Cover Image: The Glades

The Glades

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This book was dark, captivating, suspenseful and emotional. I loved it and cannot recommend it enough. 5 big stars and a new fan of John Netti!

Was this review helpful?

Thrumming suspense. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
Many thanks to Black Rose Writing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

Dark and creepy but I loved every second of it. I love the cover and the mountain setting. The pace of the novel was perfect for me, I couldn't put it down!

Was this review helpful?

This book was crazy-good even though it's dark and creepy! When detective Maddy is shot and remains in a coma for five days, she's determined to retire as daughter, Amber is going away to college and Maddy needs a simpler life. She finds what she assumes to be a delightfully isolated house in the Adirondacks and settles in only to discover it is adjacent to the newest 5-star resort, The Glades which is run by a charming (albeit shady) man named Avery. Alternating between Maddy and Avery, the novel gives us a glimpse into the unorthodox methods employed at the hotel, including sex-trafficking and coercive abuse to those foolish enough to attempt escape. It's a wild ride that involves, children and police so go into it forewarned; but it's got a breakneck pace so catch your breath while you can!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Was this review helpful?

THE GLADES by John Netti paints some vivid pictures of a peaceful mountain area where a young woman could escape the horrors of her past and try to live quietly. But those pictures have been staged for visitors. The town and it's famous residents are really a cover for a criminal enterprise of a particularly evil sort. Maddy Reynolds has left her hectic police work and moved to what she hopes will be a normal life. Not so. The multi million dollar compound, named The Glades, looks beautiful from Maddy's front porch across the lake. But as we get closer, the rot shows as young men and women are abused and discarded.
The story contains some harsh scenes and will definitely make you want to wash your hands or hurt somebody or both. The writing will draw an emotional response at several different points of the story. But, since its a work of fiction, the bad guys will get punished and help will arrive before too many more victims disappear. This was truly a good reaad that will make you think and make you look at your neighborhood a little different from now on.

Was this review helpful?

When Detective Maddy Reynolds escapes street violence by leaving her job to live in the Adirondacks, she builds a house on Berry Lake, across from The Glades. Avery Jordan, its founder, operates a sex-trafficking operation out of the sprawling retreat. He and his minions are on a collision course with the renowned detective when they try to discover her true purpose for moving to the remote location. The opening is atmospheric and completely absorbing.

Was this review helpful?

I really liked this mystery though I realize it’s a sequel. Characters were ok however there was a lot of ruthless deaths that didn’t seem necessary and that should have drawn attention to the situation in spite of the police being paid off. Not a bad story though.

Was this review helpful?

Crime thriller

Detective Maddy Reynolds thinks she is retiring when she moves to her new home at Berry Lake in the Adirondacks. She quickly learns, however, that she can't escape her urge to figure out what is going on at the huge mansion and resort across the lake. Secluded and exclusive on the mountain top, The Glades provokes fear and suspicion in the local town. Something creepy is going on within those secured walls and the airstrip is busy all the time. Maddy is without credentials or backup, but she knows she must investigate when she discovers that young women who work there are found dead under some curious circumstances.

The theme of this involves sex trafficking and political corruption. This is the second in a series featuring Maddy Reynolds; I did not read the first one but there is enough backstory in the narrative to give the reader a good idea of what happened. The bad guys are nasty and sleazy and written in the typical way. The character of Maddy is also similar to all single women detectives in this genre. It is, however, the plight of a young teen boy whose actions give the story its most heart tugging moments. The premise was intriguing but the details and events described did not quite make this one as good as it could have been. An instant romance, a weird cosmic connection to a wolf, super fight skills, strong morality, convenient rescue -- a boilerplate but entertaining enough for the short time it took to read in one sitting. I am not sure if I would look for another installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Was this review helpful?

It took a couple of chapters for me to get into this book, but then I couldn't put it down. The characters were well written so a couple of times it was sad (trying not to give out spoilers). I enjoyed reading this and may try others by this author

Was this review helpful?

🏞Captivating storytelling🤗
A downright marvelous adventure despite its tragic subject matter👍

I could not put down this thriller set in the Adirondacks where a strong and resourceful retired female cop finds disturbing undercurrents of abuse, tragedy and outright evil. And she thought she was escaping it all by moving to a mountain top adjacent to a quaint small town! There are some brilliant characters, especially poor, brave Hector, a fifteen year-old who finds life nothing but hard and tragic. His family story was actually the emotional lynchpin for me.

