Tag: Gillian Flynn

Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers: A story of sisterhood, loss, and a twist that left me stunned

Mandy Webster

In The Missing Half, two women connected by tragedy team up to uncover the truth about their missing sisters—and what they find is far darker than either expected. Ashley Flowers, best known as the host of the Crime Junkie podcast, delivers another haunting mystery in The Missing Half, a New York Times bestseller that blends emotional depth with a compelling, small-town suspense plot.

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The story follows Nicole “Nic” Monroe, a twenty-four-year-old still reeling from the disappearance of her older sister, Kasey, seven years earlier. When Jenna Connor, whose own sister vanished under eerily similar circumstances, reaches out, the two women form an uneasy bond rooted in shared grief—and a mutual determination to find answers.

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Bad Men by Julie Mae Cohen is dark, funny, and seriously messed up—in the best possible way

Mandy Webster

What do you get when you cross a lonely heart, a true crime podcast, and a vigilante sociopath with a fondness for elaborate meet-cutes? Julie Mae Cohen’s Bad Men is a delightfully deranged feminist thriller that manages to be equal parts clever, unsettling, and charming—yes, charming—in spite of (or maybe because of) its body count.

Get your copy of Bad Men by Julie Mae Cohen from my online bookstore today!

Saffy isn’t your average heroine. She’s a serial killer heiress with a strict moral code, targeting men who harm women. She’s meticulous, disciplined, and has no time for romance. Until she meets Jonathan Desrosiers, a true crime podcaster known for solving the very kinds of violent crimes Saffy doles out her own brand of justice against. The irony isn’t lost on her—or on the reader. Saffy is used to watching men from the shadows before she makes her move, but when it comes to Jonathan, she orchestrates a complicated and hilarious meet-cute that’s as risky as it is romantic.

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall: A darkly thrilling exploration of friendship and betrayal

Mandy Webster

When we think of childhood friendships, images of laughter, shared secrets, and innocent adventures often come to mind. But in Kate Alice Marshall’s gripping thriller, What Lies in the Woods, childhood bonds twist into something far darker and more complex—a tale of lies, trauma, and the shadowy truths lurking beneath the surface.

Get your copy of What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall from my online bookstore today!

Twenty-two years ago, Naomi Shaw’s childhood took a chilling turn when she survived a brutal attack in the woods near her small-town home. Stabbed seventeen times but miraculously alive, Naomi’s testimony, along with those of her best friends Cassidy and Olivia, put away a man they claimed was a serial killer. They became local heroes. But they were also liars.

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Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

Larry Brooks’ Story Structure

Mandy Webster

The Larry Brooks story structure is one that I have used several times and find to be very useful when planning a novel. It is a structure that I will detail here in depth because – to me – it seems to be one of the more effective methods of outlining a novel.

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Brooks is a writing coach, author, and speaker known for his expertise in the craft of storytelling. He is the author of several books on writing, including Story Engineering: Mastering the 6 Core Competencies of Successful Writing; Story Physics: Harnessing the Underlying Forces of Storytelling; and Great Stories Don’t Write Themselves: Criteria-Driven Strategies for More Effective Fiction. Brooks is also the founder of Storyfix.com, a website dedicated to helping writers develop their storytelling skills. Brooks’ approach to writing emphasizes the importance of structure, character development, and genre expectations. He believes that successful stories must meet certain criteria, and that writers who understand these criteria can create stories that are more engaging, satisfying, and marketable.

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