I began this book because I love serial killer novels and serious crime tales. This story was nothing like other mysteries I've read lately, yet the suspense was still unrelenting. The author managed to keep the tension high, the characters interesting, and the shots coming. This is a book I'd most definitely recommend to mystery lovers looking for something suspenseful, devious, and just a bit outside the norm of those run-of-the-mill, cookie-cutter mysteries.

The beginning of this book had me on pins and needles. Grace and her tragic life story really got to me. While reading along some parts seemed way too far fetched and I kept thinking-did Grace really go through a rigorous program given by her "trainer"? She did some really stupid things throughout the book. However, that was not enough for me to want to stop reading. I really wanted to find out what happened with Carl-was he really a serial killer and the murderer of Grace's beloved older sister?

Confusing at first, but then it drags you in and keeps you there. Who is the crazy one and who is desperate. Excellent.

3.75
I can’t quite describe what it was about this book that disappointed me. I was so excited by the description but overall the book just fell a little flat for me. The main character was interesting but at the same time she felt too contrived which caused me to not care as much about her as I would have liked to. Not knowing a lot about dementia myself I can’t say how genuine Carl’s character was but he definitely added a spark. The ending itself felt rushed and honestly wasn’t all that satisfying either. I guess I just wanted more than I felt that I got from this one.

So. so. so. good. I loved it! Kept me on my toes and I wanted to know more, more, more.

I enjoyed this thriller about Carl, once a photographer, diagnosed with dementia. The overall story is told by someone who believes Carl murdered her sister. He had been trial for another murder but was found not quilty. The young woman is convinced Carl was responsible for his death and convinced him to take road trip in the hopes he will confess, despite her personal risk. She places hints in his view to spark his memory and he seems to remember more than someone with dementia during their travels.

It was an good and thrilling read overall, and the photographs we’re nice addition. It is a lengthy read. I would give it 3.5 stars if possible

I thankfully received an ARC from NetGalley and Random House Publications for this review

5 stars--I greatly enjoyed this book.

I really loved this book, which is an anthem to Texas disguised as a suspense novel. What made it stand out for me, in a saturated genre that I read a lot of, were the descriptions of the photographs--and actual black-and-white photos included in the book as well. I also loved trying to puzzle out Carl, who was a fascinating character--is he a killer? How progressed is his dementia? Why is he going along with the narrator's plan?

Each little detail comes back around in this book, and it was well worth suspending my disbelief for. Loved it.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

I had a hard time debating whether to give this 3 or 4 stars. The premise is super interesting but I felt like I just kept WAITING for something to happen. Luckily, the conclusion was very satisfying.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy of this book!

Beautifully written and an edge of your seat thriller. Did not expext that ending. Looking forward to more from Julia Heaberlin.

Paper Ghosts was my first book by Julia Heaberlin & I really enjoyed it. It’s one of those books that you don’t want to put down. I needed to know what was going to happen next. The character development & slight twists didn’t disappoint.

What lengths would you go to for a loved one? The answer to that question is what one young woman, Grace, discovers on her quest to solve her sister’s disappearance. She’s enlisted the help of Carl Feldman, who was once a famous photographer &, also, the man she believes kidnapped & murdered her sister. Carl now has dementia or at least that’s what he wants people to think. With the help of a series of lies & a very well thought out plan, Grace convinces Carl to go on a road trip with her. Using his own pictures against him & three specific destinations, Grace attempts to jog Carl’s memory. Their journey takes them across Texas & uncovers secrets that some people wanted to keep buried.

Is Carl responsible for the murders of several young woman, including Grace’s sister? Does he remember? Will Grace be his next victim? This book will have you questioning everything, including Grace’s mental state. You’ll want to dislike Carl but, at times, you’ll find yourself wondering if he’s actually innocent. It’s a slow build up with an ending that you don’t see coming.

* Thank you Random House Publishing- Ballantine, Julia Heaberlin & NetGalley for the arc!

Since Grace’s older sister disappeared years ago, Grace has been doing everything she can to figure out what had happened to her. She has been following cases, stalking, interviewing, training, and keeping voluminous files.

Now,years later, Grace has found Carl in a halfway house. He is a renowned photographer and her main suspect. He also has dementia, or does he? She believes that Carl killed her sister all those years ago. Now, to enact her plan…

Posing as his daughter, Grace takes him on a trek to places where he has shot some eerie photos, places where he might have killed some girls. She hopes this may help him to remember. She just has to know.

The most unforgettable aspect of this story is Heaberlin’s wonderful characters. All of them came to life on her pages. However, Grace’s excessive behaviors prior to and after her sister’s death, struck me as a little crazy. I started wondering if Grace was imagining things.

