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Loss
A 29k word (or about 110 printed pages) novella of psychological horror
After Angie Chandler's husband dies in a car crash in which she was driving, her life comes undone. Though her soul mate is gone, her memories of Paul linger as she tries to recover at their secluded wooded estate. Ostracized from Paul's family--the only family she has really known--Angie's life spirals down a dark path of alcohol and pills. In the blur of constant self-medication, Angie is in no position to know what is happening to her.
Is Paul haunting her?
Has she gone mad?
Or is there another possibility, something far worse?
After Angie Chandler's husband dies in a car crash in which she was driving, her life comes undone. Though her soul mate is gone, her memories of Paul linger as she tries to recover at their secluded wooded estate. Ostracized from Paul's family--the only family she has really known--Angie's life spirals down a dark path of alcohol and pills. In the blur of constant self-medication, Angie is in no position to know what is happening to her.
Is Paul haunting her?
Has she gone mad?
Or is there another possibility, something far worse?
83 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 4, 2012
21 people are currently reading
434 people want to read
About the author
Glen R. Krisch
35 books522 followersA native of the Chicago suburbs, Glen Krisch hopes to add to his list of ghosts he's witnessed (two), as well as develop his rather pedestrian telekinetic and precognitive skills.
His novels include Amazon Bestseller WHERE DARKNESS DWELLS, THE NIGHTMARE WITHIN, NOTHING LASTING, ARKADIUM RISING, ECHOES OF VIOLENCE, and LITTLE WHISPERS.
His novels include Amazon Bestseller WHERE DARKNESS DWELLS, THE NIGHTMARE WITHIN, NOTHING LASTING, ARKADIUM RISING, ECHOES OF VIOLENCE, and LITTLE WHISPERS.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
December 4, 2017
Loss is a very fast read and hard to put down. I enjoy Glen Krisch's style of writing, the story ebbed and flowed nicely, but the ending seemed rushed and not as cohesive to the story as I would have liked. The storyline is so true to life before it jumps into the horror phase, which is what I was waiting for!
October 13, 2017
LOSS, by Glen R. Krisch, is a novella of intensely poignant emotion. The feeling that resonates within the reader is one that takes over, consuming their mind for its duration so that any external stimuli are pushed into the background. We first meet Angie and Paul Chambers at one of Paul's family's parties. The characterization--not only of Angie and Paul, but also of Paul's relations--leaves out nothing. I immediately got a feeling for his mother's, Imogene's, barely concealed distain for Angie, as well as the love that held the couple together.
". . . In an instant stretched beyond comprehension, an instant in reality compressed to less than a second, Angelina Chandler's life changed forever."
Before their marriage, Paul had told Angie of his dream home, and of all that he had planned. With her beside him, he felt complete in a way he never had before. Krisch is able to show us the depth of feeling that his main characters have for each other. Through a brief flashback, we witness how easily things began to fall into place for Paul and Angie after their unplanned meeting.
". . . You know, sometimes reality paints a better picture than the imagination."
After a devastating accident leaves Angie alone, we are able to all too clearly see how easily she spirals into further depression without her soulmate. Shunned by her hateful mother-in-law, denied the comfort of the only family she had come to know, Angie allows her very spirit to unravel in a pit of alcohol and pain killers. What more is there for her to live for?
". . . Living isn't the same as existing . . . "
Krisch is able to portray an environment that goes from blissful contentment to an endless sorrow all in the matter of several pages. Everything that once brought joy and life is now a stark reminder of all that is gone . . . of overwhelming loss . . . Even the once beautiful seclusion of a dream home becomes a constant reminder of pain and mental suffering so deep, that it becomes nearly impossible to see anything in a positive light again.
" . . . Promising to never leave someone discounted the inevitability of humanity . . ."
There is, of course, much more to this story that evokes such strong emotions in its readers. When things begin to . . . change . . . it's difficult to say if they are reality or the imaginings of a desperately lonely soul on the brink of madness. Ultimately, this is a story for the individual reader to discover a path through on their own.
Recommended!
". . . In an instant stretched beyond comprehension, an instant in reality compressed to less than a second, Angelina Chandler's life changed forever."
