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The Evelyn Talbot Chronicles #0
Hanover House
Welcome to Hanover House….
Psychiatrist Evelyn Talbot has dedicated her life to solving the mysteries of the antisocial mind. Why do psychopaths act as they do? How do they come to be? Why don’t they feel any remorse for the suffering they cause? And are there better ways of spotting and stopping them?
After having been kidnapped, tortured and left for dead when she was just a teenager—by her high school boyfriend—she’s determined to understand how someone she trusted so much could turn on her. So she’s established a revolutionary new medical health center in the remote town of Hilltop, Alaska, where she studies the worst of the worst.
But not everyone in Hilltop is excited to have Hanover House and its many serial killers in the area. Alaskan State Trooper, Sergeant Amarok, is one of them. And yet he can’t help feeling bad about what Evelyn has been through. He’s even attracted to her. Which is partly why he worries.
He knows what could happen if only one little thing goes wrong...
Psychiatrist Evelyn Talbot has dedicated her life to solving the mysteries of the antisocial mind. Why do psychopaths act as they do? How do they come to be? Why don’t they feel any remorse for the suffering they cause? And are there better ways of spotting and stopping them?
After having been kidnapped, tortured and left for dead when she was just a teenager—by her high school boyfriend—she’s determined to understand how someone she trusted so much could turn on her. So she’s established a revolutionary new medical health center in the remote town of Hilltop, Alaska, where she studies the worst of the worst.
But not everyone in Hilltop is excited to have Hanover House and its many serial killers in the area. Alaskan State Trooper, Sergeant Amarok, is one of them. And yet he can’t help feeling bad about what Evelyn has been through. He’s even attracted to her. Which is partly why he worries.
He knows what could happen if only one little thing goes wrong...
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2015
About the author
Brenda Novak
232 books6,396 followersIt was a shocking experience that jump-started Brenda Novak’s bestselling author career.
“I caught my day-care provider drugging my children with cough syrup and Tylenol to get them to sleep while I was away,” Brenda says. “It was then that I decided that I needed to do something from home.”
However, writing was the last profession she expected to undertake. In fact, Brenda swears she didn’t have a creative bone in her body. In school, math and science were her best subjects, and when it came time to pick a major in college, she chose business.
Abandoning her academic scholarship to Brigham Young University at the age of 20 in order to get married and start a family, Brenda dabbled in commercial real estate, then became a loan officer.
“When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book,” Brenda admits. “I learned how to write by reading what others have written. The best advice for any would-be author: read, read, read….”
Brenda sold her first book, and the rest is history. Now a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, she continues to publish two or three novels a year, in a variety of genres.
Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are the proud parents of five children—three girls and two boys. Now that they are empty-nesters, she spends her free time babysitting her two grandchildren.
When she’s not with her family or writing, Brenda is usually raising money for diabetes research. To date, she's raised almost $2.6 million. Her youngest son, Thad, has diabetes, and Brenda is determined to help him and others like him. She also enjoys traveling, watching sporting events and biking--she rides an amazing 20 miles every day!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-...
“I caught my day-care provider drugging my children with cough syrup and Tylenol to get them to sleep while I was away,” Brenda says. “It was then that I decided that I needed to do something from home.”
However, writing was the last profession she expected to undertake. In fact, Brenda swears she didn’t have a creative bone in her body. In school, math and science were her best subjects, and when it came time to pick a major in college, she chose business.
Abandoning her academic scholarship to Brigham Young University at the age of 20 in order to get married and start a family, Brenda dabbled in commercial real estate, then became a loan officer.
“When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book,” Brenda admits. “I learned how to write by reading what others have written. The best advice for any would-be author: read, read, read….”
Brenda sold her first book, and the rest is history. Now a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, she continues to publish two or three novels a year, in a variety of genres.
Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are the proud parents of five children—three girls and two boys. Now that they are empty-nesters, she spends her free time babysitting her two grandchildren.
When she’s not with her family or writing, Brenda is usually raising money for diabetes research. To date, she's raised almost $2.6 million. Her youngest son, Thad, has diabetes, and Brenda is determined to help him and others like him. She also enjoys traveling, watching sporting events and biking--she rides an amazing 20 miles every day!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-...
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May 25, 2017
5 Psychopath Stars
*Some Mild Spoilers*
*Warning there are things in this book that may make some people uncomfortable. I just wanna give a heads up there is talk of rape, murder, and kidnapping in this book, but not real explicit or detailed *
“What if I want you?” “Definitely do yourself a favor and look for someone else,” she said. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m totally screwed up.”
OMG!! HOLY SHIT!!!!!!! Wow. I am straight trippin right now. OMG OMG OMG *Deep Breath* Okay so Hanover House is the Prequel novella for the Hanover House Chronicles and OMG it blew me away. Brenda Novak did such a good job on this book that I know I am now hooked on this series and will go through hell waiting for each damn book to come out. Cuzz you know, patience and me we don't hang. (kinda like me and proper grammar)
“Going to get a burger with me is harmless.” She looked slightly troubled as she stared up at him. “But what I feel when I look at you isn’t.”
What this book is about
When Evelyn Talbot was 16 years old her boyfriend Jasper, who she dated for months, loved, gave her virginity to, killed her 3 best friends and then kidnapped her, raped, tortured, and cut her throat leaving Evelyn for dead. Jasper with the help of his parents got away and disappeared. 20 years later and Dr. Evelyn Talbot a Psychiatrist has dedicated her life to trying to find out why psychopaths do the things they do, how they think, and more importantly is there signs that can identify a psychopath so they can be stopped before hurting others. Through her hard work, Evelyn is establishing a new medical center in Alaska, where she is going to house the worst psychopaths to study. Some of the residents of Hilltop Alaska are not happy with Dr. Talbot bringing the worst psychos to their small town. Alaskan State Trooper, Sergeant Amarok is one of the ones that doesn't want Dr Talbot's medical center in his town. He also doesn't like the idea of Evelyn there with all those dangerous killers. It doesn't help that Amarok is into Evelyn because that just makes him feel protective of her. Evelyn has made it clear she doesn't do romance. She can't, not after all she has lived through. Will Amarok be able to get Evelyn to trust him. Will he be able to get her to give them a shot and will he be able to keep her safe when her ex boyfriend Jasper shows up to finish what he started 20 years ago?
“Just give me a chance,” he said softly. “Isn’t it a little premature for...for this?” she asked. “You barely know me.” “I figure, in our situation, it’s especially important not to play games. I’m putting my heart out there, trying to make it easy for you. That’s why I’m telling you so soon. I’ll help you get through whatever your issues are. I just need you to try and trust again.” “I’ll think about it,” she responded and fled.
“Nice job on the zero to sixty in nanoseconds, full-on openmouthed blow-my-mind kiss, by the way. Your skills in that area won’t require any work at all.”
There was so much packed into this novella. The plot was so good. I was drawn into it instantly. I loved Evelyn and Amarok both. They both are very realistic and lovable characters. I could totally understand where Evelyn was coming from. I could feel her pain, fear, and her determination to not let it stop her from living and making a difference in the world through her work. Amarok was sweet and sexy. He didn't push Evelyn, but let her go at her own pace. He gave her understanding and support. Their relationship in this book is a sweet, slow burn and I believe just getting started. The psychopaths in this book are creepy as hell. Especially Jasper! OMG Jasper the super skin crawling crazy evil bad guy. I was on edge the whole book. I couldn't read it fast enough. It was so good I couldn't even stop to cook dinner or worry about things like feeding people. I had to know what happened next(thank God I have a sweet husband who loves me and knows how to cook)instead I powered straight through. Now I have to wait until September 2016 for the next book Whiteout. WHY?????? Why do you make me wait? That is so wrong!!!
I am so not good at waiting. September 2016 hmm. Whatever I'll wait. Cuzz well I don't have a choice, but I really can't wait to see what happens next.
http://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessio...
*Some Mild Spoilers*
*Warning there are things in this book that may make some people uncomfortable. I just wanna give a heads up there is talk of rape, murder, and kidnapping in this book, but not real explicit or detailed *
“What if I want you?” “Definitely do yourself a favor and look for someone else,” she said. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m totally screwed up.”