This interesting psychological mystery is told through Grace’s narration. It is insightful and interesting.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2185200855
Jackie Curtis's Reviews > Paper Ghosts: A Novel of Suspense
Paper Ghosts by Julia Heaberlin
Paper Ghosts: A Novel of Suspense
by Julia Heaberlin (Goodreads Author)
1599397
Jackie Curtis's review
Nov 22, 2017
I give it a 4 star rating. I love reading books like this and I can tend on being very picky on them. I've really enjoyed this book. I told people at work and I have told my family that when this book comes out they need to go get it. This was another great thriller that kept me guessing all the way. I highly recommend it. It starts a little slow but as the story builds, you get to be part of a creepy road trip to find the truth no matter what the cost. I don’t know if I could go on a road trip with someone who “might have” killed my sister. I did get really into this book. It was a great read. I look forward to reading more books by this Author.
Thank you to Random House publishing -Ballantine books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

DNF. I started this book really excited to learn about carl and what he did in his life. But by chapter 9, there was just not enough to keep me interested. I wanted to know what happened to Rachel. But not enough to continue this book.

Paper Ghosts literally had me hooked from the start. I love how strong Grace is! I love her even more because she chose strength, there’s a hope released for others when someone chooses strength over giving in to fear and despair. She didn’t roll over and let the darkness have her, she used her pain and grief to propel her into finding some resolution. I think that’s what everyone wants in moments of unanticipated loss: information and if possible peace.

Dementia is such an awful disease. It’s a thief and as the author writes at the end a “serial killer” that leaves behind broken hearts and minds. I greatly appreciated the honest way Paper Ghosts deals with dementia. In some ways my heart broke for Carl and then I would have to remind myself that he’s probably a murderer. Although, I believe there is a message left for us here:
“Bad people are to be found everywhere, but even among the worst there may be something good.”

All that to say, I really enjoyed the tension of this book. The tension between Grace and Carl, the tension in my emotions with regards to Carl and what he may or may not have done, and the tension of the mystery unraveling. It was a very good journey.

This book is THE definition of psychological thriller. I found myself very hesitant tor read it at night before bed. I am not even sure how to review without giving much away. This is a book that will definitely sit with me for awhile and make me look at people in a different angle.

Would you ever go on a 10 day road trip with someone who may or may not be a serial killer? What if you add dementia on top of that and that person cannot even be sure if they are or are not a serial killer? What if you trained to be a master-manipulator? Do you think you could be “out-mastered”?

This book leads you down so many different paths that you have no idea what to believe and who is manipulating who; who is real and who is not. What if you spent your life travelling down a path to find out it was all wrong? Or was it really right?

I want to read this book a second time after I take a mental break to see if I can pick up on the many different clues dropped throughout the story. Who, or what, is the real serial killer?

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Have you ever read one of those books where you’re screaming at the protagonist the entire time to stop what she’s doing, think for a minute and get the hell out of the situation she has gotten herself into? I screamed at Grace, an outrageously bold and obsessed young lady, throughout this entire book.
Grace lost her sister Rachel years earlier. She has made it her lifetime ambition to find Rachel’s killer and deal with him. Her clues lead her to a retired photographer, Carl Louis Feldman, who now has dementia and is living in a care home. Carl was tried for another kidnapping and murder but was not found guilty. Grace convinces the staff at the home that Carl is her father and she needs to know if he has it in his blood to be a killer so she may be more aware of warning signs with herself or her future children.
Grace takes Carl on a well-planned trip down memory lane complete with false IDs, disguises, plenty of cash and an agenda. The minute by minute process of their trip will put you on the edge. Is he stable? Is he truly capable of murder and is he going to snap any minute now? Is Grace stable? Does she have a death wish? Along the way, events happen that shape a new opinion of each character. In particular, they find an abused dog and dedicate time and love to his healing. Aptly named Barfly, the dog becomes a companion in Grace’s quest to avenge her sister’s murder. But is compassion for a pet the same as compassion for other humans? Are those brief glimpses of clarity and compassion we see in Carl signs of his innocence, or is he truly a cold and calculating killer, manipulating Grace at his whim?
Proceed with a warning: this is a very un-put-down-able book.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group- Ballentine and NetGalley for making it available.)

I was a nervous wreck reading this book. Was the sister left behind really going on a road trip with the possible murderer? Could the left behind sister become a murderer to avenge her dead sister? Did her traveling companion, a formerly famous photographer, really murder anyone or no one? Behind all this was the spectre of dementia, slowly creeping into the story and a character all it’s own. I will be honest, I almost cried at times. Yes, the ending was both extremely sad and satisfying. Just read it already!

Intriguing story with a fresh take on the serial killer plot. Our female protagonist has dedicated her entire life to figuring out who killed her sister when they were just kids. She's convinced Carl Feldman, a renowned photographer, is the guilty party, his having taken pictures of one too many potential homicide victims for it to be mere coincidence. Only, Carl is now in a halfway house for suspected killers and is suffering from dementia. The book is a historical journey through Texas and photography, with plenty of fascinating twists and an ending that had no foreshadowing throughout the tale. Well worth a read.

I didn't hate the book but I didn't love it either. I read it in a little over a day but I can't say I enjoyed it. I found it to be erratic and scattered. What saved it for me was the ending, but what it took to get there, a little much. I wish I had better things to say about it as I hate to give a bad review .

The premise of this book hooked me from the beginning. Loved the introduction of Barfly, it made our narrator develop deeper feelings for everything (and everyone) around her. The pictures throughout the book are lovely and eerie at the same time. I absolutely loved the way it ended and was pieced together of what and who she became in life because of all of this.

Thank you to Random House publishing -Ballantine books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.