John Manning

Reader Comments about ALL THE PRETTY DEAD GIRLS

Pinnacle
ISBN: 9780786017980
(April 7, 2009)

Here are comments from our group of Advance Readers about John Manning's ALL THE PRETTY DEAD GIRLS.

Arthur from Stillwater, OK

What did you think of ALL THE PRETTY DEAD GIRLS?
Coleridge and Wordsworth conjointly described the Romantic period in English literature as a collective adherence to the "suspension of critical disbelief." Only then was the artist free to develop works of high imagination. John Manning, it seems to me, has offered us an intensely imagined novel that requires for its appreciation just the sort of "suspension" asked for by Coleridge and Wordsworth. Once such is accepted, the reader, guided by a powerful and polished writer, learns the torments of several lives, some possible and some impossible. Manning well knows the horror literature, is familiar with small-town life in the Northeastern U.S., and draws, I infer, from encounters with benighted college deans and supercilious academics. May there be much more from this talented writer whom I have encountered for the first time.

Jana from Cambria, CA

What other suspense/thriller authors do you usually read?
Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, Brad Meltzer, Joseph Finder, Nelson DeMille, Michael Crichton, John Grisham and Dan Brown.

What did you think of ALL THE PRETTY DEAD GIRLS?
I liked it. The story was not formulaic and I found myself unable to predict what was going to happen next. The pacing worked well for me, with critical plot developments parceled out frequently enough to hold my attention, but occasionally enough to spare me sensory overload. It’s an unavoidable fact that bad things happen in suspense novels --- that’s why they’re suspenseful. But all too frequently, I get the impression that the author has become enamored with nastiness for its own sake, to the point of glorifying vileness. That was NOT the case in this book. There were unpleasant and disturbing incidents, certainly, but I never sensed that the author was reveling in them; rather, those situations were used only to propel and support the story. I appreciated the absence of graphic and gratuitous gore.

Would you ever read a future book by John Manning?
Happily.

Tricia from Goose Creek, SC

What other suspense/thriller authors do you usually read?
I read as many suspense/thriller authors as I can. My favorite authors are Lawrence Block, Robert B. Parker, and James Patterson.

What did you think of ALL THE PRETTY DEAD GIRLS?
From the description on the back of the book, I would have never suspected that it was about good and evil. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. John Manning knows how to pull a reader in. I didn't want to put it down because I really wanted to know what was coming next.

Would you ever read a future book by John Manning?
I would definitely read future John Manning books. His writing kept me interested from the beginning and I was looking forward to finding out what happened at the end.

Wendy from Martinsburg, WV

What other suspense/thriller authors do you usually read?
Dan Brown, James Patterson, John Sandford, John Grisham, Michael Connelly, P. J. Tracy, Jeffery Deaver, Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell and Michael Crichton.

What did you think of ALL THE PRETTY DEAD GIRLS?
I enjoyed it. It went a little more toward horror than I usually like, but I read every word nonetheless! It was definitely a "page-turner" and the plot twists took me by surprise more than a couple of times. I thought some of the dialogue was a little clunky, but the characters were well-written and believable. Overall, I would certainly recommend it to a friend.

Would you ever read a future book by John Manning?
Yes.

Lucia from Blairstown, NJ

What other suspense/thriller authors do you usually read?
Ruth Rendell, Barbara Vine, Val McDermid, Joy Fielding and Karin Slaughter.

What did you think of ALL THE PRETTY DEAD GIRLS?
I really didn't care for it. I never felt a connection with the characters and just lost interest in finishing the book. I got about halfway through it and gave up. I didn't care for what seemed to be a witchcraft or devil worship conspiracy sense to it.

It was well written and it started out well, but got a bit too slow and convoluted for me, so I got bored and put it down. I did donate it to my local library, my employer; it is already out on the new fiction shelf and I will monitor the frequency of its checkouts.

Would you ever read a future book by John Manning?
I would certainly check out any future books by him and read them if they seemed to be interesting.

Nadine from Bexley, OH

What other suspense/thriller authors do you usually read?
Laura Lippman, Brian Freeman, John Sanford and Stuart Woods.

What did you think of ALL THE PRETTY DEAD GIRLS?
I did not like it --- not a fan of this genre.

Would you ever read a future book by John Manning?
Probably not.