The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Dead Reckoning
Because Dead Reckoning 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.
Gabriella H
I wouldn't have sampled this book without this program because the plot doesn't make sense to me. I don't understand why two twelve-year-old girls would want anything to do with a dead baby. I can't imagine that realistically happening. I think the first ten pages are well-written, even though I noticed some errors. I like how the author realistically described Toshi's introduction to Gilly's neighbor and Sally. I found it amusing that Mrs. Anderson thought she had to speak to Toshi like a child without first politely asking if he speaks English. This a common embarrassing assumption some people make without knowing how insulting it can be. I felt it added authenticity to the characters. However, I can't get over the main plot point, which doesn't make sense to me. I won't be completing this book. My decision was influenced by the OBC official review and blurb. I like thrillers, but this didn't influence my decision. The book's cover, title, customer reviews, and editorial reviews didn't influence my decision either. I think the first ten pages were professionally edited, but the editor missed some errors. I think another round of editing to eliminate the minor but obvious errors I noticed would help. These are three examples of the errors I noticed, 1. "It's under that tree that my friend Sally and I buried a dead baby girl we'd found in the town cemetery a few hours earlier, in a box hidden in the long grass." (Second paragraph of chapter one). The comma after the word earlier shouldn't be there. 2. "I looked up to see Sally's wide-eyed stare. her mouth dropping open." (Still in chapter one). The full stop after stare should be a comma. 3. "She gave off a faint soapy smell, like she'd been just washed." (Still in chapter one). It should be, "She gave off a faint soapy smell like she'd just been washed."
First Ten review added on March 30, 2023, at 5:00 am by Gabriella H.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Manang Muyang
The cover and title did not give a clue as to the contents of the book. However, the blurb was clear about the book being a thriller featuring dead children. I was spooked by "dead children" so I would not have looked into the book outside of the program, despite my being a thriller junkie. The sample was written well, though. I liked how the author introduced Gilly, Toshi, and Sally. It was easy to feel the strain in the Gilly-Toshi marriage. The shadow of "dead children" kept haunting me, though, so I will not read the rest of the book. I couldn't think of anything to change in what I read, save for addressing the errors. One was at 28% of the sample: "Toshi, sinks back on the sofa" didn't need the comma. At 41%, I looked up to see Sally's wide-eyed stare. her mouth dropping open" should have used a comma vice the period. The official OBC review gave the book top marks, but the review could not erase "dead children" from my mind's eye. So I reckon I will not be reading this book.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2023, at 4:59 am by Manang Muyang.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jeremie Mondejar
I sampled this book based on the title because it simply says that a deep secret is hidden behind the one who is under the soil. When I read the sample, I got intrigued by the dead baby. It seems creepy but is full of suspense. Giddy can't forget the day when they secretly buried a dead baby. This makes me curious, but I won't continue reading this book. The book is too costly for me. I read the OBC review, but it doesn't affect my decision. The reviews of this book are quite good, but I won't read it. I don't see any errors or anything to dislike. There's nothing I can recommend for improvement, too.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2023, at 4:56 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
FunkyFlowerLady
Dead Reckoning by Lea O'Harra is a crime and horror thriller book. The plot revolves around Gilly, a middle-aged woman reminiscing about her dark childhood activities, which in hindsight do not seem to be in good taste at all. The narration is shrouded in the shadows of horrific deaths. The book starts with Gilly recalling her actions and wondering whether she will ever free herself from the horrors of the past. I read the OBC review, and it did not interest me. This dark fiction is perfectly capable of giving you goosebumps while reading, which is not my favorite genre, hence I won't be reading the full book. I do not like the eery, unsettling feeling this plot gives me. I would not have read the first ten pages if not for this program. I tried it for this program. I did not come across any errors in the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2023, at 4:28 am by FunkyFlowerLady.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sou Hi
Without this program, I wouldn't have read this. The official review from OnlineBookClub, the cover, the blurb, and the ratings on Amazon are fine, but the book's premise is not my cup of tea.