OMG!! HOLY SHIT!!!!!!! Wow. I am straight trippin right now. OMG OMG OMG *Deep Breath* Okay so Hanover House is the Prequel novella for the Hanover House Chronicles and OMG it blew me away. Brenda Novak did such a good job on this book that I know I am now hooked on this series and will go through hell waiting for each damn book to come out. Cuzz you know, patience and me we don't hang. (kinda like me and proper grammar)
“Going to get a burger with me is harmless.” She looked slightly troubled as she stared up at him. “But what I feel when I look at you isn’t.”
What this book is about
When Evelyn Talbot was 16 years old her boyfriend Jasper, who she dated for months, loved, gave her virginity to, killed her 3 best friends and then kidnapped her, raped, tortured, and cut her throat leaving Evelyn for dead. Jasper with the help of his parents got away and disappeared. 20 years later and Dr. Evelyn Talbot a Psychiatrist has dedicated her life to trying to find out why psychopaths do the things they do, how they think, and more importantly is there signs that can identify a psychopath so they can be stopped before hurting others. Through her hard work, Evelyn is establishing a new medical center in Alaska, where she is going to house the worst psychopaths to study. Some of the residents of Hilltop Alaska are not happy with Dr. Talbot bringing the worst psychos to their small town. Alaskan State Trooper, Sergeant Amarok is one of the ones that doesn't want Dr Talbot's medical center in his town. He also doesn't like the idea of Evelyn there with all those dangerous killers. It doesn't help that Amarok is into Evelyn because that just makes him feel protective of her. Evelyn has made it clear she doesn't do romance. She can't, not after all she has lived through. Will Amarok be able to get Evelyn to trust him. Will he be able to get her to give them a shot and will he be able to keep her safe when her ex boyfriend Jasper shows up to finish what he started 20 years ago?
“Just give me a chance,” he said softly. “Isn’t it a little premature for...for this?” she asked. “You barely know me.” “I figure, in our situation, it’s especially important not to play games. I’m putting my heart out there, trying to make it easy for you. That’s why I’m telling you so soon. I’ll help you get through whatever your issues are. I just need you to try and trust again.” “I’ll think about it,” she responded and fled.
“Nice job on the zero to sixty in nanoseconds, full-on openmouthed blow-my-mind kiss, by the way. Your skills in that area won’t require any work at all.”
There was so much packed into this novella. The plot was so good. I was drawn into it instantly. I loved Evelyn and Amarok both. They both are very realistic and lovable characters. I could totally understand where Evelyn was coming from. I could feel her pain, fear, and her determination to not let it stop her from living and making a difference in the world through her work. Amarok was sweet and sexy. He didn't push Evelyn, but let her go at her own pace. He gave her understanding and support. Their relationship in this book is a sweet, slow burn and I believe just getting started. The psychopaths in this book are creepy as hell. Especially Jasper! OMG Jasper the super skin crawling crazy evil bad guy. I was on edge the whole book. I couldn't read it fast enough. It was so good I couldn't even stop to cook dinner or worry about things like feeding people. I had to know what happened next(thank God I have a sweet husband who loves me and knows how to cook)instead I powered straight through. Now I have to wait until September 2016 for the next book Whiteout. WHY?????? Why do you make me wait? That is so wrong!!!
I am so not good at waiting. September 2016 hmm. Whatever I'll wait. Cuzz well I don't have a choice, but I really can't wait to see what happens next.
http://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessio...
June 15, 2016
Evelyn Talbot is a psychiatrist who is building a research facility in Alaska where she will house and study some of the most dangerous serial killers in the country. She's personally motivated by events from her past that suddenly resurface in her present. Fortunately, Alaska State Trooper Ben "Amarok" Murphy has her back.
This is one strange and exciting prequel. If the purpose was to get me enthused for the series it delivered that and more. I'm left with a sense of foreboding about what comes next. Having the point of view of one of the "mean and nastys" just made it more creepy. And, nestled in the midst of all this is a sweet little romance. This promises to be an interesting series.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
This is one strange and exciting prequel. If the purpose was to get me enthused for the series it delivered that and more. I'm left with a sense of foreboding about what comes next. Having the point of view of one of the "mean and nastys" just made it more creepy. And, nestled in the midst of all this is a sweet little romance. This promises to be an interesting series.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
December 5, 2017
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
POVs:
Setting: Massachusetts and Alaska
Psychiatrist Dr. Evelyn Talbots has created a most unique opportunity for herself! With funding from the Alaskan government to build a prison, she’s gathered together a group of mental health professionals to help her study the minds of two-hundred fifty inmates for research purposes. Evelyn has handpicked each colleague to work with her in this setting, including the warden himself, but this book doesn’t dive into the fine details surrounding those secondary characters. The location of the prison called Hanson House is nestled within a quiet community and it’s one that has a non-existent murder rate. As a matter of fact, there’s only one State Trooper in charge of the town! Needless to say, this cozy Alaskan backdrop has the potential to become a criminal’s playground and everything seems to go according to plan until the prison is vandalized months before the scheduled opening.
Liked
This mini-story was a great introduction Her Darkest Nightmare! The reader only meets one of Evelyn’s prison subjects in this story but there were interesting tidbits going on: a murderer on the loose, a budding romance, and some small town drama unfolding as a result of Evelyn’s arrival. The romance bit was rushed but Sergeant Amarok was thoughtful and kind—no OTT foolery here.
Issues
I loved the premise of this story but the delivery was borderline weak. Evelyn’s portrayal of a seasoned psychiatrist was about as convincing as the Easter Bunny being alive and joining me for dinner next week.
So while I liked the author’s writing style, the depth wasn’t wholly there, as was to be expected of a novella. Other issues? The term “psychopath” was used nonchalantly and frequently (thirty times in this short story) by Evelyn to describe her patients and it diluted the menacing potency of the word! It made Evelyn seem more superficial as a practitioner. Also, the reader was told that her patients were very disturbed but there wasn’t focus on what treatments or experiments (if at all) Evelyn planned to utilize in the new facility.
► Altogether, I liked this story, issues and all. Some of the dialogue was stilted but the murder suspect on the loose provided some dark humor and I’m intrigued about how that storyline will unfold in the full-length book.
POVs:
Setting: Massachusetts and Alaska
Psychiatrist Dr. Evelyn Talbots has created a most unique opportunity for herself! With funding from the Alaskan government to build a prison, she’s gathered together a group of mental health professionals to help her study the minds of two-hundred fifty inmates for research purposes. Evelyn has handpicked each colleague to work with her in this setting, including the warden himself, but this book doesn’t dive into the fine details surrounding those secondary characters. The location of the prison called Hanson House is nestled within a quiet community and it’s one that has a non-existent murder rate. As a matter of fact, there’s only one State Trooper in charge of the town! Needless to say, this cozy Alaskan backdrop has the potential to become a criminal’s playground and everything seems to go according to plan until the prison is vandalized months before the scheduled opening.
Liked
This mini-story was a great introduction Her Darkest Nightmare! The reader only meets one of Evelyn’s prison subjects in this story but there were interesting tidbits going on: a murderer on the loose, a budding romance, and some small town drama unfolding as a result of Evelyn’s arrival. The romance bit was rushed but Sergeant Amarok was thoughtful and kind—no OTT foolery here.
Issues
I loved the premise of this story but the delivery was borderline weak. Evelyn’s portrayal of a seasoned psychiatrist was about as convincing as the Easter Bunny being alive and joining me for dinner next week.
So while I liked the author’s writing style, the depth wasn’t wholly there, as was to be expected of a novella. Other issues? The term “psychopath” was used nonchalantly and frequently (thirty times in this short story) by Evelyn to describe her patients and it diluted the menacing potency of the word! It made Evelyn seem more superficial as a practitioner. Also, the reader was told that her patients were very disturbed but there wasn’t focus on what treatments or experiments (if at all) Evelyn planned to utilize in the new facility.