Before their marriage, Paul had told Angie of his dream home, and of all that he had planned. With her beside him, he felt complete in a way he never had before. Krisch is able to show us the depth of feeling that his main characters have for each other. Through a brief flashback, we witness how easily things began to fall into place for Paul and Angie after their unplanned meeting.
". . . You know, sometimes reality paints a better picture than the imagination."
After a devastating accident leaves Angie alone, we are able to all too clearly see how easily she spirals into further depression without her soulmate. Shunned by her hateful mother-in-law, denied the comfort of the only family she had come to know, Angie allows her very spirit to unravel in a pit of alcohol and pain killers. What more is there for her to live for?
". . . Living isn't the same as existing . . . "
Krisch is able to portray an environment that goes from blissful contentment to an endless sorrow all in the matter of several pages. Everything that once brought joy and life is now a stark reminder of all that is gone . . . of overwhelming loss . . . Even the once beautiful seclusion of a dream home becomes a constant reminder of pain and mental suffering so deep, that it becomes nearly impossible to see anything in a positive light again.
" . . . Promising to never leave someone discounted the inevitability of humanity . . ."
There is, of course, much more to this story that evokes such strong emotions in its readers. When things begin to . . . change . . . it's difficult to say if they are reality or the imaginings of a desperately lonely soul on the brink of madness. Ultimately, this is a story for the individual reader to discover a path through on their own.
Recommended!
January 16, 2012
This was a relatively quick read and I absolutely LOVED it.
Rarely do I say that I could not put a book/novella down, but in this case it is true. This story was fast paced, the characters were very likeable and I could feel the ache of the main character as if it were my own. Spend a couple of hours and see for yourself.
Rarely do I say that I could not put a book/novella down, but in this case it is true. This story was fast paced, the characters were very likeable and I could feel the ache of the main character as if it were my own. Spend a couple of hours and see for yourself.
October 25, 2017
Regret can be a hard meal to choke down. Angie and Paul have a great marriage, but are having fertility issues. The topic of adoption has come up, but the two can't agree on it. The two go to Paul's family's place for a get-together where the festivities kick into gear and Paul has a few drinks in him. Later in the evening, his younger sibling breaks the news that they're expecting. In the throws of excitement, not wanting to be outdone and fueled by alcohol, Paul blurts out that him and Angie are adopting. As you can imagine, this causes a fight that ends with Angie running to the bathroom in tears. The two agree to makeup and talk about their situation more later. Low and behold, on the way home, later gets taken away from them. Angie swerves to avoid what she thought was a person in the shadows of poor visibility. Their SUV smashes into a tree and Paul is dead. Angie is devastated. She falls into a major depression and turns to pills and alcohol to get her through the heart-ripping days. She isolates herself in her house and the bottom begins to fall out. She eventually can't distinguish whats real and what's not from her vantage point at the bottom of a wine bottle. Then things take a turn for the unexpected.
Loss is definitely a Tale of Two Cities for me. First, let me preface that Krisch's writing is clean and engaging. Everything flows well and the characters are interesting. Angie's anguish is realistic to the point where you feel it as much as she does. When she spirals out of control with her new self-medicating habit, you want to take the bottle and pills away from her yourself. The hard part for me was the twisted ending. It was a huge one-eighty that came from way out in left field. I'm usually really good with surprise endings, but this one needed more for me to buy into it, almost like it felt rushed. I needed more backstory or something. That's the part that disappoints me because I was really enjoying Loss up to that point. Glen warned me that a surprise ending was coming and that some like it and some don't. He's right. I've talked to many that did enjoy it and I didn't exactly hate it. I simply wanted more to make it work for me.
3 1/2 Vicodin Hallucinations out of 5
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
Loss is definitely a Tale of Two Cities for me. First, let me preface that Krisch's writing is clean and engaging. Everything flows well and the characters are interesting. Angie's anguish is realistic to the point where you feel it as much as she does. When she spirals out of control with her new self-medicating habit, you want to take the bottle and pills away from her yourself. The hard part for me was the twisted ending. It was a huge one-eighty that came from way out in left field. I'm usually really good with surprise endings, but this one needed more for me to buy into it, almost like it felt rushed. I needed more backstory or something. That's the part that disappoints me because I was really enjoying Loss up to that point. Glen warned me that a surprise ending was coming and that some like it and some don't. He's right. I've talked to many that did enjoy it and I didn't exactly hate it. I simply wanted more to make it work for me.
