The Girl with a Clock for a Heart ~ Review
book author: Peter Swanson
2014, Hardback — serial killer, psychological thriller, definitely not a romance
Tagline: First love, first possible serial killer
I hated the title of this book when I spotted it in the Free Little Library. It was still there a couple of weeks later, and this time I got infuriated: who tf would want to read a book about a girl that boring??? Shut up. I hid it behind some other books, and walked away in a snit.
As it happens, I already had one of Peter’s books in my book pile, which I didn’t realize at the time: Her Every Fear. And I quickly discovered that I loved it! But what a surprise to see that he also wrote this one with the creaky title. Still, I liked Her Every Fear a lot, so went back to the Little Library to pick up the clock one…and of course, since I had shunned it 2 or 3 times before, it was now gone! So I got this copy at a normal library.
Freshmen George and Liana meet at a Boston college and fall in love. 2nd semester is a little different: he comes back to hear she’s committed suicide. Or did she? He drives down to Florida to check it out, and then we find out she’s not your average frosh.
20 years later, even though he hasn’t seen her since then, he feels pretty sure she’s alive and hiding somewhere…and maybe she’ll come back to him! Oh, George. And then he actually spots her, the real girl, in his favorite bar.
We bounce from the past to the present many times – both of which are pretty shady, as far as she is concerned. (Actually, I stopped liking her in Florida, when we discovered she’s a Big Fat Liar.)
Now, she asks him to help her do something legal, but still risky: return money to an old flame, a sugardaddy. Of course he does: this beats his day job as manager of a literary magazine. (FYI: back east, this is accorded respect, if not money.)
This was a fast page-turner! My landlady/roommate has been doing her usual tricks, but more so, including springing overnight guests with no notice who want to use MY bathroom, so I definitely needed some bookish distraction. I had no interest in George’s old love affair – or even his current watery one – but I wanted to find out if Liana really was a murderer…plus, the thugs constantly hanging around her were genuinely scary.
The cover is dreadful. But in later editions, quel difference! (see below)
Spoilers for this debut novel!
The author cleverly spilled only a little at a time about Liana’s tough past, her motives, and of course suspicious deaths of people she knows. And George finds excuses for her each time! But really: once we find out she killed her own father — a knife slice across the throat – she is unforgivable. (George says: Well, at least he died after a good dinner. Ass!!!)
Also: the ending of the novel is suggested, but not at all definitive. What? The author writes that the book was originally a long short story, and then a novella. Well, editors for short stories accept any old ending, I find. But we readers of books deserve better! What happened?
Other critiques of The Girl with a Clock for a Heart
Kirkus ~~Seemingly pre-measured for the movies, sometimes to its detriment but often to good effect…[Ha, ha, exactly the opposite of what I just wrote! Also:…who writes these two-faced book reviews???]
Publisher’s Weekly ~~ Swanson gives readers an. adrenaline rush through all the hairpin turns, but is less successful in making his central femme fatale either convincing or interesting.
Amazon readers: 3.9 stars
Lorraine Devon Wilke – I have to say it: I’m weary of non-ending endings. Truly…Otherwise, a decent read. Interesting story…The writer clearly knows his way around narrative and pacing, and certainly keeps the pages turning.
A. Diamond ~ Many paragraphs criticizing the writing, then: And yet, despite all this, the book is almost impossible to put down.
No reading happens in a vacuum
This mystery is a nice break from the popular writers we all know, and feel safe with. It’s easy to get in and out of, at the beach, for instance. Since this is 4th of July weekend, don’t forget a frosty glass of Tazo Iced Green Tea. (It’s the best green tea!)
And unrelated to my annoyance at this title, I am actually an occasional clock collector! Or, I was, before we got evicted. 🙁 Now, everything is in storage at the overlord and ripoff, Public Storage.
Clocks have interesting designs in different decades, and are so ubiquitous, even now, that they are still very reasonable . This chocolate Oreo cookie may not be your thing, but I might put it in my chocolate blog.
Even simple black/white clocks can add a lot to your workspace, if the font appeals to you. (Fonts are wildly different in clocks, if you care to look!)
Final Review
I gave it 2.5 stars.
Would this make a good movie? No, not with multiple timelines and out of order revelations. Also, there’s no passionate love affair. And the girl is irredeemable.
Where to find The Girl with a Clock for a Heart
Your friendly local library. Free!
ebay – Used is great. Bundles are a good deal!
Powell’s – Largest Indie bookstore
Amazon – fast
Set painter in studio Art Depts. Member Scriptwriters Network, script analyst.
Author, 2 hardcopy books, Barnes & Noble Calendar.
- Emma in the Night ~ Wendy Walker ~ Thriller - May 11, 2023
- Still Alice (2014) ~ Psychology Movie Review ~ Julianne Moore - January 25, 2023
- The Other Emily ~ Dean Koontz - January 23, 2023