► Altogether, I liked this story, issues and all. Some of the dialogue was stilted but the murder suspect on the loose provided some dark humor and I’m intrigued about how that storyline will unfold in the full-length book.
January 29, 2016
2.75 stars
This novella is a prequel to a new series by Novak. I must admit I was a little disappointed with the story. I liked it, and I can see a lot of promise for the series. But this one left me feeling a little deflated.
So our main character in this novella and for the series is Dr Evelyn Talbot. Talbot is a psychiatrist who has worked to secure the opening of Hanover House, an psychiatric institute to house the worst of the worst psychopaths. Her motives are personal, she wants to know what makes them kill and attack without remorse, as she once survived a brutal attack from Jasper, her psychopathic ex boyfriend. The house is currently under construction near a small town in Alaska, and the residents are not happy about having it so close to their door. Even state trooper Amarock is not keen on the facility being nearby. However he is slightly more keen to have Evelyn nearby because he has developed some feelings towards her. Unfortunately she is so damaged from her assault years ago that she is unable to get close to anyone. Will she be able to make an exception for the police man? Meanwhile, Jasper tracks her down, and wants to finish what he started all those years ago.
I think my main issue of this novella was the rushed romance. They had already met each other when the novella begins, and were already attracted to each other. I just didn’t particularly believe the chemistry between them and the whole romance fell a bit flat for me. And her getting drunk and coming on to him just felt unrealistic.
I also had a few problems with several parts of the storyline. If I was attacked by a psychopath who then escaped, there is no way I would keep my current name… Let alone publicly open a psychiatric institute with her story out there for anyone to know. And her parents leaving a return address on an envelope? Really??? I felt these things could have been approached in a totally different, somewhat more believable way.
However, I did like the characters. I loved the idea of Hanover House and I am interested to see where it goes.
Would I recommend Hanover House?
It was an interesting introduction to what will hopefully be a good series. I will have to wait for the first full length book to make my mind up though!
Many thanks to author Brenda Novak via NetGalley for a copy of this novella in exchange for my honest review.
For more reviews check out my blog
www.booksbabiesbeing.com
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www.twitter.com/bbb_mel
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This novella is a prequel to a new series by Novak. I must admit I was a little disappointed with the story. I liked it, and I can see a lot of promise for the series. But this one left me feeling a little deflated.
So our main character in this novella and for the series is Dr Evelyn Talbot. Talbot is a psychiatrist who has worked to secure the opening of Hanover House, an psychiatric institute to house the worst of the worst psychopaths. Her motives are personal, she wants to know what makes them kill and attack without remorse, as she once survived a brutal attack from Jasper, her psychopathic ex boyfriend. The house is currently under construction near a small town in Alaska, and the residents are not happy about having it so close to their door. Even state trooper Amarock is not keen on the facility being nearby. However he is slightly more keen to have Evelyn nearby because he has developed some feelings towards her. Unfortunately she is so damaged from her assault years ago that she is unable to get close to anyone. Will she be able to make an exception for the police man? Meanwhile, Jasper tracks her down, and wants to finish what he started all those years ago.
I think my main issue of this novella was the rushed romance. They had already met each other when the novella begins, and were already attracted to each other. I just didn’t particularly believe the chemistry between them and the whole romance fell a bit flat for me. And her getting drunk and coming on to him just felt unrealistic.
I also had a few problems with several parts of the storyline. If I was attacked by a psychopath who then escaped, there is no way I would keep my current name… Let alone publicly open a psychiatric institute with her story out there for anyone to know. And her parents leaving a return address on an envelope? Really??? I felt these things could have been approached in a totally different, somewhat more believable way.
However, I did like the characters. I loved the idea of Hanover House and I am interested to see where it goes.
Would I recommend Hanover House?
It was an interesting introduction to what will hopefully be a good series. I will have to wait for the first full length book to make my mind up though!
Many thanks to author Brenda Novak via NetGalley for a copy of this novella in exchange for my honest review.
For more reviews check out my blog
www.booksbabiesbeing.com
www.twitter.com/bbb_mel
www.facebook.com/booksbabiesbeing
May 13, 2017
I abandoned Hanover House at 32%.
I can sum up this book in one word - superficial.
Having trained as a psychiatric nurse and worked in the mental health system for a number of years I am naturally drawn towards books set in this environment. There have been some wonderful reads. Unfortunately I am unable to count Hanover House among them.
Thank you to author Brenda Novak via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Hanover House for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
I can sum up this book in one word - superficial.
Having trained as a psychiatric nurse and worked in the mental health system for a number of years I am naturally drawn towards books set in this environment. There have been some wonderful reads. Unfortunately I am unable to count Hanover House among them.
Thank you to author Brenda Novak via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Hanover House for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
June 17, 2018
The prequel to a series is always important I feel. One to entice readers to be eager to read the subsequent books in the series and to test the waters I would think for feedback and readers reactions.
I really was looking forward to reading this 200 page introduction however I think it played more on the suspense romance than the physiological thriller aspect to entice thriller lovers to want more.
The actual Hanover House isn’t even built yet.
I’ll take my opinion to the next book in the series and try to keep an open mind.
My thanks to the publisher(author) for my copy
I really was looking forward to reading this 200 page introduction however I think it played more on the suspense romance than the physiological thriller aspect to entice thriller lovers to want more.
The actual Hanover House isn’t even built yet.
I’ll take my opinion to the next book in the series and try to keep an open mind.
My thanks to the publisher(author) for my copy
September 8, 2015
I received a free ARC of Hanover House from Brenda Novak via Netgalley in exchange of an honest and unbiased review.
This book is a 200 page prequel novella to Whiteout, Book 1 in the Hanover House Chronicles which will be released in September 2016. This is the first book I have read by Ms. Novak, and would classify it as a romantic suspense thriller. I recognize that the purpose of this novella was to test the waters, introduce the characters and entice readers to look forward to the upcoming release. I was amazed how much story line was packed into this prequel. I have to admit that I enjoyed the beginning of the novel, and was gripped from 60% point onwards, as the suspense and tension level grew. I felt that too much focus was on the romance aspect.
Dr. Evelyn Talbot, Psychiatrist, is the founder of Hanover House, a research facility being built in a remote part of Alaska to study incarcerated serial killers. Her motivation stems from when she was only 16 years old, her then boy-friend killed 3 of her friends and tortured and tried to kill her. He was never captured. Evelyn now wants to help figure out what it is that makes a psychopath.
This was a very good read and an excellent introduction to the series. I am looking forward to reading Whiteout, and follow her research and findings on solving the mysteries of the psychopathic mind.
This book is a 200 page prequel novella to Whiteout, Book 1 in the Hanover House Chronicles which will be released in September 2016. This is the first book I have read by Ms. Novak, and would classify it as a romantic suspense thriller. I recognize that the purpose of this novella was to test the waters, introduce the characters and entice readers to look forward to the upcoming release. I was amazed how much story line was packed into this prequel. I have to admit that I enjoyed the beginning of the novel, and was gripped from 60% point onwards, as the suspense and tension level grew. I felt that too much focus was on the romance aspect.
Dr. Evelyn Talbot, Psychiatrist, is the founder of Hanover House, a research facility being built in a remote part of Alaska to study incarcerated serial killers. Her motivation stems from when she was only 16 years old, her then boy-friend killed 3 of her friends and tortured and tried to kill her. He was never captured. Evelyn now wants to help figure out what it is that makes a psychopath.
This was a very good read and an excellent introduction to the series. I am looking forward to reading Whiteout, and follow her research and findings on solving the mysteries of the psychopathic mind.
September 11, 2015
3.5 stars
I would like to thank Brenda Novak, Brenda Novak, Inc. (the publisher) and Net Galley for an ARC of Hanover House in exchange for an unbiased review.
When I read the synopsis of this novella, prequel to the Hanover House Chronicles, I knew I had to get a copy ASAP. I was enthralled by the premise of a previously attacked and left-for-dead woman psychiatrist starting an institute in the Alaskan wilderness for the study of the psychopathic mind. The plan is for “the worst of the worst” convicted psychopaths in prisons from all over the country to be rounded up and brought in to stock the new academic mental health center. Being a staunch fan of serial-killer tales and having a deep interest in what makes these evil baddies tick drew me into this new series.
