A Penny for the Hangman...Review

About the book:
Fifty years ago, on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas, two teenagers born to privilege were convicted of slaughtering their parents in cold blood. Today the men are free and a Hollywood movie has been made about the murders. For Karen Tyler, an eager New York journalist, the case is irresistible. She has been invited to the Virgin Islands for an interview that’s too good to pass up . . . and sounds too good to be true.

Karen packs her bikini and her digital recorder and follows an ingeniously designed trail that leads her to a wealthy, mysterious figure. The man claims to be one of the notorious boys, but Karen soon learns that all is not as it seems. On this isolated utopia of sun and surf, a young reporter far from home fights for the truth—and for her life. Because the shocking secret behind the infamous atrocities has remained hidden all these years. And the killing isn’t over yet.

Karen Tyler, a journalist, is contacted by one of the men who is one of two boys convicted 50 years earlier of killing their parents.  Free now, the man wants to share his version of the story and requests that Karen come to the Virgin Islands to meet him. The story Karen anticipates isn't the one she discovers. And that story includes danger, intrigue and surprises.

I read this in a couple of hours. The narrative jumps back and forth between past and present and multiple characters. It was confusing at times, but clearer as the story unfolded. Karen was a bit of a conundrum for me. For someone who is obviously bright and educated, she did some pretty asinine things. Going off to an unknown destination to meet a man she didn't know, a man who was a confessed murderer was stupid. I found that a little implausible, but the story compelled me to finish and as it went on, I could forgive her some of her decisions.

I thought I had everything figured out, but I didn't. Not completely. I appreciated that the author used true crimes as a complement to the fictional one.  It really lent an air of authenticity to the story.

Thrillers aren't normally my thing, which is kind of funny because the only two television shows I watch are Bones and Castle. This, this not only captured my attention, it held it. That's pretty good for a genre I don't normally read.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book. You can learn more about Tom Savage here. You can see other reviews and tour stops here. You can purchase your own copy here.

Read 10/14

* * * *
4/5 Stars

Comments

  1. I'm glad to see that your venture into another genre was such a success! Thanks for being a part of the tour!

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