"Her name was Stella, and I loved her from the first moment I saw her. Even after watching her kill a man who looked a lot like me, I couldn't help but love her."

Spanning years, from 1984 to 2020, we follow Jack "Pip" Thatch starting at age 8 on his journey of growing up, heartache, love and obsession. Jack lives with his Auntie Jo and every year on August 8th, they visit his parents graves in an old cemetery. This is where he meets Stella ... and the obsession starts.

Stella is a beautiful mysterious little girl and Jack is captivated by her the moment he meets her. Family, love, obsession, burned bodies that turn to ash, someone locked in a lab with strange powers, secrets and death are all packed in the story. Stella always travels around with a group of mysterious people who wear white coats with her driving expensive cars that protect her. There is so much going on in the story that it will keep you wondering who Stella is and why she can't touch or be touched, what happened to Jack at an early age, who the white coats are and so much more. There is also a "Subject D" injected inbetween chapters. A young boy with abilities that scare everyone who is guarding and evaluating him in a secure facility. Who is he and what is his connection?

This is a very BIG BOOK with a lot of tense moments and an equal amount of heartbreak at almost a whopping 800 pages. Clear your schedule as you embark on a mind-bending journey of multiple characters lives, loves, and losses. Maybe toss in a Stranger Things and also a Stephen King suspense vibe. Not fast paced like his other books -- more of a slow steady burn building to an amazing yet satisfying end. There are characters that I loved and some that I disliked and most all are creepy. But always a touch of human factor that makes them feel real.

Normally I'm not a fan of extremely long books but this one was a smooth ride that draws you in from the beginning with a page-flipping read. A cleverly crafted tale of friendship, love and coming of age. Recommended to fans of paranormal thrillers.

An Intriguing Novel of Love, Friendship, Loyalty and the Dark Side of Human Nature

The novel opens with an eight-year old boy, Jack, with his Auntie Jo at the grave of his parents who died in a car crash four years earlier. Auntie Jo blames the husband for the accident that killed her sister. She spends much time at the grave site on the anniversary, August 8th. Jack is bored and wonders off. He discovers a girl about his age reading on a bench being watched a short distance by a woman dressed in white standing by a white SUV. He sits down on the opposite end of the bench. The girl is not very friendly and acts quite snobbishly toward him. She points out how her station in life is so much higher than his. She is refined, and he is crude. She reads Great Expectations while he reads comic books. When they exchange names, hers is Estella from Great Expectations but goes by Stella. She uses Pip for Jack. The woman in white tells Stella that they must go. Jack thinks he sees the woman has a shot gun beneath her coat. The story continues with Jack infatuated with the Stella going back trying to meet her again, and how Jack gets along with his life.

Part 1 of the novel proceeds slowly with just enough of an interesting story around Jack’s life to keep my interest. There is a second thread at the start of each section in the part. This appears to be a secondary storyline in the form of reports concerning a Subject “D” by the Charter Observation Team. At the start of Part 2, the storyline goes off like a roman candle. My attention was quickly captured and the storyline became much more diverse and the pace quicken. The dark side of human nature in some of the characters starts to appear. There even is a touch of science fiction in the main storyline.

The B-storyline is complex and deep as would be expected in a standalone novel. While the first part dealt with Jack, Stella, Auntie Jo, his best friend, Dunk, a girl friend and the owner of a diner where Jo and Jack worked. At the start of the Part 2, the main storyline expands to a police detective, his current and retired partner, more people dressed in white, and a group of college students back in the early eighties. These storylines only tighten the novel’s grip on my attention.

While there are not any graphic sex scenes, there are some graphic foreplay scenes. Much of the violence is described graphically as it occurs and after the fact. These aspects and the use language earn this novel a strong adult content warning. For me, it did not detract from my enjoyment of this novel, but that may not be true for some readers.

The biggest detractor in reading this novel was its length. It appeared several times that the storyline was winding down only to shift direction and proceed at top speed in a new direction. The author weaved all of the main and B storylines quite well. By the novel’s end all the loose ends were tied up and the several storylines merge.

This novel kept my attention thought out the entire novel. How well the author kept the complexity and length from slowing down the novel was another strong point. For these reasons, I rate this novel with five stars.

