. Alice must battle her own inner demons as she uncovers the not-so-perfect truth of her husband's past. Ugly family secrets and devious attacks from an unknown assailant threaten to kill more than just Alice's dreams.
A dark journey into the Georgia mountains where kudzu covers the landscape and a grudge can last generations. All the Broken Peoplewill leave you questioning who the good guys really are or whether they exist at all.
Desperate to get things back to where they were, Alice travels to the mountains of North Georgia to care for her mother-in-law who was injured in a bad fall. Her motives aren't purely altruistic; she's hoping to get back into her husband's good graces. When she arrives, Alice discovers that the fall was no accident. Alice must battle her own inner demons as she uncovers the not-so-perfect truth of her husband's past. Ugly family secrets and devious attacks from an unknown assailant threaten to kill more than just Alice's dreams.
A dark journey into the Georgia mountains where kudzu covers the landscape and a grudge can last generations. All the Broken Peoplewill leave you questioning who the good guys really are or whether they exist at all.
312 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2019
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2044 people want to read
About the author
Amy Rivers
18 books156 followersAmy Rivers is an award-winning novelist, as well as the Director of Northern Colorado Writers. She was recently named 2021 Indie Author of the Year by the Indie Author Project. Her psychological suspense novels incorporate important social issues with a focus on the complexities of human behavior. Her forthcoming novel, STUMBLE & FALL, is the second book in the A Legacy of Silence series. Amy was raised in New Mexico and now lives in Colorado with her husband and children.
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May 6, 2019I expected to enjoy this book as per the summary it looked thriller-y, but upon beginning I had so many things thrown at me one right after the other and for brief time lapses that I ended up losing interest.
The book begins with a woman who offers to take care of her in-law, who's had had a bad fall and is at the hospital. The old lady Benett says she remembers there being someone else with her before the fall, but is shushed by her daughter.
Then we are introduced 2 "bullies" who have had it rough and are laying low in their thieving and bullying ways, but they also hate the Benetts though we aren't still clear why.
And then the sheriff (or deputy, not sure now) finds mangled and mutilated dogs but has to drop the investigation as it's not as important as the burglaries happening on the town.
And maybe the book would have gotten better but I didn't feel like pushing on. Seems like I am on a bit of a reading slump, because my attention fails to get grabbed by a book... or maybe I need another kind of book.
The book begins with a woman who offers to take care of her in-law, who's had had a bad fall and is at the hospital. The old lady Benett says she remembers there being someone else with her before the fall, but is shushed by her daughter.
Then we are introduced 2 "bullies" who have had it rough and are laying low in their thieving and bullying ways, but they also hate the Benetts though we aren't still clear why.
And then the sheriff (or deputy, not sure now) finds mangled and mutilated dogs but has to drop the investigation as it's not as important as the burglaries happening on the town.
And maybe the book would have gotten better but I didn't feel like pushing on. Seems like I am on a bit of a reading slump, because my attention fails to get grabbed by a book... or maybe I need another kind of book.
April 14, 2019
This might be anywhere from a 3 to 3.5 and I think the author could for sure be writing 4/5 books but this one fell short for me. The storyline is good, the characters and setting interesting but something just doesn't quite gel. But on the other hand I kept reading right to the end. (Spoilers ahead) Here's what I did not like: early in the book much is made of a story the main protagonist is going to write (for her job) about a girl murdered 70 years ago. Alice (the main protagonist) is first welcomed by this community then shunned as they learn what she is researching. She spends time trying to interview people and research the events. And it all leads nowhere. Even though the murdered girl and a current victim both had their hands cut off. Really? There's no tie in? That's just weird. And the old murder turns out to be completely irrelevant and nothing new is revealed about it. I really kept reading waiting for this to make sense. So I felt a little cheated.
March 7, 2019
Short Take: An episode of Law & Order SVU, written by a first-year social worker.
(*Note: I received an advance copy of this book for review.*)
Y’all, I am SO OVER winter right now. It’s friggin MARCH for cryin’ out loud, can we please, please get rid of the snow and bone-snapping wind chills yet? Needless to say, when I saw a chance to mentally escape to somewhere warm and green, I jumped as fast as an un-athletic pasty nerd can.
Alice Bennett has eagerly agreed to be a temporary caretaker for her mother-in-law, Mae, who has suffered a broken hip and concussion after a fall down her front porch steps. Although Alice is hoping distance will give some clarity to her on-the-rocks marriage to Mae’s son Will, she soon finds out that this won’t be a peaceful break at all. Was Mae’s fall an accident, or did someone try to kill her? Mae’s the matriarch of the Small Town Bigwig Family, so of course there are plenty of seething have-nots who would be happy to see terrible things happen to her.
People like the Simms. Larry Lee, his mother Agnes and sister Beth have a long list of simmering resentments against the Bennetts. Correction: it’s more like a wildly-boiling pot of rage, just waiting to get thrown at the nearest Bennett in sight.
So when Alice, who’s really only a Bennett by marriage to the Town Golden Boy, shows up, well, allllllll kinds of sludge gets stirred up. Virtually every character in this book has Deep Dark Secrets, and when they are revealed, it sets off a chain of ever-increasing violence.
I think the author did a great job with creating a setting, with everything from the lush kudzu to Southern-awful names like Joylyn to the ever-present beer and cigarette smell in run-down trailers. But the characters, their motivations and the resulting story are not nearly so well-executed.
Take Alice. Everyone comments that she’s too plain for Will, but also that she’s beautiful. She’s “substantial” which I would take to mean forceful in some way, but complete strangers can tell that she’s damaged. She’s an unbelievable doormat, married to the most insufferable man imaginable. But she tolerates it, because she’s a collection of cliches, right down to having A Terrible Childhood.
Speaking of terrible childhoods - ALMOST EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER in this book has had one. Seriously. Every bad act committed by anyone is because they have suffered so much in the past, and so whatever they did shouldn’t really count.Because of the terrible childhoods and all. But even if the character just did something awful because they were selfish & cruel, well, they pinkie-promise to do better, so all is forgiven.
I understand that Ms. Rivers wanted her characters who have suffered so much to have some kind of redemption, but it was just too pat, too easy. Of course when someone commits a horrific crime, we want to know WHY, but pulling the curtain all the way back, and over-explaining just which suffering buttons are being pushed doesn’t hold much entertainment value.
Which leads to my other big complaint: there weren’t any real twists or surprises. As a very good friend of mine likes to say, “Hurt people hurt people”, and when it’s telegraphed early & often that this or that or these people are emotionally injured, it’s not shocking or interesting when they do bad things.
The Nerd’s Rating: Two Happy Neurons (and some homemade granola, because that sounds delicious. And copious amounts of booze.)
(*Note: I received an advance copy of this book for review.*)
Y’all, I am SO OVER winter right now. It’s friggin MARCH for cryin’ out loud, can we please, please get rid of the snow and bone-snapping wind chills yet? Needless to say, when I saw a chance to mentally escape to somewhere warm and green, I jumped as fast as an un-athletic pasty nerd can.
Alice Bennett has eagerly agreed to be a temporary caretaker for her mother-in-law, Mae, who has suffered a broken hip and concussion after a fall down her front porch steps. Although Alice is hoping distance will give some clarity to her on-the-rocks marriage to Mae’s son Will, she soon finds out that this won’t be a peaceful break at all. Was Mae’s fall an accident, or did someone try to kill her? Mae’s the matriarch of the Small Town Bigwig Family, so of course there are plenty of seething have-nots who would be happy to see terrible things happen to her.
People like the Simms. Larry Lee, his mother Agnes and sister Beth have a long list of simmering resentments against the Bennetts. Correction: it’s more like a wildly-boiling pot of rage, just waiting to get thrown at the nearest Bennett in sight.
So when Alice, who’s really only a Bennett by marriage to the Town Golden Boy, shows up, well, allllllll kinds of sludge gets stirred up. Virtually every character in this book has Deep Dark Secrets, and when they are revealed, it sets off a chain of ever-increasing violence.
I think the author did a great job with creating a setting, with everything from the lush kudzu to Southern-awful names like Joylyn to the ever-present beer and cigarette smell in run-down trailers. But the characters, their motivations and the resulting story are not nearly so well-executed.
Take Alice. Everyone comments that she’s too plain for Will, but also that she’s beautiful. She’s “substantial” which I would take to mean forceful in some way, but complete strangers can tell that she’s damaged. She’s an unbelievable doormat, married to the most insufferable man imaginable. But she tolerates it, because she’s a collection of cliches, right down to having A Terrible Childhood.
Speaking of terrible childhoods - ALMOST EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER in this book has had one. Seriously. Every bad act committed by anyone is because they have suffered so much in the past, and so whatever they did shouldn’t really count.Because of the terrible childhoods and all. But even if the character just did something awful because they were selfish & cruel, well, they pinkie-promise to do better, so all is forgiven.
I understand that Ms. Rivers wanted her characters who have suffered so much to have some kind of redemption, but it was just too pat, too easy. Of course when someone commits a horrific crime, we want to know WHY, but pulling the curtain all the way back, and over-explaining just which suffering buttons are being pushed doesn’t hold much entertainment value.
Which leads to my other big complaint: there weren’t any real twists or surprises. As a very good friend of mine likes to say, “Hurt people hurt people”, and when it’s telegraphed early & often that this or that or these people are emotionally injured, it’s not shocking or interesting when they do bad things.
The Nerd’s Rating: Two Happy Neurons (and some homemade granola, because that sounds delicious. And copious amounts of booze.)
May 5, 2019
All The Broken People is an engaging story enclosed in lush Georgia. Tension and suspicion runs high… The story explores the good aspects of “bad people”, the bad aspects of “good people”, and all the complexity in between. I listened to the audio version and the performance was exceptional. Each character had distinction and depth, both in the story and in the performance. The smells and sounds of the deep South were easy to conjure without any cheap clichés. There are a few unanswered questions… room for a sequel? A very worthwhile audiobook.
March 19, 2019
Abused as a child, Alice Bennett has reinvented herself. Married and writing for a woman’s magazine, she thought her life was perfect. But the differences between Alice and her husband Will drive her to Georgia to become his mother’s temporary caretaker. She hopes this selfless act will mend her relationship with Will, but things in Georgia take a surprising turn. Learning that Mae Bennett’s fall resulted not from an accident but from an attack sets Alice on a road of self-discovery as she searches for answers about the danger surrounding Mae. Dark secrets, duplicitous attacks, and unknown danger threaten to destroy everything Alice knows . . . and may claim her life as well.
The rich setting resonates throughout the narrative and becomes a prominent character in this ominous tale. Despite being well-drawn, most of the characters populating Jasper, Georgia are damaged and, as adults, are in search of some sort of redemption; horrific childhoods seem to have been the norm in this small town where everyone holds on to their secrets in hope of something better . . . only no one seems to know how to find that “something better.” Circumstances are difficult; underhandedness and lies multiply almost as quickly as the kudzu. Distrust and blame come easily while suspense mounts and the unexpected attacks ramp up the tension. Astute readers will figure out what is happening early in the story, leaving them to discover whether the ultimate winner in this relentlessly dark tale will be good or evil.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Compathy Press, LLC and NetGalley
#AllTheBrokenPeople #NetGalley
The rich setting resonates throughout the narrative and becomes a prominent character in this ominous tale. Despite being well-drawn, most of the characters populating Jasper, Georgia are damaged and, as adults, are in search of some sort of redemption; horrific childhoods seem to have been the norm in this small town where everyone holds on to their secrets in hope of something better . . . only no one seems to know how to find that “something better.” Circumstances are difficult; underhandedness and lies multiply almost as quickly as the kudzu. Distrust and blame come easily while suspense mounts and the unexpected attacks ramp up the tension. Astute readers will figure out what is happening early in the story, leaving them to discover whether the ultimate winner in this relentlessly dark tale will be good or evil.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Compathy Press, LLC and NetGalley
#AllTheBrokenPeople #NetGalley
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September 11, 2019“Jasper is a beautiful little town, but we’re not immune to the uglier parts of life.” All the Broken People (Compathy Press), a debut psychological suspense novel, could not be summed up any better. Author Amy Rivers tells the story of Alice Bennett who, despite her troubled past, now lives a life of idyllic happiness. So it seems.
Her husband Will is a successful lawyer. She is passionate about her writing career. But Alice lives a world apart from how her life looks from the outside. In reality, her marriage is tense and uncertain. Past secrets haunt everyone, including Alice. As we read, we wonder which characters aren’t broken and how they will manage to move on despite their wounds.
After a strange and suspicious fall leaves Alice’s mother-in-law needing extra care, she is more than happy to volunteer as caretaker. She travels to Will’s home town of Jasper, Georgia, to gain his affection. The more time she spends there, the more she realizes she may not have really known him at all. Small towns, just like people, carry their own secrets even while presenting an air of openness and acceptability.
Enter Beth Simms, a fellow Jasper native who abruptly disappeared from town several years ago and now has just as suddenly reappeared. Her and her brother, Larry Lee, had an abusive mother and a father who passed away too soon. Their relationship has always been strained, so when Beth returns, Larry Lee anxiously wants to skip town. His sister’s presence only gets him in worse trouble. But then he becomes obsessed with Alice Bennett.
The rest of the review: https://booktrib.com/2019/09/all-the-...
Her husband Will is a successful lawyer. She is passionate about her writing career. But Alice lives a world apart from how her life looks from the outside. In reality, her marriage is tense and uncertain. Past secrets haunt everyone, including Alice. As we read, we wonder which characters aren’t broken and how they will manage to move on despite their wounds.
After a strange and suspicious fall leaves Alice’s mother-in-law needing extra care, she is more than happy to volunteer as caretaker. She travels to Will’s home town of Jasper, Georgia, to gain his affection. The more time she spends there, the more she realizes she may not have really known him at all. Small towns, just like people, carry their own secrets even while presenting an air of openness and acceptability.
Enter Beth Simms, a fellow Jasper native who abruptly disappeared from town several years ago and now has just as suddenly reappeared. Her and her brother, Larry Lee, had an abusive mother and a father who passed away too soon. Their relationship has always been strained, so when Beth returns, Larry Lee anxiously wants to skip town. His sister’s presence only gets him in worse trouble. But then he becomes obsessed with Alice Bennett.
The rest of the review: https://booktrib.com/2019/09/all-the-...
July 31, 2020
In Amy River's moving new novel, All the Broken People, Alice Bennett, a writer at a woman's magazine, hopes to rebuild her failing marriage, move past the trauma of her childhood, and start anew. When her mother-in-law has an accident (which turns out to be something more sinister), Alice moves to Jasper, Georgia to take care of her, though she's really there to take care of herself.
At first, the bucolic setting in Jasper seems to be exactly what Alice needs. However, things turn out to be much more complicated than expected, and soon Alice is in the middle of untangling secrets long hidden in her husband's family and coming to terms with a violent maniac looking for revenge.
While the plot moves along at a brisk pace and the writing is good, what I liked best about All the Broken People is it's treatment of childhood abuse, not so much at the time of the trauma, but how it can come back to haunt a person in different ways, sometimes for her entire life and most notably in terms of self-worth. Rivers does a wonderful job of giving the reader multiple characters who are deeply wounded, and I found myself sympathetic to all of them, even the ones I otherwise didn't like.
I did know who the killer was early in the book, but I was okay with it given the novel is much more about the psychology of the characters, especially Alice, than it is a who-done-it.
I highly recommend All the Broken People if you are interested in strong character studies about people who lost something early in life and have spent a good portion of their adult lives trying to get it back.
At first, the bucolic setting in Jasper seems to be exactly what Alice needs. However, things turn out to be much more complicated than expected, and soon Alice is in the middle of untangling secrets long hidden in her husband's family and coming to terms with a violent maniac looking for revenge.
While the plot moves along at a brisk pace and the writing is good, what I liked best about All the Broken People is it's treatment of childhood abuse, not so much at the time of the trauma, but how it can come back to haunt a person in different ways, sometimes for her entire life and most notably in terms of self-worth. Rivers does a wonderful job of giving the reader multiple characters who are deeply wounded, and I found myself sympathetic to all of them, even the ones I otherwise didn't like.
I did know who the killer was early in the book, but I was okay with it given the novel is much more about the psychology of the characters, especially Alice, than it is a who-done-it.
I highly recommend All the Broken People if you are interested in strong character studies about people who lost something early in life and have spent a good portion of their adult lives trying to get it back.
October 3, 2020
What an incredible and interesting read it is, when I started it I was aware that it's definitely going to serve something unique to me but I was really shocked when some big twists started to come, it just made the story more engaging and gripping. The storyline revolves around a young woman who thinks who has a perfect life though has a tough past, it's truly dark and hard to explain. One accident takes her to Georgia, to her mother in law but things start to change, her relationship with her husband start to change and now her entire universe is turned upside down when she confronts his past. What's Alice's fate? I was intrigued right from the very first page as the book provides the spookiness while reading it. It's extremely well written and so fast paced.
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Page after page, you get to know the entire story behind such a title, I really liked all the twists which evokes more curiousity while reading it, it's definitely one of those books which you can put down once you start it. Overall, I feel, it's a perfect blend of dark fiction with human bonds and real life events. It feels like a movie, it's strong and bold, yet dark and spooky.
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I will definitely recommend it, especially to people who love dark fiction and thrillers.
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Rating: 4.5🌟
August 31, 2020
Title - All the broken people
Author - Amy Rivers
Genre - Thriller/fiction
Pages - 318
Format - e-book
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The story revolves around the protagonist Alice Bennett who travelled to Jasper, Georgia to take care of his mother in law. Alice is married to Will, a southern man. Previously, Will's sister Margaret was taking care of her mother but when Alice went there to take care of Will's mother Margaret has gone to Atlanta for her work. In Jasper Alice came to know about the ugly secrets of her husband's past. Read the book to know what happens next.
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Review -
The cover of the book is aptly designed and the title is totally appropriate. The plot of the story is intriguing, different and predictable. It is a perfect blend of thrill and dark family secrets with lots of twist and turns. The author has very well narrated the dark secrets which were buried beneath small town life. She has touched almost all familiar issues perfectly. She has given a variety of stories under one story of romance, murder, mystery, history, psychology, forensics.
Language used is simple. Characters are well developed. The flow of the book is fast paced which makes it an engaging read.
Overall, a thought provoking read.
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Rating - 4/5
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I recommend this book to those who love reading psychological thrillers.
Author - Amy Rivers
Genre - Thriller/fiction
Pages - 318
Format - e-book
.
.
The story revolves around the protagonist Alice Bennett who travelled to Jasper, Georgia to take care of his mother in law. Alice is married to Will, a southern man. Previously, Will's sister Margaret was taking care of her mother but when Alice went there to take care of Will's mother Margaret has gone to Atlanta for her work. In Jasper Alice came to know about the ugly secrets of her husband's past. Read the book to know what happens next.
.
.
Review -
The cover of the book is aptly designed and the title is totally appropriate. The plot of the story is intriguing, different and predictable. It is a perfect blend of thrill and dark family secrets with lots of twist and turns. The author has very well narrated the dark secrets which were buried beneath small town life. She has touched almost all familiar issues perfectly. She has given a variety of stories under one story of romance, murder, mystery, history, psychology, forensics.
Language used is simple. Characters are well developed. The flow of the book is fast paced which makes it an engaging read.
Overall, a thought provoking read.
.
.
Rating - 4/5
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I recommend this book to those who love reading psychological thrillers.
March 21, 2019
"Dull Objects"
Somewhere between a Gillian Flynn novel and a Lifetime movie lies Amy Rivers undercooked All the Broken People.
When Alice (conveniently a reporter) comes to her lawyer husband's hometown in the mountains of Georgia to help care for his recently (and mysteriously) injured mother, dark secrets, family feuds, and emotional entanglements are quickly uncovered.
Rivers creates a potentially rich kudzu-vine covered environment for her characters to inhabit, but she never gives them anything interesting to do other than sulk around, hang out at the local library or diner, and ponder all the horrible things that have happened to them. The author attempts to get inside their heads and provide some psychological depth to their sad predicaments, but it's only surface level, highly repetitive and worst of all...dull. Though really bad stuff happened and continues to happen to these people, there's nothing that terribly shocking...but maybe we've become too desensitized to suffering these days. Meanwhile, the villain of the novel, Beth Simms, is rendered cartoonish, and only in the very end does Rivers even hint at any complexity...by basically saying, "shouldn't we feel sorry for her because bad things happened to her, too?" Well, no... not really...because nothing Rivers wrote prior to this afterthought gave us any reason to care about Beth Simms as anything other than a threat to the other dull characters.
There was also a potentially interesting mirror-story within the novel where Alice is researching an old murder case...but Rivers never successfully weaves it into the main storyline in any deep or meaningful way,
All that being said, this is a quick read that doesn't require much effort by the reader...so those looking to kill some time with something best described as Gillian Flynn-lite might not be as bothered by the issues stated above as I was.
Somewhere between a Gillian Flynn novel and a Lifetime movie lies Amy Rivers undercooked All the Broken People.
When Alice (conveniently a reporter) comes to her lawyer husband's hometown in the mountains of Georgia to help care for his recently (and mysteriously) injured mother, dark secrets, family feuds, and emotional entanglements are quickly uncovered.
Rivers creates a potentially rich kudzu-vine covered environment for her characters to inhabit, but she never gives them anything interesting to do other than sulk around, hang out at the local library or diner, and ponder all the horrible things that have happened to them. The author attempts to get inside their heads and provide some psychological depth to their sad predicaments, but it's only surface level, highly repetitive and worst of all...dull. Though really bad stuff happened and continues to happen to these people, there's nothing that terribly shocking...but maybe we've become too desensitized to suffering these days. Meanwhile, the villain of the novel, Beth Simms, is rendered cartoonish, and only in the very end does Rivers even hint at any complexity...by basically saying, "shouldn't we feel sorry for her because bad things happened to her, too?" Well, no... not really...because nothing Rivers wrote prior to this afterthought gave us any reason to care about Beth Simms as anything other than a threat to the other dull characters.
There was also a potentially interesting mirror-story within the novel where Alice is researching an old murder case...but Rivers never successfully weaves it into the main storyline in any deep or meaningful way,
All that being said, this is a quick read that doesn't require much effort by the reader...so those looking to kill some time with something best described as Gillian Flynn-lite might not be as bothered by the issues stated above as I was.
January 16, 2019
In ‘All the broken People’ Amy Rivers draws us in to the small town where Alice’s husband, Will, grew up. There to help his ailing mother recover from a bad fall, Rivers slowly unravels characters intertwined with one another for many years. Hidden truths begin to surface with all their ugly little details. It’s a rivitung ride full of mystery and suspense. The rich descriptions of this town itself will make you feel as if there. The well executed and thought-provoking read will stay with you long after the last page!
March 9, 2019
This is more of a psychological thriller for me, not my usual police or FBI "catch the bad guys" thriller. Nevertheless, it really kept me turning the pages and on the edge of my seat. It is meticulously researched and plotted, and was easy to follow once I had the characters straight in my mind. It is set in North Georgia where the main character, Alice Bennett, has come to care for her mother-in-law following a fall down heavy stone steps. Soon the trouble in this small town where Alice's husband grew up begins to show its face. There's a feud that is generations old, and families who are still in the midst of it. The characters are amazing and are never cardboard cut-outs - real people with real histories and problems. Even the small town police officers are very much a part of it all and I loved their characters and interactions.
Alice has a job as a magazine journalist that she loves, but her questions and research at the small library in town seems to fuel antagonism by some of the town's people. Alice also has her own baggage (abuse and family issues as a child) and secrets are hurting her marriage. Her controlling husband has his own secrets, and events in town seem to be racing to an inevitable conclusion. The denouement was wonderful; I couldn't put my Kindle down during the last 30 pages or so. All the loose ends are neatly tied up; no cliffhangers for this experienced author who obviously respects her readers. I'm going to check out her other work; this one was THAT good!
Alice has a job as a magazine journalist that she loves, but her questions and research at the small library in town seems to fuel antagonism by some of the town's people. Alice also has her own baggage (abuse and family issues as a child) and secrets are hurting her marriage. Her controlling husband has his own secrets, and events in town seem to be racing to an inevitable conclusion. The denouement was wonderful; I couldn't put my Kindle down during the last 30 pages or so. All the loose ends are neatly tied up; no cliffhangers for this experienced author who obviously respects her readers. I'm going to check out her other work; this one was THAT good!
July 6, 2019
rating: 3stars
i think i anticipated too much and it came out flat for me.
however, if i take it on the characters being broken people,
forgiveness being a factor and moving on etc, this quite it the spot.
i would give this 4stars.
here's my review for this:
https://queensoleil.wordpress.com/201...
i think i anticipated too much and it came out flat for me.
however, if i take it on the characters being broken people,
forgiveness being a factor and moving on etc, this quite it the spot.
i would give this 4stars.
here's my review for this:
https://queensoleil.wordpress.com/201...
June 29, 2022
Okay y’all strap in tight, because this one was an absolute wreck and I simply do not have the care to be kind.
- Underdeveloped characters: some of the worst I have ever read. Seriously, what does anybody here enjoy? What is part of their past beyond abuse and trauma? Where do they spend their free time? Why are the townspeople literally awful to Alice because she is asking about a murder that happened years ago?
- This murder that Alice is investigating: literally has no relevancy other than being a clumsy analogy to the main plot. There is no connection otherwise, no importance, no growth, no development, no added info, etc. Hence this plot line was absolutely useless.
- The names: I get that it’s a small town but really? Larry Lee?? Sally Jenkins?? For some reason reading Larry Lee about 800 times made me absolutely rabid.
- Beth’s MMO: You’re telling me this tiny ass, skinny ass little woman is the one killing people? And no one could figure this out? Okay y’all let’s put two and two together: woman with history of drug use and violence comes back to town, buys a bunch of VERY suspicious crap, people and animals start dying, and NO ONE thought, hmm, maybe it’s her?! Also, as mentioned, she’s tiny; I know Jeff was helping her out but did she really have it in her to absolute beat the living crap out of everyone she hated? On top of that, what was the reason for copying the Juanita Jones murder by chopping off hands and feet?? Miss ma’am at least be original 🙄 Genuinely, though, I couldn’t figure out the reason.
- Beth and her men: Literally all evidence points to her being unattractive, mean, and on drugs, and yet every man in this town is obsessed with her. I don’t get it.
- Will: This man sucks. And you’re telling me Alice is thinking hmmm yeah let’s get back together with him after he tells her he literally beat Beth so bad in his youth that she lost their baby?! Girl WHAT
- Alice and Larry Lee: Go away. This whole “I can forgive him” thing made me want to gag. He literally said he was drawn to her because she was “damaged” and she blushed and I lost one year of my life. No. Point blank, there’s no “well he’s just broken” bs when this man literally pushed Mae and almost killed her because he was “drunk and angry” and walking by her house. Like?? No. Even therapy is not enough I fear. That man needs to stay in prison.
Too much more to say, so I end here. Anyways, this book was a disaster for me with very i likable characters and a not-so-subtle and very messed up view of “forgive everyone for their sins…” no ❤️ I won’t.
- Underdeveloped characters: some of the worst I have ever read. Seriously, what does anybody here enjoy? What is part of their past beyond abuse and trauma? Where do they spend their free time? Why are the townspeople literally awful to Alice because she is asking about a murder that happened years ago?
- This murder that Alice is investigating: literally has no relevancy other than being a clumsy analogy to the main plot. There is no connection otherwise, no importance, no growth, no development, no added info, etc. Hence this plot line was absolutely useless.
- The names: I get that it’s a small town but really? Larry Lee?? Sally Jenkins?? For some reason reading Larry Lee about 800 times made me absolutely rabid.
- Beth’s MMO: You’re telling me this tiny ass, skinny ass little woman is the one killing people? And no one could figure this out? Okay y’all let’s put two and two together: woman with history of drug use and violence comes back to town, buys a bunch of VERY suspicious crap, people and animals start dying, and NO ONE thought, hmm, maybe it’s her?! Also, as mentioned, she’s tiny; I know Jeff was helping her out but did she really have it in her to absolute beat the living crap out of everyone she hated? On top of that, what was the reason for copying the Juanita Jones murder by chopping off hands and feet?? Miss ma’am at least be original 🙄 Genuinely, though, I couldn’t figure out the reason.
- Beth and her men: Literally all evidence points to her being unattractive, mean, and on drugs, and yet every man in this town is obsessed with her. I don’t get it.
- Will: This man sucks. And you’re telling me Alice is thinking hmmm yeah let’s get back together with him after he tells her he literally beat Beth so bad in his youth that she lost their baby?! Girl WHAT
- Alice and Larry Lee: Go away. This whole “I can forgive him” thing made me want to gag. He literally said he was drawn to her because she was “damaged” and she blushed and I lost one year of my life. No. Point blank, there’s no “well he’s just broken” bs when this man literally pushed Mae and almost killed her because he was “drunk and angry” and walking by her house. Like?? No. Even therapy is not enough I fear. That man needs to stay in prison.
Too much more to say, so I end here. Anyways, this book was a disaster for me with very i likable characters and a not-so-subtle and very messed up view of “forgive everyone for their sins…” no ❤️ I won’t.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2019
Summary:
Set in Georgia, Alice Bennett has taken on the role of caregiver to her recently-injured mother-in-law. Travelling from New York, she hopes she will find the space and time to deal with her marital pressures in this quiet picturesque town. Underneath the surface, however, simmering old feuds and resentments are finally boiling over, and Alice is caught in the cross-fire.
Main Characters:
Alice Bennett: Freelance journalist, wife to Will, she has buried her own dark past in the hope of building a new family. Initially dominated by her husband, she grows throughout the novel, becoming stronger and believing more in herself.
Larry Lee Simms: Every town has a bad boy, and Larry Lee is it. He ticks all the boxes (done jail time for grievous bodily harm, dishonourable Navy discharge, petty larceny on the side, no steady job, etc.), yet we do get to see how he came to be how he is.
Beth Simms: Larry Lee’s sister, and undiluted trouble. Like Larry, she ticks all the bad girl boxes (sleeps around, drugs, prone to a bit of gbh herself, violent uncontrolled temper, etc.). She too has a dark secret.
Minor Characters:
Will Bennett: The town's “Most Likely To” wunderkind, handsome, intelligent and privileged, he is an appalling husband to Alice, and as we later discover had left town for very good reasons.
Mae Bennett: Will’s mother, whose fall caused Alice to move into town. Written as a very classy lady, she has no real relationship with her two children (Margaret is her daughter).
Plot:
New to the small town of Jasper, Georgia, Alice Bennett settles in to the task of caring for her mother in law Mae, who recently had a terrible fall, resulting in some serious injuries. Mae needs serious physio work, and her two children both have high-powered careers in cities far away from Jasper. Alice, as a freelance journalist with no kids, has the relative freedom to be Mae’s in-house care-giver.
Jasper is a small town (which really exists by the way - pop. 3,648), and quickly Alice becomes a topic of gossip. Interest level in her is raised when the locals discover she is married to local hotshot Will Bennett, who left Jasper years ago to become immensely successful in New York.
Alice soon discovers the riptide undertow of small-town life, becoming aware of simmering feuds between her in-laws and the local ne’er-do-wells the Simms. She also becomes aware that Mae’s fall was no accident, and local police are brought in. In such a small town, she begins to come across both Larry Lee and Beth Simms, and tensions increase. The local law enforcement keep a tight watch on Larry Lee, who is always one closed set of handcuffs away from another stretch in county jail.
Alice has her own reasons for coming to Georgia. She needs time and space to deal with her suffocating marriage to Will, who dominates and controls her in the early part of the book. Over time, she becomes more self-reliant, and it is interesting to see the change in that relationship.
Alice also takes on an investigative piece for her editor, to write about the horrific death of a young wife almost forty years previously. Despite being repeatedly warned about the dangers of waking sleeping dogs, she pushes as hard as she can to get to the truth.
As the days and weeks progress, Mae’s health improves, but the Bennetts, their neighbours and the town generally are subject to strange happenings, physical and verbal attacks, cryptic messages, as the town becomes less welcoming and more sinister.
What I Liked:
It is a good psychological thriller, and the various threads kept interest for quite a while.
Overall, the author evoked a strong sense of the South, the timelessness and relatively slow pace of life.
Some of the character interplay was really well written.
What I Didn’t Like:
Every main character has had terrible childhoods, and that became just a little wearying.
I found it hard to empathise with any of the characters, other than Larry Lee, because I felt as a reader we never really get into their heads.
There were threads that did not tie together, which is a little irritating, because part of the suspense is built up on the unexpected connections, reveals etc.
Overall:
It was a pleasant read, perfect for a holiday or an rainy afternoon in front of the fire. While I enjoyed reading the book, and I think it didn’t quite live up to its promise, it will entertain.
Acknowledgements:
Thank you to the Author Marketing Experts who provided a copy of the book, in return for an honest and objective review.
Set in Georgia, Alice Bennett has taken on the role of caregiver to her recently-injured mother-in-law. Travelling from New York, she hopes she will find the space and time to deal with her marital pressures in this quiet picturesque town. Underneath the surface, however, simmering old feuds and resentments are finally boiling over, and Alice is caught in the cross-fire.
Main Characters:
Alice Bennett: Freelance journalist, wife to Will, she has buried her own dark past in the hope of building a new family. Initially dominated by her husband, she grows throughout the novel, becoming stronger and believing more in herself.
Larry Lee Simms: Every town has a bad boy, and Larry Lee is it. He ticks all the boxes (done jail time for grievous bodily harm, dishonourable Navy discharge, petty larceny on the side, no steady job, etc.), yet we do get to see how he came to be how he is.
Beth Simms: Larry Lee’s sister, and undiluted trouble. Like Larry, she ticks all the bad girl boxes (sleeps around, drugs, prone to a bit of gbh herself, violent uncontrolled temper, etc.). She too has a dark secret.
Minor Characters:
Will Bennett: The town's “Most Likely To” wunderkind, handsome, intelligent and privileged, he is an appalling husband to Alice, and as we later discover had left town for very good reasons.
Mae Bennett: Will’s mother, whose fall caused Alice to move into town. Written as a very classy lady, she has no real relationship with her two children (Margaret is her daughter).
Plot:
New to the small town of Jasper, Georgia, Alice Bennett settles in to the task of caring for her mother in law Mae, who recently had a terrible fall, resulting in some serious injuries. Mae needs serious physio work, and her two children both have high-powered careers in cities far away from Jasper. Alice, as a freelance journalist with no kids, has the relative freedom to be Mae’s in-house care-giver.
Jasper is a small town (which really exists by the way - pop. 3,648), and quickly Alice becomes a topic of gossip. Interest level in her is raised when the locals discover she is married to local hotshot Will Bennett, who left Jasper years ago to become immensely successful in New York.
Alice soon discovers the riptide undertow of small-town life, becoming aware of simmering feuds between her in-laws and the local ne’er-do-wells the Simms. She also becomes aware that Mae’s fall was no accident, and local police are brought in. In such a small town, she begins to come across both Larry Lee and Beth Simms, and tensions increase. The local law enforcement keep a tight watch on Larry Lee, who is always one closed set of handcuffs away from another stretch in county jail.
Alice has her own reasons for coming to Georgia. She needs time and space to deal with her suffocating marriage to Will, who dominates and controls her in the early part of the book. Over time, she becomes more self-reliant, and it is interesting to see the change in that relationship.
Alice also takes on an investigative piece for her editor, to write about the horrific death of a young wife almost forty years previously. Despite being repeatedly warned about the dangers of waking sleeping dogs, she pushes as hard as she can to get to the truth.
