Cover Image: Detecting Fear

Detecting Fear

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

this was such a great crime anthology, the stories were so well done and I enjoyed reading the whole collection.

Was this review helpful?

This book was sent to me as an ARC on NetGalley. However, all opinions are of my own.
This is a collection of stories following Detective Shaw.
Classic case of mysterious and guessing throughout. It gives us an insight into some of his most frightful cases and what happened. Full of both suspense and sarcasm but I guess thats expected when reading something written by a detective.
I, unfortunately, didn't thoroughly enjoy this but it was still interesting.

Was this review helpful?

Mystery books are my go to reading. That said, although the stories in this collection were kind of interesting, the characters were not developed as well as they could have been.

I was given an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This was an interesting collection of short stories that are based on fear. It's a quick read but the stories all have elements of surprise.

BookGoSocial and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It has been published so you can buy it now.

I found the first story was gripping and made me wonder if I wanted to read more, but I did.

There are killers that are unexpected and lots of small scares. I can't tell you about the content of the stories because you need to read it yourself and see if you can figure out the murderers.

Reading this will keep you awake for a while...

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this collection and found the individual stories entertaining as well written. My only complaint is the first story felt like it didn’t have a proper ending. It could just be me.

If you enjoy short stories, this is definitely a great collection!

Was this review helpful?

“Detecting Fear” is a collection of short stories of mystery, suspense and intrigue that were previously published in periodicals. The stories are diverse and compelling. These tales restructure what makes readers truly frightened. Mistakes have been made, but surely there is no need to get upset over a silly blunder. Or is there? Characters not only know where people live, they have been there. What makes each house important? A sign? A secret? Is there anything that might help? Readers will find plenty to discover. The stories are intense and gripping and yet concise enough to be finished while waiting for an appointment, or picking up children after school.
I received a review copy of “Detecting Fear” from editor Shannon Hollinger and Books Go Social. It is an exciting collection that will amaze even the most seasoned mystery reader.

Was this review helpful?

A short book of short stories, 'noir' crime and mysteries. A literary version of that old black & white Bogart-style detective film. A very appropriate cover. A mixed bunch and not all to my taste. Had this been a full-length novel I would not have bothered but happy to try short stories for this genre. Thanks to Netgalley.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed reading this book - the stories are so short that it is very easy to read the entire book really quickly! Each is a self-contained mystery or thriller but Detective Shaw remains constant throughout, which I liked as it means you can get to know a character while still feeling like you are reading many different stories.

There are truly creepy and sinister stories here. I especially liked It's In the Bag, where someone has thought of an ingenious way of disposing of murdered victims' body parts.

It's impressive that the author gets the reader interested in characters in a very short space of time. In Searching for Sunshine, we are confronted with a bereaved woman grieving for her sister who ends up investigating why she died. I found myself instantly drawn to Michelle and touched by the bond she obviously had with her dead sibling.

Dying Print is hilarious featuring a character desperate to keep alive print media in a world of Kindles. It's All About the Cat has a good twist in it in terms of tracking down a killer.

I was left thinking that I could very happily read many more stories featuring Detective Shaw, and hope there will be more to come in the future. I would definitely recommend this particularly for anyone who doesn't feel they have a huge attention span but still enjoys a good mystery.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed these stories but would have liked to read about the character in a longer novel. There were good twists in the stories and I would definitely read more.

Was this review helpful?

This was a collection of 6 short thriller mysteries and I’ve given it 3 stars as there were some I really enjoyed and others I didn’t think were good at all. It does start on a high, but there were some stories in the middle that were just missing something.

“Detecting Fear” is a great opener and gave me chills at the end, “It’s All About the Cat” was clever with how the story developed and I found it believable, and “It’s In the Bag” was dark, creepy, and entertaining.

“Dying Print” it was clear to me from the start what the ending would be, “A Little Bit of Murder” I just found strange and not that entertaining, and “Searching for Sunshine” I felt the ending was lacklustre and unsatisfying.

It’s a mixed bag, but I would recommend it as three of the stories were very thrilling – plus it’s only a quick read.

Was this review helpful?

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

I was disappointed in this book of short stories. Unfortunately, the stories were too short to have any "meat" and seemed to be written only to highlight the ending. They had cute, contrived endings, but I prefer something that encourages more thought on the part of the reader.

Was this review helpful?