I have to say that while I enjoyed Hanover House, I was a bit disappointed as well. The protagonist, Dr. Evelyn Talbot, has yet to open the new institute so we don’t get into her investigations at all. A significant portion of the story revolves around Evelyn’s fear of the male touch and her reticence to become involved in a romantic relationship. This is okay, as I like a little romance, but I really was looking forward to the “mind of the psychopath” angle. We do get a taste of that as Evelyn’s previous attacker plays a creepily prominent role in the story (not a spoiler), and Ms. Novak takes us inside his twisted mind. This was well done and was the best part of the novella for me. I also liked how the author fed us background info on the major characters, undoubtedly setting the scene for further development. The story ended rather abruptly, which I guess is what prequels do, but I wanted more. I would also like to be pulled further into the remote Alaskan setting in the next book.
I do think Ms. Novak intends to dig deep into the workings of the psychopathic brain in the upcoming novels of this series as she states in her introduction that she learned a lot about the subject right alongside her protagonist. I definitely liked enough about Hanover House to look forward to the next installment in the series, Whiteout, which is to be published in September 2016. I recommend this novella to all fans of novels featuring serial killers and other assorted deranged psychopaths.
I would like to thank Brenda Novak, Brenda Novak, Inc. (the publisher) and Net Galley for an ARC of Hanover House in exchange for an unbiased review.
When I read the synopsis of this novella, prequel to the Hanover House Chronicles, I knew I had to get a copy ASAP. I was enthralled by the premise of a previously attacked and left-for-dead woman psychiatrist starting an institute in the Alaskan wilderness for the study of the psychopathic mind. The plan is for “the worst of the worst” convicted psychopaths in prisons from all over the country to be rounded up and brought in to stock the new academic mental health center. Being a staunch fan of serial-killer tales and having a deep interest in what makes these evil baddies tick drew me into this new series.
I have to say that while I enjoyed Hanover House, I was a bit disappointed as well. The protagonist, Dr. Evelyn Talbot, has yet to open the new institute so we don’t get into her investigations at all. A significant portion of the story revolves around Evelyn’s fear of the male touch and her reticence to become involved in a romantic relationship. This is okay, as I like a little romance, but I really was looking forward to the “mind of the psychopath” angle. We do get a taste of that as Evelyn’s previous attacker plays a creepily prominent role in the story (not a spoiler), and Ms. Novak takes us inside his twisted mind. This was well done and was the best part of the novella for me. I also liked how the author fed us background info on the major characters, undoubtedly setting the scene for further development. The story ended rather abruptly, which I guess is what prequels do, but I wanted more. I would also like to be pulled further into the remote Alaskan setting in the next book.
I do think Ms. Novak intends to dig deep into the workings of the psychopathic brain in the upcoming novels of this series as she states in her introduction that she learned a lot about the subject right alongside her protagonist. I definitely liked enough about Hanover House to look forward to the next installment in the series, Whiteout, which is to be published in September 2016. I recommend this novella to all fans of novels featuring serial killers and other assorted deranged psychopaths.
February 23, 2024
This is definitely not a Sandra Brown book. It doesn't have that foggy, elusive atmosphere that one expects in a thriller-mystery story. That made clear, I can't say that I didn't enjoy it enough to give the next book a chance.
There are elements in the story that intrigue me but, at the same time, some descriptions make me roll my eyes hard. As much as I love Brenda Novak's contemporary stories, I'm not sure how she'll make this story work in the end. I guess the next book will tell....
There are elements in the story that intrigue me but, at the same time, some descriptions make me roll my eyes hard. As much as I love Brenda Novak's contemporary stories, I'm not sure how she'll make this story work in the end. I guess the next book will tell....
June 16, 2017
**** 4.5 STARS ****
What a way to start off a series! This story explains why Evelyn Talbot does what she does. The reasons why she risks her life to study murderers, rapists, and con-artists.
Hanover House is in the the process of being built in a small town in Alaska. Not everyone is happy, but it'll create a lot of jobs. Alaskan State Trooper, Sergeant Amarok, is one of the citizens that isn't supportive. But he's happy that it'll be the reason why Evelyn moves to Alaska.
Although Evelyn is traumatized by her past, the past won't let her go. Hanover House is full of suspense, and it will keep you at the edge of your seat. There isn't much physical romance in the book, but the chemistry between Amarok and Evelyn is strong. I'm guessing that they'll get really close in the next book.
This was an amazing prequel, and I look forward to reading Her Darkest Nightmare.
What a way to start off a series! This story explains why Evelyn Talbot does what she does. The reasons why she risks her life to study murderers, rapists, and con-artists.
Hanover House is in the the process of being built in a small town in Alaska. Not everyone is happy, but it'll create a lot of jobs. Alaskan State Trooper, Sergeant Amarok, is one of the citizens that isn't supportive. But he's happy that it'll be the reason why Evelyn moves to Alaska.
Although Evelyn is traumatized by her past, the past won't let her go. Hanover House is full of suspense, and it will keep you at the edge of your seat. There isn't much physical romance in the book, but the chemistry between Amarok and Evelyn is strong. I'm guessing that they'll get really close in the next book.
This was an amazing prequel, and I look forward to reading Her Darkest Nightmare.
September 6, 2016
Very compelling romantic suspense story. This book is a prequel to Brenda Novak's upcoming series The Hanover House Chronicles. Heroine, psychiatrist Evelyn Talbot, was kidnapped and tortured twenty years ago and lived to tell about it. Now she wants to open a facility that will house the most dangerous serial killers and psychopaths so that she and other qualified doctors can study the criminal mind and try to discover what makes them the way they are. Very interesting premise for the series, and I like the setting of Hanover House in the remote town of Hilltop, Alaska. In this story, Hanover House is still under construction, so it's more of an introduction to the main characters, Evelyn, and romantic interest, Alaskan State Trooper Sergeant Amarok. Since Evelyn's abductor was never caught, he features in the suspense element of this book. The story doesn't completely wrap up, it's more of a "to be continued". It still provided a satisfying conclusion, though.
October 25, 2015
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
This prequel did exactly what a prequel should do...which is to get me really excited to read this new series! I seriously cannot think of another series prequel that does its job any better than this one does. This is a relatively short piece but it really doesn't feel short because the story is so big. I honestly can't believe how must story was packed into only 200 pages or so. This is a very entertaining read.
Brenda Novak is known as a romance writer. I have read and enjoyed her work before so when I saw her name on the cover of this book, I assumed that it would be a romance. There is some romance in the story but it is so much more. The romance in this story lives up to Brenda Novak's standards but the suspense in the story really steals the show in my opinion.
Evelyn is a psychiatrist in the process of opening a facility in Hilltop, Alaska that will house some of the most dangerous criminals in the United States. She was the victim of a psychopath when she was a teenager and has devoted her life to understanding the psychopathic mind. As an expert in her field, she is finding the perfect group of criminals to study at her facility often putting herself at risk in the process.
I found that I really liked the characters in this story and have my finger crossed that they will remain the focus as the series progresses. Evelyn has been though more than most people can even imagine. The fact that she is able to handle herself so well in difficult situations really speaks to the strength of her character. She is a fighter and she is tough but she is also willing to take advice when it is the smart thing to do. Amarok was nearly perfect. He may be a little too perfect but I suspect that we may see a flaw or two at some point in the series. He is good at his job, has perfect timing, and has to be the most patient man in Alaska or really anywhere.
The pacing of this story was perfect. The romance and the suspense really balanced out quite nicely and I had a hard time setting the book aside. I did enjoy the suspense aspect of the story a bit more than the romance. I kept asking myself as I read this story Why didn't anyone tell me that this story was about a stalker? The voice of the stalker in this story was fantastic.
I would highly recommend this story to others. I think that fans of romantic suspense will really enjoy this one. I cannot wait to get my hands on the first full length book in the series when it is released next year.
