Review for The Devil's Advocate by Andrew Neiderman

The Devil's Advocate
by Andrew Neiderman

Published: November 1997
Pages: 320
Rating: 3.5/5

When Kevin Taylor joins the Manhattan criminal law firm of John Milton & Associates, he's hit the big time. At last, he and his wife can enjoy the luxuries they've so desired — money, a chauffeur-driven limo, and a stunning home in a high-rise. Then Milton assigns Kevin one of the most notorious cases of the year, with a file that had been put together prior to the crime. Throwing himself into his work, Kevin begins to see a pattern of evil emerging from behind the firm's plush facade. Acquittal after acquittal, every criminal client walks free, and Kevin's suspicions slowly give way to terror. For Kevin has just become The Devil's Advocate.

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I decided to use a book review questionnaire to review this book, just to see if I like doing it this way or if I prefer to write a review like I was before this post. I got the questionnaire here.

Fiction or non-fiction? Fiction

Genre? Thriller

What led you to pick up this book? I had previously read The Dark by Andrew Neiderman and The Devil's Advocate was the most popular book written by him. I decided to see if all the hype was truly based on the book itself, or if it was contributed to by the movie. (I haven't seen the movie, yet, either.)

What did you like most about the book? It had a feeling of... nervousness throughout the book. The reader can tell right away that something isn't right, even if it takes the main character a bit longer to realize this.

What did you like least? It seemed a bit far-fetched, all of the characters being "in on it" was just a little hard to accept, but it did make for a good read & (probably) a good movie.

Which of your readers are most likely to enjoy this book? Anyone who enjoys mysteries or psychological thrillers.

Have you read any other books by this author? I have read The Dark by the same author. What did you think of those books? I really enjoyed it - probably more so than I enjoyed this book.

What did you think of the main character? I thought he was realistic. There were some things about him that the reader may not like... just like in "real life" when you meet someone - there are things you'll like about them, and things you won't.

What is the central character’s biggest problem? His boss, whom everyone likes - if not loves, may be the Devil's Advocate, if not the Devil himself.

How do you think he/she feels? At first, he doesn't realize what he has gotten himself into. Once he starts having strange dreams and a witness at a trial confesses her deepest secret to him, he is scared. Frightened for himself and his wife, he decides to do what he can to make sure he and his wife are safe.

What strengths does he have that help him cope? His love for his wife is his biggest strength and motivation in this story... it is what helps him overcome his initial fear and try to destroy the Devil.

What effect do the people in the book have on one another? The other associates keep our main character from realizing the true nature of their boss for a while, as they all have praise for the man. The associates' wives befriend our main character's wife and, somehow, change her so that she does not see the truth.

Share a favorite scene from the book: My favorite scene is near the end, when our main character is trying to make others see that he is not crazy... that the boss truly was the Devil himself.

What did you think of the ending? The ending was unpredictable in some ways. It was a bit too abstract, but once the reader lets the ending sink in, they will be able to draw their own conclusions.

Do you recommend this book? I recommend this book to readers who want a story that will have them intrigued from the beginning and keep their attention until the end. Readers who enjoy psychological thrillers would enjoy this the most.

This is my Psychological Thriller for the 08/09 Suspense & Thriller Challenge.

Review for The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

The Lucky One
by Nicholas Sparks

Published: September 2008
Pages: 326
Rating: 5/5

Is there really such thing as a lucky charm? The hero of Nicholas Sparks's new novel believes he's found one in the form of a photograph of a smiling woman he's never met, but who he comes to believe holds the key to his destiny. The chain of events that leads to him possessing the photograph and finding the woman pictured in it is the stuff of love stories only a master such as Sparks can write.

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I went to the book signing for this and I finally sat down to read it after finishing all the books I had from the library.

Anyone who enjoys Nicholas Sparks novels would enjoy this one. Another timeless love story and another ending that will make your heart swell with emotion. I will admit, this ended a bit differently than I expected.

Everyone knows to expect a death or some other tragedy in each Nicholas Sparks novel, but it's rare that it happens to someone that you don't really have a lot of hope for anyway.

This is a wonderful read, and it was refreshing for me to read it after reading so many thrillers & mysteries lately.

