Customer Reviews

Dying Scream

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The DUI shattered Adrianna Barrington's life as she lost the baby she was carrying and her husband Craig Thornton never came out of the coma. Although the other driver drunkenly caused the accident, Adrianna went bankrupt to pay the medical bills; finally leading to her selling her family estate.

However, the buyer demands the family graveyard be relocated, but when the extraction begins, more bodies are found than should be there. Detective Gage Hudson investigates. Soon afterward three females who knew Craig vanish while Adrianna receives calls and cards from allegedly her dead husband claiming he misses his wife and will soon come for her.

This is a tense romantic suspense that grips the audience from the moment Adrianna receives an anniversary card from the grave. The story line is fast paced throughout with the "required" romantic subplot taking a needed back seat to the thriller elements especially that of a serial killer who either is her husband whom the beleaguered heroine interred though he is not in his coffin or something or someone else playing Craig's life, but motive remains elusive. Dying Scream is a taut serial killer investigative thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Mary Burton's "Dying Scream" was a real treat to read. I found that it was hard for me to put down once I would start reading! Her character development was phenomenal - I really felt as though I knew the characters on a very intimate level. The sense of loss that is conveyed by several tragedies which happened to the characters was very real for me. The only thing I found completely unnecessary in this book (keeping me from giving it 5 stars) was the explicit sex scenes. They made me feel as though I was reading a cheap romance novel that you would find in a pharmacy.

Overall though, I would highly recommend this book. It was enjoyable - definitely worth the money!

"Dying Scream," by Mary Burton, is a suspenseful, convoluted, romantic, thriller. Gage Hudson, ex-NFL quarterback whose sister was abducted for 4 days many years ago, quit the NFL to be a detective working the missing persons. There are three missing women with one thing in common, Craig Thornton, wealthy scion of old Virginia who died recently due to drunk driver hitting him and his pregnant wife, Adrianna nee Barrington, also a Virginia blue blood. The baby was lost, and Craig remained in a coma until his death.

The remains of two missing women are found on the Thornton estate, and Detective Hudson believes Craig killed them. But a new one turned up dead, and Adrianna has received a card from dead husband Craig. Old family secrets, hereditary and upbringing, blood bloods and trailer people, keep this saga filled with surprises.

Burton writes a really interesting story. Around every corner of this investigation small things lead to surprises. Just when I thought I had figured it out, something else came to light. This was descriptive without being real gory or detailed and the twists were well placed throughout the story. The ending was not what I suspected and ended as a romance would. Suspense, romance, and murder make this a good, fast paced, and enjoyable read.

I enjoyed Ms. Burton's previous books and looked forward to reading Dying Scream. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. It was a decent enough story, but I figured out who the killer was very early on. There was a slight surprise at the end that helped the story from being totally predictable. One big flaw in the story is the relationship between Gage and Adrianna. I would have liked more chemistry between them; their relationship just did not work for me. I wish Ms. Burton would have developed their romance more.

Well developed storyline and interesting characterization that kept me on the edge of my seat. However, I agree that the abundantly used "long fingers" phrase was a bit distracting, along with several blatant editing errors. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will look forward to others by this author.

Mary Burton delivers on all accounts in this tension filled, gripping romantic suspense. She manages adeptly to create a story of dark secrets, hidden agendas and deadly obsession. Woven through the story, is a mystery. Mary engages the reader and captivates as she leads closer and closer to the identity of the killer and a dramatic conclusion. The relationship between Gage and Adrianna is rocky, their shared past a barrier that's not easily broken down. I liked particularly that she didn't just have the hero and heroine make up and start over when they meet again. Their relationship is a gradual process, intense and seductive with a satisfying ending with plenty of breathless, on the edge of your seat moments in between.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it is the first I've read from Mary Burton, but it won't be the last. I shall be looking out for future releases and checking out those of her back list. This book comes highly recommended for those lovers of dark and somewhat twisted romantic suspense. - Abi

Adrianna Barrington's world spins out of control just months after her marriage to Craig Thornton. When a drunk driver broadsides their car, Adrianna loses her unborn child. To make matters worse, Craig suffers irreparable brain damage and lingers in a coma for two years until his death, leaving Adrianna with a broken heart and a mountain of bills.