I have received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Hampton Creek Press with an expectation for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank Hampton Creek Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be by J.D. Barker simply put is a story about Jack and the girl whom he loves, Stella. But make no mistake, this is not a romantic love story. This book spans decades of Jack Thatch's life and what an adventurous life he led. We are first introduced to Jack and Stella when Jack was 22, but their story begins on August 8, 1984, when Jack is 8 years old. Young Jack is visiting the graves of his parents when he first notices Stella sitting on a bench in the cemetery. He does get to talk to her, but she disappears . . . until August 8 of the next year. We are also introduced to Detective Faustino who is investigating a series of mysterious murders which only seem to occur on August 8. Throughout the book, we also get snippets of observation logs about a boy known only as Subject "D." These characters all intersect into a very well put together story that had me riveted. The plot was fast paced. The mystery was engaging. The characters were well thought out and multidimensional. The ending was also very satisfying. Overall, I LOVED the book and highly recommend it!

Reminiscent of Dean Koontz and Stephen King, J.D Barker has created a unique journey that draws you in and stays with you long after the final page. The characters are complex and their development through the book is deep and makes you invested in the outcome. This story spans years, allowing the reader to feel like you really are in it with Jack. There are times you will laugh, times you will cry, and sometimes you find yourself holding your breath. The ending is perfect. I hope we get to revisit the characters someday. I wasn't quite ready to say goodbye.

*4.5 stars rounded up.

Epic! At almost 800 pages, you wouldn't think this would be a page-turner of a thriller, but it is! J.D Barker is well-known for his 4MK horror series but this one is a bit of a departure. Oh, there's still plenty of horror, to be sure, but the novel is also a coming-of-age story and a love story. Barker takes the time in these pages to fully develop his characters and their situation. There are lots of twists and turns in the plot, a host of 'bad guys' and a mystery from the past that ties everything together as it is slowly revealed. Very satisfying ending.

I received an arc of this new thriller from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks.

Jack was eight years old when he met Stella, a girl his age sitting reading a book on a bench in the cemetery where his parents were buried.
This meeting would be the beginning of an obsession for Jack that would change the course of his life.
I was completely hooked on this book from the first page. The story had everything, mystery, suspense, intrigue, romance, friendship and plenty of action.
There was also lots of great characters.
The book has almost 800 pages but I read it three days because I didn’t want to put it down.
This is the first book I have read from this author and I will be looking out for more of his work. 5

The first things that come to mind when describing this book is that its a BIG book - a big, beautiful book that is. JD Barker writes like none other in this genre and all the pages are truly necessary for the full impact of the story. I was intimidated by the size of this book (700+ pages) but having devoured Barker's Fourth Monkey series, I would literally read this man's grocery list - so I jumped at the opportunity to read She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be. Now, this is an incredibly different book from 4MK but just as amazing - its a bit of horror, a bit love story and some supernatural elements (normally not my forte) but its the perfect mix and execution.

Can't say enough good things about this book but it's out 3/31 so you should find out for yourself!

August 8 means a visit to the graveyard for Jack. His Aunt Jo takes him yearly to visit his mothers grave while ignoring his father in the grave next to it. During one of these visits, Jack encounters a young girl who tells him her name is Stella and so begins a lifetime obsession.
August 8 has a different meaning to Detective Faustino Brier- every year he pulls out what has begun dubbed his “ Wall of the Weird” and reviews the strange and inexplicable deaths that have occurred on August 8 Bodies burned to ash while their clothing is untouched that began years earlier when he was called to a murder scene that has become the case he returns to over and over.
This is a love story. Love of a father for his son, an Aunt for her nephew, of friends who grew up together and then grew apart, and yes of a boy who meets a girl in a graveyard and despite only seeing her once a year can not forget her.
There is a little boy locked in a lab referred to as “ Subject D” allowed no human contact and only allowed to communicate through recordings. He is biding his time and planning his revenge.
I loved this book, the way the characters and the story come together is brilliant and though it is lengthy I would not have changed one thing. There are no parts where the story feels repetitive or drags and you will stay up late wanting to read “ just one more chapter. The characters are well developed and you will grieve their losses and ache when they are in pain.
This is scheduled for release March 31 and is a must read. I am stingy with 5 star ratings but this deserves it. My favorite book of the year and in my top ten all time. Bravo Mr. Barker- this is clever, engaging storytelling at its best.

Thank you to #netgalley and #hamptoncreekprrss for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Damn it, Mr. Barker. Whenever I have a work of yours in my grasp, I suddenly turn from responsible adult into literary rebel, throwing back shot after shot of espresso, reading into the wee morning hours. The pacing, to me, almost erotic, as the tease of information slowly trickles out. My actions pitiful as I throw snack pack, after snack pack, of gummy's to my now neglected children eager to know the fate of Jack, Stella and subject D.

