Reviews

I found the portions of the book that were focused on the main character's grief to be gripping, and I feel like this was worth reading for that element, even though I found quite a lot about the novel disappointing. The resolution to the mystery was a disappointment, but the author did keep me invested through the first few twists.

While I liked Eve as a character, something was off about how she interacted with the book's setting. She seemed to be observing the town she has lived in her whole life almost as though she was an outsider, which doesn't fit the story.

sleepysoba's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

2.5

readingindreams's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

3.5

chaosandbooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

crazybooklady89's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

It was okay. I kinda saw the ending coming, but had a different theory as to the “why” behind the murder. Overall, it was an entertaining listen, and I thought the narrator of the audiobook did a great job!

Content Warnings

beegcly's review against another edition

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3.0

the familiar dark: what a great, quick read! This book is centred around the deaths of two twelve year old girls, Izzy and Junie, and Junie’s mothers quest to find out who killed them. This book was suspenseful and hard to put down! I loved all of the background the author provided about the characters and the interwoven relationships that existed. While I really enjoyed this book for about 90% of it, I did not like the ending at all so for that reason I’m giving it 3.5/5⭐️ Overall, it a good book and a really fast thriller read, perfect for quarantine!
Thank you @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for my copy of this one!

darkskybooks's review against another edition

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4.0

The loss of a child is possibly the most painful thing a parent can ever experience. I am on the cusp of parenthood myself and this story certainly hit hard! Treading the slightly tropey road of poverty in rural America, this story does not shy away from the brutal realities of this. We follow Eve, who's daughter was one of two 12 year olds found dead in a playground. She is struggling to deal with this loss, being supported by her brother. Her family is the poorest of the poor, brought up in crime in trailer park. She has been trying to break out of this and free her daughter from the cycle. The other dead child, her daughter's friend, is very much from the other side of the tracks - a wealthier family.

As always in these scenarios, the town holds many secrets. Loves, lies and honor are all poorly defined and not where you might expect. The twists and implications are well realised and the denouement is very satisfying. Overall an excellent example of small town crime and poverty in the US.

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