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sam_hartwig's review against another edition
4.0
Alex Kava has not let me down with this one, she has found her spark again for me. Her last two books were a bit 'blah' but this one had all that fast-paced suspense that I loved from her other books. This book was good because you had to follow two different storylines - one was Maggie O'Dell and the other was Benjamin Platt. I liked it because I not only had to figure out what was going with one character but with two instead!! I had no idea what was going on - which i love - and loved seeing the stories unfold. I always like how her books seem so factual and then at the back in the acknowledgements she thanks all the certain people who have helped her write the book and you see that she really researches what she's writing about - it's so interesting!! If you like a good suspense mystery then the 'Maggie O'Dell' series is definately a read for you!!
paulabrandon's review against another edition
1.0
Absolutely awful! There is a suggestion the two separate plot lines somehow meet up, but it's pretty vague! My thought was that the students stumbled across an illicit chicken lab that was used to provide chicken carcasses to the USDA that made everybody sick, and that's why they were targeted....except the book then changes its mind and says the teens were killed by one of their friends who was upset at them for moving on with their lives when she wasn't. Huh?!?
If Maggie is an FBI serial killer profiler, why is she always investigating government conspiracies? I want a serial killer thriller! And if she isn't all that interested in what she's investigating, why should we?!!?
Luckily, the book was seriously short (they should not be charging full price for such thinly plotted bunk), so I didn't waste a huge amount of time on something totally stupid!
If Maggie is an FBI serial killer profiler, why is she always investigating government conspiracies? I want a serial killer thriller! And if she isn't all that interested in what she's investigating, why should we?!!?
Luckily, the book was seriously short (they should not be charging full price for such thinly plotted bunk), so I didn't waste a huge amount of time on something totally stupid!
scott_a_miller's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.0
2 Stars. Not even average. I expect much more from Kava and O’Dell. Not much more to say. The characters, mystery and subject matter were boring. I ope the next one is more like I have come to expect.
mapally's review against another edition
4.0
This is only my second book in the Maggie O'Dell series but I think she is a very likable heroine.
I enjoyed that they were actually working two separation crimes that end up being connected. It did make a little nervous as to the potential security meassures with our food!
I would recommend this story.
I enjoyed that they were actually working two separation crimes that end up being connected. It did make a little nervous as to the potential security meassures with our food!
I would recommend this story.
boothby738's review against another edition
2.0
Once I got into this, it was a very fast read, a lot of good action and plot twists. It had a good X Files vibe. But when it was over I was left feeling like it was all flash and not much substance. I like a good conspiracy story, but this felt rushed. I have not read any of the other books in this series. There were a lot of characters and I think they could have been more developed. Sure, a few of them were from earlier in the series, but many were not.
gbdill's review against another edition
3.0
It was good. It was neither extraordinary or a disappointment. Kept me interested throughout the whole story. Unpredictable. Mysterious. Didn't know what direction the book was headed (aliens, conspiracy theories, or cover ups and poor judgment by corrupt agencies) I liked Maggie and Platt. Baldwin turned out alright at the end too. Had some problems with edits though. For example, "digestive track" rather than "digestive tract". And, there were a handful more. Nothing major. The story ended with a few good twists and surprises at the end. Not a story with a lot of depth. But, a fun, easy, and entertaining read no less. I will read more by Alex Kava.
laurenjodi's review against another edition
4.0
Hotwire
3.5 Stars
As with most of the recent books in the Maggie O'Dell series, the basic premise is excellent but the execution is only so-so.
The writing is fast paced (not surprising given the relatively short chapters) and the story is compelling enough to keep you turning the pages. Nevertheless, the various plot threads, including the attack on the teenagers in the forest, the food contamination and the government conspiracy, are all treated rather superficially and end up being a bit of a mish-mash.
Moreover, there is only some meager character development with regard to the personal lives of Ben Platt and Julia Racine rather than Maggie, which is disappointing.
It looks like the spark of brilliance that characterized the first few books in this series has gone out but I keep hoping that it will return.
3.5 Stars
As with most of the recent books in the Maggie O'Dell series, the basic premise is excellent but the execution is only so-so.
The writing is fast paced (not surprising given the relatively short chapters) and the story is compelling enough to keep you turning the pages. Nevertheless, the various plot threads, including the attack on the teenagers in the forest, the food contamination and the government conspiracy, are all treated rather superficially and end up being a bit of a mish-mash.
Moreover, there is only some meager character development with regard to the personal lives of Ben Platt and Julia Racine rather than Maggie, which is disappointing.
It looks like the spark of brilliance that characterized the first few books in this series has gone out but I keep hoping that it will return.
ennime713's review against another edition
3.0
I really liked this one in the Maggie O'Dell series but it felt a little like it ended in the middle of the story. The end was very sudden and left a lot open. But the story itself kept me turning pages and I really liked Lucy. I think I mixed up the order of the books and read this one before the previous in the series but it didn't seem to matter that much. Guess I'll catch up and read that one next. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could.
cnorbury's review against another edition
3.0
My first foray into Kava's work. She writes in a smooth, clean, professional style and her characters are memorable although a few might lean toward stereotypes (e.g.--the manipulative alpha girl in the high school, her football jock boyfriend, the small-town LEOs reluctantly cooperating with the federal agent (Maggie O'Dell).
The plot was fresh and timely for the time period in which it was written (2011). It suffered from a lack of depth, which means it could have been longer and done more with character development and description. But compared to boringly long, under edited novels by national bestselling authors in this day and age, lean and sparse is more of a compliment.
Thanks to short chapters and constant tension and suspense building, the pages flew by. It could be easily read in one or two long sittings.
The plot was fresh and timely for the time period in which it was written (2011). It suffered from a lack of depth, which means it could have been longer and done more with character development and description. But compared to boringly long, under edited novels by national bestselling authors in this day and age, lean and sparse is more of a compliment.
Thanks to short chapters and constant tension and suspense building, the pages flew by. It could be easily read in one or two long sittings.