🧴Book Review👗
Found Object
By: Anne Frasier
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/4 stars

Jupiter Bellarose is an investigative journalist that heads back to her hometown of Savanah to write about the Lumet family that has a comestic empire, Luminescent.

Jupiter's mother, Marie Nova, was the face of Luminescent for many years before her gruesome murder. 20 years later, Jupiter is back at the scene of the crime to find closure, or will she find so much more? Including what really happened the night her mother died.

The details in this story were pretty farfetched but regardless, I was still hooked. I did really like this book but I can definitely understand that it might be an acquired taste.

Thank you to @netgalley for this #ARC copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Published: October 18, 2022

A well written mystery filled with lies and secrets . . Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this book ! Opinions are solely my own !

Catching up on old reviews, and realized I never sent one in for this!

While the plot and premise of this seemed interesting and like something I would really enjoy, it fell flat for me. I think the pacing was off just slightly...it left me wanting and like I couldn't get completely interested in it. Thrillers are so hard to write, and I think this one just fell short of making it work for me. There's also a thin line between being unrealistic, but plausible in a fictional world, and just being so unrealistic it takes you out of the story. This one felt like the latter.

Disappointed this one didn't work for me, but hoping it'll resonate with other readers!

Jupiter is an investigator report that was recently involved in a story and the events caused a tragedy. Jupiter is assigned to a story and it will take her to hometown. She dreads returning home, her mother was beautiful, famous and an actress. She was murdered and this had a massive effect on her family and the locals. Her father never recovered from this. Jupiter decides to look into her mother’s murder further and finds many discrepancies.
Secrets, lies and incompetence of the locals hides the truth. A fantastic domestic thriller with an engaging plot and characters. The story grabs your attention and holds on until the end.

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer , I received review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Jupiter Bellarosa hasn’t had a trauma free life. After her last investigative reporting job ends on a devastating note, Jupiter suffers a breakdown. Her boss (and ex husband) sends her home to Savannah to do a fluff piece on a cosmetic company for its 100th anniversary. A company her actress mom was once the face of. That is until she was brutally murdered twenty years ago. As Jupiter interviews Lument, it brings back the past, everything circles around her mom, Marie, and her death. Suddenly her fluff piece turns into something more. Did the man who confessed really kill Marie? Along the way Jupiter meets up with Ian, the young officer that was called to the scene of the crime on his first day of duty. Something that still haunts him to this day. As there investigation deepens, there is a host of suspects, but when the clues get too close to home is Jupiter ready for the answers she seeks? With a eclectic cast of characters, this book was a fun read. While not that suspenseful, Frasier keeps the reader on their toes with the many twists and turns along the way. This reader would live to see more of Jupiter and Ian in future books! Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I don’t really know how I feel about this one. I don’t hate this but I don’t really love this either?

Jupiter’s mother, Marie, a beloved actress had been murdered 20 years ago and the murderer still hasn’t been caught. Jupiter tried to move on and built a life for herself as an investigative journalist but she is constantly thinking about Marie’s death. When her latest expose put her job on the line, she is sent back to where it all started which got her digging for clues but is left with more questions and doubts. Can she finally find the closure she desperately seeks for?

The plot honestly intrigued me and the story had a good build up but some of the scenes were just quite unrealistic to me which didn’t seem to add up to the story. I did enjoy the plot twists that added more mystery to the plot but I did find it abit excessive and worked out a little too well for Jupiter to solve.

Overall, the story itself is not a bad one but I just wasn’t as invested as I’d hoped. It just wasn’t the kind of thriller that kept me at the edge of my seat and leave me wanting more. Thank you Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the arc.

I've been anxious to try this author for a while now, and this novel has convinced me to read more of her work. The writing flowed smoothly and the characters were vividly drawn.

While the novel began in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the bulk of the story was set in Savannah, Georgia.

The protagonist, Jupiter Bellarose, was a unique and memorable character. Born to two actors, her childhood was a volatile one... until, at age sixteen her beautiful mother was brutally murdered. This event caused her world to upend. She was sent to live with an aunt in Minnesota. Now, thirty-six years old, she is a successful investigative journalist.

After an exposé gone terribly wrong, she has now returned to her hometown to write a piece on the centenary anniversary of a renowned cosmetic company. The very same company that her mother was the figurehead for. Her 'fluff piece' turns gravely serious.

Many themes are portrayed in this crime thriller. Family secrets, culpability, unscrupulous business practices, the lengths narcissistic folk will go to fight aging, but most of all it explores the fragility and unreliability of human memory.

