I had a hard time sticking with The Necklace. It just did not hold my attention as much as I anticipated it to.

Interesting story but the narration kinda felt flat. Some potholes which made it difficult to empathize and characters were hard to relate.. Had to DNF..

The Necklace by Matt Witten is definitely a page turner. I found myself staying up late to see what would happen next. There were some unexpected twists and turns. Characters were well developed and engaging. Two thumbs up!

⭐⭐⭐💫 (rounding up to 4 for ratings)

#TheNecklace
#mattwitten
#suspense

Susan was heading across the country to finally see the execution of her daughter's murderer. Or was she? Did The Monster do it? Or did someone else? She could not move on in the past 20 years like her ex husband managed to.

With the timelines, Witten has the reader try to figure out just who did killer her 7 year old daughter. One timeline was of course at the time of the murder. The other is Susan trying to make her way to the execution 2000 miles away. Can she figure it out on time? She only has less than a week by the time she realizes something is off.

I only gave it a 3.5 bc I felt like something was missing. And then the way the ending went, it was kind of sudden. But I did round up bc it was a well told story and I'd like to try another book by this author, given the chance.

#mystery
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Susan Lentigo's daughter was murdered twenty years ago and now the killer is facing his execution in North Dakota. Along the way, she discovers she may have been wrong about the killer, and the real killer is still out there. Her daughter was killed while wearing a necklace that they made together. On her way to North Dakota, she stops into the town where her ex husband has been living his new life. While there, she sees a picture of his daughter wearing a necklace identical to the one their daughter was wearing. How did he get the necklace, unless the wrong man has been convicted? As she is trying to contact the FBI agent that was on the case, she gets help from a teenager in town. When she finally gets ahold of the FBI agent, will he believe her and help her before the wrong man is executed or another little girl is killed? A fast page turner with many twists and turns.

The Necklace is perfect for fans of Mare of Easttown and Leonardo DiCaprio movies- so basically everyone.
I'm grateful for Oceanview Publishing, NetGalley for providing me with this digital ARC, and of course Witten for writing such a heartfelt yet thrilling book.
Love to the Amy's and Susans of the world.
Congrats on the film option!

I was intrigued by the summary of this new release by Matt Witten. It took a little time for me to get involved in the storyline as it moved between the past and present. Susan Lentigo is trying to get to North Dakota to witness the execution of the man who was found guilty, twenty years ago, of the rape and murder of her young daughter, Amy. Everything seems to go wrong on her trip, the car breaks down, her money is stolen, etc., but she is determined to see the killer pay, with his life, for what he did. On the way there, she reflects on her daughter’s short life and slowly she questions aspects of the case and whether the wrong man may be executed. Seeking help from a teen and the special agent who originally worked the case, she struggles to get authorities to listen to her beliefs about the necklace, Amy’s necklace, which was never found. Will she finally get justice for Amy? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

The Necklace is the perfect read for these cool fall nights. It is suspenseful, dark, and fast paced which is exactly the type of book I want to delve into as I'm drawn deeper and deeper into the plot with each turn of the page.

Susan Lentigo's daughter was murdered twenty years ago, and her life has pretty much been stuck in a holding pattern ever since that time. Now she is on her way to the execution of her daughter's murderer and hopefully opening a new chapter of her life now that her daughter Amy will have justice. During her road trip from New York to the North Dakota, Susan unexpectedly uncovers new information that draws into question whether or not the right person has been convicted for Amy's death. Can Susan determine if the Monster awaiting his execution is the person responsible for Amy's death or is another Monster out there just waiting for his next victim?

As I was reading this novel, I was already visualizing which actors would play the various characters in the story, so it's no surprise that this novel has already been optioned for a film with Leonardo DiCaprio directing. The characters are so vivid, both flawed and genuine at the same time. The story is gripping and the switch back and forth from the time of the crime to present day, keeps you on the edge of your seat.

If you are looking for a solid murder/mystery novel, then The Necklace fits the bill. I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Necklace is a sad tale about the kidnapping and murder of a 7-year old girl. It's difficult to read for that reason, but more so because the girl's mother suffers severe trauma afterwards that continues for 20 years. The convicted killer is finally set to be executed and Susan, the mother is still not sure that the right man is being executed. She's hard to warm up to, but the tragic tale is well told.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Is there such a thing as a speed thriller? Where the MC has to race against time as the main conflict? The whodunnit is never really the question (we're given two possible people and it's clear we're supposed to question whether the convicted is actually guilty) but we're left with wondering just how the MC is going to prove innocence while in a locked room with only her mind and the necklace against the ticking clock.

