The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for By Hook or BY Crook: A New York Mafia Crime Family Novel
Because By Hook or BY Crook 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.
Vickie Noel
I love crime thrillers, so I definitely would have read this book outside the program. I think the cover and title are pretty neat and cool. Reading the sample didn't change my mind. In fact, it made me more invested in the book. First, I loved the author's thoughtful proactiveness in offering a brief synopsis on the first book of the series since this is book two. With its availability, flowing with the plot wasn't an issue to contend with. The story itself was engrossing. I was captivated with the author's writing style which was natural, realistic, and easy to read. The action and narration were evenly balanced to create the perfect reading atmosphere for me. I resonated with the author's thoughts translated through Frankie that, "...there is no such thing as honor among thieves, although the word honor is often thrown around." This is true because there's no real moral basis for trust when people are engaged in criminal activities. Therefore, thieves can't have honor, and any unpalatable event can occur among them without conscience pangs. It really is important to watch and choose one's associates wisely. The book is professionally edited although I feel that the word "honor" in the subordinating sentence should have been placed within quotation marks to help single it out. But that's just my opinion and recommendation for improvement. I'm in no way calling it out as an error. I saw an OBC review that really prepped me up for this book. The sample did a great job of increasing and fine-tuning my interest.
First Ten review added on May 13, 2020, at 4:59 am by Vickie Noel.
Alice Heritage
The premise of this novel sounds intriguing - the OBC review was helpful in outlining that. However, I probably wouldn't have sampled this without the programme as I don't normally read thrillers. I also won't buy this today as thrillers about the mafia aren't currently a priority for me. The stories do seem to involve some violence, which I don't always like reading about. This book doesn't appear professionally edited as there are a lot of errors, mainly missing punctuation at the ends of sentences. The simile "like a bee to honey" doesn't make sense logically, though perhaps this is stylistic. The sentence "... since he got out of Rikers," ends with a comma instead of a period, and hyphens were missing from numbers like "forty nine". I liked the way the tension was built, for example with Biff warning Frankie not to promise anything before reading what was in the envelope. Nothing needs to be improved about the exposition or pacing, but the editing needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on May 13, 2020, at 4:38 am by Alice Heritage.
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. It is the second book in the series. I didn’t read the first book, and I don’t like to start in the middle. The mafia theme also didn’t sound like something I’d enjoy. After reading the first ten pages, I won’t be finishing this book. I did like that the book began with a summary of the previous book. This made it so I didn’t feel as lost when the book started. I at least had a general idea of who Frankie, Biff, Peggy, and Jana were. However, I wasn’t into the story itself. It started out with Frankie getting a call that Biff was dying and that he needed to go see him. Biff has something he wants Frankie to do for him. I knew I wasn’t interested when I wasn’t waiting to see what this task was. I also didn’t like the amount of dialogue. I also noticed errors that told me the book wasn’t professionally edited. For example, in “I guess its okay”, “its” should be “it’s”. I don’t like to purchase books that aren’t edited.
First Ten review added on May 13, 2020, at 2:27 am by Annelore Trujillo.
Jeremie Mondejar
The title is already an indicator of violence, indeed, the subtitle confirms it as well as the image of a man hanging on the hook. Frankie and Biff work together as collector in a crime organization headed by Jimmy, a mob boss. The plot seems interesting, but the profane words put me off. I like the writing style for it is written clearly and it seems a fast-paced story. The OBC review is helpful in describing the contents of the book. The mafia theme is not good for my health, though a lot of important things present in the book, like 'There is no such thing as honor among thieves.' The book looks edited well, but I notice a missing period at 10% of the sample. "The doctor doesn't know exactly, he said it could be any time," says Vanghall(.). I suggest another round of editing to polish some flaws.
First Ten review added on May 13, 2020, at 2:06 am by Jeremie Mondejar.
Washboard
I sometimes enjoy books from this genre. The title and cover art are both eye-catching. The official review makes the book sound appealing. I noticed at least one error in my reading - an apostrophe was replaced by an end quote 4 pages into the first chapter. After a brief recap of the first book in the series, the story starts off with a 4 AM phone call from a prison informing Frankie that his former colleague, Biff, is dying. I liked the inclusion of the summary of the previous book, but I found it difficult to follow so many characters all introduced at once. I won't be continuing to read this one, as gangster stories tend to be too violent for me.