I received a copy of this book from Brenda Novak via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
I really liked this one. A whole lot of story in this short piece. A very impressive prequel that has me looking forward to the series.
This prequel did exactly what a prequel should do...which is to get me really excited to read this new series! I seriously cannot think of another series prequel that does its job any better than this one does. This is a relatively short piece but it really doesn't feel short because the story is so big. I honestly can't believe how must story was packed into only 200 pages or so. This is a very entertaining read.
Brenda Novak is known as a romance writer. I have read and enjoyed her work before so when I saw her name on the cover of this book, I assumed that it would be a romance. There is some romance in the story but it is so much more. The romance in this story lives up to Brenda Novak's standards but the suspense in the story really steals the show in my opinion.
Evelyn is a psychiatrist in the process of opening a facility in Hilltop, Alaska that will house some of the most dangerous criminals in the United States. She was the victim of a psychopath when she was a teenager and has devoted her life to understanding the psychopathic mind. As an expert in her field, she is finding the perfect group of criminals to study at her facility often putting herself at risk in the process.
I found that I really liked the characters in this story and have my finger crossed that they will remain the focus as the series progresses. Evelyn has been though more than most people can even imagine. The fact that she is able to handle herself so well in difficult situations really speaks to the strength of her character. She is a fighter and she is tough but she is also willing to take advice when it is the smart thing to do. Amarok was nearly perfect. He may be a little too perfect but I suspect that we may see a flaw or two at some point in the series. He is good at his job, has perfect timing, and has to be the most patient man in Alaska or really anywhere.
The pacing of this story was perfect. The romance and the suspense really balanced out quite nicely and I had a hard time setting the book aside. I did enjoy the suspense aspect of the story a bit more than the romance. I kept asking myself as I read this story Why didn't anyone tell me that this story was about a stalker? The voice of the stalker in this story was fantastic.
I would highly recommend this story to others. I think that fans of romantic suspense will really enjoy this one. I cannot wait to get my hands on the first full length book in the series when it is released next year.
I received a copy of this book from Brenda Novak via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
I really liked this one. A whole lot of story in this short piece. A very impressive prequel that has me looking forward to the series.
April 8, 2018
Thoughts on the Audio
I decided to do a re-read of this shorter piece before starting the first full book in the series since I didn't remember a lot of it from my initial read. It was a good introduction to Evelyn Talbot and a few other characters. I thought that Therese Plummer's narration was very well done. Looking forward to starting the next installment in the series very soon.
Book source: Library via Hoopla
I decided to do a re-read of this shorter piece before starting the first full book in the series since I didn't remember a lot of it from my initial read. It was a good introduction to Evelyn Talbot and a few other characters. I thought that Therese Plummer's narration was very well done. Looking forward to starting the next installment in the series very soon.
Book source: Library via Hoopla
October 22, 2018
Please see all of my reviews on my blog at www.robinlovesreading.blogspot.com.
My rating: 4.5 Stars
To be fair, I must warn readers that this book is incredibly intense. It deals with gruesome subjects like murder, torture and rape. It is not explicit, but it is the basis for this series.
Psychiatrist Evelyn Talbot heads to Hilltop, Alaska, to a new medical health center to study the world's worst psychologically disturbed minds. The center is named Hanover House and it the first of its kind. Will she and her colleagues be able to figure out why men kill, rape, and commit other such heinous crimes? By studying all aspects of behavior Evelyn hopes to understand why psychopaths have such abominable behavior.
The story is interrupted at times to tell of a tragic time in Evelyn’s past when she was kidnapped, tortured and left for dead when she was a teenager. The person that did these horrible things to her was her high school boyfriend Jasper Moore. What Jasper did to Evelyn was just the tip of the iceberg for the violently ill young man. He was never charged and found, and unbeknownst to Evelyn, has changed his name to Andy Smith. In her thirties now, Evelyn is still living in fear of Jasper. However, it is that life experience that led to her career as a psychiatrist.
It is no surprise that the town’s citizens in Hilltop are extremely unhappy about the new facility and the violent patients that will be transferred there. Alaska State Trooper, Sergeant Amarok, is especially frustrated about this. When he learns that the main doctor is a woman, he is very concerned that she will be around so many dangerous men. This was very worrisome to Amarok, but once he meets Evelyn his feelings about the matter intensify as he becomes quite drawn to her. So the entire situation has become very personal to him. This concern has a solid basis when it becomes evident that Evelyn is in extreme danger from another source - Jasper Moore from her past. Jasper has tracked Evelyn down. He has spent two decades brutally murdering women with Evelyn as his ultimate prize in mind.
The story shifts as Amarok expresses his strong attraction to Evelyn, but she tells him that she has no intention on becoming romantically involved with him. As accomplished as Evelyn is, she is still severely traumatized and still lives in fear. This fear could be the ruin of her. A slow build of romance develops between Evelyn and Amarok. As the story progresses, Evelyn is forced to deal with her fear of intimacy.
This novella, Hanover House, is the first book in the Evelyn Talbot Chronicles, to be followed by Her Darkest Night, Hello Again and Face Off. This exciting prequel was barely over 200 pages and was an incredibly quick read that I completed in one sitting. This was a fabulous story that set the groundwork for what promises to be an intriguing series. I decided to read this story in order to prepare for my review for Face Off, which I received from NetGalley. I wanted to read this entire series to-date to prepare to read that book. I am really glad that I did because I was really able to get to know the primary protagonists in this series.
Hanover House is not yet in operation in this story. I am eager to continue on and discover how Evelyn will learn about the minds of the psychopaths while also hoping for Jasper to be caught before he kills any more women and finally getting to Evelyn.
My rating: 4.5 Stars
To be fair, I must warn readers that this book is incredibly intense. It deals with gruesome subjects like murder, torture and rape. It is not explicit, but it is the basis for this series.
Psychiatrist Evelyn Talbot heads to Hilltop, Alaska, to a new medical health center to study the world's worst psychologically disturbed minds. The center is named Hanover House and it the first of its kind. Will she and her colleagues be able to figure out why men kill, rape, and commit other such heinous crimes? By studying all aspects of behavior Evelyn hopes to understand why psychopaths have such abominable behavior.
The story is interrupted at times to tell of a tragic time in Evelyn’s past when she was kidnapped, tortured and left for dead when she was a teenager. The person that did these horrible things to her was her high school boyfriend Jasper Moore. What Jasper did to Evelyn was just the tip of the iceberg for the violently ill young man. He was never charged and found, and unbeknownst to Evelyn, has changed his name to Andy Smith. In her thirties now, Evelyn is still living in fear of Jasper. However, it is that life experience that led to her career as a psychiatrist.
It is no surprise that the town’s citizens in Hilltop are extremely unhappy about the new facility and the violent patients that will be transferred there. Alaska State Trooper, Sergeant Amarok, is especially frustrated about this. When he learns that the main doctor is a woman, he is very concerned that she will be around so many dangerous men. This was very worrisome to Amarok, but once he meets Evelyn his feelings about the matter intensify as he becomes quite drawn to her. So the entire situation has become very personal to him. This concern has a solid basis when it becomes evident that Evelyn is in extreme danger from another source - Jasper Moore from her past. Jasper has tracked Evelyn down. He has spent two decades brutally murdering women with Evelyn as his ultimate prize in mind.
The story shifts as Amarok expresses his strong attraction to Evelyn, but she tells him that she has no intention on becoming romantically involved with him. As accomplished as Evelyn is, she is still severely traumatized and still lives in fear. This fear could be the ruin of her. A slow build of romance develops between Evelyn and Amarok. As the story progresses, Evelyn is forced to deal with her fear of intimacy.
This novella, Hanover House, is the first book in the Evelyn Talbot Chronicles, to be followed by Her Darkest Night, Hello Again and Face Off. This exciting prequel was barely over 200 pages and was an incredibly quick read that I completed in one sitting. This was a fabulous story that set the groundwork for what promises to be an intriguing series. I decided to read this story in order to prepare for my review for Face Off, which I received from NetGalley. I wanted to read this entire series to-date to prepare to read that book. I am really glad that I did because I was really able to get to know the primary protagonists in this series.
