On the first night Sean and Gina leave their baby, Nike, with a babysitter, Gina is killed in their apartment. Sean was there but knocked out. The police have never solved the case, even now sixteen years later. Sean is now with another woman who he has a daughter with. But he can't move past the grief and uncertainty of that night. If only he could remember.

At work, he is in a strange group. His boss, a business entrepreneur has created a 'Widowers Club' as he himself has been widowed. Every year there is a competition between the men in this club and the winner advances through the company. This year Sean wins and his prize is a new technology. It's called a Memory Palace and it replays a person's memories.

Now Sean is sure he will be able to find the answers he has wanted for so long. But that memory doesn't come up at first. He relives his childhood and his time with his own parents. He relives his courtship of Gina and that of his current partner. He revisits the birth of his son and realizes that what is shown on the memory palace doesn't match his own memories. Now he starts to see more contradictions between what he has always believed to be true about his past and the reality. Will he find the truth?

This is an interesting look at the science of memories and how two different people might remember the same event very differently. What is reality? What is truth? I listened to this novel and the narrator really brought Sean to life, his voice exactly how I imagined Sean would sound. As Sean delves deeper into his past life, he sees the way forward to living the rest of it. This book is recommended for thriller readers.

This was a very interesting book and the narration was excellent. It was different from what I expected, not a psychological thriller, but a mystery with sci fly elements in the story, It was unusual, but kept me interested until the end.

First of all, many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC of this book. It was my pleasure.

A man is given a box by his boss that allows him to review every memory he’s ever had. He is obsessed with finding out how his first wife died. Was he involved? What happened to her? His marriage is a bit on the rocks and he’s losing you touch with his kids a bit. It’s a turning point in his life. How will he proceed?



**SPOILERS AHEAD **



I desperately wanted to like this book. It’s very much the type of story I’m attracted to. A mystery of sorts with sci-fi elements. I’m usually fine with the unexplained, however, there was too much that absolutely didn’t make sense for me. What was this company he worked for? What is their purpose? World domination? There was no one who told him to program the chip in his neck. He just knew how….the boss of the company just assumed everyone would want this mysterious power and there were no safeguards in place to protect people in the company. They let the main character take the memory box home anytime he wanted, and he just left it in the house? Someone with an item like that should be under lock and key so someone doesn’t accidentally find it. I had many practical issues with the execution of the story. It was slow with many many unnecessary details and missing what I feel are key details. I’m happy to suspend reality, but I have to have the tools to believe the alternate reality I’m entering, and I just didn’t feel I had those tools.

All in all I did enjoy this book. The cover drew me in and the narrator was good. The bones of the plot are absolutely here. I just think execution wasn’t quite where I needed it to be. A very cool idea and i liked how the story wrapped up.

This same review was posted to Goodreads under the name Shavon Gruber Haag

This was a weird book and I had a really hard time getting into it and finishing it. I would be willing to try another book by this author in the future.

#ScarecrowHasAGun
#NetGalley.

Interesting spin on a semi-forced competition trope. No one is sure what they’re competing for but win or lose - the stakes couldn’t be higher. This book wasn’t what I expected, but it kept me guessing and held my attention.

Not a bad story. It was definitely interesting and compelling to read. But I did feel like, the story was being draged too much. It even feel like we lost the point of the story sometimes. But the writing in itself was very well executed and some of the scenes and emotions described were quite raw et physical. I appreciated that.

This book is definitely a strange one and a little confusing. Overall I enjoyed the story but personally would have preferred this as a novella as it felt like it was dragging on in certain areas

I don't know how I feel about this book. It was incredibly strange. I liked it but I also didn't like it. It was definitely thought provoking, I have so many questions.

I don't really know what to say about this. The premise was really interesting and unique and I also really enjoyed the narrator but I was confused for most of the book. Perhaps it was meant to be a bit disjointed and "crazy" but in an audiobook version this makes it very difficult to get absorbed and fully enjoy. Saying this, I do think fans of sci-fi will love tis and find it interesting but I think reading the physical copy will be best.

Scarecrow has a Gun by Michael Paul Kozlowsky explores the complex nature of memory, but falls short in several other areas. The story follows Sean, a man haunted by the murder of his first wife. Nearly two decades later, he wins a contest hosted by his eccentric boss and is given the Memory Palace, a black box that claims to allow the possessor to relive every moment they've ever experienced on a screen.

While the premise is interesting and explores fascinating ideas about memory storage and recollection, the book falls short in several other areas. The characters, particularly Sean and his family, are unlikable, and the family dynamics may be triggering for some readers as it includes child abuse. Additionally, the story feels disjointed and not particularly relatable.

One major flaw is that the book doesn't provide much explanation about Sean's boss or his body alterations, leaving a potentially interesting story unexplored. The story also feels like it doesn't have enough material to sustain a novel, and would have been better suited as a short story.

Despite its flaws, the audiobook narration is well-done and engaging. The narrator did an excellent job of keeping the listener invested in the story, despite its shortcomings.

Overall, while Scarecrow has a Gun has an interesting premise and explores fascinating ideas about memory, its unlikable characters, triggering family dynamics, disjointed story, and unexplored plot points make it a less than satisfying read.

