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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
Follow Me Down, the debut thriller by Sherri Smith, had been on my radar for a few months. When I found out that Chevy Stevens, my newest author obsession, gave a blurb on the front cover of this one, I knew I had to move it to the top of my TBR pile.
So I did. And I am thrilled to say that this was an excellent choice.
The novel opens with Mia, a struggling addict with a less than stellar childhood, receiving a call from the police. A teenage girl is dead. Her twin brother (Lucas) is missing. And he is the suspect at large. Mia, trusting in her brother’s innocence, rushes home (back to her small town life) to try to find him and clear his name while addressing her own past demons.
I found Mia, our central character and the novel’s narrator, to be an incredibly likeable character. She was strong willed and stuck to her guns. She was also very damaged and clearly held on to a lot of trauma from her childhood. I loved watching her tenacity throughout the plot. I don't have a twin, but I do have two brothers, so I felt connected to her as she fought for her sibling.
To be honest, I was finding around the midway point that this one was a little lacklustre for me, I was engaged in the story and I found that I read it easily but not much stood out for me…until the end. That’s when Sherri Smith flipped a switch and suddenly, the brilliance of her narrative came to life. That ending came out of left field for me! It was absolutely riveting. The last one hundred pages flew by and I turned the last page feeling breathless.
As I always do when I am reading a book, I did a little research on the author and I was incredibly impressed to find out that Smith had previously written two historical fiction novels and then she came out with this?? The ability to switch gears and write with such diversity, that is raw talent. AND she lives in Canada! Needless to say, hello new author obsession!!
If you want something that is easy to read, a little bit lighter but still packing a killer punch, I would definitely consider this one as your next choice! I’m calling this as something to bring to the beach and lazily enjoy.
Can’t wait to see what she will write next! Mark your calendars because this one releases next week (March 21, 2017).
So I did. And I am thrilled to say that this was an excellent choice.
The novel opens with Mia, a struggling addict with a less than stellar childhood, receiving a call from the police. A teenage girl is dead. Her twin brother (Lucas) is missing. And he is the suspect at large. Mia, trusting in her brother’s innocence, rushes home (back to her small town life) to try to find him and clear his name while addressing her own past demons.
I found Mia, our central character and the novel’s narrator, to be an incredibly likeable character. She was strong willed and stuck to her guns. She was also very damaged and clearly held on to a lot of trauma from her childhood. I loved watching her tenacity throughout the plot. I don't have a twin, but I do have two brothers, so I felt connected to her as she fought for her sibling.
To be honest, I was finding around the midway point that this one was a little lacklustre for me, I was engaged in the story and I found that I read it easily but not much stood out for me…until the end. That’s when Sherri Smith flipped a switch and suddenly, the brilliance of her narrative came to life. That ending came out of left field for me! It was absolutely riveting. The last one hundred pages flew by and I turned the last page feeling breathless.
As I always do when I am reading a book, I did a little research on the author and I was incredibly impressed to find out that Smith had previously written two historical fiction novels and then she came out with this?? The ability to switch gears and write with such diversity, that is raw talent. AND she lives in Canada! Needless to say, hello new author obsession!!
If you want something that is easy to read, a little bit lighter but still packing a killer punch, I would definitely consider this one as your next choice! I’m calling this as something to bring to the beach and lazily enjoy.
Can’t wait to see what she will write next! Mark your calendars because this one releases next week (March 21, 2017).
4.25 Stars
Mia Haas left North Dakota behind 5 years ago and hasn't looked back, her brother handles her mother for them and she doesn't have to face the town and life that never did any good for her. Called back by the police for questioning regarding her brothers disappearance, she finds everything is not as she left it behind. Lucas Haas is wanted for the murder of an underage girl, but Mia knows he would never do anything like that and is determined to uncover the truth, no matter what it takes. Facing the town's ridiculing stares is one thing, but uncovering her past to find the answers leads Mia down a twisted trail she can barely handle.
