A review by panicked_manic_writer
The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

0.0

This book is the bane of my existence. I guessed the murderer by pg 200.  When she writes in the killer's pov she uses third person, not first. She uses he/him pronouns too so it's fairly easy to narrow it down. The names are just ridiculous. There are random mentions of poc characters that scream "white woman author desperate to prove she isn't racist". One of the detectives is described as latina upfront, as though it wasn't obvious from the fact that her last name is rodrigues and the book is set in america. Another nurse is described as a "petite asian woman named emily lee". As though the name isn't ridiculous and the author doesn't know the nationality of her own character because she "shouldn't make assumptions". Details which are not necessary are constantly thrown in. The dialogue is awful and sounds ai generated. She keeps using the term "computer software". I know the author was like 70 when she wrote this but like, come on. All in all, terrible.