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The Hollows #1
Fragile
Everybody knows everybody in The Hollows, a quaint, charming town outside of New York City. It's a place where neighbors keep an eye on one another's kids, where people say hello in the grocery store, and where high school cliques and antics are never quite forgotten. As a child, Maggie found living under the microscope of small-town life stifling. But as a wife and mother, she has happily returned to The Hollows's insular embrace. As a psychologist, her knowledge of family histories provides powerful insights into her patients' lives. So when the girlfriend of her teenage son, Rick, disappears, Maggie's intuitive gift proves useful to the case--and also dangerous.
The investigation has her husband, Jones, the lead detective on the case, acting strangely. Rick, already a brooding teenager, becomes even more withdrawn. In a town where the past is always present, nobody is above suspicion, not even a son in the eyes of his father.
Determined to uncover the truth, Maggie pursues her own leads into Charlene's disappearance and exposes a long-buried town secret--one that could destroy everything she holds dear.
The investigation has her husband, Jones, the lead detective on the case, acting strangely. Rick, already a brooding teenager, becomes even more withdrawn. In a town where the past is always present, nobody is above suspicion, not even a son in the eyes of his father.
Determined to uncover the truth, Maggie pursues her own leads into Charlene's disappearance and exposes a long-buried town secret--one that could destroy everything she holds dear.
496 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 16, 2010
1,757 people are currently reading
15.1k people want to read
About the author
Lisa Unger
49Ìýbooks10.1kÌýfollowersLisa Unger is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of twenty-two novels, including CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10. With books published in thirty-three languages and millions of copies sold worldwide, she is regarded as a master of suspense.
Unger’s critically acclaimed novels have been featured on “Best Bookâ€� lists from the Today show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, People, Amazon, Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, L.A. Times, The Boston Globe, Sun Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times, and many others. She has been nominated for, or won, numerous awards including the Strand Critics, Audie, Hammett, Macavity, ITW Thriller, and Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Choice. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations in the same year, an honor held by only a few authors including Agatha Christie. Her short fiction has been anthologized in The Best American Mystery and Suspense, and her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. Lisa is the current co-President of the International Thriller Writers organization. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her family.
Unger’s critically acclaimed novels have been featured on “Best Bookâ€� lists from the Today show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, People, Amazon, Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, L.A. Times, The Boston Globe, Sun Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times, and many others. She has been nominated for, or won, numerous awards including the Strand Critics, Audie, Hammett, Macavity, ITW Thriller, and Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Choice. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations in the same year, an honor held by only a few authors including Agatha Christie. Her short fiction has been anthologized in The Best American Mystery and Suspense, and her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. Lisa is the current co-President of the International Thriller Writers organization. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,500 reviews
November 18, 2016
As I continue to read this author's books I am finding her very inconsistent in quality. Some of her thrillers have thrilled me totally and some have just meandered along. This one meanders.
Basically it is just another small town mystery involving small minded people who all have sad lives and dislike each other. I have never personally lived in a small town and I hate to think that places and people like this actually exist outside novels.
That apart the book is an okay read, a little too long for itself but reasonably well paced and with a good story line. I had no issues reading it. I think I was just expecting more from a book by
Basically it is just another small town mystery involving small minded people who all have sad lives and dislike each other. I have never personally lived in a small town and I hate to think that places and people like this actually exist outside novels.
That apart the book is an okay read, a little too long for itself but reasonably well paced and with a good story line. I had no issues reading it. I think I was just expecting more from a book by
March 5, 2016
I needed to read a book by an author whose name (first or last) starts with the letter "U" in order to finish RRRC's 2010 A-Z Author Challenge, and that's how I "discovered" . I didn't know anything about her and her books when I started to read , so I had no expectations. Now I wish I had known what to expect, because I wasn't in the right mood to read a "depressing" book.
This story takes place in a small town called The Hollows, where everyone knows everyone - or so they think. Their peaceful - aka dreary and hopeless - suburban lives are shaken when a teenage girl goes missing. Has she run away or has she been abducted? Why? As the news are spread around town, the memories of a similar case that happened two decades earlier resurface - and long-buried secrets can no longer stay hidden. The parallels between the two (past and present) cases seem to affect everyone's life, and no one will be the same when all is finally said and done.
I had a hard time reading this book. There were too many characters and the POV shifted constantly from one to another. It was annoying, because I didn't need to be privy to the thoughts of every character that made an appearance in the story. Some of those POV were redundant, repeating what I'd already learned from other characters' POV, and some were completely unnecessary, adding nothing to the story. Anyway, regardless of their importance, all characters were connected with Jones Cooper, the head detective at the Hollows Police Department, and his wife Maggie, a psychotherapist who added a few wrinkles to my forehead due to her lack of professional ethic. Jones' and Maggie's POV were the ones who kept the story going and Ms. Unger could have ditched the other characters' POV - but that's just my opinion...
Besides the too-many-characters issue I just mentioned, I also had a problem with their characterization. I mean, there wasn't one single character who was slightly content in this story. Considering how many of them there were, it was depressing to find out that none of them knew what happiness was. Oh Ms. Unger, just slash my wrists and be done with it, will you?
As for the mystery/suspense part of the story, it was dragged too long for my taste, but it had an interesting plot twist near the end. Isuspected knew that things weren't exactly what they looked like in that sleepy little town, but I hadn't figured out what exactly laid beneath the silence held by Jones & Co.
The ending wasn't to my liking either. Everything was wrapped up too neatly, which was unrealistic and disconcerting. The ending did not fit the overall story, that's all I can say without giving it away.
Based on what I wrote above, one might assume I disliked this read. Well, I didn't dislike it - but I can't say I quite liked it because it depressed the crap out of me. Strangely enough, that's also the reason this book has its merit, as I don't think Ms. Unger was aiming at delivering an uplifting story when she wrote it. So, all things considered, I guess I could say this was an okay read to me. I'm just glad I'm not one of the depressing characters in this book.
This story takes place in a small town called The Hollows, where everyone knows everyone - or so they think. Their peaceful - aka dreary and hopeless - suburban lives are shaken when a teenage girl goes missing. Has she run away or has she been abducted? Why? As the news are spread around town, the memories of a similar case that happened two decades earlier resurface - and long-buried secrets can no longer stay hidden. The parallels between the two (past and present) cases seem to affect everyone's life, and no one will be the same when all is finally said and done.
I had a hard time reading this book. There were too many characters and the POV shifted constantly from one to another. It was annoying, because I didn't need to be privy to the thoughts of every character that made an appearance in the story. Some of those POV were redundant, repeating what I'd already learned from other characters' POV, and some were completely unnecessary, adding nothing to the story. Anyway, regardless of their importance, all characters were connected with Jones Cooper, the head detective at the Hollows Police Department, and his wife Maggie, a psychotherapist who added a few wrinkles to my forehead due to her lack of professional ethic. Jones' and Maggie's POV were the ones who kept the story going and Ms. Unger could have ditched the other characters' POV - but that's just my opinion...
Besides the too-many-characters issue I just mentioned, I also had a problem with their characterization. I mean, there wasn't one single character who was slightly content in this story. Considering how many of them there were, it was depressing to find out that none of them knew what happiness was. Oh Ms. Unger, just slash my wrists and be done with it, will you?
As for the mystery/suspense part of the story, it was dragged too long for my taste, but it had an interesting plot twist near the end. I
The ending wasn't to my liking either. Everything was wrapped up too neatly, which was unrealistic and disconcerting. The ending did not fit the overall story, that's all I can say without giving it away.
Based on what I wrote above, one might assume I disliked this read. Well, I didn't dislike it - but I can't say I quite liked it because it depressed the crap out of me. Strangely enough, that's also the reason this book has its merit, as I don't think Ms. Unger was aiming at delivering an uplifting story when she wrote it. So, all things considered, I guess I could say this was an okay read to me. I'm just glad I'm not one of the depressing characters in this book.
November 16, 2016
Detective Jones Cooper had lived in The Hollows his entire life � his wife Maggie had left when she was younger to head to NYC but returned when her father was dying with cancer. Now Maggie and Jones� life was in The Hollows along with their son Ricky. Working from her home office as a psychologist, she was mostly happy with her life but feared the constant anger between Ricky and his father would only get worse. Ricky was a typical moody teenager but it often seemed to Maggie that Jones constantly criticized his son which made Ricky surlier.
But it was when Ricky’s girlfriend Charlene disappeared that the horrors started. Long buried secrets from the past threatened to collide with the present � the parallels caused Jones to turn his thoughts inward and become more reticent which of course had Maggie worrying herself sick. The people of the town were divided � standing together over Charlene’s disappearance, but there were those who held their thoughts close to their chest. As the search escalated, Jones and his offsider Chuck knew time was running out. And they didn’t expect there would be a good outcome�
Fragile by Lisa Unger is a slow paced thriller which I enjoyed. But I had trouble keeping the many characters aligned in my head; there were so many with side stories which did eventually all loop together, but I found myself saying “who was that again? Oh that’s right…� It was a little distracting trying to keep up with them all. That said, I would still recommend this novel, and will definitely be reading more by this author.
But it was when Ricky’s girlfriend Charlene disappeared that the horrors started. Long buried secrets from the past threatened to collide with the present � the parallels caused Jones to turn his thoughts inward and become more reticent which of course had Maggie worrying herself sick. The people of the town were divided � standing together over Charlene’s disappearance, but there were those who held their thoughts close to their chest. As the search escalated, Jones and his offsider Chuck knew time was running out. And they didn’t expect there would be a good outcome�
Fragile by Lisa Unger is a slow paced thriller which I enjoyed. But I had trouble keeping the many characters aligned in my head; there were so many with side stories which did eventually all loop together, but I found myself saying “who was that again? Oh that’s right…� It was a little distracting trying to keep up with them all. That said, I would still recommend this novel, and will definitely be reading more by this author.
October 3, 2011
i know. i promised myself i'd never unger again.
i lied.
let's just face it. an unger novel is perfect for those pre-bedtime creepouts. she weaves convoluted plots that feel simultaneously unbelievable and close-to-home. here, it's the tale of two dead girls, separated by decades, and the question of what would you do to protect the ones you love.
jonesin':
1. for once, unger's multi-perspective drama didn't feel uber-contrived to me. i got into the rhythm of the novel easily and it was addictive.
2. tone: it's creepy. i wanted to double check the locks on all my windows and doors after reading. it's not something about which i would say, "YES! I need to read more books like this so that i can live in abject terror for the rest of my life!" but i think she was successful in creating the intended atmosphere. and i respect that.
3. story: of all the ungers i've read, this one i liked the most. there's something harrowing about a missing girl that makes me think of the 80s in the worst kind of nostalgic way. i flipped the pages the same way i glued myself to the television, looking for updated news of missing children, fearing the worst, hoping for the best. whatever the best may be.
trippin':
1. the names. blech. jones cooper? two last names is hardly effective at conjuring anything other than a downeaster in a flannel jacket. sorry.
2. female author in a male brain. or male author in a female brain. i don't like it. it has to be done carefully and cautiously, with respect to the gender. but here unger's internal conflict reads like the stereotype. ricky has all the predictable angst worthy of a teenage male goth ("It's Rick, Mom!"), jones is doughy, passive, and broken, and charlie is...well, charlie is number 3.