Female lead protagonist Maddie's previous deadly experiences in dealing with a serial killer who attacked her own family that apparently were the subject of Netti's thriller Cupid are mentioned, but the connection to an earlier story did not confuse me, leave me bewildered or reduce my enjoyment of The Glades one iota.

Good action scenes, plenty of foreboding lead-up to a dramatic, no-holds-barred, edge-of-my-seat climax. The looming deadline built into the story's timeline helped build the tension. This one took me a bit by surprise. Yes, there is some description of abuse to young women drawn into the web of The Glades seamy secret human trafficking operations, but the story is more focused on the way power corrupts, coerces and terrifies the innocent into either collaboration or silence. It may seem a stretch to imagine such places exist in the U.S., but I'm not so sure.

Thanks to John Netti for a fascinating tale, and to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

All Maddy Reynolds wants is peace and quiet and away from her former job as a Detective. She uncharacteristically falls in love with the Adirondacks, She builds a house on Berry Lake, across from The Glades. WE know Avery Jordan, its founder, operates a sex-trafficking operation out of the sprawling retreat. Maddy does not. Avery is charming on the outside but Maddy finds him creepy.

Maddy soon finds out living in such an isolated area may not have been the best idea. The locals are suspicious and do not like strangers. Convicts break out of prison and are on their way to kill her. There are weird going-ons that no one wants to talk about. She cannot help but play detective once again, She is not going to like what she finds.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for this early copy of The Glades in exchange for me honest review.

After Maddy decides to retire as a detective and build a home on a mountain to slow down her pace. There’s a place in the mountains called The Glades and something is just suspicious about it. Maddy decides to do what she does best, investigate.

This book was very easy to follow and fast paced. Maddy was a likeable main character. This book deal with difficult but important topics in a delicate way. This book is also dark and talks about sex.trafficking. Please take caution when reading. I highly recommend checking out this book!

Was this review helpful?

After reading the blurb this book I really wanted to read this book. For me this could have been so much more. A detective at the edge of 30 decides to retire, yes I know. Leaves the rat race, builds a home in the wilds and gets to know nature. Little does she know that her neighbour is The Glades. A very high class brothel where anything goes. The story was good but so bizzare. Still a good read but it never really held my attention. Saying that I am sure other readers will enjoy it more just not for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I cannot say i enjoyed this book. It felt super disjointed. Jumping from time lines that were not that far apart, the plot was strong, but the characters weak. The dialogue was haphazard and overly cliché. i wanted more than was given. I do love the ADK so i was able to imaging the setting perfectly.

Was this review helpful?

Many thanks to Netgally and Black Rose writing for this ARC of The Glades by John Netti.

I fell in love with the cover of this book. It is a beauty! But alas the contents did not quite live up to the cover. The story was intriguing: retired detective trying to embrace a quiet life in a beautiful small town vs. a purely evil man who will stop at nothing to pay his debt to the mob. While the story was good the characters fell flat for me. Many were very one dimensional and some downright unbelievable.

2.5 stars from me, rounded up to 3.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I was able to read this ARC. The setting, in the Adirondacks, immediately caught my attention as I spent a lot of time in those beautiful mountains from childhood in to my 20’s. I could fully understand why the main character, Maddy, a retired police detective who had solved some high profile cases, decided this was where she wanted to live. She unknowingly builds her home near an old Adirondack Great Camp that has been turned into a house of horrors, and a playground for immoral wealthy guests. As the body found rises Maddy needs to uncover the secrets being kept before they destroy any more innocent lives. I was slowly drawn into the story, and then couldn’t put it down until I found out how it ended.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this well written page turner of a mystery. Maddy Reynolds is a great character, and the supporting cast and scenery of the Adirondacks makes this a must read. I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own.

Was this review helpful?

I was pleasantly surprised by this book that turned out to be interesting and a page turner. Best part of this book is the story but it’s only secondary to the characters. If you love a thriller you’ll love this book.

Was this review helpful?

I really, really liked this book! It hooked me from the first chapter and kept me hooked the entire time!

Was this review helpful?