What a crazy engaging read! It was so hard to put this book down- The story started with a bang and just kept going!

This was a heartbreaking yet simple read, exploring family dynamics, dark topics, execution, and finding oneself even in difficult times.

There was so much to like about this one! I could easily emphasize with the main character, Susan, and truly understand her struggles and her pains as every obstacle thrown in her path prevents her from learning the truth. I love how strong and resilient our MC remains even in harsh circumstances, always aiming to look forward and do the right thing. There was no break in this book, neither for us nor the MC, and twists and jumps just keep coming! I was stuck to this book until the very end, dying to know the final outcome!

Though this book does keep us very hooked throughout, I do wish we explored more possibilities to create a greater sense of suspense. Maybe introduce some form of unreliability for our main character? Or more suspects? The story already did a great job effectively executing (see what I did there- I am so sorry) numerous mystery elements, keeping us on our toes throughout, but I do wish there was more! Even then, the constant switching from suspect to suspect, the uncertainty that comes with memory and tragic events, and the jumps from the past to the present kept me completely gripped by the story. The initial switching from past to present also brought more suspense to the story, really sticking to the whole “show, not tell” idea. The snippets of the past were insightful and very significant to the rest of the story, further adding to the layering of the characters and plot.

This book simultaneously restored and destroyed my faith in humans (yay for genuinely helpful, compassionate characters!) the side characters each have their unique auras and bring so much more depth into the story, allowing more variation and layers in the plot. I loved many of these side characters, and am so happy to see their consistent support and encouragement towards Susan. And then Susan! We see our main character grow and open herself up more to the world and be willing to take on new perspectives and become stronger overall.

In all honesty, I didn’t completely understand what the resolution and the final tipping point that showed us the whodunit was about, though the book ties itself up pretty nicely! I did expect the story to go in different directions at first, but the ending is much more satisfying and simple to understand and follow along with.

Some final words: The subject matter is definitely dark and concerning, so proceed with caution. Otherwise, this is a solid mystery/thriller read! I would definitely recommend this for a fast, engaging read and those looking for a satisfying resolution.

Thank you to NetGallery, Oceanview Publishing, and Matt Witten for a copy of this incredible book!

Loved this book...kept me guessing til the end, I speed read it in 3 days! Very good read and great story of a Mom seeking justice for her little girl, and the lengths she'll go to and sacrifices she will make to get it. Looking forward to reading more titles from this author

Oh. My. Goodness! I was immediately pulled into the story by the excellent writing - which is crisp and No Holds Barred. When I realized the age and circumstances of the death of the child in the story, frankly I almost put the book down. I have a seven-year-old daughter, and there were times when reading this book was incredibly difficult. But I am so glad I persevered...

Witten has done a phenomenal job with this novel. He raises issues of guilt and innocence and trust and loss in a way that is thought-provoking and bald-faced without ever feeling voyeuristic or antagonistic. I found the story arc to be well-paced and plotted and his characters to be fully human - for good and for ill.

Despite the horrific nature of the crime underlying the story, I found this to be a thoroughly engaging novel that I simply couldn't put down - I read it in a day!

3.5 stars. This was an interesting read and kept me engaged for most of the book. I liked the plot as well as the settings in the Adirondacks and western NY. However, I found it difficult, at times, to relate to the main character, Susan. While I deeply sympathized with her tragedy and admired her resourcefulness after the loss of her money, I thought some of her actions, reactions and language were over the top and jarring.

I was glad to have the opportunity to read this book, having read Matt Witten's Jacob Burns series. Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

I absolutely loved this book. It had me hooked from page 1 through the entire story. I rarely give 5 star ratings but this book surely deserves it. I will recommend to friends and family.

When Susan's 7 year old daughter was murdered twenty years ago she has counted down the days to see the man responsible put to death.
Living in a small town with only a waitress job for income the whole town rallied round and found the money for her to drive from Upstate New York to North Dakota to witness the execution.
Along the way Susan has a life changing experience and begins to doubt that the man who is about to be executed really is the killer can she convince the retired lead detective to look into her daughter's case again before the day of execution?

I finished this in a day!

Although I figured out some of it before everything unfolded, I really enjoyed everything that led up to the end. Reading it was difficult at times because of the content - especially as a mother. I really enjoyed the characters and the pace. I was able to maintain interest throughout the story. I generally find myself annoyed when there is a male author writing a female main character but I didn't once stop and think "What a man thing to say."

Looking into reading more from Matt Witten!

Thank you to Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing for the opportunity to read this!!

Overall, I liked a lot of things about this book. The characters were well developed and likeable, the plot was fast paced and intriguing, and it was well written for the most part. However, there were a few things that bothered me, like how Marla and Sophie were never mentioned again after that one scene and how disappointingly predictable the “plot twists” were. Definitely recommend this if you want a quick, easy thriller but don’t expect to be totally shocked by the outcome.

My final rating: 3.5 stars

Loved this book. The main character is beautifully drawn, and very sympathetic. As a reader, you follow her through her journey in this book, right up to the stunning climax. The writing is very cinematic, and I would love to see a film based on this book. Highly recommended.

Susan Lentigo’s daughter was murdered twenty years ago—and now,she sets out on a road trip all the way from New York to North Dakota to witness the killer’s execution.

On her journey she discovers shocking new evidence that leads her to suspect the condemned man is innocent—and the real killer is still free. Even worse, her prime suspect has a young daughter who’s at terrible risk. With no money and no time to spare, Susan sets out to uncover the truth before an innocent man gets executed and another little girl is killed.

But the FBI refuses to reopen the case. With the help of two unlikely allies—a cynical, defiant teenage girl and the retired cop who made the original arrest—Susan battles the FBI to put the real killer behind bars. Will she win justice for the condemned man—and her daughter—at last?

Mostly enjoyed this book, but all Susan's woes on the way to North Dakota got a little tiresome. Lots of f-bombs in the book which in many cases I felt were unnecessary. By and large kept my interest and was a good read.

Thank you Net Galley for the free book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I really enjoyed this book, it was action packed and had a lot of twists and turns right up to the last page!
The story centers around Susan whose 7 year daughter was killed 20 years ago, and she is planning her trip to view the execution of the convicted murderer. Events happen that make her think perhaps the person about to be executed did not kill her daughter. So many things happen to Susan on this journey, you really feel for her and admire her resilience. Loved that just when you thought you had it sorted out, something else made you have to rethink that.

The writing is a classic example of the opposite of “show don’t tell.” Rather than describe anything the author just states that someone is mad, sad, confused, tired. The vocabulary is painfully basic. The entire story is lengthened by absurd circumstances rather than plot. The only good thing about the whole book is Kyra. She’s not entirely believable, but she’s the closest thing in this book. The plot is thin, the characters are boilerplate, the dialog is wooden.

This book is difficult for the subject matter involved- assault and murder of a child. That alone was almost enough to make me not read, but the author did a great job of capturing the mother’s anger and grief, and keep me engaged and invested as the reader in finding out what the truth behind the awful past actually was.

If someone can handle the content/ genre of this story, then the is a quick read that’s I’d recommend.

I liked this book and had no problem flying through it. It was a bit predictable and some of the writing could have been better. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

Susan Lentigo has been waiting for the day when she can travel to South Dakota and watch the man who raped and murdered her daughter finally be executed. The story opens on a gathering of townspeople who are donating to help Susan travel to South Dakota where the man she thinks of as simply “ The Monster” has been imprisoned while he filed his appeals. A last minute stop has Susan questioning whether the wrong man was convicted and last minute investigations to be sure the right person is brought to justice.
This story drew you in from the very first page and although there are details which would not hold up IRL, it does not detract from the enjoyment of this fast paced, throughly enjoyable story.
In an interesting side note the author mentions at the end that he learned of a case after he had written the book in which a victims mother spent years proving the innocence of the person convicted of her daughters murder.
This is an author to watch. “ The Necklace” will be released September 21,3021. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Matt Witten did a good job on this unusual book about a mother's road trip to the execution of her young daughter's convicted rapist and murderer. I believed the mother's sorrow, rage, and purpose. I believed the less than prosperous and stunted life she was living in a small town in the Adirondacks region of New York State. I also was interested in her journey both literally as it descended into several foreseeable mishaps and then mentally as she struggled mostly with the idea that for twenty years she may have been blaming the wrong man for her daughter's death. Some of the secondary characters were especially likable -- Kyra and Agent Pappas in particular. Some characters seemed accurately portrayed as crass or creepy or just ultimately unlikable. I had some trouble getting into this book. It is a difficult story to digest because of the subject matter and often I felt the anger portrayed by some characters descended into an acute lowbrow fury that was easy to believe and understand as righteous but hard to take. It's difficult to pull away from this book and call it a work that was more entertaining than dispiriting. Despite that feeling I can say "The Necklace" was a true and absorbing mystery which led the reader to an intense and exciting conclusion. #netgalley #TheNecklace

This book was all would hope to find in a mystery/triller! I loved the story and how it was layed out From jumping from the past event to the present day. The main character was very well planned out and I felt like I could somewhat relate to her. The story also had me guessing at every turn at who done it! Recommend this book 100%!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy for an honest review!

Easy read with lots of action. I felt for Susan, things didn't go well for her in her travels. FBI Special Agent Pappas was really a great advocate for her. And where's a friend when you need one, Kyra to the rescue! This is a who dunit book with lots of WOW factor. Nice job, Matt Witten. Thanks for a great read Net Galley.

The journey of a mother on her way to watch the execution of her young daughters murderer is hard to read but worth every minute. This is such a compelling story about one woman's journey for justice and to find the truth.

I got this Arc from NetGalley I gave this 4 stars I like the concept of the book. And I liked the writing style of the Author. This book just wasn’t my cup of tea, it was kind of slow for me.