The Necklace by Matt Witten

This story didn't work for me as much as I would have liked. Twenty years ago, Susan Lentigo's daughter was murdered, and it's finally time for the execution of her murderer. Susan is making the trip from Upstate New York to North Dakota in her worn out old car, with donated money stuffed into the pockets of her ratty old coat. Sadly she allows road rage to scuttle her trip by car and must move to making the trip by bus. So many of the things that go wrong for Susan on this trip, she attributes to bad luck and I attribute to making bad choices.

The mother of a child that was raped and murdered has my sympathy. But Susan is her own worst enemy, foul mouthed (as is everyone around her), impulsive, prone to accuse and attack, quick to blame others, and I soon wanted to be out of this person's destructive orbit. It's only now, twenty years after a man has been sent to prison for the murder of Susan's daughter, that she starts admitting to herself the red flags that she ignored about her family and how the family members interacted with each other.

Luckily, Susan is able to find the retired agent who arrested the man on death row and convinces him that the wrong man is in prison. Now, with the clock almost down to the deadline, Susan and the agent rush to save the life of an innocent man and put the spotlight on the real killer. It is the author's notes at the end of the book that I enjoyed the most, telling us how he came up with the idea for this story. If the story had been more plausible and the main character more likeable and less abrasive, I might have been able to throw myself behind it.

Thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

Chilling! One sentence in this book is one of the most chilling sentences I’ve ever read.

A bit of background information: we know very early on that Amy was murdered at age 7. Amy and her mom Susan made a beaded necklace. Before going to bed, Amy says she’ll never take it off when she takes a bath or goes to sleep ....

“Not even when I die.” Oh, so cold to read this sentence!

The author Matt Witten has written for some of my favorite television shows. The Necklace proves he CAN write great books. Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and Netgalley for giving me two chilling days of fast non-stop reading.

Twenty years ago Susan and Danny’s 7 year old daughter was kidnapped, assaulted and murdered. A very hard subject to write about, but Witten does it justice by writing with compassion and just enough information without going into graphic detail. The story is told in two timelines, Past and Present. The Past gives us just enough details to know what happened. In the Present, Susan and Danny are divorced and Susan is a broke waitress, living month to month with her mom. The execution of the convicted killer is about to take place and a fundraiser has garnered funds to get Susan to the execution. The road trip doesn’t quite go as planned and along the way Susan stumbles upon information that might just exonerate the accused. With very little time left will Susan be able to reopen the case before it’s too late? Is there a chance that Curt Jansen is innocent as he has repeatedly voiced over the past 20 years? With a strong, unstoppable heroine, this book is one you’ll want to read in one sitting! Fast paced, it’s a heartbreaking read at times, with bits of humor at others and completely compelling from start to finish.

It's hard to know where to start with this review. From the start I suppose. It's my first book by this author. It's a very touching, gut wrenching, heartfelt, heartbreaking, realistic story. At least for me it was. Another of the ones that will leave you breathless.

This book left me with so many tears. It started at almost the very beginning and made me cry throughout. It's a very sad story and one that gives you a lot to think about. A lot of things that make you wonder. Who could be so evil as to hurt a little girl like this. To rape and murder that innocent little seven year old. What mother ever recoups from such a horrible loss. What family can survive it.
How do you go on after such a loss. And the biggest question of all... Is the guilty man truly in prison on death row. Will he be punished for such a heinous thing.

After serving twenty years in prison, Susan Lentigo, is finally going to get justice for her daughter's murder. She is going to go watch the man who raped and murdered her seven year old daughter die. Finally. She's looked forward to this since it started. Since her daughter's body was found. Since her whole world was ripped apart. Since the day she received that dreadful phone call telling her they found her...

But what if the wrong man is in prison. What if the true monster is still out there. What if he does it again. Or has he. Who could be this cruel and conniving. How could he have gotten away with this. Or do they honestly have the right man. This book really does keep you guessing. Just when you think you have it you are dealt another blow. But in the end you will find closure. You will find out who did this horrible thing. Thanks to Susan's relentless searching. Her continued voice.. It will all come out. It is quite shocking what happens here. It fooled me. I thought I had it. I thought I knew. I was so wrong.

This book will take you inside the death chamber. You will feel the horrors that a person feels when he's being put to death. It's very realistic. The feelings of both families. The victims family and the accused's family. The prisoner's feelings as he faces you for the last time. You will feel what Susan feels as she finally faces the man who raped and killed her precious little girl. She fought to the end for that and she will get justice. She will finally be able to have peach. Her daughter will be left in peace finally.

