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carol8's review
4.0
She holds my gaze, suddenly serious. She doesn't try to wave off the compliment. "Sometimes there was a price to pay," she says, "for being beautiful."
tinkabelle's review
4.0
I loved this book, it's one of the best I've read in a while and I read a lot of books. It was well written and the characters well rounded. I couldn't put it down because I really wanted to see what was coming back so I finished this in record time.
jeni909's review
4.0
I wasn’t sure I loved the intertwined Lillian story at first…it seemed “extra.” But as the story progressed I became invested in every character. I love that I was on the edge of my seat while caring about why happened to each character. I was happy with the ending. This was my first Carol Goodman book, and it won’t be my last!
gm111111's review
5.0
Such a well-written story that combines the complexity of the Me Too movement with the delicacy of both mystery and history. I truly enjoyed the juxtaposition between new and old NYC. This was my first Carol Goodman novel and it won't be my last. She is truly talented writer, and kept me reading the drive to figure out Whodoneit!
butterbug01's review
4.0
Read the author's notes about why Carol wrote this book and how it was personal for her. At first I was worried she was jumping on a band wagon, but when I read her notes at the back of the book I was able to continue reading with a whole new appreciation of the novel.
teuliano's review
5.0
What a great read! So many twists and turns and such a well written great story
wimzie's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
danapr's review
4.0
Joan, a journalist who was assaulted after exposing a well known editor for years of sexual abuse towards women moves into The Refuge for her safety and peace of mind. Lillian is her elderly neighbor who has lived there for many years, also needing protection in the past from mob criminals. And finally, Melissa moves into The Refuge with very ulterior motives and becomes more of a danger due to her blinded need for revenge. This story is definitely an “edge of your seat” thriller with many close encounters and near misses between Joan and Melissa. Woven into the thriller aspects, Lillian slowly reveals her life story to Joan which becomes a whole other intriguing tale. Everything merges at the end with some satisfying twists and surprises.
I enjoyed the book for the most part - I like fast paced thrillers but there are some problems for me. The idea that Joan would not seek medical attention after her attack seemed unrealistic. I think the author used Joan’s concussion to explain how she continued to display poor judgment and miss details that put her in more danger thus upping the intrigue and near misses. And Melissa’s character was also just too unrealistic for me - MAYBE she could be so blinded by wanting revenge but all her sneaky behavior that no one catches just seems too far-fetched. I did initially get bogged down with Lillian’s story and wondered about it’s significance but eventually got drawn in and really liked the way it merged with Joan and Melissa in a surprising way in the end so I increased my rating from 3 to 4 for this reason. I will definitely try this author again and have added her latest book to my TBR pile.
I enjoyed the book for the most part - I like fast paced thrillers but there are some problems for me. The idea that Joan would not seek medical attention after her attack seemed unrealistic. I think the author used Joan’s concussion to explain how she continued to display poor judgment and miss details that put her in more danger thus upping the intrigue and near misses. And Melissa’s character was also just too unrealistic for me - MAYBE she could be so blinded by wanting revenge but all her sneaky behavior that no one catches just seems too far-fetched. I did initially get bogged down with Lillian’s story and wondered about it’s significance but eventually got drawn in and really liked the way it merged with Joan and Melissa in a surprising way in the end so I increased my rating from 3 to 4 for this reason. I will definitely try this author again and have added her latest book to my TBR pile.
davislacyj's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75