The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Sundown: Engineering Gives the Devil a Sunburn
Because Sundown was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
Hiruni Bhagya 81
The book cover indicates what sort of a book it is and the OBC review on this book made me curious about it. So, even before sampling this book, I wanted to read it. After sampling it, I wanted to continue reading it. It was fascinating to such an extent. What I liked most about this book is the protagonist. While the protagonist is an NYPD detective and participates in solving crimes, he is a father and a grandfather who wants to spend more time with his granddaughter. In addition to facing the hardships of his profession, he has a challenging personal life. This makes the protagonist more endearing to the readers. Since it appeared to be professionally edited, there's nothing that needs to be improved in this book.
First Ten review added on August 20, 2019, at 4:49 am by Hiruni Bhagya 81.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Vickie Noel
I may not have read this book outside the program because the title or cover art isn't something I'd ordinarily pick up. However, the sample proved very captivating as it turned out to be a detective novel, one if my favorite genres. The death of the vice president and four Secret Service agents kicked it off to a fast-paced start and I can't wait to see how detectives Tim and Nick solve the crime for which they were pulled out of their kidnapping stakeout. I found no grammatical errors. The OBC review also contibuted to my interest in the book.
First Ten review added on August 20, 2019, at 4:32 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
va2016
The cover and the title are not indicative of the theme of the book. There are only 4 Amazon customer reviews. The Amazon summary of the book is not that interesting to me. If not for the First Ten program, I would have skipped sampling this book. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing the situation when New York City detective Nick is being called to the headquarters after male bodies were discovered in the steps of the City Hall. I didn't find the narration and the writing style interesting, so I am not going to read this book in full. I found the sample professionally edited. There were no grammatical or mechanical errors in the sample. I didn't like anything specifically about the book. I don't have any suggestions for improvement. Although I found 3 OBC reviews of the book, my decision to not to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on August 20, 2019, at 4:16 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Lorraine De Vos
I would not have chosen to sample this book based on the title or cover. The first ten pages proved me wrong. The book is interesting and the plot revolving around political espionage and greed to gain power by hoarding the limited resources earth has left is realistic in itself. I enjoyed the writing style and breezed through the sample pages. The book does appear to be professionally edited, as I did not notice any errors. The official OnlineBookClub review was very well written and confirmed that I would be adding this book to my reading list.
First Ten review added on August 20, 2019, at 1:09 am by Lorraine De Vos.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. After reading the first ten pages, I won't be finishing this book. There was too much dialogue for my taste. For example, there was a conversation about how the agents died versus how the vice president died multiple times between different characters. I like books that move through action more than dialogue, so these conversations weren't for me. I did like the descriptions of the characters. I was able to imagine them as I read. The book did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 11:42 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
dorebri2020
The cover is very attractive and fitting for the novel content. The reviews also speak very well about the novel, so I feel that many people who care for the genre would enjoy it. I was fairly impressed by the dialogue demonstrations and the mystery plot of the assassinations. These both seem like very interesting aspects of the novel. The book is also extremely well-edited, and I noticed no errors. However, with so much drama, I feel that many plot points may be cut short, or some short details may be forgotten as time goes on. Also, I am not a particular fan of political sci-fi, so I will pass on this novel.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 11:41 pm by dorebri2020.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Juliana_Isabella
I wouldn't have chosen this book because I don't usually read detective novels, but I did notice it had a positive review. I didn't find any grammatical mistakes in the first ten pages, and I am curious about who left the bodies at city hall, but I'm not attached to or interested in the two detectives. Because of this, I won't finish the book.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 11:29 pm by Juliana_Isabella.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Nisha Ward
The title of this is what caught my eye. It reminded me of a Tom Clancy novel or the cyberpunk-lite anime I love so much, so I took a chance on it. I was not disappointed. Well-written and edited, it has a distinguishable cast of voices, like Dr. Adams' no-nonsense attitude towards the investigation into the Vice President's death and his refusal to involve higher-ups, compared to the mayor's lack of care for who was involved in the investigation. I'm eager to see how this all plays out.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 10:47 pm by Nisha Ward.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Fu Zaila
