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mghope's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
bookph1le's review against another edition
1.0
Okay, I'm not one-starring this book because I thought it was all bad. At a technical level, the author did a good job. There were enough twists and turns and she threw in enough red herrings that I couldn't figure out exactly who the culprit was until late in the book. I was impressed by this aspect of the book, even though once all is revealed, this is a pretty stock thriller, the kind most thriller readers like myself have probably read a hundred times already.
However, the fact that I couldn't unravel the mystery early is really about all I liked about the book, which is why I gave it one star. I didn't like it. I had a lot of personal issues with it, mostly about the characters. I'll keep this spoiler-free, but I can't promise I won't give anything away.
Basically, every character in this book is problematic. That in and of itself isn't a bad thing. I am not of the "characters MUST be likable" school of thought. In fact, I sometimes find likable characters very grating indeed, so that wasn't my problem here. My problem here was I couldn't find anyone I really wanted to root for. Meredith comes across as the bimbo she's frequently accused of being, Greer is off-puttingly abrasive, their mother is about as stock as they come, and the male characters exhibit varying shades of assholery--except for Wade, which is interesting, since he exists only to be the mother's boyfriend of the moment.
As for Andrew, Ronan, and Harris, every single one of them is a douchebag in some way. Andrew is a flat-out abusive husband. He's controlling, manipulative, and cruel, and everyone who tells Meredith she should leave him is right on the money (hahaha, no pun intended!) Ronan is also all kinds of problematic, unable to take no for an answer and exhibiting plenty of warning flags from the get go. And for all Harris is supposed to be an enlightened poster boy for feminism, he's about as condescending as they come. I couldn't stand the way he treated Meredith, even if she gave him reason for it. His out and out disdain for her was just unacceptable, especially since Greer is supposedly so close with her sister.
I kept reading because, like I said, I couldn't figure out who the culprit was until I was almost at the end of the book. Otherwise, I would have dumped this book. I have no desire to spend a single additional moment with any of these characters.
However, the fact that I couldn't unravel the mystery early is really about all I liked about the book, which is why I gave it one star. I didn't like it. I had a lot of personal issues with it, mostly about the characters. I'll keep this spoiler-free, but I can't promise I won't give anything away.
Basically, every character in this book is problematic. That in and of itself isn't a bad thing. I am not of the "characters MUST be likable" school of thought. In fact, I sometimes find likable characters very grating indeed, so that wasn't my problem here. My problem here was I couldn't find anyone I really wanted to root for. Meredith comes across as the bimbo she's frequently accused of being, Greer is off-puttingly abrasive, their mother is about as stock as they come, and the male characters exhibit varying shades of assholery--except for Wade, which is interesting, since he exists only to be the mother's boyfriend of the moment.
As for Andrew, Ronan, and Harris, every single one of them is a douchebag in some way. Andrew is a flat-out abusive husband. He's controlling, manipulative, and cruel, and everyone who tells Meredith she should leave him is right on the money (hahaha, no pun intended!) Ronan is also all kinds of problematic, unable to take no for an answer and exhibiting plenty of warning flags from the get go. And for all Harris is supposed to be an enlightened poster boy for feminism, he's about as condescending as they come. I couldn't stand the way he treated Meredith, even if she gave him reason for it. His out and out disdain for her was just unacceptable, especially since Greer is supposedly so close with her sister.
I kept reading because, like I said, I couldn't figure out who the culprit was until I was almost at the end of the book. Otherwise, I would have dumped this book. I have no desire to spend a single additional moment with any of these characters.
nerdy_gurl_reads's review against another edition
fast-paced
5.0
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗶𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗮 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘁
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5/5
🎧𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬🎧
🎙️𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 & 𝘌𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭
I am absolutely obsessed with Minka’s writing style. I had no idea who was the “bad guy”, and was sooo surprised when it was revealed! I binged this in less than 24 hours! Highly recommend
𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗥𝗕:
Meredith Price is the luckiest woman alive. Her husband, Andrew, is a charming and successful financial broker. She has two lovely stepchildren and is living in affluence in a mountain resort town. After three years of marriage, Meredith’s life has become predictable. Until the day she disappears.
Her car has been discovered in a grocery store parking lot―purse and phone undisturbed on the passenger seat, keys in the ignition, no sign of struggle, and no evidence of foul play. It’s as if she vanished into thin air.
It’s not like Meredith to simply abandon her loved ones. And no one in this town would have reason to harm her. When her desperate sister, Greer, arrives, she must face a disturbing question: What if no one really knows Meredith at all? For Greer, finding her sister isn’t going to be easy―because where she’s looking is going to get very, very dark.
thephdivabooks's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars!!!
I have heard the best things about Minka Kent from other book lovers, so I was beyond excited to read my first book by her, The Thinnest Air! It was a fast-paced thriller that was hard to put down! Kent is an incredible writer, and I really enjoyed the central characters in this book. This was a buddy read with Kendall and Holly, and we all had different theories about what was really going on throughout the book—and none of us were correct!
About the Book
Meredith Price has a gorgeous, rich husband, two high maintenance step kids, and a dream home in the mountains. But what she doesn’t have are friends. Meredith comes from a different world than the other wives—she’s nearly a decade younger, didn’t come from money, and not accustomed to the social scene they circulate in. But Meredith loves her husband, and she is so grateful for how kind and attentive he is.
And then one day, Meredith goes missing…
Her car is found outside the grocery store with her keys, purse, and cell phone still inside and the door wide open. Where is Meredith? As the police begin an intensive search, the gossip mills start to churn. Why would a women who is happy in her life disappear? Was she taken? Did she run? Or is something more sinister going on?
