Not everything is as it seems in what appears to be an average family. When danger lurks so close to home, skeletons emerge, and the darkest of secrets surface, causing twisted desires to become reality. Aggravated Momentum offers the perspective of some very diverse and unique characters, including fun, witty personalities to fall in love with, along with an intellectual killer to die for. You … You may be surprised as to whom exactly you can relate. Is it the cold, calculated murderer, who’s name is yet to be revealed? Markie or Kam, the independent sisters, guilty of nothing more than getting tangled with the wrong people at the most inopportune times? Or, the cowardly snake curled in a hidden corner? Who are you, exactly? And, more importantly, who are they? The deeper you dig into the psyche of another, the more breath taking are the secrets you will find.
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It’s been a while since I read a gory thriller, but when I picked up Aggravated Momentum by Didi Oviatt, I knew I would be thrust in the middle of something deliciously vicious. Did you see that cover? Blood, death and pain. And does this book deliver! Earlier this year I read another one of her thrillers, and while it was definitely an intense ride, this one was even more of a suspenseful punch… probably because we actually hear thoughts occurring in the serial killer’s head a few times. But perhaps my favorite part of this book was sharing it as a buddy read with my friend, Dani, an amazing book reviewer and blogger I love chatting with!
The book starts out a little scary… Markie, a young woman, is hurting over the vicious murder of her best friend from ~18 months earlier, trying to bond with her sister and find her new place in the world. She even goes on a blind date with a setup assembled by her late best friend’s parents who’ve come to think of her as their own daughter now. And it helps, given Markie’s own mother is a bit eccentric. Markie and her sister, Kam, setup a signal code so if the date is going poorly, Markie has an easy out. During the date, the signal goes off and Markie is disappointed, as she liked the guy. But when her sister calls with a fake emergency, it’s not actually fake. Thus, the chase kicks off in the books and we’re treated to a rotation of narrators from the killer, Markie, her family and a few other critical players.
Oviatt is fantastic at delivering the creepy, page-turning horror that pulls you in and kicks you out (from fear!) many times over. Whether it’s a description of the violence, the freakishly lucid yet nonsensical mind of a serial killer, or the palpitating fear readers witness when the main character is being stalked, it’s an intense journey. Casually dropping in the fear factor is a specialty of Oviatt, i.e. her reveal about how the killer is picking off his or her victims somewhere around 20% into the book. And you’re left thinking… yikes, how will anyone survive! But it’s when we learn the final twist that my eyes popped out of their sockets. Are you serious, Oviatt? I will NEVER be alone with you at this point… and I mean that in a you’re awesome, but you’ve got such bubbling creativity in that masterful mind of yours kinda way.
Characters are well drawn. I loved seeing the relationships between all the key players, but that ending! You’ve closed the loops on all the big things, but you’ve left quite a few open in the mid to small range that have us still wondering and thinking about this book. There’s gotta be a sequel in the works… it could still go so many ways. I hope you’ve got some sort of trickery up your sleeve as I want more on this wild adventure. One thing I’ve come to count on with Oviatt’s books is a strong story, crazy and deceitful characters, a massive twisty-turny road, and a realistic setting. It’s a methodical build where she ramps up at just the right pace, then the shock hits when you don’t expect it. But it makes you all the more focused and alert as you can’t help but squint and mistrust everyone at that point. So… how long do we have to wait for the next one?
Aggravated Momentum is the second book by Ms. Oviatt that I’ve read and enjoyed. The story is a dark, psychological thriller that begins with a gruesome murder scene in the shower, revealing insight into the killer’s modus operandi. At the story’s onset, we meet the main characters Markie and her sister Kam, while Markie dresses for a blind date she’s reluctant to attend. Before she truly gets to know Vincent, Markie receives a distressing call from Kam. Leaving the date early, she arrives at her neighborhood, swarming with police and ambulance activity to learn her sister’s murderer has claimed another victim, her friend. Now Markie, her family, and friends are the sadistic stalker’s targets.
“My life has been turned upside down. I’m totally invaded. I feel naked and vulnerable, like a bad dream. Everything personal is going to be laid out in the open for everyone to see.”
While Markie collaborates with the police to unearth the killer, her family dynamics unfold. The insensitive mother who possesses a dire secret that could tear the family asunder. The murky relationship between their mother and estranged husband. And Markie and Kam’s close sisterly bond. But will their strong bond survive the looming threat? Ms. Oviatt tosses in another bit of madness with Markie’s dislike of her sister’s clingy boyfriend, Brock, and not to mention his total hatred of Markie. What a mess!
Aggravated Momentum is not a whodunit murder mystery. The author reveals the killer’s identity way before the killer wields another knife or mixes another poisonous drink. But can the author hold the reader’s attention after such a big reveal? Yes, she does. Ms. Oviatt captures the reader’s attention by cleverly thrusting one into the killer’s warped mind, revealing every evil, twisted thought, and reason for his madness. She adds a twist to the mix by defining the weak family dynamics, and a shocking, disgraceful, long-held family secret that allows evil to exist without remorse but with severe consequences. Ms. Oviatt’s story plays on the belief that the killer is always someone the victim knew, perhaps intimately.
Aggravated Momentum is a page-turner with a pace that’s never slow. The suspense keeps building and held my attention to the last horrific, explosive climax. If you’re looking for a book with murder, a warped antagonist, damaged protagonists, suspense, and thrills, then Aggravated Momentum is the perfect concoction of ingredients. Ms. Oviatt, thanks for the thrilling story!
Aggravated Momentum is definitely my kind of story. Suspenseful thrillers will always have a place in my heart and Didi Oviatt has written a really awesome one!
I absolutely loved the character building in this story. Didi Oviatt is clearly talented when creating characters who are intriguing and realistic. I loved how the situations they were put in revealed more about their personalities. I’m a sucker for books with fantastic characters, and this is probably why I loved Aggravated Momentum so much.
The twists and turns are pretty much endless in this story. There are lots of surprises I didn’t see coming, and that is what I’m looking for when I read a novel like this. I highly recommend checking this one out!
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
What an addicting ride! Oviatt knows how to deliver any genre of book, I swear! I couldn’t put this twisty page-turner down and I kept needing to know what was going to happen next! This one just may be in my top faves that I’ve read from the author so far!