The collector / John Fowles

I really loved the first half of this book. SPOILER ALERT..............the first half is written from the side of the man and I thought it was interesting. Just as you know what is going to happen they switch and tell the whole thing over from the woman's perspective. I was already invested in the story and knew what had happened so it was like immediately rewatching a movie you just saw. I was a bit bored and my mind wandered as the woman talked about a lot of art stuff and her snooty friends, I really didn't care about her and her back story. When we finally got back to where we left off the ending was not a surprise but a wrapping up. I know a lot of people liked this book and I really did enjoy the first half, maybe if the female character had been more interesting to me it would have been better???

I haven't read the series in order of publication, but I'm giving the book five stars only because the series is always a good read. Having said that, I think enough is enough. The reader knows that the members of the club will always put 2 + 2 together and basically solve the crime for the feds. Oops! Is that a spoiler alert? Anyway, it was a good story.

Another great novel by David Baldacci, I love the way he builds his characters. With every one you feel so connected to them. This one had me sitting at the edge of my seat with every turn of the page. I also love how he always manages to add some humor to his stories. I just can't get enough of him. Keep em coming Mr. B

I would have thought this book Would be similar to the Camel club. It was for from. It takes a very long time to get into this book. If you have patience, Read it. I have just started the third book in this set. So far it is much better then this book the collectors. I think the author was half asleep or needed to meet some sort of deadline when he wrote this book. I don't really recommend it.

Outstanding book from an outstanding series. Mystery, intrigue and suspense all balled into one will have you on the edge of your seat. This page turner does not disappoint and is a great addition to the modern action/mystery/thriller genre.

I would have thought this book Would be similar to the Camel club. It was for from. It takes a very long time to get into this book. If you have patience, Read it. I have just started the third book in this set. So far it is much better then this book the collectors. I think the author was half asleep or needed to meet some sort of deadline when he wrote this book. I don't really recommend it.

Outstanding book from an outstanding series. Mystery, intrigue and suspense all balled into one will have you on the edge of your seat. This page turner does not disappoint and is a great addition to the modern action/mystery/thriller genre.

Baldacci always leaves me wanting to get his next book right away. His main characters in The Camel Club are a great combination of courage, imaginative skills, and humor. I recommend this series to all sleuth aficionados.

This particular series, the Camel Club was superb. Taken together the characters had real depth, idiosyncracies; the plot was complex and as all of his books start, it began slowly building in the data and by the end I was sitting at the edge of my seat, literally.

Another installment in the adventures of The Camel Club. I purchased the audible version of this series and, along with most of Baldacci's books, have really enjoyed the exploits of this motley crew. There is a double plot in this one and the end leads into the next installment of the club. I really liked this one and look forward to the next three books.

Still very entertaining and good book but it's gotta be tough to continue to keep folks on the edge of their seats for so many book. Still recommend it hands down. Especially considering you've read the previous 4.

Just an excellent addition to the Camel Club series. Oliver off on another adventure but this time away from the city and caught up in a mystery in small town America. And while he is working this out the Feds are after him to put him away for good. Did I mention a new love interest.........

I really enjoy David Baldacci's writing--always action packed and exciting with a great mix of characters. I enjoyed the addition of the Annabelle character and look forward to her adventure continuing with The Camel Club in book 3.

This novel was very entertaining and kept my attention throughout, even with the fact that the author involved several characters simultaneously. The only reason for the 4 star rating is that some parts were unrealistic and not believable for me. I do think it is a read well worth your time if your looking for a suspense novel.

David Baldacci's books are never dull because he introduces such diverse and interesting characters. This is likely the last book in the series and there's quite a lot of violence, but it's a good read for those who enjoy a good mystery. John Carr (AKA Oliver Stone) finally gets acknowledged for his heroism and sacrifices made for the country.

I have read several series' books. This series with its ups and downs and twist kept me entertained all the way to the end. To someone looking for more than a single adventure read I would highly recommend this series to get and hold your attention the whole way through. I unlike most readers enjoy when Hollywood takes a book to film. I look for the day that the "Camel Club" makes their debut.

The usual Baldacci read... I really enjoyed reading his books and when I get through, if there is anything that peaks my interest I go online and do a search. It's keeps my brain stimulated. Will read some more "Camel Club" books. Oliver is a very interesting guy.

I have enjoyed the "Camel Club" stories and must admit that this one was the most enjoyable because the "perils" never ceased until the very end. I think that the main characters have been given more fullness in this book than in his previous stories. This may be a maturity of writing that has been adapted by Mr. Baldacci over the years but it is a better read now.

I do look forward to his next book and hope that this prolific writer is still willing to create new adventures and new characters.

Baldacci's characters in "Divine Justice" , starting with hero Oliver Stone, are so ingeniously well presented and
woven into a fast and incredible plot, that I just could not wait to get back to the book and finish reading every
exciting paragraph up to its riveting conclusion. Although liberties can be taken when writing fiction about the
U.S. Intelligence Community and the highest levels of power, the plot here is as credible as a work of non fiction.

Frederick Clegg is a social inadequate, yet a totally obsessed and
painstakingly thorough Butterfly Collector/Bank Clerk.
When he wins £71,000/$132,000 on the English Football/Soccer Pools,
he purchases large remote Tudor country house, near Lewes, Sussex, England (Reading in the movie) with chess-like precision researches, develops and initiates a meticulously chilling (perfect?) plan to expand his collection ...

This time it's serious ... this time he wants a human female specimen ...
he wants one particular female ... he wants a beautiful young art student ...
he wants the enchanting Miranda Grey ...

An absolutely riveting, magnificently mesmeric psycho-thriller, superbly written by John Fowles and splendidly narrated by James Wilby, this is atmospheric story telling at it's very best.

John Fowles delivers a terrific, incredibly powerful suspense thriller that is almost a love story, but which culminates in a frenzied, moving and hauntingly passionate climax that is shocking and terrifying - readers are universally captivated by intense brilliance of this literary masterpiece. A superb, spellbinding, chilling thriller that haunts the mind long after listening to the audio book, reading the book; or viewing the film adaptation.

Written in the form of Diary entries from Miranda Grey's and Frederick Clegg's viewpoints - The Collector is regarded as one of the very best and most disturbing British thrillers ever written.

The book was developed into a sublime feature film starring Samantha Eggar as the beautiful Miranda Grey - the fabulous female specimen, and Terence Stamp as Frederick Clegg is the unworldly unhinged collector, respectively.

A magnificent, unabridged, uncensored, sexy, haunting, ferociously explosive, power-thriller - a 5 star masterpiece - very highly recommended.

Have this entire series on booktape and we so love it! Best writing - and reading - ever. Keeps the listener completely engaged and wanting to hear the next chapter and then the next book. Speedy service and excellent product quality.

Justice can only be served by those who know what it is. Truth, sacrifice, humanity and fairness are not concepts. They are the foundation of civilization. Judgement calls for the presence of the divine. Mankind needs to weigh the consequences of legal versus right. This book opens that discussion.

I could not put this book down. Fowles technique of presenting the story from two different narrative points of view added to the suspense and tension of the plot. I've always been drawn to authors who use unreliable narrators, it forces the reader to be more active in the experience of reading the book. Fowles does an excellent job of this in the first part of the book and then turns everything around by presenting the same story from a different perspective in the second part.

The ending was the most disturbing part of the book. It's absolutely worth reading. The Collector reminded me at times of Thomas Harris' works as well as a very distant echo of Dostoevsky's Underground Man.

Another solid performance from Baldacci, not his best but worth reading.
Set in the small-town environment where everyone is somehow connected with everyone and the threads of crime run deep, with a sort of predictable ending, nevertheless a pleasent reading for vacations.

Great read, but my only negative comment would be the formatting. At the start of each chapter, two letters of the first word were left dangling on their own right justified. For example, if the chapter started with the word "Stone", "St" was on one line and picked up on the next. Needless to say that got annoying.

-WG

Once again David Baldacci has written a great book. Yes, it does continue with the same individuals from some of his other books who are know as the Camel Club, but even if you have not read any of his previous books you will still be able to follow the story line.

I myself was introduced to Davids Books just recently and was so enthralled that I had to run to the library and start reading from his very first book. With almost every book I found that I could not put it down.

This story had me sitting on the end of my seat wishing I could get to the end of the book sooner then later. He writes so well in fact that I became one with the book. As always he leaves me wanting to read his next book and wishing he could write just a little bit faster.

The Camel Club series has it all. Patriots who fight injustice because they are honor bound. An interesting mix of characters stick together to battle brutal antagonists. You will enjoy each development as good eventually triumphs.

Baldacci does it again! The Camel Club once again is very entertaining, funny and loveable. I would surely recommend reading the previous books before this one but it still stands alone pretty good. This particular episode didint hold me as much as the others, particularly midway, but when it picks up steam it really moves. Once again, i loved it and i love the characters.

I felt like I was reading two different novels for the first 1/2 of the book. It was intriguing! I didn't figure out the connection until it was revealed. Very well done. But, I was disappointed by the overall ending even though I did read Stone Cold.