Short and sweet, in good and suspenseful ways. A strong set of page-turners that makes for a quick, fun read. There's a wide variety of stories, which makes it that much more impressive. Good stuff.

Thanks very much for the review copy!!

Was this review helpful?

The collection of short stories of Decorative Shaw was right up my alley! Each "case" provided just enough suspicion to pull me into the mystery with him. Hollinger does a great job of creating snapshots of a crime, solving them just in time, and sometimes even leaving a little room for the story to possibly continue. I'm a big fan of the crime genre and I enjoyed this collection immensely.

Was this review helpful?

Detecting Fear is comprised of six whodunit detective stories featuring Detective Shaw.
The stories in this book range from macabre to witty, each well-written, unique and suspenseful.

My favorites were Detecting Fear and Searching for Sunshine.

Thanks to the author, BooksGoSocial and the NetGalley for providing me with a copy.

Was this review helpful?

This is group of magazine stories that have been made into a book. The stories deal with cases that Detective Shaw is involved with. Each story tells a little bit about the crime and provides some information as to who actually committed the crime. Based on what information he has received, he ultimately finds the individual responsible at the end of the story.

I had a hard time trying to figure it out. If you enjoy stories in this vein, then grab this book. You will not be sorry.

Was this review helpful?

What a great book thoroughly enjoyed throughout read it super quick didnt want to put it down....would definitely recommend this book to others

Was this review helpful?

This book is a collection of six short stories which were previously published in different periodicals (from Suspense Magazine to The Saturday Evening Post). They follow investigations carried out by Detective Shaw.
For me, law student, it was intriguing, fascinating and very fast read! In my opinion this is must read for everyone who is interested in mystery/thriller books, who likes to guess who did what while reading this genre, and also for workers in law field in order to see the way of investigator's thinking and acting during investigation.
This is great book for spooky read! Now I am very curious about other books by Shannon Hollinger!
I would like to thank NetGalley, publisher and the author for providing me with the review copy!

Was this review helpful?

The stories in this anthology, previously published in periodicals ranging from Suspense Magazine to The Saturday Evening Post, run the gamut from Hard-Boiled to cozy, noir to funny, with whodunit as the theme.

I loved the first story ... then I read the second story and loved it more/ But my favorite is the locked-door mystery. I would never have guessed the ending.

These are all very short short stories, sometimes only 2 or 3 pages making this a quick read. They are all well-written featuring Detective Shaw in each story.

I believe there is something here that will satisfy everyone's thirst for mystery. Maybe even a Perry Mason moment!

Many thanks to the author / BooksGoSocial / Netgalley for the digital copy of this mystery anthology. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Was this review helpful?

In this addictive little collection, we jump straight into the world of Detective Shaw -- a no frills, down to earth investigator with an eye for details -- and take a peek inside six of his most memorable cases.

These short stories are quick, satisfying, and varied. Some were intensely serious, one had a generous splash of humor, and one offered a deeper peek into Shaw’s life and backstory. Every story employed plenty of foreshadowing, allowing an astute reader to solve the crime alongside or ahead of Detective Shaw.

Detecting Fear
This gripping suspense story drops the reader right into the chair opposite an ice-cold murderer. The things left unsaid are the most telling in this spine-tingling race against the clock.

It's All About the Cat
And now for something completely different! This humorous piece features a fabulous whodunit perfect for the short story format.

Dying Print
Shaw is far cleverer than the suspect in this “I knew she was trouble when she walked in” style noir.

A Little Bit of Murderer
This one feels like a vignette. It is short, has a surprising twist, but seemed a bit topheavy.

It's In the Bag
For thriller fans, this piece is great adventure. Full of surprising twists and outstanding foreshadowing, It’s In The Bag is my favorite. I think Gilligan needs his own spinoff.

Searching for Sunshine
To wrap things up, Shaw teams up with a grieving daughter to uncover the truth about her little sister’s death.

This is a slim collection of previously-published short stories all featuring Detective Shaw. Because they are in the original format, some pieces are in present tense, others in past tense, and one in first person, making for bumpy reading. Some stories felt like they were part of a larger piece, but all were self-contained and readable as standalone pieces.

After enjoying these slivers of Shaw, the reader is left hungry for more clues about the intrepid detective. Whether he appears in other short stories or in a longer format, any mystery involving Detective Shaw is well worth the read.

CW: child victims

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?