3 1/2 Vicodin Hallucinations out of 5
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
October 7, 2017
This novella had a great intensity that made it impossible to put down. I read the whole thing in one sitting. There were lots of details that made the story so good! It kept me guessing and I did not predict the ending. I thought it was the perfect ending for the story. It was a 5 star read for me and I would highly recommend it!
December 14, 2012
Please note: I read this January 2012; just updating the formatting, etc.
Disclosure: I picked this book up free on Amazon after having read a few other books by this author and enjoying them. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: On the night that everything changed for Angie, she and her husband had been at his brother's place and got into an argument. They had been discussing adoption, but while Paul was all for it, Angie didn't feel comfortable about it, thinking she would never be able to love an adopted child the way it deserves. However, Paul announced at the family gathering that they were definitely adopting, which upset Angie. That night, on their drive home, someone stepped in front of their car, and due to the ice and snow Angie lost control of the car. She was badly hurt - Paul was killed. How will she manage to deal with this devastating loss?
My Thoughts: This is a great cross between horror and psychological suspense, where we don't know if Angie is experiencing a haunting, or just going insane. Krisch manages to cram a lot of story into a novella, and I've been very impressed with his ability to do to. Highly recommended.
Disclosure: I picked this book up free on Amazon after having read a few other books by this author and enjoying them. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: On the night that everything changed for Angie, she and her husband had been at his brother's place and got into an argument. They had been discussing adoption, but while Paul was all for it, Angie didn't feel comfortable about it, thinking she would never be able to love an adopted child the way it deserves. However, Paul announced at the family gathering that they were definitely adopting, which upset Angie. That night, on their drive home, someone stepped in front of their car, and due to the ice and snow Angie lost control of the car. She was badly hurt - Paul was killed. How will she manage to deal with this devastating loss?
My Thoughts: This is a great cross between horror and psychological suspense, where we don't know if Angie is experiencing a haunting, or just going insane. Krisch manages to cram a lot of story into a novella, and I've been very impressed with his ability to do to. Highly recommended.
January 26, 2012
Wow. This one packs a punch. I was reminded of Greg Gifune's "A View from the Lake." I am not saying that it was derivative. Not in the least. I say that because it explored the same dark paths that people take through grief's landscape. Less internal than Gifune's "Lake", Krisch's novel and its main character, Angie Chandler is more grounded in the real world and its demons more tangible. I found myself cringing at her very realistic downward spiral, sort of like watching a horrible event that you know is about to happen, yet you cannot turn away. Characterization this deep and believable is rare. When a story is really well told, when the characters become truly real, in my view, the author disappears, and that is what happened--it was just the reader and Angie travelling that dark road. Beyond that, her relationship with Paul was beautiful, which made the aftermath that much more tragic. I was horrified, deeply sympathetic, and genuinely moved. And then the fun started when the final act reveals a twist that I did not see coming and crashed into a very chilling yet gratifying conclusion.
January 22, 2012
Glen Krisch has done it again! Another amazing page turning novella. Loss starts off with the story of Angie and Paul Chandler, a couple very happy with their lives and the life they share with the wealthy Chandler family until one fateful night on the road on the return journey from a family party filled with revelations, Angie and Paul encounter a strange black mass on the road, is it a deer or a man? The panic caused by trying to avoid crashing into this mass causes them to run off the road into the woods in a terrible accident killing Paul. Several weeks after the accident, a psychologically damaged Angie returns to the house she shared with Paul and then her nightmares become real..... I don't want to spoil it so I won't say what happens next! I absolutely loved "Loss" a short but punchy Novella which is very hard to put down. Brilliant!
May 27, 2014
It's not very often that you read a book and it physically hurts you. That's what this novella did to me. It hurt my heart. This was so astoundingly well written that the emotional pain just flowed off the page, you felt all of the emotions that the main character, Angie, felt. And she felt so much pain. I really cannot rate this story highly enough, everyone should read this. I am certainly going to pick up more of this authors work.
