I wasn't a big fan of the premise because of a crime against a child and a beginning was slow for me and I was not sure if I liked the heroine. She was a bit rough on the edges. But as the story went on, it completely gripped me and didn't let me go. So to conclude, I loved this book. The heroine became more likeable as the story was unraveling itself and I very much enjoyed her road trip across America. I even wish I slowed down and I didn't rush it through in search of the answers.

Here and there the pain of the mother was a bit forced or sometimes seemed too light but that didn't spoil the story for me. I only wish that I understood better in the end what drove the killer to do this kind of crime. Pedophiles rarely kill their victims and if he was a murderer / psychopath wouldn't he have killed others, before or after? Did the police find more victims?

The ending kept me guessing on how she will prove the man to be guilty (or is he not guilty? At that point I wanted him to be guilty so badly) and I could not put it down. I highly recommend it.

Thanks NetGalley for a free copy in exchange of an honest review.

Twenty years ago, Susan's seven-year-old daughter, Amy was abducted, raped and murdered. The FBI worked hard to find the suspect and when he was convicted and sentenced to death, Susan wanted to rejoice. But now, on her way to the penitentiary to observe the lethal injection that will put an end to "the Monster", Susan starts to have doubts about the man's guilt. Barely scraping by as a waitress, Susan decides that she owes it to her ex-husband to tell him about the execution. He has moved on to a new wife and family and only has pity for his ex-wife who can't seem to shake the extreme depression she carried with her after Amy's death. It is after all, what broke up their marriage. Is Susan delusional again or does she really have proof that the man they are about to execute is innocent? And if so, who and where is the real killer? The Necklace will keep you guessing and as the pieces start to fall into place, you come to the horrific conclusion that Susan just may be right; but will she be able to convince the authorities quickly enough to stop the execution of an innocent man? A page turner until the very end.

Dnf @15%

This author's writing style was not working for me. The story didn't capture me once I started reading, the premise was very intriguing, however the execution was a fail. The story felt like I was being told everything rather than being shown. Overall, not impressed.

A huge thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The Necklace is a riveting, page-turning thriller, but a difficult read. The language and descriptions of the crime, per the testimony and confession of the man convicted of the deeds, are graphic and disturbing. There is also a very disturbing tour of the prison and death row, and a detailed explanation of the Execution procedures. I liked very few of the characters in this novel, the bereaved mother not being one of them. She was just too hard to like. It is, however, realistic that her bitterness would have shrunken her heart and made her behavior, at times, prickly and coarse. This book has several surprising twists and a suspenseful cliffhanger ending, that is not resolved until practically the last page of the novel. The epilogue was not necessary, but I did enjoy another opportunity to cheer for one particular young character, who went out on a limb for Susan.

Susan Lentigo is in a holding pattern for the past twenty years. For twenty years she waited for justice and the death of her young daughter’s murderer. The first year after Amy’s death, Susan wanted answers. Why did this man take her daughter? Understandably, she was filled with anger. Guilty was the only verdict she wanted to hear. Death was the only sentence she could accept. Her pain tore her marriage apart. Now twenty years later she is on a trip from New York to North Dakota to see this horrible person put to death. Her baby will have her justice and hopefully, Susan can more on.

Susan is a waitress at the local diner still driving her twenty-year-old car. Basically, she lives paycheck to paycheck, but as often happens in small towns, the community gets together to raise money for her trip to North Dakota. The murder of little Amy Lentigo hit them all. Problems start almost from the time she sets off on her journey. Her old car gives up the ghost and Susan must decide between using all her money to take a plane or get the Greyhound. Greyhound is the more cost-effective options, but it will be tight making it to the prison on time. Bus stations aren’t the safest places for a woman traveling alone.

The concept of The Necklace is very good. I was moved by the plight of this woman who loses everything important to her. Her daughter is brutally murdered. As often happens in cases like this, there is a lot of blame thrown around, which takes a toll on her marriage. It is very easy for the reader to feel Susan’s struggle, pain, and grief.

The author uses flashbacks to take the reader from the present-day journey to North Dakota back to the events that lead up to the murder. I’m not a big fan of flashbacks in general. I found myself skimming when I came to these sections. They seemed to slow down the pace, even though the information is important to the overall story. The twist was a surprise. Overall, I was captivated by the story and the characters. I wanted a little more in the epilogue. I’m sure that is the romantic in me. The Necklace is a good look at the justice system. I think you should give this one a try.

#netgalley #thenecklace

What I Didn’t Like:
-Formatting needs work. This is an ARC so it may get fixed but right now sentences cut in weird spots, chapters start mid-page, and the indentations are a mess.
-Spelling and grammar errors. Again, I’m working from an ARC so some of this may be caught and fixed but there are quite a few. They range from simple spelling mistakes all the way up to a change from 3rd person to 1st person in one spot.
-Some of the twists feel like a convenient stretch. Not a deal breaker, but an annoyance for me when I read mystery/thrillers.

