2011 June 15

Book Review: In the Belly of Jonah by Sandra Brannan

Title: In the Belly of Jonah
Author: Sandra Brannan
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press
Publication Date: September 1, 2010
Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN: 978-1608320509
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

I do not want to give anything away in Sandra Brannan’s first Liv Bergen Mystery. If anyone would like to learn more about the book please check out the publisher’s website. I shall be reviewing the second book, Lot’s Return to Sodom this week.

My Review:

In the Belly of Jonah by Sandra Brannan is her expertly written debut novel and the first in her Liv Bergen Mystery series. Liv Bergen owns a lime mining company outside of Fort Collins, Colorado, and is quickly drawn into the Venus De Milo serial killer case when one of her summer employees, Colorado State University student Jill Brannigan, is discovered murdered on the banks of Horsetooth Reservoir. Detective Doug Brandt knows he is in over his head and against his chief’s wishes, he welcomes in the FBI. Special Agent Steeter Pierce and BAU profiler Special Agent Lisa Henry, a college mate of Liv’s, use Liv’s home as their command center, further drawing Liv into the hunt to find the “de Milo” murderer. Brannan has crafted an incredibly intense suspense thriller about a series of very gruesome murders that are being investigated by the FBI along with the young, but intuitive Bergen. The Venus de Milo Killer is named for the pattern of violence and the specific manner in which the killer prepares the victims, and while the graphic nature of the murders may be too much for some readers, Brannan uses it to run the reader through a sensory experience unlike that of most other novels, bringing a deeper meaning into the storyline. In the Belly of Jonah is told in alternating perspectives, primarily through Liv, the “de Milo” murderer, and Pierce. Brannan’s combination of suspense, mystery, gruesome murders, and narrative adds her to the top of my list for psychological mystery thrillers and I have already begun the second book in the series, Lot’s Return to Sodom. I recommend In the Belly of Jonah to adult readers looking for a new and unique style of suspense writing that is sure to draw readers from whatever they have set out to do and occupy a few intense hours of reading. Sandra Brannan is an author to keep a close eye on, if her debut novel is this outstanding; I cannot wait to see how her books develop in the next few years.

About the Author:

For twenty-five years, Sam Brannan has run a division in the mining company that was founded by her grandfather, father, and uncle in 1944. She lives with her family in Rapid City, South Dakota. In the Belly of Jonah is her first novel.

To learn more about author Sandra Brannan or her books, please visit her website.

I received a complimentary copy of In the Belly of Johan by Sandra Brannan from JKS Communications to offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.

Book Review: Don’t Breathe A Word by Jennifer McMahon

Title: Don’t Breathe A Word
Author: Jennifer McMahon
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
Publication Date: May 17, 2011
Paperback: 464 pages
ISBN: 978-0061689376
Genre: Fiction

From the Publisher:

On a soft summer night in Vermont, twelve-year-old Lisa went into the woods behind her house and never came out again. Before she disappeared, she told her little brother, Sam, about a door that led to a magical place where she would meet the King of the Fairies and become his queen.

Fifteen years later, Phoebe is in love with Sam, a practical, sensible man who doesn’t fear the dark and doesn’t have bad dreams—who, in fact, helps Phoebe ignore her own. But suddenly the couple is faced with a series of eerie, unexplained occurrences that challenge Sam’s hardheaded, realistic view of the world. As they question their reality, a terrible promise Sam made years ago is revealed—a promise that could destroy them all.

My Review:

Don’t Breathe A Word by Jennifer McMahon is the third book I have reviewed of hers and unfortunately, this is the one I liked the least. Let me try to explain. The story is sound, the characters are relatable and as I have come to expect and appreciate from McMahon, the story is an intense psychological thriller. So what went wrong for me in this book? I am usually game for deeply intense psychological thrillers bordering on creepy, but McMahon lost me when she began adding in paranormal (fantasy?) elements, granted they flowed with her story, unfortunately I do not care for anything paranormal and began skipping over the fairy sections. McMahon is a talented author and simply because I did not enjoy the added paranormal element does not mean others will not. I really enjoyed McMahon’s books Promise Not to Tell and Island of Lost Girls and had I been one who enjoyed any aspects of the paranormal I would be rating Don’t Breathe a Word a lot higher. I am looking forward to McMahon’s next book, as I am curious to see where this talented writer will take the reader next. Would I recommend Don’t Breathe a Word? Yes, cautiously to fans of McMahon’s that are new to paranormal/fantasy and definitely to those who enjoy psychological thrillers intermixed with fantasy/paranormal.

About the Author:

Jennifer McMahon is the author of Dismantled, the New York Times bestseller Island of Lost Girls, and the breakout debut novel Promise Not to Tell. She grew up in suburban Connecticut, and graduated from Goddard College. Over the years, she has been a house painter, farm worker, paste-up artist, pizza delivery person, homeless shelter staff member, and has worked with mentally ill adults and children in a few different capacities. Currently, she lives in Vermont with her partner, Drea, and their daughter, Zella.

Further information about author Jennifer McMahon may be found on her website or Twitter.

For more reviews of the book, please follow the book tour.

I received an copy of Don’t Breathe A Word by Jennifer McMahon from TLC Book Tours to be a part of this tour and offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.