Review of Dead Reckoning

[Elendu Clement Ekechukwu]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dead Reckoning" by Lea O'Harra.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Our narrator is Gilly. She is a terrified and remorseful lady who still regrets her actions performed over twenty-six years before her narration. Age didn't matter to her, as she was just twelve years old when she and her best friend Sally decided to keep a dead baby they found in the woods. The baby was buried by a tree at Gilly's home and more or less influenced the murder of two other children. Twenty-six years after the death of her mother, she has to cope with the horrors of the past and the scariness of her actions, however childish and naive they were at the time.

Indiana was the destination, and she, along with her husband Toshi, traveled there. There was no genuine comfort from anyone aside from her brothers and Sally, her old best friend. Toshi and Gilly had a strained relationship, and it was no surprise that they divorced soon. Twenty-six years without visiting Bryon did not change the hatred some people had for her in that town. Her life is threatened. Crime follows her to her hometown. Investigations and suspicions are heightened. The reader is in suspense.

In this lovely crime/horror thriller, hate and crime are prominent themes. It is a normal cliche that time heals all wounds, but the author of the book Dead Reckoning subtly begs to differ as she shows her readers that hate knows no time boundaries. Mr. Maloney maintained his hatred for Gilly and did not even express condolences to her late mother. Tim, on the other hand, was a different breed. His hatred knew no bounds at all. It is not surprising that he inflicted fatal wounds on his father at a young age; a man sets out for a life of crime from the onset.

The book is generally a thriller that makes good use of an old diary to travel to Gilly's past life. The crime was a glaring theme, as the plot revolved around it. From vandalizing a vehicle to committing murder, Dead Reckoning wasn't short of crime scenes. The place called the "hidey hole" became a symbol of death and murder. It held horrors unspeakable for Gilly and Sally. We can also safely say that it is almost impossible to completely assess a person based on his current attributes or character. Melody, for example, seemed to be a happy girl with wonderful behavior and a benevolent spirit. Jess, her brother, seemed to be the opposite. Fast-forward twenty-six years and the roles are reversed. Jess is now a policeman, and Melody is a lunatic of some sort.

The plot is firmly set in Bryon, Indiana, in the United States of America. It is safe to say that the funeral took place in 2010, as the diary recorded, referring to 1984 when Gilly was twelve years old. The book is generally enjoyable and recommended to those who love a dose of thrillers and want to be kept in a bit of suspense. I rate this book four out of four. Lea O'Harra did well to show her expertise. There wasn't anything to dislike in the book. I didn't come across any errors while reading. The book was exceptionally well edited. 

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Dead Reckoning
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[Yasmine M]

Some horrible things that happened in that town. Although Gilly and her friend were only kids back then, it looks like the consequences of their actions are still looming. Will Gilly ever get passed all of that drama? Will the killers be found and held accountable? I love mystery books and thrillers, however I will stay clear of this one because of the morbid/horror side of it.

[Rocky Ellery James Tumbelaka]

I enjoy mystery and thriller novel. But I have to say that I am a bit confused with what actually happening in this book. I guess I have to read it myself to completely understand. Thanks for the review though.

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

I can't wait to know how the baby they found in the forest relates to the endless amount of crimes later. I love a good thriller!

[Margi zuu202]

Book of the day BOTD is C T M H both drama and thriller twisted w human insight in hot summer day in 1984 a newborn baby is found dead on a shoe box in cemetery they bury the body and later 2 more children disappear and ends up dead suspect is arested and he confence Gilly gree up haunted by what happened, he decided to do the right thing after another child found dead . The book was well written and reviewed I will recommend it

[Sou Hi]

Congrats on BOTD. Gilly's story seems to be filled with negative, such as guilt, hatred, and resentment. I wonder if that is connected to the dead children.

[Abdul-Malik Hassan]

I'm intrigued by the concept of this narrative. It sounds like an interesting and engaging read. Excellent review!

[neginine]

This book is a gem. With the combination of hometown charm and suspense I found it hard to put down. The author leaves you hanging at the appropriate times.
Can't wait for the next one.

[Kaitlyn Canedy]

People can change; it happens all of the time. However, I do find it very strange that two girls would want to keep a dead baby. While this book is not for me, it looks appealing to those who like murder mystery novels. Thanks for the review!

[Bertha Jackson]

I will have to read this book to find out how the dead baby is connected to the rest of the murders. Thank you for your review.

[Domeseo Camus Meda]

A BOOK BY LEA O'HARRA FOR CRISIS LOVERS.
THE AUTHOR TALKS ABOUT HATE AND ITS DISASTRATIVE CONSEQUENCES.GOOD REVIEW

[Sarah Zain]

Seems like a good book to read. But the amount of suspense and scale of the crimes creates a sense of horror is too much to me . Great review

[Sara Nóbrega Bartolomeu]

Actions have consequences. Sounds like a good mystery. I wonder how are the murders related to the dead baby girl.

[Leen282]

It seems like a lot of interesting storylines coming together, several characters play a role. I like a good crime book, but the horror bit may be a bit too much for me.

[Joule Mwendwa]

I am not a horror fan, especially when it involves children. I have sampled the book's few pages, and it takes quite a reasonable pace and creates suspense in the beginning pages. I recommend it, but I am not strong for horror. Nice review