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booksbytheglass's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
this book started off with so much promise, but sadly, it fell victim to the overused “my wife/husband is having an affair but it turns out he/she is a horrible person” trope 🫠
as a fan of a.r. torre’s writing, I was beyond excited to receive an ARC of this one!! it promised everything I love in a thriller: cheating spouses, dark secrets, dual POVs, and of course, a whodunnit murder!
the story itself just took a weird turn about halfway through, and I don’t think I was ready for that shift in story. it almost felt like the author decided to change directions from a murder mystery to a mafia thriller without adding any context as to the deep connection.
the main character, lillian, was another overused scorned woman trope: constantly popping pills and chugging bottles of wine. I’m just curious as to the value that it added to the story because in the end, her problems really had nothing to do with the plot.
maybe I’m just overthinking this one, because I enjoyed the writing and the pace of it, but the constant veering of the overarching plot just wasn’t it for me. I’m a sucker for continuity 😅
a huge thank you to netgalley and thomas and mercer for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this one’s out end of September!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: napa valley zinfandel
as a fan of a.r. torre’s writing, I was beyond excited to receive an ARC of this one!! it promised everything I love in a thriller: cheating spouses, dark secrets, dual POVs, and of course, a whodunnit murder!
the story itself just took a weird turn about halfway through, and I don’t think I was ready for that shift in story. it almost felt like the author decided to change directions from a murder mystery to a mafia thriller without adding any context as to the deep connection.
the main character, lillian, was another overused scorned woman trope: constantly popping pills and chugging bottles of wine. I’m just curious as to the value that it added to the story because in the end, her problems really had nothing to do with the plot.
maybe I’m just overthinking this one, because I enjoyed the writing and the pace of it, but the constant veering of the overarching plot just wasn’t it for me. I’m a sucker for continuity 😅
a huge thank you to netgalley and thomas and mercer for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this one’s out end of September!
rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: napa valley zinfandel
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Suicidal thoughts
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