mpoldson's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
susanbevans's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
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? Yes
3.0
aliencatl0rd's review against another edition
5.0
This was soooo good and I'm glad it was my 100th book of 2022! Really incredible ending.
afox98's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this book from the host of the Crime Junkie podcast (which I love, full disclaimer). Margot returns to her hometown of Wakanusa, Indiana to take care of her ailing uncle. Just a few days after she returns, a young girl is taken from a playground in a nearby town, and Margot, a journalist, can't help but draw similarities in her case and the one the town is famous for--the murder of January Jacobs from 20+ years ago. Margot has a vested interest in the Jacobs case - she was friends with January, and the killer has never been caught. With her job on the line, she tries valiantly to solve both cases while her uncle flits in and out of reality. The ending could have been more fleshed out, but all in all, a solid debut.
anna62's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
reillan's review against another edition
2.0
3-Star read, but I had to remove a star because of that weird missing-chapter feeling. Like, wtf? I had to google to see if that was intentional or if there was something wrong with my audiobook.
cbear3783's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this! Gave me new insight and different POV on the infamous JonBenét Ramsey case. The story exemplified what it can feel like growing up in a small town in Indiana.
bibliomaniac33's review against another edition
2.0
Initially, I thought this was a decent debut novel. The first third or so wasn't bad. It had some rough spots, but seemed like a good first effort at a mystery/thriller novel.
After that, however, it became quite bogged down and draggy, to the point where I sped the book up on Audible to 1.5x which is never a good sign (I wanted to see if I had guessed The Who Done It correctly).......so imagine my surprise when this last portion goes on and on and on and then BAM. Ending. Just like that. It was so abrupt that I had to relisten to the last chapter to it to make sure I hadn't daydreamed and missed something.
To put the reader through so much superfluous and drawn-out storyline and then do an ending that left the experience entirely flat has me irritated that I spent 10 hours listening to this.
The main character wasn't very compelling- her circumstance wasn't believable. The side bit lesbian affair for another character as well as the plot involving the mystery woman was completely unnecessary and made the book unpleasantly long. It did nothing to add sympathy to an already unlikeable and unsympathetic character and added no additional player of note, so why? Why not take that time instead to do a better job of building tension elsewhere or do a better job of character development with any of the others we already had been introduced to?
Maybe a sequel will pick up where this left off, but I probably won't be reading it. This book needed a better editor to par it down and much faster pacing if you want to get away with an ending like this.
;tldr Flat book. One dimensional characters. No setting development. Terrible resolution. Would not recommend.
After that, however, it became quite bogged down and draggy, to the point where I sped the book up on Audible to 1.5x which is never a good sign (I wanted to see if I had guessed The Who Done It correctly).......so imagine my surprise when this last portion goes on and on and on and then BAM. Ending. Just like that. It was so abrupt that I had to relisten to the last chapter to it to make sure I hadn't daydreamed and missed something.
To put the reader through so much superfluous and drawn-out storyline and then do an ending that left the experience entirely flat has me irritated that I spent 10 hours listening to this.
The main character wasn't very compelling- her circumstance wasn't believable. The side bit lesbian affair for another character as well as the plot involving the mystery woman was completely unnecessary and made the book unpleasantly long. It did nothing to add sympathy to an already unlikeable and unsympathetic character and added no additional player of note, so why? Why not take that time instead to do a better job of building tension elsewhere or do a better job of character development with any of the others we already had been introduced to?
Maybe a sequel will pick up where this left off, but I probably won't be reading it. This book needed a better editor to par it down and much faster pacing if you want to get away with an ending like this.
;tldr Flat book. One dimensional characters. No setting development. Terrible resolution. Would not recommend.
_bronni's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.25
I think this author was quite inspired by the Jonbenet Ramsey murder and Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn...
fordlaura33's review against another edition
The plot and characters didn’t really grab me. It also gave off to much Jon Bennet Ramsey vibes and I just couldn’t get past that aspect. I also felt like the writing style wasn’t for me.