Cover Image: Book of Knives

Book of Knives

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Lise Haines has created a world of terror. Nothing is what it seems. Nora, a young widow, and her new husband, Paul, join his family at their decaying lakeside summer camp. As a collection of knives disappear from the camp one by one, Nora begins to suspect a ghostly presence is haunting the lake and cabins.

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Book of Knives
Lise Haines
Nora, her husband Paul and eighteen-year-old stepson Leon travel to his family’s campground, Hidden Lake, to make repairs so it can be sold. The campground has been closed for several years and is in a state of disrepair, with broken windows and rotting boards. Paul left home thirty years ago; his parents are still alive; his father is dying from cancer and his mother has dementia.
Paul’s brother, Gabe, his wife, Salish and their children live at the campground. Gabe studies birds. Salish has not only taken charge of the kitchen, but she also keeps the supplies under lock and key. She acts hostile from the moment Nora arrives. Salish has a set of thirteen knives which she shows to Nora and Paul; it is obvious she is very proud of the knives. The knives begin disappearing; first the paring knife and then one after another they simply disappear. Salish concocts a plan to protect her precious knives but to no avail. Nora begins investigating the disappearances. Paul and Gabe are at each other’s throats.
This is one dysfunctional family! The characters in this book are very well written and developed even though they are all unlikeable and very strange acting. Salish is totally nuts and very mean spirited. Nora is practically a newlywed and yet she has never recovered from losing her first husband. Takeo was the true love of her life, and she was still mourning him so why did she marry Paul. Paul went to the campground with the plan of repair and sale but that changed. Gabe seemed nice enough, maybe too nice. Emmet was downright mean. At times I thought Nora was a bit crazy; in the end I think all of the adults and some of the kids are not quite right. There are secret rooms, ghosts, an old murder mystery and creepy happenings. This is an interesting read, but it left me with a lot of questions. The first part of the book was very slow moving but the pace picked up in the last few chapters. This makes a good Halloween read.

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Book of Knives follows Nora, a young widow who recently remarried. Nora’s new husband Paul needs to return to his parent's estate when they become ill. Nora goes with him and when they arrive Paul’s brother Gabe and his family are already there. Once they are at Paul’s family’s house is when things start to get a little creepy and strange.

All of that sounds good and I wanted it to be good, but sadly it was more confusing that anything else. There is also a major plot point that goes unexplained which I find unforgivable.

I like when my brain is challenged and I need to think and figure out the story. I just don’t think I could ever figure this one out. Some of the thrills and suspense are well done and written well but as a whole, it’s just lacking anything to keep me invested.

All of the characters including Nora were underdeveloped and not all that likable. The best my stupid brain can do is this book is just a metaphor for loss. That’s pretty accurate since I feel like I lost time.

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This is the truest definition of a slow burn mystery/thriller. The writing was good, but I feel like some of the plot was lot in the details.
I think some of the *ghost* plot in particular was lacking, and I found myself not caring for that. I enjoyed the depth of the relationships between the characters, and think that was done well. I think with some refinement on the actual story, this title would have hit a lot harder

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I very much wanted to like this book, but the beginning (even the first chapter) had me so confused, I wasn't sure what I was listening to. It wasn't horrible, I enjoyed some of the characters, including the children, but I had a hard time following most of the story.

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I loved the premise of this and I was really liking the beginning of this book but as it went on the knives disappearing was kinda just weird even though I know this was a ghost story. It started kinda getting a little better after 60%. It was a pretty alright story but not anything groundbreaking and “thriller” like so I’m just giving this a 3.5 stars. I did like the end too so not my fave but it was good I suppose, I liked the ghostly things.

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After the death of her husband, Nora finds love again with a good friend. After marrying Paul, she travels with him to his family’s old campground to care for his ailing parents. As a film documentary editor, Nora has her camera ready to capture the experience. What she doesn’t expect is for the property to be in a state of disrepair, Paul’s family to be mean and angry, and most mysteriously of all, her sister in law’s knife collection to start disappearing one by one.

This was definitely a slow-burn mystery/ghost story. I listened to it on audiobook and thought the narrator did a good job at telling the story. Without giving away any spoilers,I found some parts of it to be a little slow. The ghost story aspect could have been expanded on too I felt, but overall I enjoyed this unique story! Perfect spooky read for a October 👻

Thank you to Netgalley, Lise Haines and Poisoned Pen Press for the ALC! “Book of Knives” is out now!!

This review will be shared to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly 😊

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I'm a big fan of campy horror movies like Sleepaway Camp and Friday the 13th etc. I was drawn to this book because the description of an old campground/lodge with haunting and paranormal thrills. Right up my alley.

The story follows Nora, who is a newly remarried Widow tagging along with her new husband (and longtime friend) Paul to be with his ailing parents. Paul and his brother Gabe are taking over the property and preparing his parents old campground for resale.

While at the property, her sister-in-law's (a chef) knives go missing and tensions begin to rise as everyone points fingers as to who is the culprit. Gabe's wife becomes more and more unhinged as her knives are stolen, the brothers Gabe and Paul start butting heads and old resentments come to surface, and Nora looks after the safety of the five children (her step-son, two nieces and two nephews) while trying to unravel the past of the campground and how it ties into current events.