Recommended to crime fiction lovers who appreciate strong but flawed protagonists.

The past catches up with a young investigative journalist when she returns to her old hometown, revisiting the memories of her mother’s brutal murder, in this intriguing mystery by Anne Frasier.

Jupiter Bellarose suffers the same consequences as many of her fictional protagonist counterparts when she is forced to face her childhood demons and return to her old hometown. Perhaps Jupiter has a more compelling reason than most to stay away, seeing that she was the one who first stumbled across the horrific crime scene, seeing her own mother Marie Nova decapitated in their home’s front yard. Who would ever want to revisit those memories? But after her last disastrous assignment, Jupiter needs a break, and visiting her father seems like a good idea at the time. Of course, as soon as she arrives, old memories come crashing down on her, facing her to confront her demons. Now an adult used to investigate and analyse clues, Jupiter realises that some things regarding her mother’s death don’t add up. And she starts asking questions …

FOUND OBJECTS drew me in straight away and I was thoroughly intrigued by the horrific mystery surrounding Marie Nova’s murder. I also really liked Jupiter as a main protagonist. With the right balance of past trauma and the inquisitive mind of an investigative journalist, her motivation for getting answers seemed genuine and she was well fleshed out to be believable and sympathetic. Having witnessed her mother’s murder gave Jupiter a vulnerable side that made me root for her the whole way, and I was as eager to get answers as she was.

As with many small-town mysteries, everyone seemed to be hiding something, including Jupiter’s father. Flashbacks to the past gave some background regarding Marie Nova, whose character was just as intriguing as that of her daughter. This was my first book by the author, and I enjoyed her writing style, especially her characterisations of the whole cast, making it impossible not to get emotionally involved. Perhaps there were a few too many plot twists towards the end, stretching credibility, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and it kept me interested.

FOUND OBJECTS will appeal to readers who enjoy small-town mysteries driven by scarred protagonists whose past is about to come crashing down on them. There are lots of secrets and lies and plenty of plot twists. If you are able to suspend disbelief a little bit, then I can thoroughly recommend this book.

SUPERB psychological thriller, well written, great characterization & lots of suspense throughout. Enjoyed totally & highly RECOMMEND this author's books for a great reading experience. Thanks to #Thomas & Mercer & NetGalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Beginning with the origin of the title, the reader is quickly taken to the “what?” moments, the “well, that was an interesting way to relay information” moments, and the “wait, what is Anne Fraser letting me know?” moments. There are many moving parts, and when you think you might have, you realize you don’t, and you quite possibly have been wandering down the wrong path all along. Not a book to rush, the reader will need to sit down and read in large chunks and ponder, or they will miss the cleverly hidden subtleties.

Anne Frasier is a relatively new author for me. Beginning with the Inland Empire series, I knew I had found an author who can grab me from the beginning, with twists and subtle humor, and won’t let me go until the last chapter.

Will Anne Frasier turn this into another successful series? I certainly hope so since there are many stories investigative journalist Jupiter needs to tell.

A decent suspense novel with an interesting cast of characters. The story is moderately paced, though some may find it to be a bit slow for the genre. While there are definitely levels of mystery, a few twists, and escalating tension throughout, Frasier fails to follow through on quite a few outstanding issues.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #FoundObject which was read and reviewed voluntarily.

This is my second book by Anne Frasier. I did not fall in love with the first. I am glad I got another chance. I give this one 4 stars. Good story line and writing. Not too much fluff which is a good thing. I really liked the main character and would love to read a follow up as to what she is up to next.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Found Object by Anne Frasier.

Jupiter (a name I absolutely love BTW), is going back home to Savannah, a place where her actress mother was brutally murdered. And even though the murder has been closed up for sometime, Jupiter can't help but dive back in and learn everything there is to learn about what happened to her beautiful, mysterious mom.

I really like Anne Frasier, she has a great series that is held in the Inland Empire, a beloved place of mine. But this wasn't my favorite. It always hit just off the mark, making it difficult to really latch on. The story also didn't flow well, it felt a bit scattered and disjointed. But I'm definitely not done with Frasier!

Do a lighter assignment, your boss says. Go back to your hometown, your boss says. Spend some time with your dad, your boss says. You’ve just gotten finished with a tough undercover investigation where I broke your story at the wrong time, your boss says. You should take it kind of easy because you’re grieving right now, your boss says.