The cover suits the blurb and the reviews were positive, but I didn't want to read the book as I don't like suspense mystery. The writing is very concise and edited professionally. I liked that the author doesn't cut any slack and moves right onto the point. I also liked how the author describes details, like how he described the unpleasantness of seeing dead bodies placed near food. I'm skeptical of why Nick and Tim were chosen by the President to discover the mystery behind the murder of Vice President and his Secret Service agents. There wasn't anything I disliked but I wasn't fond of how the author describes the Vice President giving order to the Captain as funny, because of the difference in their heights. I won't be reading further as I'm not intrigued by the mystery.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 10:46 pm by Fu Zaila.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kristin Ransome
This is not a book I would normally have picked up, as its not in my usual genre. After the first 10 pages, the characters were unable to convince me to continue reading. Having found no errors, I'd say the book was professionally edited. My favourite part was the way the author described how the bodies were laid out in the cafeteria, because I found it comical. My least favourite part was how two-dimensional the characters seemed, and I was unable to connect with any of them.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 9:32 pm by Kristin Ransome.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sonya Nicolaidis
I think this book has all the right attributes and the first ten was quite engaging. From the moment I caught sight of the front cover and saw the title, I felt this book might be worth a closer look. The OBC reviewer had some good things to say about it, and so I was eager to give it a try. The only part I wasn’t sure about was that it was set in the distant future, and I don’t usually like stories that stray too far from reality. The strongest aspect of this book and one that I enjoyed the most was the way the main story was launched from the very first page. The five murders are highlighted very early on, leaving the reader little time to get bored with long introductions or scene setting. I liked that. There is nothing I could pin point not to like about the book, and I enjoyed the easy writing style. I didn’t notice any grammatical errors either, which is a big plus. In spite of all the good things I noticed about this book, I’m not quite prepared to commit to it only because of the slightly dystopian aspect of a world set in the future. I would have preferred it if it had been a regular crime story set in the present day. I won’t be reading this one.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 9:06 pm by Sonya Nicolaidis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Heidi M Simone
Without this program, I would not have sampled this book. Books relating to politics or assassinating leaders aren't to my taste. Therefore, the blurb and genre would not have piqued my interest. The title and the cartoon-like cover are also unappealing to me. The positive OBC reviews and mixed Amazon ratings do not affect my opinion of the book. I did not see any glaring errors while reading, which is always a positive sign in any book. Opening with the fact that vice president Jerome Wellsley and four Secret Service agents were murdered is a captivating way to start a novel. I can see many readers wanting to know what happened to cause their deaths. However, I will say that it was challenging to feel a connection with any of the given characters so far in the book. Even when Nick revealed his daughter wants to take him to court for the fifth time to take away visitation rights to see his granddaughter could be touching, it felt out of place with how the story opened. Due to not feeling any connection with the characters and the fact that I do not enjoy politically-based books, I do not plan on buying and reading this book.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 8:11 pm by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
OliviaLouise
I was not interested in reading this because I don’t enjoy crime or thriller books, but I was impressed with the creativity in the writing after reading the sample. When the agents get to the cafeteria and find the bodies displayed “next to tubs of cole slaw and macaroni salad,” I felt my stomach flip, but I also appreciated the originality of the idea and descriptiveness of the imagery. Although the writing is grrat and I did not find any errors, the subject matter is still not very interesting and enjoyable to me, so I will not read the rest of this one.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 7:20 pm by OliviaLouise.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
danielleamy
I liked the sound of this from the Official review. I love reading crime and mystery novels, so I may have sampled this on my own. The only thing that was offputting was the heavy topic of politics. I like that the author goes straight into the action from the first paragraph. It's clear this is going to be an exciting thriller, as I already feel hooked. A female president is an interesting take too! I'm intrigued by the sample, so will continue reading. There was nothing that I disliked and there were no typos.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 6:47 pm by danielleamy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Washboard
The title and cover art are interesting to me, and the genre is one I have enjoyed in the past. The first ten pages are interesting and set the tone for an exciting read. Two New York detectives are introduced, as is their new case - finding out who killed the Vice President and why. I did not notice any errors in my reading. Although I liked the sample, I don't think I will continue reading this one. Crime novels tend to have a bit too much violence in them for me usually. I did not read the official review.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 6:32 pm by Washboard.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