Well, you just really need to read this book. I just finished it, and immediately want to go back to this world, with these characters.

HERE'S THE SUMMARY: What does an orphaned boy, a drug dealer, a little girl in a cemetery, a secret organization, three Philadelphia police detectives, a bunch of mummified bodies, Great Expectations by Dickens, mutant abilities and August 8, have to do with each other? I CAN'T TELL YOU.

HERE'S THE REVIEW: You know those books that completely take you out of your own world? Those books with characters that make you love them so much, you know they're real somewhere? This is one of THOSE books. I flipped through theses pages so fast (800+ of them). I needed to live these characters lives, and figure out the many layers of mystery buried in these pages.

I don't even have the words to tell you how much this book meant to me today, when the whole world seems to be going a little bit crazy. Unfortunately, this isn't available to you until 3/31. But you really should pre-order it, so you don't forget about it.

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for my review
I highly recommend this book, but make sure you don't have anything planned, as once you turn the first page. It is impossible to put down. This book is right up there with the 4MK trilogy, as one hell of a literary ride. The story line was well thought out and written with fantastic characters that are well drawn and developed. This is a multi-genre mystery, thriller, paranormal, love story.
The story takes you from 1978 all the way through to 2020, with the main character Jack hiding from the mysterious people in white, while he is constantly trying to follow Stella. There is so much going on in this story, that you read furiously, trying to catch up and anticipate what is next. Just when you think you have worked it all out, then something happens to say “no, you are wrong” or “close but not quite”
This is a very long book approx. 770 pages, but there are no wasted words, paragraphs etc, that I sometimes find in much shorter books.
Worth a lot more than 5 stars.

Don't be fazed by the size of this book. I'm usually daunted by anything over 500 pages but this book literally read itself to me and I really whizzed through it. It grabbed me from the off and held me captive throughout, enthralled all the way through. It does help if you are familiar with Great Expectations, as I am, but I think you will get the gist of that story as you read this one, if that makes sense.
Jack is living with his Aunt Jo after the death of his parents in a horrific car crash. They visit their graves every year. On one such visit, Jack leaves Jo at the graveside and goes off on his own. He spies a young girl, Stella, sitting on a bench, reading her favourite book, Great Expectations. It may have only been a fleeting meeting but something about Stella captivates Jack and he can't get her out of his head. So much so that he seeks her out every time he visits the graveyard. A year later, they meet again, and again a year on.
Meanwhile, a dead body is found burned and charred, his clothes covering him remain untouched. Detectives are baffled. When they look further, they see a pattern. They find similar incidents occurring every year going back, all on the same day.
We also meet Subject D. A young boy with certain abilities that really frighten those who are guarding him in a secure facility.
How all these things are connected I will leave you to discover as the author intended. Suffice to say they all intersect and combine to deliver one of the best books I have read this year. One that as I was approaching the end I wanted to finish to see what happened but, at the same time, I wanted it to go on forever.
Be prepared to clear the decks for this one. It will suck you in, you will not want to put it down. It's compelling in a way that I have not experienced for a while. When I was apart from it I felt bereft and I couldn't wait to get back to it.
It's a story woven around intrigue and spooky. It's also a love story. Occasionally I thought I knew where we were all going but I wasn't quite prepared for the full story. Yes I guessed a few things early and I predicted the ending. But the whole was so much more than the sum of all its parts and I found it all to be very character driven. Jack's relationship with Stella, Jack discovering the truth of his past, excitement and intrigue all the way through. It's genre defying, crossing boundaries and delivering in each one.
I repeat, cos it's important, do not be put off with the length of this book. It's all things amazing and beautiful. It's a story that will stay with me a while. It's one I will re-read in the future (and I don;t tend to do that) It's in my top five so far this year and I'll be surprised if that changes come Dec 31st.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This is what happens when you take a bit of Stranger Things, mix in a bit of Netflix’s Jessica Jones, and add in a dash of Stephen King. When I first picked this up and saw how long it was I was a little worried but it was easy to read, very fast moving and I never felt like it was too long or onerous to read in any way. I didn’t want to tear myself away from it and couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. I couldn’t even begin to predict this story because it was truly unlike anything else I have ever read. It was crazy intense and pretty violent but it also had a lot of times that were quite touching and emotional. Horrible things happen including torture, child abuse, alcoholism, drug dealing, mass murder and a plethora of other dark things but somehow the story never felt gloomy or depressing. Dare I say it was even fun?

