Big Bad: A Novel

By: Christian Galacar

Narrated by: Kevin Clay

Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo meets the small-town atmosphere of Stephen King...

From the twisted imagination of best-selling author Christian Galacar comes a dark mystery thriller about the difference between living the stories we’re given and living the stories we dare to make for ourselves.

At the height of a blizzard, Molly Rifkin goes missing in her small New England community of Rockcliffe Island. But when she is found dead of an apparent suicide, the story doesn’t add up. There are more questions than answers. And there are those who would like to see the whole thing just go away.

But it won’t be that easy...

Molly’s sister is FBI agent Emma Shane, who has been hanging on to her career by a thread. But when her sister turns up dead under suspicious circumstances, she is forced to confront the horrific past they once shared in order to discover the truth of her death - and the course of her own future.

As Emma digs deeper into the mystery on Rockcliffe Island, she finds herself coming face-to-face with corruption, murder, and two of the island's most powerful and dangerous families.

©2019 Christian Galacar (P)2019 Christian Galacar

Good women sleuth read

Narration was good aside from the way Adam was read, but good tone and pace throughout. The story was fairly original. It goes back and forth between paat and present and from a few points of view, which I always seem to like. Worth a credit.

Ok, I guess

This is the second book I have read by this author and I don't know what I was expecting, but I wasn't expecting this. By this, I mean a typical whodunnit. I was kinda waiting to be terrified by something and that never came. But all in all, it was an good story. I just wish I wasn't expecting "something else".

Not Horror

Headline says it all. Its not horror. Nancy Drew is referenced a dozen or more times in the book. I cant say Ive read any Nancy Drew, but this is what I would imagine that author writing, had they a mild drug problem.

This is a mystery, maybe an action. Unless Im a complete sociopath I dont think Id even list this as a thriller.

Just because theres a monster, doesnt mean its horror. Disneys got lots of monsters, theyre still high end cartoons.

Just because people die or get killed, doesnt make it a horror novel. I read and listened to books where no one dies that could easily be considered horror. I done the same with books where millions die that dont fall into the classification.

I think a prerequisite to that classification would be the authors intent to horrify their audience. I cant imagine thats what the author was thinking unless indeed they found Nancy Drew super creepy.

You can read the review and think why am I harping on about it. Horror, mystery, whatever. Well, it was $8 and 2 days of my life and it was my Halloween 2019 listen so yeah Im dissapointed I ended up with Nancy Drew instead of Freddy Krueger.

Good mystery novel. Good writing. Good performance. Had I wanted to solve a mystery instead of get scared it wouldve been 4 or 5 stars.

Twisted

Big Bad starts out during a snowstorm in an island town of Rockcliffe. Molly goes missing during a snow storm and is found dead. The death is ruled a suicide but her sister Emma, a FBI agent on leave, comes to town for the funeral and starts delving into the death, unable to believe that her sister would have committed suicide. The author’s descriptions make you feel that you are right there. The story goes back and forth into the sisters past and present. The characters are well written and the book keeps you interested with mystery, murder and psychology.I found that the Kevin Clay did a great job with the narration. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

Intriguing and enjoyable thriller

Emma is an FBI agent on temporary leave. When she finds out her estranged sister Molly supposedly committed suicide, she is suspicious and starts investigating her death.

Molly's death occurred at the height of a blizzard which was described so well and vividly i was teading the story in a blizzard as well, brrrrrr! Emma is a character that is developed at a perfect pace throughout the story. She is so real, doing clever things to unravel clues about her sister's death, silly at times in moments with her son and cab driver, and complex when she battles the demons of her past. She was imperfect and likeable, yet grew on you and tugged at your emotions at times. Overall, she is a brilliant character and one i wouldnt mind reading about again.

The story built up very well. I love how the present and the past intermingle and how Emma untangles the knot of her sister's death and her past to climax at the peak of a very enjoyable and memorable plot. Christian is a very talented and imaginative writer i will be looking out for again.

Kevin narrated well with good energy and character intonation. He is pleasant to listen to and on the whole a good performer.

Overall, i would recommend this exciting and deep thriller. It will make you think, make you feel, and make you not want to stop. You wont be disappointed.

Note: This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this objective review voluntarily.

Kept me on the edge!

Wow, I get uber excited when I find a book that keeps me guessing, interested in the both the past/current characters in the storyline and don’t find myself saying ‘seriously, don’t go in there‘ while reading. Of course there’s some things that I thought could’ve been thought out more for a former FBI agent but then where’s the twists? Also the last few chapters were anticlimactic and really wasn’t a value add to the storyline, basically unnecessary. But overall an excellent read. Narrator was amazing with spot on accents and different male/female roles. But alas I’ve lost a ton of sleep. Now I must find a new book to lose sleep over! Loved it. Totally worth a credit...or two.

Does not Disappoint!!!

If you enjoy Galacar’s writing then you’re surely going to enjoy this novel! I just love the journey Galacar takes you on in his novels! Once I started this book I could not stop! I had to know what will happen next! It was a great story, more of a psychological thriller and not horror or scary like some of his other stories. Regardless, it was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time! I hope he keeps writing and producing more stories like this one or his past novels. Galacar is a wonderful writer.
As a native New Englander who lives in Massachusetts, I really enjoy the local flavor he weaves into his novels. Great job!!!