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brielowrey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Gun violence, Infertility, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Abortion, Child death, Death, Stalking, Torture, and Violence
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Confinement, Car accident, Child death, Bullying, Death of parent, Child abuse, Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, and Murder
Moderate: Abandonment, Eating disorder, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Rape
Minor: Vomit, Torture, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, and Abortion
ladyinverse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Abortion, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Gun violence, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Child abuse
flattrash's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
0.5
9:30-10:30 PM- Abby is on her regular late night stroll to clear her mind. She and Pepper encounter a pickup truck with a man sitting inside.
12:05 AM- Sheriff John Butler is feeling a bit uneasy not having any crimes committed in a week. Janice- wife of 32 yrs. pulls him back to bed.
1:09 AM- Deb Cutter is woken up by the sound of popping balloons. Husband Randy is gone, so is 17 y/o son Brock. Randy drives a pickup. He’s in the middle of refurbishing his parents farm and a homestead.
1:10 AM- Josie Doyle & Becky Allen (12 y/o’s) run to their house where the loud bangs are coming from. Mom, Father, and Ethan are there. Run into the cornfield and both are shot.
Present Day
Wylie Lark is inside a packed convenience store prepping for the snow and sleet ahead. Runs out after making eye contact with another patron. 14 y/o Seth moves in with his father/ ex- husband. Wylie is a true crime author. She is alone in a isolated farmhouse. When Tas (dog) is let out to do his business, he alerts to a little boy frozen on the ground.
Little girl and her mother are making Easter crafts. Her father comes downstairs with beer and a plastic bag. She sits and stares at the wall while they have "sex."
August 2000
Josie Doyle is doing chores around the farm and discovers Roscoe (dog) is gone. She spots a pickup watching her on the gravel road. Ethan is moody and getting into trouble. Becky is being dropped off for a sleepover. The girls go with Ethan to drop off a pie to their grandparents and shoot targets. Becky has a crush on Ethan. Cutter is also there. They show Becky how to shoot. Get caught by their dad William. He makes Ethan walk home alone and he shoots at the truck as they drive off. Later that night, William and Lynne Doyle killed, Ethan and Becky missing.
Present Day
Wylie brings the frozen boy inside. He looks to be 5 y/o and very thin. Gash on head. Terrified. Runs when she turns her back.
The little girl's mother is pregnant. This is her fourth time.
August 2000
Josie and Becky go look for Roscoe. Search neighbor's property, June and Jackson Henley. Ethan comes back home. Parents suspect him of following an ex-gf, Kara.
Present Day
Wylie finds the little boy hidden behind sofa. She goes outside and spots tire tracks. She follows it to a upside down truck and a woman in the snow.
August 2000
Josie and Becky sneak out to play on the trampoline. Hear gunshots coming from the house. The girls run into the cornfields. Becky is left behind and Josie is shot in the arm. The shooter has his back turned to her.
The man force feeds the woman a thick shake and the little girl drinks the leftovers. They both feel unwell.
Present Day
Wylie treks back home for wire cutters and a buggy. The woman is gone.
August 2000
Sheriff Deputy Levi Robbins pulls over Brock Cutter after he almost crashes into him. He's not as innocent as he appears.
Present Day
The boy finds Wylie's gun and crime scene photos.
August 2000
Josie stands in the cornfields until dawn. She discovers her parents' bodies. Matthew Ellis finds her in the middle of the road. Calls police.
The mother is having another miscarriage.
Present Day
Wylie tries to get more info out of the boy but he doesn't react.
August 2000
The police do sweep the scene, Josie is taken to the hospital, Margo Allen (Becky's mom) is getting worried.
Present Day
Someone has set the abandoned truck on fire. Power's gone out. Neighbor, Randy Cutter, checks on Wylie. Goes to barn for firewood. Sees a shadow heading to boy inside house. It's the woman, with a hatchet. 😨
The little girl cleans up the miscarriage from the bathroom floor.
August 2000
Sheriff Butler interviews Josie in the back of the ambulance.
