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Mind Games #1
Layers
Letting Miranda into his house is a big mistake. But aging comedian Dave also has some secrets. Maybe she should never have come looking for answers. As this story about murder, betrayal and dark desires unfolds, things take an unsuspected turn. Things from the past find their way back to the surface and the dead might not be so dead after all.
Audiobook
Published December 23, 2019
61 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
A.G.R. Goff
9 books5 followersA.G.R. Goff is an award-winning author whose latest publication, Subjunctive Mood, opens her new Málaga-set psychological-thriller series, False Friends. Her writing journey began in East Germany, shaped by the political upheaval and profound societal shifts surrounding the fall of the Berlin Wall. These early experiences continue to influence the emotional depth and psychological nuance of her characters.
After many years in the United Kingdom and South Africa, Goff now lives in Spain, where she finds new perspectives and settings for her work. Her fiction often explores the fragility of identity, the limits of trust, and the tension between truth and perception — drawing inspiration from authors such as Ruth Ware, Fiona Barton, and Paula Hawkins.
She is also the author of the dystopian novel The Sky Above and the Mind Games series, of which Apex is the fifth and final book. When not writing, she turns to music and plays the saxophone, finding in its rhythms a quieter counterbalance to the darker themes of her novels.
After many years in the United Kingdom and South Africa, Goff now lives in Spain, where she finds new perspectives and settings for her work. Her fiction often explores the fragility of identity, the limits of trust, and the tension between truth and perception — drawing inspiration from authors such as Ruth Ware, Fiona Barton, and Paula Hawkins.
She is also the author of the dystopian novel The Sky Above and the Mind Games series, of which Apex is the fifth and final book. When not writing, she turns to music and plays the saxophone, finding in its rhythms a quieter counterbalance to the darker themes of her novels.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 2, 2020
A Well-Crafted Psychological Thriller...
Layers by A.G.R. Goff is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters driven by dark desires, betrayal and murder. The author weaves a well-crafted psychological thriller with intriguing twists and turns that will captivate the reader from the first page to the last. Skillfully constructed, it’s a story that will keep you on edge the edge of your seat!
The book description only gives a sneak preview: ‘Letting Miranda into his house is a big mistake. But aging comedian Dave also has some secrets. Maybe she should never have come looking for answers. As this story about murder, betrayal and dark desires unfolds, things take an unsuspected turn. Things from the past find their way back to the surface and the dead might not be so dead after all.’
Now, if that’s not enough to get your curiosity juices flowing, I don’t know what will. But if you want to find out what happens, you’ll just have to turn the pages for yourself! However, I will say it was well worth the read. It’s my first time reading this author and I must say I was very impressed.
The story had every element a good story should have. A solid plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that’s something I really look for in a good book.
I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a first-class psychological thriller with perfect pacing.
This was a fascinating and captivating read that had me immersed from the beginning. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. There are plenty of attention-grabbing moments in this page turner that will take the reader on a truly mesmerizing journey.
Highly recommended reading and a well-deserved five stars.
Layers by A.G.R. Goff is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters driven by dark desires, betrayal and murder. The author weaves a well-crafted psychological thriller with intriguing twists and turns that will captivate the reader from the first page to the last. Skillfully constructed, it’s a story that will keep you on edge the edge of your seat!
The book description only gives a sneak preview: ‘Letting Miranda into his house is a big mistake. But aging comedian Dave also has some secrets. Maybe she should never have come looking for answers. As this story about murder, betrayal and dark desires unfolds, things take an unsuspected turn. Things from the past find their way back to the surface and the dead might not be so dead after all.’
Now, if that’s not enough to get your curiosity juices flowing, I don’t know what will. But if you want to find out what happens, you’ll just have to turn the pages for yourself! However, I will say it was well worth the read. It’s my first time reading this author and I must say I was very impressed.
The story had every element a good story should have. A solid plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that’s something I really look for in a good book.
I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a first-class psychological thriller with perfect pacing.
This was a fascinating and captivating read that had me immersed from the beginning. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. There are plenty of attention-grabbing moments in this page turner that will take the reader on a truly mesmerizing journey.
Highly recommended reading and a well-deserved five stars.
January 30, 2020
Mysteries and Thrillers used to be my favourite but I took time off them .... as it is hard to come by something that's really thrilling and catches your attention. But I got to read Layers by A.G.R. Goff, the first time I am reading this author and I loved it! It was well-written, paced right and had all the elements we expect from thrillers and mysteries.
Miranda though young, is an old soul, having seen a lot of things in her life. She's apprehensive and doesn't trust easily or let people in. However, she does relax a little as the story unfolds and she peels away the mystery that's her life and how it's linked to the comedian Dave. The story has the adrenaline rush that's part of mysteries, the drama and suspense though it doesn't lack in emotions. The storyline has a lot of surprises, twists and turns that we never expect, but does Miranda come out with her head held high and winning or does she succumb after she lets her guard down a bit? Can't wait to find out!
Miranda though young, is an old soul, having seen a lot of things in her life. She's apprehensive and doesn't trust easily or let people in. However, she does relax a little as the story unfolds and she peels away the mystery that's her life and how it's linked to the comedian Dave. The story has the adrenaline rush that's part of mysteries, the drama and suspense though it doesn't lack in emotions. The storyline has a lot of surprises, twists and turns that we never expect, but does Miranda come out with her head held high and winning or does she succumb after she lets her guard down a bit? Can't wait to find out!
June 14, 2018
This is a book that will certainly please fans of crime fiction of a certain classic sort that centres a lot on the personal relationships at hand.
I’m a reader who tends to roll my eyes when an author takes time out in the first page of a book to describe a female protagonist’s breasts and/or other such attributes; normally it’s a case of wish-fulfilment, fan-service, a straight male author getting straight to what he thinks is most important about a female character he dreamed up. That wasn’t exactly the case here, as it turned out, but it set my expectations low in the first instance.
From there, Goff slowly but consistently raised the bar, and plot denouements soon took the place of corporeal ones; before long it was a much more standard murder mystery.
What does stand out is clear and distinct motivations for the main characters and their actions, based on their own lives and experiences that have come to shape them into the people they are with all their thoughtfully-written flaws and foibles, and that helps bring a lot to life.
I’m a reader who tends to roll my eyes when an author takes time out in the first page of a book to describe a female protagonist’s breasts and/or other such attributes; normally it’s a case of wish-fulfilment, fan-service, a straight male author getting straight to what he thinks is most important about a female character he dreamed up. That wasn’t exactly the case here, as it turned out, but it set my expectations low in the first instance.
From there, Goff slowly but consistently raised the bar, and plot denouements soon took the place of corporeal ones; before long it was a much more standard murder mystery.
What does stand out is clear and distinct motivations for the main characters and their actions, based on their own lives and experiences that have come to shape them into the people they are with all their thoughtfully-written flaws and foibles, and that helps bring a lot to life.
January 30, 2020
Mysteries and Thrillers used to be my favourite but I took time off them .... as it is hard to come by something that's really thrilling and catches your attention. But I got to read Layers by A.G.R. Goff, the first time I am reading this author and I loved it! It was well-written, paced right and had all the elements we expect from thrillers and mysteries.
Miranda though young, is an old soul, having seen a lot of things in her life. She's apprehensive and doesn't trust easily or let people in. However, she does relax a little as the story unfolds and she peels away the mystery that's her life and how it's linked to the comedian Dave. The story has the adrenaline rush that's part of mysteries, the drama and suspense though it doesn't lack in emotions. The storyline has a lot of surprises, twists and turns that we never expect, but does Miranda come out with her head held high and winning or does she succumb after she lets her guard down a bit? Can't wait to find out!
Miranda though young, is an old soul, having seen a lot of things in her life. She's apprehensive and doesn't trust easily or let people in. However, she does relax a little as the story unfolds and she peels away the mystery that's her life and how it's linked to the comedian Dave. The story has the adrenaline rush that's part of mysteries, the drama and suspense though it doesn't lack in emotions. The storyline has a lot of surprises, twists and turns that we never expect, but does Miranda come out with her head held high and winning or does she succumb after she lets her guard down a bit? Can't wait to find out!
May 30, 2018
‘She was always prepared for violence because it was an integral part of her world.’
Author A.G.F Goff spent her childhood in East Germany, spending hours conjuring up stories, dreaming of traveling the world and filling her dreamed up stories with colorful characters, sharing them with anyone and everyone who would listen. Now she is a travelled storyteller, having lived in both South Africa and the UK and is beginning to commit these unique stories into books. She has published a book of short stories – INSANITIES – and now she presents a full-fledged novel in LAYERS – a novel in which she includes mystery, thriller and crime themes.
Goff opens her story in 2015 as she introduces Miranda and her insertion into the life of an older comedian Dave. The mood is mystifying - ‘It's a perfect day for taking a swim in the nude. The sun has burnt away every cooling shadow remaining from the day before, leaving the streets exposed and unwelcoming. The centre of the village, a small lake, seems to be the only protection from the heat. Nobody lingers outside disturbing the peace and the water looks as inviting as an oasis in the desert would look to a lost Berber. A young woman walks past the lake's banks towards a small, crooked cottage. She has deep-red hair glaring like fire in the sun. It's difficult to say from such a distance but she might be eighteen or nineteen, maybe younger. She doesn't care about the weather and she isn't going to jump into the water to cool off. Her big ocean-blue eyes stare at the old, red door in front of her. When she reaches it, she stops and waits. She stands there for a while and moves her hands only to wipe the sweat from her forehead. Her breasts are small but firm and push through her thin blouse. Little drops of sweat have turned it a bit transparent but she doesn't care. She doesn't want to seduce anybody. Well, not today anyway. The days of seducing men are behind her. Her eyes focus on the red door. The house it belongs to is nothing spectacular. In normal circumstances, it wouldn't have caught her eye or anybody else's for that matter. She turns around, scanning the building for something to hold onto. Her eyes travel from left to right and back again, trying to take in the surroundings. The village is picturesque but boring, nothing compared to the city life she is used to. People who love close-knit communities would think it to be paradise. It would be easy to hide something in a small place like this. Nobody would suspect someone like him to live here. Maybe that's the reason why he chose to spend his final days in this carefully painted cottage. She turns around on her left heel. The ducks dosing at the lake’s bank make it look sickly peaceful. Anybody could hide here. It looks like a painting in a children’s book. Creepy. A bit like something could hide behind all this beauty and jump out when you least expect it.’ Encountering a red door Miranda knocks …’ The salt and pepper haired man who opens the door looks like he's in his seventies with wrinkles covering his sun-tanned face. His eyes are the shade of a clear blue Swiss lake. They have the capacity of appearing cold and intimidating but for now they are warm and without any hostility. He had clearly been attractive when he was younger and probably had his fair share of women. “Hello?” His light blue eyes are piercing through her body. His stare makes her shiver but perhaps this is just because she knows what is going to happen. He looks at her and frowns in a curious but friendly way. “Can I help you?” She swallows the big lump rising in her throat. It has a bitter taste judging by the look on her face. She twists her hands, straightens up and looks into the old man’s eyes. “My name is Miranda. Miranda Richardson.”... ‘The man stares at the girl with wide eyes but behind the mask of shock, he doesn't seem to be very surprised. “I thought this might happen one day,” he mumbles, biting the inside of his mouth. “Come in. Just be careful, this step here is a bit loose.” He points down. “My name is Dave Hutchinson, but I guess you know that already.” The mystery has lifted the curtain on the proscenium arch for the tale to begin.
The synopsis suggests the story without excess – ‘Letting Miranda into his house is a big mistake. But aging comedian Dave also has some secrets. Maybe she should never have come looking for answers. As this story about murder, betrayal and dark desires unfolds, things take an unsuspected turn. Things from the past find their way back to the surface and the dead might not be so dead after all.’
A dark mystery told with style and fervor – a tale that keeps us guessing until the final pages. Fine work from a new author!
Author A.G.F Goff spent her childhood in East Germany, spending hours conjuring up stories, dreaming of traveling the world and filling her dreamed up stories with colorful characters, sharing them with anyone and everyone who would listen. Now she is a travelled storyteller, having lived in both South Africa and the UK and is beginning to commit these unique stories into books. She has published a book of short stories – INSANITIES – and now she presents a full-fledged novel in LAYERS – a novel in which she includes mystery, thriller and crime themes.
Goff opens her story in 2015 as she introduces Miranda and her insertion into the life of an older comedian Dave. The mood is mystifying - ‘It's a perfect day for taking a swim in the nude. The sun has burnt away every cooling shadow remaining from the day before, leaving the streets exposed and unwelcoming. The centre of the village, a small lake, seems to be the only protection from the heat. Nobody lingers outside disturbing the peace and the water looks as inviting as an oasis in the desert would look to a lost Berber. A young woman walks past the lake's banks towards a small, crooked cottage. She has deep-red hair glaring like fire in the sun. It's difficult to say from such a distance but she might be eighteen or nineteen, maybe younger. She doesn't care about the weather and she isn't going to jump into the water to cool off. Her big ocean-blue eyes stare at the old, red door in front of her. When she reaches it, she stops and waits. She stands there for a while and moves her hands only to wipe the sweat from her forehead. Her breasts are small but firm and push through her thin blouse. Little drops of sweat have turned it a bit transparent but she doesn't care. She doesn't want to seduce anybody. Well, not today anyway. The days of seducing men are behind her. Her eyes focus on the red door. The house it belongs to is nothing spectacular. In normal circumstances, it wouldn't have caught her eye or anybody else's for that matter. She turns around, scanning the building for something to hold onto. Her eyes travel from left to right and back again, trying to take in the surroundings. The village is picturesque but boring, nothing compared to the city life she is used to. People who love close-knit communities would think it to be paradise. It would be easy to hide something in a small place like this. Nobody would suspect someone like him to live here. Maybe that's the reason why he chose to spend his final days in this carefully painted cottage. She turns around on her left heel. The ducks dosing at the lake’s bank make it look sickly peaceful. Anybody could hide here. It looks like a painting in a children’s book. Creepy. A bit like something could hide behind all this beauty and jump out when you least expect it.’ Encountering a red door Miranda knocks …’ The salt and pepper haired man who opens the door looks like he's in his seventies with wrinkles covering his sun-tanned face. His eyes are the shade of a clear blue Swiss lake. They have the capacity of appearing cold and intimidating but for now they are warm and without any hostility. He had clearly been attractive when he was younger and probably had his fair share of women. “Hello?” His light blue eyes are piercing through her body. His stare makes her shiver but perhaps this is just because she knows what is going to happen. He looks at her and frowns in a curious but friendly way. “Can I help you?” She swallows the big lump rising in her throat. It has a bitter taste judging by the look on her face. She twists her hands, straightens up and looks into the old man’s eyes. “My name is Miranda. Miranda Richardson.”... ‘The man stares at the girl with wide eyes but behind the mask of shock, he doesn't seem to be very surprised. “I thought this might happen one day,” he mumbles, biting the inside of his mouth. “Come in. Just be careful, this step here is a bit loose.” He points down. “My name is Dave Hutchinson, but I guess you know that already.” The mystery has lifted the curtain on the proscenium arch for the tale to begin.
The synopsis suggests the story without excess – ‘Letting Miranda into his house is a big mistake. But aging comedian Dave also has some secrets. Maybe she should never have come looking for answers. As this story about murder, betrayal and dark desires unfolds, things take an unsuspected turn. Things from the past find their way back to the surface and the dead might not be so dead after all.’
A dark mystery told with style and fervor – a tale that keeps us guessing until the final pages. Fine work from a new author!
June 18, 2021
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.*
3.5 stars.
Miranda gets to the house of a man who took care of her as a baby to find out about her birth family, but she ends up uncovering many mysteries and even danger for her life.
We follow several of the POVs involved in her story, which gives us different perspectives of the events that led to her mother's death and her being adopted. Characters are slowly developed and I found myself constantly interested in the story because nothing is given away too soon. The plot also includes a couple of twists and turns that caught me out of base.
Characters are clearly set and nobody's clean or perfect. I disliked all of them for different reasons, and found disturbing behaviours in most.
Overall, if you like a mystery with plot twists with properly developed characters and a dark plot, this book may be for you.
3.5 stars.
Miranda gets to the house of a man who took care of her as a baby to find out about her birth family, but she ends up uncovering many mysteries and even danger for her life.
We follow several of the POVs involved in her story, which gives us different perspectives of the events that led to her mother's death and her being adopted. Characters are slowly developed and I found myself constantly interested in the story because nothing is given away too soon. The plot also includes a couple of twists and turns that caught me out of base.
Characters are clearly set and nobody's clean or perfect. I disliked all of them for different reasons, and found disturbing behaviours in most.
Overall, if you like a mystery with plot twists with properly developed characters and a dark plot, this book may be for you.
June 2, 2021
Needs someone to proofread
This might be a good story, I don't know. Missing words and letters certainly took away from enjoying the story.
This might be a good story, I don't know. Missing words and letters certainly took away from enjoying the story.
April 5, 2021
( Format : Audiobook )
"A never ending nightmare."
Some twenty years before, a baby was given up to be fostered. Her life had been unhappy but now, with both surrogate parents dead and no other known relatives, Miranda the now grown woman, was determined to find the old man who's name on her birth certificate showed he was her father. Why had he abandoned her to the unloving care of strangers? How had her mother died and was it he who had killed her? Her life had been so miserable, she just wanted to know how it had all started, what actually happened and who could she blame?
BUT instead of direct answers, she is given by David, the old man named as her father, a journal BUT written not by him BUT by an old time actor friend of his to read, and told that all would be revealed through the book. BUT, though read it she does, if reluctantly, preguessing the content BUT usually wrongly, the past is slowly revealed. It is a clever idea, BUT badly executed and very poorly editted, combined with a narration which manages to emphasize the worst of it's problems. And yes, one of those problems is the constant, emphatic use of the word 'but'. There are also re-recorded sentences left into the narration and even one complete chapter repeated: chapters 25 and 26 are identical.
A very large suspension of disbelief is needed to carry the reader through this, a convoluted seedy romance story with a slight mystery attached, unbelievable characters and a vague passing attempt at horror. It is accidentally quite amusing and I found myself enjoying it for the sheer foolishness of it all. I was fortunate in being freely gifted with a complimentary copy of Layers, by the rights holder, at my request, via Audiobook Boom. Thank you.
"A never ending nightmare."
Some twenty years before, a baby was given up to be fostered. Her life had been unhappy but now, with both surrogate parents dead and no other known relatives, Miranda the now grown woman, was determined to find the old man who's name on her birth certificate showed he was her father. Why had he abandoned her to the unloving care of strangers? How had her mother died and was it he who had killed her? Her life had been so miserable, she just wanted to know how it had all started, what actually happened and who could she blame?
BUT instead of direct answers, she is given by David, the old man named as her father, a journal BUT written not by him BUT by an old time actor friend of his to read, and told that all would be revealed through the book. BUT, though read it she does, if reluctantly, preguessing the content BUT usually wrongly, the past is slowly revealed. It is a clever idea, BUT badly executed and very poorly editted, combined with a narration which manages to emphasize the worst of it's problems. And yes, one of those problems is the constant, emphatic use of the word 'but'. There are also re-recorded sentences left into the narration and even one complete chapter repeated: chapters 25 and 26 are identical.
A very large suspension of disbelief is needed to carry the reader through this, a convoluted seedy romance story with a slight mystery attached, unbelievable characters and a vague passing attempt at horror. It is accidentally quite amusing and I found myself enjoying it for the sheer foolishness of it all. I was fortunate in being freely gifted with a complimentary copy of Layers, by the rights holder, at my request, via Audiobook Boom. Thank you.
January 8, 2020
This is a wonderfully crafted crime story that will keep you reading and turning the pages. It also has elements of mystery and psychological thriller, making the story spell binding and penetrating to the core. It is a story that is as complex and multi-faceted as the characters and plot twists.
The story is about Dave who is a comedian and who allows a younger woman, Miranda, to move into the house with him. She is effervescent and complicated yet interesting in her own way. Yet she, like Dave, has a past that is full of secrets. Miranda’s character and life are multi-faceted and intricate.
Miranda was always prepared for violence because she was always surrounded by it. Therefore, she is also suspicious of the people around her until she discovers that they are okay. Yet, it seems that her guard was let down a tad as the story progressed because she ended up being more surprised at how she reacted to the events in her midst.
This story is richly descriptive, and the characters have a depth and breath rarely seen by mystery writers. I was absolutely mesmerized by Miranda and the other characters. They were all driven by dark desires, betrayal and murder. The story is skillfully constructed and orchestrated.
This story is very much like an onion. Every part of the story continually attracts your senses with an aroma that is so irresistible and layered that what you think you see and hear isn’t that at all accurate until all the layers are revealed. It is an intriguing read. It is a story that will stick with you for a long time.
The story is about Dave who is a comedian and who allows a younger woman, Miranda, to move into the house with him. She is effervescent and complicated yet interesting in her own way. Yet she, like Dave, has a past that is full of secrets. Miranda’s character and life are multi-faceted and intricate.
Miranda was always prepared for violence because she was always surrounded by it. Therefore, she is also suspicious of the people around her until she discovers that they are okay. Yet, it seems that her guard was let down a tad as the story progressed because she ended up being more surprised at how she reacted to the events in her midst.
This story is richly descriptive, and the characters have a depth and breath rarely seen by mystery writers. I was absolutely mesmerized by Miranda and the other characters. They were all driven by dark desires, betrayal and murder. The story is skillfully constructed and orchestrated.
This story is very much like an onion. Every part of the story continually attracts your senses with an aroma that is so irresistible and layered that what you think you see and hear isn’t that at all accurate until all the layers are revealed. It is an intriguing read. It is a story that will stick with you for a long time.
June 28, 2018
"A riveting thriller that keeps you on edge throughout; it’s claustrophobic, tense, and contains a mystery that is revealed slowly, while still reading at a fast pace. Layers is a highly satisfying read. The exploration of these two characters is handled deftly and the mystery and tension are sustained throughout. A.G.R. Goff shows herself to be a uniquely talented author with this first novel." - Self-Publishing Review https://www.selfpublishingreview.com/...
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews