Super interesting in the beginning of the book, it fell apart towards the end. Will recommend it, though, to a couple of patrons that I have in mind.

Tragedy keeps finding the Sandeski family. Miles watched someone murder his mother when he was just 10 years old. Years later as an adult, his family is torn apart during a terrible flood. Miles and his son are dead, and his daughter Eva (now known as Necco) and wife Lily are left homeless. Lily thinks that Miles was murdered for the plans to a machine he had built and that the murderer is searching for Lily and Necco. The plans for this mysterious machine were passed down to Miles from his father. The machine came from the mind of Thomas Edison and can do the unthinkable - talk to the dead.

Necco's life is separated into two events - before the flood and after the flood. She tries to forget about the past and adapt to her new life, but when her mother commits suicide and then her boyfriend is murdered, the past starts creeping back to the present. Necco becomes the prime suspect in her boyfriend's murder and starts to wonder if the same person who killed her father and brother was behind this. In her attempts to clear her name and find out what really happened the day of the flood all those years ago, she finds help in a teenage girl with problems of her own and a cafeteria worker who loves the circus. The three women stick together and forge ahead to solve the mysteries....

The story is told from alternating views of some of the main characters. This was an interesting read with some twists and turns.

This book started out OK, but got too weird when she started to get into fantasy stuff.Not my cup of tea at all.

Burntown opens with a young boy witnessing the murder of his mother. It follows up with this boy as a grown man with a family and the majority of the story revolves around his daughter, Eve/Necco. Necco and her mother live on the fringes of 'normal' life. They scavenge for food and stay on the move. The cast of characters surrounding Necco is unusual, to say the least. Also involved is a machine that allows present day people to speak to those from the past.

Burntown is well written and kept me guessing until the end. The story is comprised of elements of realism, paranormal, and even dystopian elements. All of the elements work strangely well with each other. The mystery that begins when Necco's father is a boy winds its way throughout the story. I did not figure it out before the ending and enjoyed the roundabout journey that led to the final reveal.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel.

Giving a Jennifer McMahon novel a 3 star rating is really hard for me as I’m usually such a fan of her writing. But, this one just didn’t quite work for me. It felt very different in tone from her other novels, perhaps due to the insertion of some fantasy/supernatural aspects to her usual mystery/thriller aspects. But, it just never came together for me. I didn’t connect well with the characters and the story just never captured me in the way her stories usually do. I found that the ending tied things up a bit quickly and too easily for me. I was expecting more given the flights of fancy that I saw glimpses of during the narrative. I’d say this is fairly outside the realm of her previous novels for the most part so if you love her work, this might be a great addition for you. If you’re new to her, I’d suggest starting elsewhere (The Winter People, for example) and coming to this a bit later. I don’t regret reading it, it just didn’t connect with me as much as I’d expected. I do enjoy seeing authors take a risk and trying something new (which I definitely think this is for Jennifer McMahon) but I just wish I’d resonated a bit more with it.

I couldn't put this book down! It has a little bit of everything: murder, suspense, romance, tragedy, urban conflict...everything. Although this book was written for an adult audience, I think it's fairly appropriate for ages 14+. I will be reading more books by Jennifer McMahon!

I’m going to start with the bad/what I didn’t like about this book



There wasn’t much, honestly. I did have an e-ARC, so it’s possible that my complaints were addressed before publication (I haven’t had a chance to check a finished copy).

First, I think I’m going to stick with listening to Jennifer McMahon’s books, instead of reading them, from now on. I think her writing style is wonderfully suited for audiobooks, because it really paints a picture of exactly what’s going on. However, that’s not something I’m a huge fan of, generally, while reading. It’s a “telling, not showing” kind of thing, I think. I actually don’t mind some telling, but it was a little much in this book, and some of the descriptions of things went on a bit longer than I would have liked. This is a very small complaint and it’s probably just me being too nitpicky.

My biggest complaint was actually in the last few pages of the book. There was a slur (“It sounded like g***y music…”), which I find in books all the time. It annoys me, but I let it slide with older books. But these days, there’s not much of an excuse for that kind of thing to slip by because 99% of the time there are definitely other words that can be used to describe something. I won’t try to really explain in depth why it’s a slur, because I don’t want to speak for anyone, but here’s a very brief article on it to get you started, and a quick google search can show you more. Basically, no, it does not mean you’re “free-spirited,” or anything like that.

