I had a growing ache in the pit of my stomach every time I turned a page. This story is every parents worst nightmare. A child missing. No leads. No clues. Then another child. The cycle continues. Evil lurking right under your nose. This story preyed on every fear not only for a parent but for a child. It’s really eye opening at just how easy it is for a child to be manipulated by an adult. I found myself scrambling to pinpoint the guilty party and just when I thought I had it figured out I turned out I was just as wrong as everyone else.

What a gripping read.

Such a heart wrenching story. I was a kid in the 1980’s when pictures of kids on milk cartons was a common occurrence. It’s hard for me to read difficult stories about kids (and animals), but this is definitely worth the read.

I really enjoyed "The Monsters We Make" by Kali White. The storyline was deeply thrilling and action-packed. I finished this book in twenty-four hours over this past weekend. It was extremely difficult to put down and I loved that it was based on a true kidnapping case. True crime lovers - you will have to pick this one up. 4/5 on Goodreads.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book to review !

The Monsters We Make
by Kali White

This was an excellent mystery about a neighborhood boy who goes missing never to return from his early morning paper route. The story unfolds through the eyes of another young paper boy in neighborhood and his older sister who aspires to become a writer. Several characters in the story appear to fit the bill of the kidnapper but the story keeps you guessing. Strong writing, good plot, intriguing story. I liked that it was a fictionalized novel based on a similar true crime event.
A recommended reading.

A haunting mystery that transcends the category, because it gives the reader no easy out, no pat resolution, no sinister villain on which to pin our fears. It is an engrossing and powerful read about how when we as a community "give a criminal the label of 'evil,' or categorize them as 'monster,' we given them power through camouflage. We allow them to hide in plain sight while doing what they behind closed doors, in secret." I do not want to give away the plot, but if you value realism in the mysteries/novels that you read, then this book is a must read, as it painstakingly details a painful cycle of abuse and denial and the scars it leaves on individuals and on the consciousness of a community.

Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I love nothing more than to be transported back in time and taken on a ride through the alleys that hide behind Memory Lane. That’s what Kali White does here. The 80’s was the decade when innocence was finally lost for good; the missing on milk cartons, the introduction of the word pedophile to mainstream vernacular, and the birth of satanic panic we’re all born during the 80’s. And even though this story is set in a midwestern city in Iowa, it could have taken place anywhere. Every town has their own tragedies and stories of loss that changed it for the worse.

The Monsters We Make is told through interwoven points of view, mixing together a cop suffering severe PTSD from his last missing kid case, a young paper boy who is thrust into adulthood way too soon, and his eager older sister, who is deep into solving the mystery in order to earn a scholarship to college.
Each character brings something to the table, a point of view worth digging into.

Fantastic writing, fast paced, horrifying and sad. Worth every second of it.

Drawing on research on true events, Kali White delivers a compelling novel about the disappearance of local paper boys and a young woman’s quest to write a winning news article while unraveling the twisted truths to the story.

Highly recommended. Well written and great character development.

*I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book; it captured me during the first chapter and held me until the end. "THE MONSTERS WE MAKE" is set in an “any neighborhood” kind of place. Though it is really in Des Moines of the early 1980’s it really could be in any city or town—even mine. The setup is that two newspaper boys have disappeared early in the morning as they prepared to begin their route. Because of the near-dawn hour there were no witnesses, no sounds, no evidence. It was as if the two boys merely vanished.

One of the other paper boys in the neighborhood, Sammy, seems to know something—but he isn’t telling. That draws his sister Crystal into the narrative and she is the real focus of the story. Crystal is a high school senior whose dream is to be a journalist, but because she lives with her single mother in a dirt poor household, there is little hope of a college education. But there is a scholarship available if she wins a writing contest. Her plan is to write an article based on the missing boys.

Crystal uncovers no end of theories: a cult, runaway boys, pedophiles, kidnappers, and on and on. Her search for an approach to the story draws her further and further into the mystery. But, where will it lead?

The book is sparsely populated with characters: a single mother of two, a couple of grieving and worried families, a cop with internal issues from his own childhood, a man who tutors kid for a living, a baseball coach, and a couple of others who appear to be just to fill out the story.