Present Day
Wylie finds the woman on the couch with the boy. Both are distrustful of each other.
August 2000
Agent Camila Santos and John Randolph arrive on scene.
Present Day
The woman implied she will kill Wylie if she calls the police and separates her from the kid.
August 2000
Deputy Levi Robbins does catches Brock Cutter at the gas station. Lies about when he last saw Ethan Doyle. Ethan's truck is spotted in Leroy, Nebraska.
The woman and child have meager food supplies. When the man doesn't come back for a full day, the woman is able to break the basement lock. The little girl gets her first taste of 'Out There.' They quickly run back inside.
Present Day
The 'little boy' is a girl. Wylie is not giving up on convincing the woman to go to the police.
August 2000
Sheriff Butler goes to the Henley residence. Jackson runs. June lets him inside.
State trooper Phillip Loeb finds the Ethan's truck in a parking lot. Passenger Christina.
The man comes back after 3 days. When the woman confronts him about it, she's punched and isn't allowed to eat.
Randy Cutter was angry with Josie's parents over a land dispute. "Ethan" is calling Margo Allen and stating he has Becky. Coroner confirms Josie's parents were shot with 9 mm and shotgun in the same place. Josie finds Ethan in the goat barn. Search and rescue dog Jupiter finds a blood soak rag (Becky's).
The little girl and woman are duct taped and bound while the man has guests over for Christmas dinner.
Present Day
Wylie and the woman have matching horseshoe-shaped scars on their hands. Wylie changed her name from Josie Doyle. The killer is Jackson Henley. He took Becky.
August 2000
Search warrant for Henley property. Detective Levi Robbins smashes into the back of Brock Cutter's car. He was calling Margo Allen pretending to be Ethan. Jackson Henley is standing next to a pile of burning tires brandishing a gun.
The woman and little girl escape from the basement window. Take the man's truck. Topple over because of the tree in the middle of the road.
Present Day
Wylie locks Jackson into the toolshed and runs back inside. There is a new voice outside, Randy Cutter. Becky confirms it was him who killed Wylie's family and took her. Becky has Randy at gunpoint but shots the ceiling instead.
Randy knocks Wylie out and throws her out into the snow. He heads to the barn in search of the little girl. Wylie hits him with her car. The little girl finishes him off.
15 Months Later
Wylie reading excerpts from her book to the crowd. Becky and her daughter, Josie, are reunited with their family and are doing better.
Moderate: Rape, Miscarriage, Confinement, Murder, and Physical abuse
Minor: Vomit, Car accident, Blood, and Alcohol
opplecopter's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Rape, Vomit, Confinement, Pedophilia, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Murder, and Sexual assault
jkar7's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Gore, Police brutality, Terminal illness, Gun violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Minor: Animal cruelty, Self harm, and Vomit
annelihghh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Torture, Murder, Death of parent, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Confinement, Child death, Abandonment, Vomit, Miscarriage, Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Death, Misogyny, and Car accident
Moderate: Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Cursing, Alcohol, Gore, and Sexual assault
wonderfulxwonderful's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Vomit, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Murder, and Physical abuse
Minor: Car accident, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Rape, and Alcohol
fi_reads_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Vomit, and Violence
Moderate: Kidnapping, Blood, Confinement, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Car accident
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, and Alcohol
zoiejanelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
listen, if you like predictable thrillers with plot points that scream "cheap shock value," this is a fine book. actually, this was a good book! until what was supposed to be the big plot twist. kirkus reviews got it right this time: "Tense, taut, and terrifying—until the reveal. Read the first 43 chapters and be satisfied."
spoilers: the murderer is mentioned once in the beginning of the book, and the reveal leaves you asking, "wait, what the hell? who is this guy?"
instead of a well-done whodunnit, the author closed her eyes, spun around, and pointed at the first character she saw. the suspense immediately deflated, and there was no closure or compelling explanation to why the crime happened whatsoever. it was extremely amateur, and very disappointing.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Car accident, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Violence, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, and Sexual assault