“Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want the most.”
This is definitely not a straight forward story told in a timeline that “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want the most.”
This is definitely not a straight forward story told in a timeline that will take readers from day 1 to day 56. To be clear, that it is not going to do that for readers. It is going to jump between present day, near past, through lockdown Covid era (but not be just about that) into the lives of Ciara and Oliver.
And, someone is going to die. That is made clear from the beginning. But who and why and how is not. And, who these people (Ciara and Oliver) are to each other is not either.
And, then there is the point of view of detectives. Oh yes, because someone died, right? Because readers know that someone isn’t getting out of this alive, so Irish detectives are a part of this story.
So, the author keeps readers hooked throughout the book with several key questions…
Who is dead?
Who is the killer?
Why did they commit murder?
Who is telling the truth here?
Is this the perfect crime?
Is a perfect crime possible?
Domestic suspense. Murder mystery. Edge of your seat page turner. Brilliant plotting. Go for it. You won’t regret it.
But even as I say all this, because the author twisted the timeline (time jumping) so much, it is the only reason this review did not get 5 stars. The only reason. My brain just couldn’t take it. Still, the story is worth the read....more
When I first saw this book cover, I thought it was a true story. The way the lone girl was standing on the highway, I wondered, is this a missing persWhen I first saw this book cover, I thought it was a true story. The way the lone girl was standing on the highway, I wondered, is this a missing persons story that someone felt compelled to write?
“This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.”
Even though the book cover felt a bit misleading, please don’t pass the book by. It is not a true story. It is something more. Just open it. What comes up from page one through the end will keep readers engaged.
And, as readers, we get to hear Nina’s voice first.
What follows is a story told in multiple points of view that is engrossing and intriguing.
Is this story giving us a sense of a parent’s worst nightmare?
As readers we experience, what happened between Nina and Simon. And, how the parents of both Nina and Simon navigate the landscape of what happened when it becomes clear that Nina is missing.
Readers already are given a sense of what could have been with Nina’s opening voice. But what more lies between the pages to get the answers we as readers are so desperate to find? Lots. That is how page-turning, gut-wrenching, soulful interesting this story plays out.
But what kind of story is this truly?
Is this a mystery or a thriller or a character study of personalities, and what anyone would do in these circumstances?
Of course, we can label it a mystery because we are uncertain what really happened to Nina. We can label it a thriller because as readers we are racing to the end to find out what happened. As readers we may want closure and justice, because we believe something terrible could have happened. But mostly we are left with an interesting look at, what would I do in these circumstances if something happened to my daughter or son? How would I behave?
In this way, it becomes a stirring tale, as we as readers, consider and observe where the moral fiber lies. Especially as parents....more
It’s raining outside, what are we going to do? Especially when you are a dog who likes to be outside. How do you get your human to pay attention to yoIt’s raining outside, what are we going to do? Especially when you are a dog who likes to be outside. How do you get your human to pay attention to you?
In this mostly wordless book filled with many different picture scenes, this dog will do anything – and the human is left to oblige. Can the boy go from a frown to a smile with the dog as they venture out?
This is the latest in the Bones series by Reich featuring her forensic anthropologist, Temperance Brennan. And, as is typical, if you are a fan, readeThis is the latest in the Bones series by Reich featuring her forensic anthropologist, Temperance Brennan. And, as is typical, if you are a fan, readers won’t be bored as Tempe finds herself in the midst of an older building in Washington DC addressing arson and burn victims and attempting to unravel a mystery that may be more than recent history.
She also finds herself working alongside a new ally, Ivy Doyle, a telejournalist. She met Ivy reluctantly through her daughter Katy, as a favor. But as it turns out, they form a good alliance in attempting to learn more about the past of the building, the history, the property’s ownership and what really happened and why.
Reich keeps readers moving along quickly through her short chapters, and forensics and setting change of Washington, DC. The question will be, will readers be surprised by the twists and turns that she has a tendency to deliver? And, will readers be patient with her challenging relationship with Ryan?...more
Hazel left town for a reason, but what that reason was, isn’t always clear to readers. Yet.
So, when her father, Perry Holt passes, she returns for hiHazel left town for a reason, but what that reason was, isn’t always clear to readers. Yet.
So, when her father, Perry Holt passes, she returns for his funeral. She would like to return to her simple life just as quickly where she currently lived, then stay in her father’s house. But he left it to her, and some unfinished family business. What is she going to do now?