While there was some paranormal elements, this was mostly a domestic thriller with a pretty grim and shocking ending. I wish there were more haunting vibes and less character drama. I enjoyed the narration on the audiobook; each character definitely had their own voice so it was easy to follow the dialogue.

TW: pregnancy loss

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Rating 2.5

Mini Review

This book had so much potential but it really let me down. It was just so SLOW. I switched between the audiobook and the physical book and that still didn’t help. I will say the narrator was great but they still couldn’t save the story. The author had a good story idea but unfortunately it wasn’t executed well. The story was too wordy, chapters were too long, and the ending was too rushed with not enough explained. I’ll be honest, I wish I had DNF this book. I didn’t care for any of the characters and the fact that the reader wasn’t told a key part of the story annoys me. Unfortunately, I can’t say more about that because it is a spoiler. Overall, I don’t think I would recommend this one. I think there are other thrillers that are similar but are executed better.

Thank you so much for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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After Nora’s husband passes she finds comfort in her friend Paul. As time continues their relationship becomes something more. After some time, they decide to marry. The quiet life they want lead changes after Paul’s brother Gabe call him after being estrange for sometime. Paul’s parents are in poor health so he needs to go home to Hidden Lake Camp. He fled this place decades ago, but returns to care for his parents and help refurbish the property. But when they arrive things get weird. Nora and Paul discover that game and his wife and kids are established on the property. The wife and kids are strange; Extremely strange, especially the wife. Salish, Gabe’s wife, has a knife collection. 13 of them to be exact, that were passed down by her father. She’s so obsessed with them that when they begin to disappear, it sets her into a downward spiral Nora then begins to start to try to figure out Salish and her strange mood.

After reading the story, I just don’t think this is something for me. The storytelling was great, but the story just did not catch my attention as much as I was hoping.

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Book of Knives by Lise Haines

Still grieving the loss of her husband, an obsessive filmmaker quickly remarries a family friend. While at her new husband’s family lake camp, cherished knives begin to mysteriously disappear.

I go into thrillers and science fiction books with the same mentality: just dive in and assume I will understand it eventually. While Book of Knives is easier to conceive than the complex world building of a sci-fi novel, the events of the story felt disconnected and somewhat purposeless. However, in the end the dots connected for a satisfying, “ah-ha!” This more than made up for a surreptitious beginning.

The characters are not particularly likable and the development primarily focuses on the protagonist. That is not a complaint. I feel that those elements drive the plot forward and enhance the mystery.

Eve Passeltiner’s narration was splendid. She delivered the protagonists' detached and simultaneously over-involved tendencies with skill.

While the specifics of this story may fade in my memory, the overall impression of Book of Knives will last. I cannot say I have ever read a book quite like it.

Thank you Lise Haines, NetGalley, and Dreamscape Media for my audio advanced review copy. My opinions are my own.

Plot - 5
Writing and Editing - 5
Character Development - 4
Narration - 5
Personal Bias - 4
Final Score - 4.6

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This book has a beautiful cover and that’s what drew me in but I found myself struggling to keep up with the bland storyline and the boring characters. Where was the mystery and thrill that was promised within this book?!

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like I lost 8 hours of my life. There was no emotion, there were way too many characters to keep up with and I’m left wondering why this was written.

If I could, I would give it zero stars but I’ll round it up to one.

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This book was a bit confusing and seemed to drag on in the beginning and middle. I kept questioning if I missed something but in the end everything made more sense. I was hoping the book would be a bit more thrilling but it was more suspense. 3 out of 5 starts for me.

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Reviewed for NetGalley:

I listed to the audiobook narration.

I could not get into the narration for the life of me, so unfortunately, this one did not work for me.

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BOOK OF KNIVES is a creepy and strange slow-burn mystery and a ghost story with some supernatural elements by Lise Haines.

Nora is a documentary filmmaker and comes with her new husband to The Hidden Lake Camp —which needs work. She lost her husband and is still grieving when she falls for her late hubby’s best friend and marries him.

Hidden Lake is Paul's family resort, which has been closed for many years. Paul promised it would just be a few months to repair the camp, ready it for sale, and get it on the market. However, when they arrive, it is worst than expected.

Nora inherits a family. Her sister-in-law, but weird and unlikable. All she seems to care about is her collections of knives, and, when they go missing, everting starts unraveling.

There is a murder, in the past, and possible ghosts lingering.

As a collection of knives disappear from the camp one by one, other unsettling things start to happen, and Nora begins to suspect a ghostly presence is haunting the lake and cabins.

A lot is going on with a mix of blended families with different personalities, a need for a child, a partner's loss, letting go of a parent, and a few ghosts and spirits.

The audiobook narration by Eve Passeltiner was pleasant and enjoyed her range of voices as why the 3-star rating. Otherwise, it would be less. I found myself fast-forwarding to get to the end.

This story moved slowly as Nora tries to put together the pieces of what happened in the past in hopes of finding answers in the present.

