My review
According to merriam-webster’s definition of a THRILLER
one that thrills, especially a work of fiction designed to hold the interest, by the use of high degree of intrigue, suspense, or adventure
I will go one step further, merriam-webster defines PSYCHOLOGICAL as
directed toward the will or toward the mind specifically in its conative function
Join the two, then you get
A work of fiction, directed towards the mind, designed to hold the interest by the use of high degree of intrigue or suspense.
By this definition, this book fails royally, in fact, so do most books released this year.
I struggled with this book for a month always stopping at the same point at 10%, bored out of my wits. Thanks to my friend Carrie, I persisted today to ultimately finish this book. Only because I didn’t want a DNF in 2018. Man, what all I read to avoid a DNF!!
Carrie, this is totally for your encouragement…
A slow pace + 3 main characters + life intermingling + hidden secrets = The Visitor
The premise sounds so interesting, unfortunately that’s it. The buck stops here!!
Holly meets Cora, a 70 year old, who offers a room in her house, as Holly seems to be in dire straits. Holly has a past, the story keeps on visiting the past at regular intervals, about Holly’s life in Manchester. Cora has her own hidden secrets. David, a 40 year old neighbor, with some mental health issues is the self-assigned ‘guardian angel‘ of the neighborhood, has cctv to record happenings in the neighborhood, telescope in the bedroom to keep a watch. And the story revolves around them and their issues.
I couldn’t believe that K. L. Slater has written this book, I have liked all her past books. This book bored me totally. So I hopped, skipped, and jumped to read only the main parts. The ending was supposed to be a surprise, but I guessed it long before I reached the ending. The characters were absolutely unlikable, the pace was slower than a snail, and the secrets were as expected. All the characters lived in an illusionary world and ended up in the same manner.
This trend of slow moving pace of writing, slow development of characters should be killed at once, before authors start thinking that’s the way to write thrillers. Uh-huh Webster does not agree too. Readers like me who have been reading for a decades, are going to soon stop reading such thrillers if only the last page thrills. Publishers take note. Change the trend. Giving characters mental health issues and secrets does not make a book psychological thriller.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
My rating : 2 stars
Book blurb
When Holly moves in to Baker Crescent, a quiet suburban street she causes quite a stir. Beautiful, talented, and friendly, it doesn’t take long for her to charm the other residents. But why has she left the bright lights of the big city behind and settled in with Cora, a lonely old lady who is delighted to offer her visitor a place to stay?
The neighbours are fascinated by Holly and watch her from their windows every opportunity they get. Just when Holly has begun to feel at home someone sees something that they shouldn’t – something that’s impossible to ignore.
What is Holly hiding? And are the dark secrets from her past going to put them all into terrible danger?
Product Details
Publication date : 2nd March, 2018
Publisher : Bookouture
Language : English
Available on Amazon
Slow as a snail, boring as a doorknob
28 Responses
Say it out, Shalini, say it out!! Nowadays any book with a character who’s mentally ill and ‘mystery’ passes as psychological thriller and I am SICK OF IT😖😖😖
But otherwise, great review!😀 Too bad the book turned out to be a disappointment . . .
Thank you so much for understanding this. I hope the publishers are listening. It has become a trend. All the tag lines are the same. They don’t even change the taglines.
This book I took a month and I could go beyond the first few pages. How can the characters be so boring?
Only the last chapter had a small bit of thrill. Maybe psychological thriller means I become a psycho at the so called thrill.
I should be calling the book a psychological thriller if I am thrilled by the way the book twists my mind. But the publishers use the same formula. Fed up. End of my rant
Thank you for listening
Lol, I guess the call it a ‘psychological thriller’ because it is GUARANTEED to make you a psycho😂🤣
I agree totally babes😂😂
I think it isnt that bad to wait for the twist in the last page if it properly justifies. I mean if it changes our whole opinion about the book just like that. I could not experience that in books but in movies I did. Example 6th sense and the others terrific movies, last 5 minute made the movies form
OK to awesome. Fight club is in the list too. Just an opinion. 😃
Yes, 6th sense works because the whole movie was exciting, the actors were not boring, there was something happening to keep the viewers’ interest fixed, in fact with each scene the interest should increase. Only then the last twist will work. Authors should understand this basic fact. Keeping all chapters boring and bringing a twist at the end is not a thriller
Yeah Accepted Madam reviewr
Hahaha thank you. Now you know when you write your big thriller, you should employ me to edit it 😉😉
By the time a write a thriller, you won’t have time to read. I think you will busy writing your own stuff probably by then being a famous writer 😉
Ayya… Hahaha no I will make time for you, whenever you are ready.
Then I am lucky 😊
Aah… Don’t worry, whenever you are ready, drop me a mail
Definitely. Reading any book now.
Yes, of course. I thought it would be a cute book, turns out to be a bit horrifying. What about you
Oo me just came home after function in the college. So will complete the book tonight
Are you asking or telling me?? I will finish, last 30% left
My mistake, just asking OK then carry on.
Nahhh. Taking a break. No mistake.
Till what time you read.?
Till the book gets over or my eyes close whichever comes first. Hehehe. I have always been like this
Cool.
Hehe glad I was able to get you through your slump with this one. You know I did like it but I’m really sorry you didn’t and I hope you can find a thriller that actually thrills you too. The one that keeps popping into my head would be to try the Wife Between Us since it’s super twisty so hopefully you’d enjoy it.
Yes I am going to read that book this month. I have it on my kindle
I hope you like that one. 🙂
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Thank you