3. charlie: okay, i've said it before and i'll say it again. i really don't like it when authors create a fictional author self. here, it's charlie, the writer-cum-exterminator. his story is probably the weakest and obviously he is, in all ways but the penis, supposed to function as the counterpart for unger (who tells us in the epilogue about how she was personally haunted by a missing girl when she was in her teens and how she wanted to write about it but couldn't find the words). blahblahblah. charlie had potential, but it was squandered when he became a literal representation of the author herself.
4. maggie: maggie is ricky's mom, jones's wife, marshall's therapist, melody's high school buddy, elizabeth's daughter...she's connected to almost all of them (not charlie, though, i guess it bears mentioning). i hated her. she's very condescending her role of therapist and she plays only to the stereotype. plus, she pimps therapy on EVERYONE, and, i'm not saying they don't need it, but it felt a little cheap and a little hollow.
5. marshall, travis, and the chief - this unholy trinity of abusive/abused males permeates the text in a way that feels altogether overplayed. they're 2-d representations of a sensitive subject matter worthy of some deeper consideration. oddly, while reading, i totally imagined christopher plummer in the role of the chief. off-putting, that.
3 star effort here - a good story mildly undone by the cardboard rigidity of its characters.
i lied.
let's just face it. an unger novel is perfect for those pre-bedtime creepouts. she weaves convoluted plots that feel simultaneously unbelievable and close-to-home. here, it's the tale of two dead girls, separated by decades, and the question of what would you do to protect the ones you love.
jonesin':
1. for once, unger's multi-perspective drama didn't feel uber-contrived to me. i got into the rhythm of the novel easily and it was addictive.
2. tone: it's creepy. i wanted to double check the locks on all my windows and doors after reading. it's not something about which i would say, "YES! I need to read more books like this so that i can live in abject terror for the rest of my life!" but i think she was successful in creating the intended atmosphere. and i respect that.
3. story: of all the ungers i've read, this one i liked the most. there's something harrowing about a missing girl that makes me think of the 80s in the worst kind of nostalgic way. i flipped the pages the same way i glued myself to the television, looking for updated news of missing children, fearing the worst, hoping for the best. whatever the best may be.
trippin':
1. the names. blech. jones cooper? two last names is hardly effective at conjuring anything other than a downeaster in a flannel jacket. sorry.
2. female author in a male brain. or male author in a female brain. i don't like it. it has to be done carefully and cautiously, with respect to the gender. but here unger's internal conflict reads like the stereotype. ricky has all the predictable angst worthy of a teenage male goth ("It's Rick, Mom!"), jones is doughy, passive, and broken, and charlie is...well, charlie is number 3.
3. charlie: okay, i've said it before and i'll say it again. i really don't like it when authors create a fictional author self. here, it's charlie, the writer-cum-exterminator. his story is probably the weakest and obviously he is, in all ways but the penis, supposed to function as the counterpart for unger (who tells us in the epilogue about how she was personally haunted by a missing girl when she was in her teens and how she wanted to write about it but couldn't find the words). blahblahblah. charlie had potential, but it was squandered when he became a literal representation of the author herself.
4. maggie: maggie is ricky's mom, jones's wife, marshall's therapist, melody's high school buddy, elizabeth's daughter...she's connected to almost all of them (not charlie, though, i guess it bears mentioning). i hated her. she's very condescending her role of therapist and she plays only to the stereotype. plus, she pimps therapy on EVERYONE, and, i'm not saying they don't need it, but it felt a little cheap and a little hollow.
5. marshall, travis, and the chief - this unholy trinity of abusive/abused males permeates the text in a way that feels altogether overplayed. they're 2-d representations of a sensitive subject matter worthy of some deeper consideration. oddly, while reading, i totally imagined christopher plummer in the role of the chief. off-putting, that.
3 star effort here - a good story mildly undone by the cardboard rigidity of its characters.
July 23, 2016
"How do you know if you're a good person or a bad person?"
Fragile is a slow, well-developed, character driven tale. It almost felt like a psychological analysis of family relationships and small town dynamics, with a plot thrown in for good measure.
The story was intriguing, but I feel like I've fallen into the trap of wanting twists and turns with my thrillers, and this one is relatively straightforward. Still a very good psychological thriller, I would say it's lacking a bit in the mystery aspect.
The author moves so seamlessly through past and present, you really don't know it's happening.
I will definitely be reading more from this author.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Fragile is a slow, well-developed, character driven tale. It almost felt like a psychological analysis of family relationships and small town dynamics, with a plot thrown in for good measure.
The story was intriguing, but I feel like I've fallen into the trap of wanting twists and turns with my thrillers, and this one is relatively straightforward. Still a very good psychological thriller, I would say it's lacking a bit in the mystery aspect.
The author moves so seamlessly through past and present, you really don't know it's happening.
I will definitely be reading more from this author.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
October 30, 2014
Maggie and Jones live with their teenage son, Rick, in The Hollows, a small town outside of New York City.
The cozy intimacy of the town is broken when Rick’s girlfriend, Charlene, mysteriously disappears.
The investigation has Jones, the lead detective on the case, acting strangely and Rick, already a brooding teenager, becomes even more withdrawn.
Maggie finds herself drawn in both as a trained psychologist and as a mother, walking a tightrope that threatens the stability of her family. Determined to uncover the truth, Maggie pursues her own leads into Charlene’s disappearance and exposes a long-buried town secret—one that could destroy everything she holds dear.
was an okay book, but certainly wasn't the thrilling ride I expected. The characters are largely one dimensional, with the exception of Elizabeth, Maggies mother.
Everyone was just a little too forgiving, the characters a little too black and white, everything just a little too neat and tidy for this to be a really satisfying read.
The cozy intimacy of the town is broken when Rick’s girlfriend, Charlene, mysteriously disappears.
The investigation has Jones, the lead detective on the case, acting strangely and Rick, already a brooding teenager, becomes even more withdrawn.
Maggie finds herself drawn in both as a trained psychologist and as a mother, walking a tightrope that threatens the stability of her family. Determined to uncover the truth, Maggie pursues her own leads into Charlene’s disappearance and exposes a long-buried town secret—one that could destroy everything she holds dear.
was an okay book, but certainly wasn't the thrilling ride I expected. The characters are largely one dimensional, with the exception of Elizabeth, Maggies mother.
Everyone was just a little too forgiving, the characters a little too black and white, everything just a little too neat and tidy for this to be a really satisfying read.
April 26, 2025
A teenage girl, Charlene, disappears and the residents of The Hollows, a small town north of New York City, are in fear. The news brought back haunting memories of the disappearance and death of another girl, Sarah, about twenty years earlier.
Charlene is the girlfriend of Rick Cooper. His father, Jones, is the lead detective and has to consider his son as a possible suspect. Rick's mother, Maggie, is a psychologist who knows many of the hidden secrets in The Hollows. Both Jones and Maggie grew up in The Hollows, and they are instrumental in uncovering the truth about both Charlene and Sarah.
"Fragile" made me think about how important technology is in contemporary investigations as the detectives read Charlene's Facebook messages to get into her mindset. This was an intense psychological thriller about families and small town secrets. It held my interest all through the investigation.
Charlene is the girlfriend of Rick Cooper. His father, Jones, is the lead detective and has to consider his son as a possible suspect. Rick's mother, Maggie, is a psychologist who knows many of the hidden secrets in The Hollows. Both Jones and Maggie grew up in The Hollows, and they are instrumental in uncovering the truth about both Charlene and Sarah.
"Fragile" made me think about how important technology is in contemporary investigations as the detectives read Charlene's Facebook messages to get into her mindset. This was an intense psychological thriller about families and small town secrets. It held my interest all through the investigation.
July 19, 2019
I unintentionally read a book out of order in this series, so I am going back to the beginning. After reading this, I don't feel that it was a problem.
This book is a slow burn. It starts slow, but it spends that time wisely. Building up characters and motivations before building up the pressure in the story. It really makes you think that living in a small community where everyone knows everyone else may be a problem.
Looking forward to book #2.
This book is a slow burn. It starts slow, but it spends that time wisely. Building up characters and motivations before building up the pressure in the story. It really makes you think that living in a small community where everyone knows everyone else may be a problem.
Looking forward to book #2.
August 3, 2010
From My Blog (4.5 stars)...
Complex, multilayered and suspenseful, Fragile by Lisa Unger tells not only the story of one missing girl, but two separated by decades and the secrets kept by the inhabitants of The Hollows, New York. Charlene leaves home and everyone assumes she is a runaway, yet the adults remember another time, back when they were Charlene's age and Sarah Meyer went missing. Are the cases as similar as they appear and if so, will anyone be willing to bring up the secrets of the past? Fragile is filled with an almost dizzying array of characters yet author Lisa Unger masterfully sorts through each one and the history behind the characters showing how small their community truly is and yet how many secrets have been and continue to be kept. The characters are well described and realistic, the plot is quite brilliant, with enough twists to keep the reader turning the pages looking for the next piece of the puzzle. Fragile is an emotionally charged suspense novel and I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone.
Complex, multilayered and suspenseful, Fragile by Lisa Unger tells not only the story of one missing girl, but two separated by decades and the secrets kept by the inhabitants of The Hollows, New York. Charlene leaves home and everyone assumes she is a runaway, yet the adults remember another time, back when they were Charlene's age and Sarah Meyer went missing. Are the cases as similar as they appear and if so, will anyone be willing to bring up the secrets of the past? Fragile is filled with an almost dizzying array of characters yet author Lisa Unger masterfully sorts through each one and the history behind the characters showing how small their community truly is and yet how many secrets have been and continue to be kept. The characters are well described and realistic, the plot is quite brilliant, with enough twists to keep the reader turning the pages looking for the next piece of the puzzle. Fragile is an emotionally charged suspense novel and I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone.
November 9, 2010
I feel a little uncharitable giving this only two stars, especially since I could be accused of going overboard with the stars on other occasions. Somehow this just didnt come together for me, a shame since it started with such promise. Good points are these: the writing is extremly smooth. Unger is undoubtedly a deft writer. I flew from one page to the next. Missing teenage girls is a premise I keep seeing over and and over again--in fact it's beginning to grow tiresome--but this seemed to offer more than the usual fare. Somewhere toward the end of this novel,though, the plot just fizzled for me. The villain characters just seemed over the top. The "good" characters didn't ring true. The solution to the mystery of the second missing girl and the aftermath seemed to strain credulity while the first missing girl plot line felt cliche. I had to finish, but I found the end result unsatisfying in a way I can't wholly articulate. I'd still try another of the author's work because I liked at least half of this novel.
March 27, 2023
Ah, small town secrets. Some present, some past. This was a good mystery and story. The characters were believable and interesting, and I enjoyed the bonds among the family members, whose relationships have become strained. It allows us as readers to explore the “what ifs� in our lives and the fragility of family, when those bonds threaten to unravel under the weight of past mistakes. I will read more in this series.
August 28, 2016
Psychologist Maggie Cooper and her husband Detective Jones Cooper live a quiet life with their teenage son, Rick, in a small New York town. But things suddenly get crazy when Rick's girlfriend, Charlene, disappears without a trace. Some people think she ran away, but Rick insists she wouldn't do that. Charlene's disappearance reminds the townspeople of a similar case over twenty years ago where another teenage girl disappeared. Her body was found weeks later and her killer put in prison. Will the past repeat itself in this small town?
