A review by feainnewedd
Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

dark mysterious 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

0.0

My goodness, the writing. That was the biggest issue for me. Cadence is choppy all throughout the book, like the words are falling from the sky and just ungracefully plonking to the ground, and the author's pet phrase ("for as/all...", e.g., "...for all your time together, you never got a good look at his face." "For as nervous as she was the other day, there’s none of it today.") grated on my nerves. There are other ways to express this idea without having to write "for as much as" or "for all" every other page.

"Piper is inquisitive, always asking questions." (you know that song Eenie Meenie by Sean Kingston and Justin Bieber? "She's indecisive, she can't decide". Eye roll.)

"Research shows the importance of touch on a person’s emotions, their physical well-being, the way they respond to others. Tactile stimulation is one of the most important." (reads like the essay of a student trying to hit the required word count)

"Josh is looking at me. He’s incredibly handsome. Josh has always been incredibly handsome. He’s dapper. His suit is slim-fitting, navy. He has many suits. While other men collect cigars or license plates, Josh collects suits. Some are tailor-made and others off the rack. He’s always trying to impress. He has a likable personality, a gravitational field. People are drawn to him. He’s outgoing. His smile lights up a room. Everyone likes Josh." (okay...?)

Moreover, I find it unbelievable that experts ruled Meredith's death as a suicide when an autopsy would have shown that her wounds were not self-inflicted. AND that DNA test. Heh. The ending was too conveniently wrapped up and tied with a pretty bow.
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