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katy_bee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
A little uneven in places but kept me guessing and interested the whole way through.
I think starting with the obituary in the prologue is a bit gimmicky and ultimately fell flat but it was interesting to read the others
I think starting with the obituary in the prologue is a bit gimmicky and ultimately fell flat but it was interesting to read the others
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Murder
3readingcircus's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Stalking, and Death of parent
Moderate: Gun violence, Racism, Dementia, Grief, Gaslighting, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Cancer, Racial slurs, and Deportation
braveprincess11's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
4 1/2 ⭐️
An obituary writer returns to the island where her family was murdered 19 years earlier, and ends up entangled in a new string of “mysterious deaths.”
This is my first novel by Rachel Howell Hall, and it certainly won’t be my last. This is such a fresh take on what I would describe as a domestic thriller - it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Opening the book with Collette’s own obituary, and then beginning each chapter with the current date and time created a sense of urgency parallel to the urgency felt from the increasing body count in Avalon. The entire time, we as readers, are able to count down the days left in Collette’s life right alongside her, adding to the tension. Her use of the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic to create forced proximity, establishing a reason why Collette isn’t able to flee Catalina Island, is one that I haven’t seen before. The amount of misdirection and red herrings throughout the book made it so that I was suspicious of everyone Colette came into contact with, and yet the reveal was still a total surprise.
The only thing keeping this from being a 5 star book for me, bumping it down to 4 1/2, is that the ending felt a bit rushed. The transition from the final chapter to the epilogue was somewhat jarring, with everything suddenly neat and tidy - no more deaths, no more corruption, justice served, penance repaid.
It also was a bit too convenient for me that both Flynn and Noah survived. Noah in particular, especially after bleeding out in the cellar for an unspecified amount of time. Fighting for his life, maybe. But “recovering” felt like a choice made specifically so that Colette could still have one more stable and happy thing after her harrowing experience. I understand why it was done, it just wasn’t a choice I would have made.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Toxic relationship, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Dementia, and Grief
Minor: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, and Pandemic/Epidemic
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