Review for The Long Walk by Stephen King

The Long Walk
by Stephen King (written as Richard Bachman)

Published: January 1999
Pages: 384
Rating: 5/5

Finally available in a single volume edition under Stephen King's name! In the near future, a young boy has been one of 100 selected to take the Long Walk--a deadly contest of endurance and determination, in which each step can literally be your last. Follow the contestants' tortured footsteps as they struggle with each other, and themselves, to survive the race. Includes the Introduction "The Importance of Being Bachman". Vintage King, this harrowing tale was originally published under the Richard Bachman pseudonym.

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I read this book about 5 years ago and since then, I would occasionally think about it in passing. I saw it at the library and I had to check it out and re-read it.

The simplicity of this story just adds to the horror of it all. A young teenage boy is chosen as one out of 100 to compete in the Long Walk. The contestants have to walk until only one is still standing. No breaks, three warnings before they "buy a ticket", and they have to keep up a 4 mph, or better, pace.

After the third warning, the contestant is shot. Therefore, there is much more than the Prize on the line. The Prize is everything you want for the rest of your life. Enough to entice these young men to risk the chance of dying.

I'm going to count this as my futuristic thriller in the 08/09 Suspense & Thriller Challenge.

Review for Hungry Eyes by Barry Hoffman

Hungry Eyes
by Barry Hoffman

Published: November 1998
Pages: 272
Rating: 3/5

She remembers feeling the eyes watching her huddled there, naked and vulnerable, in an iron cage in the twisted man's basement. But now she's free. And she isn't vulnerable anymore. She is one with the power and need to close those eyes.

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This is the disturbing story of a ten-year-old girl named Renee Barrows who is kidnapped, held prisoner and tortured by a sadistic pedophile for the purpose of photographing Renee's terrified facial expressions. Her tormentor is eventually caught & put behind bars, but Renee is left feeling haunted by his eyes.

Several years after Renee's suicide, a Vigilante is killing sexual predators that slipped though the fingers of the judicial system. Reporter Deidre Caffrey is assigned to the story and sees the message NO MORE HUNGRY EYES scrawled on a mirror at the death scene of yet another Vigilante victim.

The book quickly becomes a cat & mouse game between Deidre and Renee, who is now assuming the identity of Shara Farris.

The point of view switches from Shara to Deidre and back again as they try to out-do one another. This makes for a very interesting read... one that will have you wondering what happens next.

I'll count this one as my Inverted Mystery for the Suspense & Thriller Challenge.

Review for Blood Ties by Lori G Armstrong

Blood Ties
by Lori G Armstrong

Published: May 2005
Pages: 373
Rating: 4.5/5

Julie Collins is stuck in a dead-end secretarial job with the Bear Butte County Sheriff’s office, and still grieving over the unsolved murder of her Lakota half-brother. Lack of public interest in finding his murderer, or the killer of several other transient Native American men, has left Julie with a bone-deep cynicism she counters with tequila, cigarettes, and dangerous men. The one bright spot in her mundane life is the time she spends working part-time as a PI with her childhood friend, Kevin Wells. When the body of a sixteen-year old white girl is discovered in nearby Rapid Creek, Julie believes this victim will receive the attention others were denied. Then she learns Kevin has been hired, mysteriously, to find out where the murdered girl spent her last few days. Julie finds herself drawn into the case against her better judgment, and discovers not only the ugly reality of the young girl’s tragic life and brutal death, but ties to her and Kevin’s past that she is increasingly reluctant to revisit. On the surface the situation is eerily familiar. But the parallels end when Julie realizes some family secrets are best kept buried deep. Especially those serious enough to kill for.

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This is actually the first book in a series, so I'll keep that in mind as I review it.

I loved this book! I will definitely be reading the rest of the series. The heroine is feisty and has a take-charge attitude. I love books where the women are not just simply damsels in distress.

Kevin is the only other character we really get to know well in this debut novel. There are a few other characters that I'm sure we will get to know more as the series goes on.

Since this is the first book in a series, there are a few questions left unanswered at the end of the novel, but if all questions were answered, there wouldn't be much left for the rest of the series!

Overall: I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers and isn't afraid of a bit of a gritty story.

This is my Amateur Detective Mystery for the 08/09 Suspense & Thriller Challenge.