Motherly love can drive her to the absolute edge… from her own terrible crimes—ones that mean prison and separation from her son should the police catch up to her before her husband does. If only she could remember that night and what really transpired…
Without warning, the unthinkable happens, and Drew is plunged into the most nightmarish situation a woman and mother could imagine. Desperate to save her child, Drew takes matters into her own hands, proving that anyone is capable of darkness, and nowhere is safe for those who fear themselves.
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In this wonderful new book we meet Drew Baker, a young mother who has escaped, with her child, from an abusive husband. She never gets truly comfortable in one town, if something seems off she packs her son and their things up and moves on. The two have recently settled down in a small town and Drew soon realizes that living in a small town people ask a lot of questions. She doesn’t quite remember what happened the night she left her husband but she fears that she has done something that will send her to jail. Drew would love to be able to clear her name and live without fear but isn’t sure how she can accomplish such a feat. Her son is getting older and starting to rebel against all the rules, he wants answers that she just can’t give him, which terrifies her to no end. Drew soon learns that secrets can only be held for so long and that the past can resurface at anytime. Follow along with Drew on her harrowing journey, see if she can clear her name and show the truth about what she experienced at the hand of a sadistic husband. Will she set her self free from all the secrets that she has hidden or will she end up in a worse place than she started. This was a thrilling read that had me guessing from beginning to end, I loved the intricate web the author weaved while telling Drew’s story. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
Talk about a compelling tale! J. M. Winchester brings us the saga of a psychotic Seattle software billionaire with exactly enough money to allow him all the room he requires to satisfy his unusual needs. I have never met a billionaire nor a psycho, but this one is scary as Hell and much too authentic.
Drew is his first wife, Michael his first child. It takes Drew a while to see that the ‘security and protection’ Adam provides for her is based on perversity – but as soon as she finds she is pregnant that abuse intensifies and becomes unmistakable. When sugar no longer works Adam turns to brute force, and before the pregnancy reaches term she is a prisoner in her bedroom, though the rumors in her household point to her as the crazy one. Drew is alert for a chance to escape, which finally happens when she is within weeks of delivering her son. Straight she goes to the nearest police station – but she is wild-eyed and beaten-up and the police believe Adam, that she self-harms. Where he had slit her wrist repeatedly several weeks before only adds to his story.
After a ‘home’ delivery that almost kills Drew, she knows that now that Adam has his child her life is over, and the life that Matthew will have would be no life at all. This time when she escapes she and her child go directly into hiding. Successfully hiding. For nine years…
This is an entertaining horror story, told well. It is one I am happy to recommend to friends and family.
I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, J. M. Winchester, and Thomas & Mercer publishers. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this story of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work.
All the Lovely Pieces by J.M. Winchester
Told from three viewpoints we here from the mother on the run, her son and a woman held captive by Adam, the man Drew and Michael are running from. After nine years and seven states Drew has decided to settle for a bit in Liberty, Missouri. She is a bit paranoid and always looking over her shoulder while Michael is looking forward to having friends, going to school and being “normal”. Drew is NOT relaxed about letting Michael out of her sight but she is in Liberty for a reason. My gut feeling when I found out that reason was that she should have kept running or just plain hidden.
Anyway…Drew makes a few friends, talks to a psychologist and takes a lover. She continues to have trust issues and worries. Michael is curious about his father and unsure what to think of the new man in his mother’s life. While the two are doing their thing in Missouri we hear the voice of Catherine, the nanny and captive of Adam – her life is miserable and she has more than a bit of Stockholm Syndrome. And Adam is definitely a bogeyman to beware of. I don’t think there was one redeemable think he did or said in the book. I have to say I liked how he got his comeuppance.
As I read I had mixed feelings. I found it difficult to relate to any of the characters in the book. I felt that Drew wasn’t taking care of herself or her son while on the run and I wondered how she actually managed to provide for them over almost a decade. I felt that all of the characters were a bit “flat” with not enough backstory to make me feel I knew them well enough to really care about what would happen to them. Michael, at nine, was rather creepy. I couldn’t tell if he was “normal” or a creep in the making. I guess I wanted more backstory, more about Adam and why he was as he was, and perhaps an epilogue to let us know how things turned out for everyone in the future.
The story is brutal and graphic with abuse, murder, rape, kidnapping and psychological trauma aplenty. It is twisted in more ways than one. I am on the fence as to whether I would read another book in this genre by this author. As it is her debut book and is well written I do believe I would try another to see how it compares with this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.
2-3 Stars
All the Lovely Pieces is the debut psychological thriller written under the name J.M. Winchester. I’ve known J.M.’s work as Jennifer Snow for some time. She writes sweet contemporary romance. I have to admit I wasn’t prepared for this. I knew it would be different from what I’d grown used to but Wow! This is one of those mess with your mind, keep you up at night books. I finished it at about 11:30 last night and could not go to sleep afterwards. I think I need to read something all warm and fuzzy now.
Drew Baker and her ten year old son have been living life on the run for ten years. They never stay in one place long and Drew is always on guard, always looking over her shoulder. She never allows herself to get acquainted with other people, always keeping themselves separate. Now Drew has come to Liberty, Missouri. There is someone here that might have some answers, someone to help her find that information that could save them. Because she’s tired of running. Her son wants a normal life, friends, holidays. Things most children take for granted.
To say Drew had been in an abusive marriage would be an understatement. Because it was so much worse than that. She had gotten to the point where she wasn’t sure what to believe, the things her husband told her, or her own mind. But, she got out. Only now, parts of her memory are confused with what happened that last night. She can’t put it all together.
In Liberty, she finds herself becoming friendly with one of the women there. It would be her very first real friend. And there is a man who has expressed interest in her. But she’s damaged. And she can’t risk a personal relationship. She knows she can’t stay. That it’s only a matter of time until she and Michael have to run again. As soon as she gets the information she needs.
This book completely messed with my mind. I had no idea what the heck to think most of the time. I know I gasped out loud more than once. And there was no way I was going to be able to put the book down last night without finishing it. If you think you’ve seen evil, you’re mistaken. Because you haven’t. Until you meet Drew’s husband. He is the true definition of the word.
This is fast paced and will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page until the last. Drew is the true definition of a protective mother. Because she will do whatever she has to do to protect her child. I can’t wait to see what J.M. Winchester comes up with next.
Oppressively Dark Beginning. This book is *so* dark in the first half that it almost doesn’t have a choice but to lighten by at least a shade or two in the back half – and even then, that shade or two brighter is about all you ever really get. I don’t want to give too much away in this review, but if you have issues such that you can’t or won’t read books that contain any level of domestic abuse or rape, you’re going to want to skip this one. Beyond that, the front half of this book in particular screwed with my mind so much – easily one of the more powerful books on that level that I’ve read in quite some time. To the level that I didn’t want to finish it, but knew I needed to for this review – and even then, I knew it was a 5* book *because* of what it was doing to me and its excellent editing. I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever read another book under this name from this author, but this one is very much recommended.
“All the lovely pieces fall to the floor . . .”
The first thriller for J.M. Winchester. It’s hard to believe her usual genre is romance. It really was time to let out that dark and twisted alter ego. Fabulous job…can’t wait to read more!
Winchester takes her time, as she slowly reveals each main character’s connection in this crazy and intricate storyline. The mysterious Catherine was an elusive puzzle piece that she dangled for quite some time, before finally revealing her spot.
Drew and her son are hiding from her abusive husband, Adam. Not just your “typical” abusive husband. This creep is vile, depraved and he’s a very powerful, successful billionaire. He’s not someone who is easy to leave behind and erase from your life.
They have been on the run since Michael was a baby. They never stay in the same town very long, they don’t form friendships and they don’t talk about their past. But Drew picked Liberty, Missouri for a reason. She’s tired of running, and she believes someone here can help her.
“I’m not judging. I’m jealous. No one’s skeletons are as fucked up as mine.”
J.M. Winchester wrote this thriller like a pro and I’m ready for her next book!
Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and J.M. Winchester, for this ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
My Rating: 4.5 ’s (rounding up)
Published: August 6th 2019 by Thomas & Mercer
Pages: 320
Recommend: Yes!
At times I found I was holding my breath in anticipation for what would come next!
For 9 years Drew has been on the run from her husband Adam. She has done everything possible to protect her son Michael, that is until he ends up missing. Will Drew be able to overcome her past and find her son?
I enjoyed this fast paced debut novel from J.M. Winchester. She created a story that captures your attention and keeps you guessing. I do have to admit I was not a fan of the way this book ended, and I struggled to relate to the extreme fear displayed by Drew for the first half of the book, but that will not keep me from reading another one of her novels.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Author for allowing me to express my honest opinion of this novel.
WOW! All the Lovely Pieces is twisted, haunting, and heart-pounding. This book creeped me out from beginning through the very end. Even the end was twisted! I hope there is a second book to this because Michael has some serious issues! The kid creeped me out as much as any other character. This book was so well written and put together, I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
I loved this thriller and was hooked from the beginning. The author did a great job setting everything up, showing the fear the main character Drew was feeling. Not only did Drew fear her husband but she also did something the night she fled but has no memory of what she did. While running & trying to protect her son she was also trying to remember what she did. This book kept me on the edge of my seat.