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    Dover Park
    Dover Park
    Dover Park
    Ebook202 pages3 hours

    Dover Park

    By Bruce Fottler

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    A runaway teenager returns home two days after she left, but nobody recognizes her. She's a paradox who upends the idyllic lives of the Moreau family, and her unsettling revelation about an accidental drowning in Dover Park threatens to tear them apart. As long-hidden secrets are dredged up, two brothers are pitted against each other as they struggle to ascertain if the returning teen is a miracle or an impostor.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBruce Fottler
    Release dateOct 11, 2012
    ISBN9781301232703
    Dover Park
    Author

    Bruce Fottler

    Since exiting a finance career in a world of cubicles, Bruce Fottler has been busy writing novels. His latest is the post-apocalyptic thriller: "Paladin's Odyssey."Bruce grew up in the Chicago suburbs and moved to the Boston area as a young teen. While seeking a career-track that mostly put him behind a desk, he dabbled in creative pursuits such as producing, writing, and directing film shorts. However, it was always writing novels that interested him the most because they aren't limited by production budgets, technical capabilities, or tight shooting schedules.Bruce has four other published novels: "Chasing Redemption" (Sci-fi thriller), "Dover Park" (Mystery), "The Juncture" (Time-travel drama), and "The Initiative: In Harm's Way" (Thriller)

