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charskindle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
beastreader's review
4.0
This is my first time reading anything by this author. This book started out strong and ended just as strong. There is nothing worse than reading a book only to get a weak ending. Although, I must say that Brandon did not have as much of a huge presence with me as his team did. Together they all worked well together. It was a nice balance of men and women.
I want to stop and take a moment to talk about the killer. The author made sure that the killer's time in the spotlight was not lessened by the storyline. I have read many books where sometimes the killer is overshadowed by the storyline or the killer comes off as weaker so that it appears that the people brought to stop the killer seem smart. No, this was not the case in this book. Every character had a purpose. Although, the killings were horrific with limbs severed, the details were not graphic in nature. Therefore, those readers who like murder mystery or police procedural books, you will be happy with this factor. One more aspect that I wanted to point out about this book is that the flow was steady with no down time. If you are looking for a new author to try than you should check out this book. Coming from a fan of murder mystery or police procedural books; Remnants is a worthy read with sharp, skilled characters and a strong storyline.
I want to stop and take a moment to talk about the killer. The author made sure that the killer's time in the spotlight was not lessened by the storyline. I have read many books where sometimes the killer is overshadowed by the storyline or the killer comes off as weaker so that it appears that the people brought to stop the killer seem smart. No, this was not the case in this book. Every character had a purpose. Although, the killings were horrific with limbs severed, the details were not graphic in nature. Therefore, those readers who like murder mystery or police procedural books, you will be happy with this factor. One more aspect that I wanted to point out about this book is that the flow was steady with no down time. If you are looking for a new author to try than you should check out this book. Coming from a fan of murder mystery or police procedural books; Remnants is a worthy read with sharp, skilled characters and a strong storyline.
katiya's review
4.0
I love Carolyn Arnold and she writes such authentic procedurals that I spend a tonne of time squirming as I read them. This Brandon Fisher book was all that and more. I'll keep this review short as I could rave about a Carolyn Arnold book for hours and surely give away the plot while doing so. Let it be said (and honestly, I've probably said this before) the author does her homework!
A slight caveat, though. Arnold's FBI series is not for the squeamish. The descriptions of the remnants in this book are definitely on the upper end of my tolerance limits.
A slight caveat, though. Arnold's FBI series is not for the squeamish. The descriptions of the remnants in this book are definitely on the upper end of my tolerance limits.
hyperashley's review
3.0
First of all, I would like to say that I have not read any of the other books in this series. Thankfully, I didn't have to because each book can be read as a standalone. I usually don't go for the serial killer books but decided to step out of my comfort genre and give it a try. I liked it. The pace was quick and the story was easy to follow. I didn't get bogged down in the story or bored like I tend to get in most mysteries.
somojones's review against another edition
4.0
A good crime novel
Kept my interest. The story is about the search to find a serial killer. Nothing grab your seat thrilling but it kept my interest. The characters were solid and the writing was good.
Kept my interest. The story is about the search to find a serial killer. Nothing grab your seat thrilling but it kept my interest. The characters were solid and the writing was good.
hilaryistired's review against another edition
3.0
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Crime and murder mystery stories are nothing new to us these days. There are a ton of television series, movies, and books that follow crime investigators or serial killers. If I asked you to name some of the ones you've heard of, you could probably come up with a fairly long list without any hesitation. Which leads to an issue with this particular style of book: Can the author/actors/producers make their story stand out in very large crowd?
Unfortunately, Arnold gave us another generic serial killer story. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book. It's a fun, action packed adventure, with some decent twists and a great pace. But honestly, this could be another Criminal Minds or CSI episode, Ian Rankin book, or whatever crime series you prefer, and you'd think nothing of it. Nothing really catches you by surprise, the plot twists are fairly standard for these sorts of stories, and relies a little too heavily on cliches.
