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marijka's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mstammyreads's review against another edition
5.0
Totally loved this book! Lisa Gardner might be my new favorite author. This book is a complex read that will keep you engaged to the very end. Complete with an unreliable narrator!
litwithleigh's review against another edition
3.0
Writing: typical Lisa Gardner (solid) | Plot: again, typical—went off da rails | Ending: SIDE EYE
Phat ass trigger warning: sexual child abuse, grooming, addiction, domestic violence | 3.5 rounded down
SYNOPSIS
After a brutal car accident, Nicky Frank frantically tells paramedics that her daughter Vero is in the car. But there's no one in the car, and Nicky's husband swears they've never had kids. DUN DUN DUN!!!!!
MY OPINION
So the first 40% of this is a straight up BANGER ALERT. I was thinking: wooow the day has come where she's matched the greatness of [b:Live to Tell|7180727|Live to Tell (Detective D.D. Warren, #4)|Lisa Gardner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440316621l/7180727._SY75_.jpg|7192827]. The plot? So thicc it makes everyone in the room uncomfortable (shoutout to Drake). Is Vero real? What's up with Mr. and Mrs. Spooktacular (the Franks)? My ass was fully snatched up.
Unfortunately, things kinda went sideways from 60% onward. The phrase "Vero wants to fly" was starting to make my eye twitch every time I read it. And once the whole Vero thing was revealed, I was low-key disappointed. In a way, I'm not mad that Gardner went OTT, I just wish had went OTT in a different direction. The big reveal was hella contrived and I found the dialogue extremely corny. That meeting between Nicky and her mom????? I need to know what Wyatt and Tessa were doing while these two ladies talked AT each other for 10 pages straight LOL. FYI if my mom sells me to a madame for 10k, do NOT bury me next to her under any circumstances. I will most certainly haunt the life outta you.
Keeping this one short and sweet because it's kinda old so it'll only be on your radar if you're a Gardner fan. I would say: yes, read it. But it still doesn't top Live To Tell. Idk if anything will.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, first 40% is a banger
Cons: repetitive, didn't like the direction the plot went (tbh it felt like she had something different planned but ended up taking a long-ass detour?), ending was contrived, dialogue was cheesy
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
Phat ass trigger warning: sexual child abuse, grooming, addiction, domestic violence | 3.5 rounded down
SYNOPSIS
After a brutal car accident, Nicky Frank frantically tells paramedics that her daughter Vero is in the car. But there's no one in the car, and Nicky's husband swears they've never had kids. DUN DUN DUN!!!!!
MY OPINION
So the first 40% of this is a straight up BANGER ALERT. I was thinking: wooow the day has come where she's matched the greatness of [b:Live to Tell|7180727|Live to Tell (Detective D.D. Warren, #4)|Lisa Gardner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440316621l/7180727._SY75_.jpg|7192827]. The plot? So thicc it makes everyone in the room uncomfortable (shoutout to Drake). Is Vero real? What's up with Mr. and Mrs. Spooktacular (the Franks)? My ass was fully snatched up.
Unfortunately, things kinda went sideways from 60% onward. The phrase "Vero wants to fly" was starting to make my eye twitch every time I read it. And once the whole Vero thing was revealed, I was low-key disappointed. In a way, I'm not mad that Gardner went OTT, I just wish had went OTT in a different direction. The big reveal was hella contrived and I found the dialogue extremely corny. That meeting between Nicky and her mom????? I need to know what Wyatt and Tessa were doing while these two ladies talked AT each other for 10 pages straight LOL. FYI if my mom sells me to a madame for 10k, do NOT bury me next to her under any circumstances. I will most certainly haunt the life outta you.
Keeping this one short and sweet because it's kinda old so it'll only be on your radar if you're a Gardner fan. I would say: yes, read it. But it still doesn't top Live To Tell. Idk if anything will.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, first 40% is a banger
Cons: repetitive, didn't like the direction the plot went (tbh it felt like she had something different planned but ended up taking a long-ass detour?), ending was contrived, dialogue was cheesy
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
paulabrandon's review against another edition
3.0
This feels a lot like Lisa Gardner wanted to do a trendy unreliable narrator book, since so many first-time or new authors were hitting it big with similar ideas (Before I Go To Sleep, Gone Girl etc). While it's a typically twisty entry from her, it falls at the bottom end of the scale of her output. First of all, it's just TOO SLOW to get going. For the first 40%, we keep going back again and again to that ravine for what feels like a how-to guide on investigating motor vehicle accidents! Wyatt even says "I'm sick of this damn ravine" three times in one page, and I was in complete agreement!
If there's a car accident and nobody is injured and no drink-driving was involved (like here), I don't know any police department that would spend so much time investigating! They've got other things to do!
After about 45%, it got back on track, but it was a bit too-little, too-late for me! Lots of repetition ("Vero wants to fly!"), too few characters in the narrative to really have a good whodunit, and a climax that was virtually Grand Guignol! (I half expected the villain to declare: "You must die for what you know! Mwah mwah mwah!")
Lisa Gardner is capable of much better than this!
If there's a car accident and nobody is injured and no drink-driving was involved (like here), I don't know any police department that would spend so much time investigating! They've got other things to do!
After about 45%, it got back on track, but it was a bit too-little, too-late for me! Lots of repetition ("Vero wants to fly!"), too few characters in the narrative to really have a good whodunit, and a climax that was virtually Grand Guignol! (I half expected the villain to declare: "You must die for what you know! Mwah mwah mwah!")
Lisa Gardner is capable of much better than this!
lauraklassen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
nic_fish's review against another edition
4.0
More twists and turns than the average country road! Really have to pay attention during the middle of the book! Really enjoy this author!
mo_ber's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Child abuse
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
ssomers14's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was an interesting mystery and unique story. It felt a little drawn out though. Also it was fun to read a story set in New Hampshire, though the narrator seems to think we all sound like we’re from Boston. 😅