Helpful Score: 3
It's not often that you know who is the bad guy right from the start in a suspense, but ONE SCREAM AWAY is the exception; it's all about the chase. The pages fly by with action, drama, a touch of romance, and dark dirty secrets revealed along the way. A top-notch romantic suspense! Kate Brady's debut is just the launching pad for a new suspense writer to be reckoned with.
Helpful Score: 1
I can't recall ever reading any really suspenseful novels, and if I have they haven't made an impression on me like this one. This book was tense, suspenseful and kinda scary. I would say that this book is exactly how suspense is supposed to be written!
There were some things about the story that were explained a little too conveniently... but they weren't major parts of the plot, so that was ok. The things that mattered: characters, major plot points, and writing were done very well. This killer, Chevy Bankes, was really messed up. I can't even imagine what kind of emotional toll it took on Kate Brady to write this book. As we learn bits and pieces of the past we get to see how messed up Bankes is and you almost start to understand why he does what he does. Getting inside the mind of a killer is crazy, especially when you begin to really understand him.
About halfway through the book it felt like the climax was coming and that the rest of the book wouldn't be as suspenseful as the beginning, but the twist that keeps the story going came out of nowhere and really made the book.
The romance that sprouts between Neil, and ex-FBI agent, and Beth, the killer's main target, doesn't detract from the story. I've read books where the romance seems to take over and the plot takes a seat on the sidelines, but not in this one. The romance does play a part, but it's not what the book centers on.
This was a great suspense novel, and what makes it even better is that it was Kate Brady's debut novel. Given the way this book propelled you into the story and didn't let go I'll be anxiously waiting for her next novel: Last to Die.
There were some things about the story that were explained a little too conveniently... but they weren't major parts of the plot, so that was ok. The things that mattered: characters, major plot points, and writing were done very well. This killer, Chevy Bankes, was really messed up. I can't even imagine what kind of emotional toll it took on Kate Brady to write this book. As we learn bits and pieces of the past we get to see how messed up Bankes is and you almost start to understand why he does what he does. Getting inside the mind of a killer is crazy, especially when you begin to really understand him.
About halfway through the book it felt like the climax was coming and that the rest of the book wouldn't be as suspenseful as the beginning, but the twist that keeps the story going came out of nowhere and really made the book.
The romance that sprouts between Neil, and ex-FBI agent, and Beth, the killer's main target, doesn't detract from the story. I've read books where the romance seems to take over and the plot takes a seat on the sidelines, but not in this one. The romance does play a part, but it's not what the book centers on.
This was a great suspense novel, and what makes it even better is that it was Kate Brady's debut novel. Given the way this book propelled you into the story and didn't let go I'll be anxiously waiting for her next novel: Last to Die.
One Scream Away is a heart pounding, palm sweating, intensely suspenseful thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you are turning the pages to the very end.
Chevy Banks is an insanely psychopathic stalker serial killer who collects his victims screams as trophies of their deaths. Beth Denison is an antiques expert who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, became the one woman that got away from The Hunter, and would remain a woman haunted by the events of that day several years later until former FBI agent Neil Sheridan investigates his way into her life and her heart.
Kate Brady masterfully tells this tale, and even though you know who the killer is there are lots of gripping moments and secrets for the reader to discover. The only issue I had with One Scream Away is that it is marketed and categorized as a romantic suspense. I felt that this story was 10% romance, and 90% suspense. This in and of itself is not a bad thing, in fact I would not change anything about the story, but for the fact that I expect a romantic suspense to be just as much a romance as a suspense(50/50).
It seems to me to be a case of the publisher knowing that more romance novels are selling in this tough economy than other genres, so they decided to market a book that is more of a suspense novel as a romantic suspense novel to launch this newly published author. However, this does not change my impression of this book. I thought One Scream Away was a great summer thriller and believe that any fan of Nora Roberts is going to love Kate Brady!
Ratings:
Romance=1.5
Passion=1.0
Kleenex=1.0
Overall= 3.0 as a romance, but as a suspense a 4.5 so overall I would give it 3.75 stars
reviewed for Seductive Musings http://seductivemusings.blogspot.com/
Chevy Banks is an insanely psychopathic stalker serial killer who collects his victims screams as trophies of their deaths. Beth Denison is an antiques expert who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, became the one woman that got away from The Hunter, and would remain a woman haunted by the events of that day several years later until former FBI agent Neil Sheridan investigates his way into her life and her heart.
Kate Brady masterfully tells this tale, and even though you know who the killer is there are lots of gripping moments and secrets for the reader to discover. The only issue I had with One Scream Away is that it is marketed and categorized as a romantic suspense. I felt that this story was 10% romance, and 90% suspense. This in and of itself is not a bad thing, in fact I would not change anything about the story, but for the fact that I expect a romantic suspense to be just as much a romance as a suspense(50/50).
It seems to me to be a case of the publisher knowing that more romance novels are selling in this tough economy than other genres, so they decided to market a book that is more of a suspense novel as a romantic suspense novel to launch this newly published author. However, this does not change my impression of this book. I thought One Scream Away was a great summer thriller and believe that any fan of Nora Roberts is going to love Kate Brady!
Ratings:
Romance=1.5
Passion=1.0
Kleenex=1.0
Overall= 3.0 as a romance, but as a suspense a 4.5 so overall I would give it 3.75 stars
reviewed for Seductive Musings http://seductivemusings.blogspot.com/
couldn't put this one down. great debut!
I haven't read a suspense/romance book like this before! I was very pleased that this book kept me going from the beginning to the ending. One of the main characters named Chevy Bankes had psychological issues running deep. His mother was the cause of those issues he suffered as a child, so he thought. He was a psychotic murderer. He "had" to kill "women" to stop his mother from singing.
This book was skillfully written. I would recommend this book to all the suspense readers of the world! BRAVO Kate Brady!! I'm looking foward to the next book.
This book was skillfully written. I would recommend this book to all the suspense readers of the world! BRAVO Kate Brady!! I'm looking foward to the next book.
Lots of twists and turns. Too many deaths for me, but fits the storyline. Great first book.
very well written, we know the murderer, we know the victum, now it's the chase--each page brings a new revelation about each of them and there are surprises you don't expect.
Great book! The first chapter caught my attention and It didn't let go until the very end. Call me weird, but the best feature of this book was how creepy and crazy the villain was! Getting into Chevy's mind and having chapters from his point of view, gave the reader insight to his psychotic ways and added to the suspense of this book A villian's story wouldnt be completed without a hero, and Neil was a great match with his FBI background and insight to serial killers and "screw the world" attitude. I'm looking forward to the next book, where we get to meet Neil's brother.
EXCELLENT BOOK !!!!! First book of Kate Brady's that I read & will be searching for others!