Scarecrow has a Gun by Michael Paul Kozlowsky explores the complex nature of memory, but falls short in several other areas. The story follows Sean, a man haunted by the murder of his first wife. Nearly two decades later, he wins a contest hosted by his eccentric boss and is given the Memory Palace, a black box that claims to allow the possessor to relive every moment they've ever experienced on a screen.

While the premise is interesting and explores fascinating ideas about memory storage and recollection, the book falls short in several other areas. The characters, particularly Sean and his family, are unlikable, and the family dynamics may be triggering for some readers as it includes child abuse. Additionally, the story feels disjointed and not particularly relatable.

One major flaw is that the book doesn't provide much explanation about Sean's boss or his body alterations, leaving a potentially interesting story unexplored. The story also feels like it doesn't have enough material to sustain a novel, and would have been better suited as a short story.

Despite its flaws, the audiobook narration is well-done and engaging. The narrator did an excellent job of keeping the listener invested in the story, despite its shortcomings.

Overall, while Scarecrow has a Gun has an interesting premise and explores fascinating ideas about memory, its unlikable characters, triggering family dynamics, disjointed story, and unexplored plot points make it a less than satisfying read.

My thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this audiobook. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Scarecrow has a gun

Memory is a complex thing that you either remember things or your mind fills in the spots that you can’t remember, but is it the truth? Sean Whittlesea was with his wife when she died, but he can’t remember any details. Years later, he wins a contest by his boss to relive any memory with all the details. Will it finally give him the answers he wants?

First off, I wanted to mention that I really liked the narrator for this book; it made it an easy listen, and it moved at a great pace. I played the book every chance I got to find out what really happened with the character. The characters were fleshed out, and I hoped Sean gets what he wants even if it’s bad news.
I got caught in the box's science that was easy to follow and didn’t take you out of the story. While you are having flashbacks of memory to tell the story, I found it was easy to follow and didn’t lose you in the story.

I want to thank Netgalley and Imbrifex Audio for the advance copy.

I have mixed feelings about this book! I think this one is definitely a mix of a lot of genres, which makes it hard to compare to other books. I thought some of the concepts were quite cool but I wasn't too crazy about the crassness at times. Overall I still enjoyed it.

This book was very well narrated. However, I feel that this book would have been more readable if I were able to read a physical copy.

Sean is part of the ‘widowers’ club. At least that is what they call it. His boss created this club for widowers like himself to assist those willing to take chances and improve their lives by making them play games for the chance to win. Sean had been part of this club for 17 years before winning a game and starts a journey he would rather not have.

I listened to the audiobook version of the story, and I liked the voice of the narrator. I wanted to read the story after reading the description about memories and how they can’t be trusted. The story starts well with Sean receiving the box that allows him to view his memories. After the start, the book only had a few interesting parts for me and then had a good, surprising ending. For me, most of the story took place at the start, the middle of the story was more philosophical (I think) and dragged on a bit. It does have a good ending, though.

I do enjoy stories about memories, countless shows show us what we get wrong all the time. That part of the book was done very well. The characters are written well, and the main storyline is a good concept, but it lost my attention in the middle. I did finish it in a day, so still interesting enough.

Sean a business man is widowed young after his wife is brutally murdered and he has no memory of what happened. He is left with his 1 year old son and as he adjusts to life he is invited to the Widowers club run by his highly influential boss. The club meets and task are set which vary but are usually very distasteful in topic. those who win are propelled to new heights in wealth, power and influence. Sean wins one of these tasks after 17 years when he feels his life is finally back on track. He wins the memory palace a box that can show him his memories and potentially who murdered his first wife.

I found this a gripping book, more thriller than sci fi but a little predictable in parts. The main characters were not likeable at all and it became hard to invest in them. I found the kids were the only likeable characters. His relationship with his fiance is toxic as is her relationship with his son from his first wife. The story was great and really enjoyable a bit predictable in places, my theory was right which I was chuffed about. I think if I had liked the characters a bit more and there had been more background to the sci fi elements of the story it would have gotten more stars for me. A good holiday read.

I discovered this book under the category Mystery & Thrillers. It also appears under Sci Fi & Fantasy. While neither of these genres are incorrect, they do not fully capture the depth of this work. If I had to compare Scarecrow Has a Gun to another book, it would be Walden Two. What I mean by that comparison is that, like B.F. Skinner, Michael Paul Kozlowsky has a psychological thesis, and he has constructed a fictional framework for its dissemination.

Scarecrow Has a Gun would be an excellent book club selection. Michael Paul Kozlowsky's treatise on the nature of memory is one that I can't help but share with others. After some days ruminating over it, I think he is more correct than not. At the very end of the book Michael Paul Kozlowsky tosses out another hypothesis: "Men grow when women suffer." (p. 249) I would have loved to see Michael Paul Kozlowsky expound on this, too.

