Official Review: Follow The Creek by Joyce Taylor Dennis

AntonelaMaria · Post by **AntonelaMaria** » 05 Jun 2021, 09:14

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Follow The Creek" by Joyce Taylor Dennis.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Follow The Creek by Joyce Taylor Dennis is a thriller with crime and detective elements. Hannah Ruth Tucker is the main protagonist. She is born in a small Tennessee town called Copper Mill. Hannah’s parents, Matthew and Anna, married in 1950. Her family isn’t unfamiliar with hardship, loss, and struggle. Their firstborn child called Caleb was born mentally undeveloped because of difficult childbirth and oxygen loss. After they had Hannah, two more girls followed, who sadly passed away from pneumonia. That was the reason why Anna died, leaving Hannah with her alcoholic father and mentally challenged brother.

When Hannah was eight, a stranger noticed her. Soon he kidnapped her, and he subjected her to years of physical and emotional abuse. When she was twelve, she escaped. At the age of twenty, Hannah begins her run from town to town, one state to the next. She’s attempting to get away from the feeling that someone is watching and stalking her. Along the process, she adopts new identities. Is her captor back, and will he find her?

My favorite thing about this book is the writing. The author has an uncanny ability to describe the places vividly. Additionally, all the characters are realistic and understandable. It is a plot-driven book with dark and intriguing development. Joyce Taylor Dennis keeps the reader’s interest throughout the book, especially using brief moments to twist and turn the story. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop.

This book is a psychological thriller where we are rooting for Hannah to find her way. Even though it is an action-packed and fast-paced book, it invested me in our main protagonist’s life. There is no escaping emotional attachment to the characters. As someone who is not overly familiar with the genre, I enjoyed it immensely. Incorporating the detective procedures author develops the storyline. I liked the author’s choices that showcased the right amount of suspense and action. The right balance between immoral antagonists and relatable protagonists is another plus of this book.

I would recommend this book to all readers of the thriller, crime, and drama genre. Furthermore, if you enjoy reading fast-paced, angsty books that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is a perfect pick. Keep in mind subjects of pedophilia, abuse, and grief. If those topics are triggering for you, then you better stay away. Understandably, all those things are horrific, but the author handled them well. There aren’t many detailed descriptions of the abuse, but the author implies them.

There is only one grammatical error, as far as I could tell. So, it is safe to say that the professional well edited the book. I have no grievances with this book. The story needs some suspended disbelief, and there is somewhat of predictability with the storyline. But none of it makes this reading experience less enjoyable. The ending is satisfying and resolves all storylines. For that and the previously mentioned reasons, I have to rate this book with four out of four stars. Moreover, I would gladly read other books by this author.

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Follow The Creek
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markodim721 · Post by **markodim721** » 10 Jun 2021, 11:21

A very powerful, psychological story. I like that the author very successfully manages to convey a picture of everything in words.

AntonelaMaria · Post by **AntonelaMaria** » 14 Jun 2021, 10:43

markodim721 wrote: ↑10 Jun 2021, 11:21 A very powerful, psychological story. I like that the author very successfully manages to convey a picture of everything in words.

It truly is.

cd20 · Post by **cd20** » 14 Jun 2021, 13:22

This does sound like an excellent book and one that I would typically enjoy. However, pedophilia and abuse are triggers for me. I am trying to stick with more "light" reading this summer. Thank you for a great review!

Dzejn_Crvena · Post by **Dzejn_Crvena** » 15 Jun 2021, 02:49

Great review!
This sounds like a thrilling book that makes the readers paranoid of what will happen to the main character.
Thank you for the warning on pedophilia and other sensitive issues.
I look forward to reading this story later.

Kaushiki Parihar · Post by **Kaushiki Parihar** » 09 Sep 2021, 10:47

It's great that the author handled the sensitive issues like pedophilia, abuse and grief very well. This book sounds intriguing thriller. Great review!