Follow Me Down comes with all of my favorite mystery novel qualities, plus my favorite type of narrator...an unreliable one. Mia is a pill popping extraordinaire, she manages to come across as totally normal to everyone around her, except her mind is a jumbled mess. Readers are treated to her frantic thoughts and desperation bordering on obsession to find her brother and prove his innocence. Like most small towns, Mia's hometown features unpleasant drama between the upper and lower class, secrets covered by years of piled up betrayal and judgement, and the ability to ruin one person's life with a mob mentality. On top of that, this is the height of scandal; Jason is a young, good looking teacher and for him to not only have an affair with a student, but to also kill her, has everyone talking and everyone condemning him. Mia faces those opinions, taking on dangers and participating in slightly crazy antics to uncover the truth, along the way uncovering her own personal truth. She's the kind of character you want to believe, but she's just unreliable enough that you question everything she does. I absolutely never saw the ending coming, Sherri Smith kept the truth of Jason going missing and the true cause of death of the young girl close.
Sherri Smith brings the little town the life, the secondary characters even having such complex personalities that you recognize every person Mia encounters has some part in the mystery that truly spans several years. From the copy-cat best friend and his pot dealing wife to the overly-interested little sister of the missing girl and a school counselor who might be a little more involved than Mia would like, every one of them tells part of the story. It's definitely a case of who-dun-it, a psychological mystery that shows just how corrupt and guilty a tiny town is. Follow Me Down is an immersive experience, when you finish the last page you will be shocked to see you haven't actually been living the horrors alongside Mia. A high 4 stars to Sherri Smith for this new release.
Mia Haas left North Dakota behind 5 years ago and hasn't looked back, her brother handles her mother for them and she doesn't have to face the town and life that never did any good for her. Called back by the police for questioning regarding her brothers disappearance, she finds everything is not as she left it behind. Lucas Haas is wanted for the murder of an underage girl, but Mia knows he would never do anything like that and is determined to uncover the truth, no matter what it takes. Facing the town's ridiculing stares is one thing, but uncovering her past to find the answers leads Mia down a twisted trail she can barely handle.
Follow Me Down comes with all of my favorite mystery novel qualities, plus my favorite type of narrator...an unreliable one. Mia is a pill popping extraordinaire, she manages to come across as totally normal to everyone around her, except her mind is a jumbled mess. Readers are treated to her frantic thoughts and desperation bordering on obsession to find her brother and prove his innocence. Like most small towns, Mia's hometown features unpleasant drama between the upper and lower class, secrets covered by years of piled up betrayal and judgement, and the ability to ruin one person's life with a mob mentality. On top of that, this is the height of scandal; Jason is a young, good looking teacher and for him to not only have an affair with a student, but to also kill her, has everyone talking and everyone condemning him. Mia faces those opinions, taking on dangers and participating in slightly crazy antics to uncover the truth, along the way uncovering her own personal truth. She's the kind of character you want to believe, but she's just unreliable enough that you question everything she does. I absolutely never saw the ending coming, Sherri Smith kept the truth of Jason going missing and the true cause of death of the young girl close.
Sherri Smith brings the little town the life, the secondary characters even having such complex personalities that you recognize every person Mia encounters has some part in the mystery that truly spans several years. From the copy-cat best friend and his pot dealing wife to the overly-interested little sister of the missing girl and a school counselor who might be a little more involved than Mia would like, every one of them tells part of the story. It's definitely a case of who-dun-it, a psychological mystery that shows just how corrupt and guilty a tiny town is. Follow Me Down is an immersive experience, when you finish the last page you will be shocked to see you haven't actually been living the horrors alongside Mia. A high 4 stars to Sherri Smith for this new release.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A woman returns to her small home town after her brother is accused of a sexual relationship with a student and then her death and then he disappears. Mia goes home to straighten everything out. (If only!) I will admit: I did not guess who did it. But, I almost didn't care who did do it. There were so many things to think about while reading this book: whether Lucas was really having the affair, what was going on with Mia and her functioning drug addiction, whether the town police had covered up what really happened with their mother's car accident years ago, and whether Mia should be sleeping with Eric or Garrett. A lot to think about! And for me, it was difficult to think about "who done it" when Lucas was still missing. That wild card left everything in limbo. Admittedly, I also felt like all those other questions made things a little confusing in the middle of the book. A character would come back in to the story and I would have to stop and remember who they were and where their place was in the mayhem. End result: hell hath no fury like a woman scorned would be the perfect tag line for this book, for more than one reason!
