Reviews with content warning for Murder - The Survivors

Not as tense and riveting as other books of Harper’s that I’ve read, this is more a slow burn as the tension gradually ratchets up. There isn’t a sense that the protagonist and his family are in danger, a typical plot device when inquisitive people question suspicious characters, but the danger is ever-present in the forbidding landscape and its history.

This book is all about grief, guilt, and regret, and the ways families and friends draw apart with silent recriminations, not to mention outright hostility. There’s an emphasis on families - the protagonist has a baby daughter and loving partner, whereas none of his friends do - and how they can draw one in closer and provide stability or, conversely, push one away.

While not a pulse-pounding thriller, this mystery is well thought out, with more depth and insight than I’d anticipated. Jane Harper always provides a good read.

Content Warnings

bigheartedbibliophile's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

SPOILERS
“Kieran Elliott's life changed forever on the day a reckless mistake led to devastating consequences. The guilt that still haunts him resurfaces during a visit with his young family to the small coastal community he once called home. Kieran's parents are struggling in a town where fortunes are forged by the sea. Between them all is his absent brother, Finn. When a body is discovered on the beach, long-held secrets threaten to emerge. A sunken wreck, a missing girl, and questions that have never washed away...”
I loveeeee thrillers/mysteries, and this was no exception. From the very beginning, you are wondering what happened, and why Kieran left his hometown in the first place. In the end, you are left absolutely breathless and in shock. I could not put this book down, I needed to know what happened!

Content Warnings

aromarrie's review

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mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

okay yes, i'm all for open endings. in fact, i think they're pretty brilliant--and what jane harper did in this book added even more suspense to a story that's already filled to the brim with it, which admires a lot of respect from me. however,,,,

what the fuck?

content warnings//: allusions to suspicious drowning(s), death, gore, depiction of dementia (kieran's father), loss of a loved one, explorations of grief, allusion to murder, allusion to ptsd (never explicitly stated), past boat accident, and depiction of a bad storm

Content Warnings

julied's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

silver_valkyrie_reads's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Overall, I'd call this the solid, four star read I've come to expect from the author. I bumped it up a little because the reveal at the end, while disturbing, was also so perfectly human it drove home the accuracy of the 'humanness' in the rest of the story. One thing I also really appreciated about this story particularly is that while many characters (of necessity for a thriller) had their little secrets, most were simply about hiding small weaknesses and again, very *human* moments, not the kind that left me hating all the characters.

Content Warnings

nadspowell's review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

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Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Survivors by Jane Harper

thatsssorachael's review against another edition

readingelli's review against another edition

popsicleplease's review

nodogsonthemoon's review

jhbandcats's review against another edition

bigheartedbibliophile's review against another edition

aromarrie's review

julied's review against another edition

silver_valkyrie_reads's review against another edition

nadspowell's review against another edition