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challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my third J.T. Ellison, and what I’ve discovered is that this woman can write a thriller.
the story: The story line was deep and layered, with shifting perspectives, timelines, and voices adding to the suspense and anticipation. The interwoven stories made for a twisty and tense read, The use of these tools also led me to a theory I held for much of the book, only to discover just how wrong I was.
the setting: Much of the story takes place in the fictional twin of Brockville, a small town created to be a utopia. The author created such an eerie vibe, culty meets Stepford Wives. It is a purposely and meticulously planned town that seems perfect on the surface. But that perfection hides deep and dark secrets, which creates a pool of suspects to keep the reader guessing.
the characters: I love a flawed character, the feeling of reality and authenticity that they bring to a story. This book had several, all very believable. Halley herself was scarred in ways and for reasons even she didn’t know, providing the impetus for her actions and thoughts for much of the book. Theo, her estranged husband, definitely had his flaws, too, which made the way he felt and acted in different scenarios more understandable. There wasn’t truly a main actor in this story that wasn’t flawed in some way, which informed so much of the story in such interesting ways. In reality, this book is as much a family drama piece as it is a psychological thriller.
in conclusion: This is a fast-paced thriller with no shortage of potentially evil bad guys, including the mysterious narrator that appears from time to time. J.T. Ellison is masterful in the way she creates mind-bending plots that mess with the readers in all the right ways. She creates red herrings that are so subtle that only later does the reader recognize them as such, allowing for delicious twists and turns. I love being wrong when I read mysteries and thrillers, so I appreciated that I had a lot of different theories throughout, very few of them correct. And the ending suggests there might be more for these characters in store.
bonus points: There’s also a bit of an Easter egg, the setting of Marchburg, Virginia also being the setting for Ellison’s 2019 release, Good Girls Lie. That book is set at a private school, The Goode School. Halley’s father in this book is a teacher at that school, the events of Good Girls Lie referenced a few times within this story. That being said, they can be read independently of one another. You can read my review of Good Girls Lie here.
the story: The story line was deep and layered, with shifting perspectives, timelines, and voices adding to the suspense and anticipation. The interwoven stories made for a twisty and tense read, The use of these tools also led me to a theory I held for much of the book, only to discover just how wrong I was.
the setting: Much of the story takes place in the fictional twin of Brockville, a small town created to be a utopia. The author created such an eerie vibe, culty meets Stepford Wives. It is a purposely and meticulously planned town that seems perfect on the surface. But that perfection hides deep and dark secrets, which creates a pool of suspects to keep the reader guessing.
the characters: I love a flawed character, the feeling of reality and authenticity that they bring to a story. This book had several, all very believable. Halley herself was scarred in ways and for reasons even she didn’t know, providing the impetus for her actions and thoughts for much of the book. Theo, her estranged husband, definitely had his flaws, too, which made the way he felt and acted in different scenarios more understandable. There wasn’t truly a main actor in this story that wasn’t flawed in some way, which informed so much of the story in such interesting ways. In reality, this book is as much a family drama piece as it is a psychological thriller.
in conclusion: This is a fast-paced thriller with no shortage of potentially evil bad guys, including the mysterious narrator that appears from time to time. J.T. Ellison is masterful in the way she creates mind-bending plots that mess with the readers in all the right ways. She creates red herrings that are so subtle that only later does the reader recognize them as such, allowing for delicious twists and turns. I love being wrong when I read mysteries and thrillers, so I appreciated that I had a lot of different theories throughout, very few of them correct. And the ending suggests there might be more for these characters in store.
bonus points: There’s also a bit of an Easter egg, the setting of Marchburg, Virginia also being the setting for Ellison’s 2019 release, Good Girls Lie. That book is set at a private school, The Goode School. Halley’s father in this book is a teacher at that school, the events of Good Girls Lie referenced a few times within this story. That being said, they can be read independently of one another. You can read my review of Good Girls Lie here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Trafficking