As the days and weeks progress, Mae’s health improves, but the Bennetts, their neighbours and the town generally are subject to strange happenings, physical and verbal attacks, cryptic messages, as the town becomes less welcoming and more sinister.
What I Liked:
It is a good psychological thriller, and the various threads kept interest for quite a while.
Overall, the author evoked a strong sense of the South, the timelessness and relatively slow pace of life.
Some of the character interplay was really well written.
What I Didn’t Like:
Every main character has had terrible childhoods, and that became just a little wearying.
I found it hard to empathise with any of the characters, other than Larry Lee, because I felt as a reader we never really get into their heads.
There were threads that did not tie together, which is a little irritating, because part of the suspense is built up on the unexpected connections, reveals etc.
Overall:
It was a pleasant read, perfect for a holiday or an rainy afternoon in front of the fire. While I enjoyed reading the book, and I think it didn’t quite live up to its promise, it will entertain.
Acknowledgements:
Thank you to the Author Marketing Experts who provided a copy of the book, in return for an honest and objective review.
April 8, 2019
There were a few times I questioned what the heck was going on out loud while reading this book. Within the first chapter, I was very intrigued. Who were the key characters? Why does Alice crave a simple life? Who is Larry Lee really? What could possibly going on in this little town? Oh, so many questions! Those are just a few I had expressed early on.
Alice is quite an interesting character. She seems meek and maybe even a little too much so. She wants to make her husband happy, and in doing so she's finding herself in the small town he's from taking care of his mother after a huge accident. What she uncovers during her stay is a roller coaster of things. I can't give away the spoilers, even though I want to!
Because Alice is researching a historic murder in a nearby town, she encounters quite a few people who are determined to keeping town secrets. Like most small towns, the gossip mill is in constant motion. If one spills all, then they all know. Then the inevitable happens and they all fall down. She questions who she can trust if parts of her past are coming to haunt her if the last few years of her life have been a lie. What was everyone hiding? Who is the suspect and who really caused so much havoc?
One of the things I think the author did an outstanding job on was creating a suspenseful story from early on that had me not wanting to put it down in fear I would miss something. I know, silly right? But when a story is written that well, it's such a winner! It's intense, creative, a little scary at times (at least for me) and just plain fascinating.
In the end, I started to put the pieces together just as the characters did. I alternately grumbled at my kindle asking it what the heck was going on, to yelling "I knew it!" and startling one of my teenagers to even crying. The emotional pull for me was big. Not only does she bring light to an all too often occurrence in the old days of the south, abuse and murder, but she also intertwines it in a well thought out story. The reality is this, even to this day what happens behind closed doors is often kept there. Domestic violence can happen to anyone. It doesn't just happen in "poor homes", it happens all over. I seriously applaud the author for including reality. Not only that, but she gives a voice to those who are broken and how they can either become a product of their environment, go the opposite direction or change their lives later on. Alice wasn't the only one who was deeply affected by substance abuse, violence or hidden secrets.
In so many ways I felt like I knew Alice, Will, Larry Lee, and even Beth. Because in the end, we're all broken. It's just how you put the pieces back together that really show who you are. Anyone can change, and anyone can end the cycle.
Bravo to the author, a really well done suspenseful, thought-provoking and engaging story. I wish I could give it more than five stars!
Alice is quite an interesting character. She seems meek and maybe even a little too much so. She wants to make her husband happy, and in doing so she's finding herself in the small town he's from taking care of his mother after a huge accident. What she uncovers during her stay is a roller coaster of things. I can't give away the spoilers, even though I want to!
Because Alice is researching a historic murder in a nearby town, she encounters quite a few people who are determined to keeping town secrets. Like most small towns, the gossip mill is in constant motion. If one spills all, then they all know. Then the inevitable happens and they all fall down. She questions who she can trust if parts of her past are coming to haunt her if the last few years of her life have been a lie. What was everyone hiding? Who is the suspect and who really caused so much havoc?
One of the things I think the author did an outstanding job on was creating a suspenseful story from early on that had me not wanting to put it down in fear I would miss something. I know, silly right? But when a story is written that well, it's such a winner! It's intense, creative, a little scary at times (at least for me) and just plain fascinating.
In the end, I started to put the pieces together just as the characters did. I alternately grumbled at my kindle asking it what the heck was going on, to yelling "I knew it!" and startling one of my teenagers to even crying. The emotional pull for me was big. Not only does she bring light to an all too often occurrence in the old days of the south, abuse and murder, but she also intertwines it in a well thought out story. The reality is this, even to this day what happens behind closed doors is often kept there. Domestic violence can happen to anyone. It doesn't just happen in "poor homes", it happens all over. I seriously applaud the author for including reality. Not only that, but she gives a voice to those who are broken and how they can either become a product of their environment, go the opposite direction or change their lives later on. Alice wasn't the only one who was deeply affected by substance abuse, violence or hidden secrets.
In so many ways I felt like I knew Alice, Will, Larry Lee, and even Beth. Because in the end, we're all broken. It's just how you put the pieces back together that really show who you are. Anyone can change, and anyone can end the cycle.
Bravo to the author, a really well done suspenseful, thought-provoking and engaging story. I wish I could give it more than five stars!
December 27, 2019
Preface: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This story was enjoyable enough. It's partially a mystery - initially of who pushed Alice's elderly mother-in-laws down the stairs, but then that's solved almost right away. The mystery then shifts to who is causing a bunch of mysterious events in town centered on the Bennett family and Larry Lee, a down-on-his-luck good-for-nothing. It's also partially a character study - not quite of Alice, though the book wants it to be, but of Larry Lee, who proves to be a very interesting character.
Larry Lee is, in fact, the most worthwhile component of the book. He's angry. He's vengeful. He's vicious when cornered. He's also devoted to his mother, still loves his sister despite what happened between them, and honestly believes the whole world has it out for him. Honestly, even though he does something very nasty near the beginning of the book, I found myself rooting for him early on. Mostly, I just hoped his temper and continual embarrassment/punishment throughout the book didn't lead him to do something drastic. Overall, I was pleased by his story arc.
Alice is the weaker component of the book. Her main issues are 1) wanting to figure out who's causing trouble in the town 2) investigating a murder that took place decades ago and 3) her strained relationship with her husband. Unfortunately, she doesn't end up contributing a whole lot to any of these plots. Larry Lee is ultimately the one who deals with #1. #2 ends up contributing basically nothing to the story. #3 doesn't come into full prominence up until the last third - and, personally, I didn't like the husband, so I wasn't much interested in how this thread resolved itself, though he does become more likable by the end.
Other characters have a similar problem. Margaret, Alice's sister-in-law, seems like she'll be a powerful character from the first chapter. She's a lawyer, very much strong and in-control...until she vanishes from the narrative. Then it seems like Mae, the mother-in-law, will be important, since she's described as being rigid and in control as well. But...she's basically just a plot device. Then we get Joylyn, a neighbor, who is supportive of Alice, until something happens and she too fades from the story. Basically, aside from LL and sort-of Alice, the story doesn't have a strong cast, which contributes to its forgettable-ness.
Overall, the story is engaging. There are lots of red herrings and dead ends. It's fun to read. But there's not a whole lot to linger on when it's over. If you want a mystery to snack on, this'll suit you. But if you want a full-course meal, look elsewhere.
This story was enjoyable enough. It's partially a mystery - initially of who pushed Alice's elderly mother-in-laws down the stairs, but then that's solved almost right away. The mystery then shifts to who is causing a bunch of mysterious events in town centered on the Bennett family and Larry Lee, a down-on-his-luck good-for-nothing. It's also partially a character study - not quite of Alice, though the book wants it to be, but of Larry Lee, who proves to be a very interesting character.
Larry Lee is, in fact, the most worthwhile component of the book. He's angry. He's vengeful. He's vicious when cornered. He's also devoted to his mother, still loves his sister despite what happened between them, and honestly believes the whole world has it out for him. Honestly, even though he does something very nasty near the beginning of the book, I found myself rooting for him early on. Mostly, I just hoped his temper and continual embarrassment/punishment throughout the book didn't lead him to do something drastic. Overall, I was pleased by his story arc.
Alice is the weaker component of the book. Her main issues are 1) wanting to figure out who's causing trouble in the town 2) investigating a murder that took place decades ago and 3) her strained relationship with her husband. Unfortunately, she doesn't end up contributing a whole lot to any of these plots. Larry Lee is ultimately the one who deals with #1. #2 ends up contributing basically nothing to the story. #3 doesn't come into full prominence up until the last third - and, personally, I didn't like the husband, so I wasn't much interested in how this thread resolved itself, though he does become more likable by the end.
Other characters have a similar problem. Margaret, Alice's sister-in-law, seems like she'll be a powerful character from the first chapter. She's a lawyer, very much strong and in-control...until she vanishes from the narrative. Then it seems like Mae, the mother-in-law, will be important, since she's described as being rigid and in control as well. But...she's basically just a plot device. Then we get Joylyn, a neighbor, who is supportive of Alice, until something happens and she too fades from the story. Basically, aside from LL and sort-of Alice, the story doesn't have a strong cast, which contributes to its forgettable-ness.
Overall, the story is engaging. There are lots of red herrings and dead ends. It's fun to read. But there's not a whole lot to linger on when it's over. If you want a mystery to snack on, this'll suit you. But if you want a full-course meal, look elsewhere.
August 6, 2019
Intrigue was presented instantly as I wanted to know not only about the problems in town but about Alice’s, Will’s and the town’s past. I was constantly wondering what was going on and left trying to piece together the breadcrumbs of information that were being left leading to the final reveal. The pace throughout was perfect and I couldn’t be more impressed with the way things were revealed and how they always came at just the right time.
In the beginning I found Alice to be annoying as she complained about seemingly mundane things but it didn’t take me long to fall in love with her character as she became more independent and stood up for herself against her husband and the people in the town. By the end she had developed so much as a character that I almost couldn’t believe how far she had come.
The slight annoyance I felt for Alice had nothing on how much I hated her husband, Will, who I just wanted to punch in the face pretty much the whole way through and to the end because of his tendency to undermine Alice and lie about things. His mother, Mea, who Alice goes to look after was the sweetest old lady ever and I couldn’t stop myself from praying that she would be alright.
As for the Simms I felt Carters love for Larry Lee and too thought that he had just been delt a bad hand in life and couldn’t have done much about his situation. As for Beth she’s a piece of work and got what was coming to her I knew from the beginning that she couldn’t be trusted, there was something about her character that put me on edge. I thought the whole family was extremely well written to the point where I could imagine them as actual people.
It was so easy to visualise exactly what I was reading with the in-depth detail and beautifully written description. I enjoyed reading how Alice’s perspective of the seemingly beautiful town shifted as she uncovered the truths underneath.
The ending wasn’t what I’d expected but it was most defiantly satisfactory as it tied up all loose ends and even though not everyone got a ‘happy ending’ I was satisfied where everyone ended up. I was glad for the afterthought which showed the aftermath of what happened and how the town was recovering. I think Alice’s significant development called for a different outcome between her and Will but I can understand why it was done the way it was.
I really loved this book and recommend it for anyone who’s looking for an action packed and thought provoking thriller to sink their teeth into.
In the beginning I found Alice to be annoying as she complained about seemingly mundane things but it didn’t take me long to fall in love with her character as she became more independent and stood up for herself against her husband and the people in the town. By the end she had developed so much as a character that I almost couldn’t believe how far she had come.
The slight annoyance I felt for Alice had nothing on how much I hated her husband, Will, who I just wanted to punch in the face pretty much the whole way through and to the end because of his tendency to undermine Alice and lie about things. His mother, Mea, who Alice goes to look after was the sweetest old lady ever and I couldn’t stop myself from praying that she would be alright.
As for the Simms I felt Carters love for Larry Lee and too thought that he had just been delt a bad hand in life and couldn’t have done much about his situation. As for Beth she’s a piece of work and got what was coming to her I knew from the beginning that she couldn’t be trusted, there was something about her character that put me on edge. I thought the whole family was extremely well written to the point where I could imagine them as actual people.
It was so easy to visualise exactly what I was reading with the in-depth detail and beautifully written description. I enjoyed reading how Alice’s perspective of the seemingly beautiful town shifted as she uncovered the truths underneath.
The ending wasn’t what I’d expected but it was most defiantly satisfactory as it tied up all loose ends and even though not everyone got a ‘happy ending’ I was satisfied where everyone ended up. I was glad for the afterthought which showed the aftermath of what happened and how the town was recovering. I think Alice’s significant development called for a different outcome between her and Will but I can understand why it was done the way it was.
I really loved this book and recommend it for anyone who’s looking for an action packed and thought provoking thriller to sink their teeth into.
May 14, 2019
Writer at a woman’s magazine Alice Bennett, the vulnerable protagonist of this moving story, is struggling to rebuild her marriage while trying to leave the scars of her abusive childhood behind. Her mother-in-law’s accidental fall gives Alice an opportunity to temporarily move to the mountain town of Jasper, Georgia and reflect on her life while taking care of the former. After her arrival in Jasper, Alice discovers the fall was no accident. The things take a turn for worse as vicious attacks start to happen with the danger lurking in shadows for the Bennett family and other residents of the town. As ugly secrets from her husband’s past are revealed, Alice finds herself at the centre of a maniac killer’s rage who will stop at nothing to settle old scores.
Told from a third-person omniscient, the book starts with Alice’s arrival in Jasper and rolls leisurely with a good dash of suspense in the background. Through Alice, Larry, and Beth, Rivers slowly and expertly explores the psychology of those raised in abusive homes: the different ways the physical and the emotional abuse shape people in their adulthood; the ways those damaged individuals struggle with painful doubts about their self-worth.
With her knowledgeable insights into her characters’ deep-seated emotions, Rivers succeeds in keeping the tension high and readers glued to the pages while exploring her protagonists’ vulnerability. Alice’s sympathy for the antagonist (in the end) may well appear overly melodramatic to some readers, but considering the former’s vulnerable background, it is hard to rule it out as something improbable, and many readers will be able to relate well on the subject with Alice.
River’s writing is smooth, and she does a great job of creating a multitude of intriguing characters and an eye-catching setting. The sense of tranquillity with dark lurking at the back in the narrative bond well with the brilliantly painted backdrop of a mountain town and characters with past scars.
The fact that the seasoned reader will be able to guess the killer quite early in the story combined with the first-rate narrative heavy with emotions makes the book more of a general/women’s fiction than a novel of a psychological suspense. The fans of contemporary fiction will find All the Broken People a delight to read.
Told from a third-person omniscient, the book starts with Alice’s arrival in Jasper and rolls leisurely with a good dash of suspense in the background. Through Alice, Larry, and Beth, Rivers slowly and expertly explores the psychology of those raised in abusive homes: the different ways the physical and the emotional abuse shape people in their adulthood; the ways those damaged individuals struggle with painful doubts about their self-worth.
With her knowledgeable insights into her characters’ deep-seated emotions, Rivers succeeds in keeping the tension high and readers glued to the pages while exploring her protagonists’ vulnerability. Alice’s sympathy for the antagonist (in the end) may well appear overly melodramatic to some readers, but considering the former’s vulnerable background, it is hard to rule it out as something improbable, and many readers will be able to relate well on the subject with Alice.
River’s writing is smooth, and she does a great job of creating a multitude of intriguing characters and an eye-catching setting. The sense of tranquillity with dark lurking at the back in the narrative bond well with the brilliantly painted backdrop of a mountain town and characters with past scars.
The fact that the seasoned reader will be able to guess the killer quite early in the story combined with the first-rate narrative heavy with emotions makes the book more of a general/women’s fiction than a novel of a psychological suspense. The fans of contemporary fiction will find All the Broken People a delight to read.
July 19, 2019
Despite its assertion to the contrary, this novel is not really a psychological thriller. It neither delves far enough into psychological elements nor is suspenseful enough for the genre. It is, however, a solid Southern Gothic novel. Once I began looking at the novel through that genre-lens, I found it much more satisfying. (I would rate it at no more than 3 Stars as a psychological thriller, but it's worth 4 as a southern gothic).
I think more could have been done to really make the setting pop - more description especially as it pertains to senses other than sight. I didn't really feel that there was much specificity to the setting - I could have been convinced that it was taking place in any small town in any developed country.
The character building was the strongest point for me. I found them all to be interesting and engaging. The stand-out character, for me, was Larry Lee. He was the core of the story for me. I think other characters had some room for different facets to be revealed that would have really made them sympathetic to the reader (even if other characters didn't learn of these elements). I also felt that life in a small town was very well captured. One element I would have appreciated more attention to was relationships: Larry Lee and Beth's, Will and Alice's, Joylyn and Mae's, Larry Lee and James, Agnes and her children, Will and Margaret, Will and Mae... There is a TON of potential for tension, character and setting development, as well as more nuanced takes on the thematic material through the exploration of these pairings. It's a shame this wasn't seized upon.
The pacing was a bit slow and meandering (not really what I associate with a thriller), but it works well for this novel, so that's observation, not critique. A subplot involving Alice's work was bloat - it didn't add anything to the core narrative, nor did it provide any insight into the setting or characters. Its removal would have made the pacing a bit tighter.
The novel didn't meet my expectations based on its genre, but I nonetheless enjoyed reading it.
I received a copy of this novel through Voracious Readers Only.
I think more could have been done to really make the setting pop - more description especially as it pertains to senses other than sight. I didn't really feel that there was much specificity to the setting - I could have been convinced that it was taking place in any small town in any developed country.