I was oddly distracted by thoughts of how the MC was going to meet her daily needs with just pocket change, and the story, with the exception of a few examples, glossed over them.

Sensitive readers should be warned that the book includes a lengthy emotional scene of an execution by lethal injection.

My hot take: It's obvious that the writer of the book that has a woman as the MC is not a woman. The voice, tone, observations by the MC, and emotions were all wrong.

This is a definite emotional read. Violence turns life upside down and you see that as Susan travels the countryside waiting for some sort of relief as the murderer of her daughter is finally off Earth. Emotions run high, almost too much to cloud judgement but She’s on the path for the truth. It’s not what it seems at times and Witten did a great job with that!!

This book grabbed me from the first page. We’re in a small hometown bar, and for every beer ordered, a dollar goes into a fund for Susan Lentigo. A few pages in, we learn why the event has a somber undertone. The money will be used by Susan to travel to North Dakota to witness the execution of the man that raped and killed her baby girl 20 years earlier.
7-Year-old Amy and her mother had just completed a cute necklace, made specifically to Amy's directions when she disappeared after school one day. Susan’s mother, who prefers partying with the boys over being responsible, is at fault for Amy being left alone long enough to become a victim. The real horror starts when they eventually find Amy’s body and she’s been raped, then strangled.
Flash forward 20 years, and what’s left of Susan, an emotional shell of a human, hopes that witnessing the execution of her daughter’s killer will bring her some form of closure. But along the route, Susan makes a discovery that forces her to question everything she knew to be true since Amy’s tragic murder.
Fast-paced and deeply emotional, Matt Witten’s characters race the clock to ensure a guilty man is paying for his sins.
Sincere thanks to Oceanview Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date was September 7, 2021.

Ever since her young daughter, Amy was killed twenty years ago, Susan Lentigo has been living for the day she would see her daughter's killer brought to justice. Finally, his appeals have been exhausted, and his execution date has been set. Susan sets out on a harrowing journey to witness his execution, but along the way she discovers evidence that the man convicted may not be the real killer. She sets out to find the truth no matter how difficult and to possibly keep an innocent man from dying. This is a very intense thriller. The story and characters are both interesting. The character of Susan with her dogged determination to get true justice for her daughter and possibly save other lives in the process is particularly admirable. The book is never boring and never predictable. The ending is somewhat unbelievable but extremely satisfying.

“The Necklace” is Susan Lentigo’s story from start to finish. The narrative alternates between Lentigo’s current dilemmas and the vicious events from twenty years ago. Lentigo’s daughter was brutally murdered, and that trauma continues to haunt her. She is on her way to witness the execution of the monster who murdered her child.

Lentigo is a troubled character; it is a miracle that she has made it twenty years. She lives on the edge of disaster and appears to have no common sense. However, she does have friends who definitely care for her. She should elicit sympathy and compassion, but her entire existence is like a four-car wreck on the freeway with the accompanying police cars, ambulances, and firetrucks. You know what happened and how dreadful it all is; you don’t want to think about it, but you just have to look as you drive past.

The plot is designed to evoke tension and emotion leading to a very melodramatic climax. There are plenty of unusual encounters and many unbelievable coincidences along the way to that extremely dramatic ending, but to me, the events were almost anticipated, and the end was actually predictable. I am sure many people will love the cinematic drama and the calamities that define Susan Lentigo, but I just could not get past her unbelievable ineptitude and incredibly coarse vocabulary. (I just feel there is more to be said than F*#*) I was given a review copy of “The Necklace” by Matt Witten and Oceanview Publishing.

Read it and decide for yourself

I got this book from NetGalley a while ago and to be honest the cover didn't really intrigue me so I hadn't really been dying to read it. However, I do try to make sure I get everything read by pub date, so I picked it up recently and man was I sorry I waited! This book is so compelling that I read the first half and then had to go to work, so I bought it on Audible just to listen to the rest of the story faster! Five Stars for sure!

The way this book is written, alternating between Susan, a normal, flawed but likeable, woman in two different timeframes. The author beautiful weaves the past (20 years prior, when her daughter was murdered) and the present (when her daughter's killer is about to be executed) in a way that demands you keep reading. The thing that struck me most about this story was how normal and relatable the characters were. Susan is a perfectly normal woman who got dealt a brutal hand. She's struggling financially and is taking a bus from upstate New York to North Dakota just to witness the execution when she starts to have second thoughts. It's an interesting journey to join her on.

I did find one or two minor plot points to be a little crazy, but overall this book was just amazing! I can't wait to read more from this author!

The Necklace by Matt Witten is a recommended thriller.