What readers soon come to discover is that the past involved the disappearance of her mother. And, then when her friend Jamie disappears all these old wounds and now new mystery come in to play. Are they connected?
What could be going on? What has Hazel walked back into? What happened to her mother, and why?
As readers turn pages at a quick pace, they are also being reminded of the drought that has over taken the town. And because of that drought, the water levels are dropping in the lake. What might be discovered there? And, could it have anything to do with Hazel’s missing mother? And, what about Jamie?
Can anybody be trusted in this town?
And, should we as readers pay close attention to the book cover – is there a clue there, perhaps?
Short chapters, with gripping suspense will make this one hard to put down, as readers race to figure out the truth that Hazel wants so desperately to learn.
It is always fun for me when donations appear at my Little Free Library Shed. Especially getting a sense of what the neighborhood favoriteCatching up…
It is always fun for me when donations appear at my Little Free Library Shed. Especially getting a sense of what the neighborhood favorite authors are. And, certainly this author is one. So, hearing recently that she is “retiring” from writing it really has readers up in arms. In a June 2024 interview with Elle Magazine, the author shared…
“If I do write another Nantucket summer novel, and I might, it's going to be on my own time frame, and I want to be free to do other things, and write about other things, and so I very consciously use the word 'retirement. ' My intentions are pure, in that I am retiring for the sake of my career.’”
So, there you have it. Whatever, she means.
In re-visiting this story, clearly an older one, published in 2012, this wasn’t her typical beach read. Usually, Hilderbrand concentrates on women’s contemporary fiction with a light, romantic tone. But this story had complex characters, dealing with teenage death, and the survivors, post-accident and their parents and how they handled it.
Obviously, there is tragedy within this story, the weightiness of it, the emotional toll this incident plays on families, and, the consequences. There is also a side-story about a SIDS death and the grief and strain of that experience on family.
As, traumatic as all this sounds, Hildebrand writes with compassion and grace, developing multi-faceted characters that feel real....more
If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, readers just might find themselves attracted to Isaiah Quintabe, better known as IQ, a 26-year-old African AmericIf you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, readers just might find themselves attracted to Isaiah Quintabe, better known as IQ, a 26-year-old African American “private eye.” He takes on cases the police are less likely to involve themselves in. And, he is the star protagonist of this novel, which is this author’s debut.
Isaiah is a bit moralistic, who happened to love his older beloved brother named Marcus. This will be important for readers to understand because what occurred, molds IQ’s character.
We begin, when the author takes readers directly into a crime in progress. There is an obvious creepy guy with nefarious ideals towards an innocent teenage girl. And then there is IQ, a bystander witness. He goes into action with his deductive skills, recognizing that a possible crime is in process. He has interesting ways of processing this scene, and, quite the tools in his “toolchest” to thwart the crime.
Of course, IQ won’t stick around for the hero status, he’s not interested in the credit or the accolades. This is another aspect of IQ’s character that makes him so likable.
So, what happened in IQ’s past that makes him want to right the wrongs for the locals? What happened to Marcus? And what happened in IQ’s past that brought him to become this present kind of Los Angeles private investigator who is gifted like Sherlock Holmes?
While readers contemplate this through their swift turning of pages, a case comes. And it involves someone who needs help, and perhaps some dogs. Is this a take on the Hound of the Baskervilles? If it involves protecting a dog, or any dog, I am all in, and I think readers will agree, as well!
Oh, and IQ has a sidekick that is similar to Dr. Watson, of Sherlock Holmes fame, in Juanell Dodson, a war veteran. Readers should just go with it and appreciate what he and other characters add to the story!
There is action. It is gritty. (A bit of foul language for the sensitive ears.) There is that Los Angeles scenery. The investigations are good. And, it almost feels like it is being written for the screen. Hmmm…wonder who has the rights?
And, Isaiah is a fascinating character to want to follow into a future series. Will the author continue to follow his Sherlock theme – perhaps adding a Moriarty type nemesis presence? I understand his next book is called “Righteous.” Maybe it might be worth checking out, too.
Whatever is decided, I liked that IQ also had his own dog named Ruffin. That makes him worthy and watchable in my eyes!...more
It seemed only fitting that I would take this older Bones (2013) with me to my first I.V. immunotherapy session to fight my cancer. Why not? Isn’t TemIt seemed only fitting that I would take this older Bones (2013) with me to my first I.V. immunotherapy session to fight my cancer. Why not? Isn’t Tempe Brennan, our favorite forensic anthropologist a fighter too? For whatever reason, I just feel at home in a Bones book. The characters feel like family, including her cat, Birdie.
Of course, going backwards, when I am already reading her most recent novels, reminded me that I had already read this one, but it was nice to re-visit it. It also reminded me how devoted she is to her cases. The importance she places on getting all the facts, her bossiness, her relentless pursuit for the truth, and her willingness to dive deep until she knows what really happened despite whether the victim was a “good” person or not. Because sometimes cops were just opinionated about the victims. And, she cared to know what really happened before putting the case to rest.
There is always good dialogue throughout, interesting banter, and of course, the never-ending tension with her soon to be ex-husband, Pete and what may come with her on-again-off-again partnership with Ryan. And, in this one, there will be some sadness that Ryan endures in this story, that will affect him deeply.
With this case, the more Tempe digs, the more she discovers, with the right amount of page-turning tension, which gives readers a very satisfying read.
As in all series, it is best to start from the beginning to get the full satisfaction of the characters back stories.
And, of course, as a treat, the author provides a “from the forensic files of Dr. Kathy Reichs” at the back of the book that should not be read until the end....more
How well do we really know the people we think we love?
Martha’s husband, Alan is a travelling salesman. And, they have a really neat, rather compact How well do we really know the people we think we love?
Martha’s husband, Alan is a travelling salesman. And, they have a really neat, rather compact and comfortable marriage. As a librarian she is content with her life. But when he comes back from one of his trips with blood on one of his shirts, she begins to question what exactly happens at his “selling” conferences, after all.
And, as she begins the painstaking research, to figure out what her husband might be up to, she is uncomfortable enough about what she discovers, that she calls one of her friends from college, Lily Kintner for support.
Now, as I mention Lily Kintner, for those who have not read this series, please understand that this is book #3. It is best if you read the series, to know Lily and Henry from book 1, so you understand their characters fully. You can read this as a stand-alone, but you will appreciate this story better, if you have followed the series.
Back to this story…
Martha and Lily have their own past, in which Lily helped rescue her from an ill-fated relationship with Ethan Saltz back in graduate school.
How can Lily help her discover if her husband could be a potential serial killer? And, will Henry Kimball be able to also help when Lily ventures into dark and deadly territory?
What will readers discover in this twisty, riveting, page-turning tale? And, when all seems to be clear, don’t be so sure. This author has a way of throwing many twists that will keep readers going up to the very last page!
When this one came through as a donation to my Little Free Library Shed recently, I was reminded how I felt when I first read it. Have youCatching up…
When this one came through as a donation to my Little Free Library Shed recently, I was reminded how I felt when I first read it. Have you read it or seen the movie?
And, do you recall having that feeling about a book or a movie that you aren’t sure you want to re-visit it because it was that frightening?
And, to be honest I am not a fan of horror, scary or being told “boo” around any dark corners.
So, the question for me was, did I really want to go here again just to submit this review?
Well, obviously I did. So, what was I thinking?
When I tell you that this is that kind of a book that once you decide to place yourself within the pages of it, you are making a commitment to maybe not choose to sleep for a week afterwards, will you believe me?
Please know that, I care enough about you to put this much into words. But I am not going to give you explicit details. Nope. Not because I am not a spoiler revealer kind of a person, but this is the kind of a book that is better to go into blindly. At your own risk. It will be important to know that there will be slow reveals. Tension. Because something is ALWAYS happening. And, it WILL always be about choice. For you as a reader. And, for the characters to make. At the cabin. At the end of the world.
And, as the cover of the book says, “save your family or save humanity. Make the choice.”
But the real choice is whether you as the reader will want to just open the pages of this book.
You would think I was obsessed with death. Is it my lifelong love of murder mysteries, or my recent diagnosis of cancer that has me ruminating about iYou would think I was obsessed with death. Is it my lifelong love of murder mysteries, or my recent diagnosis of cancer that has me ruminating about it these days? I don’t know. I actually feel quite calm and hopeful and grateful that living in the moment brings such a love of life to me.
Still, there is something to be said about this kind of a book that gets one wondering about how one contemplates death and living in the moment, in the same breath. Especially when the first line declares…
“Nothing brings people together better than death. …Death reminds us that life isn’t infinite and that one day, our time will come, too.”
If nothing else about this story appeals to readers, please know this…I really loved that line in this book.
What exactly is in store for readers between these pages? Maybe we should take the title of this book literally?!
Let us start with Mom Laura who passes away and leaves her things to her adult children who have been rather estranged from each other. She after all is one of the POV’s. The other POV’s are the daughters, Beth and Nicole.
As they are going through those things, what should they discover but an old VCR tape which reveals more than they had ever expected to learn about their mother and their “missing” father who had “supposedly” left many years earlier without any explanation.
“They say the truth will set you free, but they don’t tell you it can set you free in the same way death does.”
So, what really happened in this story? What is the big reveal? (No spoilers from me.)
To be honest, the premise of this book was promising, but as it progressed it was hard to enjoy. The characters weren’t particularly likable and the plot became rather predictable. And, to top it off, the end was anticlimactic. All and all…Family dynamics at its worst.
To be honest, I wouldn’t have given this book a second look hadn’t I been reading an article in my local newspaper about it. Fantasy isn’t really my gTo be honest, I wouldn’t have given this book a second look hadn’t I been reading an article in my local newspaper about it. Fantasy isn’t really my genre, even if I love magical realism, this isn’t the way I love to read it or see it play out.
So, here I am. Attempting to make sense of it. But as I read it, I was wondering where the similarity was to Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. I could definitely see the fantasy retelling of Antony and Cleopatra. Was that supposed to be it?
I believe fantasy lovers will enjoy this plot. It is fast paced with a competition that is key to the plot. (Think Hunger Games.) Still, if readers are interested in getting information, it is slow to be revealed leading to many twists along the way.
In many fantasy realms, power and abuse of power is key, as well as what characters will do to gain it. So, what characters are willing to do, will be the moral question of the day in a story like this.
And, as I mentioned, this is not my thing, so I found myself bored, uninterested, disappointed, and ready to close this book and be done.
So, Mel is getting ready to attend her twin brother, James and his fiancé RacheFamilies are complicated.
Especially when it comes to murder and money.
So, Mel is getting ready to attend her twin brother, James and his fiancé Rachel’s wedding. Little did she know that she would be finding herself showing up at her ex-boyfriend David’s place needing help because her supposed date was attempting to murder her.
What?
As more and more becomes known, what will Mel discover about this unknown assassin? And, as readers turn pages, what will they discover about Mel and James past that led to this moment?
Each chapter provides clues to the past as readers get closer to James and Rachel’s wedding. But what do each of these characters reveal that leave readers wondering, when it comes to family who can anybody truly trust?
Pages turn quickly in this riveting, thrilling novel.
I want to thank the author for this complimentary book for our Little Free Library Shed. I am providing an honest review....more
When I ordered this book from my local library, I didn’t know what kind of book I was going to be reading. I just knew it was a Baldacci book, and thaWhen I ordered this book from my local library, I didn’t know what kind of book I was going to be reading. I just knew it was a Baldacci book, and that is all that mattered to me. And, I can’t believe I didn’t put this in my ‘currently reading’ pile. Oh well. Believe it or not, I have been reading it. It is a book to be reckoned with, in all its 477 pages. But before I get in to discussion of it, back to Baldacci.
I love all his characters. And, who knew if it was going to be someone from the past, or someone new. I just knew I had already developed my relationships with, Atlee Pine, Aloysius Archer, Amos Decker, Alex Jamison, Travis Devine, Will Robie, John Puller, Sean King, Michelle Maxwell and Oliver Stone.
I never expected to be taken into a historical fiction courtroom drama with two new characters to add to my personal “love” list. But here I was. Ready and willing.
And, to be honest, my heart was on fire from page one. And, that even included the ‘Author’s Note.’
“I wish we lived in a world that was just and equal for all, and that lawyers could concentrate on being simply lawyers and not spokespersons for a cause. …and we can all rise high or fall low, but we should all be judged by the same standard. That is the only way we can move forward as a country, as a people.”
This is a stand-alone featuring two new characters in 1968 Freeman County, Virginia, a hotbed county, and area of the state, filled with hate and prejudice. We meet Jack Lee a white lawyer who is given a case to defend a black couple, Jerome and Pearl Washington that have been accused of killing a rich white couple.
And, when we are talking the south, it doesn’t look like they are going to get a very fair chance at trial with a Judge that has Ku Klux Klan leanings, George Wallace poised to run for President and an all-white jury.
To help Jack on the case is Desiree DuBose a Black lawyer from Chicago who is fierce about justice and equality.
What will this team discover? Will they be able to overcome these odds?
