A solid thriller mystery to add to my shelf. I love the bouncing of perspectives that ultimately drives the narrative, but also remains at a level of mystery that allows the readers to make connects at the same time the characters seem to. I really liked Christine. I think she was a strong FMC without falling into the stereotypical tropes that have become a bit of a turn off for me. I also *Love* the inclusion of forensic anthropology (the inner Bones fan in me was so happy). I almost wish that was leaned into a tad more, but ultimately I was engaged and on my toes for a lot of the book and really enjoyed the read. ( )

This was a choice for one of my two real life book clubs.

The back story is that the author spent fourteen years writing the book, was rejected by eighty literary agents and then sold only a few copies after it was published in 2012. In 2023, his grown daughter made a TikTok video about her beloved Dad’s efforts. The video went viral and within twenty four hours it had risen to the number one best seller on Amazon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgcouiKWlso

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Maidens

This is the story of an FBI anthropologist, Christine Prusik, putting together clues to stay ahead of a serial killer. It’s a truly bizarre case – the killer is dumping young women’s bodies in forested ravines, but not before inserting a carved ‘spirit stone’ into a wound on the victims’ body.

It’s a similar MO used by a tribe in Papua New Guinea, from whom Christine had barely escaped alive ten years earlier. But how can an attacker from a primitive tribe have followed her to Indiana? And how can one young man with a strange, loaner reputation and an interest in carved stones have dreams of the murders?

There are several good twists and turns, as well as a subplot of male coworker trying to take over the case and her removed.

Yet, somehow I didn’t quite end up buying the story. ( )

An unasked for Valentines gift from the wife turned out well. Good paced read about an anxious female FBI agent and a murdering twin. Southern Indiana is the locale. Not really an attempt at a sense of place but good character development and story line. Though it got a little too busy at the end. Almost a 4. No interesting phrases or words to note. A rarity but a good first effort by LDR. Will take a chance on the second one. ( )

An interesting read until the author added an implausible “twist”. ( )

Started today April 10th, 2013, got this cheap as a Kindle Daily Deal.
Good first book. So 4 stars (more like 3.5).
Romance was lame.
Given the basic reason behind the killings, I feared it would sink to supernatural, but it did not.
More background for that part of the story would have been good.
Feels a bit like a self-published book, but there where no errors I recognized, so either not self-published or the author paid for good lector.
But I will read the next book to see if its as good or better.
(Just so you know, a few sentences of the first impression after finishing the book where written late at nigh logged in with the Beta-Browser on a Kindle Paperwhite to test how good that works - I question the Beta, the Browser works as most other mobile browsers and can be used for Goodreads). ( )