Hanover House is not yet in operation in this story. I am eager to continue on and discover how Evelyn will learn about the minds of the psychopaths while also hoping for Jasper to be caught before he kills any more women and finally getting to Evelyn.
August 9, 2015
This is a kick-off novella to start a new series by this author. It starts with a Bang and doesn't let up at all. I actually read this in one sitting.
Psychiatrist Evelyn Talbot has dedicated her life to the study of human monsters since she was a survivor of a devastating trauma when she was a teenager. Her then boyfriend murdered three of her friends, and then turned his anger on her by cutting her throat and leaving her for dead. He disappeared and has never been seen again....but he is out there .... watching and waiting to finish what he started all those years ago.
She is opening a facility to house several of the most dangerous psychopaths in the country in a small town in Alaska. Most of the town is against having the facility where they live, and the trouble has already started with vandalism. Dealing with the local police, which consists of one very hot Alaskan State Police officer, is totally satisfying, as he is not thrilled with the idea of having all these psychopaths living in his district.
This is a typical Brenda Novak romantic suspense, almost formulaic. Still enjoyable, even if the reader has to stretch the imagination a bit. One example ... Evelyn has never been able to get over her trauma and because of that has never been able to have a normal relationship with any man. Within days of meeting the good-looking cop, her fantasies are running rampant, she's been held and kissed, and he's teaching her to talk dirty.
I give it 4 stars because it's still an enjoyable read and I do look forward to the series...even if I have to wait a year for the next installment (Whiteout - September 2016).
Many thanks to NetGalley and the Author for furnishing the ebook to be read and reviewed.
August 14, 2015
I would like to thank Net Galley for supplying me with a copy of this book in return for a honest review. After receiving a couple of recommendations from friends I was looking forward to reading this novel by Brenda Novak. This novella is the prelude to a new series by this author and accomplishes the goal of enticing readers to want to know more about the characters. It is an entertaining read in its own way but I am sure I will personally enjoy the series more as I prefer longer novels that allow the author to develop characters and pace the storyline. That said I was a little surprised how much action and suspense was crammed into this novella. A very good read and an excellent introduction to the series.
July 17, 2017
*** Note: I received review copy of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review. I am glad I got a chance to read this book. ***
First Warning: This book is definitely not for faint-hearted. It’s hard boiled thriller. You will face murders, torture and rape in this book. So be prepared. You’re going to deal with worst psychopath here.
Character– Evelyn was beautiful, determined, resilient woman who has wore hard shell over her fragile and scared soul. I so liked this character from the very beginning. The change in her after that horrible experience when she was16 was indescribable. I really liked how she approached life, and remained strong. Amarok was amazing in the book and so careful and gentle with Evelyn that I fell in love with him. Antagonist- don’t even ask me. He was so creepy that I wanted to shoot him right at his mention in the book. He scared the hell out of me. All characters were just brilliant.
What I liked? The opening of the book with introduction to Hanover House was amazing. I liked the idea of this facility. The concept was different. And then in first chapter only Evelyn’s talk with her mother gave overview of the past and present life of Evelyn. I liked her motive behind the center and it made me curious, I wanted to see what Evelyn was going to do with all psychopaths and how she was going to analyze them and what she was going to face. It cleared in the starting only that this was damn dangerous and scary thing. First 5 chapters of the book ignited all kind of emotions in me – I was scared, angry, curious, sorry for Evelyn, and amazed at strength of her. Her pain and fear was heart felt and well written by author, which covered most part of the book.
Click here to read full review- Books Teacup and Reviews
Overall, it’s dark thrilling and chilling book. If you like psychopaths, serial killers and strong well written characters, you would like to read this book.
First Warning: This book is definitely not for faint-hearted. It’s hard boiled thriller. You will face murders, torture and rape in this book. So be prepared. You’re going to deal with worst psychopath here.
Character– Evelyn was beautiful, determined, resilient woman who has wore hard shell over her fragile and scared soul. I so liked this character from the very beginning. The change in her after that horrible experience when she was16 was indescribable. I really liked how she approached life, and remained strong. Amarok was amazing in the book and so careful and gentle with Evelyn that I fell in love with him. Antagonist- don’t even ask me. He was so creepy that I wanted to shoot him right at his mention in the book. He scared the hell out of me. All characters were just brilliant.
What I liked? The opening of the book with introduction to Hanover House was amazing. I liked the idea of this facility. The concept was different. And then in first chapter only Evelyn’s talk with her mother gave overview of the past and present life of Evelyn. I liked her motive behind the center and it made me curious, I wanted to see what Evelyn was going to do with all psychopaths and how she was going to analyze them and what she was going to face. It cleared in the starting only that this was damn dangerous and scary thing. First 5 chapters of the book ignited all kind of emotions in me – I was scared, angry, curious, sorry for Evelyn, and amazed at strength of her. Her pain and fear was heart felt and well written by author, which covered most part of the book.
Click here to read full review- Books Teacup and Reviews
Overall, it’s dark thrilling and chilling book. If you like psychopaths, serial killers and strong well written characters, you would like to read this book.
July 9, 2022
Esta novela fue alucinante, sinceramente se me olvido incluso que era una precuela de lo mucho que me fascino, ademas, esta muy bien construida, no me resulto nada superficial.
Toda la lectura me tuvo tensa mientras pasaba las hojas, pero fueron los ultimos capitulos los que casi hacen que me de un infarto, fueron unas escenas totalmente trepidantes y como imaginaba se quedo en la parte mas crucial, estoy deseando leer el primer tomo.
Los protagonistas me gustaron mas de lo esperado, y ya preveo que van a ser una pareja explosiva, encima, todo lo relacionado con la profesion de Evelyn me parece tan pero tan interesante, espero que el proximo libro no me decepcione.
Un inicio adictivo, tengo muchas expectativas con esta nueva serie.
3.25 Estrellas!
August 29, 2015
Even though this is a novella I gave up about a third of the way through. The main character, psychiatrist Dr Evelyn Talbot is so pathetic I couldn’t go on. We have an intelligent woman who is running from a traumatic experience in her past, one so horrific that it has scarred her and put her off men for life. As she keeps reminding us, constantly. When a problem crops up at the new high security psychiatric hospital she is instrumental in opening up in Alaska she is there on the spot within hours and that is where the story just fell apart for me. Despite being told constantly about her traumatic past the first thing that happens is her falling in lust with the local sheriff and declaring constantly “You can’t be attracted to me, I am damaged goods”. Please, Physician Heal Thyself.
Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for the review copy.
Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for the review copy.
November 12, 2020
When she was just a teenager, Evelyn Talbot was tortured and left for dead by her then boyfriend, Jasper Moore. He also murdered three of her friends. Now Evelyn is a psychiatrist who specializes in studying the psyche of serial killers and psychopaths.
Though beautiful and very smart, she has never been able to completely recover from her traumatic ordeal. She is now thirty-six years old, and has not had a meaningful relationship with a man since then. Her conflicting emotions and grisly memories preclude her from having either an emotional or sexual relationship. She is married to her work. Her only companion is her cat, Sigmund.
To that end, she has been instrumental in founding a new psychiatric facility. The new facility, “Hanover House” is to be located in remote Alaska due to the fact that the lower forty-eight states want to stash their most fearsome criminals as far away from them as possible.
When Evelyn is notified that Hanover House, which is under construction, was vandalized, she flies to Alaska to assess the damage. There she meets with Alaskan State Trooper, Sergeant Amarok. Though he is a few years younger than Evelyn, he is drawn to her beauty, her brain, and her well disguised vulnerability. She in turn is overwhelmingly attracted to the strong and handsome policeman. Though it is an attraction that she is unable to act upon due to her emotional scars.
Having eluded the authorities for twenty years, Jasper Moore is still killing young women. He now goes by the name of Andy Smith. When Jasper, aka Andy, enters Evelyn’s world for a second time, her justifiable paranoia is proven sound. When Evelyn’s life is endangered, Amarok acknowledges his feelings for Evelyn, but is aware that little will ever come of them…. or will they… ?
