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isareader24's review against another edition
3.0
Just an "OK"read
I was expecting this book to be more entertaining. The main story was a bit to weak for me. They also did a poor job at developing the characters.
I was expecting this book to be more entertaining. The main story was a bit to weak for me. They also did a poor job at developing the characters.
cheriepatrice's review against another edition
slow-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? No
2.0
grace1994's review
4.0
It took me a while to get into this because there were so many characters to keep track of, but once I hit my stride I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately the ending just didn't really land for me. So many plot threads were never tied up and the ones that were weren’t very satisfying. It was all revealed quite slowly throughout the book so there was so real twist or surprise to get excited about by the end. Still an enjoyable read.
megan_reads_200's review against another edition
3.0
Average read, but would still recommend
More like a 3.5.
This was a decent read. It took a long while for it to get going, but when it finally did, it was pretty good. I always enjoy corruption-type storylines, and this proved to be a deep one. The ending was worth the slow start.
Listened to as an audiobook.
More like a 3.5.
This was a decent read. It took a long while for it to get going, but when it finally did, it was pretty good. I always enjoy corruption-type storylines, and this proved to be a deep one. The ending was worth the slow start.
Listened to as an audiobook.
lala_tour's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
3.0
This was a fine thriller... But I kept feeling that it was way overwritten to include too much "look, look... This guy is a really abusive sociopath... Do you get it? See?" I guess I enjoy my villains with a bit more subtlety. I also enjoy a thriller that keeps me guessing as to who the villain is and what their motivational might be. This book was too on the nose for me, but it was well paced and competently written... And that counts for a lot.
hfairfax's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
astoriareader's review
dark
emotional
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
5.0
SYNOPSIS
- Claire, an artist that makes shadow boxes, is attacked & left for dead at her house in a wealthy neighborhood in Connecticut. She isn’t sure who to trust. Her husband is her prime suspect. He is a prosecutor in the midst of trying to be elected governor.
- On the same day, Claire’s friend is murdered, and the teams investigating start to think the two incidents may be connected.
MY THOUGHTS
- This is my first novel by Luanne Rice, and I will absolutely be looking for more of her work.
- Fast paced. I devoured this one, and I finished in 24 hours. It starts off with an amazing opening, and thankfully, it remains strong through the last page.
- Expertly plotted. Characters & story line felt very realistic.
- Love a female protagonist.
- Writing was easy to read. Short chapters. Rice does a great job setting the scene, and it was easy to visualize everything that happens.
- Alternating POVs. We hear from Claire, as well as two brothers, Tom & Conor. Tom is a Coast Guard working on the friend’s murder, and Conor is part of LEO team investigating Claire’s incident.
- Alternating timelines. Chapters are labeled as being either before or after Claire’s attack.
- Rice did a nice job presenting living with an emotionally abusive partner. The flashbacks were nicely sprinkled throughout the story, and you can see how insidious abuse can be.
TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️a must read. finished in a day. female protagonist. multiple POVs. set in wealthy part of Connecticut. TW: abusive relationships.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Blood
Moderate: Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Death and Murder
hellastrong's review against another edition
3.0
This book was a fast and fun read, but ... so much of it just didn't work. Like, Claire's husband is sooooo powerful and influential that she can't just out him, she has to make this complicated shadow box that no one else even understands the meaning of to let him know that she knows? But then, by the ending, What??
Spoiler
suddenly no one cares who he is and he's just arrested along with his sons and supporters?bri_miller42's review against another edition
3.0
Confusing time line
I really didn't get into this book until about 70% of the way through. The timeline hopped around from so many different perspectives and I felt like it made it difficult to follow for the longest time. I loved the suspense at the end of the book and am glad I didn't stop reading because of the ending, but thought about putting the book down several times before I made it to that point.
I really didn't get into this book until about 70% of the way through. The timeline hopped around from so many different perspectives and I felt like it made it difficult to follow for the longest time. I loved the suspense at the end of the book and am glad I didn't stop reading because of the ending, but thought about putting the book down several times before I made it to that point.