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suzannelf's review against another edition
5.0
A thrilling, page-turning mystery. I rated this one a little differently, because even though I won't read it again (because it is a mystery that I already know the outcome to now,) it was a fantastic read. Even better than The Forgotten Girl which I read earlier this year! What I like about Bell's mystery writing, and any good mystery writer, is that there are clues that make the reader the detective. While there are twists and surprises throughout, the reader is never bombarded with some withheld information that suddenly reveals everything- a real pet-peeve of mine. The story and the characters are built up over time with little reveals along the way, and the pace is quick. It is a well crafted story. A great summer read because it is engaging, the language is conversational, and the intrigue happens very early in the book. It kept me reading late into the night. Just one more chapter! Ah! Just one more chapter!
kaleenazag's review against another edition
3.0
I had trouble giving this one a star rating. Here’s what I liked and what I didn’t like:
This was a super quick read for me. There were a lot of twists thrown at you throughout the book and I just wanted to know what happened.
A little over halfway through, the twists and turns got to be a bit much. I felt like everything was working out too well, and there were about two or three twists too many. It started to become extremely unrealistic (not that fiction books always have to be realistic), but I found myself going, okay, I wanted a good thriller, not a dramatic Lifetime movie.
If you’re looking for a good thriller, there are better ones out there. If you just love this genre, and want something that will keep you on the edge of your seat, even if it is cheesy, then go for it. After just finishing a five star read, maybe I was just expecting more?
This was a super quick read for me. There were a lot of twists thrown at you throughout the book and I just wanted to know what happened.
A little over halfway through, the twists and turns got to be a bit much. I felt like everything was working out too well, and there were about two or three twists too many. It started to become extremely unrealistic (not that fiction books always have to be realistic), but I found myself going, okay, I wanted a good thriller, not a dramatic Lifetime movie.
If you’re looking for a good thriller, there are better ones out there. If you just love this genre, and want something that will keep you on the edge of your seat, even if it is cheesy, then go for it. After just finishing a five star read, maybe I was just expecting more?
beckylej's review against another edition
3.0
Twenty years ago, Nick Hansen's girlfriend died in a tragic house fire. Imagine his surprise then when he sees a girl who strongly resembles his long lost love. He approaches the girl just to ask if she might be related but the terrified teen runs away. The following morning, she's discovered dead in a hotel room and Nick is the prime suspect.
Poor Nick. From the start he seems to have been dealt a bad hand. Divorced and separated from his stepson as a result, he almost muddles through life. But when he sees the girl in the grocery store, things take a turn for the worse. Suddenly he's a suspect in a murder and he can't help but wonder if the dead girl is connected to his first - lost - love.
Every time you think you know where Somebody I Used to Know is going, Bell throws another wrinkle into the story. Honestly he kind of pushed the limit as far as coincidences and new plot twists, but it all worked out in the end. It's something of a signature for him, though, the crazy number of plot twists, that is. In rereading my notes on The Forgotten Girl, I realize I'd noted it about that one as well.
Happily, Somebody I Used to Know ends a bit more satisfactorily than Forgotten Girl. Nary a fizzle in sight!
Poor Nick. From the start he seems to have been dealt a bad hand. Divorced and separated from his stepson as a result, he almost muddles through life. But when he sees the girl in the grocery store, things take a turn for the worse. Suddenly he's a suspect in a murder and he can't help but wonder if the dead girl is connected to his first - lost - love.
Every time you think you know where Somebody I Used to Know is going, Bell throws another wrinkle into the story. Honestly he kind of pushed the limit as far as coincidences and new plot twists, but it all worked out in the end. It's something of a signature for him, though, the crazy number of plot twists, that is. In rereading my notes on The Forgotten Girl, I realize I'd noted it about that one as well.
Happily, Somebody I Used to Know ends a bit more satisfactorily than Forgotten Girl. Nary a fizzle in sight!
tvisser's review against another edition
3.0
Mystery Monday book discussion. Interesting at the beginning, but it kind of fizzled at the end.
randi_reads's review against another edition
3.0
It was just okay. I didn't feel any connection to the main character, Nick, though. It was a very dry reading for me.
corinnereadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
This was an entertaining, fast-paced read! Nick Hansen is convinced he sees his college girlfriend at the grocery store, except it couldn't be her because she died 20 years ago...or did she? Nick decides to approach her, but as he does she runs off without a word. The next day, the police are knocking on his door because the girl from the store was found dead in a motel and she mysteriously had Nick's information on her. Leading Nick down a road of unanswered questions surrounding his college girlfriend's death, the murder of this girl is just the beginning. If you enjoy mysteries or detective work, I think you'd enjoy this book.
Thanks to @getredpr for sending me a copy. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to @getredpr for sending me a copy. All opinions are my own.
fallonwilloughby's review against another edition
5.0
Book Review to Come - First Reviewing for BG Daily News
scmaley's review against another edition
3.0
As I read the novel, I thought it was a great start for a first novel. I thought that the author had a really good shot at going somewhere with his writing, if he kept on writing. I was shocked when I reached the end and read at the bottom of his biography that he was the author of several other novels. To be honest, his writing wasn't what I expect from a seasoned author.
Characters, like the main character's college friend, come and go with little explanation. There is little to no character development of anyone other than the main character. And finally, while the ending makes sense logically, it doesn't make sense realistically. The motives assigned to the perpetrators were a bit far-fetched in my opinion, which is why I thought the author was new and would tighten his plotlines in the future.
While I don't regret reading this novel, I don't recommend rushing out to read it immediately.
Characters, like the main character's college friend, come and go with little explanation. There is little to no character development of anyone other than the main character. And finally, while the ending makes sense logically, it doesn't make sense realistically. The motives assigned to the perpetrators were a bit far-fetched in my opinion, which is why I thought the author was new and would tighten his plotlines in the future.
While I don't regret reading this novel, I don't recommend rushing out to read it immediately.