#allthebookreviews with Q&A: Closer Than You Know by Brad Parks @duttonbooks @brad_parks
Closer Than You Know
by Brad Parks
Thank you to Dutton Books for these copies!
See Jessica and I's reviews below along with a short Q&A from the author!
🎆 HAPPY PUBLISHING DAY 🎆
🎆 HAPPY PUBLISHING DAY 🎆
Publisher: Dutton Books
Publishing: March 6, 2018
Kindle Edition
416 pages
Genre: Domestic Suspense, Thriller
Standalone
Goodreads Synopsis:
Disaster, Melanie Barrick was once told, is always closer than you know.
It was a lesson she learned the hard way growing up in the constant upheaval of foster care. But now that she's survived into adulthood--with a loving husband, a steady job, and a beautiful baby boy named Alex--she thought that turmoil was behind her.
Until one Monday evening when she goes to pick up Alex from childcare only to discover he's been removed by Social Services. And no one will say why. It's a terrifying scenario for any parent, but doubly so for Melanie, who knows the unintended horrors of what everyone coldly calls "the system."
Her nightmare mushrooms when she arrives home to learn her house has been raided by sheriff's deputies, who have found enough cocaine to send Melanie to prison for years. The evidence against her is overwhelming, and if Melanie can't prove her innocence, she'll lose Alex forever.
Meanwhile, assistant commonwealth's attorney Amy Kaye--who has been assigned Melanie's case--has her own troubles. She's been dogged by a cold case no one wants her to pursue: a serial rapist who has avoided detection by wearing a mask and whispering his commands. Over the years, he has victimized dozens of women.
Including Melanie. Yet now her attacker might be the key to her salvation . . . or her undoing.
About the Author:
BRAD PARKS is the only author to have won the Shamus, Nero, and Lefty Awards. His books have won starred reviews from every major pre-publication journal. His latest novel, SAY NOTHING, will be translated into thirteen languages. For more information -- or to sign up for the newsletter written by his impertinent interns -- visit his website at www.bradparksbooks.com.
It was a lesson she learned the hard way growing up in the constant upheaval of foster care. But now that she's survived into adulthood--with a loving husband, a steady job, and a beautiful baby boy named Alex--she thought that turmoil was behind her.
Until one Monday evening when she goes to pick up Alex from childcare only to discover he's been removed by Social Services. And no one will say why. It's a terrifying scenario for any parent, but doubly so for Melanie, who knows the unintended horrors of what everyone coldly calls "the system."
Her nightmare mushrooms when she arrives home to learn her house has been raided by sheriff's deputies, who have found enough cocaine to send Melanie to prison for years. The evidence against her is overwhelming, and if Melanie can't prove her innocence, she'll lose Alex forever.
Meanwhile, assistant commonwealth's attorney Amy Kaye--who has been assigned Melanie's case--has her own troubles. She's been dogged by a cold case no one wants her to pursue: a serial rapist who has avoided detection by wearing a mask and whispering his commands. Over the years, he has victimized dozens of women.
Including Melanie. Yet now her attacker might be the key to her salvation . . . or her undoing.
About the Author:
BRAD PARKS is the only author to have won the Shamus, Nero, and Lefty Awards. His books have won starred reviews from every major pre-publication journal. His latest novel, SAY NOTHING, will be translated into thirteen languages. For more information -- or to sign up for the newsletter written by his impertinent interns -- visit his website at www.bradparksbooks.com.
What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
Love this question. And I have at least ten possible answers. But to pick one: Junior year of high school, I wrote a story for the local paper about a classmate named Jimmy Beasley, who had a tumor removed from his leg and went on to became a champion cyclist. (As I recall, the lede was about Little Jimmy Beasley, on his bike, riding away from big, bad cancer. Note to young writers: DO NOT use metaphors involving cancer, unless you feel like making yourself cringe several decades later). Anyhow, the day after the story ran, Jimmy came into physics class told me his mother liked the story so much she cried at the end. I was a pretty typical 16-year-old boy—read: callow and almost completely disconnected from my feelings—so I was blown away that words (my words, at that!) could such an impact on someone. And while I hope my writing has gotten more sophisticated since then, my goal as a writer really hasn’t: It’s to move people—to tears, to laughter, to fear, to whatever—with words.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
No question: A spider. One reason is because I always tell aspiring authors that every story needs a spider (for more explanation: https://www.facebook.com/
My Review:
Let's talk about the characters for a moment.:There's a LOT going on in this book with Melanie's past, what's happening to her now, how they intersect and how the prosecuting attorney comes into play. I'm not a mother so I can't imagine how hard it would be to have your child ripped away from you with no warning whatsoever. I mean, Melanie's already been through enough - can't this woman get a break? Then to have drug charges put on top of that while still dealing with an aftermath of a rape from a while ago... WOAH. I really would've loved to have learned more about her husband - his part was too minor for the character he was given, but that's just my opinion. I really enjoyed the lawyers - both defending and prosecuting and while we learned quite a bit about Amy, I would've loved to have seen more of Mr. Honeywell - I have a very special place in my heart for him.
Ok, so let's get to the book. It's fast paced, easy to read and kept me glued to the pages all day today. I'll admit I had it all figured out pretty early on. Did this take away from the joy of the read? NOPE. Not at all. I feel like you need to suspend a bit of reality about the happenings in these story lines... but that really didn't make a difference to me. I mean, it's FICTION after all, right?
Brad Parks has a fan in me and I will be on the look out for his upcoming work. If you're looking for a part domestic suspense with a dash of legal thriller mixed in, I think it's safe to say you'll enjoy this read. Put this one on your TBR.
Jessica's Review:
Last year I was introduced to Brad Parks when I read SAY NOTHING (you can see my review here), and I was hooked from the start. So when I saw he had another thriller releasing I was so ready to get sucked in again. CLOSER THAN YOU KNOW is another page-turning thriller meets court room drama and did not disappoint!
Melanie's life has been anything but perfect. Growing up in the foster care system made for a rough upbringing but now she has a loving husband, a healthy son, and a stable job. Has her awful past been left behind her for good? Melanie's security is shattered when she goes to pick up Alex from daycare but is told that Social Services has already taken him. With no reason given Melanie is determined to get her son back, but this will prove to be much more difficult that she could ever imagine.
Throw in enough cocaine to land her with a few felonies, a cold case no one wants, and a serial rapist that has been on the run for years, Melanie will stop at nothing to get Alex back before he lost to the system.
In true form, this book pulled me in from the start. Despite there being a lot of characters it was easy to keep everyone straight and I loved learning more about each of them. I really enjoyed the court room drama portion and the scenes involving the defense and prosecution. While some thriller fans might be able to figure out the ending early on, this did not take away from the entertainment value of this read.
If you're looking for a thriller/suspense novel to suck you in and not let go, then you need to get some Brad Parks on your TBR. Another solid read and I'm looking forward to more from him in the future.
I give this 4.5/5 stars!
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