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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
Rating: 3.0/5.0
I would say this was a decent thriller. A child in the neighborhood is abducted and a porn addict who likes to watch women in little girl dresses is accused. When Bella disappeared Glen Taylor was accused of kidnapping her but his wife Jeanie stood by him and defended her husband.
The story is told from mainly three perspectives, the widow, the detective and the reporter. With the widow being the only character that is told from a first person's perspective. The story sometimes was getting confusing as each chapter was dated and referred to a different time, but I understand that this was necessary to build up the events gradually. The good thing is that the story has shown how the media's intervention can manipulate cases. Media is just looking for a cover story that will sell and not finding the real truth.
The book is slow a bit but as I said it is decent and some other readers might rate it higher than me. Give it a go and see if you like slow paced thrillers.
I would say this was a decent thriller. A child in the neighborhood is abducted and a porn addict who likes to watch women in little girl dresses is accused. When Bella disappeared Glen Taylor was accused of kidnapping her but his wife Jeanie stood by him and defended her husband.
The story is told from mainly three perspectives, the widow, the detective and the reporter. With the widow being the only character that is told from a first person's perspective. The story sometimes was getting confusing as each chapter was dated and referred to a different time, but I understand that this was necessary to build up the events gradually. The good thing is that the story has shown how the media's intervention can manipulate cases. Media is just looking for a cover story that will sell and not finding the real truth.
The book is slow a bit but as I said it is decent and some other readers might rate it higher than me. Give it a go and see if you like slow paced thrillers.
Un thriller algo diferente, contado desde varios puntos de vista, y que te mantiene pegada a la historia y no te suelta en ningún momento hasta que ves el final. Lo he leído en día y medio.
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was really disappointing. It was a great suspense story that had SO MUCH potential to go somewhere new and frightening, and it just fell completely flat at the end. This book has no climax, just a lot of build, and then a frustrating denouement. Do not recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia
Moderate: Pedophilia
It's simply not worth the read. There's no payoff.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I listened to the audio book version and the various readers added an element to the story.
A promising first book for this author. I found the characters and controversial subject matter engaging. However, I felt like the ending or 'big reveal' wasn't shocking as the comparisons to Gone Girl would suggest. Still a great read, I would recommend giving it a go.
*sigh*
One of these days, I'll learn that it's rare that a book ends up on all the "best mystery/thriller" lists and I actually agree. This one was... meh. It was slow in parts but seemed to be ramping up to a nice climax and reveal. I was torn on which direction I thought it would go but I had an excellent ending in mind.
The way the author chose to wrap this up was so mundane. It was such a letdown. All those aforementioned parts that were slow, when combined with the ending, suddenly made the entire book feel long and drawn out.
Meh rating for a meh book.
One of these days, I'll learn that it's rare that a book ends up on all the "best mystery/thriller" lists and I actually agree. This one was... meh. It was slow in parts but seemed to be ramping up to a nice climax and reveal. I was torn on which direction I thought it would go but I had an excellent ending in mind.
The way the author chose to wrap this up was so mundane. It was such a letdown. All those aforementioned parts that were slow, when combined with the ending, suddenly made the entire book feel long and drawn out.
Meh rating for a meh book.
Did Jean Taylor's husband kidnap and murder a little girl? He says no and it is never proven. But that isn't the end of it. Glen dies and the police and media return to Jean to see if her story will change now that he is dead. As the book moves between the present and the past, we learn more about Glen and how their marriage changed. The Widow is much more subtle than Gone Girl or Girl on the Train. Instead of gasps at the twists, they are additional little twists that sucker you in just like those around the Taylors were. Definitely worth a read!
A preview copy of this book was provided by Penguin First to Read and NetGalley in exchange for an objective review.
A preview copy of this book was provided by Penguin First to Read and NetGalley in exchange for an objective review.
Definitely a psychological thriller, but I use the term 'thriller' loosely. I will say the author wove the different perspectives telling the story very well. The reader was left guessing until the end.
Just ok, I guess. I wasn't on the edge of my seat, or anything. I think my biggest problem with this book was that I really disliked the main character, Jean. I couldn't decide if she was covering something up or just plain dumb. Not likable either way. I also didn't like how it kept jumping back and forth through the timeline of events. Having the date listed didn't help very much because it was hard to keep track of it all. I would have liked it better if it was linear.
Also posted at Short & Lazy Book Reviews.
THE BLURB LIES. I expected something interesting, something worthy of the woman in the blurb who doesn’t want to stay quiet anymore and can “make people believe anything” but it never happened. Jean is a quiet, downtrodden wife married to a controlling man, and can’t do jack shit for herself, EVEN AFTER HE’S DEAD.
You lie, blurb!
I’m angrier at the ruse than I am at the actual novel itself. While I didn’t get the page turner I expected, it wasn’t entirely bad. It just wasn’t that fantastic, either. Jean was a doormat, the reporter was cliche, the detective was a boring cliche, nothing was really exciting. The worst part was the reporter and detective sharing their thoughts on Jean being in control of herself and somehow some sort of emotional manipulator when none of that came through in the text at ALL.
I could barely get my interest up when the mystery of the missing child is sorted through at the end, and if the author was expecting anything out of me in that last bit with Jean other than a mighty eye roll, then I’m sorry. Nothing about that finale was earned by the rest of the book.
THE BLURB LIES. I expected something interesting, something worthy of the woman in the blurb who doesn’t want to stay quiet anymore and can “make people believe anything” but it never happened. Jean is a quiet, downtrodden wife married to a controlling man, and can’t do jack shit for herself, EVEN AFTER HE’S DEAD.
You lie, blurb!
I’m angrier at the ruse than I am at the actual novel itself. While I didn’t get the page turner I expected, it wasn’t entirely bad. It just wasn’t that fantastic, either. Jean was a doormat, the reporter was cliche, the detective was a boring cliche, nothing was really exciting. The worst part was the reporter and detective sharing their thoughts on Jean being in control of herself and somehow some sort of emotional manipulator when none of that came through in the text at ALL.
I could barely get my interest up when the mystery of the missing child is sorted through at the end, and if the author was expecting anything out of me in that last bit with Jean other than a mighty eye roll, then I’m sorry. Nothing about that finale was earned by the rest of the book.