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Hunting Mariah Kindle Edition

by JE Spina (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

5.0 19 ratings

Book 1 of 2: Hunting Mariah

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An insane killer, obsessed with blood and death, seeks revenge with those he perceives wronged him. He is now on the loose. His next victim may be Mariah.

Mariah has lost her memory. Will she remember what has transpired in her past? Can Mariah escape this deadly killer's grasp. Will she finally be safe? Will the killer be apprehended?

Editorial Reviews

Review

5.0 out of 5 stars THE DARK SIDE OF LIFE November 13, 2014By RobertDo you want to walk inside the mind of a serial killer? What makes him tick? What makes him lust for blood? HUNTING MARIAH is a chilling and action filled tale from the dark side of life. This is a far cry from Janice Spina's other books - from children's books to sinister murderer. Being a writer of mysteries I liked the pacing. The characters and wondering why. Who did it is not the question. Blood and guts, twisted, you will long for justice - but does it come? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------4.0 out of 5 starsRiveting & Fast-Paced Thriller!ByAnnikaon 23 April 2018 Format: Kindle EditionHunting Mariah is a riveting and relentless novel that had me hooked from the very beginning. A serial 'school killer' is on the loose and the book begins with the gruesome details of his first victim and her death ... and his particular macabre desire to mark them.Whilst the author successfully albeit uncomfortable reaches inside the killer's mind, the book's main narrative centres on the young woman Mariah and for an unknown reason she is key to the killings.
For a large portion of the book, Mariah finds herself in a health facility and with the help of Dr Roberts is gradually recalling the details that led to her admission. Her amnesia is slowly and tantalisingly broken and the book is mainly told through her recollections of the past, as well as through immediate events surrounding the doctor and her school counsellor Tony, whom she has fallen in love with. Whenever solid foundations seem to have been laid, they are shaken up and no one is quite who they seem!
This fast-paced novel is darkly sinister and menacing, at times macabrely violent. The intensity is balanced by the gentle awakenings of Mariah's memory, her sweetness and innocence and the protective and loving support around her.---------------------------------------------------------------------Clark Slomin5.0 out of 5 starsA heart-pounding thrillerMarch 28, 2015Verified PurchaseI had known Janice Spina as the author of charming, award-winning children's picture books. So when her thriller novel "Hunting Mariah" hit the market, I was quite surprised! The next surprise (shock, in fact), came in reading the book's opening. Raw and brutal, yet Spina tells it like it's completely natural -thereby setting up getting the reader into the mind of the killer. This book started off with a bang!

The twists and turns this tale takes keep the reader off-guard as Mariah retells the events she slowly recalls after surviving her attacker - a man (and there are several men in Mariah's life in the story) whose identity the reader is unsure of for most of the book. Devious poetry accompanies the text, as the killer verbalizes his justification for his savage desires, intentions, and actions.

This story runs the reader through the gamut of human emotions as Mariah, her friends, and family experience and endure what would be life's normal course shattered by tragedy at the hands of a psychopath. I found myself deeply moved at one completely unexpected tragic point in the story.

I won't give much more of the story away. After all, it IS a mystery/thriller, and I want you to be as surprised and entertained as I was.

From the Author

Hunting Mariah was written about twenty years ago but took a back seat to my children's books. Once I published five children's books I decided it was time to edit my novel and get it published.

I have been asked in several interviews online what influenced me to write this type of story. My answer to this is nothing. The story just strangely came to me one day and I felt compelled to put it on paper. The killer frightened me and will probably scare a lot of my readers too. Chuckle! I did have two children one at a time in college and since this serial killer appears on campus it made me think of the time there was some trouble on my son and daughter's college campus. It is purely fictional and from my vivid imagination, thank goodness.

My future plans are to publish some short stories for children, begin a new series with Mariah and continue with a six-book fantasy series for 13+.

Hunting Mariah was a Finalist in the Authorsdb First Lines Contest!

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00OTN690Y
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Janice Spina (October 22, 2014)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 22, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1416 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 329 pages

Customer Reviews:
5.0 19 ratings

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J.E. Spina
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JE Spina has been writing since she was a young child. She has published eight novels and a short story collection. Her novels, Hunting Mariah and Mariah’s Revenge, have been finalists in Authorsdb First Lines Contest. They are unputdownable thrillers. She published her fourth novel in December 2020, her fifth and sixth novels in 2021, one in 2022 and her latest novel in 2023.
JE Spina looks forward to writing more entertaining novels in 2024 and beyond. She writes under Janice Spina and has published 22 children’s books and 14 MG/PT/YA books. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, John, who is her illustrator and cover creator. Her motto and logo are Reading Gives You Wings to Fly! Jemsbooks for all Ages! Soar with Jemsbooks all year through! Her goal is to encourage all ages to read for their health and wellbeing so that they may become readers and thinkers of tomorrow.
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Janice Spina
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Janice Spina is a multi-award-winning author with 45 books of which there are 22 children's books,12 MG/PT books and two books in a YA series with four more coming over the next few years, seven novels and a short story collection for 18+ written under J.E. Spina. She is also a copy editor, blogger, book reviewer and supporter of fellow authors. Her husband, John, is her illustrator and cover creator. Watch for more books to come over the next few years.
Jance has received the following awards for her books:
10 Mom’s Choice Awards - Silver Medals, 5 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards - Silver Medal, Bronze Medal, Honorable Mention and Finalist, 21 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards, 1 AUTHORSDB - Cover Contest, 2 Book Excellence Award Finalists, 2 Top Shelf Awards - First Place & Runner up, one Maincrest Media Award
Her logo is Jemsbooks - books for all ages! Her motto is - Reading Gives You Wings to Fly! Come soar with Jemsbooks! Happy reading!
Janice loves to hear from readers and appreciates and happily welcomes reviews.
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Clark Slomin

A heart-pounding thriller

Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2015

Verified Purchase

I had known Janice Spina as the author of charming, award-winning children's picture books. So when her thriller novel "Hunting Mariah" hit the market, I was quite surprised! The next surprise (shock, in fact), came in reading the book's opening. Raw and brutal, yet Spina tells it like it's completely natural –thereby setting up getting the reader into the mind of the killer. This book started off with a bang!

The twists and turns this tale takes keep the reader off-guard as Mariah retells the events she slowly recalls after surviving her attacker – a man (and there are several men in Mariah's life in the story) whose identity the reader is unsure of for most of the book. Devious poetry accompanies the text, as the killer verbalizes his justification for his savage desires, intentions, and actions.

This story runs the reader through the gamut of human emotions as Mariah, her friends, and family experience and endure what would be life's normal course shattered by tragedy at the hands of a psychopath. I found myself deeply moved at one completely unexpected tragic point in the story.

I won't give much more of the story away. After all, it IS a mystery/thriller, and I want you to be as surprised and entertained as I was.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Tina Frisco

A Mystery Fan's Delight

Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2015

Verified Purchase

This book held me on the edge of my seat from page one. The serial killer is introduced in a blood-curdling prologue rife with suspense, leaving the reader most eager to turn the page. When Mariah makes her appearance, she finds herself in a strange place, terrified and suffering from amnesia. This spawns the question: Is she already in the clutches of the "school girl killer"?

The author impregnates her story with intrigue by shrouding her main characters in mystery. Unknown to Mariah, their lives are intertwined and bear on each other significantly. Suspense builds as the veil is slowly lifted on each one's secret, closely guarded for the sake of Mariah's safety. Deeply rooted in the past, these secrets now threaten to explode into the present.

With a shocking introduction and seeding her story with crumbs of revelation, J. E. Spina captures and holds the reader's interest throughout this action-packed tale of mystery and suspense. She gives nothing away until the very end, and then adds an epilogue that will delight horror fans.

I closed this book feeling that I'd just seen a very entertaining movie ~ and wearing a smile of utter satisfaction.

One person found this helpful

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Gigi Sedlmayer, Book Excellence Award Finalist winning author of the Talon series

On the dark side

Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2015

Verified Purchase

I normally don’t read mystery thrillers, but somehow it got to me. I couldn’t stop reading, it held me captive til the end, even I thought right from the beginning who the awful blood thirsty killer person might be. But still I was always pushed back again, could it really be him? There were so many different turns and twists, that you really couldn’t be sure of anything.

Mariah, the innocent school girl was put into a dangerous twist; she nearly couldn’t get out again, shutting herself up to cope with the unexpected. And then you were transported into the mind of the school girl killer. What a blood thirsty individual, killing school girls for practice then killing Mariah’s friend, only to get to her. Everyone longed for justice. But will justice come?

Very cleverly done, JE Spina. She put family values and support into the foreground.