Ps, I purchased this myself.
Ps, I purchased this myself.
January 13, 2012
This story is one Hell of a dark, scary ride through an emotional minefield that you won't soon forget! The pain contained here is heartwrenchingly real, powerful and will linger in your soul. An incredible piece of dark fiction!
January 12, 2012
Wow! And that doesn't even begin to cover it. This book rendered me utterly speechless as I read through the final pages. The emotions embedded within leave you feeling like you're the one with the loss. Angie's deep turmoil and anguish are almost too much to bear. Krish once again surprises me with the depth of his writing abilities and leaves me craving more. I'll be anxiously awaiting his next release!
December 22, 2012
The more I read of this author the more I like him, although so far my first read by him, The Nightmare Within, remains my favorite. This novella is paranormal lite with elements of suspense and not really horror (which would have been my preference), but it's got a great twist toward the end and really strong believable humane characters. Very talented author. Recommended.
January 22, 2012
I really liked this story,very creepy and dark.It also had me guessing right up to the end.This one was a freebie,but I'll definitely be checking out the authors other work.
February 1, 2015
Angie has suffered a devastating loss. Her husband has been killed in a car accident in the snow and she was the driver. This is basically where we start with Loss.
Glen Krisch wants to tell a story with this novella, but I think he also wants to explore loss - in this case Angie's loss - in detail. I'm no stranger to Krisch's writing and one thing that I've admired is his writing of characters. There is an honesty about the Angie's portrayal in her time of suffering. Instead of the romantic, swooning with loss but courageous and plucky to the end, we see a decidedly messier and more plausible heroine. By the end of the novella, I'm not even certain if Angie stages any real recovery (something I'll let other readers decide).
If there weren't some small details towards the start of the novella that had already given the story an air of mystery, one could be forgiven for thinking that the widow's suffering is the only purpose - and even then that wouldn't be a bad thing given Krisch's deft handling of the character; but in the second half of the book uncomfortable discoveries are made and the story plummets from a study to a thriller. I'm not about to reveal where the story actually goes, but I can say that although some might regard certain elements as tropes, I liked the "how" of the revelations and I also liked the back stories told to make sense of the characters and actions involved.
I think an author like Krisch understands darkness because he understands reality and is not afraid to write about it. He keeps us on a non-sugar diet that I believe is good for our health in the long run. Even when writing fiction, he abstains from wish fulfilment and gives us characters who sometimes find redemption and sometimes don't, who sometimes find justice and sometimes don't and who are never one dimensional. I keep him on my short list of indie authors because he not only does all of those things, but he does them well. Loss is a solid novella that completes its own story at just the right pace allowing us a ringside seat to someone's suffering and loss while intriguing us with a mystery finally revealed.
Glen Krisch wants to tell a story with this novella, but I think he also wants to explore loss - in this case Angie's loss - in detail. I'm no stranger to Krisch's writing and one thing that I've admired is his writing of characters. There is an honesty about the Angie's portrayal in her time of suffering. Instead of the romantic, swooning with loss but courageous and plucky to the end, we see a decidedly messier and more plausible heroine. By the end of the novella, I'm not even certain if Angie stages any real recovery (something I'll let other readers decide).
If there weren't some small details towards the start of the novella that had already given the story an air of mystery, one could be forgiven for thinking that the widow's suffering is the only purpose - and even then that wouldn't be a bad thing given Krisch's deft handling of the character; but in the second half of the book uncomfortable discoveries are made and the story plummets from a study to a thriller. I'm not about to reveal where the story actually goes, but I can say that although some might regard certain elements as tropes, I liked the "how" of the revelations and I also liked the back stories told to make sense of the characters and actions involved.
I think an author like Krisch understands darkness because he understands reality and is not afraid to write about it. He keeps us on a non-sugar diet that I believe is good for our health in the long run. Even when writing fiction, he abstains from wish fulfilment and gives us characters who sometimes find redemption and sometimes don't, who sometimes find justice and sometimes don't and who are never one dimensional. I keep him on my short list of indie authors because he not only does all of those things, but he does them well. Loss is a solid novella that completes its own story at just the right pace allowing us a ringside seat to someone's suffering and loss while intriguing us with a mystery finally revealed.