I am not a big fan of multiple points-of-view, and this book has them. It wasn’t bad, but it did slightly irritate me. That’s totally a personal preference thing, though, so if you don’t mind them in general, you’ll probably be fine with the way they’re handled in this book.



Now, on to what I did like, characters, etc.



The story of the machine was really interesting, and (I think) actually based a bit on fact. I haven’t dug into this to check out facts, but I’m pretty sure that Edison really did have plans and a possible patent to create a device that would–if successful–allow the living to contact their dearly departed. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a big feature in the book, even though pretty much the entire plot centered around it. Still, it was very cool to read about when it was mentioned.

The way the past and present and various character connections were woven together was interesting enough to keep me reading almost non-stop after about the halfway point. (It did take me a little while to really get into the story, but I think that was just my mood.) I’ll admit that I actually had everything worked out before the big reveals of all the twists, but I was fine with that and it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book.

I felt for Necco and Theo so much, and I liked both of them a lot. I think I might have enjoyed the multi-POV more if it had been just the two of them. Necco was such a strong young woman, and my heart kept breaking for her. And Theo, oh gosh. I related a little too much to her a few times, and my heart broke for her, too. I’m not exactly sure how realistic all of their actions and reactions were to the things going on, but it was at least mostly believable, I think. If a sequel to this ever came out, and Necco and Theo were in it, I would definitely read it to find out more about how their lives are after the end of this book.

Pru…well, I’m honestly not sure what to say about her. I feel like she was more and less fleshed out than Necco and Theo (I’m not sure if that makes sense, sorry), and I didn’t really end up caring much about her. I felt bad for her, and I was a little proud of some of her actions. She just wasn’t my favorite. But, the circus stuff was cool, and I‘m hoping she found a happy ending because I have nothing against her, I just never loved her.

The Fire Eaters were pretty great. I loved them and I would read a book just about them. I kind of wish we’d learned more than we did, but I’m also happy with most of their story remaining a mystery.

The personal mythology that’s going on in this book is fascinating, in my opinion. The way facts and lies and twisted truths are intertwined was really well done and kept me wanting more. The stories people told others and themselves, the lives they invented, etc. It was all really good, and made me think about my own and those of other people.



And now the things I didn’t love or hate, but still want to talk about



I won’t say much about the other characters so I don’t spoil anything, but I wish we’d learned more about the villain.

I still want to know the real, whole story about the elephant. I can make assumptions, but I want to know for sure.

There’s also something that wasn’t fully settled (for me, at least) that I’m really curious about concerning Necco, and Matthew’s family. Actually, there are a few things that weren’t talked about by the end that I wish had been, but I guess they’re not super important to the plot. There were just some loose ends I would have liked seeing tied up. I can’t say more without possibly mentioning spoilers, ugh. (I have a few of my questions in the spoiler tags on my goodreads review.)

Would I recommend it? Probably. I didn’t love this one, but I don’t feel like I wasted my time reading it, and I mostly enjoyed it. It just didn’t wow me as much as I’d hoped it would.

In the beginning a little boy witnesses a gruesome murder. He inherits stolen plans for an extraordinary machine, and years later he’s able to bring the invention to life, but there are dire consequences. (Coolest machine ever! I wanted more of it.) Now his teenage daughter, known as Necco in the strange place called Burntown, is on the run from a killer intent on wiping out her family. Luckily Necco falls in with an eclectic group of outsiders, and together they set out to solve the mystery of her family’s past.

I enjoy Jennifer McMahon’s books, and her latest, BURNTOWN, did not disappoint! The writing in this novel has a mysterious and lyrical quality (Alice Hoffman-ish?) which I loved. This book had many elements – suspense, mystery, the supernatural, and a coming of age story – that all came together for a unique and exciting read.

Another great book by this author. I loved the mixture of suspense, supernatural, and mystery. This book really grabbed you at the beginning and kept a good pace throughout. The characters were developed so well, with most of them being stand out characters. And I really liked the friendship between Necco and Theo. I gave this 4 stars on goodreads.

When I read a mystery I expect a certain pattern; you introduce your characters and the plot and then provide clues along the way to keep the reader engaged. This story spent a lot of time on character development before getting into the action. Not to mention one of the main heroes isn't introduced until the middle of the story. There were some suspenseful moments leading to the climax that I enjoyed. By the end, I was engaged and surprised, so I think all the elements of a proper mystery were there but maybe it's just a unique style I am not used to.

I thought the depiction of mental illness and homelessness was done well; although, I have to admit, I didn't realize Lily had a mental illness right away. I think that had to do with the fact that I was so focused on trying to figure out the plot that I missed important cues understanding the characters.

