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A Flaw in the Design, by Nathan Oates

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Matthew’s parents die in a car accident. Because he is not yet 18 years old, he is required to move in with his uncle Gil and the rest of his family until he reaches the age of adulthood. Matthew is a troubled adolescent, and there was an event that took place when he was younger that resulted in a rift between his mother and his uncle. Both Gil and his wife, Molly, are feeling anxious about the prospect of having this problematic teenager come in with them. They were taken aback at first by his polite behavior. But after a while, Matthew will reveal his true self.

This entertaining thriller is supposed to have a cat-and-mouse fight between the uncle and his nephew. I can't think of a single young character I've ever read about in recent years who is more unlikeable than Matthew. For some reason, he makes me think of Kevin from the book We Need to Talk about Kevin. I think the author did a wonderful job of developing him as a character, which is important. Unfortunately, on the other hand, Gil was an annoying character, not as a person but as an adult who didn’t know how to act or handle a teenager. My experience has taught me that playing a game of cat and mouse is more entertaining when both players are equally devious and clever. In contrast to the uncle, the nephew possessed these qualities, while the uncle did not.

The book moved at a steady pace, which made it fun to read. There are parts that explain what occurred in the past so that the reader might have a better understanding. Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable suspense novel. Just go right in without looking up any spoilers beforehand.

Thanks a lot to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced reader copy of this book to read.