This book captivated me. It is well written and fast paced. I cared about the characters, even Christian. I could understand his pain and grief. I read this in two nights and would like to see what else the author creates in this genre. (Eileen Tilley Book Tour Reviewer)
This novel is fast-paced and very tense in places, which I think was the author’s main intention. It is gripping and is an easy read. The pace did not drag at all, and the reader is certainly drawn into willing the detectives to rescue the victims. However, it reads at times more like a screenplay, as there is so much speech, and little description, except concerning the actions of the characters, and something about their thoughts. Even thoughts are written as if spoken aloud, especially when the author tries to get into the mind of the killer. This jarred with me personally. (Jeannie Moore Book Tour Reviewer)
Although I felt the book got off to a slow start, the author drew you in to the characters and the plot. I definitely wanted to know how the book ended and completed it in two days. An enjoyable read. (Karen Looms Book Tour Reviewer)
I found this book both enjoyable and suspenseful, with an engaging plot. I did find at times though that I would have liked more information, especially about the antagonist, Christian. Additional information that I’d be interested in is how he managed his finances and how he obtained the drugs he uses on his victims. (Valerie Moore Book Tour Reviewer)
36 Hours derives its name from the time period that a serial killer provides police to find missing persons before they are killed. The killer seems to truly wish for police to find his victims and save them from death. He deems his activities as “experiments” designed to test police forces and prod them into improving their methods for dealing with missing persons reports. Author Barbara (B.J.) Woster shows ingenuity and creativity in setting up this crime thriller as more than a puzzle to be solved. Its premise is unique among my vast readings in the crime thriller genre. The villain is also perhaps the most sympathetic “bad guy” I’ve ever encountered – despite that he’s clearly a psychotic killer. He is a tortured soul who had lost his wife in an unsolved crime that unfolded in much the same way as his efforts to improve police practices. The primary protagonist in the story, Detective Steven Hardwick, is also a somewhat tortured soul, though he’s revealed as such in a more subtle way. By the end of the story, both the antagonist and the protagonist are rocked by frustration and loss. Though cast as very different characters, they face similar difficulties and outcomes. Unfortunately, these two characters are the only ones who are fully developed over the course of the tale. For example, more than a third of the story focuses on the fate of kidnapping victim Brooke Madison. With that amount of ink devoted to her, one would expect to be invested in her rescue or death. However, when it was finally resolved, I was somewhat indifferent to her fate. Likewise, the cast of police officers surrounding Hardwick seemed to simply provide “filler” as an expected part of the context to the story. I didn’t feel like I really “got to know” any of them. They also were often portrayed as acting in unison or as a unit, with little distinction between the main four contemporaries of Detective Hardwick. All-in-all, 36 Hours was an interesting read, but it didn’t move me emotionally. It scores many points for plot originality, but fewer for character development outside the two main characters. The mix between dialogue and description was often uneven, with dialogue often suffering from overly explanatory chunks of conversation. If you – like me – want your stories to make you feel, this one may not be at the top of your reading list. If, however, you prefer to solve puzzles with your crime thriller reading, 36 Hours may be right up your alley. (Ben Marshall Book Tour Reviewer)
36 Hours is an enjoyable read, that moves at a good pace, keeps the readers invested in the story, and turning the pages over. However I did identify a number of editing issues in the book which were distracting at times. These can be easily corrected by the author, and were not significant enough as to spoil the story. In terms of character development, I mainly connected to the antagonist in the story who I felt was more credible, then the main protagonist, and some of the secondary characters who were introduced to move the plot along, which please note is heavily dialogue driven. The antagonist’s motives for his crime, I found an interesting idea, that sparks empathy in the reader, and leaves you wanting to know more about his life before, and his back story. Had the author included this in more detail, I feel it would have enhanced the story. I couldn’t really connect with the protagonist, and in all honesty it wasn’t really clear to me which of the detectives was considered the main protagonist, as none really stood out, or shined for me. This is perhaps where further narration, and less dialogue would have benefitted. The ending was unexpected, and one that satisfies for those who believe in karma, which I do, but others with a strong sense of justice may have mixed feelings about this. It’s an interesting approach taken by the author, and overall I would recommend 36 Hours to readers who enjoy this particular genre. (Kirsty McKay Book Tour Reviewer)
We award 3.5 stars.