January 15, 2012
a good story, and a good length for it. Deals with the real-life trauma of the death of a close one, with some very interesting unnatural twists at the end that the horror genre can bring
February 14, 2012
I'm conflicted on what to rate this one. I was asked by the author to review it for my site, and I was under the impression that it was a ghost/paranormal/thriller sort of book. Only it wasn't really, at least it didn't come across that way at all.
On the other hand, the writing (in the begnning) was pretty spot on for how someone would feel after such a tragic event. In fact, it hit a little close to home after the death of a family member in a brutal car accident last month...
But once the last part of the story came along, I just felt that the whole ending felt totally out of place, almost written by a different author, it just didn't feel "right", I'm not sure how to explain it.
Official review @ Shivers of Horror
On the other hand, the writing (in the begnning) was pretty spot on for how someone would feel after such a tragic event. In fact, it hit a little close to home after the death of a family member in a brutal car accident last month...
But once the last part of the story came along, I just felt that the whole ending felt totally out of place, almost written by a different author, it just didn't feel "right", I'm not sure how to explain it.
Official review @ Shivers of Horror
May 30, 2012
I liked most of this. I liked the style. The words flowed nicely. But then I got to the end and just sat there thinking about it. There was something missing. It was like I had just read a story written by one guy who put it down—just stopped writing it, and it was picked up by someone else who finished it without really reading it through first.
Then it occurred to me what the problem really was. Darrel was dragged away by his brother. Why would we care about that? We don't even know Darrel. There is no emotional tie to Darrel at all. We are given a quick sense of, what? loathing, maybe? Then bam, the story ends.
Then, what? Paul is a spirit in the woods?
The whole ending seemed secondary to the tale—to the telling. Darrel wasn't set up well, nor was spirit-Paul. Still, the writing that got me there was solid. Too bad really...
Then it occurred to me what the problem really was. Darrel was dragged away by his brother. Why would we care about that? We don't even know Darrel. There is no emotional tie to Darrel at all. We are given a quick sense of, what? loathing, maybe? Then bam, the story ends.
Then, what? Paul is a spirit in the woods?
The whole ending seemed secondary to the tale—to the telling. Darrel wasn't set up well, nor was spirit-Paul. Still, the writing that got me there was solid. Too bad really...
August 6, 2012
I really enjoyed this book.. The beginning goes back and fourth between them at Paul's mom's house and them in the car before the accident. The story just keeps better as it goes on. It tells how Paul and Angie got together, how much in love they were and some family problems they had been having. As the story goes on a new character is brought into the book and I have to say that I was not expecting it. Lost of twists and turns and even more family drama.. For sure a great read!
August 9, 2012
I picked up this book to read for a few minutes and then found I couldn't put it down. I read it in one sitting and enjoyed it a lot. The portrayal of Angie's grief is very realistic and the tension builds nicely. The ending is a little abrupt, but it wasn't enough to detract from my overall enjoyment. I recommend this book for a cosy afternoon of reading by the fireside.
January 18, 2012
This was a great novella! I read it every spare moment I had. Glenn Krisch really knows how to grab the readers attention & keep it! Loved this!
November 3, 2014
A powerful blow to the gut. This short novella delivers the goods, it is at once a tale of suspense and an atmospheric ghost story that is never short on thrills, surprises or emotion.
February 5, 2018
Just a little mushy for my tastes but a nice read overall.
This is a fine book for fans of chick-lit. I’m drawn more towards the sci-fi, horror, fantasy, and mystery genre. This was a good light read while waiting in the doctor’s office. I’m sure it’s fine, just not my cup of tea and ends a little sappy.
This is a fine book for fans of chick-lit. I’m drawn more towards the sci-fi, horror, fantasy, and mystery genre. This was a good light read while waiting in the doctor’s office. I’m sure it’s fine, just not my cup of tea and ends a little sappy.
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December 19, 2023What an epic story brilliantly written. Totally enjoyed!!!
April 14, 2016
If you are interested in a good, quick read, you might want to try this one. Krisch explores the loss of Angie’s husband due to a car accident. There is an apparent honesty about in how Krisch portrays Angie’s character during her time of suffering following the accident. Instead of being a romantic, swooning with loss, but courageous and plucky to the end, Angie is seen as a decidedly messier and more plausible heroine. By the end of the novella, you won’t even be certain if Angie reaches any stage of a real recovery.
If there weren’t already some small details towards the start of the novella that gave the story an air of mystery, you might be lured into a sense that the widow’s suffering was the only purpose of the book. Even then, that wouldn’t have been a bad thing because of Krisch’s ability to build characters that are both believable and likeable. However, without having to issue a spoiler alert, the back stories that are told help to make sense of the characters and the actions that are involved.
I think an author like Krisch is able to write about the darkness that surrounds sorrow and grief because he understands reality and is not afraid to write about it. He keeps his readers on a non-sugar diet that could be considered to be our health in the long run. Even when writing fiction, he abstains from wish fulfilment and gives his readers characters who sometimes find redemption and sometimes don't, who sometimes find justice and sometimes don't and who are never one dimensional. "Loss" is a solid novella that completes its own story at just the right pace allowing us a ringside seat to someone's suffering and loss while intriguing us with a mystery finally revealed.
If there weren’t already some small details towards the start of the novella that gave the story an air of mystery, you might be lured into a sense that the widow’s suffering was the only purpose of the book. Even then, that wouldn’t have been a bad thing because of Krisch’s ability to build characters that are both believable and likeable. However, without having to issue a spoiler alert, the back stories that are told help to make sense of the characters and the actions that are involved.
I think an author like Krisch is able to write about the darkness that surrounds sorrow and grief because he understands reality and is not afraid to write about it. He keeps his readers on a non-sugar diet that could be considered to be our health in the long run. Even when writing fiction, he abstains from wish fulfilment and gives his readers characters who sometimes find redemption and sometimes don't, who sometimes find justice and sometimes don't and who are never one dimensional. "Loss" is a solid novella that completes its own story at just the right pace allowing us a ringside seat to someone's suffering and loss while intriguing us with a mystery finally revealed.
September 25, 2012
I will start this review with the positives. It is a novella and the story is very quick and flows nicely. Over all the writing was better than I was expecting. Unfortunately that is where the positives end. The book itself should not at all be listed as a horror story as it is heavily a story of drug dependency in dealing with the loss of a partner and the only paranormal aspect comes into play very late in the story and is underwhelming at best.
All of the supporting characters are very one dimensional and are just your very basic stereotypes. I had really hoped there would have been much more development with the family dynamics as these characters did have the potential to be very interesting. Dialogue is another area that needs drastic improvement. The main character for the most part was alright but her dialogue never seemed to match up with how she was written as well as another major character near the end again had just ridicules lines.
Also it is very apparent that the author has little to no knowledge of pregnancy, infertility or basic genetics in general. This was a big letdown as it completely pulled me out of the story by just how inaccurate everything was and also made the entire point of the story extremely unrealistic and downright silly.
Overall this story almost seems to be more of a first or second draft of a much larger story. I almost would like to see this author add more to is and flesh out more characters and do some more research and really bring this story to life. It has a lot of potential but unfortunately in this form falls short of anything worth reading and I cannot say I would recommend it.
All of the supporting characters are very one dimensional and are just your very basic stereotypes. I had really hoped there would have been much more development with the family dynamics as these characters did have the potential to be very interesting. Dialogue is another area that needs drastic improvement. The main character for the most part was alright but her dialogue never seemed to match up with how she was written as well as another major character near the end again had just ridicules lines.
Also it is very apparent that the author has little to no knowledge of pregnancy, infertility or basic genetics in general. This was a big letdown as it completely pulled me out of the story by just how inaccurate everything was and also made the entire point of the story extremely unrealistic and downright silly.
Overall this story almost seems to be more of a first or second draft of a much larger story. I almost would like to see this author add more to is and flesh out more characters and do some more research and really bring this story to life. It has a lot of potential but unfortunately in this form falls short of anything worth reading and I cannot say I would recommend it.
