Cover Image: The Rule of Threes

The Rule of Threes

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Great story with a very clever plot, and the writing and the characters are excellent, as per normal from this author.

Was this review helpful?

As you are reading through this book you ask yourself if this is going anywhere, but you keep reading. You wonder where it’s going and what all of these people have to do with anything. In the end you see how well it has been written and pulled together. A great book!

Was this review helpful?

Constant Marlow is a state special agent assigned to case of a suspected serial killer is Clark Valley, Illinois. When she interviews a local family of witnesses has she lead the killer to them!

This was long for a novella, really, really close to a novel. I did NOT guess where this was going, and I quite enjoyed it. Fast paced and a lot of character development in a fairly short space. Good stuff.

Was this review helpful?

If you enjoy a fast read mystery, this the book is for you. Another masterpiece from the author. In addition, some good twists and turns that keeps the reader turning pages. This is a book which I would recommend to all who enjoy mystery and suspense.

Was this review helpful?

5/5 stars without hesitation!!!!!! so well written!!!! spooky and eerie vibes all around!!!! i truly loved this one

Was this review helpful?

Constant Marlowe doesn’t always play by the rules but she is good at what she does. Her latest case involves the death of two young woman but get more complicated as the case moves along. The evidence leads them down a certain path but it proves to be something else. Can she with the help of the sheriff’s department find the killer before another young woman is killed? There is so much hate & anger in this small town and there are so many suspects. But the killer has been hiding in plain sight all this time. A great solid read. I didn’t see the last chapter coming really takes things down a dark path.
Constant is a strong independent woman that sometimes does things her way. She is afraid of getting to close to a certain prosecutor but I think that she will give more to Evan in the coming books.
Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC copy. This is my voluntary review.

Was this review helpful?

The Rule of Threes is a novella about a woman who is hunting a serial killer in rural Illinois. There are a few different perspectives that we follow.

I liked this book! It is a novella but it is close to 300 pages so I would consider it a long novella. There were a lot of twists throughout this one. While some of the twists seemed very unlikely, I was surprised by them and I had a good time reading it. We see a lot of the police procedural as well which is interesting to me but I could see some people not liking that. I liked the characters as well. It was fun to read a book set in the state that I live.

This was like a crime show in tv. It was probably unrealistic in parts but I did have a fun time reading it and some of the twists were pretty shocking.

Thanks so much to netgalley and Amazon for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Was this review helpful?

One of his twistiest plots yet, which is really saying something. Constant is a fantastic protagonist and I loved getting to know her and seeing her work through the case, As ever, Deaver creates a seamless world and drags the reader into it - you won’t be able to put this book down,

Was this review helpful?

Quick read, full of fast twists, turns and shocking surprises. This novella entertains and thrills as the shocking conclusion nears.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Was this review helpful?

In The Rule of Threes, Special Agent Constant Marlowe navigates the twisted mind of a serial killer haunting the small town of Clark Valley. With a gripping premise and a sense of impending danger, the novel promises an intense thriller experience. However, my first encounter with Jeffery Deaver's work left me with mixed feelings.

While the storyline is filled with unexpected twists and turns, keeping readers on their toes, the execution falls short. The writing feels clunky and disjointed, often requiring multiple readings to grasp the author's intent. This inconsistency in the prose detracted from my immersion in the story, pulling me out of the narrative at crucial moments.

Despite the intriguing premise, the ending leaves much to be desired, with its ambiguous resolution leaving readers with more questions than answers. While ambiguity can be a powerful tool when used effectively, in this case, it feels like a missed opportunity to provide closure and satisfaction to the reader.

Overall, The Rule of Threes clunky writing and ambiguous ending detract from the overall experience, leaving me with mixed feelings about the novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Jeffery Deaver for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This novella packed a punch. Looking for a dark and twisted murder mystery? This one will satisfy. I enjoyed the protagonist Constant Marlowe and her flawed character. This one will leave you guessing. Just when you think you've got it figured out, think again!

Was this review helpful?

Exhilarating, suspenseful, . . . what can I saw except BRILLIANT.

There's enough drama in this well-written story that I had to read it on one sitting.

Kudos to Jeffrey Deaver for weaving such a fantastic story!

Was this review helpful?