The Good Points of Remnants:
The pace for this book is amazing. It would be so easy to get into the plot and race along with the characters to try and catch the killer. Arnold doesn't get too bogged down in details or descriptions, rather focusing on the investigation and what the FBI are learning.
You know all those books that you were told read fine as a standalone, despite being part of a series, but you were completely lost? Yeah, this is not one of those books. I've not read any other books in the Brandon Fisher series, but I had no issue getting into this. There are probably some details that would make more sense if you read the rest, but you don't need to.
I liked how Arnold handled the changing points of view. Brandon's was in first person, while the killer's and his coworkers were in third, which could have be awful. But it was actually very easy to follow, and filled in the details of the story wonderfully. Authors writing from multiple points of view could learn something from Arnold.
The Downsides of Remnants:
This book is so generic as far as serial killer/crime novels go. It feels very 'fill-in-the-blanks' as far as the unsub and cast of characters go. There were some fun, interesting aspects about it, but not enough to really make this book stand out.
The characters were very two-dimensional. After reading the whole book, I only knew a little about each of the characters, including Brandon, who told most of the story. I realize that the focus of the book is on the crime investigation, but some fleshed out characters would have made this book far more interesting, especially considering that this is the sixth book in the series.
So many crime story cliches! Or maybe it's just because I've studied both abnormal and forensic psychology. But Arnold made some seriously overdone mental state choices, and then didn't flesh them out well enough to make it interesting.
All in all, I did enjoy reading Remnants, but I wasn't particularly impressed by it. It was about as generic as these sorts of books come, and there was nothing new brought to the table. But the pacing is amazing and the writing when it comes to the changing points of view does stand out amongst some of the other books. If you're a fan of Criminal Minds, Ian Rankin, CSI, or crime or thriller books as a general, this one might be worth checking out.
Crime and murder mystery stories are nothing new to us these days. There are a ton of television series, movies, and books that follow crime investigators or serial killers. If I asked you to name some of the ones you've heard of, you could probably come up with a fairly long list without any hesitation. Which leads to an issue with this particular style of book: Can the author/actors/producers make their story stand out in very large crowd?
Unfortunately, Arnold gave us another generic serial killer story. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book. It's a fun, action packed adventure, with some decent twists and a great pace. But honestly, this could be another Criminal Minds or CSI episode, Ian Rankin book, or whatever crime series you prefer, and you'd think nothing of it. Nothing really catches you by surprise, the plot twists are fairly standard for these sorts of stories, and relies a little too heavily on cliches.
The Good Points of Remnants:
The pace for this book is amazing. It would be so easy to get into the plot and race along with the characters to try and catch the killer. Arnold doesn't get too bogged down in details or descriptions, rather focusing on the investigation and what the FBI are learning.
You know all those books that you were told read fine as a standalone, despite being part of a series, but you were completely lost? Yeah, this is not one of those books. I've not read any other books in the Brandon Fisher series, but I had no issue getting into this. There are probably some details that would make more sense if you read the rest, but you don't need to.
I liked how Arnold handled the changing points of view. Brandon's was in first person, while the killer's and his coworkers were in third, which could have be awful. But it was actually very easy to follow, and filled in the details of the story wonderfully. Authors writing from multiple points of view could learn something from Arnold.
The Downsides of Remnants:
This book is so generic as far as serial killer/crime novels go. It feels very 'fill-in-the-blanks' as far as the unsub and cast of characters go. There were some fun, interesting aspects about it, but not enough to really make this book stand out.
The characters were very two-dimensional. After reading the whole book, I only knew a little about each of the characters, including Brandon, who told most of the story. I realize that the focus of the book is on the crime investigation, but some fleshed out characters would have made this book far more interesting, especially considering that this is the sixth book in the series.
So many crime story cliches! Or maybe it's just because I've studied both abnormal and forensic psychology. But Arnold made some seriously overdone mental state choices, and then didn't flesh them out well enough to make it interesting.