evraealtana
I wouldn't have chosen this one because it isn't my usual genre, but I did enjoy the darkness and grit in the first ten pages and thought it seemed interesting. I particularly liked Half-Penny, especially the rich characterization present in him even so early in the book, and was interested to hear about what happens to him. The official OBC review mentioned a kidnapper that crossed over into the main plot; I hope it's him. I probably won't continue with this book because I don't care for police dramas; I would have been more interested if the book focused on the grid, the World Council, and possibly even the kidnapping gang, but not on the detectives. I did notice one error, in chapter 3: Half-Penny describes five women standing, one sitting, and three clustered together some distance away (total of 9 so far), but then adds that "the last woman - nine children, there must be nine mothers - was" standing nearby; he claims there are nine mothers, but actually describes ten.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 6:28 pm by evraealtana.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
After the murder of Vice President Jerome Wellsley, two NYC detectives (Nick Garvey and Tim Branson) are on a mission to find the real perpetrator and protect President Leonora Allison from potential attacks. As I enjoy reading detective novels, I would have read the book based on the cover, Amazon blurb, and genre. My interest increased after reading both the OBC review and the sample. I liked the story was told from multiple perspectives and found the characters captivating and relatable. In particular, Nick's character intrigued me from the very first pages; his sense of humor also made me smile a lot while reading the sample. The dialogues were realistic and engaging, and the author's writing style was pleasant to read. According to the OBC review, the story is full of suspense, action, and unexpected twists and turns; honestly, I am eager to read it. The book seemed to be professionally edited as I did not encounter any typos or grammatical errors.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 6:15 pm by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sarah_Khan
At first glance, I would not have picked this up because the plot does not interest me. The cover is cool but the title is average. The first ten pages seem well-edited. I have to say that this book seems generic for this genre, with the president's death. The personalities of Nick and Tim were cut and paste. I have to pass on reading the rest. I did not read any OBC review.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 6:10 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
desantismt_17
This book’s title made me curious. The description caught my interest. A thriller with some sci-fi elements sounded like something I’d enjoy. Before sampling, I was thinking about reading. After sampling, though, I’ll pass. I’m unsure if the book was professionally edited. For the most part, it seems clean, but I noticed a few instances of odd or poor wording—maybe missing words, but it’s hard to tell. For example, the following sentence struck me as odd: “A man in a blue hospital-type gown was arms and elbows busy working on a table.” As for the writing itself, it didn’t pull me in. The first few lines with exact times and lots of names was a bit overwhelming. My overwhelmed feeling continued as I was dropped right in the middle of a murder scene. The dialogue is snappy enough, but I didn’t really get a sense of who any of the characters are. It seems the emphasis is on the events, not the characters. While this technique can work, I don’t usually enjoy this type of storytelling. I would recommend fleshing out the characters at least a bit more, as doing so could help readers like me connect. I also think a final pass of editing to catch the strange wordings would be helpful. I didn’t see an OnlineBookClub.org review, but even if I had, the sample would have made my decision not to read.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 5:10 pm by desantismt_17.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ekta Kumari
I wouldn't have read the book as the title and the cover page didn't entice me. The sample was a good read, considering the detective investigation starts right off, which helps in building anticipation. The fact that the book is set in the year 2057 makes it interesting and imaginative. I didn't find any error and can easily rate this book as professionally edited. I would recommend the read to science fiction and thriller fans, and those interested can check out the official review. I wouldn't be reading the book as it doesn't interest me enough.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 3:31 pm by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Scerakor
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I might have read it. It sounds like an exciting read that offers both a fast past and a great story. After reading the first ten pages I didn’t change my mind and therefore will be buying and reading the rest of this book eventually, when I get through my current to-read list. I enjoyed how both the action and the intrigue started right off the bat. Reading about how four secret service agents and the vice-president were all killed by an unknown assailant with fantastic upper body strength is definitely intriguing. I didn’t see anything specific that I would have wanted to change within the sample that I read, but it did seem well written and edited. The official review did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 12:21 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Nuel Ukah
The cover page and title looks compelling. I just like the setting in 2057. I'd like to read this futuristic tale to know how detectives Nick and Tim deal with the rising case.
