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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
dark
tense
medium-paced
***These are my random thoughts after finishing the book for me to save as personal notes (because I can't see an option to make my review private). Some of the thoughts are an overall review of the book, or any questions/feelings that nagged at me throughout. There will almost definitely be spoilers. Read at your own risk.*** ‐----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The way the family died was so sad
The way the family died was so sad
Every Last Fear could have been titled "why do bad things happen to good people". Finlay does a great job at character development, giving us insight to the family dynamics. Even though there are some hiccups (no family is perfect), you find yourself rooting for the all the members of this tragic family.
Everything was bad enough when son and brother (Danny) was imprisoned for killing a girl, Dad Evan transfers from work at his job in a small town in Nebraska, to the Chicago, Illinois headquarters. But after a “wrongful conviction” documentary, things escalate.
We start to get all the clues as the chapters told in different POV before and after the death (and presumed murder) of the family in Mexico begin to unravel the story of who, why, what, where and when.
Matt has escaped the murder because he was in college at NYU, but when the FBI approach him about the deaths, he's unwittingly placed in the crosshairs of both the documentarians, the possible killer, and the outraged community in his hometown.
This thriller had a very different plot and was a nice change from the domestic thrillers I normally read. I can see this becoming a Netflix movie or even playing out as a crime podcast. Kudos to Alex Finlay on his debut novel!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this advance reader's copy for review.
Everything was bad enough when son and brother (Danny) was imprisoned for killing a girl, Dad Evan transfers from work at his job in a small town in Nebraska, to the Chicago, Illinois headquarters. But after a “wrongful conviction” documentary, things escalate.
We start to get all the clues as the chapters told in different POV before and after the death (and presumed murder) of the family in Mexico begin to unravel the story of who, why, what, where and when.
Matt has escaped the murder because he was in college at NYU, but when the FBI approach him about the deaths, he's unwittingly placed in the crosshairs of both the documentarians, the possible killer, and the outraged community in his hometown.
This thriller had a very different plot and was a nice change from the domestic thrillers I normally read. I can see this becoming a Netflix movie or even playing out as a crime podcast. Kudos to Alex Finlay on his debut novel!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this advance reader's copy for review.
3.5 rounded down.
I enjoyed this book far more than Finlay's other book that I read, but it still wasn't that great.
It was okay - excited to see Agent Keller show up again; enjoy how she's characterized throughout the books, but the mystery was predictable near the end. It was easy to see where it was going to go and that's never fun for a mystery novel.
I enjoyed this book far more than Finlay's other book that I read, but it still wasn't that great.
It was okay - excited to see Agent Keller show up again; enjoy how she's characterized throughout the books, but the mystery was predictable near the end. It was easy to see where it was going to go and that's never fun for a mystery novel.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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:
No
This was fine. I got really confused for a while because the book flips between like 4 narrators but in the audio book, it only used 2 voices. So it took me a minute to figure out the layout of the book. Classic thriller- build up & then then the last 50 pages are tying everything together. I did really think Matt was well developed but wanted to have learned more about Dannie and Maggie. Entertaining overall.
3.3 stars, rounded down to 3.*
I cannot tell a lie. I chose this book by its cover. The blurb was intriguing.
It is the first book by Alex Finlay that I have read.
The premise itself was interesting: NYU student Matt Pine wakes after a night of partying to learn that his parents and siblings have been found dead of an apparent gas leak while on Spring Break vacation in Mexico. Despite local police insisting it is an accident, the FBI has different thoughts. And they won't let Matt in on the reasons. The media frenzy is fast-but not just because of the deaths-because Matt's older brother Danny is serving a life-sentence for the murder of his teenaged girlfriend years ago. Matt's father had made his life's work proving his son was wrongfully convicted. But Matt saw something that night that made him believe his brother is guilty.
The story hops across time- from past to present giving you various characters' perspectives.
This would be a great movie. I'd recommend it to spy thriller fans. The writing is fine-if not inspired. I devoured it.
*with thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.
I cannot tell a lie. I chose this book by its cover. The blurb was intriguing.
It is the first book by Alex Finlay that I have read.
The premise itself was interesting: NYU student Matt Pine wakes after a night of partying to learn that his parents and siblings have been found dead of an apparent gas leak while on Spring Break vacation in Mexico. Despite local police insisting it is an accident, the FBI has different thoughts. And they won't let Matt in on the reasons. The media frenzy is fast-but not just because of the deaths-because Matt's older brother Danny is serving a life-sentence for the murder of his teenaged girlfriend years ago. Matt's father had made his life's work proving his son was wrongfully convicted. But Matt saw something that night that made him believe his brother is guilty.
The story hops across time- from past to present giving you various characters' perspectives.
This would be a great movie. I'd recommend it to spy thriller fans. The writing is fine-if not inspired. I devoured it.
*with thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.