The narrative follows Susan Lentigo currently and twenty years ago. The novel opens during a fund raising event for Susan. Twenty years ago, soon after they bought the beads to make a necklace together, Susan’s seven-year-old daughter Amy was murdered. Now the man who was convicted of her death is going to be executed and Susan is planning to travel in her dilapidated car from Upstate New York to North Dakota to witness the execution. Her neighbors and friends in her close knit community have donated money to help her get to North Dakota. Susan has never recovered from the death of her daughter. When she discovers a clue involving the necklace Amy made twenty years earlier, the search is on to find more information and the real killer before another young girl is killed.

While your sympathy is with Susan, she is also her worst enemy. She seems emotionally unstable, foolhardy, rude, and quick to anger. She makes several poor, inexplicable choices that are inconceivable and detract from the plot. The clues she is following and her interactions with others aren't entirely believable. The plot will capture your interest, however, in spite of Susan's character. The search for clues and several fortuitous incidents help Susan find the information about who could be the real killer and get her to North Dakota where she finds the FBI agent she worked with twenty years ago and seeks his help.

The plot is easy to follow and read quickly in both timelines, and the switching back and forth in time works in the novel. Susan's search for the truth will grab your attention and even though many of her trials during the trip are a result of her own poor choices, you will still want her to find closure and hope she finds some sense of peace. Once she actually arrives in North Dakota the sense of danger increases. While the ultimate denouement is satisfying, it is not a shocking surprise. 3.5

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Oceanview Publishing.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and Amazon.

Thank you to Netgalley, Matt, and Oceanview Publishing for an advance copy of The Necklace.

Susan’s daughter went missing and was found raped and murdered. Now, twenty years later, the convicted murderer is set to die by lethal injection. Having been left by her husband a year after Amy’s murder, Susan’s only company is in the form of her mother, neither of which have much money. After the local bar raises money for Susan to take the trip to North Dakota to witness the execution, Susan sets off on a road trip to see justice served. However, while on her trip she realizes that the man sentenced to death may not be as guilty as she once thought. When she brings this information to the FBI to reopen the case, she is immediately dismissed. Susan relies on the retired agent who helped her so long ago, along with a new ally in the form of a rebellious teenage girl she meets to try and get anyone to hear her pleas before a potentially innocent man loses his life.

Unputdownable was the first word I used to describe this book. It’s my favorite word to use for thrillers. This book started fast and didn’t hit the brake until the last chapter. I did have my suspicions and they ended up being right, but I enjoyed the ride with Susan regardless. There are so many themes floating around this book – revenge, forgiveness, self-discovery and growth, and perseverance to name a few.,

I think this was a really interesting subject for a story. Your run-of-the-mill human will most likely have some reservations and feelings of guilt about putting someone to death, even if they’ve committed the most heinous crimes against you or your loved ones. So the idea of the FBI disregarding her thoughts was very believable to me. And the internal struggle that Susan must’ve felt questioning the things she’s believed for so long – the things that kept her moving forward day after day.

This book does revolve around atrocious crimes, child abuse/rape/murder are all discussed although do not happen on the page. As a parent, I found it a particularly interesting and tough subject to tackle. What would I do if I were put in that position? How would I go on? Would my husband and I survive that kind of loss and come out on the other side together?

This book could easily be killed in an afternoon, I totally recommend it as a weekend escape.

This is quite a page turner . A interesting thriller suspense story told in two timelines. One a Mother grieving the murder of her daughter 20 years ago seeking a sense of closure by attending the execution of the murderer. The other time line suspense filled and riveting. The subject very depressing and difficult to read at times but the premises is interesting . Not my usual choice of reading but a suspenseful story told well.

Wow this was a fast paced, thriller that kept me on my toes the entire read! It is a unique storyline and definitely a wild ride. The book is told in 3rd person from Susan’s POV and is told in a dual timeline (flashes back between present and 20 years ago). I absolutely love books that have dual timeless because it provides different angles and more details than you would normally get. The Necklace involves a man on execution for murdering the main character’s daughter and a homemade necklace that makes a reappearance years later (swipe for full book description). This was a great read with a lot of twists and turns. I also really liked the characters. However, I did wish there was more explanation around how and why the killer committed the crime. An epilogue wrapping that up would have definitely added to this story in a good way. Definitely recommend checking out if you like thrillers and aren’t triggered easily.

⚠️ TW: death of a child, murder, rape, sexual assault ⚠️

Thank you to Netgalley, Oceanview Publishing and Matt Witten for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting premise. A bit unrealistic. I loved that this book flipped between past and present, but it just fell a bit short. A solid read, just not a new favorite.