Charly Bloom’s life took a wrong turn that has left her alone and frustrated. When she gets a call from an old flame, she returns to her hometown to investigate the disappearances of four children. The abductions are eerily similar to a set of previous crimes.Two decades ago, Charly and her two friends decided to play amateur detective and help find a girl who was stolen from her home. Then, … Then, another girl went missing. Clues overlooked by the inept sheriff left only one child to survive: Charly. She managed to fight back and kill the Snatcher. Or so everyone thought…
Is the Snatcher back, or is there a copycat? Charly must face her past and her own personal demons in a race against time to save the latest victim.
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This is a fantastic suspenseful novel by an author who was new to me. The main character is very well-written and her history is peeled back in layers as we get the whole story of her past and are involved with her in the present.
This is a dual time line novel – the early part of the story takes place when Charly is 13. She’s a tomboy and her best friends are male. During that summer, three girls disappear from her small town where everyone knows everyone’s business and she and her two best friends try to find clues that will help the sheriff find the missing girls. She and her friends refer to the kidnapper as the Snatcher and he changes their lives in ways they never expected. Clues overlooked by the inept sheriff left only one child to survive: Charly. She managed to fight back and kill the Snatcher. Or so everyone thought… Now, over 20 years later, there are again girls missing in the small town she grew up in and there are very similar circumstances to the earlier disappearances. The new sheriff, an old friend, asks her to come back to town and help solve the disappearances. Is the Snatcher back, or is there a copycat? Charly must face her past and her own personal demons in a race against time to save the latest victim.
I loved the character of Charly. As a child she was stubborn and intent on helping to find the Snatcher – nothing and no one scared her even though she went places she should have avoided. As an adult she was just as brave and intent on solving the abductions and managed to get into some rough situations as she tried to find the missing girls.
Note: Because this is a book about abducted young girls, they are some uncomfortable scenes. The author manages to keep this to a minimum.
This is a well told suspenseful novel that kept me turning pages until I got to the surprising ending.
The author, Andrew Nance, does a marvelous job in creating a well-written, suspenseful novel with a twist within a twist. Two stories are interwoven to create a whole, and the link between the time frame and the stories is an unforgettable character. Nance’s language is crisp and fresh, and his world-building is authentic, and his pacing just fast enough to keep readers at the edge of their seat, but slow enough to let them enjoy the ride. He has crafted a compelling, engrossing novel with more than one scene of gritty-realism that will prickle the back of your neck. On sale right now for 99 cents, but that won’t last. My advice: jump on it!
The characters and story are so interesting, you feel like you’re a part of the story. I love how the main character has the flashbacks – they help bring the whole story – both past and present together in such a way that you know everything. It will definitely keep you guessing until the very end!
***I got a free copy to give an honest review***
I really enjoyed this mystery. I loved that Charly, as a kid and as an adult, was badass. She wasn’t afraid to back down to bullies who were guys twice her size. She didn’t need a guy to protect her. She could protect herself.
The story kept going back and forth between the past and present. Since Charly helped catch the Snatcher when she was a kid, she was asked to figure out the killer now. Charly was a private investigator while her ex worked for the police department.
This book was written in Charly’s first person point of view. As a reader, you could see her excitement as she figured out clues, which made her endearing as a character. Her voice, in narration, sounded exactly the same to me whether she was a thirteen year old or a thirty-six year old. I wish the chapters which focused on her past would’ve made her sound more youthful.
The story was pretty intense. The villains were not playing around. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book. No one was safe. There were two scenes that gave me the chills (in a good way): when the kids, Charly and Micah Lee, were snooping on Altus May’s property, and when the kids, Charly, Micah Lee and Bobby, went through the tunnel at night. Poor Bobby.
I absolutely, positively loved the twist! I hadn’t seen it coming. The author did an awesome job with all the red herrings. I also loved Charly’s interactions with her two best friends as kids, and how she always outsmarted the bike gang as an adult.
I RECOMMEND this book to read
I enjoyed All the Lovely Children. Great writing and pacing. But I may have read one too many psychological thrillers. I figured out who the snatcher was in the flashbacks about halfway through the book. Not soon after, I figured out who the snatcher was in 1982.
Still, Nance did an awesome job of weaving the story told in flashbacks with the present-day story. Overall, it really was a well-written book, and I’m glad I read it.
I rarely like books that travel between time but this was a must for this novel. The author gave excellent background and no information was held back so if you are a great amateur detective you might be able to solve it. BUT, I doubt it. Good characters, great interaction and perfect ending. I couldn’t have wanted more.
I thought All The Lovely Children by Andrew Nance was going to be ugly and the Prologue hooked me, creating fear and suspense from the opening words, proving me right.
Charly was heading home to Temperance. You know, one of those small towns where everyone knows everyone’s business, except for the killer running AMOK.
History is repeating itself.
Charly knew all the ins and outs of catching a killer, since she had begun detecting at a very young age. Think Nancy Drew. She had killed the Snatcher, so Kit, an old friend and now the sheriff of Temperance, asked for her help in catching the Copycat Killer.
Young or grown, she has the same rebellious, do it myself attitude that gets her in one dangerous situation after another. I love her, no matter how impulsive and reckless she can be.
I can picture her, climbing out the window late at night, biking to her friends house, scaring the crap out of him so he falls to the ground, laughing all the way down the road…
The suspense builds in the past and the present as the book goes from 1959 to 1982 and back again. Children are missing…murdered…what can be worse that that?
I can picture a grown up Charly, sitting on the couch with the 44 Ruger balanced on her knee, pointing the gun at… LOVE it!
I know the writing is excellent when images pop into my mind while reading a book.
Oh man. I didn’t think Andrew Nance would take me here, but I’m stunned, shocked, sad and sickened. I am only at 80%, so I feel he has more surprises in store for me and I am eager to get to it.
We also have a little of the supernatural making an appearance. She sees the dead. It plays more of a cameo role, leaving the story seeming all too real.
I had thought of the final twist, but Andrew caused me to disregard it, leading me to believe I was walking down the wrong path…then, POW, in my face.
Well, Andrew. You kept me on pins and needles from beginning to end. The writing was super and I do love a little romance with my danger and suspense. The characters were fantastic and I must say, that villain, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. Nothing beats a mind blowing villain.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of All The Lovely Children by Andrew Nance.
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