But what happened to the two boys? And are they still alive? Will Crystal uncover the truth? And most of all, who are the monsters we make? Those are the questions that kept me riveted to this book? I highly recommend this book because it raised some significant questions that had me thinking and talking for days!

Another fantastic mystery thriller. I absolutely loved the setting and time zone of this book. Reminded me of Stranger Things.

This book, for me, started a little slow. It wasn't until about halfway through that it started to pick up and began to catch my attention. I don't know if the character descriptions were minimal or if I was just not able to be fully attentive when they were given but usually I can vividly see the characters in the book, but aside from Chrystal's glasses and Sammy being overweight, I was finding it hard to "see" them in scenes. Historically speaking, I love the 80s references as those truly depicted what it was like in that time frame. Eight Track cassettes, lots of hairspray and blue eyeshadow. I think this book brings a lot of light to the hidden truth of abductions and complacency that many families and communities tend to minimize. Overall I'd give this 3.5/5 stars. I'd read this author again but probably wouldn't buy the book.

EXCELLENT. I honestly don't even know how to better describe this book than saying it's SUPERB! I love books that are based on real life events (mysteries AND true crime novels) so this one really hit the spot for me. Kali White has written a riveting novel here and I was anxiously flipping the pages from beginning to end. I can't even remember the last time I read a book in one sitting like this on- that's HOW GOOD it is! Highly recommend.

I read this book in less than a day. It definitely was a page turner. Based on real missing children in the 80s, I found the book realistic and well researched. It is a considered a mystery-thriller, though I did find it easy to figure out but that did not takeaway from the story. At first I wasn't sure what I thought about the ending but, without spoilers, I understand why the author chose to go this way -- it kept real to the way the actual cases (many others) actually go down. I recommend this highly.

This is a work of fiction based on the disappearance of Des Moines paper boys. The work primarily focuses on the Cox family. Crystal desperately wants to go to journalism school and uses the city's current situation as a source of motivation. Her brother Sammy is a quiet boy who delivers papers on Sunday mornings. Their mother Tina works as a hairdresser and a waitress in order to make end's meet. Although something sinister is definitely uncovered in this novel, readers do not learn the mysterious outcome of the paperboys - which is fitting considering this is still a mystery in the real world.

I wasn't sure if I was going to finish this book. It was had to get attached to any of the characters - they could have used some more development. I think the subject matter is what kept me reading and what will draw other readers in. Overall, it was a very fast read. It was enjoyable to read about a town that I frequent quite often even though the subject matter was disturbing.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

I must admit, one of the first things that drew me to this story was the era. I remember the 80s well.

The story takes us back to a time when notepads, library books, cassette tapes, and landlines were the norm. A time before we had the internet and cell phones at our fingertips. And more importantly, how prevalent paper runs were back then.

The story is told in third person and from a number of perspectives. (No head-hopping).

This is a whodunnit type story with a certain character painted so vividly as the villain, it was pretty clear to me it wasn't him. But was I right? I can't say.

I'm loath to give away spoilers but will say I enjoyed this for the most part. I did find it lagged in the middle, and the fact I couldn't stand Dale (Officer Goodkind) contributed to that.

If you enjoy thrillers, whodunnit type stories, I reckon you're can't go far wrong here.

My musing - why does a novel need the words 'A Novel' on the cover? Can't readers figure that out for themselves?

Copy provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.

Free ARC from Net Galley

If you enjoy a crime novel based on real-life events, then "The Monsters We Make" is what you want. Based on the disappearance of two paperboys from a small midwestern town.in the 1980's the book captures the moment and madness of the time. Very sharp!

I liked this book very much! It reads like true crime, which is a really nice and welcome change of pace for me. I love the mystery/thriller genres and thought this was a unique angle. White captured the vibe of the early 80’s well and she kept this plot moving at a very steady clip without leaving details behind.

I raced through this outstanding thriller in a couple of days and thoroughly enjoyed being taken back to mid 1980s when two paperboys are snatched, one year apart, from a small midwestern town. The story starts after the disappearance of the second boy and tells the story from three perspectives

The perspectives were all uniquely different and equally terrific: an 18 year old girl who want to be a journalist and begins her own investigation, her younger brother, a twelve year old with his own secrets and a damaged policeman with his own problems.

It is a very cleverly plotted drama in which every character has their own weaknesses and although there are not that many suspects it was a riveting and exceptionally realistic read. To hold my attention a thriller really needs to grab me and "The Monsters We Make" had be on the hook to the final page. Highly recommended.

***SPOILERS INCLUDED***: I enjoyed the book, and knowing that it's based on real cases brought me into the story in a more personal manner. I thought the pace was great, and I liked the character development. This book made me feel like I was a fly on the wall, and that's how a good crime mystery should make you feel. My biggest criticism would have to be the ending, because it felt a little too neatly wrapped up. I also felt frustrated that Sammy and his sister, after everything, do something positive in saving the documents or at least telling the police what they know.

Finally, decent crime novel. Quite good actually. Based on real life kidnappings that several decades ago all but spelled out a certain shift in zeitgeist, the disappearance of a time of (at least perceived) innocence, when people were decent and children were safe. Set in Des Moines in the 80s, it has all the nostalgia of Stranger Things coupled with all the evils of stranger danger. Young boys are disappearing, paperboys, the community is terrified, the neighborhood will never be the same, because people finally realize that they can never really know their neighbors. The investigation is handled by a cop, for whom it’s all much too personal. So he starts unravelling, while still on active duty. But there are other perspectives too, crucially from one of the boys and his family. This might be a debut and for a debut especially, the author did a great job of recreating the time and place, her 80s are right on the money as is the small town vibe and the increasingly spiraling claustrophobic narratives of some of the leads, especially Officer Goodkind and Sammy. It isn’t really a mystery suspense thriller, it’s actually so nice to have something different, this one is more along the lines of a crime drama, there’s some suspense, but that aspect is very, very easy to figure out, it isn’t really a thriller either. It’s more about crime and its ramifications of the community and the way such things have the power to change popular mentality. The fact that the story is based on real life kidnappings only makes it all the more poignant and tragic. It’s also very compelling, the narratives draw you in, you care about the characters, there’s an emotional investment. Yeah, I wish it was less predictable, but then again maybe it wasn’t meant to be a suspense novel. Or maybe Officer Goodkind just wasn’t that great of an investigator, being too wrapped up in his own trauma. All in all, though, a pretty good story, a cautionary tale, if you will, because you never know people from monsters by casual impressions. I enjoyed reading this. Thanks Netgalley.

The Monsters We Make by Kali White.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publishing date - 9th June 2020
Publisher - Crooked Lane Books
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It's August 1984, and paperboy Christopher Stewart has gone missing.
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Hours later, twelve-year-old Sammy Cox hurries home from his own paper route, red-faced and out of breath, hiding a terrible secret.
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Crystal, Sammy's seventeen-year-old sister, is worried by the disappearance but she also sees opportunity: the Stewart case has echoes of an earlier unsolved disappearance of another boy, one town over. Crystal senses the makings of an award-winning essay, one that could win her a scholarship—and a ticket out of their small Iowa town.
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Officer Dale Goodkind can't believe his bad luck: another town and another paperboy kidnapping. But this time he vows that it won't go unsolved. As the abductions set in motion an unpredictable chain of violent, devastating events touching each life in unexpected ways, Dale is forced to face his own demons.
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Told through interwoven perspectives—and based on the real-life Des Moines Register paperboy kidnappings in the early 1980's—The Monsters We Make deftly explores the effects of one crime exposing another and the secrets people keep hidden from friends, families, and sometimes, even themselves.
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It's wasn't until the end of the book whilst I was reading the acknowledgements that I realised that this was based on true events and it made the story all that more haunting.
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I really enjoyed the characters, especially those of Crystal and Dale. Crystal reminds me of Nancy Drew and it was refreshing to see how working in the police force can lead to a breakdown of a strong character. Too often authors portray investigating officers as macho alpha males and the nuances of Dale’s character, while saddening, made for a great read.
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I really enjoyed this book but the ’garage scene’ could have been done earlier in the book as it would have been great to see how those involved were emotionally affected and linked this with the disappearances. However, maybe the point was you cut-off one head and two more grow back.
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You should definitely give this book a read!