This book was billed as a thriller. I would call it mainstream fiction. I listened to the audiobook which took about ten hours. I was nearly in a coma by the halfway point. There were too many characters. At first their stories seemed unrelated, but I quickly learned that all of the characters had a secret. Some of their secrets were new. Others were twenty years old. The biggest problem was the slow motion pace of this book. There were too many descriptions...too many flashbacks. This is my first book by this author. I'm not sure if I'll be trying another one. My rating: 1.5 Stars.
This book was billed as a thriller. I would call it mainstream fiction. I listened to the audiobook which took about ten hours. I was nearly in a coma by the halfway point. There were too many characters. At first their stories seemed unrelated, but I quickly learned that all of the characters had a secret. Some of their secrets were new. Others were twenty years old. The biggest problem was the slow motion pace of this book. There were too many descriptions...too many flashbacks. This is my first book by this author. I'm not sure if I'll be trying another one. My rating: 1.5 Stars.
February 10, 2018
I’ve really enjoyed the books set in the Hollows, and this is no exception, although this story has shifted from Eloise Montgomery, the clairvoyant, to Jones Cooper, the police officer. It was interesting to come to these characters through a different perspective. Jones featured in the other novels and now he gets his own book and Eloise is in the background.
The Hollows is a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business, where secrets can fester, where future generations can pay the price for their ancestors’s misdeeds.
The Hollows is a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business, where secrets can fester, where future generations can pay the price for their ancestors’s misdeeds.
October 10, 2010
If this is a "thriller" why was there nothing thrilling about it? The writing was sophomoric, the characters not fully developed and inconsistent, and most of all: unconvincing. The villains are not villainous, and the main protagonist is a "psychologist" who has no clue and no professional boundaries, and is actually just a homemaker without any real character. The rest of the characters are simply stereotypes, with the exception of maybe Jones. Adding some violence, layers of story lines, and excessive points of view, does not a good novel make.
December 30, 2014
Listening to the audio of this older book from Lisa Unger was pure pleasure. While on the surface there is one young girl missing, the circumstances take many in The Hollows back to a similar case many years ago. Oddly enough many of the same people are a part of both of these cases. Old memories are dredged up, and the feelings of doubt and distrust are rampant now.
Great book, and now even more eager to read Lisa's new book publishing in February 2015.
Great book, and now even more eager to read Lisa's new book publishing in February 2015.
June 13, 2016
Thrillers, done well, can thrill. This one not only thrills, but makes you think, makes you feel...and that's a rarity. This genre novel approaches literary fiction as it views crime through different lenses--family, secrets, memory, and loss. Highly recommended.
July 29, 2014
Another new mystery writer for me. NY Times bestselling author � aren’t they all? I am not sure how I ended up going out with Lisa since she seems to mostly be read by women. Fragile doesn't seem to be quite chick-lit but, if it is, I don't hold that against it.
Lisa Unger says on her website:
If you seek a book with thrills and a happy ending, “Eureka!� You have found it. I should probably say that it is an unlikely happy ending. Unlikely is an adjective that can often be applied to thrillers, I am finding.
I am sure that there are clever things that could be said about Fragile. The thing is, though, the book packs so many morals to the story in the last dozen pages, I just don’t know which one to highlight. So let me just give you a string of perfectly satisfactory end-of-book thoughts and you can take your pick.
I am tempted to use the word “corny� to describe the ending. It manipulated my mind into a sentimental framework and I seemed unable to avoid the mist forming in my eyes in spite of my intellectual effort to denigrate my emotions. Fragile said the obvious “Life is complicated� and I was glad to be reminded.
I found this book by chance and will probably not seek out other books by Lisa Unger. I already have plenty of mysteries on my shelves to read.
In the Author’s Note at the end of the book she says she has been trying to write this novel for twenty years. She says, “A lifetime ago, a girl I knew went missing.� She did not mimic that life experience in writing this book, but it made the emotion real for her.
The “corny� factor keeps me from giving this book five stars. But it did have an emotional impact on me and that impact makes it easy for me to award four stars to Fragile.
Lisa Unger says on her website:
“My novels center around strong women who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances, and explore themes such as the power of a single choice, the corrosive nature of secrets and lies, dark family legacies, and the secrets we keep from each other and from ourselves.�
Source:
If you seek a book with thrills and a happy ending, “Eureka!� You have found it. I should probably say that it is an unlikely happy ending. Unlikely is an adjective that can often be applied to thrillers, I am finding.
I am sure that there are clever things that could be said about Fragile. The thing is, though, the book packs so many morals to the story in the last dozen pages, I just don’t know which one to highlight. So let me just give you a string of perfectly satisfactory end-of-book thoughts and you can take your pick.
Henry found himself wondering why people held on to anger and sadness, gripped it tight, let it dictate the course of their lives, but found it so hard to find and keep love.
. . .
Because it mattered how well they loved one another, how well they treated one another as a family � that was the root, that was the trunk of life. All the rest was just leaves that grew and fell, were raked away and grew again.
. . .
There was a story Chuck’s father used to tell about the boy who spread a rumor against a good doctor in the town where he lived. When the boy went to make amends, the doctor asked him to cut open a feather pillow and let the wind take the feathers away, then to come back the next day. When the boy returned, the doctor asked him to collect all the feathers and put them back in the pillowcase. Of course, it could never be done. Those feathers had been carried far, alighted in places where they couldn’t be seen or found but stayed there just the same.
. . .
You’ll regret it if you don’t. It’s one thing to try and fail. It’s another thing to never try at all. That’s the stuff that eats you alive.
. . .
“My husband used to say, ‘The past is history. The future is a mystery. The present is a gift.’�
. . .
It was all woven together in one great tapestry � the past, the present, the future � colors and textures mingling and entwined. It was nearly impossible to extract the present moment from what came before it, from what might lie ahead.
. . .
� she felt an awe at how all their separate lives were twisted and tangled, growing over and around one another, altering, aiding, and blocking on another’s paths. Not just her family but people who seemed so distant . . . And how the connections between them were as terribly fragile as they were indelible.
I am tempted to use the word “corny� to describe the ending. It manipulated my mind into a sentimental framework and I seemed unable to avoid the mist forming in my eyes in spite of my intellectual effort to denigrate my emotions. Fragile said the obvious “Life is complicated� and I was glad to be reminded.
I found this book by chance and will probably not seek out other books by Lisa Unger. I already have plenty of mysteries on my shelves to read.
In the Author’s Note at the end of the book she says she has been trying to write this novel for twenty years. She says, “A lifetime ago, a girl I knew went missing.� She did not mimic that life experience in writing this book, but it made the emotion real for her.
The “corny� factor keeps me from giving this book five stars. But it did have an emotional impact on me and that impact makes it easy for me to award four stars to Fragile.
July 5, 2018
While the ending was quite good the entire book was bogged down by an excruciatingly slow pace and so many characters it was hard to keep track of them all.
The Good: The last 25% of the book was quite interesting and Unger did a great job of wrapping things up in a very believable way. I actually enjoyed reading how everything was interwoven and discovering everyone's secrets. Of course by the time I got to the 75% mark I opted to skim read the last part to just get through it. This doesn't bode well for any book, IMHO.
The Bad: As mentioned above, the extremely slow pacing of the book made the first half seem overly long and really boring. In addition, Unger added almost two dozen characters, either by mention or by an actual appearance, which made the first half confusing, not to mention there were no characters who I actually liked. Out of all of them! During the course of the book I thought about stopping the book and adding it to my DNF list several times.
In a Nutshell: Even though the ending was rather good I couldn't get over the first half of the book being so...well, not good. I usually give an author at least 2 tries but I'm seriously thinking of not picking up another Unger again, if this book is a testament to how she writes.
The Good: The last 25% of the book was quite interesting and Unger did a great job of wrapping things up in a very believable way. I actually enjoyed reading how everything was interwoven and discovering everyone's secrets. Of course by the time I got to the 75% mark I opted to skim read the last part to just get through it. This doesn't bode well for any book, IMHO.
The Bad: As mentioned above, the extremely slow pacing of the book made the first half seem overly long and really boring. In addition, Unger added almost two dozen characters, either by mention or by an actual appearance, which made the first half confusing, not to mention there were no characters who I actually liked. Out of all of them! During the course of the book I thought about stopping the book and adding it to my DNF list several times.
In a Nutshell: Even though the ending was rather good I couldn't get over the first half of the book being so...well, not good. I usually give an author at least 2 tries but I'm seriously thinking of not picking up another Unger again, if this book is a testament to how she writes.
November 1, 2010
This story is at first confusing because of the intertwined lives of the people who live in a small town outside of New York City. However the author, Lisa Unger develops an intricate description of each character, covering not only their past secret lives as well as their present lives. It is surprising as to how the past secrets of Jones Cooper, the town detective, have a direct effect on his method of investigation in the recent disappearance of a local girl, Charlene. The fact that Lisa Unger manages to weave not one story, but two stories in one novel at times is a little confusing, but I found myself unable to put the novel down. I felt that the actions and reactions of the Jones Cooper family accentuate the psychological issues that can exist uncovered in a normal family. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves mysteries. I couldn’t put it down.
Reviewer: Pat for BookSake.blogspot.com
Reviewer: Pat for BookSake.blogspot.com
September 6, 2015
I did not like Fragile by Lisa Unger at all found the characters confusing as well as the storyline have loved her other novels but this was a let down
March 7, 2019
Lisa Unger is a fantastic writer!
It was hard to walk away from this book when my workout was over, but it made going back to the gym the next day a whole lot easier!
It was hard to walk away from this book when my workout was over, but it made going back to the gym the next day a whole lot easier!
January 12, 2024
3.85 This is another Hollows story but it is focused on the Jones Cooper family mainly. Eloise Montgomery comes into the story for a little while so there is a little supernatural in it. Love Lisa Unger especially her stories about the Hollows cast of characters. I didn’t really agree with two ways it ended but enjoyed the story for the most part.
November 2, 2016
3.5 � s
At first, when I started this book, I felt it was re-visiting very familiar territory - small town USA, smart female protagonist, hard-worker in one of the caring professions, married to dedicated chief of police, high school sport star, etc. Attractive but rebellious high school girl has disappeared without a trace. It's been done a thousand times...
Certainly the book started very slowly, and there was not much happening at all. Many pages were expended on establishing who was who, where, what and why...Then, at some undefined point, I realised I was definitely enjoying this book, because it was diverging from the typical, and was actually a fresh approach to the time-honoured standard. As things turned out, I read Fragile quite quickly because I became engrossed.
What impressed me about this book was that the emphasis was not on the actual crimes but on the impacts of those deeds and actions on the people involved. There was very little of a forensic nature, or of police procedure. The unnatural deaths that occurred in the book had basic descriptions, but no elaborate, high-drama action sequences. The focus in this book is on the psychological aspects of crime. What was going on in the mind of the perpetrator? What circumstances had brought about the crime? What were the impacts on family, friends and the community? How did those involved get on with their lives afterwards? Who had regrets and why?
There are astute observations about the way people think collectively in a small town. Even if the comments have no basis in reality, the group-think can have huge consequences for individuals, both in the way they are treated by the community and within themselves.
