Customer Reviews

Seeing Red

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Any book that keeps me glued to the pages until 1:30am then keeps me awake thinking about all the twists and turns of the story for another hour after I turn that final page has more than earned my highest rating of 5 stars.

Life as she knew it was forever altered for thirteen-year-old Ellis Greene on the night her older cousin, Laura was kidnapped from the bedroom they shared then raped, beaten and left to die on the beach. Police quickly focused their attention on Nate Vance, Laura's boyfriend, and the poor boy from the wrong side of the tracks was convicted in the court of public opinion by everyone in the small town of Belle Island except Ellis. Nate and Laura had been her best friends and Ellis knew that Nate would never have hurt Laura. Ellis also knew that someone else had been outside their bedroom window that night. She had smelled his cheap cologne and sour body odor, had seen him on the path next to the house and it was her brave testimony during the trial that put Hollis Alexander in prison. But a steely gaze and two words - "You'll pay" - from Alexander had also put Ellis in prison, a prison of fear, her innocent, carefree life gone, along with Nate who disappeared from Belle Island the day Alexander was convicted.

Fifteen years later, the fallout from Laura's death still haunts Ellis's family. Her parents smother her with protection and Ellis employs every possible method to keep safe, including appearing at every parole hearing to insure Alexander remains in prison. But someone has removed her family from the parole board's notification list and now Alexander is free to return to Belle Island...on the very same day that Nate Vance reappears in town after a fifteen year absence. Suddenly, Ellis is receiving threatening notes, dead roses appear on her doorstep and sinister phone calls make it clear that "she's next" but police refuse to believe it's the work of Alexander. Then a young girl bearing a striking resemblance to Laura is brutally murdered and suspicion once again shifts to Nate. Suddenly, Ellis doesn't know who to trust. Is the true culprit Alexander who swears he's innocent of her cousin's murder? Her feelings for Nate have been intensifying but could she have been wrong about him all those years ago? He swears that he never forgot her, kept track of her during the years he was gone and has returned to town to protect her but he won't divulge anything about his life or what he's been doing all those years away. Or could these unspeakable acts be the work of Rory, the long-time boyfriend she recently broke up with who refuses to accept that their relationship has ended and grows angrier with each encounter? The mystery grows deeper with every page and people, and situations, are not always what they seem. The twists and turns of this spellbinding tale kept me guessing until the very end. I highly recommend Susan Crandall's SEEING RED.

Author Susan Crandall lived in Chicago and worked as a dental hygienist before pursuing her writing career. This title, Seeing Red, follows other titles: Pitch Black, A Kiss in Winter, On Blue Falls Pond, Promises to Keep, Magnolia Sky, The Road Home, and Back Roads. She resides in Indiana with her husband and two children.

Fifteen years ago, Ellis Greene was the only witness to the horrendous kidnapping and murder of her beloved cousin, a crime that still had her small town cautious and stumped. The man who she testified against and helped to convict is now out on parole and damned determined to get his revenge. Ellis was tired of living her life in terror, fearful to go out into the night or even form an attachment to anyone. She was lonely, guilt-stricken, and worse- scared senseless that her cousin's killer was going to come after her. When her childhood friend, Nate Vance, left town shortly before the trial, the small South Carolina community began to suspect that he played a part in the murder. So, he stayed away to keep her safe. Emerging from the shadows, Nate returns to the only person who believed him then, to protect the woman capturing his heart now. No longer the teenager of all knees and elbows, Ellis has grown into a beautiful and strong young woman. As two friends become reunited, startling secrets begin to unfold making everyone wonder what really happened that night fifteen years ago. And was the truth worth seeking if another girl would die?

First of all, I want to give the author a massive amount of credit for truly understanding what it is like to be a victim and able to portray that so the reader can feel that devastation, fear, and torment that they face. It doesn't end with a conviction and in some cases it never really goes away. That understanding gave these characters life in a realistic manner not often seen and had you relating to each word you read. The book was hard to put down and I didn't find any areas where I lost interest. The suspense was fast-paced and the romance was irresistible. The little bits of point-of-view change were clever, giving you just enough to bite. I found the secondary characters very intriguing, as well. Bravo for understanding the Carolinas and a southern mindset, too.

Seeing Red, by Susan Crandall, is a complex, compelling, and well-written book. Most definitely an author to keep your eye out for.