I like nothing in the bit I read. The sample is not very impressive. Gilly and her husband are visiting her mother's house after she passed away. It seems coming back reminds her of the dead baby she and Sally secretly buried. I suggest another round of proofreading. Since the plot can't pique my interest, I won't buy the book. The OBC review was helpful in making my decision.
Error example: She's wearing a puffy pink jacket, a red plaid skirt, and thigh high boots. -> It should be "thigh-high boots" instead.
Toshi, sinks back on the sofa. -> Unneeded comma.
First Ten review added on March 30, 2023, at 1:58 am by Sou Hi.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Julie Gebrosky
If I had not been part of this program, I still would have sampled this book. The genre appeals to me and the OBC review made me want to read it. After reading the first ten pages, I do plan to finish it. I was immediately drawn in by the story of Gilly and the dead baby. When Sally appeared and said that it was happening again, it drew up suspense and made me want to finish it even more. I even found the interactions between Gilly and Toshi relatable. I found no errors, and there was nothing that I disliked about it.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2023, at 9:47 pm by Julie Gebrosky.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Shanesha Sammerson
The Amazon blurb and the OBC review sounded intriguing enough to entice me to read it. The design is very appealing to me, and it drew my attention. I would purchase it after reading the first ten pages because it was intriguing from the start. I want to know why they buried the deceased baby they discovered in the cemetery without telling anyone, and what they did to cause the deaths of two other children. I discovered no mistakes. There is nothing about the book that I dislike or would alter.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2023, at 8:44 pm by Shanesha Sammerson.
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, title, editorial reviews, or customer reviews. I was a little shocked to read the summary of the book. I definitely felt my eyebrows raise at the mention of the dead baby. I didn’t think this would be a book I would enjoy. After reading the first ten pages, I will be finishing this book. I was surprised to find myself continuing to read even past the first ten pages. I thought the author did a great job with descriptions. Gilly switches between describing her surroundings and describing her thoughts and feelings. This can be difficult to accomplish with the first person perspective, but the author did a great job. There wasn’t anything specific that I thought needed improvement. The book did seem to be professionally edited; there weren’t any errors in the first ten pages.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2023, at 8:33 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mayang Bature
This book began in the manner of a good horror story, with the terrifying flashback and the haunted house that was once Gilly's childhood home. It was thrilling, which I enjoyed. This book's description and OBC review both hinted at it being a horror novel. I wouldn't have been interested in this book if I hadn't been in this program and seen either. What I didn't like after reading the sample was the lack of significant environmental detail. The ones provided were all too hazy. I didn't find any mistakes in what I read, but I'm not going to read the rest of the book. Horror stories are too cliched and uninteresting for me.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2023, at 6:28 pm by Mayang Bature.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kaitlyn Canedy
If Dead Reckoning hadn't been the OnlineBookClub's book of the day, I would have skipped it because of the description and customer reviews. I am not a fan of thriller novels, so I knew I would not be purchasing or reading this one as soon as I saw what it was about. There is an official OnlineBookClub review for this book, but I did not even need to read it to know this book is not for me. I liked reading about Toshi and Gilly's relationship; it seems to be a complicated one that may change as the story goes on. I found no grammatical errors in the sample, and there is nothing I can think of that needs improvement. Even though I read the whole sample, I knew I was not going to finish the rest of the book because I am not a fan of murder mystery thrillers.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2023, at 5:06 pm by Kaitlyn Canedy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ekta Kumari
The book centers around the themes of past regrets, hate, and crime, with moments of heavy suspense. It narrates the story of Gilly, who has to come face to face with the consequences of past actions when she and her friend buried a dead baby without understanding its repercussions. The fact that this was done at such a young age makes the plot even more interesting, considering the conflict between morality and juvenile crime. I would have read the book based on its genre alone because I love a good crime mystery. The cover page and the title also suit the storyline. The book starts off on an ominous note, with Gilly ruminating over her past. While she has returned for her mother's funeral, the opening scenes make it obvious that the mistakes made under the influence of childhood naivety have an overwhelming grip on her mind. The extent of her guilt is clearly evident in the fact that she has regrets over her choice to not come back home even after the repeated requests of her mother, whom she has now lost. The book jumps right into the main plot. While this may not sit well with everyone, I liked this directness the most. There are no major grammatical errors, and I consider the book to be professionally edited. I saw an official OBC review that detailed the book quite well and was indeed useful in inspiring curiosity for the story. Reading the sample was an enjoyable experience for me so far, so I plan on reading the whole book. As for improvements, I would have liked it more if the author had named the chapters.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2023, at 2:39 pm by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sanju Lali