This is a truly a heartbreaking story. It's the story of a family's loss. A child being raped and murdered. It's a dark one in that it was a child. Can a family withstand such a horrible act. A daughter who in every way possible blames her own mother for the loss. A mother who accepts that blame. If only... There are a few of those. If only...

Thank you #NetGalley, #edelweiss, #ocenviewpublishing, #MattWitten for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

5/5 stars. I recommend it but with caution. It's about a child being raped and murdered. Though it does not go into deep detail, that is the subject. But it's a good read. Edge of your seat.

This is easily the best book I’ve read this year. Over recent weeks I’ve already added 3 to my top five but even though they were fabulous this tops them all! If I could give more than five stars I would.

Such a tragic story loosely based on two separate real life cases. It’s such a powerful read of getting to the truth. The main character’s pain, frustration and grief was written both superbly and realistically as emotions run raw throughout the book bringing you to a devastating realisation of the characters plight and what every parents worst nightmare is. It’s brought to life in this heart wrenching and brilliantly written novel that really encompasses the main characters raw emotions during both the past and present timelines. There were parts that I found really hard to read and was too overwhelming to read I had to pause.

One example was the main character’s horrifying realisation when recalling past incidents, could actually mean who she thought was the killer who she is going to see executed could very well be innocent, which I found mind blowing. Such great writing and cemented this novel as a favourite.

Both timelines are very fast paced, which kept me reading through the night. It was a powerful novel which evoked my own emotions as a mother. It truly was such an amazing and brilliantly written novel that immersed me into a late night reading session when I most certainly should have been sleeping.

*trigger warning*: pedophilia, rape, murder

This novel was extremely entertaining. From the very beginning, the subject matter hooks you in. The chapters are short enough that at no point did I feel like it was dragging. It also jumps back and forth between the past and present which I'm a big fan of.

The story follows Susan, the mother of Amy who was raped and murdered when she was 7 years old. Over 20 years later, Susan is on her way to the execution of the man convicted of her slaughter but while on her journey, learns that maybe, they don't have the right man.

With not much time to spare, Susan works to try and find the truth in time to possibly save an innocent man.

I loved this story so much. While the imagery did sometimes make me uncomfortable, I honestly don't think the book could be written without it.

I did find Susan's relationships with Robert and Kyra to be problematic which is ultimately why this rating is 4 instead of 5 stars. I just think how they teamed up and ultimately went about things (without giving spoilers) would absolutely not have worked or been allowed.

I'm so happy I read this book and I look forward to purchasing it when it comes out.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

Matt Witten recently sent me a copy of his upcoming (Sept. 2021) novel, The Necklace. This was a super fast-paced and thrilling story.

What’s funny is that while I was reading it, I kept thinking it would make a great movie and — voila! — it’s been optioned for film with Leonardo DiCaprio as producer! Can’t wait to catch it on the big screen!

If you follow me, you know I love a suspenseful read that keeps me guessing! Matt was a very gracious and humble person with whom to work and I wish him the best with this new novel and film!

The Necklace is a bit depressing. Isn’t it everyone’s nightmare to outlive their child? Here, that person must now try to find, a long time later, the real murderer. There has been someone serving time for this for a long time. Yes, with the right talent with words, this could be a moving, incredible story. I felt that I was seeing this promise without experiencing it.

Twenty years ago, Susan Lentigo's 7 year old daughter was kidnapped and murdered. Finally, the suspect is going to be put to death. Susan decides to go to the execution in hopes of getting some closure. The trip is over 1000 miles, but her town gets together and helps her get going.

Things go badly right from the start. Her car dies so she ends up taking a bus. Her money gets stolen the first night. Things keep getting worse but she is determined to get there. Along this nightmare ride, she discovers that the monster being executed may actually be innocent. Susan is desperate to find out what really happened 20 years ago. The answers might cost her her life.

I really enjoyed this book. The twists and turns kept me reading till the end. I recommend this to suspense/thriller fans.

I was immediately pulled into this fast paced novel, and couldn’t put it down until I reached the end. It’s impossible not to feel for Susan Lentigo as she discovers that what she has believed to be true for 20 years may not be the case at all.

Susan’s 7 year old daughter was violently raped and murdered 20 years before, and now she is planning on traveling from her small upstate New York town to a penitentiary in North Dakota to witness the execution of the man who was convicted of the crimes. But right from the start her journey is plagued by a chain of mishaps that lead her to the discovery that the man who was convicted is possibly innocent. With this information in hand she does everything she can to find out the truth, before the execution takes place.

