Customer Reviews

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5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I would give this 5 stars but it's not like it's Shakespeare or Poe...it's a very good novel, though.

I won't recount the story; I'm sure many, many reviewers already have. However, I must say that this is an exceptionally entertaining book. You will have a hard time putting it down, such is the story and it's wonderfully likable characters.

This book is the best of the Ariel Gold series of the three that I've read so far; "Double Take" was a too-long letdown and now that I'm reading "Split Image' I'm finding that I don't even care what happens in the story anymore...I get the feeling this was not intended to be a series.

This is the kind of book you read quickly, because nowhere seems a good place to stop. There are too many intriguing questions waiting to be answered. Yes, there are some potentially implausible turns and amnesia is always a tough sell, but those factors only demonstrate what a terrific story-teller Mercer is. I raced merrily through the pages (with my suspended disbelief stumbling along behind), eager to find out what was really going on. A fun read.

I liked this book, and I would have given it five stars, except the ending kind of fizzled. The plot was suspenseful and kept me hooked from beginning until I was three quarters of the way through, and then it just sort of faded. Ariel is quite the character, but the references to her weight are never sewn up tightly. I truly expected her to be "someone else". The story leaves many details unexplained and offers a multitude of conjecture that doesn't satisfy the reader at all. Some of the story was so unlikely it was hard for me to absorb and accept as fact. Still, I kept turning the pages, and spent a few extra hours in the evening reading, so four stars is applicable. The book left me not sure if I would read this author again, so I give it a big Maybe.

Imagine waking up with partial amnesia (you know about most things, but not your personal history, who you used to know, or anything about what you do for a living). That's bad enough, but what if you think you are in the wrong body? To add a little excitement, your house has been turned upside down, and your shirt is covered with blood. To make matters even worse, you are soon forced into killing somebody. The situation goes downhill from there. This is one of the most exciting books I have read in a long time. It is the author's first novel. My wife and I couldn't put the book down. If you like mysteries and outstanding character development, this book is for you. In fact, the book was so good that I wrote a letter to the author, congratulating her. That is a first for me, and I am an avid reader!

I can only rate this book an okay. I read a lot and was put off immediately when I learned it was about memory loss. Such and old premise for a mystery. As a woman who weighs 156 and wears glasses (but usually contacts) I was highly offended about her reference of weight as 142 being fat and glasses meaning plain at best, if not ugly. And the child abuse angle of the father's discipline only added to the sterotype. Fortunately, she was called Ariel and not Jane. Plain Jane. For someone described as so dumpy and boring she seemed to have good male friends and allies. An inconsistency at best. I wanted to know more bout the men in her life. Why bother to introduce them if they were not to be developed?

One more thing. Ariel killed the intruder and seemed to feel no remorse. That was really strange to me. No way could I sleep in that house, especially with a loss of memory and a fractured wrist. And why didn't that make the local news or come to the attention of her colleagues at "Open File"? They specialized in unsolved mysteries!

This book may have worked better as a supernatural story. I love sci-fi and could see some kind of mind/body switch between Ariel and Jane. Or even better, both souls captured in Ariel that were in partnership to solve the crime and improve Ariel's life. This story had just too many coincidences that the "Open File" investigative reporters failed to explore. The same restaurant, the same car, the same night, the physical similarities. Rework the story a bit with the supernatural angle and it would be a lot better.

I am reading Double Take now. I hope it pulls all the loose ends from Fast Foward together. Maybe it will explain the title at least. No sex, no daydreaming about sex, no violence, no bad language. Rated PG-13.

I immediately got into this book, a real page turner from the very first page with lots of interesting characters (just who is going to be the love interest -- for once it is not painfully obvious). The plot line itself unfortunately got more and more implausible as it was unraveled. But that didn't detract too much from the story.

It was wonderful to read about a woman who was of independent financial means and to learn how she got there. But would that it would be so easy to lose weight simply because you don't like the way you look and you decide not to eat so much! I didn't quite get that whole aspect of the plot and it seemed to get A LOT of unnecssary play. In addition, that strong independent woman is also portrayed as being rather unnattractive and socially isolated as well as being chunky. Such unfortunate and untrue stereotypes. How refreshing if that had been turned on its head.

Still, this is a definite add-to-the-beach-bag book. Don't expect anything deep or heavy -- think Die Hard with amnesia and you get the idea. Fast and easy reading!

This book has the action of a best seller, but my sister, the book snob, loved it too. It is fun to read, just do not start it late at night because you won't be able to put it down.

Met the author at a book signing at Poisoned Pen while vacationing in Scottsdale and was taken by her genuineness. Loved the book and feel I have discovered a new writer to look forward to. Characters are well developed and one can easily care about them. I certainly am interested in the continuing relationships. Well resolved and has me ready to pick up the next one in the Ariel series ASAP.

Ariel Gold wakes up in a body that she swears isn't her's and not a clue as to who she is. Even though Ariel doesn't know who she is or who is trying to kill her, I liked her from the start. Obviously a smart, independent woman used to fending for and taking care of herself, she makes a great character for the first in a series of books. By the end of the book Ariel has made herself into a better person that she was before the amnesia and along the way we get to enjoy a great mystery story. Thanks Amazon for introducing me to this author. I eagerly look forward to the other books in the series.

Mercer's debut novel certainly has a unique and interesting plot. The problem: the book is way too long and the plot gets so intricate it stops making sense. By the time the novel ends, I'm not sure exactly who Ariel Gold is....Mercer makes Ariel a strong presence, which is to her credit, but how come Ariel is so disappointed in her body weight? Even with amnesia, past references indicate she was always chunky.
I don't know whether I'll continue with this one or not; reviews of her follow-ups indicate they aren't as involving.