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Combustible Punch
by
Rick Philips isn't a fighter - but he is a survivor
Haunted by memories of a high school shooting, not even the bottle can wash away the gnawing guilt and creeping feelings of inadequacy that batter Rick's conscience daily.
His life has been a mess of broken marriages, writer's block, terrible choices, and the morbid pity of others.
When he meets Harriet at a writer's confere ...more
Haunted by memories of a high school shooting, not even the bottle can wash away the gnawing guilt and creeping feelings of inadequacy that batter Rick's conscience daily.
His life has been a mess of broken marriages, writer's block, terrible choices, and the morbid pity of others.
When he meets Harriet at a writer's confere ...more
ebook, 298 pages
Published
August 13th 2019
by Paul Michael Peters
(first published May 19th 2019)
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Community Reviews
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Start your review of Combustible Punch
Rick Philips was the only survivor of a high school shooting. Though severely injured, he recovered and published the story of that fateful day. His book, SHELTER IN PLACE, became a bestseller and Rick achieved a measure of fame and fortune along with a job teaching at DuPont University. He's still tortured by nightmares, failed marriages and has no further success at writing. Nearly broke and an alcoholic, he attends a writer's conference and meets a most unusual woman, Harriet Bristol Wheeler.
...more
Mar 23, 2020
PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
While the premise of COMBUSTIBLE PUNCH seemed intriguing, a school shooting survivor meets a professed serial killed to write her story, the execution bores me. Between sophomoric writing and unsympathetic, unlikable characters, I found myself skimming most of the story.
Rainy Sunday Fast Read
Really liked this book... it held my attention and I couldn’t put it down. Stayed up until 3 am on a rainy Sunday during the COVID quarantine to finish this book.
Really liked this book... it held my attention and I couldn’t put it down. Stayed up until 3 am on a rainy Sunday during the COVID quarantine to finish this book.
I was very disappointed with this book, it starts out with the description of an alcohol infused night of raunchy sex with a stranger picked up in a hotel & goes downhill. The book is the memoir of an alcoholic writer turned college instructor who engages in the juvenile like behavior of the students he teaches.
I got tired of the same basically poor decisions made by the main character & the constant referral to an unquestionably traumatic incident from his childhood as an excuse for his inabili ...more
I got tired of the same basically poor decisions made by the main character & the constant referral to an unquestionably traumatic incident from his childhood as an excuse for his inabili ...more
Not just written in the first person , but by an.obnoxious, narcissistic narrator. I tried to like this book, but it just wouldn’t let me.
Almost more annoying were the author/self-publisher’s intrusive emails, touting his tome, begging a good review of my of the advanced copy.
Almost more annoying were the author/self-publisher’s intrusive emails, touting his tome, begging a good review of my of the advanced copy.
glad i won this read, i believe it was from a Goodreads giveaway? so fun! thankful! love the cover ... edge of your seat kind of read ... i appreciate that style or genre!! such a new fan. can be read through KU, if u have that service. look forward to more from Paul soon enough!! ( ;
Rick Phillips is the sole survivor of a horrific high school shooting who is still haunted by that event. Although he has written a book about the event, he hasn't done much since except endure two failed marriages and become an alcoholic. Although he is teaching at DuPont University, he is mostly getting by on the remainders of his fame as a survivor.
When he a wild sexual encounter with a beautiful woman, Harriet Bristol Wheeler, his life is sent into a tailspin. Harriet claims to be a serial ...more
When he a wild sexual encounter with a beautiful woman, Harriet Bristol Wheeler, his life is sent into a tailspin. Harriet claims to be a serial ...more
I thought that this book was fantastic. The plot was refreshing and creative, with lots of suspenseful and creative twists. The main character, Rick, gets sucked into the world of a psychopathic serial killer when she tricks him into cooperating with her plan to write her memoir before she dies of a brain lesion. Rick was the survivor of a school shooting that leaves him an alcoholic who makes poor decisions in life. His new association with the serial killer may be another of his bad decisions.
...more
I received this book from a goodreads giveaway. Thank you
I loved the premises of this book. That really got my attention. Little did I know, I would be up half the night, several nights in a row, reading.. ......Just One More Chapter! Oh the chapters are short.... just one more.
Well, well, well the usual questions of who, what, where, when and why are all mixed up in the wonderful, creepy read We know we have a serial killer. We know she has killed, as it turns out, quite a few people. But, w ...more
I loved the premises of this book. That really got my attention. Little did I know, I would be up half the night, several nights in a row, reading.. ......Just One More Chapter! Oh the chapters are short.... just one more.
