I actually read this one third out of the series and I had seen a couple of the shows. But I loved it. Never been a Harry Potter fan but I think RG is a great mystery / thriller writer. Her writing draws you right in, getting you involved deeply with the characters (some people get a bit too deeply involved). And having been a victim of domestic abuse, I identified pretty quickly with what Matthew was doing and how accurately RG depicted it. I know some people complain about the length of the books and sub-plots but I enjoy them and find them interesting. May I suggest fast forwarding? To each their own.