No parent should ever have to bury their child. It’s unnatural and against the regular order of things. And ss a parent, I can confirm this is our worst nightmare. All you want to do is keep your kids safe and watch them grow up to lead fruitful, successful lives. Well, The Necklace takes the unholy nightmare of losing your child and multiplies it by a factor of 10. Thanks a lot Matt Witten. How am I supposed to let my kids out of my sight ever again after reading this book?

The story follows Susan Lentigo in present day as she travels to North Dakota to witness the execution of the man convicted of raping and killing her seven-year-old daughter Amy. Throughout her travels, she flashes back to events 20 years ago surrounding this heinous crime that forever altered her reality. Along the way, she starts to question the convicted murderer’s guilt and suspects someone else is getting away with defiling and killing her daughter. Susan digs down deep to find the strength to seek the truth and will stop at nothing to ensure justice is properly done for Amy.

What makes The Necklace so powerful, beyond the nightmare fuel of losing your child, is how the emotions ooze off the page and burrow into your brain. You easily feel Susan’s depression, despair and desperation. She’s never fully recovered from Amy’s death and how her life has fallen apart since, nor can you blame her. She’s got no money to her name and clings to the hope that watching the execution will finally allow her to move on, though you doubt that’s going to do it. And when she starts to think things aren’t as they seem, she is willing to leave rational thought at the side of the road to do anything and everything, no matter how distasteful you might find her actions, to determine if the right person is on death row.

If you like character-driven stories that provide an emotional experience, The Necklace is for you. However, if you’re a parent be warned. You’ll be faced with the fear of losing your kids and thinking about what you would do in Susan’s situation. But then realize its fiction, give thanks that you’re not in that position and give your kids a huge hug.

What an entertaining book. I loved our waitress and the gumption she showed in completing her mission. The trials and tribulations she faced would set everyone of us into a downward spiral.
It was entertaining and inspiring both for the main character but show s that most people are caring. Strangers do most of the time live up to helping a fellow man.

Wow, such a good thriller!

If you like fast paced actions, flashbacks and events that will surprised you, this is the one

Good job, Matt!

Whilst I figured out where the story was going pretty early into the book it still held my attention all the way through. The story takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions alongside the mother of a 7 year old girl who was murdered. I liked that the story flipped between 2 timelines, the timeline of the Murder and 20 years later.

Trigger warning: child murder, execution details, rape

Loved the complexity of the main character. I am a big fan of books that jump back and forth in the timeline so this was a real pleasure to read! What a great story

3.5 A struggling waitress is attending the execution of the man who assaulted and murdered her 7-year-old daughter, 20 years ago. He kept the necklace as a souvenir..... I thought this was really well written. I felt Susan's pain throughout the whole book. As she makes her way to North Dakota, which is truly a trek, she figures out that the person getting executed may not be the killer. I thought the ending, although satisfying, was kind of predictable, and that's why I didn't give it a higher score.

Thank you so much to #Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing for this Advanced Reader's Copy for an honest review.

Sorry-this one did not work for me AT ALL.

Susan Lentigo and her (very self aware 🙄) SEVEN year old daughter Amy made a beaded necklace together the week that she disappeared. And, she cannot help but recall one of their last conversations...

“I am never gonna take this necklace off, Amy said rubbing her dolphin bead. Never.”
Susan smiled, Even when you take a bath?
“Nope”
“Even when you go to sleep?”
Amy gave her head a vigorous shake. “Nope. Not even when I die.”

Fast forward, twenty years.

The town has gathered for a fundraiser, so that Susan can attend the execution of the condemned man.
Everyone is in attendance WEEPING, including three childhood friends of Amy’s. 😳

😳 Yeah-a lot felt unrealistic.

As Susan makes her journey, she will begin to have doubts about the “killer’s” guilt-as new evidence is discovered.
She will pursue justice with two unlikely allies.

The story will flip between PAST and PRESENT until the resolution.

Although this sounded intriguing, I found that the author TELLS the story instead of showing it.
And, the dialogue is stilted and FILLED with vulgarity.

Pretty EASY to see where this one was going, too.

Although inspired by a blend of two true crimes-this one just didn’t come to life for me. 😕

Triggers: Child Assault and Death Penalty/execution details

Many other reviewers have enjoyed this, so read a sample of reviews to decide if this one is for you!
Available September 7, 2021 from Oceanview Publishing.
Thank You for my gifted copy in exchange for a candid review!

I’ve had this on my Kindle TBR list for a while now; started it yesterday and finished it today.