I'm not a fan of the supernatural, but I didn't mind it being in this story. I thought it lent a good thrill factor. I think she could have added even more of that and it would have added to the mystery!

All in all, I enjoyed the book. I will definitely read her other work. Now that I'm familiar with her style, I will be prepared for a little crazy. (That's not a bad thing!)

This book had me at page one. The characters are different and a few are just a bit odd. There's romance, mystery, some unusual friendships and a sprinkling of magic.

I'm not sure what exactly I expected when I started this book. I was completely taken by surprise as to how this story unfolded. This is what I love about books!

ARC from Doubleday, via Netgally. Publish date: April 25, 2017

In 1975, Miles Sandeski witnesses the murder of his beautiful mother by a man in a chicken mask. His father is accused of the murder and later appears to commit suicide. He gives Miles the plans for a machine that supposedly allows you to talk to the dead and was supposedly created by Thomas Edison. Years later, he marries his young sweetheart Lily and is raising his daughter Eva and son Errol when tragedy happens. Lily whisks Eva away and they begin their life on the run. They encounter a group of women living in the shadows called the Fire Eaters. Lily is swept up in the group and Eva becomes “Necco”, her favorite candy. When Lily seems to have jumped off the bridge, Necco lives her life on the streets eventually hooking up with a young man named Hermes. Necco has no idea that someone is looking for her because they think she has the plans.

Theo falls for Hannah and begins selling drugs for her. She comes across Necco and her fire eating and mistakenly leaves her satchel with a lot of money in it. This is going to draw Theo into Necco’s life and the mystery of all the murders that surround her.

And then we have Pru. I was a little creeped out by her at first but there is so much more to Pru than meets the eye. She is the overweight lunch lady who becomes addicted to the “vitamins” that Theo gives her. She also has a miniature circus in her apartment. The more Pru is in the picture, the more I fell in love with her.

The story dragged for me a little in the beginning but once I got towards the middle, I could not put it down. There was so much going on. Friendship, life, death, the circus, dreams, love, hate, everything but the kitchen sink! (Though there was a sink) I loved the three leads together and how they helped each other out forming their own little band of fire eaters, in a sense. There is the usual creepy, eerie feel as in all of Jennifer McMahon’s books, which is usually what draws me in, but I think this time, it was the human connection the people in the story make. I am a fan of her books and this one did not disappoint. Good read.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Doubleday in exchange for an honest review.

Burntown is one of the best genre-bending books I've read this year. With elements of the best thrillers, the best supernatural and coming of age stories, I couldn't put this book down.

Burntown by Jennifer McMahon was an interesting read. It has a bit of suspense, mystery and supernatural elements.

This books kicks off with Miles watching his mother being murdered as a young boy. Years later Miles has a family of his own. He has found the plans his father told him about, but should be build the machine?

Miles does in fact decides to build the machine. The machine built was based off stolen designs by Thomas Edison is supposed to allow you to talk to the dead. Miles has built it and wants to know who murdered his mother. But a freak of nature takes his life and that of his son. Eva and her mother, Lily are now left homeless.

Lily has always blamed the machine for the death of her husband and son, but Eva/Necco does not believe her at first. But then her mother dies of an apparent suicide and her boyfriend is found dead. This is where the twists and turns will keep you guessing.

Even with the elements of the books leaning towards suspense and supernatural, it also deals with being homeless and mental issues. The characters were quirky and you wanted to know what would happen next.

Burntown by Jennifer McMahon was a 3.5 read for me.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley.

Happy reading!

This book was just OK for me. It started out interesting but got strange after that. I still enjoyed it, but wasn't high on my list.

This fantastic cover accurately portrays many elements of this unputdownable novel! I have to start by saying
you may find my review a bit vague but once you read this I think you'll appreciate that you went into it not really knowing all that much! When the story begins we first hear from young Miles, a ten year old quirky little boy, whose all decked out in his Robin Hood outfit and on a mission to frighten his mom into quitting smoking by replacing the tobacco in her cigarettes with gunpowder...just a small amount mind you. As Miles hides in the nearby brush to watch his mother's reaction when she lights up, what he ends up seeing is a murder that will shake him to his core and turn his life completely upside down. This is one of the most surprising and creepiest opening scenes I've read in a long time...I was immediately hooked on this story!

