A review by mg_in_md_
Ruin Falls by Jenny Milchman

4.0

This review is based on the ARC I received via FirstReads. The story starts with a family vacation that goes awry. When Liz's children go missing during an overnight stay at a hotel, it becomes clear that her husband Paul's proposal to visit his parents for a summer vacation was not as simple as it seemed. The police opt not to get involved since it appears to be a domestic dispute, rather than a kidnapping, so Liz must rely on herself to find her children. Secrets from Paul's past and present (centering around a separate storyline involving like-minded individuals) factor into the children's disappearance. The book was fast-paced and complex, and I felt like the author did a nice job of pulling all of the moving pieces together. There is a cameo appearance by a character from the previous book ([b:Cover of Snow|13642956|Cover of Snow|Jenny Milchman|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1352422836s/13642956.jpg|19258206]) but it isn't critical to have read the earlier book before reading this one; these two are more standalone offerings that happen to be set in similar locations. In fact, while I enjoyed both books, I liked this one even better than the first. As was the case with the first book, the weather factors into the story -- although this one deals with the oppressive summer heat, rather than a bitter winter. Overall, I enjoyed this FirstReads win and look forward to future offerings by this author.