I guess you’ll just have to read “Whiteout“, the first book in the Hanover House series.
This novella was a very fast read due to the short length, fast-pace, and the dynamic writing. Readers who enjoy a little entertaining escapism and all fans of romantic suspense will love this series prequel, of that I am sure.
Though beautiful and very smart, she has never been able to completely recover from her traumatic ordeal. She is now thirty-six years old, and has not had a meaningful relationship with a man since then. Her conflicting emotions and grisly memories preclude her from having either an emotional or sexual relationship. She is married to her work. Her only companion is her cat, Sigmund.
To that end, she has been instrumental in founding a new psychiatric facility. The new facility, “Hanover House” is to be located in remote Alaska due to the fact that the lower forty-eight states want to stash their most fearsome criminals as far away from them as possible.
When Evelyn is notified that Hanover House, which is under construction, was vandalized, she flies to Alaska to assess the damage. There she meets with Alaskan State Trooper, Sergeant Amarok. Though he is a few years younger than Evelyn, he is drawn to her beauty, her brain, and her well disguised vulnerability. She in turn is overwhelmingly attracted to the strong and handsome policeman. Though it is an attraction that she is unable to act upon due to her emotional scars.
Having eluded the authorities for twenty years, Jasper Moore is still killing young women. He now goes by the name of Andy Smith. When Jasper, aka Andy, enters Evelyn’s world for a second time, her justifiable paranoia is proven sound. When Evelyn’s life is endangered, Amarok acknowledges his feelings for Evelyn, but is aware that little will ever come of them…. or will they… ?
I guess you’ll just have to read “Whiteout“, the first book in the Hanover House series.
This novella was a very fast read due to the short length, fast-pace, and the dynamic writing. Readers who enjoy a little entertaining escapism and all fans of romantic suspense will love this series prequel, of that I am sure.
August 23, 2015
Hanover House is a prequel to a new suspense series by Brenda Novak. This prequel introduces readers to Dr. Evelyn Talbot, herself a survivor of a brutal attack, who has become a renowned psychiatrist in the field of psychopathology. Dr. Talbot is behind the development of a new research facility in Hilltop, Alaska where the worst of the worst will be incarcerated and studied by Dr.Talbot and her staff. In building this facility, Dr. Talbot - Evelyn- meets Sergeant Amarock of the Alaska State troopers sparking a new relationship for her after years of avoiding any type of personal interactions. Dr. Talbot also faces an 'encounter' with someone she thought she would never see again. Thus begins this new suspense series.
I think there is promise in this series but what bothered me in the prequel was the 'rushing' of the story. I think with Evelyn's past history, her romance with Sgt. Amarok was too quick. Also, too much seemed to be packed into a 200 page prequel to set up the series. A good start that shows potential to come.
Thank you to Brenda Novak and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think there is promise in this series but what bothered me in the prequel was the 'rushing' of the story. I think with Evelyn's past history, her romance with Sgt. Amarok was too quick. Also, too much seemed to be packed into a 200 page prequel to set up the series. A good start that shows potential to come.
Thank you to Brenda Novak and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2018
Amazing! Can't wait to continue this series!
August 9, 2015
Review: HANOVER HOUSE by Brenda Novak
I can't wait till the next book In this set! I raced through HANOVER HOUSE non-stop. Many readers will enjoy the budding romance, on-again off-again (and not for the usual reasons) between protagonist Dr. Evelyn Talbot and the Alaskan State Police officer who patrols the tiny village of Hilltop, Alaska, where the brand-new first-of-its-kind maximum security institution for the incarceration and study of psychopaths is under construction. I was engrossed by the theme, and by Evelyn' s strengths, and by her bete noir' s implacability. Yet Evelyn perseveres, still alive, and far beyond mere survival.
I can't wait till the next book In this set! I raced through HANOVER HOUSE non-stop. Many readers will enjoy the budding romance, on-again off-again (and not for the usual reasons) between protagonist Dr. Evelyn Talbot and the Alaskan State Police officer who patrols the tiny village of Hilltop, Alaska, where the brand-new first-of-its-kind maximum security institution for the incarceration and study of psychopaths is under construction. I was engrossed by the theme, and by Evelyn' s strengths, and by her bete noir' s implacability. Yet Evelyn perseveres, still alive, and far beyond mere survival.
June 24, 2017
I was given a ARC by Net Galley and Brenda Novak for an honest review.
HANOVER HOUSE is very different from the books by Brenda Novak that I have read but looks to be a "nail biting, on the edge of the seat" series. Dr. Evelyn Talbot was raped, tortured and left for dead by her high school boyfriend, Jasper Moore, twenty years ago when they were sixteen. The experience left her marred for relationships with those of the opposite sex. Actually, she won't let anyone get too close to her and she has devoted her life to the study of psychopaths. Hanover House is a program that she has developed for the study of psychopaths that she and her team of doctors have hand picked of prisoners already in the prison system in all of the states and the facility will be in Hilltop, Alaska, the only place that will allow it in their town. Interviewing the prisoners considered for the program can be a scary experience and indeed she was attacked during one of the interviews. On top of this, Jasper Moore was never arrested and is still on the loose. Evelyn is always looking over her shoulder. Jasper has changed his looks and is still looking to get to Evelyn. HANOVER HOUSE ends on a cliff hanger and so the next book, WHITEOUT is a must read! I am thinking that this series will be one that you don't want to read at night when you are alone!
HANOVER HOUSE is very different from the books by Brenda Novak that I have read but looks to be a "nail biting, on the edge of the seat" series. Dr. Evelyn Talbot was raped, tortured and left for dead by her high school boyfriend, Jasper Moore, twenty years ago when they were sixteen. The experience left her marred for relationships with those of the opposite sex. Actually, she won't let anyone get too close to her and she has devoted her life to the study of psychopaths. Hanover House is a program that she has developed for the study of psychopaths that she and her team of doctors have hand picked of prisoners already in the prison system in all of the states and the facility will be in Hilltop, Alaska, the only place that will allow it in their town. Interviewing the prisoners considered for the program can be a scary experience and indeed she was attacked during one of the interviews. On top of this, Jasper Moore was never arrested and is still on the loose. Evelyn is always looking over her shoulder. Jasper has changed his looks and is still looking to get to Evelyn. HANOVER HOUSE ends on a cliff hanger and so the next book, WHITEOUT is a must read! I am thinking that this series will be one that you don't want to read at night when you are alone!
August 21, 2019
Short and full of information and action, this novella introduces psychiatrist Evelyn Talbot; she specializes in the criminal mind. Most specifically male psychopathic serial killers. She's been a victim herself -- she suffered at the hands of her own boyfriend when she was just 16 -- so she knows how sick these sadistic killers can be. In order to further her study, she has established Hanover House, a maximum security facility located in Hilltop, Alaska, a small town located an hour away from Anchorage. She is in the process of setting up the facility and selecting the first prisoners when she visits there to check on the progress and finds vandalism. It seems that many of the townspeople do not want Hanover House there, but there's one person who she might be able to win over and she needs all the support she can get. Benjamin Murphy, AKA Sergeant Amarok, is an Alaskan State Trooper and the only police presence in the town. Unbeknownst to Evelyn, she's going to need him because something evil has followed her to Alaska and his name is Jasper Moore. NO SPOILERS.
Despite the excess amount of romance (which I don't really like), I am quite interested to see where this series is going to go and what obstacles Evelyn is going to face in both her professional and personal life as she adjusts to Alaska and her job duties. Alas, I don't have access to books #1 and #2, so I will be jumping back in at #3 shortly. I think this premise has a lot of potential especially if the author focuses more on the psychiatric aspect and less on the love interest. Evelyn is quite damaged, no doubt both physically and mentally from her ordeal, but she has worked hard to gain a sort of recovery. I think the setting will also prove interesting.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this e-book ARC to read and review.
