A review by bakingbookworm
She Didn't See It Coming by Shari Lapena

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

You can trust Canadian author Shari Lapena for a twisty read! In this latest book, a woman suddenly goes missing. Her family, friends and neighbours are interviewed by the police, but everyone is stumped at how this young mother could vanish into thin air.

Part mystery, part police procedural, with lots of potential culprits and red herrings, this story has more of a 'whodunnit' mystery vibe than a traditional suspense read.

Readers get the POVs from several characters - neighbours, friends, family and persistent police detective Jayne. Generally, they aren't an overly likeable bunch, but I enjoyed how their messy secrets, lies and motivations are revealed to the reader. Everyone seems to have something to hide! 

My only beefs are that a couple of the POVs felt like they were added simply to misdirect but then dropped out of sight. And could the reveal have been more unexpected and hard hitting? Perhaps, but if you're looking for a bingeable read with short chapters that will have you putting your detective hat on because everyone is suspicious, this is it. I'm hoping we see more of Detective Jayne in future books.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to DoubleDay and Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary digital copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.