A Grim Review

Posted: April 6, 2013 in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, crime thriller, Debut Novel, horror, reviews
Tags: , ,
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Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Book Tour for Grim by Joseph Spencer.

The first thing that grabbed me was the cover art.

I had to know what had happened to this man, to his face.

Now I know. And it ain’t pretty.

Grim

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Paranormal Crime Thriller
Date Published: 9/1/12
Grim is a complex, gritty, and often gory tale which follows a series of grisly murders in Prairieville. The blood trail leads to a reclusive millionaire Heath Grim, who wears a mask to hide his war scars from the world, but he harbors a darker secret on the inside. Virtuous detective Adam White almost always gets his man, but he’s haunted by the one case he’s never closed – his wife’s murder. When White is pushed to the limits of his sanity from a rising body count and a criminal kingpin who has turned crooked cops and corrupt politicians against him, will he be able to collar the killer? Or will a plot to tarnish his image and the killer’s information on a common enemy turn White into the type of man he’s hunted throughout his law enforcement career?
My Review
Not knowing what to expect as this is Joseph’s debut novel, I can tell you that I loved it.
The story moves back and forth between the characters,  and it works well as it helps you get to know them and connect.
Most of the characters aren’t nice, in fact, they’re pretty bad. In a western movie, they’d all being wearing black. They have their reasons for being the way they are and I was torn between supporting them and shuddering at the lengths they go to.
demon faces photo: EVIL DEMON FACES SMILING DEMONFACESSMILINGDIABOLLICALLY.jpg
The beginning was a bit confusing until I became familiar with the characters and got an idea what the story was about. After about a quarter of the book, it really took off and then there was no stopping until the end.
The author holds nothing back when the killing starts. So many different ways to take someone out. He got really creative and quite graphic. Good thing I have a strong stomach. I even laughed out loud at a few of the death scenes. I know, I’m morbid. Or maybe it’s just a release, like when cops joke over a dead body.
It’s weird to be cheering for the bad guys, but the good ones are in short supply in this story.
The action and suspense builds, more and more people die grisly deaths, and then you reach the big toe to toe ending.
I was quite happy with how the author wrapped it up, but I would have loved just a little bit more.
That’s why I gave Grim 5 Stars.
It left me wanting that next few pages, those couple more chapters. The next book?
~
Reading Addiction Blog Tours
~
Virtual Book Tour March 18 – April 12
March 18 – Reading Addiction Blog Tours – Meet and Greet
March 21 – My Reading Addiction – Review
March 22 – Comfortably Read – Review
March 24 – The Adventures Within – Review/Guest Post
March 26 – Author Ever Leigh – Review
March 28 – The Life and Lies of an Inanimate Object – Review/GuestPost
March 30 – Sinnful Books – Review/Interview
March 31 – Must Read Faster-  Review/Guest Post
April 1 – Words I Write Crazy – Review/Guest Post
April 4 – Book Reviews and More – Review
April 5 – Books and Needlepoint – Review/Guest Post
April 6 – FUOnlyKnew – Review
April 7 – One Page at a Time – Review
April 8 – Bean Counting Mommy – Review/Guest Post
April 8 –
April 9 – Cabin Goddess – Review
April 9 –
April 10 – Turning the Pages – Review
April 10 –
April 11 – Genuine Jenn – Review
April 11 –
April 12 – RABT Reveiws – Review
~

Joseph Spencer

Author Bio:

INTRO

Joseph Spencer is the author of the Sons of Darkness series launched by his debut novel, Grim, on September 1, 2012. Work on his second book of the series, Wrage, is already underway and is expected to be released some time in 2013.

THE ROAD HERE

The Sons of Darkness is a series of paranormal crime thrillers following investigations into mysterious deaths in the central Illinois city of Prairieville. Home of the notorious serial killer, The Reaper, Prairieville has had a history of violence centered on an ongoing feud between the Marino and Black organized crime families. When bodies start showing up again at the abandoned Marino State Hospital, many fear the Reaper has returned. The people of Prairieville are about to find out their problems stem from a supernatural source which has lurked in secret for decades.

