Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
2.5 stars
Underwhelmed. Had to skim heavily.
Katie Bernard moves back home to Grady, Michigan and steps right back in to high school mode, despite being almost 40. Everyone is still there and nothing has changed. Her aunts run Bernard’s Inn on the lake, just as their entire family has done for 100 years. The super rich Palmer family owns the big, luxurious resort across the lake.
Katie’s sister disappeared when they were teenagers and was never found. Now 20 years later another teenager disappears from Bernard’s Inn.
Bradford and Benson, whose names are so similar it’s confusing but they are interchangeable characters anyway, are the Palmer brothers who are around Katie and Mal’s ages. Their dad is Lincoln Palmer. He’s an ass. He’s married to his second wife, Fallon. None of this really matters.
Katie’s best friend is Nicole, who is the most annoying almost 40 year old ever. Grow up. Her dad is Big Rich. Katie somehow accused Big Rich of being involved with Mal’s disappearance 20 years ago but then his name was cleared but PSYCH! Spoiler : he really did kidnap Mal, with help from Lincoln Palmer. They’ve kept her in an underground bunker for the last 20 years, along with other girls, including Sammie, the missing vacationer.
Sammie and Mal escape thanks to Fallon, who ends up being killed by Lincoln? I think? This is all unclear as to why or how because this is part one of a series, so it purposefully leaves lots of questions unanswered.
Two things I would change to make this more believable
1. The main characters are late 30s/early 40s but act like they’re in their 20s. Every time age was mentioned it brought me totally out of the story because they act so dumb.
2. Having Malorie be gone for 20 years, living in an underground bunker is just too unbelievable. Should have made it like 5 or max 8 years. Then the characters wouldn’t need to be so old, either.
Underwhelmed. Had to skim heavily.
Katie Bernard moves back home to Grady, Michigan and steps right back in to high school mode, despite being almost 40. Everyone is still there and nothing has changed. Her aunts run Bernard’s Inn on the lake, just as their entire family has done for 100 years. The super rich Palmer family owns the big, luxurious resort across the lake.
Katie’s sister disappeared when they were teenagers and was never found. Now 20 years later another teenager disappears from Bernard’s Inn.
Bradford and Benson, whose names are so similar it’s confusing but they are interchangeable characters anyway, are the Palmer brothers who are around Katie and Mal’s ages. Their dad is Lincoln Palmer. He’s an ass. He’s married to his second wife, Fallon. None of this really matters.
Katie’s best friend is Nicole, who is the most annoying almost 40 year old ever. Grow up. Her dad is Big Rich. Katie somehow accused Big Rich of being involved with Mal’s disappearance 20 years ago but then his name was cleared but PSYCH! Spoiler : he really did kidnap Mal, with help from Lincoln Palmer. They’ve kept her in an underground bunker for the last 20 years, along with other girls, including Sammie, the missing vacationer.
Sammie and Mal escape thanks to Fallon, who ends up being killed by Lincoln? I think? This is all unclear as to why or how because this is part one of a series, so it purposefully leaves lots of questions unanswered.
Two things I would change to make this more believable
1. The main characters are late 30s/early 40s but act like they’re in their 20s. Every time age was mentioned it brought me totally out of the story because they act so dumb.
2. Having Malorie be gone for 20 years, living in an underground bunker is just too unbelievable. Should have made it like 5 or max 8 years. Then the characters wouldn’t need to be so old, either.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was an amazing, fast-paced gripping thriller. I love books/authors that focus on particular geographical reasons, and JL Hyde’s books all take place in Michigan. Then, combine that with the 90s nostalgic campy I Know What You Did Last Summer vibes… and then, add in a really interesting and well-thought out plot, and this is becoming a top tier book for me.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No