All in all, I did enjoy reading Remnants, but I wasn't particularly impressed by it. It was about as generic as these sorts of books come, and there was nothing new brought to the table. But the pacing is amazing and the writing when it comes to the changing points of view does stand out amongst some of the other books. If you're a fan of Criminal Minds, Ian Rankin, CSI, or crime or thriller books as a general, this one might be worth checking out.
nadenetotallyaddictedtoreading's review against another edition
4.0
Carolyn Arnold has proven once again that she is good at what she does. That is writing riveting, entertaining and suspenseful police procedurals. ‘Remnants’ is the 6th book in the Brandon Fisher series. There is no need to read the series in order as each story can stand on its own.
The beginning of the story is intense, as the killer is hunting for his next victim. From that moment, the story pulled me in and it proved a difficult book to put down. Has is typical of all serial murders, the FBI is called up on to assist in the investigations. Brandon Fisher and his team flew to Savannah to investigate when multiple body parts were discovered and investigations indicate that they were from different bodies. The hunt is on to capture the killer. Will Brandon and his team be able to figure out his end game before he strikes again?
Before, I proceed to tell you what I enjoyed about this story; I want to warn you that it was not unique. It bears a strong resemblance to a favourite television series of mine, but it in no way diminished the shock factor of the story.
Having read the previous book, Violated, I am familiar with the dynamics of Brandon’s team. They worked well together and had each other’s backs. They were a focused team when it came to the investigation in spite of the personal issues they faced. Brandon is a good agent, but there were moments when he displayed a measure of insecurity when it came to his boss. He would deliberately do or say things that he thinks would impress his boss.
The story gave us the killer’s perspective, which for me is a plus for stories like these. Here we have a killer who feels he has to kill. I found this fascinating along with the way his mind worked and his motives for carrying out his gruesome acts. He had issues, but what these did not come to light until after his identity was revealed. One thing was certain he had a superiority complex. He was looking for infamy and praise. There were moments in the story when I felt empathy for the killer, but I had no sympathy for those who aided and abetted him. They knew of his issues, but instead of getting him the help he needed they enabled him. In my eyes that made them crazier than the villain.
Figuring out the killer’s identity was a difficult task. The suspect pool was large, making it difficult to pinpoint the actual villain. At one point, I thought I had it figured out, but then the author twists things up and once again I was back to figuring out his identity. During this time, my excitement levels increased and my curiosity peaked, as I was eager to discover how it would all unfold. Then there was the jaw-dropping twist near the end when all the clues came together to reveal identity and motive.
As usual, the writing style was impeccable. The manner, in which the story was written, made it easy for me to visualise every event that took place. The scenes were chilling, gruesome and not for the faint of heart.
The switch between POVs was flawless making it easy to follow. Brandon's was in first person, while that of his coworkers and the killer were in third. I find that at times when stories are written this way, they tend to be confusing, however, this was not the case here.
Verdict
‘Remnants’ is a well-written and engaging police procedural I recommend to fans of the genre. If you have read nothing written by this author I encourage you to do so, as I am sure you will have no regrets.
The beginning of the story is intense, as the killer is hunting for his next victim. From that moment, the story pulled me in and it proved a difficult book to put down. Has is typical of all serial murders, the FBI is called up on to assist in the investigations. Brandon Fisher and his team flew to Savannah to investigate when multiple body parts were discovered and investigations indicate that they were from different bodies. The hunt is on to capture the killer. Will Brandon and his team be able to figure out his end game before he strikes again?
Before, I proceed to tell you what I enjoyed about this story; I want to warn you that it was not unique. It bears a strong resemblance to a favourite television series of mine, but it in no way diminished the shock factor of the story.
Having read the previous book, Violated, I am familiar with the dynamics of Brandon’s team. They worked well together and had each other’s backs. They were a focused team when it came to the investigation in spite of the personal issues they faced. Brandon is a good agent, but there were moments when he displayed a measure of insecurity when it came to his boss. He would deliberately do or say things that he thinks would impress his boss.
