Customer Reviews

Angels Fall

5 star:		(94)
4 star:		(53)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Angels Fall is one more romance/thriller by an acknowledged master of the genre, Nora Roberts. This story of a woman striving to overcome a traumatic past is expertly read by Joyce Bean who captures readers by vocally embodying the fears and challenges experienced by the protagonist. No over the top drama for this reader, only a pitch perfect, authentic performance.

Reece Gilmore is literally hanging on with her fingernails. She witnessed brutal killings in the Boston diner where she worked and was wounded herself. Realizing the state she was in she sought help as a patient in a psychiatric hospital. Eventually, she felt well enough to leave and our story takes place primarily in Angel's Fist, Wyoming where she has sought peace and hopefully a stabilized mental condition, free of nightmares and panic attacks.

Once settled in, she hikes up into the mountains and surveys the beautiful surroundings with her binoculars. What she sees is not beautiful at all - it is a couple struggling on the opposite bank of the Snake River. The man has the woman in a stranglehold, and Reece is sure he is killing her.

However, once she reaches another person on the trail, Brody, and asks for help, they return to the scene she described and find absolutely nothing. She knows what she saw, but with her history who will believe her?

Recommended listening.

- Gail Cooke

Once again, Nora Roberts has penned a mystery about people in a small town living at the foot of spectacular mountains. It's not more of the same, though, because the people of Angel's Fist, Wyoming have a much different flavor than the residents of Lunacy, Alaska, and the places themselves are not much alike.

Reece Gilmore is the sole survivor of a murder spree in a restaurant in Boston, where she had been a chef. After months of therapy and hospitalization, Reece is trying to put herself back together. She's meandering across the country in her old car, stopping from time to time to work long enough to make enough money to move on. Afraid of the dark and obsessive about locking doors, Reece limps into Angel's Fist with her car overheating. Seeing a sign in a diner window, the cordon bleu chef takes a job as a fry cook and, eventually, rents an apartment above the diner and starts settling in. One day while out hiking, she stops to rest in a scenic spot overlooking the Snake River and spies a couple in her binoculars. When their argument erupts into murder, Reece runs down the trail and into Brody, a thriller writer who lives in Angel's Fist. They report the murder and direct the police to the place where it happened, but no trace of an altercation is found.

On the heels of that incident, strange things start to happen in Reece's apartment. Things are put in the wrong place and once she even finds her front door unlocked and open. At first, Reece believes she's having memory lapses, but as the bizarre happenings escalate, she and Brody start to believe the killer is messing with her head. With no victim and no trace of a crime, most of Angel's Fist believes Reece is losing it, but she is convinced that a very real killer is on the loose. In between the intrigue, Reece and Brody start having a hot affair, so nobody takes the fact that he believes Reece too seriously.

I figured out exactly what happened as soon as it happened, the reasons why, and who the guilty party was. The only thing left was waiting to see if I was right, which I was. Still, I doubted myself a couple of times.

The pace of this book is on the slow side for Nora Roberts, but never boring. There was always something happening to keep the story moving. Reece was obsessive and jittery, but not frail or clingy. Brody was all personality and I never really got a good picture of him in my head. Though not the most compelling or gripping book in the Roberts collection, it is nonetheless a good sample of her work. Nora has the ability to weave good stories with a different cast and at varying paces, and still make us keep turning the pages every time. Even meandering along, Angels Fall is another compelling tale by a powerhouse writer.

Reece Gilmore was a chef in Boston where she was the only survivor of a brutal slaying at her restaurant. After therapy and hospitalization, Reece takes to the road in search of peace. Still suffering some of the aftereffects of her horrendous attack, she is hoping that Angel's Fist will provider her some relief from the panic attacks and fear that have taken over her life.

She settles into the small town working as a cook in the local diner, but while hiking Reece sees a murder take place. She is certain of what she has seen, and the only one that will believe her is a popular author Brody. Brody believes Reece, but has also been informed of her past. He sees some of her unusual behavior, but sticks with his gut instinct that she is telling the truth.

Not many can describe a setting like NR. I can picture it very clearly when I read her books. Reece is not your typical main character. She has issues and at times is very fragile. I liked the characters, and the secondary characters were also very well done.

