Dismantled

By: Jennifer McMahon

Narrated by: Elisabeth Rodgers

Henry, Tess, Winnie, and Suz banded together in college to form a group they called the Compassionate Dismantlers. Following the first rule of their manifesto - "To understand the nature of a thing, it must be taken apart" - these daring misfits spend the summer after graduation in a remote cabin in the Vermont woods committing acts of meaningful vandalism and plotting elaborate, often dangerous, pranks. But everything changes when one particularly twisted experiment ends in Suz's death and the others decide to cover it up.

Nearly a decade later, Henry and Tess are living just an hour's drive from the old cabin. Each is desperate to move on from the summer of the Dismantlers, but their guilt isn't ready to let them go. When a victim of their past pranks commits suicide - apparently triggered by a mysterious Dismantler-style postcard - it sets off a chain of eerie events that threatens to engulf Henry, Tess, and their inquisitive nine-year-old daughter, Emma.

Is there someone who wants to reveal their secrets? Is it possible that Suz did not really die - or has she somehow found a way back to seek revenge?

Full of white-knuckle tension with deeply human characters caught in circumstances beyond their control, Jennifer McMahon's gripping story and spine-tingling plot prove that she is a master at weaving the fear of the supernatural with the stark realities of life.

©2009 Jennifer McMahon (P)2009 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"In her third, elegantly spooky mystery revolving around the vulnerability of a young girl and a haunting past, McMahon fashions a fresh and entrancing ghost-in-the-woods tale replete with startling psychoses, delectable Hitchcockian motifs, and dangerous attractions." ( Booklist)

"McMahon's gift is the deliciously twisty way she subverts all your expectations, keeping you guessing with wry wit and feverish chills." ( People)

Intriguing story

I enjoyed the plot and characters although it took me a while to get used to the narrator. All in all, a good listen, especially if you're a Jennifer McMahon fan.

I have no idea what happened. . .

Literally, I have no idea what the hell happened. . . It took a while to get going and by the end, I have no idea what to say. . .

Confused on demographic

I like it when it was finished but had trouble following with interest for mixed messages in the age group demographic. But well read and worth the listen!

Eh

Normally love her books.. this one just lost me. Was okay just not her best

Keeps you guessing through out the WHOLE story

This story moved a little slower than the other stories but it was worth it. I felt so sorry for the little girl in the story as her parents were so wrapped up in their own sad lives they did not see what was happening to their own daughter. This was a great psychological story! The end left me wanting to message the author on Facebook (I STILL MIGHT) and ask her a dozen questions about the ending, just for my personal curiosity. The ending was BRILLIANT! I never saw it coming and that is great!! I am running out of books by this author to listen to. That saddens me! I love her writing style!!

Best One Yet

McMahon's best yet! The story had me guessing the whole time and I am still reeling from the ending. This book keeps giving and giving, right through the last sentence.
Highly recommended!

Interesting story, terrible narration

The story was definitely interesting - a combination of mystery, thriller and ghost story - but Elisabeth Rodgers' narration really ruined my enjoyment of it. She seems to have very little concept of natural speech and tone and had a tendency to make everyone sound strange and angry, even when it wasn't appropriate. Her interpretation of Bill Lundgren was cringeworthy at the best of times. It was just bad all around. I think it's a good book that is probably best enjoyed in hard copy.

Plot Twist

I loved how this author used such in-depth character development to provide the bizarre plot twist. Wow!

Don't bother

I keep thinking it's got to get better but no it did not. The book try's to end all mysterious but all it did was disappoint. Very confusing jumped around to much really would like those hours of my life back and my credit.

My least favorite McMahon novel

Would you try another book from Jennifer McMahon and/or Elisabeth Rodgers?

I have read all of Jennifer McMahon's books. The thing I've loved about all of them except Dismantled is my connection to the characters. I have felt really invested in all characters in her previous books...until this one. None of these characters have any redeeming qualities. I hated all of them, including the children in the book.

Selfish, overly inflated egotistical jerks who think they are enlightened but are just really immature.

Cannot recommend this book at all.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Emma the little girl

What three words best describe Elisabeth Rodgers’s performance?

A bit too stiff and stuffy

Could you see Dismantled being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No

Any additional comments?

Not nearly as good as Jennifer's other books.