Omens

By: Kelley Armstrong

Narrated by: Carine Montbertrand, Mozhan Marnò

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong begins her new series with Omens, featuring a compelling new heroine thrust into a decades-old murder case and the dark mysteries surrounding her strange new home.

Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.

But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her.

Critic reviews

Praise for Omens

“One of the best new series debuts this year! With its compelling characters and completely original set up, Omens delivers a powerful combination of suspenseful thrills and supernatural chills. I can't wait to read more!”—New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner

“Like the creepy, spooky town of Cainsville, Kelley Armstrong's Omens lured me in. I was too busy, way too busy for this book, which, through a series of surprises and sleights of hand, had me conspiring for ways to get back to the gripping story, the colorfully bizarre cast of characters, and the clever, strong, smart heroine at its center. Don't pick this book up if you have anything else to do. It will grab you by the collar and won't let you up for air until it's good and ready. And once you’re done, you won't soon forget it.”—New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger

“Cainsville might be a nice place to visit, but I'm too creeped out to live there. Luckily, Armstrong isn't, and her dispatches from this village filled with sinister secrets are going to be keeping her readers up well into the night.”—#1 international bestselling author Linwood Barclay

“Urban fantasy powerhouse Armstrong (the Otherworld series) begins the Cainsville series with a gripping thriller-paced novel featuring a young woman who learns that her wealthy parents adopted her after her biological parents were convicted of being serial killers. Mind control, gunplay, and double crosses will keep readers on edge to the last page.”—Publishers Weekly

“Through first class writing and characters—including the town of Cainsville itself—that leap off the pages, Armstrong has penned a tale that I, for one, can’t wait to see continue.”—Suspense Magazine

“Armstrong, author of the popular Otherworld series, excels at world-building, and this ‘reverse Cinderella story’ perfectly launches a new series chronicling the irresistibly odd and creepy Cainsville universe. Fantasy fans will be eager to make repeated visits.”—Booklist

Good story - weird choice for narrator

The overall book was really good - as is usual for a Kelley Armstrong book. But the narrator for this particular book was a truly strange choice. She is clearly older and smacks her lips and audibly swallows a lot. For a book with a character narrator that is in her early/mid 20s... this is just odd. And annoying. Disappointing. But a good story.

Wonderful

I loved Kelley Armstrong's adult Otherworld but not as much her YA work. This is definitely in line with the Adult Otherworld. Great story, very engaging. easy to follow. My only issue is I see no reason to have the two female readers. I found that distracting. Still, even with that, well worth the credit and I can't wait for the next book. It does leave quite a lot of threads untied.

Off to a good start

I was hesitant to pick up another series by Kelley Armstrong because the last was a series of hits and misses. It's a nice mix of real world mystery with the otherworldly. It has a variety of characters and sub-plots that make it fun, sexy, and hateful, in other words, I'm reading book 2.

It's like a really long prolog

I expected a better story from K.R, it didnt have the usual supernatural storyline that left me wanting more. i was waiting for the plot to start getting interesting then next thing i know the book ended. I'm not interested in continuing the series. Also one narrorator have a nasally voice which erked me everytime she began a chapter.

Give It A Try

The supernatural aspects of this book aren't heavily emphasized, but they are present. The story is strong enough to stand on its own, which is a nice change. So many authors rely on paranormal elements as a crutch to less than exacting story or character development, but Armstrong delivers a solid story with likeable main characters here.

There isn't a ton of romance in this book, but the door is wide open for a really satisfying story here. Anticipation is the best part!