Kelly Moran,

Author and Reviewer

When I was a teenager, I saw the movie "Cape Fear," and it had me flinching and cowering in my seat every time Robert DeNiro appeared onscreen. That guy freaked me out! "Seeing Red" has the same premise; an ex-convict gets out on parole and returns to get revenge on those who put him in prison. This is a well crafted suspense that starts out really strong, finishes nicely, but left me wanting a bit more from the romance. Just based on the writing, I would bet $100 bucks that Crandall's other novels are pretty good too.

Between the hero and the heroine, I think Ellis leaves a bigger impression. When she was fourteen years-old her testimony put Hollis Alexander behind bars, and his vengeful promise, "You'll pay," motivated her to learn martial arts. Go girl! Unfortunately, it also gave her a phobia of being outdoors after dark. Not that I blame her one little bit. She's tough, vulnerable, and likable.

Nate, our hero, should be so bitter his face should pucker like he's sucking a lemon. Miraculously, he barely acts bothered at being ostracized and convicted in the eyes of his former town. Nate should have some serious angst, but it doesn't come through, and it's like a hole in his character. Otherwise, I found him to be appropriately protective and devoted to Ellis. I just didn't see fireworks when they kissed.

This is a nice, tight plot, and I'd give it a higher rating, but even though I enjoyed the ride, I'm not sure I'll remember this one.

Fifteen years ago on Belle Island, South Carolina, Laura Greene was kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and murdered. Her family blames Nate Vance, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks who wanted Laura as his girlfriend. Laura's cousin teenage Ellis defends Nate; insisting he was innocent and in court on her fourteenth birthday testified against Hollis Alexander, who went to prison.

In the present, many islanders still believe the wrong man went to jail as they insist Nate killed Laura; out of prison on parole Hollis bribes reporter Wayne Carr to investigate the case as he swears he was innocent. He also goes after the Greene family that never emotionally recovered from the trauma of the homicide. Nate returns to Belle Island after being away for years, but is no longer the helpless teen being driven off by the haughty Greene clan; he is also attracted to Ellis, a schoolteacher. Ellis reciprocates though she has been seeing Rory for several years. As Ellis and Nate dance around their feelings, they begin to uncover what really happened fifteen years ago; however, this is one time the truth will not set them free because someone wants the past to remain as is and is willing to kill to insure secrets remain concealed.

This is an exciting romantic suspense in which the victim's family never received closure although someone went to jail for the crime; as most of the Greene brood believes like most islanders that the wrong man went to jail. The action-packed story line moves briskly from the moment Ellis and Nate see each other for the first since just after the tragedy and never slows down as Hollis sets in motion his scheme. Readers will enjoy this tense thriller as the truth will set you free if it doesn't kill you.

Harriet Klausner

Ellis was fourteen when her cousin Laura was
kidnapped from her bedroom and left for dead
on the beach. Ellis had to testify against Hollis
Alexander that he was running from the scene
of the crime. It was a circumstantial evidence
case. Hollis was found guilty. Across the aisle
Hollis whispered to Ellis "You'll" pay!

Hollis Alexander earned an early released. He
was supposed to serve a thirty-year sentence.
The Victim Services is supposed to give the family
thirty days' notice, but the Ellie's family didn't
hear about his release until he was out of prison.

For the last fifteen years, Ellie lived in fear. Everyone
saw her as strong and in control, an image she wanted
them to see. She teaches 4th grade and self-defense
classes for young girls. Ellie schedule all her activities
before dark and had virtually been a prisoner in her
own home.

Nate Vance was Ellie's cousin's boyfriend at the
time Laura was found on the beach. The police and
Laura's father thought he was responsible. After the
trial, Nate left Belle Island and join the Marines.
When Nate discovered that Hollis had an early release,
he went back to Belle Island to protect Ellie.

Ellie was attracted to Nate when she was a teenager.
She was hurt when Nate left town without telling her.
In fifteen years he never contacted her. They had been
childhood friends. Hollis went back to Belle Island for
revenge. He has been stalking Ellie and sending her
gifts. Hollis is an organized killer with much patience
to plan his next move. He called Ellie: "You have
another day or two. I don't want to rush."

SEEING RED, has it all, romance between Ellie and
Nate; two great characters who pulled at your heart
string, and a stalker who gets his thrill out of watching
at a distance. Also, a little twist in the middle of the plot.

I recommend SEEING RED by Susan Crandall.