After Craig's death, Adrianna decides to sell the Thornton estate and use the proceeds of the sale to create a neonatal unit at a local hospital and pay off her staggering debt. The Thorntons' brick antebellum Virginia home, called "The Colonies," predates the Civil War and is located on 20 acres of prime riverfront property. The news of her decision to sell the estate is not well received, especially by historians who revere the property and its rich past.

As part of the sale agreement, the buyer insists the family graveyard be removed. Dr. Cyril Heckman, a friend of Adrianna's late mother-in-law, files a motion to stop the sale. When workers arrive to remove the remains, Dr. Heckman shows up carrying a "Save our Dead" sign to protest the destruction of the graveyard. Despite the protest, digging proceeds.

While the workmen survey the property to locate all the graves, they uncover a human skull near the river. The skull and remains are identified as belonging to Rhonda Minor, a woman who once worked for Craig --- and who disappeared without a trace. And Rhonda isn't the only missing woman linked to Craig whose remains are discovered buried on the Thornton estate. Could Adrianna have misjudged her husband all along? Could Craig have tortured and murdered the women and buried them on the family property?

Detective Gage Hudson, a cop for more than a decade, is called to the Thornton estate to investigate who is behind the murders. Gage is a former professional quarterback who left a promising career to become a police officer after his younger sister was abducted and raped. Missing persons cases are Gage's specialty, and he has strong feelings about this one, but his former romantic link to Adrianna complicates his investigation.

In the midst of the murder and mayhem, Adrianna does her best to cope with her secretive and manipulative mother. She also seeks the truth about the facts surrounding her adoption while trying to sort out her feelings for a recently discovered sister who wants to build a relationship with her.

When Adrianna begins to receive cards and flowers from someone claiming to be her late husband, she first gets angry at the cruel joke, but she soon becomes terrified at the thought of someone stalking her. As the investigation deepens, another woman connected to Craig disappears, Gage and Adrianna's past romantic ties rekindle, and in the shadows someone watches...and waits.

DYING SCREAM is an absorbing thriller, ripe with twists and turns. It has all the ingredients of an engaging story: an intriguing setting, compelling characters, rich details, dark secrets and plenty of surprises. Mary Burton does an admirable job of using her characters to help the reader understand the forensics evidence without getting overly graphic or grisly with specifics. To complete the package, the novel's romantic overtones heighten the drama and ratchet up the suspense. DYING SCREAM is a well-thought-out and satisfying read.

--- Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt

I would have given it a 3 star rating if not for the nice twist in the ending

Mary Burton has written a suspenseful romantic mystery that has well fleshed out characters that are believable. When Adrianna Barrington starts receiving cards and and flowers from her dead husband you'll be busy guessing just who the bad guy is! The hero, Gage Hudson, is an ex-pro football player turned cop. He and Adrianna have a history together that ended rather badly, so watching them circle each other to regain trust is an interesting component to the story. There are some circumstances that are a bit unbelievable--Gage and Adrianna don't mention their past relationship until well into the book. Cops aren't usually allowed to work cases where they have had an involvement with a suspect. There are a few errors such as this that defy some part of logic. Overall though Mary Burton writes well, her characters are believable, and the plot is tight. Will definitely read more of her books.

Do two tough guy cops, two grown men REALLY turn to eachother and say "I saw the sizzle between you two" just SO corny it made me cringe. the relationship between adrianna (the main character) and gage (the detective) felt forced and lacking of any chemistry. the relationship between her and her sister was the same.. she came across as cold and unlikeable.
If you are even a beginner in the mystery genre you will know the ending within 50 pages. it was SO obvious I hoped and hoped I was wrong. the book took me a long time to finish because it was so boring but i wanted to at least see who the killer was. i was of course right. i dont know how anyone could give a positive review on this book.. must be all beginner mystery readers... i am telling you.. within 50 pages or less if you have ANY brain in your head you will know the killer.
skip this one