Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: November 29th, 2022
Pages: 352
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing (Park Row)
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
From the start I was hooked by the writing. The narrative voice is witty and humorous as the story starts within the seemingly innocuous life of an influencer. There’s dramatic tension from the beginning and a sense of foreboding that creeps along and builds throughout the story. There is so much that happens in this story, one distressing bombshell after another, and it drives the chilling nature of the circumstances surrounding the plot.
I think the setting is perhaps my favorite part of the story. It’s such a fresh, modern take for this genre. The dark side of the Instagram lifestyle is a highlight for the plot. I really like the importance and relevance of the themes that this story touched on, with the role that social media plays in our lives. Especially in today’s cancel culture, there is a stark reality of negative consequences that you may have to deal with when putting yourself out there. Not everything is sunshine and rainbows behind the scenes, and we really get to see the toll that social media can have on families, friends, and our own mental health.
The multiple points of view give us deeper insight into the characters and allow readers to try slotting all of the pieces into place. It truly does feel like trying to solve a puzzle while you’re reading it and I had fun making the connections as things are revealed. The story comes together in a rather explosive finale that I didn’t see coming. I like Alex, her husband, and her daughters, and I really felt for them the entire time as I was rooting for them to get a happy ending.
No spoilers, but I think I’m the one who didn’t get a happy ending, I just wasn’t fully satisfied. It’s a little underwhelming to me, to be honest, maybe because it is all over so quickly and I didn’t completely feel fulfilled by the resolutions. I think I just didn’t fully understand some of the superficial motivations of the characters for their actions; it isn’t quite compelling enough. At times I feel like the characters’ actions are blown out of proportion, and I think this is only because I didn’t fully grasp the intensity or reasoning behind them. I needed this fleshed out a little more to believe in it fully.
But I will say that this book went way beyond what I expected. It is not the average domestic thriller. The plot is so much thicker and I loved that about it. The connections run deep and are twisted in ways you couldn’t predict. I think this will be a popular and well-received release, with its timely and relevant themes and fresh takes within this genre.
I do have to say, only because I have a degree in criminology, that some of the forensics and police procedurals felt a little off to me. It’s a minor qualm and didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story as a whole, but there were some noticeable (to me) aspects of this plot that weren’t fully believable or accurate. I don’t know that an average reader would notice such things, but I just have to mention it here because it stood out to me.
I definitely recommend this book to readers of the mystery/thriller genre. It’s a solid four stars, even with my minor grievances. I enjoyed my reading experience and I was invested in the outcome. This is an author I would definitely love to read more from.
Disclaimers:
Huge thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing (Park Row) 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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