I noticed an error on the first page of Chapter 1 — "five male bodies were dumped on the steps of (the) city hall." 'The' was missing. There was an official OBC review.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 10:38 am by Nuel Ukah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
briellejee
Based on the cover and sample, I think I would have sampled the book. Both aspects are appealing and intriguing to crime thriller stories. The title caught my interest with its metaphorical element and the cover has enough mystery to let readers want to sample the book. As for the first few pages, the first chapter lacked a certain urgency. Five people were murdered and I didn't feel the graveness of the situation because the text lacked emotions. Or it could be the author was restricting its writing style since it was a rather technical situation since the second chapter was okay with me. Nick's character was given a personality that I could envision or made him relatable unlike at the first part where everything was plain. Truth be told, I'm more interested in the plot and the mystery build-up the official OBC review mentioned. My only concern is the writing style since sometimes it comes off as bland for my taste. However, it's not true in some parts of the story. With that said, I will be buying the book and read the rest of it. The OBC review was good and persuasive enough to tell me this is worth the read. I found no noticeable errors.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 10:22 am by briellejee.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Cristina Chifane
I probably wouldn't have sampled this book without the first ten program as I wouldn't have guessed it included elements of dystopian fiction. Once I've read the Amazon blurb, I realized I might enjoy the combination of police procedural and science-fiction. Even if there are only 4 customer reviews, the book has the potential of attracting more readers. The sample was quite alert from the beginning. I loved the fact that multiple subplots are clearly visible from the first pages. I'm wondering who's responsible for the murder of the Vice-President and the Secret Service guys and how's everything connected to President Allison or the grid-lighting ceremony. Detective Nick's family affairs also seem somehow related to the general intrigue. I couldn't find any editing errors. Since I like the suspenseful plot, I'll add this novel to my reading list.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 8:53 am by Cristina Chifane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mary WhiteFace
The high-tech, futuristic style cover was intriguing. The subtitle created an interesting mental image. The rifle crosshairs kind of ruined it for me as it gave the impression of a lot of violence. Without the first ten program, I would have passed on this one.
My reaction to reading the sample was pleasantly surprising. 'Sundown' would appeal to readers who enjoy well-written stories that include police investigations, political intrigue, and drama, with a dash of what I call 'sideways humor'. The kind that makes me shake my head and chuckle at the same time. For example, at location 237: "Mayor Banner is antsy as hell. He’s forgotten his usual priorities. Forgotten about babies being kidnapped right and left, about the World Council’s meddling in city affairs, about the neighborhoods frequently thwarting our policing efforts, or his ultimate— about ice in January covering his sidewalk...".
This is not my normal genre, but the first ten pages revealed a building plot that piqued my curiosity. The book seemed to be professionally edited. I have no suggestions for improvements. The OnlineBookClub review did not influence my decision. As long as I don't run into an over abundance of violence, or blood and gore, I will be reading this book.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 8:11 am by Mary WhiteFace.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Gravy
While the story sounds interesting, it really isn't something that I want to read, so I would not have sampled it without this program. The sample did not change my mind about that.
I didn't notice any grammatical errors, but the fact that solar power is referred to as "sun energy" and it has to be collected from a satellite (and sent to a power grid?) is, to say the least, a weird choice. This really threw me, and I just couldn't take the story seriously after that. Perhaps there's a reason for the discrepancy, but I didn't see one. There was one little oddity (that I'm loath to label an error), the detective thinks to himself that he, "couldn't imagine a less-visible and less-powerful politician" about the Vice President. With no real elaboration, I'm left wondering if this is actually what is meant (in which case some explanation as to why would be helpful), or if it's like when people mistakenly say they "could care less," when they mean the opposite. In any case, it's written in a way that allows confusion.
I didn't particularly like anything about this one, it just doesn't appeal to me, though it sounds like a promising example of its genre.
There was a review for this book, but my opinion would be the same, regardless. Given my lack of interest in this, overall, and the confusing choices listed above, I will not be reading this.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 7:21 am by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kristy Khem
The book’s cover design, title, and blurb were not appealing to me because I don’t like detective thrillers. There were positive reviews on Amazon and the book was also rated 4/4 by the review team. However, I would not have chosen to read this one because of the genre. There were hardly any physical descriptions of the characters, which I found lacking. The futuristic aspects of the story didn’t seem as apparent and this could be improved. I personally like to know the characters and setting really well when I first begin reading and I found this lacking in the sample. I disliked the descriptions/details of the bones in the vice president’s neck being crushed. I cringed while reading this. I liked that details about Nick’s personal life were included, such as the fact that Sandra, his daughter was trying to prevent him from seeing his granddaughter Nicole. I did not spot any grammatical mistakes in the sample so I assume that this book was professionally edited. Reading the sample didn’t change my original decision. I would not buy and read this one.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 6:38 am by Kristy Khem.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yoli García
I enjoy dystopian novels so I would have sampled this book without this program. The OBC review did not convince me to read it because the story starts with the assassinations of the Vice President and four of his Secret Service officers. I think a professional edited the book. I liked that it is set in the future, the year 2057. The World Council sounds like a globalized entity in power, which is intriguing. I did not like the scene in which the bodies are set up in the cafeteria of the City Hall. It was a disgusting scene. I will not read the book because I dislike gruesome scenes.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 4:56 am by Yoli García.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Alice Heritage
This isn't a book I would have sampled without this programme as thrillers aren't my preferred genre. I won't buy and read it today on the basis of the first ten pages because I found the writing style distracting at times. The book appears professionally edited. The phrase "was arms and elbows busy" reads oddly but is probably not an error. I liked the description of the women guarding their children at the playground best. This was an example of how showing worked better than telling - Captain Gilmore's monologue about the society's ills jarred as a clumsy device to fill the reader in on information the characters would have known. In that vein, Nick and Tim's repetition of the vice president's cause and time of death on their return to the precinct seems unnecessary - a much briefer summary would suffice since the reader already knows this. My decision was based more on the sample than the official OBC review, which did not note any graphic disturbing content. The theme of snatching babies in itself is triggering enough for me, though.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 4:56 am by Alice Heritage.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mercelle
Judging by the cover, I wasn't going to read this book, but the OBC review urged me on when it mentioned that at the heart of the story is a global war to dethrone the supreme leader. When I read the first ten pages, I liked that Nick wondered who would benefit from the vice president's death. Since I noticed no errors, I will conclude that the text underwent professional editing, and there's nothing I would change about the bit I read. I will, however, not read the rest of the book because it doesn't appeal to me.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 3:08 am by Mercelle.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
lavellan
I probably wouldn't have read Sundown if it hadn't been a part of the First Ten program. While the Book of the Day review was positive, it didn't grab my attention. The book seemed like it was professionally edited, but I noticed an error while reading. "Who" should be used instead of "whom" in the following phrase: "...for their captain, whom they were told was in..." I enjoyed Nick's multi-faceted character. I was curious to find out why his daughter wanted to take away his visitation rights. I didn't like how the book jumped straight in. I would have liked to have learned more about the vice president, Nick, and the current world state. As a result of this, I will not buy the book today.
First Ten review added on August 19, 2019, at 2:06 am by lavellan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
maggi3
The title and cover of this book were interesting, but, based on the OBC review, the subject matter wasn’t something I would be interested in. Therefore, I would not have read this book.
After sampling the book, I will still not be reading it. The writing is good, and I noticed no errors. However, the first chapter wasn’t all that unique. It’s interesting that it was the vice president who was killed instead of the president, but I was not intrigued enough to want to read the rest of the story. I can suggest no improvements. This one is just not for me.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 11:16 pm by maggi3.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
CataclysmicKnight
I like the cover of this book. The subtitle seemed a little weird, but the mention of the devil and the angelic-looking sky made an interesting combination.
In reading the first two chapters, I already faced some ups and downs. The first chapter jumps right into the action - the vice president and four secret service men are found dead, and yet the president refuses to call off her visit in a mere few weeks. This is relayed to detectives who are put in charge of ensuring nothing happens during the president's visit, and there's plenty of detective-ish lingo despite the book taking place decades in the future. Then the second chapter follows another man, referred to as the devil and the Wizard of Oz, who has plans of his own. This second chapter went quite a bit slower than the first until the end, although I'm sure it's to form a connection with his character.
I didn't see any errors, and while I'd probably at least read more of it if it was free, I'm not hooked enough to purchase a copy of it.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 9:43 pm by CataclysmicKnight.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
LV2R
The book cover and title were both OK, but I did not know if I wanted to read the book or not. The Amazon Blurb introduced NYC Detective Nick Garvey, who has plenty of cases that he is involved with, in the year 2057. It sounds like a detective story with a bit of science fiction. The first ten pages began with Captain Kevin Gilmore calling off the kidnapping gang stakeout that Detectives Nick Garvey and Tim Branson were on and involving them in solving the murders of the vice president and four Secret Service agents found dumped on the steps of the City Hall. I best liked that this interruption was probably a true reflection of how detective work is often multi-faceted and that there would be more than one case at a time. The book may not be edited well, as I noticed that there were several incomplete sentences used. One example is at location 3%: “Four Secret Service agents, each with a single bullet hole in his head.” (There was no verb used.) However, this may be the style of a detective’s talking and thinking, like a report. The OBC review mentioned that there were only minor errors. The book has multi-layered plots with lots of twists and turns, suspense, and surprise elements. I do not want to read this book because I am not interested in reading about murders, kidnappings, and other crimes.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 9:01 pm by LV2R.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Delaney35
This is not a book I would normally consider reading; I also wasn't interested by the reviews that I read. This book is about an NYC detective who tries to solve several high-stakes cases including the assassination of the vice-president. This case was introduced in the first few pages, along with the main character Nick Garvey. Garvey is the detective assigned to investigate this murder. The opening set up a murder mystery in a nice way. It also hinted at some of the political issues prevailing in the dystopian NYC. I think both the main premise and setting were well-establish. I didn't get a great feeling for Garvey though. I do believe it was professionally edited; I didn't notice any issues. Overall, I will not be finishing this book because it's not a genre that I frequently enjoy.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 8:29 pm by Delaney35.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AA1495
Had I not sampled the book, I would not have read it. I usually read pure romance books. However, the book has a perfect 4/4 OBC review, which gave me a good impression of the book. Having read the sample, one of the first things that caught my attention was the index. The fact that the book had 93 chapters made the book seem tiresome to read. Further, I would have liked it if there were chapter titles in the book. In terms of editing and formatting, I would have liked more spacing between paragraphs. However, I thought that the author introduced Nick's character well. In terms of language, the book was easy to understand and follow. It seems like a good read for those who like thrillers, but since I do not read that genre usually, I will not be buying the book today.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 7:43 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kelyn
If I had not been a member of this program, it is doubtful that the author, title, or cover would have led me to pick up this book. The author is unknown to me, and the title does not have the 'feel' of any particular genre, nor does the cover. The genre might have helped if it had been placed in the sci-fi/dystopia section rather than the mystery section as the former are genres that I actively seek out. The very positive customer review may also have guided me to give it a look. Reading the sample revealed the dystopian/sci-fi aspects of the book, which definitely stirred my interest. Nick is a very engaging character, and in within the short time reading the sample, I already was invested in him and what would happen to him. I especially liked that his relationship with and intense love for his daughter is a highlight of the book. Yes, I will definitely be continuing to read the book. The novel appeared to be well edited. I found no errors in the sample.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 6:59 pm by Kelyn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample, I would not have read the book as I did not think this was my genre. After reading the sample, I have changed my mind. The writing was really engaging and I liked how there were some references that I knew. For example, Wizard of Oz was mentioned with a dark twist and I loved the way the chapter was ended: "Beck's much-heralded yellow brick road was decorated with blood." The sample was professionally edited. I did not read an official review but that did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 6:08 pm by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
unamilagra
Before sampling this book, I may have picked it up because I love action-packed dystopian novels. Reading the first ten pages of this book was certainly exciting, with the murder of the vice president and his secret service members right off the bat. That said, I'm not sure I am crazy about the idea of the politics of the book, with the fighting over the grid-lighting ceremony. I don't plan to continue reading this book. I didn't notice any errors in the section I read.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 5:47 pm by unamilagra.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Brenda Creech
Just looking at the cover and the title of this book I would have passed it by. Once I read the review and realized it is a crime novel set in the future I was hooked! I love futuristic crime stories and it is amazing how some of the things that sound so far out there you can see actually coming into fruition! I definitely plan to read this book in the near future when I finish a couple more I am reading. The book appears to have been professionally edited. I did not find any errors in the sample I read. What I liked most about what I read was the park scene and how the moms were so quick to catch the kidnapper. I didn't see anything that I felt needed improved. The book sounds like it will be a real page-turner from beginning to end.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 4:28 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'Sundown' is a book written by Carl H. Mitchell. he title, blurb, and cover did a good job at convincing me to give this book a try.
The first ten pages leads me to believe that it is a detective mystery. The Vice-president and his team is murdered. Detective Nick and his partner is brought in to investigate. I like the writing style. I found some errors. For example, it should have been “who" instead of “whom” in “..their captain, whom they..” Hence, I do not think that it is professionally edited. I will give this book a skip as I am not in the mind-frame to read a book of this genre as of now.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 3:56 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
HRichards
I normally wouldn't have picked this book up as the summary didn't really appeal to me. Having read the sample I won't be continuing on with the book as I didn't really like the content. The sample deals with an investigation into the murder of the vice president and four secret service officers who have been dumped on the steps of a building. The vice president was strangled and the officers shot. The writing is okay and I didn't notice any grammar errors. Those who like thrillers might like this book. I didn't find the content that appealing. I have not read any other reviews of this book.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 3:40 pm by HRichards.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Laura Ungureanu
The year is 2057. Detectives Nick and Tim are called at 5 in the morning to come to the City Hall where the vice president and four Secret Agents were murdered. It felt like watching a detective movie, which is a good thing, but I personally don't like detective books. I'm also not a fan of the world domination trope. I wouldn't have checked this book out without the program because it didn't look like something I would read. The review didn't convince me either. I didn't find any grammar errors.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 3:10 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Erin Dydek
The cover art was interesting and appealing, so even though the subtitle of the book seemed a bit strange I was interested in learning more about Sundown. While I do enjoy books in the mystery and suspense category, as I read, the first ten pages seemed to center on political issues. I am not currently looking at this type of crime thriller so I will not read the rest of the book. I thought it was very interesting that the book takes place in 2057 and the main characters have to protect female president Lenora Allison, but I think this book would appeal more to fans of politically driven thrillers. The book was highly rated on OBC, but did not change my mind. This well-edited book will appeal more to fans of thrillers centered around world powers, new energy sources, and threats to the president.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 3:08 pm by Erin Dydek.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
