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mbpartlow's review against another edition
3.0
This book is well written and has a satisfying, though far-fetched, ending.
But can you call it a mystery? I'm not sure.
Because you know from the start who killed and buried body number one in the backyard. When bodies two and three are discovered, you learn in short order who put them there, as well.
So there is no question of who done it.
There is the question of why. Eventually you get the stories of everyone involved, what they did and what their motives were.
The beauty of the story lies in tying all the various strands together and bringing the disparate characters onto the stage at the same time. There are a lot of crossed purposes, miscommunications and mistaken assumptions.
Some reviewers called it Hitchcockian. I'm not sure I agree, but it's certainly headed in that direction.
Maybe all the pieces of a traditional mystery are there, but I'm uncomfortable with the fact that they aren't in the traditional order. A third of the way in, I wondered why I was still reading, when the "mystery" was already revealed. But I kept reading. By half-way in, I had to see what the author was going to do next.
Still not sure if I was interested more in the story or more in how the author pulled off the way she told it.
Maybe I'm just jealous.
But can you call it a mystery? I'm not sure.
Because you know from the start who killed and buried body number one in the backyard. When bodies two and three are discovered, you learn in short order who put them there, as well.
So there is no question of who done it.
There is the question of why. Eventually you get the stories of everyone involved, what they did and what their motives were.
The beauty of the story lies in tying all the various strands together and bringing the disparate characters onto the stage at the same time. There are a lot of crossed purposes, miscommunications and mistaken assumptions.
Some reviewers called it Hitchcockian. I'm not sure I agree, but it's certainly headed in that direction.
Maybe all the pieces of a traditional mystery are there, but I'm uncomfortable with the fact that they aren't in the traditional order. A third of the way in, I wondered why I was still reading, when the "mystery" was already revealed. But I kept reading. By half-way in, I had to see what the author was going to do next.
Still not sure if I was interested more in the story or more in how the author pulled off the way she told it.
Maybe I'm just jealous.
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
A thriller with more twists in and out of the dark than the Takabisha rollercoaster.
My Take
Mason certainly pulled me in and then spit me back out. The twists and turns from the original worry of discovery to the truth of Jason's life. The truth of Leah's feelings. The identities and whys of Jason's body.
It's an amazingly simple story. Well, three simple stories which Mason weaves together until they meet one night and the most terrifying night of Keystone Kops ensues, ramping up my anxiety and heart rate. I simply couldn't read fast enough to find out what happens next!
The police are clean, sharp, and the type you want out there. Everyone else? They're like nothing you'd expect with more truth than you want.
What a weasel?!! Why not just move? I mean, duh. Why does he put up with this?
Well, I'm just happy the baddies didn't get a chance to reproduce.
Why did Boyd and Leah keep calling Harris "Phil"??
The Story
One man with too many bodies; one woman without one.
She's grateful for the easy out; he's still content.
The Characters
Jason Getty buried a man in his backyard; Patty is the wife who intended to leave him, but died before she got round to it. Gary Harris is Getty's body. A man who taunted and bullied, setting Jason up.
Leah Tamblin discovers the difference between knowing and not-knowing when it comes to her missing fiance, Reid Reynolds. Dean is his pot-smoking brother; Sheila is his mother---a built-in family.
Katielynn Montgomery was just Reid's type. Boyd Montgomery appears to be dead; his twin, Bart, is scuzzy but really good with dogs.
Detective Tim Bayard investigates the first skeleton found. Lyle Mosby is the Carter County lead crime-scene investigator; Valerie is his assistant. Ford Watts is a fellow detective; Maggie is his wife while Tessa is a volunteer dog who adores meat loaf.
The Cover
The cover is a ground view of a naked tree against a vividly orange sky. Considering the subject matter, it could well be a classy (and spooky) metaphor for Halloween and the ensuring Fright Night!
The title is what it's all about---Three Graves Full.
My Take
Mason certainly pulled me in and then spit me back out. The twists and turns from the original worry of discovery to the truth of Jason's life. The truth of Leah's feelings. The identities and whys of Jason's body.
It's an amazingly simple story. Well, three simple stories which Mason weaves together until they meet one night and the most terrifying night of Keystone Kops ensues, ramping up my anxiety and heart rate. I simply couldn't read fast enough to find out what happens next!
The police are clean, sharp, and the type you want out there. Everyone else? They're like nothing you'd expect with more truth than you want.
What a weasel?!! Why not just move? I mean, duh. Why does he put up with this?
Well, I'm just happy the baddies didn't get a chance to reproduce.
Why did Boyd and Leah keep calling Harris "Phil"??
The Story
One man with too many bodies; one woman without one.
She's grateful for the easy out; he's still content.
The Characters
Jason Getty buried a man in his backyard; Patty is the wife who intended to leave him, but died before she got round to it. Gary Harris is Getty's body. A man who taunted and bullied, setting Jason up.
Leah Tamblin discovers the difference between knowing and not-knowing when it comes to her missing fiance, Reid Reynolds. Dean is his pot-smoking brother; Sheila is his mother---a built-in family.
Katielynn Montgomery was just Reid's type. Boyd Montgomery appears to be dead; his twin, Bart, is scuzzy but really good with dogs.
Detective Tim Bayard investigates the first skeleton found. Lyle Mosby is the Carter County lead crime-scene investigator; Valerie is his assistant. Ford Watts is a fellow detective; Maggie is his wife while Tessa is a volunteer dog who adores meat loaf.
The Cover
The cover is a ground view of a naked tree against a vividly orange sky. Considering the subject matter, it could well be a classy (and spooky) metaphor for Halloween and the ensuring Fright Night!
