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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Spoiler free:
This book is written in a documentary transcript style with intermittent photos, as well as articles and discussions from the public as each episodes aired. It was a really cool way to present the story which is about a true crime documentary being directed by the stepson of a murder victim trying to uncover the truth 20 years later. There were plenty of twists and turns to this story to keep you engaged (two nights of me staying up waaaay to late after everyone else was a sleep so I could read in peace attest to that.) I will say as someone who has read a lot of crime/ thriller/ mystery novels I did have the outcome predicted as one of my theories very early on but wasn't for sure till the one of the twists towards the end. The author did a really great job of throwing in enough red hearings and in my opinion perfectly timed revelations (which there are a lot of) to keep you guessing. I will forewarn this doesn't have a happy ending so if you prefer that in your books this may not be for you.
Also I know they are fictional but the poor Howard kids (adults at the time of the book) and the amount of traumas (not just with the murder) they all dealt with from such early ages made me feel so bad for each of them... even pretentious Rupert 🙄
This book is written in a documentary transcript style with intermittent photos, as well as articles and discussions from the public as each episodes aired. It was a really cool way to present the story which is about a true crime documentary being directed by the stepson of a murder victim trying to uncover the truth 20 years later. There were plenty of twists and turns to this story to keep you engaged (two nights of me staying up waaaay to late after everyone else was a sleep so I could read in peace attest to that.) I will say as someone who has read a lot of crime/ thriller/ mystery novels I did have the outcome predicted as one of my theories very early on but wasn't for sure till the one of the twists towards the end. The author did a really great job of throwing in enough red hearings and in my opinion perfectly timed revelations (which there are a lot of) to keep you guessing. I will forewarn this doesn't have a happy ending so if you prefer that in your books this may not be for you.
Also I know they are fictional but the poor Howard kids (adults at the time of the book) and the amount of traumas (not just with the murder) they all dealt with from such early ages made me feel so bad for each of them... even pretentious Rupert 🙄
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexism, Suicide, War
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury
Written in a different style, the transcript of a true crime docuseries, the story is intriguing and full of surprises. The style became a little distracting to the story, but overall it was unique and kept me interested enough to finish (and recommend to anyone who likes a good mystery).
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Cara Hunter demonstrated her exceptional writing skills, leaving me impressed! I particularly loved the way she employs various forms of communication, such as episodic transcripts, texts, voicemails, news clippings, and more, seamlessly weaving them together to naturally reveal the facts.
It evokes the same gripping sensation one experiences while watching captivating television dramas! The author has successfully created a narrative that feels like an intense, dramatic series, filled with ambiguous statements and suspenseful cliffhangers after each episode. The book is incredibly captivating, keeping the reader glued to the pages, further enhanced by the dysfunctional dynamics of the Howard family and the intriguing behavior of the experts involved in the program. This aspect is particularly clever, as it evokes shades of Agatha Christie's storytelling, while maintaining a fresh, modern, and vibrant atmosphere.
The pace remains brisk throughout, with a plethora of unlikeable characters, lies, and cover-ups, keeping you guessing until the very end!
It evokes the same gripping sensation one experiences while watching captivating television dramas! The author has successfully created a narrative that feels like an intense, dramatic series, filled with ambiguous statements and suspenseful cliffhangers after each episode. The book is incredibly captivating, keeping the reader glued to the pages, further enhanced by the dysfunctional dynamics of the Howard family and the intriguing behavior of the experts involved in the program. This aspect is particularly clever, as it evokes shades of Agatha Christie's storytelling, while maintaining a fresh, modern, and vibrant atmosphere.
The pace remains brisk throughout, with a plethora of unlikeable characters, lies, and cover-ups, keeping you guessing until the very end!
Such a unique way to write a book. It felt like I was watching a show or listening to a podcast. A fantastic twist towards the end, even though I saw it coming ;)