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milenaisareader's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
tbjork's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ascott_reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I received this book in a Halloween mystery bag from the library and I’m glad I did. While the style is right my alley it hasn’t been on my radar. It’s told in alternating view points of the victim and the journalist investigating her story. I feel like there were still some unanswered questions at the end, but overall it was a very engaging story and well written. I look forward to reading more by this author. Be aware there are some triggers involving SA.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
megwoman25's review against another edition
5.0
This book is amazing. At first it reminded me of the book "The Divide" by Nicholas Evans with the location, the main character and how the book was written only this book was 10 times better. (no offense if anyone loved that book.) There are no spoilers in this review as it would ruin the book ;)
After reading this book, I feel like this book has to do with the choices we make and how those choices define where we go and who we are in life. So many things happen in this book that could have been avoided had their choices been different. I think anyone can relate to the idea that our lives could be completely different if we had gone with choice B instead of choice A. Just using my own life as an example, I have often wondered had I not dated my ex would I have ever met my husband? My ex got me to join this club I had never heard of and even after we split, I still spent time there and that is how I met my husband. Would I have joined that club or even known about it had I not endured this terrible relationship in my 20's? Would I had still lived in that town or ever learned of this club from someone else and been there on that exact date and time? Would I be married to someone else? Would I be married at all? Was it fate? Or was it my choices that decided my fate? Just like if I had left the house 10 minutes earlier last Monday, would I have been the one in that horrible accident instead of just being stuck in the traffic that followed it? Choices are imperative to where are lives are now.
So with that being said, this book captured my attention from the start. It starts off with a murder and the book is from two different perspectives. You have Becca Eckersley, the victim, who you meet first during her death and learn more about by reading the 14 months before her death as well as those who went to school with her and how this shapes her life in general. The other point of view is Kelsey, a reporter who has just had a life changing issue of her own and is sent by her editor to the town of Summit Lake for a month to take some time off to take care of herself but also to find out what happened to Becca . When Kelsey starts digging around into what happened, she finds a cover up and so with various people in the town helping her she uncovers these secrets and unearths something quite frightening. She also feels this deep connection to Becca that she hasn't felt in any of her other cases and that propels her to find the truth and helps her deal with her own demons.
I thought I figured this book out early on and then as the chapters went by more and more of what I thought I knew, I didn't. The past would shine a light on something but then what Kelsey was discovering in the present made me question myself. The whole book kept me guessing. I usually can guess plot twists but this one took me by surprise. It was so well written that I didn't think to question anything I read. And the thing is, when I learned the truth, it made my eyes misty. It held way more depth than I could have imagined and it really broke my heart. And then it made me think about the choices that everyone in this book made and had they just tweaked things a little, gave more thought or said something else, that everything that happened in this book could have been avoided.
Also, I could not put this book down. It kept me up late many nights in a row and I would constantly question myself in the shower about who did it and I never once got it right. I was going to rate this book 4 stars but after reading the entire thing, I will give it 4.5 and round it to 5 because as a debut, this book is everything and more. I look forward to reading anything else Charlie Donlea writes next.
After reading this book, I feel like this book has to do with the choices we make and how those choices define where we go and who we are in life. So many things happen in this book that could have been avoided had their choices been different. I think anyone can relate to the idea that our lives could be completely different if we had gone with choice B instead of choice A. Just using my own life as an example, I have often wondered had I not dated my ex would I have ever met my husband? My ex got me to join this club I had never heard of and even after we split, I still spent time there and that is how I met my husband. Would I have joined that club or even known about it had I not endured this terrible relationship in my 20's? Would I had still lived in that town or ever learned of this club from someone else and been there on that exact date and time? Would I be married to someone else? Would I be married at all? Was it fate? Or was it my choices that decided my fate? Just like if I had left the house 10 minutes earlier last Monday, would I have been the one in that horrible accident instead of just being stuck in the traffic that followed it? Choices are imperative to where are lives are now.
So with that being said, this book captured my attention from the start. It starts off with a murder and the book is from two different perspectives. You have Becca Eckersley, the victim, who you meet first during her death and learn more about by reading the 14 months before her death as well as those who went to school with her and how this shapes her life in general. The other point of view is Kelsey, a reporter who has just had a life changing issue of her own and is sent by her editor to the town of Summit Lake for a month to take some time off to take care of herself but also to find out what happened to Becca . When Kelsey starts digging around into what happened, she finds a cover up and so with various people in the town helping her she uncovers these secrets and unearths something quite frightening. She also feels this deep connection to Becca that she hasn't felt in any of her other cases and that propels her to find the truth and helps her deal with her own demons.