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    Reviews for Dover Park

    4.5/5

    36 ratings21 reviews

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    • 4/5
      So full of twists and turns that I almost couldn't believe it, and at points I didn't, but the epilogues tie everything up very nicely. Requires concentration to read because the plot moves quickly and not in the direction you expect!
    • 5/5
      Thank you to LibraryThing and the author Bruce Fottler for providing me with an e-copy of Dover Park in exchange for an honest review. I very rarely give 5 stars to any book but this one definitely deserves it. What makes this book different from other novels is that this mystery leads you in one direction for a while and then swerves completely into another direction. Just when you have adjusted to the new plot, everything changes again. I don't want to get into the plot of the book because it might give away too much information. All I can do is strongly encourage you to read Dover Park. This is one mystery you will not soon forget.
    • 3/5
      The subject of this book is quite creepy: a teenager returns home and no-one recognizes her.It reminded me of a story of Lovecraft.It was different, but I still liked reading the book.It was a pity the book took the viewpoint of the people of the house she re-entered. It took away quite a lot of the tension of the story.The story is slow, too slow for my liking.Then, when it gets faster, it gets too fast.And the end is, I am sorry to say, downright unbelievable.But before you reach that point, you have spent nice hours reading the book.
    • 4/5
      I really loved this book ... until the last few chapters. It was an intriguing story with great characters and I loved the mysterious element of it. The end brought in an unexpected twist that sort of ruined the feel of the overall story for me. Still an enjoyable read, recommend if you like being taken by surprise.
    • 3/5
      This was an interesting book. I really enjoyed the mystery of it, and just when i thought i had it all figured out, it changed direction. The ending was definitely unexpected, and normally it would get extra points from me (because you don't see it coming), but at this instance i did not like the sudden change of direction. Personally i think that if it had ended 3-4 chapters before, it would have been better.
    • 3/5
      Well, gosh. I'm giving this book 3 stars even though it was very disappointing in the end. That must say something about the development of characters and the movement of the plot. It is presented as a true mystery, i.e. "who dunnit" or "who is it" or "whose is she." There were plenty of dramatic twists and questions that had me totally involved in trying to guess the outcome. That's what kept me reading: I really wanted to know. But the outcome was the biggest of many problems with this book. It was such a let -down (I'm talking about the first of several successive outcomes here) that I actually laughed when it arrived on the page. To avoid spoilers, I'll just say that after a huge build-up, it was a slap in the face. More or less a deus ex machina.After that first plot disappointment, the author did actually pick me up and put me back on the scent trying to figure it out again, but that's where everything began to fall apart. This kind of bait and switch dance might work in a police drama on TV because you don't have time to stop and think how impossible it is. But within a novel, we're paying attention. Taking a character back 20 years and making a major dynamic shift in his/her life story can't be done without it showing in the present. As a writer, I know that fiction requires a careful outline of character and story lines before you fill in the words. In this case it seemed as though the author started off with an idea and kept tacking stuff onto it until -- for me anyway -- it was a big mess.Keeping i mind I did give it a generous 3 stars, it seems important to point out a certain lack of polish in the dialogue. There were repetition of descriptors, awkward construction of sentences, and lack of consistency in the speech patterns of the characters; although I believe I have figured out that the embarrassing insertion of the word "like" into practically all of the girl's sentences was not the author's attempt at actual teenage speech but really his character's attempt at teenage speech (we find out later she is much older). Okay, so throw in a couple of misplaced apostrophes and I'm done griping about the mechanics.All in all, Fottler is not a bad writer. He just left too many loopholes for me. If you go back into a story after it ends, you should be able to see some foreshadowing that you maybe missed in the early action. I don't see much, if any. And when you spend the last 15% of the book having the characters all come clean and discuss their plot at length in language that should be reserved for narration, not dialogue, it's just annoying. Think Perry Mason.
    • 3/5
      Plenty of twists and turns ; just when you think you have an idea of where this is heading, the author comes up with (yet another) suprise. I enjoyed reading this novel a lot. The negative : disliked the overuse of the word 'blurted;' and the many other ways of replacing 'he said, she said' It really started to grate after a while. Still, I would recommend this book for the intentive mystery.
    • 3/5
      I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. And it's hard to do a review without spoilers for this book.Others found this a more entertaining book than I (that being said, I did finish the last third all at once). My head is spinning from the double crosses, a miracle, and the whole plot-as-a-sub-plot. 3--1/2 stars for me. Teenager Rachael comes home to find her life upside down: her father Jim had married and had children, left his alcoholism behind, and didn't even know her, all since yesterday. Although ultimately the reader understands, that premise distracted me. A detective brother and a cousin are also helping to figure out where she came from, who her parents really are -- that part was okay -it's all done behind the scenes which makes you wonder who is lying It's explained away as a miracle, which is eventually accepted. (not by me) But then the story takes a sharp turn and we find out Jim is not who or what we think. And then it's the brother. Then the wife. Then more. Technically, some of the writing was seems off, often stilted by choosing awkward vocabulary words: "traffic was accentuated by an accident." "His gaze stopped on [a book] that was noticeably less dusty than the rest, as it was probably consulted recently." (Enough to put off this former English teacher).
    • 5/5
      I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, so here it is. If I had to describe this book with one word it will be surprise. The story kept me on my toes from the begining to the end and I really liked that. It was so easy to read that i was done before i know it. My favorite part of th book is the end becouse it was so brilliant and I don't have an idea that was going to happen. So I recommend this book to everybody who like mystery and a challenge, becouse you'll never guess what is coming onse you start this book.
    • 4/5
      I really like this book. the twist ending(s) were definitely interesting. The characters were very well defined and even the altar ego's that would come later were put in very well. there were just a couple of things that drop this from a 5 (or even 4 and half) star to just 4. Sara would talk normally for pages upon pages then all of a sudden get like this stereotypical "valley girl" speech and say "like" a lot. I could understand this if it was her character but she wouldn't speak like that for several chapters then all of a sudden do it again for several pages. just seemed inconsistent. Even though a couple twist endings are always fun and will keep you guessing and just when you think you're just reading the end of a story it shows you another ending, I do think it happened one time to many in the end. despite that I would defiantly recommend this book.!
    • 5/5
      I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.What has occurred in Dover Park twenty years ago? How does it all become entangled in the lives of the people presently living very normal quiet lives in and around the Park? Fottler has created a book that is very difficult to put down until the very end and in some cases may leave you wanting more.What happens to a family when an unknown girl shows up claiming to be the daughter of the man of the house? She know so much about the family and they know so little about her. No one knows who she is or where she came from to intrude on their lives. Are there members of the family that have secrets that they are not revealing to the others? As one reads the story one is reminded of the TV show Outer Limits. Maybe there is a parallel universe out there. Fottler has woven a story that will suck you and and then through twists and turns almost leave you breathless. It is a book that leaves you wanting more and I plan on looking into the others that Mr. Fottler has written. An excellent read.
    • 5/5
      Jim and Sara lead a quiet life with their two sons. Everything seems to be going well for them until Jim gets a mysterious call one day. The caller on the line is saying they are Jim's daughter. Jim is beside himself and can't explain the weird calls to his wife. There is a knock on the door one day and there stands a young girl who says her name is Rachel. She says she is Jim's daughter and seems to know a lot about the family. Who is this girl? Rachel is upset because Jim keeps denying he is her father. Rachel doesn't understand why the house she grew up in looks so different. She says she wants to come home and has nowhere else to go. Can you say bizarre? Where did Rachel come from? The story at this point takes a twist so unexpected that I had to read faster to see what was going to happen next. As I started reading more of the story, I suddenly felt like I was reading a script from "The Twilight Zone." The author had me so engrossed in the book, I couldn't put it down. The characters are so well written and very convincing , I wasn't sure who was telling the truth at times. As Jim keeps everybody believing that Rachel is not his daughter, a new layer to the story unfolds. Will the real father please stand up? I love a good mystery that has plots that follow a twisting road and this book is packed with twists and turns and layers of secrets that will blow you away. The story was drawing to a close when I suddenly realized that the author had brilliantly written a mystery so perfect that no one will ever see the end coming. The last few chapters will have you questioning who is really telling the truth? Be prepared for the explosive ending that was masterfully written with more then just a girl trying to reconnect to her father. I highly recommend this book to everyone who loves a mystery thriller. It is not your typical mystery where it is easy to figure out. It is a well crafted story that has everything that will have reader wanting to read more from this author. I received a copy of this book from Librarything for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      This is the second book I've read by this author, and again I loved the book! This author is a master of getting you going in one direction, then turning around and shocking you. This book is filled to the brim with suspense and mystery. It keeps you wanting more, until it reaches it's twist ending! A great read!
    • 5/5
      I received this book free through the Members Giveaway on LibraryThing. This book kept you thinking with all the plot twists and turns. Until the end of the book, you still didn't know all that was going to happen. It was a great story that really kept the reader's interest from beginning to end. It was a mix of science fiction, mystery, and espionage all in one place. It not only keeps a reading guessing, but keeps their interest at the same time. It makes a reader wonder if this could still be happening today.
    • 5/5
      I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I LOVED it. What made it AWESOME was the twist!! Oh man the twist. I mean this is really good. You are into the book and thinking oh this is good then BAM a twist and if that twist isn't good enough BOOM another twist!A girl appears and swears she is your daughter by someone who you knew but died before this person could have ever been born. How is this possible?? Read and find out and then read some more! FANTASTIC!!
    • 5/5
      Very well developed story with a great plot. The characters were all very well created. Could not tell which character to root for. Many twists and turns exist and a very unexpected conclusion. Provides for a very good read as the book is hard to put down. Keeps the reader involved. I highly recommend this book and I will be looking for other books by Bruce Fottler.
    • 5/5
      I received this book in exchange for an honest review.This is the second book by Bruce Fottler that I have read and as the first one I can only say - a great book! It starts with what seems to be a typical family - Jim, the father, his wife Sara and their two sons. Suddenly a girl called Rachel appears, claiming to be Jim's daughter. She allegedly remembers things about her life with Jim that couldn't possibly be true. Who is she and how come she is so convincing? The author slowly guides us through the story, first at very slow pace and then there are suddenly so many incredible twists and turns. Bruce Fottler is an amazing writer. His characters seem so real and so easy to relate to. I even love the fact that he spends so much time on unimportant details since they really bring in a touch of reality. For example, his characters do actually cook decent meals, use the bathroom from time to time and chit-chat.I recommend this book for all those who love mysteries, interesting plots and unexpected twists!
    • 4/5
      This book had a few twists near the end. The finale was not what I was expecting at all as most of the book had led me to believe the ending to be something completely different. Worth reading.
    • 4/5
      The Moreau's are well-respected members of their community. Their lives are happy and peaceful. But a mysterious visitor will change all of that. While trying to find answers for this person's sudden appearance, a decades-old drowning is looked at a little closer and will lead to shocking discoveries.

