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ruthypoo2's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This is a well-paced and well-written thriller told in alternating perspectives. I enjoyed the plot and was invested in the story. My issue is that I found the inconsistent personality of one of the main characters, forensics expert Dr. Hannah Byers, confusing and frustrating.
When Dr. Byers, a university professor and criminal forensics consultant, finds her meticulous professional life disrupted by questionable errors in protocol and personal behavior, she begins to suspect someone is targeting her livelihood and well-being. Though a brilliant and respected scientist in the STEM field, Dr. Byers is socially awkward and seems to have a touch of OCD, which can be a good thing for someone in a field that requires attention to detail. The character reminds me of Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan from the TV show, Bones, a renowned forensic anthropologist who’s socially inept.
While Dr. Byers is good about developing a potential suspect list of who could be targeting her fall from grace, she misses out on capturing or securing evidence to identify evidence or defend herself. In particular, there’s a lab mishap where it seems the police would want to secure the scene and investigate, but they don’t. And even if they didn’t, a scientist with particularly fastidious behavior like Dr. Byers would want to immediately take a look at the lab before it was “cleaned up” to determine what happened and have some way to document the findings. But she fails to take what seems like logical and reasonable actions. Hannah Byers is supposed to be a methodical researcher who focuses in on details, but that important trait in her personality drifts in and out, which took away from an otherwise interesting story of manic revenge.
This book is an entertaining read and will appeal to many. I thought the conclusion was satisfying, but some important levers clicked into place a little too conveniently. I’d recommend this book.
I listened to the audiobook and found the narrators, Cindy Kay and Jess Nahikian, fit the main characters very well and did a nice job with the peripheral characters too, giving them distinctive characteristics.
When Dr. Byers, a university professor and criminal forensics consultant, finds her meticulous professional life disrupted by questionable errors in protocol and personal behavior, she begins to suspect someone is targeting her livelihood and well-being. Though a brilliant and respected scientist in the STEM field, Dr. Byers is socially awkward and seems to have a touch of OCD, which can be a good thing for someone in a field that requires attention to detail. The character reminds me of Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan from the TV show, Bones, a renowned forensic anthropologist who’s socially inept.
While Dr. Byers is good about developing a potential suspect list of who could be targeting her fall from grace, she misses out on capturing or securing evidence to identify evidence or defend herself. In particular, there’s a lab mishap where it seems the police would want to secure the scene and investigate, but they don’t. And even if they didn’t, a scientist with particularly fastidious behavior like Dr. Byers would want to immediately take a look at the lab before it was “cleaned up” to determine what happened and have some way to document the findings. But she fails to take what seems like logical and reasonable actions. Hannah Byers is supposed to be a methodical researcher who focuses in on details, but that important trait in her personality drifts in and out, which took away from an otherwise interesting story of manic revenge.
This book is an entertaining read and will appeal to many. I thought the conclusion was satisfying, but some important levers clicked into place a little too conveniently. I’d recommend this book.
I listened to the audiobook and found the narrators, Cindy Kay and Jess Nahikian, fit the main characters very well and did a nice job with the peripheral characters too, giving them distinctive characteristics.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Sexual content
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