I thought I figured this book out early on and then as the chapters went by more and more of what I thought I knew, I didn't. The past would shine a light on something but then what Kelsey was discovering in the present made me question myself. The whole book kept me guessing. I usually can guess plot twists but this one took me by surprise. It was so well written that I didn't think to question anything I read. And the thing is, when I learned the truth, it made my eyes misty. It held way more depth than I could have imagined and it really broke my heart. And then it made me think about the choices that everyone in this book made and had they just tweaked things a little, gave more thought or said something else, that everything that happened in this book could have been avoided.
Also, I could not put this book down. It kept me up late many nights in a row and I would constantly question myself in the shower about who did it and I never once got it right. I was going to rate this book 4 stars but after reading the entire thing, I will give it 4.5 and round it to 5 because as a debut, this book is everything and more. I look forward to reading anything else Charlie Donlea writes next.
mollyr11's review against another edition
5.0
good one!
I liked this book. I kept trying to predict the twist — and kept failing. I was surprised when I learned what happened. I thought the characters were well-developed and I liked the alternating stories.
I liked this book. I kept trying to predict the twist — and kept failing. I was surprised when I learned what happened. I thought the characters were well-developed and I liked the alternating stories.
chapterreader's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
k_seidl's review against another edition
4.0
I struggled a bit to get into it, but now I’m sad that it’s over! I’ll definitely be checking out more of his books! I ended up getting super invested into the characters!
luismiguelferrao's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
O livro se inicia no bizarro assassinato de Becca Eckersley, que é uma das coisas mais ridículas que essa obra nos reserva, o ato é nível Os Trapalhões, com uma sequência risível de bifas e safanões que são uma confusão sem tamanho, tirando todo o peso do assassinato que chega a ficar cômico em algumas passagens, sem contar que ele é descrito em duas partes desse livro ou seja, lemos a Becca ser morta duas vezes só que em visões diferentes e eu não sei qual a ideia do autor ao colocar essa bosta duas vezes no mesmo lixo. Seguindo com essa catástrofe conhecemos Kelsey Castle que é a protagonista dessa aventura incrível, ela é extremamente chata e mal desenvolvida que chega ao ponto de você não se importar com a personagem, pelo simples motivo do autor não desenvolver ela melhor ( tinha potencial de ser uma personagem cativante ), ela é repórter de um jornal que não vale a pena descrever e ela recebe a empolgante missão de escrever uma matéria sobre o assassinato de Becca. E nesse ponto do livro percebemos os capítulos se passam no passado e presente, sendo intercalados de um em um, isso quebra totalmente a sequência narrativa e o sua imersão, na história que fica pulando de galho em galho em momentos não compreensíveis, muitas vezes desconexos. Vemos um pouco do passado extremamente chato de Becca, que começam a ser narrados 14 meses antes de sua morte, sendo somente os últimos 5 meses realmente importantes para a trama, o autor teve a coragem de enrolar quase o livro inteiro com coisas inúteis para a solução do crime, são apenas fofocas de paquera e outras coisas, com Becca e seus amigos que não possuem carisma nenhum e me deixam com dor de cabeça só de lembrar
Eu vou pular a metade do livro por ser inútil, espero que não incomode.
Um desses amigos de Becca é o Brad que é um iludido com amor platônico por Becca, a forma que a relação deles acontece deixa evidente que esse pateta é o assassino, só não viu quem não quis ver, depois disso rola umas brigas e o Brad tenta se matar porque a Becca namorava com o Jack ( não mencionei ele porque é inútil, mas ele é amigo deles também ) e ele não aceita isso, ele tenta se matar mas não consegue e vai morar sozinho, Becca engravida de seu namorado, eles ficam perdidos e sem saber oque fazer com o acontecido, quando Becca estava com 5 meses de gravidez ela vai para uma casa na montanhas, que fica no mesmo lugar onde Brad está morando, em uma bela noite Brad vai visitar Becca que o recebe em sua casa de portas abertas, como se nada tivesse acontecido entre eles, Brad fica choramingando dizendo que Becca tem que amar ele e não o Jack, Becca conta que está gravida de Jack e isso faz com que Brad fique doido e ataque ela, assim cometendo assassinato, ele vai pra sua casa e se mata. No meio de toda essa farofa, Kelsey Castle descobre em dias oque a policia em meses não tinha conseguido.
E a obra acaba.