Review by tostita - Crimson River

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tostita 's review for:

Crimson River by Devney Perry

2.0

emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was a solid four-star book right up until the big showdown with the antagonist, and then just… what the hell was that?

The book seems to actively endorse a man choking his wife to death because he had a good reason and brushes off that same man choking the FMC, a complete stranger, to the edge of unconsciousness in chapter 1 of the book, shown in detail on the page. Even the MMC, her beloved, got over that attack real quick after getting off a single punch. And then they had an overnight campout with the guy! Seriously?!?

More spoilers regarding that “good reason”:

The MMC has spent the last four years struggling to accept that his close friend and former police partner murdered his wife (who was also MMC’s close friend) and their daughters. When it is revealed that the former partner only murdered his wife, and that the wife was actually the one responsible for the children’s drowning deaths, he immediately exonerates Former Partner in his own mind. Furthermore, it takes him only minutes to switch from thinking about Dead Wife as ‘a dear friend, cruelly murdered’ to ‘evil junkie who deserved what she got.’ Dead Wife was apparently struggling with a substance abuse problem MMC was unaware of and was intoxicated when the kids drowned. The story implies that she intentionally caused their deaths but never shows exactly what happened even though there is a living witness who could explain it all (but never does). Their deaths could conceivably have been accidental, but we’ll never know. Obviously, Dead Wife’s actions, whether malicious or negligent, were not okay but they also do not make choking your wife to death an acceptable option. And when Former Partner then nearly chokes another woman (FMC) to death merely for startling him, I just cannot buy that he’s a basically good guy in a bad situation. No, this man cannot control his temper, is a danger to women, should be safely in jail, not roaming the countryside, and definitely should not continuing to follow MMC and FMC around years later when they go hiking with their growing family. That second epilogue was creepy as hell.

Content Warnings