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Forge Books in exchange for an honest review.
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Forge Books in exchange for an honest review.
*semi-spoiler* Maybe I've become a thriller snob, but this one did not do it for me. I had a hard time connecting with the main character who was a pill popper and the ending was too Mean Girls gone wrong for me.
This review, and many more, are available on my blog Girl About Library!
"Follow Me Down" by Sherri Smith is set in the fictional town of Wayoata, North Dakota. In typical small town USA fashion, Wayoata likely has five or six traffic lights, a local grocery store, and a high school sports team for everyone to rally around- and rarely, a serious crime. The town is shocked when a beautiful high school senior girl is murdered, and one of her teachers, the lead suspect, goes missing. Like Mia, the main character, I was equally charmed and wary of Wayoata - never knowing who to trust, or what might happen next. And just like a good small town rumor mill, "Follow Me Down" sucked me in....
Loved the main character and her return to hometown
Before starting "Follow Me Down" I was intrigued and attracted to the premise, particularly Mia's return to her small hometown in North Dakota. The city girl returning to her hometown roots spoke to my love of movies like "Sweet Home Alabama" or "Hope Floats" - embarrassing, perhaps, but really there is just so much story telling potential there! The connections and relationships are older, stronger, and also potentially broken, with a long, rich history already established. This was certainly the case for Mia and her return to Wayoata, North Dakota. Mia's mother lives in a rehabilitation center due to a previous alcohol related accident, the police chief investigating her brother's disappearance is far from a family friend, the police officer working with Mia was a middle school friend and her first kiss, and many of the parents of the students involved in the murder investigation are former classmates as well. At times the murder mystery plot fell away, but in its place were some incredibly interesting relationship dynamics. The author, Sherri Smith, did an excellent job using this story telling formula to make a rich and engaging community of characters.
Good twists and turns
Through the course of the book, there are a handful of characters you consider for the "whodunit". One of my favorite elements in "Follow Me Down" was this constant guessing game for Mia. Mia's internal dialogue was frequently a run down of why any one character might have killed Joanna or her brother. It was at times hilarious, the story Mia could so quickly build in her mind about how or why a character might've had motive to commit the crime. But between the laughs, I was also eyeing the characters, feeling no one could be trusted, and wondering who the real suspects might be. Sherri Smith created a community of suspicious characters, but they are also very real and their actions, while at times suspicious, also felt justified. While reading, it felt like each turn of the page left me hoping that the solution to the mystery was just around the corner. This book is definitely a page turner!
Things I Struggled With
Okay, so yes, I do love "Hope Floats" and "Sweet Home Alabama", and a common thread in those movies are immediate love interests - and while they are swoon worthy in those movies, I don't love them quite as much in my reading. Sherri Smith has such a solid murder mystery here, and such great characters, that the romance plot lines cropping up quickly felt a little unnecessary and took away from my enjoyment of the mystery's suspense. Also, my type A personality really struggled with Mia's decision to drop her job in Chicago with no notice. She leaves suddenly, and understandably when she finds out that her brother is missing, but then spends an additional 16 days there with little discussion of the job she has left behind.What? She talks about the extreme expenses she is responsible for, from her apartment and infirm mother- yet seems fairly unconcerned that she may no longer have an income? Just seemed a little off.
"Follow Me Down" by Sherri Smith is set in the fictional town of Wayoata, North Dakota. In typical small town USA fashion, Wayoata likely has five or six traffic lights, a local grocery store, and a high school sports team for everyone to rally around- and rarely, a serious crime. The town is shocked when a beautiful high school senior girl is murdered, and one of her teachers, the lead suspect, goes missing. Like Mia, the main character, I was equally charmed and wary of Wayoata - never knowing who to trust, or what might happen next. And just like a good small town rumor mill, "Follow Me Down" sucked me in....