      This book is filled with mystery and twists. It kept me guessing until the end and I wasn't disappointed.
    • 5/5
      Dover Park by Bruce FottlerWow! This is the second book I have read by Mr. Fottler and it most definitely will not be my last. He is one of my new favorite authors! I received this book in exchange for an honest review.According to the Amazon description: “Troubling secrets are about to surface in Dover Park. On the eve of summer, a mysterious visitor turns up in a quiet, suburban town. The very existence of this enigmatic presence is a paradox, one that upends the idyllic lives of the Moreaus, a well-respected family of the community. Unsettling revelations are made surrounding a tragic accident that occurred many years ago, and routing out the truth threatens to tear the Moreaus apart. Was the drowning of a close friend in Dover Park an accident...or not?”I don’t recall reading a book that had more twists and turns than this one. Just when I expected one thing was happening Mr Fottler threw in a curve ball and the story went another direction. Just when I thought everything was solved at the end (spoiler alert) the story goes another direction. Oh My!!! How many complications or rather turns in the story line, can occur in one novel; obviously at least three or four. I started this book last night and finished this morning. If I had started it earlier in the day I would have finished it in one sitting. Once the first curve was thrown at me I couldn’t wait to find out where Mr. Fottler was going with it. I was never disappointed. Several times he could have ended the story and I would have been satisfied but I love what he finally did with it. You will too!
    • 5/5
      Oooh! A dastardly twisty mystery with fascinating characters and an intriguing plot! No plot review, see publisher's blurb for that. Just poke your nose in and it will hold you there, totally absorbed.Won through LibraryThing giveaway.

    Book preview

    Dover Park - Bruce Fottler

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