A fascinating read and one that should change perceptions of the death penalty issue. It’s not really a thriller but it thrills like nothing I’ve read for a long time.

Susan’s journey through the America we don’t see too often and the characters both at hone and those she meets on the journey are again rarely seen and a long way grin from the more usual glamour of thrillers.

The conclusion is not particularly a surprise but I didn’t feel in any way let down by the denouement.

My ‘best book of the year’ to date and I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Wow! This has to be one of the best mysteries ive ever read! The detailing was phenomenal, the words so descriptive that i felt like i was watching a movie.
The story is about Susan and her daughter Amy who was tragically murdered 20 years ago. Susan is traveling to North Dakota to watch the man who confessed to the rape and murder finally be put to death. Susan embarks on this trip and faces many difficulties and struggles. She decides to see her ex husband danny only to realise that he has completely moved on and replaced his daughter with two more children. His new daughter Emily happens to have the same exact necklace that went missing when Amy was murdered. Susan then begins to rethink everything she ever knew about Danny and wonders if the right man is facing the death penalty.

Without spoilers, The Necklace centres around Susan Lentigo, a mother whose daughter was killed twenty years ago. As she makes her way to the execution of the person convicted for killing her daughter, she begins to doubt that they have the right man. Susan must then fight (with few allies and few resources) to uncover the truth.

This book gripped me. I read 75% of it in one sitting. I had to know what would happen next – I couldn’t put it down. The author did a good job of switching from past POV to the present POV to unearth more and more information. The book was fast paced and I thought it did a decent job exploring grief of dealing with a violent crime. Overall, I would recommend this book if you are looking for an exciting thriller. It will definitely keep you on your toes.

Thank you Net Galley and Oceanview Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 4.5/5 stars rounded up to 5 stars for me.

Thanks #netgallery. I loved this book. The main character is complex. I enjoyed the switch between present and the past. So glad that I was able to read this early.

Susan Lentigo and her seven-year old daughter, Amy, are driving home to Glens Falls, New York, in Susan’s Dodge Dart. They stop at Baskin Robbins for sloppy ice cream cones after buying beads in the shop next door. Amy chose a hundred beads to make a necklace like her friend has. She chose a purple dolphin and a pink duck, and other colorful beads, which she strings for a necklace with Susan’s help. Not long afterwards, Susan has promised to take over a shift at Molly’s Diner, where she works. Her husband, Danny, who is a realtor, tells her that he has an important house-showing and he won’t be able to pick up Amy from school. Susan calls her flighty mother, Lenora, against her better judgment since Amy claims that one of Lenora’s boyfriends made her “uncomfortable”, touching her cheek and calling her pretty baby. (OK, my skin is crawling, how about yours?) Lenora is angry that Susan called her out on this and asked her to keep the BF away from her daughter, but she agrees to pick up Amy anyway.

Did I say that Lenora was flighty? Well, on the day Lenora agreed to pick up Amy, she calls Susan at home and leaves a message on her answering machine, saying that she forgot she has plans and she won’t be able to pick up Amy from school, after-all. Susan never got the message and Lenora never checked to make sure her message was received. Amy was never again seen alive.

Twenty years later, Susan is in the same broken-down Dodge Dart, held together with spit and glue, heading to a Federal Penitentiary in North Dakota to witness the Execution of the man convicted of raping and murdering her daughter. She is still working at Molly’s diner (now run by her daughter). The night before her trip the entire town showed up at the local Crow Bar, to pass the hat around. It was Amy Lentigo Night, where the revenue from all the food and drinks was devoted to contributing toward Susan’s trip to ND. Danny is no longer in the picture. He and Susan divorced a year after Amy disappeared. Danny was not much of a success when he was married to Susan, but he moved to another town and developed a successful realty company. He is now remarried and has two children. Susan was physiologically unable to bear more children after she had Amy, and she was decidedly bitter at how easily Danny could move on and forget his daughter. The couple were no longer in touch, but Susan had tried calling on several occasions, and again before the Execution, to see if he would be there. Danny ignored her calls, for the most part, claiming he had moved on.

Susan cannot get a break. Despite the whole town showing up and contributing hard cash for her journey, her car dies shortly after starting out, she can barely scrape together the money to purchase a bus ticket to take the 1500 mile, four-day bus ride to North Dakota. Before she even boards the bus, she is robbed and is left with only spare change and a bag full of snacks that she packed for the ride up. The bus makes a stop in Tamarack and Susan sees a storefront window of Tamarack Realty with a large photo of Danny in the window. She disembarks and decides to catch the next bus out on her pre-purchased route, the next morning. When she goes to his office, she is not warmly received and she makes a shocking discovery that will rock her and radically alters the way she reacts for the rest of the novel (no spoilers here, you will have to read the book).

The Necklace is a riveting, page-flipping thriller, but a difficult read. The language and descriptions of the crime, as set forth in 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 like very few of the characters in this novel, the bereaved mother not being one of them. 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.

Thank you NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this excellent book by Matt Witten.

I will unfortunately not be recommending this book as I felt the dialogue was very simple, sounding like something a very young person would write.

Susan's daughter was killed 20 years ago and she travels to watch her daughter's murderer be executed. But she runs across evidence that the wrong person is imprisoned and the real murderer is free and planning to kill again. She races against time and battles authorities who do not believe her and believe she is in the middle of a breakdown. Can Susan right the wrong before the execution and stop another child from being killed?

This is the first book I’ve read by Witten and he writes one heck of an at the edge your seat, nail biting thriller! It doesn’t take the reader anytime at all to be completely absorbed in the story. His protagonist Susan Lentigo is one that we can all admire and cheer for. She is a complex woman but there is no doubt, she will fight for justice and do the right think no matter what. She has been dealt a terrible hand of cards and losing her daughter to rap and murder is something no parent should ever endure. That was heart breaking to read about and at first, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to read the story but felt I must. I’m so glad I did because the story also focuses on executions of murderers. Needless to say, no one in this story has a problem with executing a person who murders children.

I must caution you; the story might be too sensitive of a subject to some readers and there is profanity throughout the book. Other than that, this is a well written, fleshed out thriller.
Stephanie Hopkins

I really enjoyed Matt Witten's Jacob Burns series. I remember buying his first book, Breakfast at Madeline's, when it came out back in the late 90s. So I had to give this one a try, but unfortunately I just didn't find it as appealing as his other books.

*I received this complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*

This review may contain spoilers.

The Necklace is an innovative crime/thriller that alternates between timelines. It follows the journey of Susan whose daughter, Amy, was raped and murdered. Twenty years later, Susan is journeying across country to witness the execution of ‘The Monster’ (aka Curt) who was convicted of Amy’s murder. Broke and have been robbed of her funds, Susan must rely on her wits to survive the journey. However, along the way and through a twist of fate, she starts to re-consider who is responsible for Amy’s murder. The narrative switches between the initial investigation and trial, and twenty years later in the present.

This was an enjoyable read and switching between past and present is something I particularly enjoy, although may not be to everyone’s tastes. The Necklace predominantly is a ‘journey’ book, but also incorporates the traditional elements of crime fiction. At times the plot did have it holes and was predictable, but I certainly enjoyed the plot twists and little nuggets of clues that Witten tried to incorporate in the story line. I did feel the ending was a little too rushed and wrapped up too nicely. However, it was an enjoyable and quick read.

This story intrigued me-is the man convicted and sentenced to die for killing little Amy really do it? Mom Susan will do anything to find out. The story had me from the beginning and I found myself completing the book in about 2 days because I was dying to get to the end. I will warn you that there is some cursing and some of it was a little hard to read but it’s worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this ARC.

I have a few gripes about this book, but overall The Necklace is a whole lot of fun! It was quick to read, because I was so invested in the plot and wanting to know what was going to happen. I didn't really care for Susan as a character, I felt she was pretty flighty and jumped to conclusions very passionately with little evidence. However, she was fleshed out and believable.

The biggest issue I had with this book was the pacing. We started pretty slow, with the known twist (that she doesn't think the man about to die for her daughters murder is guilty) not happening until about 40% through the story. The ending on the other hand happened extremely quickly, and I felt could have used some more page time. The ending felt unbelievable and then too much of a 'happy ending'

With an extra dose of suspended reality, this is a fun thriller.

What a brilliant book this is - a fast-paced and well written thriller that flows well and builds the suspense chapter after chapter. I found Susan to be a strong and likeable character, and her story kept me on tender-hooks all the way through. It starts off in Susan’s home town, where friends in her community fundraise for her to be able to go and watch the execution of the man who has been in prison for 20 years for killing her daughter. It then moves on the road as she sets off on a long journey across several states in her car to watch the man who murdered her daughter be executed. Lots of events occur on her trip including a robbery of all her money and a meeting with her someone from her past. She meets people along the way who give her a helping hand, including a young girl called Kyra and a retired FBI agent.  She works hard to make herself heard and get someone in the justice system to listen to her thoughts and her concerns that they have got the wrong man. I read this over two days and couldn’t put it down.

Publication date is 7th September 2021.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for a free electronic review copy