Loved the main character and her return to hometown
Before starting "Follow Me Down" I was intrigued and attracted to the premise, particularly Mia's return to her small hometown in North Dakota. The city girl returning to her hometown roots spoke to my love of movies like "Sweet Home Alabama" or "Hope Floats" - embarrassing, perhaps, but really there is just so much story telling potential there! The connections and relationships are older, stronger, and also potentially broken, with a long, rich history already established. This was certainly the case for Mia and her return to Wayoata, North Dakota. Mia's mother lives in a rehabilitation center due to a previous alcohol related accident, the police chief investigating her brother's disappearance is far from a family friend, the police officer working with Mia was a middle school friend and her first kiss, and many of the parents of the students involved in the murder investigation are former classmates as well. At times the murder mystery plot fell away, but in its place were some incredibly interesting relationship dynamics. The author, Sherri Smith, did an excellent job using this story telling formula to make a rich and engaging community of characters.
Good twists and turns
Through the course of the book, there are a handful of characters you consider for the "whodunit". One of my favorite elements in "Follow Me Down" was this constant guessing game for Mia. Mia's internal dialogue was frequently a run down of why any one character might have killed Joanna or her brother. It was at times hilarious, the story Mia could so quickly build in her mind about how or why a character might've had motive to commit the crime. But between the laughs, I was also eyeing the characters, feeling no one could be trusted, and wondering who the real suspects might be. Sherri Smith created a community of suspicious characters, but they are also very real and their actions, while at times suspicious, also felt justified. While reading, it felt like each turn of the page left me hoping that the solution to the mystery was just around the corner. This book is definitely a page turner!
Things I Struggled With
Okay, so yes, I do love "Hope Floats" and "Sweet Home Alabama", and a common thread in those movies are immediate love interests - and while they are swoon worthy in those movies, I don't love them quite as much in my reading. Sherri Smith has such a solid murder mystery here, and such great characters, that the romance plot lines cropping up quickly felt a little unnecessary and took away from my enjoyment of the mystery's suspense. Also, my type A personality really struggled with Mia's decision to drop her job in Chicago with no notice. She leaves suddenly, and understandably when she finds out that her brother is missing, but then spends an additional 16 days there with little discussion of the job she has left behind.What? She talks about the extreme expenses she is responsible for, from her apartment and infirm mother- yet seems fairly unconcerned that she may no longer have an income? Just seemed a little off.
I had been anticipating this release for awhile and was so excited to get my hands on a copy! This was a great quick read and it kept a good pace. I found myself sucked into the story of Mia and her struggle to find her missing twin brother, Lucas.
The story follows Mia, a pharmacist living in Chicago, when one day she gets a phone call from her hometown sheriff. She immediately has to come back to her hometown in North Dakota to help find her missing brother. A teenage girl is found murdered and her brother is the prime person of interest. Mia sticks firmly with her belief in her brother's innocence, but there's that nagging question, if he was innocent, why did he run? I feel that Smith did a great job of developing the characters - especially Mia. While she had a rough childhood and hasn't completely come to terms with it, she puts that all aside to help her brother. Loyal to fault, flawed, and strong. What's not to love about her?
The book kept a good pace, the writing style made it flow well and you didn't really realize that you were already halfway through, but it really picked up at the end. Did not see that ending coming! I love when a thriller does that. You're keeping interested throughout the story, kind of a leisurely pace, and then BAM! Out of left field! If you're in the mood for a thriller, but want one on the lighter side, then I'd highly recommend this.
Thank you to Tor/Forge for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The story follows Mia, a pharmacist living in Chicago, when one day she gets a phone call from her hometown sheriff. She immediately has to come back to her hometown in North Dakota to help find her missing brother. A teenage girl is found murdered and her brother is the prime person of interest. Mia sticks firmly with her belief in her brother's innocence, but there's that nagging question, if he was innocent, why did he run? I feel that Smith did a great job of developing the characters - especially Mia. While she had a rough childhood and hasn't completely come to terms with it, she puts that all aside to help her brother. Loyal to fault, flawed, and strong. What's not to love about her?
The book kept a good pace, the writing style made it flow well and you didn't really realize that you were already halfway through, but it really picked up at the end. Did not see that ending coming! I love when a thriller does that. You're keeping interested throughout the story, kind of a leisurely pace, and then BAM! Out of left field! If you're in the mood for a thriller, but want one on the lighter side, then I'd highly recommend this.
