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Fiction. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:In this explosive new thriller, #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson delves into the deep bond between two sisters and their shared dream that becomes a harrowing nightmare of madness, hatred and jealousy... Cassie Kramer and her younger sister, Allie, learned the hazards of fame long ago. Together, they'd survived the horror of a crazed fan who nearly killed their mother, former Hollywood actress Jenna Hughes. Still, Cassie moved to L.A., urging Allie to follow. As a team, they'd take the town by storm. But Allie, finally free of small-town Oregon, and just that little bit more beautiful, also proved to be more talented�and driven. Where Cassie got bit parts, Allie rose to stardom. But now her body double has been shot on the set of her latest movie�and Allie is missing. Police discover that the last call to Allie's phone came from Cassie, though she has no recollection of making it. Instead of looking like a concerned relative, Cassie is starting to look like a suspect�the jealous sister who finally grew sick of playing a supporting role. As the tabloids go into a frenzy, Cassie ends up on a Portland psych ward. Is she just imagining the sinister figure who comes to her bedside, whispering about Allie�a visitor of whom there is no record? Is someone trying to help�or drive her mad? Convinced she's the only one who can find Allie, Cassie checks herself out of the hospital. But a sudden slew of macabre murders� each victim masked with a likeness of a member of Cassie's family�makes Cassie fear for her safety and her sanity. The only way to end the nightmare is to find out what really happened to Allie. And with each discovery, Cassie realizes that no one can be trusted to keep her safe�least of all herself...… (more)
User reviews
As for the story – the premise was interesting, the first chapter riveting and then things started to go downhill. It was difficult to warm up to any of the characters except perhaps Trent and then I wondered why he would want or put up with Cassie. Cassie seemed clueless and on a mission she had no hope of finding an answer to…big risk taker with little sense of danger. I finished the book, realized it was an ARC so not in final edited format and hope that by publication date everything I wondered about will be dealt with (it usually is for this author’s books) and that the book will do well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the copy of this book to read and review.
After She’s Gone sounded like a great novel of suspense, intrigue, and mystery. It was actually a very predictable book with little intrigue (or suspense). The characters are very unlikable (especially Cassie). Cassie had so many issues (anger, trust, blackouts, hallucinations) that I wanted to commit her. There were so few clues that would help the reader solve the mystery (though it was very easy to figure out). The author used the same phrases and sentences several times throughout the book (it was like she was short on the required word count so she copied and pasted). There is also many pages of Cassie’s internal dialogue. It was monotonous (I just started skimming past it after a while). This novel was tedious and dragged on for too long (sorry, but just being truthful). I give After She’s Gone 2.5 out of 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of After She’s Gone from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Since the terror of that long-ago attack, Cassie has suffered blackouts and hallucinations; as she desperately searches for her missing sister, others involved with the movie are murdered and all the clues point to Cassie as the culprit. Cassie flits between Los Angeles and Portland in search of answers, hoping to find her sister before the killer. Will she find Allie . . . and will she finally find a way to put past to rest?
Cassie’s obsession with finding Allie occasionally hinders the action, but the plot, with its twists and turns, will keep the pages turning. The revelations will not completely surprise astute readers, but the unraveling of hidden secrets and the frantic, fast-paced conclusion are likely to appeal.
Recommended.
After Cassie Kramer's younger sister Allie followed her to Hollywood, Allie proved to be more talented and driven than Cassie and her fame quickly took hold. Now Allie has disappeared right after her body double is nearly
The family is no stranger to the problems that can arise with fame and the media coverage that can follow. Their mother is Jenna Hughes, a well-known, beloved former Hollywood actress. Ten years earlier a crazed fan nearly killed Jenna and Cassie. The event scarred Cassie. (Deep Freeze; 2005) Cassie does suffer from periods where she blacks out and loses track of time but is she capable of killing her own sister? Even though Allie can exasperate her and was seemingly after Cassie's husband, Trent, Cassie doesn't believe she could harm her.
It appears that this is going to be a fast paced mystery at the beginning, but even with the frantic maneuverings of the characters, the hectic speed is not coupled with a lot of progress. The plot is complex and the unraveling of the mystery is satisfying, but sometimes the pacing seemed a bit too slow. The character of Cassie is well developed and while you may sympathize with Cassie, you aren't necessarily going to like her for most of the book. (It does get better in the last half.) Allie is totally unsympathetic.
is one of those books that I enjoyed for the most part. It certainly would qualify for an airplane book. You should stay engaged in the story and hold your attention to the end. If I were giving stars it would be a 3.5.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Kensington via Netgalley for review purposes.
Cassie Kramer and her younger sister, Allie, learned the hazards of fame long ago. Together, they’d survived the horror of a crazed fan who nearly killed their mother, former Hollywood actress Jenna Hughes. Still, Cassie moved to L.A., urging Allie to follow. As a team, they’d take
My Thoughts:
It was an excellent plot but the multiple viewpoints and the shifting back and forth not only of the characters but the time lines, made it somewhat hard to follow. Cassie was a very complex character and even though you felt sympathy for her she wasn't easy to like. I finally gave up even trying. It did keep the reader in suspense until almost the very last as to who the killer was. For that alone I gave it 3.5 stars.
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813.54 |