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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
This book was alright. I acknowledge that I listened to parts of it late at night so maybe missed things but it also was a little confusing.
There were too many characters introduced right at the start and I kept forgetting who the couples were. Cal being the culprit because he was obsessed with Molly (Melinda's) case/abduction but also because he was her captor's half-brother seemed like it came out of nowhere.
I fell for the "Josh killing Jay to keep his affair secret" red herring and hoped that meant something else had gone on at the lodge with Annelise. But...nope. It was all just Cal. Which is fine but also felt like we had no hope of guessing it.
I didn't love how pretty much every middle-aged character besides Rita was described as heavy or with "an ample lap" or whatnot. It felt gross to constantly bring up their weight.
Another issue I had was that, with so many chapters, I expected this book to be very fast-paced and it simply wasn't. In fact, most of the chapters just ended randomly and anti-climactically. Which was kind of boring.
Molly just making her dog an emotional support animal with a vest from Amazon was completely hilarious, though.
All in all, it was a totally fine thriller that didn't do a lot for me. 2.5 rounded up.
There were too many characters introduced right at the start and I kept forgetting who the couples were. Cal being the culprit because he was obsessed with Molly (Melinda's) case/abduction but also because he was her captor's half-brother seemed like it came out of nowhere.
I fell for the "Josh killing Jay to keep his affair secret" red herring and hoped that meant something else had gone on at the lodge with Annelise. But...nope. It was all just Cal. Which is fine but also felt like we had no hope of guessing it.
I didn't love how pretty much every middle-aged character besides Rita was described as heavy or with "an ample lap" or whatnot. It felt gross to constantly bring up their weight.
Another issue I had was that, with so many chapters, I expected this book to be very fast-paced and it simply wasn't. In fact, most of the chapters just ended randomly and anti-climactically. Which was kind of boring.
Molly just making her dog an emotional support animal with a vest from Amazon was completely hilarious, though.
All in all, it was a totally fine thriller that didn't do a lot for me. 2.5 rounded up.
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Kidnapping
Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This novel leaves no loose ends. Everything is wrapped up in a neat package. Its a refreshing read that fully utilizes red herrings and "twists".
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Murder
Although I typically reserve 2-stars for DNF I couldn't force myself to give this a 3.
2.5 stars for this completely implausible "popcorn thriller" that is about as bad as a 1990's Lifetime crime movie starring Tori Spelling, except this is worse because you get an annoying lead actor instead of Tori Spelling who was usually charming. It can keep you entertained as an audiobook, I guess.
NOTE: since this book is being marketed to readers of Megan Miranda and Shari Lapena, I feel compelled to say if you read those authors (as I do) you will feel insulted. The writing and story here does not rise halfway to the level I expect (and usually get) from Lapena and Miranda, who are not my favorite but write better than... this.
SUMMARY: Molly wakes up to find her husband murdered in their garage the night after his 40th birthday party. While the police are investigating his murder, they find a necklace in his things that belonged to a woman who went missing/is presumed dead on July 4. Of course, the police find this woman's body buried at his family's cabin. Molly insists it can't be her dear husband so it must be one of their friends that was at the cabin on July 4, and also at his birthday party.
But WAIT THERE'S MORE! Molly is Miranda (?) a 6yo who had been kidnapped with her 4yo friend and kept in a basement. No one except her parents and husband knew her true identity but now someone is calling her saying "I want you back in that basement!" now too and it isn't the guy who is in jail. Uh oh spagetti-o!
The rest of the book follows Molly as she tries to figure out who killed her husband/the missing woman and who is calling her. She also finds out that two of her friends are having an affair with each other and one is pregnant. Yawn, I know.
The book ends with not one but two extremely long confession/explanations (by the caller and the murderer) with a reveal that made my eyes hurt they rolled so bad. Then the author tries to shove in a happy hollywood ending. Barf.