Despite the excess amount of romance (which I don't really like), I am quite interested to see where this series is going to go and what obstacles Evelyn is going to face in both her professional and personal life as she adjusts to Alaska and her job duties. Alas, I don't have access to books #1 and #2, so I will be jumping back in at #3 shortly. I think this premise has a lot of potential especially if the author focuses more on the psychiatric aspect and less on the love interest. Evelyn is quite damaged, no doubt both physically and mentally from her ordeal, but she has worked hard to gain a sort of recovery. I think the setting will also prove interesting.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this e-book ARC to read and review.
June 14, 2020
4 Stars
I didn’t read the series in order and so I HIGHLY advise you to read the prequel first. I mentioned in my review for Her Darkest Nightmare that I felt like I was getting into the middle of the story and it’ true!
I’m not sure why there is a prequel, it’s only 4-ish hours and it basically starts the book. Everything that happens in the prequel is mentioned in the Her Darkest Nightmare, but you also get a little more of Jax’s POV, which you don’t get in Her Darkest Nightmare. So there ya go.
Just start with this book first. I still like the series and I will continue to finish it for now.
I didn’t read the series in order and so I HIGHLY advise you to read the prequel first. I mentioned in my review for Her Darkest Nightmare that I felt like I was getting into the middle of the story and it’ true!
I’m not sure why there is a prequel, it’s only 4-ish hours and it basically starts the book. Everything that happens in the prequel is mentioned in the Her Darkest Nightmare, but you also get a little more of Jax’s POV, which you don’t get in Her Darkest Nightmare. So there ya go.
Just start with this book first. I still like the series and I will continue to finish it for now.
Read
June 8, 2018I'm throwing in the towel around the halfway point on the audiobook version. Heroine was brutally attacked by a psychopath (the boyfriend she lost her virginity to). Psycho Boyfriend also murdered her friends and he's still on the run (as in, free as a bird). Needless to say, she doesn't date and she hasn't had sex since. She goes on to become a shrink who specializes in psychopathy, convinces the Feds to build a secure facility to study psychopaths, and naturally they end up building it in Nowhere, Alaska because the lower 48 are all like, "Um, no thanks."
This was OK, not great - but it slid too far south for me once the heroine lands in Alaska. The still being built hospital/prison/whatever has been vandalized and the hunky local sheriff (who was, naturally, against the project) convinces the heroine she needs to get to the know the local townsfolk. If she's less standoff-ish, maybe they'll magically accept the fact that there's a gang of psychopaths living in their backyard. So he takes her to the local bar where she proceeds to get drunk off her butt, and starts rubbing herself up against the sheriff, who takes her home. She leaves him with a giant hickey, pukes in his truck, and he LEAVES A GUN ON HER BEDSIDE TABLE WHILE SHE'S DRUNK OUT OF HER MIND SO SHE'LL FEEL "SAFE."
And that's when I tapped out. I wasn't madly in love with her from the get-go but once in Alaska she morphs into completely idiotic damsel and the macho guy hero is there to pick her up off the ground even though he LEAVES A GUN NEXT TO HER WHILE SHE'S SLEEPING OFF A DRUNK!!!!
Ugh. No. No, no, no. So much no.
This was OK, not great - but it slid too far south for me once the heroine lands in Alaska. The still being built hospital/prison/whatever has been vandalized and the hunky local sheriff (who was, naturally, against the project) convinces the heroine she needs to get to the know the local townsfolk. If she's less standoff-ish, maybe they'll magically accept the fact that there's a gang of psychopaths living in their backyard. So he takes her to the local bar where she proceeds to get drunk off her butt, and starts rubbing herself up against the sheriff, who takes her home. She leaves him with a giant hickey, pukes in his truck, and he LEAVES A GUN ON HER BEDSIDE TABLE WHILE SHE'S DRUNK OUT OF HER MIND SO SHE'LL FEEL "SAFE."
And that's when I tapped out. I wasn't madly in love with her from the get-go but once in Alaska she morphs into completely idiotic damsel and the macho guy hero is there to pick her up off the ground even though he LEAVES A GUN NEXT TO HER WHILE SHE'S SLEEPING OFF A DRUNK!!!!
Ugh. No. No, no, no. So much no.
March 31, 2021
This story took me by surprise. I don’t normally read the romance genre, but I love a good thriller. I think this was a great blend of romance and suspense. This was my first Brenda Novak book, but it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed this prequel into the series. This was an in depth look into the characters, the scenes, their history and the beginning of a romance.
Evelyn was terrorized by her first love at the age of 16. He killed her two best friends and after 3 days of torture he sliced her throat and left her for dead. He seemed so normal. Its amazing that she survived and now she spends her life studying men like her ex. Now, 20 years later, Evelyn is about to start working at a facility that she helped start in remote Alaska. This facility will hold the most dangerous criminals alive in the hopes to gain knowledge about what makes them the way they are. As a psychiatrist, and a former victim, this work is her passion. The people in Alaska don’t really want her, and the criminals aren’t too happy about being shipped to the middle of nowhere to become her guinea pigs. Before she can make this move, she needs to take care of a few things at home. A man from her past has other ideas for her future.
I really enjoyed learning about what Evelyn does for a living. You might not know this about me, but Evelyn has my dream job in studying the mind of abnormal people. The reasons she went into the field were really horrifying. This is not a light read. I loved that she was able to overcome her fears and turn her tragedy into something that (hopefully) helps people. As you can imagine, being terrorized so young, she has real issues when it comes to romance and intimacy. Of course the last thing she needs is to feel something for someone in this quaint Alaskan town. She should be focusing on her job, but the lone cop in the town, Amarok, is proving to be a big distraction.
This story is told in various POVs but I didn’t get lost at all. Each character had a unique voice. Evelyn is an interesting character. I have to admit she did some predictable things when it came to romance. Her survival instincts and her thoughts in the middle of terror were surprising to me. I rooted for her and Amarok to just work things out. Amarok was exactly what Evelyn needed. I loved how they weren’t an obvious match from the start. He is a bit younger and I loved how he tried to get her to lighten up and get to know the people in the town.
I was pretty much hooked right away. I read this in one day, and now I really can’t wait for the sequel which is due out September 2016.
January 8, 2016
Really good prequel to this new series... can't wait for book one!
This has all of the elements of a really great suspense story... the creepy psychopaths, the traumatic past of a heroine who uses that trauma to fuel her desire to know more about the psychopathic mind and how it works, a remote location that definitely spells TROUBLE for all those involved and lastly... an attractive police officer who has a love/hate relationship with the heroine and her goals.
I flew through this in one sitting... well written, suspenseful and most of all... left me wanting more! I feel pretty confident this is going to be a great suspense series to sink my teeth into.
The bad part? The first book doesn't come out until September of 2016! I'll definitely need to re-read this again before it releases because I'm definitely going to forget everything by that time. Oh well... at least it's short. :)
Highly recommend to the romantic suspense fan!
ARC provided by the author via netgalley
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This has all of the elements of a really great suspense story... the creepy psychopaths, the traumatic past of a heroine who uses that trauma to fuel her desire to know more about the psychopathic mind and how it works, a remote location that definitely spells TROUBLE for all those involved and lastly... an attractive police officer who has a love/hate relationship with the heroine and her goals.
I flew through this in one sitting... well written, suspenseful and most of all... left me wanting more! I feel pretty confident this is going to be a great suspense series to sink my teeth into.
The bad part? The first book doesn't come out until September of 2016! I'll definitely need to re-read this again before it releases because I'm definitely going to forget everything by that time. Oh well... at least it's short. :)
Highly recommend to the romantic suspense fan!
ARC provided by the author via netgalley
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August 26, 2015
*I received a free ARC of Hanover House from Brenda Novak via Netgalley in exchange of an honest and unbiased review*
Hanover House is really, really creepy! And well written with an amazing main character who has been through hell, and now wants to help figure out what it is that makes a psychopath. Filled with suspense and a little romance, this prequel definitely made me want more!
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
Hanover House is really, really creepy! And well written with an amazing main character who has been through hell, and now wants to help figure out what it is that makes a psychopath. Filled with suspense and a little romance, this prequel definitely made me want more!
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
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