Thank you to Tor/Forge for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
**overall rating 4.5**
I loved Follow me down.
As a twin myself, I really felt connected to Mia and Lucas. Everything they've been through either together or separately really played with my emotions. I felt anger, guilt, frustration etc..
The book really played out vividly in my mind, it was almost like I was watching a movie rather than reading a book.Sherri has crafted some brilliant characters in which I felt were all relevant in their own ways.
There are some twisty twists along the way that I didn't see coming at all!
Sherri has a unique way with words and has put together a gripping storyline that will have turning those pages.
So, if you want an edge of your seat, gripping, twisty thriller this is the book for you.
I loved Follow me down.
As a twin myself, I really felt connected to Mia and Lucas. Everything they've been through either together or separately really played with my emotions. I felt anger, guilt, frustration etc..
The book really played out vividly in my mind, it was almost like I was watching a movie rather than reading a book.Sherri has crafted some brilliant characters in which I felt were all relevant in their own ways.
There are some twisty twists along the way that I didn't see coming at all!
Sherri has a unique way with words and has put together a gripping storyline that will have turning those pages.
So, if you want an edge of your seat, gripping, twisty thriller this is the book for you.
“They say only the guilty run…”
That caught my attention almost as much as the title and synopsis, I had a good feeling I’d like this book but Sherri Smith exceeded all my expectations with this one. To use a cliched phrase, it’s one of those books where you tell yourself ‘just one more chapter’ and before you know it, you’re over half way through the book!
The mystery surrounding Lucas’s guilt and his whereabouts makes for a thoroughly compelling read, and a lot of that is down to the character of Mia – enter my favourite kind of character – escaping events from the past, flawed yet likeable. In fact, the majority of the characters are deeply flawed, and that makes for entertaining reading!
Mia and Lucus did not have the easiest of upbringings but they survived. Mia moved away from their small town and is self-medicating to get by; Lucas, however, stayed and now he’s wanted for murder, Mia has no choice but to return and find out what happened to her brother. Smith wrote a great character in Mia, as the story progressed, I liked how Mia started to lose control but remained determined in her quest to find her brother. The story is narrated by Mia and you really warm to her character and will her on.
This book had twists and turns galore, and not one did I management to predict. If you’re looking for unlikeable characters, you’ll find a few in this book too! We’re given an insight into the twin’s upbringing and their relationship with their single mother, Mimi; seeing Mia come face to face with her past added a great subplot to this story.
Not dark in a haunting way but more in a ‘follow Mia down the rabbit hole’ kind of way. Follow Me Down is a psychological thriller wrapped up in a ‘whodunit’ mystery and I highly recommend this book!
*My thanks to Titan Books for providing me with a copy of this book*
That caught my attention almost as much as the title and synopsis, I had a good feeling I’d like this book but Sherri Smith exceeded all my expectations with this one. To use a cliched phrase, it’s one of those books where you tell yourself ‘just one more chapter’ and before you know it, you’re over half way through the book!
The mystery surrounding Lucas’s guilt and his whereabouts makes for a thoroughly compelling read, and a lot of that is down to the character of Mia – enter my favourite kind of character – escaping events from the past, flawed yet likeable. In fact, the majority of the characters are deeply flawed, and that makes for entertaining reading!
Mia and Lucus did not have the easiest of upbringings but they survived. Mia moved away from their small town and is self-medicating to get by; Lucas, however, stayed and now he’s wanted for murder, Mia has no choice but to return and find out what happened to her brother. Smith wrote a great character in Mia, as the story progressed, I liked how Mia started to lose control but remained determined in her quest to find her brother. The story is narrated by Mia and you really warm to her character and will her on.
This book had twists and turns galore, and not one did I management to predict. If you’re looking for unlikeable characters, you’ll find a few in this book too! We’re given an insight into the twin’s upbringing and their relationship with their single mother, Mimi; seeing Mia come face to face with her past added a great subplot to this story.
Not dark in a haunting way but more in a ‘follow Mia down the rabbit hole’ kind of way. Follow Me Down is a psychological thriller wrapped up in a ‘whodunit’ mystery and I highly recommend this book!
*My thanks to Titan Books for providing me with a copy of this book*