The character building was the strongest point for me. I found them all to be interesting and engaging. The stand-out character, for me, was Larry Lee. He was the core of the story for me. I think other characters had some room for different facets to be revealed that would have really made them sympathetic to the reader (even if other characters didn't learn of these elements). I also felt that life in a small town was very well captured. One element I would have appreciated more attention to was relationships: Larry Lee and Beth's, Will and Alice's, Joylyn and Mae's, Larry Lee and James, Agnes and her children, Will and Margaret, Will and Mae... There is a TON of potential for tension, character and setting development, as well as more nuanced takes on the thematic material through the exploration of these pairings. It's a shame this wasn't seized upon.
The pacing was a bit slow and meandering (not really what I associate with a thriller), but it works well for this novel, so that's observation, not critique. A subplot involving Alice's work was bloat - it didn't add anything to the core narrative, nor did it provide any insight into the setting or characters. Its removal would have made the pacing a bit tighter.
The novel didn't meet my expectations based on its genre, but I nonetheless enjoyed reading it.
I received a copy of this novel through Voracious Readers Only.
October 20, 2020
Book Name: All The Broken People
Genre: Dark fiction
Summary: Alice Bennett knows what it means to suffer. After burying her abusive childhood and reinventing herself, Alice is living a life she never imagined could be hers. She’s married to a perfect Southern gentleman. She has a challenging job she loves—writing for a woman’s magazine. But when her past comes back with a vengeance, Alice finds herself on the outs with her husband, her perfect life crumbling around her feet.
Desperate to get things back to where they were, Alice travels to the mountains of North Georgia to care for her mother-in-law who was injured in a bad fall. Her motives aren’t purely altruistic; she’s hoping to get back into her husband’s good graces. When she arrives, Alice discovers that the fall was no accident. What's the truth?
My Opinion: All The Broken People is a very thrilling and dark suspenseful story, filled with sudden jerks and ups and downs. I was very much interested in reading it mostly because of the premise and the settings, I liked how strong things are here in the story, at parts it's very brutual but I liked how original and real everything is. I read it in installments but honestly trust me, it's a book that you can't stop reading especially if you are a reader who loves thrillers filled with dark backdrop and a bit of drama, then I am sure, it's going to turn so so amazing. I like how things happen and it was an unpredictable read.
Good and Bad: I like how uncertain and unpredictable it is, I get the gothic vibe while reading it, so it totally makes it a perfect Halloween read. Highly suggested.
My favorites from the book:
I like the details and depth of the storyline and the way characters are built.
Target Audience: It's meant for all sorts of readers, yet for 16+ audience.
What to expect: Thrill, suspense and uncertainty.
Final verdict: I would say, this is a book that shouldn't be missed. I will highly suggest it.
Rating: 4 /5
Genre: Dark fiction
Summary: Alice Bennett knows what it means to suffer. After burying her abusive childhood and reinventing herself, Alice is living a life she never imagined could be hers. She’s married to a perfect Southern gentleman. She has a challenging job she loves—writing for a woman’s magazine. But when her past comes back with a vengeance, Alice finds herself on the outs with her husband, her perfect life crumbling around her feet.
Desperate to get things back to where they were, Alice travels to the mountains of North Georgia to care for her mother-in-law who was injured in a bad fall. Her motives aren’t purely altruistic; she’s hoping to get back into her husband’s good graces. When she arrives, Alice discovers that the fall was no accident. What's the truth?
My Opinion: All The Broken People is a very thrilling and dark suspenseful story, filled with sudden jerks and ups and downs. I was very much interested in reading it mostly because of the premise and the settings, I liked how strong things are here in the story, at parts it's very brutual but I liked how original and real everything is. I read it in installments but honestly trust me, it's a book that you can't stop reading especially if you are a reader who loves thrillers filled with dark backdrop and a bit of drama, then I am sure, it's going to turn so so amazing. I like how things happen and it was an unpredictable read.
Good and Bad: I like how uncertain and unpredictable it is, I get the gothic vibe while reading it, so it totally makes it a perfect Halloween read. Highly suggested.
My favorites from the book:
I like the details and depth of the storyline and the way characters are built.
Target Audience: It's meant for all sorts of readers, yet for 16+ audience.
What to expect: Thrill, suspense and uncertainty.
Final verdict: I would say, this is a book that shouldn't be missed. I will highly suggest it.
Rating: 4 /5
March 31, 2021
The difference between the haves and the have nots are everything, once you see it there is no unseeing it. Growing up, the situations and the surroundings of life moulds us into the person we are. Some are fortunate to enjoy the pleasantries of life and others not so much but regardless of the status anyone can be the rotten fruit in the basket, seeping, spreading And rotting the others too.
It's very important to know where one stands in life and when they should let go of the past. This book, reflects all this as it's underlying issues on which the Chaotic events of Jasper takes place.
Alice a writer for the womens life magazine, visiting her mouth in law who was recently attacked, in hopes of taking care of her. What seemed as a simple task to help her marriage turns to a life threatening experience.
Alice still tormented by the shadows of her past tries to protect the ones left with her. Stuck in the twisted town of Jasper trying to save her dying love with her husband, unraveling truths of the past that shake the very ground of her persent.
Larry Lee bugged by his unluck in life spirals into the middle of a fight that costs him everything he has ever known.
Family feud going generations deeps bringing turmoil in dark ways. In a small town there are no secrets and when one seeks them they always pay the price.
The story throws light on how people can transform from being the most unassuming good hearted neighbours to the very face of evil.
A fight for survival with well written characters. Mysterious yet really a open story with a flow so interesting that one can't wait to know the next step.
It's very important to know where one stands in life and when they should let go of the past. This book, reflects all this as it's underlying issues on which the Chaotic events of Jasper takes place.
Alice a writer for the womens life magazine, visiting her mouth in law who was recently attacked, in hopes of taking care of her. What seemed as a simple task to help her marriage turns to a life threatening experience.
Alice still tormented by the shadows of her past tries to protect the ones left with her. Stuck in the twisted town of Jasper trying to save her dying love with her husband, unraveling truths of the past that shake the very ground of her persent.
Larry Lee bugged by his unluck in life spirals into the middle of a fight that costs him everything he has ever known.
Family feud going generations deeps bringing turmoil in dark ways. In a small town there are no secrets and when one seeks them they always pay the price.
The story throws light on how people can transform from being the most unassuming good hearted neighbours to the very face of evil.
A fight for survival with well written characters. Mysterious yet really a open story with a flow so interesting that one can't wait to know the next step.
August 26, 2020
All the broken people by Amy Rivers is a contemporary thriller. The title is so apt and truly aligns the content of the book. All the people in this world are really broken in one or the other way.
The story is mainly about the main character Alice Bennett. Alice knows what it means to suffer. After burying her abusive childhood and reinventing herself, Alice is living a life she never imagined could be hers. She's married to a perfect Southern gentleman. She has a challenging job she loves-- writing for a woman's magazine. But when her past comes back with a vengeance, Alice finds herself on the outs with her husband, her perfect life crumbling around her feet. Desperate to get things back to where they were, Alice travels to the mountains of North Georgia to care for her mother-in-law who was injured in a bad fall.
When she arrives, Alice discovers that the fall was no accident. Alice must battle her own inner demons as she uncovers the not-so-perfect truth of her husband's past. Ugly family secrets and devious attacks from an unknown assailant threaten to kill more than just Alice's dreams.
The story will keep you guessing from the beginning till the end as you try to figure out the various events and the reason behind them. The story is very engrossing and emotional read with lots of emotions, thrills, twists and turns.
All the flashbacks and sufferings really makes this book an emotional read.
The author writing style is realistic and the task of developing and connecting the characters is done brilliantly.
The story is mainly about the main character Alice Bennett. Alice knows what it means to suffer. After burying her abusive childhood and reinventing herself, Alice is living a life she never imagined could be hers. She's married to a perfect Southern gentleman. She has a challenging job she loves-- writing for a woman's magazine. But when her past comes back with a vengeance, Alice finds herself on the outs with her husband, her perfect life crumbling around her feet. Desperate to get things back to where they were, Alice travels to the mountains of North Georgia to care for her mother-in-law who was injured in a bad fall.
When she arrives, Alice discovers that the fall was no accident. Alice must battle her own inner demons as she uncovers the not-so-perfect truth of her husband's past. Ugly family secrets and devious attacks from an unknown assailant threaten to kill more than just Alice's dreams.
The story will keep you guessing from the beginning till the end as you try to figure out the various events and the reason behind them. The story is very engrossing and emotional read with lots of emotions, thrills, twists and turns.
All the flashbacks and sufferings really makes this book an emotional read.
The author writing style is realistic and the task of developing and connecting the characters is done brilliantly.
September 19, 2020
Ratings - 4.5/5
Starting with the cover and the title of the book. When I saw the cover of the book it really gave me a broken vibe so I would conclude that the cover is perfectly relevant and also, I would say it gives you a curiosity as to what happened that “All the people are broken”. After reading the story I definitely know about the story and why is the title like “All the Broken People”.
