A review by traceyroberts
Things Don't Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins

emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

I was invited to read and review the debut novel "Things Don't Break On Their Own" by Sarah Easter Collins.  Thank you Penguin Random House UK for the ARC

This is a story of how a family is fractured by the disappearance of thirteen year old, Laika. The book opens at a dinner party with friends and family around the table.  The conversation becomes fraught when the discussion turns to the fallibility of childhood memories. Then one guest makes a surprising revelation that forces Willa to rethink everything about her missing sister. 

This is a slow burn story but definitely a page turner.  It's cleverly plotted and told over multiple timelines and POVs.  The characters are complex and very well drawn.  When the reveals came they were unexpected and I certainly didn't see them coming.   Overall I found this to be an original and compelling read.