Blog Posts - Elizabeth Horton-Newton

Goodreads Review

5/28/2016

Kimberly Vanderbloom rated it 4 stars really liked it
I was intrigued by this novel. It is an interesting take on a unforgettable conspiracy. I also enjoyed that it was a love story between two older people. Often times it is forgotten that love can still exist after a certain age. I found this to be a non stop page turning adventure. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good suspense and love after 40.

Smooth, Suspenseful Read

5/16/2016

4.0 out of 5 stars smooth, suspenseful read
By Amazon Customer on May 15, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
The characters in this "what-if" novel had plenty of personally, giving the story depth and humor despite the heavy subject matter. I enjoyed the the author's writing style and gift for suspense.

Enjoyable "What if?"

3/7/2016

5 stars March 7, 2016
By Pat1360
This review is from: View From the Sixth Floor:: An Oswald Tale (Kindle Edition)
As a woman who found the love of her life at a relatively late age, and as a fan of Alternative History books, I had high hopes for this book. Elizabeth Horton-Newton did not let me down. Olivia and Bill are very believable characters. The story of their friendship and developing romance rings true, which makes the twist in history seem reasonable. Experiencing the events through Olivia's first-person narration also added realism. A very charming "what might have been" and a good read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.

Could what the G-Men said about Bill be true?

3/2/2016

4 stars
B y Les Lynam on March 2, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
This is a story that you can't exactly put in a genre box (not that one HAS to do so). It has elements of Romance, then kind of like a Cosy mystery, then a dash of Suspense/Thriller. As anyone can glean from the sub-title, the assassination of JFK plays into the plot.

Told in first-person from the point of view of Olivia (Livvy) Roberts, we quickly learn that she is widowed from her husband of many years (George) and that George's best friend (Bill) and close neighbor has sworn to watch over her. Bill seems to be a nice enough guy though there are some sketchy doubts about him thrown at the reader.

As someone who vividly remembers the assassination of the president and the subsequent murder of Lee Harvey Oswald, I thought the early clues were a little too obvious, but perhaps not to someone born after the tragedy. Also obvious is the inevitable romance that blossoms between Livvy and Bill, though that blossom seems to take a long time to bloom. Still, George had been the only man in Livvy's life, and the couple no longer fell into the youngster category, so maybe the build up is logical even though drawn out.

Towards the beginning of the story, Livvy develops an acute interest in the Kennedy assassination, spurred by multiple TV programs featuring the 50th anniversary of the tragedy (2013). She decides she wants to go to Dallas to see for herself if any of the floated conspiracy theories might have legs in reality. Bill tries to dissuade her from the quest but ends up accompanying her as he feels the need to watch over her.

Along the trip, Livvy begins to wonder about Bill's history, and at the same time begins to give into her romantic feeling for him.

Pacing quickly changes after the Dallas trip, and there are a few chapters of 'fugitive on the run' before Bill needs to separate from his beloved. Back home, Livvy has to figure out whom she can trust as the media and government agents rain down on her normally quiet neighborhood.

The characters are believable, the plot solid (in a what-if kind of way), and overall, the writing is pretty good. One little annoyance that distracted me was the wandering paragraph indentation. It would hop two or three characters one way or the other from the previous indentation. Was this stylistic, was there some kind of message? Maybe I read too much into that and it was just a technical formatting flaw. There were also a few words missing here and there but easily mentally popped in to fit the given context.

If you are hunting for that perfect conspiracy theory that explains it all, you might be disappointed, but otherwise, Horton-Newton delivers an enjoyable read.

A masterpiece!

3/1/2016

5-stars
By Regina P. on February 27, 2016
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
A beautiful story of love, loss, and redemption. I loved this story and was hooked right from the beginning. The characters were wonderfully done and the story line was engaging with a thread of suspense woven into it. I would recommend it to anyone.

Alternative history, suspense and a great love story too!

2/18/2016

4.0 out of 5 stars
By Xkoqueen on February 18, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
View from the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale by Elizabeth Horton-Newton is an alternate-history, romantic, thriller. I know that sounds like a lot to throw into one book, but Newton did it, and she did it well.
View from the Sixth Floor takes place in 2013, the fiftieth anniversary of Kennedy's death. The story is told in a first-person narrative by recent widow, Oliva Roberts. The tone has a chatty feel like that of a cozy mystery. She becomes obsessed with the idea of traveling to Dallas to learn more about President Kennedy’s assassination. She convinces Bill, her next door neighbor and late husband’s good friend, to accompany her on this road trip (Bill had promised Oliva’s husband he would take care of her after his death, and he is currently her best male friend and confidante.).
Once these two hit the road, the story really takes off! The other thing that takes off is Oliva and Bill’s relationship. They quickly grow from friends to lovers while on the road to Dallas. It was refreshing to read a story about a second- chance-at-love romance between two senior citizens. As their relationship heats up, so does the intrigue when Bill reveals a dark secret about himself. I won’t spoil the read by offering any more details!
I liked how Olivia blossomed from sad, tentative widow into a passionate, plucky, independent woman. What I didn’t like about Olivia was her attitude about spending time with other women. During her weekend away with two girlfriends, it becomes clear that she is one of those women who don’t enjoy the company of other women.
Secondary character, Judy, was a delightful and funny addition to the story. Her role is very small, but I enjoyed this character immensely.
Like a cozy mystery, the plot is slow at the start as the characters are introduced and the story premise is defined, but the pace does pick up. Olivia’s repeated proclamation that she loves Bill regardless of his past made me feel she was desperate for a man in her life.
View from the Sixth Floor is not your typical JKF conspiracy theory story. Newton has tastefully and compassionately written a story that focuses many of the people impacted by the events that took place in Dallas on November 22nd, 1963. More romance than mystery or a thriller, View from the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale is creative and well-written. I would recommend it to those who enjoy conspiracy theories, alternative history, mature romance or suspense.

Good plot, good character development and an over all ...

2/13/2016

By Pygmy Amazon Reviews on February 12, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
This book grabbed me and didn't let go. I was completely immersed into an intriguing plot and interesting characters. The first person narrative was superbly executed. This a "what if" fiction surrounding the conspiracy theories about the assassination of JFK. Fifty years after the assassination someone knows what really happened that day and it isn't what anyone else thinks. Well done! Good plot, good character development and an over all good read. Appropriate for ages 16 plus.

An unlikely romantic figure.

2/10/2016

5.0 out of 5 stars
By The Minter on February 10, 2016
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
Since the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, countless conspiracy theories have emerged. Many of them center around the fact that Lee Harvey Oswald was, at the very least, not the lone gunman. Looking into it myself, I have read that some even claim the fatal shot was fired accidentally by one of JFK’s own bodyguards. Regardless of what actually happened that fateful day, November 22, 1963, it doesn’t change the fact that America lost one of its most memorable presidents. It also doesn’t change the fact the fact that Lee Harvey Oswald remains one of American history’s most enigmatic figures. Elizabeth N. Newton, in her speculative historical fiction thriller View from the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale, presents an alternate theory to the JFK assassination while spinning an exciting story of romance, adventure, and intrigue.

Olivia Roberts turns to her neighbor and friend, Bill Horton, after the sudden death of her husband. Olivia (“Livvy”) seems to have mixed feelings about her husband’s death. While mostly she speaks highly of him, there are times she described her marriage as stifling and even hints that he was domineering and occasionally abusive. Nonetheless, her friendship with Bill quickly turns into a mutual attraction. When Livvy tells Bill that she wants to go to Dallas to learn more about the JKF assassination (a topic that has suddenly become of deep interest to her), Bill at first tries to talk her out of it and then reluctantly offers to go with her. In the weeks leading up to the trip, strange things start happening in her neighborhood: a van is parked at the end of her block, two men posing as home-security salesmen try to enter her home. Strangest of all, Bill has walked miles in the middle of the night to a drugstore and called her to pick him up from there. Livvy seems to be in denial about her friend’s odd behavior, refusing to believe that he is anyone other than her old friend and neighbor. She trusts him unconditionally even after finding out about his past. During the trip, she will find out that Bill is not only not who Livvy thought he was, he holds the power to tear apart everything America thought they knew about the government and the alter the course of American history.

The biggest plot twist is not very surprising, but the aftermath will keep you glued to your Kindle. With the exception of some strange events in the neighborhood, the first half of the novel is filled with fairly mundane descriptions of daily activities. It starts off slow but picks up about a third of the way through. The reader is simultaneously watching Bill and Livvy’s romance unfold and watching one of the most infamous events in American history scrutinized up-close. Sixth Floor is special because it tells the story of regular people against the backdrop of history and because it romanticizes and humanizes unlikely people.

There are a few loose ends Mrs. Newton forgot to address (such as the identity of the two women seen entering Bill’s home), but overall I think readers will be satisfied with this novel’s ending. She is not trying to rewrite history, but rather present a “what if” scenario. For that reason, I believe she chose to wrap up the more personal ending and leave the bigger historical ending open. Livvy comes across as a tad bit gullible and wishy-washy, but is still really likeable. Bill is marvelous as her star-struck, protective neighbor and friend.

Sixth Floor can benefit from a professional formatting and a punctuation check. They don’t distract from the read, but will make the book appear more polished.

Overall, a strongly recommended read. Check it out today!

This author did an excellent job writing on a subject that I personally never ...

1/27/2016

4.0 out of 5 stars This author did an excellent job writing on a subject that I personally never ...
By Pamela J Silva on January 27, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
This author did an excellent job writing on a subject that I personally never had any interest in researching. I, too, was a child in school when the awful news was announced. And that is not something that you ever forget. She has done an excellent job of entwining an the life of an ordinary woman who is searching for something in her life after the loss of her husband at an early age and a distant but permanent event in our American history in a way that you would not believe it to be possible. The pace is steady and the tension builds steadily. The suspense was intense at times where I, like the character wondered if she was imagining things and the writer was leading us down a bind ally. The best part was the ending. And I will say no more for fear of giving away an excellent one. I read until I was finished a book that I had misgivings about when viewing the title. It was well worth it.

Seemingly Ordinary People on an Extraordinary Journey

1/27/2016

5-stars *****
January 27, 2016
By Lynne Murray
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: View From the Sixth Floor:: An Oswald Tale (Kindle Edition)
This is quite simply the most compelling book I have read in quite a long time. View From the Sixth Floor is very well crafted, appealing and full of surprises. The suspense kept me turning pages and the characters were so engaging to me that when it seemed to be heading toward an ending, it took another turn and I actually looked to see if it was near the end. The percent bar on my kindle registered “59% done” and my reaction was, “Good! There’s more, a lot more.” There was, and all of it satisfying, full of moments of worry about characters I had come to care for and moments to cheer when they rose to cope with crises.

One bet I made with myself as I sat down to write this review was to check once it was posted (I promise not to cheat but I am curious). I want to see just how many Americans of a certain age who also reviewed it took a moment to share where they were and what they were doing when they heard about the Kennedy assassination. I’m expecting a lot of people will, it’s a wound that left scars. I was a freshman in a Southern California high school French class. I remember one French teacher who had been in the underground resistance in Nazi-occupied Belgium as a boy came out of his class to ours to confer with our French teacher who was from Dallas (!) The words “coup d’etat” were mentioned with a certain anxiety. At the time I wondered if that was some kind of European, paranoid way of looking at the situation. Considering the way our society has been changed since that day, those words resonate differently to me now. Paranoia strikes deep (sorry, anything to do with the '60s brings out my song-quoting reflex).

This is one of those books I had to tell friends about. It was that good. I don’t want to ruin the suspense for anyone by saying much more.