While I enjoyed the book for its setting and atmosphere, the flaws of plot were striking. And, alas, they are carryovers from her other works. Consider the following:

(1) One can flip through the pages of any unread Nora Roberts book and come to the first sizzling sex scene without any difficulty. This scene is exactly the same place, every time--on rails. While I find this concrete formula annoying, apparently it works for most readers. Roberts sells more books than almost anyone and is on Time's list of the 100 most influential people. The somewhat campy descriptions of bedroom bombastics notwithstanding. I just wish she'd vary the placement and the language a little. Make that a whole lot.

(2) The heroine of "Angels Fall" is flummoxed by malicious tricks played on her, often within her apartment over the diner while she is away. These tricks happen over and over again, without anyone setting a simple trap for the perp. Of course, that would make the book a lot shorter. No one even puts scotch tape on the door, flour on the floor, a bear trap, someome to watch the stairs, etc. The characters aren't dumb. The hero is a best selling mystery writer. But no one thinks to take precautions of any sort. In addition, there are just too many of these malicious tricks, presumably to fill out the pages.

(3) Lastly, there oughtta be a law against the villain holding a gun on his victims and explaining in fine detail (several pages) just what he did and how. If I were the villain and had my pursuers in the crosshairs, I'd zap them right now and get the heck out of there. And so would any self-respecting villain with an ounce of sense. This old, stale device should be retired forever. The denouement of "Angels Fall" would have been much more effective without the explanations. Readers are capable of filling in a few blanks.

So why did I give this three stars? Just for the atmosphere, for the Tetons, for the town, the lake, the diner, the townspeople, the food. No one is better than Nora Roberts at creating the background for a novel. I just wish she'd get serious about the plots and become a novelist who would be remembered.

Reece Gilmore is recovering from post-traumatic stress after being the sole survivor of a bloody shooting spree. Having drifted for about a year, she finally decides to try to make a new life for herself as a cook at a small diner in the town of Angel's Fist. Settling into her new life proves difficult at first, but she quickly endears herself to the locals with her unmatched culinary skill.

Her reticence and paranoia quirk only a few brows until she witnesses a murder for which no evidence can be found. Throughout the town, the only person who believes her is the rugged and reclusive mystery novelist, Brody. For his part, Brody is certain that his interest in Reece comes entirely from her mysterious background, yet finds himself unable to keep from staring at her.

The romance was a slow-starter, yet very believable and ultimately satisfying. Roberts ably portrays a woman still recovering both physically and emotionally. Her courage in rebuilding a life made Reece both an inspiring and sympathetic character.

However it was the mystery aspect of this novel which for me created the greatest delight in reading. Seen through her eyes, Reece's paranoia helped heighten my own suspense.

As far as the writing itself, Nora Roberts once again has proven herself to be a master with words. The locals of Angel's Fist are well-crafted, lending a small-town family reunion feel to the plot, not to mention their own delightful stories.

If you're looking for a thought-provoking mystery that just happens to include a believable romance then I highly recommend this book. I bought it today and couldn't put it down. In fact, I'm already going back to look for the clues I missed the first time through.

Just when you think there's no new way to tell the story of a knight in shining armor who saves the fair maiden, along comes Nora Roberts to turn that time-tested formula on its head . . . with great results. If you want a great new book for your vacation, get Angels Fall!

If you have ever been to Wyoming, you probably came away in awe of the Tetons. Seeing those peaks is in some ways even more moving than the Grand Canyon. And on a hot day in July, it's nice to think about being in Wyoming. The Tetons are a primary spiritual character in this book, helping to inspire the fictional characters to take the right steps.

A fragile woman, Reece Gilmore, finds herself stuck in Angel's Fist, Wyoming (not too far from Jackson Hole) after he radiator hose splits. Needing to make a few bucks, she impulsively applies for the cook's job at short-order Angel Food. Clearly, she knows what she's doing. While most people would freak out from the pressure, it's almost a relief to Reece, as it takes her minds off other issues.

Gradually, we learn that Reece is on the roam to try to erase very unhappy memories. I won't say more because Ms. Roberts does a nice job of letting the details emerge in the novel.

Meeting the people in Angels Fist soon makes Reece think that she might like to stay . . . except for one problem: Reece observes a murder while on her first hike. But no one can find a body . . . or signs of a murder. Is Reece crazy?

The incident does have one positive element, it brings Reece into close contact with Jamsion P. Brody (who prefers to be called Brody), a mystery novelist whose posterior is causing much conversation among the younger women in town. Their relationship blossoms in unexpected ways . . . both for the reader and for them.

