Big Bad: A Novel

This is a great mystery thriller, that keeps you on edge and guessing until the vary end. I loved the main character, Emma. Dispute being troubled by her past and current grief of losing her sister, she proves to be a skilled investigator driven to solve the mystery of her sister’s death. The book’s setting of Rockcliffe Island gives a sense of dread throughout with so many secrets and shady characters. I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a suspenseful read filled with twists along the way. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced review copy.

"Most things aren't black and white, good versus evil. It's never that clear a line."

I'm sitting here trying to slow my pulse and relax a minute after being glued to my reading chair for a couple of hours just devouring this book. Trying to think up new superlatives to describe what a suspenseful and thrilling story this turned out to be. Simply working out a way to encourage you to read it and to describe it without giving anything important away.

I can say that the main character is a former FBI agent, Emma Shane, whose currently on an extended leave after she was shot during a case. This woman is totally kick-ass but also very complex emotionally due to her traumatic childhood. She travels to Rockcliffe, an island out in the Atlantic Ocean off the NE coast of the USA after she is notified of her sister's suicide. Molly Rifkin is a couple of years younger than Emma and was married with a 9-year-old son. Her body is found in a storage locker during a heavy winter storm and the police find no evidence of foul play. Emma really doesn't get along with Molly's husband, Jack, but she goes there anyway because she can't believe her sister would have committed suicide. What follows is a very complex plot with many fabulous characters that will be hard to forget. NO SPOILERS

The writing was superb and the descriptions of Rockcliffe so vivid that I could almost imagine myself there experiencing every bit of the action. I've never read any of this author's previous books and was was a bit hesitant to try this but am so glad I did. I'll definitely be looking for more and I totally wish that Mr. Galacar would continue using Emma in another thriller. What a fabulous movie this would make.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-book ARC to read and review. Don't miss it!

Big Bad is one of the best Mystery Thrillers I've read so far, a brilliant read that had me gripped from the very beginning. Set within a small community where everyone thinks they know everyone and during a very bad snow storm. I was completely engrossed in the story of Emma and Molly the main characters, as Emma recalls her childhood growing up with Molly while investigating what has happened. Every page is packed with detail that I could imagine being there watching it all unfold, and it was like that to the very last page. This is the first book I've read by Christian Galacar but I will definitely be reading more of his books in the future and highly recommend this to everyone who likes a good mystery and a book that you just can't put down until the last page has been read.

I discovered Christian Gal;acar a couple of years ago and read everything he had written. Then I eagerly awaited his next novel, checking netgalley every few days to see if Galacar had a new novel. At long last, success! BIG BAD is a fabulous read and different from Galacar's other works in that there is little that is supernatural here. But the story is an excellent whodunit with well drawn characters and a heck of a plot. And if you read it when it's snowing, it will have even more of an impact. Can't wait for the next one. Oh, and if you like Galacar, try Aric Davis. He writes about life and the supernatural in a similar way.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Big Bad is a dark Thriller that captivates you right from the beginning. Emma is an FBI agent who has been on extended leave when she hears her sister Molly has been killed. Emma goes to the small town of Rockliffe Island to investigate Molly’s death. Despite pushback from the Chief of Police and other town figures, as well as demons from her own past, Emma searches for truth for Molly and herself.

The characters are well written and jump off the page. Emma’s father is truly frightening and Guppy the taxi driver is solid and dependable. The book is a little long but is well written and takes the reader on a journey that s thrilling, but also touching and horrifying at the same time.