Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: January 10th, 2023
Pages: 336
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Publisher’s Synopsis:
“One year ago, Isabelle Drake’s life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her—literally.
Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year.
Isabelle’s entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can’t go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster—but his interest in Isabelle’s past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning paired with her severe insomnia has brought up uncomfortable memories from her own childhood, making Isabelle start to doubt her recollection of the night of Mason’s disappearance, as well as second-guess who she can trust… including herself. But she is determined to figure out the truth no matter where it leads.”
My Review:
This is a dark, emotional story that will surely captivate readers.
The pacing was a bit slow in the first twenty percent or so, with a lot of introspection and rehashing of emotions, while not a whole lot is actually happening. However, once things started to pick up they really took off. There is a creeping tension that continuously builds throughout this story, giving a feeling of dread, like the sense that something is lurking in the shadows of your peripheral vision just waiting to pounce.
I really liked the flashbacks to the protagonist’s childhood. I found getting a glimpse into her past to be the most engaging sections of the book. The macabre history of the house she grew up in adds an extra layer to the eerie nature of the story. Savannah was such a fun setting for this book. As someone who is Georgia born and raised I am super familiar with the area. It has a unique history with many hot spots of supernatural activity for those who believe, which worked perfectly as part of the backdrop for this story.
The author drops us a trail of crumbs to follow as the moments of sinister events keep multiplying. There are so many suspicions being thrown around and so many characters that play a crucial role in the plot; it always keeps you guessing.
I liked the sleepwalking aspect of the story, it was something unique and really worked as a plot device. I love the sense of unreliable narrator that happened as a result, where Isabelle is constantly questioning her own memories and mentality. Although I’m not a huge fan of the missing child trope (it’s just so common in this genre), I do understand that this can be an effective way for many readers to connect with the characters on a deeper level. I am not a mom myself so I can only imagine the trauma from losing a child in any capacity. And I really actually felt the grief melting off the pages.
I think fans of domestic thrillers are going to love this one!
Disclaimers:
Huge thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for gifting me an early copy of this amazing story! I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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