Customer Reviews

Exposure (Thorndike Christian Mystery)

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

Kaycee Raye is scared of...well...everything. All of her life she has struggled with paranoia and irrational fears, something she believes was passed down from her troubled mother. Kaycee has found a way to deal with the fear by writing a column that has taken on a life of its own and has turned Kaycee into a household name. Up until now the column has been both fun and therapeutic as she has found a way to connect with readers who share many of the same fears and experiences. Unfortunately for Kaycee, someone out there is watching her and waiting for just the right moment to unleash the greatest fear she has ever known.

To say that Brandilyn Collins is prolific would be an understatement. You would think that a writer who cranks out a novel every few months would sooner or later hit the wall and lose their edge. It's bound to happen right? Guess again. If Collins has proven anything to me it's that she is not only a master of her craft, but there literally seems to be no end to the depth of her talent.

Exposure has many of the elements that we have come to expect from Collins: intensity, tension, high-caliber suspense, and engaging mystery. It's all there and once again works well. We are also treated to a unique story telling device that really propels the narrative along. While I figured out the twist early on, never did the story lose steam in my mind. Collins knows how to grab readers early on and she never gives us a moment to even consider letting go.

Where Brandilyn Collins always excels is her ability to bring us strong spiritual insight through what her characters experience. Many fans will be able to relate and sympathize with Kaycee's struggles in this story and will be moved by her journey to overcome. Collins once again delivers a pulse pounding story that will have you on the edge of your seat and will leave you desperate for more.

I avoid "Christian" fiction because it is usually preachy and characters often depend on God alone to solve all their problems. Not the case here. I ordered this one and "Dark Pursuti" because they were free for the Kindle and sounded interesting. I loved both of them. I will be buying more books by this talented writer. The characters are interesting and though there is an emphasis on prayer in some situations, it is not an uncomfortable emphasis. Just a gentle reminder that God can help if asked. I really liked Ms. Collins style.

Brandilyn Collins writes "Seatbelt Suspense," guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. With her latest novel, Exposure, Brandilyn defends her title well. This may be her best suspense novel yet. She's taken some of her own fears and phobias, added a generous mix of others, and invested her protagonist with all of them.

Kaycee Ray writes an advice column for people with fears, and she's successful because she has so many of her own. This book doesn't introduce a dead body in the first chapter--just a photo of one, a photo that appears so mysteriously it almost sends Kaycee off the deep end. The chapters that follow take the reader on a wild roller coaster ride, with each event building suspense. And even the veteran reader of mystery and suspense will be floored by the ending.

Don't read this one in a dark house while you're alone, and prepare to leave a night light burning.

I truly loved this book to the point thats I could not put it down. Collins writes this novel with an interesting cross between two stories but as the reader you will not get confused... I found myself captivated at the end of each chapter and had to force myself not to skip chapters to continue wth the current characters. This is a must read for any mystery lover!

I enjoyed this book! Not only did it hold my attention all the way through but it made me assess my own fears and how I cope with them. It also makes me wonder which of my fears are derived from past traumatic experiences that I now can't remember! The little things that 1 person takes for granted can be someone else's greatest fear. I loved it!

I had never read any books from this author, Brandilyn Collins, but what a pleasant surprise, she is great!!! The book keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is fast paced, you never get bored reading it from the first page. I loved the fact that there was no bad language in it, but it could still be very suspenseful and action packed. An added plus, it was published by a christian publishing company, Zondervan!! I can't wait to read Dark Pursuit. Hope this was helpful.

I read this book in one day. It truly is a page turner with so much suspense and twists, you will forget to breathe! Collins knows how to get the reader thinking so many different possibilities on how events are tied together all the while putting the spotlight on the real issues of paranoia and anxiety. This is a true edge-of-your-seat page or button pressing (for the kindle crowd) turner!

Fears - everyone has them. Some may be rational, some not. But we all have them. In her latest book, "Exposure", by mistress of suspense, Brandilyn Collins, fear is brought to life. This book scared the crud out of me! As usual, Collins is masterful at weaving suspense, drama, tension and twists and turns together in a way that absolutely grips the reader. The pace is fast and it is incredibly difficult to put down.

One of the things that I love so much about Collins' books is the way she crafts the power and faithfulness of God into her stories without being preachy or over-the-top. In "Exposure", she shows us how the power of faith over fear, and good over evil, does triumph in the end. Yes, in fiction and in life, there are boogeymen out there, but the will to survive and the power of Christ can certainly overcome.

"Exposure" is a stand-alone book, not a part of a series (though I could certainly see it becoming one). It is fantastic! Do I recommend it? Yes . . . With a disclaimer:

If you are easily scared or somewhat paranoid, maybe this book isn't for you. For the rest, get it. Read it. With the doors locked. During the day. With the lights on. And be sure you're not alone. Buckle up - it's quite a ride!

I was only able to make it through the first 1/4 of this book. The characters are not very bright at all. I think the story could have been good, but I simply could not abide the continual stupidity of the main character, Casey. I have had this problem before with Christian fiction - decent story, really horrible characterization. I think publishing houses assume that Christian women are so naive and ignorant that they won't notice. This is not the case, and this will be my LAST Brandilyn Collins book.

In Brandylin Collins' newest thriller, EXPOSURE, someone is stalking Kaycee Raye in the town of Wilmore, Kentucky. Of course, something is always stalking, chasing, scaring Kaycee. She's lived her life being paranoid and turned that fear into a job, writing a nationally syndicated newspaper column. After the horrendously plotted DARK PURSUIT, Collins returns to a more standard thriller and a style she perfected in the Kanner Lake series.

In the past year, Kaycee's gone to the police 4 times claiming someone is stalking her. Now, an image of a dead man shows up on her cell phone, then her computer, and then in a photograph. Little Hannah Parksley is angry that her father has remarried so soon after her mother's death, and takes off in the middle of the night to her mom's best friend, Kaycee. Martin Giordano is working late one night at the bank when four robbers break in and steal 7 million dollars. Martin is devestated and soon his wife and young daughter gets involved in the complications from the bank robbery.

The good: With 30-year old Kaycee trying to figure out where pictures of a dead man are coming from, and the search for Hannah taking up the police's time, and all the chaos from the bank robbery, the plot is fast moving, suspensful and entertaining. Collins never lingers too long one one part of the story, constantly switching back and forth, keeping the reader turning the pages.

The not so good: There is really nothing likeable about the main character Kaycee Raye. I understand that Fiction 101 says your main character should have flaws, but Kaycee's fear of the dark, of stalkers, dental drills and everything else is hammered at the reader from page one. It's hard to empathize with a character who isn't really grounded in reality.

The unlikeable Kaycee is the only thing keeping this book from getting four stars. The relationship between the bank robbery and Kaycee is very easy to predict, but doesn't take away from the fast moving thrills of the story. Fans of Collins will enjoy this book, even though they may find themselves skimming over pages that describe Kaycee's fear in the same way over and over.