This book is not what I expected at all. If so, would not have requested it. I am not into the paranormal, ghosts, or supernatural, so I did not enjoy this one. I thought it was weird and quite bizarre. A lot of dysfunctional characters, and I was not invested in any of them. I am sure other readers out there may enjoy it. Unfortunately, this one does not live up to the description or my expectations.

Thank you to #DreamscapeMedia for ALC and #NetGalley and #PoisonedPenPress for an e-ARC for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Review posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 4, 2022

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"In this unsettling, gripping, and totally original literary thriller, there are thirteen knives at Hidden Lake Camp, and one by one they begin to disappear..."

Widowed Nora is getting a second chance at love and marries her friend, Paul. Shortly after getting married Nora and Paul need to return to Hidden Lake Camp, Paul's family home and business, to help care of his ailing parents. Paul's brother, Gabe, and his family also return to help care for their parents and prepare the aging campground for sale. As they all are trying their best with the tasks at hand strange things begin to happen and personalities clash. Gabe's wife has a prized collection of knives that begin to disappear, there are cold spots and secret rooms in the house, strange cuts and carvings appear on the residents and the camp houses, and an affair begins.

This story moved very slowly as Nora tries to put together the pieces of what happened in the past in hopes of finding answers in the present. I wouldn't call this a thriller, instead an adult fiction with a little mystery. The majority of the story, and the conclusion were more about the dynamics of the family all coming together and having to live together than a larger mystery. There was a little mystery of the campgrounds past sprinkled in, but no big, thrilling twists. While I did listen to the entire story, I found myself tuning out at times. With the synopsis teasing an "unsettling, gripping, and totally original literary thriller" I definitely went into this book with a different expectation.
If you're looking for a book regarding forced family dynamics with a little bit of mystery sprinkled in, this is a good book to choose.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audiobook.
On Sale Now.

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After the death of her husband, Nora marries his best friend, Paul. They travel to Hidden Lake Camp, owned by Paul's elderly parents, to help them and renovate the camp to sell it. Paul's brothers family is also there and when his sister-in-laws collection of knives start to disappear tensions rise. Ghosts, death, secret rooms and lies all make an appearance.

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This was a book that I was dying to read. When I saw it on NetGalley I crossed all the fingers and toes and hoped the publisher would allow me access - and they did!

I listened to the audiobook but and honestly, I feel just meh about it. It took me several days to finish it which is unusual for me, especially with an audiobook. The story seems to drag on and on forever and then all of a sudden it’s just over. I’m left wanting at the end while during the book I was begging for it to end.

The narrator was great though. I have no complaints there at all. She did an amazing job at making even the less interesting parts sound interesting even if I didn’t find the story interesting in the slightest.

I think this book is a victim of unmet expectations. I try not to go into a book with expectations, but I feel like I did this time, unfortunately. I’d still recommend it as every book has its audience. It turns out this just wasn’t for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Whilst still mourning the loss of her husband, Nora begins a romantic relationship with family friend Paul. Shortly after marrying, at the request of his estranged brother, they relocate to Paul’s family owned and run campground to help with his ailing parents. After arriving, a collection of prized knives belonging to Paul’s sister-in-law start to go missing one at a time. Adding to the lore of ghosts and murders family members behaviors start to unravel resulting in a collective spiral with a tragic end.

“The Book of Knives” starts as a very slow burn. As the story progressed I was very invested to know where is was going. However as the books ending started to unfold I found it a bit confused and weird. I was left with a lot of unanswered questions, though I feel that was the authors intent. I found it odd and a little annoying how focused Nora was on her late husband after remarrying (like she shouldn’t have married if she was still that deep in her grief).

I can’t say I enjoyed this book start to finish, though I did enjoy parts. I likely wouldn’t recommend this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

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A ghost story, a series of locked room mysteries and a family drama, all rolled into one, The Book of Knives is a slow-burner. Nora lost her husband and is still grieving when she falls for her late hubby’s best friend and marries him. She then moves to his new husband’s old childhood home, a campground, to rebuild and hopefully sell it. She then gets a family she never asked for. Her sister-in-law, particularly, is not only weird, but unlikable to the extreme. All she seems to care about is her collections of knives and, when they go missing, starts unravelling. There is a murder, in the past, and possible ghosts lingering. Nora is extremely likable and easy to root for. I wasn’t sure why her backstory mattered to the current events, but the fact that her late hubby was Japanese makes her more open to his cultural heritage about hauntings and apparitions. When things go awry, I was screaming at her to just leave but, she can’t do it without her new stepson and nieces and nephews. And that’s where the author, in my opinion, gets it so right… the kids and teenagers are adorable and smart. One of them is a little odd and violent but there is also a reason for that. The plot is so well built that everything fits together perfectly. The audiobook narration by Eve Passeltiner is very good. She doesn’t rely on different voices as much as in making it sound like Nora telling the story, and she makes her sound so friendly and approachable,, that it sounded like a good friend recalling painful memories. She also keeps the rhythm up at all times, making this an entertaining and fast read.
I chose to listen to this audiobook and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Dreamscape Media!

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