hmonkeyreads's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting idea but I wasn't a big fan of how it came together. I know this is a first novel and I think it shows because I felt like I was aware of the writing and not in a good way. There seemed to be lots of unnecessary details (like what they were eating) and the characters were mostly superficial and I couldn't really understand anyone's motivations. They just did things because the plot required them to do so.
But I like the idea and hope there is another book from the author that has a bit more polish.
But I like the idea and hope there is another book from the author that has a bit more polish.
jlk64's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
biblionerd62's review against another edition
4.0
Maybe I should have, but I didn't see the ending of this book coming. Sara J. Henry has a bright future as an author if she keeps writing books like this one. I cared about the characters and she kept the answer to the mystery a secret right up to the end. I think I became so caught up in the story that I forgot to try to figure it out!
kleedc73's review against another edition
5.0
"If I'd blinked, I would have missed it." The opening sentence of the book in some ways summarizes one of the central themes of this book perfectly -- how, in the blink of an eye, your life can completely change. In this debut novel from Sara Henry, Troy Chance is a free spirit living unencumbered in Lake Placid, New York. On the ferry on her way to Burlington, VT she sees what looks like a child falling from the ferry crossing in the opposite direction. Acting on instinct, she dives into the water and rescues the child, a 6 year old named Paul. This kicks off a chain of bizarre events, when Troy realizes that Paul is a missing kidnapping victim from Montreal. Against her normal instincts to remain aloof and apart from emotional attachments, Troy becomes intensely involved in Paul's life in the aftermath of his reunion with his father, including actively investigating the kidnapping. Along the way, Troy is forced to acknowledge truths about her life, her emotional state and what she really needs in order to be happy and fulfilled.
Some books defy categorization. This is one of them. It is both women's fiction and mystery/thriller, both emotionally moving and suspenseful. The complexity underlying what could have been a pretty straightforward mystery novel makes this a truly unique reading experience. I read this book in a single day -- it has that intangible "something" that keeps you turning the pages even when your eyes are drooping and the hour grows late. I was happily surprised by how much I liked it.
Some books defy categorization. This is one of them. It is both women's fiction and mystery/thriller, both emotionally moving and suspenseful. The complexity underlying what could have been a pretty straightforward mystery novel makes this a truly unique reading experience. I read this book in a single day -- it has that intangible "something" that keeps you turning the pages even when your eyes are drooping and the hour grows late. I was happily surprised by how much I liked it.
moogen's review against another edition
2.0
Amateurish... although the first 30 or so pages turned pleasantly enough. Then the eye rolling began. I dislike books that rely on the illogical actions of their characters to advance the narrative. I also don't believe that describing what people are eating is sufficient to set a scene.
offbalance80's review against another edition
2.0
Destined to be a really halfhearted Lifetime Original Movie, this tepid mystery had an interesting twist at the very end that might have improved my opinion of the book if it had been better developed. The characters were stock, the motivations often baffling and the heroine, quite frankly, was an idiot. Any goodwill I had for her was squandered by her ability to make breathtakingly bad decisions (and I say this as a devoted fan of the Sookie Stackhouse novels). Worst of all? It bored me. Pass.
julieannhummingbird's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
pickettreads's review against another edition
3.0
This was a pretty good mystery but a bit on the predictable side. I did enjoy it but kept waiting for something big to happen.
jfbfsf's review against another edition
3.0
It was a solid mystery. The plot/writing felt clean, if that's a reasonable way to describe a story. The character is fairly straightforward. She doesn't spend a lot of time sitting in cafes thinking, flashing back to things that happened in her childhood or flashing forward to some dramatic event around which the rest of the story is framed.
She sees something happen, gets involved, and from there gets caught up with new characters and situations in a steadily paced, forward moving story.
Some of the characters were a little cliched, and while I didn't see the particulars of the ending until I was almost there, I did guess at the involvement of certain parties because of their repeat appearance in this fairly streamlined story. No need to dwell on randoms unless they are going to play a part in propelling the story forward.
This wasn't an un-put-downable, suspense on every page thriller. But I enjoyed reading it, and I'll read her next one, too.
She sees something happen, gets involved, and from there gets caught up with new characters and situations in a steadily paced, forward moving story.
Some of the characters were a little cliched, and while I didn't see the particulars of the ending until I was almost there, I did guess at the involvement of certain parties because of their repeat appearance in this fairly streamlined story. No need to dwell on randoms unless they are going to play a part in propelling the story forward.
This wasn't an un-put-downable, suspense on every page thriller. But I enjoyed reading it, and I'll read her next one, too.