The issue of Reece's sanity becomes clouded by lots of incidents where the unexpected happens. But as Reece points out in the book, "It's not paranoia if they're really after you."

The novel is filled with delightful characters you'll long remember . . . and may wish to meet:

Joanie: She owns Angel Food and likes to talk tough . . . but may be a little bit softer than that.

Lo: Joanie's son whose nickname is short for "Lothario" and who has plans for Reece.

Linda-gail: The waitress who wants Lo . . . as a faithful husband.

Mac: Loves to help people.

Rick: The local sheriff who finds himself unwilling to place too much credence in the views of a newcomer, but has a delightful family.

The mystery story is well done. You'll probably be thinking it's one of four characters right up until the last few pages.

The most delightful aspect of this well-written story is that Ms. Roberts doesn't rush her story, her characters or your pleasure in enjoying the book. Although I'm far from a big foodie, I loved the many interesting food references in the book. It's like the Goldy Schultz stories in a way . . . but without the recipes. Like Goldy, Reece communicates through food.

Read this book and enjoy yourself! It won't hurt to have a nice glass of wine and some tasty snacks nearby while you do.

A librarian I know, who is very shy and not much given to recommending books, told me this was Nora's "best in years," and I was duly impressed by that statement, but didn't really believe it. I thought I would find another fast-paced, serviceable Nora story, neither good nor bad but just fun. I was wrong.

From the very first page, I could not put this book down. The story of Reece Gilmore, survivor of unspeakable horror in her hometown of Boston who is currently "hiding" in small Wyoming town Angel's Fist, is completely compelling and believable. Reece has fought her way back through physical and mental horrors, from post-traumatic stress disorder to a near-fatal gunshot wound to the chest, to crippling anxiety and panic attacks. So a day when she can put one foot in front of the other is a good day.

Why, then, does it have to be Reece who witnesses a murder in this quiet haven? Nobody believes her--except for taciturn author Brody, as unlikely a match for Reece as the man in the moon. And yet...

Read and find out what happens. The identity of the killer is hidden until the very last chapter, and although it isn't that hard to figure out, there are enough red herrings thrown in to cast some doubt. I absolutely could ot put this book down until the very last page, and now I wish it had lasted another 100.

Nora Robert never ceases to amaze me. She is still going strong!

or to relax with on a hot summer day. It's one of the better books by Nora and it reads very easy. The story flows very smooth, with the right mix of suspence, romance and a bit of action. Once I started reading I could not put it down. It reminded me of Nora's other novel, "Northern Lights". If you liked that one, you will definitely like this one too. I enjoyed guessing who the bad guy will turn out to be and Nora Roberts made it difficult to guess throwing hints between several characters. This book will definitely stay on my bookshelf and I would recommend it to my friends.

Since I write (and love) romantic suspense, I read a great deal of it. Usually, I'm able to spot the culprit far in advance of the ending. This time, I was sure I had, but the characters and setting were so deftly depicted and the "why" of the story's central mystery so intriguing, I kept right on reading far into the night. And then Ms. Roberts proved my suspicions wrong, pulling a rabbit out of the hat that surprised me completely with an ending that fit beautifully.

Angels Fall represents the best in romantic suspense and is easily among my favorite Nora Roberts books. Whether you're a fan of romance, mystery, or suspense, this is one terrific read.

Very highly recommended.

Reece Gilmore is trying to put herself back together, mentally and physically, after being the only survivor to a thrill killing in Boston. When car trouble stops her in Angel Fist, Wyoming, she finds a job, a tough but caring boss, a place to live, new friends, a man...and a murder that only she saw. There is no evidence of the crime and, as people learn more of her history and she begins finding things she appears to have done but doesn't remember, both she and other begin to question her mental stability. But is she really doing these things, or is someone trying to make her think she is?

I love Nora Roberts' books. She creates strong, interesting characters--both male and female. Her dialogue is crisp, often funny and makes me wish I could think of those things to say. Roberts does sense of place well; I haven't been in Wyoming since I was a child, but she brought all the surrounds back to me. Roberts does suspense well; I found myself wondering whether my doors were locked. I suspected the killer, but there were a couple good red herrings that made me wonder. Was it a perfect book? No; the romance didn't sizzle for me as much as some of her other books have done and I felt the end was a bit week, but it was still a darn good read and made me stay up way too late to finish it.