My audiobook experience was over too soon for my tastes. My only complaint is that the ending was rushed, and a bit formulaic. No matter, Michael Paul Kozlowsky had reached me by then, and at a depth where I didn't necessarily care how they mystery ended. I sincerely hope that more people pick up this book, whether in paper, electronic, or audio version. Once you understand what you are actually experiencing, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I would like to thank Imbrifex Books for allowing me to experience this NetGalley audiobook.

Dean’s boss started a widows club that he belongs to due to the loss of his first wife his boss creates crazy and sometimes deadly situations that if just one of the widows attempts it they will win a life beyond their means in the names his boss rattles off as previous winners seems to attest to the credibility. Dean is never the winner but seems to get a consolation prize after years of showing up and it’s a box called the memory palace that will show you your memories from the past but when Dean starts indulging in this addictive Fox News it seems his memories or nothing like he remembers. Not only that he thinks people are following him when he goes to speak to his boss about it once again the silver tongue man convinces Dean all is OK but once he leaves the building he wants again find himself doubting the box and this whole process. This box is making him look at everyone in his life differently especially his new wife Haley and he thinks people are following him but what he finds out is a lot crazier than what he’s imagined. This book is so great and I think the authors observations about life in general were spot on and he is obviously a man who analyzes even over analyze everything and we benefit from it in this book. I am so glad I decided to listen to this book and let me just say the narrator was so good and had the perfect voice for poor Dean. This is a crazy crazy book that I am so glad I listen to it I know I said that again but I want to reiterate that if you’re thinking of listening to scarecrow with a gun you really need to do it you will not be disappointed what a crazy crazy book! I received it from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

A tad too dragged out for me to love it as much as I wanted to.

The title grabbed me by the throat. Scarecrow Has a Gun?! Fantastic. If only the actual book was just as intriguing.

Sean is a widow dealing with the loss of his wife and his slowly deteriorating mind due to a head injury. As he attempts to remember his wife and her death he's offered a chance to do so with "The Memory Palace."

Now all that sounds interesting but the actual book is somewhat... unfinished? The ending leaves little to be desired. If you don't mind when sci-fi mysteries have an open ending, then you'll probably like this a lot, but as someone who needs answers, this wasn't for me.

I was expecting to read a straight up sci-fi thriller, and it was a welcome surprise that this book is so much more! I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes to ponder philosophical questions about the human condition.

In this excellent novel the main characters, young parents named Sean and Gwen, were attacked in their home seventeen years ago. Gwen died and Sean suffered a blow to his head that left him unable to remember the assault. The police never found the murderer and Sean has not found closure, although he has tried to move on with his life by getting engaged and having another child. Through a series of bizarre events Sean now acquires a prototype to an invention called the Memory Palace. It resembles a TV with electrodes that attach to his temples and show him on a screen things that his brain has stored but his conscious mind has forgotten.

Sean wants to see his memory of the terrible night that Gwen was murdered, but the Memory Palace device shows events at random and mostly replays thousands of boring memories of daily tasks instead. Once in a while it brings up a meaningful memory that triggers all sorts of pleasurable emotions in Sean, and, like a slot machine, this intermittent reinforcement keeps Sean addicted to viewing.

In his single-mindedness to spend every second plugged into the memory box waiting for the footage that he desperately wants to see, Sean neglects literally everything and everyone in his life. He barely eats, moves, or sleeps, and puts his present life on hold for months in order to revisit the past. That’s where the meaning of the story lies and what makes it so thought provoking and deep.

If I would change anything about this book, I would make the little the plot a little tighter because there are some loose ends and the writing style was somewhat unfocused and repetitive.

I love at this author uses the story to bring up so many profound questions about what gives our lives value, meaning, and purpose. Sean’s fiancée, Hayley, points out that if Gwen hadn’t died, she and Sean would have never gotten together and they would not have their beautiful daughter Lucy. The son that Sean and Gwen had together, Nicky, was a baby when Gwen was murdered, and now as a teenager he is in a lot of emotional pain that Sean is too preoccupied to address. Sean truly loves Hayley, Lucy, and Nicky, and yet every time he is with them all he can think about is plugging back into the memory box so he can see his beloved dead wife Gwen.

I sometimes listen to a podcast called On Being hosted by Krista Tippett, which describes itself as exploring “animating questions at the center of human life: What does it mean to be human, and how do we want to live?" I would bet money that the author of Scarecrow Has a Gun listens to this podcast too. (Mr. Kozlowsky if you read this, please feel free to confirm or deny. And if you haven’t listened to On Being, trust me, you will love it!)

Thank you NetGalley and Imbrifex for accepting my request to audibly read and review Scarecrow Has A Gun.

Author: Michael Paul Kozlowsky
Narrator: David Doersch
Published: 08/02/22
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) -- Mystery & Thrillers -- Sci Fi & Fantasy

What is the point? I feel there has to be a point when an author (presumably male) puts language known to be rude, offensive and classless. Given my years of book buying, studying, traveling and education I find Kozlowsky cowardless. Perhaps an element of little man syndrome? You, and authors with your vocabulary standards would not want a warning placed: Be aware all C-, F-, G-D words are offensive, considered vulgar, and tasteless.

1 star is a gift. I cannot imagine being proud listening to this in an open room.

The story that was penned is moot.