THE STORYTELLER’S STORY

As a boy, Joseph Spencer immersed himself in the deductive logic of Sherlock Holmes, the heroic crime fighting of Batman and Spider-Man, and a taste for the tragic with dramas from poets like Shakespeare and Homer.

Before Joseph took to spinning his own tales, he pursued a career in print sports journalism, graduating with honors from Clinton (IL) High School in 1996 and summa cum laude from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 2000. He covered such events as NASCAR’s Subway 500 race in Martinsville, the NBA Draft Camp in Chicago, the Junior College World Series, and Minor League Baseball’s Midwest League All-Star Game during a ten-year career throughout the Midwest. Now, he works as an emergency telecommunications specialist with an Illinois police department. The combination of years of writing experience with a background working with law enforcement professionals gave rise to his writing aspirations.

Joseph was married Dr. Amy (Waggoner) Spencer, an accomplished veterinary doctor, on March 14, 2012. He received word his debut novel was accepted by his publisher, Damnation Books, the next day. Joseph and Amy look forward to their honeymoon in Paris in September 2012. Murphy, a 15-year-old orange tabby, is perhaps the most vocal member of the family. The Spencer family enjoys reading Charlaine Harris, George R.R. Martin, Mary Janice Davidson, and most paranormal stories. The Spencers also enjoy quoting movie lines from The Princess Bride, Rain Man, Bridesmaids, and Office Space.

Website: www.josephbspencer.com

Twitter: josephspencer00

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joe.spencer3

Buy Links

Damnation Books (ebook): http://www.damnationbooks.com/book.php?isbn=9781615727520

Amazon (Kindle ebook): http://www.amazon.com/Grim-ebook/dp/B0093Q8L9Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358637199&sr=8-2&keywords=Grim+by+joseph+spencer

Amazon (trade paperback): http://www.amazon.com/Grim-Joseph-Spencer/dp/1615727531/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1358637199&sr=8-2

Barnes & Noble (Nook book): http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grim-joseph-spencer/1112783042?ean=9781615727520&itm=1&usri=grim+by+joseph+spencer

Barnes & Noble (paperback): http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grim-joseph-spencer/1112783042?ean=9781615727537

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Comments
  1. Sherry says:
    April 6, 2013 at 2:04 pm

    Great review. I like the cover. Like you, it makes me wonder what happened.

    Reply
  2. Jess resides here (@frellathon) says:
    April 7, 2013 at 1:04 am

    That sounds awesome, just the kind of read I’d enjoy.

    Reply
  3. emaginette says:
    April 7, 2013 at 1:54 pm

    It’s all about Grimm today. Whoa, love the cover art and your review was awesome. Not sure If I would laugh, or just skip I’m such a baby when it comes to graphic. But, hey, I still love reading books like this.

    Go figure. It’s on my TBR list–now. 🙂

    Reply
    • fuonlyknew says:
      April 8, 2013 at 3:05 pm

      It took a bit to get into it but then I couldn’t wait to get to the end. I’m weird that I laugh at some of the horrifying scenes. My sister’s that way too! Must be in our genes:)

      Reply
  4. jannashay says:
    April 8, 2013 at 7:18 am

    Terrific review. Sounds like a great read.

    Reply
  5. H is for HORROR - a "GRIM" review.. #atozchallenge - Cabin Goddess says:
    April 9, 2013 at 10:16 am

    […] A Grim Review […]

    Reply
  6. Joseph Spencer says:
    April 9, 2013 at 11:30 am

    Thank you so much for hosting me. My publisher, Damnation Books, would like to offer readers of your blog a 28 percent discount with code 289snake. The next book in my Sons of Darkness series, Wrage, will be released June 1st. Email me at heathgrim2012@gmail.com for a free bookmark.

    Reply

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