The author paints a dark picture of the future when Nick and Tim visit Dr. Adams and learn the Vice President has been murdered via strangulation. I’m not really a fan of mystery novels, but those who are will likely enjoy the set up of the story and its dystopian setting. The review was positive, but didn’t really peak my interest. The editing looks solid and professional with no errors.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 2:59 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
sarahmarlowe randomeducator
Both the cover and the title are intriguing. I like the sniper's crosshairs, and I like that the title is easy to read. I probably would have picked it up. The sample was a fun read! I enjoyed the plot set-up with the VP's assassination mixed with a visit from the President and a subplot about baby snatchers. I also liked the addition of futuristic items like the grid and the lack of gasoline. The book was well written, and I found no errors. I haven't read an OBC review of this book, and I won't be choosing to read it. While it seems to have a good plot and characters, it isn't a genre I enjoy.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 2:56 pm by sarahmarlowe randomeducator.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
cpru68
Readers are transported to the year 2057 as detectives Nick Garvey and Tim Branson are notified of the death of Vice President Jerome Wellsley who has been strangled and four secret service agents have been shot. All five bodies have been left on the steps of city hall. They are summoned by Captain Kevin Gilmore to help find out who has done this and to protect the President of the United States. She refuses to call off a grid lighting ceremony she has planned putting her life at risk. The two men’s jobs are on the line as they are expected to keep her safe.
I won’t be finishing this book as I’m not drawn into a futuristic detective crime story. It just doesn’t appeal to me as I do read mostly non-fiction. I think this was well-written, and my only question was the word “Vice President” not being capitalized in 2 percent of the sample. Other than that, I found no other errors and it seemed to be professionally edited. I appreciate the opportunity to have read the sample pages of this book and will send it out on my social media for others to look into. I probably wouldn’t have found this one without the online book club.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 12:49 pm by cpru68.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
I have come across a very positive review of this on OBC, and I have become interested in picking up this book because of it. However, the sample has editing errors: on the first page of chapter 1, the words "city hall" in "...dumped on the steps of city hall just after..." should be capitalised. This is because the speaker is referring to a specific place, i.e., it is a proper noun, which should be capitalised. Still, I like that the story starts off with a bang, when the detectives find out that the vice president and his security detail have been killed, with no sign of the culprit. The methodology used is also rather interesting, as the vice president had been strangled by someone with great upper-arm strength, enough to crush bone and leave the pathologist no way to determine the time of death. Still, I would suggest that the book undergo a couple more rounds of editing. I will not be purchasing the book today, as the errors are rather distracting.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 12:26 pm by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gali
I would have sampled the book on my own, as it is one of my favorite genres. I love books that combine suspense, Sci-fi, and dystopian aspects. However, I changed my mind after sampling the book. While a thriller taking place in 2057 sounds intriguing, I didn't care for the style of writing. The book follows Nick Garvey, an NYPD detective, who is tasked with protecting the President and catching a murderer. I liked that the book opened with a bang, the murder of the Vice President and four Secret Service agents. I also liked the wink to the Wizard of Oz in the following sentence: "While working the street, Nick had come to realize that Beck's much-heralded yellow brick road was decorated with blood". Although I didn't notice any glaring errors, the language was a bit dry for my taste, I won't buy and read the book, as don't care for political-themed books. The official review further turned me off the book by pointing out the large cast of characters and numerous subplots.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 11:45 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
I like the cover art of this book. It is attractive and drew my attention. The title doesn’t tell me what the book is about, but I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. I haven’t read a review of this book yet. The first ten pages tell the story of two detectives that are called in to investigate the murder of the Vice President and four of his secret service agents. The Vice President was strangled and the secret service agents were each shot in the head. They are concerned that the President could be next. I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages, so I believe the book was professionally edited based on the first ten pages alone. The story seems interesting, but the first ten pages didn’t interest me enough to finish reading the book. I will read a review of this book to see if I change my mind, but based on the first ten pages, I will not finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on August 18, 2019, at 10:45 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 28%
Sundown earned a score of 28%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 28% plan to read the whole book.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.
Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.
Go to main Bookshelves page for Sundown