The plot of the story is about the Alice Bennett who spent a really tough childhood. When I started to read the story, I felt like it was a little slow in the beginning where the things were going a little of the story but when Alice Bennett’s past comes back the story becomes a little interesting and it feels like knowing more and more about the story. There was a point where I felt I was hooked to the story. After reading about 5 books recently of same genre I somewhere felt that the story was a bit predictable for me but I am sure if you are fan of this genre you are definitely going to love this one because initially when I thought I was beating the book and it’s becoming predictable I lost the ending the author really surprised me in the ending. I personally enjoyed reading the book and I feel you should read it too. Talking about the language and the words used in the books they are pretty basic and I didn’t feel any difficulty while reading the book. I would like to thank the author for giving me such an experience through the book.
Starting with the cover and the title of the book. When I saw the cover of the book it really gave me a broken vibe so I would conclude that the cover is perfectly relevant and also, I would say it gives you a curiosity as to what happened that “All the people are broken”. After reading the story I definitely know about the story and why is the title like “All the Broken People”.
The plot of the story is about the Alice Bennett who spent a really tough childhood. When I started to read the story, I felt like it was a little slow in the beginning where the things were going a little of the story but when Alice Bennett’s past comes back the story becomes a little interesting and it feels like knowing more and more about the story. There was a point where I felt I was hooked to the story. After reading about 5 books recently of same genre I somewhere felt that the story was a bit predictable for me but I am sure if you are fan of this genre you are definitely going to love this one because initially when I thought I was beating the book and it’s becoming predictable I lost the ending the author really surprised me in the ending. I personally enjoyed reading the book and I feel you should read it too. Talking about the language and the words used in the books they are pretty basic and I didn’t feel any difficulty while reading the book. I would like to thank the author for giving me such an experience through the book.
June 23, 2019
4* ARC Review – Perfect title!!
The ARC of this book was provided by Hidden Gems in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I would not have come across this book or author without their invitation and I am glad I received it. Both the book and author have been an excellent surprise.
This is the story of Alice Bennett who goes to take care of her mother-in-law in a small town in the mountains in Georgia. The fall happens at a start of numerous events in this town that have the police investigating what is going on both with this family and how the Simms family might be involved. The Simms and Bennetts are the Hatfield and McCoys of this small town. Alice is a freelance magazine writer and while being there, she is investigating a murder from 1940, that has its roots in domestic violence.
The story focuses both on these crimes and how this generations old feud affects the events and the perception of the families in this town. The characters in this story are so rich and have quite a bit of depth to them that prevents them from being cliques. Even the police are well developed characters, each shows full traits, and fits with the title of the book as broken people. I do not want to give too much away of this thriller, but it is worth the read. It is great to discover a new author that writes with such skill.
The ARC of this book was provided by Hidden Gems in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I would not have come across this book or author without their invitation and I am glad I received it. Both the book and author have been an excellent surprise.
This is the story of Alice Bennett who goes to take care of her mother-in-law in a small town in the mountains in Georgia. The fall happens at a start of numerous events in this town that have the police investigating what is going on both with this family and how the Simms family might be involved. The Simms and Bennetts are the Hatfield and McCoys of this small town. Alice is a freelance magazine writer and while being there, she is investigating a murder from 1940, that has its roots in domestic violence.
The story focuses both on these crimes and how this generations old feud affects the events and the perception of the families in this town. The characters in this story are so rich and have quite a bit of depth to them that prevents them from being cliques. Even the police are well developed characters, each shows full traits, and fits with the title of the book as broken people. I do not want to give too much away of this thriller, but it is worth the read. It is great to discover a new author that writes with such skill.
February 6, 2019
A tiny town with juicy secrets. A daughter in law helping care for her mysteriously injured mother inlaw finds out just how involved she is with a place she hasn't really spent much time in. Bad blood, family feuds, unsavoury characters, it's all packaged in these pages. This was a tidy little story, all the loose ends neatly tied up, but I think that's what prevented a higher starred rating from me. I found the story line predictable. While I felt present for the town gossip that evolved, I felt like a lot of it was redundant. One thing that was impressive, however, was the main character grew on me. I was not thrilled with her in the beginning, I found her contridictive and just hardly able to hold my interest. I honestly was not a fan with it was forced at you that she was nothing special, but was able to possess the admiration of every male in town. The contradictory descriptions of this character along with her contradictory nature was a turn off. As the story developed, so didn't Alice, our main lady, and I liked what she became. Not a bad story just nothing too deep, thrilling or thought provoking.
Thank you to net galley for this ARC copy given to me for honest review.
Thank you to net galley for this ARC copy given to me for honest review.
March 18, 2019
All The Broken People
by Amy Rivers
Compathy Press, LLC
General Fiction (Adult) , Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 05 Mar 2019
I am reviewing a copy of All the Broken People through Compathy Press LLC and Netgalley:
Alice Bennett is familiar with suffering. But having successfully buried her abusivr childhood she is now living a life she never thought she would be able to live. Alice Bennett married a perfect Southern Gentleman she has a job she loves, writing for a women’s magazine, but after her past comes back to haunt her she finds herself on the outs with her husband, and she feels like she is watching the perfect world she and her husband had built falling apart.
Alice who is desperate to get back to the way things were travels to the mountains of North Georgia to care for her Mother in Law who had a bad fall. She does that not purely out of selflessness she hopes it will put her back on her husband’s good side. But when Alice arrives she learns the fall was no accident. As she uncovers the truth of her husbands past she must battle her inner demons as real danger lurks.
I found the book a bit slow going at first, but it did pick up so I give All the Broken People four out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
June 11, 2019
“All the Broken People” written by Amy Peters is told through the viewpoint of 3 characters: Alice Bennett, Larry Lee (local bad boy) and Carver (police officer). That being said, the book is really centered around the story of Alice Bennett. Alice is headed to her husband Will’s hometown to care for her mother-in-law Mae. Mae was involved in a mysterious accident that just seems to be the beginning of trouble in this small Georgia town. Was this a simple trip and fall, or was it more?
I think Peters did a great job with character development and didn’t leave secondary characters such as Larry Lee being flat or forgotten about. I have to say I was even cheering Larry Lee along the way to get his stuff together.
My only negatives were that parts of the book felt slow and not eventful enough for a psychological thriller. There was no shocker ending. I would call this more of a mystery than a thriller. Additionally, there was a murder that Alice was investigating, and it never went anywhere. It never tied into anything and was seemingly dropped. All that said, I think Peters did a pretty good job with her first psychological thriller.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to Edelweiss for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I think Peters did a great job with character development and didn’t leave secondary characters such as Larry Lee being flat or forgotten about. I have to say I was even cheering Larry Lee along the way to get his stuff together.
My only negatives were that parts of the book felt slow and not eventful enough for a psychological thriller. There was no shocker ending. I would call this more of a mystery than a thriller. Additionally, there was a murder that Alice was investigating, and it never went anywhere. It never tied into anything and was seemingly dropped. All that said, I think Peters did a pretty good job with her first psychological thriller.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to Edelweiss for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 16, 2019
I really enjoyed this Voracious Readers Only selection. Rivers is a very engaging writer that knows how to keep your imaginary feet firmly planted on her corpse ridden ground. The characters are all flawed, intriguing loners in their own way and, though you may feel some sympathy for their torturous pasts, the present moment of the action constantly has you wondering how many of them should really be locked up and confined. I enjoyed the ever twisting game of judgment that flows through the reader’s mind as clearly as it does through the small town mentality portrayed in the novel. Though I wish the main female character did a little less fainting and waffling in her decisions, in the end, I addictively waffled through it with her – bravo, Rivers, for keeping me enthralled in a story whose lead heroine elicited no sympathetic identification from me. The crystal clear imagery and pristine flow of the narrative had me hooked. This ran like a movie through my mind…and I stayed through the credits, given as they were due!
July 21, 2019
Be ready to uncover dark secrets of a small town.
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First of all, the beautiful green cover of the book really sucked me in and I placed ot on my shelf right away to see how gorgeous it looks.
The book is decisive at the times and you will love it, it makes you see things in a way they are not and you are like OMG, what a twist.
The title very deeply matched the content of the book because all the people are really broken in a way or other. All the backstories and sufferings really makes this book an emotional read. The author takes you on an adventure.of unravelling the mystery.
.
The author approach is realistic and the task of setting and connecting the characters is done brilliantly. Without providing too much, I would simply say that you should grab a copy of this book now to begin discovering the answers to all the dark questions that needs to be answered.
.
I would give this book 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟 and recommend to anyone who enjoys small town mystery. Looking forward to read more from Amy Rivers.
❤
.
First of all, the beautiful green cover of the book really sucked me in and I placed ot on my shelf right away to see how gorgeous it looks.
The book is decisive at the times and you will love it, it makes you see things in a way they are not and you are like OMG, what a twist.
The title very deeply matched the content of the book because all the people are really broken in a way or other. All the backstories and sufferings really makes this book an emotional read. The author takes you on an adventure.of unravelling the mystery.
.
The author approach is realistic and the task of setting and connecting the characters is done brilliantly. Without providing too much, I would simply say that you should grab a copy of this book now to begin discovering the answers to all the dark questions that needs to be answered.
.
I would give this book 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟 and recommend to anyone who enjoys small town mystery. Looking forward to read more from Amy Rivers.
❤
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