As I turned pages and read, I couldn’t help but feel the 60’s past and today’s present merging too closely together. I wanted to cry out in frustration and sadness that something was wrong – that there was a time machine that had made a mistake – that thought that 2024 was 1968 all over again and to please let me blink myself awake to a better more thoughtful, just present. That I must be dreaming.
And then, I got out of my head and reminded myself I was within the pages of a really excellent story with solid character development. It was describing the 1960’s south realistically. The courtroom drama was spectacular and dramatic and real-feeling.
There will be much to digest within these pages. Be patient. It will be worth the journey.
This story is fresh and intense, and thrilling, and showcases the human corruptness. I can only hope that this is just the beginning of Dubose and Lee as future characters and fighters of justice in an upcoming Baldacci series.
Also, I recommend that everyone read the ‘Author’s Note’ at the beginning. It is heart-felt and timely. What he shares at the end of it, which makes even more sense once it is read and digested, I think is worth including…
“I wanted each to learn from the other, and …to eventually find mutual respect and empathy for one another. In the end, what can we strive for that is more vital, for all of us?”...more
Imagine that you and your best friend are having a sleepover in the backyard tent. You both are 10-year-old kids. All seems good, until you wake up toImagine that you and your best friend are having a sleepover in the backyard tent. You both are 10-year-old kids. All seems good, until you wake up to find that there is a slash down the side of the tent and your best friend is nowhere to be found.
How would you feel upon waking?
In this story, this is the nightmare Ethan carries for the next 30 years. It is a real nightmare for Ethan, because his best friend Billy, is forever gone.
How does anybody live with this kind of memory? This has been what Ethan has had to deal with his whole life. And, when he is expected to return to his childhood home, and things begin to happen again to stir up these old memories, what is he to do? How can he overcome this past?
Will he ever know what happened to Billy?
In many ways this feels like a twisty mystery with just a slight touch of the supernatural. But more than anything there is a strong sense of the complications of friendship amongst these pages.
Most importantly, the author shows readers how grief and trauma are complicated, by showcasing both sensitively.
At the same time, readers are quickly turning pages for the resolution to the mystery of missing Billy....more
Paul is the narrator of this one “perfect” day tale. And, he will be an unreliable narrator because of his cocky, outbursts and justifications for whaPaul is the narrator of this one “perfect” day tale. And, he will be an unreliable narrator because of his cocky, outbursts and justifications for what he believes will create the “best day ever” for his meticulously planned drive with his wife Mia to their vacation home.
But not all will go as planned. What will be truth and what will be lies? How healthy and perfect is this marriage really? What is Mia thinking about what Paul has planned for her?
Readers will feel the suspense and angst and drama and deception and could it possibly be betrayal as pages turn? The drive will be tense as readers wait for the riveting conclusion.
But…about that ending…(no spoilers from me.)...more
This is not the first in the series, which puts readers (like me) at a slight disadvantage, who haven’t started with the first, to get the full back sThis is not the first in the series, which puts readers (like me) at a slight disadvantage, who haven’t started with the first, to get the full back story on our main character, Deputy Ben Packard. It doesn’t mean this story won’t have its own flow, but I think we might have benefited better had we had the opportunity to read the first story to know our protagonist a little more intimately before entering this story. (He is unique and fascinating as a Deputy who is also gay.)
So, why did I read and start with this one? Well, it was a donation to my Little Free Library Shed, and I couldn’t resist it.
In this story, Packard is called to a crime scene in which the husband is found dead by the wife. They slept in separate bedrooms because of his snoring.
Packard’s character is a thorough investigator, which makes this a wonderful police procedural. Also, this is a beautiful location setting, which allows Sandy Lake to serve almost like another character in the story. It may look pleasant on the surface, but there is a darkness that feels chilling underneath the surface.
And, then of course, there is Packard. A complex, outsider character that feels real and capable and interesting that cares about the town he is there to protect....more
Is it possible to become oneself at age 61? When we consider a coming-of-age novel we typically think of teenagers coming into themselves and finding Is it possible to become oneself at age 61? When we consider a coming-of-age novel we typically think of teenagers coming into themselves and finding their way. But this one looks at a grown woman, Willa, who has led a life in which it has passed her by in such a way – predictable in many ways, that when an opportunity comes by, she has a chance to grab a hold of her life and begin again. At age 61. Perhaps then she can learn to live.
Will readers connect or relate to Willa?