Time doesn't move slow in this novel and we are soon immersed in Miles' life as a teenager then adult and we learn that he has possession of some very special papers his father left to him, specifically blueprints of a special phone that Thomas Edison was working on that enabled you to talk to the dead. Mile's makes it his mission to build the machine so he can get an answer to a question that's haunted him for many years.

Fast forward several years and Miles has his own family, a wife and two kids, and life is pretty good...that is, until the night of the Great Flood when the past rears its ugly head and murder once again turns Miles' life inside out.

What follows the night of the Great Flood is a story filled with suspense, intrigue, and some of the quirkiest types of misfit characters I've had the pleasure of reading in such a long time. In fact, the narration alternates between characters...there's Necco, on the run from a past she slowly realizes was based on lies; Theo, a teenage girl who's decisions in the name of love lead her down dangerous roads; Pru (my favorite character), an older school cafeteria worker who's loneliness and obsession with the circus made for utterly fascinating reading; Fred, a wanna be private investigator, and the "fire eaters," a group of homeless women with some pretty powerful visions. Throw in settings of old abandoned buildings, junkyards, and fireside campsites under the city bridge, add some paranormal elements and what you've got is a genre busting exceptional book that kept me up super late reading! If you like mysteries and thrillers loaded with originality and memorable characters, I highly recommend Burntown.

A Family Haunted by Secrets and the Plans for a Remarkable Machine

As a child, Miles witnesses the murder of his mother by a man in a chicken suit. Years later with a family of his own, he’s still haunted by the murder, but he has a way to find out who the killer was. His father left him the plans for a machine that can talk to the dead. The plans were stolen from Thomas Edison’s laboratory and kept secret for many years. Miles builds the machine and hopes to talk to his mother but a storm rises

Miles tells his wife, Lily, and his daughter, Eva, to get to high ground before the flood. He instructs his son to destroy the machine. When Eva wakes up, she has a gash on the back of her head and no memory of the flood. Her mother tells her that her father and brother are dead and that they must go into hiding to escape the killer.

This begins the story of Eva and her search for the truth about her family. The novel is partly mystery, partly paranormal happenings, and partly a thriller. Eva, a feisty teen, is the heroine of the story. After her mother is killed. Eva goes into hiding in a strange area called Burntown. There she meets oddball characters like the Fire Eaters, a group of women with mystical talents, Pru, a cafeteria lady with hidden dreams, Theo, a brilliant girl who owes money to a dangerous man, and others.

The story starts slowly. There are so many threads that need to woven together at the conclusion that it takes awhile to get all the characters and their stories on stage. I enjoyed the diverse characters, but I thought there were too many. The problem became obvious when the author tells the story from many different viewpoints.

The novel speeds up about halfway through and ends by bringing all the threads together for a surprising conclusion. If you enjoy mystery and suspense with a touch of the paranormal and a plethora of unusual characters, you may enjoy this book.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

The previous two books I’ve read by Jennifer McMahon were a weird combination of unusual but realistic life and the supernatural. Burntown features the supernatural less, but in some ways is more bizarre and in others verges on the precious.

When Miles Sandeski is a little boy, he sees a man wearing a chicken mask murder his mother. Despite his assurances to the police that the man was not his father, the police think his father did it. Later, his father takes his own life.

Miles’s father handed down an invention taken from Edison’s lab that allows people to talk to the dead. Miles uses it to talk to his mother and find out who killed her. Then he goes off to do something about it.

Years later, something dreadful happens at Miles’s house. His daughter Eve, now calling herself Necco, ends up living on the streets in their industrial home town of Ashford, Vermont. She doesn’t remember what happened, but her mother has told her that a flood washed away their home and killed her father. Her mother became a Fire Eater, ingesting a drug that brings visions of the future. But her mother has died, apparently jumping off a bridge.

Necco is camping out in a car with her boyfriend when her boyfriend is murdered. He has been looking into her past and promised to show her something the next day. The police think she murdered her boyfriend and are trying to find her. However, they don’t know who she is.

Theo is also running from someone. Her girlfriend Hannah talked her into selling drugs to the high school students. Theo did a big deal and then left her sachel at Necco’s place when some kids took her there to watch Necco breathe fire. The drug dealer is after her for his money, but in going back for her sachel, Theo may have seen the murderer.

As Necco and Theo try to figure out what’s happening, they get help from unexpected places and make new friends. Although there is a certain amount of danger in this novel, it is far less eerie than the previous two novels. It depends more on strange characters and desolate urban settings than on its supernatural elements. I liked it well enough but felt it verged oddly toward being a feel-good novel full of eccentric characters at the conclusion.