I liked the conversation between
Toshi and Gilly because I found it full of cooperation. I learned that Sally and Gilly were best friends. I lost interest in this book because of the unusual irony in the description of the scenes. So, I will not buy and read this book today. My suggestion to the author is to use commonly used irony in the narrative. Had I not been a part of The First Ten program, I would not have sampled this book because the cover, title, and genre were not appealing to me. I found a few customer reviews of this book, and they gave good opinions about it, but I could not find any editorial reviews of this book. I was inspired to read the sample of this book by the OBC official review. I feel that this book needs a round of professional editing because I found several grammatical errors in it. For example, the sentence, "I want to protest but I bite my lower lip instead." This sentence could have been as follows. "I want to protest, but I bite my lower lip instead."
First Ten review added on March 29, 2023, at 12:19 pm by Sanju Lali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Diana Lowery
The title is a reference to a navigational term, but the cover with the photo of a tombstone made me think that it was talking about dead people. The blurb said that it was a good book for Japanophiles, which convinced me not to read the book. The OBC did not mention Japan at all, which confused me. The review also made the book sound confusing. There was an awkward sentence at 9%, "Advanced age, Dutch elm disease and a few storms have nearly done for it." I think the author meant done it in. I found some of the writing to be cliche. Describing a character by seeing a reflection and finding a diary for flashbacks are both overused techniques. I am not going to finish reading the book because there was nothing that I liked and the subject did not interest me. The book had a very negative tone. I do not have any suggestions for the author.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2023, at 11:05 am by Diana Lowery.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Vidhi Adhikari
The book makes a decent first impression with its attractive cover design, straightforward title, detailed description, and multiple customer and OBC reviews. Since the book is a thriller mystery novel involving death, I was excited to read the sample. The OBC review spoke about the appealing murder element, which further piqued my interest. That said, I loved the simple writing style of the author. There were some minor grammatical errors, but nothing that would affect my reading experience (I’m thinking of my own crimes, of course. {Remove comma}). Unfortunately, since I do not have the required funds or a free trial in Kindle Unlimited, I will not be able to buy this book. I have no suggestions because had I been able to afford the book, I would have loved reading it.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2023, at 6:02 am by Vidhi Adhikari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Pauline Parnell
I would have read the sample pages of the book if I hadn't been a participant in this program, as I found the book's cover to be quite attractive. I was curious about the book's substance. However, after reading the first ten pages, I wouldn't want to buy and finish reading the book. For me, the narration was uninteresting. No errors have been observed. The author wrote an unusual but plausible tale. However, I don’t sense the anguish of the protagonist's soul when she discovered that her actions resulted in more babies' deaths. I believe that the author could have initially spoken through the eyes of a child and conveyed the innocence of her actions. My decision was not affected by the OBC review.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2023, at 4:19 am by Pauline Parnell.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Nisha DSouza
This book is a crime thriller with an interesting cover and title. The blurb hinted at the horrible crimes that were to take place in the story. I wasn't too keen on reading the book after I read the first sentence in it, which spoke about a dead newborn in a shoebox. There were some positive Amazon customer comments. The official OBC review, although very engaging, did not compel me to read the book. I read the sample, and I did not enjoy it much. Although the story is gripping, I would not buy this book because I found the plot to be a bit morbid. It was particularly creepy to read the part where Gilly sniffs the dead baby and strokes her hair. I do not enjoy stories with dead children. I found one error in the first ten pages, details of which are given below.
