Amazon.com: Customer reviews: The Obsession

Top positive review

What a way with words.

Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2018

Another amazing, suspenseful but not too scary listen (read?) from Ms. Roberts. Twelve-year-old Naomi Boze (Bose) unwittingly found a young woman bound and gagged in a root cellar and helped her to the police. Then her world unravelled as her father was imprisoned for the deaths of no less than 22 women. This story follows Naomi, now Carson, as she and her family struggle to survive their lives after this. An adult Naomi follows her profession in photography all over the world and finally attempts to settle in a small town in the northwest United States. Maybe she has found normal at last. Or has she. With a clear sense of setting, dialogue, just the right amount of stream-of-consciousness, and perfectly described characters, Ms. Roberts takes the reader (me, at least) on a ride of tension, compassion, small town values, romance and a serial killer's madness -- and she does this without my having to be thoroughly terrified or grossed out by the time I finish. BTW, the narrator does an outstanding job.

27 people found this helpful

Top critical review

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Brenda H

Torture to read this.

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2018

The only reason I completed this story was due to my book club. I imagine she sells enough books that her publisher does not edit for content. This starts out as an interesting thriller, but too soon dives into an edition of Town & Country Magazine. I skipped through the chapter on "picking out dishes." Ther is also entire chapters on refurbished furniture. If you like trashy romance and lust, you'll like this book - and the recipes! GAWD I'm so glad to get my life back.

62 people found this helpful

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From the United States

Don’t read the bad reviews

Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2021

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Don’t read the bad reviews, they are nonsense. If you read The Witness (and I have 8 or 10 times) then you will love this one. I loved the characters, all of them. I especially loved the Uncles. One person who reviewed made a negative comment about them but I loved them. They showed Naomi and Mason that love can overcome. I did figure out who the killer was but this was a NR at her best in my opinion. I haven’t loved everything she has written (the Liar) but this was really up there.

One person found this helpful

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J.C. Prins

Still Good the Second Time Around

Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2017

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This is the second time that I have read this book and it still holds the attention. It is a good mystery, although the story is so much more than that. The first third is about how someone grows up after finding out, and exposing, that her father is a monster. The second third is that same girl, now a woman, discovering how to stop running and how she establishes roots. The final third is a murder mystery. The culprit is a true surprise, but, this second time around, I was able to suss out little details as I read that somehow made the story fuller. This is probably not a book that fans of only hard boiled crime novels would like, given the romance elements, which are actually pretty tame and are not flowery or sappy. There are three, not overly graphic, sex scenes that completely fit into the narrative (just FYI). All the details seem to fold together like one of Naomi's recipes. The only downside to the book is that I got the munchies frequently and overate a bit. I would highly recommend this book.

8 people found this helpful

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Danni

Great Book

Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2017

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This is one of the best books I have read by Roberts. I loved The Witness, which is different from a lot of her books. This one is no exception, it is a great story. You never think about the family of a serial killer or how they have to cope with the horror of the aftermath of such violence. Roberts did a great job of building these characters and making you love and relate to them. There was a great deal of suspense too. Roberts is a strong writer and I always enjoy her books but this book has something more. A depth to it that really grabs you. I rarely write reviews on books although I read them to determine if I want to buy one. But this is such a great book I wanted make a recommendation for it. It was money well spent and I will probably read it again. If you are looking to get away and immerse yourself in a great story with good strong emotions then this is the book you want to read!

3 people found this helpful

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Theresa Atashkar

The Obsession

Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2017

Verified Purchase

This book was great! It took me longer to read than normal because I have bronchitis, I would read, cough, sleep and read.
There were a few different storylines going on in this book which made it even more interesting. The remodeling of this gigantic old home on the top of a bluff. The storyline of Naomi's photos and the sales and stuff she photographs. Incidentally I would love to have a picture of Xander and Tag!
There is also the storyline of Xander and Naomi, and lastly the storyline of Naomi's family.
There was definitely a lot going on in this book and all of it made it more interesting!

You cannot go wrong with a Nora Roberts Novel! Loved it! I hope there will be a sequel!

6 people found this helpful

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Myrlynn

Terrific as Usual

Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2021

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I read a few negative reviews about the book but trusted that Nora Roberts had come through with a great story. I was not disappointed. It was edgy, suspenseful and the characters well done. I liked learning how Naomi handled her trauma and with the help from Xander was able to learn to trust people and accept relationships with them. I would recommend Nora Roberts/JD Robb to anyone who enjoys mystery and stories about good people going through difficult times.

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Kindle Customer

Her best book yet!

Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2016

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I'm pretty sure I've read all of Nora Roberts books and I can't think of one I didn't like. I really enjoy the mixture of romance and mystery/suspense in them. When the first teasers of The Obsession came out, I knew I was going to buy it. I confess I tried to find it on our library's ebook site because $15.00 is a lot of money, but had no luck. So I bit the bullet and now I can honestly say it was worth every penny. IMO it is her best work. I've read some reviews that say the book contained triggers that the reader should have been warned about. I can certainly see that point as I did feel a little disturbed at some the scenes but not nearly enough to make me quit reading. I loved the H and h and all their friends in the small town background. Beside that and the story line, I was most entranced by the description of the house and the process of restoring it. I'm very familiar with the beauty of Washington state and felt Ms. Roberts did an excellent job of bringing it to life. The only negative for me was the very high price. I'm sure I'll have to pass up some books in the future, but as I said, this book was worth it.

2 people found this helpful

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Quality Expert

Intrigue , darkness, satisfaction

Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2017

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I simply could not put this book down, I read every word to the end in one sitting . IIntrigue and Delight! You could visualize the setting it took you away totally. You were right there watching and living every detail, when she was a child and going through all the pain and later of the house being put together, The joy, the sunsets, the sunrises, and you could smell the damp moss on the nurse log. The salt air you can breathe it in while you stood on her deck ,You imagined the winding road to her house on the bluff, The quiet solitude of sitting on the deck looking out over the water. Everything was so peaceful and loving and then came the darkness, getting through it and then the brightness to the future. Great book loved it!

2 people found this helpful

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Hibby

Just right

Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2021

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Not too much or too little of anything. It’s been a while since I’ve read a Nora Roberts book and this was everything I missed about her books. Including good diction and editing. The main characters were relatable and engaging. The supporting characters made me want to have them as friends. The difficulty faced had me on edge. I would highly recommend this book.

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Joan

I've been a bit disappointed in Ms

Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2016

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I've been a bit disappointed in Ms. Roberts' last hard covers. Now, even a bad book from this author is still a good read, but especially The Liar felt lazy. But this one...well I can only say she's back. This has all the tropes of her best novels: gorgeous people having mind-blowing sex, slow build to the relationship, lots of quick repartee between men (who are all great friends), art in the form of photography and a rehab of a great big house, and a dog. But on top of this, it has a really good mystery with a resolution that has a twist yet makes real sense. My only complaint is that the first third of the book nicely sets up the family of the heroine including two gay and married uncles, but these become sort of cardboard cutouts as the book progresses. I'd have liked more depth to them at the end when they reappear.

I read it over one weekend and was grateful I had a book to sink into, one that provided a good story with a good mystery.

One person found this helpful

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Italian herb

10 STARS!!

Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2022

Verified Purchase

WOW
I was thoroughly engaged from the first to the last page.
When I wasn't reading this book ... I was thinking about it!
This is a great story written by a great story teller, and an "oh so skilled" author.

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