The title is what it's all about---Three Graves Full.
mstapel's review against another edition
4.0
What a hook! From the first sentence of this work, to the last paragraph, I was guessing as to what was going to happen next!
It was beautifully written but at times description heavy. I took my time with this to properly digest the prose and it was well worth it. Each character is developed and plays an important part in the overall flow and intrigue of the story. I would highly recommend this book.
It was beautifully written but at times description heavy. I took my time with this to properly digest the prose and it was well worth it. Each character is developed and plays an important part in the overall flow and intrigue of the story. I would highly recommend this book.
teresaalice's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. Just from the description, I knew I would, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. Although there's the occasional "descent into madness" monologue that I could do without, I found the characters engaging and likeable, and the plot twisty and turny enough to keep me guessing at what would ultimately happen. And there's a cute dog. So there's that.
geekwayne's review against another edition
4.0
'Three Graves Full' reads like a Coen brothers movie. There are dark twists and turns, characters that seem caricatured at first, and a kind of loopy humor at the ludicrous nature of it all.
When milquetoast Jason Getty killed a man who pushed him too far and buried him in his backyard, he lived in fear that the body would one day be discovered. What he didn't expect were the two bodies the cops find buried in his front yard. Bodies that he knew nothing about. When Jason decides to move the body he buried before the police find it, that's when the craziness really begins.
A darkly fun debut novel from someone I hope to read more from. The characters are interesting and resist stereotyping. Sure, there are the small town cops, but they are smarter than they let on. Jason's nervousness and bumbling give him an interesting growth arc, even if it takes until almost the end of the book to see it, and the jilted fiancee even shows an interesting side when it counts. If you like your thrillers quirky and strange, and you have a strong stomach, you can't go wrong with this book.
When milquetoast Jason Getty killed a man who pushed him too far and buried him in his backyard, he lived in fear that the body would one day be discovered. What he didn't expect were the two bodies the cops find buried in his front yard. Bodies that he knew nothing about. When Jason decides to move the body he buried before the police find it, that's when the craziness really begins.
A darkly fun debut novel from someone I hope to read more from. The characters are interesting and resist stereotyping. Sure, there are the small town cops, but they are smarter than they let on. Jason's nervousness and bumbling give him an interesting growth arc, even if it takes until almost the end of the book to see it, and the jilted fiancee even shows an interesting side when it counts. If you like your thrillers quirky and strange, and you have a strong stomach, you can't go wrong with this book.
emilybeth597's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
susiebee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jmj697mn's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't love it but I did read it in a day. It held my attention well but it was extremely dark and twisted. Kudos to the author for keeping my attention and making me care about Jason.
cathiedalziel's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent "their going to find out I did it" mystery and the tension leading up the discovery. Er, um, with this novel, discoveries.
This story has many twists and turns and is not what you think it is.
A man hires landscapers to do his front yard work and they did up a body...and then another one. He does not hire them to do his back yard work because he himself as buried a corpse back there.
This is the story of waiting to be found out, but all is not as it seems. Even a calm man can be pushed too far and even someone who lives in fear can do the right thing and be a hero.
There were so many twists and turns and suspense in this novel that I didn't want to put it down and the storytelling and writing is excellent.
This story has many twists and turns and is not what you think it is.
A man hires landscapers to do his front yard work and they did up a body...and then another one. He does not hire them to do his back yard work because he himself as buried a corpse back there.
This is the story of waiting to be found out, but all is not as it seems. Even a calm man can be pushed too far and even someone who lives in fear can do the right thing and be a hero.
There were so many twists and turns and suspense in this novel that I didn't want to put it down and the storytelling and writing is excellent.
beastreader's review against another edition
4.0
Jason Getty still has nightmares about the crime he committed. He murdered a man and buried him on his property. For this reason, Jason has let his property get overgrown. He knows he has to do something soon or the neighbors will complain. So Jason hires a crew to fix up his yard.
Jason is relaxing until the crew calls for Jason. They have dug up a body. Jason knows the end is now for him. That is until Jason learns that it is not his body but another body and it is two bodies not one. Whose bodies are they and what are they doing on Jason’s property?
Wow. If this is what a debut novel is like from new author, Jamie Mason, then I can not wait to see what her next novel will be like. This book was way more then just a suspense/mystery novel. It had great depth and a good psychological aspect to it. The first third of the book was the mystery and then the story quickly picked up to and turned into a psychological thriller. This is where I admit that I did get a bit confused trying to keep everything straight. Luckily I got back on track fairly quickly. However as the story played out, I was wondering if Jason was really as bad as I first thought he was. When the end happened and the story was revealed I was not surprised by parts of the ending. I knew what was going on but I was still intrigued. Three Graves Full will have you hooked for a thrilling ride!
Jason is relaxing until the crew calls for Jason. They have dug up a body. Jason knows the end is now for him. That is until Jason learns that it is not his body but another body and it is two bodies not one. Whose bodies are they and what are they doing on Jason’s property?
Wow. If this is what a debut novel is like from new author, Jamie Mason, then I can not wait to see what her next novel will be like. This book was way more then just a suspense/mystery novel. It had great depth and a good psychological aspect to it. The first third of the book was the mystery and then the story quickly picked up to and turned into a psychological thriller. This is where I admit that I did get a bit confused trying to keep everything straight. Luckily I got back on track fairly quickly. However as the story played out, I was wondering if Jason was really as bad as I first thought he was. When the end happened and the story was revealed I was not surprised by parts of the ending. I knew what was going on but I was still intrigued. Three Graves Full will have you hooked for a thrilling ride!