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These Toxic Things
by Howzell Hall, Rachel
- Used
- Fine
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- Fine/Fine
- ISBN 10
- 1542027470
- ISBN 13
- 9781542027472
- Seller
-
Apache Junction, Arizona, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
First edition. First printing. NOT inscribed, NOT REMAINDER marked. NOT ex library. Not Book Club. Signed on the title page. Securely wrapped and shipped in a box. Fine/Fine
Reviews
On Sep 28 2021, CloggieDownunder said:
These Toxic Things is the seventh novel by American author, Rachel Howzell Hall. Twenty-four-year-old Michaela Lambert is a digital archaeologist for the Memory Bank, and her latest client is Nadia Denham. Nadia's Memory Bank will be a digital collection of those things she holds most dear, together with their background stories.
Nadia owns Beautiful Things Curiosities Shoppe, located in a run-down little plaza next to a diner, a locksmith, a hair salon, a boarded-up bar and a carpark that harbours a collection of somewhat derelict RVs. Real-estate developer, Peter Weller is keen to get his hands on the plaza but, to his annoyance, the remaining four shop-owners are standing their ground, despite some underhand tactics.
At their first meeting, Mickie's new client has arrayed her precious keepsakes on a table with notes for each item detailing when and where it was acquired, and from whom. But before they get together for a more thorough discussion, Nadia is found dead, an apparent suicide, something that sits completely at odds with Mickie's impression of an enthusiastic woman eager to digitise her memories for her own future reference.
Mickie's boss insists she go ahead with the project, for which he has been paid, but she has to endure the chagrin and disdain of the store manager, Riley. The items and their backstories are quite intriguing, although Mickie notes that they all seem to have come from desperate women, some of whom later met with nasty ends.
Meanwhile, Mickie's personal life is in upheaval: creepy notes under her door; threatening texts ordering her to stop what she is doing; a car tailing her home; and a weirdo confronting her in a café. Luckily, she has a very supportive family with police connections, and some good friends. She's a smart girl, shares whatever concerns her and listens to their sound advice and observations.
While her ex-boyfriend (inconveniently also her boss) is not quite off the scene, Nadia's rather dishy son seems interested, and interesting. But Mickie is being careful: there's some nutjob out there grabbing young women and killing them, and no way is she going to add to the list of victims.
Howzell Hall gives the reader a story that is cleverly plotted with several red herrings and a chilling twist. This is a tale that may have us considering where we perceive personal danger lies. Her characters are believable and Mickie's family and friends are so appealing that many will envy her relationship with them.
It is certainly refreshing to have a protagonist who is fairly security conscious, one who doesn't assume she'll be OK but, instead, lets people where she's going and when to expect her back, who doesn't go and investigate a strange noise on her own but calls for help. The Magic 8 Ball predictions as section headings is a cute touch. Another brilliant crime fiction read that puts Howzell Hall firmly on the Must Read list.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Garys Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 17804
- Title
- These Toxic Things
- Author
- Howzell Hall, Rachel
- Book Condition
- Used - Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10
- 1542027470
- ISBN 13
- 9781542027472
- Publisher
- Thomas & Mercer
- Date Published
- 2021
Terms of Sale
Garys Books
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Garys Books
Biblio member since 2014
Apache Junction, Arizona
About Garys Books
No open store. All sales are over the internet.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Remainder
- Book(s) which are sold at a very deep discount to alleviate publisher overstock. Often, though not always, they have a remainder...
- Inscribed
- When a book is described as being inscribed, it indicates that a short note written by the author or a previous owner has been...