I appreciated the way Matt Witten develops Susan’s character so much: she is multi-layered and human, makes mistakes, but also listens to her heart. She takes risks, and sometimes there are areas that are not always completely credible, but she forges on despite everything that has happened to her. You can’t help but root for her all the way.

This is a thriller, and it has some twists and turns in it right up until the end, and I was on tenterhooks until the last few pages! It was also interesting to learn that while The Necklace is fiction, the author based some areas of it on different real life events and people. I would like to add a CW for child rape, murder, and pedophilia, as these are covered in the novel very directly and may be triggering.

If you enjoy a good page turner with a few twists then this is definitely for you! I can see this as a movie that would do really, really well too.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Susan Lentigo’s young daughter, Amy, was horribly attacked and killed 20 years ago. In the present time she is still in the same house and the same minimum wage job. Her husband divorced her years ago but she is trying to get enough money together to travel from upstate New York to North Dakota to witness the execution of the man convicted of her daughter’s murder.

Along the way though things come to light that cast a tiny bit of doubt on the guilt of the condemned man. Naturally Susan has to do all she can to ensure an innocent man is not put to death and have the guilty party walk free. From the title it is safe to assume that a necklace is involved and that was the first big problem for me. Amy and her mum made the necklace together shortly before the girl’s death. This necklace turns up again. And Susan finds a couple of unlikely allies in her quest for the truth.

I made necklaces with my kids and also made ‘grown-up’ ones to sell. The necklace described, and pictured on the cover, is, well a bit of plastic rubbish and I struggle to believe it would become material in a case. The whole epic journey of Susan’s without any money didn’t really work for me either. From my perspective - who goes to see a human ‘put down’?

I thought the premise had potential, especially as it was based on a couple of true crime cases. But Susan’s story and journey and the whole necklace thing didn’t really work for me. I had some sympathy for Susan, but only some. She really didn’t make things easy for herself. I know what happened is every parent’s worst nightmare but I’m not sure I would have done it the way she did. Apart from anything else, the plot was patently predictable which did spoil it a little for me. If the author produced a more nuanced book, I would be keen to read it. Thanks to Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing for the much appreciated ARC which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

20 years ago, Susan Lentigo’s 7 year old daughter Amy was brutally murdered. Now, Susan is headed out on a road trip to North Dakota to witness the execution of the convicted killer. Along the way she runs Into problem after problem, and begins to question whether the convicted killer really murdered her daughter.

What a wild ride! I love Susan and her tenacity to get things done! When her money is stolen, she somehow finds a way to sleep or eat. She won’t let anything get in her way! I loved how she stuck by her own convictions especially when things got difficult. Pick up this book for a fun page turning thriller that will keep you wondering how well you really know the people you know best.

This book is out Sept 7, 2021. Thank you @netgalley and @oceanviewpublishing for the arc on this in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me.

Given the content, I expected something emotionally tumultuous, but what I got was melodrama and over-the-top behavior.

I found aspects of the plot implausible to the point where I couldn't take the leap of faith.

I didn't connect at all with the characters. In fact, I disliked Susan immensely, which was my major issue. She grated on me so much that I gave up before the halfway point.

The writing is fine, and I have no doubt many readers will love this story.

The Necklace was a good book with a plotline I haven't read before. This book has borrowed elements from a true crime which makes it all the more chilling!The start & end of the book was thrilling & had me biting my nails with every chapter progress. However, the chapters in between felt dragged out & focusses more on the journey of the character Susan than on the crime itself. While some may like this approach the book took, I personally would have loved to see the spotlight on the case, forensics, more of her repressed memories & how all those tie in with the murder. The ending of the book was absolutely crazy tense. I was happy with the outcome but it would have been great of the author would circle back to the criminal & why they really did what they did & how exactly they possibly got away with it for so damn long. The beauty for me would have been in the details. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading this book.

Thank you NetGalley, Oceanview Publishing & Matt Witten for an arc!

Susan Lentigo's seven year old daughter Amy was murdered twenty years ago. As Susan travels from New York to North Dakota to witness the killer's execution, memories and questions regarding the investigation and trial surface. One important question that was never answered was what happened to the necklace that Amy was wearing? As Susan begins to believe the wrong man is on death row, will she find the evidence and help too stop the execution and uncover the real killer?
The chapters alternate between the past and the present, highlighting things that Susan was unable to see due to her grief.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

I am blown away by this one and am superbly impressed by this authors ability to weave a story. This is my first reading by Matt and I'm sure it won't be my last. The entire story I was on the edge of my seat anticipating the next move and every turn had me questioning what I thought. One moment I had a theory and then the next chapter it was blown apart and I loved it. It's a gripping roller coaster ride that every mystery, thriller reader should pick up.