Meredith’s sister Greer knows something is wrong…
When the police don’t find anything after 24 hours, Greer knows that all is not as it seems with her sister’s disappearance. Why haven’t the police been interviewing the neighbors and friends of Meredith? Why does her husband seem so calm? As Greer begins to look deeper into her sister’s life, she realizes that Meredith kept many secrets. And one of them may be the key to finding her…
Reflection
The book is told from two points of view—Meredith’s story about meeting her husband Andrew, their marriage, and ultimately up to the day of her disappearance, and Greer’s story starting the day Meredith disappears. I always find this works well, because we got a lot of Greer in the past through Meredith’s story, and learned more about what Meredith may have shared or not shared through Greer.
Greer is definitely the breakout star of this book! She was sassy and loving—tough on the outside but tender underneath. She is also an incredibly awesome big sister. I think we would all be glad to have a big sister like her! Hearing about how she felt more like a mother to Meredith than their own mother was so touching. Greer and Meredith have an incredible bond that was apparent even through the difficult times.
And there were some other characters that were fun additions! The boyishly-handsome detective, Ronan, the mysterious, sarcastic ex to Greer, Harris, the thin and retouched ex-wife, Erica, the bratty step kids, Isabeau and Calder (those names!!!), and the reserved best friend, Allison. Many of these characters were a bit clichéd, such as the ex- and the step kids, but I think that is because it was told from Meredith’s perspective. She feels like an outsider still in this pampered world, so I don’t know that she was able to see the depth to those individuals who shunned her.
I mentioned earlier that the big twist really did get me! I do wish that there had been a bit more substance to the fallout of the twist at the end. Things were tied up all neat-and-tidy, which I think will appeal to some readers. I like a bit of mess with my thrillers, and that feeling of “what just happened??”
I am looking forward to reading more from Minka Kent!
Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Minka Kent for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have heard the best things about Minka Kent from other book lovers, so I was beyond excited to read my first book by her, The Thinnest Air! It was a fast-paced thriller that was hard to put down! Kent is an incredible writer, and I really enjoyed the central characters in this book. This was a buddy read with Kendall and Holly, and we all had different theories about what was really going on throughout the book—and none of us were correct!
About the Book
Meredith Price has a gorgeous, rich husband, two high maintenance step kids, and a dream home in the mountains. But what she doesn’t have are friends. Meredith comes from a different world than the other wives—she’s nearly a decade younger, didn’t come from money, and not accustomed to the social scene they circulate in. But Meredith loves her husband, and she is so grateful for how kind and attentive he is.
And then one day, Meredith goes missing…
Her car is found outside the grocery store with her keys, purse, and cell phone still inside and the door wide open. Where is Meredith? As the police begin an intensive search, the gossip mills start to churn. Why would a women who is happy in her life disappear? Was she taken? Did she run? Or is something more sinister going on?
Meredith’s sister Greer knows something is wrong…
When the police don’t find anything after 24 hours, Greer knows that all is not as it seems with her sister’s disappearance. Why haven’t the police been interviewing the neighbors and friends of Meredith? Why does her husband seem so calm? As Greer begins to look deeper into her sister’s life, she realizes that Meredith kept many secrets. And one of them may be the key to finding her…
Reflection
The book is told from two points of view—Meredith’s story about meeting her husband Andrew, their marriage, and ultimately up to the day of her disappearance, and Greer’s story starting the day Meredith disappears. I always find this works well, because we got a lot of Greer in the past through Meredith’s story, and learned more about what Meredith may have shared or not shared through Greer.
Greer is definitely the breakout star of this book! She was sassy and loving—tough on the outside but tender underneath. She is also an incredibly awesome big sister. I think we would all be glad to have a big sister like her! Hearing about how she felt more like a mother to Meredith than their own mother was so touching. Greer and Meredith have an incredible bond that was apparent even through the difficult times.
And there were some other characters that were fun additions! The boyishly-handsome detective, Ronan, the mysterious, sarcastic ex to Greer, Harris, the thin and retouched ex-wife, Erica, the bratty step kids, Isabeau and Calder (those names!!!), and the reserved best friend, Allison. Many of these characters were a bit clichéd, such as the ex- and the step kids, but I think that is because it was told from Meredith’s perspective. She feels like an outsider still in this pampered world, so I don’t know that she was able to see the depth to those individuals who shunned her.
I mentioned earlier that the big twist really did get me! I do wish that there had been a bit more substance to the fallout of the twist at the end. Things were tied up all neat-and-tidy, which I think will appeal to some readers. I like a bit of mess with my thrillers, and that feeling of “what just happened??”
I am looking forward to reading more from Minka Kent!
Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Minka Kent for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
whatsemmyreading's review against another edition
4.0
I was really nervous about starting this as I was told the ending was underwhelming, but I raced through this book and enjoyed the ending. It wasn’t some super shocking twist, but it was a great thriller with a solid ending.
headly82's review against another edition
3.0
Its ok
It was compelling. Kind of predictable. But enjoyable. A little twist in the middle. Quick fun beach read. Its ok.
It was compelling. Kind of predictable. But enjoyable. A little twist in the middle. Quick fun beach read. Its ok.
meganmarie1212's review against another edition
3.5
Meriwether goes missing. Her controlling husband Andrew, cop ex-lover Ronan, and sister's newly ex-boyfriend Harris are suspects. Ronan took her, Harris saves her and sister. All ends well.
dharma130's review against another edition
4.0
This was our book club book, and it was very entertaining and suspenseful. I couldn’t put it down. It was well written and had me wondering who done it the whole time!