Well, well, well the usual questions of who, what, where, when and why are all mixed up in the wonderful, creepy read We know we have a serial killer. We know she has killed, as it turns out, quite a few people. But, w ...more
A real page turner ... but to be honest he had me at female serial killer !
I got this book from Goodreads and honestly it just got lost on my growing kindle list ...I started reading this New Years Eve and seriously just wanted to sit and read it straight through I just wanted and NEEDED to know who the killer was and what it was she had done ! Yes SHE!!! I love the change in characters and focus, though evil I love the power and intelligence given to the female lead! The story keeps you caught ...more
I got this book from Goodreads and honestly it just got lost on my growing kindle list ...I started reading this New Years Eve and seriously just wanted to sit and read it straight through I just wanted and NEEDED to know who the killer was and what it was she had done ! Yes SHE!!! I love the change in characters and focus, though evil I love the power and intelligence given to the female lead! The story keeps you caught ...more
Jul 19, 2020
Randi Robinson
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
xx2020-main-list
I thought this book was more psychological than thriller. The plot was an interesting premise and both main characters, though flawed, were well developed. Rick, a survivor of a school shooting at 17 and an author of a book about it, is a college professor and an alcoholic who needs to write another book if he wants to keep his job. He seemed very immature and just going through the motions of living. At a book conference he meets Harriet, a seductive and manipulative self-confessed serial kille
...more
A thrilling killer read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and LibraryThing to read and review.
Combustible Punch was a ride through post-trauma and the coping of dealing with it, with a side of bad choices. There were so many questions about the woman who claimed to be a serial killer, and more about the man she had under her spell. I was enthralled while racing to the finish, because I had to know what was true and what was a twist by a manipulative woman who wanted he ...more
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and LibraryThing to read and review.
Combustible Punch was a ride through post-trauma and the coping of dealing with it, with a side of bad choices. There were so many questions about the woman who claimed to be a serial killer, and more about the man she had under her spell. I was enthralled while racing to the finish, because I had to know what was true and what was a twist by a manipulative woman who wanted he ...more
I’ve had this book on my TBR for quite sometime and was finally in the headspace to read it.
First of all, I didn’t finish it. Let me explain to you why. There’s only 2 reasons:
1: The writing is quite dry.
2: This is written as if the author’s favorite movie is James Woods’ and Brian Dennehy’s Best Seller. There’s just enough different to not be completely exact.
If you’ve never seen the movie, you may love this book. I’m giving it 3 stars for the simple fact he had the nerve to write this book ...more
First of all, I didn’t finish it. Let me explain to you why. There’s only 2 reasons:
1: The writing is quite dry.
2: This is written as if the author’s favorite movie is James Woods’ and Brian Dennehy’s Best Seller. There’s just enough different to not be completely exact.
If you’ve never seen the movie, you may love this book. I’m giving it 3 stars for the simple fact he had the nerve to write this book ...more
From page one, I liked this book. Rick Phillips, as a adult, is now a alcoholic and a writer. He continues to make bad choices ever since he was the sole survivor of a high school shooting.
Harriet is a serial killer. She wants her story told by Rick, before she dies. Together they go searching for the evidence of the murders. I thought this book was great for luring you in and wondering what Harriet was up to. I was kind of wishing for a little more at the end. I thought it was a good read.
I rec ...more
Harriet is a serial killer. She wants her story told by Rick, before she dies. Together they go searching for the evidence of the murders. I thought this book was great for luring you in and wondering what Harriet was up to. I was kind of wishing for a little more at the end. I thought it was a good read.
I rec ...more
The plot of this book was intriguing, but I found the actual storytelling very dry. Bottom line, it took me forever to plod through it. I kept reading other books in between. Boring actually. I wanted Harriet to jump off the page, I wanted to fear her; but everything about this story I found really bland.
Quick read with an interesting twist ending. Especially good as a Kindle freebie.
I really enjoyed this book. A unique premise and interesting characters. The writers style keeped my interest. I cant wait to read more from this author.
What a well done, slow burn of anticipation!
I found myself reading late into the night, not wanting to put this story down. What a great read!
I found myself reading late into the night, not wanting to put this story down. What a great read!
One of my first ventures into audible books. I enjoyed it being read, I look forward to more books by this author.
Interesting
I was not sure how this book would end. The ending was different than I expected. Number 13 was poetic justice.
I was not sure how this book would end. The ending was different than I expected. Number 13 was poetic justice.
I can not do this book the justice that the author spent in writing his book, although the plot sounded good I just could not get past chapter four as it just dragged.
Edge of your seat
I enjoyed the edge of your seat feeling I got from reading this story. I kept trying to guess what was going to happen.
I enjoyed the edge of your seat feeling I got from reading this story. I kept trying to guess what was going to happen.
I enjoyed the edge of your seat feeling I got from reading this story. I kept trying to guess what was going to happen.
Set-in modern-day America (2010s it appears), is a story with an interesting premise where Rick Phillips, the sole survivor of a high school shooting, ends up entwined with a devious, cold and calculating serial killer Harriet Bristol Wheeler.
Neither of the main characters scores highly on the likability scale. Rick Phillips is a barely functioning alcoholic at Dupont University with a solitary book about his survival of the high school shooting to his name. Pressure from his superiors, to write ...more
Neither of the main characters scores highly on the likability scale. Rick Phillips is a barely functioning alcoholic at Dupont University with a solitary book about his survival of the high school shooting to his name. Pressure from his superiors, to write ...more
Unique storyline
Interesting read with a unique plot. The characters are well developed. I especially found the main character compelling in his quest to overcome his weaknesses by delving into the mind of a serial killer.
Interesting read with a unique plot. The characters are well developed. I especially found the main character compelling in his quest to overcome his weaknesses by delving into the mind of a serial killer.
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Sep 27, 2019
Kimberly Hicks
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Mystery Readers
Recommended to Kimberly by:
Paul Michael Peters, Author
I received an autographed copy of this novel from the author, Paul Michael Peters, as a gift for attending his podcast reading of Combustible Punch.
When liquor and words go together, you get one disastrous author. Rick Phillips being the has-been author of a thrilling book never thought his worse dreams would end up being his latest claim to fame. While attending a writer’s conference, he got hammered to the point he really didn’t remember much, except for the gorgeous woman that was sexing him ...more
When liquor and words go together, you get one disastrous author. Rick Phillips being the has-been author of a thrilling book never thought his worse dreams would end up being his latest claim to fame. While attending a writer’s conference, he got hammered to the point he really didn’t remember much, except for the gorgeous woman that was sexing him ...more
Nov 28, 2019
Cornmaven
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
adult,
psychological-thriller
Not a bad psychological thriller involving a school shooting survivor and a female serial killer. Writing was fine, story flowed well, although I detected some plot holes that I can't explain without spoiling. There are a couple of at the end twists as well.
I received this as an ARC through NetGalley, and am very appreciative. Although, I seriously hope that someone was hired prior to publishing to correct all of the grammatical and punctuation errors, missing and duplicate words. It was really ...more
I received this as an ARC through NetGalley, and am very appreciative. Although, I seriously hope that someone was hired prior to publishing to correct all of the grammatical and punctuation errors, missing and duplicate words. It was really ...more
Once I started this book I had to stay with it and finally finished it at 3:00 a.m.
Rick Philips is an alcoholic, a man down on his luck, not a professor but teaching several classes at the college, while living in a bare bones graduate apartment in a not so nice, older section of the college. He at least owns a nice chair and one coffee cup among other things. Divorce number 2 has virtually left him penniless, living check to check. He has published one book many years ago with his former wife. ...more
Rick Philips is an alcoholic, a man down on his luck, not a professor but teaching several classes at the college, while living in a bare bones graduate apartment in a not so nice, older section of the college. He at least owns a nice chair and one coffee cup among other things. Divorce number 2 has virtually left him penniless, living check to check. He has published one book many years ago with his former wife. ...more
What would you do if you met someone claiming to be a serial killer? What if you were an author and the killer wanted you to write their biography? That is the heart of Combustible Punch by Paul Michael Peter.
Combustible Punch by Paul Peters
Rick Philips is an award-winning author who has been struggling to publish something new. His first book was a true story recounting how he survived a school shooting. That book catapulted him to fame and a job being a college writing professor.
Stuck in a slu ...more
Combustible Punch by Paul Peters
Rick Philips is an award-winning author who has been struggling to publish something new. His first book was a true story recounting how he survived a school shooting. That book catapulted him to fame and a job being a college writing professor.
Stuck in a slu ...more
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NetGalley Readers:
Combustible Punch - a psychological thriller about a serial killer and high school shooting victim
|
1 | 25 | Jul 03, 2019 09:40AM |
Readers also enjoyed
Paul Michael Peters is an American writer of thrillers, suspense, and the unexpected. He is best known for his twists and take on the quirky tangents of contemporary life.
Combustible Punch explores the psychological dance between that most unlikely of odd couples: a serial killer and a high school shooting survivor.
Sign up for the website newsletter to download a free copy of "Mr. Memory and Other ...more
Combustible Punch explores the psychological dance between that most unlikely of odd couples: a serial killer and a high school shooting survivor.
Sign up for the website newsletter to download a free copy of "Mr. Memory and Other ...more
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