The length is partly due to the epic scope of this story following the main character Jack from a baby to a man. There are quite a few secondary characters and they are all had their own stories. There were no flat, one-dimensional characters here! I felt like the story could have followed any one of them and it would have been interesting. The resolution was almost a little too convenient but I really didn’t mind because it gave me what I wanted but wasn’t expecting to happen. There were a few threads were left untied which hints at a potential sequel in the future and the author mentions this possibility in his note at the end of the book. I would love to see more of this story so I hope the inspiration to tell it comes to him!

This book really surprised me. I had no idea what to expect and I never could have predicted what was going to happen. It led me on a merry chase, sometimes through some pretty dark areas but it was never hopeless or without charm. It kept me absolutely enthralled through all one million pages. Maybe not quite a million but it was pretty long, yet I was sad when it ended. It was suspenseful, fun, intense, and had the whole package. Don’t let the length put you off because the pages will fly by and you will be wishing there was more!

Thank you to Hampton Creek Press for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.

I've been a huge fan of J.D. Barker's writing ever since I first started reading the 4MK Thriller books... I've been looking forward to read more of his work ever since I finished the trilogy, and as soon as I first read about She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be I was completely under its spell. The title, the cover, the blurb, the promise of another masterfully written story... I don't tend to read a lot of books over 600 pages as they can be a painful investment of time if you don't end up connecting to the story, but I made an exception for J.D. Barker as I already knew his writing would most likely be right up my alley. And boy, did I make the right decision!

Some stories just need more pages, and manage to keep you fully invested along the way. She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be is one of those stories. Somehow, even though this newest J.D. Barker book has almost 800 pages, I never felt bored and I never felt like the story dragged or could have been told in less words. No, Jack and Stella's story needed to be this elaborate, as their history spans decades and it is necessary to go slow and thorough to go deep and fully understand their characters. I'm aware that She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be might not be for everyone, but don't let the daunting page count dissuade you if you love an intricate and well developed thriller with a supernatural/horror twist! Trust me, you won't regret spending time with this story.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot to avoid ruining surprises and plot twists, so I will keep my rambles short this time around. What I can say is that I loved the structure of this story. It's not easy to take on this big of a project and tell a story that not only spans decades, but also has a big cast of primary and secondary characters... Especially without the result being a very hard book to keep up with, let alone enjoy. But J.D. Barker seems to have found the right formula. She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be is divided into multiple parts, focusing on the life of main character Jack Thatch as we see him growing up over the years. His POV is used to introduce the many characters important to the plot, and he helps put them into perspective. Of course he is not the only POV, as we also have the mysterious subject 'D' to deal with for example... I personally liked the little observation chapters featuring this character, as the mystery around both his identity, his supernatural abilities and his role in the plot added that extra level of suspense.

As you might have expected from a book this big, the character development is both extremely detailed and very well handled. The characters are both flawed and realistic, and I personally loved the dynamics between Jack and Stella as well as the other more important characters in this book. Whether you like the characters or not, you will find yourself to be invested in what happens to them either way... And the mystery around the supernatural and the secrets of the past only enhance these feelings. She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be is not a full-blown urban fantasy read, but instead mostly a mix of an action and detective thriller, a dark contemporary and a story with a horror and supernatural feel. It's a hard book to put inside a box, and I personally love a story that manages to defy genre boundaries and provide us with a new and unique story cocktail. This story has so many different elements to treasure and enjoy, and it felt like a true treasure hunt to keep turning those pages and keep reading those chapters. You never knew what direction the story would take next, and I personally love a story that keeps me on my toes.

She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be is as unique as its long title, and the right person will treasure this story as much as I did. I had a fantastic time reading every single chapter, and I never felt like the story was overlong or should have gone in a different direction. Big is in this case most definitely better! And this book has only reconfirmed to me J.D. Barker belongs on my list of favorite authors.

This book at a doorstopper 700+ pages long was brilliant, very engrossing. We meet our main character Jack Thatch on August 8 in a cemetery with his Aunt Jo on the anniversary of his parent’s death he is eight. On that fateful day he wanders off to explore and runs across a young girl sitting on a bench, he joins her on the bench and is immediately smitten with her. The book chapters are all titled August 8 in different years when he is different ages. On the following August 8 he again meets up with the young girl on the same bench. This one event is just one of a larger series of events that take place in the book, it’s hard to describe all of them without giving away key plot points. However, the author does a remarkable job of keeping your interest in the book and the pages turning. I finished this book in a little over a day. I had read the 4MK books, this one cannot compare to those it is very different in scope. Some aspects of the book reminded me of Stephen King, which is a good thing. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the read.