Well, it turns out that Jupiter, our main character, either just doesn’t know what it means to take it easy, or is just one of those people that needs to keep busy so she doesn’t dwell on her own thoughts too much (Who, me? Why do you guys think I read all day long!), because when Jupiter does indeed go back to her hometown to try and do a lighter assignment and maybe spend a little time with her dad, she ends up opening old wounds and old memories surrounding her mother’s murder.

This book is about 75% great and about 25% average. The majority of that great 75% is due to the absolutely stunning narrative prose, the intelligent and intuitive writing style, the stunning dialogue between characters, and the intensely personal and emotional inner musings of Jupiter. The characterizations and their development are also part of that, as is the research, world building, and the storyline.

The 25% average comes from the slightly melodramatic plot and the overabundance of plot twists. I felt like the author could have gotten the same effect from us readers with a less serpentine path.

No matter how you look at it, the book was entertaining and page-turning, and a lovely read just for the writing alone. Definitely something for any thriller reader’s TBR.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for granting me access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.

File Under: Psychological Thriller/Suspense Thriller/Crime Fiction/Crime Thriller/Mystery

Jupiter Bellarose is an investigative journalist whose last job ended in tragedy and heartbreak. She feels guilty for her role in it,and is trying to move past it after spending some time in a mental health facility for recovery. After her release, her boss sends her to her hometown for a "fluff" piece, to find her balance again but the town also holds its own demons for Jupiter. Her mother, Marie Nova, a beautiful and famous actress, was found murdered at her home when Jupiter was a child. Her father, who has moved into her mother's home, the matriarch of the cosmetics company that helped make Marie a star, and the fragile cop who takes an interest in Jupiter, all
contribute to Jupiter's fragile state while she searches for closure.
As with all Frasier novels, she keeps the reader interested with multiple twists and surprises, In my opinion, she is one of the best suspense/thriller writers out there today. Characters are diverse, there are multiple threads to follow and the main character is not completely likeable. Things are not always as they seem to appear, which shows the author's skill at leading you to one conclusion while subtlely revealing the true facts. Frasier also captures Jupiter's guilt over her last investigation and her subsequent depression in a way that is more factual than empathetic. It leaves the ready to decide whether to feel sorry for Jupiter, or to question her real motives.
An excellent read and I would recommend it to all readers of the thriller genre.
Thank you to the publisher, Ms Frasier, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Found Object is the story told from Jupiter Bellarose's point of view. She is an investigative journalist and the daughter of Marie Bellarose, a movie star who was murdered.

Jupiter is leaving a hospital after her last project ended in tragedy. She feels responsible for the way things turned out and struggles to move past it. When presented with her release papers, she signs her name as "Found Object." She recalls her mother telling her the story of who they "found her" in a car seat on the side of the road, and forever more she was called "Found Object" with love by her mother. But as most children do, she really believes the story that her mother told her, so she believes she is not her daughter.

Jupiter's boss, Bennett, suggests that she take a break from her life in Minneapolis and suggests that it might be the perfect time to go home to Savannah, visit her father and work on an easy story. Jupiter has avoided Savannah for a long time since it has too many dark memories for her. Unfortunately for Jupiter on her way to visit her mother finds she has been murdered in the most gruesome manner.

She doesn't commit to going but is on the road shortly after. Her new investigation is regarding the Lumet family and their cosmetics empire, Luminescent. Jupiter's mother was the face of Luminescent cosmetics, so it's a little too close to home but feels that it should be an easy assignment for her.

After arriving in Savannah, she is reminded of the memories that are still too strong for her to face. But she gets on with it and starts to investigate. It becomes confusing for Jupiter as this assignment overlaps with her mother's murder and conflicting stories are difficult to piece together. Jupiter will be in danger as the truth will become more important to be kept silent.

I really liked this story; it has all the drama of what and how we think movie stars/celebrities live. Jupiter is a wonderful character with a strong but quirky personality. I can easily see this becoming a series as she becomes close to Ian, a policeman who was first on the scene of the murder. They have good chemistry and would make a great team for future stories.

Found Object by Anne Frasier
This was a big letdown for me because I read the two books in the Inland Empire series and really enjoyed them. This one, not so much. It was kind of a love/hate thing for me.
The main character was kind of annoying and practically everyone else in the book wanted to kill her or thought she was a killer. It got to belike the Perils of Pauline because she escaped so many attempts on her life.
Poppy and Ian were my favorite characters and they deserve better.

