Review of What Falls Away

Nzube Chizoba Okeke · Post by **Nzube Chizoba Okeke** » 14 Jan 2023, 02:34

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "What Falls Away" by Carl Filbrich.]

4 out of 5 stars

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In What Falls Away by Carl Filbrich, Michael Ramsey was a veteran who, after his three tours in Afghanistan, unexpectedly became wealthy through the damages he was paid due to the loss of his eye in a car crash. His girlfriend, Marie Romaine, was a detective, and they had been seeing each other for months. When an old flame entered town unannounced, Mike found himself roped into a homicide investigation. Determined to get to the root of the case, Mike followed every lead he could find to track down the culprits. Amidst all the commotion, he must also navigate his relationship to avoid losing his woman. Mike realized that he was getting too close to the truth when unknown thugs were roughing up him and those around him. Instead of giving up as he had been threatened to do, Mike, with his small army, relentlessly pursued the truth. He was soon shocked when he uncovered the agenda of the culprits.

The author's storytelling was straightforward. It made the book easy and allowed the story to flow smoothly. The story's plot was exciting and practically unfolded with the book's first words. No time was expended on long story backgrounds, which the author creatively weaved into the body of the story.

The book started on a solid note with the author's introduction of suspense and intrigue. Filbrich effectively raised intriguing questions that drove the story and would capture the reader's attention in a frenzy to uncover the truth. The book's plot might be familiar to many readers, especially fans of TV series like CSI. The entire book was a big pile of puzzles. As the author revealed each piece, the revelations came with anticipation to see where it would fit in the plot. Thankfully, the puzzle pieces came together quite nicely.

The author projected Michael Ramsey, the central character, as a perfect gentleman. He was, by all means, the most endearing character in the book because he was kind, selfless, and considerate. While this was sweet, it did start to cloy a bit because he was just too perfect and almost unreal. I couldn't quite place Marie's character. Aside from being a committed cop, she had a mysterious aura about her that didn't dissipate even at the end of the book. I found it challenging connecting with her. The very mature, passionless relationship she had with Mike did not help matters. My favorite character was Dani Crane. Her character was supporting, but she had a sass and passion that was exciting and attractive and made her character fun to read.

One disappointing part of the book was the ending. With the story's progress, the author gave hints that allowed me to suspect who the culprits were and even the possible reasons behind their agenda. At the end of the book, the suspicions turned out to be correct, which was a letdown, as I was expecting the culprit to be the least suspicious character. The ending wasn't all bad, as it had a heartwarming emotional part.

What Falls Away is a good novel, and it is professionally edited. I recommend it to readers who enjoy thrillers. Due to the few complaints, I rate it four out of five stars.

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What Falls Away
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Patty Allread · Post by **Patty Allread** » 19 Jan 2023, 01:57

Ooooh, I like crime novels, but I don't want them to be too easy to figure out. This sounds like a decent storyline, but I wouldn't expect a thriller to have a heartwarming emotional ending.

Amy Luman · Post by **Amy Luman** » 19 Jan 2023, 07:29

This may be a novel worth reading. While Michael may be too good to be true, I do find the concept interesting. A love triangle always invites intrigue, though I hope that not too much of the book is taken up with it.

Ubaidj · Post by **Ubaidj** » 19 Jan 2023, 07:37

Seems quite interesting by the looks of it. I will give it a go. The review seems summed up nicely.

Shedrack A · Post by **Shedrack A** » 16 Feb 2023, 14:13

Since I'm a huge fan of CSI, I'm sure i'd love this book as well. Great book!

Kemzy5 · Post by **Kemzy5** » 18 Feb 2023, 15:58

I admire the character, Mike and will love to know how he cracked the case. Thanks for your review, it was helpful.

NetMassimo · Post by **NetMassimo** » 09 Mar 2023, 08:57

Despite the doubts about the ending you expressed, overall, this seems like an engaging thriller that keeps your attention with its revelations. Thank you for your great review!