The story gave us the killer’s perspective, which for me is a plus for stories like these. Here we have a killer who feels he has to kill. I found this fascinating along with the way his mind worked and his motives for carrying out his gruesome acts. He had issues, but what these did not come to light until after his identity was revealed. One thing was certain he had a superiority complex. He was looking for infamy and praise. There were moments in the story when I felt empathy for the killer, but I had no sympathy for those who aided and abetted him. They knew of his issues, but instead of getting him the help he needed they enabled him. In my eyes that made them crazier than the villain.
Figuring out the killer’s identity was a difficult task. The suspect pool was large, making it difficult to pinpoint the actual villain. At one point, I thought I had it figured out, but then the author twists things up and once again I was back to figuring out his identity. During this time, my excitement levels increased and my curiosity peaked, as I was eager to discover how it would all unfold. Then there was the jaw-dropping twist near the end when all the clues came together to reveal identity and motive.
As usual, the writing style was impeccable. The manner, in which the story was written, made it easy for me to visualise every event that took place. The scenes were chilling, gruesome and not for the faint of heart.
The switch between POVs was flawless making it easy to follow. Brandon's was in first person, while that of his coworkers and the killer were in third. I find that at times when stories are written this way, they tend to be confusing, however, this was not the case here.
Verdict
‘Remnants’ is a well-written and engaging police procedural I recommend to fans of the genre. If you have read nothing written by this author I encourage you to do so, as I am sure you will have no regrets.
frominktopaper's review against another edition
3.0
Original review posted on my blog From Ink to Paper
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is the 6th book in the series, but is made to be a standalone book. I did feel that this was the case. I felt like I didn’t know just a slight backstory in the sense of how the characters have grown to know either other, etc. However, that did not make this book harder to follow or anything of the sort. I like when series like this are able to be read out of order if you want.
The book starts out with you getting a view from the suspects on what he is feeling while doing his crime, which is abduction and murder. You find out quickly what Brandon and the FBI are dealing with, which is body parts that are hard to identify and are not really giving them a clear picture of who the suspect is. I must admit at first I had no idea what the word unsub meant and I was like what the heck are they talking about, so good old Google told me it is unidentifiable subject. So you know learn something new every day 🙂 guess I need to watch more crime shows!
I liked that this book kept you guessing on who the suspect was, at first I was like oh I know who it is then you are thrown for a loop that there might be multiple suspects and then I was like oh okay well maybe it is this person then along with this person. I thought that there was a couple other good surprises that were thrown in that I was not suspecting, but I don’t want to give them away so you will just have to read it.
I also enjoyed that the book had some historic aspect to it with the whole Mayan culture and how the murders were ritualistic in nature. That is just the history major in me coming out, but I thought it was a fun thing to learn some history while reading this book. I thought that the characters were well developed and worked well together. I did get that Brandon was going through things with Becky but that was the one part I thought might have been involved more than I liked just because I was more interested in the story of the suspects than him being upset about his relationship.
Overall I thought this was a fun book to read and enjoyed getting the opportunity to do a review of it. I also always love when my city is mentioned in a book and they happen to talk about Albuquerque, NM :-).
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is the 6th book in the series, but is made to be a standalone book. I did feel that this was the case. I felt like I didn’t know just a slight backstory in the sense of how the characters have grown to know either other, etc. However, that did not make this book harder to follow or anything of the sort. I like when series like this are able to be read out of order if you want.
The book starts out with you getting a view from the suspects on what he is feeling while doing his crime, which is abduction and murder. You find out quickly what Brandon and the FBI are dealing with, which is body parts that are hard to identify and are not really giving them a clear picture of who the suspect is. I must admit at first I had no idea what the word unsub meant and I was like what the heck are they talking about, so good old Google told me it is unidentifiable subject. So you know learn something new every day 🙂 guess I need to watch more crime shows!
I liked that this book kept you guessing on who the suspect was, at first I was like oh I know who it is then you are thrown for a loop that there might be multiple suspects and then I was like oh okay well maybe it is this person then along with this person. I thought that there was a couple other good surprises that were thrown in that I was not suspecting, but I don’t want to give them away so you will just have to read it.
I also enjoyed that the book had some historic aspect to it with the whole Mayan culture and how the murders were ritualistic in nature. That is just the history major in me coming out, but I thought it was a fun thing to learn some history while reading this book. I thought that the characters were well developed and worked well together. I did get that Brandon was going through things with Becky but that was the one part I thought might have been involved more than I liked just because I was more interested in the story of the suspects than him being upset about his relationship.
Overall I thought this was a fun book to read and enjoyed getting the opportunity to do a review of it. I also always love when my city is mentioned in a book and they happen to talk about Albuquerque, NM :-).
ooha's review against another edition
4.0
Brandon Fisher, youngest member of his Behaviour Analysis Unit (FBI) team, knew that this case would be another stomach-churning one. After all, they had been called out to Savannah, Georgia to investigate severed body parts fished out of Little Ogeechee River. But, even that gloomy outlook couldn’t have predicted the depths of insanity that this case would lead them into. A serial killer to outdo all serial killers was in Savannah and the only way to find him was by wading through severed feet, missing hearts and blue torsos.
I turn to thrillers the way a child would turn to its mother for comfort. It’s comfortable knowing the pattern that you’re stepping into- smart detectives, a few bodies and finally, a killer to behold. Remnants follows the pattern to a tee.
The prose is simple and nowhere did it feel especially awkward. It carried the self-importance of an FBI-centred story and the promised glimpses into the personal lives of its heroes and villains. Of course, that is usually the iffy aspect in these otherwise well-written books- the internal ramblings of the main character came off as bratty and whiny and did nothing to increase my love for him. The other characters, however, did justice to their roles and I developed a sweet spot for the rest of his team mates.
The creepy factor and suspense were well-handled till the very last moment. In fact, the ending to the mystery was executed so admirably well that I wished away the actual final chapter. The procedural didn’t feel forced or out of the blue and I enjoyed it more than I expected. But, there was a smattering of popcorn psychology towards the end which felt unnecessary given the already well-built storyline.
BOTTOMLINE: Do you like Criminal Minds? Well then, look no further. This is Criminal Minds in its novelized version. I was so strongly reminded of the show that I could have finished the review with that single sentence above and I would be justified. Just like that show, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat while reading and make you heave a sigh of relief when it’s done. Just be prepared: the confluence of crazy in this one is astounding!
Happy Reading!
I turn to thrillers the way a child would turn to its mother for comfort. It’s comfortable knowing the pattern that you’re stepping into- smart detectives, a few bodies and finally, a killer to behold. Remnants follows the pattern to a tee.
The prose is simple and nowhere did it feel especially awkward. It carried the self-importance of an FBI-centred story and the promised glimpses into the personal lives of its heroes and villains. Of course, that is usually the iffy aspect in these otherwise well-written books- the internal ramblings of the main character came off as bratty and whiny and did nothing to increase my love for him. The other characters, however, did justice to their roles and I developed a sweet spot for the rest of his team mates.
The creepy factor and suspense were well-handled till the very last moment. In fact, the ending to the mystery was executed so admirably well that I wished away the actual final chapter. The procedural didn’t feel forced or out of the blue and I enjoyed it more than I expected. But, there was a smattering of popcorn psychology towards the end which felt unnecessary given the already well-built storyline.
BOTTOMLINE: Do you like Criminal Minds? Well then, look no further. This is Criminal Minds in its novelized version. I was so strongly reminded of the show that I could have finished the review with that single sentence above and I would be justified. Just like that show, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat while reading and make you heave a sigh of relief when it’s done. Just be prepared: the confluence of crazy in this one is astounding!
Happy Reading!
truce's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0