Can Willa be the “grandmother” to Cheryl, walk the dog and find herself?
While watching Willa grow into herself, readers also learn about her past, to understand why this moment of growth could be important to her.
Clock Dance is told in three stories followed by a short novel – in other words – glimpses into four periods of Willa’s life. Seemingly trauma-filled. So, when Willa has this opportunity to change/grow…
Will it be enough to bring her the freedom she needs? Will she be able to transform her life?
And, what is a clock dance? How does it relate to the title of the book? Cheryl and friends perform what they call a “clock dance.” Willa imagines her own ‘clock dance’ would be a race against time. Is this ‘grandmother’ experience to Cheryl her own race against time?
In many ways it was a well-written story, but at times difficult to read because of Willa’s timidity and weakness to the men in her life.
Still, by the time Willa has her breakthroughs, will it be enough to give readers satisfaction in the end?...more
“The future is unwritten, brimming with potential.”
Believe it or not, this was not an overnight read. I took my time with this one, in-between other n“The future is unwritten, brimming with potential.”
Believe it or not, this was not an overnight read. I took my time with this one, in-between other novels. Of course, I would. It is after all 542 pages.
Kuang our author is also a translator. So, writing a story about a fictional place called Babel fits.
She has created a story where bright children are taken from all corners of the British empire, circa 1830’s, fluent in Chinese or Arabic, raised in England and put to work at Babel to translate. They are there to benefit the rich in London.
Readers are following Robin from childhood in China, through his “upbringing” at Babel, and his hope that through translation it will bring people together.
“We’re here to make magic with words.”
Still, our protagonist Robin is a complicated character. He may have been born into poverty in China and raised by a wealthy father in England, but this background only seems to add to his impediments. He’s overprivileged, middle-classed, brave at times, noble, too and sometimes naïve. He really wants the best, but he isn’t quite sure how to always make it happen.
“Words tell stories. Specifically, the history of those words – how they came into use, and how their meaning morphed into what they mean today – tell us just as much about a people, if not more, than any other kind of historical artifact.”
While Babel primarily follows Robin, readers also get glimpses into the lives of his three Babel classmates, Ramy, Victoire, and Letty. Each of them will have their own unique story. And, they are all flawed and engaging characters for readers, to follow.
Still, this story is not an easy read. At times, it can be thoughtful, character driven with beautiful prose. But it is also grim and harrowing, at other times. And, not all characters are likable and their opinions are sometimes detestable and difficult to read. But it will also be an interesting, dark and haunting view of historical fiction.
For some readers this story is considered a masterpiece. For others it is a difficult slog. For others it is a meaningful artful read. I haven’t decided how I feel yet. I am still digesting it. And, a bit, in-between about it. The way I read it. Which puts me at 4 stars....more
“I just keep thinking about how hard it is to be the detective of your life, and also the mystery of your life.” – Glennon Doyle
What really happened t“I just keep thinking about how hard it is to be the detective of your life, and also the mystery of your life.” – Glennon Doyle
What really happened to Katy’s sister?
In this road trip, 3 narrators will give readers their version of a road trip.
Grief struck Katy who wants to desperately figure out what happened to her sister Phoebe when she went on a solo road trip in her van. Then there is Beth who is also a solo traveler escaping an abusive relationship with Lucas. And, finally, Wyatt, the younger brother of Lucas who lives with their father following their mother’s disappearance.
Everyone has their own story. And, unfortunately for me, this is a psychological thriller. (I say unfortunately, because these-type-of-stories have a tendency to create confusion and twists and darkness that take the story down a road that leaves readers a bit exasperated.) At least, this one.
I prefer a good old-fashioned mystery that doesn’t hurt my head with so much twisty darkness. It is also difficult when you have an unreliable narrator, such as Katy.
So, what happens when Katy and Beth connect? Can Beth be trusted? And, what does Wyatt’s point of view bring to the story?
But wait, there might be another narrator? (No spoilers from me.)
The book will give a sense of strong female characters against all odds, but…and there is that but… it will touch on domestic violence, and trauma. And, the risks of stranger danger. On the pretty side…It will be quite scenic with the Australian outback.
The question is, will readers find the conclusion intriguing, satisfying or confusing? With all the red herrings, it will be hard to know how best to decide.
For me, the story didn’t seem to come to life until towards the end, and by then I just wanted the book to end. By then, I seemed more fascinated with the author’s note.
I am probably an outlier here, so please read other’s reviews.
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