What I Did Like:
-Premise drew me right in. The two timelines in the beginning are dancing closer and closer to a main event, which is always great. The book feels like it’s holding secrets and inching you closer and closer to them.
-Mystery holds my attention. I reached about the 65% mark and just knew I was going to have to sit there and finish it. I was totally engrossed and just had to know!
-Twists I wasn’t expecting. Even when they’re small twists I love to be surprised!

Who Should Read This One:
-Mystery/Thriller fans who like a who-done-it with high stakes.

My Rating: 4 Stars. This is a thriller that will please fans of the genre!

I'm a sucker for a strong female lead and that's exactly what we have here!! A well writen story with a solid pace! The description of the crime was a it difficult to read, but it had me flipping pages to find out what happens next!

Content warning: Child murder; sexual assault of child; mentions of pedophilia; domestic violence;

She knew the psychiatrists and nurses meant well, but she was grieving...How could talking help her? They diagnose her with acute depression and prescribed Prozac, but she thought that was just stupid. There’s nothing wrong with me except my babies keep dying. A thousand Prozac pills won’t cure that. If I want to try and forget my pain, I’ll just drink Jack Daniels.

This book was a hard read. I don’t have children, but I can’t imagine being a parent and reading this - it’s got to be terrifying! Based on the synopsis, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what would happen and what was going on, but there were so many surprises. We meet Susan’s daughter Amy right away and knowing what’s coming just makes the sweet moments they share so much harder to read. The book jumps from there to twenty years later (present day) when Susan is attending a fundraiser for her benefit - townspeople are raising money for her so that she can make a road trip to North Dakota to see the man convicted of killing her daughter put to death.

Everything goes according to plan until she hits the road and then all hell breaks loose. Her car dies on her completely and the only money she has are the funds given to her by the townspeople. She can’t afford to get it fixed and continue on her way, and nothing is going to stop her from getting to North Dakota. Thus begins so many bus rides I lost count of all the changes she had to make, and incident after incident showing both the good and bad that we all encounter with strangers. On the one hand, Susan has some seriously terrible luck, but on the other, she meets truly kind people that help her out however they can. There are some sweet fellow passengers and even some workers she encounters that recognize she’s having a tough time and do what they can. It’s refreshing to see, especially when in the real world we probably routinely lose faith in humanity every day. Or maybe that’s just me.

This book legit kept me on the edge of my seat and was such a nail-biter. It gave me such anxiety, I had to stop reading before bed. But Witten is so great at telling this story - he makes Susan sympathetic as well as understandable. He doesn’t go into explicit detail about what happened to Amy - just enough for us to get the gist. And the pedophilia moments aren’t necessarily blatant - just things that make your skin crawl and make things feel off. And he knows how to take the story down to the absolute wire. The huge climax happens in the span of about three minutes in the story, and it ratchets up the anxiety just waiting to see what’s going to happen. It’s so unnerving, but such a good book. I’d absolutely recommend to anyone who loves a good thriller, but also caution parents that it’s likely to be an even harder read for them.

I really enjoyed The Necklace by Witten. Susan is a relatable protagonist who is easy to empathize with. You want her to get justice for the brutal rape and murder of her daughter Amy 20 years ago. This book did have some graphic descriptions of the murder as well as executions, so that may be a trigger for some readers.
I liked how the book had flashback scenes related to the time of the murder as well as the present as Susan tries to make it to South Dakota to witness the execution. But is the right man being executed?
A fast-paced thriller that I would recommend.

I really liked this book. I love crime shows. Love to think of the possibility and the fact that I had deja vu for half the book was actually pretty crazy and I love it. For me it was a pretty slow and it took me some time to get in to it. but I would say it was completely worth it.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Necklace, prior to its release date. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and it was a very easy read that had great chapter flow!

Susan's daughter Amy was murdered 20 years ago, Susan has been planning to be at the execution for the man responsible for her daughters murder. Since the murder Susan has struggled to get by , she has not had her closure she needs and after friends helped get her the money to travel to the execution, Susan is on her way.

And of course, what is a story without some challenges? Susan's car breaks down early in her travels and has to continue the rest of her trip on multiple buses. Along the way Susan receives some information that provides doubt in her head for who is really responsible for the murder of her daughter??

This story will keep you guessing, it had a few surprises and an ending that came full circle. I would recommend this novel to friends and family!

I'm not sure you need me or anyone else to tell you how good this is since no less than Leonardo DiCaprio optioned the rights to it, but yes, it's that good. A great set up, high stakes, a ticking clock, and great characters. So if you don't trust Leo, trust me.

