The Package

A Novella

Fiction - Thriller - General
63 Pages
Reviewed on 11/09/2020
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Joshua Soule for Readers' Favorite

The Package: A Novella by Heidi Slowinski is a short read packed with mystery and excitement. Noa, a travel blogger with plenty of initiative, purchases a jacket from a thrift store on a work-related trip. The jacket, while comfortable, has a strange note in the pocket. Initially, Noa simply ignores the note, but its strange aura compels her to follow its instructions. The note’s direction leads to Noa being passed an envelope and completing a delivery, for which she is financially compensated. Clearly, Noa has found herself in the middle of something she was never meant to be a part of. The situation goes far beyond making strange drops of envelopes and getting paid, and her new endeavors bring an element of danger into the equation. How deep is Noa willing to go?

Novellas by nature are succinct, often telling the story but lacking in description to show the story; The Package is different. Author Heidi Slowinski has done an excellent job of telling a riveting and mysterious adventure, while also painting a picture through the prose. The characters are real and believable. I was able to form attachments and become genuinely concerned and involved in the story. The dialogue is well-done and adds an element of reality to the story as well. Slowinski is an artist in the realm of mystery and wonder, and The Package is a prime example of that. A truly enjoyable short read, perfect for your next flight or travels--you won’t regret it!

Cheryl E. Rodriguez

The Package by Heidi Slowinski keeps you engaged from beginning to end. Noa is a travel blogger who is and has been since childhood a spy thriller junkie. On a trip to Vancouver, Noa is caught up in a series of mysterious surprises. First, there is an upgraded flight, followed by a driver and car waiting for her when she arrives. Although odd, these unexpected occurrences are celebrated blessings. But, things become really weird when she finds a puzzling note inside her jacket pocket. After doing her morning walk through the market, enjoying her favorite places to eat, curiosity gets the better of her. Noa decides to check out the location written on the strange note. Once she arrives, everything turns into a rollercoaster of espionage. Placed in her care is a package. Is this her biggest mistake or her grandest mission in life? In an instant, Noa becomes the heroine in her own spy thrilling adventure.

Heidi Slowinski’s The Package baits you with its captivating narrative hook and then page by page reels you into the mystery. Immediately, you wonder if the female protagonist is naïve or stealthily playing a part. Nevertheless, she is fun, intelligent, and certainly intriguing. The fast-paced plot flows with ease from the backstories of the past into the action of the present. It doesn’t linger long in any one place or time setting. While the narrative unfolds quickly, it is penned with planned precision, somewhat like gingerly ripping off a Band-Aid. The conflict is controlled and without lengthy or wordy complexities. The supporting cast of characters is written with just enough description to hone and sharpen the growth of the heroine. It is a rare gift to tell a compelling story with only a few chapters. Heidi Slowinski masters the elements of a well-written novella. The Package is a thrilling adventure that leaves you catching your breath in awe and wonder.