This is very much an examination of the psychology of belonging vs isolation, of loving vs dysfunctional families, of honesty vs deception. It looks unflinchingly at issues like selfishness, emotional manipulation and narcissism. It examines individuals� moral values and ability to live up to ideals, ability to cope with disorder and disappointment. It also looks at issues around acceptance and forgiveness, and around coming to terms with terrible things that have happened. I found that this style of story engaged with me on an intellectual level.
My main criticism of the book is with the structure. There are multiple character voices, scattered throughout a non-linear narrative. Normally I don’t have a problem with this style of writing, but in Fragile I found myself being confused at certain points - who’s point of view was I reading, and at what point in time? The story jumps around a lot, with no warning. This detracted from my reading enjoyment.
My minor criticism is that certain characters, psychologist Maggie Cooper in particular, tended to be excessively wordy and repetitive. I think that some tighter editing might have overcome this issue.
At first, when I started this book, I felt it was re-visiting very familiar territory - small town USA, smart female protagonist, hard-worker in one of the caring professions, married to dedicated chief of police, high school sport star, etc. Attractive but rebellious high school girl has disappeared without a trace. It's been done a thousand times...
Certainly the book started very slowly, and there was not much happening at all. Many pages were expended on establishing who was who, where, what and why...Then, at some undefined point, I realised I was definitely enjoying this book, because it was diverging from the typical, and was actually a fresh approach to the time-honoured standard. As things turned out, I read Fragile quite quickly because I became engrossed.
What impressed me about this book was that the emphasis was not on the actual crimes but on the impacts of those deeds and actions on the people involved. There was very little of a forensic nature, or of police procedure. The unnatural deaths that occurred in the book had basic descriptions, but no elaborate, high-drama action sequences. The focus in this book is on the psychological aspects of crime. What was going on in the mind of the perpetrator? What circumstances had brought about the crime? What were the impacts on family, friends and the community? How did those involved get on with their lives afterwards? Who had regrets and why?
There are astute observations about the way people think collectively in a small town. Even if the comments have no basis in reality, the group-think can have huge consequences for individuals, both in the way they are treated by the community and within themselves.
This is very much an examination of the psychology of belonging vs isolation, of loving vs dysfunctional families, of honesty vs deception. It looks unflinchingly at issues like selfishness, emotional manipulation and narcissism. It examines individuals� moral values and ability to live up to ideals, ability to cope with disorder and disappointment. It also looks at issues around acceptance and forgiveness, and around coming to terms with terrible things that have happened. I found that this style of story engaged with me on an intellectual level.
My main criticism of the book is with the structure. There are multiple character voices, scattered throughout a non-linear narrative. Normally I don’t have a problem with this style of writing, but in Fragile I found myself being confused at certain points - who’s point of view was I reading, and at what point in time? The story jumps around a lot, with no warning. This detracted from my reading enjoyment.
My minor criticism is that certain characters, psychologist Maggie Cooper in particular, tended to be excessively wordy and repetitive. I think that some tighter editing might have overcome this issue.
September 14, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading this 1st book in her Hollows series!
December 22, 2017
Have had this to read for a really long time so when the audio came available, I grabbed it. The audio was pretty easy listening, despite the book itself being somewhat confusing. A small town setting, but again so many characters to keep straight (including a Charlie, a Chuck, and a Charlene... or was it Charlotte?), and a story that jumps between a current missing teen and one that happened 20 or so years before. Even though the author seldom gave a smooth transition between time periods, I soon understood that if the story stopped making sense to me, it was flashing back to another time and I'd soon get up to speed.
Maybe not for everyone.
Maybe not for everyone.
November 27, 2023
Not thrilling. Way too many characters and too many plotlines. The inclusion of a psychic just made me roll my eyes. I found it difficult to care about the story because I was constantly getting confused about who was who. The POV switched between so many characters within a single chapter.
This is the first book that I've read by Lisa Unger and I'm not impressed. Her writing did not do it for me.
This is the first book that I've read by Lisa Unger and I'm not impressed. Her writing did not do it for me.
September 25, 2022
Definitely worth the read!
I started this series out of order so I think as I continue in order my enjoyment will increase.
3.75 stars.
I am looking forward to more in the series. I am enjoying this on audible.
I started this series out of order so I think as I continue in order my enjoyment will increase.
3.75 stars.
I am looking forward to more in the series. I am enjoying this on audible.
November 12, 2011
This book, along with a copy of The Night Strangers, was sent to me by the marketing manager of Crown Publishing. I had won the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ giveaway for Before Versailles and after almost two months I had not received it. It was a pleasant surprise and a very generous gesture, especially since the original giveaway book arrived shortly thereafter. Theoretically, then, it probably isn't necessary to review the book but feel it is appropriate.
I faithfully read page by page to Ch 19, page 190, almost halfway through the book before, out of sheer boredom and impatience, I flipped to the back of the book to find out how it ended. The first chapters introduced the reader to a mishmash of characters, mostly the classmates of the main character, the Police Chief, and his wife, a psychotherapist in a small town, The Hollows, not far from New York City. I couldn't decide if it was in the Hudson River Valley, New Jersey or Connecticut--it was sort of a indistinct any small town, but not really. I've lived in several very small places in NYS and in Vt and could not get a feel for this fictional place, there was no atmosphere.
The characters, except, perhaps the teens were very one dimensional as well. Even the former school principal with whom I should have been able to relate, having been in secondary education all my life, was colorless.
The missing teen girl, sexually assaulted, was presented in triplicate and felt too contrived and artificial. I could not really feel an urgency or empathy to any of the situations. There were some twists and turns but again they seemed too drawn out. I did go back and finish the book but wasn't moved by any of the neatly resolved issues.
In fact, I'm still not sure what purpose Charlie and Wanda served in the story at all. Perhaps, Charlie was Unger's alter ego giving voice to her purpose in writing the book.
I faithfully read page by page to Ch 19, page 190, almost halfway through the book before, out of sheer boredom and impatience, I flipped to the back of the book to find out how it ended. The first chapters introduced the reader to a mishmash of characters, mostly the classmates of the main character, the Police Chief, and his wife, a psychotherapist in a small town, The Hollows, not far from New York City. I couldn't decide if it was in the Hudson River Valley, New Jersey or Connecticut--it was sort of a indistinct any small town, but not really. I've lived in several very small places in NYS and in Vt and could not get a feel for this fictional place, there was no atmosphere.
The characters, except, perhaps the teens were very one dimensional as well. Even the former school principal with whom I should have been able to relate, having been in secondary education all my life, was colorless.
The missing teen girl, sexually assaulted, was presented in triplicate and felt too contrived and artificial. I could not really feel an urgency or empathy to any of the situations. There were some twists and turns but again they seemed too drawn out. I did go back and finish the book but wasn't moved by any of the neatly resolved issues.
In fact, I'm still not sure what purpose Charlie and Wanda served in the story at all. Perhaps, Charlie was Unger's alter ego giving voice to her purpose in writing the book.
June 29, 2012
Maggie can not let go of her son, no matter if he is a grown man. In her eyes, she will always see him as her little boy, Ricky. Ricky goes by Rick and he does not need his mother following him everywhere.
In the middle of the night, Maggie hears loud knocking on her door. It is Rick's girlfriend's mother. She states that Charlene and her had a fight and Charlene did not return home. Soon it becomes apparent that something terrible has happened to Charlene. This causes a huge rift between Maggie and her husband, Jones. Jones is a cop, so his cop instincts kick in. Maggie is a mother who is protective of her son and believes that Rick would never do anything to harm Charlene. What is the truth?
I have read a few of Lisa Unger's books and they were good. I was feeling a kick for a good mystery/thriller, so I decided to go to my huge back list of books and selected Fragile. It sounded good. The opening scene got my attention. However, I knew after reading the opening scene kind of where this story was going to lead. This is why for first things, when I was lead to believe that the suspect was one person, I had a hard time believing it as I already knew it was not going to be that person. Second I was quickly turned off by the characters. Maggie with her over protectiveness. Ricky with his grouchy attitude and the rest of the characters (teens) were rude and mean to each other. Also, the constant switching of the many different voices was not smooth. For these facts, this is why I could not get into this book and gave up on it. In fact, I was ok with not knowing all the details leading up to Charlene's disappearance. Not this author's best work.
In the middle of the night, Maggie hears loud knocking on her door. It is Rick's girlfriend's mother. She states that Charlene and her had a fight and Charlene did not return home. Soon it becomes apparent that something terrible has happened to Charlene. This causes a huge rift between Maggie and her husband, Jones. Jones is a cop, so his cop instincts kick in. Maggie is a mother who is protective of her son and believes that Rick would never do anything to harm Charlene. What is the truth?
I have read a few of Lisa Unger's books and they were good. I was feeling a kick for a good mystery/thriller, so I decided to go to my huge back list of books and selected Fragile. It sounded good. The opening scene got my attention. However, I knew after reading the opening scene kind of where this story was going to lead. This is why for first things, when I was lead to believe that the suspect was one person, I had a hard time believing it as I already knew it was not going to be that person. Second I was quickly turned off by the characters. Maggie with her over protectiveness. Ricky with his grouchy attitude and the rest of the characters (teens) were rude and mean to each other. Also, the constant switching of the many different voices was not smooth. For these facts, this is why I could not get into this book and gave up on it. In fact, I was ok with not knowing all the details leading up to Charlene's disappearance. Not this author's best work.
August 26, 2011
The book starts off strong (I picked it up randomly and kept reading because I liked the first few pages) and turns into somewhat of a page turner, but then crimes are committed (one past, one present, a couple of others alluded to) and, like so many similar books, it falls apart. My theory is that so many books fall apart when crimes are committed for a couple of reasons. One: the tree of possible consequences branches wildly at such moments and, Two: authors rarely have first hand experience with the material they are writing about; in fact, the experience is usually several generations old and stale and filtered through other books or television. These two elements together add up to somewhat of a mess to slog through. I eventually put the book down even while I was still feverishly turning pages (skimming) just to get through the damn thing.
As a bracing counterpoint to this phenomenon, I suggest The Talented Mr. Ripley which, in my opinion, COMPLETELY holds together through not just one but TWO complicated, unusual, spontaneous murders; not just the motivated behavior of those directly involved with the action, but also the web of investigation, anger, horror, disbelief and policework that goes on around it. HUGE kudos to Highsmith for pulling that off from cover to cover. That novel was just the first of her Ripley series, but really the best, and possibly the only one worth reading. She resurrects the characters several times in the following years, and gives them similar tight sinister plots, but to me it all feels like a hopeful, disappointing shadow thrown by the first story.
As a bracing counterpoint to this phenomenon, I suggest The Talented Mr. Ripley which, in my opinion, COMPLETELY holds together through not just one but TWO complicated, unusual, spontaneous murders; not just the motivated behavior of those directly involved with the action, but also the web of investigation, anger, horror, disbelief and policework that goes on around it. HUGE kudos to Highsmith for pulling that off from cover to cover. That novel was just the first of her Ripley series, but really the best, and possibly the only one worth reading. She resurrects the characters several times in the following years, and gives them similar tight sinister plots, but to me it all feels like a hopeful, disappointing shadow thrown by the first story.
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