This story is as unusual as its title. It’s a dark and weird story about a boy who lost his parents while he was just a toddler. His aunt raised him and takes him every year on August, 8 to their graves. There he meets a girl. He feels an immediate connection to her. For years he only sees her on his yearly visits to the cemetery. She put some kind of spell over him because he can only think about her while he goes on somehow with his life.

Sometimes you read a book and it is not really your cup of tea but it stays with you. You know it’s a great book with a great story but just not the right book for you. That’s what this book is for me.

This book is long. Somehow it felt forever. Like binge-watching all of the §$% seasons of your favorite TV show. It just goes on and on and on. That was my little problem with this book. It is just so extremely long and I did not want to stay with this story for so long. The writing is exceptional and the story is well constructed and quite unusual. But somehow I never connected really to it or any of the characters. At first I liked Jack but soon I was annoyed by his actions. The story is weird and for a long time I did not know where it was heading. But! Although I did not engrossed totally in the story I know when I read a well done book. And this one is well done. It is extremely well crafted and written. This story is really something and I am sure the story will not leave my mind for quite a while. I would not call it a thriller. I do not know what to call it. It’s a genre of its own. It is really unusual and I would recommend it. I only read the first of the 4MK books. I could not find my way into the second one but I was intrigued by the blurb for this one. I am glad that I read it but I am also glad that I finished it.

The author stated this book was different from the 4MK series. So I immediately start thinking that he has changed genres or something. Not the case. The difference is it is a little lighter in tone even though there are still bad guys. There is still his trademark mystery. The ending was satisfying while also leaving the door ajar as he did in 4MK. I guessed an important aspect of the twist early on but it did not ruin anything. I highly recommend this book.

J.D.Barker has done it again!! He’s one of my favorite authors and didn’t disappoint with this one!!!

This is a thriller, love story and the bonds of friendship. . I know the book is long (I believe 800 pages) but in my mind it needed to be to capture the story of their lives. Once I started I didn’t want to stop!!

Jack and Stella met as children in the unlikely place in a cemetery on August 8th. Many years after, same day, , same place. For years, well into adulthood they become entangled in a story that will blow your mind!!
Thank you NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for allowing me the privilege of reading this ARC!

What an absolute belter of a book.

From the first page, right through to the last, JD Barker wove a tale that had me gripped to the point where I read whilst cooking dinner!

After his 4MK series, I didn't know how he would top it, but by God I believe he's done it.

It's wonderful, heartbreaking, scary, and romantic all in one. The characters were a divine to read (even the nasty ones) and Jack and Stella's story just shone from page to page.

A fantastic read.

Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author for an advanced copy - I'll read this again at some point :-)

4.5 ⭐ rounded up to 5 🌟

Where do I start? For a person like me who really enjoys books when they span a person's life beginning in childhood this book was a joy to read.

The main characters, Jack and Stella meet in sort of strange circumstances on August 8, when they are both 8 years old. Jack is at the cemetery with his Aunt Jo visiting his parents gravesite when he wanders off and meets a beautiful lil girl (Stella) sitting on a bench reading a worn copy of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. There is a mysterious white van waiting for her. They only talk a matter of minutes but Jack becomes enthralled by this little girl!

The story moves on with both children meeting on that same bench in the cemetery for several years, always on August 8th. Jack looks forward to seeing her every year and starts waiting from the moment they part until he can see her again. There is always that white van. This goes on for several years until Jack is a teenager, as I recall. One time he is even taken in the van to where Stella lives. What a wondrous and intriguing place it seems to him. Never once do they touch and after the last time at the bench, Jack continues to look for her there every year, even enlisting his friends to aid him in finding out more about her.

The book encompasses everything that happens in Jack's life in between the yearly visits and then for the years after, until they finally meet again.

To me, this was essentially a beautiful love story, with fun times, tragedy and science fiction all thrown into the mix. I really enjoyed this book and thought it very well written. My only dislike was that the book was over 700 pgs. I felt it could have easily been shortened 100-200 pages and still been just as great, but a lil faster paced.

All in all I loved this book and would recommend to a friend. I also would read a second book about Jack and Stella but that probably won't happen. A girl can wish though, can't I?

***Many thanks for an advanced review copy from #NetGalley, #Hampton Creek Press, and the author J.D. Barker!!!***