Location 4 of 289
Error 1: And then I feel surprise because my husband, never the most intuitive type, seems to have read my mind.
Explanation: It should be ‘surprised’ instead of ‘surprise’.
First Ten review added on March 29, 2023, at 2:35 am by Nisha DSouza.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mariana Figueira
If I wasn't part of the First Ten program, I wouldn't have read the book because nothing on the cover or the title got my attention. After sampling the book I don't want to continue reading it because the story didn't captivate me. I like the relationship that Gilly and Sally have, even after everything they have been through. This book seems professionally edited, I didn't see any typos; plus, it has an official Online Bookclub review but that didn't affect my opinion about not reading the book. I didn't see anything that needed improvement.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 10:51 pm by Mariana Figueira.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ari Martinez
If it wasn't for the First Ten program, I would still sample this book based on its title, cover, genre, blurb, OnlineBookClub review, and other reviews because this book seemed like it would have the perfect amount of suspense, and I love suspenseful stories. From what I read, my favorite part was the combination of characters. For example, Toshi was an infuriating character – he really made me angry. I thought this showed the author's talent in creating different characters and drawing out the emotions of her readers. After sampling the book, I will continue reading it because I liked the main character, and I found the plot intriguing. I also enjoyed the first-person narration – it really felt like I was in Gilly's mind. I can't think of any way to improve the book, and I didn't find any errors.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 10:07 pm by Ari Martinez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Kelsey Roy
I was not initially intrigued by the cover of “Dead Reckoning.” I find no appeal to flower and grave details. The title is mysterious, though, and increases my interest. The blurb identifies the genre as crime/mystery/thriller, which I usually enjoy. The OBC review discusses two young girls finding the body of a deceased infant and hiding the evidence for decades. This revelation startled me, and although it’s heinous, I’d like to learn more about this topic.
I found no errors in the sample pages. I enjoy the author’s writing style. I felt transported into Gilly’s rundown childhood home. I felt oppressed and trapped by Toshi’s anger and selfishness. I found nothing to dislike about the sample. I’m intrigued to learn how keeping the secret of this baby’s death and discovery killed two more children. I want to know what Sally meant when she said it was happening again. I will purchase and finish this book to find out. I have no recommendations for the author.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 9:48 pm by Kelsey Roy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Anna_Hernandez
Had I not been a part of this program, I still would have sampled the book based on the simple yet intriguing title, which made me wonder how the dead would come back to haunt the living. After reading the first ten pages, I intend to finish the book, not just for the mystery, but also to see spoiled child Toshi get kicked to the curb and sent back to his mother where he belongs. I did find one grammatical error, which was in the sentence 'Gilly, your mom showed me that many photos of him I feel I know him already.’ One suggestion for improvement could be to change 'that' to 'so'. The scene was beautifully crafted with laid-back, mature language that gave me a good sense of what was happening without being directly told. As of yet, I see no needed improvements. The official featured review of ‘Dead Reckoning’ by Lea O'Harra on OBC did not influence my decision to read the book, though it did make the book sound even more intriguing by revealing there would be crimes unearthed from the characters' pasts.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 8:14 pm by Anna_Hernandez.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Sushan Ekanayake
Dead Reckoning by Lea O'Harra belongs to the C/T/M/H genre, which I enjoy reading. The title and the cover page piqued my interest. The blurb revealed that the story revolved around the dark consequences of naive actions taken by two little girls many years ago. The editorial reviews and customer reviews spoke highly of the book. Based on these factors, I would have sampled this book even if I had not been a part of this program.