This book is one where I don’t know how to place it or explain it. I enjoyed the story it’s a bit of a different take on finding out family secrets but there were multiple parts that were paced very strangely because it took so long to get to some parts but by the end you are getting all this changing information within a few pages.

This is the kind of story that hooks you right in from the start. Jupiter’s back story, and the story behind the title Found Object, is original and catchy. And it tells you a lot about Jupiter, her mother, and their relationship, right from the start. Jupiter was always in her mother’s orbit, like millions of people around the globe that idolized the famous actress. While she obviously spent time with her mother, it was like she was just one of many vying for time and attention.

Her relationship with her dad disintegrated after her mother’s death. While it isn’t clear why he sent her away at the beginning of the book, his motivations feed into Jupiter’s suspicions. Nobody really looked at her dad as a suspect. After the murder, he moved into his wife’s house, where she was killed, something Jupiter always found suspicious.

Her suspicions about her dad feed into her actions and motivations throughout. Meanwhile, she’s spending a lot of time with the family that runs Luminescent, a cosmetic company, because she’s doing a feature on the company as they celebrate 100 years in business. Her mother had been the face of their products, and she has misgivings about interacting with them. These people are uber rich, which is why most people would find them odd in the way that really rich people just aren’t like the rest of us. Of course, that raises suspicions about them too.

Then there’s Ian Griffin, who was a cop on the scene the day her mother’s body was found. His first day on the job is one that haunts him, not just because of the gruesome murder, but because of a mistake he made.

Frasier does an excellent job establishing Jupiter as a troubled young woman still reeling from trauma … the trauma of seeing her mother’s body, the trauma of losing a mother she never fully had to herself, the trauma of losing her relationship with her dad, the trauma of the more recent death of her aunt, and now the trauma of the man she thought she loved, whose life she destroyed for her career.

Undercover work suited Jupiter because she was able to escape her life and compartmentalize things. And so she never addressed what was broken in herself, but in her own way kept running from it. Returning to Savannah forces her to deal with doubts and suspicions she’d kept buried for a long time, and address some of her grief.

Without saying anything that will give pieces away, everyone’s motivations check out. By the end, you’ll understand all the major player’s motives clearly. At the same time, Frasier pulls out plenty of surprises along the way that credibly track to information given throughout the story. As one of the best thriller writers out there, Frasier makes crucial details seem like inconsequential nuggets of information. Everything’s a breadcrumb and it tracks through to the end.

Jupiter isn’t an easy character, and that might keep some people from really connecting with her. For me, what stood out about her is how broken she is, and how (like so many people) she tries to use her work to suppress her pain and avoid her problems. I found her credible and relatable. She’s broken … and putting the pieces of your life back together isn’t an easy thing, but it wasn’t long before I was rooting for Jupiter to have a breakthrough and find some happiness.

2.5 Stars
One Liner: Great premise but failed to keep me interested

Jupiter’s mother, Marie Nova, a celebrated TV actress, was murdered twenty years ago. Jupiter has moved on and built a life for herself as an investigative journalist. When her latest expose affects her, Jupiter is sent back to Savannah to write a piece about a cosmetic company’s 100th-year celebrations.
However, the trip back home makes Jupiter question everything in the past and her life. As she starts to dig into the details of her mother’s death, Jupiter is left with more questions and unconvincing details. The killer’s confession doesn’t seem right, and there are too many gaps in the details.
Can Jupiter get to the bottom of the case and find the closure she desperately needs to have a normal life?
The story comes from Jupiter’s first-person POV and another character’s third-person POV.

My Thoughts:
The premise intrigued me, and the page count was right in my zone. The beginning was good, too, despite the slow pacing. However, I lost interest even before I touched the halfway mark.
Jupiter was a cool character, willing to acknowledge her vulnerabilities and smart enough to connect the dots (though she does make a few mistakes). However, the first-person narration didn’t move me. It couldn’t feel involved in the story.
A few scenes were unbelievable and pretty much unrealistic (at least to me). Also, there wasn’t much backstory to justify the scenes.
Poppy was an adorable character and my favorite in the book. The others were left unexplored almost throughout. Even Jupiter doesn’t have much depth once you realize how things stand.
I knew about the excessive twists towards the end (thanks to other reviews) and was prepared for them. Yet, I found them a little too much. The whole of it somehow felt melodramatic, though things easily work Jupiter one way or another.
To summarize, Found Object didn’t appeal to me as much as I thought it would (and this is when I already went with low expectations). I enjoy thrillers of most kinds, but I just couldn’t make myself care about this one.
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.