Title: The Necklace
Author: Matt Witten
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🔊Song Pairing: Starts With Goodbye - Carrie Underwood

💭What I thought would happen:

Based on the cover I knew it was going to be something sick and twisted. A missing or murdered child. Tragic regardless of the outcome.

📖What actually happens:

The book flips back and forth between when the murder of 7 yo Amy happened and 20 years later when the execution of her murderer is about to take place.

Susan, Amy’s mother, is on a road trip from the east coast to North Dakota to finish what she started, to watch the man who raped and murdered her daughter die. Susan pushed for the death penalty.

Along the way, Susan finds herself in a conflicting position, there is a deep sinking feeling within her that the man who is about to die was wrongfully convicted.

🗯Thoughts:

This book is devastatingly twisted. It was a near 5⭐️ read. It was exciting from the very beginning until the last page. The ending was exceptional!

The characters had such vivid personalities, it didn’t feel like I was reading a work of fiction. That being said, within the Author’s Notes, the inspiration for this book came from a murder and rape of a young girl and how the mother of the said child was raising money to travel across the country to watch the execution of the murder.

The external demise of Susan throughout the few days on her journey I found was excellent symbolism as her internal battle of doubt starts to surface.

This book had me feeling ill because it took a fear that everyone has, the loss of a child in the most brutal way imaginable. Not that I am a parent but my future children will be tethered to me (we’ll let Freud dabble with that one).

If you like thrillers and think you have the stomach for such a tragedy, I highly recommend this well-written novel.

The Necklace is a highly addictive and entertaining race against time to save a possibly innocent man from execution and put the real killer of a young girl behind bars.

Susan sets off on a road trip to attend the execution of the man who killed her daughter...however through a series of events and Susan's own memory she begins to believe the monster she has hated for years may not be a monster at all..

I really enjoyed this. It's not too deep but it is extremely entertaining to read. You get behind Susan and her quest for real justice in the death of her daughter and the author keeps you involved through a series of twists and turns until the truth is finally revealed.

A certain suspension of disbelief is required if, like me, you watch a lot of true crime and understand just how difficult it is to challenge a death row case but this is fiction and The Necklace is a pacy, intriguing novel that I enjoyed very much.

This is a difficult read about child abduction and murder.

Susan Lentigo and her 7 year old daughter are incredible close, so, when she is murdered, Susan's world falls apart and 20 years on she's about to see the man convicted of the murder be executed. To do so has required the whole town coming together in order to help fund the trip. But then, as the story progresses and as Susan travels to the execution, she begins to have doubts about the verdict.

I'm afraid I found the writing to be quite stilted and the subject matter a difficult one. However, it does move in pace both backwards and forwards between 20 years ago and present day and the acknowledgements from the author at the end are interesting.

It's not that I didn't like it (1* review) but just found it to be a 2* OK read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

It's about Susan in 2 different times of her life : 20 years ago when her only daughter was murdered and present day, while she is traveling to the murderer's execution. It's a ride - and quite satisfying at the end.
For fans of James Patterson

This book didnt seem to be of any interest until the 25% ? mark, but i chose this over all of my current reads and thoroughly enjoyed it. i did not expect the plot twist at all. sensitive topics like rape of a child, murder, and others are discussed pretty in depth, though, so if you are wary of topics like that, i would avoid this book.

overall, a 4 star read for me. very engaging after the start! i felt like the writing got better as the story went on.

What an emotionally involved story! The tenacity of our main character to keep going despite the devastating life events she lived through is astounding and inspiring. I really enjoyed following along with her journey for justice and, ultimately, the truth.

An interesting, fun mystery. This kept me on the edge of my seat the entire novel. I had a blast reading this one, and I will definitely be passing this on to friends and family.

Twenty years ago in upstate New York Susan suffered the worst nightmare any mother can ever face. Her young daughter Amy disappears from school when a mix up over who is picking her up leaves no one actually doing it. After a frantic search that involves the entire town, police and the FBI find Amy. Sadly she had been raped and strangled and her child’s necklace is missing. After looking at Susan’s mothers man friends a man is convicted of this terrible crime. His name is Curt Jansen. He confesses and the death penalty is pronounced on him and he is in death row for twenty years.
Seeing the execution of Jansen is the only way Susan can cope with what has happened to her daughter. Her husband has moved away and remarried so Susan bears it all alone it is her burning ambition to be at the execution in North Dakota. The local population and her friends and family raise the money for her to get there.
The problems start on the jouney.Her car is so badly damaged on the way. Susan struggles on hitching lifts and meeting people on the way including Robert .Robert a retired policeman who helps her through right to the point of execution but Susan begins to have doubts about the verdict and she and Robert begin an investigation of their own. Time is running out for both Curt and for them to get the right answer. In the end it all hinges on Emily’s necklace
This is an exciting and also emotionally draining read. It is a thriller but there is honesty and forgiveness there as well.