Every chapter had power. This was an excellent book. The story is well told and not at all typical. The suspense is captivating. I found myself holding my breath during several scenes of danger. The hero is strong and mysterious, the heroine brave but haunted by underlying fears that soon become reality. Their love for one another is based upon innocent friendship in their youth that grew stronger over several years apart. Now, as adults, they are brought back together in an effort to save her life from an obsessed serial murderer. Each day their love grows stronger, even as they know they are running out of time.

This is the first book I've read by Susan Crandall. I want more. I'll definitely be looking at her other titles.


If you love romantic suspense novels, here are a few I recommend:

Thread of Fear Chilling and Steamy all in one!

To the Brink (The Bodyguards, Book 3) (Third in a series, but you don't need to read the first two before reading this one. "To the Brink" is awesome on it's own.)

Cry No More Suspense, action, and POWERFUL emotion. A must read.

Seeing Red by Susan Crandall is a suspenseful tale that will keep you guessing.

Ellis Greene was a very young girl when she witnessed a horrific crime against her cousin. Its affected every part of her world. Now 15 years later the man convicted has been released and Ellis knows he is gunning for her and her family.

Nate Vance was friends with Ellis and her cousin Laura back then. He had left under suspicion after the trial and was putting it all behind him. Now with a convicted criminal out to harm Ellis, Nate comes back to protect her.

Ellis and Nate have grown and changed over the years. Their core friendship is still there but now they are seeing each other with adult eyes. As their friendship and romance grows the menace is all around them. Nate will not let anything happen to Ellis, who has come to mean the world to him.

Seeing Red is a masterful story of romantic suspense. The terror is edgy and pulse pounding. The romance of Ellis and Nate is emotional and powerful. Susan Crandall is an author to read and enjoy.

When the man convicted up raping and murdering her teenage cousin is released from prison 15 years shy of a 30-year sentence, Ellis Greene's sense of security is stripped. As the star witness in Hollis Alexander's trial, she still feels guilt for having been there when Laura was abducted. Her uncle wants to force Hollis into doing something to send him back to prison - they don't realize that Hollis has another kind of vengeance in mind, and will resort to psychological terror to get his point across. Ellis works with former teen heartthrob now very mysterious Nate Vance (who was also a suspect in Laura's death) to get Hollis behind bars before he does anymore damage to her family. But Nate's mysterious past and reluctance provides cracks in the foundation of their new relationship.

Just from reading the back page summary I was hooked on the storyline. But as I read it, I found it to be slow and cumbersome. The character names might have had something to do with it. Numerous times I thought Ellis was Hollis and vice versa, as the names were so familiar. The romance was definitely lacking in the novel. Crandall is known for keeping the action off the page, but in the case of this novel, there was no chemistry between Ellis and Nate, and let's face it, Ellis is another of those too stupid to live heroines who puts herself in danger. Crandall does do a good job of ending the story with a bang, but overall, it was just ok.

Ellis, her cousin Laura, and Laura's boyfriend Nate were inseparable as teenagers when their world is ripped apart from the kidnapping, beating and rape of Laura. Immediately investigations point towards Nate the boyfriend, but as the only witness to who could have done this, Ellis insists it was not Nate. In fact, she is the only support ostracized Nate has through the entire ordeal and Ellis continues to sneak out to spend time with him where he begins to teach her some self defense. Through pure chance when the Hollis Alenxander visits Laura in the hospital, Ellis recognizes him as the villain which leads to his capture and trial where Ellis is the star witness. Hollis is convicted and vows to Ellis that she'll pay someday. Nate stays through the trial, but shortly after leaves the town behind including Ellis. Laura never recovers and several years later she dies.

Fast forward 15 years, Ellis is a grown and haunted woman who teaches 4th grade and holds self defense classes to for young girls. She never leaves her house at night and each year participates in the parole review to ensure that Hollis doesn't get out of jail. Her aunt unexpectedly unleashes a sequence of events by removing their names from the parole hearing because she wants for the family to move on with their lives. Hollis ends up making parole and no one is informed until after the fact. Laura's dad goes completely crazy, Ellis' parents are sick with fear, and Nate, with a somewhat questionable occupation, secretly returns home to keep Ellis safe and take Hollis out of the picture. Ellis quickly learns that Nate is back in town and they find 15 years later that there has always been something between them which sparks a romance as they try to catch a killer.

The book is fast paced and Susan Crandall throws in subplots and red herrings to keep the reader guessing. I like the way she doesn't waste too many pages on all the side stories and keeps her focus on Ellis and Nate. It's an entertaining read and the only thing that keeps me from giving this a five star rating is that the author doesn't know how to write a love scene. 300 plus pages leading up to their first time together and the scene is literally three short sentences. That was a disappointment. A great story but light on chemistry and romance.