Upon reading the first few pages, I found that the story began with Gilly returning to where everything started. The author did a commendable job by launching the book in an intriguing manner. However, the introduction of multiple characters and events from both the past and present made it challenging to follow the storyline. Consequently, I felt disinterested and decided not to read the rest of the book after completing the first ten pages.
I did not detect any errors or areas in need of improvement within the opening pages. Additionally, I found the official OBC review, which praised the book. Nonetheless, it was insufficient to change my mind.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 7:50 pm by Sushan Ekanayake.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
OTrain Disene
I was sold the moment I saw the cover and read the two-word title. The cover was attractive to the eye and made you question why the flower was there. I would have selected it outside this programme. The book opens up with a woman standing at a house she grew up in. She is clouded with memories of past mistakes. She has a lot of regrets, and a lot has changed since she and her friend found a dead baby girl at the cemetery. The mystery was well tailored that not everything was given out at the same time. This is what I loved about the first ten pages I read. There is nothing I disliked about it. I was to find out more about Sally and Gilly and what happened, how it all happened. The sentences were written in a manner that was flowing and moved the story forward at a nice pace. I saw no errors. The OBC official review was instrumental in my decision of wanting to read this book further. The suspense of it is the biggest reason why I want to read the book entirely
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 7:48 pm by OTrain Disene.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Stephanie Runyon
The title caught my attention. I like reading mystery thrillers and would have sampled the book. I found the tension between Gillian and Sally odd. Toshi knew something was off; his cold demeanor towards Sally is evident. There were no errors, so I believe this book was professionally edited. I have no suggestions for improving the story. The OBC review did not influence my decision to continue reading the story. I did not read anything online to alter my choice. The suspense being built with the dead baby and subsequent deaths Gillian remembers appeals to me.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 7:03 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Rodel Barnachea
Following my poring over the book’s official OBC review and Amazon page, I opted not to purchase the thriller. I am not fascinated by the reason why young Gilly and young Sally decided to keep a dead baby they found in the woods. I am not intrigued by how young Gilly and young Sally's actions influenced the murder of two other children. I am not interested in finding out how present-day Gilly will cope with the horrors of the past and the scariness of her actions. Sampling the title failed to change my mind. I would not acquire it because nothing in the Amazon sample convinced me I would enjoy perusing the rest of the book. The first ten pages contain Chapter One and a few pages of Chapter Two. What I liked most is when the main character revealed that two children died because of what she and Sally did when they were children. I did not note any errors in the sample. The book seems professionally edited. I have no advice to offer to the author.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 6:54 pm by Rodel Barnachea.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
"Dead Reckoning" is written by Lea O'Harra. Gilly returns to her hometown in Indiana for her mother's funeral. Byron is now a decrepit town. Moreover, it becomes all the more foreboding when Gully has to face her past. When she was twelve, she and her best friend, Sally, had found a dead baby and buried her without letting anyone know. That led to the deaths of more people. This has haunted Gilly for twenty-six years. Gilly's reunion with Sally was relatable. Also, her anguish over the loss of her mother was realistic. Gilly's difficult relationship with her husband was heartbreaking. I like the writing style. I did not find anything worth changing. There were no errors. The OBC review and the reviews on Amazon are helpful. I would read this book based on the cover, title, genre, customer reviews, editorial reviews, and blurb as I like the storyline. I will continue reading the book as I am intrigued by the story. I want to know how little Cassandra died.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 6:42 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
MsH2k
I read crime thrillers occasionally, and the blurb introduced a unique situation that seemed to spiral out of control when Gilly and Sally found the dead newborn in the cemetery. The cover was professionally designed, and the title reflected the storyline well. I would have sampled this book even if I were not part of this program. As the first ten pages introduced the characters and Gilly’s childhood home, the fact that the issues were starting again added intrigue to the story. However, I did not connect with any of the characters. I disliked Toshi and how he treated Gilly, and I did not enjoy Gilly enough to endure the hard times with her, so I will not buy this book. It appeared professionally edited; I did not notice any countable grammatical errors in the first ten pages, and I have no suggestions for improvement. Neither the featured OnlineBookClub review nor any other reviews or ratings had any bearing on my decision.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 5:36 pm by MsH2k.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Nemanja Jankovic
