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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
I love Shari Lapena’s quick summer mysteries. Well it’s technically not summer but it sure felt like it this week perfect time for bloody tale of vengeful greed.
Fred and Sheila Merton are found brutally murdered the day after hosting their children, significant others, and the former nanny-turned-cleaning woman for Easter dinner. Fred and Sheila also just happened to be filthy rich everyone stands to inherit bags of cash. Fred is also less than loving toward his children, frequently basking in their misfortunes.
Each kid has secrets and motives of their own, plus there’s a handful of shady characters on the periphery. Fred’s disgruntled sister. Fred’s former secretary and single mother to his daughter’s best friend. His daughter’s random boyfriend. The police are stumped. None of the children trust each other.
The book was a true story of manipulation with just the right amount of suspicion toward everyone. The big reveal could literally have been anyone (except the one red herring try with like 35 pages to go. I knew that wasn’t the real end!)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fred and Sheila Merton are found brutally murdered the day after hosting their children, significant others, and the former nanny-turned-cleaning woman for Easter dinner. Fred and Sheila also just happened to be filthy rich everyone stands to inherit bags of cash. Fred is also less than loving toward his children, frequently basking in their misfortunes.
Each kid has secrets and motives of their own, plus there’s a handful of shady characters on the periphery. Fred’s disgruntled sister. Fred’s former secretary and single mother to his daughter’s best friend. His daughter’s random boyfriend. The police are stumped. None of the children trust each other.
The book was a true story of manipulation with just the right amount of suspicion toward everyone. The big reveal could literally have been anyone (except the one red herring try with like 35 pages to go. I knew that wasn’t the real end!)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I'm not sure how to feel about this one. I wanted more, it didn't keep my attention like I wanted.
I listen to the audio version of this book and feel like maybe it would’ve been better to read it. The narrator was very monotone and boring and I did not enjoy this book.
mysterious
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
No
I thought I could never tell what bad writing looks like. I was wrong.
dark
sad
tense
medium-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:
Yes
This book is centered around the murder of wealthy, dysfunctional couple Fred and Sheila Merton. As the investigation unfolds, all eyes turn to their three adult children Catherine, Dan, and Jenna. Each has their own secrets, motives, and reasons to resent their parents.
Catherine, the seemingly put-together eldest daughter, tries to hold the family together while managing her own suspicions and doubts. Dan, the struggling middle child, has financial woes that make him an obvious suspect. Jenna, the rebellious youngest, adds tension and unpredictability with her impulsive behavior and rocky relationship with her parents.
Lapena weaves in tension among siblings, extended family like Aunt Audrey, and the investigating detectives, creating a web of lies, mistrust, and shifting loyalties.
The ending left me a bit dissatisfied as far as who actually did it. There are several twists that kept me guessing.
mysterious
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot