Review of Reservations

[Vivian Stones]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Reservations" by Theresa Janson.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Reservations is the visceral, thought-provoking story of Samantha’s pursuit of a serial killer her mentor had failed to catch before he died. Dr. Edmond Sampson is a well-respected Criminal Profiler for the FBI, but his mannerisms are a bit much for most agents. As such, he is paired with Agent Samantha Wright, a well-educated recruit who is in need of some on-field experience. Together Sam and her mentor chase down the reservations' killer, a serial murderer who targets native Americans living on reservations. When her mentor dies unexpectedly, Samantha must continue the hunt herself, trusting in what Dr. Sampson has taught her. Thoroughly shaken by her mentor's death and feeling the weight of all the death she’s seen crashing down on her, Samantha must soldier on, to honor her mentor’s faith in her and to give voice to all the victims of her elusive quarry.

Considering the premise of this story, one expects a certain level of macabre in the murders and their descriptions. In this area, the writer did not disappoint. The violence is extremely detailed, and the murders described are quite visceral. Emphasis is placed on the processes involved in the mutilation of victims and how each action impacts them, both physically and psychologically. The writer does not shy away from any gruesome or unseemly aspects of this violence either and strives to paint as realistic a picture of death and murder as much as people. The murder scenes become highly engaging, requiring the reader to be as methodical and deliberate in the reading of those scenes as the writer was in creating them. One might even describe them as the highlights of this book.

For a book so thorough in describing the deaths of characters, Reservations is rather lax in describing the lives of its characters. This issue is especially visible in writing surrounding the main character, Samantha Wright. Samantha’s experiences are written with a distinct lack of vibrancy and internalization. Her accumulated trauma from working multiple murder cases is mentioned repeatedly but not sufficiently detailed. She is clearly distraught, but this emotional state is described without any true personal attachment to the character. In short, this reader learns that Samantha is distraught but knows little of what that distraught state means to Samantha. This problem is prevalent in most of the story’s depictions of the character. Also, I spotted a few errors in this book. Nevertheless, it can be considered professionally edited.

This book is 398 pages long and contains 48 chapters. It is a work of fiction, specifically a mystery thriller. Its writer, Theresa Janson, has worked as a paralegal and owns a horse ranch which I particularly loved about her. This book contains no religiously biased or centered material. Therefore, I rate it 5 out of 5 stars. Although there are negative sides to this book, they were not enough to take anything away from my final rating.

I recommend this book to any fan of the mystery and crime genres of fiction novels and anyone interested in stories with considerable levels of gore.

******
Reservations
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Oluoma Chukwu]

This review makes this book sound like it's fun to read. I enjoy books on investigations and tracking of criminals. you've made me curious to know if Samantha caught this serial killer at last. Thank you for your amazing review. I enjoyed reading it.

[Vivian Writes]

I am sucker for a good romance story and when you pair it with a great thriller, it is a recipe for a wonderful reading experience. Unfortunately, it does not seem like there is going to be any romance in this book. But it is still alright since the chase for the serial killer provides a thrill and as a well-rated book, i expect it to be well done. thank you for this thorough review.

[Christiana Legbara]

I will definitely take your recommendation seriously. I am huge on crime and detectives. Thanks for a beautiful review.

[Emmy page]

crime and detective stories give insights into how the bad guys operate.they awaken our understanding and sense of personal security in away that we ordinary folk may not be aware of.reading this book gives one an extra sense of personal safety especially considering that the next killer is just next door and you know how they operate.

[R_becca]

I love detectives and crime. Books on criminal investigations and pursuit interest me. You've piqued my appetite to learn whether Samantha has finally apprehended this serial killer. Reading it was enjoyable. Your advice will be seriously considered by me.

[NetMassimo]

I've read gory horror stories, so a gory thriller is not a problem for me and this novel seems to have just minor flaws compared to terrific merits. Thank you for your great review!