May 31, 2016
In ‘Loss’, Angie’s beloved husband Paul dies in an accident. Depressed and unable to move on, she’s also filled with guilt as she believes it’s her fault that he’d died. If only that strange figure hadn’t suddenly appeared on the road..
It was easy to sympathize with Angie as the author did a good job delving into how such a major loss affected her in every way. She merely existed instead of truly living. Besides that, she became addicted to alcohol and pills. She couldn’t even function anymore thus she didn’t go to work and only stayed at home. Her feelings for Paul were believable on every level since the author struck a decent balance between showing and telling. However, since he died early in the story there was no chance to flesh out his character.
The second half of the book did feature a few unexpected twists. Those certainly made this story more interesting rather than one which solely revolved around a character struggling to come to terms with her loss. Unfortunately, the moments leading up to the ending were terribly strange and didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the story. Those required suspension of disbelief to the extent that the whole thing ended up being comical, ridiculous and unconvincing. Plus, the is massively overused in many books. I would have preferred a little more creativity.
Overall, ‘Loss’ was a quick, somewhat dismal read. The plot twist and supernatural element ruined its potential to be a decent mystery-thriller.
It was easy to sympathize with Angie as the author did a good job delving into how such a major loss affected her in every way. She merely existed instead of truly living. Besides that, she became addicted to alcohol and pills. She couldn’t even function anymore thus she didn’t go to work and only stayed at home. Her feelings for Paul were believable on every level since the author struck a decent balance between showing and telling. However, since he died early in the story there was no chance to flesh out his character.
The second half of the book did feature a few unexpected twists. Those certainly made this story more interesting rather than one which solely revolved around a character struggling to come to terms with her loss. Unfortunately, the moments leading up to the ending were terribly strange and didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the story. Those required suspension of disbelief to the extent that the whole thing ended up being comical, ridiculous and unconvincing. Plus, the is massively overused in many books. I would have preferred a little more creativity.
Overall, ‘Loss’ was a quick, somewhat dismal read. The plot twist and supernatural element ruined its potential to be a decent mystery-thriller.
February 25, 2014
Angie Chandler is married to Paul, one of a family of rich people. At a Christmas party with the family, Paul announces that they are going to adopt a child since they couldn’t have one. Embarrassed and put out, Angie leave the party early with Paul, but on the way home they are involved in a car accident in which Paul dies.
Angie has a hard time coping with the death. It’s worse when she starts seeing Paul. Because of the alcohol and pain pills, she has a hard time getting through the visions. Then she ends up pregnant. What is happening to her?
I liked this story. I really hated Paul’s mother. Angie can’t get over Paul’s death and I felt for the poor woman. The ending was a good twist, it creeped me out. This is a good, quick story that those that like thrillers won’t want to miss.
Angie has a hard time coping with the death. It’s worse when she starts seeing Paul. Because of the alcohol and pain pills, she has a hard time getting through the visions. Then she ends up pregnant. What is happening to her?
I liked this story. I really hated Paul’s mother. Angie can’t get over Paul’s death and I felt for the poor woman. The ending was a good twist, it creeped me out. This is a good, quick story that those that like thrillers won’t want to miss.
March 23, 2012
I recently read Loss during a long flight. The story starts strong and with each subsequent chapter the mystery grows and the "emotional atmosphere" builds up. Unfortunately the story ends rather abruptly and a bit unsatisfactorily. I don't want to give too much away so I will just say that the antagonist's behavior as well as the final resolution are a bit at odds with the rest of the story. Although an entertaining read, I would recommend the Nightmare Within or Where Darkness Dwells by the same author over this one.
March 8, 2016
Slow start and a sudden ending. The book dwells a long-time on the longing and loss, almost to the point where I wanted her (Angie) to either get over it and introduce something else or I was going to be a DNF statistic. It introduces a possible paranormal element but does not develop it. Suddenly everything is resolved and the book ends. I guess the author reached a maximum limit and had to end the story. I think the story has potential. A good editor would have made this novella a great novella.
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