Cloudland is anything but a place of safety
Most crime fiction, which is a favorite genre of mine, usually finds the main character in the role of PI or Police detective but not this one. The main character just happens to find the body and becomes a central figure in the investigation without intending to. The book is very well written and has an intriguing plot. The story was so compelling that dinner was over an hour late because I had to finish it without stopping. Good Job Mr. Olshan!
Rated of 5
by Kathleen S. (St Louis, MO)
It Had Me at Chapter One
This book starts out immediately with the discovery of a dead body in an orchard and quickly moves from there. Interesting details are shared about Vermont and its local inhabitants and history. Cloudland is a totally engrossing work that kept me hooked from the beginning.
There is an interesting tie-in to the works of 19th century writer, Wilkie Collins. I thought this was a novel twist and has piqued my interest in reading works by Collins, in the public domain, and free on eReaders.
Cloudland is a novel about insanity, revenge and unrequited love. It is gripping and well written with enough red herrings to entertain the reader. This book would be suitable for Mystery Book Clubs.
Rated of 5
by Elizabeth K. (Dallas, TX)
Cloudland - Mysterious Until the Very End
I really enjoyed this book. The main character was likeable but far from perfect - she felt like a real person, someone I might know - a woman whose choices were not always the best. She's surrounded by a multitude of plausible suspects, multidimensional people, which kept the story suspenseful. I wasn't sure until almost the very end who the "bad guy" really was. I like stories that have values, like this one, but that still acknowledge the shades of gray that we live with - everything isn't black and white. I liked this book well enough that I'm going to read others by this author. I think you'll enjoy his storytelling, the clarity with which he uses language, and his believable characters.
Rated of 5
by Joy N. (Gilbert, AZ)
Cloudland by Joseph Olshan
I loved this book. I really liked all of the characters. I liked the pacing especially the last few chapters. It would be a good book club pick because of all the different characters involved and the situations they find themselves in. I really enjoy stories that I don't see the ending coming. It was a great light read.
Rated of 5
by Jim S. (Austin, TX)
Cloudland
Catherine Winslow is a multifaceted character who early on discovers the body of a woman near her property in Vermont which turns out to be the latest of several murders of women all having similar characteristics - strangulation, assault. Catherine and her friend Anthony, a psychiatrist, along with the unlikable detective, Marco Prozzo, team up to attempt to discover the killer. Catherine's daughter, who almost died of anorexia following the death of Catherine's ex-husband who died of cancer at her home, is in a relationship with an attractive older woman. Matthew is the younger mid-20s man who Catherine (age ~42) had an affair with and who is a suspect in the murders. He persists in wanting to pursue their relationship. The story was somewhat slow at points but the ending was good making the slow reading worth the read. I enjoyed it.
Rated of 5
by Sandy P. (Gainesville, FL)
Enjoyable read
For me this book was very entertaining and had just the right amount of characters. I don't like having to maintain a roster. The story moved quickly with enough possible twists to keep it interesting. Kept you guessing between several possible murder suspects. Ending was well structured with good detail as to what motivated the murderer and led up to the emotional break. Worth the time. Only once or twice did I start to think "Let's wrap this up". All this AND a pot bellied pig....what more could you ask for.
Rated of 5
by Martha L. (Warner, NH)
not your average mystery Cloudland by Joseph Olshan is a murder mystery with strong psychological twists and turns. The setting of Vermont (with wee bits of New Hampshire) highlights the rural landscape. The story opens quickly as the main character, Catherine Winslow finds a body while walking up her road. For most people this would have been the end of the story, but not for Catherine. Her neighbor, a forensic psychiatrist as well as other characters in the rural area slowly ramp up her involvement. She begins to recognize too many coincidences as the story webs out and then tightens.
I found the book an easy read that slowly wound itself into my subconscious. I did wonder about who was guilty and who was the red herring. I had many questions and found myself reacting strongly to the violence that Catherine had been exposed to that intertwined with the story.
According to information from Goodreads, this book is based on a true crime story that was never solved - six women murdered by a serial killer in the Connecticut River Valley between Vermont and New Hampshire.
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of 5
by Patricia H. (Norman, OK)
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