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magnolia_reading's review against another edition
4.0
Suspenseful and even more heartbreaking because it is based on a real events. Not sleep with the lights on scary but still good!
jendieter1's review against another edition
4.0
I’ve always been drawn to mysteries and true crime stories. This story loosely based on the story of Johnny Gosch, a Des Moines paper boy did not disappoint.
The characters were well thought out and developed. I found myself rooting for Chrissie and Dale as they worked to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of Christopher and Matt. While Chrissie was driven by her future goals and the need to protect her younger brother, Dale’s search was rooted in the pain from his past and led him astray. Maybe because he was so convinced, I was eyeing a different suspect.
Child abduction and pedophelia are difficult subjects to write and read about. This is a well written story that shows that there are monsters among us and as a community we need to be watchful and aware of their presence to protect our children.
The characters were well thought out and developed. I found myself rooting for Chrissie and Dale as they worked to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of Christopher and Matt. While Chrissie was driven by her future goals and the need to protect her younger brother, Dale’s search was rooted in the pain from his past and led him astray. Maybe because he was so convinced, I was eyeing a different suspect.
Child abduction and pedophelia are difficult subjects to write and read about. This is a well written story that shows that there are monsters among us and as a community we need to be watchful and aware of their presence to protect our children.
hannahwoodson's review against another edition
1.0
I hated this book. It makes me want to force the author to listen to all of the "You're Wrong About" Podcast so she understands the kind of false, moral panic narrative she is creating with this story centered around "stranger danger" where anyone could be guilty of heinous things at anytime.
I have 0 interest in a "hero cop breaks all kinds of laws but it's ok because he knows the truth" narrative and even less in one where the cop is shown how wrong he is and immediately does it again! In real life, that is how innocent people are killed or wrongly incarcerated and it is high time to stop glorifying those narratives in fiction.
0/5 stars
I have 0 interest in a "hero cop breaks all kinds of laws but it's ok because he knows the truth" narrative and even less in one where the cop is shown how wrong he is and immediately does it again! In real life, that is how innocent people are killed or wrongly incarcerated and it is high time to stop glorifying those narratives in fiction.
0/5 stars
bgg616's review against another edition
3.0
This is a thriller about kidnapped and murdered boys set in the early 80's. The writer pays attention to details of the time, and I didn't find any glaring anachronisms. It was surprising to me that there was such a lack of awareness of pedophiles in this time period.
The protagonist is an 17-year-old girl, Crystal, who lives with her younger brother, 12, and her mother, a hairdresser. She is focused on becoming a print journalist. In the 1980's, this was still a viable career, unlike now. Two newspaper boys in her town have disappeared. Worried about her brother, she starts going with him on his rounds. There are two suspects throughout the story, until the guilty man is discovered. The one detail that was "off" were Crystal's worries about financing for her college education. I am pretty sure even in the early 80's students could file FAFSA's for federal financial aid, and given her academic achievements, and her family's borderline poverty, she would have gotten more than $1000 a year from her university (cost was $4000 a year).
This was a satisfactory story. I rate it 3.5, but not enough for a 4 star rating.
The protagonist is an 17-year-old girl, Crystal, who lives with her younger brother, 12, and her mother, a hairdresser. She is focused on becoming a print journalist. In the 1980's, this was still a viable career, unlike now. Two newspaper boys in her town have disappeared. Worried about her brother, she starts going with him on his rounds. There are two suspects throughout the story, until the guilty man is discovered. The one detail that was "off" were Crystal's worries about financing for her college education. I am pretty sure even in the early 80's students could file FAFSA's for federal financial aid, and given her academic achievements, and her family's borderline poverty, she would have gotten more than $1000 a year from her university (cost was $4000 a year).
This was a satisfactory story. I rate it 3.5, but not enough for a 4 star rating.
jenkoch88's review against another edition
5.0
This was a really good book. I was completely captivated by the story. The ending however made me really mad.
lonhok's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence and Child abuse
mollyfy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.5
jeannine_'s review against another edition
4.0
Twisty and dark, this book tells the mystery of missing paperboys in Des Moines, Iowa in 1984. The reader is invited to three perspectives: Dale, a detective with the local police; Sammy, a 12 year old paperboy; and Crystal, Sammy’s ambitious 18 year old sister. A solid four star read.
joliwhite's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0