Problems I had: The dead guy was Molly's therapist. Never mind he dated and married a patient, he didn't have her continue on with counseling with someone else, even though it was obvious she was still having PTSD and trauma. What ?
Next, Molly, who won't go to therapy herself but she harasses and bullies the one philandering friend to go to therapy. Molly, who is also keeping a large secret (understandably) also repeatedly threatens the one philandering friend to confess their sins to those scorned or she will. Continuing on with Molly, she says so. many. times. she herself doesn't need therapy or outlets like swimming anymore because loving her husband is enough. The level of obsession and codependence around her husband was gagging.
Another problem I had: The police, when investigating, immediately rule out Molly and the other wives because they are women and "women don't kill women they don't know." This was actually said by a police officer. I CANNOT.
Lastly, the reveal as to who the caller is and his motives (I won't say because it is a "spoiler") was so dumb my 12yo sister could come up with something better.
I won't be reading this author again but I did enjoy the narrator which is probably the only reason I finished this book. Oof. NEXT!
2.5 stars for this completely implausible "popcorn thriller" that is about as bad as a 1990's Lifetime crime movie starring Tori Spelling, except this is worse because you get an annoying lead actor instead of Tori Spelling who was usually charming. It can keep you entertained as an audiobook, I guess.
NOTE: since this book is being marketed to readers of Megan Miranda and Shari Lapena, I feel compelled to say if you read those authors (as I do) you will feel insulted. The writing and story here does not rise halfway to the level I expect (and usually get) from Lapena and Miranda, who are not my favorite but write better than... this.
SUMMARY: Molly wakes up to find her husband murdered in their garage the night after his 40th birthday party. While the police are investigating his murder, they find a necklace in his things that belonged to a woman who went missing/is presumed dead on July 4. Of course, the police find this woman's body buried at his family's cabin. Molly insists it can't be her dear husband so it must be one of their friends that was at the cabin on July 4, and also at his birthday party.
But WAIT THERE'S MORE! Molly is Miranda (?) a 6yo who had been kidnapped with her 4yo friend and kept in a basement. No one except her parents and husband knew her true identity but now someone is calling her saying "I want you back in that basement!" now too and it isn't the guy who is in jail. Uh oh spagetti-o!
The rest of the book follows Molly as she tries to figure out who killed her husband/the missing woman and who is calling her. She also finds out that two of her friends are having an affair with each other and one is pregnant. Yawn, I know.
The book ends with not one but two extremely long confession/explanations (by the caller and the murderer) with a reveal that made my eyes hurt they rolled so bad. Then the author tries to shove in a happy hollywood ending. Barf.
Problems I had: The dead guy was Molly's therapist. Never mind he dated and married a patient, he didn't have her continue on with counseling with someone else, even though it was obvious she was still having PTSD and trauma. What ?
Next, Molly, who won't go to therapy herself but she harasses and bullies the one philandering friend to go to therapy. Molly, who is also keeping a large secret (understandably) also repeatedly threatens the one philandering friend to confess their sins to those scorned or she will. Continuing on with Molly, she says so. many. times. she herself doesn't need therapy or outlets like swimming anymore because loving her husband is enough. The level of obsession and codependence around her husband was gagging.
Another problem I had: The police, when investigating, immediately rule out Molly and the other wives because they are women and "women don't kill women they don't know." This was actually said by a police officer. I CANNOT.
Lastly, the reveal as to who the caller is and his motives (I won't say because it is a "spoiler") was so dumb my 12yo sister could come up with something better.
I won't be reading this author again but I did enjoy the narrator which is probably the only reason I finished this book. Oof. NEXT!
I don't know why I keep reading domestic thrillers when they keep disappointing me, but this is nothing special for the genre. There's a lot of hinting at a past event trying to serve as actual plot development, but I just wasn't invested by the time they finally decided to start revealing things.
Twisty, turny quick read, but I just didn't really connect with the characters.
Detective murder/kidnapping mystery. Pretty basic who done it…..