Both the title and the cover of the book appear mysterious and associated with danger, and I would choose to read the book based on them. I read the Official OnlineBookClub review, the blurb, and customer reviews before making my decision, but they did not influence my choice. Suzanne Kamata's editor's review influenced my decision slightly because it highlighted the author's knowledge of Japanese culture. I'm not going to read the book because I'm not in the mood for kidnapping thrillers at the moment. I only found one typo (Little Mouse. - Little mouse.), so the book appears to have been professionally edited. I like how realistically Toshi's dismay at the state of the house is described because it feels very authentic and like a typical Japanese reaction. I don't think anything in the book needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 5:04 pm by Nemanja Jankovic.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Patty Allread
I would not have sampled this book if I had not been part of the OBC program because even though I like the crime/mystery genre, the Amazon summary said these two twelve-year-olds found a dead baby, and they buried it and neither went to their parents or police in twenty-six years. This is not a believable premise for a story. I find the title and cover art acceptable but not original. Some positive editorial reviews appear to be from other authors, and the customer reviews were mostly 5-star. Because of these, I decided to sample the book before making any decision about reading it.
I sampled the first ten pages of this book and decided not to buy or read it because it is a dreary story. I didn't like all the unnecessary details and the second-by-second retelling of every move and every word of Gilly and Toshi. I didn't find any errors except the mention of "Nick" without saying who he is. I enjoyed the fact that Gilly and Toshi lived in Japan, even though I suspect this has little to do with the story. Otherwise, I just didn't like the book.
I read the official OBC review of the book, but this didn't change my decision.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 4:42 pm by Patty Allread.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Hazel Arnaiz
Although the title suggests crime fiction, the cover did not pique my curiosity. The blurb suggests a coming-of-age mystery thriller, which I rarely read. Despite positive customer reviews, I was not compelled to read this book outside of the program. After sampling, I liked how it used the diary to transition from the present to the past. It appears that the mystery surrounding what the two girls discovered in the past is intriguing. Yet, I prefer a faster pace with more action. As a result, I won't read about it this time, but I will keep it in mind. I did not encounter editing issues. Likewise, I have no suggestions for improvement. My decision was not influenced by the official OnlineBookClub review.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 3:41 pm by Hazel Arnaiz.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Amy Luman
There were no editorial reviews of this, but all of the customer reviews were great! I am going to finish this because the reviews were so good and the OBC reviewer recommended it. In addition, I really like thrillers. The cover looks like a gravestone, which goes really well with the title. The part that I read really didn't give me much to like or to dislike
I did,however, enjoy the description of the rundown state of Gilly's mother's house. I could see the rotting porch pillar and the rickety swing in my mind. I didn't find any errors and there is nothing that I would change.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 3:07 pm by Amy Luman.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Olga Markova
But for the First Ten, I would have sampled this book because the title, the cover, the blurb, and the editorial and customer reviews suggest a crime mystery and I am a fan of this genre. But sampling the first ten pages made me feel too sad to keep reading because Gilly’s story was depressingly dark, without any positivity in it – all her life looked like a total wreck – her childhood memories, her marriage, her mother’s home, and even her childhood friendship with Sally had unhealthy bullying rivalry to it. I found no errors, but I did not like Gilly's mindset. I have no suggestions for improvement because this is the author’s vision of the start of the story, the book may have brighter moments, and other readers may enjoy it regardless. The OBC review was very informative and positive but after reading the first ten pages my impression prevailed, and I will not buy and read the whole book because I prefer cosier mystery reads.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 3:02 pm by Olga Markova.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chinazo Anozie
