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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
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:
Yes
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-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:
Yes
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I've postponed this for a while now before picking it up again. The start was slow and I have to admit, I don't particularly liked the main lead which was Bel. She had this angsty attitude that I completely understand because of how traunatizing her childhood was. I know how hard it is for her to provide trust to people, it is valid as to why she kept pushing them away. Early on, I can sense that there are certain things not adding up especially when Rachel reappeared. The sad part is that the ending was a bit rushed. Most of the twists can be predicted but the one including one of the characters is quite a nice surprise. However, the amount of twists in this one makes the story quite unbelievable. The only character I did like here was Ash, he was a great comedic relief which also gave Bel's character an improvement through their interaction.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I picked up this book because I had already read ‘A good girls guide to murder’ (and the rest of the trilogy), so I was familiar with the authors’ writing. Since I enjoyed the first book of that series and this one looked more or less the same style, I was curious to read it. What really made me buy this book was it was a special edition release - hardcover, sleeve and sprayed edges -, the kind of book you would enjoy having on display in a shelf.
I rated this book three stars. It took me longer than expected to finish, partly due to external factors, but also the pace of the book felt very uneven. The story starts as a family drama around Rachel’s disappearance, with the main facts being laid out by her daughter Bel as a documentary about this case is being produced.
Out of the little over 400 pages, I felt about half of them were spent in setting the scene - mostly focusing on Bel’s everyday life and disruptions and emotions caused by the documentary. A big turning point, hinted by the title, comes when Rachel suddenly reappears. Bel’s suspicions about the reappearence clearly drive the mystery forward, and along with some documentary crew members she starts to unfold key clues to this mystery.
The last 100 pages are where the story finally takes off. The pacing picks up, and the revelations kept me engaged - definitely the most enjoyable part of the book for me.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and light, but not a memorable read. I’d recommend this book to younger readers who enjoy drama with a little bit of mystery, but for me it did not live up to the potential.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes