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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
If you’re in the habit of writing reviews immediately after finishing a book, schedule some extra time for this one. You may want to pencil in a nap before hitting the keyboard. Or at least take a moment to shake loose the knots in your brain.
The blurb does a good job of outlining the plot with 2 characters providing narration for the bulk of the story. First up is Matt Pine, a young NYU film student who’s had more than his share of family drama. As a young teen, he watched his older brother Danny go to prison for the murder of a young local girl. The resulting hostility from former friends & neighbours drove the Pines from their small town & permanently fractured their family unit. Several years later a true crime docudrama put Danny’s case (and possible innocence) back in the spotlight.
The resulting publicity meant everyone knew their name & Matt fled to New York for a small measure of anonymity, maybe even a stab at “normal” life. Well, it was nice while it lasted.
Waiting in his dorm one day is our second MC, FBI Agent Sarah Keller. And she has some unbelievably tragic news. Matt’s entire family…parents Evan & Liv along with siblings Maggie & Tommy….have been found dead in Mexico. How is that even possible?
Sarah is smart & intuitive woman who was investigating a separate case with loose ties to Matt’s father so it falls on her to chaperone Matt through this nightmare. She takes over narration duties in alternate chapters & keeps us informed on threads that run parallel to Matt’s version of events. Like Matt, her character is immediately likeable & I enjoyed riding shotgun with her as she picked away at what becomes an incredibly complex case. On a side note, shout out to her entertaining & supportive husband Bob. It was so refreshing to see someone in law enforcement portrayed as being in a solid, stable relationship & their phone conversations always made me smile.
The story unfolds in 2 streams: the present (Matt & Sarah’s reality) & “before” (which follows the Pines from Danny’s conviction to their deaths). Initially I found the historical chapters less engaging because I was invested in current day events & just wanted to get back to Matt & Sarah. But as the story unfolded, I realized there was much to be learned from what happened before as it slowly began to inform the present. Yes, this is a suspenseful thriller but it’s also the story of the demise of a family. How the legal system, social media & bias can rip apart the lives of average people. Everyone gets to tweet an opinion, don’t they…..doesn’t really matter whether you have any facts or knowledge to back it up.
There’s a lot more packed into this fast paced, plot driven thriller. You might need pen & paper to keep track of the gaggle of questions swirling around your head. If you’re looking to escape your current reality for a few hours, find a comfy seat & hold on. Your reading tool kit for this book should include a seat belt, taser, flip flops & tequila.
The blurb does a good job of outlining the plot with 2 characters providing narration for the bulk of the story. First up is Matt Pine, a young NYU film student who’s had more than his share of family drama. As a young teen, he watched his older brother Danny go to prison for the murder of a young local girl. The resulting hostility from former friends & neighbours drove the Pines from their small town & permanently fractured their family unit. Several years later a true crime docudrama put Danny’s case (and possible innocence) back in the spotlight.
The resulting publicity meant everyone knew their name & Matt fled to New York for a small measure of anonymity, maybe even a stab at “normal” life. Well, it was nice while it lasted.
Waiting in his dorm one day is our second MC, FBI Agent Sarah Keller. And she has some unbelievably tragic news. Matt’s entire family…parents Evan & Liv along with siblings Maggie & Tommy….have been found dead in Mexico. How is that even possible?
Sarah is smart & intuitive woman who was investigating a separate case with loose ties to Matt’s father so it falls on her to chaperone Matt through this nightmare. She takes over narration duties in alternate chapters & keeps us informed on threads that run parallel to Matt’s version of events. Like Matt, her character is immediately likeable & I enjoyed riding shotgun with her as she picked away at what becomes an incredibly complex case. On a side note, shout out to her entertaining & supportive husband Bob. It was so refreshing to see someone in law enforcement portrayed as being in a solid, stable relationship & their phone conversations always made me smile.
The story unfolds in 2 streams: the present (Matt & Sarah’s reality) & “before” (which follows the Pines from Danny’s conviction to their deaths). Initially I found the historical chapters less engaging because I was invested in current day events & just wanted to get back to Matt & Sarah. But as the story unfolded, I realized there was much to be learned from what happened before as it slowly began to inform the present. Yes, this is a suspenseful thriller but it’s also the story of the demise of a family. How the legal system, social media & bias can rip apart the lives of average people. Everyone gets to tweet an opinion, don’t they…..doesn’t really matter whether you have any facts or knowledge to back it up.
There’s a lot more packed into this fast paced, plot driven thriller. You might need pen & paper to keep track of the gaggle of questions swirling around your head. If you’re looking to escape your current reality for a few hours, find a comfy seat & hold on. Your reading tool kit for this book should include a seat belt, taser, flip flops & tequila.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
“Never underestimate the power of a creep with too much time on his hands”
― Alex Finlay
If you gather every single thing that can go wrong during a crime investigation and every possible fear you might have if it was your case, you would end up with a story like this one. This book has everything. The alleged culprit is behind bars but, his family knows that he didn’t do it and, they do everything in their power to solve this whodunit mystery. From coverups to conspiracy theories and even feuds between international police department and the FBI. It was very entertaining reading this book. I had my suspicions but I couldn’t figure it out myself the whole thing, and it was a big thing. While I love multiple POVs, this one was a bit annoying since it has a nonlinear timeline and on top of that it’s changing characters every other chapter.
― Alex Finlay
If you gather every single thing that can go wrong during a crime investigation and every possible fear you might have if it was your case, you would end up with a story like this one. This book has everything. The alleged culprit is behind bars but, his family knows that he didn’t do it and, they do everything in their power to solve this whodunit mystery. From coverups to conspiracy theories and even feuds between international police department and the FBI. It was very entertaining reading this book. I had my suspicions but I couldn’t figure it out myself the whole thing, and it was a big thing. While I love multiple POVs, this one was a bit annoying since it has a nonlinear timeline and on top of that it’s changing characters every other chapter.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
dark
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:
No
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Enjoyable read. The story kept me engaged and the characters were believable.