This was a really good read. I was hooked early on and it kept me guessing right up until the very end.
Susan Lentigo, a waitress, travels a thousand miles to witness the execution of the killer who she believes took her daughter’s life 20 years earlier only to then discover that he just might be innocent. Nobody will listen to her pleas when she states that he might not be guilty, that the real killer might be still out there.
This mystery was fast paced. It was well written and unpredictable. I really enjoyed it!!

It seems that I’m going against the trend on this one, many other reviews have expressed a speedy and compelling read but I found the opening to be a little slow and struggled significantly through the first half of the book.
I just couldn’t gel with the writing style which had too much tell and not enough show.

Additionally, I felt that the dialogue was a little stilted and I struggled to warm to any of the characters. The content is not sunshine and rainbows either. Stories involving abuse, assault and murder of children automatically makes things harder to get through.

After that rough beginning, one where I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to keep reading, I finally found a groove and became interested enough to see how the story was going to pan out.

My experience of the second half was much better. The characters started becoming a little more fleshed out, and the pacing was faster and more urgent.

I liked how it ended, but the journey to get there was a little problematic, with some issues that come across as unrealistic. I won’t list them in great detail as I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but in general terms: Death Row, Kyra (whom I loved btw) and her story arc in relation to Susan, and Susan at the schools.

In the end, I thought the story was okay. Didn’t hate it, but didn’t overly love it either.

Thank you to Matt Witten, Oceanview Publishing, and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Where are my true crime fans at? This is definitely the book for you! This book is based on a true crime which is really intriguing and definitely kept my attention!

This book is heartbreaking, an emotional read, and definitely one that makes you want to finish it in one sitting!

Susan’s life will never be the same-her seven year old daughter, Amy, is kidnapped and never seen alive again. Susan’s world is turned upside down. Amy was raped and murdered. Susan is full of rage and has a hard time moving on in life.

Fast forward 20 years and it is time for Susan to witness the execution of “the monster” who raped and murdered her precious Amy. Susan hopes this will give her some peace and closure after all of these years. The horrifying thing is that-what attracted Amy’s killer/rapist to her was seeing her from a distance wearing a necklace. A necklace that Susan helped Amy make at home. The killer took the necklace, as a trophy, hid it, and it was never found.

Susan starts to question if the man who is set to be executed for Amy’s rape and murder is actually innocent? What if she is responsible for an innocent man behind bars, and who is set to be executed? Can Susan get the answers she needs, the justice she deserves, and find the killer who took her baby from her?

The author tells this story while alternating between past and present. The story is gripping, and Susan’s character is strong and resilient- but I found myself having a difficult time connecting with her. This book started off somewhat slower but definitely picked up the pace midway through. The author did an amazing job of giving the readers the perfect amount of suspense, family drama, dysfunctional relationships, and a corrupt criminal justice system.

Trigger warnings: death of a child, rape, and execution.

▪️For fans of: True Crime and Karin Slaughter books!!

Thank you to @oceanviewpub and @netgallery for my gifted eARC!

I received this book through "NetGalley".

This is a story about a mother whose daughter was killed 20 years earlier and her journey to bring closure. The story begins with Susan and her daughter Amy buying beads so that Amy can make a necklace. As the story progresses to scene 20 years later where the town folks are giving a fund raiser for Susan so that she has enough money to go to the execution of her daughter's convicted killer. Susan leaves driving her own car, but she runs into trouble and has to wind up taking a bus. While she is at the bus station she flashes the roll of money while purchasing her ticket to North Dakota. After a while she was on the bus, she discovers her money was stolen and accuses the passengers on the bus took it. She eventually came to the conclusion that it was stolen at the bus station where she bought he ticket. As she continues on her journey she makes a stop and sees an item which has her questioning whether they convicted the right killer. Susan along with Kyra, a teenager that helped her, obtained an item which might be evidence in her daughter's case As she continues on her way to North Dakota, she remembers things that didn't seem important then, but do now.

The story also has flash backs to the events that happened 20 years earlier and how the killer was captured. Coming back to the present, she was able to convince the original arresting officer that they may have the wrong killer. As the day of the execution was going on and with time running out, a discovery was made.

To find out how this all ended and whether the right person was caught, then you must read this book. You will also see how people along the journey helped Susan out.