The point of a review is (usually) to enlighten fellow readers about how wonderful a book is. It's also meant to bring free advertising, sorta speak, to the publisher/author of that book. That being said, it is really hard for me when I have to sit down and write a review about a book that, well, didn't quiet make it to my 'favorite' pile. Unfortunately, this is one of those very reviews.

Although romantic suspense novels are not my usual reading of choice, I figured I'd give it a try-- Hey, I'm willing to try anything once, plus the cover was interesting, and the story sounded promising. When I started it, I had hoped that it would be quick and fast-paced, like a good mystery/suspense novel. However, the story started out slow, a bit too much for my taste, and I don't think that it ever really reached the pace that I was hoping for.

Like I said before, I hate writing a negative review, but at the same time, I have to be honest, since it's not a summary, it's my opinions that make up the review. Keep in mind, when I do write a negative review, I try to make it known that while I may not have enjoyed that particular book, that doesn't necessarily mean that EVERYONE else has to put it on their 'Never Read' list. It could be that I just wasn't in the mood for that specific genre of book, and I was a bit harsh on my rating.

In theory, it should be easier to pinpoint what went wrong in a book that would cause the reviewer to give it a bad rating, right? Wrong. Or, at least that's what it's like for me. I find it easier to point out all the positive, good things about a book. Sometimes it's more difficult to explain why a book failed to hold my attention. Again, this is one of those times.

Seeing Red wasn't a horrible book (believe me, I've read much, much worse!), but it also didn't meet my expectations either. It was an 'okay' book, nothing really stood out about it that screamed 'Amazing!', but it wasn't so boring or terrible that I couldn't finish it or threatened to torture it just so I would never have to look at it again. I simply felt like there was no real passion between the characters. I kept thinking, "It'll get better, I just have to give it time", but even after I finished the book, there wasn't one character that I wanted to revisit. I don't know about you, but after I've finished a really good book, the story, the characters, stay with me for days, months, years even, and I want to know more. This time, I couldn't even begin to tell you what went on between half the characters or what happened for most of the book. When I closed the book, it's almost like everything I'd just spent three days reading...left. Again, it's not that the writing or story was horrible, but it just doesn't stick with you after you are done. But maybe it's just me...

Maybe if I've known that, though it's called a 'romantic suspense', Seeing Red is really more of a straight forward mystery kind of book, I could have enjoyed the story line a bit more, without the conflicting expectations. The romance was so sparse, I could have put it on a 3 by 5 card, and what was there was very G-Rated. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I've read some tame romances that were just as wonderful as some of the more erotic ones, but it was more than just the lack of sex scenes in this one that disappointed me. I'm still not sure how Nathan and Ellis got together-- I didn't really see the connection, nor did I believe in it. And aren't both of those suppose to be main points in a romance? Once again, I can't say that this was the complete fault of the author-- I've heard more than a few rave reviews about this book. It might very well just be me. Sometimes, even the most well written books in history have still failed to win over the love of all the readers of the world...

On the positive side, the story did pick up considerably towards the last half of the book. Not quiet enough to wow me, but more than enough to make me realize that the book wasn't a total waste of time. It had it's fair share of action and excitment at times, and while following the perverted plans of Hollis, I felt a shiver fear and disgust (not a bad thing, at least when you are reading a mystery). I wasn't bored out of my mind, but I wasn't captivated either. Again, maybe if the author had played up one genre more than the other, or worked a bit more on tying the two together seemlessly, my review could be different? If it had been a total mystery, with no romance thrown in, would my opinion change? Or if she'd worked on the main characters developments and the way their love blossomed in the story instead of focusing so much of the time on the crimes? Maybe.

3.5/5 STARS! I can't repeat it enough times: Seeing Red wasn't a complete flunk, and if you thought about reading this book, or you've read her previous books and enjoyed them, then give this one a try. Maybe check it out from the library first, but even if you buy it, it's not a waste of money. It's simply, in my view, a mediocre romance novel. Maybe her other books are much better, and maybe I'd enjoy them, I don't know. One day, I might try another book of Crandall's, and my opinion could change. But until then, I've still got to put this one aside. It's going on my shelves (as some would call it, a 'keeper'), because it's not bad enough to warrant being thrown out. But if/when I wish to trade some of my books at the used bookstore, I hate to say it, but Seeing Red may just be on the top of my (small) pile to go.