Loved it. Have to give it 5 stars.

One person found this helpful

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Trish

The author did a good job of keeping us in suspense until the very ...

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2015

Verified Purchase

A very creative and interesting story. A serial killer is on the loose and he is closing in on the main character. Is there a connection between the characters or is this just the work of a sick mind? All characters are very strong and interesting. I couldn't wait to unravel the mystery that lies within. The author did a good job of keeping us in suspense until the very end.

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Ron S

Suspenseful thriller about a psycho killer

Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2023

Couldn’t put the book down. Every page had a new turn in it. I just couldn’t figure out why these detectives kept missing out on catching this psycho. Real thriller and would definitely read the next one by J.E.SPINA.

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Theresa Falco

Love Hunting Mariah!!

Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2015

Verified Purchase

I couldn't put it down. I really needed to find the answers. A great read!!

2 people found this helpful

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Colleen M. Chesebro

5 Reader Enjoyment: 5 Overall Rate

Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2018

Hunting Mariah is written by J. E. Spina, an award-winning children's author. This novel is her debut into the mystery and crime genre.

The story is set in a New York suburb, where a killer is on the loose, terrorizing a college campus filled with young students.

Be prepared to be creeped out as J. E. Spina gives us an intimate view into the thought processes of a killer. Spina portrays this character as if she channeled the thoughts and actions of a real serial killer. The guy is deranged and takes pleasure in the sight, smell, and the feel of blood. Her descriptions were chilling!

The story revolves around the protagonist, Mariah Hampton who suffers from amnesia and Dr. Roberts, who is helping her to remember the savage attack she endured at the hands of an unnamed man. Through most of the book, this man's identity is a secret which adds to the suspense building.

As Mariah's memories begin to resurface, she realizes that the family secrets from her past have exploded into the future.

J. E. Spina has written a whopper of a murder mystery. She strings the reader along, giving nothing away until the explosive ending!

MY RATING:
Character Believability: 5
Flow and Pace: 5
Reader Engagement: 5
Reader Enrichment: 5
Reader Enjoyment: 5
Overall Rate: 5 out of 5 Fairies

*I received this book as a gift.*

One person found this helpful

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Mystery "Fran"

HUNTING MARIAH - a frightening and compelling read!

Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2019

This mystery fan was recently given the book HUNTING MARIAH. As I sometimes do when I get a new book, I read the first few pages to get a sense of the story. The author, J. E. Spina, had me from those first few pages with her chilling description of the killer. I could not put this book down! It was "edge-of-your-seat" exciting and terrifying at the same time, with several plot twists that had me looking behind myself whenever I walked or went out alone for days after. I loved HUNTING MARIAH - can't wait to get my hands on MARIAH'S REVENGE!

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Toriz

Gripping and intriguing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 18, 2022

Verified Purchase

This was a gripping read with an intriguing and thrilling plot. I love the way the details were revealed, and how well the author got in to the characters' heads. I do agree with a comment another reviewer made about some of the conversations feeling a little stiff, but this didn't spoil the over all reading experience for me.

Carol Balawyder

Fast-Paced Suspense Novel

Reviewed in Canada on September 17, 2018

Verified Purchase

It isn’t because Hunting Mariah reminded me of my own in progress novel that I really loved this book, although that didn’t hurt. There’s a serial killer’s hunger for school girls whom Spina gives reasons for his macabre behavior as she allows us to get inside his insane mind and intensifying obsessive need to kill. He will stop at nothing until he satisfies his warped hunger to hunt down Mariah.

The novel contains many plot angles that drive it forward. Of course, there’s why Mariah is being hunted by the serial killer in the first place - a mystery which the author is able to maintain throughout the novel. Why is she kept in isolation in a psychiatric ward and what are her memory blanks about? Why can't Tony, a man who obviously cares deeply for Mariah but for reasons revealed only much later in the novel, return his love for her? Adding more tension are the secondary characters that inhabit this thriller and Spina has the talent to create suspense around each of them.
Although the author makes clear from the beginning who the killer is I kept wondering, as other characters were introduced and more twists were added, if it could be someone else.
Writing under the name Janice Spina the author is known for writing children’s books – at least over a dozen. Hunting Mariah brings J.E. Spina into the respectful world of fast-paced thrillers which will keep you turning the pages.

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Hunting Mariah Kindle Edition

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J.E. Spina

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