Normally, I would have been interested in this book from the title, cover, description, genre, customer reviews, and the official OnlineBookClub review. Thrillers are one of my favourite genres. However, after reading the first few pages, I find that this book may be too much for me. This is not the fault of the author or the book; it’s just personal. In fact, I think the author may have done too much of a good job with the book. I found the idea of Gilly and Sally finding the dead baby and keeping it too macabre. I’m even almost too terrified to find out more about the deaths that resulted from their actions. I’m too terrified to buy and read this book, but I must admit the author did a great job building the intrigue and suspense. This book seems professionally edited because I didn’t notice any typos. I don’t think anything needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 2:20 pm by Chinazo Anozie.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Abdul-Malik Hassan
Had I not been a part of this program, I still would have read or sampled this book based on its title, genre, blurb, editorial reviews, and customer reviews. I like how the author narrates events inspired by certain experiences. I'll consider purchasing this book as I relate well to its content. I did not spot any errors within the first 10 pages. I like how the characters relate to each other. The character development is exceptional. There isn't a thing I dislike about this novel. The content is well-reserved and the storyline is conceptual. This book has an official OBC review, and it has played a critical role in my decision-making.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 11:34 am by Abdul-Malik Hassan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Bertha Jackson
I enjoy reading this genre, and my attention was grabbed by the title and the book’s cover. The blurb further enticed me, revealing the girls burying a dead baby. The customer reviews, the editorial review, and the OnlineBookClub review did not influence my decision. I became intrigued by the plot within the first ten pages. I want to know more about why Gilly and Sally buried the baby girl and how this baby’s death is connected to the rest of the dead babies. Also, why is the town so hateful toward Gilly? I will finish reading the free copy of this book to answer these questions. I love all the mystery elements in this book. The only thing I disliked in the first ten pages was Gilly’s husband, Toshi. He is whiny, self-centered, and disrespectful to Gilly and her dead mother. I have no recommendations for the author, as the first ten pages appear professionally edited. I did not see any errors or anything I would change.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 11:30 am by Bertha Jackson.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
I like the cover, but I can't read the tiny white font on the thumbnail. The plot presented in the blurb blew my mind. How do the baby murders relate to Toshi's ancestry? The ratings are average, but I would have definitely bought this book based on my first impressions.
The first ten pages didn't disappoint me. The images are so vivid I can even smell Mrs. Anderson just from her description: "Tears well in her mascaraed eyes and run in little dark rivulets down powdered cheeks." I hated how whiny and cold Toshi seemed to be. Why isn't he supporting his wife during such a hard time? But then I wondered if there's a reason for that. I couldn't stop turning pages. There was nothing I disliked, and I didn't find editing mistakes. I suggest improving the thumbnail image. The official OBC review furthered my enthusiasm for the book.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 10:12 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Theresa Moffitt
The cover of this book caught my attention right away. The cover art is very dramatic and eye-catching. The title implies that it is a crime novel or mystery. I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. The onlinebookclub.org review that I read was very positive. The review described the book as suspenseful and exceptionally well edited. It also gave the book a perfect rating. This increased my interest in reading the book. I didn’t read any additional customer reviews or blurbs. I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I also didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. I was drawn into the story immediately when I began reading the first ten pages. I enjoyed the author’s writing style. It draws the reader in and creates suspense. Gilly returned to her hometown after her mother’s death. It brought up painful memories of the past. When she was twelve, Gilly and her best friend found a dead baby in a cemetery and brought it back to Gilly’s house. They buried it by a tree in the yard. Somehow their actions led to two more deaths. I haven’t made the connection yet; however, I am intrigued. Based on the first ten pages and the OBC review, I would like to finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on March 28, 2023, at 9:55 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Total ~ 42%
Dead Reckoning earned a score of 42%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 42% 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 Dead Reckoning