First Ten review added on May 13, 2020, at 1:36 am by Washboard.
unamilagra
Before sampling this book, I may have picked it up. The OBC review made it sound exciting, but it also sounded like the character development may have been skipped over a bit. In reading the first ten pages, I appreciated the brief synopsis of the previous book in the series so that I would know something about the characters. I enjoyed the quick-paced writing style as Frankie finds out about his friend's impending death and makes immediate plans to visit him. That said, there wasn't anything about the first ten pages that really pulled me into the book and made me want to keep reading. I don't plan to purchase the book. I didn't notice any errors in the pages I read.
First Ten review added on May 12, 2020, at 5:02 pm by unamilagra.
AvidBibliophile
The cover art fully embraces the murky mafia mindset through the use of sepia tones, fluttering bills, and dangling meat hook cadavers. The Amazon product description offers intriguing synopsis tidbits, urging prospective readers to uncover the mysteries that lie within the pages. Being the second book in a series, I greatly appreciated encountering an immediate summary and recap of book one's plot, before this present storyline began. In the backstory section, the compound number "ninety seven grand" should be hyphenated, as well as "eighteen month sentence" and "forty five minutes" and "life extending oxygen." The mentions of: (Jimmy "The Nose") and (Jimmy the Nose) and (Jimmy The Nose) all appear in slightly different formats that I found somewhat distracting. The dialogue feels authentic and genuine with the inclusion of cultural dialects and unique inflections, and I enjoyed descriptive phrases like: "monitoring machines which beep and bop." The one published OBC review is complimentary in most regards, as are the 11 currently posted Amazon user ratings. Since fast-paced, mafia crime novels don't generally fall within my preferred reading genres, I will be passing on this one, but for readers who love mobsters, incarcerations, crime organizations, clandestine meetings, and Italian food, this one seems to have a lot to offer!
First Ten review added on May 12, 2020, at 2:30 pm by AvidBibliophile.
AA1495
Had I not sampled the book, I would not have read it. I usually read pure romance books and do not normally read thrillers. Further, I prefer standalone books to books in a series. However, I liked the title of the book. Further, the image of the man and the money on the cover caught my attention. This book had a 3/4 OBC review, which gave me a good impression. Having read the sample, the index caught my attention. Firstly, the text was center aligned, which was unusual. Secondly, there were no chapter titles or page numbers. Lastly, the book had 53 chapters and 14 epilogues, which made it seem tiring to read. However, I liked how the author included a summary of the first book in the introduction. In terms of writing, I liked how the author introduced Frankie's character. The language used was simple and easy to follow. While I did not find any major grammatical errors, I would have liked more spacing between paragraphs. Since I do not read this genre usually, I will not be buying the book today.
First Ten review added on May 12, 2020, at 2:00 pm by AA1495.
Cristina Chifane
I wouldn't have read this book without the first ten program since it is book 2 in a series. However, I like the vintage air of the cover and the warning note of the title. When the OBC reviewer mentioned the Godfather movies, I was immediately drawn to the novel. I've always been intrigued by the microcosm of the Italian mafia families, so I'm going to give the entire series a chance. Although there are only 11 customer reviews, they all give the book 4 or 5 stars. I appreciate that the author included a synopsis of the first book in the series. It is certainly helpful for those who want to read only book 2. The pages I've read are full of action and suspense. I'm anxious to read more about Frank Fiore and his attempts to get rid of the mobsters on his track. In terms of editing, I noticed the wrong use of a semicolon instead of a comma: "Who's this? asks Frankie suspiciously(;) not recognizing the voive." (p.1) Even if this is a mafia novel, I'd advise the author to add a deeper psychological dimension to his characters. Despite this weakness, I'm still willing to give it a try, mostly because of its topic and setting.
First Ten review added on May 12, 2020, at 10:32 am by Cristina Chifane.
Drakka Reader
The book looks interesting enough and the review gave me the premise of a man doing his friend's final wish. However, this is the second book in a series and even with a plot summary, I wasn't as interested in starting in the middle.
Reading the first ten pages didn't help my opinion. The book starts with the main character receiving a call from a hospital his friend is at and about to "check out", no doubt setting up the final wish part of the book. However, it did not interest me to continue on.
The book was well-edited and had no mistakes. I liked the feeling of the main character, with him having a normal wife and daughter yet still being startled by a phone call in the night, he really feels like a criminal recently trying to reform.
If I could change anything, I would provide a little more look at the main character's thoughts, as it never lingers much on his thoughts and more of his actions.
I will not be reading this book as it did not interest me enough.
First Ten review added on May 12, 2020, at 9:32 am by Drakka Reader.
Maria Esposito
I knew I would not be interested in the book before I sampled it. Firstly, the title and the cover do not really catch my interest. Secondly, this seems to be the second book of a series, and I have not read its first volume. The book has a handful of positive reviews on Amazon, but this had no impact on my decision. Reading the first ten pages did not make me change my mind. The book begins with a synopsis of the previous novel, introducing the main characters and their backgrounds. Frankie is woken up by a call in the middle of the night from an intern at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility hospital who tells him that his friend Biff's last request was to see him one last time. I really liked the author's writing style since it captivated me from the very first page. The dialogues are engaging and maintain the reader's interest. However, I feel that I do not know enough about the characters of this series to venture into this book. Apart from the title and the cover, there was nothing about the first ten pages that I particularly disliked. The book seems to be well-edited since I came across no errors. I came across a featured review for this novel on Online Book Club, but this had no impact on my initial decision.
First Ten review added on May 12, 2020, at 6:52 am by Maria Esposito.
snowbear
Based on the book cover and the title of the book, I don't think I would have picked up this book to read it. Although the book cover seems intriguing, I think it can still be improved. Having read the first ten pages of the book, I can say that it seems thrilling, and entertaining to read. I'm sure that people who love to read mafia stories will enjoy reading this. I also appreciate how the author put a backstory at the beginning of the book to give context.
However, I am not into reading mafia stories that much so I think I'll have to pass this one. Based on what I've read on the backstory, it seems as if it also has some violence which I don't enjoy reading that much. The book also seems to be professionally edited, however I spotted one error in the second page of Chapter 2. ("I can use a lot of 'em where I'm goin'"" says Biff with a chuckle...") It lacks comma after the dialogue.
First Ten review added on May 12, 2020, at 5:08 am by snowbear.
Lorraine De Vos
I would not have chosen to sample this book based on the genre. I don’t generally enjoy books about the mafia however, I was intrigued after reading the first ten pages of this book. The mysterious brown envelope and last wishes of a former mafia friend, coupled with a lurking man in the corner makes for a compelling story. The book does appear to be professionally edited. The official OnlineBookClub review was very well written and confirmed that I will be adding this book to my reading list. I have no recommendations for improvements.
First Ten review added on May 12, 2020, at 3:57 am by Lorraine De Vos.
psychopathycathy
If I had not read the sample, I would not have read the book as I did not think it was my genre. After reading the sample, I have not changed my mind. I appreciated the backstory, but I found an error very early on: "He hadn't heard from or seen Biff since he got out of Rikers," The comma at the end should have been a period. Therefore, perhaps more editing is needed. There were other errors with missing periods as well, and that is my main reason for not continuing to read the book. The official review did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on May 12, 2020, at 3:03 am by psychopathycathy.
Sanju Lali
I was unable to make any guesses about this book by looking at its cover and the title because the phrase "by hook or by crook "meant many things to me. So, I decided to read the official review to know what the phrase "by hook or by crook " actually meant. The official review was very much useful for me by letting me know that this book follows Frankie, who is released from prison after completing his short term imprisonment. After fulfilling the last wish of his friend, he wants to be a good man. This information encouraged me to sample the book. When I read the first ten pages, I realized that this book is professionally edited because I did not find any grammatical or typing errors. The thing l liked the most is Frankie's character because even after stepping initially on a wrong path, he is looking forward to becoming a gentleman. Unfortunately, the narrative jumped quickly from one topic to another, and I felt stranded during the change of topic. My suggestion to the author is to consider changing the topic smoothly by giving a hint about the next topic before jumping to it. For example, Frankie was on the way to his father's shop in the eighth chapter. I was confused about whether it was after he was released from prison or after meeting Biff. Considering all these facts, I decided not to purchase and read this book today, but wait until the author could help by looking at my suggestion.
First Ten review added on May 12, 2020, at 2:02 am by Sanju Lali.
Kaitlyn Canedy
I probably would have skipped By Hook or BY Crook if it wasn't for the OnlineBookClub. Mafia books are not my kind of book; it is not my cup of tea by any means. Because of this, I will be giving the book a pass. I did like how the author provided a summary of the 1st book (this book is the 2nd in a series). With this, I would not have to read the 1st one to know what the 2nd is about. I did not see any grammatical errors at all, nor could I think of any potential improvements. While there is an official OnlineBookClub review for By Hook or BY Crook, it was not enough to change my mind about not reading this work.
First Ten review added on May 12, 2020, at 1:04 am by Kaitlyn Canedy.
J_odoyo
Having read the first ten pages of this book, I can say that By Hook or By Crook by Al Marsiglia is a thrilling novel. Marsiglia writes a fictional story about Frankie Fiore—a former recruitee of Jimmy Privitera (a local mob boss)—who has just returned from Rikers Island prison and is trying to settle down. One morning at four o’clock, he receives a call from Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, New York. His former friend, Biff, wanted to see him. He makes his way in time to meet Biff, who handed him an envelope containing some documents. Frankie was to read the documents and give feedback, whether he could carry out the assignment or not. As he leaves the facility, a nosy officer (who had secretly read the document) sees him and reports him to Jimmy, who was also under detention in the same facility. It seems like things won’t go on well with Frankie, and I can’t stop guessing what is next.
It was a great idea to start this second book in the Frankie Fiore series with a detailed backstory; it gave me enough information to follow the story. The book’s cover page was okay (although scaring), and I think the title was relevant and could easily attract the attention of many readers. His storyline is gripping and well written. The book also seems to be professionally edited, and I could not find any error or anything to dislike about it (in the pages I've read), if not for the cases of profane words involved. It was very impressive that editorial reviews were accessible: thanks to the OnlineBookClub for such a detailed review. Displaying editorial reviews on the Amazon website was one of the commendable things the author ever did for this book. Having read the sample and the OnlineBookClub review, I’m not going to finish reading this book, because I’m not a fan of this genre. Moreover, I don’t like books involving profanities like this one.
First Ten review added on May 12, 2020, at 12:40 am by J_odoyo.
Juliet+1
Based on the title, cover, blurb, and OBC review, I did not think I would want to read "By Hook or By Crook." Although I like mysteries of various kinds, a book about the Mafia does not quite fit that category. Reading the sample pages confirmed my first opinion. The writing is very good, especially the dialogue parts, and the book is well edited. But the prison scenes, the tough-guy characters – even the sympathetic ones – and the descriptions of violence are more than I can handle. I don't intend to finish the book.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 10:55 pm by Juliet+1.
Shrabastee Chakraborty
I wasn't particularly thrilled by the cover. The official OBC review rates the book 3 stars. The first ten pages contained two errors, one missing period at location 122, and a double quotation mark instead of apostrophe at location 129. The pages feature Frankie Fiore, a former worker of a mafia circle. After receiving a call that his friend and guide Biff is about to die, he makes a long journey for a last visit. The writing was good yet not too engaging. The book was the second one of a series. Although the author provides a concise summary of the previous book at the beginning, I believe reading the series in order is imperative. I would advise correcting the editing issues as suggestions for improvement. Having said this, mafia thrillers are not really my cup of tea, so I decided not to read this book.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 9:23 pm by Shrabastee Chakraborty.
MsH2k
I don’t typically read mafia crime novels, so I would not have sampled this book if I had not been part of this program. The book information provided on the cover let me know I probably would not enjoy this book. The synopsis of the first book in the series was very detailed—I would not have read the first book in the series. I have no issues with the writing in the sample pages, but this just isn’t my type of story. I will not buy this book. I liked that Frankie was thoughtful enough to call his girlfriend before he left to see Biff. He seemed like a loyal person. I noticed two errors in the sample pages. At loc 154, it should be “permeate”: Scenes of his time with Biff when they both worked collections for Jimmy Provitera permeates his thinking. At loc 158, there is a missing comma after Dunnville (between the city and state): finding Dunnville North Carolina.
A suggestion for improvement would be to have a less detailed synopsis. The featured OnlineBookClub review had no bearing on my decision not to read this book.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 8:57 pm by MsH2k.
HRichards
I normally wouldn't have picked this book up since I'm not interested in fiction about the mafia. Having read the sample and the OBC review I wil not be continuing on with the book since it doesn't seem a genre that would appeal to me. The sample deals with a man named Frankie getting a call about an inmate that keeps asking for him. The inmate is dying and Frankie owes him a favor so he goes to the prison to talk to him. The writing is fine, but there was a grammar error in the line "he mutters to himself, as he props himself..." that doesn't need a comma. The writer seems to have an action packed plot and those who like thrillers might like this book. I'm not that interested in crime novels.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 8:53 pm by HRichards.
Laura Lee
Ugh!!! What is WITH all of this writing about past events in the present tense? Is it a new fad? Or simply poor writing?
The plot of the story was what I liked best. An action/mob crime/thriller. What's not to like in that? But it was the writing in present tense that I couldn't get past and why I will not be finishing reading this book. The Amazon blurb left a bit to be desired, but as the book review pointed out, the book starts with a synopsis of the events of the previous book in the series, this being book 2. I think it was well-thought-out on the part of the author to include that synopsis. Even without this program, I might have been inclined to read the book due to the great plotline and good job of editing. (I did find a few minor typos, but nothing real distracting. For example, the third paragraph of chapter two refers to "forty five minutes" rather than the correct "forty-five minutes.") But that writing in the present tense is just sloppy and too big an irritant for me to get past. If you don't mind stories told in the present tense, give it a try. Everything else appears to be well done.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 8:43 pm by Laura Lee.
Brenda Creech
As soon as I saw the cover and title of this book, I knew I would not have been interested in checking it out if I wasn't going to do this review. After reading the official review, it did not change my mind from my initial response. I am not a fan of mafia crime, nor do I care to read books with a lot of strong profanity. According to the official review, this book has a lot of swearing. I read the sample, and the book is well-written and well-edited, I did not find a single error in what I read. The plot is intriguing; it is just not my cup of tea. I understand it would be impossible to write a novel about the mafia without having cursing in the dialog, but I miss a lot from a book trying to skip over curse words. For the type of novel, it is I am sure it will be an excellent read for fans of this genre. I didn't see anything I could say needed improving, except the profanity. For the reasons mentioned above, I won't be reading the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 8:09 pm by Brenda Creech.
Stephanie Runyon
The OBC review was done well and immediately caught my interest in reading this book. The author did a great job in giving a brief overview of the prequel, so this can easily be a stand alone novel. I liked the detail of each character's personality being written without being "flowery." I honestly didn't find anything I would improve and it was very well edited. Just from the title and genre, I probably would have picked this book up. I am going to add this to my personal library and read the rest of the story.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 7:22 pm by Stephanie Runyon.
Chelsy Scherba
I agree with the reviewer that it was nice of the author to summarize the previous book, but I still felt a lack of connection to the characters because I hadn’t read the first novel. Frankie gets a call from the prison from Biff. His friend is sounding like he’s come to the end of his rope as far as his cancer diagnosis, so Frankie lets Peggy know he needs to see Biff. I think the cover is very striking, I like the model and the motifs. It’s creepy, but it summarizes the “he’ll be rich, dead, or both” very well. The book is well-edited without errors that I can see. I’m not really interested in mobster stories, so I’ll skip this one. I would not have found this book outside of the program.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 7:06 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Verna Coy
Had I not sampled this book through the First Ten program, I would not have chosen it because the subtitle and cover remind me of crime. For this reason, I don’t intend to buy and read the whole book today. Reading the first ten pages confirmed my first impressions. The beginning of the story mentions the mob. Based on what I read the book seems professionally edited. I didn’t see errors in the first ten pages. What I liked most about what I read is how the author gave characters names like “Jimmy the Nose” to make the book feel authentic in a mob type of way. I know that fans of action- thrillers will enjoy aspects of this novel. As far as improvements, considering the genre and subject matter, I found no need for any in the sample that I read although the vulgar language is not my personal favorite. I did read the Official Online Book Club review and found it insightful. It didn’t affect my views of the book.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 5:49 pm by Verna Coy.
Nikolas Farmakis
This is a crime thriller containing action and adventure. The book will be enjoyed most by readers of crime thrillers related to the mafia in New York. I would not have read this novel based on the cover, or the title, as I found them violent. Also, the genre of the book did not intrigue me, as I do not like crime thrillers. I will not read the book, as I do not like crime thrillers which contain violence and profanity. The book was well-edited, as I did not notice errors in it. What I liked most about the book was that it contained plenty of suspense and tension. To improve, the writer should add more originality to the text by making the scenario less cliche. The book had an Official OnlineBookClub review, which did not affect my opinion.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 5:16 pm by Nikolas Farmakis.
Twylla
I would definitely sample the text on Amazon. I would definitely purchase the book and read it based on the cover and the onlinebookclub review.
I didn’t see any errors in the section I read. The book seems to be well written and well-edited.
My favorite thing about the book is the Italian mobsters. That always makes an interesting story. They are so crazy you never know what they will do next.
I love the artwork on the cover.
Suggestions for improvement: None.
The review on onlinebookclub.org is excellent.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 4:51 pm by Twylla.
Kajori Sheryl Paul
'By Hook or BY Crook' is a book written by Al Marsiglia. The title, cover, and Amazon review did a good job at convincing me to give this book a try.
The sample of the book leads me to believe that it is the second book in the series. It is the story of Frankie Fiore. Frankie gets a call that Biff is on his death bed, and Biff had asked for him. He rushes to his side. I liked how the author started off the book with a summery of the first book. I found some errors. There should have been a full stop instead of a comma in “..since he got out of Rikers,” I do not think that it is professionally edited. I do not think that it is professionally edited. I will give this book a try as I like reading books of this genre as of now.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 4:17 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Howlan
The cover is good and fits the theme of the story well. The synopsis is good and explains the contents of the book well. The first ten pages start with a summary of the prequel of this book. Then we have Frankie as he gets a call from the prison hospital asking him to meet Biff as he is not doing well. Frankie visits Biff who hands him an envelope. The hospital prison guard gets wind of the envelope and contacts Jimmy who was in the same prison and asks money for providing him with the contents of the envelope. Then Frankie goes on a flashback when he was sent to jail. The story picks up the tension early and is quite fast-paced. The characters seem likable and the plot is interesting. I enjoy reading novels about the mafia, so I am going to buy and read the book. I found nothing to improve in the first ten pages. No typos were found in the first ten pages. The Official OBC Review is present, and the rates it "3 out of 4 stars."
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 4:15 pm by Howlan.
Mbrooks2518
The summary of this book did not interest me, so I would not have read the sample without The First Ten. After reading the first ten pages and the official review, I am still not interested, so I am not going to buy the book. I like that the author included a synopsis of the previous book. I always appreciate when an author does this because it can then be a standalone book.
I found one error on page 5 that said, "I'm an orderly at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility hospital in Ossining New York." There should be a comma after Ossining. Besides this mistake, there is nothing that needs to be improved.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 4:01 pm by Mbrooks2518.
Laura Ungureanu
The cover is terrifying and the title is not really interesting, so I don't see any reason for me to check this book based on appearance. The OBC review was nice, but I'm just not interested in stories about the mafia. Also, vulgar language and violence are my triggers. The sample starts with a summary of the first book. I appreciate a detailed summary, I wish authors did this every time. Then we go into Frankie's life after prison. The writing is catchy, but I'm still decided to not read this because of its genre. I saw nothing wrong with the pages I read, and I also include the editing here.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 2:50 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Lisa A Rayburn
If I had not been in this program, it is doubtful that the title, cover, or author would have attracted me to this book. The title and cover suggest a novel in the ‘crime’ genre, which is not one of the genres I prefer. The author is unknown to me, so that would have not affected my decision either way. The blurb informed the reader that this was the second book and outlined the plot well. Unfortunately, it did not manage to engage my interest in the story. It seemed to be a rather standard mob story about someone trying to leave the mob and others trying to kill him for it. There were several customer reviews, including one from this program. All were very positive, but the one from this program sounded a bit’ over-the-top- in its praise for the book. In my opinion, it is extremely difficult to find a book which is that good. While reading the sample, I quickly came to like the main character, Frankie, and admire his obvious effort to improve his character for Peggy’s sake (regardless of the ‘most important’ reason he gave). Although I found the sample engaging, the language often seemed ‘stiff,’ which put me off. In the end, I had to weigh my fondness for Frankie against the fact that I seldom find mob novels interesting. Given those experiences, I somewhat reluctantly decided not to read the book. The novel seemed fairly well-edited, but I did find errors in the sample. One of these was at 17% of the sample --“Scenes of his time with Biff when they both worked collections for Jimmy Provitera permeates his thinking.” – ‘permeates’ should be ‘permeate’
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 2:25 pm by Lisa A Rayburn.
Damis Seres Rodriguez
The cover wasn't particularly attractive to me, but the title made me smile. I probably would have taken a look at it if I saw it elsewhere. The review that I found about it granted it a decent rate, bonus points for that. As for the content that I got to read, I liked the fact of having a summary of the previous book so I could understand this one. I don't see that often, and to be fair, it made me want to read both books. Ten pages are not enough to talk about the editorial work in this case, but as far as I can throw it, it seems to be professionally edited. I think it would be worth giving this book a chance, but since I haven't read the first one, I don't think it would be wise to continue reading it.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 2:02 pm by Damis Seres Rodriguez.
Diana Lowery
I used to read a mafia crime series, but I haven't done so for a while. Reading the first ten pages of this book brought up good memories. I liked the touch of humor and that the main character was likable. The cover did not attract me, but the title was clever. I was not impressed with the blurb. I thought the reviewer did a good job of getting me interested. I noticed an error on the first page; "forty nine" should be forty-nine. If I decide to read this book, I will probably read the first one before I start this one.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 1:42 pm by Diana Lowery.
gen_g
Based on the cover and title, it seems like an interesting read that involves grey issues (not black nor white), and it seems like an exciting one, so I would have sampled it. I have also come across a positive review of this book. After sampling, there are quite a number of errors present. In the dedication (0% in the sample), the term "son in laws" in "...my son in laws, Rich and Sonny..." should be "sons-in-law" (missing hyphens and plural wrongly placed). I highly suggest more rigorous editing. Still, I appreciated that the author started the story in media res. Frankie Fiore, our main character, suddenly receives a call in the middle of the night at 3.49AM, with the ringtone piercing the dark. The call was placed from Sing Sing Correctional Facility hospital by a Jim Vangall, only to learn from Jim that Frankie's friend Biff (Rollo) was about to die and was asking for him. This would hook the reader in from the beginning. However, I would not be buying the book today, as the errors are very distracting, and I would rather read a clean (edited) copy.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 1:16 pm by gen_g.
Odette Chace
I am not a fan of the cover, but I really like the title of this book. The synopsis on Amazon started out too vague and then got too detailed. I don't like that the synopsis also equated the forces working for the protagonist as good and those against him as evil. That makes the book seem very black and white, which should definitely not be the case in a mafia story. On the other hand, the official Online Book Club review was much more appealing and only gave the book 3 stars because parts of the plot are a little too fast-paced. As the premise interests me, I am eager to sample the book.
While reading, I wished that the book wasn't written in present tense as there were many weak leaking verbs, particularly at the beginning of chapter 2 (Frankie is given, is checked out, is told, is escorted, is brought, is steered, etc.). I only noticed a few minor errors, such as: "The only good thing that came out of his days with Jimmy was finding Dunnville[,] North Carolina..." (14% of sample). I liked the sample I read, but found the weak linking verbs distracting. I won't be finishing this book.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 12:53 pm by Odette Chace.
Caffrey_19
The book is no doubt a fast-paced, mafia novel that portrays an Italian group with a twisted past and a potentially chaotic future. I decided to sample this book after I read an OBC review that classified it to be on The Godfather’s level. Having read the sample, I don’t think I’ll be buying the whole book. This is because, the book didn’t meet up to my expectations. I couldn’t spot its potential to become an award winning mafia story. By Hook or BY Crook by Al Marsiglia seems to have been professionally edited and I couldn’t find errors/typos. I liked the accent that was used during the dialogues but I think Frankie should’ve first read the letter before agreeing to do what was in it since he just got out of jail and had a family to worry about.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 12:09 pm by Caffrey_19.
María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda
The cover of the book is perfect, in my opinion: it's simple but professionally designed and it conveys the mob ambiance of the story. The blurb is catchy and I like that the author speaks directly to the reader: "He will never know who that celebrity is, but you will, in, By Hook or By Crook. Don’t give away the ending!" The novel also has great ratings but I don't think I would enjoy the plot enough to buy it. It seems very centered in this male-dominated "business" and full of action, so I feel like I would have trouble relating to the characters. Also, I enjoy psychological insight much more than action.
This didn't prevent me from noticing that the first ten pages are well-written and compelling. I think it's very considerate to include a preface for people who didn't read the first installment of the series. The opening line is powerful: "It is amazing that a ringtone can sometimes be as alarming as a grenade tossed through a window." and the action seems to advance quickly. The dialogues between Peg and Frankie seem natural. I like the idea that blessings can come from harrowing times, as Franke mentions about finding Peggy and Jana. I don't understand, however, how he hasn't thought about Biff in such a long time, if he was so important to Frankie, so much so that the narrator says: "Biff taught him more about life than even his own father".
I found one editing mistake: a comma that should've been a period where it says "He hadn't heard from or seen Biff since he got out of Rikers, “Biff, yeah I know Biff. He asked for me, huh?..." (position 120). I suggest a second editing round. The book has an official review that could've convinced me if I hadn't made up my mind previously from the sample. My decision not to read the book is because the plot is not of my interest.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 11:54 am by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda.
Emy Katherine
The cover did not appeal to me, but I liked the detailed Amazon blurb. Sadly, I do not read mafia crime novels, so I would not have read the book without The First Ten program. Neither the sample nor the OBC review changed my mind. After being released from prison, Frankie Fiore is on a mission to find the son of his deceased friend, Biff Rollo. Unfortunately, Frankie's life gets pretty complicated when he realizes his former mafia boss, Jimmy Provitera, is determined to kill him. Because this is the second novel in a series, I thoroughly appreciated the author's choice to include an informative summary of the first book at the beginning of the book. The dialogues were also engaging, the characters were relatable, and the writing style was clear and pleasant to read. The book did not appear to be professionally edited, though. I found some distracting punctuation errors such as missing hyphens, misplaced semicolons, missing periods, and misplaced quotation marks. Because of that, I would suggest another round of editing. For example, it should be written "an eighteen-month sentence" instead of "an eighteen month sentence." (location 106 of 462• 23%) It should also be written "Biff's prison number" instead of "Biff''s prison number." (location 125 of 462 • 27%) The plot is intriguing, so I am sure fans of the genre will enjoy it.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 11:21 am by Emy Katherine.
Theresa Moffitt
The cover of this book looks interesting to me. I like the cover art and the title. They make me curious about the book. I would have picked this book up based on the cover alone. I haven’t read a customer review of this book, but I did read an Online Book Club review of this book. The OBC review was positive and gave the book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. It provided additional information about themes in the book and increased my interest in wanting to read the book. I enjoy reading crime novels. This book is the second book in a series. What I enjoyed most about reading the first ten pages was that the author included a summary of the previous book. This was helpful for people that haven’t read the first book. Chapter One introduces the character of Frankie who is the main character in the book. He has moved on with his life from the first book and found love with Peggy who works in a diner. Early one morning he got a call that may pull him back into his previous life. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and found the first ten pages to be interesting and well-written. I didn’t see any area that the author could improve upon. I also didn’t see any errors, so I believe the book was professionally edited. After reading the first ten pages and the OBC review of this book, I would like to finish reading this book.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 10:31 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Melisa Jane
Although I haven't read the OBC review of this book, I've sampled it and there is a backstory from a previous book of the series. I'm not going to finish reading this book partly because I don't like the synopsis, and partly because it's not the first book of the series. I wouldn't have sampled this book based on its title because I'm not interested in some "crook" story. I, however, didn't find any grammatical errors during my reading. I think the fact that synopsis of a previous book is included in this book is likable. However, a more colorful cover will suit it.
First Ten review added on May 11, 2020, at 10:21 am by Melisa Jane.
Scerakor
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I wouldn’t have read it. I haven't read the first book in this series and I would prefer to check that one out first. After reading the first ten pages I didn’t change my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. I enjoyed some of the descriptive writing that helped me picture the characters. For example, the first paragraph in chapter 3 described how Wilie Maxwell squints all the time - forever burning the image of him in my head. That being said, I really feel like I am missing something when reading sequels before the first book and therefore will be skiping this one. 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 May 11, 2020, at 9:57 am by Scerakor.
Total ~ 21%
By Hook or BY Crook earned a score of 21%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 21% 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.
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